How Old Am I?

I'm so old, I remember when San Benito Street ended at Nash Road. The only time you would turn into the "new" part of San Benito Street was so you could park your car go to go see the football games. You parked your car on the long expanse of grass that is now the paved parking lot and sports fields.

Funny thing is, I don't think of myself as being that "so old". Speaking of which, have you gone to the "You know you grew up in Hollister, if you. . ." page on Facebook. Lot of history being talked about over there. Check it out.

Onion Field

Harvest time is nigh. Some crops are already being harvested. This is the onion field at the north end of the 25 bypass in Hollister.

The Vault that was Once a Bank

When I was a kid, I thought there was only one bank in Hollister, for that matter, the whole world. It was  Bank of America and it existed at the corner of Fifth and San Benito Streets. Yep, the 80-year old building that is now home to The Vault.

Rolling into Hollister

The husband and I happened to be driving on San Benito Street when the Union Pacific freight train came rolling into town. Toot-toot!

By the way, have you tried the food at Burger Factory yet? Yummy. Myself, I like the chicken teriyaki bowl, the jalapeño burger, the mushroom burger, the. . . .

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.

Thumbs Up for History

 

I took a photo of this "flyer" at the San Benito County Fair in 2009. Just came across the digital file on my hard drive. I wonder which side of the street this was.

Speaking of history, this Saturday, August 20, the San Benito County Historical Society will be holding a fundraiser at the historical park to raise funds to rebuild the Dunneville Dance Hall. It sounds like it will be a great wingding. Wish I could clone myself so I could go. Click here for more details.

Music and Theater in the Park

2010: Hollister's first Music in the Park. Click on the photo for an enlarged version.

This Saturday, August 20, the San Benito County Arts Council and Hollister Youth Alliance will host the second Music and Theater in the Park at Dunne Park on Seventh Street (between West and Powell Streets). From 1 to 7 p.m., this event will showcase local musicians, performers, and artists. Bring your picnic blankets, chairs, picnic fare, and joy and just hang out. You deserve it.

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. . .

School Starts Soon!

Before Rancho San Justo Middle School, all sixth to eighth graders in the Hollister School District went to R. O. Hardin. At least that was how it was in my day, the 1960s. I don't know know what it was like before then. Anyone know?

A Close Up at the Victorian Beauty Downtown

I seem to be obsessed of the Victorian building at the corner of 5th and San Benito Streets. I'm not. Really, I'm not. But, I did happen across another angle of the building the other day that I doubt few have seen. Just didn't have my camera at the time. One day, soon. Until then, here's a look at a bit of the detail on that 140-year-old (more or less) building. And, if you want to learn about William Palmtag, the man who built it, click here.

The Hanging Flowers of Hollister

Have you noticed the hanging pots of flowers up and down San Benito Street this summer? It adds to the charm of downtown Hollister, don't you think?

The Hollister Downtown Association gets credit for installing the beautiful flowers on the lamp posts. The cost of maintaining the flowers is done through sponsorships.  For information about sponsoring a pair of hanging flower baskets, check out this page at the Hollister Downtown Association Web site.

Looking Out from Under the Vines

Have you ever gone inside the PG&E Customer Center on East Street and looked out its window? You almost feel like your looking out of a cave.

Here's a reminder of what the building looks like from the street.

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.

The Library in Hollister

When I was a kid, the front of the library was landscaped with bushes that had flowers that smelled like hot dogs. Really, they did. The bushes were where the outside wall is now. The foyer, bathrooms, and meeting room were all added in the 1980s.

The San Benito County Free Library is a consolidation of the county and Hollister  City public libraries, which occurred in 1959. The City Hall building was once the Hollister City Library that was built in 1919 from money funded by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

Want to know more about the fascinating history of our public library?  Check out this page at the San Benito County Free Library Web site.

From the Briggs Garage Elevator

Yep. This photo was taken through the elevator window on the top floor. You're looking over Fifth Street. It was around setting-up time on a Farmers Market Day.

Our Diablo Range

I don't think of the mountains to the east of us as being part of the Diablo Range. But, they are. When I was a kid, I thought they were hills. I know better now. They're such pretty mountains, and they are "ours".

No U Turn

I  noticed this "No U Turn" sign the other day. The husband says it has been up for a while. I wonder how many U turns were made to cause the sign to go up. It's such an odd place to even think about doing a U turn.

Where the 25 and 156 Meet

One of the benefits of roadways going through once-upon-a-time orchards, grazing lands, and vegetable fields is this: We finally get to see what we couldn't before.

Truckin'

That's right. Any chance I get, I'll get my little camera out and snap a photo—even out car windows and, as you know, through dirty windshields. Not when I'm driving, of course. This glimpse was taken as the husband and I were heading north on the Bolsa, aka 25.

Maggiora Brothers Drilling, Inc. is a local business that drills water wells and installs water pumps. I didn't know it existed until yesterday. The company has been around for over 40 years. Check out its Web site. The business is very interesting, even if wells are things you don't need.

An Appealing Glance

Metropolis—the city where Clark Kent, aka Superman, lives.

That's what comes to my mind when I see the Vault sign. I don't know why. Maybe it's the sophisticated look of the V.

For that manner, discounting the sign, downtown looks rather glamorous from this angle. Don't you think?

Big City Parking

Who has parked in the free parking garage on Fourth Street because they couldn't find parking near let's say the library? Wells Fargo? Paines? the farmers market on Wednesdays?

Did you know you get a good view of downtown from the elevator?

Did it really cost the city several million dollars to build it? 

Have you ever thought of going up and down the garage stairs for exercise? The husband and I did it first time yesterday.

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.

At the Corner of 7th and San Benito Streets

Doesn't it look like these two signs could be perched on someone's shoulder? One is the angel, while the other is the devil.

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.

Postcards of the Old City Hall

First, everyone, please say a big "Thank you!" to Cindy Mackie. She sent me copies of these vintage postcards of the old City Hall, which many of you today may know as the vacant YMCA building that's located on Fifth Street.

Cindy wrote: "The postcard on one of the old City Hall dates the card to April 19, 1912. I think you could safely say that that building is at least 100 years old. The publisher is Edward H. Mitchell of San Francisco."

Okay, I won't detain you anymore. Check out the trio of postcards from Cindy.  Thank you very much, Cindy.

Postcard image courtesy of Cindy Mackie.

Postcard image courtesy of Cindy Mackie.

Postcard image courtesy of Cindy Mackie.

A Victorian Beauty in Downtown Hollister

Your vision is okay.

I took the photo through the dirty car window as the husband was driving south on San Benito Street. Even through a dirty window, the red brick Victorian building looks gorgeous.

The building was constructed in the 1870s. I think it was in the late 1980s or early 1990s that it was restored. William Palmtag, one of the founders of Hollister, was the original owner. In 1891, the Farmers and Merchants Bank was based in the building. Supposedly, the vaults are still there.

Mr. Palmtag was an interesting man who hailed from Germany. In his time, he was known as an astute businessman and an award winning winemaker. He also served as a county supervisor and the mayor of Hollister.  Check out these links for more details about him.

• William Palmtag Biography
•  "A Pioneer of the Local Wine Industry", Gilroy Dispatch

A Different View on Fifth Street

I'm short; the husband is tall. So, why is that important?

The other day, we got out of our car on Fifth Street and right away the husband suggested that I take a shot of the line of bay windows of the brick building. You know the one that's on the corner of San Benito Street and Fifth Streets.  So, I did. I took several snaps. But, my results were duds. That's when I realized if I was just a foot taller, I'd have a bunch of lovely photos of what the husband was viewing. Maybe I should carry a ladder around with me.

Anyway, being short, I did see an angle of this lamp post on Fifth Street that I liked.

Veronica's Art of Dance

The sign in the window of Veronica's Art of Dance was just too cute to not take a photo of it. Veronica's is another new business that recently opened downtown. The dance studio is located at 750 San Benito Street. According to the business's Web site, Hollister is its second location. Its first is in San Jose.

Another Face Up High

I can't help it. Too many long hours working makes a person loopy and, in my case, seeing faces in buildings. Do you think this is what's meant by the face of a building?

This is the building on Fifth and San Benito Streets that "shouts" Mitchell Law Firm from the side facing San Benito Street. I think this building was once home to the Elks Lodge. Doesn't that look like an Elk's head above the middle window? It makes for a good nose to the face.

Sparkle, Sparkle

 

 

Beautiful, isn't it? You'll find this sparkle-sparkle window on San Benito Street in downtown Hollister . Take a walk downtown to see it in person. Also, check out the Blak Sage Gallery of Fine Art while you're down there. You vintage car lovers ought to enjoy the current exhibit.

More Peeking Into Windows

After drinking a beer and sharing garlic fries at Cheap Seats Pub & Grub yesterday afternoon, the husband and I took a stroll on San Benito Street to work them both off. A slow, happy saunter which included stopping into the new San Benito Bene and the Blak Sage Gallery. I wish we had started earlier in the day, as many of the stores had closed or were about to close. Still, we enjoyed ourselves by peeking into closed stores and empty storefronts.

The Smiling Pendergrass

Yep. I'm still looking upwardly. Now, tell me. Doesn't the Pendergrass building look like it's smiling? Do you see its two "eyes" underneath the eaves? Its rather short and abrupt nose? The mouth full of window panes?

What Are You Looking Through?

Hint 1: You'll find this thing on Fifth Street, across from the City Hall.

Hint 2: If a person was sitting in it, she or he would sell you something so you can go in to see the Music Man, which is playing this weekend.