Tag: los angeles

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Tongue & Groove: A Monthly literary variety show at Hotel Cafe

tongue-groove-orange

Literary readings often happen in makeshift spaces: classrooms, coffee shops, someone’s tiny studio apartment. But one Los Angeles reading series — Tongue & Groove — puts writers on a famous spot: The main stage at Hotel Cafe.

Hotel Cafe’s known as an intimate performance space for musicians in Hollywood — but Tongue & Groove takes over the venue one Sunday a month, each evening event featuring a handful of writers reading fiction, poetry, personal essays, and spoken word.

Organized by Conrad Romo, this reading series is now in its 13 year. Attendees queue up at Hollywood and Cahuenga, pay the $7 cover, then enter the darkened space to buy drinks and chat before sitting down at one of the tables or couches to take in the show. In keeping with the spirit of the place, a musical act also performs.

The next Tongue & Groove event happens this Sunday, Dec. 18 at 6:30 — and I hope you can make it because I’ll be reading — alongside Bonnie Johnson and Samantha Emily Evans. See you there —

Tongue & Groove. One Sunday a month, 6 pm at Hotel Cafe, 1623 N Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles. Cost: $7.

Earlier: Roar Shack: A Monthly Echo Park reading series with music and a Livewrite

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Best place for oysters after shopping at Alias Books: Plan Check

Oysters on the half shell at Plan Check Los Angeles Sawtelle

Savvy shoppers for pre-loved books know that Alias Books on Sawtelle is a great spot to browse for unexpected finds. Post-spree, I recommend walking a block south to Plan Check. There, you can take a load off and enjoy oysters al fresco.

Oysters on the half shell at Plan Check Los Angeles Sawtelle

I like to get three oysters on the half shell — with yuzukosho cocktail sauce. They go nicely with Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels! Totally unrelated, I discovered via Google this Ferrante Night Fever with Free Oysters event that happened in Richmond, Virginia. Should someone in L.A. want to organize a similar fun event and invite me, Plan Check would be a good place to plan it!

With four locations around L.A., Plan Check’s probably best known for its PCB (Plan Check Burger) topped with something they call “ketchup leather.” The burger isn’t bad, but after oysters I usually go for more seafood. Try the spicy tuna salad — yellow frisee, black radish, and avocado topped with nori and sriracha vinaigrette (I asked for the item without the usual puffed rice).

spicy tuna salad at Plan Check Los Angeles Sawtelle

The Sawtelle location can get crowded at dinner and weekends. But on weekday afternoons, it’s lazy enough that you can hang out a while browsing your bookstore finds.

Plan Check. 4 locations. Sawtelle: 1800 Sawtelle Blvd. Fairfax District: 351 N. Fairfax Ave. Downtown: 1111 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica: 1401 Ocean Ave.

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Melrose Bellow: An eclectic literary night in Hollywood 11/12

melrose-bellow

On the heels of Lit Crawl LA comes a brand new night of literary fun. On Sat., Nov. 12, Melrose Bellow will bring stand-up comedy, poetry, live music, and stories about everything from the desert to the sea to venues up and down Melrose Avenue.

Organized by Conrad Romo — best known as the guy behind the long-running Tongue & Groove reading series — Melrose Bellow features two rounds of pre-event happenings from 5 pm to 7 pm. Pick from a NaNoWrimo meetup, a block carving workshop, and an interactive poetry-improv hybrid performance.

Then comes the main event: two rounds of literary events, with a half dozen different happenings to pick from for each round. Here are my picks for each round:

Round 1 at 7 pm: Story Salon and the Mean Kind at Debonair, 7364 Melrose Ave.

Apparently Story Salon is LA’s longest running storytelling venue — How have I never heard of this series? — and The Mean Kind is a group of writers with ties to the South. Brandon Jordan Brown, Rachel McLeod Kaminer, and Chris L. Terry will read — Their work may or may not be about the South.

Round 2 at 8 pm: The Nervous Breakdown at Debonair, 7364 Melrose Ave.

Online lit zine The Nervous Breakdown will feature readings from Steve Abee, Dennis Cruz, and Milo Martin.

Other events include Rogue Machine Theatre’s Rant & Rave, a Women of the Rumpus reading, a Stand Up Bus featuring an open mic, and of course, a Tongue and Groove reading. Check the Melrose Bellow website for the full schedule.

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

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Best spot for raw writing: Poke Shack

The Poke Shack Melrose

I love poke bowls and acai bowls — and I’ve found a restaurant that offers both!

The Poke Shack Melrose

The Hawaiian-themed Poke Shack makes both sweet and savory bowls — as well as a spacious outdoor courtyard with wifi at the Melrose location. Writers can get an acai bowl for a late breakfast, write a few hours, then order up a poke bowl for lunch and dinner — making for a healthy and productive day —

The Poke Shack Melrose

At first I wondered what acai bowls and poke bowls had in common — then realized from this neon sign that they’re both raw! Well, the poke bowls are raw if you make them raw, with either a seaweed salad or kale base. If you’d rather go cooked, you can choose a brown or white rice base.

The Poke Shack Melrose

I went with brown rice, topped with half salmon-half tuna, plus some seaweed salad, colorful veggies, and a spicy sesame seed topping. It was tough making my choices from all the toppings — There’s everything from kimchi to charred pineapples!

Poke Shack also offers smoothies, salads and Hawaiian drinks. And at the Melrose location, there’s a wall painted with fishy “wings” — where you can take angelic author photos.

The Poke Shack Melrose

The Poke Shack. Three locations: 7257 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. 1425 Ocean Front Walk, Venice. 79 Windward Ave., Venice.

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Come see Meredith Alling & me at Skylight Books 11/15

meredith-alling-and-siel-ju-at-skylight-books

I’ve always wanted to do a live interview with a writer I admire — and this month, I’m finally getting that chance! Meredith Alling‘s debut book of short stories, Sing the Song (Future Tense), comes out in a couple weeks — and in celebration, Meredith and I will chat it up at Skylight Books!

sing-the-songMeredith Alling & Siel Ju: Reading & Conversation
When: Tuesday, November 15, 2016, 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Skylight Books, 1818 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles

Meredith will first read from Sing the Song. The stories in this collection are strange and quirky and eclectic and funny. In one, a slightly-lost woman starts copying the fashion style of truant kids that hang out near her house. In another, a girl waits at the front of the line for a sample sale to start — only to pass out from anxiety. In between are short surreal flash pieces — about precocious babies, sagacious hams, and other bizarre things. You can read one of my favorites, “Insubordination,” at Spork Press.

Preorder the book — or come to the event and buy one there! An official launch party happens that Saturday, Nov. 19, at Verdugo Bar. Hope to see you at one or both events —

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Best coffee shop in Los Angeles for writers who love butter

bulletproof coffee steak and eggs

Bulletproof coffee santa monica

You love writing in coffee shops. But you don’t love the constant temptation of pastries and sugary frappes at said coffee shops. If you’re on a paleo, ketogenic, whole food diet — or are just trying to eat less sugar and processed foods in general — take your novel-in-progress to Bulletproof Coffee, where the brew is buttery and the food sugar-free.

The bulletproof diet has a growing fandom (as well as detractors), who swear on its high fat, lower carb way of eating — with an emphasis on healthy ingredients and upgraded supplements — for everything from weight loss to mental clarity to serious productivity. At the heart of this diet is bulletproof coffee — clean coffee blended with grass-fed butter and MCT oil — which many diet adherents drink in lieu of eating breakfast.

bulletproof coffee

I’m one of these bulletproof coffee drinkers on some days. Buttery coffee is yummy, and the stuff really does give you a focus that lasts for hours! If you’ve never tried MCT oil before though, I’d recommend getting a small and maybe not drinking the whole cup. Otherwise you might get super jittery!

The Venice coffee shop also have a full menu of high quality foods. We’re talking grass-fed meats and fats, pasture-raised organic eggs, and organic, local veggies. Here’s the delicious steak and eggs breakfast I enjoyed this morning:

bulletproof coffee steak and eggs

Then I sat down at the communal table and started writing with fellow bulletproofers. There’s indoor and outdoor seating and speedy wifi. One wall of the coffee shop features shelves full of upgraded whey protein and collagelatin and other bulletproof diet products — as well as The Bulletproof Diet book and cookbook for newbies to browse through and buy.

There’s a cafe in the Arts District of Los Angeles too. I think this one just serves drinks, though I haven’t been to that location yet. Stop by and see if bulletproof coffee helps you focus on your writing —

Bulletproof Coffee. Santa Monica: 3110 Main St. #116. LA Arts District: 300 S Santa Fe Ave.