Happy New Year! I hope everyone has had a great start to their year. I know my posts for 2017 were a bit sporadic towards the end of the year. The reason for this is I noticed myself sharing restaurant reviews that I wasn't particularly passionate about.

For 2018, I want to focus more on story telling, particularly travel and city guides. Currently, I have trips planned for San Diego, Salt Lake City, Cancun, Vegas, Phoenix, & Portland. That's just through March! I'm hoping to add an international trip as well as a few more weekend trips throughout the year. Stay tuned for the best of all of these cities!

I kicked off my new year with a day in Little Tokyo. I had a blast covering Delicious Little Tokyo last summer and this time, I wanted to focus on new discoveries, both food and shopping, that make Little Tokyo so fun. I've partnered with Go Little Tokyo (yay!) to share some of my faves. 

1. Tea Master Matcha Cafe & Green Tea Shop

450 E 2nd St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

The store name speaks for itself but just in case, this little shop nestled in the Honda Plaza across from Sushi Gen features ceremonial grade matcha as well as unique green tea gifts. We opted to start our day with a Matcha Latte, the famous Soft Serve, and some Baked Tofu Donuts. Also a huge plus, all the lattes are served with oat milk. It's like they know I'm currently oat milk obsessed. It's a perfect start to your day or post meal treat. Either way, definitely check it out if you can't get enough of Matcha!

2. Poketo Pop Up

374 E. 2nd Street Los Angeles, CA 90012

I'm a huge fan of lifestyle stores that have a little bit of everything. My bank account, not so much a fan. Poketo has two other stores at The Line Hotel in Ktown and The Platform in Culver City. They've opened up this Little Tokyo pop up to showcase the best of their offerings. I had a hard time not taking home all the delicious candles and cute accessories. Not to mention, the chic stationary was screaming my name. 

3. Far Bar

347 E 1ST STLOS ANGELES, CA 90012

Ok so I'm cheating a little because this is totally not a new discovery. I've been time and time again but it deserves a mention because of how much I love it. The vibe is super chill and they have ample local beers on tap. Their food menu is good and includes my favorite Wasabi Fries, extra wasabi please. At 3pm, they open up the back patio and entrance. There's strung up lights, outdoor seating, and chill music. Obsessed. 

For this round, we got Wasabi Fries, Duck Fried Rice, and Sliders Bento Box. Oh and a beer. All so good. 

4. bae 

369 E 2nd St Los Angeles, CA 90012

This coffee, doughnut, soft serve spot is neighbors to the former American Apparel store. They feature artisanal coffee and donuts as well as unique soft serve flavors. You can even upgrade to get the charcoal cone. The interior is hip with gray tones and make for the perfect instagram backdrop. I mean, they have a neon sign that says "With Love, From Bae." Can you say #bestoftheday. 

I opted for the Fruit Pebbles & Toasted Cinnamon swirl topped with mochi and corn flakes. Next time, I'm going to try the Charcoal Pineapple to give my black and white dreams come true. 

What are your favorite spots in Little Tokyo? I'm always looking for an excuse to spend time there.

xo, Jenny

If you haven't checked out this BOMB cafe, you're totally missing out. Seriously. Their menu ranges from incredible breakfast sandwiches (see below) to matcha brick toast (also see below). 

Chimney Coffee House

1100 North Main Street Suite B

Los Angeles, 90012 CA

Another MUST order item is their cheddar scone. They aren't made in house but they are literally the best savory scones I've had. Willy and I had to fight each other for crumbs. 

Outfit: Sweater c/o Shein; Jeans from Zara

Makeup Details:

Eyes: NYX Love Contours All

Lips: Mellow Cosmetics in Puerto Rico

xo, Jenny

DTLA has come a LONG way since my FIDM days. When I was in school, we had Subway across the street and Starbucks down the way. Now there are tons of options just blocks away. Here's a few spots you should check out.

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1. Midori Matcha

123 Astronaut Ellison Onizuka St. #101-C, Los Angeles, CA

Matcha pastries exclusively for Midori Matcha by Pitchoun Bakery.

“EXPERIENCE ORGANIC JAPANESE CEREMONIAL GRADE MATCHA & DESSERTS”

— http://midorimatchatea.com/cafe/

Midori Matcha started with cold brew matcha and has now branched out to a brick & mortar that features premium matcha drinks. You can get anything from the classic matcha latte to iced matcha mimosas. Don't forget to try some of the delicious matcha themed pastries made by Pitchoun exclusivey for Midori Matcha. 

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2. Pitchoun Bakery

545 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

“PITCHOUN
(pronounced: “PITCH-OON”):
French affectionate term meaning “Kiddo” - from the old dialect in Provence and in the Southwest of France.”

— http://www.pitchounbakery.com/

Made popular for their delicious French pastries, including the strawberry tart pictured above, Pitchoun features delicious French eat as well. My absolute favorite was the Croque Monsieur, traditional French cooked ham, gruyère, bechamel sauce, butter, sandwich bread topped with a runny egg. 

Pitchoun features fast casual dining with house made from scratch recipes. A perfcect lunch spot across from Pershing Square.

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3. Gresescent 

850 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

“GRESESCENT
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
(gres-uh-suh-nt) adj. Delightfully thick, creamy and vanishingly dense; the magic of ice cream”

— http://www.gresescent.com/

Gresescent just opened its first brick & mortar store and it's really worth the visit. At this point, it's hard to have not seen their beautiful ice cream bouquets all over social media. For $9, you get to pick 5 flavors and they turn your choices into a beautiful bouquet. Their artisanal flavors are unique and delicious. My favorites were the Sea Salt Chocolate Ganache and the Grilled Pineapple & Bourbon Caramel. 

Let me know if you get a chance to check these out!

.jenny.