COMMUNITY // open doors
Hey Hey
Echo Park
1555 W. Sunset Blvd. LA 90026
213.278.0689; heyheydrinks.comThe sleek blue neon sign reading “Hey Hey” fits into the commer-
cialism and culture on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Echo Park.
You could easily miss this new gem, but when you find it, you’ll be
greeted by the fragrances of teas, coffee, and herbs.
Hey Hey is no ordinary teashop. The vibe is high-end cocktail
lounge meets community rec center meets old school soda counter.
Board games line the walls and a single microphone in the middle of a
makeshift stage waits patiently. Guests take Polaroids for a cork board
collage. The rhythmic beat of shaking tins sounds as a crafter puts the
final touches on decadent multilayered tea drinks. This is my kind of
place!
Chris Kwok, owner and imaginer of Hey Hey, quit his corporate job
to work at cafes and Asian tea shops while designing and conceptual-
izing his vision of a non-alcoholic bar with the feel of a neighborhood
living room. “The idea is to be as comfortable and cozy as you would
be in your friend’s living room, except you have bomb drinks here.”
And bomb drinks they are! Hey Hey’s menu is organized into four
categories: Bold, Rich, Fresh, and Straight. Fresh features signature
mocktails like The Breezy, a take on a virgin lime mojito. House favor-
ite The Union is Bold; a half-tea, half-coffee swirl with homemade sea
salt cream.
With creative promos, acoustic evenings, game nights, and endless
activities in a non-alcoholic lounge that is both kid- and dog-friendly,
Hey Hey is the perfect spot to meet your crew or make new friends.By Brett Fleisher, yogi, musician, somatic release therapist, world traveler, Peace
Guardian, filmmaker, and friend.Unplug Meditation
West Hollywood
8500 Melrose Ave #
310.826.8899; unplug.comUnplug Meditation Founder and Owner Suze Yalof Schwartz says,
“I run this business based on feeling.” While people warn against
intuition-based business practices, Unplug Meditation is booming: the
founding Santa Monica studio, her newly minted West Hollywood
location, and a world famous Unplug Meditation smartphone app that
reaches 60+ countries.
Suze’s twenty years in the fashion industry primed her to be in front
of a trend. As the Associate Accessories Editor for Vogue and Execu-
tive Fashion Editor at Large for Glamour, she covered the Oscars’ red
carpet for Access Hollywood and did makeovers on Good Morning
America and The Today Show.
When she searched for her second Unplug studio location, she found
what was famously named, “The ugliest building in all of Los Angeles.”
Suze states, “I saw what it could be.” That same ugly duckling edifice
amongst its couture shop neighbors is now the “It” place on Melrose.
When creating the schedule, Suze says, “I think about my husband
who is in the financial world and not interested in the woo woo.
’Would Marc sit through this class?’ If he wouldn’t, we’re not doing it.
Although we do broaden our offerings on Friday nights to include just
about anything. So no matter whether you are super spiritual or just
looking to destress, you will have as profound an experience as the per-
son next to you.” The mindfully simple language allows everyone, from
avid practitioners to new meditators, to access their own experience.
Suze Yalof Schwartz has made over the meditation world with her
vision for the first drop-in meditation studio. With her eye for transfor-
mation, the ripple will be felt for generations to come.By Marja Lankinen, founder and CEO of Yoga for Dancers. She is a yoga therapist
and commercial dancer in Los Angeles who travels the globe teaching yoga and
PHOTO BY DAVID YOUNG-WOLFF meditation. yogafordancers.comVISIT WWW.THISTLE.CO/MENU
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