Tag: los angeles

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Live Talks Los Angeles: Literary conversations with popular authors

Ever wonder how novelists are treated at the Oscars? At a Live Talks Los Angeles event on Monday, Colm Tóibín dished on his experience attending an Academy Award after his novel Brooklyn was made into a film.

“If you’re a star up for an Oscar, you go in one door, and if you’re a just a novelist … you go in another door. And it’s not just the red carpet. There’s no carpet!”

Colm Tóibín was paired with arts and cultures writer Scott Timberg for a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from Brexit to Miro to Irish history to Elizabeth Bishop to Colm’s own latest novel, House of Names. It was a pretty inspiring time — and my first time at a Live Talks Los Angeles event, a speaker series that’s been bringing authors and other thought leaders to L.A. for seven years.

And conveniently for me, most of the events happen on the westside; Colm’s event was at the Ann and Jerry Moss Theatre at New Roads School. Sadly I learned of the series only recently — or I would have gone to the conversation between Jami Attenberg and Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney earlier this year!

Founded and produced by Ted Habte-Gabr, Live Talks LA somehow actually gets people to pay good money to see and hear writers of literary fiction. A general admission seat for Colm’s event cost $20, but tickets went up to $95 for literatis who wanted admission to the pre-event reception, a reserved section seat at the talk, and a copy of Colm’s book for the post-event signing.

Can’t afford the admission? Live Talks LA records all its events and puts them on its website. Plus, Live Talks LA has a free Newer Voices series, which highlights debut or early career authors. The next event in that series is An Evening with Nathan Hill, author of The Nix, happening June 26 at the Santa Monica Main Public Library.

In addition to novelists, Live Talks LA also brings in other well-known names. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, for example, is the featured speaker at an event tonight! Other upcoming speakers include meditation teacher Jack Kornfield and Senator Al Franken. Get on the Live Talks LA email list to hear about them all —

Earlier: 12 literary reading series in Los Angeles

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Best coffee shops for writers in Los Angeles: Westside

Picky writers can’t just go to any coffee shop. We need good working spaces with comfy chairs and tables. We need decent wifi and electric outlets for our laptops. We (or at least I) need good reading light. And we like to be able to hang for a few hours without feeling like we’re overstaying our welcome.

Which is to say — I’m really putting together this best coffee shops list for me.

I often find myself stuck in a part of town I don’t know very well — usually before or after some event — because I don’t want to drive home until after rush hour ends. Now (or more accurately, soon, when I finish this 5-part guide covering most L.A. neighborhoods), whatever area of Los Angeles I happen to be in, I know where I can stop to read or get some writing done while I wait for traffic to clear.

More:
* Best coffee shops for writers in Los Angeles: Central LA
* Best coffee shops for writers in Los Angeles: The Valley
* Best coffee shops for writers in Los Angeles: Northeast LA
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Santa Monica: Funnel Mill. 930 Broadway, Ste A., Santa Monica.

If you’re into rare, exotic coffees — like the kind made from beans pooped out by little animals — you’ll find what you’re looking for here. I’m more of a plain soy latte type — so I go here for the comfy couches and relaxed atmosphere. Sadly this places closes at six on weekdays and opens not at all on Sundays. Still, during business hours, it’s a great place to get a lot of work done.

Sawtelle: Balconi Coffee. 11301 W. Olympic Blvd., #124 Los Angeles.

I probably spend more time here than any other coffee shop, because it’s my favorite spot I can walk to. Plus they make great espresso drinks with cute latte art. Their almond essence latte is a favorite with the regulars. Coffee snobs can try out unique beans brewed via that bubbly siphon method. Some caveats: The wifi is spotty, and the bathroom is like a block away and literally requires a map to find.

Brentwood: Coral Tree Cafe. 11645 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles.

coral-tree-cafe brentwood

This coffee shop has a full, mostly organic menu along with coffee drinks, juices, and wine, so if you like to eat while you work, try it out. Another bonus: The place is open until 10 pm! The downside: Parking is a bitch in this area. The cafe a small valet lot in the back for $3.50, but I don’t recommend it. These days, I just take a long walk to get there —

Venice: Intelligentsia. 1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Los Angeles.

This place makes hands down the best soy latte in L.A., IMHO, the deformed heart latte art on the one above not withstanding. I don’t know how they make them so creamy, but they do. The clean, industrial warehouse styled place always has a line out the door and lines of Macbooks on its rows of seats.

Venice: Deus Cafe. 1001 Venice Blvd. Venice.

I’ve already written about how this motorcycle-coffee-shop is the best place to read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance! Caffeinate, read, and chat with friends and strangers at the cafe’s communal tables. It’s a lovely spot with both a sunny courtyard and an airy indoor space, decorated with flowers and succulents. FYI: This place does not offer decaf.

West LA: Literati Cafe. 12081 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

The coffee and food is just okay here — but this place is open until 9 pm, offers good wifi, and has a full menu including coffee, juice, and wine — making it a great place to meet up with friends for a writing date or book club. My friends Beth and Nitika and I used to meet here weekly to write until Beth moved to Brooklyn — We miss you Beth!

Culver City: Bar Nine. 3515 Helms Ave, Culver City.

This big spare space serves good coffee with paleo pancakes and other good eats. There’s wifi and communal tables and friendly people. You might end up getting into conversations with strangers instead of getting work done — but that’s the fun part of going to a coffee shop —

Mar Vista: Coffee Connection. 3838 S Centinela Ave.

Coffee Connection latte mar vista

This gigantic coffee shop is, I think, part of a church — judging by the fact that patrons are allowed to use the church parking lot and that the spot is closed on Sundays — but I like this place despite my devout atheism! They have fair trade coffee, gluten free snacks, and tons of inside and outside seating of all varieties. The people who work here are really nice — though their latte art game is not strong.

Earlier:
* Bulletproof Coffee: Best coffee shop in Los Angeles for writers who love butter
* 7 Best public libraries in Los Angeles for writers
* 3 Los Angeles writing meetups where you can write in company

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Sublevel and Westwind: Two more journals for Los Angeles writers

Just eight months ago I wrote about 12 literary journals for Los Angeles writers — and since then, I’ve discovered two more! Read, enjoy, and submit —

Sublevel. CalArts’s longtime lit magazine Black Clock folded a little while back, but in its place a newer, even edgier literary magazine has launched. Sublevel is “devoted to the nexus of literature, poetics, art, criticism, philosophy, culture, & politics,” and its editors “make no hard distinctions between creative and critical enterprise.”

In addition to (mostly experimental) writing, the zine includes conversations and art. The main issues go up online, but Sublevel also publishes a supplementary print edition — called B-Sides. The first issue was edited by Maggie Nelson and Janice Lee — but both of these CalArts faculty members are leaving the institution this year, Maggie heading to USC and Janice to Portland State University. It’s unclear who’ll head up the second issue. In the meantime, enjoy browsing the first —

Westwind UCLA journal of the arts

Westwind. Unbeknownst to me until two weeks ago, the English department at UCLA has been publishing Westwind, UCLA’s journal of the arts, for over 50 years now!

These days, Westwind publishes online issues in the fall and winter, along with an annual print issue in the spring that you can pick up from UCLA’s English department office — or read online too. The journal has a strong focus on UCLA specifically and the LA-area more broadly. Submissions — which will reopen in the fall — are open only to “UCLA students, faculty, alumni, and members of the greater Los Angeles community.” Send in your fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, art, and music then —

Earlier: 12 Literary journals for Los Angeles writers

Photo of Westwind courtesy of Westwind

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Thank you — plus two more Cake Time readings this week!

Siel Ju at Writes of Spring Rio Hondo College Whittier

Thank you to Rio Hondo College for having me at the Writes of Spring festival! It was an amazing time — A special thanks to Tom Callinan, who organized this annual two-day event.

Siel Ju at Writes of Spring Rio Hondo College Whittier

And thank you also to Why There Are Words — Los Angeles for letting me read from Cake Time over the weekend too.

And last but not least — Thank you to Kaya Press for hosting the Pre-Smokin’ Hot Lit Lounge Reading at Other Books!

I have two more readings to celebrate the launch of my own novel-in-stories Cake Time this month! First, I’m reading at Santa Monica College.

Cake Time: A Reading at SMC Spring Literary Series
Tuesday, April 25, 2017, 11:15 am – 12:30 pm
Santa Monica College, HSS 165, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica

Yes, the audience will be mostly students, but the event is free and open to the public! I’m planning to read a story that I wrote back when I was an undergrad.

Then this weekend, I’ll be at The Window @A.G. Geiger‘s “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” reading. The afternoon will also feature readings from Adam Leipzig, Jessie Jacobson, and Nathan Birnbaum plus musical guests:

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg event at The Window @A.G. Geiger
Sunday, April 30, 2017, 4 pm
A.G.Geiger Fine Art Books, 502 Chung King Ct., Los Angeles

Hope to see you at one or both!

Photo credits from top to bottom: Tom Callinan, Keith Martin

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The Window @A.G. Geiger: A new literary series at a Chinatown art bookstore

Why host just one literary reading series when you can host two? Susan Hayden, the woman behind the Library Girl reading series in Santa Monica, has teamed up with Alexis Rhone Fancher and started a brand new series across town: The Window @A.G. Geiger.

Held at A.G.Geiger Fine Art Books in Chinatown one Sunday afternoon a month, The Window has a similar format as Library Girl — a handful of readers, musical performance, wine.

The first event happened in February, featuring playwright/essayist Guy Zimmerman, poets Pam Ward and Kelly Grace Thomas, and monologist Jim Turner — plus music by Susan’s son Mason Summit and Sofia Wolfson. A good crowd filled the cozy space — which is a great place to browse through pretty art books post-reading —

I hope you’ll come to the next event because I’ll be one of the readers, reading from Cake Time! Titled “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” the afternoon will also feature readings from Adam Leipzig, Tina Yang, and Nathan Birnbaum plus musical guests.

It all happens Sunday, April 30 at 4 pm. Admission is $10, and includes wine and other beverages. Hope to see you there!

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The Window @A.G. Geiger. A.G.Geiger Fine Art Books, 502 Chung King Ct, Los Angeles. One Sunday a month at 4 pm. Cost: $10.

Earlier:
* Library Girl: A Santa Monica reading series with sugar and soul
* 12 literary reading series in Los Angeles

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Thank you west coast! And more Cake Time in LA

Thank you to everyone who came to my readings in Oakland, San Francisco, Portland, Bellingham, and Seattle last week!

Cake Time by Siel Ju at Diesel Oakland

Thanks especially to Brad Johnson at Diesel Oakland, Charlie Jane Anders of Writers With Drinks, Kevin Sampsell at Powell’s Books, Kelly Magee at  Western Washington University, the good people at Village Books, and Christine Texeira at Hugo House — as well as Book Soup and Stories in Los Angeles, where I read over the weekend —

And more thanks to everyone who read with me: Angela Palm, Brynn Saito, Andrew Lam, Corinne Manning (above right), Tara Atkinson (above left), Chelsea Werner-Jatzke, Elizabeth Powell, Meredith Alling, Miranda Tsang.

Couldn’t make it to any of those readings? Then I really hope I’ll see you at one of the events coming up this week in the LA area!

If you’re a morning person, come to the Writes of Spring Festival in Whittier:

Writes of Spring Festival
Thursday, April 20, 2017, 8 am
Rio Hondo College, 3600 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier, Calif.

— or come by that night to also hear Antonia Crane, Paula Priamos, Peg Alford Pursell, and Rob Roberge:

Why There Are Words Los Angeles
(Facebook event page)
Thursday, April 20, 2017, 7pm
1614 Wilshire Blvd. Unit 503, Los Angeles

— or kick off the weekend at Kaya Press’s pre-LA Times Festival of Books Party with me, Q.M. Zhang, Chris Santiago, Douglas Manuel, Andrew Wessels, and Amarnath Ravva:

Pre-Smokin’ Hot Lit Lounge Reading
Friday, April 21 2017, 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Other Books, 2006 E Cesar Chavez Ave., Los Angeles

And though I don’t have any events at the LA Times Festival of Books this weekend, I’ll be hanging out there on Saturday hearing and supporting other writers. Stop by the Red Hen Press table (booth 934) to pick up a copy of Cake Time. Then tweet me and I’ll come find you to sign it!

Earlier: 7 big annual literary events in Los Angeles to put on your calendar now