TikTok Video Restaurant Reviews I Like by Ruth Paget

I have been watching video restaurant reviews on TikTok (mostly Asian - I love all Asian food) and find that reviews in the following format give me the best idea of what a restaurant is like:

-panoramic shot outside the restaurant

-panoramic shot inside

-menu shot - I like photo menus and ordering list 

-if restaurants have a delivery robot, it is cute to see food delivered by them

-close-up shots of food ordered, names, and ingredients

-descriptions of dishes with individual portion shots coming up to the camera

-opinions of why you like a dish and who else might like a dish

-to finish, if they have merchandise for sale like a sauce, calendar, language-learning CDs,  children’s educational books from Daiso or Scholastic, pencils, pens, logo stationery, or chopsticks, that is a cute good-bye

Thanks filmmakers for the fun videos and restaurant ideas.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Ulysses S. Grant Biography Info reposted by Ruth Paget

Ulysses S. Grant wrote his autobiography to support his family after his death according to the book’s description below:

https://www.amazon.com/American-Ulysses-Life-S-Grant/dp/1400069025

For people interested in the Civil War and its aftermath, this looks like a fascinating read.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Monterey Cypress Trees at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Monterey Cypress Trees at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

The Lone Cypress Trees at Pebble Beach, California is the symbol of the Pebble Beach Company that runs the elite resort on property and world-famous golf tournaments.

This hardy, salt-resistant tree is native to the Monterey Peninsula and can grow up to 82 feet in height.  Its branches bend in the direction of the wind and eventually permanently contort to show wind direction.

The tree’s deep roots and its ability to grow in sandy soil make it an erosion fighter.  This trait is very important in coastal areas.

The Lone Cypress at Pebble Beach appears to grow from bare rock on the a ledge over the coast.  It’s improbable surroundings make it a sought after souvenir photo for tourists and a reminder for locals that their bent cypress trees hold expensive property in place.

More information about the Monterey Cypress follows:

https://calscape.org/Hesperocyparis-macrocarpa-(Monterey-Cypress)-2

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Cinco de Mayo at Home for Mom by Ruth Paget

I am an older mom now, so my daughter ordered me a Taco Bell dinner:

-crunch wrap 

-hard shell taco

-low-sugar strawberry agua fresca

I thought it was great, because I did not have to cook it.

Cheerios!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

TikTok Travel Video Itinerary Outline by Ruth Paget

TikTok Video Travel Itinerary Outline (Suggested) for California’s Central Coast by Ruth Paget

I have been watching TikTok travel videos for my region and like TikTok’s that have an itinerary like the following for Central Coast California tourism:

Recharge Overnight Stay in Monterey or Carmel for example:

-hotel description

-dinner out

-breakfast out

-coffee for walk through town or coastal drive with hike

-lunch

-outing with 1 or more of the following

-art or craft making activity (new form of tourism here)

-farmers’ market

- museum visit - history museums have an anthropological bent often with exhibits about Native Americans and settlers from other places

-agritourism such as visiting artichoke farms, orchards, oyster farms, organic farming operations, and so on

-cooking class (done in Europe but US could do this too) - chicken noodle soup, dinner rolls for homemade sliders, pork chops with homemade applesauce, sheet pan baked vegetables, scalloped potatoes and mashed potatoes, and roast beef with vegetables are some good American dishes to start with.

-wine tasting

-art gallery visit

-shopping for books, kitchen items, regional food souvenirs

-decaffeinated coffee or agua fresca for drive home with sunset

I like videos like these for giving me travel ideas.

Thanks TikTok filmmakers!

Note: This is a nice outline for print travel stories too.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Great Egrets Wading by the Coast in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Great Egrets Wading by the Coast in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

On the last three outings I have made to Pebble Beach, California during April and May 2026, my husband Laurent and I have seen Great Egrets wading in tide pools by the coast and flying low and strong around the golf courses at Pebble Beach. 

Great Egrets are part of the heron family. They have orange, long, dagger-like beaks for spearing fish, frogs, rabbits, and other small shoreline animals for food. 

Their economic value comes from eating rodents like rats and mice in oceanfront, high-property value areas and from their eco-tourism sightseeing interest. Bird watchers are tourists who might come to Pebble Beach just to see them. 

Great Egrets have long necks that they crunch up into S-curves. The neck and body of a Great Egret is white while their long legs are black. 

Great Egrets can be seen in larger numbers a little farther north of Pebble Beach in Moss Landing by Elkhorn Slough. They can also be seen wading in the Salinas River along Highway 68 when the Salinas River is low. 

Great Egrets are found on all continents except Antarctica. They were an endangered species at one time, but conservation efforts early in the 20th century restored populations. 

More information about Great Egrets, photos, and bird calls follows:

https://www.sacramentoaudubon.org/kids-corner/meet-the-great-egret

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Mediterranean Pork Chops Recipe by Ruth Paget

Mediterranean Pork Chops Recipe by Ruth Paget

I just made Omaha Steak pork chops for lunch winging it in the kitchen, but I am pretty sure the following measures would work:

Ingredients:

-2 Omaha Steak pork chops, thawed in the refrigerator

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-5 sprigs rosemary, snipped 

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-1/4 cup water

-Kirkland salt and pepper, to taste

Steps:

1-Heat olive oil in frying pan and add pork chops. Cook on high heat 5 minutes per side.

2-After ten minutes, add balsamic vinegar to color pork chops.

3-Add water and snipped rosemary to the pan and turn pork chops to darken the pork chops.  Use a wooden scraper to deglaze the pan.  Let pork chops cook another 5 minutes.

4-Run the pork chops through the microwave to thoroughly cook and to help carsmelize the balsamic sauce on the pork chops.

Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Bon Appetite!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Costco’s Quiche Lorraine is a Deep-Dish Quiche! By Ruth Paget

I made Costco’s Quiche Lorraine for lunch today and really liked it -

The quiche was about 3 inches thick and almost reminded me of deep-dish pizza.

There was enough quiche for 8 portions.  Leftovers went into Pyrex containers to be eaten for lunch tomorrow.

Some of my favorite ingredients are in quiche - eggs, cheese, cream, and savory ham.  

We drank a De Tierra Coco red wine from Salinas’s local winery tucked away in Corral de Tierra made famous by John Steinbeck’s novel The Pastures of Heaven.  

If you like quiche, Costco’s deli quiche is a pretty good deal especially on busy event weekends.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Hot Pot Trending on Tik Tok and my Cookbook Recommendation by Ruth Paget

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 Nursery in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

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: 

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/kalanchoe/#:~:text=Factsheet%20%7C%20HGIC%201563%20%7C%20Published:,houseplant%20fertilizer%20once%20a%20month.

As of today, kalanchoa flowering plants sell for $12.99. Information about this plant and others for sale at Lowe’s Nursery follows:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Multicolor-Kalanchoe-in-1-4-Quart-Pot/3628346?store=3095&cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lwn-_-ggl-_-CRP_SHP_LIA_LWN_Online_Mid_Priority(E+Band)_Omni-_-3628346-_-local-_-22862735652-_-&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22862735652&gbraid=0AAAAAD2B2W8u5cdqRslx8uc91NE-qkPGX

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

May 1 in Salinas, California - Spring Carnival is Here posted by Ruth Paget

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, California by Ruth Paget

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

Business of Being a Writer book sold by UChicago Press reposted by Ruth Paget

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:

https://cdcshoppingcart.uchicago.edu/Cart2/ChicagoBook?ISBN=9780226838656&PRESS=CHICAGO&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BUY%20THIS%20BOOK&utm_campaign=Reader%27s%20Picks%20April%202026

Keep Writing!

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Beginnings of a New Zealand Christmas Tree Canopy in the Costco Parking Lot in Sand City, California by Ruth Paget

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: 

https://useyardwork.com/products/new-zealand-christmas-tree-metrosideros-excelsa?srsltid=AfmBOopbh_e0u3pc52CwitKRkHei43SMq4vJIS5MGVKMvTsie8RNBnbC

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

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

Artist Eric Ravilious’s Edition of Twelfth Night on sale today by UChicago Press reposted by Ruth Paget

Artist Eric Ravilious illustrated Twelfth Night on sale today for $19.99 by University of Chicago Press

Artist Eric Ravilious illustrated Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in 1932.  The book’s artwork summons up the Elizabethan Era through its wood engravings and typography.

Ravilious’s work was almost not published due to the Great Depression.

Information about this facsimile edition and purchase details follow:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_promo/19dd93c790f157d3

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

The Everything Chinese Cookbook at $3.99 on Kindle for Beginning Chinese Cooks by Ruth Paget

The Everything Chinese Cookbook at $3.99 on Kindle for Beginning Cooks by Ruth Paget 

The Everything Chinese Cookbook selling for $3.99 on Kindle is a stellar resource for cooks who are just beginning to try cooking Chinese food for health and money savings. 

This Kindle e-book is 712 pages long and contains 300 recipes drawing from all food groups. My favorite recipes for health and money saving come from the chicken, vegetable, and rice and noodle sections. 

I have cooked from several Chinese cookbooks notably those by Fuchsia Dunlop and Ken Hom, but I like The Everything Chinese Cookbook for several reasons: 

-it promotes lower-calorie stir-fries that omit the addition of slurry finishes at the end of cooking. Slurry is a corn starch and water mixture that thickens sauces and adds a glossy sheen to a dish.

-greatly reduced use of sugar in cooking 

-greatly reduced usage of sweet Chinese cooking wine which adds flavors and calories 

-a huge variety of recipes to make use of seasonal produce at the market 

The Everything Chinese Cookbook by Rhoda Lauret Parkinson is a great resource for people wanting to make their first forays into Chinese cooking. 

The Kindle price of $3.99 today for 300 recipes in a 712-page book is also great for budget minded Kindle users. 

Note: There is an organic market in Marina, California on Sundays that sells many Asian produce items. Marina has several Chinese restaurants and markets as well close to the farmers’ market.  

Happy Cooking! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

No Fuss Swiss Cheese - Mushroom Burgers at Chili's in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

No Fuss Swiss Cheese Mushroom Burgers at Chili’s in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

Sometimes a no fuss, no surprises, and delicious dinner is just what you want for delivery and that is what Chili’s delivers in sturdy packaging. 

For dinner, I recently order a Swiss Cheese – Mushroom Burger from Chili’s in Salinas, California – a national chain restaurant. This burger came with tangy melted Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, sautéed mushroom slices, tomato slices, crunchy iceberg lettuce leaves, and mayonnaise. 

The side I chose to go with this juicy burger was thin, sautéed asparagus. After living in Germany (the original home of the hamburger is Hamburg, German) for five years, I am pretty sure Germans, Swiss, and Austrians would gladly eat the Swiss cheese burger at Chili’s like I did on a busy night especially for delivery, which was just coming in there in the early 2010s in Stuttgart. 

Monterey County California produces onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, and asparagus (a true spring vegetable in both California and Germany). All five vegetables were fresh and tasted like summer was definitely coming.

I drank an Alvarado Street Brewery Lager from our local California Brew Pub in Salinas and would absolutely recommend this meal to travelers and locals alike. 

Note: Chili’s has two locations in Monterey County – one in Salinas off Highway 101 and one in Seaside off Highway 1 by Embassy Suites. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Purple Ice Plant Flowers Carpet Pacific Grove, California in May 2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

May is the time for purple ice plant flowers to carpet the coastline in Pacific Grove, California.  Purple ice plant flowers are native to South Africa and are drought resistant.

Visitors seeing this purple carpet for the first time write the most enthusiastic blog posts like the following one:

https://mustloveroses.com/monterey-magic-purple-carpet/

Happy Coastal Strolling!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Carmel Valley Garden Show - May 2 to May 3, 2026 - reposted by Ruth Paget

The Carmel Valley Garden Show will be held May 2 to May 3, 2026 in Carmel Valley.

Details about this event organized by the Carmel Valley Garden Club follow:

https://cvgc.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=324042&module_id=330643

For other family activities in Carmel Valley, see my blog about the Carmel Valley History Museum and Carmel Valley Park:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2025/09/dinosaur-bones-ohlone-reed-boats-wagon.html?m=1

Happy Garden Strolling!

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games