I read in the Monterey County online that there are 520 vendors at the Otter Classic Bike Race this year and 70,000 attendees! Incredible. I think the traffic was well organized this year, too.
Comment by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
The Salinas International Airshow is set for October 4 to 5, 2025.
Tickets on sale now.
Click below for more information:
Click for Salinas International Airshow Information
Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Most upscale grocery stores have a bakery department where you can order a sheet-pan flag cake for July 4th with some advance planning.
Hot dogs can be dressed up with warm sauerkraut and brown mustard.
Horseradish-mayonnaise is a nice dip for sliced, grilled vegetables.
Mustard-mayonnaise perks up hamburgers with lettuce and tomatoes.
A red, white, and blue tablecloth is a nice touch.
Kids can blow bubbles, learn the words to the national anthem (you can get paid to sing this as an adult as gig employment), and play memorization games.
Happy 4th of July in advance.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Whalefest is set for April 12 and 13 (2025) in Monterey, California - tours, talks, and family events - for more information, click on the event link below:
Have fun and plan early!
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
The 26th Asian Cultural Experience is happening in April 26, 2025 in Salinas. This event is organized by the Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese communities in Salinas.
For more information click on the press release link below:
Asian Cultural Experience information
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
The Poppy War Reviewed by Ruth Paget R.F. Kuang’s
The Poppy War is a fantasy-historical fiction novel that is loosely based on the period of Chinese (Nikara in the novel) history called The Rape of Nanjing or the Nanjing Massacre by Japan (The Federation of Mugen in the novel) during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937 – 1945).
Rin, the book’s main character, a dark-skinned peasant girl from the South, tests in the military academy at Sinegard, which rigorously prepares its students for a war that has not happened yet, but that will according to daily reminders from professors.
The entire school becomes mired in war much sooner than the characters think. The horrific atrocities induce many of the soldiers and leaders to use opium to continue fighting, particularly as food supplies dwindle and to invoke warrior deities.
In the two Opium Wars prior to the Sino-Japanese Wars, the Chinese fought to keep opium out of the country. However, by the time of The Poppy War that Kuang writes about, the Chinese population had begun to widely use opium (derived from poppies like heroin) despite its being illegal. As you read through The Poppy War, you can see its varying effects on soldiers, especially leaders.
One of the great lessons of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is that despite efforts to prepare for defensive war, a country can still suffer greatly and be invaded by other countries seeking land and/or wealth.
The Poppy War illustrates in devastating detail the atrocities of war in Nikara. This makes for difficult yet important reading for readers who are interested in real-life careers as:
-diplomats -war crimes assessors
-translators
-military personnel
-psychologist, especially for therapists dealing with victims of gang rape by enemy troops
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang uses the fantasy format to relate a historical incident like The Rape of Nanjing to make it supportable for readers who probably would have trouble reading about it in history books.
In the end, The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang acts as an excellent introduction to 20th century Chinese history.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
Hibachi Salmon and Mango Cheesecake at Roy’s in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget
Roy’s in Pebble Beach, California is like a little piece of Maui in Monterey County.
It is a Hawaiian themed restaurant that serves several fish selections worthy of a Japanese steak house. (Descendants of Japanese farm workers make up one of Hawaii’s large ethnic groups.)
I ordered the hibachi salmon at Roy’s, which is made with wild caught salmon (expect market pricing).
Hibachi refers to a flat-topped grill used to make this dish and the name for the sauce used to flavor the salmon. The citrusy sauce is made with soy sauce, honey, fresh squeezed lemon juice, sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger, and a little white pepper. (Recipe source: weekdaypescatarian.com). These ingredients are delicious alone and even better when mixed together.
The salmon is grilled first before adding the sauce. At Roy’s, the skin on the salmon is papery thin and crunchy. I ate it at Roy’s, but usually leave it at other restaurants.
Roy’s adds some theatrical flourishes to the hibachi salmon. They top it with silky, sweet pieces of preserved ginger. On top of the ginger, they place a swirling mound of shaved strands of daikon radish.
The hibachi salmon is served over rice with tender, steamed broccolini on the side. All the flavors blend together just like they are supposed to for an optimal dining experience.
The dessert was tops, too: a mango cheesecake with pink guava sauce and lemon icing made from tart, freshly squeezed lemons.
We sat at a window seat with a view on the ocean. I thought the terraced desk outside would be a great place to watch the sunset or listen to the bagpiper at 6 pm with an exotic dessert from Roy’s ($18 each) and a coffee.
Roy’s is a splurge restaurant, but it is much less expensive than eating a comparable meal in Maui.
If you want to eat a Hawaiian meal stateside, Roy’s restaurant in Pebble Beach, California is a great choice for you.
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France
