02/22/2016

Happy Monday, friends!  I’m home from Palm Springs and feeling so fresh after 36 hours off the grid exploring the best of mid-century, catching up with friends, and spending some time writing by the pool.  I was reminded while working from my balcony with this view how much I love getting out of the office.  Sometimes a fresh perspective changes everything!  I know there is a huge self-employed culture here in LA, so I thought I would share my 5 favorite places to work from when I need to get out of the office.  If you live here, will you share yours?  If not, where do you feel like you do your best work?  What gives you a fresh perspective?  Hope everyone’s weeks are off to a great start!

1. Coffee Commissary, Burbank: This place might be my favorite.  It’s not too far from our place in Studio City and has a food menu that’s just as good as their very delicious coffee!  Plus, the internet is super reliable.

2. Tiago, Hollywood: I especially love this place for meetings because of it’s central location.  They have tons of seating which is great during those peak hours, and doesn’t make you feel so bad if you settle in for the long haul.

3. Lamill, Silver Lake:  The pros of this one include the cute location with lots of shops to pop in and out of if you need to take a computer break, super reliable internet, and a varied food and beverage menu.  (Their brioche donuts are a fan favorite!)  The over sized seats and benches are super cozy, too.  As you might expect, all of these plush perks do come with a comparable price tag.  $5 iced tea, anyone?!

4. Joe Coffee, North Hollywood:  I love this place because the coffee is great and it’s really close to our house.  The people who work here are friendly and it has a super cozy, unpretentious vibe!  That cozy vibe, though, means there aren’t a lot of tables.  They have a few things to choose from as far as savory preprepared food goes, but not a ton like some of the other spots.  Great coffee, though!

5. Graffiti Cafe, Hancock Park:  Such a love/hate relationship with this place.  It’s perhaps the most beautiful space you could ever hope to drink a cup of coffee and eat a vegan donut in, but it can be more than a bit pretentious.  Lots of signs with do’s and don’ts and definitely on the more expensive side.  Bonus: Take  a break and go for a quick shopping trip at American Rag next door.

6. Dinosaur Coffee, Silver Lake:  I went through a big Dinosaur Coffee phase.  Both the internet and coffee are great, there is a lot of seating, and it has a super cool vibe.  Downside: not a lot of food options if you’re planning on staying through lunch.  Still, it’s worth the visit!

jeans, PAIGE || boots, COACH || clutch, MARK AND GRAHAM || tee, ALEXANDER WANG || necklace, NATALIE BORTON || jacket, IRO || hat, MADEWELL || bracelet, NOONDAY COLLECTION

Photos by Alecia Lindsay