BI-WEEKLY OPEN MIC
Our Monthly event is held on the 3rd Friday every month at Blue Rock Shoot, Saratoga downtown
NOTE: The Silicon Valley's Got Bollywood event is held every month on the 1st Friday. Please check facebook.com/valleytalent for event cancelations prior to showing up
Make sure you check out the FAQ - here
Our monthly event is "Silicon Valley's Got Talent"
Details @ siliconvalleystalent.com
DETAILS @ SILICONVALLEYSTALENT.COM
Come join our Monthly Events @ Blue Rock Shoot
There is no entry fee.... and it absolutely rocks!
Click on the Subscribe tab from the menu selections on the left to subscribe
Saratoga's monthly talent show, held the 3rd Friday of each month @ Blue Rock Shoot 14523 Big Basin Way, Saratoga (7pm – 10:30 pm).
"Silicon Valley's Got Talent" is an opportunity for all to share their talent and have a good time. In the past, we have had live musical performances, stand-up comedy, karaoke, poetry, blog reading – just about anything goes, truly a celebration of Saratoga’s culture.
Our objectives in doing this is to bring in some new foot-traffic into our Village and help towards the revitalization, and providing Bay area folks a chance to network, inter-mingle, demonstrate their fine talents, while sipping some fine wine and having some fun. There is no entry fee.
Every month we have a different theme to our talent show.
To stay connected - here is how you can subscribe
http://www.facebook.com/ValleyTalent or
Subscribe to the email group http://groups.google.com/group/ValleyTalent/
Questions – please email rishi @ rishikumar.com
"Silicon Valley's Got Talent" is an opportunity for all to share their talent and have a good time. In the past, we have had live musical performances, stand-up comedy, karaoke, poetry, blog reading – just about anything goes, truly a celebration of Saratoga’s culture.
Our objectives in doing this is to bring in some new foot-traffic into our Village and help towards the revitalization, and providing Bay area folks a chance to network, inter-mingle, demonstrate their fine talents, while sipping some fine wine and having some fun. There is no entry fee.
Every month we have a different theme to our talent show.
To stay connected - here is how you can subscribe
http://www.facebook.com/ValleyTalent or
Subscribe to the email group http://groups.google.com/group/ValleyTalent/
Questions – please email rishi @ rishikumar.com
HISTORY OF BLUE ROCK SHOOT
October 10th,1996
Copyright ownership belongs to Metro Active.
Mitchell and Tracey Cutler deserve a lollipop every day. They were the the ones that originally opened the Raphaelite-fantasy restaurant La Fondue in downtown Saratoga. Then to open the Blue Rock Shoot, a cafe so pretty, woodsy and understated. Located across the street from La Fondue, the Blue Rock feels like a town center, a destination as much as a way station.
The Blue Rock is actually a big house on a hillside with several levels and rooms. The interior is all arts-and-crafts furnishings and ceramic figurines. At street level, the cafe serves wine, beer, bagels, salads, sorbets, sandwiches and pizza as well as coffee. The lower levels feature a Japanese-style rock garden and a cascading waterfall that burbles softly to the diners.
February 5, 2004
Copyright ownership belongs to the San Jose Mercury News.
The Blue Rock Shoot is back -- and so is Guillermo Alvarez. The quaint Saratoga coffeehouse reopened this week after financial problems shut down the business two months ago. And Alvarez, who used to bus tables, make coffee and wash dishes, is one of its new owners.
Alvarez, 29, affectionately called ''Memo'' by many patrons, bought the restaurant with partner Rogelio Sanchez after pooling together money from his family, saving his pennies and getting a loan. After coming to the United States at age 18 on a bus from Mexico with no money, the former field worker settled for waiting tables. Customers quickly embraced him because of his friendly demeanor. He began to know them on a first-name basis, and their kids' names, too. ''He's a hardworking and caring person,'' said Gay Crawford of Saratoga, who stops by the coffeehouse on her daily power walks. ''He always welcomes people with a lovely smile and a welcoming attitude.'' When word spread that Alvarez would be returning to the coffeehouse, a patron posted a sign on the front door welcoming him back. Dozens of residents added their signatures to the well-wishes. The Blue Rock Shoot is a popular gathering spot in Saratoga's Village on Big Basin Way. Many patrons visit the shop to socialize over coffee and bagels or to sit and read books and newspapers. On most days customers can hear Alvarez playing Mexican music by Marco Antonio Solace, a singer from hishometown of Michoacan. ''Guillermo has kept many of us coming back to the coffeehouse,'' Crawford said. ''He is loved by patrons and he shows a real passion for customer service.'' Alvarez crossed the border into the United States in 1992. His wages in Mexico of $4 a day picking fruit were not nearly enough money to support his family. He had been living in a studio apartment with his parents and five siblings. ''I was tired of working eight hours a day and making nothing,'' he said. ''I wanted to help my mom and dad because we were so poor that sometimes we didn't have money to buy tortillas.'' Alvarez also recalls when he was 13 and didn't have enough money to buy his first bicycle. He remembers how he had to buy his bike in parts and how happy he was to get his first tire. ''It took me four months to finally buy the whole bike,'' he said. When Alvarez arrived in the South Bay, his two sisters took him in. Not long after that, he got a job as a cashier and dishwasher at Blue Rock. Each week he sent part of his pay check to his family in Mexico so they could buy material to build a bigger home. ''I was always thinking about my family,'' he said. ''I especially love my mom because she was always working around the house. I wanted to do anything I could to help her.'' Even if it meant making sacrifices. Alvarez remembers working for six months in the field without a paycheck. When he finally received the $80 owed him, he spent the money on his mother instead of himself. ''I bought her a stove because I knew she needed it,'' he said. ''She was always cooking for us, seven days a week.'' Last year, Alvarez became a U.S. citizen and said Saratoga has become his second home. He said his customers at Blue Rock are like family to him. ''I love being the owner, I love this place and I love the nice people here in Saratoga,'' he said. And for many residents the feeling is mutual. ''A lot of people come to the coffeehouse just because of Guillermo,'' said Kathleen King, vice mayor of Saratoga, who passes by the shop every week on her jogging route. ''He runs a tight and orderly ship and we're glad he's back.''
Copyright ownership belongs to Metro Active.
Mitchell and Tracey Cutler deserve a lollipop every day. They were the the ones that originally opened the Raphaelite-fantasy restaurant La Fondue in downtown Saratoga. Then to open the Blue Rock Shoot, a cafe so pretty, woodsy and understated. Located across the street from La Fondue, the Blue Rock feels like a town center, a destination as much as a way station.
The Blue Rock is actually a big house on a hillside with several levels and rooms. The interior is all arts-and-crafts furnishings and ceramic figurines. At street level, the cafe serves wine, beer, bagels, salads, sorbets, sandwiches and pizza as well as coffee. The lower levels feature a Japanese-style rock garden and a cascading waterfall that burbles softly to the diners.
February 5, 2004
Copyright ownership belongs to the San Jose Mercury News.
The Blue Rock Shoot is back -- and so is Guillermo Alvarez. The quaint Saratoga coffeehouse reopened this week after financial problems shut down the business two months ago. And Alvarez, who used to bus tables, make coffee and wash dishes, is one of its new owners.
Alvarez, 29, affectionately called ''Memo'' by many patrons, bought the restaurant with partner Rogelio Sanchez after pooling together money from his family, saving his pennies and getting a loan. After coming to the United States at age 18 on a bus from Mexico with no money, the former field worker settled for waiting tables. Customers quickly embraced him because of his friendly demeanor. He began to know them on a first-name basis, and their kids' names, too. ''He's a hardworking and caring person,'' said Gay Crawford of Saratoga, who stops by the coffeehouse on her daily power walks. ''He always welcomes people with a lovely smile and a welcoming attitude.'' When word spread that Alvarez would be returning to the coffeehouse, a patron posted a sign on the front door welcoming him back. Dozens of residents added their signatures to the well-wishes. The Blue Rock Shoot is a popular gathering spot in Saratoga's Village on Big Basin Way. Many patrons visit the shop to socialize over coffee and bagels or to sit and read books and newspapers. On most days customers can hear Alvarez playing Mexican music by Marco Antonio Solace, a singer from hishometown of Michoacan. ''Guillermo has kept many of us coming back to the coffeehouse,'' Crawford said. ''He is loved by patrons and he shows a real passion for customer service.'' Alvarez crossed the border into the United States in 1992. His wages in Mexico of $4 a day picking fruit were not nearly enough money to support his family. He had been living in a studio apartment with his parents and five siblings. ''I was tired of working eight hours a day and making nothing,'' he said. ''I wanted to help my mom and dad because we were so poor that sometimes we didn't have money to buy tortillas.'' Alvarez also recalls when he was 13 and didn't have enough money to buy his first bicycle. He remembers how he had to buy his bike in parts and how happy he was to get his first tire. ''It took me four months to finally buy the whole bike,'' he said. When Alvarez arrived in the South Bay, his two sisters took him in. Not long after that, he got a job as a cashier and dishwasher at Blue Rock. Each week he sent part of his pay check to his family in Mexico so they could buy material to build a bigger home. ''I was always thinking about my family,'' he said. ''I especially love my mom because she was always working around the house. I wanted to do anything I could to help her.'' Even if it meant making sacrifices. Alvarez remembers working for six months in the field without a paycheck. When he finally received the $80 owed him, he spent the money on his mother instead of himself. ''I bought her a stove because I knew she needed it,'' he said. ''She was always cooking for us, seven days a week.'' Last year, Alvarez became a U.S. citizen and said Saratoga has become his second home. He said his customers at Blue Rock are like family to him. ''I love being the owner, I love this place and I love the nice people here in Saratoga,'' he said. And for many residents the feeling is mutual. ''A lot of people come to the coffeehouse just because of Guillermo,'' said Kathleen King, vice mayor of Saratoga, who passes by the shop every week on her jogging route. ''He runs a tight and orderly ship and we're glad he's back.''
