Best Bento Box for Adults

Featured bento box available on Amazon

I'd like to review bento boxes to try and find the best bento box for adults, but first do you know what a bento box is?

Bento boxes are used in Japanese culture and are basically a single portion meal that people take for their lunch - these can be brought as a takeaway, but are traditionally made at home.

A few years ago when my child was in primary school bento boxes were hailed as the best thing for children's lunches.  This wasn't the basic bento box though, but rather the Kyaraben (character bento), which was basically a way of making your child's lunch box look like a work of art!

The idea behind the bento box is to ensure that you have a well balanced lunch that looks appealing, tastes good and is nutritious - why aren't we all preparing bento boxes?

I've used a few tupperware style containers with different sections in them to take to work in the past, but some of them aren't leakproof and others are just too big so let's have a look at some of the choices on the market today.

Bento Lunch Boxes for Adults

These two options both appear to have conquered one of the biggest problems when looking for bento boxes - they are leakproof!

The first option is actually a set of two bento boxes which means that if you're single you can have a spare which is very handy if like me you routinely leave your container at work!  If you're half of a couple then you can have a lunch box each - simple!   Oh no!   I've discovered that this option doesn't appear to be available on Amazon anymore.   I will leave the review in case you can source this brand at another location, but I have linked to a selection of Bento Boxes.

 PlusPoint Leakproof Bento Lunch Box Set -2 in 1
Not only are these lunch boxes leakproof as a whole, but apparently they are also leakproof between containers according to verified purchasers on Amazon.

This is a pet peeve of mine as I absolutely hate getting divided containers and packing your lunch nicely only to get to your destination and finding that everything has mixed together between compartments!

These boxes are also freezer friendly which I love as I do like to cook in bulk so I would love to have a few of these so that I can take something different every day of the week!

The next option has 4 compartments to it instead of 3, but is also the all important leakproof!

 YUMBOX TAPAS Larger Size (Antibes Blue) 4 compartment Leakproof Bento lunch box
This container is designed for lunches that are eaten cold or at room temperature I should note as the container is not designed to be microwaved. This isn't a problem with some people, but is definitely something to think about when choosing your lunch box.


Yum Box certainly seems to attract return customers which means they must be doing something right so as a bento box for an adult this one has to be a contender.

The Stainless Steel Bento Box

When I think of a stainless steel bento box it makes me think of the classic aluminium style bento box that was popular in Japan in Taisho period (1912-1926).

These are definitely not them though!

 This portable, insulated & leakproof stainless steel bento box is available in this gorgeous green as well as blue and pink and in my mind is simply gorgeous. The colors are very retro chic and I'd love any of them to take to work with me! This stainless steel insulated vacuum bento box is more my husbands style that my 'retro' favorite! It is much more conservative in looks. It also comes with a cool bag which helps to keep the heat in while also providing straps to help carry it. This Seed & Sprout Stacker Stainless Steel Bento Container markets itself as a plastic free, zero waste, eco-friendly, BPA-free, portion control lunchbox and I do love the look of it. Unfortunately this isn't leakproof which means that it's not for me!

Best Bento Lunch Box

So which of these boxes do you think is the best bento box for an adult?  It's hard to say as all adults are different in what they like to eat so obviously different boxes would be better for different people. I'd love you to tell me below which you think is the best bento box and I'll let people draw their own conclusions from what I've told them here.

Do you use a bento box? https://t.co/wtWFRT1lO5 - don't have boring lunches anymore! #ad #BentoBox #lunch pic.twitter.com/CpdsxOkqh5

— lou16 (@lou16) July 15, 2017

Personally I absolutely love the look of the green (I also love the blue and pink options not pictured by the way), stainless steel bento box, but it's not the one that would suit me the best.

For me the best bento box would be the one that comes in a two pack and I think I need to buy a few of them because being able to fill the largest compartment and then freeze it is perfect for me.  I can pull it out of the freezer the night before and then in the morning add some salad and fruit or yogurt to the box and I'm good to go!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Repel Sportsmen 30-Percent Deet Mosquito Repellent Wipes Reviewed

I have discovered a fabulous product that I absolutely must share! 

I hate mosquitoes. Well, truthfully, I hate mosquito bites.  I can't say that the little buggers themselves would affect me in any way if they didn't bite me.  I have heard all of the tips for wearing black, wearing socks, avoiding perfumes or scented anything, etc., but until we tried the mosquito wipes, nothing worked for me.  Those pesky creatures seemed to find a way to my skin no matter what I previously tried.  However, this past 4th of July, I stood in our normal open field taking photos of the fireworks without being eaten up by mosquitoes. 

Right before went outside, we wiped our feet, ankles, legs, arms and the backs of our hands with the wipes.  That simple application worked miracles.  I only got 3 mosquito bites this year and they were on the tops of my fingers.  You see, I didn't use the wipes on my fingers simply because I didn't want to accidentally touch my eyes, so I didn't apply the wipes to my fingers. 
 

Repel Insect Mosquito Repellent Wipes

 Repel 94100 Sportsmen 30-Percent Deet Mosquito Repellent Wipes, 15 CountWhen my husband suggested we try the Repel Mosquito Repellent wipes, I admit, I expected it to be an exercise in futility.  After all, nothing else had ever keep those buggers from biting me and leaving me with ugly welts, itching and scratching for days.

In addition to the discomfort of the bites, the increased concerns for the diseases mosquitoes carry and transmit, we really needed to find some solutions.  We previously purchased the Flowtron Bug Zapper that Bev Owens recommended here on Review This and it works great in our backyard.  However, we can't carry it with us when we go hiking in the woods or stand in open, damp fields to take photos.  

I'm just one great big tasty target for all the mosquitoes in our county when I go outside.  Mosquitoes really steal a portion of my joy when I venture into the great outdoors.  At least they used to have the affect on me.  Now, I won't go out without my Repel Mosquito Repellent Wipes!

I prefer the wipes to a spray.  The wipes are so much easier to use.  Plus, the resealable package allows me to carry the wipes in my camera bag and pull them out as needed before I get out of the car.  I do wear a nitrile glove when I use the wipes.  As I previously stated, I don't want the repellent on my finger tips to be inadvertently rubbed in my eyes.

These awesome Repel Wipes also claim to protect against ticks, chiggers, gnats, and fleas.  Now that is just fantastic!  I hate ticks more than mosquitoes.

 

 Repel Insect Repellent Mosquito Wipes, Repels Mosquitoes, Ticks, Gnats and Other Listed Pests, 30% DEET (15 Wipes) Travel SizedCheck Price Med PRIDE NitriPride Nitrile-Vinyl Blend Exam Gloves, Medium 100 - Powder Free, Latex Free & Rubber FreeCheck Price Repel 94100 Sportsmen 30-Percent Deet Mosquito Repellent Wipes, 2 Packs of 20 Count - 40 Total!Check Price

 

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Repel Sportsmen 30-Percent Deet Mosquito Repellent Wipes Reviewed by:

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Review of Port Clyde Maine

Marshall Point Lighthouse

A Trip to Port Clyde

 

During a June trip to the Rockland/Camden area in Maine we decided to take a day trip to Port Clyde.  Port Clyde is a delightful midcoast fishing village that is about 20 minutes from the Rockland area. It was a beautiful clear day and I thought the blue sky would work well with the white lighthouse and gangplank.

Marshall Point Lighthouse

 

Marshall Point Lighthouse

Marshall Point lighthouse is located at the very tip of the St. George's Peninsula in Maine.  It is a rather short lighthouse that sits about 50 feet offshore on a rocky ledge.  This ledge is exposed at low tide and is connected to the shore by a white wooden walkway.  The placement of the lighthouse is a photographers dream.  It is easy to get a great shot without anything in the way.

An interesting fact about this lighthouse is that it was seen in the movie "Forest Gump".  In the scene where Tom Hank's character runs  cross country and he ends by running up the wooden walkway and then turning around and starting over again.

Watch this classic movie and see the scene with the lighthouse!

The coast around the lighthouse was beautiful.  Wildflowers grew all along the coast and I enjoyed walking around the area and capturing the beauty of the coast.

Port Clyde Harbor

 

Port Clyde General Store and Dip Net Restaurant

Looking out at Port Clyde Harbor

Port Clyde is a small town (just over 300 people) but I was delighted with all it had to offer.  After we visited the lighthouse we drove down to the harbor, which is the center of the town.  There we found a general store and a couple of restaurants. One was the Port Kitchen which was in the general store.  There you could eat or have them pack you a picnic lunch to take with you on your excursion.  The other choice was the Dip Net restaurant on the deck by the dock. We chose the Dip  Net restaurant and enjoyed some wonderful lobster rolls sitting outside on the deck.  They had several different ways you could have your lobster rolls fixed and my husband and I both chose to have our lobster sauteed in butter and then put in the toasted rolls.  It was an excellent choice and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal.  

The painter  Andrew Wyeth lived in the area and now his son Jamie lives in the area on an island just off  the coast.  Upstairs from the general store is Linda Bean's Wyeth Art Gallery.  Here you can purchase works by Jamie and also some rare prints of his father's.

Marshall Point Lighthouse on Zazzle Products

Marshall Point Light

 

Guidebook for Maine

 

I have found this guidebook very helpful in finding all of the little out of the way places to photograph.  It also gives great ideas for places to take photographs and best angles to shoot.  Along with that it has directions to get to the areas and lots of helpful hints.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Summer Novels to Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat

The Testament: A Novel

Summertime Reading is a long enjoyed habit.

Let's review some titles that could be interesting stories to fill those hours on the beach or relaxing in on the porch. When there are a few hours in the day that aren't filled with family obligations, it's really nice to grab a good book and just enjoy losing yourself in a story.

Four Titles that I Thoroughly Enjoyed!

These titles will keep you turning pages. John Grisham is a master story teller. He grabs your attention at the beginning of every book and takes you on a journey with the characters he masterfully creates.
Grisham does not shy away from controversial issues either.  Quite often he will be bringing you into the story of an underdog who has everything going against him. Yet with his skill as a writer, he makes you see both sides of an issue and makes you take a stand too.

Getting into the mind of Lawyers and their ilk

Most of Grisham's works involve the law, lawyers, and some unsavory characters, someone who has been "railroaded" by the judicial systems in place, and all of the characters in between. These four books that I have listed here are just a few of the books I have read in the last 2 weeks.  Each one of them tells a story that will draw you into the back counties of many states from Texas to Kansas, Missouri and Mississippi and more.  I love that he can give details for  small towns with charming vignettes that make you see this place in your mind's eye.  You don't have to dream too much to get the picture clear in your head.  The characters are also so well developed that in a sense, while you are reading, you think you know these people. Some of them could be your neighbors!

& 

Sycamore Row (The Jake Brigance)The Last Juror: A NovelBy John Grisham - The Confession: A Novel (9/26/10)

Yesterday, I read the Confession and I must say that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Thank goodness I didn't have a lot of work to do, because once I picked up that book, I could not put it down.

Synopsis

The gist of the story starts with a confession of a convicted rapist who sees that a young man is on death row for a crime that he had committed.  He doesn't go to the police to confess, but rather goes to a preacher in a neighboring state.  The preacher armed with this information is left to figure out why this man waited so long to come forward and what to do with this information.  There is a young man on death row who will be executed for this crime in short order.     

That's just the beginning of the story.  Donte (the young man on death row)was an all-star football player with a bright future from a good family.  He was convicted of this crime because the police strong armed him and used all kinds of tactics to "beat" a confession out of him. There are no witnesses, no body, and absolutely no proof that he could have murdered this young girl.  Yet because of his confession, he is prosecuted to the maximum.  All the promises made to him about light sentences and little to no jail time are all a rouse to get him to confess. State prosecutors who see an easy conviction coming, they don't bother to go looking for details, after all, they have the best evidence, a confession.  Donte, not knowing he has given the prosecutors exactly what they wanted,  is sent away for a murder he did not commit and given the death sentence.  

No Spoilers

I'm not going to tell you anymore about the story!  I  don't want to spoil it for you.  There are enough twists and turns in this book to keep you turning pages for days!  You won't want to put it down.

John Grisham is a master storyteller who understands all the twists and turns that can happen in courts of law.  He is also familiar with the workings and back office politics that go on around "cases" that make the papers state-wide and nation-wide.  He uses his knowledge of the systems to create characters and situations  that are very believable and genuine. 

Just when you think you have it all figured out, he throws in another curve ball. His books are riveting from the first page right until the very last.  When you close the cover, without a word of a lie, you will literally heave a sigh of relief.  You have lived through the agonies and the joys of the characters in the book.  It will also leave you with some insights, thoughts and directions in a whole host of areas of concern to us all.

This list is by no means complete.  John Grisham has written 22 novels and many other works.  He is an author you should consider adding to your reading list if he isn't there already.  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Killer Collection Book Reviewed

Reviewing Book One In A Mystery Series

Forming clay from pottery wheel image courtesy of Pixabay.com

A Killer Collection is a book that I found to read last week. The title caught my attention immediately because I was a part of the antiques and collectibles world for many, many years. Before I finished the first chapter, I was truly hooked in the plot.

I was really impressed with Ellery Adams knowledge of the antiques and collectibles market and her ability to spin a yarn of believable mystery. 

In this first book of her antiques and collectibles mystery series, Ms. Adams concentrates on the pottery collectors. More specifically, the collectors of pottery made by the North Carolina potters. Having been in the business, I know that collectors will often hone in on items made in a specific area or region and pottery is no exception. 

When I first entered the interesting world of antiques and collectibles as an employee in an antique mall, one of the items that was often requested and hard to find was a kind of pottery called "ugly jugs". I will admit that when I first saw one, I was unsure why anyone would want one and more importantly why anyone would pay exorbitant amounts of money to have one in their collection. These face jugs were called ugly for a reason. They were pretty hideous in my opinion.

Face Jug or Ugly Jug image part of Public Domain

As you can see from an example above, it might be difficult to find the beauty in a piece like that. Although, I never really fell in love with this type of pottery; I did begin to appreciate the uniqueness of each one. I also was intrigued by the history of them. These ugly jugs were originally made by African-American slaves and were sometimes referred to as grotesque jugs or monkey jugs. No one is quite sure why they began to make them but eventually white potters started to create them and they were often used to store liquids, most typically alcohol.

So, back to the book. Ms. Adams brings us into a story that involves the makers of the ugly jugs along with other types of pottery in book one A Killer Collection. She leads us to an event that collectors look forward to known as a kiln opening. She does an excellent job of showing how people can become almost frenzied over the prospect of obtaining a new piece for their growing collection.

Being a fan of pottery and the beautiful pieces that one can find, I loved her weaving into the story the types of glazes that are used and how often a specific potter can be identified with a specific color. It becomes one of their trademarks in many cases. It is one of the ways items can be identified as authentic and sometimes even partially dated by specific colors used, marks on the piece, etc.

At a kiln opening that is attended by several local collectors, an obnoxious man who is known to have a most impressive collection is found on the ground unconscious. Paramedics are called and George-Bradley is placed on a gurney and driven away in a silent ambulance. To paraphrase a character, "George-Bradley won't be shoving anyone around anymore. He is dead. They don't turn the lights and sirens on with a deceased body on board."

A Killer Collection

As Molly Appleby tries to figure out what happened to George-Bradley she finds many prime suspects on her journey. We are swept into a world of antiques, collectors, potters and interesting characters. I really appreciated her knowledge of antiques, auctions, and the sometimes quirkiness of the collecting scene. Having been a part of all of this for so long, I could recognize the accuracy in her portrayals as she slowly turned the wheel and created a most enjoyable story.

If you love a good mystery, happen to enjoy antiques and want something good to read; I can highly recommend this book by Ellery Adams. I plan to read more in her series, myself.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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