The Luck Museum and Jim Jack's Cabin

The Luck Museum, more formally known as the San Juan Bautista Historical Society Luck Museum, stands at the corner of Monterey and Third Streets in San Juan Bautista. The museum is open by appointment. Check out the San Juan Bautista Historical Society website for contact information.

The museum was originally a gas station owned by Carl Martin Luck. The building and the grounds, which is today the Carl Martin Luck Memorial Park was donated to San Juan Bautista by Franchesca Luck, his daughter, in 1974. The historical society plans to restore the building to its original 1930s design.

For more about the museum, check out this article recently published in the Mission Village Voice.

During the late 19th Century, a Chinese man named Jim Jack lived in the one-room cabin that stands behind the Luck Museum.  Its original location was on Mission Vineyard. Jim Jack was known as The Mustard King for his work of clearing wild mustard from the grain fields in San Juan Valley and selling the mustard seeds to French mustard manufacturers for big money.

According to the stories I've read, Jim Jack was a generous man who bought flour, potatoes, and other provisions to give away to people in need in San Juan Bautista. He also bought many bags of candy that he gave to children.

To learn more about the man, check out this article by Martin Cheek in The Gilroy Dispatch, as well as the story on page 2 in the September 2011 San Juan Bautista Historical newsletter.

Jim Jack's Cabin in the Carl Martin Luck Memorial Park.

Random Shots of San Juan Bautista

This whole week is all about San Juan Bautista.  Here are some random photos from my walk this morning. See you tomorrow.

San Juan Plaza

This week, I shall be featuring random digital art photos of San Juan Bautista. That sweet old mission town. Today, you're looking at the Castro-Breen House in San Juan Plaza, an original Spanish-era plaza.

Do you like ghost stories? Check out this article from the Hollister Free Lance about some of the ghosts of San Juan Bautista.  The stories scared me so much I couldn't finish the article.

Premium Sweets

Marich premium chocolates at San Benito Bene.

Chocolate espresso beans. Yum.

Dark chocolate chipotle almonds. Yum.

Chocolate blueberries. Yum.

Triple chocolate toffee. Yum.

All these delicious chocolates are made locally by Marich Premium Chocolates. Aren't we lucky? To check out their other chocolates and confections online, click here.

You can purchase Marich chocolates at their facility on 2101 Bert Drive, near Fallon Road, during the week. Call first for their hours. They're also available at some stores throughout San Benito County. San Benito Bene, for example, has a counter full of various Marich products.

Vertigo's Pizza

The pizza at Vertigo Coffee in San Juan Bautista is totally yummylicious. I love that the pizzas are baked in an outdoor wood-fired pizza oven on Vertigo's patio, and that I can drink the best fresh-roasted coffee around or a local brew while waiting.

For more about Vertigo Coffee, check out this article in Monterey Bay Edible. Scroll down to the piece titled "Café Culture".

Friday BBQ

If it's Friday, then Mansmith's BBQ is in town. You can't miss their truck in the Bertuccio's lot on Airline Highway (aka Highway 25). The lot is on west side of the highway, near Union Road.

Mansmith's hours are 12 to 7 p.m on Friday only. According to their web site, tri-tip sandwiches are available at noon. Barbecue chicken, pork ribs, and tri-tip, along with beans and garlic bread are ready at 2:30 p.m.  If you want to order online to pick up later, click here.

Beers and Garlic Fries

Garlic fries go great with beer at Running Rooster, at the corner of San Benito and South Streets. The restaurant has so many great choices on tap that the Husband and I sometimes like to get a beer sampler. Yup.

Time to Go Home

As I was riding my bicycle yesterday, I noticed the goats on Enterprise Road. Of course, I had to stop and photos. I watched a black and white goat for a while. It was apart from the others, gazing up at the barn. It took a few steps up the hill, stopped, walked a few more steps, stopped. Then, slowly it made its way up the hill as if drawn by some alluring music.

When I looked at this photo hours later, I noticed goats hanging out in the shade of the barn and in the fenced area to the side. Maybe the black and white goat was missing its partner. One can imagine.

Until tomorrow.

Looking Upward on Enterprise Road

It was a beautiful blue sky earlier this morning. Now, it feels like the fog is coming back in. Unless. Perhaps. Maybe. Gathering rain clouds. We can hope.

I'm participating in Our World Tuesday. Click here to see what's going on in other parts of the world today.

Morning on Sixth Street

You're looking east on Sixth Street, across from Dunne Park. See how the rock wall bends. That's the work of the Calaveras Fault. Amazing, huh?

This scene reminds me of the verse from the Simon & Garfunkel song, "Feeling Groovy":

Got no deeds to do, no promises to keep   

I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep 

Let the morning time drop all its petals on me 

Life, I love you all is groovy

Happy Monday to you all!

Beneath the Trees

Mmmm, I enjoy the shade of the lovely trees on Monterey Street, near Fifth Street.

San Benito County Logo

"Ooooh, pretty colors."

Click went the camera. This time the photo was the San Benito County logo on a bright red and white county truck. 

Until the other day, I was never curious about the logo. So, what does it tell the world about San Benito County?  For one thing, that San Benito became a California county in 1874. Did you know that before then, most of our area was part of Monterey County? 

And what are our big deals? The logo shows the Pinnacles, Mission San Juan Bautista, and a map of the county, with a star for Hollister, the county seat. Definitely right on. 

For more about San Benito County, check out its website. Lots of good stuff there. By the way, the map is painted yellow on the logo at the website. Looks good.

Diablo Mountains

That's the Diablo range to the east of Hollister. Doesn't it look like it's right behind the neighborhood? They're several miles away. By the way, that wall separates the neighborhood from Highway 25.

Rain?

The other day, the Husband and I pedaled our bicycles by the tomato cannery. I felt very tiny droplets fall on me. I looked up. Ah! Tomato mist. The droplets even tasted a bit tomato-y.

Granite Sculpture by Richard Deutsch

The abstract sculptures in front of the San Benito County Administration Building on the corner of Fourth and West Streets were created by award-winning Davenport sculptor Richard Deutsch.

Deutsch designed the pieces as a two-part sculpture out of five tons of granite from Graniterock's quarry in Aromas, according to Santa Cruz Sentinel (December 3, 1993 issue). Graniterock donated the material for the public art piece.

Relay for Life

Downtown Hollister is swimming in purple to support Relay for Life that's taking place this weekend at the San Benito High School football field. This local annual event is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Participants form teams and each member takes turns walking around the track for 24 hours from Friday evening (July 31). According to the Hollister Relay for Life web page, 27 teams and 198 participants have raised nearly $56,000 so far. For more information about this event, click here.

Today I'm participating in Our World Tuesday. If you'd like to join or check out posts by other participants, click here.

Fremont Memorial Tunnel

A long time ago, a tunnel was built beneath Fourth Street so that schoolchildren could safely cross the busy street to go to and from Fremont School, which used to be where the present-day courthouse stands.



Recently, a mural honoring the memory of Fremont School and the schoolchildren was painted on the Fourth Street underpass. It's an amazing mural, full of life and brilliant colors.

The designer, Arturo Rosette, the Fine Arts Chair at Gavilan College, based the mural on photos he found in the San Benito County Historical Society's archives. The silhouettes are of children who went to Fremont School, including the mural's painter, Roy Darr II.

For more about the mural, check out this story by John Chadwell at BenitoLink.com. And, to check out another Downtown Hollister mural designed by Arturo Rosette, click here.

Today is the Monday Mural meme, hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. Click here to check out other murals from around the world.

Walnuts of San Benito County

Walnuts have been produced in San Benito County for many, many years. Although there are fewer acreage of walnut orchards, walnuts ranked third in the fruit and nut crops category in 2014 in terms of their value. Last year, the walnut crop was worth over $5.5 million, according to the San Benito County 2014 Annual Crop Report.

See Da Tree?

Isn't this very, very tall and huge cedar tree on Fifth Street gorgeous? Just think of all the Hollister history it has lived through so far.

Whale City Bakery, Bar & Grill

Yesterday, the Husband and I ran away from Hollister for a few hours and headed to the coast. I realized it has been a long while since I've been to the beach when I saw the kitesurfers at Waddell Beach. Wowza!

For lunch, we stopped at the Whale City Bakery, Bar & Grill in Davenport on Highway One. A family-run operation, it opened in the 1990s as a bakery. Then somewhere along the line, the family added sit-down service for yummy meals. Several nights a week, the restaurant also offers live music.

By the time I thought about taking photos, our plates were nearly empty. The Husband had a Reuben sandwich bursting with corned beef and sauerkraut that came with a healthy portion of green salad. He was glad he didn't opt for the french fries, otherwise he would've been stuffed.

I had the calamari appetizer, which was lightly coated and fried. I was happy that they threw in the squid heads. While the Husband was working away on his second half of the sandwich, I asked for a cup of coffee and lemon poppy seed muffin. Very mellow coffee. Although the muffin was dense, it did not feel heavy on the tummy at all. The exact nutrition was what I needed to propel me up a hiking trail later on.

Whale City Baker, Bar & Grill is a perfect stop for a meal if you're ever up near Davenport. Some people say that you can actually see whales from the restaurant. And, they didn't mean the murals. For more info about the restaurant, head over to its website or Facebook page.

Morning on Southside Road

A few mornings ago, I rode my bicycle on Southside Road. It pays to look up.

Looking West on John Smith Road

This is looking west on John Smith Road. Here's the view looking down from up there. 

It's Nature Footstep's Digital Art Meme today. Click here to check out digital artwork by other participants. 

Here's the original image:

Gas, P.U.

The high cost of gas, that's what's P.U.! It's summer so, of course, prices are climbing again. Today, the lowest prices range from $3.27 to $3.69. Heaven only knows what it shall be tomorrow.

It was a treat to see a few vintage gas pumps in San Benito Tire Pros & Automotive  on Nash Road the other day, which once upon a time was a gas station.

Ah, the old days when you pulled into a gas station and someone immediately came out to pump the gas, check the level of the brake fluid, and wash your front and back windows. And, if you asked, he would check the air in your tires. All that service whether you were there for a full or partial tank of gasoline.

Today I'm participating in Our World Tuesday. If you'd like to join or check out posts by other participants, click here.

Calpulli Itzpapalotl Danza Azteca

Calpulli Itzapapaloti Danza Azteca is a local Pre-Columbian Aztec dance troupe that performs at various events and functions, such as last Saturday's Street Festival and Car Show in Downtown Hollister.

According to its Facebook page, the group offers free instruction to anyone interested in learning Aztec dance. Beginners are welcome to observe or participate. The group holds practices at the First Presbyterian Church in Hollister on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information about the dance troupe, visit its Facebook page.

Today, I'm linking up at Monday Mellow Yellows, hosted by Gemma Wiseman. Click here to see more mellow yellows by bloggers around the world.

A View from KT Road

It was a wonderful morning for a bicycle ride on Southside Road. Pedaled a bit down Thomas Road and came across a neat old wooden bridge near the intersection of Thomas and KT Roads.

Wine grapes

Wine grapes at Leal Vineyards, off of Fairview Road

In 2013, wine grapes made the top 10 crops grown in San Benito County, according to the annual crop report. The local vineyards produced 15,733 tons of wine grapes on 3,885 acres. The combined gross value of their wine grape production was $21,771,500.

Vineyards are growing all over the county, on widespread acreage as well as on small estates. Click here for a list of local vineyards—and wineries.

Red Barn on Fairview Road

This fading red barn is near the south end of Fairview Road, just past Maranatha Drive. In the distance is the Gabilan range.