My first visit to Los Angeles (as a grown-up) is off to a fine start, mainly because we’ve started every morning with something like this.

My house host, also LA Food Swap host, Emily, glides through her breezy Silver Lake kitchen. A view of the reservoir and a strange and yet to be identified fruit out one of the windows, and the pencil-thin leaves of another native tree (we’re in the process of identifying) out the others. I’m enjoying being at home in a friend’s kitchen, and watching her do her thing, which she does so well.

Since I packed gluten-free oats in my suitcase (a bit of homemade GF granola greed plus running out of time to make it before leaving prompted my prescience), Emily was able to whip up this amazing date-almond-oat tart crust, a perfect receptacle for Greek yogurt and whatever fruit you have on hand. She posted the recipe on the Kitchn, and I definitely plan on making it at home lots.

Yesterday morning started out with a special artisan yogurt from Northern CA, Saint Benoit. Meyer lemon flavor + a cute ceramic cup to stash small cute things in = win.

And this morning.

Good thing I also threw in my suitcase a few scoops of my gluten-free sandwich bread dry mix. A few slices from the loaf I made last night made perfect platemates with slow scrambled eggs this morning. The chive blossoms were almost too pretty to eat (though my stomach did indeed overcome their enchanting powers).

What a charming way to start the day. What’s on your breakfast table this week?