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12.29.06
Soup schedule from January 1 - 14, 2007. Monday: Chicken Noodle
Ingredients: Chicken broth, Chicken Breast, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Chives, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Egg Noodles. Tuesday: Cream of Broccoli
Ingredients: Vegetable Stock, Celery, Onions, potatoes, Broccoli, Spinach, Cashew Cream, Sea Sal, Black Pepper, Tamari. Wednesday: Mediterranean Bean Soup
Ingredients: Vegetable stock, Olive oil, Onions, Carrots, Garlic, White beans, Fresh Thyme, Parsley, Sea Salt, Black Pepper. Thursday: Tomato Lentil
Ingredients: Vegetable stock, Green lentils, Cilantro, Celery, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Onions, Tomatoes, Garlic, Canola oil, Sea, Salt, Black pepper. Friday: Minestrone
Ingredients: Vegetable stock, Carrots, Celery, Zucchini, Cauliflower, Parsley, Basil, Mushrooms, Tomato, Tomato Paste, Pasta, Sea Salt, Black pepper, Oregano, Garlic, Cumin, Olive Oil, Red Beans. Saturday: Black Bean Soup
Ingredients: Vegetable Sock, Canola Oil, Tomatoes, Black Beans, Carrots, Celery, Onions, Garlic, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Jalapeno Pepper, Chili Powder, Cilantro Sunday: Spicy Tortilla Soup
Ingredients: Vegetable Stock, Onions, Celery, Jalapeño Peppers, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Corn Tortillas, Tamari, Garlic, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika.
12.29.06
Please note our hours for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day: December 31, New Year’s Eve:
Bakery 8AM – 5PM
Cafe 8AM – 3PM January 1, 2007 New Year’s Day:
Closed Enjoy your celebration and remember to include our 400 Calorie Smart & Simple menu in your post holiday recovery game plan.
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12.28.06
I would like to introduce you to some new team members that have joined Mäni’s over the past few weeks. You have probably already met them, but if not, stop by and say hello. They are: 
William Camacho
Elmar
Gina
Dan
 
Eric and Luis
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12.26.06
With Christmas and Hanukkah over, lots of us will be making New Year’s resolutions of improving our health (either through more exercise, healthier eating habits, or possibly a combination of both) this next year. Indulgences, every once in a while, are healthy for our bodies. I am going to take the liberty of assuming that most (if not all) of us have indulged in some unhealthful foods these last few days (if not this last month). Most of us have one more big celebration to finish up this year. You guessed it, New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day. We have just under a week, so why not get a jump-start on aiding our body back to a healthier place. The overload of food that most of us have packed into our bodies in the last few days is going to take a little while to make its way through. A few easy tactics that we can use to bring our bodies back into balance are: 1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals
2. Eat low amounts of fat (low fat protein foods)
3. Eat high fiber and water containing carbohydrates (these are your fruits and vegetables)
4. Drink a lot of water Your digestive system can only do so much at one time. Chances are we have clogged that system a bit. Keep in mind that the answer is not to stop consuming nutrients all together; we just want to be more calculated. Use the simple guidelines above (either by applying them to your own food preparation or the Smart and Simple menu for those looking to dine-out) and your body will return to its pre-holiday indulgence functioning before you know it.
12.24.06
Mäni’s got a present of its own this holiday season. Mäni’s bought a brand spanking new state of the art Hobart 20 quart mixer.  Pictured here the new mixer is being delivered, just days before Chritmas.
This new mixer will allow our bakers to make smaller, fresher batches of your favorite muffins, coffee cakes, scones, and other breakfast items. They’ll be baking (and mixing!) while you’re sleeping each night to bring you the freshest most delicious wholesome products. So stop by any morning and see for yourself how wonderful and tasty your favorite muffin is now!
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12.20.06
The soup menu through January 1 is now available with a including new soup on Fridays. Monday: Chicken Noodle
Ingredients: Chicken broth, Chicken Breast, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Chives, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Egg Noodles. Tuesday: Zucchini & Spinach Bisque
Ingredients: Vegetable Stock, Celery, Onions, Zucchini, Spinach, Garlic, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Cashew Cream. Wednesday: Tomato Lentil
Ingredients: Vegetable stock, Green lentils, Cilantro, Celery, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Onions, Tomatoes, Garlic, Canola oil, Sea, Salt, Black pepper. Thursday: Butternut Bisque
Ingredients: Vegetable Sock, Onions, Celery, Butternut Squash, Garnet Yams, Sea Salt, Anis, Cinnamon, Soy Milk. Friday: Chunky Vegetable W/Tofu (NEW)
Ingredients: vegetable stock, onions, carrots, celery, Zucchini, Spinach, Tomatoes, yellow corn, green cabbage, tofu, thyme, sage, oregano, sea salt, garlic, tamari. Saturday: Spicy Tortilla Soup
Ingredients: Vegetable Stock, Onions, Celery, Jalapeño Peppers, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Corn Tortillas, Tamari, Garlic, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika Sunday: Black Bean Soup
Ingredients: Vegetable Sock, Canola Oil, Tomatoes, Black Beans, Carrots, Celery, Onions, Garlic, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Jalapeno Pepper, Chili Powder, Cilantro
12.19.06
Bell peppers (especially red bell peppers) are excellent sources of vitamins A and C. This time of year, these vitamins are supremely important for warding off cold, flu, and other infection. No one wants to be sick over the holidays, so take some preventative measures by grabbing some bell peppers from the vegetable platters at holiday parties and/or indulging at Mani’s with some of our items that feature these nutrition powerhouses. Mani’s items that feature bell peppers include the Veggie Scramble and Build Your Own Scramble items. Personally I like bell peppers with almost anything, so if you feel so inclined add them to other choice items
Posted by Garrett Cooke in
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12.18.06
 We created 3 different holiday cookies to help you celebrate the holidays. Mäni’s created a Christmas Tree, a Dradle, and a Star of David. Each are made with our organic maple sugar sweetened butter cookies. Then we add our awesome chocolate truffle cream, and you have this amazing cookie that is sweetened with fruit Juice Reduction and Barley Malt. They are really delicious. 
Remember Mäni’s hours over the holidays: Christmas Eve:
Bakery 7AM – 4PM
Cafe 8AM – 3PM Christmas Day:
Closed Day after Christmas
Bakery & Cafe 9AM – 10PM
12.14.06
 My wife and I got 4 waffle irons when we got married. She grew up with 5 brothers and sisters, so it made perfect sense to her to keep them all. I finally convinced her to return 2 of them. The other day (6 years after being married) I opened the cupboard and noticed those two waffle irons and I thought to myself, “Isn’t it about time we use those!” We have only used them about 4 times in 6 years. I instantly remembered that our feng shui consultant told us that not using an item in our house is a sign of being ungrateful. I did not like that thought. So, the next morning I whipped those things out and cooked some waffles for my 3 1/2 year old, my 18 month old, and my wife.
It is now about 2 1/2 weeks later and I am cooking waffles every morning. “Waffle” is actually one of the 20 words our 18 month old says. He is really cute. 
The ironic thing is that this all happened at about the same time we got a brand new waffle iron here at Mäni’s. Here are the two waffles we offer:
ORGANIC MULTI-GRAIN WAFFLE
Golden multi-grain Belgium-style waffle topped with your choice of fresh fruit or daily fruit compote. Served with pure organic maple syrup GEORGIA PECAN WAFFLE
Golden multi-grain Belgium-style waffle filled with chopped pecans & topped with strawberries & whipped cream What is your favorite breakfast meal?
Posted by Larry Maiman in
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12.12.06
 This is kind of cool! We got a huge order today from the hit TV show, “The King of Queens.” I was trying to imagine what Kevin James, Leah Remini, and Jerry Stiller were going to eat. What do you think would be their favorite item on the menu? Post a comment below and we will imagine together. (Truth is I don’t even know if they were eating our food. For all I know it was for the crew. But it is fun to dream a little.)
12.12.06
 My wife and I locked ourselves in the home office last night to figure out who is getting what this year. Needless to say, after the list of all the people, kids, and families we want to give to was created, my wife fell asleep and I zoned out on the internet.
It wasn’t until I got an email from our blog consultant and expert Denise Wakeman that I remembered our awesome gift cards here at Mäni’s on Fairfax. My mind started wandering and all of a sudden I thought of the Top 10 Reasons to gift our Mäni’s gift card this holiday season. 
Here are the Top Ten Reasons to Get Mäni’s Gift Cards for your friends and loved one’s: Reason #10: The gift cards are easy to purchase. The next time you stop in for your favorite cookie or muffin you grab a few.
Reason #9: The gift card is easy to hide from friends when they come over.
Reason #8: The gift cards are available in any denomination from $5 to ???. They fit any budget.
Reason #7: $5 gift cards make perfect stocking stuffers!
Reason #6: You won’t be tempted to eat the card before you give it away. (Like you would with our cookies and cakes.)
Reason #5: It comes with its very own holder and envelope. (Impressive isn’t it.)
Reason #4: Your friends and loved ones don’t have to worry about the card going stale (like our cookies and cakes might in your fridge)
Reason #3: It looks cool.
Reason #2: The gift card supports all your friends and loved ones New Year’s Resolutions!
Reason #1: They are the perfect guilt free gift. A healthy alternative to traditional pasties to satisfy a sweet tooth. Happy Holidays from all of us here at Mäni’s on Fairfax. Enjoy! Here is a little contest for you - if you are up for the challenge. See if you can tell me who I am handing this gift card to in the picture below. The first person to guess right in the comment section below gets a free gift card with some money on it!
Posted by Larry Maiman in
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12.12.06
I just grabbed all the customer comments out of the comment box out front. (Yes, we do read them!) There are a lot of great comments and some areas where we can improve. First of all, let me thank you for letting us know how we are doing. It is easy to say thank you for the positive comments. But it is much more important to thank those of you who suggested improvements or let us know where we didn’t meet your expectations. Why is that? This is the way I look at it, “A customer complaint is a gift!” That is right. Without your feedback we wouldn’t know what to improve. So, please let us know. Here is a small sample of what you are telling us:
“I want Raspberry Rhapsody by the slice again.” “Thank you for providing these cards. In the past the service has been slow. When coming here, I expected to be ignored and to wait a long time for anything. I did not have that experience today and I appreciate the improvements.” We had over 25 requests to bring a bunch of different items back on the menu. One card ended with, “...or I will continue to whine to your staff about it.” The mint lemonade actually seemed to be the one with the most energy. So, we will be bringing that back very soon. Here is what a few of you had to say about it: “Bring back the Mint Lemonade!” “Bummer! No mint lemonade” “We actually used to come here everyday just for the mint lemonade and now you don’t offer it!! Please bring it back.” Pumpkin pie got some comments. Yes, we still offer our pumpkin yam pie throughout the holidays. Stevia is also getting some attention. Does anyone know what the pro’s and con’s are for Stevia? We have put out a bottle of Agave Nectar (a great sweetener) to use in coffee drinks because of a comment card. There are two comments that I just can’t not let you know about. The first is that there is a customer that would like us to have dog treats. What do you think? And the second comment is, “Avery, he is very very handsome.” Thank you again for letting us know how we are doing. We are committed to making your experience the best it can be. Please keep us in the loop as to what your thoughts are and we will continue to do our best to make the changes you want to see. Happy Holidays,
Doug Miller
12.12.06
 One of Mäni’s team members, Ian Easton, has made it to the final 5 in the Yahoo Talent contest with his good friend Ben Grinnell. Isn’t that awesome? Well, not really because he probably won’t work here any more if he wins. At any rate, please support him by logging onto http://talentshow.yahoo.com and voting for Ben Grinnell. Here is an email that Ian sent with all the details.
The final round of voting is finally here! Over 5000 people submitted and we (Ben, Ian and crew Zoo Milk) got into the final 5! After many sleepless nights and tons of hard work, Ben Grinnell and the boys need your help to make our show “The World Wide Weird” a reality. Voting is now open at http://talentshow.yahoo.com, and goes through Wednesday at midnight (PST).
Longtime Chicago kids and current Los Angeles residents Ben Grinnell and Ian Eastin have made it into the final five. The winner gets a development deal with Yahoo Entertainment, and we need you!!! The only way he can win is with your help. All you have to do is go to the Yahoo Talentshow Website (http://talentshow.yahoo.com) and cast your vote for Ben. ***Please note:
You’ll be asked for your Yahoo username/password when you cast your vote, if you don’t have one, don’t worry they’re free. It takes a minute to sign
up for one, just follow the directions onscreen. Or register here: Yahoo ID Signup Link *** THANK YOU EVERYONE! Let’s get Ben and his crew Zoo Milk a show on Yahoo!!!! Please send this on to anyone you know that would be willing to vote.
Posted by Larry Maiman in
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12.11.06
In a study by the “Journal of Food Chemistry,” it is being reported that Americans consume 30% of their diet through junk food, soft drinks, and alcohol while at the same time healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are only accounting for 10% of the U.S. diet. One red flag that this information shows is 30% of the typical American diet comes from empty calories (as defined by Wikipedia - an “empty calorie” has the same energy content of any other calorie but lacks accompanying micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, or amino acids as well as fiber). Certain kinds of alcohol are thought to have significant healthy benefits based on moderate consumption. Alcohol’s benefits, in my mind, are completely nullified when consumed in excess because of internal damage to your body and alcohol’s propensity to promoting weight gain (especially in the mid section, which is the area of weight gain with the most healthy implications). Did they say 10% from healthy food sources? Is that a joke? If it is, it is not funny at all. Just think about that for a minute. Fruits and vegetables are where our bodies get most of those micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that I have been talking about recently. Just using my common sense, 10% of someone’s diet is not going to provide enough of these nutrients to promote a healthy body. These numbers are eye opening. I am not really surprised, but putting seeing numbers on the subject always makes it more real. Use this study as a learning experience. The Mani’s faithful do not eat the typical American diet (far from it), but most of us could still use some improvements to our daily nutrition.
Posted by Garrett Cooke in
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12.11.06
It’s a fun time at Mäni’s when our bakers, pastry chefs and decorators get to bring out their new products for the holiday season.
Our Yule Log this year is especially festive complete with merringue mushrooms and some green moss for a bit of color. So brighten up your holiday table with this wonderful dense chocolate cake sweetened with our fruit juice reduction and barley malt sweetened chocolate. This log feeds 20 easily and perhaps a few more depending on your serving size. Call our Fairfax retail counter at 323 938-8800 and order one for your holiday dinner. Please afford us 48 hours for this specially made item. No orders after Thursday, December 21st. $85 PS Winter holiday cookies will also be available shortly in Christmas and Chanukah varieties.
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12.08.06
Our esteemed neighbor to the east, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, is currently featuring a major exhibition of work by Rene Magritte. In my mind there’s nothing better than seeing a great art show and then havinga meal or dessert after with my friends to discuss the exhibition.
So we had an idea. Mäni’s is just a short walk from LACMA. Why not meet your friends for coffee and dessert before or after you see the show? We are offering a $2 discount on any espresso drink with the purchase of a dessert, when you present your ticket for the Magritte show. The holiday season is a great time to take a break, see some great art and spend time with your friends and we invite you do that at Mäni’s. The $2 discount is available through December 31, 2006. For information about the Magritte show, check the site at LACMA.org. You do need tickets for the event which you can reserve online or by phone: 323-857-6010. LACMA is open every day except Wednesdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Monday
Tuesday
Thursday
12 noon – 8 pm
Friday
12 noon – 9 pm
Saturday
Sunday
11 am – 8 pm
12.08.06
 In a recent bulletin from the California Restaurant Association there is a list of “What’s hot and what’s not?” in the restaurant industry right now. Mäni’s is ahead of industry trends based on this report. The specific trends are:
Trend #1 - Organic Produce: Most of our fresh fruits and vegetables are organic. This is a no-brainer!
Trend #2 - Premium Sandwiches: Nothing says “premium” like the Apple-Turkey Sandwich!
Especially when it is on any of our freshly baked breads.
Trend #3 - Breakfast menus: We have always offered our breakfast menu every single day all day long. And we have some amazing items on our breakfast menu. For example, my personal favorite is the Breakfast Sandwich. Make sure you get it on the Jalapeno-Cheddar bread. Hmmm… (It is very similar to the sandwich that Adam Sandler makes in the movie Spanglish.)
Trend #4 - Size Options: Mäni’s Smart & Simple 400 Calorie menu is all about giving each of you the option to eat a lighter and balanced meal. My favorite is still the Garden Patch pictured. Check it out.
12.05.06
Skin protection is just one of the benefits that Vitamin E supplies the human body. Some think that Vitamin E is also the strongest and most important of the antioxidant compounds. Being in Los Angeles (with the pollution and numerous hot, sunny days), your body is going to need all the natural Vitamin E it can get. Vitamin E’s antioxidant properties protect you from harmful oxidative damage from ingestion of air pollution. As if that was not enough, Vitamin E protects skin cells against dangerous UV damage. Other functions of Vitamin E include protection against prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and it allows our cell’s to communicate properly. Very good sources of natural Vitamin E can be obtained through consumption of sunflower seeds, turnip greens, mustard greens, almonds, spinach, and swiss chard. Other good sources include bell peppers, olives, olive oil, tomatoes, blueberries, broccoli, kiwi, papaya, brussel sprouts, kale, and collard greens. Be careful when consuming Vitamin E in supplement form because Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin (it has the potential of accumulating in the body’s fat stores at toxic levels). There have not been any documented findings of toxicity with Vitamin E when it has been consumed from natural sources. Take advantage of this powerful nutrient, especially residing in Los Angeles (or other hot and sunny locations). It appears that the safest way to take advantage of Vitamin E powerful health contributions is to consume substantial amounts through your daily diet. Remember the sources of Vitamin E that you prefer and consume them (either at home or dining out) knowing that you are protecting your body, while enjoying your food.
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12.05.06
It’s definitely soup season! And, we have two new soups on the menu for the next two weeks. Monday: Chicken Noodle Ingredients: Chicken broth, Chicken Breast, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Chives, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Egg Noodles. Tuesday: Butternut Bisque
Ingredients: Vegetable Sock, Onions, Celery, Butternut Squash, Garnet Yams, Sea Salt, Anis, Cinnamon, Soy Milk. Wednesday: Sweet Potato (NEW) Ingredients: Vegetable Stock, Onions, Celery, Carrots, Sweet potato, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Soy Milk. Thursday: Mediterranean Bean Soup (NEW) Ingredients: Vegetable stock, Olive oil, Onions, Carrots, Garlic, White beans, Fresh Thyme, Parsley, Sea Salt, Black Pepper. Friday: Minestrone Ingredients: Vegetable stock, Carrots, Celery, Zucchini, Cauliflower, Parsley, Basil, Mushrooms, Tomato, Tomato Paste, Pasta, Sea Salt, Black pepper, Oregano, Garlic, Cumin, Olive Oil, Red Beans. Saturday: Black Bean Soup
Ingredients: Vegetable Sock, Canola Oil, Tomatoes, Black Beans, Carrots, Celery, Onions, Garlic, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Jalapeno Pepper, Chili Powder, Cilantro Sunday: Spicy Tortilla Soup
Ingredients: Vegetable Stock, Onions, Celery, Jalapeño Peppers, Cilantro, Tomatoes, Corn Tortillas, Tamari, Garlic, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika
12.02.06
As many of you know, we’ve been importing our house coffee from Cafe Britt in Costa Rica. And now we have 6 different blends available in 12oz retail sizes. 
 Besides the popular original dark (green bag) and light (red bag) we now carry four new blends as well.
 There’s an organic shade grown, and one grown nurtured amid cool volcanic mountains, an ideal climate. This is the Tres Rios, considered ‘the Bordeaux; of Costa Rica.
In the misty ecosystems and ferile soil and altitude you have ‘Cafe Britt Poas Volcanic Earth coffee. This coffee is grown there and nurtured over the millennia on the slopes of Costa Rica’s most-vistied active volcano.  Cafe Britt Tarrazu offers you the finest coffees from the region of high, sharp peaked mountains. The coffee bush thrives on the Tarrazu hillsides, producing abundant crops which ripen evenly. This late harvest coffee is a favorite with pickers and millers. The clean acidity and good body fills your mouth with flavor.
So come to Mäni’s on Fairfax and pick up a bag of wonderful Cafe Britt coffee, Costa Rica’s best.
Posted by Larry Maiman in
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12.01.06
A previous team member here at Mäni’s is an amazing dancer. She let us know that we were mentioned in the December issue of a Dance Spirit Magazine. Here is what they said, “Satisfy your sweet tooth with the sugarless and organic offerings at Mani’s on Fairfax. Bakery goodies await, as well as diet-friendly breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.” (page 74)
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