Best Entries of the 2013 Lights On Celebration Parade

It was a huge turnout for this year's Lights On Celebration Parade, put on by the Hollister Downtown Association.  Did you go? What was your favorite float?

This morning, the Hollister Downtown Association announced the winning floats:

Best of Parade:  Hollister Dual Language Academy
Best Use of Lighting: Alves Collision Center
Best Use of Theme (A Family Tradition): Girl Scouts of America Service Unit
Best Community Group: Folklorico Juvenil de Hollister
Best Drill/Dance Group:  West Coast Music & Dance

To see more photos of the parade, click here. It will take you to the 2013 Lights On Celebration Parade album on Take 25 to Hollister's Facebook wall. You don't need to be be signed up to Facebook, or even be a member, to view the album.

The 23rd Annual Lights On Celebration

This Saturday, November 30, 2013, is the 23rd Annual Lights On Celebration, organized and hosted by the Hollister Downtown Association. It's an all day event, from 10 AM to 8:30 PM, which includes a Holiday Boutique, live entertainment, and the traditional Lights On parade.

Lights On Parade
The year's theme for the parade is A Family Tradition. Beginning at 5:30 PM, the parade starts at the corner of San Benito and Haydon Streets and will end at Fifth and San Benito Streets. The review stand will be in front of the Veterans' Memorial Building.

Holiday Boutique
The Holiday Boutique at the Veterans' Memorial Building will feature about 56 vendors. Opening at 10 AM, the boutique will offer a wide variety of products, from foods to candles, soaps, purses, jewelry, plants, and unique local handcrafted items. Some of the vendors will be Silpada Designs Jewelry, Vista Notes, M&M Plants, Origami Owl, Pampered Chef, Gaia's Cottage, Designs by Juli Ann, and East-West Fashion.

Local artist Kathleen Sheridan will be on hand to sell and sign her book, Jaime the Elf, the beloved character who Santa gave the task of lighting downtown Hollister.

Family Toy and Canned Food Drive
The American Legion Post 69 will accept donations of canned food and wrapped toys throughout the day in front of the Veterans' Memorial Building. The donations will be distributed to families in need within our community. Post 69 will have coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies on hand to give to contributors.

Live Entertainment
Several things are scheduled throughout the day at the Veterans' Memorial Building Plaza.
11 AM to noon: Smith Alley
noon to 1: Mr. O's Jazz Band
1 to 2: Almad de Mexico Mariachi's
2 to 3:30: David Huboi and the Architecturals
3:30 to 4: United Way's 2-1-1 Kick-off

San Benito Street Youth Performances
Youth performers will be featured in the afternoon at the Veterans' Memorial Building
4:15: San Benito High School
4:30: Animation Dance Community
4:45: West Coast Martial Arts
5:00: West Coast Music & Dance FX

If you miss any of the youth groups, then check them out at the Fifth Street Stage where they will repeat their performances.
4:30: San Benito High School
4:45: Animation Dance Community
5:00: West Coast Martial Arts
5:15: West Coast Music & Dance FX

For More Information
Head over to this page at the Hollister Downtown Association web site for more details about the Lights On Celebration. There, you can find a list of participating vendors at the Holiday Boutique,  a map of the parade route, when and where you can have your kids take a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and more.

See you there!

I'll Have the Pancake

This past Saturday, the Husband and I had breakfast at Grillin & Chillin Downtown. I ordered the corn beef hash and the Husband decided on the blueberry pancake with a side order of 2 scrambled and 2 slices of bacon. "That's a better deal," he said, after seeing that it was only a couple of bucks more as opposed to twice that amount for a side order of 4 pieces of bacon. Yup.

After we ordered, Chuck, co-owner of the Grillin and Chillin, came by to greet us. "What are you having?" he asked. We told him. He nodded, a big fat grin taking over his face. "Have you had our pancakes before?"

"Nope," said the Husband.

"You're in for a treat," he said. Before heading for the counter, Chuck may have said something like "They're kind of big."

A few seconds later, he called. "The cook is making your pancake now. Come take a look."

It turned out that wasn't the Husband's pancake. His was next.

Let's just say when his blueberry pancake was set in front of him, we were both surprised.

You ought to put a warning on your menu," we kidded the waitress.

She laughed. "That's what the other customer said!"

The Husband had an appetite that morning, so he put a good size dent on his yummilicious pancake.  The waitresses were surprised. "Usually the adults don't eat as much," one waitress said. "The kids are a different story.

Goes to show that the Husband is still a kid.

Grillin & Chillin Downtown, at 650 San Benito Street (next to Brown Alley), is open for breakfast seven days a week. They also serve lunch throughout the week, as well as dinner on Friday and Saturday. Their winter hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8 AM to 3 PM, and Friday & Saturday, 8 AM to 8 PM. 

Happy Houses of Hollister

Of course, you can see the big, fantastic grin. Could it be smiling because of what it sees reflecting in the windows across the street?

Ah, the things you might see as you wander down Monterey Street in downtown Hollister. 

Fundraiser for the Filipino Typhoon Victims at Leal Vineyards