Meet Matilde Riva: Business owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matilde Riva and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matilde, what role has risk played in your life or career?
With great risks comes great rewards! As cliché as it sounds it’s absolutely true. Life is ultimately about doing the things you enjoy. You can sit back and let life steer you on autopilot or you can take a calculated leap of faith and put certain things on the line in the pursuit of a life filled with adventure and passion.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started Café y Cultura from what I learned through my experiences at pop up markets and recognized areas that needed improvement from my perspective, like access to clean restrooms for both vendors and customers. The initial jump took a lot of faith and preparation but has turned out to be one of the most fulfilling things I have done in my life. The road has been bumpy at times, lots of trial end error but it has ultimately made me stronger and prepared for the future of my business. I want people to feel at home at Café y Cultura, the experience of both vendor and customer is very important to me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would most definitely start our day with a delicious cup of coffee from Always Coffee and head over to The Getty Museum. I’m always amazed when looking at art pieces that are hundreds of years old, I took my uncle who is also an artist there recently and he legitimately stared at a painting for like 20 minutes straight, it was such a fulfilling experience. I would end our night with dinner at Bestia! The food is some of the best that Los Angeles has to offer.
For a night cap we could grab a couple of German beers at The Red Lion Tavern which is one of the last original bars that have kept everything in its original state. Legend has it that it was one of Charles Bukowski’s watering holes while he lived in Silver Lake for a short while.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Owners of Bestia and Bavel, Genevieve Gergis and Ori Menashe, for giving me such a great opportunity and a treasure chest of valuable lessons. My Cubes, Alex the Cuban(Alex Torres) who has given me support in all of my endeavors and in life in general.
And my to my dad who continues to be my biggest inspiration to live my life unapologetically me.

Instagram: @matilderiva

Other: @cafe_ycultura

Image Credits
Café y Cultura