Paper or Plastik is the labor of love of Anya and Yasha Michelson, the husband-and-wife team who also own the adjacent Mimoda Dance studio. A bright, beautifully designed, artfully deconstructed, loftlike space, the café has an airy serenity that attracts a mix of grad students, boho freelancers and cute screenwriter boys, who may or may not be there primarily to ogle the gorgeous dancer chicks who hang out before or after classes next door. Either way, the high-quality eye candy alone seems to justify the high-for-the-neighborhood prices for baguette sandwiches and Intelligentsia espresso. The iced coffee, the best in the city, would be a steal at any price. 5772 W. Pico Blvd., Mid-City. (323) 935-0268, paperorplastikcafe.com.

—Karina Longworth

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