Setting Up for the Farmers Market

The Downtown Hollister Farmers Market is every Wednesday, from 3 to 7 p.m. on Fifth Street, between San Benito and Monterey Streets.  Lots of local food, crafts, wares, and joy are there.

Loooking Out of San Benito Bene

The husband and I finally checked out the new store, San Benito Bene, last week. Kathina, the owner, is selling a variety of locally made products. The ones that stick in my mind are the Marich chocolates, orchids from Watsonville, and the goat milk products from Bell Hill. I like knowing that I can conveniently purchase the chocolates downtown.

San Benito Bene is located at 615 San Benito Street. Kathina says that she has plans to set up a station where you can make-your-own gift basket of local goodies. How cool is that! The shop is open Monday through Saturday. Stop in the next time you're downtown.

Nope, FTC, I wasn't paid to write about San Benito Bene. I just like to let people know that there is a central place in Hollister  (finally!) where we can find locally made products.  It's about time.

Heavy Metal Cock-a-Doodle-doo

This week (June 20 to June 27), I will be posting photos that I took last Sunday in downtown San Juan Bautista.

When is a chicken in San Juan Bautista not running wild?

When it is an item in a gift shop in that town.

Today is Farmers Market Day!

If it's Wednesday, then it must be the Farmers Market in Downtown Hollister. Need I say more?

But, if you need more, click over to the local Farmers Market's Facebook page.

Shop Locally: Penny Wise Drug Store

May 16 to May 22 Theme:  The Little Details in Downtown Hollister

Cute little dress, isn't it? You'll find it at the Penny Wise Drug Store on San Benito Street, near Sixth Street.

Penny Wise Drug Store is the last of the independent pharmacies in downtown Hollister. The Rosati family has run the business since the late 1940s. Talk about details. You'll find a lot at Penny Wise. Not only can you get your prescriptions filled, but you can find a little bit of everything in the store, from kids' clothing to jigsaw puzzles, jewelry, scarves, religious items, gift ware, musical stuffed animals, and much more.

Shop Locally: The Locker Room

The Locker Room is located at 441 San Benito Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. I just had to take a photo of its divine mannequin.

Shop Locally: Trés Jolie Vintage

Yes! Another shop will be opening in downtown Hollister soon. Birdies say that Trés Jolie Vintage, a boutique, will be opening on April 1. Check out the shop's Facebook page for the latest news. The store is located at 748 San Benito Street, a door or two down from the new butcher and market.

Do you know the Savvy Seconds Boutique in Morgan Hill? Trés Jolie Vintage is its sister store.  Whoo-hoo!

Shop Locally: Marich Confectionery

Christmas is a few days away. Still stumped about what to give as presents. How about chocolates and jelly beans that are made within our own county?

If you haven't tried any of Marich Confectionery's goodies yet, what are you waiting for? Truffles, yum. Malt balls, yum. Chocolate-dipped nuts, yum. Jelly beans, yum....Excuse me, for drooling.

You can buy online, but at this late date, you might want to go down to the factory. Marich has a small shop to the right of the lobby. It is located at 2101 Bert Drive, which is off of Fallon Road across from the Hollister Municipal Airport.

Here's a fascinating fact about the company, which was established in 1983. The founder was Marinus Van Dam, who was the creator of the Jelly Belly beans. Yes, I'm talking about the infamous jelly beans manufactured in Fairfield, California.  It was Mr. Van Dam, an employee of the Jelly Belly who had the know-how to come up with the why-to's, how-to's, and where-for's for mass producing the tasty, high quality jelly beans that are sold around the world.

Here are some links to learn more about Marich Confectionery.

• The Marich Confectionery Web site
• Marich Confectionery, Wikipedia
• Marinus Van Dam, Wikpedia

And, no, dear Take 25 readers, I was not paid nor given freebies to write about Marich Confectionery.  Chocolates, yum. Drooooooool.

Shop Locally: She's

 

Unfortunately, we don't have that many clothing stores in town. But, the few independent shops that are in town offer quality goods. She's on San Benito Street, across from the Veterans Memorial Building, is such a one. The shop sells women's clothing, jewelry, shoes, and other accessories. As the the sign says on the store awning, there is a men's corner, and it is just that.

She's resides in what was once Ladd Hardware. I'm sure many of you baby boomers and older folks who grew up in the area remember the store.

Shop Locally: Cinderella Dresses

Beautiful dress, don't you think?

Whether I'm driving, walking, or pedaling my bicycle, I like to peek in the windows of Novias La Princesa whenever I go by it. I'm bound to see new formal dresses which look like ones that Cinderella might wear to the Prince's Ball.

You can't miss this dress shop It's the store beneath the tower clock, at the corner of Fourth and San Benito Streets.

Shop Locally: Holiday Marketplace

Are you looking for homemade crafts and food products to give as gifts this year? Especially items made by local craftspersons and foodies?

Check out the Holiday Market Place on the corner of San Benito and South Streets. Local artisans will be selling their wares to the public at the site every Friday, until Christmas.

This lovely quilt is by Juli Ann/Snuggly Babies.
Her work is also available at The Market Place
and the Last Stitch in San Juan Bautista.

The joint was open after the Lights On Celebration parade last weekend. It was jumping! Quilts, jams, chocolates, purses, jewelry, and knit scarves were among the various items that were on sale.

What items will be on sale each Friday will depend on the vendors. If their is a positive response to the venue, it may also be open on Saturdays. So, spread the word, folks!

For those of you who can't make it down to the Holiday Market Place, here are a few local businesses to check out for local goods:

• Bertuccio's (food items)
• DeBrito Chocolate Factory
• Marich Confectionery
• The Market Place in San Juan Bautista
• Vista Notes

You might also visit these web sites for more information about local businesses:

• Hollister Downtown Association
• Friends of Vista Notes
• San Benito County Chamber of Commerce 

Tuesday in Hollister: Where Did You Shop?

This building stands on the northwest corner of Sixth and San Benito Streets. It has been home to three department stores, at least. How many can you name? If you have no memory of any department stores, because you're just too young, then what shops do you recall being in this building?

Come back on Thursday to compare your answers with mine.

Shop Locally and Support the Haybalers and Other Non-profit Groups

Many of you have probably heard about the budget cuts to the Haybalers sports program at San Benito High School.  Many of us would like to help, but our budgets are tight as well. So, what to do?

Here's one way: Whenever you shop at Nob Hill, a percentage of each purchase can be donated to the San Benito High School athletic program. You could be buying several bags worth of groceries or just a bottle of soda pop.

Here's how that could be: The high school athletic department is participating in the Quality of Life program sponsored by Raley's, of which the local Nob Hill market is part. (It is also known as the Q-Card Scrip Program.) Raley's contributes 1 percent of a shopper's monthly purchases up to $300; 2 percent for purchases between $300 to $500; 3 percent, between $500 to $600; and 4 percent on purchases over $600. As you can see, that adds up a pretty penny for the Haybaler sports program. You can use your card at any Nob Hill, Raley's, or Bel Air Market.

So, how do you start becoming part of this fun? First, you need to get a Quality of Life card and then register it online at Raley's Web site. When you're at the checkout line at Nob Hill, present your card to the cashier, who in turn will swipe it into the computer. That's it.

Here's how to obtain a Quality of Life card: You can pick one up at the Student Activities Office, or have your child get one for you. By contacting Becky Doty, Athletics Department Clerk, at (831) 637-5831, extension 351 or bdoty@sbhsd.k12.ca.us, you can have the card mailed to you.

For more details, click here  to head over to the athletic department Web site. You'll need to scroll down to the section "E Scrip for Athletics."

For details about the Quality of Life program, click here. 

Other Local Organizations
When I registered my card, I noticed that that the following schools and organizations are participating in the Quality of Life program, too. You can manage your account to divide your contributions between two organizations or among several groups. If you're interested in obtaining a card from a different organization, contact it. Here are the groups:

• Calaveras Elementary PTC
• Calvary Christian School
• Cerra Vista Parent Teacher Organization
• Cienega Union Elementary
• Friends of the San Benito County Library
• Gabilan Chapter—Kinship Center
• Hollister Baseball Academy
• Hollister Dual Language Academy Parent Club
• Hollister FFA
• Hollister Seventh Day Adventist Christian School
• Ladd Lane Parent Club
• Presbyterian Cooperative Preschool
• R.O. Hardin Elementary School
• Rancho San Justo PTO
• Rancho-Maze Band Boosters
• Sacred Heart Parish School
• Southside School
• Spring Grove PTO
• St. Luke's Episcopal Church
• Sunnyslope School

Shop Locally: The Market Place

The husband and I have been wandering around San Juan Bautista a lot lately. There are always new things to discover. A couple weeks ago,  we wandered into a new shop called The Market Place. The first item that caught my eye was a cute tiny tot tutu. "They're like the ones at Dolce Baby (and Mommy Too) in Hollister," I pointed out to the husband.

"They are," called the woman at the counter. "She makes them custom-made for me."

It turns out that The Market Place features local crafts, jewelry, food products, and other handcrafted items. I felt pretty darn awestruck looking about the shop and realizing that they were made by various artists, crafts persons, farmers, candy makers, and businesses who live in the San Benito County area.

The Market Place itself is owned and run by two locals, Sharon Shelton and Claire Del Curto. In fact, the enthusiastic woman behind the counter was Claire, who told us that they are always looking for more local items for the shop.

So, there you go. Now you know where to go whenever you want to buy local items for gifts or for yourselves.

The Market Place is located at 209 Third Street, between the Daisy Saloon and Mom and Pop Saloon. You can also check them out on their Facebook page. 

Among the local food items being sold at the shop were
Mansmith's BBQ spices, candy from Marich Confectionery,
and honey produced by Brays Apiaries.

A Scavenger Hunt in Hollister

The Hollister Downtown Association (HDA) is hosting a scavenger hunt during the first seven days of July.  

Yippeee! I love a scavenger hunt, don't you?

July 1 through July 7 is National Independents Week, which is sponsored by the American Independent Business Alliance.  It is an annual event to honor and promote local independent businesses nationwide. This year, the HDA is participating and, as part of its celebration of Hollister's own small businesses, it is holding a scavenger hunt.  Whoo-hoo!

Grand prize is $200!   Hot dog!

How does the scavenger hunt work?

1. You must be at 18 years or older to play the game.
2. Get your game card. You can download it  here from the HDA Web site.
3. During July 1 through 7, find 20 diverse items, such as angel pins, lemon cake, solar panels, WD-40, and organic chicken, at the participating businesses. You don't have to buy anything (if you can resist), but you do need to have someone at a business's register to endorse your game card.
4. When you've found all items, submit it to the HDA off by 5 p.m. on July 9th. You'll find the address details on your game card.

Not interested in playing? Okay, more chances for me of winning the grand prize, thank you very much.  But, I hope you do go out and support our local businesses, particularly during National Independents Week. Check out this HDA web page for tips about shopping locally.

FYI: These are the participating businesses in the Scavenger Hunt.

• American Electrical Services   
• Autoworks
• Cheap Seats Grub and Pub
• Design Line and Granger Printing
• Dolce Baby and Mommy Too
• Drapoel
• The Elegant Touch 
• Hain's Ranch Organics (Farmer's Market) 
• The Knife and Fork Café
• Maddux Jewelry 
• McKinnon Lumber 
• Muenzers Cyclery and Sports Center
• Paine's Restaurant and Bar 
• Pat's Place
• Penny Wise Drug
• Precious Petals
• Serene Home 
• She's Apparel and Shoes 
• Teezerz
• Timber and Textiles 

Last Days at French's

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.

A New Local Flea Market

Betabel Station Open Market

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.

San Benito Gold

"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. 
• "It's Like a Bee Scene from a Movie" by Mark Paxton (The Weekend Pinnacle). Another interview with Mr. Bray.
• Hollister Farmers Market

Lots to Do In and About Hollister, California

It's gonna be a hopping town this week!

May 13: The Farmer’s Market
The farmers, food vendors, craftspersons, and others will be coming to town every Wednesday, from 3 pm to 7 pm, starting this week. Whoo-hooo! The Farmer's Market a whole new set up this year. The farmers will set up their booths on Fifth Street (between San Benito and Monterey streets), while the food vendors and nonprofit groups will be found in the parking lot behind the Vault as well as on the lawn beside it. Live entertainment is also being scheduled. To see a list of products that will be sold, check this link at the LocalHarvest Web site.

May 14: The Expo & Job Fair
The San Benito County Expo and Job Fair (also known as the San Benito County Trade Show) will be held this Thursday, from 2 pm to 7 pm at the Veterans Memorial Building in Hollister. This year’s theme is ECO-nomics, which highlights the growing green industry in the county. Click here for a story, published by the Hollister Free Lance, about last year’s event. For more info about the fair, contact the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce.


May 13-15: Wings of Freedom Tour
This week, living aviation history will be flying into the Hollister Municipal Airport. It will be one of the stops for the Wings of Freedom Tour, which is sponsored by the Collings Foundation. Featured on the tour are the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator, and the P-51 Mustang—all restored WWII aircraft. Walking tours cost $12 for adults and $6 for 12 and under.

Other Events this Week

• 5/16: 2009 Rattle & Roll Car and Motorcycle Show, Road Angels Car Club, Bolado Park

• 5/16-5/17: 7th Annual Passport Weekend, San Benito County Winegrower’s Association
  

• 5/16: Summer Outdoor Concert, “The Dizzy Burnett Jazz Trio & Shakedown, Guerra Farm Vineyard
  

A Christmas Contest

$1,000! Want to win it?

Some of the downtown merchants are currently sponsoring a “Where’s Rudolph?” contest. Here are the rules:

1. Go to a participating store, restaurant, or other business. See the list below
   
2. Find the picture of Rudolph.
3. Ask for an entry form, fill it out, and turn it in pronto.

You can enter as often as you like. You can enter only once a day. You don’t have to buy anything to win. But, since you need to buy those Christmas presents or eat to sustain yourself, well, there you are.

The Contest ends on December 15. Get going!

The Merchants

• Penny Wise Drug
• Maddux Jewelry
  
• She’s Apparel & Shoes
• Drapoel–Teezerz
  
• Muenzer’s
  
• Fortino’s Total Home
  
• French’s Kitchen and Baths
• Serene Home
• Fireplace Depot
  
• Timber & Textiles
• McKinnon Lumber
• Precious Petals
  
• Winn Insurance

The following restaurants are also participating in the contest:

• The Elegant Touch
• Las Palmas Restaurant
• Paine’s Restaurant
  
• The Knife & Fork Café
• Running Rooster