Where's Huell? 12/17 to 12/23
Huell is in the Christmas spirit this week with nativity scenes, Cornish Christmas carols, poinsettias, and a trip to the See's Candy factory (to find out where all that holiday party candy comes from). So deck the halls with holly, don your gay apparel, and get ready for your holiday—Huell-style. For more information on these and other episodes - as well as a chance to purchase them - you can always visit Huell at www.calgold.com.)
Thursday - December 17, 2009; 7:30pm: El Carrillo - Huell visits award-winning housing for the homeless in downtown Santa Barbara.
Related: Another look at homelessness in Santa Barbara. Here is a mini-documentary about the Safe Parking Program which allows people to park their cars overnight in private and municipal parking lots.
Friday - Decmeber 18, 2009; 7:30pm: See's Candy - It started back in 1921 and quickly became one of California's biggest and "sweetest" success stories. The little shop on Western Avenue featured the favorite candy recipes of Mary See and focused on farm-fresh ingredients and homemade goodness. Before long this little shop had grown into a chain of stores serving loyal customers, and See's Candies had become famous around the world. In this calorie-laden edition of "California's Gold," host Huell Howser gets a first hand taste of the See's story. First he visits one of the earliest shops to open in San Francisco and meets with current and past employees. While there, Huell also talks with regular customers who come in to purchase their particular favorite type of Sees Candy. Then he travels to Los Angeles for a tour of the inner sanctum of the See's Candy factory where the historic candies are actually made. Itâs an assembly line like none other in the world, manned by employees who have been with the company for years. The story of See's Candy is indeed a true California success story -- one of which Mary See surely would be proud!
Related: A retro look at See's Candy assembly lines. The 80s back beats go perfectly with shots of melted chocolate goodness:
Sunday - December 20; 7:30pm: Nacimientos - Huell visits two Los Angeles-area families that faithfully create elaborate Nacimientos, or Nativity scenes, which are a focal point of many Mexican American homes during the Christmas season.
Related: No doubt about it, people take their nativity scenes seriously. Here is a video documenting the construction of a nativity scene, from start to finish:
Monday - December 21, 2009; 7:30pm: Cornish Christmas - In this holiday special, Huell celebrates the holidays with the descendants of the original Cornish Carol Choir of Grass Valley. Join them as they reenact their 1940 concert of traditional Cornish Christmas Carols, which took place 2,000 feet below ground in a gold mine, and was broadcast nationally on network radio.
Related: Huell is sticking to Grass Valley, California for this Cornish Christmas Carol special but are some carols from where it all began, Cornwall, England:
Tuesday - December 22, 2009; 7:00pm: Poinsettias - Albert Ecke immigrated from Germany to Southern California in 1902 and opened a roadside stall selling fruits and vegetables. By the 1920s his son Paul started selling some of the wild poinsettia plants that grew in the hills above their stall. From these small beginnings, it is now estimated that over 90% of all flowering poinsettias get their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch. Join Huell and Luis as they meet Paul, Paul Jr. & Paul III, who give them a tour of this amazing and brightly colored piece of California's Christmas Gold.
Related: A little background on the Poinsettia and on the Ecke Ranch before you get the full scoop from Huell!
Wednesday - December 23, 2009; 7:00pm: Holiday Star - Upland was hard hit by the 2003 wildfires and there is much rebuilding still to come. For the holiday season, this tight-knit community joined together to recreate a brilliantly lit star on a hilltop which shined for many years, but was destroyed by the fires. It is again a sign of hope and renewal for everyone who sees it.
Related: Get a taste of Upland, California with a collection of postcard images that span from 1900-1960:
