Hollister, California is a real town that has been around since the 1870s. Unlike the fictional town created by a corporate clothing company, Hollister is no where near a beach. The town is about 45 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Seagulls occasionally make their way over the mountains. Hopefully, they are able to find their way back.
I am almost embarrassed to say how often we get take-out at the Burger Factory. It's not daily nor several times a week, but if the husband and I were younger and more active, it would be. So far, it's every 7 to 10 days that we tootle down to the tiny shack on San Benito Street for what we believe are the most delicious and affordable hamburgers and french fries in town.
The Burger Factory opened last fall. Originally it was called the Burger Hut, but a chain with the same name told the owners that they better change the name of their business or else. Old name, new name, doesn't matter. The food is just plain yummmmm!
Julie and Jin Hyun are the owners who do all the cooking and serving, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m, Monday through Saturday. Smiling Julie takes orders and runs around in the small place, putting together salads and greenery to dishes, while her husband Jin attends to the grill. On rainy or cold days, Julie has told us to go back to our car and then she brings our order to us when it's ready. How's that for service.
My favorite burger is a tie between the jalapeño burger and the mushroom burger. Jalapeño or mushroom slices are nestled between the perfectly grilled hamburger meat and sliced onions and tomatoes. Yummmm. If hamburgers aren't your thing, you can try the other items, such as teriyaki bowls, fish and chips, hot link sandwiches, and steak sandwiches. Yummmm. Recently, the Hyuns started offering breakfast croissants and coffee for morning fare.
The Burger Factory is located at 125 San Benito Street, the east side, between First and Second Streets. it's between the railroad crossing and the once-upon-a time Bishop Motors (I can't remember what's in that spot now.) A few tables are available for you to sit and eat your food, if you can't wait until you get home.
And, no, I wasn't paid to write how much I like the Burger Factory. A couple times, Julie did give me some homemade kimchi for free when I kiddingly asked once if they'd ever offer kimchi burgers. Her kimchi is yummmmmmm. She won't be selling it anytime soon though. She says it's too much work to be able to offer if all the time. I'm not embarrassed to say this: I do want the Burger Factory to stay around forever.
The first-ever air show is happening at the Hollister Municipal Airport this weekend. Whoo-hoo!
What will there be to see? Devil may-care aerobatic maneuvers, WWII fighter fly-bys, skydiving demonstrations, aircraft displays, vendors, and more!
And there will be many things to do, do, do, too! For instance, you can go up in the air in a historic 1930 biplane for $60 with Nostalgic Warbird and Biplane Rides. In fact, the outfit will start taking parties up on Friday. First come, first served.
So, when will it be? This Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
How much will it cost? Entry fee is $5 per person. Children under 5 get in for free. There's also a $3 per car entry fee. Be sure to have cash or your checkbook. That's all they'll be taking at the gate.
If you want to bypass the car fee, you can catch the free shuttle bus at the downtown parking garage (also free) on 4th and San Benito Streets. The service will come every 30 minutes from 9:30 to 4:30, so I'm told. Free bus service will also be available on demand for folks who will be flying into the Frazier Lake Airpark.
Want to check out the schedule of events? Click here.
For further details about the event and Hollister, check out these sites:
Every year, the Portuguese American community in Hollister holds a festival on pentacost Sunday to celebrate the life of Queen Isabella, who was said to have helped the poor against the wishes of her husband. The annual celebration is a two-day event. On Saturday night, the community holds a dance and crown the queen and princesses of the festival. Sunday morning is the parade and feast.
After 50+ years, I finally saw my first Portuguese Festival Parade. Festival queens and princesses from surrounding communities also joined in with Hollister's own. The parade marched up 7th Street to Monterey Street to 5th Street and then down to Sacred Heart Church.
The Festival Queen and her Court of Hollister
To learn more about the local Portuguese festival, check out these new articles from the local newspapers:
It's your last chance to shop for kitchen linen, candles, lotions, glassware, and other high-quality kitchen and bath items at French's Kitchen and Bath and Collectibles and Gifts on the corner of 5th and East streets. Still need a reference? It's across the street from Whiskey Creek Saloon and kitty corner to the old post office.
After 14 years in business, the owner has decided to call it quits. She's ready, she told us yesterday, to move on and do other things she has been wanting to do. I'm happy for her, but also sad that the husband and I won't have a convenient place to purchase fun one-of-a-kind gifts at reasonable prices anymore.
French's will stay open until June 1. Over half of her shop is already gone, including the fixtures. As of yesterday, all food items, such as spices, BBQ rubs, jams, teas, and cookies, are 70 percent off. Everything else is 50 percent off.
I plan on heading back. Don't tell the husband.
P.S. No one paid me to tell you about this sale. Not that I wouldn't mind.
The Hollister Farmers Market is every Wednesday, from 3 to 7 p.m, until the end of September! Hooray!
Farmers, orchardists, and other vendors will line Fifth Street, between San Benito and Monterey, so bring your shopping bags and head on down for afternoon/early evening fun! You might even think about having dinner down there as well. BBQ, hot dogs, enchiladas, and pies are some of the available offerings. Live music, too! Tomorrow, (May 19), Jillian Shaw will be singing on the lawn, while guitarists David Huboi and Vince Zuniga will be performing in front of City Hall.
Now, here's a list of Farmers Market vendors, thanks to Tammy Jackson, the Farmers Market Manager, at the Hollister Downtown Association.
Farmers and Other Agricultural Producers
Avila Farms: broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, lettuce, zucchini, brussels sprouts, swiss chard, and green beans
Brays Apiaries: local raw honey
B and T Berry Co. LLC: blueberries and blackberries
Bay Fresh Produce: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, beefsteak tomatoes
B and R Farms: dried apricots, chocolate covered apricots, apricot preserves, chili preserves, chutney, cinnamon spread-no sugar added, apricot topping, apricot red pepper topping, fresh Blenheim apricots
Cindi’s Country Produce: almonds, Fuji apples, Granny Smith apples, Meyer lemons, black figs, white figs, Indian Blood cling peaches, White Freestone peaches, Yellow Freestone peaches, Anjou Pears, Asian pears, Bartlett pears, Santa Rosa plums, bush and string beans, beets, carrots, corn, cucumber, eggplant, grapes, basil, oregano, snow peas, green onions, red and white radishes, crookneck squash, zucchini, beef master tomatoes and market pride tomatoes
Maria Elena Mexican Food: Mexican tortas, flautas, sopes
Mansmith’s BBQ LLC: smoked meats, tri tip sandwiches, bread, sodas, and water
Mariscos San Juan: shrimp, octopus, or mixed cocktails, tostadas of ceviche, shrimp tacos, and oysters in their shell
Michelle’s Golden Brown Bread: apricot, strawberry, blueberry, cranberry, sweet potato, banana, banana nut, zucchini, pineapple, date and bread pudding bread loaves, cookies, brownies, and pies
R Mexican Food: sodas, enchiladas, and pambosas
Ridgemark Golf and Country Club: several varieties of desserts
S and S Jerky Sales: jerky, water, and soda
Taqueria Albor: tacos with handmade tortillas
Wolfsen’s Meat and Sausage Inc: assorted smoked sausages, marinated steaks, fresh steaks, chicken breasts, and dog bone treats
If you were given the choice of grass-fed steak and steak that is not, by all means go for the grass-fed steak. It's a taste treat waaaaaaaay worth the cost. Please excuse the sudden drooling of this writer. Grass-fed steak! Ahhhhhhhhhh. . . .
This Saturday, May 22, 2010, the Slow Food South Bay Chapter will be holding its first 100% Grass-Fed Beef Picnic at Paicines Ranch, about 10 miles south of Hollister. The event is a celebration of local foods in the South Bay, including the ranch's own free-range grass-fed beef. Local seasonal vegetables and fruits will be provided by Eating With the Seasons, a community supported agriculture program that serves the San Francisco Bay Area.
The Grogan House where Judy Garland and Sid Luft were married.
Its a full day event from 1:30 to 10 p.m. It will include ranch tours as well as exhibits, demonstrations, and talks about sustainable agriculture and local foods and products. Activities will start at 2 p.m, with ranch tours scheduled at 2:30 and 4:30. By the way, did you know that Judy Garland and Sid Luft exchanged marriage vows in 1952 at the ranch?
Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Vegetarian options will be available. After the meal, diners can let loose to live music at an old-fashioned barn dance. Andy Wilson, a popular dance caller in the area, will be teaching steps to all.
Tickets will not be sold at the event. They can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets. Prices are $45, per person for Slow Food, Paicines Ranch and Eating With the Seasons members; $55, for non-members. Children, between 6 and 16, are half-price. Those under six years old are free.
Here are some links to click to get more details of the event and its sponsors:
Lots of activities are happening in and around Hollister this month. Take your pick and have a happy outing!
ONGOING EVENTS
Farmers Market
This Wednesday, May 12, the Farmers Market is back in town. Fifth Street (between San Benito and Monterey streets) will be closed so that shoppers can wander from one vendor's table to the next. Fresh organic vegetables and fruit, pasture-raised chickens, flowers, crafts, and prepared food will be available, many of which are locally grown or produced. The Farmers Market will be open every Wednesday, from 3 to 7 p.m., through September 29. For more info, check out this page at the Hollister Downtown Association Web site.
Bingo!
Every Friday evening, Sacred Heart Church holds bingo games in the O'Reilly Hall (670 College Street). It starts at 6:30 p.m. You must be 18 years old to play. Bingo play are only allowed to play a maximum of $25. Good policy, especially for me.
Bike Rides
Off the Chains Bike Shop sponsors bike rides in the area every Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. Check out the shop's Web site for details.
Used Book Sales
There may not be a bookstore in town or the county, but we can soothe our book-buying itch at the weekly book sale held by The Friends of the Library. Every Saturday morning, the group opens its shack behind the San Benito County Museum (Fifth and West) from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Only two bucks for all the books you can fit into a paper sack. What a bargain!
ONE-OF-A-KIND and ANNUAL EVENTS
May 13: San Benito County Trade Show
The 15th annual local trade show and job fair will take place this Thursday, from 2 to 7 p.m., at the Veterans Memorial Building (San Benito and Seventh). This year's theme is "Building Business Again in 2010." Admission is free. For more info, read "Annual Trade Show and Job Fair Approaches" from the Hollister Free Lance.
May 14-15: As You Like It
The Theater Arts Department at Gavilan College will present Shakespeare's "As You Like It" this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $10 while tickets for students and seniors are $6. For more info, click over to the department's web page.
May 15: 8th Annual Wine Passport
This Saturday, you can tour seven wineries in San Benito County for the cost of one passport ($25 per person). The passport also includes a complimentary glass of wine at each winery. The annual event is sponsored by The San Benito County Winegrowers Association. For more info, click over to its "Passport Weekend" web page.
May 15: Guerra Family Cellars Concert
The Guerra Family Cellars will open its outdoor concert season with Shakedown, a classics rock and roll band. Tickets are $10 per person. To see the surroundings, check the winery's web site. To learn more about the band, click over to its Web site.
May 21-23: "Trial by Jury"
The San Benito Oriana Chorale will open its 25th season with a three-day performance of "Trial by Jury," a Gilbert and Sullivan opera. The group will perform at the Hollister Methodist Church (5th and Monterey) on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and at the San Juan Oaks Golf Club on Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5 for children, $10 for teenagers, and $15 for adults, which can be bought online or at local businesses. Tickets may be available at the door. For more info, head over to the group's Web site.
May 22: Dog Days of Hollister
The Hollister Dog Owners Group will sponsor a fair for dogs and their owners and other human friends on May 22, starting at 10 a.m. It will take place on the lawn in front of the Briggs Building (San Benito and Fourth). There will be a doggie costume parade as well as prizes for the dog that has the best bark, has the waggiest tail, looks most like its owner, performs the funniest pet trick, and so on. For more info, click over to the Hollister Dog Owners Group Web site.
May 22-23: The Great San Juan Bautista 2010 Rib Cookoff
Yum! BBQ ribs galore. Which one shall you taste, as you walk up and down Third Street in San Juan Bautista? In addition to eating ribs and more ribs, you can listen to live entertainment and buy or window shop at the various arts and crafts booths. The event will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Here's a look at last year's Rib Cookoff:
May 23: First Annual Red Barn Run
When you say "red barn" in this area, most folks, like myself, think of the auction barn on highway 101. But that's not the case here. The red barn refers to the one on the Windhaven Ranch where this fundraising run for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will originate. This ranch is a few miles south of the City of San Juan Bautista. You can enter a 5K or 10K race, and walkers are welcome, according to the organizers. For more information, go to the Red Barn Run Web site.
May 29-30: First Annual Hollister Airshow
Skydiving formation demo, non-aerobatic glider training demo, aerobatic competition maneuvers, and WWII fighter formation flybys are just a few of the performances scheduled to take place at the Hollister Airshow. Tickets will be $5 per person, and parking will be $3 per car. The Hollister Municipal Airport is a few miles north of downtown Hollister. For more info, check out the Hollister Airshow Web site.
Pashmina/silk scarves for $8. Fashionable mini-purses for $10. A lowrider bicycle for $145. A very old welder's mask, price unknown. Those are a few of the items that I interested me at the new flea market last Saturday.
Yep, folks, there's an honest-to-goodness flea market in town—Betabel Station Open Market. Well, it's not in in Hollister, nor is it on highway 25. The market is on Highway 101 and it is very easy to find. If you're heading south on Highway 101, go pass the 25 exit, and take the next exit, which is called Betabel Road. Heading north on the highway. It's the second exit after the one for San Juan Bautista. The market is right next to the RV Park and an apple orchard. It's a beautiful site.
Betabel Station Open Market will be open every weekend through October, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is free. Entry is $2/per person on Saturdays, $3 on Sundays. Kids who are less than 3 feet tall get in for free.
Last Saturday was the market's grand opening. The market has a good set up on the grass. There's a section for kids to play, which includes pony rides and a house for kids to go crazy bouncy-bounce. Adults can pop into the market's open-air bar for a beer, which is an enclosed area away from the stalls. The food vendors—tacos, hot dogs, corn on a stick, among other foods—also had their own section.
It was a fair size crowd while the husband I were there. Maybe 40 vendors, more or less, selling fresh produce, packaged foods, clothing, accessories, tools, collectibles, and so on. One vendor buys gold, and she plans to be there through the month of May. According to the market's web site, it has the capacity to have more than 150 vendors. The husband and I plan on going back later in the summer to check out new vendors, especially folks who have personal stuff, such as that welder's mask, to sell.
For more details about the local flea market, check out the Betabel Station Outdoor Market Web site.
Dinner and jazz. What a sweet combo, no? Especially if there is a slice of lemon cake in front of you, like the yummy type that is served at The Knife and Fork Cafe on San Benito Street.
Well guess what? You're in luck. This Saturday, May 1, 2010, a jazz combo will be playing during dinner (6:30 to 9 p.m.) at the restaurant. Cool!
According to Luis Lenzi, the saxophonist, the trio will play outside on the patio if the weather is good. A spring evening listening to jazz while eating lemon cake, or other delicious food that the restaurant has to offer, sounds heavenly.
Here are some links to check out for more about the restaurant and Mr. Lenzi:
The Knife and Fork Cafe (Note to All: I wrote this last year before the restaurant served dinner.)
April 17 to 25 is National Park Week. In honor of the week, the National Park Service has decreed that entrance to all national parks, include the Pinnacles National Monument, is free. So, if you can take advantage of the freebie, head on out.
The husband and I ventured over to the Pinnacles last month, entering via Highway 25, of course. The day was gorgeous! Wildflowers were popping. Ravens were calling to each other and condors were circling above us. I think I even heard the flutter of bat wings.
The Bear Gulch Cave was open and we did our best to scramble all the way up through it. Alas, we couldn't figure out the path at the stream so swerved to the left and out of the cave, and walked along an outside trail to get back in. We did climb up the stairway out of the cave to the reservoir. As always, it was well worth the effort to see the views.
The Bear Gulch Cave is home to a colony of bats. The park plans to close it in mid-May to safeguard the bats as the babies grow up. The caves will re-open sometime in July when the bats leave the cave. Check out the Pinnacles Web site for more particulars by clicking here.
"Are you a beekeeper?" the Honey Guy asked the husband, as we pulled up next to his truck.
The husband was wearing beige pants, white shirt, and a white cap with a neck drape. He sometimes gets mistaken for a beekeeper or someone in the French Foreign Legion. The husband is neither. He gladly explained to the actual beekeeper that he is very sun sensitive, hence the special get up. The Honey Guy nodded and then took a turn at happily answering our questions about San Benito Gold— honey produced from local bees.
The Honey Guy's name is Jim. He and his dad Leon are Hollister beekeepers who own the Bray Apiaries. Hurrah! I like shopping locally for my staples, and honey is definitely one of them.
San Benito Gold is definitely delish! Rich tasting and very smooth going down my pipes.
And, no, I was not paid to say that. I confess that we stopped by merely to find out how much the honey cost for future purchases. When I stepped out to take a photo of his products, he handed me a sample of his wares. Just like that. Sweet as a bee, the Honey Guy is. Nope, I wasn't paid to say that either.
The Bray Apiaries' stand is the back of the Honey Guy's truck. He parks it on Mitchell Road, off of Highway 156, a few miles west of downtown Hollister. (Local folks, you may know the spot as the intersection of Highway 156 and Union Road.) If you're heading west on Highway 156, turn right at the traffic lights, or left if you're going east. If you're on Union Road, just cross the highway to the opposite side.
You can find the Honey Guy at his spot on Sundays. Depending on his schedule, he may also show up on Thursday, Friday, and/or Saturday. I can't remember if he says he'll be at the Hollister Farmer's Market that begins in May. For more info, give him a call. (Just look up there on his sign in the photo.)
Some links you may enjoy checking out:
"To Sneeze or Not to Sneeze" by Laurie Lemmerman-Castañeda (The Weekend Pinnacle). Leon Bray is interviewed about how he used honey to ease his allergy symptoms.
The husband and I did a double take when we saw this banner waving high yesterday, though not at the same time. He saw it the moment after I shot the photo as we were driving down the street. No, I will not say who was driving.
The annual Crab Feed and Dance is a fundraising event by the Hollister Exchange Club, a local volunteer group that likes to raise money to do good deeds around town. The event will be held on Saturday, April 17, from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. Dinner starts at 7 p.m., I'm told. The place—Bolado Park, which is also the San Benito County Fairgrounds. For more information check out this Calendar Events page of The Weekend Pinnacle.
That was reason enough for the husband and I to head out to the Pinnacles National Monument for a hike earlier this week. The drive down highway 25 itself is spectactular. Sooooo green with bursts of wild mustard, poppies, lupines, and all sorts of wildflowers dotting the landscape. Here's a bit of what we saw. (Pictures of our hike to come another day.)
I recently joined the Squidoo World, Folks! That's the Web site where you make pages about the topics that interest you. It can be about anything or anyone, including yourself. The pages are called lenses.
I published my first lens today. The subject is about... drum roll please... Hollister!
While you're there, look around Squidoo. Maybe it's something you might want to try yourself. It's all free. Supposedly, members can make passive income through the clicking of advertisements by visitors to their lenses. I admit it was an incentive for me to sign up. After all, I am a freelance writer who spends so much time on the Internet anyway. Enjoy!
A few facts of the unreal versus a few facts of the real. Enjoy!
Hollister, California
This is a make-believe beach town in Southern California created by Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) to market its Hollister Co. brand. A&F also spins a fictional history for the brand itself. According to Wikipedia.com, the invented Hollister Co. was founded in 1922 by an imaginary John M. Hollister, a Yale grad from Maine, who eventually landed in the Laguna Beach area. In real time, A&F began selling its Hollister Co. products in 2000.
Alas, I could find no tall tales about the establishment of A&F's made-up Hollister, California. Did the fictional John M. Hollister also establish the town, or did other unreal leaders decide to name their not so real town after Hollister because his company was the largest business in the area?
Hollister, California
This is an actual town located approximately 300 miles north of Los Angeles, which is about 53 miles from Laguna Beach. Although Hollister is part of the Central Coast region, the nearest beach is nearly 30 miles away.
The real Hollister is the county seat of San Benito County. Over 36,000 breathing adults and children liven in the city. Hollister was incorporated in 1872 by the San Justo Homestead Association, a group of local farmers.
The city of Hollister was named for William Welles Hollister, a farmer who headed west from Ohio with several hundred heads of cattle. In short, he landed in the area in the 1850s. In 1868, he sold his land (nearly 21,000 acres) to the association, of which 100 acres was set aside for the town. The association decided to name the new town after Hollister because many of its members objected to having another town in California with a Spanish-sounding name.
Want more history of the actual Hollister, check out this article "A Tale of Two Hollisters" by Laurie Lemmerman-Castañeda in the Weekend Pinnacles, a local newspaper.
With March comes spring, and with spring comes the sound of more birds singing around us. Spring also brings the sound of musical events to the area.
On Wednesday, March 10, the Watsonville Community Band will be coming to town to perform its annual Spring Concert. The members of the band are musicians from Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Clara, and San Benito counties. Place: Veteran's Memorial Building on San Benito Street. Never been there? It's easy to find. Just head into historical downtown Hollister and find parking once you come to a big white building with columns on the east side of the street. Time: 7:30 p.m. And, it's free! You can't beat that price. For more info about the band, click over to its Web site.
This Saturday afternoon, March 13, the South Valley Symphony will present its Music for the Young at Heart Concert at Gavilan College in Gilroy. For information, click over to the Symphony's Web site.
Also this Saturday (March 13) at 7:30 p.m., Tommy Cash will be performing a tribute concert to his late great brother Johnny Cash at the Bolado Park. For more info, click over to the Karco Concert Promotions Web site.
The renowned El Teatro Campesino, in San Juan Bautista, offers a couple of one-of-a-kind events in March.
March 20: The Folk Collection, a band of folk singers from Southern Californa, will sing many familiar folk songs through the evening performance. For more info, click here.
March 26-28: Even Though They Are Women is a musical concert celebrating women, which features Las Mujeres de El Teatro Campesion. For more info, click here.
The local schools also have some musical treats for us.
March 18-20: San Benito High School will present the musical Annie at the school auditorium. For more info, check out the high school's Web site.
March 31: County Music Festival at the San Benito High School O'Donnell Gym. It starts at 7 p.m. For more info, check out the Rancho Maze Band Web site.
So there you go. An abundance of happy uplifting musical notes happening on the 25 in March! Hope you can take advantage of one or more events.
Agriculture has always been the main industry in San Benito County. Fruit and nut orchards, vegetable farms, hay fields, cattle ranches, dairy farms, poultry ranches, and seed companies could be found throughout the county. Today, these agricultural enterprises are not in large numbers but they are still here. Thankfully.
All of these photos were taken yesterday, within a mile or so of downtown Hollister.
I hope it continues to rain during the coming spring months. The mountains around Hollister have already sprouted their green wear. It can only get better. The photo shows the mountain above Lone Tree Road last week, after several weeks of occasional rain.
First off, no, I haven't give up on this blog. Not yet. I've just been catching up with a lot of things. And not being successful. So, of course to handle being overwhelmed with days, months, and years of stuff that needs being caught up with, I start another blog. Heh-heh. This and That. Here and There. is the other virtual place where I hang my thoughts. I invite all of you gentle readers to check me out there as well.
Okey-dokey, enough said. So, what's new on Highway 25?
For one, the beauty of humanity is in bloom. A group of San Benito High School students are doing their best to raise money to help a frosh classmate who has been diagnosed with cancer. A couple weeks ago, the students went around town and videotaped folks dancing on the spot. Their objective was to post the video on YouTube to spread the word around. And, they did. Here it is from YouTube.
Here I am. Let's just say I've been in hibernation. Still am, for that matter. But, it's high time for me to start taking highway 25 to, from, and around Hollister before 2010 is over.
This photo is for all you current and former Hollister residents. Do you know where this is in downtown Hollister? What's missing—and I don't mean part of the fence? (Click on the photo to get a larger image, if you think that might help.)
