Blog Tag: patricia grubman
Wanna visit the best Los Angeles wines and food’s festival? Our very own Patricia Grubman has the hottest pointer to that. Visit us today and learn more.
Wanna visit the best Los Angeles wines and food’s festival? Our very own Patricia Grubman has the hottest pointer to that. Visit us today and learn more.
A City Farm favorite, not only is this bag stylish and versatile, but the purchase of this bag provides 370 school meals for children in Kenya!
With its intricate beading and distinctive Masai print lining, this FEED 2 Kenya Bag artisan-made bag quickly became (and continues to be) a FEED favorite. Not only does it support the talented people who hand-bead the bags, but every bag sold provides meals to two children in Kenya for one year.
SHOP HERE: https://www.thecityfarm.com/product/feed-2-kenya-bag/
Photos via FEEDprojects.com
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’ve rounded up our favorite gift ideas for all the loved ones in your life. Enjoy!
For your wife/girlfriend
SHY by Sydney Evan Love Necklace with Diamond Bezel – Delicate and understated, Sydney Evan’s “Love” necklace is accented with a single 0.015 ct bezel-set diamond.
For your husband/boyfriend
Lanton Money Clip – This Italian leather money clip from Will Leather Goods is crafted using the oldest tanned processing in the world. Over time the leather will age in texture, revealing good memories from money spent.
For your best friend
Love You to the Moon Charm Bowl – Tell the ones you love just how much with our Love You to the Moon Charm Bowl. and made of the finest quality pewter makes this the perfect gift for all. The charm bowl is a nice reminder of the love you have for them day after day.
For your mom
City Farm Hand Cream – Developed from an exclusive formula, this hand cream is buttery in texture without leaving an oily residue. A perfect blend of ultra-refined natural ingredients and precise chemistry to create a hand cream unlike any other.
For your fur baby
Always Kiss Your Dog Goodnight Bed – Provide a comfortable haven for your beloved canine! The Kiss Your Dog Bed will show your canine the love he or she deserves. Available in small and large.
Other Valentine Favorites
I Love You Wooden Blocks – These handmade and distressed removable wooden blocks are presented in a vintage box, ready to add an antique feel to any space. Hang or place on your kitchen counter for a morning greeting.
‘For The One I Love’ Frame – This frame is a beautiful way to display photos of your family and loved ones in a simple, loving way.
Every Day I Love You Calendar – No matter how you spin it… it’s love! This vintage styled piece reads “Every Day I Love You” and a truly unique method of keeping track of the days!
Love You Until Pigs Fly Note Card – Everlasting love! Note card comes with a matching solid white envelop and clear protective sleeve.
‘You Are My Sunshine’ Paperweight – Light up someone’s day with this beautiful handmade ‘You Are My Sunshine’ paperweight!
Sweetheart Linen Napkins – The perfect Valentine’s treat for every dining table! Set of 6.
It’s hard to believe that we are about to say goodbye to 2015 and hello to 2016! This year has flown by and we are excited to hit the ground running in 2016 with new products, content and special offers. Keep an eye out for good things to come.
Happy New Year from our farm to your home!
Made in the USA, our Tuscan Rosemary Sea Salt features natural grains that are infused with the fragrant flavors of fresh sage and rosemary, making each taste feel like a trip to the herb garden. Use it for mixing with olive oil and spices or as an herbal rub. Looking to create a meal with a fresh, herb taste? Simply sprinkle on Rosemary Sea Salt and let the magic begin!
Tuscan Rosemary Sea Salt is delicious on roasted potatoes and Mediterranean dishes. Or try adding it to zucchini, squash, eggplant, tomatoes and onions prior to grilling. Use it to add freshness to roasted lamb or chicken.
Share with us your favorite way to enjoy Tuscan Rosemary Sea Salt in the comments below & shop our other artisan sea salts here.
Shop our Tuscan Rosemary Sea Salt: https://www.thecityfarm.com/product/tuscan-rosemary-sea-salt/
Made with a special ingredient (avocado oil!), our Avocado Hand Cream is a lavish cream that will leave your skin supple and fully hydrated.
The smooth, fresh, and simply cleansing hand cream is carefully infused with avocado oil to bring a natural glow to your skin. The avocado oil will certainly be your favorite secret ingredient!
The cream has a light aromatic quality to match the lightweight feel the cream has on your skin. Developed from an exclusive formula, this hand cream is buttery in texture without leaving an oily residue – a perfect blend of ultra-refined natural ingredients and precise chemistry to create a hand cream unlike any other.
You can use the cream in many ways – on your hands, on rough elbow skin, calloused areas on your feet, or places on your skin that received too much sun exposure. We suggest keeping a small Avocado Hand Cream container in your purse, especially if you are constantly on the go.
An easy and pampering gift: Give the hand cream to a girlfriend for a dual spa day, or a close family member who often complains about having dry skin.
Share with us your favorite time to use our Avocado Hand Cream in the comments below & shop our other City Farm exclusives here.
Shop our Avocado Hand Cream here: https://www.thecityfarm.com/product/city-farm-hand-cream/
We are so excited about the new line of DIY kits that we just got in! Not only can you make your own jewelry or mix up some delicious cocktails, but you can also become a selfie pro!
Our very favorite kit right now is the Mason Herb Garden Kit. It’s so easy — and makes a wonderful hostess or housewarming gift.
The herb garden kits include a special blend of perlite, pea pebbles and organic soil that creates a self-watering system, all you need to do is water up to the rock line once a week and you’ll be enjoying freshly grown herbs right in your own kitchen.
We are getting ready for the warm, sunny Spring & Summer days ahead! Here’s a peek at our latest photoshoot. All these new arrivals and more coming soon!
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. We see Christmas decorations before Halloween and by Thanksgiving we should have our shopping list ready to go for the Black Friday craze and before you know it Christmas Eve is upon us.
With the blending of the holiday season we can forget to stop and enjoy each holiday. I try and slow down to really savor each season and holiday on their own. After all, I’ve waited all year for the falling of the leaves, I better enjoy it!
My favorite escape to enjoy fall before winter is to make a warm cup of tea and honey or enjoy some sweets by the fire. I remind myself of summer when I couldn’t wait for boots and sweaters or a warm cable knit throw and am grateful that the autumn months have arrived; even if it’s still sunny here in California.
I take a stroll down to the stables to greet the horses and smell the crisp chill of the evening air around the groves. I let my mind wander to the Thanksgiving menu and smile at the thought of family together again around one table.
As I walk back home for the night; I am thankful for the time I’ve taken to live in the moment.
It’s these small moments that bring me into the holiday season and remind me to not let autumn rush by.
Satisfy your sweet tooth! From now until Halloween, save 50% on our City Farm Caramels, now only $7.50!
While supplies last. Promotion ends 10/31/2014
In the spirit of pumpkin patches, hay rides and Halloween costumes, we’re celebrating here at the farm.
Halloween, being one of our favorite holidays, is a time to enjoy sweets, like our bubblegum, bob for apples and yes, even dress up the horses. The best thing is… they love it! Meet Peanut, Chiquita and Chocolate, even at their young ages, they’ve had their fair share of costumes. From the time I first brought them home in my minivan, they’ve had a hat, sash, or cape on a few times a year. Of course I would never push them to do dress up so the fact that they’re willing to trade an apple for a witch hat adds to the festivities!
This year, we carved our pumpkin patch at night to really let our jack-o’-lanterns glow! Everyone was in costume and excited for the fun. Chiquita struts by Chocolate’s stall each night since she’s arrived so we knew they had to dress up together. In true Chiquita fashion she started to nibble at Chocolate’s hair piece just to get his attention. My life on the farm brings me many pleasures but few compare to the happiness my horses bring. It was a wonderful start to the holiday season and the horses are just another reason I will be extra thankful come Thanksgiving.
What is your favorite way to include your pets at the holidays? Are they as happy as our minis and dwarves to join in the fun? Enjoy more snapshots of our life at The City Farm below… stay tuned for more!
Have you noticed pumpkin patches have become more like mini-theme parks lately? They start setting up round about Labor Day, and a visit to one can range from overwhelming to downright scary – bounce houses with children’s screams of delight turning to cries of exhaustion, kids running untethered and hyped up on cotton candy and candy corn, their adorable face paintings turning garish as the sweat from a sunny Indian-summer day beats down on them.
I will concede that there’s something magical to a hay-bale ride, so if your local pumpkin patch offers that, plan a quick visit, and then plan your own, home-grown, DIY pumpkin patch and carving party.
To create a rustic, farm-inspired party, find a box to display your pumpkin-carving tools, like the City Farm’s primitive shoe shine box. Toss in pens for sketching, spoons, carving knives for the grown-ups, and a few orange marigolds to add some bright fall color.
To add a touch of the carnival to your pumpkin patch / carving party, create a cut-out for photo opps. With a box-cutter, slice apart a cardboard box, and sketch a pumpkin “head” outline on one of the squares, including a neck and shoulders. Cut out a face-sized hole in the middle of the pumpkin, and paint as traditional or crazy as you feel that day. If the box is big enough, cut out hand holes at the wrist, so your party people have a place to wag their hands through. Make sure it is dry before your party, to avoid unwanted face painting. For DIY face painting, check out Today.com for a video guide of easy tips and ideas here.
What will you serve your guests? Pumpkin spice cupcakes? If you want to get a little buggy with gifts for your guests, head over to Martha Stewart and print out a variety of bugs on card stock. After you’ve cut out the shapes, glue a clothespin to the back to create a candy bag clip, put your favorite candy in a small paper bag, and close with your clip.
To learn more about the history of the jack-o-lantern, check out our Grow post, here.
Share photos of your pumpkin patch / carving party or tell us your favorite fall traditions over on Twitter. Happy Halloween!
(Photo credit: Pumpkins: Tom’s Farm; bug art – Martha Stewart)
“Location, location, location,” may ring true for many a circumstance, but for entertaining, “presentation, presentation, presentation” can transform any location into a picnic in Provence.
Admit it. You haunt Pinterest pages, planning that perfect soiree. At The City Farm, we believe you only need a few staples to create the dreamy feeling that will have your friends lingering over their last glass of wine ‘til long after the sunlight fades away.
Presentation: Will you choose a floral centerpiece for your farm table, or several small bouquets, perhaps one at each place setting? The City Farm Wire Bottle Tote basket with three small milk bottles looks lovely with sprays of a delicate flower like Sweet pea. To create an easy-going farm atmosphere, add some wildflowers to The City Farm’s red watering can. Martha has some inspiring tabletop centerpiece ideas here, including a creative crudité arrangement. Take inspiration from her ideas, and run with your own!
A vintage vase, cheese board, and rustic bowl will set the scene, whether for high tea in the afternoon or a mid-morning brunch with a quiche. Take a look at some of our favorite recipes for entertaining, including an Easy Smoked Trout Pate, Salmon Mousse, and Spinach Dip over on our COOK blog.
No room for a long farm table to host a large party? Invite a few friends over to enjoy a couple of delicious courses, made the more meaningful by your small space and the intimate conversation of coffee talk… or mimosas – either inspire story telling and the sharing and mixing of lives, which is the best part of outdoor parties. Set the scene with good food and a few lovely touches, and then sit back and enjoy the space you’ve created for friendships to flourish.
Share your favorite spaces and ideas for outdoor entertaining with us in the comment section or over on Twitter @TheCityFarm!
I could not be more excited about this feature in AllRecipes Magazine! As you will read, my love for The City Farm and Dream Street Foundation is really what makes me who I am today and I’m happy and very proud to share it with all you. Thank you for all of your continued support.
Read The City Farm’s feature in AllRecipes below, or download the AllRecipes Article here. Enjoy!
We love our avocado grove here at The City Farm – from the shade of the trees to the bees it attracts, to the delicious honey we harvest, the trees provide for us. And we took note as the 2013 / 2014 winter’s polar vortex wreaked havoc on most of the U.S., and snowstorms and ridiculously cold temperatures raised the costs of heating homes, snarled traffic and travel, and caused Chipotle to issue a “guacamole warning.”
It sounds like a bad joke, like when it starts to sprinkle in Southern California and the local newscasters use terms like “Storm Watch, 2014.” But when it comes to losing the side of guacamole on your lunch-break burrito? Things are getting serious. Fast.
According to NPR, who covered the restaurant chain’s threat to abandon the avocado due to the drought in California, as well as the reported freezes in Mexico that made prices for the fruit skyrocket, Chipotle “goes through a staggering amount of avocados to make its fresh guacamole – 97,000 pounds of avocados every day. That adds up to 35 and a half million pounds of avocados every year.”
It’s hard to wrap one’s mind around that many avocados. (Yummm.. wrap … burrito…) But. For most of us who enjoy a daily slice on piece of toast with goat cheese, the rising cost of avocados is disconcerting news. Especially as we’ve learned of late how great the healthy fats are that we get from them: from adding shine to your hair, a glow to your skin, the healthy omega-3 fatty acids and the insoluble fiber that keeps your colon regulated. Avocado oil is also great to cook with, as we learned from Prevention.com, it is high in mono-unsaturated fats that help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase “good” HDL, as well has having a high smoke point (520°F), which makes it a great oil for stir-frying, sauteing, roasting, and even baking.
How does an avocado nut prepare for the higher-priced off season? First step: check your freezer. Do a little (late) spring cleaning, and make some space for frozen avocados. That’s right. Like bananas, you can freeze your fruit, and have it ready for guacamole on game day or – really? Just chips & guac night, is all you need to celebrate with the tasty treat. While avocados are in season, typically in the summer, make some room in your freezer, and then follow these steps from the Huffington Post to save some for those winter months when you’re craving guacamole, or even ice cream.
Wash the avocado, skin still on.
Cut the fruit in half, and peel.
If you are opting to keep them as halves, put them in a Ziploc bag and freeze.
If you’re pureeing, either mash the avocados with a fork or in a food processor with a little bit of lime or lemon. Store in a re-sealable bag and freeze.
As the HuffPo author notes – frozen avocados will fade, so don’t expect them to be party-friendly for display in slices. But they will perfectly blend into your guacamole, or with a frozen banana for the texture and taste of ice cream. Lauren Conrad’s site features a face and hair mask made of avocado and apple cider vinegar, and a promise that “both of which will make your hair shiny and soft and add a glow to your skin.” The facial includes honey, so be sure to order your City Farm Avocado Honey, to make the cycle complete!
Will you freeze your farmer’s market avocados, so you can pack your own guacamole, in case the condiment situation grows dire? Share your favorite recipes with us in the comment section or on Twitter @TheCityFarm.
Ahhh… Paris. I have so many lovely memories and favorite places to eat. Two restaurants I always try to visit are Chez Janou and Chez L’Amis Jean. I love that there are parks all over the city, but my favorite for taking a stroll are the Tuileries gardens in front of the Louvre. And whenever I visit with my family, I always take my children to Angelina’s in the park for hot chocolate. Another favorite is Luxembourg garden on the left bank. It’s beautiful any time of year. I love to visit the city of light, and I love to bring it home with me. And to offer Parisian style to you through The City Farm store!
Afar Magazine’s September ’13 issue transports us to Paris, exploring what makes the Parisienne so iconic, and highlights what Parisian artists are creating today that continue the region’s reign of style-makers.
“Those gamines ingénues in ballet flats and perfectly fitted little T-shirt dresses really are riding bicycles all over town,” writes Alexandra Marshall, who moved to the city in 2006. “In working-class Belleville, tony Saint-Germain, or the groovy Marais there really are young moms in ponytails, skinny jeans, and Bréton stripe T-shirts, and sleek fifty somethings in angular bobs, with neat handbags and silk scarves, their creases pressed just so. Parisian style is mythical: The chic “Parisienne” is natural and feminine, her heels never too high, nor her skirt too tight, nor her makeup too pronounced except for that little pop of lipstick. But it’s also real.”
At The City Farm, we love to bring a touch of Paris to your home, whether you reside in London, Los Angeles, or the City of Light itself, through the mixing and melding of different design ideas. Let’s look to Paris and beyond, as I’m always looking at how to incorporate the countryside with the city.
How do you incorporate the style of Paris with a touch of the rustic countryside? Where are your favorite places to go in Paris? Leave a note in the comments, or tell us on Facebook or Twitter!
(Photos: Bon Chef Apron, Bonjour Place Setting, French Bottle Drying Rack, “Confiture” Jam Pot)
It’s morning on the farm, and some of the smallest family members are waking up to eat their breakfast in their stalls. Four to a stall, our dwarf horses are so small they have plenty of space to stretch. After they’re groomed and gorgeous, we open the gate, and they wander down to their own corral, where they’ll eat lunch, a delicious meal of watered-down hay. As they make their way back to the stall, one particularly sassy filly, Chiquita, likes to tease the stallion, who has to be kept separate from the mares. She flirts, throwing her rear toward him, as they trot back to their stalls. Drives him nuts.
I’ve loved horses ever since I could remember, riding hunters and jumpers as a child, and having my own when I was 12. Growing up in Los Angeles, I boarded my first horses at Will Rogers State Park. I never intended to own dwarf horses – it’s common for them to have quite a few health problems, and they’re like infants, requiring constant attention, and often special medicine. I started with miniature horses, tiny animals at 29 inches, though compared to the dwarf horses, who are often half that, they seem full-sized!
Showing the miniatures in shows, one trainer gave me a dwarf who needed a great deal of care. I hadn’t yet bought the farm, so I had created a mini-version of a city farm, caring for them in Beverly Hills! It’s not just Rodeo Drive and shiny cars.
Dwarf horses pull at those same heart-strings that all that teeny-tiny animals do (kittens!), but while you might be tempted to breed them, their health issues pull at other, harder heart-strings. We had to do a stem-cell transplant for one, who lived a healthier life, but still died from her heart issues. We’ve had to straighten the legs of one little girl – at 14 inches, she was so small we used tongue depressors as splints. We take good care of them, rescuing others when needed.
Our dwarves and minis are part of The City Farm family, sharing the good life along with our small Zebu cows, ducks and Kunekune pigs, (pronounced “cooney cooney”), who are my pets. Buying the farm in 2009, I’ve learned so much to grow it to where it is today, and I’m so happy to share it with you all. I’d love to connect: share your farm memories with us here in the comments, or via Twitter or Facebook!
Christmas is rich with traditions: from whether you buy, cut down, or resurrect a plastic tree, to the time that you put it in its place and open a box of holiday cheer to deck your halls. According to our GROW blog writer, Rebecca, the tree has to wait until at least December 9th. Her parents told her it was to ensure her birthday cake was not confused with holiday cookies, and to separate the two celebrations, but she has a sneaking suspicion it was the fact that her birthdays ended up in attempted human- pyramids made up of tumbling pre-teen girls. A tree wouldn’t stand a chance.
We asked you to share beloved Christmas traditions via the book of Face. As almost all our families were immigrants to the U.S. at some point, many traditions have the flavor of another culture. One friend’s mother bakes stolen, a German bread with dried/candied fruit and homemade vanilla sugar. Another told us of tamales and Champurrado, a Mexican hot chocolate thickened with corn dough. Check out Judy’s latest COOK blog post for holiday cookie party how-tos and recipes!
What traditions are meaningful for you? Are they old and time-honored like the stocking you’ve hung on the fireplace for over 30 years? Or newly crafted, from sharing the holidays with new friends or loved ones? Take a look at TLC to learn about Christmas traditions around the globe. Are there any you want to bring home to your holiday celebrations? In Spain, “tambourines, gourd rattles, castanets, and miniature guitars are offered for sale to enliven the singing and dancing in the streets. Children go from house to house reciting verses or singing carols for sweets, toys, or small instruments.”
Which reminds me. I want to go caroling with Amy Poehler. Click here for hilarious Christmas cheer.
When you do hang your stockings? Is there a special ornament for the top of the tree? Does your dog or cat get a gift? Do your Christmas lights blind the neighbors? Is there a certain movie you must watch or it’s simply not Christmas? Do you attend a church or celebrate winter solstice? We’d love to know! Share your stories here or tag @TheCityFarm on Facebook or Twitter!
(Photos: Santa’s Cookies Message Plate Set, Santa’s Choice Stocking Kit, City Farm Exclusives Bundle, Paw Prints Holiday Stocking)