The author Bev Manzano , with her sisters Mely ( left ) and Perla ( right ) behind the checkout counter at Catli ’ s Oriental Market . fellow of�icers had developed a taste for the savory appetizer when they were stationed in the Philippines . My mom catered her delicious lumpia for their events from then on . My sisters and I used to help her roll the �illing made of stirfried meat and vegetables into the paper-thin wrappers — a task which required a lot of experience and patience .
After 10 years as successful entrepreneurs , my parents sold the business in 1980 when they moved to Arizona . Another family took over Catli ’ s Market , which they operated under a different name for several years after . I stayed in the Bay Area to attend college , and my siblings who were already settled remained as well . Our mom sold real estate in the Phoenix area , which was supposed to become the next Silicon Valley , although that didn ’ t happen as predicted for a variety of reasons . Our parents operated another Asian grocery there on a smaller scale in a merchant marketplace , then relocated to Oregon before returning back to Mountain View in their later years .
Catli ’ s Oriental Market is long gone ( like the use of the outdated term “ Oriental ”). In its place is now a beauty salon where I visited after all these years . I noted the walls were the colors of the fruit we once sold : mango and papaya . I went in for a pedicure and reclined in the mechanical massage chair , reminiscing about toiling in that very space .
My parents are gone as well . But they left a lasting legacy . Working in our store gave me and my siblings character and a lifetime of stories . The Filipino-American community they helped to foster is strong and engaged in broader society , while looking back to its roots . On a larger scale , I believe my parents were forerunners of the much-celebrated multicultural food scene that has become synonymous with the San Francisco Bay Area . They knew that good food brings everyone together , and that holds true to this day .
Memories
Mountain View Memories is a recurring special feature of our newsletter where we publish memories of times gone shared with us by our members .
Do you have a special Mountain View memory to share ? Then write to us at : info @ mountainviewhistorical . org or mail us at : P . O . Box 252 , Mountain View , CA 94042
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