Robots abound at the new Alamo Drafthouse in Mountain View

The new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Mountain View is teeming with robots which makes a lot of sense for a movie theater in the heart of Silicon Valley The -screen theater at the Village at San Antonio Center is decorated with robot toys a wall of movie posters featuring robots and even has Dumbots an upstairs lounge with a name inspired by various of the less-intelligent bots in movie history It s got drinks with fun names like Gin Oil and Rusty Smash plus beers on tap We understand it s Silicon Valley and there are a lot of geeks here so we re gonna do Geeks Who Drink Alamo Drafthouse Chief Progress Officer Chris Drazba reported referring to Alamo s popular pub quiz event This place is going to be for you whether it s here in the cinema or upstairs in our bar Chris Drazba chief enhancement officer for Alamo Drafthouse left poses with Mountain View Mayor Ellen Kamei at the grand opening of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Mountain View on Tuesday June Sal Pizarro Bay Area News Group A wall of movie posters decorates Dumbots the lounge at the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Mountain View which had its ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday June Sal Pizarro Bay Area News Group Star Wars cosplayers from the st Legion fan group arrive at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Mountain View on Tuesday June Sal Pizarro Bay Area News Group Show Caption of Chris Drazba chief advancement officer for Alamo Drafthouse left poses with Mountain View Mayor Ellen Kamei at the grand opening of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Mountain View on Tuesday June Sal Pizarro Bay Area News Group Expand Tuesday s ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by a screening of s Star Wars featuring two of cinema s bulk famous droids R -D and C- PO who would supposedly have a tough time with Alamo s famous no talking no texting approach The opening was very special for Mountain View Mayor Ellen Kamei who helped cut the ribbon with a legion of Mountain View city and chamber of commerce personnel She welcomed all the families there for the opening and while her kids at ages and are a little young for movies she was happy to have her dad with her I grew up watching films with him and went to the Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco in the Mission because of him Kamei commented So it s really special to be able to have an Alamo Drafthouse here in Mountain View For the better part of a week Kamei will have bragging rights for having the largest Alamo Drafthouse in the nation in her city But that officially changes Monday when Alamo Drafthouse opens a slightly larger multiplex at Westfield Valley Fair which straddles the Santa Clara and San Jose margin Coincidentally the title for biggest Alamo Drafthouse still will belong to a Kamei but it ll be Ellen Kamei s mother San Jose City Councilmember Rosemary Kamei whose district includes Valley Fair By the way the Alamo Drafthouse Valley Fair will be themed around kaiju the Japanese movie genre with giant monsters That theme carries over into the theater s lounge Bar Odo which is named after the fictional island where Godzilla appeared in the s Instead of robot posters that theater will pay homage to Rodan Gamera and a insufficient more obscure cinematic monsters In addition to first-run blockbusters like Years Later and Jurassic World Rebirth the schedule for July includes s ultimate kaiju mash-up Destroy All Monsters You can get showtimes and more information for both Silicon Valley theaters at www drafthouse com sf HISTORIC PRIDE June is the first of San Jose s two Pride Month celebrations these days the larger one around here is in August making it a good time to visit Queer Silicon Valley s gallery in downtown San Jose which has a new exhibition Pride and Politics The BAYMEC Story BAYMEC Foundation Executive Director Ken Yeager established me and San Jose City Councilmember Pam Foley around the exhibit in the last few days and it s an eye-opening look back to a time when San Jose s LGBTQ area had to fight for basic recognition In the city issued a proclamation which is on display declaring June Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Day The word pride wouldn t be used until and that proclamation is displayed as well Ken Yeager executive director of the BAYMEC Society Foundation talks about the newest exhibition at Queer Silicon Valley's gallery Pride and Politics The BAYMEC Story on Friday June It will be on display at the gallery at S Domain St on weekends through July Sal Pizarro Bay Area News Group It was a very charged word Nobody would use the word pride Yeager mentioned People were just much more hesitant It isn t like it is now People saw it as a more political word There are other artifacts covering Silicon Valley s gay rights movement including the original rainbow flag first raised at the old San Jose City Hall in when Yeager served as the first openly gay member of the city council as well as material on the -year history of BAYMEC a political advocacy group that s now an essential endorsement for countless elected personnel The gallery is open weekends through July at S Arena St and you can get more information at www queersiliconvalley org exhibit POLITICS NOT AS USUAL San Jose Stage is closing its production of the musical Sweet Charity on June and the next evening June it ll be looking for selected donor generosity of a different kind at its th annual Monday Night Live political satire charity fundraiser Related Articles San Jose calls off a popular July fireworks show for safety concerns Guys stroll Santana Row in heels for YWCA s Walk a Mile in Their Shoes From festivals to protests it s going to be a full weekend in San Jose San Jose s Below Theaters makes a big bet on big-screen entertainment Hotel De Anza s iconic neon sign will glow again after restoration The audience is in for a treat too as this year s guest host is San Jose City Councilmember Michael Mulcahy whose musical theater history means he knows his way around a stage not to mention a song-and-dance number Look for a meager other political figures to make appearances including the husband of Cristo Rey San Jose Jesuit High School President Silvia Scandar Mahan Tickets are going fast but you can snag one at www thestage org LOOKING FOR ARTISTS Applications are open for the th annual Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards a initiative of the Rotary Club of San Jose that provides unrestricted grants to four up-and-coming creatives who make their art here in Santa Clara County It s named of class for Leigh Weimers the longtime Mercury News columnist who championed the arts and the valley s artists on a daily basis Leigh passed away in but no doubt he d be proud to know his legacy continues in helping artists with a list of recipients that include musicians Mason Razavi and Bennett Roth-Newell singers Lauren Halliwell and Jackie Gage actors Alycia Adame and Tasi Alabastro and visual artists Harumo Sato and Kenneth Tan The deadline to apply is June and you can get more information at www weimersawards com