Brielle Galekovic

Los Angeles is going green, and, no, we’re not talking about the new bag legislation in California. Matcha, a finely ground green tea, has been taking the city by storm. Several Los Angeles eateries are innovating new food and drink items concocted with matcha, making permanent homes for them on their menus. From matcha ice cream to matcha-infused cocktails, the tea’s distinct flavor creates endless and unexpectedly satisfying variations of traditional American cuisine. Who doesn’t like a sprinkle of green caffeine in their donut, anyway? Every Angeleno appreciates a good long-lasting trend, and luckily this one doesn’t seem to be going anywhere any time soon. Here are the five most creative matcha concoctions in L.A. right now. 1. The matcha sundae at Shuhari Matcha Café (Venice Beach): Since its opening a few months ago, it’s been the ultimate destination for all things matcha because of its extensive selection of authentic green tea drinks and Japanese fusion fare. The reason for Shuhari’s success? It reinterprets classic traditions with a modern twist. One of the café’s best sellers is its matcha sundae. Served in a tall flute, the sundae is layered with homemade “fudge” made of flavorful soybeans. The ice cream is piled high with dried raspberries and a giant heap of whipped cream. For an added touch, matcha is lightly sprinkled on the sky-high whipped cream. Over the top? Of course it is, but it makes for an incredibly delicious Insta-worthy photo.     I like to Match

With summer slowly coming to an end, beaches in Los Angeles are filled with tourists and religious sunbathers. With the crowds along the shore, you may be looking for another fun, indoor alternative. LA is home to a lot of cultural history, and it offers eclectic art exhibitions that showcase not only what makes the city great, but also the incredible moments that have formed American identity. From the evolution of Los Angeles’ hip-hop culture in the 1990s to the controversial concept of migration, here are five great art events in Los Angeles you can’t miss this August. Lia Halloran’s Deep Sky Companion Take a trip to the stars at Lia Halloran’s Deep Sky Companion exhibit. Halloran classifies and reproduces objects found in the depths of outer space. In this exhibit, she provides an adaptation of the visual data comprising of Charles Messier's 110 astronomical findings in his attempt to chart comets. The Deep Sky Companion experience is enhanced with slanted ceilings and extreme planes. The cosmic bodies showcased in the exhibit are divided into two formats: self-animating blue ink on drafting film imitating light and matter traveling through space, and camera-less prints on photosensitive paper, reproducing the specs of light deep in space. The Deep Sky Companion enables viewers to observe and interpret the countless cosmic bodies nestled amongst the infinite space. (Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the California Institute of Technology, 1216 E California B

Breakups are complicated, unsettling and often result in a whole lot of tears and mixed emotions. If you’re the one getting broken up with, you may feel like you have completely lost control of everything. At the very least, you would hope that the dreaded meeting with your soon-to-be-former significant other would be at a spot that’s private and not somewhere that's ripe for a terrible memory. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Here are the seven worst ways to break up with someone in LA. 1. At the top of Griffith Park  On a good day, it’ll take you anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to drive up the mountain, get a parking spot and walk out to the Observatory. On a bad day, you could be stuck in your car a lot longer, so why put the other person through all of that? Breaking up with someone at Griffith Park would be the cherry on top of a stressful journey up the mountain, not to mention it’s going to be a long, awkward car ride back down. 2. In the Rain Room at LACMA  The Rain Room’s purpose is to give visitors the opportunity of sensory reflection. Breaking up with your boyfriend or girlfriend here enhances the traumatic experience of being broken up with by being surrounded by pouring rain. Plus it's a timed-entry exhibit, meaning while you thought you were counting down the moments to experience this cool exhibit, you were really just counting down to your singledom—you also get a limited time inside the exhibit, so you probably won't get enough of an explanatio

Los Angeles is the ultimate destination for a variety of restaurants and bars known for their dynamic ambiances, frequent celebrity clientele, trendy menu offerings and exclusive reputations. But the City of Angels boasts restaurants and bars with a clever concept you may be unfamiliar with: venues inspired by famous people. We’ve been to countless themed bars, stumbled upon a handful of venues seen in movies and have frequented several celebrity-owned restaurants, but a concept inspired by famous individuals? It’s pretty rare (at least for us) and makes the experience that much more intriguing. Here are four spots in LA that developed their concepts by the influence of iconic names in Hollywood history. Estrella (8800 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood) Estrella is inspired by the famed Laurel Canyon bungalows of '70s music icons Joni Mitchell and Mama Cass Elliott. The name Estrella is after the circus girl character in Joni Mitchell’s classic song “Ladies of the Canyon.” The restaurant is a combination of indoor and outdoor spaces that exude a whimsical and artistic vibe, while still exemplifying a modern hippie-chic stylishness. It’s inevitable to feel as if you’re in the age of Woodstock, and a time in history that defined a social revolution. The space is cozily designed with earth tones, lined dark wooden tables and sofas with floral and paisley patterns serve as seating areas for guests. The rustic, antique details include copper accents, a fireplace, a piano and a carefully

Some would say that brunch is just a meal. However, many others would deem it a lifestyle. After a late night of partying, who doesn’t crave a detailed recap of the night before over mimosas and an expensive plate of pancakes? For Angelenos, brunch is a ritual that is practiced every Saturday and Sunday—usually between the hours of 10am and 3pm. But not all brunchers are the same, at least not in LA. If you frequent the brunch scene here, you know that people-watching is an unavoidable activity. The eclectic groups of people that you'll find at brunch around town are just so… LA. So raise your $15 bellini, because here is a toast to the seven people you’ll most definitely run into at brunch in Los Angeles. 1. The boho girls and hipster guys: These girls brunch at trendy WeHo restaurants like Gracias Madre and Estrella. They wear floral rompers and velvet fringy kimonos, bug-eyed hippie-inspired Quay sunglasses, high-waisted boyfriend jeans and are seen with a group of guys wearing wide brim hats. For some reason, they leave their sunglasses on through the entire brunch. It’s unclear if it’s because they’re hungover from the night before, or if they’re trying to maintain their image while dining for two hours. 2. The party brunch people: Ready to spend tons of money on bottles of champagne, these guys and girls are regulars at champagne brunches like Bagatelle and No Jealousy. Dressed to the nines, girls are wont to wear bodycon dresses, heels and dramatic makeup while their m