So many wonderful things going on. Where to start??

The Monterey Bay Aquarium  Café and Cindy's Waterfront Restaurant are now open. I'm so very excited and proud to be a part of this great aquarium, cooking sustainable seafood and other local, organic and sustainable foods. Tip: Download the aquarium's Seafood Watch app for responsible seafood decisions made easy. The restaurant is a taste of my Napa Valley restaurants with a real-live pizza oven, shaved asparagus from Dick Swank with fresh California mozzarella and lemon zest, crispy Castroville artichokes, Monterey Bay calamari, great farmed sturgeon from Passmore Ranch and so much more. (There are a few tickets left for the aquarium's Cooking for Solutions Gala Friday, May 17. Click here for info.)

Here in the Napa Valley, get ready to rock! BottleRock is happening May 9-12 and Cindy Pawlcyn Napa Valley (read: Sean) has been tapped to orchestrate the food and beverage for the entire festival. (I'm singing back-up vocals.) Have a blast and don't miss CPNV's booths.

Then, get ready to eat cake. We're celebrating Mustards Grill's 30th anniversary with Cake, Rattle and Roll - 30 Days of Cake! From May 17th through June 15th, look for a different yummy cake each day at all three restaurants. Pick up a Cake Reward card at any of the restaurants starting May 17 and get it stamped every day you buy cake during the madness. Mustards Grill gift certificates for the faithful!

"M" is for May at Mustards with Pour-Off Pair-Off menus every Thursday featuring morel mushrooms and more. Such fun and flavor.

Sean and I are thrilled to announce that Dustin Garibaldi has been promoted to General Manager at Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen. Dustin's been in key roles at Go Fish, Brassica, and Backstreet since 2006. Join us in congratulating him on his well-deserved promotion!

Backstreet's Supper Club (Wed. & Thurs.) features Southern cooking this month and I for one can't wait to try the crispy okra, Memphis-style BBQ pork ribs and John Trunk's fried chicken. Mmm mmm mmm...

At  CP's Wood Grill, the coffee BBQ ribs and Chinese BBQ duck are going gangbusters. (Gotta love a wood grill.) Guests are loving the steaks, West Coast crab roll, garden enchiladas and salads, too. Savor your favorites under the mulberry trees at the best restaurant patio in St. Helena.

Don't forget: Mother's Day is Sunday, May 12th. All three Napa Valley restaurants have fantastic menu additions planned just for her so make your reservations. Be there or be square!

Happy Mom's Day to all the girls,

P.S. Hope you enjoy this month's recipe for Passmore Ranch sturgeon with sake-braised shiitakes and grilled asparagus. It's perfect for the season.