Great news for Santa Monica! Candytopia, full of goodies and delights for all, is an interactive, photo-op-filled art exhibit recently opened at Santa Monica Place! Located on the 2nd Floor closer to 4th St. near Bloomingdales', this deliciously sweet treat will be in our hood for a limited time. It opened on Friday, March 2, and tickets have been selling out quickly. We were so excited to see this amazing POP-UP in Santa Monica and hope everyone will have a chance to get a taste of it in the next three 1/2 months, because after that, it's gone.
Your whole family is going to ❤️ 💜 💙 CANDYTOPIA! Think "Willy Wonka"! Think flying pigs and unicorns! Think giant marshmallows and salt-water taffy! Think deep-sea diving for pixie sticks with candy-covered sharks! A confectionery dream neatly packed into a dozen rooms that even Wonka would be proud to walk around in, and it's called Candytopia! It's unlike any other pop-up experience we've been to before and because dessert is the ultimate gratification, you should not deny yourself this SWEET TREAT!
When you first walk up to Candytopia, it looks like your average hot pink entrance to a fancy shop. Open the door and lollipops flank the entrance to a magical candy escapade. Be sure to walk the hot pink carpet for photo-ops while you wait to enter the giant clockwork door into Candytopia!
You'll be greeted with excitement and welcomed to the Candytopia factory. Enjoy some chocolates that suddenly appear out of nowhere...and don't forget to sign the extraordinarily large guest book where you might see a celebrities name or two or three.
Here are some of the other fun things you'll see while you are having a BON-BON good time walking around Candytopia!
THE CANDY MUSEUM ROOM:
This candied gallery of art is ultra-modern (candy style) and includes works by da Vinci, Munch, and Van Gogh. A magnificent mirrored throne to sit upon made this an overindulgence of opulence, but not sure how a candied portrait of Willy Wonka got into my art history lesson,...oh wait, it's a Warhol! No museum is complete without a Sphinx (made of candy, of course)!
UNDER THE SEA
Once you've had enough of the gallery of goodness, dive into the underwater utopia next door with candied fish, lobsters, sharks, and a treasure chest full of Pixie Sticks. This multi-media mirage will make you feel like you're submerged in a sugary sea!
WE.PLAY ROOM:
When you're done wading through the ocean, head into the WE.PLAY ROOM. Try to fall through the psychedelic rabbit hole into a blissful world of sugar where you can meditate on cotton candy clouds or sit with your candy-covered tiger and feel the saccharine joy wash over you.
RAINBOW ROOM
Take a walk on the wild side to a room with hallucinogenic, kaleidoscopic decor; it is just DOPE! While you are here, dance with unicorns and watch out for the confetti-farting pig.
CALITOPIA
Look around, head into the sandy, beachy, marshmallow-cloud room, where you can have a rest for a minute and let all your worries float away. Take a surfing lesson, but be careful of sharks floating around because they might think you're yummy too! See my video HERE!
JUNGLE
Next, take a safari into a rainforest of candied flowers with a monkey and iguana along the way for photo ops.
MARSHMALLOW PIT
As you head through a GIANT marshmallow hallway, you'll find yourself taking a dip in a giant pool of marshmallows. Jump in, dive, float, glide, and paddle your way through fluffy, king-sized marshmallows that are literally impossible to get out of without a lifesaver (hint, hint). Also, you might find small children pop up out of the marshmallow bowl, but just continue on your way. You won't want to leave (and you literally can't because you're stuck)! When you do make your way out, it's only to realize your time in Candytopia has come to an end. But first, the gift shop full of candy, candy, and more candy. A friend of the family who came with me couldn't seem to get enough of the candy gift shop!
CANDY SHOP
"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with hot fudge..." reads the drawbridge into the Candy Shop. OH...hello dragon!
So, reluctantly I left Candytopia engaged, entertained, and enchanted! It was unlike any pop-up I had been to before as it was so interactive and beyond sweet! An experience of pure imagination that was thoroughly enjoyable! Plus, many many photo-ops make it an "insta-dream"!
Candytopia's vision is that of famed celebrity candy stylist Jackie Sorkin and it was created in partnership with her co-founders, events and production design expert Zac Hartog, CEO of ZH Productions, and retail veteran John Goodman.
Tickets for the new Santa Monica location can be purchased at CANDYTOPIA - $30 adults; $23 kids ages 4-12; Free for children 3 and under with paid adult. All tickets must be purchased in advance and there is a six ticket limit per person. Hours are Monday - Saturday 10AM to 9:30PM. and Sunday 11AM to 9:30PM. Last tickets are sold for 8:30PM. Afterwards explore the shops and restaurants at Santa Monica Place and 3rd Street Promenade. Bring your family, your friends, and your sweet tooth for an amazing experience!
