"All the Ingredients" in Downtown San Mateo

Downtown San Mateo Springs into a New Brand Identity


(San Mateo, Calif., April 1, 2009) --- Spring has officially sprung, and Downtown San Mateo is hopping! From 12pm (noon) to 4 pm on Saturday, April 4th, at the US Bank parking lot, the Downtown San Mateo Association (DSMA) invites you to join in the fun, including prizes, music, entertainment, and more. Bring family and friends of all ages and learn more about all the ingredients in the Downtown and be among the first to experience the exciting changes happening in Downtown San Mateo.

There will be live entertainment at the main stage and throughout the Downtown with music, art and stores providing special “gifts” to consumers introducing them to their services. The fun starts at 12 noon at the US Bank parking lot with a commendation from State Assemblyman Jerry Hill, issued to the DSMA. Following an introduction by Mayor Brandt Grotte and City Manager Susan Loftus, guests will be treated to live music performances from the Tin Cats and the Hillsdale High School Jazz Band. Exclusive docent tours will take place throughout the day featuring Arts, Culinary, Central Park and Historical Walking Tour’s. Then, it’s back to the Main Stage where emcee Richard Cleaveland will be pulling raffle prizes, finishing with a final Grand Prize Red Bowl winner from the raffle at 3:45 pm.

“Part of marketing your business is visibility,” said Kelly Mitter, Executive Director of the Downtown San Mateo Association. “In addition to bringing a fun, family-friendly event to the residents and community of Downtown San Mateo, we also want to re-introduce them to all the shopping and activities that our downtown has to offer. We are proud to say that our town has ‘all the ingredients’ because it is steeped in culture and diversity with easy access and affordability.”

Be sure to mark your calendars for Downtown San Mateo’s Spring Fling on April 4th! After the event, we invite you all to stick around and continue to shop, see a movie, savor drinks, or treat yourself to an early dinner at one of the 130 restaurants located in Downtown San Mateo.

Who: The Downtown San Mateo Association
What: Spring Fling Event
When: Saturday, April 4th, Noon – 4pm
Where: US Bank Parking Lot, 136 2nd Ave (corner of 3nd Ave and San Mateo Dr.)
Contact: For more information, please visit http://www.dsma.org/ or call 650-342-5520. The Downtown San Mateo Association promotes Downtown businesses and has the all the ingredients for a fun day on the town.

Photos and Interviews available upon request.

25th Annual Marin Show: Art of the Americas

On February 21 and 22nd, the Marin Show: Art of the Americas will celebrate its 25th anniversary as the largest event of its kind, and has been referred to as the "Superbowl" of Native American Art collecting.

The show will feature over 200 dealers and artists selling antique American Indian, Pre-Columbian, Spanish Colonial, and Contemporary American Indian Art. All types of mediums will be represented, including pottery, textiles, sculpture, jewelry, beadwork, baskets, paintings, photography and more.

In addition to the plethora of art showcased, there will also be two public lectures at the opening of the show that will deal with legal and historical issues surrounding Native American art collecting.

The Marin Show will run Friday, February 21 from 10am - 6pm and Saturday, February 22 from 10am - 5pm at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael. For additional information, please visit http://www.marinshow.com/

Announcing "Third Thursdays" in Downtown San Mateo

The Downtown San Mateo Association is announcing a new monthly series designed to offer entertainment and culture to the vistors and residents of San Mateo County. On Thursday, January 15th from 5-8 pm, "Third Thursdays" will kick off with businesses along B Street will be offering special deals and treats for patrons. Additionaly, there will be several local and international artists exhibiting and selling their works of art, from oil paintings and sculptures to absract and Latin art.

Product of Play N Trade owner Misty Megia and sponsored by the Downtown San Mateo Association, "Third Thursdays" was designed to cement Downtown San Mateo as a regular destintation, offering people of all walks of life an evening of arts and entertainment combined with urban flair.

"Downtown San Mateo is the perfect place to experience arts, dining and many diverse cultures all in one evening," said Kelly Mitter, Executive Director of the Downtown San Mateo Association. "With more than 130 restaurants, acessible transportation from Caltrain and SamTrans, ample parking and hundreds of businesses and retailers, Downtown visitors have unlimited options for a great night out."

The Downtown San Mateo Association promotes downtown buisnesses and has the perfect recipe for your night on the town. For additional details, please visit www.dsma.org or call 650.342.5564

AboutAirportParking.com Offers Respite for Weary Travellers

The holiday season is upon us, and that means braving the headaches that come with seasonal travel. But getting ready to visit friends and loved ones just got a little bit easier.

AboutAirportParking.com has developed an affordable service that allows travellers to search for the cheapest and most easily acessible parking lots near their closest airport. Globetrotters can utilize an online reservation button, drop their car off at the chosen lot and catch a shuttle to the airport without hassle.

Unlike other sites, AboutAirportParking.com is an independent site and lists information fo all nearby parking lots, not just ones which it has a business relationship with. Daily rates at airport terminals typically cost an arm and a leg, but by using advance online reservations through AboutAirportParking.com, customers significant savings which can be up to 70% off standart airport rates.

Besides just parking, AboutAirportParking.com also offers a plethora of other car options, including valet service, covered parking, detail and cleaning and self-parking service.

Celebrate A Little Holiday Romance at the Dickens House Holiday Boutique

This Holiday season, bring your friends and family to the whimsical world of the 2008 Dickens House Holiday Boutique and Designer Show House, October 18 - November 2 at 333 Uplands Drive in the quaint town of Hillsborough, CA.

Inspired by famed author Charles Dickens, the Dickens House Hoilday Boutique transforms this year's home into a shopping extravaganza to support St. Matthew's Episcopal Day School. Guests will be able to stroll through the house, admire the work of the Dickens House designers and shop for unique holiday gifts displayed throughout the rooms.

Designers, parents and volunteers donate their time and resources each year to the Dickens House Fundraiser. In addition to being a fabulous shopping experience, the Dickens House provides an opportunity for the community to come together and share the Holiday Spirit.

The Dickens House, currently celebrating its 20th Anniversary, attracts an average of 5,000 visitors each year. Show dates and hours are listed below:

When: October 18th – November 2nd
Where: 333 Uplands Drive, Hillsborough CA

Hours: Opening Day, Oct 18th - 11am – 4pm
· Saturdays – 9am – 2:30pm
· Sundays 11am – 4pm
· Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 9am – 2pm
· Tuesday, Thursday, Friday evenings – 6pm – 8pm
· Closed on Wednesdays all day and Halloween

Tickets: Advance Purchase $30 , At The Door $35, Children 14 and under enter free
Info: Visit http://www.dickenshouse.org/ or call 650.342-5436, ext. 219

2008 International Vintage Poster Fair Lets You Decide

This Friday, October 24th, the International Vintage Poster Fair returns to San Francisco with a very timely theme - "Politically Correct? / Politically Incorrect?" An annual event featuring over 10,000 original vetted vintage posters, the IVPF will introduce visitors to a series of provacative, occasionally controversial images, in addition to the ever popular artwork of food and liquor advertisements, travel and transportation, film, and sports.

The 2008 exhibition is slated for the 24th through the 26th at Fort Mason Center, Landmark Building A in the beautiful city by the Bay. A $15 ticket allows entrance all weekend long, and grants guests the opportunity to rediscover the evolution of advertising and propaganda over the past 100 - 200 years.

Posters are for both show and sale, ranging from $200 to $50,000, and are presented by world-class exhibitors from the United States, Canada, China, Israel, and Western Europe.

To the left you'll see a piece by Tomi Ungerer, a famous political poster designer in the 1960s who challenged the idea of power under racial control. At the time, the item was a testament to the civil rights movement and acts of desegregation taking place in the US; named "Black Power / White Power", the poster continues to be a piece of social controversy today, and is indicative of the artwork you'll witness at the International Vintage Poster Fair.

The show opens at 5pm on Friday, and lasts until 9pm; Saturday hours are 10am through 7pm, and Sunday hours are 11am until 6pm.

"Politically Correct? / Politically Incorrect?" You decide.

Frances & Crystal Shawanda at the 2008 Long Beach Harvest Festival

This past weekend, our Principal and the Founder of The Larose Group, LLC had the honor of meeting up-and-coming country artist Crystal Shawanda at the Harvest Festival Original Art & Craft Show in Long Beach.

Crystal, who was prominently featured and applauded in the September 22nd issue of People Magazine for her new album, "Dawn of a New Day", was one of the premier performers at the event, held October 17th through the 19th.

With her beautiful singing voice and Native American roots, Crystal crosses cultural, musical, and spiritual boundaries, and was a huge part in the success of this year's Long Beach Harvest Festival.