I saw that H Mart’s Chinese Hot Pot Kit has people lining up at stores almost like a video games or manga release.
My blog about Jeff Mao’s Hot Pot Cookbook might provide some interesting recipes for first-time purchasers:
https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2023/04/chinese-hot-pot-meals-by-ruth-paget.html?m=1
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
Kalanchoe Flowering Plants from Madagascar at Lowe’s Nurserty in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget
On a trip out to Lowe’s Nursery in Salinas, California by Northridge Mall, I saw that Lowe’s was selling the perkiest, blooming plant called a kalanchoe whose origins are in the island of Madagascar off the eastern coast of Africa.
The flowering blooms in this plant at Lowe’s were a tight cluster of pink in a naturally forming bouquet surrounded by a ring of green leaves at the bottom of the plant.
The kalanchoa would look great by a specials board in a coffee shop, diner, or bistro. Hotels might like to place this plant on a counter with brochures about area shops (shopper guides noting store specialties), restaurants, spa services, and tourism sites.
The kalanchoa plants require little water and are pretty safe to place next to promotional materials. More information about the kalanchoa plant follows below:
As of today, kalanchoa flowering plants sell for $12.99. Information about this plant and others for sale at Lowe’s Nursery follows:
Lowe’s by Northridge Mall in Salinas, California has a large nursery next to its hardware store with competitive prices and a large parking lot. It is located off Highway 101 by North Main Street.
For San Jose and Bay Area visitors, a plant, herb, or even a tree or two make great souvenirs of a trip to Salinas and Monterey County.
A place like Lowe’s Nursery is important if you want your town to be like a French “ville fleurie” – a town decorated with flowers. Information about France’s Villes Fleuries program follows:
https://www.travelfranceonline.com/villes-et-villages-fleuris-basic-facts/
Happy Nursery Strolling!
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
For more information about the Spring Carnival in Salinas, California today through May 10, 2026, check out my blog below:
https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/04/spring-carnival-may-1-to-may-10-2026-at.html?m=1
A carnival in town always reminds me of California writer Ray Bradbury’s dark fantasy novel entitled Something Evil This Way Comes.
Maybe there is a movie idea here too.
Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
Sky Pencil Japanese Holly Trees at Carmel Valley Park, Carmel by Ruth Paget
Out for a walk at the Carmel Valley Park outside Carmel, California, I used the Google lens app to identify flowers, shrubs, and trees around the park.
One of the most interesting trees I saw was a Sky Pencil Japanese Holly that had been trimmed to look like tapering columns on either side of the entrance to the Carmel Valley History Museum (open on weekends and just in time for the 2026 Carmel Valley Garden Show).
According to the Monrovia Nursery Site, these trees are rabbit resistant and can tolerate pollution. They are ornamental trees that can grow in tight spaces and tolerate pollution, making them good decorative plants for cities.
A photo and information about Sky Pencil Japanese Holly Trees follow:
https://www.monrovia.com/sky-pencil-japanese-holly.html
Happy Garden Strolling!
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
The writing resource book entitled Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman and published by the University of Chicago Press might interest writers in Monterey County California.
Details about this book and purchase information follow:
Keep Writing!
Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
New Zealand Christmas Trees in Costco Parking Lot in Sand City, California by Ruth Paget
City planners in Sand City, California (part of Monterey County) planted New Zealand trees in the parking lot of Costco at Sand City be Seaside to help beautify grocery shopping trips.
This hardwood tree native to New Zealand and called Pohutukawa by the indigenous Maori people there has begun to grow red-orange flowers in May. The trees are being pruned to provide a tree canopy along sidewalks to the Costco store entrance.
These trees are relatively drought resistant once growing is established with flowers that seem to attract bees, migrating monarch butterflies, and hummingbirds.
On the Central Coast, Santa Barbara began planting these trees in the 1800s according to the Santa Barbara Beautiful website which follows:
https://sbbeautiful.org/new-zealand-christmas/
The nursery photo in the website below shows New Zealand Christmas Trees in bloom:
To add a nature walk dimension to your Costco outings, look up on the way to the store to check out the beginnings of a shaded stately tree canopy to the store.
Happy Strolling!
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
Viking Tours for Kids in Solvang, California
Seriously cute, fine, and educational scavenger hunt and meal for kids in Danish settlement Solvang, California.
Solvang’s architecture is Danish so this kids’ tour has an almost fantasy element to it except that the town was really built by Danish settlers.
Information about the kids’ tour and ticket purchase follow:
https://secretsolvang.com/kids-viking-tour/
Looks like fun!
Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games