Tasty Meals at Dunneville Corners

Crrrrrrussssssh! 

From behind the windows at Dunneville Cafe and Market, I watched a repetitive scene going on across the street at Clean Green Recycling. Humongous yellow mechanical jaws mangled, pounded, and chewed away at the huge piles of forsaken wood, which would eventually become wood chips for landscaping. The wood must've tasted pretty good to that machine, just as the broaster chicken and tri-tip meal that we bought at Dunneville tasted to us. Yummmmm.

Morning After Rainfall

Yesterday marked a full day and night of rainfall. One weather caster called it a storm. Perhaps in some areas. To me, it was a delightful, gentle, steady Spring rain that gave joyful reprieve to the parched hillsides.

From the Archives -- Resting Places

Another post from the archives. Enjoy!

Now We Lay Ourselves Down to Rest

(originally published November 13, 2008)

It was bound to happen. I would take a photograph or two of one of my favorite local haunts as a kid—the Calvary Cemetery.

We moved next to the cemetery when I was a fourth grader. We lived on El Camino Paraiso. The English translation: The Heavenly Road or The Road to Paradise. I always thought whoever named the street had a wonderful sense of humor. Or, he was just perverse.

Since my deceased sisters were buried in the cemetery, my family visited it often. As I got older, I found myself pedaling my bike through the cemetery on my own. Where else could I find peace and quiet to think? Today, the remains of my dad and a few other relatives and friends of the family are also there. So, I continue to pop over now and then. I no longer live next to the cemetery, but it’s still only a few minutes away.

San Benito County has several cemeteries. Not such a big deal until I consider that the population was about 18,000 when I was a teenager, many years ago. Currently the population is around 56,000. Only three cemeteries may actually be in use, but what do I know. If you want to know more about some of the other cemeteries in this county, check out these links. Those interested in genealogy will be happy to know that some of these web sites provide a listing or database of the deceased.

• Calvary Cemetery serves the local Catholic Church parishes in Hollister and Tres Pinos.
• I.O.O.F. Cemetery belongs to the Oddfellows Lodge. I understand that many of the old-time county movers and shakers are buried there.
• San Juan Bautista (or Larios) Cemetery is up on a hillside, just outside of the village.
• Mission Cemetery at San Juan Bautista Mission is said to have over 4,000 remains of local natives (like in Indians) and Europeans buried there.
• San Benito County Cemetery is described as being a potter's field.

• Cherry Hill Cemetery is between Paicines and Mercey Hot Springs.
• Pinehill Cemetery is way down in the southern part of the county, in the Bitterwater area.

Check out these sites for a list of cemeteries in San Benito County, including some not mentioned above.

• Epodunk.com: San Benito County Cemeteries 
• Cagenweb: San Benito County Cemeteries, Historical Society, Libraries, Newspapers
• California Genealogy and Historical Archives: San Benito County: County List for Cemeteries

From the Archives -- The Downtown Hollister Parking Garage

Today's archival piece is about the gorgeous downtown parking garage on Fourth Street, which you enter via the parking lot on Fifth Street. FYI: I edited the story just a bit.

An Art Museum? A Vista Point?
It's Both and More!

(originally published September 29, 2008)

We have million-dollar art to check out for free in Hollister. Head over to the Briggs Building, which is near the corner of San Benito Street & Fourth Street. That’s the parking garage.

That’s right, I wrote parking garage. You can't miss it. It’s a four-story structure, the tallest one in town. It was built in the 1990s for about $6 million with RDA funds. At full capacity, it can hold about 140 vehicles, so I’ve read. I know, that’s a lot of taxpayers' pennies.

Few people use the parking garage. Maybe the building is just too beautiful to park in. Seriously, the building itself is a piece of art. If I didn’t know it was a parking lot, I would say it was a school (Gavilan College does hold classes on the first floor). Maybe a government building or a fancy department store. Maybe even an art museum, which brings me back to the topic of seeing some fine art there.

Start your tour by the stairway next to the elevator on the southeast corner of the building. First, admire the aesthetics of the stairway design.

Now, start walking up the stairs. Sure, you can take the elevator but there’s more joy in suddenly coming upon each piece of art as you gaspingly reach the top of a floor.

Pause at the top of each floor for your breath. Also, take note of the beauty of the art piece telling you what floor you’re on.

On the rooftop, I noticed a few more of these art pieces telling me I’m on the fourth floor. So I assume that’s the case on the other floors.

To tell you the truth, I no longer was interested in seeing and viewing man-made art when I came out on the rooftop. I was immediately astounded by the view of Hollister and the mountain ranges that surround it. The almost 360-degree view of Hollister is worth an occasional trip to the top of the roof of Hollister’s multi-million dollar parking garage.

There you have it: an arts museum and a vista point. Plus, you can park there.

From the Archives -- Smelling of Home

Here's more from the Take 25 to Hollister archives. . . .

Ten Smells of Hollister, California

(originally published March 1, 2009)

I have yet to sniff the Hollister California line of bottled fragrances. But, it intrigues me that some people are willing to buy and apply a smell that would make others (and themselves) think they are living a fabricated Hollister California life.

It also got me thinking about the aromas of my hometown. What could I bottle and sell as Sigh, I’m Feeling Nostalgic for the real Hollister California? These are my top 10 smells (past and present). They are not in any particular odor. Hee-hee, I couldn’t resist the pun.

1. The wild mustard that bloom in spring
2. The tons of tomatoes as they are being canned on a hot summer evening
3. Freshly-mowed grass on a Saturday morning
4. Morning fog that clings to rows upon rows of tomato plants
5. The heaps of fresh compost on Highway 25
6. Manure just laid on newly-prepared vegetable fields
7. Meat being barbequed on charcoal by next-door neighbors
8. Gas, oil, and/or burning rubber fumes of a beyond-vintage truck or car passing by
9. The livestock stalls at the county fair
10. Approaching rain

What aromas get you thinking of home?