Articles by Mary Bartholomew

Romance in the South Valley

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams,” wise words from Dr Seuss. Flowers, a poetic card, a loving gift, a romantic meal—all epitomize Valentine’s Day—a day of celebrating love and romance. If [...]

Know Their Name

Few can drive down a street or by a freeway overpass without seeing them—makeshift camps in empty lots, tents dotted alongside freeways or by creeks, the worldly possessions of their inhabitants stacked around them. Too difficult to avoid—each passerby bears witness to the [...]

Big plans for a new you

The new year brings mixed emotions when it comes to taking control of weight challenges or creating a healthier lifestyle. Every January, many eagerly reset their new year’s weight loss resolution with good intentions by joining a gym, eating right and perhaps picking up the [...]

Bike shop pedals up fun

Waking up Christmas morning to see a shiny new bike under the tree is a kid’s dream come true. One-year old South Valley shop Bike Therapy of Morgan Hills offers a wide range of bikes to choose from for all budgets. Owner Doug Hall wants to encourage anyone and everyone to get [...]

Twirling textiles

Experienced knitters know working with luxury yarn really feels wonderful. Quality yarns glide easily through the fingers. “As knitters become more experienced, they become more educated on benefits of working with quality yarns,” explains Shirley Todd. “Luxury and [...]

Light ’em up!

Taking a draw on a cigar in a sports lounge is a rare opportunity in Northern California. The Morgan Hill Wine Shop and Cigar Company is one of a handful of lounges where novices and aficionados can legally relax and enjoy a cigar. The sports lounge offers a dozen local and [...]

A quilter’s friend

A beautifully made quilt brings warmth, joy and comfort for friends, family and strangers. For the quilter in your life, there are two great quilt shops in the South Valley each offering great gift ideas. Gift certificates take the guesswork out of holiday gift-giving, and both [...]

Charted designs

More than 20 years ago, Teri Sanford Pharis walked away from a successful career in the tech industry and entered the more calculated, yet slow-paced world of needlecraft. Today Pharis owns a premier needlepoint store in the South Valley. “This is not your grandmother’s [...]

South Valley gem

South Valley’s latest gem is South Bay Natural Foods, located at 8120 Westwood Drive in Gilroy. Offering savvy shoppers a rotating selection of premium natural and organic foods at low prices, South Bay Natural Foods is a cherry pickers’ dream come true to shop and [...]

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