Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Glancing Back on Hwy 156


The Gabilan Range looks good in the car's side mirror, too, as the Husband and I drive west on Highway 156, towards Highway 101.

Enjoy the sunny, but slightly chilly, days. The weather guys forecast clear skies for at least a week.


Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Book Browsing for Book Lovers


Once upon a time, when I was a much younger thing, Hollister had the best bookstore around. It was called Henry's. (Or was the bookstore called Henry or Henrys? That's how long ago it was.) It was on San Benito Street in an old storefront a couple shops to the south of Fisher's Restaurant. The bookshop was run by Mr. and Mrs. Henry, a sweet couple, who had no problem with a much younger me regularly roaming the aisles and checking out random titles, without buying a thing. Ah, the yearning.

Today, Hollister doesn't have a bookstore, independently owned or a well-known chain store. Still, there are places in town for book lovers to browse for a good book or two for fun reading.

I know for sure that Target sells a small selection of new titles for adult and children readers. You can also find a few new books at Nob Hill and Safeway. Maybe Save-Mor, KMart, Walgreen's, and Rite Aid does, too.

The Farmhouse Cafe (615 San Benito Street, Suite D) has a smattering of cookbooks and food-related books for sale. The other day I noticed The Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Mayor and Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes on the shelves.

Next door at San Benito Bene (615 San Benito Street, Suite B) you can find a few books by local authors such as John Chadwell. The store also sells Hollister, a photo book about the history of our area by Joseph M. McMahon and Peter Sonne. While you're in the shop, be sure to check out the cute blank notebooks and journals for sale. A perfect gift for any writer of any age, novice or professional. (Hint, hint, you know who.)

As for used books, we have several sources in town for fiction and nonfiction books. Two places are nonprofit thrift shops. Forgiving Paws Thrift Shop (195 Meridian Street) is one such store. Another is Hazel's Thrift Shop (898 San Benito Street). It has a room called The Booknook in the back of the store. If you're into collectible publications, you can sometimes find some at Hazel's Treasures Boutique on Hawkins Street behind the thrift shop.

The Friends of the San Benito County Free Library resells used book donations. Often, you can find current titles among their offerings. This nonprofit group maintains sale shelves in the library next to the magazines. Hardbacks are $1 and paperbacks are 50 cents. You can't beat that price. 

This group also holds regular Saturday morning book sales behind the library on West Street. Currently their sales are monthly. The next one is Saturday. On March 11, 2017, from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact The Friends of the San Benito County Free Library for further details about future book sales.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Bloomingdale's in Hollister


It seemed that whenever a woman in a 1960s or 1970s movie wanted to go shopping in New York City, she went to Bloomingdale's. When I was a young thing shopping at Macy's in San Francisco, I wondered if that was what it would be like to shop in Bloomingdale's. That thought came to me the other day when I noticed again the Bloomingdale's container alongside San Juan-Hollister Road near the San Benito River.


Saturday, February 11, 2017

I Spy . . . Pieces from the Past


I spy with my little eye an old-timey clock and valentines displayed in the San Juan Bakery window. Precious!


Monday, February 6, 2017

There's Fremont Peak!


For the past two years I've wanted to take a picture of Fremont Peak from the Fremont Peak Marker, aka California Historical Landmark #181, on Muckelemi Street. My attempts have been foiled by clouds or smog, until last week.

Do you see Fremont Peak up there in the background? You can't miss the pointy 2,799 feet high mountain and the TV tower to the left of the peak. What I like about this shot is the historical marker points an arrow to Fremont Peak, saying it's 11 miles away.

Here are two more shots of Fremont Peak that I took that same day.

From Highway 129 (aka Ohlone Kallentaruk Highway) in the Pajaro Valley

From San Juan Highway



Friday, February 3, 2017

I Spy . . . Delightfulness in Downtown Hollister


I spy with my little eye the darling window display in the ARTspace Gallery, 240 Fifth Street, in Downtown Hollister. It is part of the Joy of Art Soup Exhibition that features students from San Benito High School and Hope Services participating in the Life Skills Art Program. The exhibit continues until February 24, 2017.

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