What's Your Fave Organic/Vegan/Gluten Free/Ect.... (Jacksonville, Palmetto: salon, live)

[runswithscissors]

I think the two guys at Hair Peace can both do the same dry cut. The waxing I don't know but if not downtown or elsewhere I'm guessing there are SPAs out by the beach like Ponte Vedra I'm guessing that would know. And someone told me about a salon in Fernadina but I lost the info. Ask the people at Hair Peace they seem the type to know that, too. Maybe they even do it. Or should!

In relation to downtown, neither is close: Whole Foods is closer, Fresh Market is further down San Jose kinda Julington Creek-ish and I wasn't even aware there was a Trader Joes.

Yeah, also on the way is Native Sun: Native Sun Jacksonville

That being said if you live downtown EVERYTHING you need you can find on your way to Whole Foods leaving downtown/South bank ...going down Hendricks - first you go through San Marco,keep going down Hendricks then at University theres a good Wynn Dixie on the corner and huge Publix a couple blocks down left on University, then you go back to Hendricks go left to continue to more shopping... that's where Hendricks turns into San Jose - so you just keep going till you hit Whole Foods then if you pass it you'll see more shopping.

Major box stores all on that route Walmart, Target, Big Lots, office supplies, pet stores, specialty stores like bread, restaurants, Barnes & Noble, etc. Even a garden center and other stuff.

I lived on that route because I lived on the South bank in The Strand (san marco-ish). Whole Foods is def bigger than Fresh Market but still smaller than up North Philly/Jersey where I'm from but fine. I like them both. I may give a slight edge to Fresh Market for a few things.

Produce in FL has some problems I assume from the heat in transport. I found several Wynn Dixies to have much better produce than Publix off and on. It's a crap shoot if you want, say, escarole or a chard or something but I've avoided Whole Foods alot using both chains. OBVS not the selection or organic as much.

And what's really weird is my produce/fruit will NOT stay fresh anywhere as long as up North even though I have air conditioning! Like the fruit has to go in the fridge FAST. I assume because of the distance it has to travel versus Philly/NJ.

OTOH I've learned that it all freezes really well for smoothies so I'm eating all my dark leafy greens in liquid form now hahaha. The minute something is near the end date it can go directly into the freezer - bag and all! (I'm pretty much a 95% vegetarian).

One of my first disappointments here was with the fish, I assumed fish would be in abundance and remembered eating alot of fish here all my life visiting, but I guess I also forgot that Philly has such a huge Food Distribution Center there's no comparison. But one thing I think we never had up there was stone crab!!

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by revecca4

Moving in the next couple of weeks to JAX and I'm making a list of organic, vegan, gluten free, and etc restaurants, bakeries, hair salons, produce, butcher shops, cheese shops, and others. So far I have Meteor Street Produce, can't wait to shop there.

I think a vegan butcher shop will be hard to find anywhere . Robyn

[WileyCoyote]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

I think a vegan butcher shop will be hard to find anywhere . Robyn

Why? Don't they just butcher large slabs of Tofu, and make Tofurkey and tofuburgers.

but seriously the one thing I have yet to find in Jacksonville is a truly dedicated cheese shoppe.

[revecca4]

Originally Posted by Robyn55

I think a vegan butcher shop will be hard to find anywhere . Robyn

hahaha! I probably shouldn't have used the word butcher shops, because I haven't seen one in years. We're looking for meats and poultry (grass fed and all), I may have to wait until we get up there and ask some of the venders at the markets.

[revecca4]

Originally Posted by WileyCoyote

Why? Don't they just butcher large slabs of Tofu, and make Tofurkey and tofuburgers.


but seriously the one thing I have yet to find in Jacksonville is a truly dedicated cheese shoppe.

lmbo.... I heard some of the venders at the Riverside Market have some, not sure which ones though. Have to find out when I get up there.

[jbean1234]

Originally Posted by revecca4

Does anyone one have a preference to Fresh Market, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's?

Sadly there are no Trader Joes stores here...at least not yet. I am ever hopeful we will get one before long. If I had to choose between Whole Foods and Fresh Market I'd give the edge to WF but I do like both.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by WileyCoyote

Why? Don't they just butcher large slabs of Tofu, and make Tofurkey and tofuburgers.

but seriously the one thing I have yet to find in Jacksonville is a truly dedicated cheese shoppe.

The best bets for cheese IMO are Costco and Whole Foods. I used to buy cheeses from Europe on fromages.com - but stopped doing so after the government started to enforce its ban on raw imported cheeses after 9/11 (aging many cheeses meant to be eaten "raw" causes them to smell/taste awful). For the same reason - I avoid imported cheeses that are meant to be eaten "raw" at places like Whole Foods.

No More Raw Milk Cheese in America? | Jim Drohman

I've seen some raw cheeses sold at Farmers' Markets here - but I don't want to buy things like that from people who are making the stuff in their backyards in unlicensed facilities.

Robyn

[WileyCoyote]

I'm not interested in joining Costco just to buy cheese and the selection at Whole Foods is barely adequate.
You would figure that a metro area of approx 1.4 million people would have one dedicvated stand alone cheese shoppe
But then that's just me.

[revecca4]

Local Harvest / Farmers Markets / Family Farms / CSA / Organic Food is a great link.

[scarlett_ptista]

Present Moment Cafe , and Manatee Cafe are both delicious spots if you're ever in ST. Augustine.
Present Moment is mostly vegan/raw.