Marin County & the Bay Area - Coastal California - page 287

items and mummies. There's even a two-room, walk-through reproduction of an ancient
subterranean tomb. The museum is the centerpiece of Rosicrucian Park (cnr Naglee & Park
Aves) , west of downtown San Jose.
MACLA GALLERY
(Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana; GOOGLE MAP ; 408-998-2783;
www.maclaarte.org ; 510 S 1st St; noon-7pm Wed & Thu, noon-5pm Fri & Sat)
A cutting-edge gallery highlighting themes by both established and emerging Latino
artists, MACLA is one of the best community arts spaces in the Bay Area, with open-mic
performances, hip-hop and other live-music shows, experimental theater and well-curated
and thought-provoking visual arts exhibits. It's also a hub for the popular South First Fri-
days ( www.southfirstfridays.com ) art walk and street fair.
Plaza de Cesar Chavez PLAZA
This leafy square in the center of downtown, which was part of the original plaza of El
Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, is the oldest public space in the city. It's named after
Cesar Chavez - founder of the United Farm Workers, who lived part of his life in San Jose
- and is surrounded by museums, theaters and hotels.
Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph CHURCH
( GOOGLE MAP ; 80 S Market St)
At the top of the Plaza de Cesar Chavez, the pueblo's first church. Originally constructed
of adobe brick in 1803, it was replaced three times due to earthquakes and fire; the present
building dates from 1877.
Santana Row MALL
( www.santanarow.com ; Stevens Creek & Winchester Blvds)
An upscale Main St-style mall, Santana Row is a mixed-use space west of downtown with
shopping, dining and entertainment along with a boutique hotel, lofts and apartments. Res-
taurants spill out onto sidewalk terraces, and public spaces have been designed to invite
loitering and promenading. On warm evenings, the Mediterranean-style area swarms with
an energetic crowd.