Showing posts with label not in San Benito County. Show all posts
Showing posts with label not in San Benito County. Show all posts

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Santa Cruz Beaches


The Monterey Bay  includes the coastline of both Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Monterey is the southern end, while Santa Cruz is the northern end. Usually, we think of the south as being warmer than the north. But, when it comes to beaches in this region, nope. The beaches of Santa Cruz county are warmer, once the fog moves out. 



There are more than 20 public beaches on the Santa Cruz county coastline, which stretches from Watsonville (south) to Davenport (north).  Public access is also available to beaches which involves passing through private property, such as the Seascape Beach Resort in Aptos.

For more info about Santa Cruz beaches, check out these links:
 

You can view hillsides of Pampas Grass when you walk the public access trail
to the beach at the Seascape Beach Resort.

March 4 to March 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: The Pacific Coast

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Año Nuevo State Reserve


Have you ever seen northern elephant seals up close? Want to?

There are a few places along the Pacific Coast where northern elephant seals gather on the beach throughout the year. One such place is the Año Nuevo State Reserve, which is part of the California State Parks system. It's about 65 miles northwest of Hollister, or about 20 miles north of Santa Cruz on Highway 1.

From December to March, reserve visitors can only view the northern elephant seals on guided walks. During this period, the mammals mate, give birth, and wean their pups that later head to sea in April. In the spring and summer, the elephant seals return to Año Nuevo to molt.

For more information about the park and elephant seals, check out these links:
March 4 to March 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister:The Pacific Coast

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Hollister to Santa Cruz

Lighthouse Point

Santa Cruz is home to the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, as well as the University of Santa Cruz. The beach town is also known for being one of best surfing places along the Pacific coast.

According to mapquest.com, Hollister is about 44 miles from Santa Cruz. And, when I was a kid, my family drove over every Fourth of July to hang out at the Boardwalk. The fog always lifted by 11 a.m.

Surfers at Lighthouse Point

 For more about Santa Cruz, check out these links:

Monday, March 4, 2013

There's the Ocean. . . Right Over There

The theme for this week, March 4 to March 10, is the Pacific Coast.

Here's a look of the Pacific Coast from Fremont Peak above San Juan Bautista.
That light blue "line" at the foot of the mountains, on the left, is the northern end of Monterey Bay. To see how Fremont Peak looks like from over there, click here.

You've heard the stories. Maybe you have a doozy of a story yourself. A middle-aged (or older) Hollister local (current or former) is standing in a line at a theater (or store or restaurant or somewhere else) in another city. He (or she) notices the young man (or woman) standing next to him (or her) wears a sweatshirt with the word Hollister on it. So, of course, the Hollister local starts up a conversation.

"Hi, I'm from Hollister, too," the Hollister middle-aged person says.
"Huh?" the sweatshirt wearing young person says.
"Go Balers!"
"What?"
"Aren't you from Hollister, California?"
"No."
"Oh, sorry, I just saw your sweatshirt and thought you were from my hometown."
"I bought this in the Hollister store. You're from Hollister, California? Wow. Are you a surfer?"
"What?"

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Pinnacles National Park...Soon!


Last night, the bill to change Pinnacles National Monument to the status of a national park was passed in the Senate. That means that all it needs now is to be signed into law by President Obama. What a wonderful start to 2013. Whoo-hooo!

By the way, the park is working on a new general management plan. The public is invited to read the proposed plan and make comments on it until January 11. If you're interested, click here to access it at the park's Web site.

Happy New Year, Dear Readers! Happy New Year!
 

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

A Hodgepodge of Announcements



Benito Link

Check out a new free source for local news. It's called Benito Link, an on-line web portal created by Vision San Benito. Already, I've learned that the new Hollister Mayor was sworn in on Monday; Immaculate Conception, the Catholic Church in Tres Pinos, celebrated 120 years; and the San Benito Homeless Shelter has been open since November 1. The site just recently went up, so give it time to develop and grow.  It's nice to have another source of news and coming events and such for our community. Buena fortuna, Benito Link.
Click here to go directly to Benito Link.
Click here to go to Benito Link's Facebook page.

Holiday Events



Support Local Businesses

The Holiday Arts and Crafts Boutique  is going on at Blak Sage Gallery until December 15, 2012.   It features arts, crafts, cards, and gifts made by local artists and craftspeople, including Shannon Grissom, Jane Rekedal, Carole Belliveau, Kent Child, and Kathleen Sheridan, among others.

Wednesday Night Lights
Several shops on the 600 block in downtown Hollister are doing a "Wednesday Night Lights". Tomorrow, December 12, and next Wednesday, December 19, the following shops will be open until 7:30 p.m.
Holiday Shopping Hours
Many local shops and businesses have holiday hours for our convenience. They're keeping their doors open later one or more days during the week. For example, Holliwood, a new shop in downtown Hollister (748 San Benito Street), has late hours. Some Hollister shops and most, if not all, San Juan Bautista shops are open on Sundays. So, if you haven't had a chance to check out local shops, here's your chance this year.

Don't know what shops, restaurants, businesses, and such are in our county? Check out these links:
You can also find a listing of some shops and restaurants at this Take 25 to Hollister post.

A note to FCC: Just so you know, no one has paid me to mention any of the above businesses. Just call me alturistic, I suppose.
 

Thursday, March 29, 2012

How Far is the Ocean?



See the white sailboat.

See the mountain peak above it. That's Fremont Peak in San Benito County. The peak stands 3,169 feet high, according to the Fremont Peak State Park Web site.

For all you Hollister, California clothing fans, the real (inland) Hollister, California is the county seat of San Benito County, which is several miles east of Fremont Peak.

 I've taken this photo from West Cliff Drive, next to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum in Santa Cruz. Between where I stood and Fremont Peak is about 32 miles. That is, as the crow flies.



Sunday, November 20, 2011

100 Things I Like: Proximity to Monterey Bay


The Pacific Ocean is about 40 minutes away. Maybe less, depending on the traffic and who's driving.

For more 100 Things I Like About Living in Hollister, click on that link.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

100 Things I Like: Used Treasures

Available in a San Juan shop, next to the bank on Third Street
Thrift stores or antique shops. It doesn't matter, I like wandering through them all. Hollister and San Juan Bautista has both kinds. Garage sales, ooh-la-la! Heaven.

This Saturday, October 22, the County of San Benito Integrated Waste Management Regional Agency is sponsoring a county-wide garage sale day. It'll be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. A listing of garage sales will be available on Friday. Click here to find out where you can get a list.

If you do go garage sale hopping this Saturday, be careful and aware. The Condor Classic is also happening. Please patiently share the road with the cyclists.

For more 100 Things I Like About Living in Hollister, click on that link.

Friday, September 16, 2011

100 Things I Like: The Food Gatherers



It's September. It's harvest time. Give thanks! to all the workers who are out there picking and gathering the vegetables and fruits for our bellies. There is nothing easy about their jobs.

To get this photo, I leaned out the car window and snapped away as the husband drove east on Highway 156 through San Juan Valley.

For more 100 Things I Like About Living in Hollister, click on that link.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Coming Events: How to Find Out


Are you like me, and you find out about events after the fact, especially in Hollister and San Benito County? Or, you learned about happenings to be several weeks before the date, only to forget when the day arrives?

Okay, then. Here's an online source for you to bookmark for kid and family friendly events and activities in our community: Hollister Macaroni Kid

This Web site is also a free e-newsletter that suggests activities for families to do together. It is edited and published by local Valerie Silva, who has been at it since May 2010. Being a mom, she says her mission is "for families to engage in quality time together, whether it be outside the home with events listed in the newsletter, or by enjoying crafts, cooking and other projects that might be listed in that week's posting."

Valerie posts every week, usually on Thursday.  She invites both organizations and individuals to post their events and activities on Hollister Macaroni Kid.  Businesses are also welcome to advertise at her site as well. Currently, Hollister Macaroni Kid has over 5200 views per month. It is is also on Facebook and Twitter. You can contact Valerie at valeries at macaronikid dot com.

One again, that's Hollister Macaroni Kid at www.hollister.macaronikid.com.

Disclosure: Valerie asked me if I would post something about Hollister Macaroni Kid. I was very glad to write about her Web site since I've used it as a source for some of of my past posts, which was way before she contacted me. So, to FCC and anyone else who cares, I did not receive any money, gifts, or threats to write this post.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Tractor For Sale


Isn't she a beaut?

The orange tractor really is for sale. You can see it at the San Benito County Historical and Recreational Park, a mile or so south of Tres Pinos, on Highway 25. While you're there, take a look at all the other historical buildings and things that were relocated from other parts of the county.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Coming Up: 2011 San Benito County Fair


This year's San Benito County Fair will be September 30 to October 2.  Cock-a-doodle-doo! 

If you're still thinking about entering a photo, cake, quilt, or something else in the fair, you have until September 2 to send your entry form. For all the details of the fair, as well as to download an entry form, head over to this page at the San Benito County Fairgrounds Web site.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Watching Night Fall

Last year, I attended the Dave Mason Concert on the Green at the Peppertree Ranch. The concert was awesome as was the unfolding of day into night on the eastern foothills and the Diablo range beyond them.

As the sun began setting behind us. . .



Then later as the sun crept towards the horizon. . .


Saturday, July 30, 2011

Everything Garlic


More than six hours later, I still have a distinct taste of garlic in my mouth. Garlic fries. Garlic ice cream. Shrimp, mushrooms, noodles, BBQ, and sausages laced with oodles of garlic.

Yesterday, the husband and I drove over to Gilroy (not in San Benito County) and sampled some of the garlicky foods for sale at its infamous Garlic Festival.  Consuming all that garlic was for a good cause. Really.

This was the first time I attended the event, which started in 1979. I didn't know until just now that the festival is a major annual fundraiser for Gilroy's many nonprofit organizations. Last year, the festival raised $270,000, according to its Web site. Wow! Okay, maybe I'll excuse it for having to pay $3 for a bottle of water.

The festival continues today and Sunday.

I thought the garlic fries were the best tasting thing I ate.
The potatoes were totally loaded with the stinking rose.


As the mama would say, "Lots of people there."



 Setting the pans on fire was part of the show of cooking in front of a crowd.

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