Calling all L.A. Queerkateers!

Evil Jeff · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 12:59 am Post subject: Calling all L.A. Queerkateers!

Now that I'm in L.A., I have no idea where to go for the best comics, anime, movies, etc. I was hoping some of you fair and foxy L.A. listeners could help broaden my horizons. What's in? What's out?

KidEternity · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:30 pm Post subject:

Firsts things first, Jeff: Where in LA, over these 498.3 square miles, do you live? That will help me help you navigate a little easier.....

_________________
"Truth speaks best in the language of poetry and symbolism, I think."
--Elfayaed, The Invisibles #1

Evil Jeff · Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:02 am Post subject:

I'm in elysian park which is near Dodger's Stadium. Pretty close to Silver Lake and Echo Park.

howtaobrowncow · Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject:

You're out of my bailiwick, then, and my only advice would be, "Go west, young man." I'm down by the beach, and rarely stir any further inland than the 6 miles in to Century City where my office is. (Except for the occasional excursion down to Disneyland, the true source of all happiness. "Make mine Mickey!")

However, if you felt moved to head oceanward, I can highly recommend the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, 3 blocks of street turned into an outdoor walking mall filled with shops, restaurants, 4 theaters, street performers, 2 vomiting chia dinosaurs, and other cool places on the adjacent streets (including HiDeHo Comics, my LCS). And there's a Farmer's Market on Wed and Sat, 9-1, with lots of yummy local and organic veggies, meat, and dairy.

It's a couple of blocks from the beach and from the Santa Monica pier and a short walk down the boardwalk from Venice Beach with, if memory serves, gay beach volleyball on Sunday. Directions to the Promenade are here), and parking garages are on 2nd and 4th streets (1st 2 hours free, max $7).

_________________

Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious.
- Brendan Gill

trombonehottie · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:48 pm Post subject:

I usually go to Golden Apple for my comics. It's on Melrose near La Brea. It's a nice huge store and they often have sales/special events/signings. They don't always have everything I'm looking for, but they can usually get it in pretty fast and I've found the sales people to be friendly.

I'd also like to recommend Akbar near you for drinking. It's where Fountain and Sunset meet. I like to go there on Friday nights sometimes. There's sort of the Silverlake Hipster vibe, but I like the music and unless they changed it there is no cover on Fridays. You might also get a Zachary Quinto or Jesse Tyler Ferguson sighting.

_________________
"And sometimes there's a third even deeper level and that one is the same as the top surface one... Like with pie."
-Dr. Horrible

Evil Jeff · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:55 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info. I may go to some shops this Thursday. I recently went to MJ's in Los Feliz, since it's close to me. It weas some type of strpper night and there were half naked men hanging off the rafters. The ackbar place sounds fun. Maybe we could have some type of comic book queer drink a thon there one night.

KidEternity · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:56 am Post subject:

Jeff,

Hope you are snugglin' in with your new surroundings. I am assuming you have a few friends here that are showing you around. Here's a few other places you might consider:

We have a lot of cool comic shops around town. They are all clean and friendly. The closest one to you is probably Secret Headquarters. It's classy:

http://www.thesecretheadquarters.com/

There is Golden Apple, which is something of a mainstay and has been around for a long while. Meltdown on Sunset is huge with a nice indie and manga selection. Earth 2 is in Sherman Oaks, they just added another store and Geoff Johns helps manage it. Charles mentioned Hi De Ho, another big place and always fun, with probably the biggest back issue section of older stuff. There are about a dozen other stores that dot along Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, and Sherman Oaks, but these are the main ones:

http://www.goldenapplecomics.com/

http://www.meltcomics.com/

http://www.earth2comics.com/

http://www.hidehocomics.com/

http://www.the-master-list.com/USA/California/index.shtml

You are close to downtown, and there's the toy district. Anime, action figures, just tons of stuff. Giant Robot is another fun place, they have a small store in Silverlake but you you want to visit the main 2 stores on Sawtelle Blvd. in Little Tokyo. Laser Blazer is a fairly affordable store with hard to find films. But the best place for anime, music and DVD's is Amoeba Records. Trust me on this one:

http://www.downtownlawalks.com/?f=Toy_District

http://www.giantrobot.com/

http://www.laserblazer.com/

http://www.amoeba.com/

I usually go to Arclight Cinemas to see movies. There are other places closer in your area but Arclight is a good night out. Also check out the Egyptian and Aero Theaters for great classic and overseas stuff played all the time:

https://www.arclightcinemas.com/ArcLight/faces/Home.jsp

http://www.americancinematheque.com/

I don't know what your gay nightlife scene is like but you have the Silverlake camp, Santa Monica, The Valley, Venice and West Hollywood. West Hollywood is youth and body fueled, it's absurd and a bit pretentious, but don't beat up on it too much, it's fun to drink and people watch. Everywhere else is pretty laid back, and more of a mix. ( Although I think West Hollywood has become more mixed over the last few years ). Silverlake is mostly scruffie and downbeat. Here's some highlights, starting with the most fancypants, and working it's way down:

http://www.abbeyfoodandbar.com/

http://www.eleven.la/

http://www.mickys.com/

http://www.herelounge.com/

http://www.mjsbar.com/

http://www.akbarsilverlake.com/

http://www.roosterfishbar.com/

http://www.eaglela.com/

http://www.spotlightbar.com/

If you make it back to MJ's, ask for me, I'll buy you a drink, cuz I work there. : )

LA has lots of secret places, but this city does not tend to spell them out for you, so you have to do some digging around in order to find the history and whatnot. I've been here for about 9 years and it was a bit of a challenge getting settled in but I love it here, for better and worse. The culture is always changing and the pace is always unpredictable. Anyways, hope some of the above helps. If you want more places, let us know!

-KE

Edit: Real quick, we have three comic conventions coming up. The first one in the link below is every other month or so, it's very old school and I think you would like it. It's close by your place. The other two are more mainstream:

http://www.comicbookscifi.com/

http://www.wizardworld.com/home-anaheim.html

http://www.longbeachcomiccon.com/

_________________
"Truth speaks best in the language of poetry and symbolism, I think."
--Elfayaed, The Invisibles #1

Evil Jeff · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:00 am Post subject:

Wow. That's enough info to make my head explode. And you work at MJ's? What nights do you work there usually? I am totally stopping by!!!!

trombonehottie · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:25 am Post subject:

I am ALWAYS up for a CBQ drink-a-thon.

Kid, I didn't know you worked at MJ's! I'm so stalking you the next time I'm there!

_________________
"And sometimes there's a third even deeper level and that one is the same as the top surface one... Like with pie."
-Dr. Horrible

KidEternity · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:41 am Post subject:

Yeah, I am a barback at MJ's. ( Damn, I can't be incognito anymore! ) When I first moved out here I got a job doing the same thing at Micky's in West Hollywood. Then Micky's kinda burned down in August 2007. I knew the owner of MJ's and started there. When Micky's re-opened I decided to stay at MJ's.

West Hollywood and Silverlake are so opposite in many aspects, and it's been interesting working in both environments.

I work every other Tuesday, every other Saturday, Thursdays and Sundays. I'll either be behind the bar or running around like a madman on the floor.

If we have a drink up, and I think we should, I suggest Akbar, only because it would be nice to not be at work. Smile

But we can always go to MJ's on my night off, maybe a Saturday? And if you want to do West Hollywood that's cool too.

Anyhow, I have the next week off of work for vacation but maybe we can meet up mid-month sometime? It would be be cool to meet Jeff and get all the behind the scenes CBQ gossip. Razz

I kid.

And Jeff, if you want to take a day maybe some of us can hit some comic book stores, just to get your feet wet. FYI, my store in Studio City ( Universal Comics ) offers 20% off new books and 30% off books the previous week, without a subscription service. It's not a big fancy store like some of the others but they get the job done. It might be a bit out of your way but I just wanted to let you know about the discount.

If I am overdoing it just let me know. I just remember when I first moved here I was doing all this kind of stuff all by myself, and if you don't know your way around it can be tricky for a while.

_________________
"Truth speaks best in the language of poetry and symbolism, I think."
--Elfayaed, The Invisibles #1

johnnycat829 · Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2009 4:32 am Post subject:

Definitely count me in for a drink on...if I'm not working on a god-forsaken project for school...Welcome to LA Evil!

stevieDisme · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:41 am Post subject:

you bitches better take A LOT of pics and record that drink a thon!!!!

or just have evil call me when you're all drunk. Smile

_________________
Y'know....yeah.

johnnycat829 · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:42 am Post subject:

Why stop at Evil? I think we all need to call when we are drunk. We're gonna fill up the booty call hotline!!!

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