Mimoda Jazzo, also known as Jacob “Yasha” Michelson, is an example of a successful self-made entrepreneur and artist who started a cafe business from scratch and turned it into an art hub. Today, he is not only the owner of Paper or Plastik Cafe and Mimoda Jazzo Studio, where you might spot a celebrity or watch dance or movement classes or theater while having a coffee, but also the founder of Jazzo, an aesthetic lifestyle movement, which includes the philosophy of Aesthetic Mindfulness. Michelson moved to LA 35 years ago from Israel but was born in Georgia and lived in Latvia before that. His start in the US was tough, as it is for anyone, but for him, it was always interesting. “I’ve always been involved in aesthetics and art-related businesses, such as fine art and fashion, which has made my life very creative,” he states, adding that he had always wanted to realize his idea of art-related businesses in Los Angeles.   Paper or Plastik Café and Mimoda Jazzo Studio is unique and interesting in that it is a café with a dance studio attached where visitors can have a coffee and watch people do ballet, dance, or attend concerts and theater performances. To come up with this idea, Michelson states, “As an artist, I’ve always dreamed of having my own studio and returning to dance and movement theater. At 52, I finally made it happen. I bought an old building with a ballet studio and transformed it into a creative space for my dance, film, and theater projects.” Jazzo always believed a café bridges the gap between home and the street, offering a place to meet people and satisfy the need for social connection instead of spending time online. He envisioned people watching dance classes while enjoying their coffee. “One day, I received a Steinway grand piano from an Amazon owner because I host so many free community events. Now, we have a coffee shop with a studio behind it, creating a truly unique establishment,” Jazzo says. Open for 14 years, for Jazzo, the name Paper or Plastik Café “represents a deeper question about ourselves, highlighting the polarity between the real and the artificial.” He hopes it will lead people to ask, “Are we paper or plastic? Are we real or artificial?” This is emphasized by the slogan, “A funny name for serious coffee lovers.” To create an artistic hub, initially, the premises was a coffee bar, but Jazzo and his team soon realized that people came for the coffee but stayed for the food. Gradually, they transformed into a full-blown restaurant. “I have never wanted to be a restaurateur, and this shift was not part of my original dream, but over time, we found our comfort level, and now, we are a café that prides itself on serving exceptional coffee alongside restaurant-quality food. We’ve embraced this identity, and it has become the perfect blend of our initial passion and the evolving desires of our customers,” Jazzo states. Since he opened Paper or Plastik Café alongside Mimoda Jazzo Studio, it has become an artistic hub that now hosts many concerts, performances, and parties. It’s a lively and vibrant space where creativity and community come together. Among the notable celebrities who have visited the cafe and studio is Beyoncé, who herself mentioned in Elle magazine that she shot a video at the studio. As Michelson notes, “We are a typical LA café where it’s hard to distinguish regular citizens from celebrities, but we’ve never made a big deal out of it. After all, this is a city of celebrities.” “Mimoda” is Michelson’s creative pseudonym—an abbreviation derived from Mime & Dance, and Jazzo represents his unique movement language. It was initially the name of his theater project. One day, he decided to adopt Mimoda Jazzo as his pseudonym for social media and theater. This name embodies his creative identity and the artistic fusion of dance and movement that defines his work and has been his artistic name ever since. As an artist, theater director, writer, movement coach, businessman, and family man, Michelson still manages to balance all these roles. Owning a café with a studio allows him to consolidate all his activities under one roof. “Everyone comes to me, and I meet people at the café, saving a lot of time. You can achieve a lot simultaneously with good internet and effective time management skills,” he says, adding that there are two ways to be happy: one is to live the life you’ve always dreamed of, and the other is to embrace a life beyond your wildest dreams. For Michelson, he is fortunate to be experiencing the latter. Beyond his aesthetic lifestyle, the eponymous “Jazzo” philosophy has grown into a cultural movement that already has followers. It’s a philosophy that touches every aspect of life. It helps people to find harmony and balance by using beauty, art, and aesthetics to enhance physical and emotional health. Through mindful movement, aesthetics, and meditation, Jazzo promotes overall well-being, encapsulated by its slogan: “Aesthetic Resistance to Gravity.” The Jazzo philosophy is about embracing beauty in every part of life. By integrating aesthetics into daily living, people can transcend the burdens of everyday life, achieving a state of harmony and holistic well-being. With a current focus on learning neuroaesthetics, a science that explores the impact of aesthetic experiences on the brain and cognitive health, one of Jazzo’s primary teachings is “Jazzo in Slow Motion—Aesthetic Mindfulness.” This form of neuroaesthetic meditation helps develop one’s inner world and enhances self-understanding through aesthetic sensations. Today, there’s a growing emphasis on slowing down the pace of life. By teaching Jazzo in Slow Motion, Michelson is able to help people slow down and savor each moment, fostering deep meditation and mindfulness. This practice differs from Tai Chi and Qigong in that it focuses on the aesthetics of movement and the joy it brings. At his studio, this course aims to cultivate mindfulness through slow, aesthetically pleasing movements. When it comes to advice for those who want to improve their lives, Michelson states, “Remember, you cannot stop the intensity of life, but you can slow it down.” for Jacob “Yasha” Michelson, Jazzo is about noticing the beauty around you, embracing your chaos, and feeling the magic of aesthetic mindfulness—in slow motion. The post Artist Turned Successful Businessman: The “Jazzo” Phenomenon—How a Cleverly Named Café and Dance Studio Became the Heart of LA’s Aesthetic Lifestyle appeared first on LA Weekly.