dave’s incomplete and totally biased coffeehouse guide for aspiring writers in and around hollywood
June 14, 2008
I’m one of those people that finds it easier to focus and write in a crowd. Therefore, coffeehouses have been the greatest boon to my body of work. In fact, when I wrote the 2nd half of The Passionates, I’d say I was in coffeehouses 5 hours a weekday (after a nine hour workday) and 8 hours each weekend day.
Of course, I was very single at the time.
There are plenty of great resources to find coffeehouses in your area, like the venerable yelp.com. However, these sites never rate the coffeehouse experience from the perspective of the writer who likes to park, plug-in, and refresh their drink every couple of hours. For the scribes out there, outlet access is important. Tables are important. Comfort is important. And a social scene is not so important.
I should add that I was torn about rating internet access as a PRO or CON, since it is a great tool but can actually be a terrible distraction. In the end, it has proven itself invaluable too many times for fast research or sources of inspiration.
So without further ado, this is Dave’s Incomplete and Totally Biased Coffeehouse Guide for Aspiring Writers in and around Hollywood.
I can tell you right now it is going to need many updates over time with additions and alterations. So will this be the answer for each of my colleagues in Tinsel Town? Of course not. For example, I’m not even counting the Westside at all. After all, seeing all of those PCs damages my Mac-loving spirit that believes writers should Think Different. So here we go…
Silver Lake Coffee
Grade: 4.5 out of 5
This spacious comfortable coffeehouse is definitely on the friendly side. I’ve had nothing but terrific service every time I’ve been in at least three years. A beautiful and spacious outdoor patio lures away the non-writers and studying students. They have food, a large drink variety, and are in a terrific location to transition to your night hangout or run some errands. Tables aplenty, with quite a few outlets and strips. It’s my current favorite until I get kicked out at 9pm. Yes, I really did say 9pm.
PROS: Tables. Plenty of outlets. Free internet. Good drinks. Food. Good music. Ample parking. Friendly staff.
CONS: Closes crazy early — 9pm!
Psychobabble
Grade: 2.5 out of 5
This coffeehouse is spacious but has a poor use of space. Downstairs is strangely cluttered with poor outlet access. The patrons are usually talkers, not writers — with the exception of the upstairs. The upstairs is the writer-friendly zone with tables and more outlets. But the upstairs is cramped, cut off too much from the activity below, uncomfortable and always seems to be full.
PROS: Large. Good drinks. Food. Open late.
CONS: Gets loud. Gets crowded. Service inconsistent. Not enough tables and outlets. Internet usage based on purchase with receipt code that screws up auto-connect wireless next time you visit.
Bourgeois Pig
Grade: 3.5 out of 5
The dark center of the universe is actually a good place to be productive. There are large tables with outlet banks at each one. Drinks are great if you can get through the slow-moving line and not pressured to get something easy to speed things along. When it’s free you can even retreat into a Moroccan-style back room for solace. The crowd is uber-hip, but the attitude usually hangs outside being “seen” while the writers stay safely inside. Huge marks added for the extra late hours.
PROS: Tables and outlets aplenty. Good food. Awesome music. Interesting environment. Open later than anyone.
CONS: No internet. The line snaking through the joint can be annoying. VERY difficult to park.
Sabor y Cultura
Grade 2.5 out of 5
This used to be Espresso Mi Cultura and during that time it was my favorite in Los Angeles. The staff was awesome, the environment was inspiring and even had an independent bookshop in the back. It was also one of the first with free wireless internet. The eclectic crowd was inspiring and it felt like everyone was welcome. The change of hands brought physical changes that should have helped the place: more tables, more outlets. But something died. The spirit of the place went away and its identity became muddled. It’s hard to explain, it just felt different… in a bad way. A big part of it was the sudden disappearance of the tattooed personalities who manned the counter and machines. I had such luck writing there, I still find myself returning to give it another go… and wind up somewhere else after a few hours.
PROS: Free Internet. Plenty of outlets and tables. Good food. Good drinks.
CONS: Parking unpredictable. Unpredictable vibe. Uninspired staff and decor.
Cafe Insomnia
Grade 4 out of 5
This is as far west as I go barring unforeseen circumstances. I’d probably be here more often if it were closer to my Echo Park/Silver Lake/Los Feliz base. It’s open late, but not as late as Bourgeois Pig. Parking gets better as it gets later, but it’s rarely easy. There’s something very cozy about this place, but it’s not easy to place why that is. The furniture is all broken down, tables are pretty small, the counter is way in the back — and yet… it all works. Perhaps they had a Feng Shui artist in there many years ago when this furniture first crawled in. But I find myself being productive there. It feels like a writer’s joint. The drinks aren’t particularly interesting, the food is limited to snacks, and it can be quite crowded at times. However, it’s the opposite of Sabor y Cultura… it feels right.
PROS: Good drinks. Cozy environment. Open very late.
CONS: Parking usually difficult. Sometimes crowded. Internet not free. Sometimes an indifferent staff.
Swork
Grade 3.5 out of 5
I always thought Eagle Rock was farther away than it was, but once I realized I could be there in a flash I gave the swanky-logoed Swork a try. It does all of the things you expect a coffeehouse to do: have some brick walls with black & white photos, exposed flooring & ceilings, honey-hued furniture, and free internet. But it’s sort of the IKEA of coffee with its slick branding and orderly feel. Like IKEA, it may not be the coolest or offer the most creative environment, but it does the trick… and has been doing so for a long time. In fact, most other coffeehouses are just now adding many of the things Swork has been getting right for years. The problem is, while the coffee world has been catching up, Swork started bursting at the seams. With the local youngsters, the Occidental College students, local writers, and even families (yes, there’s a section for kids to play in)… finding a spot with an outlet during normal to peak hours in near impossible. Off hours I’ve been productive, other times I’ve opened the door and turned right back around to leave. Perhaps they need to buy a neighboring boutique shop and tear down the walls.
PROS: Good drinks. Cozy environment. Open until 10pm. Free internet. A decent amount of outlets. Friendly staff. Ample parking.
CONS: Often crowded. No food. Needs some soul and some attitude.
I intend to eventually have most all of them, bear with me. Leave a comment if you have a recommendation, or would like something pushed to the front of the queue.
Coming soon: Chango, Downbeat Cafe, Groundwork Hollywood and Downtown, The Coffee Table, Kaldi, and Starbucks Hollywood/Western, and more.
Categories: Call-Outs, Rants, Reviews, Thoughts | 7 Comments »
i take it back
June 9, 2008
While I still feel that Hillary Clinton, her campaign and her husband ran a vile, reckless, and selfish campaign, her concession speech has made me forgive and forget. It was gracious, it was inspiring, and it was by far the most notable speech she has ever given.
It was a glimpse of her I hadn’t seen in perhaps a decade. And it was the speech I didn’t think she was able to make because I had spent so long watching her manipulate, propagandize, and disappoint. However, for this speech she wasn’t campaigning… and suddenly stopped acting like a politician and started sounding like a leader. Where was that fair and sensible Hillary when it counted?
No one likes to turn around and reverse course after strong and passionate statements. But if it is only fair to do so, one must do so. And so I would like to thank Senator Clinton for Saturday, and I take back my anger from Tuesday. I leave you with this gem she gave us in regards to the positives that all women can take away from her campaign and accomplishment:
Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.
That is all.
Wait, no, it’s not. You should watch the speech:
Here’s Part 1.
Here’s Part 2.
Here’s Part 3.
Here’s Part 4.
Now that is all.
Categories: Call-Outs, Politics, Rants | No Comments »
the gracelessness of hillary
June 4, 2008
I want to rant and rave about how shameful Hillary Clinton and her campaign has acted following the historic nomination of Barack Obama, but I don’t have the time or patience for it.
However, Michael Tomasky covered it well at in this article at the Guardian Unlimited.
Once again, it’s all about Hillary Clinton, who delivered the most abrasive, self-absorbed, selfish, delusional, emasculating and extortionate political speech I’ve heard in a long time.
Even an avid supporter like Hilary Rosen wrote an article in the Huffington Post that includes this quote:
… she left her supporters empty, Obama’s angry, and party leaders trashing her. She said she was stepping back to think about her options. She is waiting to figure out how she would “use” her 18 million voters.
But not my vote. I will enthusiastically support Barack Obama’s campaign. Because I am not a bargaining chip. I am a Democrat.
Categories: Politics | No Comments »
is obama a muslim?
May 27, 2008
For those who aren’t sure, there is a handy new website to help.
Feel free to send any curious surfer you know to isbarackobamamuslim.com.
Thank you. That is all.
*** UPDATE ***
Actually, that is not all… i just stumbled upon a video that also helps spell things out since the Media is so utterly incompetent.
Please spread the word to anyone who seems more willing to believe the lies and remain skeptical of the truth. It’s clear that we have to do this ourselves.
*** UPDATE TOO ***
Yet another hate email has hit the internets claiming Barack Obama is a liar. If you have a friend that forwards it on, just simply send THIS LINK back to them.
Categories: Call to Action, Call-Outs, Links, Politics | No Comments »
focused fire
May 23, 2008
Now that the U.S. is close to finally walking away from the shameless parade of greed and manipulation and lies of the Hillary Clinton campaign… we can finally focus on exposing the many, many things about John McCain that the media refuses to cover. Here’s a video that helps get it started:
Watch out for this guy. He’s not the man we thought he was in 2000.
Categories: Politics, Video | No Comments »