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

J. Paul Getty Museum
(1) 310 – 440-7330
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, California 90049-1687

www.getty.edu

Open Hours:
10:00 am –  5:30 pm   Tuesday – Friday
10:00 am –  9:00 pm    Saturday
10:00 am –  5:30 pm    Sunday

At the J. Paul Getty Museum lives a fine collection of European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, European and American photographs aside rotating special exhibits.  However, they all take a bit of a backseat to the wonderful Platinum LEED certified, modernist complex that highlights both nature and culture.  Designed by Natural light architect Richard Meier, the “Getty” is a as much a park as it is museum.  A haven in the sprawling expanse that is Los Angeles.

Admission to the Getty Center and to all exhibitions is FREE.  This is such a wonderful  opportunity for people young and old to connect to art, architecture and nature.  The building and grounds are such a stunning park, we enjoyed our time outside as much as inside.

The adventure begins as you descend into the underground bond-like parking structure- spiraling down level after level. Then you ascend via tram to the high overlook, floating your gaze over the city- breathing air fresh blown from the sea.  Meandering the inviting pathways, there are scattered bins with sun-umbrellas to protect against the strong sun.

One wanders in and out of the relaxed buildings; never feeling hurried or watched.  The staff is helpful and polite.  Photo taking is encouraged (no flash please) and the experience is one of wholeness. The collection is not about volume, but about experience.  The complimentary colored galleries fill with natural light to create a bond between viewer and art; a bond that I didn’t know I was missing until I found it at the Getty Museum.

Lawrence Alma Tadema: Spring

Venus Reclining on a Sea Monster with Cupid and a Putto by John Deare

For more images of the Getty Center, please see our Flickr page.

M Cafe De Chaya
(1) 310 – 858 8459
9433 Brighton Way
Beverly Hills, California 90210

7119 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90046

9343 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232

www.mcafedechaya.com

Open Hours:
9:00 am –    9:00 pm    Sunday – Thursday
9:00 am –  10:00 pm    Friday – Saturday

After studying macrobiotic cuisine for fourteen years, executive Chef Tachibe was certified as a Kushi Macrobiotic Chef Premier  by the Kushi Institute International.  This combined with his formal French technique, brings us his delicious Contemporary Macrobiotic Cuisine in this deli-style restaurant.

The M Cafe offers  a good selection of breakfast items as well as yummy soups, macro-sushi, rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, pastries and the best of healthy side dishes; like Kale with Spicy Peanut Sauce, Scarlet Beet Quinoa, Grilled Vegetables, Kabocha squash,
Sesame Soba Noodles, Broccolini Pepperoncini, Sesame Seaweed… quite an appetizing list.  We especially liked the Rice Milk Corn Chowder and all of the sides that we tried.  The 4 side plate is an excellent heaping of color.

We searched pretty hard for truly healthy and tasty food in LA.  This was actually much harder then we thought it would be.  By chance, we found theM Cafe and it was a happy ending.

Rice Milk Corn Chowder

Inari & Macro Sushi

Hijiki Inari

Caffe Shakerato

Caffe Luxxe
Coffee shop
(1) 310 – 394. 2222
2925 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, California 90403

www.caffeluxxe.com

Open Hours:
6:00 am –  8:00 pm   Monday   – Friday
6:30 am –  8:00 pm   Saturday – Sunday

Caffe Luxxe was by far the best coffeehouse we visited whilst in LA.  Their glittering Italian coffee machine creates wonderful cups of cafe bliss under the hands of their knowledgeable baristas.  Los Angeles, as compared to NY or SF, seems a bit behind the café curve.  A theory could be do to the lack of pedestrian neighborhoods where these types of specialty shops thrive, rather then the palate of the citizenry.  One of the few neighborhood type places is Santa Monica- and that is where we found Caffe Luxxe.  (There is a second location in Brentwood which we did not visit).

Tall ceilings top white walls which are covered with beautiful, framed coffee photography by Tom Benedek.  A few tables with silver chairs seat about 20.  The main L shaped counter is home to a display of pastries, chocolate bars and croissants.

The cappuccino was quite smooth, while the Caffe Shakerato (hand shaken espresso with milk and ice) was extremely yummy on a hot day!  The Caffe Nico (espresso, candied orange and steamed half&half) was quite strong and made a great dip for the light, airy macaroon.    I sampled an excellent drip coffee as well to complete the test trifecta.

The Caffe Nico

Caffe Shakerato

Cappuccino

Cappuccino

Macaroons