Hope you had a great week — and ready for a LA weekend. Here's local craft maker Rotten’s stab at a dream weekend in LA, and obviously found it hard to limit themselves so please save some of these gems for next time: 

After four and a half years in LA and living in different neighborhoods from West Hollywood to Venice, I've finally found my perfect spot in Santa Monica. While each area has its own charm, there's something special about being able to start my day near the beach with my dog.

My morning begins at the Brentwood Country Mart, a charming old-school outdoor mall that feels like a slice of vintage Los Angeles. Caffe Luxxe on 26th Street is my go-to coffee spot - even as someone who usually can't tell good coffee from bad, their brew stands out. The baristas are incredibly friendly, and the people-watching scene never disappoints. The Country Mart has become my local hub since I can walk there.

Speaking of hidden gems at the Country Mart, Frida's Tacos makes what I consider the best salad in LA - their tostada salad. The secret is mixing their house dressing with their different salsas. It creates this perfect combination that I can't find anywhere else. While there, I often stop by Farmshop to check out their carefully curated selection of emerging brands. It's like a more intimate version of Erewhon, without the scene.

For my favorite breakfast, I can't resist making the drive to Joan's on Third, a habit I picked up during my West Hollywood days that I just can't shake. Everything there lives up to the hype - their breakfast burrito is a standout, and for lunch, the BLT or Chinese chicken salad paired with an Arnold Palmer hits the spot every time.

One of my favorite lunch discoveries is Crudo e Nudo in Santa Monica. Their outdoor area fresh shucked shellfish creates this perfect atmosphere, and their seasonal appetizers served seafood bar side make it my happy place in the middle of the day.

For the perfect afternoon and sunset activity, I head to Westridge Trail in Mandeville Canyon. It's one of those rare finds in LA - a fire road trail where dogs can run off-leash, which is pretty special in this city. The moderate uphill provides just enough of a workout, and on clear days, you're rewarded with stunning views of both the mountains and ocean. It's the kind of hike that reminds you why people fall in love with Los Angeles - where else can you get panoramic views of mountains and sea while your dog runs freely beside you?

For dinner, Ospi has become my go-to spot. Their chicken parm is nothing short of obsession-worthy, and I was very happy when they opened a location in Brentwood. It's one of those places that keeps drawing me back and lives up to the hype. It’s by the beach, so can burn off some calories after the meal or catch a sunset.

What I love most about this area is how it combines the best of everything - beautiful outdoor spaces like Westridge Trail, incredible food ranging from casual tacos to elevated Italian, and those perfect California views. After trying out different parts of LA, from the energy of West Hollywood to the eclectic vibe of Venice, Santa Monica feels like home. It offers that perfect balance of outdoor adventure with all the amenities and excitement you'd want from city living.

This barely scratches the surface of LA’s sustainable and small-batch community. If you’re looking for recommendations or curious about our favorite spots, we’d love to hear from you!

New Products

Newly Launched Farm2Me

• Mezcla Bars – GF Quinoa Bars, New York, United States (Link)

• Jamie’s Farm Granola – GF Granola Cereal, Local Ingredients, New York, United States (Link)

  
  Avec Non-Alcoholic Drinks – Fresh 100% Juice, Whole Ingredient Mixers, Brooklyn, United States (Link)

• Three Sisters Charcuterie – Sustainable Pork Spanish Dry-Cured Chorizo, Richmond, Ca, United States (Link)

Grocers

1,000+ Tiny Grocers near LA

Farm2Me Map of Independent Grocers is not just a map – it’s a vibrant, living community celebrating the hardworking shops and shopkeepers you pass by every day.

Get lost in the intricate stories of shop owners. Discover their journeys, the products they love, and the reasons behind what they do.

Take advantage of the map when you’re visiting a new neighborhood, when you’re traveling around the country / world, or just looking for something special in your neighborhood.

We’ve spent 14 years building this, so enjoy!

Sponsor

Money

Following a bold 50 basis point rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, spot gold reached a peak of 2,687 per troy ounce. Experts predict that this bullish trend for the precious yellow metal may continue, so it may be smart to get in now before prices keep climbing.*

Disclaimer: The information provided in this email is for educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice.

Start Investing

Non-GMO

Non GMO Project

Non-GMO products do not allow GMO genetically modified organism - a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology. GMO creates combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.  Make sure  you see the  Non-GMO label!

Genetic modification affects many of the products we consume on a daily basis. As the number of GMOs available for commercial use grows every year, the Non-GMO Project works diligently to provide the most accurate, up-to-date standards for non-GMO verification.

In order for a product to be Non-GMO Project Verified, its inputs must be evaluated for compliance with our standard, which categorizes inputs into four risk levels.

Partner

Masterworks

How has the art investing platform Masterworks been able to realize an individual profit for investors with each of its 23 exits to date? 

Here’s an example: an exited Banksy was offered to investors at $1.039 million and internally appraised at the same value after acquisition. As Banksy’s market took off, Masterworks received an offer of $1.5 million from a private collector, resulting in 32% net annualized return for investors in the offering.

Every artwork performs differently — but with 3 illustrative sales (that were held for 1+ year), Masterworks investors realized net annualized returns of 17.6%, 17.8%, and 21.5%.

Masterworks takes care of the heavy lifting: from buying the paintings, to storing them, to selling them for you (no art experience required). 

Disclaimer: The content is not intended to provide legal, tax, or investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Investing involves risk.

Now, you can SKIP THE WAITLIST when you use our exclusive link to get started.

Non-Alcohol

600+ Non-Alcoholic Shops near LA

Farm2Me Map of Non-Alc Grocers is not just a map – it’s a vibrant, living community celebrating the hardworking shops and shopkeepers you pass by every day.

Get lost in the intricate stories of shop owners. Discover their journeys, the products they love, and the reasons behind what they do.

Take advantage of the map when you’re visiting a new neighborhood, when you’re traveling around the country / world, or just looking for something special in your neighborhood.

We’ve spent 14 years building this, so enjoy!

Sponsor

Freespoke

What We’re Searching With.

Oh, the internet. It can be a scary place… but less so with Freespoke. Freespoke is a search engine that does a few important things differently:

• News results show all sides with media biases labeled (left, middle, right)

• Their new election portal delivers unbiased election coverage so you can make up your own mind

• No adult content by default – they’re a partner in protecting your families from bad content.  Freespoke is the search platform that respects your privacy and doesn’t manipulate the information you find

Try searching on Freespoke

OnlineNews!

Seaweed Gets $2.5M

Triodos’ investment into the Faroese seaweed farming industry - the group’s first investment into the sustainable aquaculture industry - raises the total capital raised by Ocean Rainforest to € 2.5 million. Other notable shareholders include Katapult Ocean, Twynam, and WWF.

Founded in 2007, Ocean Rainforest was ahead of the curve, seemingly anticipating the massive boom in global seaweed production that was to come in the following years. Driven by the idea that growing seaweed in the ocean would take up CO₂ and mitigate climate change, cultivation began in 2013 after years of research and trials. Today the company employs 25 people and expects to produce 400 tonnes of seaweed biomass by the end of 2024, making it the largest cultivated seaweed producer in Europe.

“Ocean Rainforest addresses three impact pillars: from an environmental perspective, cultivating seaweed at scale is associated with significant enhancement of marine biodiversity and water quality. Seaweed-based fertilisers and animal feed also contribute to the sustainable agriculture transition. From a consumer perspective, consumption of seaweed-based products improves the digestive system and brings anti-inflammatory and other benefits,” said Adam Kybird, fund manager at Triodos, in a press release.

“Finally, from a socio-economic perspective, the company creates positive impact for coastal communities, creating jobs and positioning the Faroe Islands at the forefront of sustainable seaweed cultivation,” he added.

Ocean Rainforest has also begun to expand its reach, cultivating giant kelp in Santa Barbara, California, as part of a research and development project. The company recently applied for permission to transition this to commercial cultivation.

“We see the investment by Triodos Food Transition Europe Fund as a confirmation of our business strategy and our purpose to improve people’s wellbeing and make a unique contribution to our blue planet. With the funding provided by Triodos we will be able to further scale our production and capitalise on the huge potential of this global growth market while contributing even more to our sustainability goals,” said Olavur Gregersen, Ocean Rainforest co-founder and chief executive.

Local Farms

Farmers Markets in LA

Farm2Me Guide of Farmers Markets is not just a map – you can finally search by day, location, and see what’s open — it’s a vibrant, living community celebrating the hardworking farms and makers all over the country, every day.

Get lost in the intricate stories of the farms. Discover their journeys, the products they love, and the reasons behind what they do.

Take advantage of the map when you’re visiting a new neighborhood, when you’re traveling around the country / world, or just looking for something special in your neighborhood.

We’ve spent 14 years building this, so enjoy!

Coffee Roasters

Coffee Roasters Near LA

Farm2Me Map of Independent Grocers is not just a map – it’s a vibrant, living community celebrating the hardworking shops and shopkeepers you pass by every day.

Get lost in the intricate stories of shop owners. Discover their journeys, the products they love, and the reasons behind what they do.

Take advantage of the map when you’re visiting a new neighborhood, when you’re traveling around the country / world, or just looking for something special in your neighborhood.

We’ve spent 14 years building this, so enjoy!

Pro Tip #1

Visit a local Grocer or Coffee Shop, or explore a local Farmers Market. Shop direct from your favorite emerging brands!

Fine & Raw Chocolate was established in 2007 in a notorious Williamsburg, Brooklyn artist loft by Daniel Sklaar. Daniel launched into making small Fine & Raw Chocolate batches and sharing them with friends, Fine & Raw Chocolate wholesale then started delivering them on his bicycle to local purveyors of fine food. It was apparent that the chocolate flavor was so good it was borderline addictive. Fine & Raw Chocolate wholesale grew based on the premise of producing organic, unparalleled quality chocolate and a shear love of the chocolate making process.

The “raw” in Fine & Raw is something of a misnomer. Sklaar and Fine & Raw Chocolate company do roast some of their organic cacao beans under lower temperatures and for longer durations than common in standard high-heat processing. Says Sklaar, “Raw chocolate is an amazing source of antioxidants. We’re basically looking to maintain those while playing with the unique flavor profiles of raw chocolate.” Fine & Raw offers chocolates using both “raw” and combinations of “raw” and conventionally roasted beans.

Fine & Raw Chocolate wholesale manufactures the finest chocolate in the world. Fine & Raw Chocolate wholesale specialize in bean-to-bar, organic chocolate bars and truffles, spreads and well, anything our imaginations can think of it. Fine & Raw Chocolate start by sourcing the worlds finest cacao beans and specialize in clean ingredients lists. Their products are always organic, plant-based and next level.

Fine & Raw Chocolate's first point of sustainability is a radically-transparent cacao supply chain which is focused on quality and direct relationships with cacao farmer! Fine & Raw's cacao is sourced from the highest quality and most ethical suppliers in Ghana and Ecuador. "We ensure that our farmers are paid above fair trade wages, because we believe farmers should have the economic freedom and empowerment to farm organically and develop sustainable land management practices. It is currently estimated that less than 0.5% of cacao beans are organic. By cultivating long-lasting and ethical relationships with suppliers and farmers, we hope to continue providing economic support for the organic cacao industry."

Made in Brooklyn, NY

Founded by Daniel Sklaar in 2007

Partner

Masterworks

How has the art investing platform Masterworks been able to realize an individual profit for investors with each of its 23 exits to date? 

Here’s an example: an exited Banksy was offered to investors at $1.039 million and internally appraised at the same value after acquisition. As Banksy’s market took off, Masterworks received an offer of $1.5 million from a private collector, resulting in 32% net annualized return for investors in the offering.

Every artwork performs differently — but with 3 illustrative sales (that were held for 1+ year), Masterworks investors realized net annualized returns of 17.6%, 17.8%, and 21.5%.

Masterworks takes care of the heavy lifting: from buying the paintings, to storing them, to selling them for you (no art experience required). 

Disclaimer: The content is not intended to provide legal, tax, or investment advice. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Investing involves risk.

Now, you can SKIP THE WAITLIST when you use our exclusive link to get started.

AI TOOLS

Tech tools powering the best DTC brands

Are you raising capital?: Founders, get your startup in front of my network of our 1,800+ top-tier VC investors, angel investors, and family offices (Sign up here)

Looking for deal flow?: Investors, receive curated deal flow from my network in your inbox every month. (Sign up here)

Money: Your trusted source of money news (link)
Masterworks: Check out emerging artwork (link)
Report on AI: Read Motley Fool’s report on new AI (link)
Rebuy: AI-powered personalization for e-commerce (link)
Klaviyo: Email personalization with AI integrations (link)
Smartly.io: Personalize your Ads 100,000x with AI, per geography and customer use case (link)
Range.me: Meet 3 buyers free, and over 50,000+ emerging food buyers (link)
Okendo: Reviews & Loyalty based on paclaging, flavor, ingredients, CX, and more (link)
Fairing: Attribution Surveys to help make sense of customer intent blackholes (link)
Algolia: Personalized Search using AI for e-commerce (link)
Braze: Personalized Customer Profile Databases (CDP) (link)

THAT’S A WRAP

Get your product in front of over 450k+

Our newsletter is read by thousands of food & tech executives, investors, engineers, managers, and business owners around the world. Get in touch today.