Friday, September 25, 2009

Local Organic Tomatoes. Yum!


Yesterday, we drove out to the Mariquita Farm on Lover's Lane to pick us almost 30 pounds of sweet-tasting organically-grown tomatoes. When I say pick, I mean pick 'em straight off the vines. And, when I say sweet, well, think of the yummiest, melt-in-your-mouth, freshest candy you've ever eaten. That's how the sliced tomatoes I roasted in the toaster for about half-an-hour tasted. Triple orgasmic sweet! The raw tomatoes were delightfully wholesome-sweet too.

The Mariquita Farm is a small family organic farm. The folks are based in Watsonville, but also do farming here in San Benito County. They grow most, if not all, their crops for the Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA). They open their tomato fields to the public for picking only on certain days. This Saturday, tomorrow, is the last day. It's between 9 am and 1 pm. 50 cents a pound. Definitely worth a road trip!

Links for more info:


Wednesday, September 16, 2009

History in Play Around San Benito County


Yes, I know it's been awhile. It'll probably still be awhile before I can get back into some kind of routine blogging. But I thought I'd pop in to tell you about all the fun things that are happening this Saturday September 19, in and out of Hollister. Ok, and some on Sunday September 20, too.


Paicines Ranch Open House


Paicines Ranch, also known as Rancho Cienega de los Paicines, has been around since the mid-1800s. Today, the current owners breed cattles and horses. It sells free range grass-fed beef to the public. It also rents its historical buildings for events. On Saturday afternoon, you can tour the grounds, including the Grogan House where Judy Garland was married. The ranch is a straight shot on the 25, about 15 minutes south of Hollister. For more info, click here to get to the Paicines Ranch Web site.

Chicken Festival and Parade

Cock-a-doodle-doo! It's the the annual Chicken Festival in San Juan Bautista, several miles west of Hollister. There's a crowing contest, a Chicken dance contest, Chicken bingo, a Chicken parade, and more. Why chickens? There's a bunch of 'em roaming wild through the streets of the hamlet. Some locals love 'em. Some wouldn't mind making 'em into chicken soup. Join in on the fun, either or both Saturday or Sunday. For more info, click-a-doodle here to the San Juan Bautista Chamber of Commerce.

Civil War Event

The San Benito County Historical Society (SBCHS) will be hosting a Civil War event at the San Benito County Historical Park. For info and photos, click here to go to the SBCHS Web site. Also, click here to read an article in the Hollister Free Lance about the event.

Renaissance Faire

Hear ye. Hear ye. The Renaissance Faire is back at Casa de Fruta, a few miles north of Hollister. It's open every weekend through October 18. For more info, click ye on over to the Northern California Renaissance Faire Web site.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Original Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital


Show of hands, Hollister folks: Who was born in this here building?

You. You. You. Me. You over there on the other side of the world. And a whole lot more.

This building stands at 910 Monterey Street. The corner of Monterey and Hawkins streets, to be exact. It’s the original Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, which was built and presented to the city of Hollister by Mr. Thomas S. Hawkins.

Mr. Hawkins was one of the city’s founders. His granddaughter, the Hazel Hawkins, the sweetie of his heart, died from appendicitis in 1902. She was only nine years old. According to the story I’ve heard, Mr. Hawkins felt she may have lived if there had been the proper medical facility in town. So, he built one for the community as a tribute to his “Little Sunshine.”

Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital opened in November 1907 and served as the community hospital until the hospital district was formed in 1957. In 1962, the hospital moved into its modern digs on Sunset Drive. Today, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital is part of the San Benito Health Care District which also includes skilled nursing facilities and a home health agency.

The old hospital building was used as a nursing home for many years. Then, somewhere along the line, it was turned it into an office building. And that's what it is today. The hair stylist who does my hair had her salon there for several years, which gave me a chance to prowl the corridors.

It’s a very beautiful building, as you can see. If you ever have a chance, pop in and take a glance of what’s inside. The left (or south) corridor especially. I'll just leave it at that.

By the way, does anyone know where the baby nursery used to be? The surgery? Just wondering.

Here are a couple of links to learn more the hospital and the Hawkins family:

Thursday, July 30, 2009

The County Fair is Coming!


First things first. I gotta brag about my recent contest winning at Sew, Mama, Sew! I won a yard of free fabric in its recent Free Fabric Friday contest. So many wonderful choices. Thank you Sew, Mama, Sew!

If I had more time, I’d sew something with the fabric to enter in this year’s San Benito County Fair. Maybe next year. But I still plan on entering photographs. My quest is to be bestowed a ribbon. Blue, red, chartreuse.... I don’t care. I just want a ribbon.

The fair will be from Friday, October 2 to Sunday, October 4 at Bolado Park, which is several miles south of Hollister on Highway 25. You can't miss it.

The deadline for entries (crafts, baked goods, art, livestock, floriculture, and so forth) is Friday, August 28. You can download entry forms from the San Benito County Fair Web site. You can view the schedule of events at the Web site, too.

Want to read about last year’s county fair? Then clickity-click here.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Ring a Ding Ding for the Ding A Ling Cafe

Haven't had the time or inclination to venture out and write about things in and about town. Maybe things will get better once my current project is finally complete. The other day, though, the husband and I went off to do errands. As a treat, we decided to have breakfast at the Ding A Ling Cafe. You heard right...just like the sound of a bell. Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling. Hmmm. I wonder if that's why it's called the Ding A Ling Cafe.

When I was a kid many hundreds of years ago, the Ding A Ling was on Fourth Street in downtown Hollister. I don't remember when it moved out to the airport. The Hollister Municipal Airport, that is. That's all the directions you need. The airport is a few miles north of town on San Felipe Road. You turn into the airport and voila there's the Ding a Ling on the western edge of the lawn.

I've never thought about the Ding A Ling being an airport diner, but I suppose it is. I like the food there. Portions are big, but you have the option to order mini-portions, which I think are half-portions.

That day I had a yearning for pancakes and an Italian sausage patty. The two pancakes filled up the plate, but they were very light so I wasn't stuffed at all when I ate them alllll up. The sausage was delish. The taste reminded me of grilled venison. The patty was a wide rectangle shape with one edge hanging over the small round dish. My husband happily helped me polish it off.

The cheery cute-as-a-button waitress asked if we wanted salsa. I'm glad we got it. Another delish treat to put on my pancakes. Just the right combo of tomatoes and heat to create a mellow bang for me.

Ding-a-Ling serves breakfast and lunch. You can sit indoors or outside. If you want to eat there at the beginning of the week, call to find out if it's open. A few years ago, I've driven over on a Tuesday or Wednesday (can't remember) to be disappointed 'cause it was closed.

Some links to check out:
  • Yelp Reviews of the Ding A Ling.
  • FAA Info for the Hollister Municipal Airport.
  • For skydiver want-to-be's, the Adventure Center Skydiving, Inc. is kitty-corner from the Ding a Ling. I jumped out of a plane with them a couple years ago. Definitely a flying leap of fun!
  • And, for you folks who would like an adventure in a glider, the Hollister Gliding Club is right next door.

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