Meet "Veritas" -- Another Statue in an Unlikely Spot

I noticed this statue of a horse last week when I was driving by it on Spring Street. I don't know if it's new or whether I had just never noticed it before. It dominates the front yard of the Rossi Law Offices in Paso Robles. I was not able to get any information on the artist from the statue, but an online search told me the horse statue has been named Veritas, which means "truth." Evidently there was a contest to name the statue and the winner who came up with Veritas is Erik Mauk from Atascadero.

I'm looking forward to possibly discovering more art where I least expect to see it -- art outside the marketplace or the galleries.

Related articles

• Art in Unexpected Places
• Paso Robles and Paderewski

The Granary in Paso Robles

Today is Humpday, and I'm taking a break from writing about my garden and taking you back to downtown Paso Robles. Today I will show you  The Granary, a three-story historic building that now houses several businesses and the Cool Hand Luke's Steak House.

In the middle of the last century, instead of being known for wine, Paso Robles was known as the Almond Capital of the World. Almond crops were stored here in the granary and then loaded onto the trains on the nearby railroad to be shipped across the country. Before that, it stored grain. Now Paso Robles does not grow much grain or many almonds, so the historic granary has become a great place to locate a business.

Related articles

• Camp Roberts Historical Museum Exhibit
• The New Clock Tower: A Paso Robles Landmark.
• Historical Plymouth Congregational Church in Paso Robles

An Auto Repair Shop in Rural Atascadero

On June 3 I was called upon to drive my husband to an auto repair shop in Atascadero so he could pick up the Ford Galaxy, which had been in for a repair. He wanted me to wait until he was actually driving the car away before I left, so I had some time to wait while he talked to the mechanic. Naturally, I pulled out my camera so see what I could find to photograph.

Normally I expect auto shops to be surrounded by cement or asphalt. This one had some asphalt in the driveway, but the building had so many trees around it that it looked almost like it was in a park. Here is a closer view of the large oak between the road and the shop.

This shop was on Traffic Way, which runs east from El Camino Real, the main street in Atascadero, curves, and then runs north parallel to El Camino Real. The west side of Traffic Way is residential. Much of the west side is industrial, and there are many auto repair and body shops there. Behind these shops run the railroad tracks. Between the tracks and the Salinas River to the east are more rural residences. This gives you a view of the tracks behind the shop. That area, too, is almost park-like.

This is a part of Atascadero most tourists won't see -- unless their cars break down. The Zazzle canvas wrap print below shows another part of Atascadero that's off the beaten track. Click through to see it a bit larger. The trucks are in Atascadero Canyon.
.

G is for General Store

Until  yesterday, I didn't realize Paso Robles had such a thing as a general store. However if you rid yourself of preconceived ideas of what a general store is, Paso Robles does have one. My idea of a general store was more in line with the ones found in small towns or in the early pioneer towns where a general store tried  to carry everything a family might need to survive -- food, blankets, tools, seeds, fabric, kitchen utensils, whatever was essential for living daily life.

The General Store in Paso Robles is a bit different. It carries instead an assortment of goods that make life more pleasant and more fun -- for yourself or someone you want to gift. Its window says is has "local goods and provisions for pantry and home." Many of these are gourmet foods like jams, candied nuts, local vinegars, seasonings, olive oils, and wines. They also have a dairy case of local cheese and salami. As I was browsing, I was given a sample of the Paso Almond Brittle, and it was very tasty. Did I mention that the owner and the others manning the store were very helpful? No one will ignore you here.

Browsing the shelves is a lot of fun. It was especially so for me. I've had many years of experience selling books and buying them wholesale. I've been to Book Expo a couple of times and seen all that publishers have had to offer bookstores. Naturally my eyes were drawn to the book displays.  I saw at least two of them. One had a lot of books on cooking and wine -- a wise choice for this area where foodies abound and wine tasting is a favorite leisure activity. But since I've specialized in children's and educational books for the past twenty years, I especially liked this display.

For nine of my years in retail I was a greeting card buyer. I attended gift shows twice a year and sales reps for card publishers called me often. My goal was to have beautiful tasteful cards that were uplifting and often humorous, but never in a mean or vulgar way. Naturally when I saw a card rack in a corner on the walls, I had to check it out. I'll just say that if a sales rep had showed me these cards, I would have bought them. They are a rare find. And they have some great ones for mothers. These are just a few in the display. You can make the photo larger by clicking it to read the words.

There's not enough room to show you the whole store. You will just have to  go downtown to 841 12th Street see it for yourself. You can also preview the General Store website and their Facebook Page for a close look at some items I didn't show you here. It won't show you all the baskets, hats, books, wall hangings, towels, tote bags and other goodies you will find if you actually visit the store, though. Next time you are downtown, just stop in and look around. If you go before Mother's Day, you're sure to find something your mom or grown daughter would love -- even if it's just a bag of this scrumptious almond brittle.

Related articles

• How to Host a Backyard Wine Party: Part 2
• C is for Croad Vineyards and Tasting Room

B is for Baby's Babble -- A Great Resource for New Mothers

Gabrielle Regalado at Baby's Babble, Paso Robles

When I get out of the car and walk downtown, I often discover businesses I never knew were there. Such was the case when I passed Babby's Babble on the way to Amsterdam Coffee House last week. I think the word "Consignment" on a sign in the window is what made me go in. Shops that take used baby items to sell on consignment for people who don't need them anymore are a great help for those who do need those same items. Everybody wins. 

As I was chatting with owner Gabrielle Regalado, she pointed out the Mom's corner at the back of the store. It holds a lot of new handmade items moms sell on consignment. Of course, if you want new clothes for baby, Baby's Babble has those, too. You can click on this photo to enlarge it.

See new inventory as it comes in on the Baby's Babble Facebook Page, and also items on sale. I can see just by the action on  the Facebook page that Baby's Babble is already getting popular with moms of young children. If you have toddlers, a new baby,  or are about to become a mom, you will want to pay Baby's Babble a visit soon. If you have baby items you no longer need, it might be a good idea to give Gabrielle a call at 805-356-4798. 

Related articles

• Paso Robles A-Z: A is for Amsterdam Coffee House

Paso Robles A-Z: A is for Amsterdam Coffee House

So many bloggers are doing A-Z  challenges, I thought I'd join the fun. In a city like Paso Robles, it should not be at all hard to find sights for every letter of the alphabet. So we will start with the Amsterdam Coffee House on 13th Street. Amsterdam is a popular meeting place for those who live in Paso Robles, as well as a great place for city visitors to stop and relax

I first learned this a few years ago when Millie Drum, the business writer for the very popular Paso Robles Magazine, made an appointment to interview me there about my book business. Many people make appointments to meet there one on one or in small groups. Its location in the center of town makes it conveniently located for business people to meet clients or just take a break. People buy their coffee or other beverage and maybe one of the baked goodies or more healthy snacks, and find a place to sit and chat. If one wants something more substantial, there are also breakfast and lunch options.

The first thing I noticed the day I took these pictures is how comfortable everyone looked.  I arrived during the late afternoon while it wasn't crowded, and the people I saw felt free to sit and read, use their mobile devices, or just hang out and talk. I could feel the stress of the day roll off as I observed so many relaxed people around me. I was greeted by the baristas immediately as I approached them and they gave me permission to take these photos.

If you are planning a trip to Paso Robles, you might want to stop at Amsterdam for a pick-me-up when you're ready to rest. This is the beverage menu. The baked treats and food aren't listed. You'll have to read the chalkboards when you get here. Meanwhile, you can have a look in the bakery case photo for an idea. You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it.



Follow Barbara Radisavljevic's board Paso Robles Wine Country on Pinterest.

Related articles

• The New Clock Tower: A Paso Robles Landmark.

Restaurants Come and Restaurants Go

I'm always sad when I walk by abandoned businesses. I can only hope they will be sold to someone who will bring them to life again. That is especially true of restaurants. I had always wanted to try Wilson's, but it closed at three in the afternoon, and I rarely was free to go out that early. It's too late now.

In 2013, at some point after I heard Wilson's had closed, I decided to go take a photo of the closed restaurant at the corner of 28th and Spring. I have a thing about wanting to document the history of downtown as it happens. For many people, Wilson's is part of that history.

I took these photos in March, 2013. I went by again today after finding a listing at this address for Wilson's in the current Yellow Pages and I wanted to double check before publishing this. It is still closed and there is now a for sale sign on this sign.

Have you ever eaten at Wilson's? Have any of your favorite restaurants gone out of business?

Day in the Shade Memories

One thing I love about my county is the opportunity to see local artists exhibiting their work in multiple places. One annual exhibit happens at Templeton City Park on the Saturday before Mother's Day every year. By that time the weather is nice and people are often looking for just the right Mother's Day gift. They know they will see many one-of-a kind items. The man in the picture to the left has probably seen a lot by now and is trying to decide if he should buy here or at another booth. This booth is Barry's Woodturning. To see more detail, click to enlarge a photo.

All kinds of artists come to exhibit. We see photographers and painters. People bring what they have created from glass,old flatware, old wine barrels, and any number of other inventive materials. There is always lots of handmade jewelry, as well. This booth features recycled metal objects. Things made from old flatware are very popular and were seen at more than one booth.

Besides the art exhibits, which I've barely introduced here, there is music on the stage and face painting and art activities for children. There is also wine tasting for the adults who want to relax and recover from all that "window" shopping. In the photo below you can see two of my winery neighbors exhibiting their wares.

These photos came from Day in the Shade 2012, but many of the same exhibitors come each year. If you'd like a more comprehensive tour of this event, I made one for Day in the Shade 2011 that give you a better idea of what there is to see, Besides the photos you will see a video of Dan Shattuck's very crowded booth of recycled flatware products, and an interview with glass artist Rachel Tamagni. 

The Most Colorful Catering Truck I've Ever Seen

I first saw this truck one day when my husband and I were on our way to take one of our favorite walks on Oak View Road. We always park in the lot for the Donati Family tasting room, and on this particular day, we couldn't help but notice this truck. It was encouraging people to buy its wares as they entered and left the tasting room, but we had already eaten, so we didn't sample the menu. We hadn't brought any money anyway that day since we rarely take it with us on hikes.

Just so none of the art work is lost to you, here is the opposite view of the truck.
Creative, don't you think? It certainly makes one want to try their food.

Artwork on Catering Truck in Paso Robles Wine Country

Hometown Nursery Is Now Lonesome Town

It saddens me to walk downtown in Paso Robles and see how many businesses are no longer there that use to thrive. It's especially sad when a business used to be one of my favorites has disappeared. Such is the case with Hometown Nursery. 

Of all the general nurseries in the Paso Robles area, Hometown was my go-to place for gardening inspiration. It was a place of beauty, with bright flowers everywhere, a whole section of shade-loving plants, and perky herbs and vegetables in season. They also had a good selection of organic seeds.

One day, they moved to the other end of town and although they probably thought it would be a better location, it was harder to get to them and harder to find a place to park. It seemed not too long before they were gone from that location never to reopen in Paso Robles. Now they are just gone. And this empty house and its grounds remind us that Hometown Nursery is no more. Click to enlarge the photo and see the poppies. 

                                                                                                                                   

The plants that loved the shade used to live here.

The grassy areas between the paths used to hold tables loaded with colorful flowers and seasonal vegetables and herbs ready to move to your garden. Now only  the trees, that have seen even the town itself begin, mark the place. 

As for the bright flowers, only two remain. The poppies in the second photo from the top above, and the bushes loaded with these pink flowers you see below. The only ones still working here are the insects who take what they need from the flowers and the birds and animals who harvest the acorns from the oaks. 

Has your town lost any businesses you used to patronize? 

Related articles

• The New Clock Tower: A Paso Robles Landmark.