Latest Guides
Rocky Xu has dipped his hands in fashion and music since the mid-2000s, having worked with powerhouse brands like Nike and Converse, Beats By Dre, Awake NY, the local-favorite Family Style Food Festival and more. His latest venture – Rocky’s Matcha – is ushering a new wave of health and awareness of the age-old Japanese tea leaf powder. His brand of matcha and matcha drink has been hitting the streets of major cities since 2022, working with boutiques and cafes across the United States and even in the U.K.
To foster your pleasant mornings, Rocky has shared with us his favorite locations across Los Angeles for breakfast and coffee/tea/matcha, with some staple spots highly familiar and a few under-the-radar joints as well. The list is sure to cater to health-focused individuals, while also not ostracizing those looking for mornings with downright delicious starts too.
Curated by Rocky Xu
Whether it be the original Matsuhisa restaurant in Los Angeles, the range of 50+ Nobu restaurants around the globe or even the growing portfolio of Nobu hotels/resorts, you’ve probably heard of famed Japanese chef, Nobu Matsuhisa.
Chef Nobu’s brand has grown tremendously since the opening of his first restaurant in 1987 – attracting celebrities and food fanatics alike, some of which have been recurring customers for decades. Chef Nobu has become an undeniable sushi and hospitality master, ultimately crafting a well-trusted brand due to its signature food and uncompromising service. Because of this, it can be said that many would trust Chef Nobu with culinary recommendations across the world. But given his split time between Tokyo and Los Angeles, these are special places he knows like the back of his hand.
So to offer a closer glimpse into some of his favorite eats, Chef Nobu has shared where to stop for excellent food when in Tokyo, Japan.
Curated by Nobu Matsuhisa
The last few years have been a whirlwind ascent for Devon Turnbull, and as the breadth of his OJAS audio projects has expanded, so have his travels.
These days, it’s not uncommon to see Turnbull posting from the West Coast, or Japan, or the UK. But make no mistake; for Turnbull, New York City – specifically Brooklyn – is still home. His history in New York is comprehensive. It was from NYC in the ’90s that he discovered the graffiti and DJ scenes, where in the early ’00s he launched the streetwear brand Nom de Guerre, and where his OJAS listening room in partnership with USM is today.
Given his deep history with New York, and OJAS’s brand platform to educate both newbies and enthusiasts alike as they journey through the world of hi-fi, we asked Turnbull for his favorite audio-centric places to shop, catch a show, or spend a night out in NYC.
Curated by Devon Turnbull
There's often a stigma attached to "authentic" food from different cultures but in all honesty there's definitely marketing behind it all.
So are there authentic restaurants these days? Of course, you just need to know who to ask and where to go. Cory Ng – purveyor of hit NYC restaurant Potluck Club – was tasked with this to which he gladly obliged.
While Potluck Club isn't "traditional," it's authentic for sure – Cory's vision was to recreate the dishes he grew up with but modify their ingredients or cooking technique for a fresh take. The result is apparent – the restaurant was recently awarded a Bib Gourmand and is expected to expand to a second location this year.
With that, Cory opened our eyes to the real spots for Asian food, across the multiple Chinatowns in New York City – Manhattan, Flushing Queens, and around 8th Avenue in Brooklyn. Check out his picks below.
Curated by Cory Ng
Hypemaps recently caught up with Albino & Preto director Arvie Gimeno. In recent years, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has pushed Albino & Preto to new heights with its highly sought-after mat offerings and collaborations that have broken into streetwear. Arvie Gimeno's repositioning of the leading jiu-jitsu lifestyle label is based on his interests and experience with street culture.
Even though he resides on the sunny side of Southern California in Long Beach, Tokyo holds a special place in Arvie Gimeno's hearts. A place intrinsically tied to the continuation of Albino & Preto’s ambition to craft, the city in Japan serves as a place of inspiration for Gimeno. In his guide, the director highlights his Tokyo food tour showing his favorite spots to take in the city's culinary offerings.
Curated by Arvie Gimeno
Hypemaps recently caught up with Japanese local rap star Awich to find out where she likes to spend her time on the weekend in Tokyo. Despite her busy schedule split between events, performing, and recording in the studio, Awich enjoys unwinding by visiting a few of her favorite spots.
Awich highlighted businesses owned by her fellow Okinawans, places where she enjoys music, gets inspired, and even takes part in some retail therapy. The artist notes that the locations featured are particularly nice for an exciting but can also be visited during weekdays for a calmer atmosphere.
Curated by Awich
Hypemaps recently caught up with Extra Butter Creative Director Bernie Gross to find out what a New York weekend with Bernie is really like.
For his weekend guide, the OG streetwear figure highlights places he frequents, offers a hot take, and places importance on honoring culture. Gross' chosen locations are perfect for a calm weekend but could also serve as new daily locations to take in the city.
Curated by Bernie Gross