Month: May 2025

Where to order zhajiangmian and jjajangmyeon noodles in Los Angeles

Where to order zhajiangmian and jjajangmyeon noodles in Los Angeles

Published by Sam Flores

Zhajiangmian was one of the first dishes my mother taught me how to make. I’d stand beside her in the kitchen, watching her stir fermented soybean paste into sizzling ground pork, the smell sharp, earthy and instantly familiar. A pot of noodles boiled nearby as I carefully julienned cucumbers, proud to contribute to one of my favorite comfort meals. When the ingredients were ready, we’d build our bowls with noodles, sauce and a handful of crisp veggies. Then came the best part — mixing it together until every noodle was slick with sauce. It wasn’t fancy, but it was fast, filling and always hit the spot. According to Tian Yong, head chef of Bistro Na in Temple City, humble zhajiangmian may date back to the Qing Dynasty, when minced meat noodles became popular in Beijing for its affordability and ease of storage. Another origin story tells of an empress dowager who, fleeing an invasion, encountered a zhajiangmian-like dish in Xi’an. However it came to be, zhajiangmian, or “fried sauce noodles,” is everyday comfort food in …

“Do not be afraid…. believe” Mark 5:36 – OpentheWord.org

“Do not be afraid…. believe” Mark 5:36 – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

By Jeanne Doyon Being afraid is probably the biggest obstacle for me when it comes to believing. I think the enemy loves it when I “what if” everything to death. The what-ifs act like bungey cords around my heart…no way am I going to let go of all the possible pitfalls. As I read the passage in Mark 5, Jesus is on His way to the home of a synogogue offical named Jairus. Jairus has pleaded with Jesus to heal his daughter who is sick at home. While traveling, the crowd following Jesus gets thicker and they begin to press in on Him and the disciples. Jesus notices that power has been released, and finds that a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years was healed simply by touching the hem of his garment. I can imagine the crowd being amazed at this unfolding before their eyes. The woman, outcast because of her uncleaness has been not only healed of her issue of blood, but restored to her community as well when Jesus proclaimed her healed. Jairus …

Best botanical gardens in Southern California for shade, inspiration

Best botanical gardens in Southern California for shade, inspiration

Published by Sam Flores

Visiting Moorten Botanical Garden in Palm Springs is a step back in time, and worth the visit not just for the plants but the commentary from its gregarious, white-haired proprietor, Clark Moorten, who usually greets visitors at the entrance. This quirky, endearing garden is one of the last remnants of old Palm Springs, when there was time to watch little birds flit fearlessly among the thorns, marvel at a palm that grows sideways about 8 feet before it grows up and listen spellbound to Moorten’s wonderful and seemingly endless stories. The garden itself is small — roughly an acre of mature, artfully arranged cactuses and desert plants along shady dirt paths with hand-lettered signs, decaying desert artifacts and the famous “cactarium,” a word invented by Moorten’s mother, Patricia, who with his father, Chester “Slim” Moorten, began expanding the garden, established in 1938, after they bought the property in 1955. The cactarium, by the way, is a small weathered Quonset hut stuffed with weird and rare cactuses — some of which wind along the ground like …

Is this prophecy? – OpentheWord.org

Is this prophecy? – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

US Capitol, Washington, DCCredit: Jorge Alcala, Unsplash.com Have you heard about the news that hasn’t happened yet? I’m not talking about Bible Prophecy, but about an article from a secular journalist, who sees something big coming soon. An article from “Time”, a world class source of journalism, tells us that “WorldPride is about to collide with Donald Trump’s Washington.”  Whatever your opinion is about a celebration called “WorldPride” and whatever you think about Donald Trump, it is strange to report something that has not happened yet. Usually, a reporter “reports” about something that has already happened, and then that past event can be analyzed and discussed, and argued about. I don’t think this prediction reporting, almost like prophecy, is bad journalism. It is a picture of the strange times that we are living in. Some things are obvious before they happen, and we need to understand.  The world around us is changing. Brace yourself. If you want to see the article from “Time”, here is a link: So, an organization that identifies as “WorldPride”, a …

Underground Scans of Noah’s Ark Site Finds Evidence of a Boat Like Structure – OpentheWord.org

Underground Scans of Noah’s Ark Site Finds Evidence of a Boat Like Structure – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

The unique boat like structure at Durupinar site in Turkey fits the Biblical dimensions of Noah’s ark.Credit: Mfikretyilmaz/Wikipedia/Creative Commons 3.0 There is a boat-shaped formation in Turkey’s Ararat mountains, that some believe may be the site where Noah’s ark came to rest after the flood. Referred to as Durupinar, it is located 18 miles (29 kms) south of Mount Ararat. Many believe that the Ark rested on Mount Ararat. However, this is not the case. The Bible states that the ark came to rest in the mountains (plural) of Ararat not on Mount Ararat itself (Genesis 8:4). Recently a group of researchers released the results of underground scans done at the site to determine if there was evidence beneath the surface that backs up claims this is the Ark, the New York Post reports. First this unusual formation matches the Ark’s dimensions found in the Bible. “It is exactly what you’d expect to find if this were a man-made boat, consistent with the biblical specifications of Noah’s Ark,” said Andrew Jones, a member of the …

Best California diners and restaurants to visit on a road trip

Best California diners and restaurants to visit on a road trip

Published by Sam Flores

La Super-Rica is a California original, a culinary mecca in a taco shack setting devoted to chile, cheese, charred meat and masa. It’s true that there are other Santa Barbara taquerias with more inventive salsas (pistachio at Mony’s) or adventurous cuts of meat (beef head, cheek or lip tacos at Lilly’s, with eye and tripas on weekends). And, yes, you will be standing in the fast-moving line with other out-of-towners who may have read about the long-ago accolades from Julia Child or spotted a replica of the white-and-aqua stand in Katy Perry’s “This Is How We Do” video. Yet as an Angeleno with hometown access to some of the world’s best tacos from nearly every Mexican region, I rarely pass the Milpas Street exit off the 101 without joining the crowd. My late husband and this paper’s former restaurant critic, Jonathan Gold, was a Super-Rica partisan, and both of my now-grown children remain loyal to the restaurant founded in 1980 by Isidoro Gonzalez. But it’s not nostalgia that brings me back. I’m here for the …

Tried and Reviewed by NBC Select

Tried and Reviewed by NBC Select

Published by Sam Flores

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside your home may be more polluted than the air outdoors. One way to improve your air quality indoors is by using an air purifier — they can filter air contaminants like dust, pollen and smoke. The NBC Select team has used air purifiers to filter pollen, odors, pet hair and even wildfire smoke from our homes for years. My colleagues and I have tested over a dozen options, and spoke with experts to find the best air purifiers for your space. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. The best air purifiers in 2026 Most of the below recommendations are staff favorites from large filtration brands like Coway, Levoit and Blueair. Below each recommendation I share specifications I think you should know like recommended room size (based on the CDC’s and AHAM’s ACH guidelines), filter lifespan and more. In January 2026. I updated our list to include the Mila Air 3. Best for small rooms Recommended Room Size …

The Results of Paul’s Preaching on Mars Hill – OpentheWord.org

The Results of Paul’s Preaching on Mars Hill – OpentheWord.org

Published by Sam Flores

Paul Preaching in Athensby George Baxter, 1855, Wikipedia, Public Domain And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. — Acts 17:32,33 By Rick Renner There are a wide variety of reactions to the preaching of truth. I’ll give you an example from my own life — a personal experience I will never forget when I received multiple mixed reactions to a message I preached. I remember how stunned I was at the different ways people responded to what I ministered. To me, the message was thrilling, life-changing, and powerful, and I was so excited about the prospect of preaching it. I could hardly wait for the day to come to deliver what God had put on my heart, since I anticipated that people would respond to it the same way it had affected me. However, when I preached the message, people’s reaction was not exactly what I expected! By the time I had finished preaching, it …