Mona Johnson

Another place that actually exists but looks like CGI 😳

This is a real place 🤯 and we swam here 😍💙💎

Literal fantasyland outside our window in Hvar✨

Golden hour on Hvar Island✨

Motovun at sunset✨

Simple summer fare. Pasta in a pool of silky kale and basil sauce, tiny homegrown potatoes, tender green beans and garden fleurs.

Reflections on a year well lived 🤍 It was not an easy year by any standards—and I’ve got the scars to prove it—but I’m grateful for every experience that challenged, lifted, pushed, shaped and inspired me into new realms. This year I turned 50, and I liked it. Yes, age is just a number and all that, but 50 is a big one for everyone—especially women. I wondered if it would feel like crossing some sort of threshold, and it did, though not in the ways I expected. Turns out, it’s nice to relax into yourself a bit, to care a little less about what people think and more about finding joy, peace and comfort in your own skin. This photo was taken on my birthday in Greece as the sun set over the Aegean, drinking champagne with my sister, my best friend, my mom and the love of my life ✨A perfect moment✨ You don’t get too many of those, so cherish the fuck out of them when they happen. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to open a bottle of bubbly and toast to the sunset of another year of my mostly imperfect yet still wonderful life! Cheers to endings that bring new beginnings and all that lies ahead🥂

Make this for someone you love. Apricot, triple cream, marcona almond, honey, good olive oil, herbs and flowers. #chezmona

HEALING: A love story (with food) For the past few weeks I’ve been recovering from a surgery and I’ve found myself in the rather unique position of not being able to take care of myself. It’s a strange and humbling thing to not be capable, to have to rely on others. How fortunate I am for friends and family who sent cards, messages, flowers, food and gifts. How thankful I am that my mom and Jaret were by my side to guide me back to health. These two showed up to fluff my pillows and bring me meds, keep me hydrated and hold my hand. But mostly they showed me how much they love me through food. They know this is the language we share and understand, and so day after day they made me healing soups, stews and curries, comforting quiches, dumplings and childhood favorites. I felt the love and care in each bite. @msnoralee and @pdxoystersocial , I really can’t thank you enough for your generosity, selflessness and kindness. I couldn’t have done this without you and I’m overwhelmed with such gratitude that we have each other in this life. I love you to the moon and back 🤍

The last of the baby artichokes from the garden, with peas, cherry tomatoes, burrata and mint 🌿

Dungeness Crab Louie with garden bits and bobs 🥗🦀🌿🌸

Can you just crack some eggs into it and call it shakshuka? Label it what you will, but this little stew of eggs, potatoes, baby turnips and their greens, gigande beans and lots of herbs from the garden was delicious served with dollops of ricotta and good toast with an appropriate amount of butter 🍳💚🧈