American Dreams
PLUS: BIG SUR
POOL & PATIO FINDS
BARBECUE & PUNCH
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
AS SEEN IN
Finds
By Sim Carter Photographs by Gary Moss
TOO
COOL
There’s a hot new place to chill out, no matter
what the weather.
THE INSTANT YOU ENTER SHAVE IT—-from the
icy blue cool feel of the place to the wide array
of “flavas”—one thing is certain: Shave It isn’t
your little sister’s snow cone place. Actually, a
shaved ice isn’t a snow cone at all. If you’ve ever
scooped up a handful of soft and fluffy freshly
fallen snow and taken a bite, you know how
snow just melts in your mouth. Imagine that
same white snow drenched with your favorite
flavor—that’s a Shave It. > >
> Finds
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DETAILS: Shave It owners Karen Bain
Shave It and Lisa Kudirka
11-B E. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks
805-496-4800; www.shaveitice.com
YOU’LL LOVE: The “flavas.” From yummy basics like cherry to the THE BACK STORY: Bain and Kudirka, a couple of Conejo Valley
more exotic green tea and frap-a-chica (mocha flavored), all the moms with a half dozen kids between them and a shared passion
highest-quality syrups are flown in from Hawaii. Quite possibly for the Hawaiian shaved ice they discovered on numerous trips to
the most delicious treats are the Shave It Our Way Combos; these the islands, decided to bring the taste treat home. They started
are exquisite blends of flavas with a layer of ice cream on the bottom small, using a couple of shaved ice machines for school fundraisers,
of the cup. We could live on classic Root Beer Floats (frosted root where their concoctions were such a huge hit that the pair realized
beer ice on vanilla ice cream) but you might like Arctic Cougar they could do much, much more. What if they could take their
(frosted frap-a-chica ice on vanilla ice cream) or the X-Factor philanthropic efforts to the next level by creating an ongoing
(frosted French vanilla ice on Brazilian coffee ice cream). Hey, fundraiser geared toward helping foster kids? Knowing that many
there are even fat-free, sugar-free versions! foster children go through the system without the dreams and
hopes most kids take for granted, the pair wanted to make an
WE LOVE: The look of the place. Partners Karen Bain and Lisa Kudirka impact on their lives while it was still possible. The goal: to help
spent two years creating a look that had just the right vibe. Enlisting foster kids discover their “carrot”—something they really want to
the help of Kudirka’s sister, designer Debbie Driscoll, along with work for, something to hope, live, and dream for. Forming the
Eddy Bitton of Bitton Design Group (the restaurant design specialists Foster a Miracle foundation, the partners envisioned not just one
headquartered in Agoura Hills), Bain and Kudirka wound up with Shave It store donating a portion of their profits to help make the
a design inspired by water, ice, and snow—and it is nothing if not cool. dreams of foster children come true, but an empire of 40, 60, 200
Sleek sets of steely tables and chairs flank the entrance. Once inside, locations, each one part of a never-ending fundraising network.
icy sheets of Plexiglas hang from the ceiling and a cool cobalt blue
gel-tiled path leads you to the counter. Waiting in line is anything TIPS: Make sure you grab a Shave It card for your key ring. The
but a drag because with every step, the interactive tiles’ color shifts card gives you “buy 12, get one free” privileges, plus reminds you
and swirls in an ever-changing—and fun to watch—pattern that “You just paid it forward.” And somehow knowing that eight
beneath your feet. On the walls, flat-screen monitors feature snow- percent of the profits will go to Foster A Miracle makes that Shave
boarders slicing down a mountain and surfers waiting for the perfect It melt your heart while it melts in your mouth.
wave while the Hitline music loop strikes just the right hip note.
Bain and Kudirka report that many of their clients are grateful to WATCH FOR: The Shave It van, which will be hitting local parks
have someplace to go that doesn’t look like a little kid’s ice cream and beaches this summer. And slated for 2007, more Shave It locations
stand, and instead actually looks, well, cool. are in the works for Agoura Hills and Newbury Park.
32 J U LY 2 0 0 6 805 LIVING