For my daughter and me, there is nothing more beautiful or majestic than a horse. The only thing that could be better than quality time around them is the opportunity to watch them perform in an incredible show like Cavalia Odysseo. Traveling through San Jose, California right now is an experience you don’t want to miss!
The show is currently set up under large white tents off of Julian Street in San Jose. The largest tent houses a 17,500 square foot stage with a hill that rises three stories tall. Some 10,000 tons of rock, earth and sand are trucked in and then sculpted to create the vast space of freedom where humans and horses come to play in complicity.
And play they do! The show is filled with delicate moments between human and horse as they both play and work together to give the audience an experience they’ll never forget. Odysseo has 65 performing horses and 48 artists that lead the viewers on a great journey in yet another world. All of the horses are male — both stallions and geldings. The breeds include Appaloosa, Arabian, Australian Stockhorse, Holsteiner, Lusitano, Paint Horse, Percheron Hanoverian Cross, Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, Selle Francais and Spanish Purebred.
We were lucky to attend as VIP’s so that we could experience the Rendezvous tent where they spoil you with delicious food and an open bar before the show. During intermission, you return for dessert, and after the show you get to meet a few performers. Following that last meet and greet, a walk through the stables allows you to see the horses up close, A few are excited to see people, but most are worn out from a busy night and happy to be enjoying their alfalfa.
Throughout the show you are mesmerized by so many different sights and sounds. Sometimes it’s a beautiful song from the lovely Valentina Spreca while a handful of horses are playing or interacting with their people. Other times you’re clapping along to the wild antics of the acrobats and aerialists who are performing feats that most of us could only dream of! And then there are the moments when the entire cast is racing through the stage and the excitement is felt all the way to your toes! There is beauty and there is laughter all evening long.Currently Odysseo is scheduled to perform through October 1, but I’ve seen them extend their show before if it is successful, so don’t hesitate to call their box office and demand a longer engagement! This is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. www.cavalia.net
Merrie is a writer for the Jen is on a Journey and you can also find her at her blog, Sleepless Mornings: Merrie is the mother of two beautiful children, newly married, a scrapbooker, a baker, and always fun to be around!
Event passes were offered in exchange for honest review, all opinions my own.
With a parking garage beneath the hotel, valet is the only choice for overnight guests. I prefer it honestly, and knowing there’s so much to walk to in the area, I love handing over my keys and not worrying about parking for the weekend! 
Strolling through the lobby to reception you pass the Lobby Lounge. The space has tables and chairs along with cushioned banquette seating to dine on appetizers and cocktails while you watch the game, and live entertainment seven nights a week. We made a mental note to come back later in the evening and enjoy one of their 500 different martinis!
We collected our keys to the room by the happiest staff and were asked (a second time) if we needed help with our bags. Our deluxe king suite was amazing and would be perfectly roomy had we brought our three children with us. Alas, this was a birthday weekend for me, so it was just a huge treat to have so much room. Our bedroom suite had a heavenly king bed with a comfortable easy chair/chaise perfect for night time reading. 
The decor and patterned furniture in the parlor were a yellow and black contrast, simple and elegant. A dining table and chairs was in front of the window and perfect for a meal or a meeting, along with a 32” HDTV, working desk, a speakerphone with multiple lines, a cordless phone, a separate modem connection and perfectly functioning wifi throughout the room and the entire hotel. A vacationing family or a business team could easily enjoy this style room!
On top of that, It’s not me who is usually fascinated with technology, but being that we were in the heart of Silicon Valley, our bathroom mirror was genius. Have you seen a television built directly into a mirror? I surely hadn’t.
Wine, a good movie, and bubbles had me in the tub enjoying an hour to myself. Only chocolate could have made it better!
My husband had a standard beer while I had the Royal Grapefruit Cosmopolitan. Okay I had 2. A bit on the sour side, but I loved them. Music and even dancing lasted a few hours and we just loved the entertainment with only a short elevator ride to our room. When we returned, we were surprised by a birthday bottle of wine, cheese, and nuts that was such a lovely touch on the hotel’s part. The wine was from Napa, one of my favorite spots in California! 
We nibbled and retreated to the bedroom to a welcoming turndown. Slippers, water, and chocolate for both my husband and I was a lovely addition, another first!
After an amazing sleep on what felt like clouds, we woke and found ourselves ready for a breakfast buffet at Fountain Restaurant. Sunday brunch as well as standard breakfast and lunch is served daily just down the hall from the Lobby Lounge. 
Let me tell you, guest of the hotel or not, you need to stop in for Sunday brunch if you’re in the area. It’s downright incredible and your mouth waters just as you walk in the door and witness the selections of food they present! 
Hot dishes, cold salads, a beef carving station, an omelet station made to order, oysters, sushi, cheeses, chicken, veggies, and pastries, oh the pastries!
We may have been there over an hour, I’m not going to tell you how many times I walked back to the buffet or how many croissants I had! But can you blame me?
