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Sunday, November 1, 2026

Good Deal Fish and Chips at Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Good Deal Fish and Chips Dinner at Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

When my family wants to go out for a California diner meal, we do a beeline for Black Bear Diner in the Westridge Mall in Salinas, California. 

This California chain offers a mini newspaper full of classic American dishes, but my favorites at Black Bear Diner are Friday Night Fish Fry, reuben sandwiches, and fish and chips. 

For $16.99 (online menu price as of 10-28-1016), the fish and chips meal comes with the following items: 

-3 large, deep-fried pieces of cod with a golden crust that is hard enough to be tapped for sound yet soft enough to be easily cut with a fork 

-a generous helping of double-fried French fries that take up half the plate. The fries arrive salted and do taste great with ketchup. 

-coleslaw with a delicious dressing of cream and apple cider vinegar. 

Black Bear offers a choice of sides, but I like what is on the menu. 

I drank two large unsweetened iced teas with this meal and thought everything was refreshing. 

I had no leftovers, but my husband Laurent and daughter Florence Paget gave me their leftover fries and coleslaw for lunch the next day. 

I thought the meal was delicious and also thought $16.99 for this meal was a reasonable price. With the iced tea, my meal cost about $20. 

I like fish and chips and think that the Black Bear Diner in Salinas, California does a good job with this meal.

By Ruth Paget 

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Saturday, October 31, 2026

I still love $4.99 Rotisserie Chicken from Costco in Sand City, California by Ruth Paget

I still love $4.99 Rotisserie chicken from Costco in Sand City (near Monterey), California with mashed potatoes and sometimes a fruit and cheese tray to eat as dessert.

There is easily enough for 4 to 6 people in this meal.

If you like roast chicken, this might be a meal to consider for winter.

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Dollar Tree Sells Sudoku and Word Search Books reposted by Ruth Paget

Dollar Tree appears to have shelves and shelves of sudoku and word search books.

TikTok has videos showing everything.

Kohl’s has brainstacking materials too.  Walmart has been onboard for a long time.

 Happy brainstacking!

By Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games




$24.99 Fruit and Cheese Trays at Raley’s Nob Hill for Members reposted by Ruth Paget

Raley’s Nob Hill in Salinas, California members can purchase fruit and cheese trays for $24.99 with a 24-hour lead time.  

That is a nice deal for people who like these items.  

These trays  are time savers for book groups, scrapbooking work at home, and writing nights.

You can sign up for the Nob Hill members app online or in-store.

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Centrr

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coadt California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory blogs

Friday, October 30, 2026

Hunger Games Advent Calendars reposted by Ruth Paget

Hunger Games created an Advent calendar.

Great for re-reading the series after watching the newest Hunger Games a little each day.

The TikTok merchandise link follows:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPLyySMb6/

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author seating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Cosst California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

Coffee:A Global History Distributed by UChicago Press reposted by Ruth Paget

Coffee: A Global History distributed by the University of Chicago Press for Reaktion Press is a coffee lovers non-fiction brainstack item to read in a coffee shop.

Information about the book follows:

https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/C/bo31238025.html

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books

-developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games + 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

-creator of online exhibits about San Miguel Arcangel Mission, French baguette making, and the Carmel Valley History Center

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 2000+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist

-developer of 9 music theory games

UChicago Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth Summit Notes reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago Climate Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth has posted its October 28, 2026 Wrap-Up Notes with information about careers in the climate and sustainable growth field.

The notes fillow:

https://climate.uchicago.edu/events/event/climate-frontiers-2026-energy-and-climate-at-uchicago/?utm_campaign=24152484-Institute%20Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8hWTWs2ftKlUxBHgEk8rC9c3yc6RwU77eqqhrqjf-gdIxDiMaIt1Bre7SDe56MnNtknK1gh762r-OMwqENXT_03gLKOg&_hsmi=446765161&utm_content=446765161&utm_source=hs_email

Reposted by Ruth Paget

-author Eating Soup with Chopsticks, Marrying France, and Europe’s Lessons written during overseas duty in Germany + 5 other Kindle books