Curated Routes: West Hollywood — Functional Design, Ethereal Tea, and Afternoon Light
The Tea Squirrel has always been about the pursuit of the perfect cup, alongside the beauty, rituals, and creativity that surround it. As my work evolves, I’m thrilled to continue this new series: Curated Routes. Whether exploring my adopted home of Los Angeles or traveling further afield, tea is no longer just the destination; it's the compass we’ll use to dig deeper, uncovering the intentional spaces, curated objects, and sensory experiences that make a place worth finding.
There is a distinct joy in playing tourist in your own city, uncovering the hidden rhythms of neighborhoods we think we know. In this route through West Hollywood, tea and functional design serve as our narrative thread, guiding us through a beautifully paced afternoon of early modern architecture, masterfully curated showrooms, and exceptional culinary stops.
The Sensory Opening: Mewame
West Hollywood
The perfect way to awaken the palate before an afternoon of design exploration is a stop at Mewame. The name itself is a Korean phrase meaning "beauty and flavor," an ethos that shines through in everything they create. While not strictly a traditional tea house, their tea-infused shaved ice is nothing short of extraordinary.
Everything on their menu is entirely dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO, crafted without any artificial coloring or flavoring. The texture is remarkable—they shave the ice into ethereal, fluffy ribbons that melt the moment they hit your tongue. It is all paired with their in-house vegan coconut whipped cream and finished with a delicate coin cookie.
Their tea-focused flavors are absolutely brilliant. The Jasmine Green Tea shaved ice, a spring seasonal flavor, uses leaves sourced from Fujian, China, perfectly highlighting the clean, floral finish of spring leaves traditionally scented with fresh jasmine blossoms. The ice block itself is a blend of the jasmine tea, Madagascar vanilla, and coconut, topped with organic quinoa puffs. Their Matcha shaved ice is equally tasty, featuring ceremonial matcha and Madagascar vanilla in an oat base. In addition, they offer unsweetened iced drinks, including what they call a matcha aerocano (made with Uji premium ceremonial blend matcha and water) and a houjicha aerocano with Uji houjicha and water. Unsweetened drinks are a testament to the quality of the teas they use, in my opinion.
They also do incredible limited-edition collaborations, like a recent marzipan flavor, and their foray into hot teas is just as thoughtful. This past fall and winter, they introduced On-Ki (meaning "warm energy" in Korean), a beautiful, caffeine-free herbal blend of organic jujube, chicory root, dandelion root, and Ceylon cinnamon, garnished with California-grown jujube and pine nuts. It is a vibrant, deeply intentional, and comforting beverage that I hope to see on their menu again, together with loose-leaf Korean teas.
The Architectural Anchor: Schindler House / MAK Center for Art and Architecture
West Hollywood
A short distance away, this masterpiece of early modernism offers a profound shift in rhythm. Designed in 1922 by architect Rudolph M. Schindler, the home is widely considered one of the first truly modern dwellings built in the United States. It completely reimagined traditional domestic layouts; conceived as a cooperative live/work space for two families, it abandoned conventional living and dining rooms in favor of individual studios and outdoor sleeping porches. Visually, the structure is a striking, earthy composition of tilt-up concrete slab walls, exposed redwood framing, and expansive glass. The way the late afternoon light filters through these materials is spectacular, beautifully highlighting the pioneering relationship between indoor and outdoor living.
Beyond the architecture itself, the MAK Center’s rotating programming is always thought-provoking. I still vividly remember the brilliant Alejandro Zohn exhibition they hosted here a few years back. Highlighting the Mexican-Austrian architect’s bold, structural work in Guadalajara, Mexico, it was an incredibly profound pairing of architectural visions. It is a space that continually invites quiet reflection and sets a highly intentional, curious tone for the rest of your route.
Intentional Objects & Functional Design: Toiro and the Design District
West Hollywood
Transitioning from architecture to the objects that shape our homes, Toiro is a beautifully curated space. Their focus on artisan-made Japanese donabe (clay pots), artisanal kitchen tools, and tableware sourced from all over Japan—including a wonderful selection of teaware—mirrors a deep appreciation for the artisans and the tools that elevate our daily domestic rituals. Beyond ceramics, they also carry a curation of high-quality Japanese pantry goods, including some teas, making it the perfect spot to gather both culinary and aesthetic inspiration.
From here, an unhurried walk through the neighborhood's design showrooms seamlessly extends the afternoon's aesthetic focus. Exploring the photography at the Leica Store and Gallery Los Angeles bridges the gap between structured spaces and captured moments. Continuing through the showrooms at In-Ex, Ligne Roset, Knoll, and Herman Miller offers a deeply satisfying look into sculptural furniture, clean lines, and mid-century modernism.
The Culinary Finale: Sei Pizza Bar
Pico Boulevard
Moving slightly south down to Pico Boulevard, the day concludes with a lively culinary reward at Sei Pizza Bar (recently renamed from Pizzeria Sei following the opening of their new Palms location, which now carries the original name). Ending our curated route with their meticulously executed, Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is the ultimate, satisfying finish to the itinerary. I say this as an Italian: their pizza is truly amazing. My absolute favorite is their Special Margherita with Bufala—a perfect testament to the beauty of high-quality ingredients and flawless technique.
To help you recreate this day, I’ve mapped out the entire curated route in a custom Google Map below. Whether you are tasting ethereal tea shaved ice, immersing yourself in early modern architecture, exploring design showrooms, or simply hunting for the perfect artisanal bite, I hope this guide inspires your next beautifully intentional weekend in Los Angeles.
