Quarter 1 Sales Drivers for Salinas and Monterey County by Ruth Paget

Quarter 1 Sales Drivers for Salinas and Surrounding Monterey County by Ruth Paget 

Quarter 1 (Q!) sales between January 1 and March 31 are typically considered a dry period for sales after the Christmas season and before the end of tax season. 

However, there are some ongoing and monthly events that can generate money from regional tourism. Regional tourists from Silicon Valley and the Bay Area can arrive in Salinas and Monterey County via car, train, bus, and commuter air flights from San Francisco. Day trips and weekend trips are areas for expansion. 

Also, Salinas can profit from drive-through tourism by business people going from southern California to northern California. 

Ongoing Tourism Events: 

*seafood tourism – 

Rainy, cold weather is good for seafood fishing and the perfect backdrop for seafood tourism. Maine has snow and sleet and a healthy seafood tourism industry. You can check tourism figures during winter months for Maine to see the magnitude of this tourism industry.   

Salinas can pair seafood tourism with whale watching tours in Monterey as a mini winter vacation.  Another pairing for seafood tourism is spa tourism or a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

*spa recharge tourism – 

This lucrative industry could be expanded to one-day or weekend tourists, especially for students in sustainable tourism, tourism workers, restaurant workers, and drivers in addition to traditional markets. 

*Northridge Mall Farmers Market on Wednesday nights – 

This market has 100+ food trucks and food stalls. Make sure that everything sells to Salinas and the surrounding regions. Reservations on food items managed with QR codes and Apple Pay might expand the number of people served and speed up the payment process so there are no lines.  Expanded product sales might include spa products and potted herbs. (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Natividad Farmers Market on Wednesday morning and afternoon

Located on Constitution Boulevard. See remarks above about the Northridge Market. This market sometimes has cooking demonstrations. (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Main Street Farmers Market on Saturday mornings – 

This market is well developed, but might also benefit from using a reservation pick-up system for food truck items similar to the one I described above. (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Salinas Valley Health Market on Friday mornings and afternoons -

See remarks on markets above (Part of agritourism - Portland, Oregon is famous for its market)

*Mall Shopping Tourism -

Salinas has malls with large parking lots so parking is typically not a hassle here even on busy weekends 

*Restaurant Tourism -

Restaurants in Salinas have outstanding organic produce, meat, and fish to work with. All our restaurants should be top-notch within their food category. Websites should all include parking options in their directions descriptions even if people tend to uber there. 

*Fashion Industry, Perfume, Make-Up, and Accessory Sales -

Clearance sales to make way for spring and summer collections in fashion, make-up, perfume, and accessories usually happen in January and run till everything is sold. Individuals can also go through their clothes and sell designer items at consignment shops or online. Clothes past their prime might be able to be made into rag paper. Black polyester might be able to be used for nets.

Donations of old clothing to non-profit organizations can sometimes be written off taxes as well.  You can stock up on Christmas gifts at a reasonable price January through March. This is a good time to buy winter coats like Burlingame (there is a store in Gilroy), sweaters (check out Kohl’s in Salinas), and winter boots.

*Family Reunion and Genealogical Tourism -

Many families hold reunions in upscale restaurants with good photo opportunities.  Family members might include hotel stays, tourism outings, and visits to grave yards as part of their reunions.  Florists and photographers might be part of the tourism sale for a family reunion.

*Wedding Tourism -

Wedding and honeymoon travel are available in one spot in Monterey County.

*24/7 Salinas Traveler’s Services

24-Hour Pharmacies, gas stations, restaurants, and car maintenance facilities are on the following blog I put together:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/247-salinas-california-by-ruth-paget.html?m=1

*Little League Sports Tourism -

Visiting teams often eat in restaurants and stay overnight in hotels.

*Alumni Club Discounts / Organization Discounts for Staycation Tourism -

Saving money on purchasing a needed item is money earned too - Check if your alumni clubs or organizations have discounts for members on items like grills, televisions, refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, and dishwashers, if you need to replace these items.  Also, many alumni clubs have discounts at JC Penney for family holiday photos.

*Join Airline, Rental Car, and Hotel Loyalty Point Programs and keep track of points for use on weekend vacations

*Join loyalty programs for upscale restaurant chains like Landry’s and plan travel around memorable meals to save money on dining out and travel. Chart House in Monterey is a Landry Restaurant. (McCormick and Schmick’s is an upscale seafood chain.  Check it out when traveling.)

*Recycle cans, plastic bottles, and glass

You can recycle these items in the parking lot of Star Market at the yellow recycling truck for cash.

*Sign up for car dealer club mailing lists

BMW in Seaside has one.  Learn about new models and any sales.  Year-end purchases can sometimes be discounted.  Read Consumer Reports magazine from library to study car options as well.

*Use Rewards Points at Starbucks

Get bags of coffee for use on the weekend.

*Look into any corporate gifts to be made like chocolate from Ghirardelli or See’s for birthdays or team meetings

*Set up corporate accounts for deli ordering at Costco and other supermarkets 

*Before subscribing to magazines, see if your local library has an online version of it.  You can spend money saved on a local newspaper subscription.

*Think of reading e-books 

Online books are sometimes less expensive than paper copies.  Check out this option to save money.

*T-shirts for family reunions, sporting events, corporate events, and class reunions

Get orders for these items in early

*Center for Photographic Arts Portfolio Counseling in Carmel

*Catch up on vaccinations

*Ticket Sales for Spring and Other Seasonal Events can Start in January for events such as the following:

-season tickets for the Western Stage at Hartnell College 

-season tickets for Ariel Theatrical the children’s theater 

-Rodeo tickets 

-Salinas Air Show tickets 

-Ferrari Challenge tickets 

-Bach Festival

-Concorso Italiano

-Concours d’Elegance

-Planetarium tickets at Hartnell College 

-Pro-Am Golf Tournament Tickets (held in February)

-season tickets to classical music events like Bach Fest, the Symphony, and Chamber Music of Monterey 

-season passes to the Monterey Museum of Art

-Steinbeck Center 

-Steinbeck House Restaurant Reservations 

-Shakespeare Santa Cruz

-Quilt Show - Beginning May 1 - Pacific Grove

-Hidden Hills Hoedown Fundraiser - 4-19

-Carmel International Film Festival

Once tickets are sold, people tend to make hotel and restaurant reservations.

Events that can generate sales for restaurants, grocery stores, books, and movie downloads by month for restaurant and at-home celebrations include: 

*January 

-New Year’s Day (January 1) 

-Martin Luther King Day (January 18) 

*February

-Chandeleur (February 2) 

-Mardi Gras (February 17)

-Lent (40 days before Easter. Food products to be eaten include fish, seafood, dairy, vegetables, and legumes but no meat related products) 

-Valentine’s Day (February 14) 

-President’s Day (February 15) 

-Chinese New Year’s and Vietnamese Têt – two-week celebration in February 

-Super Bowl Watching Parties – various venues 

*March 

-Tulip viewing and purchasing at Earthbound Farms - 

See my blog below for information on the history and cultivation of tulips:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/tulip-tourism-outside-salinas-at.html?m=1

-Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17) - 

See my blog below for a home-based celebration:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/saint-patricks-day-recipes-and-cultural.html?m=1

-ComicCon Salinas held in Spreckels at the end of March 

For ticket information, see my blog below:

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2026/03/comiccon-salinas-is-march-22-2026-in.html?m=1

*Planted Flower Sales -

Flowers grow from inexpensive seeds and command high prices when potted and sold at markets.  This is a nice gig job, if you have a warm, sunny yard to grow plants and a buyer who will sell them. Herbs are a favorite for cooks.

*Landscaping Trimmings Sales

The wood in these trimmings might be able to be recycled into paper products.

-Major League Baseball begins on March 25

These cultural and educational events and seasonal items are what I would like to see sold to 100% capacity. With a little planning, I think this 100% sale of cultural and educational events can be a realistic goal. 

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

Matcha: The Japanese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget

Matcha: The Japanese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget 

The story of tea in Japan is largely one of green tea. However, this does not mean that learning about green tea is simple. Production methods and processing are more important here than terroirs (production areas) and cultivars (tea varieties akin to grape varieties in wine making). Terroirs and cultivars are less important in Japan than in China, but are still mentioned for higher priced teas. 

Game Objectives: 

1-Know the Japanese terroirs (production areas) 

2-Know the Japanese tea cultivars (tea varieties akin to grape varieties used in winemaking) 

3-Know the senchado steeping process 

4-Know matcha preparation steps 

5-Know the nine main tea categories based on production and processing 

6-Know the Top 10 Japanese Tea Branchs 

7-Reward – Drinking a Matcha and reading about the Japanese tea ceremony 

Materials needed: 

-The book Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne, François Marchand, Jasmin Desharnair, and Hugo Americi 

-pen 

-index cards 

- large and small -notebook paper 

-matcha drink as a reward 

Game 1: Know the Japanese Tea Terroirs 

There are 4 main Japanese tea terroirs: 

-Shizuoka Prefecture 

-Kyoto Prefecture 

-Kagoshima Prefecture (Island of Kyushu) 

-Nara and Mie Prefectures 

Use 4 index cards to note these production regions on the front of the index card. One the back of the index card, note in your own words where these regions are located and their characteristics. 

Quiz yourself till you perfectly know this information. 

Game 2: Know the Japanese Tea Cultivars 

A cultivar is similar to grape variety or varietal in wine making. 

There are four main tea cultivars in Japan: 

-Yabukita 

-Gokou 

-Beni Fouki 

-Samidori 

Write the names of these cultivars on the front of the four index cards. Note on the back of the index cards, the characteristics of each in your own words. 

Quiz yourself till you about each varietal. 

Game 3: Know the Senchado Steeping Process 

There are 6 main steps for steeping Japanese green tea. Number the steps on index cards and describe the step in your own words. On the back of the index card, not the process step number. 

Quiz yourself by looking at the step number and describing what the step entails. 

Game 4: Know Matcha Preparation Steps 

There are 4 main steps needed to prepare matcha. Use index cards to note what happens in each step. On the back of the index card, note the step number. 

Quiz yourself by step number till you have memorized the process for making matcha. 

Game 5: Know Japanese Tea Categories 

These categories refer to green teas with specific production methods and processing of the tea leaves. 

The main tea categories follow: 

-sencha 

-bancha 

-hojicha 

-genmaicha 

-tamaryokucha 

-gyokuro 

-kabusecha 

-matcha 

Note these names on the front of index cards. On the back of the index cards, describe the characteristics of the tea in your own words. 

Quiz yourself on these terms till you know them. 

Game 6: Know To Japanese Tea Brands 

On the front of an index card, note the tea brand name. On the back of the index card, note the tea family (usually green), translation of the tea name, production area or terroir, harvest season, and cultivar. 

Quiz yourself on one characteristic at a time for all 10 tea brands till you know them. Then, move on to quizzing yourself on the next characteristic for all 10 tea brands. 

Game 7: Reward 

Drink a matcha tea drink and read about the Japanese Tea Ceremony tradition in Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne et al. 

Extra credit:  Know the 13 Production Steps to Make Japanese Green Tea

List the 13 production steps on index cards and describe the steps in your own words on the back of the index card.

Quiz yourself till you know each steps.  Learn the steps 3 steps at a time before before moving on to the next three.

Happy Gaming! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Pounding Pacific Waves Video at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Lots of pounding waves this morning at Pebble Beach, California.  Photo and text by Ruth Paget

High tide coming in three waves at a time is impressive.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Burger Mondays at Alvarado Street Brewery in Monterey, California reposted by Ruth Paget

$15 for a burger and beer at Monterey’s California Brew Pub - Alvarado Street Brewery on Mondays.  

I have reposted details from the Monterey County Weekly online calendar below:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/burger-mondays/16866636/2025-10-20T17

So, Monterey County dwellers could do the following menu:

Burger Mondays or Empanada Mondays

Taco Tuesdays or Rib Tuesdays

Wing Wednesdays

Chicken Noodle Soup or Pasta from Costco

Fish or seafood delivery on Friday

Pizza on Saturday

Oysters on Sunday or roast chicken

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Diego’s Rib Night (Tuesdays) at Trailside Cafe and Beer Garden in Carmel Valley, California reposted by Ruth Paget

Tuesdays are Diego’s Rib Night at Trailside Cafe and Beer Garden in Carmel Valley, California.  Details follow from the Monterey County Weekly’s Online Community Calendar:

Diego’s Rib Night at Trailside Cafe and Beer Garden

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Darjeeling: The India Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget

Darjeeling: The India Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget 

Indian tea is largely a story of black tea, green leaves processes to make strong black brews. 

This Darjeeling tea game is for tea drinkers, people who want to more about India, and food and beverage workers who would like to advance their career. 

The objectives of this Darjeeling Tea Game include: 

1-Knowing the principal tea growing regions of India 

2-Knowing the characteristics of the different Darjeeling harvests 

3-Knowing the processing steps that create Indian black teas 

4-Knowing the grades of Indian black tea 

5-Knowing the main Indian tea types 

6-Reward 

The materials needed to play this game include: 

-The book Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne, François Marchand, Jasmin Desharnais, and Hugo Américi 

-index cards – large and small

-notebook paper 

-pen 

-Darjeeling tea to use as a reward 

Game 1: Indian Tea Growing Regions 

Note the four regions below on the front of four index cards. On the back of the index cards, note their location and 5 to 10 facts about the region to quiz yourself on. 

These are the tea growing regions or terroirs to learn about: 

-The Darjeeling Region 

-The Assam Region 

-The Nilgiri Hills 

-The Sikkim Region 

Game 2: Darjeeling Harvest Characteristics  

Note: There are more than 30 cultivars or cultivated varieties of tea in India, but T78, AV2, and P312 are the most prevalent. 

The cultivar plus the growing conditions of the tea create different flavor profiles. There are 3 main harvest seasons in Darjelling that affect the tea flavor and quality. 

Write the following 3 harvest seasons on the front of an index card. On the back of the index card, not 5 to 10 characteristics of the harvest and quiz yourself on them: 

-First Flush 

-Second Flush 

-Autumn Flush 

Game 3: Know the Processing Steps that Create Indian Black Teas

There are two main methods for processing Indian black teas: The Orthodox Method and the CTC Method. 

For this game, write the Orthodox Method on the front of notepaper. On the back of the notepaper, note the following process steps with 5 to 10 characteristics. When this is done, quiz yourself until you know all the steps in the Orthodox Method. 

The Orthodox Method Process Steps to describe follow:  

-withering 

-rolling

-oxidation 

-drying 

-sorting 

Use the same game style to describe the CTC Method on notebook paper and quiz yourself.  

Game 4: Know the Grades of Indian Black Tea 

"This grading system to grades of whole-leaf tea. The most important aspect is the number of buds (pekoes). The more buds a tea contains, the more letters in the appellation,” Tea by Gascone et al. 

On index cards, note the following abbreviations on the front of the index card and what they mean on the back. Then, quiz yourself with the cards for following acronyms:

-SFTGFOP 

-FTGFOP 

-TGFOP

-GFOP 

-FOP 

-OP 

 -Tippy 

-Golden 

-Flowery 

-Orange 

-Pekoe 

-1 

-S 

Game 5: Main Indian Tea Types 

For the main Indian tea types listed in Tea by Gascoyne et al., note the tea type on the front of an index card. 

On the back of the index card, note the following information:  

-tea family (usually black for Indian teas) 

-production areas 

-harvest season 

-cultivar 

There are 8 main tea types listed in Tea by Gascoyne et al. 

Game 6: Reward 

Once you have mastered all facts in this Darjeeling Tea Game, make some Darjeeling or Assam tea and enjoy a cup. 

For more information on Indian food and culture, the following books may be of interest: 

-Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne, François Marchand, Jasmin Desharnais, and Hugo Américi 

-Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and The Future of American Power by Robert D. Kaplan 

-Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni 

-Classic Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Julie Sahni 

I have written about two Hindu festivals that my family has participated in on my blog. Links to these blogs follow: 

-Ganesh Puja in Carmel, California 

Ganesh Puja Holiday

-Diwali in Monterey, California and Norfolk, Virginia 

Diwali Festival

Happy Tea Sipping! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France -

Yunnan: The Chinese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget

Yunnan: The Chinese Tea Game Created by Ruth Paget 

This is a game for tea drinkers, people who would like to learn more about China, and food and beverage industry workers who would like to advance in their careers.

Items Needed to Organize Yunnan: 

-The book Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne, François Marchand, Jasmin Desharnais, and Hugo Américi 

-Index cards – large and small 

-notebook paper 

-pens 

-boxes of Chinese tea to be used as a prize for mastering all information 

Yunnan Game Objectives: 

1-Know the families of different teas and their characteristics 

2-Know the main cultivars or cultivated varieties of tea grown in China 

3-Know the process steps for the tea families that give them their final characteristics 

4-Know the terroirs where tea is grown in China and be able to locate the region on a map 

5-Know the most famous teas from the different regions 

Game 1 – Tea Families Definition 

All tea begins as a green leaf, but different processing methods produce teas with specific characteristic for flavor and medicinal value. 

For this game, you will place the tea family name on the front of an index card and the definition of the tea family written in your own words on the back. 

If you are unsure of a word’s pronunciation, use Google’s pronunciation feature (type the word followed by the word “pronunciation” in the Google search bar. A speaker icon will appear that you can tap to hear the pronunciation.) 

Use the tea book mentioned in the materials section to look up the following tea families:  

-white teas

 -green teas 

-yellow teas 

-wulong teas 

-black teas 

-aged teas (learn the names of the specific teas they list as examples) 

Game 2: China’s Main Cultivars or Cultivated Varieties of Tea Leaf 

Cultivars or cultivated varieties are similar to varietals or grape varieties in wine making. 

There are four main cultivars or tea varieties grown in China. For these cultivars, write the name on the front of an index card and 5 to 10 facts on the back to memorize about it, especially the terroirs or areas where it is grown in China. 

The following four cultivars are the main ones grown in China: 

-Fuding Da Bai 

-Long Jing 43 

-Tie Guan Yin 

-Zhu Ye 

Game 3: Know the Process Steps that Create the Different Tea Families 

This game will require notebook paper to play.

First, note the tea family on the front of the notebook paper. Use the tea book in the materials section to note the number of process steps for each tea family. The number of steps differs to create the characteristics of each tea family.  

Memorize the tea family and the number of process steps to make it. Then, use the tea book to list the tea family name of the front of a sheet of notebook paper. Next, list each process step name and a description of the process in your own words. 

Finally, memorize the tea family name and the definition of each step used to make it. 

Game 4: Know China’s Main Tea Terroirs 

Use the map on page 42 of the print edition of the Tea book in the materials section to locate China’s main tea terroirs. Write the following regions down on index cards. On the back, note the main province and large cities in each region: 

-Southwest Region 

-Southeast Region 

-South of the Yangzi Jiang River Region 

-North of the Yangzi Jiang River Region 

Game 5: Chinese Tea Types 

Tea types are similar to different kinds of wine like Burgundy and Bordeaux. 

For this game, you will need large index cards and a pen. On the front of the index card, note the tea type and on the back note the characteristics listed in the tea book. Learn a tea type and one characteristic at a time. Learn three tea types as a group before moving on to the next three. 

Note the following characteristics for each tea type:  

-tea family 

-name translation 

-alternative names 

-harvest season 

-cultivar 

There are 12 tea types listed with 5 pieces of information for each tea. 5 x 12 makes 60 pieces of information to learn. 

Game 6: Reward Drink some Chinese tea for mastering this game. 

For cultural information, the following books provide a good introduction to Chinese food: 

-Tea: History Terroirs Varieties by Kevin Gascoyne, Francois Marchand, Jasmin Deshaun’s, and Hugo Americi

-The Food of China by E.N. Anderson 

-Invitation to a Banquet by Fuchsia Dunlop 

-Complete Chinese Cookbook by Ken Hom 

I have written three blogs on Hong Kong’s tea lunch or dim sum that show one way that tea is used in Chinese culture: 

Chicago Dim Sum

Chicago Dim Sum 

Millbrae Dim Sum (San Francisco Suburb) Dim Sum 

Millbrae Dim Sum

Salinas, California Dim Sum 

Salinas Dim Sum

Northern and Southern Chinese Food Differences

Northern and Southern Chinese Food

Have fun learning about Chinese culture! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Cabbage Economics: More than Sauerkraut by Ruth Paget

Cabbage Harvest:  More than Sauerkraut by Ruth Paget

I would drive my family bonkers every winter when we lived in Wisconsin by making brats loaded with warm sauerkraut and brown German mustard for dinner on University of Wisconsin football game days and walk around wearing my UW cheesehead.

Laurent and Florence opted for Culver’s cheeseburgers.

If you really want to make sauerkraut at home, this video show the two-ingredient method with cabbage and salt.  I would store sauerkraut in the refrigerator, but this video presents conditions where you can store sauerkraut out of the refrigerator:

Sauerkraut Video

There is actually a lot you can do with cabbage that is not sour like Dijon roast pork with apples and cabbage.  

I wrote a blog on cabbage that details great recipes and cookbook resources for cabbage noted below:

Cabbage Recipes for Winter

Cabbage is full of Vitamin C, a great antioxidant.  That fact makes me like it even with brats.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Reading Steinbeck for Banned Books Week October 5 - 11, 2025 posted by Ruth Paget

For Banned Books Week 2025, my family went to the John Steinbeck House Gift Shop and purchased several books including Grapes of Wrath, which has been banned at different times of history as well as Of Mice and Men.

The store has Penguin versions of the books as well as collector first editions of our local Nobel Prize winner.

You can combine a book shopping outing with lunch upstairs in Steinbeck’s home.  The restaurant menu features seasonal items. 

Free parking is available on the street on a first come-first served basis.  I have  listed their website below:

https://steinbeckhouse.com/

Back in the 2000s, I reviewed the Steinbeck House Restaurant for the Monterey County Weekly (Curculation: 200,000).

https://ruthpaget.blogspot.com/2018/02/lunching-at-steinbecks-childhood-home.html?m=1

The National Steinbeck Center houses a museum devoted to the works of John Steinbeck.  There is a large parking garage next to the Steinbeck Center. For information, their website follows:

https://steinbeck.org/

Tour groups might arrange to see films based on Steinbeck’s books at the Fox Theatre on Main Street in downtown Salinas.

Agata Popcada at the Monterey County Weekly wrote a nice online article about Henry Miller, a Big Sur resident, whose books have also been banned:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_personal/199d0945fb6cbee9

Information about the Henry Miller Library and its events follows:

https://www.henrymiller.org/ https://www.henrymiller.org/

Carmel Valley author Jane Smiley has had her book A Thousand Acres banned in several school districts despite being a Pulitzer Prize winner.  Book information about A Thousand Acres follows:

A Thousand Acres Book Information

Information about Banned Book Week follows:

https://www.ala.org/bbooks/banned

Note: Steinbeck’s Books follow:

-Cup of Gold

-The Pastures of Heaven

-To a God Unknown

-Tortilla Flat

-In Dubious Battle

-The Harvest Gypsies

-The Red Piny

-Of Mice and Men

-The Long Valley

-The Grapes of Wrath

-Forgotten Village

-The Sea of Cortez

-Bombs Away

-The Moon is Down

-Cannery Row

-The Moon is Down

-The Wayward Bus

-The Pearl

-A Russian Journal

-Burning Bright

-The Log from the Sea of Cortez

-East of Eden

-The Short Reign of Pippin IV

-Once There was a War

-America and Americans

-Journal of a Novel

-Steinbeck: A Life in Letters

-Viva Zapata!

-The Acts of King Arthur and his Bold Knights

-Working Days: The Journals of the Grapes of Wrath

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Breton Crepes for a few days by Ruth Paget

The magic mix of eggs, milk, flour, salt, and oil makes delicious crepes you can fill with butter and cheese or a salad with chèvre goat cheese.  This little pile will last for two or three days.

My husband Laurent made these beauties! A bottle of homeopathic Elderberry gummies full of Vitamin C sits by the crepes.

My recipe for crepes follows:

California Crepes Recipe

Trader Joe’s sells hard (alcoholic) cider like the French drink to go with these crepes.

Text and photo by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Seagull Munching on Guano at Pebble Beach, California video by Ruth Paget

While waiting to film brown pelicans at Pebble Beach, California, I saw a seagull eating guano on a rock with waves crashing behind it and brown pelicans doing fly-bys  behind it.  

The sound of the waves crashing is excellent on the video below:

Guano is bird feces.  It is highly sought as a fertilizer and wars have been fought over it.

Video and text by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Oktoberfest at Asilomar on October 11, 2025 in Pacific Grove, California reposted by Ruth Paget

Oktoberfest is being celebrated on October 11, 2025 at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, California.

For information about tickets, I have reposted the Monterey County Weekly calendar posting below:

Oktoberfest at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, California

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Shipwrecks of the Monterey Peninsula Talk on October 18, 2025 in Monterey, California reposted by Ruth Paget

There will be a talk on Shipwrecks of the Monterey Peninsula on October 18, 2025 in Monterey, California at California’s First Theatre.

For details about this event, I have reposted information from The Monterey County Weekly:

Shipwrecks of the Monterey Peninsula

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France 

Brown Pelican Soaring Home at Nightfall in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Brown Pelicans Soaring Home at Nightfall Photo in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Patient Ruth catches a brown pelican on an updraft of wind on the way home at nightfall:

Photo and text by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Salade a la Tourangelle in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

My husband Laurent’s French grandfather from Tours, France served what he called a Salade a la Tourangelle, Tours salad, made up of lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and chèvre goat cheese with vinaigrette at its most basic.

Laurent’s grandfather was a wine merchant and his grandmother ran an epicerie in the country.  An epicerie is like an upscale convenience store.  Mamie’s epicerie most definitely sold wine vinegar, which is used in the vinaigrette for salad a la Tourangelle.

I went to The Farm in Salinas, California and bought organic lettuce and an heirloom tomato for my salad.  I went down Main Street to Star Market and bought Humboldt Fog goat cheese.  Nob Hill makes a store brand chèvre goat cheese, which helps pay employee salaries that I also buy.

Today, I put those ingredients together to make Salade a la Tourangelle at home, which is pictured below:

This salad is super easy to make.  We ate slices of apple caramel crisp pie for dessert from The Farm as well, which is open year-round for bakery purchases.

Wine vinegar is also a no-food waste product par excellence.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Free E-Book UChicago Press October Reposted by Ruth Paget

The University of Chicago Press Free E-Book for October is The New Promethius: Faith Science, and the Supernatural Mind in the Victorian Fin de Siecle by Courtenay Raia.

People interested in Victorian England might like this nonfiction book about the era.

Information about the book follows:

The New Promethius Free-Book

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Organic Salad Lunch from Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Organic Salad Lunch from Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

I made a delicious organic salad with items I bought at Nob Hill Supermarket. 

I used mini red leaf and green leaf lettuce from Tanimura and Antle in Salinas Valley, Roma tomatoes, and California avocados from Southern California. 

Gathered ingredients - the walnut and olive oil come from California, top.

Salad made with organic radishes and grapes to complete the meal.

Walnut oil and Napa Valley Red Wine Vinegar

Salad gone with Pount Reyes Rosemary, Thyme, and Basil cheese and slices of Sopprasetta sausage made by Columbus, a California company.

Photos and text by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

New Life in Fall at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

New Life Popping Up Among the Old at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

White and yellow native plants buds in the sagebrush but off from a hot spell.  The cool ocean breezes are most welcome.

Native Plant Volunteers keep Pebble Beach looking good!

Native Plant Volunteers Information

Photo and text by Ruth Paget

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Sagebrush on the Beach at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

We have had a succession of hot days that has dried the sagebrush plants by the shore at Pebble Beach, California:

Even dry the sagebrush is photogenic.

The Native Plant Volunteers keep Pebble Beach looking good:

Native Plant Volunteers Information

Photos and text by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Wing Wednesdays at Alvarado Street Brewery in Monterey, California reposted by Ruth Paget

Wing Wednesdays is a great no-food waste initiative at Alvarado Street Brewery in  Monterey, California.  They offer a variety of sauces and….beers.  If you arrive early enough, the wings are half price. 

Details on pricing and dates follow:

Wing Wednesdays at Alvarado Street Brewery

Many neighborhoods also have Wing Stop Restaurants for wings every day of the week.  

Black Bear Diner in Salinas has an 8-wing plus fries basket that I like.  The garlic-Parmesan dipping sauce is pretty awesome for the wings.  I also liked the huckleberry cobbler, because it was not too sweet.

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France