Archives for August 2017

The fifth Whole Foods Market 365 opened on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 9 a.m. in Santa Monica, CA at 2121 Cloverfield Blvd at Pico.  Regular store hours are 7 a.m. – 10 p.m., seven days a week. This will be the second Whole Foods Market 365 location for the Los Angeles area.

The vibrant 30,000-square-foot space takes “neighborhood grocery store” to the next level with its mix of affordable grocery items, unique venues and retail innovations for customers seeking convenience and value. The store will offer high quality products without any artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives.

“Whole Foods Market 365 is all about the easy everyday shop—whether you’re meeting a friend for dinner and a glass of wine, stocking up on groceries for the week, or grabbing food to go, this store has a blend of fun foodie finds and convenience,” said Jeff Turnas, president of Whole Foods Market 365. “Our Santa Monica store is a great example of the evolution of the 365 brand and we’re thrilled to bring this neighborhood a new place to shop and hang out.”

Exciting Features & Flavors

Groundwork Coffee: Open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., local favorite Groundwork Coffee features 100 percent certified organic hot and cold coffees and teas, including nitro cold brew coffee and a new vegan horchata & cold brew. In addition to coffee, Groundwork will offer a full menu of made-to-order breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, and bowls with many vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian options. Highlights include house-made granola, Bitches Brew short rib sandwich, vegan kale caesar salad, and umami rice bowl. All eggs served are organic, and all meats are free of added hormones and antibiotics.

Asian Box Street Food: Regular hours 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday to Monday. All menu items are 100 percent gluten-free, customizable, and “dtam sang,” or made to order. Guests pick a base of rice, rice noodles or Asian salad, a protein like Six Spice Chicken, Lemongrass Pork, or Coconut Curry Tofu, then top it with a variety of ingredients likes wok steamed or spiced vegetables, crispy shallots, fresh jalapeno and caramel eggs. House made sauces include tamarind vinaigrette, Miss Jones’™ Sriracha, no-oil fish sauce, peanut sauce, and Asian Street Dust™.

Taqueria: An in-house kitchen offers tacos, bowls, burritos, plus build-your-own pizza and convenient ordering via kiosk. This venue includes many vegan options like tofu picadillo and jackfruit al pastor tacos, plus a full menu of Detroit-style pizza.

Antipasto bar: A mouth-watering selection of olives, roasted garlic, tapenades, pickled and marinated artichokes, beets and cauliflower sold by the pound.

Specialty cheeses: Planning a party? Stop by the specialty cheese set for a hand-picked selection of nearly 30 artisanal cheeses, from Parrano and Pavino to Seaside and Vermont Creamery’s Minimont, made exclusively for Whole Foods Market 365 stores.

Organic soda fountain: 100 percent organic, non-GMO sodas by Tractor Beverage Co made without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The organic soda fountain will have rotating flavors on tap like Cola, Root Beer, Ginger Beer, Coconut, Cherry Cream and Cucumber.

Grab-and-go: Build your-own salad and meals at hot and cold bars with fresh ingredients. Shoppers can pick up ready-made wraps, sushi, pizza, sandwiches, pastas, breakfast tacos, plus crowd pleasing favorites like cakes, pies, fruit and veggie trays.

Fresh baked goods: Pick up baked goods by local favorite, Larder Baking Company, and choose from a selection of cookies, pastries and hearth breads. Plus, a bulk cookie bar will offer cookies by the pound.

“Flash Finds”: New, seasonal or unique offerings available for a limited time.  Flash Finds for opening week include Jica chips, Severino pasta, Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwiches and Milkadamia Macadamia Nut Milk.

On-site pairing kiosk: Scan wine bottles, beer or spirits for food pairing ideas, ratings, user reviews and recommendations. The beer, wine and spirits section has 400+ wines, 200+ craft, domestic and imported beers, 50+ spirits, with many organic and sustainable options.

365 Rewards:  A free digital loyalty program that gives customers special discounts, free products and other surprises. 365 rewards members receive 10 percent off more than 100 items throughout the store. Program highlights include 20 percent off all berries on Wednesdays, digital punch cards with buy 5 get 1 free offers and $5 off a $25 purchase for new members. Shoppers can sign-up here.

Credit: Whole Foods Market 365.

Many parents want to celebrate their child’s birthday by planning something that will be unforgettable and will prove to be lots of fun for all. Hosting a child’s birthday party can be a great deal of fun but it takes a lot of hard work and planning to pull off something great. It also takes a great deal of money to plan a party that includes decorations, goody bags, delicious cake and food and is memorable for all attendees. This article will give you some tips on how to be creative when hosting your child’s birthday party so that you can save time and money.

1. Host the party at your child’s favorite place. While hosting a party at home sounds like a fun idea, it takes a lot of effort to clean up your house and get organized for a party. A quick way to reduce your stress is to host the party at a location in which your child loves to play such as Jumper’s Jungle Family Fun Center. Hosting a party at a place where there is built in entertainment, food can be catered, and a party host can help you is a great way to plan a fun party and cut down on the stress.

1. Pick a theme. Ask your child what type of birthday party they want to have. Perhaps your son wants a Paw Patrol party or your daughter would like a Shimmer and Shine party. Whatever their favorite theme is at the moment, base the party decorations, goody bags, food, and invitations off of the theme. This will make the party even more fun as your child’s favorite characters are involved. Be sure to add the characters to the cake!

1. Take pictures. Be sure to take pictures so that you and your child can enjoy the memories for years to come. If you have a generous budget, consider hiring a photographer to take photos of the event. If you are throwing a party for your teenager, it might be a good idea to hire a photo booth company. Your child can get copies of all the photos that were taken in the booth and those who attend will also leave with a memorable token from the event. Be sure to get props for the photo booth that fit in with the theme of the party.

1. Games. If you plan to host the party at your home and are looking for some entertainment, plan some games that go along with the theme of the party. You can always play pin the tail on the donkey or other classics that people will enjoy. If you have a large yard or a big open space in your home, consider purchasing a pinata and fill it with candy and trinkets.

Bounce house. Another great way to add entertainment to your party while staying on a budget is to either hire a bounce house company to set up in your yard or purchase a bounce house and set it up in your basement. Your kids will be sure to love the bounce house for a long time after the party.