Papercuts and Pickup Lines: A Guide to Los Angeles Bookstores

On the hippest stretch of Vermont Ave. in the sophistihipster neighborhood of Los Feliz, Skylight Books is small and independent, like the pixieish girls that frequent it. Crammed full of books, with a whole section of independently published comics and graphic novels, there are always plenty of cute boys to be had here. The storefront windows will alert you to any upcoming reading that might attract the sort of boy you like: literate.

This famous West Hollywood book store, actually located on the Sunset Strip, hosts a slew of literary luminaries from all over the world every year; from The Apprentice’s Omarosa to Playboy’s Hugh Hefner. Oh, and some real authors too.

Not a good place to pick up boys, but one of the coolest places in L.A. for a book snob. You need an appointment to browse this collectible store, but the hassle is worth it. They have first editions dating back decades, if not centuries. I currently can’t afford anything here, but once I’m rich, expect a lot of old books as Christmas gifts.

The lobby of the Arclight often plays host to costumes and props from the movies that are playing in their luxury theatres along with a swank bar & restaurant. But it also has a little gift shop with a truly amusing collection of coffee table books with subject ranging from Marilyn Monroe to a photobook of the word “Fuck” pasted onto various public signs, cleverly entitled “Fuck This Book.” I don’t know who actually buys these things, but it’s very fun to browse here: both for books, and cinephile boys.

One of the most well-known independent bookstores in the country, Vroman’s is out of the higher-pressure zip codes in Pasadena. It’s casual and comfortable, but is still a Must Visit stop for authors on tour from Bill Clinton to George Takei and everyone in between. I think you’d be hard pressed to leave a Bill Clinton signing without a date.

If you’ve never heard “sexy” and “bookstore” used in the same sentence, then you’ve probably never heard of Taschen. This narrow store on the shopping stretch of Beverly Drive that is just a block from that other drive (RODEO…Ro-Day-Oh) has the sexiest books you’ve ever come across (that pun was totally intended, and brilliant). Collections of Playboy pictures thorugh the decades, collections of gay leatherdaddy drawings, entire books of ass photos. Glossy, colorful and hot, a Taschen book really says something about you. I know you’re in there for the sexy books, but they have like, books of maps and stuff if you get embarrassed about buying The Big Penis Book all by itself.

I hope no one takes offense, but I have to imagine that a pickup scenario at a West Hollywood gay bookstore plays out a little differently than my bookstore fantasies. As a matter of fact, I’m going to go ahead and not imagine what that’s like…I don’t really think I could do it justice anyhow.

Yes, Borders is a big box store that takes business away from the mom and pop bookshops that I love and devotes more shelf space to Hello Kitty journals than Sartre. But it’s also cheap, they let you sit there for hours, and this particular one in Hollywood is frequented by unemployed actors — which means, attractive people.

SWF into yoga. Not religious, but considers herself “spiritual.” Responds well to lines like “Would you like to come over and show me your Downward Facing Dog?” Can be found most Saturday afternoons at Bodhi Tree Bookstore, convincing herself that Self-Reflection is not the same as Self-Help.

The L.A. Central Library is a favorite hang out of architecture buffs…and people who can’t afford to buy books. You can be either one as long as you’re cute.

A more traditional place to meet a date, this bar is right by the library and doesn’t require being sober enough to actually read.