I had a meeting with a client the other day and she was telling me how the social dynamics at her agency seem to have shifted since Covid. 

From her perspective, the pre-pandemic era had a greater sense of team camaraderie and eagerness to spend time together outside the office. Her team today scatters quickly after the workday, not because they don’t get along, but just because they have other interests and things they want to do. 

I think we all have that feeling post-Covid to a degree, but it does highlight the challenge we face as sellers. An IRL relationship is infinitely stronger, but how are you driving urgency and intrigue to develop it without being a pain in the ass? 

My two cents is that the ideas for getting together need to be better aligned with our lives. Shorter, more flexible, and more unique.  

As with everything, there will never be a universal answer, but many answers. And maybe finally figuring out how to play Mahjong is a good start?

— Robbie

East Never Loses hosts curated Mahjong events for groups around LA (as small as 4 people and as large as 600!). 

If you’re like me, and are curious about Mahjong but know almost nothing about it, East Never Loses teaches the Chinese style of the game, which is well-suited to social situations and can be learned quickly. Getting good is tricky, but getting started isn't.

You’ll begin with a 25-minute gameplay lesson, and from there, you’ll play four-player games alongside a guide to make sure everyone understands the game. Games take about 25 minutes, and players often swap in and out to get a bite or drink in between.  

The whole experience lasts about 2 hours and can be brought to an office or hosted at a restaurant, which solves the food/beverage question. To play, you’ll need tables that are roughly 34 inches, square or round, and the team brings them if the venue doesn't have them. 

I spoke with the super friendly founder, Angie, who shared the inspiring and very 2026 feeling, story of hosting Mahjong nights as a side hustle until it developed into a full-time gig (IG Reel recap of her journey). 

She hosts events all over LA, including many corporate events (Netflix, Apple, Hennessy, Hammer Museum), so she understands the professional event dynamics. Her Insta gives a sense of Angie’s vibe and East Never Loses events. 

Details: 

Food/Drinks: Angie recommends either having food/drinks catered to the office or partnering with a local restaurant to host the event. Two restaurants where she’s hosted successful events:

Added value: Squarely in the box of grandma hobbies that are having a cultural renaissance, a Mahjong experience is one of the things I’d genuinely love to do, and would, even more genuinely, love someone to organize on my behalf. I like it as an entertaining option since everyone can learn something new (or show off the skills they already have), and it flexes well for both introverted and extroverted personalities.   

San Damian is a new Baja-inspired mariscos restaurant on Abbot Kinney. If you’ve been to Damian downtown, this is the more casual sibling restaurant by the beach. 

In addition to being a cool, new spot in the neighborhood, San Damian is worth considering because it’s from Enrique Olvera, who is the chef behind the much-revered Pujol in Mexico City and Cosme in New York. 

The restaurant has a light, indoor-outdoor room full of the beautiful people of Venice and a menu of bright cocktails, ceviches, aguachiles, and whole fish over charcoal. 

There is pollo and carne asada on the menu, but it’s definitely seafood-forward, so be aware that your no-fish or vegetarian clients won’t have a ton of options.

Hours: Wed-Sat: 5-10pm and Sun: 3-8pm

Website (here) and Instagram (here). 

Links to send your client:

Added value: I love this style of food because the cocktails are festive and I don't feel like a beluga whale after the meal. And with so many clients and agencies based around the West side, it's nice to have new options that don't force everyone to trek across the city.  

If you have any clients into mid-2000s British rock, or just need something to look forward to after England’s sad World Cup loss to Argentina, Muse and Portugal. The Man are headlining the Bowl for an awesome Monday night combo on 8/31. 

For all the shows at the Bowl, there aren’t too many big ones like this that fall on a weeknight and could make sense for a ‘work’ outing.

Tickets start around $150 with excellent seats available for around $500 on Ticketmaster.  

As for getting everyone there, if you’ve never taken the Park and Ride Shuttle, it’s worth it. I often took it to get to the Bowl when I lived in Culver, and it makes the whole crossing-the-entire-city experience a hell of a lot more pleasant. Pre-show shuttle vibes are high. Here’s where the Shuttle picks up for the Muse show (Park and Ride - 8/31). 

Added value: A show at the Bowl is undoubtedly a mission, but that’s also part of what makes it special. Given the 10,000 steps you’ll take to get to your seats, the oddball performers you’ll come across on the way, and the gorgeous warm late-summer evening, you’ll be in for a memorable LA experience with your client.

Ever been hanging with a client and conversation just runs dry? Whether it’s recent and topical, or general and evergreen, the Oasis is about giving you one idea for helping you in that moment.

The World Cup and Carb Rinsing

As I was watching the World Cup games last weekend and the much-maligned, made-for-advertising hydration breaks, I noticed that almost none of the players actually drink anything. They just spit out whatever liquid they’re given. 

I looked into it and found this video explaining that it’s actually a well-researched phenomenon that sounds like your classic LA fad diet called Carb Rinsing. 

The body draws on carbs for high-intensity activities like playing soccer and writhing on the ground in pain when you haven’t been touched.

The players are actually taking in a carb-rich solution, which receptors in the mouth recognize and tell the brain that carbohydrates are coming soon even if you don’t actually swallow.

Since the brain thinks that carbs are coming (which they’re not since the player didn’t ingest them), it gives the body a short-term energy boost by allowing a drawdown of your carb levels. 

It won’t replace consuming actual carbohydrates in the long run, but works as a clever short-term hack. A little like bringing this up next time you’re on the topic of the World Cup with a client and conversation runs dry. 

Thanks for reading. Any feedback is appreciated - just hit reply to this email.