Seafood City is the largest Filipino supermarket chain in America with 38 locations across the country. They offer a wide selection of fresh produce, meats, seafood, pantry staples, international snacks, and more. At Seafood City, there are favorites from various cuisines all under one roof. Whether you are looking for a high-quality fish sauce, seaweed salad, or are in the mood for some instant noodles and snacks you cannot get elsewhere, this is easily the best place to stop by. Apart from groceries, Seafood City also carries kitchen supplies as well as prepared foods. However, it is vital to note that Asian grocery stores are more than just a grocery storeーthey serve as a community hub for people to gather together and appreciate their own or different cultures through food, which has the power to connect us all. The heart of Seafood City resides in their commitment to bringing authentic Filipino flavors to every meal, which includes their in-store dining experiences such as Bakers Avenue, Grill City, and Noodle Street.
On April 23, Zach and I visited our local Seafood City in Oxnard and, ambitiously, set out to cook a 6-course meal. Upon entering, we were in awe of the tremendous selection and it was difficult sticking to our original grocery list when presented with tantalizing items such as ube cookies, fruity soju, and entire coconuts with straws to drink from. Our goal was to represent a multitude of cultures, so the dishes we landed on were miso soup (Japanese), spicy rice cakes (Korean), shrimp spring rolls (Vietnamese), steamed fish (Cantonese), and mango sticky rice (Thai) for dessert.
For your viewing pleasure, here is our documented experience!
This past week I went to Fairfax and Melrose in LA just to visit a few stores that I enjoy going to when I’m out there. Melrose and Fairfax or streets in Los Angeles, that are known to have many fashion retailer stores on the streets whether its secondhand designer, buy, sell, trade stores, independent fashion companies, or just designer retailers. Wherever you go on Melrose and Fairfax you are bound to find something new and unique whether it’s a food place, record shop, or even a clothing store.
1. Brain Dead Studios
if you enjoy high-quality fabrics and unique designs, then you might want to go check out Brain Dead Studios. They are located on Fairfax and their shop is very unique. Not only is it a showroom for their product but it also has a theater in the building where they hold movie nights. You can visit their website to see what movies they are going to be showing how much tickets cost. With having the movie theater in the same building, they also own their own concession stand where customers can buy drinks, food, and Eivan shirts that are specifically designed for Brain Dead Studio’s movie theater. In addition to the movie theater, they also have their own café outside in the back of the building. Brain Dead Studios is a store that has more to offer than just clothes.
2. Heaven by Marc Jacobs
Heaven by Marc Jacobs is a very unique and store that I always enjoy visiting. They have such unique designs when it comes to their jewelry. Their clothes are very eye catching and their other accessories such as their bags are so pretty. I personally love going to this store not only for their products but also to see the other brands they carry. Instead of only selling their products they also sell different brand’s items as well. One of my favorite smaller brands that they carry is Gen 2. Gen 2 is ran by one of the employees who works at Heaven by Marc Jacobs. During my visit, I got to talk to Julia and Shannon, who are employees at the store. I asked them a few questions such as what made them want to work at Heaven. Julia replied, “ I had previous experience in high retail in the environment seemed pretty laid-back. I also really like the customers in the type of customers that come in. I like that the store attracts a more younger crowd.” Shannon said, “ I used to come to the store a lot when I first moved here and I wanted to work somewhere that was more fun and also somewhere I actually want to be at. I came in one day and asked if they were hiring. It was just the right place right time.” I also asked which item in the store is their personal favorite item. Julia responded, “ A few of my favorite items in the store right now is our D squared vintage hat and the Heaven camo dress. It’s funny because when I first started here, I wanted that camo dress so bad that after I started, I ended up getting that as my first purchase.” Shannon said, “ My favorite item in the store are the brown Margaret boots. I really like those boots because they kind of remind me more of a cowboy style. I wanted them so bad when I was living in Texas.” I enjoyed talking to the employees every time I come in because they’re so friendly and helpful when it comes to finding the right pieces to buy.
3. 2nd Street
2nd Street is a store that buys from people who come in and sell their clothes and either offers them a percentage back in trade or cash. 2nd Street specializes in streetwear, high end designer brands, and vintage. The store has an item for everybody, whether a person is looking for something cheap and up to trend or a little on the pricier side for higher name brand items. I enjoyed looking through their vintage section because they have a good variety of different T-shirts, hats, outerwear, and jeans for a decent price. I’ve seen their other sections such as their designated racks for their higher and items, like Balenciaga and they have a great variety that’s not priced too bad. You could find items from all over at 2nd Street. Pieces from the last two stores I talked about will sometimes pop up here. This is a great store to go to when you’re looking for something that you don’t know what that something is yet because you can get lost in the items this store has curated.
These are just three stores that I mentioned you can find on Melrose and Fairfax. There are so many other shops out there that I could talk about, but I really enjoy going to these three. I have picked up pieces from these stores that caught my eye and I’ve gone to events at these stores and enjoyed myself during that time.
If you would like to see my last experience, going to these stores feel free to click here to watch my review of these stores.
In the age of digital streaming, independent record stores are an important facet in keeping physical music, local scenes, and community alive. Record stores offer music fans a place to browse music of all genres, new, used, and perhaps discover something great they’ve never heard. Ventura County has a vibrant array of independent shops, each with their own purpose and variety of music.
Salzer’s Records is the music and physical media powerhouse of the county. The Ventura location, started by Jim Salzer, has been in business since 1972 after a slow start in South Oxnard in the mid-60s. After his passing in recent years, the company is still owned and operated by his son, James, to this day. Salzer’s has become an icon of the county as its two-story location stands overlooking the 101 freeway. Many people who have lived in the county know of Salzer’s. Whether they’ve heard the name or have passed by the building on their commute, it’s always the first look inside that people really realize what a special place it is.
Institution is the word I would use to describe Salzer’s. An institution through and through is a place that has stood in its community for decades, offers a sense of community, and truly makes the place it’s located that much more special. Taking a walk inside is like stepping into a time capsule. You find the style and architecture of the place to bring back memories of something you may have once known. T-shirts, stickers, books, memorabilia all line the walls and the paths are paved with bins upon bins of any music you could imagine. CDs and vinyl are both mainstays of Salzer’s with people from all over coming to sell or trade their own collectibles here. The second level is almost like a completely different store. All sorts of holistic accouterments, socks with your favorite cartoon character or a witty joke perhaps, incense, candles, any sort of smoking device that may suit your needs, and a room near the back that definitely draws eyes. Perhaps the biggest draw of Salzer’s comes from the (bi)annual event called Record Store Day. RSD as its frequently called is an event in which independent record stores receive special releases, reissues, represses and specific vinyl only available on these days. Smaller record stores may only get a few of these very special releases so trying to seek out something you’re looking for can be difficult. But Salzer’s is known for getting many of them each year, garnering lines out the door and around the building of people trying to get their hands on something rare. It becomes a destination for many each year for this reason and It’s beyond just being for music lovers to congregate but truly a stand out part of the community as a longstanding business that really has something for everyone.
Grady’s Record Refuge, located in midtown Ventura, opened its doors in 2003. Grady Runyan is a music enthusiast who sought to bring collectible vinyl, fair prices and a wide array of genres, media and equipment. Some record store visits can feel like you’re searching for a diamond in the rough. Flipping endlessly through bins of artists trying to find something eye-catching or maybe something you’ve been searching for; Grady’s is anything but. Coming here is like walking into a goldmine. The store has an incredibly diverse catalog of genres and artists from anything like 60’s hard-bop jazz, traditional English folk, psychedelic rock, no-wave, obscure punk compilations, garage, hip-hop, you name it.
Flipping through the various bins can be almost too rewarding and if you’re trying to not break the bank, you’ll have to force yourself to just stop looking, otherwise you’ll end up spending all your time and cash in your wallet rounding off your collection. It’s a place where you walk in and feel like you’re transported back in time to when you didn’t have all the music at your fingertips and finding something new was just a matter of looking hard enough. Grady’s is the record store for true collectors and music fans alike.
American Pie Records is the newest edition to the county’s music paradises. Located in old town Camarillo, the business opened back in 2022. Although it’s still new to the area, it filled a gap in what was missing from this part of town. Specializing is rare and used LPs, American Pie is another store that makes you feel connected to. The music playing through the speakers might be an ultra rare Rolling Stones record where you can hear all the pops and static in the wax. The bins are lined with jazz galore and psychedelic deeps-cuts from the 60’s onwards.
American Pie Records proves that a new record store can make waves in the community and really become a place for people to sit around, talk about, listen to, buy, and sell music. In the past year the store added a second location, just 2 doors down from the original.
This not only expanded the music inventory but doubles as a coffee house in the afternoons and a jazz club on the weekends. Styled and decorated as the sort of coffeehouse feel of the 50’s the drink menu still connects the store to its music roots with drink names referencing iconic records or artists, such as a milkshake called “The birth of the cool”. The new location offers customers “the 45 lounge”, a separate lounge room in the back of the store that lets people relax, play records, and hangout with any drinks or desserts ordered at the store. It’s a fantastic inclusion to an already very unique store. Having a “hangout” area is something that is absolutely needed in a community space such as his. It drives people to talk to others about common interests which is something that is so needed in today’s world.
Each of these stores holds their own purpose in the community. Whether it be a one stop shop for all your music memorabilia, t-shirts, albums, patches etc. Or a spot to go sip coffee, flip through record bins and hear live music. Or even dig for some real gems you can’t seem to find anywhere else, all record stores are important for keeping people’s love of music alive.
VC Social 