Take 25 to Hollister

Sunday, December 23, 2012

More of Comstock Road

This photo is another shot from our drive on Comstock Road earlier this month. The road ends at the French Ranch, which I understand is one of largest ranches in San Benito County. The Indart family was the original owner of the property. The patriarch was Juan Indart, who migrated from France to California in the early 1850s. He eventually settled here in the 1880s. If you're interested to learn a little more about him, check out this link.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Sparkling Sparkles on San Benito Street

Have you driven or walked through the sparkling lights of downtown Hollister yet? Photographs do not do the sparkle justice. We can thank the Hollister Downtown Association for making San Benito Street look so festive after nightfall. So, one, two, three. Thank you, Hollister Downtown Association!

FYI: Drapoel, Penny Wise Drugstore, San Benito Bene, Serendipity Gifts, and other shops downtown will be open both Saturday and Sunday. Bertuccio's out on Highway 25 and Union Road always is open on the weekend. That's a good source for local food gifts, too. If you need addresses and Web sites for Hollister shops, go to this page and scroll down to the links.

A note to FCC: I keep telling you, I'm not being paid or given stuff to mention local businesses. I just like them and the people who own and work there. I want them to do well, because I want to keep buying stuff there.

Friday, December 21, 2012

The New Fire Station

Have you seen the new fire station at Fifth and Sally Streets?

It's beautiful. From afar. From up close. Look at it from all sides when you have a chance.

By the way, did you know that the Hollister Fire Department is going to be 137 years old on December 27?

For more info about the fire department, check out these links:

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Three Sisters

The Diablo mountain range runs along the eastern side of San Benito County. In Hollister, we can see Santa Ana Mountain quite clearly. Just to the north of this mountain is another peak called Three Sisters. Not until I saw it from Spring Grove Road a few weeks ago did I understand the reason for the name. For a different view of Santa Ana and Three Sisters, head over to this earlier post on Take 25 to Hollister.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Shop Locally: Garlic Festival Foods

I can remember when the fields along Highway 25, near the 101 exit, were full of garlic. That was always a comforting sign I was heading home. There's nothing like the yummy taste of garlic. The smell, too. It is definitely heaven when I drive through that very sweet spot by Gilroy Foods where the strongest aroma of garlic is in the air. Ahhhhhhh.

With the smell and taste of garlic in your mind, have you ever tried any of the spice blends or sauces made by the Garlic Festival Foods?

I hadn't until the Holiday Cheer Shop Hop that took place at the beginning of December. Garlic Festival Foods was a participant. I had no idea its headquarters was located in Hollister; so, of course, I had to check it out. Jackpot! Another source for unique local gifts—garlic mustard, garlic olives, garlic salsa, garlic marinade, garlic condiment, garlic soap, and much more.

Garlic Festival Foods has been in business for 26 years. It is located at 1803 Shelton Drive (off of Fallon Road, by the Hollister Airport), and is open to customers from 8:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday. For more information about Garlic Festival Foods, check out their Web site and/or their Facebook page. Their products are also available at San Benito Bene in downtown Hollister.

To FCC: Does taking a tiny package of spice from the Garlic Festival Foods' freebie basket for customers count? If so, I did do that. And, does tasting the free samples of food given to customers that day count as well? I did do that, too.

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