Great Courses Travel Downloads Look Enticing! Reposted by Ruth Paget

The Great Courses are offering several travel courses to help prepare for trips or do armchair traveling.  

Three of the courses I Thought looked very good include:

-Rome in the Time of Caesars

-Exploring Southern Italy’s History, Art, and Archaeology

-Ancient Treasures of Turkey

Information about these courses follows:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_promo/19f845cec88a1a31

I have used Great Courses to study photography, macroeconomics, nutrition, and tai chi and qigong and have been happy with the course offerings.

It is fun to browse through their entire course catalog.

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 and 8 Classical Western Civilization War Games

-developer of food and beverage knowledge games

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

-creator of French travel and culture games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist - whose work includes mother lines research editing 250 of my grandmother Pennington's recipes and writing Monterey County Cookbook about my Monterey Peninsula California kitchen

-developer of 9 music theory games

Pretty Great Garlic Chicken at Golden Star Chinese Restaurant in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

Pretty Great Garlic Chicken at Golden Star Chinese Restaurant in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

One of my favorite Chinese food-as-medicine dishes is garlic chicken. At Golden Star Restaurant in Salinas (California), garlic chicken is especially delicious with the addition of seasonal, organic vegetables. 

Golden Star’s garlic chicken is similar to the one by Teresa Shields makes on Allrecipes.com, which calls for: 

1-Heating peanut oil in a wok and stir-frying garlic, ginger, and green onions. These vegetables are called the aromatics for flavoring the peanut oil. 

2-Chicken pieces are added and stir-fried till opaque. More garlic is added and stir-fried. 

3-Sweet onions, bell peppers, and cabbage are next added in and stir-fried. The onions and bell peppers are called seasonings and flavor the chicken and other vegetables.

4-At Golden Star, the restaurant adds thinly sliced carrots and mushrooms to the mixture above and stir-fries them. 

5-A small amount of chicken broth is added next, and the wok is covered.

6-While the wok contents are steaming, the cook makes a sauce of chicken broth, soy sauce, a little sugar, and cornstarch. The cornstarch thickens the sauce. The sauce is added and stirred till steaming. The garlic chicken is served immediately with rice. 

The combination of garlic and vegetables in this dish is delicious, especially the mushrooms which bring out the umami flavor in the garlic chicken. 

Golden Star is an unpretentious neighborhood Chinese restaurant that makes use of the choice of 200+ vegetables grown in the Salinas Valley outside Salinas, California. 

I initially went to Golden Star Chinese Restaurant to support a local business and loved how good the food was. Their large menu can accommodate just about all diners. 

The food at Golden Star Chinese Restaurant is reasonably priced and merits a look on the online menu for interested potential customers. 

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 and 8 Classical Western Civilization War 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 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist - whose work includes mother lines research editing 250 of my grandmother Pennington's recipes and writing Monterey County Cookbook about my Monterey Peninsula California kitchen

-developer of 9 music theory games

Reliably Delicious Food at Woody's at the Monterey Airport (15 minutes from Salinas, California) by Ruth Paget

Reliably Delicious Food at Woody’s at the Monterey Airport (15 minutes away from Salinas, California) by Ruth Paget 

Thanks to visitors from around the US and overseas, the menu at Woody’s Bar and Grill at the Monterey Airport offers a variety of dishes including traditional American bar fare and items like potstickers, seared ahi salad, and sirloin bites for golfers, professors, comfortable retirees, and TV and movie stars. 

On a recent (July 2026) visit to Woody’s after several hot days, my family went to dinner at Woody’s. We arrived early to secure an upstairs booth in an air-conditioned room. (Reservations recommended) 

My daughter Florence Paget and my husband Laurent began their meal with cups of clam chowder. I ordered chicken potstickers, which were plump, meaty, juicy, and umami delicious. Nine came in what I thought was a generous portion for appetizers. 

I ordered what has become an American bar classic: fish and chips. At Woody’s, they serve three large pieces of Pacific Rock Cod that has a beer batter, deep-fried crust. I loved the creamy, tartar sauce with piquant pickles, and the spicy cocktail sauce with freshly grated horseradish. 

Laurent ordered a tomato – fennel cream pasta with a side of burrata cheese to go on grilled crostini. Florence ate a large sirloin steak with a baked potato with butter and cream cheese. People in town know that Woody’s has great steak, especially the prime rib special on Friday nights. 

For dessert, Laurent ate house made raspberry sorbet, and Florence drank an espresso martini. I love bar – restaurants that serve reliably delicious food like Woody’s at the Monterey Airport in California. 

Travelers and locals alike might be surprised by the variety of choices worthy of a steak and seafood restaurant on the shoreline. 

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 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist - whose work includes mother lines research editing 250 of my grandmother Pennington's recipes and writing Monterey County Cookbook about my Monterey Peninsula California kitchen

-developer of 9 music theory games

Good Deal Tex-Mex Fajitas Kit at Costco in Sand City, California by Ruth Paget

Good Deal Tex-Mex Fajitas Kit at Costco in Sand City, California by Ruth Paget 

The Tex-Mex fajitas kits at Costco in Sand City, California that sell for $22.86 (as of 6-20-2026) are a great deal for 3 to 4 people. 

I make these fajitas for 3 people for $7.62 per person. My family eats everything in the kit at one meal. 

The Costco fajitas kit includes: 

-pre-cooked, seasoned asada beef strips to be heated up in the microwave

-pre-cooked, seasoned al pastor chicken strips to be heated up in the microwave 

-sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers 

-sliced yellow onions 

-spicy red salsa 

-cilantro lime crema sauce 

-spicy cheese sauce to be warmed up 

-12 flour tortillas to be warmed up 

-4 lime quarters to squeeze in beer 

I heated the meat and chicken up for 4 minutes each in the microwave. I grilled the peppers and onions till they had char marks on a Cuisinart grill for 15 minutes. The vegetables reduced to 1/3 of their original size. I also warmed the tortillas for a minute till hot in the microwave. 

The meat and vegetables were sizzling hot when we all sat down to eat. (Handle the hot dishes and food with care.) We drank Peroni lager beers with lime juice squeezed in with our meal. 

My family has been eating fajitas at home to watch World Cup Soccer matches. (We ate Costco club sandwiches for some matches, too.) 

People who like Tex-Mex food might enjoy cooking fajitas at home to add to sports night dining options. 

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 and 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 French travel and culture games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist - whose work includes mother lines research editing 250 of my grandmother Pennington's recipes and writing Monterey County Cookbook about my Monterey Peninsula California kitchen

-developer of 9 music theory games

World Cup Final Watch Party at Salinas Soccer Complex on July 18 & 19, 2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

The Salinas Regional Soccer Complex will host a World Cup Soccer viewing party on July 18 & July 19, 2026 on the big screen.

The admission is free with some fundraising options.  Information follows:

https://salinassoccer.org/world-cup-watch-party-salinas-regional-soccer-complex/

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 French travel and culture games

-writer 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist - whose work includes mother lines research editing 250 of my grandmother Pennington's recipe and writing Monterey County Cookbook about my Monterey Peninsula California kitchen

-developer of 9 music theory games

90,000 attendees at the Salinas Rodeo this week reposted by Ruth Paget

Salinas Rodeo Brings Population Surge!

I read that 90,000 people are in town for the Salinas, California Rodeo this week with a concert by Grammy winner Miranda Lambert in the Monterey County Weekly’s online newsletter.

There is a weekly farmers’ market at the Rodeo from 4 pm to 9 pm with food, merchandise, and entertainment.  There is a farmers’ market with food trucks on Saturdays in Old Town Salinas as well.

We have Western clothing and boots stores galore in town with custom cowboy hat makers as well.

There is also a Salinas Rodeo Museum and Carnival at the Rodeo grounds.

Have fun!

By Ruth Paget

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

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast California lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist - whose work includes mother lines research editing 250 of my grandmother Pennington's recipes and writing Monterey County Cookbook about my Monterey Peninsula California kitchen

-developer of 9 music theory games

Easy Italian Starter Dishes by Ruth Paget

Easy Italian Starter Dishes by Ruth Paget 

Food Network star Giada de Laurentis writes in her book Giada in the Kitchen (Available on Amazon Kindle) that she studied cooking in Rome and worked as a personal chef before appearing on television. 

I think being a personal chef is a good gig job to earn extra money to pay bills and/or invest that can turn into full-time work, if desired in the food industry. 

De Laurentis makes use of seasonal produce, which Salinas (California) has in abundance in its six farmers’ markets and supermarkets selling organic produce. 

Three of the recipes in Giada in the Kitchen that I think are great for ease of preparation and maximum flavor follow: 

*Tomato, Watermelon, and Basil Skewers with a sweet Balsamic vinaigrette sprinkled on them 

*Roman Summer Salad made with Balsamic vinegar, green and black olives, parsley, crushed anchovy filets, capers, garlic chives, pepper, olive oil, and tomatoes 

*Hearty tomato soup made with puréed onions, carrots, garlic, white cannellini beans, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and rosemary. To this puréed mixture, you fold in heavy cream beaten into peaks. 

De Laurentis calls this hearty tomato soup an après-ski dish. 

Giada in the Kitchen by Giada de Laurentis has many recipes that can be used by personal chefs, caterers, and home cooks. That is what I find to be the real beauty of her books. 

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 Museum

-creator of French Travel and Culture Games

-writer of 1800+ Central Coast Californian lifestyle blogs

-family genealogist - whose work includes mother lines research editing 250 of my grandmother Pennington's recipes and writing Monterey County Cookbook about my Monterey Peninsula California kitchen

-developer of 9 music theory games