Striking places to write in LA County

July 21, 2010 7:08 PM

What places in Los Angeles County fit the following criteria: 1) striking indoor design or architecture, 2) open to the public, and 3) it wouldn't be unusual or prohibited for someone to go sit there and write for a few hours?

Just looking for a change of pace.

- Anywhere in LA County; I take public transit and I don't care where I go.
- Open during the daytime hours.
- Nothing with admission costs over $10; free is preferable.
- I don't mind having to buy food to sit there.
- I particularly like modern, whimsical, or unnerving as far as aesthetic goes, but I'm open to anything.
- I don't care if it's crowded as long as I have somewhere to sit.
- It must be indoors; I volunteer at outdoors places already and I get too distracted outdoors.
- I will be writing on a laptop. It is not necessary that there be outlets there, but there needs to be a place nearby (like a coffee shop) that I can retreat to when I need to charge the battery.

Thanks!

posted by Nattie to media & arts (12 answers total)

It seems like The Getty would be perfect. There's a cafe there where I would guess there are outlets available.
posted by shesbookish at 7:13 PM on July 21, 2010

Both the Pasadena and downtown LA libraries are gorgeous.
posted by something something at 7:21 PM on July 21, 2010

Hah, I currently divide the week between those two exact libraries, something something! :-) I do agree.
posted by Nattie at 7:43 PM on July 21, 2010

Beverly Hills PL is very nice. Not much modern about the architecture, but it's a lovely building and features wifi and a nice little courtyard outside. And the quiet reading room is top-notch. If you come, say hi. =D

I'm not sure if there's loitering issues, but plenty of the subway station platforms (at least on the red line) are really cool.
posted by carsonb at 7:59 PM on July 21, 2010

Beverly Hills Public Library. Beautiful, free, awesome.
posted by effluvia at 8:00 PM on July 21, 2010

The Arroyo Seco library branch in Highland Park is pleasant, and it's on the 81 bus line approximately between Pasadena and downtown. If you keep going on the 81 past downtown, Doheny Library at USC is 1930s old-school beautiful with brick and stone and stained glass and gargoyles.
posted by dreamyshade at 8:53 PM on July 21, 2010

Union Station
posted by charlesminus at 9:25 PM on July 21, 2010

The new Silver Lake Library is awesome. My non-LAPL recommendation is the Intelligentsia on Abbot Kinney; not a ton of seating but the space is great.
posted by roger ackroyd at 11:14 PM on July 21, 2010

Palihouse in West Hollywood is nice. So is Soho house but that's technically a membership club.
posted by malhouse at 1:16 AM on July 22, 2010

My husband (LA native) says - The Regent Hotel. He says it is worth visiting atleast once.
posted by Ereshkigal313 at 3:54 PM on July 22, 2010

Museum of Juriassic Technology.

Just walking around Downtown LA, through the Japan and Latin districts, up through to the MoCA.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 3:09 PM on July 26, 2010

Whoops--for some reason I read your post as where to "walk," so scratch the former.

Downtown LA still has lots of little areas that are nice to sit around in, if you care to explore. The library being one of them.
posted by The ____ of Justice at 3:11 PM on July 26, 2010