Article originally published on mercurynews.com and written by Sal Pizarro
For figure skating fans, what could be better than attending the U.S. championships this weekend at SAP Center in downtown San Jose? Maybe doing that and hanging out with Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano.
Boitano, a Sunnyvale native, is hosting Boitano’s Lounge at the arena Friday through Sunday in the swanky club-level space where well-heeled fans mingle during the NHL season. It’s a pop-up version of his bar and restaurant at the Kindler Hotel in Lincoln, Neb., where he had a hand in creating the dozens of signature cocktails served there since it opened in 2019. (Remember, on top of being an elite skater, Boitano hosted two seasons of “What Would Brian Boitano Make?,” a cooking show on Food Network.)
The cover charge was a VIP-level $250 a day, or $650 for the whole weekend, which included food and drink in the lounge, as well as seeing Boitano and a few of his friends, including Olympic medalists Kristi Yamaguchi and Ashley Wagner and 2022 U.S. national champion Mariah Bell. And those tickets were all snapped up faster than a triple-Salchow.
Oh, well. At least fans can still enjoy watching the next generation of elite figure skaters — and likely members of the U.S. team for the 2026 Olympics. Tickets for the weekend’s events are available at www.skatesanjose2023.com.