MATCHA MUSE: A Conversation with Gabrielle Vera Thompson
Gabrielle Vera Thompson, @G.V.T., is a New York–based PR professional. As the PR director and managing partner at Celine Kaplan PR, she leads strategy and storytelling to garner earned media coverage for brands including Ladurée, Selima Optique, Cora, and Stella & Chewy’s. With a background in photography and a degree in public relations and French, Gabrielle brings a thoughtful balance of creativity, communication, and visual storytelling to everything she does.
Below, she shares her matcha rituals, her definition of light, and the small moments that keep her grounded.
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How do you begin your mornings in the city? Do you have a ritual that sets the tone for your day?
My NYC mornings are honestly such a whirlwind. Running a PR agency means no two days ever look the same. But no matter how hectic things get, I always know I can anchor myself with a small ritual: my matcha. Taking those few quiet minutes to breathe, whisk, and pause before the emails and calls start truly sets the tone. It’s my way of creating a little calm before the beautiful chaos.
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How do you take your matcha — and what does that moment look like for you?
I love an iced matcha latte with oat or coconut milk, no sweetener. Whether I’m whisking it at home or grabbing it on the go, that unsweetened sip gives me exactly the kind of energy I need.
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HIKARI means light — what does “light” look or feel like in your life right now?
Right now, “light” looks like connection. As a PR girl, so much of my world is about bringing people together. There’s something luminous about watching the right energies align.
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If you could design your dream matcha moment, where would you be and who would you share it with?
Somewhere sun-drenched… maybe a rooftop or a studio, brainstorming a dream event with my partner at CKPR, Caroline. She’s the coffee to my matcha, truly. We’re at our best when ideas are flowing, cups in hand.
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What’s one small, beautiful thing you do just for yourself?
Yoga. Just like my matcha ritual, it’s a grounding routine that reconnects me to myself.
