my favorite places to code and study in la 📍
- Daniele Simon-Thompson
- Jul 12, 2022
- 4 min read
These are just some of the places where I spend my time while I work my way through 100devs.
hi again:
So as most of you guys know, I’m unemployed 🥴.
Though I’m happy to be free from that situation, having nothing* to do and no place to go meant my circadian rhythm quickly slipped back to nocturnal aaannnnnd I’m trying to avoid that.
Challenging myself to leave the house daily, I’ve been going to work at libraries, cafes, and coffee shops and I’ve compiled a list of my favorites for you guys. Even though I’m from LA, I haven’t spent a lot of time here as an adult and I’ve been enjoying getting to know the city again and finding my own cool spots and favorites. I’m excited to explore some more and share some of my adventures.
*Full disclosure, most of these are in the Koreatown/DTLA area because that’s just my preference, I’m sure there are a bunch more great options and I’d love suggestions. Also, I do have an external charger, but I never remember to charge it so I like places that have outlets*
lets get into it:
This cafe has boba and snacks and is almost always empty! There’s bench seating with plenty of outlets and the woman who runs the cafe is super nice. The only two cons are that sometimes it can be a bit warm and the parking lot is very small and fills up quickly on the weekend. I don’t come here often, but it rarely disappoints.
I Love Sharp, it has the perfect slow Saturday vibes, the music isn't too loud, and the baristas are very nice, but the drinks only come in one size. The seating is ok with a mix of short and long tables and cafeteria chairs. There are plenty of outlets, but seating fills up fast and there’s always a high chance there won’t be any space left. I’d love to come here more, but there are better places.
This is a bit of a cheat, because I don’t like to study here, but I come here to take interviews and do coffee chats since they have a really nice green patio with lots of plants that make a fantastic backdrop on zoom! Otherwise, the drinks are the same, the bathroom is dirty, and the music inside is very loud, but it’s super empty in the early morning, so definitely a go-to spot!
This one is new for me. I love Paris Baguette, but my regular location doesn’t have outlets or much seating, so I haven’t been able to spend any significant amount of time there. This one has lots of booth seating (no outlets tho 😫) and it’s so easy to spend hours here. It’s also in a shopping center with lots of places to eat/walk if you need a break or want to stretch your legs!
It’s a smaller location but has cheap parking (for Hollywood) and comfy seats inside. The Baristas are super friendly and there’s lots of outdoor seating on their terrace looking over sunset blvd. It’s nice for slower days and…they have outlets at every seat inside!
This is to be expected, and it makes sense that it's really popular with its 3 hours of free parking and a whole park outside (with dogs!). I love how bright and sunny it is and I easily spend more than 3 hours here. Get a library card and they offer free LinkedIn learning!
Number One is probably also not a surprise, since it’s on every list of best places to study in LA. But it really deserves it. This cafe is so cozy and inviting, the drinks are pretty good, the food/snack are pretty cheap (they have bagels and waffles too) and they have a large window spanning the entire left wall of the second-floor shop with views out to the street. I love this place. It does fill up really quickly though and sometimes there’s no space, but I’m still gonna try every time!
Honorable mentions:
These are some pretty good options, but I don't personally like/know them enough to say they’re my favorites.
Verve, specifically the Arts District location (500 Mateo Street), is a really hip and interesting place to study. I love all the different places to sit and all the plants, but it was just a bit too hipster, there were no outlets, the chai was meh, and the parking sucked. Not a bad place to come with friends to chat, eat or read though.
There is no doubt in my mind that this spot would be high up on my list…if I had actually been here! I pass it so often and have heard amazing things. There is so much seating, indoor and outside, and they have an upstairs outdoor terrace where you can catch a breeze and get some sun. I called and confirmed they have plenty of outlets, so I will be trying it out very soon.
I’ve only been here once since it’s a little small but it was so cozy and everyone was really nice. They have such cute bench seating and I just had a great experience. The coffee was good too!
They have so much seating! And the AC is hitting! So yeah, I should come here more.
Anyway, I hope this has been interesting. I wanted to give you guys an idea of what my life is like and where I spend my days while I work my way through 100Devs. I plan to share more of my journey on my blog and on Twitter, so see you later!
*all images in this post are from google*
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