Shop Locally: Small Business Saturday

From inside San Benito Bene during the summer

Small Business Saturday will be this Saturday, November 26. It's a wonderful alternative to Black Friday. You support the shops and restaurants of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. You don't have to drive out of the county. And, if you commute daily, you get a chance to spend quality time in one or both cities.

For a listing of Hollister and San Juan businesses, check out these links:

• Hollister Downtown Association Member Directory
• San Benito  County Chamber of Commerce Member Directory
• San Juan Bautista: Shop San Juan!

By the way, this Saturday will also be the Lights On Celebration in Hollister, which runs from 10 a.m. to until  Santa and Mrs. Santa call it a night. There'll be a holiday boutique at the Veterans Memorial building from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m.

100 Things I Like: The Knife & Fork Cafe

A bit of  greenery and the mural reflects in a glass of wine.

The Knife & Fork Cafe on San Benito Street is a great place to meet up with friends, new and old, to eat some fine food and drink a glass (or two) of wine.  Sitting either indoors or outside in the alleyway is both enjoyable.

Two words: lemon cake!  Droooooool.

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

100 Things I Like: Penny Wise Drug Store

My five top reasons for shopping at Penny Wise Drug in downtown Hollister (east side of San Benito Street, between 5th and 6th Streets):

5. Every time I enter Penny Wise, I remember the aroma of the hot popcorn that was available for sale when the store used to be Roscoe,  one of the five & dime stores in Hollister when I was a kid hundreds of years ago. The other one was Cornet, which is now Muenzer's on Fifth Street. I used to go out the back door of one shop, cross Wentz Alley, and enter the back door of the other shop.

4. I can usually find fun, creative, and unique gift items at the drug store, from scarves to jewelry to singing bears to jigsaw puzzles to glass giftware to baby clothes.

3. Penny Wise Drug is a local business run by the Rosati family since 1948. It's the only independent pharmacy in San Benito County. I like to shop locally as much as possible.

2. Customer service! One Wednesday, I went in to buy over-the-counter iron pills, but the kind I wanted had run out. Joan told her brother, Stephen, the pharmacist, to order them. I came back the following Monday to buy the pills. As I was walking towards the counter, Joan asked, "Did you remember to get the iron pills?" I went in for something else on Tuesday, and just before I walked out,  pharmacist sister Jeanne called out, "Did you get your iron pills?"

1. Joan, Jeanne, Stephen, and Marie Rosati!!!!

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

Note to FCC: I wasn't paid or given anything to write what I just wrote. So, move along.

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.

100 Things I Like: The Lights On Celebration Parade

2010 Lights On Celebration Parade

The 21st annual Lights On Celebration Parade will be next Saturday, November 26, 2011, in downtown Hollister. Sparkle, sparkle. Dear readers, take note, this year, the Lights On Celebration is a whole day and evening event, culminating with the parade.

10:30 AM to 8:30 PM: Holiday Boutique, Veterans Memorial Building
During the day: Holiday Car Show
4:30 PM:  Pre-parade Entertainment
5:30 PM: The Parade
Post-parade Time: Photos with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus

Thank you, Hollister Downtown Association, for putting this all together for our town!

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