Motorcycles lined up at The 19th Hole in Tres Pinos
We spent the weekend in San Juan Bautista and it certainly was a hot one. Thank goodness the temperatures in San Juan were at least ten degrees cooler than in San Jose.
As we spent the weekend with Don and Arlene, Tom’s Dad and his wife, and they were not arriving until midday, we didn’t leave home until 11 am. Of course we encountered a lot of traffic at that time of the day and ended up taking a detour down Monterey Road – which is a more scenic route compared to 101. Eventually Monterey Road ran out and we were back on 101. We ran into really heavy traffic again just one mile from the San Juan turn off. Lots of people were heading for the Monterey Peninsula.
Arlene had a good idea for lunch. The 19th Hole in Tres Pinos had been featured in the local paper and it sounded like it would be a good place to eat. None of us had ever been there so it would be an adventure. We found the place easily as it is right on Highway 25, but we were in for a surprise. Parked outside were about 100 gleaming Harley Davidsons, with more arriving by the second. They were lined up on both sides of the road in neat rows. They were all different, which I found amazing. The predominant colors were back and silver chrome of course but there were some red and blues scattered amongst them.
The bikers and their passengers were thronged outside on the deck and in the bar, all holding bottles of beer and chatting loudly. Most of them were dressed in black jeans with studded belts and black tops. Some of them sported colorful bandanas; lots of them – including the women – had tattoos and the majority of the men were bearded. They looked intimidating but were a friendly bunch. We admired their bikes and asked questions and they were only too happy to show off how they had customized their prized possessions.
Catching the eye of someone behind the bar didn’t take too long and we were shown into the restaurant. What a difference. Here was all peace and tranquility as it was completely empty of customers. We took a table by the window where we could look onto the desk and watch the bikes passing. Even though it was quiet where we were sitting, the level of excitement vibrated all around.
Our server was very sweet and when we asked why there were so many bikers, he told us all about The Poker Run. Poker runs are a favorite pastime of bikers. The object is to stop at 5-7 several points along a route – most of the stops are at bars – and collect a card. The highest hand at the end receives a prize. There is an entry fee and the event is held to raise money for a particular charity.
Of course I looked online when I got home. This poker run was organized by the Top Hatters, who are based in Hollister. Now Hollister has been a magnet for bikers for many years. Back in 1947, on July 4th, an estimated 3,000 bikers descended on Hollister and things got a little out of hand. From what I have read they didn’t cause much damage but they partied all weekend. The media got wind of the event and turned up. Two weeks later Life Magazine ran a full page photo of a drunk biker sitting on a bike surrounded by empty beer bottles. An eye witness said it was a set up:
“‘I saw two guys scraping all these bottles together, that had been lying in the street. Then they positioned a motorcycle in the middle of the pile. After a while this drunk guy comes staggering out of the bar, and they got him to sit on the motorcycle, and started to take his picture.”
To read more, go here. Of course “The Wild Ones”, made in 1954 starring Marlon Brando, was based on that weekend and the reputation of bikers has been tarnished from that point on. I have always found bikers to be courteous and think they are much maligned. Apart from anything else, they raise a lot of money for charity.
Meanwhile, back at the 19th Hole, we all ordered beer – what else could we possibly drink? Tom and I shared a tri-tip sandwich, which was served in a basket with French fries. Mmmm.. it was good.
Back in San Juan we stopped off at the newly opened Vertigo Coffee Shop . We wrote about Vertigo in this post. We found Dimitri was busy painting the
The beautiful San Juan Bautista Mission
trellis outside and Kitty in the shop. Inside the place had been transformed. The first thing you see when you walk in is the pastry cabinet displaying goodies from La Boulanger – and very good they looked too. On the wall was a blackboard displaying all the different drinks available. On the counter a coffee machine and young boy and girl taking orders and making the drinks. Don and Arlene had an iced coffee, Tom a Macchiato – which is an expresso with a tiny bit of milk or foam – and I had a hot chocolate, which came in a large cup and saucer. Of course they only serve coffee roasted by Dimitri. [Update: Vertigo Coffee Shop has its Grand Opening on August 14-15]
Kitty came and over to talk to us and recounted some of the challenges they faced with getting the coffee shop up and running. Before the could open, the concrete floor had to be replaced because a former tenant used chemicals which had dissolved some the the concrete and made it unstable. Dimitri and Kitty had both learned that a lot of hard work, agony and frustration is involved in running a business but there is also a lot of satisfaction. The shop used to open at 6 in the morning but now it opens at 5. There had been a huge demand by potential customers for the shop to open earlier so they could get coffee on their way into work. It’s a longday for Kitty because it is late in the evening before she makes it home.
It has been beautifully decorated and, on the walls, original paintings were displayed. They were all done by the same artist and were available for sale. Kitty was telling us some of their plans. Soon they will have some squishy sofas in and in the near future they hope to get their coffee roaster installed, which will be fantastic. We all enjoyed our visit, and the coffee of course, and we wish them well in the future.
In the evening we walked into town and had dinner at Jardines de San Juan. It is a Mexican restaurant and has a lovely garden. Tables are set in shady spots and little nooks. The sound of live music wafted around the garden. Arlene and I wandered around until we found the source, a solo guy playing a Peruvian harp. He made wonderful music. We selected a table on the veranda. The service was a bit erratic and the menu didn’t look very exciting. The setting though was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed sitting there watching the world go by. Pity the food was not memorable.
The next morning we had breakfast in the Mission Cafe on 3rd Street. We have had many breakfasts here and will undoubtedly have many more in the future. After breakfast we had a little walk around the town and found a very small farmers market on Washington Street. It hasn’t been running long and they only had six stalls. We bought some white nectarines which tasted really good.
Afterwards we went for a drive south of San Juan and found ourselves on Mission Vineyard Road. We drove a little way through farmland and then turned down a road which lead to St Francis Retreat. Boldly we drove through the gate and ventured up the drive. It was very pleasant inside but we did not see a soul around. There were cars about so presumed that, as it was a Sunday, everybody would be attending church. We left the way we came, driving out slowly so as not to disturb anyone.
The view from Fremont Peak
At the end of Mission Vineyard Road, we turned left onto what eventually became San Juan Canyon Road. We were on our way to Fremont Peak, which is the highest point around. It was a scenic drive and the higher we climbed the more distant panoramas we could see. Eventually we reached a car park. The sun was shining down and it felt like the hottest day of the year so far.
I strolled over to an information board which explained how Fremont Peak obtained its name. It was originally called Gavilan Peak after the Spanish name for hawk but renamed after the American soldier, Captain John Charles Fremont. In 1846, when the area was part of Mexican province of Alta California, Fremont, along with a small group of soldiers and accompanied by his guide, Kit Carson, planted the American flag on the top of the peak and built a small fort nearby. His action nearly provoked a battle but Fremont saw that he would be greatly outnumbered if the Mexicans attacked and he escaped with his men.
There was a trail nearby to the top of the peak so decided to walk along it for a bit, leaving Tom, Arlene and Don in the car park. The peak did not look that far but it was deceiving. Nevertheless I kept going for a while, being amazed how far I could see the nearer I got to the top. I did not have any water with me and the climb was steep. Unfortunately I did not quite make it to the to because I had brought no water with me. I realized how stupid I was to attempt to climb in such hot weather without any water, so turned round and walked back down. No doubt we will make the trip again and I will make sure I am better prepared.
Our day rounded off nicely by cooking up hot dogs and enjoying a nice salad in Don and Arlene’s backyard.
August 09 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
San Juan Grade road heading down towards Salinas
We decided to take a drive to Salinas today. Instead of taking 101, we drove down Monterey Road all the way to Gilroy. Now Monterey Road can be a bit of a pain, but early in the morning, with the lights mostly in our favor, it was a pleasure to drive along. Admittedly the road is a bit rough in places but there was a lot of things to catch our eye.
At first, it was urban sprawl but before long we were driving through the countryside and although 101 was close by, it seemed a million miles away. Tom said that back in the late fifties and early sixties most main roads in the valley were like this. Along the way we passed a few orchards and lots of businesses associated with farming.
Driving through Morgan Hill we were on the look out for somewhere for breakfast but were unsuccessful. Morgan Hill looks an interesting little place and the hill itself stands sentinel over the town. Must check to see whether there is a way to get to the top.
South of Morgan Hill we passed several properties which intrigued us. One was obviously some sort of attraction for children as there was a sign which said ‘Pumpkinville Railroad’. Of course I checked online when I got home and discovered it was a huge pumpkin patch which is only open during October every year. It is situated at Uesugi Farms. The other place had a couple of wooden archways, an old tractor and other assorted antique machinery in its grounds.
After breakfast we hit 101 down to Highway 156. It seemed strange not to turn left into San Juan Bautista. Instead we turned right at the first traffic signal and took the back road to Salinas.
We took the same route which we took in January this year when we visited Dimitri and Kitty Fridman. Their coffee shop in San Juan, which will be called Vertigo, is not quite open yet. They have been held up for floor problems but hopefully it won’t be long before we will be able to pop in there and say hi.
The road we traveled on is called San Juan Grade Road according to my map but we saw no signs at all en route. We passed through green pastures
Typical peaceful scene on the back road to Salinas
and ranches with cows and horses grazing. One ranch had cattle that looked like Texas Longhorns.
When we started to climb up hill the views opened out and we looked down on a large housing development. Tom commented on how old the road was. He could tell because of the concrete sections between the many patches of tarmac here and there. Lo and behold a vintage Model T appeared around a bend ahead of us and drove by. An elderly couple were inside. It was if we were back in the ‘good old days’. The moment passed very quickly. It would have been a great photo to capture but of course Tom was driving and his camera was in the trunk.
It is beautiful countryside. Rolling green hills, some heavily wooded, rise and dip all around. Occasionally there is an outcrop of rock. Red wing blackbirds are busy and their song fills the air. Wildflowers are in bloom along the edge of the road. Tom stopped several times to take photos.
The road twisted and turned, rose and fell, for several miles. At one point we turned a corner and suddenly there was a distant view of Salinas nestled in its own valley. If it had been a clear day, we would have been able to see the ocean as well. The sun attempted to shine but it was still a bit hazy.
There was a roadside sign saying this is the Juan Bautista de Anza Historic Highway. Juan Bautista de Anza was a lieutenant-colonel in the New Spanish army and found the overland route to San Francisco in 1776, presumably riding along this very road. At this point, a whole procession of old Ford cars and one truck passed by. A lot of the cars were well preserved ’67 Mustangs. We concluded there must be a meet somewhere for vintage and classic Fords.
Tom spotted another historic landmark. This time it was a bronze plaque marking the site of the Battle of Natividad in November 1846 between combined American forces and the Californians.
Now we were down into the Salinas valley and passing both houses and crops. The houses were on one side and fields of lettuce and strawberries on the other. As we did not want to drive into Salinas, we turned left on Borondada Road and skirted around the top of the town, turning left on Natividad Road and further on another left onto Old Stage Road. This eventually brought us back to San Juan Grade Road and we headed back the way we came into San Juan Bautista.
May 09 2010 | Special Places | No Comments »
One of the San Juan Bautista feral roosters
San Juan Bautista is one of our favorite towns and it is only forty five minutes from home. It is a place we will be visiting more often in the future because Tom’s father, Don, and his wife Arlene have bought a home there. Normally we visit San Juan (as it is affectionately called) early in the morning and we are back home in San Jose by lunch time. This time we stayed overnight so were able to spend more time there.
(Click on the photos for larger versions)
Our first stop today was to visit the home of Dmitri and Kathy Fridman. In 2007 Dmitri posted a comment on our first San Juan entry. At that time he invited us to come and have a look at his roastery and sample some coffee. Several times I tried to set up a visit but could never get the timing right. This was the first time we have been able to arrange a meeting.
Dmitri and his wife Kitty live about 5 miles outside of town and Dmitri gave us directions on how to find their place. Don and Arlene came with us and the road we traveled was completely new territory for all of us. It was a stunning ride along Salinas Road, with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. The road climbed steadily uphill and soon we had a marvelous views back towards San Juan. When we arrived at Dmitri and Kitty’s home, the view was spectacular with Monterey in one direction and Salinas Valley and Hollister in another.
Top Dog was the first to greet us, closely followed by Dmitri. We admired his sheep. They only have a
Vertigo Coffee's roaster
few and they are a breed which do not need to be sheared. (Forgive me Dmitri I don’t remembering the name of the breed – I knew I should have written it down.) Dmitri built a separate building to house his roasting business, which is called San Juan Bautista Roasting Company and the coffee is called Vertigo. Check out Vertigo Coffee. Inside was his pride and joy, a German built cast iron roaster he bought on Craig’s List. He told us of his journey to becoming a passionate roaster of coffee. He started out by experimenting at home with a small roaster as he was dissatisfied with the taste of the locally brewed coffee. Friends who sampled it liked it so much he roasted more for them and over the years his roasters became bigger. Now he has a flourishing business in the area, selling to local restaurants and online.
Kitty came out to join us and the six of us spent a wonderful couple of hours talking, listening and watching Dmitri roast some coffee beans. It is a very hands on operation and Dmitri cannot wander very far while the forty minute process takes place. First the roaster has to be brought up to the correct temperature before the the green coffee beans are placed in the hopper at the top. The temperature was closely monitored the whole time. At one stage he extracted a small sample for us to smell. The beans smelt of fresh baked bread and nothing like coffee at all. When the roasting process had finished, the beans were emptied onto a revolving screen and channeled down a shoot into the bag. I’m sure there was a lot more to the process but I was enjoying chatting to Kitty.
Dmitri then started to brew some coffee and I was amazed at the meticulous way he went about it. Brewing coffee is a serious business for Dmitri and everything from the equipment he uses to the temperature of the water is important to him. The coffee we saw being roasted was an espresso called Monks Momentum. It was not ready to be drunk but we were given some to take home with us. We sampled some other coffee and I was very proud of myself for drinking it almost black. Normally my coffee has to be a half milk/half coffee.
Dmitri and Kitty are soon going to open up a coffee shop on 4th Street in downtown San Juan, almost next door to the Post Office. We wish them all the best and will certainly pop in every time we visit San Juan. We all thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Thank you Dmitri and Kitty for making us welcome and for giving up so much to your time.
Clam chowder cook off. We tasted several and they were all good.
Time to get some lunch so we drove back to San Juan. Downtown was busier than I’ve ever seen it but considering we are usually long gone by lunchtime, that was to be expected. There are several places to eat but we decided to try out one of the saloons. There are two to choose from, Mom and Pops and Daisy’s. There are very close to each other but we chose Daisy’s because a lady stopped us outside and said if we were hungry they were having a clam chowder cook-off and for $5 each we could eat as much as we wanted. Well, who could resist such a tempting offer, especially when you are hungry.
Inside it was buzzing. The judging of the 12 entries had just ended so we had arrived at the right time. I never realized how many different ways you could cook clam chowder and I sampled three of them, steering clear of the spicy ones of course. I spoke to a couple of the cooks and they were very pleased to talk about their entries and what was in them but both had ‘secret ingredients’ which they kept to themselves. A table was found for us at the end of the bar and we were well looked after and all of us enjoyed our lunch. We stayed to hear the results and the commentaries were very funny. This group of people hold many different cook-outs during the year and all monies go to charity. Today’s went to the local firehouse which is manned by volunteers.
We spent a quiet afternoon pottering around the house but in the evening we walked into town for dinner. Our choice was the Cutting House Steakhouse on 3rd Street. We had to wait for a table but that was OK. On the walls are individually designed, quirky cattle brands. The building itself is made of brick and over the last 150 years has been a grocery store, a brothel and, from the early 20th century, a bank. It is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts, the most colorful being “The Lady in White’ or Deanna, who ran the brothel and died when when she fell down the stairs on her wedding day.
After a pleasant meal we sauntered back to the house. Another interesting day in great company and we looked forward to being woken by roosters in the morning.
February 22 2010 | Neighborhoods and Special Places | 3 Comments »
We drove into San Juan Bautista at 7 am and the sun was shining, which was pretty amazing as fog was
surrounding the area. South of Gilroy we hit light fog and it looked thicker ahead. We were convinced San Juan Bautista would be blanketed in fog.
As we left the highway and entered the town Tom said ‘turn the clocks back 20 years’ and it’s true. Straightaway we encountered the first chicken, ambling across the road in front of us. Before too long we had seen at least another 20, either in groups, pairs or on their own, wandering around.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
The main street, Third Street, was almost deserted. All the cute little shops were closed and may be open by 11. We passed the Mission Cafe with the Open sign in the window. Last time we were here it was closed so we will come back later for breakfast. We decided to take a walk beforehand to take advantage of the sun. Who knows when the fog will roll in.
We headed towards the Mission along Mariposa Street, walking along the side of the Plaza Hotel and the two story outhouse at the back. The building is looking a bit dilapidated and in need of a new coat of paint. At the corner of Mariposa and Second Street is a small park and I walked across the road to check it out. There were a few chickens scavenging around and in one corner is an old settlers cabin but as the park doesn’t open until 10 I’m not able to get a closer look. There is an old rustic seat on the outside of the park at the crossroads which I had never seen before though, from the look of it, it has been there some time.
While I stood there taking photos, someone behind me said ‘Good Morning’. I turned and there were three young men, two of them in identical smart black and white pin striped suits with white shirts and white dress shoes. They looked so out of place there. I discovered that there 14 more young men around wearing the same suits. They belonged to a Mexican band from Santa Cruz and they have just cut their first disc. The reason for their visit is to take photos for the cover of their album and they were just off to Salinas to take more photos.
Tom was taking pictures outside the Mission so I wandered past and paused in the rose garden, peeped through the gate to the cemetery and gazed at the stature of St John the Baptist, raising his arms to heaven. At this time of the day, with the early morning sun blazing down on him, he looks glorious.
At the back of the Mission, alongside the original El Camino Real, are overgrown concrete bleachers. At one time El Camino Real was the route linking all the Californian Missions with Santa Clara Mission to the north and San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo – which was the headquarters and second Mission to be built – to the south. I climbed over the metal guard rail and walked along the bleachers amongst the brambles. Along the way I helped myself to a few blackberries. They are past their prime and were small but also very tasty. I am sure there were good pickings to be had a few weeks ago.
I sat down and started to write but spent most of my time gazing over the farmlands and especially a field of golden sunflowers in the foreground. The sun was still shining but the fog was out there in the distance.
After a while I walked back and found Tom. I told him about the sunflowers so we took a walk along the old road to get closer. Tom wandered off and I found some more blackberries. There were some bigger fruit here but all out of reach. If only I had a walking stick with a hooked handle.
It’s time for breakfast so we walked back to the Mission Cafe (see Breakfast Blog).
Afterward we took a walk along Third Street, where the shops were still not open. I noticed there were a few empty shops and the Inca Line one of my favorites specializing in goods made with alpaca wood – was gone for ever. Also missing was the wooden statue of the top half of a man wearing a read hat outside the Casa Juan de Anza House on the corner of Franklin and Third Streets.
The only shop open is the San Juan Bakery where we bought a French loaf, which was still warm from the oven and smelt wonderful, and an along poppy seed pound cake.
There are many more people around now so it’s time to head home. It’s been another wonderful morning, going back in time, in the magical San Juan Bautista.
August 27 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
The Mission Cafe in San Juan Bautista is again open for business. This time last year it was closed and forlorn but in March 2008 it reopened. Many times in the past Tom and I have had breakfast here. My first visit was in February 2001, just half an hour after Tom had proposed and I had accepted. A few years ago the cafe was for sale and we ventured down the path of make believe and imagined buying the place and running it. What better place to live than San Juan Bautista? To be so close to San Francisco, the ocean and everything we love so much about California but living in this quiet, rustic, community is almost irresistible.
Now it has a new lease of life. Inside it looks almost the same. The stools at the counter are new as is the bar but the layout is identical. It is not a large diner but it’s compact. In the front window is a large table for 6. Along the side are 4 four-seater booths. In the middle are 4 small tables for 2 and there are ten places at the counter.
Decorating the walls are lots of old photographs, some of San Juan Bautista views and a few portraits. There are a few other knick knacks on the window sills.
I ordered my normal oatmeal – $3.95 – and added toast – $2.45. Tom ordered Huevos Rancheros with hash browns – $9.70 and, of course, he had coffee.
The place was bustling but there were no queues. Mind you, it is only 8 am so maybe there will be people waiting later. Music was playing in the background. Our server was very pleasant and efficient. There was a nice happy, relaxed feeling.
Now to the food. My oatmeal came in a large, round bowl – it looked just like a small pudding basin but I doubt whether that description would be understood by many in America. Back in England it would be understood as they are used to steam our hot treacle sponges and Christmas puddings. The milk, in a small stainless steel jug and the brown sugar, raisins and, would you believe it, honey, in small plastic containers came on a medium sized plate. I saved the honey to have on my toast instead of using the prepacked runny marmalade and jams already on the table. The oatmeal tasted great – nice and creamy – but it could have been a little warmer. Tom’s Huevos Rancheros and hash browns covered his plate. He said it was spicy but that was due to the excessive amount of Tabasco he put on it because the stopper was missing from the bottle. His comment after though was ‘great’.
The restroom was unisex, large, bright and clean. It was much better than the restroom in the previous version of the Mission Cafe. The only decoration now is a small black and white photograph on the wall near the sink. The water was nice and hot, which pleased me.
Our verdict – we’ll come again.
August 21 2008 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
