wine country delights

Hi bento pals! Long time, no post--we are on vacation in Northern California and soaking up the incredibly beautiful scenery and spirit of this place. Also taking a million pictures and staying at a place with very slow internet service, so I'll let this one bento represent some of the delights of this area thus far...

It contains a yummy dungeness crab and shrimp salad sandwich on toasted sourdough bread from a great restaurant near the San Francisco Ferry Building, cherries from the magical Sebastopol Farmer's Market and purple radish and tender lettuce from the same spot. Hope you are all having a great week, I'll have much to share when I return from this trip!

spring salad bento

Hi bento pals! Spring is merging into summer here very quickly here!

For lunch today, a cooling combination with Middle Eastern inspirations: chicken sauteed with dried coriander, lemon and almonds, dressed with a yogurt-garlic sauce and fresh mint:

Greek style salad with farmer's market greens, feta, baby radish and red onions with a light white vinegar dressing, and juicy sweet watermelon (such a cooling fruit) also in the bento. A peach rounds out lunch...

Our purple clematis is unfurling its bright petals this week!

I admire this delicate amethyst-toned hydrangea in a friend's front yard each spring...

Happy Friday and weekend, guys!

late may flowers, mini croissant bento

Hi bento pals! I'm so happy with the tropical-colored rose pictured above; it is blooming on a rose bush that has struggled in past years and this month is producing several radiant blossoms...

Today's lunch was simple, sunny and French-inspired, featuring a mini-croissant filled with crab remoulade salad. It keeps company with haricots verts and artichoke hearts almondine, mint, an apricot and a pistachio macaron:

Some favorite sweet things...

Looking forward to a fun weekend, hope you'll have one too!