Ici Icecream
(1) 510 – 665 6054
2948 College Avenue
Berkeley, California 94705

www.ici-icecream.com

Open Hours:
2:00 pm –   9:30 pm   Monday
12:00 pm –   9:30 pm   Tuesday – Thursday
12:00 pm – 10:00 pm   Friday – Sunday

Highly recommended by trusted friends, we made our way with anticipation to ICI in Berkely.  Immediately our attention was grabbed by a chalkboard notice of “Peppermint Ice Milk”.   Well, it turns out Ice Milk is perfect – lighter then Ice Cream, more luscious then sorbet.  What a simple, taste-altering concept.   So many times, the simple things are the most striking.  The most pure.

Ice creams, sorbets, candies and cookies are made in small batches, ensureing freshness, using Local and seasonal ingredients.  Cones are hand rolled with piped chocolate to cover the bottom hole.  Organic nut spices and chocolates, as well as  Soul Food eggs , Straus Organic and Clover Organic dairy,  compliment the astounding variety treats; and of course NO artificial preservatives.

Flavors in Ice creams and Sorbets while we visited :Brandied Cherry , Green Tea, Coconut, Honey Nutmeg, Vanilla, Creme Fraiche Muscat,  Candied Meyer lemon, Pistachio Rose, Rocky Road, Earl Gray Tea, Cinnamon, Concord  Grape, Maple pine Nut Praline, Lime, Chocolate, Nectarine, Burnt Caramel, Parsley Mint, Honey Lavender…….

Other lovlies are available as well, such as the “Bombes” ice cream cakes, ice cream sandwiches, Bonbons Meringues, Candies Cookies, Macaroons, Nougat, Marshmallows Brittles,  Brownies…. and to compliment, they serve Blue Bottle Espresso

Lead Pastry Chef Mary Canales, formally of Chez Panisse), opened Ici ice cream parlor in September 2006 along with creative Mattea Soreng and Pj Pawalec.  They are tight with their ethic (what else would you expect from Berkeley?) all of the packaging and disposable wares are 100% biodegradable and compostable.

Zenbunni
(1) 310 – 452.9605
2307 Main Street
Santa Monica, California 90405

www.zenbunni.com

Open Hours:
12:00 pm –  6:00 pm   Tuesday – Sunday

Located in Santa Monica’s Green Light District, the precious ZenBunni boutique adheres to green principles and is adorned with recycled and hand painted architectural remnants, vintage jewelry, curiosities and reclaimed objects.  The more time you allow yourself to captivated by the eclectic artistry of Zen & Bunni Nishimura, the more treasures you will find.

ZenBunni is a beautiful combination of shop and gallery created by two artists.  Collecting both their own works and creations by those they admire, a feel has been created that is unique.  Mediums that appeal to the senses are the guiding principle, with representations of Sight~ photography, painting, sculpture, Touch~ jewelry, furniture, clothing, Smell~ house blended incense from Indonesia, and Taste~ one of the best raw chocolates we have had!

Bunni is a fine art photographer shooting film and printing her own work – this physical approach is easily seen in her pieces.  The framing is a collaboration with Assemblage artist Zen and is remarkable in itself.

The chocolates followed the same pattern to the shop as the incense.  Personally used items that friends, family and customers pushed them into selling!  The raw chocolates came from their transition to raw foods and the lack of an acceptable raw chocolate.  Zen & Bunni then set out to create one for themselves with the help of a neighbor who was a raw chef.  Six months of tasting and tinkering has produced one of the tastiest (if not the best) raw chocolate bar.  Once in personal production, they were quickly in high demand and sold out!  Now taking it on as a product, they have packaged the perfectly creamy and delicious bar as a product in its own right with three flavors: Italian Almond, Black Lava Sea Salt, Rose Mint, Lavender Sea Salt, Gypsy Spice, and Haiku Coconut.  If you are into chocolate, let alone raw foods, – this is definitely for you! and you don’t need to go to Santa Monica, they will be available across  the US in the near future

On a personal note: I would like to express our deepest love for Zen & Bunni and what they have created.  We have yet to meet you in person,but already admire and adore you!

Raw

If anyone happens to be in New York City, be sure to swing by the Bergdorf-Goodman Men’s store window display on 58th St. & 5th Ave.  They have the models and sets from the extraordinarily beautiful movie “The Fantastic Mr. Fox.”  – Just lovely!

If you haven’t yet seen the movie – we highly suggest that you do

Hello all -
Apologize for the lack of posts recently. We are preparing for a big trip and have been a bit busy with that. Look for a return to force in January of 2010!!

Thank you all!