Adventures in the World of Mobile Knowledge Workers

City College Cafe - Heliotrope & Melrose

I happened to be in the neighborhood, saw this place and decided to check it out. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was a warm baked-goods smell. This is both wonderful and inexplicable, because they don' t seem to bake anything on the premises.

The vibe is surprisingly good, although a little on the tranquil/restrained side. There's a gorgeous gleaming espresso machine, rows of lovely cups and packages of Lavazza coffee behind the counter. Jazz music plays. Good black and white photos of street scenes decorate the walls. A color photo series is scattered about the room: various people pose with coffee cups and spoons as decoration. In one photo, a woman is surrounded by water, reminding me of a modern Venus de Milo. Spoons serve as her armlets and as a bikini covering. In another photo, a man wears a collar (one of those Zulu warrior ones) of spoons. Coffee cups are on his shoulders. Although this isn't my taste, I appreciate the effort to say something that is tied in to the coffee theme.

Solar de Cahuenga - Cahuenga & Franklin in Hollywood

Unfortunately I started eating right away. I was hungry. So this picture of shakshuka is minus many items that started out in the pan (poached eggs, red and green peppers, onions) when it was placed on my table. But it was very good. And as you can see, even halfway or so into the meal, it still looks quite attractive. I also hit the plate of grilled bread pretty hard. My impression of the food here is one of fresh abundance, but not excess. And they brought plenty of napkins, which is great for someone like me who has a tendency to spill (especially on clothes that are dry-clean only). 

You feel as though you're in someone's living room. There are leather couches and dark wooden tables. Nothing matches, although everything goes together. The ambiance is warm and Mediterranean. Many patrons have laptops out, while others appear to be in meetings; the energy is buzzing. The crowd seems to be young creative but, happily not annoying. Music is good indie rock.

My eye was caught by three guys siting at a table. All are cute, all are wearing dark wool caps pulled to the backs of their heads (a modified 7 Dwarfs look) and all are wearing dark Clark Kent sunglasses. It was a visually outstanding portrait. 

Wurstkuche - 3rd & Traction

This place is totally my aesthetic. Fresh and modern looking. A combo of wood and metal that conveys warmth yet is industrial and spare. Clean bathrooms. Fresh air. Real people working at the register. And friendly: a Somali Deep Funk dj also waiting in line to order suggests a beer for me to try, so I do. More about him later. But to proceed: I order a Houblan Chouffe (an Indian pale ale the menu says), a bratwurst with onions and sweet peppers, double-dipped fries and chipotle aioli.

I take my number and proceed down the hall to the dining area. The industrial but warm look continues. One wall is exposed brick and the others are wood paneled. Long trestle tables are covered in brown paper. Metal cafe tables dot the room. It has that German everything-works-and-is-clean look. Staff constantly circle (okay not constantly, but frequently) to clean and tidy. The music is great. I guess it could be categorized as eclectic alternative -- stuff you might hear on an Anne Litt or Chris Douridas show on KCRW. For non-Angelenos, click here to hear what that means. But whatever it was, I really liked it.

I sit down and take the first sip of my beer: heavenly. Refreshing, flavorful and yummy. I'm joined by the Somali Deep Funk dj, who is also a 45s collector.