#thisbarsaveslives

[micklewis]

Lucky seat on @JetBlue, sitting next to Clancy of @ThisBar (co-founded by @KristenAnnieBell) who shared the story of This Bar Saves Lives, a mission-driven #startup that sells health bars to support sending #RUTF (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food) to under-nourished children in Somalia, Haiti, and Guatemala, and shared two bars with me! #GoodFlight #JetBlue #ThisBarSavesLives https://www.instagram.com/p/BpnQ9Njlh4s/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1is07ux9m0lsb

[voncrobead]

#Repost from @de_la_kels with @regram.app ... l happened upon the @thisbar IG account today and I was so disappointed in the glaring theme present throughout their social media accounts, website and marketing in general • Just this photo and caption alone — what does it say? What is it communicating? That if it were not for these *nice* white people buying fancy granola bars at Starbucks (or wherever else you can buy them) this child wouldn’t have a quality of life? YIKES • See, here’s the thing — malnutrition is absolutely an issue here in America but at much higher rates in over-exploited countries such as Uganda, Guatemala or Haiti (for example). However, it is not a problem that is so *easily* solved with something like #PlumpyNut or handouts of food — those are TEMPORARY solutions and are hardly sustainable • Many people will roll their eyes and call me cynical. I often hear the retort, “well would you rather them do nothing at all?!” And I HEAR YOU. • We want a quick fix, an easy solution AND we want to feel good about ourselves while doing it — that’s why companies like this and @toms exist • We get to pretend we are doing something without having to do anything - IT’S AWESOME! ... only, it’s really not... I’ve done quite a bit of research on the ethics behind 1-for-1 models like this and I come up with the same concerns every time (Im happy to expand on these if you’re interested) • We need to challenge companies and organizations like this to do better — because what is more important than honoring the inherent dignity and worth of the people we claim to care so much about “saving”? • #thisbarsaveslives #thisbar #whitesaviorcomplex #whitesupremacy

[journey2jess-blog]

My March/April box of craftly just came in. I'm super excited about this month's theme "Do Good" in which each item selected is from a company that in some way is giving back. Hopefully I'll have an in boxing video soon to talk about these awesome products! #mycraftly #craftlyco #unitedbyblue #happyspritz #provinceapothecary #thisbarsaveslives #subscriptionbox #nofilter

[insearchofglitter]

This bar is amazing! Best snack EVER and it is healthy. Even better every time you buy one they deliver life saving nutrient packets to starving people! So your snack is Saving Lives! #everdaymagic #insearchofglitter #causebox #thisbarsaveslives #plumpynut (at Lincoln City, Oregon)

[3alarm]

Kristen Bell talks about giving back with her company 'this bar saves lives' #fujixt2 #createandcultivate #SXSW #SXSW #KristenBell #thisbarsaveslives (at SXSW)

[thisbarsaves]

Our Summer Farmers’ Market Guide

Written and photographed by Maral Tavitian 

On a recent visit to the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market, the stalls brimmed with fragrant Meyer lemons, plump figs, and ripe stone fruits. To make the best of Southern California’s bounty of stunning local produce, do as little to it as possible. Many quintessential summer dishes– think heirloom tomato and basil salad, dressed simply with good olive oil and flaky sea salt– require no recipe at all.

We have compiled a list of some our favorite vendors to help you navigate the market with ease, along with preparation recommendations for your upcoming beachside picnic or barbecue in the park.

Harry’s Berries

The sweet aroma of peak-season strawberries from Harry’s Berries permeates the entire market. While the ruby red gems rarely last longer than a day in the fridge, for a special dessert, consider drizzling sliced berries with cold cream and maple syrup.

Tutti Frutti Farms

Tutti Frutti is renowned for its gorgeous heirloom tomatoes of myriad shapes and colors. You’ll find lesser-known varieties such as Golden Jubilee and Black Crimson, each with a distinctive flavor and appearance. While the tomatoes are best enjoyed raw with sea salt, when lightly sautéed with olive oil, garlic, and parsley, they make a fantastic pasta sauce.  

Weiser Family Farms

Weiser Farms will change your perspective of the humble tuber. The tiny fingerling potatoes become succulent when slow-roasted with plenty of fresh herbs, olive oil, and sea salt. Or boiled, tender purple potatoes are a welcome addition to a seafood bake.

Drake Family Farms

This family-run operation offers a wide array of goat’s milk cheeses. For those willing to venture from the classic chevre, the floral apricot and honey flavor makes a fabulous crostini.

Fat Uncle Farms

Fat Uncle offers a fantastic selection of flavored almonds and almond-based products. The crunchy roasted and salted almond butter is excellent when slathered on toast, but perhaps even better straight out of the jar.

Kenter Canyon Farms

This local wheat grower offers breads made using its freshly milled whole grain flours. The loaves range in color and intensity, from the chewy, subtly sweet country loaf to the dense, super dark rye.

Of course, our life-saving bag makes a fashionable and practical farmers’ market accessory. 

Maral Tavitian is a student at the University of Southern California studying journalism and human rights. 

[thisbarsaves]

Links We Love

Links We Love is a roundup of some of our favorite findings from around the Web.

1. 25 Greek yogurt recipes for every meal.

2. Salad for President features colorful and creative salad ideas. We are partial to this kale number with quick-pickled cauliflower and avocado.

3. Thousands of balloons will float above the streets of Águeda, Portugal for this public art installation in July.

4. A New York Times technology writer compares the merits of fitness apps and personal trainers.

5. Living in a Shoebox provides chic interior design inspiration and tips for maximizing small spaces. Can you believe this apartment is only 323 square feet?

6. These 22 DIY projects are ideal for tackling over the summer.

[thisbarsaves]

Coffee Talk: Intelligentsia Venice

Written and photographed by Maral Tavitian 

Welcome to Coffee Talk, an ongoing profile series on the independent coffee shops that sell our bars nationwide.

Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea buzzed with activity on a recent summer afternoon in Venice, CA. Jazz music hummed from the speakers, the espresso machine whirred as baristas steamed milk for cappuccinos, and friends conversed on the staircase outside the entry.

Even as Intelligentsia has grown into an internationally recognized brand, each café has maintained a distinctive character. Located on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the Venice location offers open seating and an expansive, light-filled ambience. Intelligentsia’s main draw, however, remains its exceptional selection of carefully sourced coffees and teas. The company purchases coffee directly from farmers in growing regions around the world, and prides itself on awarding producers above fair trade prices. 

I chatted with Christopher Chavez, the store’s shift lead, about the importance of quality and customer service, the highlights of his job, and what makes Intelligentsia a great partner for This Bar Saves Lives.

What makes this Intelligentsia location unique?

The design itself kind of revolutionized the way people saw coffee shops in general. It went away from the 90s vibe which was homey and cozy and became more industrial and minimalistic. It doesn’t take away form the coffee, if anything it makes the coffee the focus. The focus is on what’s happening in the middle [of the shop], which is us preparing the coffee and helping people and making conversation.

Is getting to know your customers an important part of working here?

Hospitality is definitely a big thing. We like to pay a lot of attention to detail in what we do. So with that comes hospitality. We can’t serve great coffee and not care about the people we’re serving. Even though we may look confident and intimidating behind the bar, a lot of us are socially awkward. We can feel very uncomfortable at times, so we understand how people feel when they walk in, and we do our best to make them feel welcome.

What gets you excited about coming to work every day? 

Making tea and brewing coffee. I have access to the best coffee in the world. That and the friendships that we’ve developed as co-workers. It’s always exciting to come to work because you get to see your friends, who are basically your family. That gets me excited.

Is there a particular coffee drink or roast that you love right now? 

Right now we have the Tikur Anbessa from Ethiopa. It’s really unique because it has a very heavy body, which is unlike African coffees that are typically lighter and more floral and acidic. But this one is really heavy, it has some chocolate notes and it fades into a nice citrus finish. We have the Yunnan tea; it’s a black tea from the Yunnan province [in China]. It’s a different species and it’s the first time that it’s been introduced in the United States. It grows from the purple leaf. It’s just so unique and interesting that we can have access to that. We have some of the best tea in the world.  

What would you recommend to try for a quintessential Intelligentsia experience?

I always suggest a latte, just because that’s what people are usually accustomed to. If not that, I encourage them to try cappuccinos. Just because it’s one step up– it has less milk to highlight the espresso more. It still has the foam and it’s a lukewarm temperature so it brings out the sweetness of the milk.

We also have the Angeleno, which is two double-shots of espresso, and it’s shaken on ice with milk and sugar. It has froth on top and ice shards that are sweet. It’s pretty dangerous though considering that it has four shots of espresso and it’s sweet so you don’t feel the caffeine in there.

Why do you think This Bar Saves Lives is a great fit for Intelligentsia?

Intelligentsia is very forward thinking in how we take care of our people. We work with the farmers and pay them above fair trade, because it is hand labor what they’re doing. The basic direct trade model that the company was built on was a very humanistic approach to starting a business, with good intentions and with other people in mind as well. And I think This Bar Saves Lives reflects that. It’s a company that has to make profit and has to survive but it’s also doing its best to provide and give back and that’s a very generous way to think. And I mean they’re delicious too.

We are going to conclude with lighting round questions. First up, hot coffee or iced?

Hot.

Croissant or muffin?

Croissant.

Dark chocolate or milk?

Dark chocolate.

Coffee before or after breakfast?

After. Actually, can I say during breakfast? I think that’s the way to go.

Finally, favorite This Bar flavor?

Pistachio-blueberry. I could live off those.

*The interview was edited for clarity and content.