OT: I'm going to be working in San Jose, CA for 4 weeks

[DanDombrowski]

Hey guys,

I just struck up a deal today with my employer for a 4 week "on-assignment" job out in San Jose, CA working for GE on a nuclear plant out there (DOH!)

Well, my feelings aren't really "DOH!" (just a reference to the simpsons). I'm not really happy about being away from home for that long, but I think it will be a good experience overall.

So, what can you locals tell me about the area? I'm not exactly sure where in the city it is, but knowing large engineering facilities like GE, its probably not in the downtown area....

According to the schedule, I'll be out there from around the middle of July until the middle of August.

Anyone have any recommendations for extended stay hotels? Good places to go see this time of year?

[Kulasstar]

La Victoria. Its a taqueria that makea this awesome orange hot sauce. its in downtown SJ.

[Tiger]

I think you are gonna love it out there. I was there... check hotel.com for listings there... just shopping but don't book it yet.

[Evan]

are you ? you're gonna love it...

visit downtown SF every weekend... GG Bridge... Wine Country...

[gmannino]

SJ is a great city. Beware there is lots of crime. But the nightlife is awesome, there are tons of students who party every night and weekend.

I think San Jose Grand Prix is in July, so they close off the city streets for Champ car racing, its great.

[DanDombrowski]

Yeah, I've been told about the Grand Prix, am looking forward to it.

I'm sure I'm going to have a good time. I'm not looking forward to being away from home for so long, but am definitely looking forward to being able to have a lot of free time to see the city and explore.

[SC David]

San Jose is okay. It'll be pretty hot that time of year. There is not much to downtown San Jose...most people just check out surrounding malls and shopping areas in nearby cities. San Francisco is a 45 minute drive, so is Oakland. Both are worth checking out. Santa Cruz is a nice south facing beach town that gets better weather than other Bay Area coastal locations during the summer. You will definitely be able to keep yourself occupied!

[Hal]

If you are working at GE Nuclear on Curtner, it is south of downtown San Jose. The surrounding area is industrial and residential, and nothing is going on there nights and weekends. I understood that they were moving that facility to NC.

They also have a facility out in Sunol, where I believe there is an operating research reactor.

If you are actually working in Sunol, then you would most likely be staying in Livermore or Pleasanton, not San Jose.

You need to be a bit careful about where you stay. The commute can be a significant problem, particularly if you don't like getting up really early.

There is a great deal to do and see on the weekends, if they are not flogging you 7 days a week.

Good luck,

Hal

1994 530iT 169,000 Nikasil miles
1999 528iT 101,000 non-Nikasil miles

[DanDombrowski]

Hal,

Thanks a bunch, you actually helped me find out where I'm going before I did. The only thing I knew was that I was going to a place that was eventually going to be closed down and moved to Wilmington, NC, so I must be going to GE Nuclear on Curtner.

I have no idea where I'm going to be staying at. Hopefully they'll let us choose and we can find someplace decent. I have a HELLISH commute as is now, would like a little vacation from that and work across the street

Thanks for the info!

[CharlesAFerg]

They blew up our nuclear reactor earlier this year.
Kaboom!
I didn't know there were even any active reactors on the west coast anymore.

I'm thinking about taking a trip to CA in the 5-er before I sell it/rebuild the engine - if there is a meet the pastey guy from Oregon will surely show.