Garlic Festival Vacation

I had always wanted to go to the Garlic Festival in Gilroy.  I had heard about it for years.  It gets a lot of press and I thought it would be fun.  We made plans to go with friends, but he got a gig and well long story short we decided to go anyway.

We got a room at the Gilroy Motel 6.  I like Motel 6. Frankly all I need is a clean room with a bathroom and I am happy.  Motel 6 was so named because the rooms were six dollars a night.  Now, I certainly don't expect six dollars, but this room was $150!  It had a small kitchenette with a two burner cook-top, a bar sized fridge, a microwave and a toaster.  There were real plates and cutlery and one skillet.  The room itself was a bit like staying in an Ikea display room.  The bed was placed so close to the window, Chris and I had trouble getting to the AC unit and getting into the bed on that side.  It had wood floors and while that was nicer than some of the places where the rugs make the whole room smell like coca-cola and cigarettes, it made the room echo.  The sink in the bathroom had an aerator that gave you a bath if you turned it up more than a trickle,    They had Dish, so the second night Chris and I hung out in the room and watched TV.  I have been sick lately.  I cannot eat anything, more than two bites and I feel nauseous. When I DO try to swallow, about half the time whatever it is, including water, gets stuck halfway down.  I have several appointments over the next few weeks.  On the plus side, I am losing the weight I needed to loose for my knees.  It did make the vacation a bit rocky, however.

We got to the hotel late Friday afternoon and checked in.  The staff was really helpful and friendly.  We asked for restaurant recommendations and they had a bunch of them.  We decided to try one that was a "fine dining" place, but we didn't like the look of it and decided to go the the Old City Hall, which surprise, surprise, was located in the Old City Hall.  It was a really cool building and the food was good, but I could not eat more than a few bites.   Thankfully, the room had the aforementioned kitchenette and we took the food home.  Chis enjoyed it the next day.  I will give a complete review on my Stuff you can Stomach page for this and the other eateries on this trip.

I was disappointed in the Garlic Festival.  I had such high hopes that I suppose I thought it would be more than it was.  It was like a street-fair, frankly and at $20 a piece to get in, I was unimpressed.  Chris said he had hoped it would be like the Ren Faire, with strolling performers ( they were listed, but we never saw any ) and some kind of entertainment other than Country music.  There was a cover band who were not too bad, but that was about it.  The FOOD- the thing I  had been looking forward to, was the worst disappointment.   I guess I chose the wrong booth.  The "Garlic Burger" tasted as if they had started out with questionable meat and burned it.  I ate one bite.  The Garlic potato chips were raw in the middle and burnt on the outside. I wasn't feeling well to begin with and when we got back to the motel I was sicker than I have been in a while.  The vendors were nothing special and I could have stayed home and seen the same ones here for the most part.  I DID try the garlic ice-cream and it was ok, but not really worth the four plus hour drive and what we were shelling out for the hotel.  Everything was overpriced and a  bit depressing.

We found a really good place to eat Saturday night and I will review it on my other page. Cafe Thyme has a great staff and great food. they are located in a really strange place, but they are so nice, I hope they do well.  They are new, if you live in the area, give them a try.

On the drive home, we stopped at  few roadside produce stands and got some avocados and some artichokes and apricots.  Yum.  ten for a dollar avocados, tiny but for a dollar?  Heck yeah

We stopped at  Harris Ranch for lunch.  I have seen it often on our drives up to the Bay area and thought it might be nice to stop.  The food was terrible and overpriced; another thing to cross off my list of things I don't have to do again.

Our stop at the fast-food joint at the base of the Grapevine was disgusting.  I'll leave it at that.  Chris was tired and he drove all the way, both ways.  Neither one of us slept very well this trip.

It was an adventure, but I have to say to my friends who missed going with us, that at some point I was glad you did.  I think it would have been very uncomfortable for you, given everything with the accommodations and the festival itself.  I am looking forward to trying out out LOCAL garlic place, the Stinking Rose. and making my OWN scampi!!!