The Stained Glass in St. Benedict Church

I wonder how the term stained glass came about that people thought it was uncool to say, "Wow! That's beautiful colored glass."

Anyway, I've been noticing stained glass lately that I decided to feature some of the local sightings over the next few days. Today's photo shows some of the beautiful stained glass artwork  at St. Benedict Church on Fairview Road. To see another piece at the church, go to this page on Take 25 to Hollister.

A Night of Music

Last night, the Husband and I attended "A Night of Music" at El Teatro Campesiño in San Juan Bautista. What a joyful night! The event showcased many local musicians.

The evening began with a premiere of Voices, the collaborative works of Emiliano Valdez and Michael Annotti, which they developed in partnership with Mr. O's Academy of the Arts and the San Benito County Arts Council. The songs of Mr. Valdez and Mr. Annotti were inspired by stories of many of the residents of San Benito County. One song, for example, was about working in the canneries. Their CD will soon be released.

Playing out the night was  Mr. O's  Jazz Band, under the direction of Mr. Joe Ostensen. As always, Mr. O's band, composed of teenagers and adults, were grooving and moving the audience away.

Here are some links to check out the sounds of these wonderful local musicians:

• Michael Annotti   
• SoMoS, which features Emiliano Valdez on guitar and vocals and Michael Annotti on keys 
• Mr. O's Jazz Band 

I Like to Ride My Bicycle

Queen sang, "I want to ride my bicycle." And, that's how I feel most days. Hollister is a great place for pedaling around, whether it's up and down the back roads or through the neighborhoods.   Even going up the hills is fun, because eventually you get to coast down. Wheeeee!

If you're interested in finding some long bike trails in the county, check out this page at mapmyride.com

Farming Continues

San Juan Valley

Drought. Or not.

The Old City Hall

The words City Hall are etched into the front of this building. But, it is not the City Hall, although the city of Hollister now uses the bottom floor for some offices.  Today's City Hall is a few buildings to the west—the white, concrete building that was once the Hollister City Library.

The old City Hall was built in 1906 and also housed the fire department. It was designed by the infamous California architect William H. Weeks, who designed many other buildings in town. Here are a couple of older posts about the old City Hall that may interest you:

• Look Up: The Old City Hall
• Postcards of the Old City Hall