RORI'S ORGANIC ICE CREAM COMES TO SANTA MONICA!

Our very favorite ice cream, once only available in Santa Barbara and Montecito, has just opened a brand new shop in Santa Monica! Rori's Artisanal Creamery is the creamiest, highest quality ice cream out there and we just about lost our minds when we learned they were coming to LA. We stopped by over the weekend to celebrate their arrival.

These little hooligans couldn't get enough.

You can grab pints to-go, like I did. 

Check out these ingredients. Stellar stuff!!

Two scoops of Fresh Mint Patty for me after Brixton went to bed! ;) Welcome to LA, Rori!!! xx

Rori's Artisanal Creamery is located at: 910 Montana Ave., Santa Monica

MILO + OLIVE

Santa Monica's Milo + Olive serves up some seriously delish wood fired pizza and farmer's market inspired small plates and salads. The first time I ate there, about 3 years ago, I also had the most out of this world prosecco sangria -- I will never forget it! Their original space was tiny and always packed, so I was thrilled to see they have recently expanded into the space next door. Now that we have Brixton, sometimes we like to order our food to-go and eat at the tables and benches at The Brentwood Country Mart, which is nearby. That way B can run around and we can partake in some Sweet Rose Creamery (same owners!) after dinner.

I'll take all of this.

Yummy menu.

The original space looking as cute as ever.

I love all of the art on the walls in the new expanded area.

Sweet Corn Soup, Milo Chop Salad, Margarita Pizza and Tagliarini Bolognese. 

Best picnic ever!! xx

Milo + Olive is located at: 2723 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica

BULLETPROOF COFFEE + THE FIRST BULLETPROOF COFFEE SHOP

Have you tried Bulletproof Coffee yet? "Buttered coffee" has become an everyday staple in my life and I love it (Thanks for the intro, Dad!). I'm relieved that the "low-fat lifestyle" of the 80's and 90's has turned out to be an erroneous and outdated trend. FAT is not only IN, it's also great for you!! Hooray!!! Here's why grass-fed butter is the newest, oldest superfood:

Grass-fed butter is higher than grain-fed butter in omega-3 fatty acids, CLA, beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin D, vitamin E, and antioxidants. You can actually see the difference in the butter: grass-fed butter is a sunny yellow color, while grain-fed/factory-farmed butter is almost white. The lack of color is a sign that the butter is coming from sick, nutrient-depleted cows.

Grass-fed butter is high in butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid. Studies show that butyrate can both prevent and decrease inflammation in humans. In rodents, studies have shown butyrate to protect against mental illness, improve body composition, increase metabolism, and improve gut health.

• Butter is nutrient-dense. A single tablespoon of butter contains:

  • 500 IU vitamin A

  • More carotenes than carrots

  • High amounts of vitamin K2, vitamin D, and vitamin E

So what is Bulletproof Coffee and how do you make it? Created by Dave Asprey, Bulletproof Coffee consists of "upgraded" single-origin black coffee, blended (BLENDED IS KEY!) with grass-fed butter or ghee and "Brain Octane" oil -- a coconut oil with 18x more concentrated caprylic fatty acids than regular coconut oil.

Seem like too much work? Now you can have someone else blend up a buttered coffee for you at the brand-new, first-ever Bulletproof Coffee Shop in Santa Monica. Here's a peek inside:

Choose from a fairly extensive menu of "fattened" coffee, tea and other hot and cold Bulletproof beverages. 

The staff blending away. 

Get educated on the Bulletproof Diet while you sip your drink. 

Ready to convert to the Bulletproof lifestyle? You can pick up anything you need at the cafe, to get started at home. Coffee has never been fattier!! Yum! Yum! xx

Bulletproof Coffee Shop is located at:

3110 Main St., Santa Monica, CA, 90405

SANTA MONICA FARMERS' MARKET

We have a very special correspondent today... our mom! And what does Mom love? Organic fruit and veggies! So she's taking us to the Santa Monica Farmers' Market. It's the largest grower-only Certified Farmers Market in Southern California and a favorite for local chefs.

Lets start with the berries. We're certainly lucky to have these fresh, vibrant, local berries.

Papayas grown in California! Have you ever heard of such a thing? Amazing!

Thank God for artichoke season!

You say 'tomato,' I say 'tomato.'

Lots of good greens for dinner.

The Santa Monica Farmers' Market is open every Wednesday from 8.30am - 1.30pm, and is located on Arizona Avenue at 2nd Street.

JOHN KELLY CHOCOLATES

image courtesy of John Kelly Chocolates

Frankly, I'm still recovering from the kids' tropical rager on Sunday. All I want to do is lay on the couch with the world's largest box of John Kelly Chocolates. Handmade at the their flagship Hollywood location, John Kelly uses only the finest natural ingredients for their confections. The two gentlemen who founded the company, (John & Kelly) opened their first shop and small chocolate factory on Sierra Bonita, off of Sunset Blvd., in 2004. They now have a second location in Santa Monica, on Montana Ave. I recently stopped by their Westside haunt to snap some pics and pick up some of my favorite chocolates.

Their signature peanut butter fudge, enrobed in Belgian chocolate and topped with pink Himalayan sea salt.

Great gift idea!

You can custom make a box or grab some of their greatest hits off of the shelves. The Walnut Caramel Clusters with Mediterranean Sea Salt are WINNERS.

A wall of chocolate and salt. My two faves.

More beauties from the case.

Father's Day is around the corner too, so if Dad is a chocolate lover, he will dig this! xx

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John Kelly is located at:

1508 Sierra Bonita Ave., Hollywood

AND

1111 1/2 Montana Ave., Santa Monica