Kava Bar Near Me in L.A. – PureWow – ryan
Everyone has a slightly different reaction to kava, according to my research, but my friend Lizzie and I had a similar experience of pushing past the earthy yuck of the straight kava shooter (“It tastes like dirty water from the street,” she said. “But, in a good way?”) as well as enjoying the mixed nectar drinks prepared for us. After ten minutes, my tongue and lips felt tingly and my face felt numb, which really threw me; since I’ve been sober for a long time, I only have a vague sense memory of intoxication. “Well, maybe this is anaphylaxis and I’ll soon stop breathing,” I thought cheerily. This wasn’t true, but here’s what’s remarkable—I was pretty relaxed about the whole prospect of an (imagined) allergic reaction. Giddy even. The usual ball of tension that lives in my medulla eased and I was having a fun time. Giddily, my pal and I planned a couple of neighborhood stops after we finished our surprisingly tasty dry ramen, one of the bar snacks Kavahana serves. Best of all, I didn’t crash in the mid-afternoon or early evening, though my pal texted me later to describe her come-down, which felt as if she’d been day drinking.
Was my good time the result of suggestive thinking, an effect of seeing an old pal who always cracks me up or the product of a centuries-old traditional elixir? I can’t say for sure, but I’m looking forward to going back to Kavahana for the night scene, which our kavatender says gets lively, as well as visiting kava bars in other neighborhoods, such as Kava Bar & Botanical Lounge in the Valley and Kava Culture in Atwater. Oh, and I look forward to my next visit to Kavahana for a mid-afternoon visit after a run I’ve scheduled next month—among kava’s effects is its ability to speed muscle recovery, so I can’t wait to earn my next sip of dirty water.