Man from Reno

Yesterday, Hollister got a treat with a big-screen showing of Man from Reno, a neo-noir, cross-cultural, mystery movie, of which some of the scenes were set in Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and other parts of San Benito County.  Whoo-hoo!

The award-winning Man from Reno came out in 2014. It was co-written and directed by Dave Boyle who was at the showing and did a Q&A after the movie. An extra treat for us, movie-goers.

The movie opens with Sheriff Paul Del Moral of San Marco County (think San Benito County) coming across an abandoned car on a dark and very foggy night. After a few minutes of investigating, he gets back into his car, drives several feet, and bang! A running man collides into his car.  This unknown Japanese man is taken to the hospital (set in Hazel Hawkins Hospital), but, after recouping, walks away without anyone noticing. And, so begins the mystery.

Meanwhile, 100 miles to the north, popular mystery author Aki Akahora has arrived in San Francisco. She has run away on a whim, no longer able to take all the adoration from fans in her home country of Japan. She's depressed and looks to be suicidal, but she breaks out of her funk when she meets a man who makes her feel like living again. He quickly moves into her hotel room, then, just as quickly, disappears leaving his suitcase behind. And, so begins another mystery.

The movie moves forward between the two suspenseful stories. The only thing I predicted correctly was that the two tales would eventually intertwine. Everything else about the plot—surprise!

Another enjoyable aspect of Man from Reno for me was recognizing settings in Hollister, San Juan Bautista, San Francisco, and Sausalito. As you read previously, the hospital scenes in the fictitious San Marco County were set inside Hazel Hawkins Hospital. I'll only tell you about one other setting. The sheriff's office was actually the Red Cross office on Fifth Street.

Missed Man from Reno yesterday or want to see it again? The movie is now available at Netflix, Amazon, Google Play, DIRECTV, and other online sites. Want to learn more about the movie, check the Man from Reno website.

Halloween Fun

Halloween decorations around Hollister are quite chilling for chickens like me. Bwak, bwak, bwak.  Be safe and enjoy your All Hallow's Eve!

Welcome to San Juan Bautista

Jill Pagaran, Volunteer at the San Juan Bautista Welcome Center

San Juan Bautista may be a very small city (population about 1,900),  but you'll find a lot to discover and explore in and around the once-upon-a-time Mission village.

The Mission San Juan Bautista and the San Juan Bautista Historic State Park are probably the top historic sites that visitors check out, which can be a full day adventure in itself.  You may need and want to come back another day to check out other things that San Juan offers: historic walks. . .trails to hike. . .places to bike. . .back roads to drive. . .thrift, antique, and boutique shops. . .art galleries. . .El Teatro Campesiño performances. . .a variety of eating and drinking establishments. . .wine tasting. . . events (such as the annual BBQ cook off, antique fair, Ghost Walk, and Holiday Bonfire). . .and much, much more.

To get your bearings and learn about events while you're visiting, check out the San Juan Bautista Welcome Center inside the San Juan Bakery at 319 Third Street (the main street) during business hours, Tuesday through Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Volunteers man the desk Friday through Sunday, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. 

October—Full of Wandering and Wondering

My appreciation to San Juan Bakery, in San Juan Bautista, for reminding me about the joy and wonder of October. The Husband and I have had lots of fun adventures in, around, and out of Hollister this month. Who knows what these next three October days shall bring.

Dia de los Muertos with El Teatro Campesiño

This weekend, El Teatro Campesiño will start off its 50th year with its annual Dia de los Muertos celebration in San Juan Bautista. Through dance, music, art, and altar offerings, the locally-based, renowned theater company will honor and remember the dearly departed. The event will begin on Friday, October 29 and go through Sunday, November 1.

Joining in the celebration is the Esperanza del Valle Folkloric Dance Troupe, which will perform throughout the weekend at the Playhouse on 705 4th Street.

• Friday, 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday,  4:00 p.m.

The dance group will perform traditional dances from the Huasteca, Veracruz, Nayarit, Jalisco, and Colima regions, as well as perform Macaria, an original choreodrama that the dance troupe adapted from the novel written by B. Traven. Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets.

El Teatro will also have traditional and artistic altars on display at the Playhouse. The public can view the altars, for free, during these hours:

• Friday, 7:00 p.m. with Altar Blessing and Danza at 7:15 p.m.
• Saturday, 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday, 1:00 p.m. with a closing Danza Blessing

As in past years, El Teatro will lead a Dia del los Muertos procession through the historic streets of San Juan Bautista. The parade will be held twice—6:00 p.m. on Saturday and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.