visit san diego, love san diego

Today is the first day of summer, which means we are reaching the height of tourist season here in San Diego.  The marine layer is beginning to clear from coastal towns like Ocean Beach, local festivals are in full swing, the Padres are in season and the sunsets are beyond breathtaking.  If there was ever a good time to visit us in sunny San Diego, it would be anytime between July and October (being that I’m from the Midwest, I find the weather here to be amazing year round, but summer is exceptionally gorgeous).  With that being said, I’m going to spend the next few blog posts highlighting my favorite neighborhoods in SD and how to spend the perfect day in these given hoods.  Let it be known that I am no expert on San Diego, but in the two years that I’ve been here I have lived in 4 different neighborhoods and explored many others.  I’m also getting a lot of help from friends that are either permanent transplants or born and raised in SD.  So put your YELP app to rest and let the Noon Gals give you the ultimate tour of San Diego!

Stay tuned, my first neighborhood is Ocean Beach, the birthplace of Noon Designs!

noon hearts griffin farm

Living in San Diego is wonderful for so many reasons, one being that we are fortunate enough to have access to local, organic produce.  Given that we have a year-round growing season and a large number of family farms here in San Diego County, we can support our local economy by eating locally grown foods.  It’s possible to attend a farmer’s market somewhere in San Diego any day of the week.  Here in Ocean Beach, Wednesday nights are bustling with San Diegans eager to purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers.  A personal connection can be made between farmers and buyers…we have the opportunity to shake hands with farmers, the same hands that harvested the kale or squash that you’ll soon be enjoying on your plate.  One of those farmers just so happens to be a long time friend of Noon, Anne Marie Coulon.  She and her boyfriend, Matt own and operate Griffin Farm, a beautiful open space East of Ocean Beach.  Anne Marie and Matt sell their produce to restaurants here in San Diego, as well as, at the O.B. farmer’s markets on Wednesday nights from 4-8PM.

As if Anne Marie didn’t have enough on her plate, she is also the head chef for her catering business, Heirloom Gatherings that she runs with her 2 sisters Dominique and Jacqueline.  If you have ever attended a Noon gathering or party, then there is a good chance that you have come in direct contact with Heirloom Gatherings.  And by direct contact, I mean that you might have indulged in a delicious sweet treat or snacked on scrumptious finger foods.  Heirloom uses ingredients grown at Griffin Farm to create wonderful appetizers, entrees, desserts, cocktails, etc.  Anne Marie’s recipes stay true to the ingredients she uses.  Her meals are simple and elegant, no fluff or fuss, just amazing and flavorful food.

Griffin Farm’s stand @the OB farmer’s market

Arlo, the Griffin Farm donkey

So the next time you visit O.B. for the farmer’s market, make sure to find Matt and Anne Marie from Griffin Farm.  Last week I grabbed some fresh camomile from their farm stand and thoroughly enjoyed my first cup of fresh camomile tea.  You gotta love it!

 

TEND of San Diego, a new website that features local businesses!

Noon Designs is growing growing growing!  But, one thing is for sure, we would be nothing without the love and support of our community here in San Diego.  We have been fortunate enough to have loyal customers that help us spread the word by buying noon gifts for friends, liking us on Facebook, or simply just by wearing our jewels!  One of our most loyal customers (aka a “nooner for life” as we like to call our favorite customers here in the shop), Marianne, has started a website that is dedicated to supporting local small businesses in San Diego.  Her site is called TEND of San Diego, which stands for The Entrepreneur Next Door.  It’s like an online journal that tells the stories of small business owners.  The site forms a personal connection between the public and local entrepreneurs.  I could go on and on about how important it is to support our local community, but the bottom line is that it feels good to spend your money on a just cause.  Knowing the story behind the business will make us feel good about our purchase because if we know the owner’s story, they will feel like a friend and who doesn’t want to support their friend?  I’m just so excited to keep reading about local businesses like Noon!  Do yourself a favor and check it out!

the noon shop gears up for summer

I must say, the Noon Shop in Ocean Beach is looking exceptionally cute these days.  Maie and Sarah (our newest noon gal) made an adorable window display that you must come and see for yourself!  Sarah, owner and artist of a brand called Often Wander created those awesome yarn pom-pom garlands.  Maie also made some garlands using our new favorite design, the “burst”.  The girls really went to town on this one, the colors just scream So Cal Summer!  Not only is the window looking fabulous but we are fully stocked with amazing Noon jewels, wrap around bracelets from Often Wander, Noon soaps and candles, oh the list goes on!  Enjoy your Wednesday:)

a noon customer sports her wrap around bracelet. they are a great addition to any wrist flare you might already wear!

the noon gals are moving and shaking!

Nora, Noah and the family dog, all packed up and ready to hit the open road!

The Noon Shop has been constantly changing since its doors were opened in 2009; we’ve gone from carrying just jewelry and paper to creating our own lines of glass wear, tea towels, body products, perfume, etc.  Noon has expanded from 2 employees to 6 and from one shop to two; last year the Ocean Beach shop moved from 5022 Santa Monica Ave to 4993 Niagra Ave. If there is one thing us Noon Gals excel at, it’s adjusting and embracing change. This week marked a bittersweet transition for our company when Nora and Jessica left for Rhode Island.  As you may or may not know, Noon is expanding to the East Coast, specifically Providence, Rhode Island.  Not only will there be a 3^rd Noon Shop, but the production and wholesale end of the business will operate from the East Side.  Given that Nora, Maie and Jessica are all East Coast Natives, it was only a matter of time before the gals started inching back towards their hometowns.

Sadly, this move is pulling apart Maie and Nora who are life long best friends, business partners and “sisters”.  I say that this is a bittersweet move because it means that Noon is going bi-coastal, but it’s sad to see our friends leave sunny San Diego!

Out with the old, in with the NOON!

Christmas came early for the Noon gals and all of our loyal customers! We are so happy to announce that we now carry lines of NOON candles, soaps and chap sticks.  These new additions make the shops look and smell more amazing than ever before.  It sounds like I’m exaggerating a bit here, but trust me, I’m only telling the truth.  Co-owner and graphic artist, Maie Webb, designed the labels on these new products.  So not only do our new candles and body products smell amazing and delicious, but they are adorned with signature Noon graphics.  They are so precious that I’m having a hard time concentrating today.  I’m just thinking about how these products will make such great gifts for all my friends and family!

This new venture has been in the works for a few months and now dreams are becoming reality.  For the soaps and chap sticks we teamed up with our good friend Erin from Naiad Soap Arts.  Erin’s products have been in the shop since 2009 and they have always been best sellers. Naiad Soaps are made with all natural materials: lavender, peppermint, rosemary, etc.  We are carrying bar soaps, chap sticks and sugar whipped soap scrubs.  The scrubs are great for exfoliating in the shower and they all smell like baked desserts.  Yum yum!! My personal favorite is the “cardamom vanilla” scrub; it’s like showering with a birthday cake! You’ll just have to come in and take a whiff for yourself!

If you are at all familiar with our shops, then you know that we have gone through several lines of candles over the years, but last year we finally found a keeper.  Natural Body and Bath, a candle company based out of Huntington Beach, has been supplying the Noon Shops with uniquely scented and  aromatic soy wax candles.  As a side note, if you haven’t burned soy wax before, then you are missing out!  Our candles are made with renewable, biodegradable, US grown soy wax, essential oils and they burn extremely clean. Just like the soaps, we’ve collaborated with this company to make a line of candles that our customers are sure to love as much as we do.  We’ve created 3 scents: morning, noon and night.  They are sold individually, but a package of all 3 candles would make an ideal gift for any gal!

These goodies are sold exclusively at the Noon shops and online.  Get em while their hot ladies!!

help we can’t decide!

WE NEED YOUR HELP SELECTING THE NEXT GLASSWARE DESIGN!

Please vote! And if you have any name suggestions for the designs please share them in the comments below! If we use the name you shared we will give you a set of glasses! Thanks SO much!

Noon’s future is so bright, we all need sunglasses

No joke, we have been super duper busy here in the Noon Shop. Nora and Jessica are preparing to leave for the East Coast, we are developing a slew of new products and Maie is working on our new wedding website along with creating more adorable designs for Noon Goods. I’ll begin by reminding you all that Noon has expanded from jewelry and paper to a bigger brand that offers home goods like our tea towels and glasswear. We are excited to announce that Noon is taking a step further by launching a line of Noon candles, soaps and chap sticks. Watch out world, Noon is taking over!! The gals have been working with artisans who already make amazing products that look and smell wonderful. The Noon Shops will soon carry high quality candles and body works that are packaged with a touch of whimsy and splashed with the Noon graphics that you already love. We will keep you updated on the status of our new products, I promise!

In case you weren’t aware Nora (co-owner and jeweler) and Jessica (wholesale manager and everything else manager) will be moving to Rhode Island this June. The wholesale end of Noon will soon operate from the East Coast. The girls will also be working on opening up another Noon Shop somewhere in Rhode Island, most likely Providence. It’s beyond exciting that Noon is about to expand and go bi-coastal!

It’s amazing that with all the other things going on Maie has been able to re-launch her line of wedding invitations on our new website noonweddings.com {work in progress}. Noon is offering letterpress and flat printed wedding invitations that are adorned with our favorite designs. Brides will soon be able to order and customize their wedding invitations through this new website. We will no longer be offering custom graphics or color options, but I can assure you that Maie has put the time and effort into making sure we can offer the cutest invites you’ve ever seen. Spread the word!

This spring has been busy and exciting for us Noon Gals and it only keeps getting better. The Noon brand is growing and expanding, so stay tuned to see what we come up with next!

Ideal 4 a Cause, the “feel good” daily deals website

Today the gals and I had the pleasure of meeting another local entrepreneur and east coast native by the name of Sasha. His company, Ideal 4 a Cause is a daily deals website that brings together local businesses with local non-profits. Similar to Groupon, it’s a great place to find coupons for fun things to do in San Diego, but a percentage of the proceeds from your purchase go to a local non-profit organization. So not only can you get a discount for your favorite restaurant or yoga studio; you can rest assured that your money is going to a business that is committed to making a difference in our community. The company works with a number of different non-profits in San Diego. Just to name a few: The Helen Woodward Animal Center, San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project, Impact Young Adults and San Diego River Park Foundation.

Sasha and his brother Jared started Ideal 4 a Cause less than one year ago and business is already booming. And not surprisingly, the duo has quite a bit of experience working with non-profit organizations. From what I’ve read and heard about Jared, he has a passion for the outdoors and for sharing that passion with youngsters in the community. Sasha has been involved in volunteering for non-profit organizations and even worked in advertising for a non-profit art program in Denver. Given their backgrounds, sense of adventure and commitment to giving back, Sasha and Jared are sure to make Ideal 4 a Cause a big hit.

To sign up for their e-mail list just visit ideal4acause.com. I know, I know, the last thing you need is another e-mail about some kind of awesome deal, but these guys are legit. You will be spending your money wisely.

the noon gals find a way to love food and lose weight

today's collaborative lunch: green salad, chickpea salad, tabouleh and raw almonds

It’s that time of year again; bikini season is fast approaching and its time to get to work.  Being that we live in San Diego, it’s possible to spend April through mid November soaking up the gorgeous weather in an outfit that leaves little to the imagination.  Do I feel pressure to look good in a swimsuit…absolutely. All of us Noon gals tend to eat a pretty healthy diet, but we get off track here and there (especially when visiting our favorite restaurants like Raglan or Snooze).  So when we heard about our friend and co-worker, Regina Morrison’s e-book titled, “Love Food: Lose Weight”, we felt it was time to take on a new challenge!

We thought it would be fun to team up and test out Regina’s eating plan.  This way we can support each other during hard times (uh, no wine or cheese for the first 2 weeks) and collaborate on meals.  The great part about this book is that it’s not a diet; it’s an eating plan that will influence the way you eat forever, so that you can drop some pounds and keep them off.  Regina’s plan is really easy to follow; she even gives you a sample menu for each day of the week and a bunch of really great recipes.

I don’t want to give too much away because I think you all should buy Regina’s e-book and give the plan a go with your girlfriends.  Trust me, you are going to want the help!  To cut down on time in the kitchen, we are all bringing in different foods to share and eat with each other.  It’s only day two of the plan, but we are all staying strong.  We’ll keep you all posted on our progress!

To purchase Regina’s book, visit her website  Love Food: Lose Weight