iBloom

Closed! iBloom was wonderful, and now it’s the latest business to shutter in this diabolical spot on 7^th Ave. and Montecito.
That incredible chocolate will still be available from Nancy, the owner:

I met my Willy Wonka today.
I kept trying to enter through these blessed doors upon parking in the little Melrose parking lot, but my friend Anyada insisted on going to Paris Envy first. But I saw orange, and yellow, and white, and modern lines… and what appeared to be chocolate?
We entered into a very mod space (is this the Milk Bar from Clockwork Orange?) and while Sam chatted up come regulars we balked at the delicious little chocolates in small precious bags in zak! melanine mod food display ware.
Sam offered us some dark chocolate and made us dip it into chilli powder, olé! Then I pro-​offered that his milk chocolate looked great but I couldn’t partake due to lactose intolerance. He kept smiling a saintly, beatific smile and pulled out another small drawer.
«This, my dear, is Vegan Dark Chocolate» He had a little pile of cinnamon powder for us to dip in the slivers and I was transported into the White Rabbit and Psychedlia-​holy shit it was THAT GOOD. He sells them in a bag, much like a dealer, for around 6 bucks for 12 buttons of vegan dark chocolate, but it was worth twice that much. I would snort this or inject this into my veins. And my darling friend bought me my first bag!
He also showed that he did Soy Yogurt smoothies with rich cocoa and coconut milk and assorted other fresh fruits, but I was too full from Lux and had to pass.
I almost started tearing up. Meyers cleaning products of fresh lavendar, vegan dark chocolate, soy smoothies and Dwell magazine in one place.
****
After shopping at Retro Redux, we stopped by iBloom for a liquid lunch and the very patient woman at the counter with me came up with a perfect smoothie for me: coconut milk, bananas, soy milk, fresh strawberries and dark chocolate blended up. It came out to around 5 bucks, which is what a drink and muffin would have been at Lux anyway, so I was cool with it. And I took a sip and I felt AMBROSIA! I was totally sucking off the Angel Gabrielle in the form of a straw. It was simply one of the most delicious concoctions I have ever had.
Amazing.
Sam definitely has a customer for life.