It's 7:40 a.m., just opened and there are few people here. Instead of a black Starbucks tee shirt, the barista/waitperson wears plain black with a red and black scarf around her head. On her feet--white high-top Converse. The floor is sandblasted cement and little birds—sparrows?--hop about, pecking at crumbs which are pretty much absent at this early hour.
“Place is fate,” said fiction author Ron Carlson at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books a couple of weekends ago. He was talking about writing fiction, but I wonder how this place, the Gypsy Den, will influence my fiction.
I’ve begun thinking, again, that as well as starting an author speaking series here in the O.C., I want to find a building to make a writer’s space, to rent desks and space, a place away from home to write--for me and for all the writers who really need to get out of the house to work on fiction.
Anyhoo, here’s what I see from where I sit at my table in the corner….
So then I left, to use the rest room, and brought all my gear. (the rest room is on the compound, but not in the cafe). This waterfall sculpure is out back on the way to the restroom, so I thought I'd continue working here, but it was so noisy and bright.
Posts
3 comments:
ah! the gypsy den has been a favorite haunt of mine for over a decade! yummy food (i had my first creme brulee there) and great atmosphere. i think you'll find it addictive, though the music...i dunno. how much do you like radiohead?
next time you're there, check out the wall of paintings (pretty much behind where you were seated) and look for the one of solitary, short-haired girl at sitting at a table with her chin in her palm. it's my favorite, but they won't sell it to me.l
Hey Furious!
Actually, I do like the music. This morning when I arrived there was a Middle Eastern-sounding music playing. I like the darkness of it, too. Starbucks was so...bright and perky.
I will check out the paintings on Monday!
oh i think this is so much more jazzy than a starbucks!!
i, too, am beginning to play around with where i'd like to write. for now, i'm doing most of my writing at home (on the deck, in bed, in my overstuffed chair). home is a place of many distractions though!
we don't have many cafes in the area that actually have tables to write (or where i don't get distracted by free wireless! e-mail addicts anonymous here i come...) so i'm diggin the idea of your place where writers can go be writers. really digging it.
Post a Comment