Valley Verde’s ‘rad’-ical food challenge seeks champs
Would you pony up $20 just to avoid eating a radish? Many people’s reluctance to eat the somewhat spicy root vegetable raw is at the heart of a tasty new fundraiser cooked by San Jose nonprofit Valley Verde, which aims to reduce food insecurity by teaching people to grow edible gardens at home.
The “Eat Your Veggies Radish Challenge” campaign launched Tuesday with a goal of raising $40,000 by the end of March to bring more healthy fruits and vegetables to low-income families and children.
Anyone can sign up at valleyverde.org and pledge to become a “Radish Champion” — meaning you’ll donate $20 and get five other people to do the same within two weeks.
For every “friend” who fails to match the donation, Radish Champions are expected to post a video of themselves on social media eating a raw radish and saying, “Eat your veggies!”
The goal isn’t to pick on the poor radish, of course, but to allow more people to be able to put healthy veggies — including radishes — on their tables at home. And, honestly, it’s a lot less uncomfortable than the Ice Bucket Challenge.
GETTING MUSICAL AT THE TECH » Bay Area classical music station KDFC is hosting its fourth annual Kids Discovery Day at the Tech Interactive in downtown San Jose today, and that means a fun — and free — day of music performances and hands-on
music activities for the whole family.
That includes an instrument “petting zoo,” a kid-friendly mini-opera of “Little Red Riding Hood” staged by Opera San Jose, Music for Minors workshops, and a chance to meet KDFC hosts like Dianne Nicolini and Hoyt Smith. (You can also listen to them in their natural element at 104.9 FM in the South Bay.)
It all runs from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and admission is free if you mention KDFC.
WICKED PARTY >> Urban Catalyst, the San Josebased opportunity zone fund, threw a “Wizard of Oz”-themed party Thursday night at San Pedro Square Market’s Three Sisters Bar to celebrate its first anniversary and thank its investors.
It’s been a good first year for Urban Catalyst, which has closed on seven properties in and around downtown San Jose, and President Erik Hayden says the company expects to break ground on all of them within the next 18 months.
A few hundred people jammed elbow to elbow at the party, which was filled with “Wizard of Oz” decor — though in this case, the “OZ” stands for “opportunity zone” — like a yellow-brick road, an Emerald City stage and lifesize mannequins of the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion.
“When I told my wife, Tandem, this party cost three times as much as our wedding, she wasn’t happy,” Hayden said, quickly adding that the party was paid for with management’s money — not investors’.
Besides, as far as Silicon Valley parties go, this one was fairly responsible fiscally — beer and wine were on the house, but there was a cash bar for cocktails.
AB 5 AND THE ARTS >> Count the performing and visual arts among the many businesses being unintentionally disrupted by AB 5, the “gig
economy” law aimed at securing benefits for ride-share drivers and other contract workers.
This law is affecting everyone, from the people who install art shows to festival musicians. (San Jose Jazz Executive Director Brendan Rawson addressed how AB 5 is affecting his organization and others in a great commentary piece posted on Calmatters.)
On Tuesday, Silicon Valley Creates is bringing Julie Baker, executive director of California Arts Advocates, to the Hammer Theatre Center to talk about the latest updates on the legislation and how it affects nonprofit arts organizations.
The 6 p.m. discussion is free to attend, and the Hammer is at 101 Paseo de San Antonio in downtown San Jose.
OUT AND ABOUT >> The weather’s been unseasonably warm, but San Jose Jazz Winter Fest has been keeping things suitably cool, musically at least.
And the festival’s second full week is kicking off with a special event today to support the Fountain Blues Foundation, which produces of the longest-running blues fest in the Bay Area.
The Gospel Brunch at Poor House Bistro includes New Orleans-themed food and a concert by Son of the Soul Revivers.
Tickets for the benefit are $50 and are available — along with the rest of the Winter Fest schedule — at sanjosejazz.org/winter-fest.
Meanwhile, Silicon Valley Reads is heading into its second month of programming for this year’s theme, “Women: Making It Happen.” Catherine Chung, author of “The Tenth Muse,” will be appearing at 10 libraries throughout the South Bay until March 2.
These are the only appearances she’ll make during the program, so check the schedule at siliconvalleyreads.org to see where you can catch her or any of the other related programs still going on.