by Carol Leish
The topping choices are endless at Top This Chocolate! Start by choosing luscious dark, milk or white chocolate. Then, pick the nuts, fruit, candy, cookies and salty snacks that you want on your custom creation. Have your unique combination made into a bar, snacking squares or hearts. Fair Trade Certified non-GMO, glutton free couverture chocolate is used, which is made with 100% cocoa Butter, with no chemicals or partially hydrogenated.
Chocoholic owner, Shana Elson, wanted to follow her passion of baking, and making her creations with chocolate while still, initially, continuing her work as a real-estate lawyer. She said, “I was taking pastry and chocolatier classes on the weekends. I was also getting bored with the options that were available for my nightly chocolate fix. The lack of variety inspired me to innovate at home by experimenting with bold new topping combinations like coconut, banana chips and spicy mango.”
After the idea for Top This Chocolate was born, Elson attended USC Marshall School of Business to combine her confectionary expertise with real world business entrepreneurship. While at USC, she won $25,000 in seed money in the Women’s New Venture Pitch Competition. She said, “Even though I launched the idea in Los Angeles in 2014, by 2019 I had found the best location for the shop at the Ventura Harbor! Now, along with chocolate pouring from machines, like in the movie, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate,’ I’ve been able to fulfill my cravings and dreams. Thus, I’ve been able to, “Cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two (Candyman),” in order to have others be able to fulfill their cravings, too.
You can come in to order, or order online. Visit: www.topthischocolate.com; or, call: (805) 535-4167.
Lemon & Lei is a wonderful clean-living bath and body collection place created by Katie Adams, who is a native of Ventura County. She started Lemon & Lei after having her daughter, Leighton, who is now six years old.
Adams said, “After my daughter was born, I became more aware of the ingredients in baby products/lotions. I started using essential oils, and experienced with various organic ingredients. I was happy to be able to make a business out of what I had become passionate about. It allowed me to stay home with my daughter until she had started Kindergarten.”
Based on her own research, Adams was inspired to create a bath & body care line that is healthy for your skin, environmentally safe, with no harmful ingredients. “At Lemon & Lei,” according to Adams, “We understand how important proper skin care is because our skin is our protective cover and the first barrier to fight off illness and diseases. The difference between neglected and venerated skin is remarkable! The whole-body benefits when our skin doesn’t have to fight to perform its natural function. The results will have you hooked!” And, ‘Everything will be alright.’ (Splish, Splash).
Please come by the Ventura Harbor and/or visit the website at https//lemonandlei.com; or, call: (805) 535-4036.
