A Little Bit of Hawaii

There's this tree along Highway 25 in the hamlet of Tres Pinos that always makes me think of Hawaii. If I look at the tree from certain spots, I'm reminded of the ancient Hawaiian kings sporting their amazing helmets and feather capes. And, from other viewpoints, I can almost believe that beyond that tree is the ocean.

The Farm aka Bertuccio's Market

As you're heading south (towards Tres Pinos) on Highway 25, look  ahead for the pink house on the right, just before you get to Union Road. There's a driveway a bit beyond the house that will lead you down to a longtime local farm stand known as Bertuccio's Market, aka The Farm. Another landmark to tell you where the driveway is this old truck.

The Farm is a good source to buy fresh local eggs and milk, as well as fresh veggies and gourmet olive oils, pickled veggies, jams, pasta, and such.The Farm features their own goods as well as products made by local agriculturists and food companies.

Check out these links to learn more about Bertuccio's.

• Bertuccio's
• The Farm/Bertuccio's Market
• Bertuccio's on Facebook
• A Bit of History about Bertuccio's

Note to FCC: Nobody paid me or gave me free samples to write about this establishment. That's right!

Moon Rising Over Hollister

I like to imagine that the black bird, possibly a crow, sitting on the lamp post on Meridian Street was  enjoying the sight of the rising moon. I wonder if birds ever dream about one day going there.

Hollister Hills Taproom & Brewery

Two Sundays ago, after a hot day of hiking up and down the deAnza Trail  in San Juan Bautista, the Husband and I longed for an ice cold beer. But, we weren't in the mood for going to one of the bars in San Juan or to either of the two beer pubs in Hollister. Nor were we interested in going to the market to buy a six-pack. Yeah, I know, picky, picky.

As we drove back to Hollister, the Husband suddenly said, "Maybe the new brewery is open." So, we swung by. And, wouldn't you know it. Open!

The Hollister Hills Taproom and Brewery was exactly where we wanted to be. It is a small, intimate establishment that serves various microbrewery beers on tap, including its own brew. That Sunday, it was Red Beard.  (Last Saturday, it was Easy like Sunday Morning). Oh, did that beer hit the spot. (So did the one on Saturday after a hot day at the county fair.)

The brewery is owned by two couples—Sean and Fran, and Chuck and JoAnn (who own Relax! Grillin & Chillin). We met Sean, Chuck, and JoAnn. Very cool people.

Sean gave us a tour of their nanobrewery. Yes, that's what he called the small room where they do their magic. They only brew small amounts of a beer at a time. They started brewing beer a few years ago. We thought they had been doing it much longer because of the passionate and joyous vibes that Sean gave out as he spoke about all that goes into crafting beer, including the choice of hops and other ingredients. I should've taken notes, but by then I was already "happy" from sipping the Red Beard so my notes wouldn't have made sense later on anyway.

Hollister Hills serves non-alcoholic beverages (their own brewed root beer, for example) and artisan fare.  They try to use fresh, local ingredients. What I like is the choice of ordering full or half portions of a sandwich, which comes with a side of macaroni, potato, or green salad.  We tried the Rueben and the  French Pig—prosciutto, brie, and apple slices on ciabatta. The potato salad was yummy, but the macaroni salad reminded us of Hawaii. Yep, that tasty.

Hollister Hills is open daily. Monday to Friday, 11a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. It's located in the Clock Tower Plaza on McCray Street. It's next to Subway Sandwiches and kitty corner from the pet store. Its exact address is 401 McCray Street, Suite B24. Click here to visit its Web site, and here to visit its  Facebook page.

Note to FCC: Nobody paid me or gave me free samples to write about this establishment. So, there.

San Benito County Fair: Sept. 28, 29, and 30, 2012

"Saddle your pony, here we go. . ." Oh wait, that's the ditty to sing to go down to the Mickey Mouse Talent Rodeo. Hmmm. How about, "Get in your car, here we go, down to the County Fair."

Yep, it's that time of year again to head over to Bolado Park and enjoy the day (or days) checking out the county's agricultural bounty, the livestock that the 4-H and FFA kids have raised year round, our neighbors' and friends' food, crafts, quilts, and gardening entries. And, then  there are the carnival rides, the fair food, the vendors' booths (Will "See the Strange Thing" be there again?), the live music, the truck pulls. . . .And, of course, the bumping into and gabbing with friends we haven't seen in years or just saw the other day.

All fun at the San Benito County Fair. Just like the poster says.

Here are some photos from last year's County Fair.