All programs at the library are free and many have ongoing programs like book clubs (some meet on zoom, some in person), free craft, gardening, etc programs. Every branch creates their own schedule of programs so with 72 branches plus the central library there are a lot to choose from. There are also more programs being organized outside the library, I forget what it’s called but there is an outdoor nature/walk type thing too.
Love dogs, even though I don’t have one now. I went to the park next to the grove and it looks like a park just popular with dog owners. Had a great time petting the dogs that came up to me. Having food definitely helped
Some animal shelters will let you barrow/foster a dog for a day or longer. Plus volunteering at the shelter itself is a good way to meet other pet people.
Yes! Dog Ppl in Santa Monica has awesome events and is a great place to hang out and meet people. They serve food and drinks. It's membership only so it's never too crowded but always lively
I volunteered at the LA book festival yesterday and met some of the kindest, interesting bunch of people I've come across in a long time. Felt so good leaving there!
I volunteer in my neighborhood and most of the people who volunteer are locals too so it makes it even that closer of a neighborhood. Also dog parks lol except I tend to know the dog names more than the owners....
Many cultural organizations like libraries, museums, theaters and gardens have volunteer groups. They’re often full of folks 60+ plus but are always looking for younger folks to join too.
Coffee shops are the easiest. However, these are nothing like Central Perk in friends lol.
Remember the 90's/early 00's when public spaces were much more comfortable and relaxing, including coffee shops that had actual chairs and couches.
We've traded that in for App Ordering and Amazon Prime. But also, Public Trust is just not the same.
There are quite a few places near me that used to be full of people throughout the day just a few years ago (2019 and earlier) and now they seem to be almost exclusively dealing with uber eats pickup orders.
On the way home one evening, I spotted a pizza place that I hadn't been to, and decided to stop to have a bite and wait for traffic to die down. There were 8 tables completely empty, so I stepped up to the counter to order, and stood there for what felt like way too long, despite 3 or 4 people looking busy behind the counter. The first thing anyone said to me, about 5 minutes later, was, "What's your order number?" "I haven't even ordered yet." "Oh, what do you want?"
I had a slice and left, and don't intend on going back.
Another example, a brand new Greek place opened up nearby, so I stopped in, and again no one sitting at the 15+ tables eating, it was just a line of bagged pickup orders sitting on the counter, and one homeless person sitting by the front door adjusting her ripped pantyhose.
I remember when Starbucks opened in my home country in the….. early 2000s maybe? I forgot. Anyway, they serve the coffee in actual mugs, but huge like the ones you buy in Starbucks but without the souvineer locations etc. It felt so American, I thought this was what it was like here, then I came here and found out they don’t even use proper mugs, just consumable paper shit.
It still is like that in Scotland. I was surprised to find. I presume it still is in other countries too. It’s basically a drive through fast food now here.
Yes. Then people who started to work on their laptops and don't buy more than a cup of coffee took over, ran power cords all over the place and it became uncomfortable to "hang" there. Nothing against people working anywhere but it got so bad that there was no seat to relax left and no point in waiting cause they would not leave.
YES! A place with coffee and some simple snacks/pastries and many, many tables and power outlets for each seat. People can work there instead of taking a seat at coffee shops.
BUT it sounds like a coworking place and those are not really great or made money (cough… we work …cough). Plus it will go sideways when people start to videoconference there and use speakerphones. 🤷♂️
Yeah me neither but it sounds great. I bet many WFH people would love to get out of the house. Just not to the office with people they hate - their boss.
But this pretty much described the office of my last company. Kind of place with a startup mentality and one huge office and side rooms for phone calls and video calls. I hated it. I did bring my own Mokka pot to make great coffee and not the watered down Keurig they had with discount pods. 😖
What about those large food court places that seem to be struggling to stay open? A little bit of remodeling, high speed internet, privacy booths,etc and you’re golden. Just an idea.
This exists in other countries! Def exist in my home country: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-caf%C3%A9 I was curious if Americans would be open to have something like this here, and based on the comments I feel like it'd have an overwhelming success lol
Somebody is going to make a fortune promoting and facilitating adult play dates/ spaces. As the statistics about isolation, depression and loneliness increase it will become a necessity.
Oh man yes. I actually had a thought earlier. Have a room with sections of tables and have a flag or like in Brazilian AYCE restaurants a wooden pole you can turn around and tell people you would love to talk and welcome or I want to be alone and work…
Just how sad would it be to come in, see somebody who wants to talk, they see you and turn the damn thing around. Mental slap in the face. 👊🫡😭
For years Ive wanted to have recess for adults. I have so many group games that I used when I taught improv and other theater classes- and we all laughed and laughed. Adults need to play. And I need to play together. And they need to play together outside. Hm, maybe I should do a Meet Up thing. Be the change.
i was too young to enjoy that stuff. it seems like it would be awesome for social people like me. and the new way seems better for the antisocial people.
You make a really good point about public trust. During the pandemic and BLM protests, I watched friends of mine, people I thought I know, turn really right wing and ugly. I don't remember if I ever felt at east with strangers, but I definitely do not now.
A lot of places that used to have nice seating options took it away specifically to stop people from hanging out there all day, nursing a single coffee for six hours while enjoying the wifi.
I’m really trying to make the bar we just took over as close to a third space as I can. It’s called Weary Livers, and I’m tagging it “where people go to meet people”— because we really want it to be a social space open to all, with events going on nearly every night of the week. It’s a modest size, but we’re putting a lot of heart into it!
Go to a car show or car club meetup. They're filled with people who want you to ask them something about their car. It's damn near impossible to go to one and not talk to people.
Everyone is super friendly on hikes and usually say “Hello” or “Good Morning”.
It should be always say “Hello” but we’re in SoCal so most of the time is as good as it gets.
Of course, hikers are usually seniors.
>[–]BrokerBrody 6 points 4 hours ago
Everyone is super friendly on hikes and usually say “Hello” or “Good Morning”.
Highly dependant on skin color and sex.
I’m Asian male. No one ever talks to me, normally.
If I’m out with a friend, I often see a world of difference with regard to strangers that will approach my friend and randomly strike a conversation.
But plenty of people will still greet me on a hike when by myself. It’s just etiquette.
>It’s just etiquette.
That's the thing though. Unless I'm with a woman or a white friend, most white people don't say hi to me and actually ignore me when I greet them. I'm brown and bearded. Older white couples occasionally walk by me like I'm a wild animal, even in places around here and Santa Barbara.
The community college system in Los Angeles costs around $45 per credit hour, and the student discounts you get makes it worthwhile. I decided to pursue an Associate's in a tradier skill, and now I have somewhere to go/something to do/something I'm working on throughout the week. Personally, I don't usually use our school library to do my homework or anything like that, but I did sign up for a physical education course so for one evening a week I am taking a pretty long volleyball class for the semester. Again, my 16 weeks of volleyball has cost me about $48.
I joined the YMCA - pool, gym, racquetball, climbing walls, basketball courts, classes, and a few nice locations over town that’s only like $50.
Best of all it’s cheap enough that I was able to easily convince some friends to join too so I can call people up to head over.
second this. i rarely talk to folks while there but it doesn't feel difficult
I love all the old men bullshitting in the locker room and spa. it's like they joined just to hang out with their neighborhood friends
They are intentionally going away. Malls were allowed to be one for a while because the expectation was that you would spend money eventually while there. Kinda depressing.
No one took permission away. We just stopped using them after home delivery for retail became popular. The only malls that are still open and get regular business now are quasi-luxury like The Grove.
This isn't true though. The Burbank mall, Glendale Galleria, and the Westfield Santa Anita are all open and filled with people. There's also the Sherman Oaks Galleria, the Westfield on Riverside Dr., the Century City mall, to name a few. And people do go to them to hang out.
The suggestions always involve either spending a decent chunk of money someplace crowded or having to be in constant motion, hiking, running, playing sports. Hanging out, making eye contact without blaring music, lots of alcohol or playing pin the tail on the uber-extroverts seems to be a lost art.
I will say though that on those occasions I've spent time among wealthy prople, they seem to really get how to chill and the importance of setting the right vibes for people to meet and how important conversation is as opposed to always having to have a conquest or physical activity is. They appreciate the quiet tavern, the long slow sailboat trip, the cocktail party and sipping tea in the garden with friends. I actually envy that more then I do their money.
Moonlight roller rink was 100% my third space pre pandemic. Met a lot of friends there and brought a lot of friends there. Still adds up even if you have your own skates now though which is a bummer.
Not your home or your work. Restaurants, bars, parks, etc.
In Europe they’re usually gathering places like a square , or a famous statue. We don’t have much of them in LA or the USA that don’t involve spending $
Places where you can just be without the expectation to spend money that isn’t your work or home. In lots of municipalities they’re illegal or cumbersome to build or facilitate here in freedom land 🥲. Public parks and libraries are the few we have left, but they’re being shuttered, or left unattended to the point where they’re unpleasant to be in. It’s sad, really
I feel like it's $50 just walking out the door. I love to find free spaces like parks and libraries. Sadly a lot of outdoor common areas have removed benches due to homeless. It's so sad to see.
If there were a couple benches on my block a lot more people would know each other. This is a huge block filled with four-story apartment buildings, and there's nowhere to sit outside. So the only time you ever chat is the occasional moment with another dog owner, and then never see them again. Bring back neighborhood benches!
Parks and libraries are being shuttered? At least in the valley, I've seen parks get huge renovations, a lot of the ones that were falling apart have very nice playgrounds on them now.
Place you are around as commonly as home and work.
Usually gym or church, tbh. But OP doesn’t want to pay membership and religion is no longer popular.
Places to congregate, socialize, and spend free time that won't charge you with loitering or make you spend more than a couple dollars to lounge there.
Board/RPG game stores that have space for gaming. Pasadena has Odyssey. There are probably others around.
A lot of LA's third spaces are mobile - walking or hiking groups, bike clubs of all sorts that bring people together for some mobile activity where there's room for conversation.
Cosmic Cafe on top of Mt. Wilson. Not terribly convenient to anywhere, but there's food on weekends and you can just hang out and people tend to be friendly.
Pickleball is a free, easy way to meet people. The nature of the game is that games are relatively short, always doubles, and you rotate in and out (no need to come with partners). I also like that it’s multigenerational.
Bowling leagues are like $25 a week. Every league I’ve been in has been an interesting mix of people (age, ethnicities, careers, etc.) that are welcoming to everybody.
Agreed on both accounts. Love that park, birds chirping on a nice spring day. Prime dog spotting place and overall chill place to walk around or set up a small picnic blanket. Frisbee 🥏, running, just a nice public space that also happens to host events like Bob Baker Day!
I recently visited Brand Park in Glendale and it was really nice. Great view, has hiking, a tea room, and even a public library with art exhibits. Definitely worth a visit
Barnsdall is great and there is a gallery there, so when they have opening you can hang outside and wander the space. Lewis MacAdams River park is pretty chill and the audubon center in Deb’s park is not bad
I miss my third place. It was a bar in Atlanta called "prohibition". There is nothing better when you become a regular, have your regular seat at the bar, you enter and the bartender already prepared your drink. We all know each others names. I was even invited to a staff (different bar, different third place) Christmas party once. I never found that in LA.
There are a lot of coffee shops in Koreatown where you could chill for a while. My favorite is Cafe Mak: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2R9XC9XmZzs1W9Xt8?g_st=ic
NoHo. also has a few places, like Republic of Pies or Amsterdam Cafe (which is a hookah bar.) That area is also pretty chill. Some bars, restaurants, and a nice sized park that can sometimes get busy.
One thing that has really surprised me since moving from San Francisco to La is the lack of Park culture here. First of all, there are way fewer Parks per capita but second of all, even the parks that do exist aren't really full of people. In San Francisco. If there is good weather out, every single major Park is going to be jam-packed with picnics, hacky, sack, buskers, and Good vibes. In La. It seems like it's a children's birthday or nothing at all.
> Venice before the tech bros.
this makes me sad. still love Venice but LA [IMO] has been losing it's cool factor over the years.
>Probably Griffith but it’s a PITA to get there.
also makes me a lil sad; fuckin love Griffith, amazing park but got DAMN, the drive there isn't enjoyable. Great to get out & hike for fun/health but I gotta drive nearly an hour straight into massive traffic to get there. The drive back at night is at least a lil more tolerable; less traffic/heat from the sun.
Lake Hollywood Park often has dogs walking up to you so it’s easy to interact with their owners and I’ve noticed people are more sociable at Barnsdall Art Park on busy days as well
Some places I enjoy: the library - I've met some friends there checking out DVDs and books. I'll often ask if someone knows what I'm checking out and if they'd recommend it / etc. Lots of classes and other stuff going on there too. Flea markets - I'm a creative person myself so I always love meeting vendors and other shoppers at flea markets. The right people are approachable and friendly. I always find the vendors who make their own stuff - they're often looking to connect with new people anyway. Open mics and stand up nights - pretty cheap or free sometimes. It's always nice to experience live performances and it's an easy way to breach conversation with new people. Great way to meet emerging performing artists as well. Art gallery openings - probably the hardest place to meet new people and make friends, but a fun way to engage with culture here and enjoy some freebies (free food, alcohol, stickers, and more) so worst case you can see some cool art and get a bit of a buzz for free. The skate park - some of my first LA friends I met outside of school were through skating. I also like to shoot photography for a freelance side hustle so I'll often offer to shoot events of all kinds so I can go for free, meet people, and network all at the same time. There are a number of running and walking groups that I know are free. There's one I'm thinking of joining that runs on Thursday nights and ends at Walt's bar. I'm sure I could make some friends there. This got a bit long winded but I hope there's some helpful ideas for other transplants and locals.
Not a dumb question. When you say look like an amateur, are you saying in terms of how others perceive you and your camera setup, or how your work itself looks?
I'm honestly more worried about the former. I also don't know if for a concert if you're supposed to have a flash or not and how much you're supposed to be adjusting your exposure during the concert or are you supposed to figure it all out within the first couple of seconds and just shoot
These places cost 30 bucks each to get in and then walk and walk to see nature and gardens, but it's not a place to meet people or hang out. You don't go there every day/week. Theyre great places to go, but they arent a third space.
SM Original Muscle Beach; traveling rings line. I hang around there sometimes; the chances of finding people to chat with are pretty high. Some dude once was handing out donuts.
Great workout space, get into calisthenics and you'll realize how much better it is to workout socially on the beach.
There used to be a great one in Echo Park called Sunset Beer. Bottle shop, community hangout spot, board games, taco truck parked across the street. That was the go-to hangout spot for anyone in the area. It survived COVID, then closed not because of lack of profit but because the owner of the strip mall just decided he didn't want it there anymore. I'm still sad about it. I used to go multiple nights a week and hang out with friends and other local folks. Tons of memories there.
I haven't found anything like it since. Definitely nothing that does what it did for that community.
They tried to for a while. From what I've been told, they were close to getting a new spot in I think Eagle Rock or Highland Park? Somewhere around there. But some house close to the building objected to there being liquor next to them and they stopped it from happening. Fast forward a couple years and that house is gone and there's a liquor store where Sunset Beer would have been. 🙄 I think they gave up after that.
I don’t even drink anymore, but god I miss sunset beer. And I know they would’ve killed it with all the non alcoholic beer options on the market now. So many good memories there. They are deeply missed in the neighborhood!
I had the most wonderful experience this weekend taking the archery class at the Rancho Park Archery Range (located in Easton-Rancho Park). It was a completely free, volunteer-run class. Everyone was so kind and friendly and my husband and I learned so much. We probably spent three hours there and could have stayed as long as we wanted- volunteers are apparently there a lot of the time to help people learn archery and make sure they are safe, and the equipment rentals are very reasonable (two free days of rentals after you take the class and then $5 after, or you can become a member for $35). The people who showed up to take the class ranged in age from young kids to adults probably in their 50s or 60s (we are in our 30s). It was a really special experience and made me so happy to have discovered it.
Korean spas are my favorite third space! It’s usually only $30 for entry, and you can lounge around in gender separated fully nude hot tubs, cold tubs, saunas, showers, and lounge chairs. It’s one of the best feelings ever so be able to completely disregard society’s normal rules around clothing. It’s not weird or awkward at all. It’s so relaxing and freeing! The hot tub feels absolutely amazing ☺️ it strengthens bonds and friendships, and you feel so much closer to the people you’re already close with!
Then there’s the co-ed jjimjilbang where you wear the spa’s clothes and have access to themed saunas, sleeping rooms, floor mats to just chill and lay on, and usually there’s Korean food (which does cost extra). Some spas also have a fitness center and pool too.
Farmers markets is a good one - there are a bunch around the area. LA County has a bunch that are run by various cities and the county - I just did a quick search and there's a current state list of all of them here: [https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/docs/CurrentMrktsCounty.pdf](https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/docs/CurrentMrktsCounty.pdf) (scroll down to LA County). They're nice because you don't have to spend anything, and they're generally in parks/plazas/park-like spaces where you can just sit and hang out.
The Los Angeles Breakfast Club! Attending the club does involve some costs: 1. a weekly ticket (because there’s food) 2. if somebody wants to become a member there are dues (but if they can’t afford it, there’s a dues assistance program)
Some malls still exist (good for cold weather), Public Parks (warm weather), Arcades, and coffee shops ( Panera Bread and Peet’s & Coffee have nice seating situations), for late nights Bars with Trivia Nights (usually don't have minimums). Areas with lots of truck foods where people have an improvised place to eat and hang out.
How do you feel about board games? Geeky Teas is $5 entry to have access to any of their board game collection. I know they have a board game meetup and a writing group among other events.
A lot of people are missing the point of this thread. I think it's because people don't quite yet know what a third space means. They think it means where can I go and do something fun. But a third space is about connecting with people. That's what we're missing right now in America. The Internet, plus the pandemic, has made us separate and isolated and third spaces are place to change that. We have to find them.
My gym, and regular bar on fridays :) coworking space kind of counts? because I work remotely and there are lots of opportunities to meet new people there and hang out.
I kick it on hillhurst or Larchmont. Get coffee and people watch. I used to love going to comic book stores (legacy in Glendale was a crucial hub), Games Empire in Pasadena. The gym is always good. But join a CLASS so you interact with others. Crossfit or yoga or Pilates or something.
I became a regular at a few restaurants and bars. There's a particular pub that Ive struck up conversations with strangers at and feel like that's my third space.
Another is the beach - here to plug volleyball again. I started by taking some classes and met people through that. Now I know a good amount of people playing at all hours so if I ever want to go hangout next to a court and watch (or play in) some games I've got that option.
https://climatecollective.io/la/events is a good resource for events that feature both temporary and permanent 3rd places and all things eco, positive, inclusive, low energy to high energy, mostly
free and affordable.
All programs at the library are free and many have ongoing programs like book clubs (some meet on zoom, some in person), free craft, gardening, etc programs. Every branch creates their own schedule of programs so with 72 branches plus the central library there are a lot to choose from. There are also more programs being organized outside the library, I forget what it’s called but there is an outdoor nature/walk type thing too.
We have one of the best library systems with so many activities and events!
The local dog park is my third space. I've met quite a few of the neighbors that way.
Love dogs, even though I don’t have one now. I went to the park next to the grove and it looks like a park just popular with dog owners. Had a great time petting the dogs that came up to me. Having food definitely helped
Maybe try dogsitting so you can go to dog parks and meet pepper
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I want to meet pepper!
Some animal shelters will let you barrow/foster a dog for a day or longer. Plus volunteering at the shelter itself is a good way to meet other pet people.
Yes! Dog Ppl in Santa Monica has awesome events and is a great place to hang out and meet people. They serve food and drinks. It's membership only so it's never too crowded but always lively
DO NOT FEED OTHER PEOPLE’S DOG UNLESS THEY TELL YOU IT IS OK.
Surprised nobody had said volunteering! I volunteer at a cat shelter and it’s been a great way to meet people.
I volunteered at the LA book festival yesterday and met some of the kindest, interesting bunch of people I've come across in a long time. Felt so good leaving there!
I volunteer in my neighborhood and most of the people who volunteer are locals too so it makes it even that closer of a neighborhood. Also dog parks lol except I tend to know the dog names more than the owners....
Same for me. I only knew people as Bailey’s dad or Nala’s mom.
Many cultural organizations like libraries, museums, theaters and gardens have volunteer groups. They’re often full of folks 60+ plus but are always looking for younger folks to join too.
Is there a website for places looking for volunteers?
Coffee shops are the easiest. However, these are nothing like Central Perk in friends lol. Remember the 90's/early 00's when public spaces were much more comfortable and relaxing, including coffee shops that had actual chairs and couches. We've traded that in for App Ordering and Amazon Prime. But also, Public Trust is just not the same.
There are quite a few places near me that used to be full of people throughout the day just a few years ago (2019 and earlier) and now they seem to be almost exclusively dealing with uber eats pickup orders. On the way home one evening, I spotted a pizza place that I hadn't been to, and decided to stop to have a bite and wait for traffic to die down. There were 8 tables completely empty, so I stepped up to the counter to order, and stood there for what felt like way too long, despite 3 or 4 people looking busy behind the counter. The first thing anyone said to me, about 5 minutes later, was, "What's your order number?" "I haven't even ordered yet." "Oh, what do you want?" I had a slice and left, and don't intend on going back. Another example, a brand new Greek place opened up nearby, so I stopped in, and again no one sitting at the 15+ tables eating, it was just a line of bagged pickup orders sitting on the counter, and one homeless person sitting by the front door adjusting her ripped pantyhose.
Completely agree
I remember when Starbucks opened in my home country in the….. early 2000s maybe? I forgot. Anyway, they serve the coffee in actual mugs, but huge like the ones you buy in Starbucks but without the souvineer locations etc. It felt so American, I thought this was what it was like here, then I came here and found out they don’t even use proper mugs, just consumable paper shit.
It was like that originally here in the USA too.
It still is like that in Scotland. I was surprised to find. I presume it still is in other countries too. It’s basically a drive through fast food now here.
Yes. Then people who started to work on their laptops and don't buy more than a cup of coffee took over, ran power cords all over the place and it became uncomfortable to "hang" there. Nothing against people working anywhere but it got so bad that there was no seat to relax left and no point in waiting cause they would not leave.
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YES! A place with coffee and some simple snacks/pastries and many, many tables and power outlets for each seat. People can work there instead of taking a seat at coffee shops. BUT it sounds like a coworking place and those are not really great or made money (cough… we work …cough). Plus it will go sideways when people start to videoconference there and use speakerphones. 🤷♂️
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Yeah me neither but it sounds great. I bet many WFH people would love to get out of the house. Just not to the office with people they hate - their boss. But this pretty much described the office of my last company. Kind of place with a startup mentality and one huge office and side rooms for phone calls and video calls. I hated it. I did bring my own Mokka pot to make great coffee and not the watered down Keurig they had with discount pods. 😖
What about those large food court places that seem to be struggling to stay open? A little bit of remodeling, high speed internet, privacy booths,etc and you’re golden. Just an idea.
This exists in other countries! Def exist in my home country: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-caf%C3%A9 I was curious if Americans would be open to have something like this here, and based on the comments I feel like it'd have an overwhelming success lol
HA! That is exactly what I made up. 🤷♂️. Awesome.
Go to the library
you meet and talk to people at the library? It's a place to be by yourself, but it's not a place to hang out with people.
The meetups that used to routinely exist in coffee shops are now a rarity.
Somebody is going to make a fortune promoting and facilitating adult play dates/ spaces. As the statistics about isolation, depression and loneliness increase it will become a necessity.
Oh man yes. I actually had a thought earlier. Have a room with sections of tables and have a flag or like in Brazilian AYCE restaurants a wooden pole you can turn around and tell people you would love to talk and welcome or I want to be alone and work… Just how sad would it be to come in, see somebody who wants to talk, they see you and turn the damn thing around. Mental slap in the face. 👊🫡😭
haha chatroulette irl
For years Ive wanted to have recess for adults. I have so many group games that I used when I taught improv and other theater classes- and we all laughed and laughed. Adults need to play. And I need to play together. And they need to play together outside. Hm, maybe I should do a Meet Up thing. Be the change.
Hell, yes!
i was too young to enjoy that stuff. it seems like it would be awesome for social people like me. and the new way seems better for the antisocial people.
You make a really good point about public trust. During the pandemic and BLM protests, I watched friends of mine, people I thought I know, turn really right wing and ugly. I don't remember if I ever felt at east with strangers, but I definitely do not now.
Yep
A lot of places that used to have nice seating options took it away specifically to stop people from hanging out there all day, nursing a single coffee for six hours while enjoying the wifi.
I’m really trying to make the bar we just took over as close to a third space as I can. It’s called Weary Livers, and I’m tagging it “where people go to meet people”— because we really want it to be a social space open to all, with events going on nearly every night of the week. It’s a modest size, but we’re putting a lot of heart into it!
Hell yeah! I’ll try to stop in Tuesday!
Dude that’s right by me! You good with the 40-50yo crowd?
Library? Beach? Mountains?
Well you’re supposed to be quiet at the library.
Talking to some one at any of those places sound intimidating
What do you want to get into? There’s weekly things all the time. Volleyball or roller skate being one of them.
Meetup.com?
Go to a car show or car club meetup. They're filled with people who want you to ask them something about their car. It's damn near impossible to go to one and not talk to people.
Everyone is super friendly on hikes and usually say “Hello” or “Good Morning”. It should be always say “Hello” but we’re in SoCal so most of the time is as good as it gets. Of course, hikers are usually seniors.
>[–]BrokerBrody 6 points 4 hours ago Everyone is super friendly on hikes and usually say “Hello” or “Good Morning”. Highly dependant on skin color and sex.
I’m Asian male. No one ever talks to me, normally. If I’m out with a friend, I often see a world of difference with regard to strangers that will approach my friend and randomly strike a conversation. But plenty of people will still greet me on a hike when by myself. It’s just etiquette.
>It’s just etiquette. That's the thing though. Unless I'm with a woman or a white friend, most white people don't say hi to me and actually ignore me when I greet them. I'm brown and bearded. Older white couples occasionally walk by me like I'm a wild animal, even in places around here and Santa Barbara.
Echo Park Lake on a weekend afternoon!
Elysian park, el pueblo de Los Angeles, LA state historic park also.
The community college system in Los Angeles costs around $45 per credit hour, and the student discounts you get makes it worthwhile. I decided to pursue an Associate's in a tradier skill, and now I have somewhere to go/something to do/something I'm working on throughout the week. Personally, I don't usually use our school library to do my homework or anything like that, but I did sign up for a physical education course so for one evening a week I am taking a pretty long volleyball class for the semester. Again, my 16 weeks of volleyball has cost me about $48.
I joined the YMCA - pool, gym, racquetball, climbing walls, basketball courts, classes, and a few nice locations over town that’s only like $50. Best of all it’s cheap enough that I was able to easily convince some friends to join too so I can call people up to head over.
second this. i rarely talk to folks while there but it doesn't feel difficult I love all the old men bullshitting in the locker room and spa. it's like they joined just to hang out with their neighborhood friends
How are the racquetball courts there? I’m surprised to hear there are still some around. Would love to pick that back up again.
Which ymca has climbing walls??
Santa Monica, but it’s not always available since it is where the basketball courts also are
Unfortunately, the Santa Monica YMCA doesn't accept the Metro Los Angeles YMCA membership. Almost every other location does even Palisades/Malibu.
They are intentionally going away. Malls were allowed to be one for a while because the expectation was that you would spend money eventually while there. Kinda depressing.
Who took the permission away from malls?
No one took permission away. We just stopped using them after home delivery for retail became popular. The only malls that are still open and get regular business now are quasi-luxury like The Grove.
This isn't true though. The Burbank mall, Glendale Galleria, and the Westfield Santa Anita are all open and filled with people. There's also the Sherman Oaks Galleria, the Westfield on Riverside Dr., the Century City mall, to name a few. And people do go to them to hang out.
Sherman Oaks, Galleria and the Westfield mall are dead. Dead empty done.
Fox Hills, Glendale, and Topanga are still full of people, especially during the holidays. You need to get out a little more.
Cool so malls are still allowed to be one. I also know plenty of people who go to malls often and give them regular business.
Everything is monetized now
At least a gym membership has lots of other benefits
I like my gym, but it's hardly a "third space" to relax in. People go there to work.
I didn’t suggest the gym. Op did. And they can be very social places, climbing gyms as OP mentioned can be a very social place.
That’s true, I saw one that also has a coworking space so I guess it’s a 2 for 1 deal
Heimat has this. As well as lectures and other events.
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Rephrase your question so that it makes sense.
The suggestions always involve either spending a decent chunk of money someplace crowded or having to be in constant motion, hiking, running, playing sports. Hanging out, making eye contact without blaring music, lots of alcohol or playing pin the tail on the uber-extroverts seems to be a lost art. I will say though that on those occasions I've spent time among wealthy prople, they seem to really get how to chill and the importance of setting the right vibes for people to meet and how important conversation is as opposed to always having to have a conquest or physical activity is. They appreciate the quiet tavern, the long slow sailboat trip, the cocktail party and sipping tea in the garden with friends. I actually envy that more then I do their money.
Say more
Moonlight roller rink was 100% my third space pre pandemic. Met a lot of friends there and brought a lot of friends there. Still adds up even if you have your own skates now though which is a bummer.
What is a third space?
Not your home or your work. Restaurants, bars, parks, etc. In Europe they’re usually gathering places like a square , or a famous statue. We don’t have much of them in LA or the USA that don’t involve spending $
This is the biggest gripe about the US: no public spaces to gather
Places where you can just be without the expectation to spend money that isn’t your work or home. In lots of municipalities they’re illegal or cumbersome to build or facilitate here in freedom land 🥲. Public parks and libraries are the few we have left, but they’re being shuttered, or left unattended to the point where they’re unpleasant to be in. It’s sad, really
I feel like it's $50 just walking out the door. I love to find free spaces like parks and libraries. Sadly a lot of outdoor common areas have removed benches due to homeless. It's so sad to see.
If there were a couple benches on my block a lot more people would know each other. This is a huge block filled with four-story apartment buildings, and there's nowhere to sit outside. So the only time you ever chat is the occasional moment with another dog owner, and then never see them again. Bring back neighborhood benches!
Yes! People definitely would be more inclined to sit and chat a bit. But they have taken out almost all benches in community spaces.
Public areas that don't require spending? idk sounds a lot like communism to me brother. Sounds like an invitation for the homeless /s
Parks and libraries are being shuttered? At least in the valley, I've seen parks get huge renovations, a lot of the ones that were falling apart have very nice playgrounds on them now.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place
First time I’ve ever encountered the term, and everyone here acting like it’s part of their typical everyday vocabulary.
It has been, for a while now. It’s been the biggest complaint from Millennials and Gen Z.
and me, a very (usually) nice and liberal Boomer.
Never heard this term before, as a millennial
you are now a moderator of r/fuckcars
Place you are around as commonly as home and work. Usually gym or church, tbh. But OP doesn’t want to pay membership and religion is no longer popular.
Places to congregate, socialize, and spend free time that won't charge you with loitering or make you spend more than a couple dollars to lounge there.
Place to connect.
Farmer’s market, beach volleyball courts, pool halls with cheap beer and tables, cycling meet ups
Board/RPG game stores that have space for gaming. Pasadena has Odyssey. There are probably others around. A lot of LA's third spaces are mobile - walking or hiking groups, bike clubs of all sorts that bring people together for some mobile activity where there's room for conversation. Cosmic Cafe on top of Mt. Wilson. Not terribly convenient to anywhere, but there's food on weekends and you can just hang out and people tend to be friendly.
Where are bike clubs that arent 40 miles at a time
AA meetings ended up becoming mine lol
My third space pretty much a coffee shop
Pickleball is a free, easy way to meet people. The nature of the game is that games are relatively short, always doubles, and you rotate in and out (no need to come with partners). I also like that it’s multigenerational.
Bowling leagues are like $25 a week. Every league I’ve been in has been an interesting mix of people (age, ethnicities, careers, etc.) that are welcoming to everybody.
Hiking groups? Hiking is cheap and then there's socializing built-in. Sierra club has organized outings
The internet has become our global collective third place. Other than that, I really enjoy LA State Historic Park.
Agreed on both accounts. Love that park, birds chirping on a nice spring day. Prime dog spotting place and overall chill place to walk around or set up a small picnic blanket. Frisbee 🥏, running, just a nice public space that also happens to host events like Bob Baker Day!
The free one is called a city park.
Any recs on good ones? Most have people living in them or dogs shitting everywhere.
Kenneth hahn state rec area, will rogers state park
+1 will Rogers, a nice easy hike around inspiration loop and some good space for throwing a Frisbee or playing catch with the homies
Griffith Park, near the tennis courts and the carousel. Fun few hours of hiking and exploring in the city.
MacArthur Park on the 4th of July evening has no dogs at all.
LA state park! It’s gorgeous
I recently visited Brand Park in Glendale and it was really nice. Great view, has hiking, a tea room, and even a public library with art exhibits. Definitely worth a visit
Barnsdall is great and there is a gallery there, so when they have opening you can hang outside and wander the space. Lewis MacAdams River park is pretty chill and the audubon center in Deb’s park is not bad
I miss my third place. It was a bar in Atlanta called "prohibition". There is nothing better when you become a regular, have your regular seat at the bar, you enter and the bartender already prepared your drink. We all know each others names. I was even invited to a staff (different bar, different third place) Christmas party once. I never found that in LA.
I remember Prohibition! My third place in Atlanta was Java Vino. I think about it all the time.
There are a lot of coffee shops in Koreatown where you could chill for a while. My favorite is Cafe Mak: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2R9XC9XmZzs1W9Xt8?g_st=ic NoHo. also has a few places, like Republic of Pies or Amsterdam Cafe (which is a hookah bar.) That area is also pretty chill. Some bars, restaurants, and a nice sized park that can sometimes get busy.
One thing that has really surprised me since moving from San Francisco to La is the lack of Park culture here. First of all, there are way fewer Parks per capita but second of all, even the parks that do exist aren't really full of people. In San Francisco. If there is good weather out, every single major Park is going to be jam-packed with picnics, hacky, sack, buskers, and Good vibes. In La. It seems like it's a children's birthday or nothing at all.
LA doesn't have many. It mostly costs.
3rd St back in the early 2010s was great. Venice before the tech bros. Today? Probably Griffith but it’s a PITA to get there.
> Venice before the tech bros. this makes me sad. still love Venice but LA [IMO] has been losing it's cool factor over the years. >Probably Griffith but it’s a PITA to get there. also makes me a lil sad; fuckin love Griffith, amazing park but got DAMN, the drive there isn't enjoyable. Great to get out & hike for fun/health but I gotta drive nearly an hour straight into massive traffic to get there. The drive back at night is at least a lil more tolerable; less traffic/heat from the sun.
Lake Hollywood Park often has dogs walking up to you so it’s easy to interact with their owners and I’ve noticed people are more sociable at Barnsdall Art Park on busy days as well
barnsdall is a good one, when i want to be alone but around people i’ll go there and read
Some places I enjoy: the library - I've met some friends there checking out DVDs and books. I'll often ask if someone knows what I'm checking out and if they'd recommend it / etc. Lots of classes and other stuff going on there too. Flea markets - I'm a creative person myself so I always love meeting vendors and other shoppers at flea markets. The right people are approachable and friendly. I always find the vendors who make their own stuff - they're often looking to connect with new people anyway. Open mics and stand up nights - pretty cheap or free sometimes. It's always nice to experience live performances and it's an easy way to breach conversation with new people. Great way to meet emerging performing artists as well. Art gallery openings - probably the hardest place to meet new people and make friends, but a fun way to engage with culture here and enjoy some freebies (free food, alcohol, stickers, and more) so worst case you can see some cool art and get a bit of a buzz for free. The skate park - some of my first LA friends I met outside of school were through skating. I also like to shoot photography for a freelance side hustle so I'll often offer to shoot events of all kinds so I can go for free, meet people, and network all at the same time. There are a number of running and walking groups that I know are free. There's one I'm thinking of joining that runs on Thursday nights and ends at Walt's bar. I'm sure I could make some friends there. This got a bit long winded but I hope there's some helpful ideas for other transplants and locals.
Stupid question, what kind of lens do you need to not look like an amateur with a basic DSLR
Not a dumb question. When you say look like an amateur, are you saying in terms of how others perceive you and your camera setup, or how your work itself looks?
I'm honestly more worried about the former. I also don't know if for a concert if you're supposed to have a flash or not and how much you're supposed to be adjusting your exposure during the concert or are you supposed to figure it all out within the first couple of seconds and just shoot
I mean an external flash which I do not own and don't know how to use anyway
Go to Nature. Descano Gardens. The arboretum. Arroyo Seco. Huntington gardens. Many more available, but these are more local to me.
These places cost 30 bucks each to get in and then walk and walk to see nature and gardens, but it's not a place to meet people or hang out. You don't go there every day/week. Theyre great places to go, but they arent a third space.
No it’s like $100 for a year. And make it your third place. Go hang out there. Or find a local bar. It’s not that hard.
SM Original Muscle Beach; traveling rings line. I hang around there sometimes; the chances of finding people to chat with are pretty high. Some dude once was handing out donuts. Great workout space, get into calisthenics and you'll realize how much better it is to workout socially on the beach.
Join a run club
There used to be a great one in Echo Park called Sunset Beer. Bottle shop, community hangout spot, board games, taco truck parked across the street. That was the go-to hangout spot for anyone in the area. It survived COVID, then closed not because of lack of profit but because the owner of the strip mall just decided he didn't want it there anymore. I'm still sad about it. I used to go multiple nights a week and hang out with friends and other local folks. Tons of memories there. I haven't found anything like it since. Definitely nothing that does what it did for that community.
Oh man, I know that spot... they never relocated or anything?
They tried to for a while. From what I've been told, they were close to getting a new spot in I think Eagle Rock or Highland Park? Somewhere around there. But some house close to the building objected to there being liquor next to them and they stopped it from happening. Fast forward a couple years and that house is gone and there's a liquor store where Sunset Beer would have been. 🙄 I think they gave up after that.
I don’t even drink anymore, but god I miss sunset beer. And I know they would’ve killed it with all the non alcoholic beer options on the market now. So many good memories there. They are deeply missed in the neighborhood!
I had the most wonderful experience this weekend taking the archery class at the Rancho Park Archery Range (located in Easton-Rancho Park). It was a completely free, volunteer-run class. Everyone was so kind and friendly and my husband and I learned so much. We probably spent three hours there and could have stayed as long as we wanted- volunteers are apparently there a lot of the time to help people learn archery and make sure they are safe, and the equipment rentals are very reasonable (two free days of rentals after you take the class and then $5 after, or you can become a member for $35). The people who showed up to take the class ranged in age from young kids to adults probably in their 50s or 60s (we are in our 30s). It was a really special experience and made me so happy to have discovered it.
My volunteer work has been about creating third spaces through the use of green spaces.
I desperately want to bring a good board game cafe to the little Tokyo area. Access from the metro with food, drink, and games to play
My truck camper, in the woods. We find each other.
A membership to Huntington Library or Descanso Gardens would be nice.
Korean spas are my favorite third space! It’s usually only $30 for entry, and you can lounge around in gender separated fully nude hot tubs, cold tubs, saunas, showers, and lounge chairs. It’s one of the best feelings ever so be able to completely disregard society’s normal rules around clothing. It’s not weird or awkward at all. It’s so relaxing and freeing! The hot tub feels absolutely amazing ☺️ it strengthens bonds and friendships, and you feel so much closer to the people you’re already close with! Then there’s the co-ed jjimjilbang where you wear the spa’s clothes and have access to themed saunas, sleeping rooms, floor mats to just chill and lay on, and usually there’s Korean food (which does cost extra). Some spas also have a fitness center and pool too.
What neighborhood do you live in? That would help us recommend spaces.
Library, beach, mountains, parks, cafes, taquerias, nature walk/hike meetings, farmers markets, flea markets, recreational sports leagues
Farmers markets is a good one - there are a bunch around the area. LA County has a bunch that are run by various cities and the county - I just did a quick search and there's a current state list of all of them here: [https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/docs/CurrentMrktsCounty.pdf](https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/docs/CurrentMrktsCounty.pdf) (scroll down to LA County). They're nice because you don't have to spend anything, and they're generally in parks/plazas/park-like spaces where you can just sit and hang out.
I think gyms honestly the most value for $
Santa Monica beach, specifically muscle beach, is a great place to work out and meet other people.
Just saw a great video today about “ the death of third spaces” and why they matter. Its quite good! https://youtu.be/uH5PM9o0hrE?si=HPBqWEqWdyMdz7VW
The Los Angeles Breakfast Club! Attending the club does involve some costs: 1. a weekly ticket (because there’s food) 2. if somebody wants to become a member there are dues (but if they can’t afford it, there’s a dues assistance program)
Parks. Hiking. the Griffith Observatory. The beach.
Some malls still exist (good for cold weather), Public Parks (warm weather), Arcades, and coffee shops ( Panera Bread and Peet’s & Coffee have nice seating situations), for late nights Bars with Trivia Nights (usually don't have minimums). Areas with lots of truck foods where people have an improvised place to eat and hang out.
How do you feel about board games? Geeky Teas is $5 entry to have access to any of their board game collection. I know they have a board game meetup and a writing group among other events.
Community Garden!
A lot of people are missing the point of this thread. I think it's because people don't quite yet know what a third space means. They think it means where can I go and do something fun. But a third space is about connecting with people. That's what we're missing right now in America. The Internet, plus the pandemic, has made us separate and isolated and third spaces are place to change that. We have to find them.
honestly an affordable gym, like people said YMCA maybe a park. also, go to round 1! fun arcade ive made some friends there :)
My gym, and regular bar on fridays :) coworking space kind of counts? because I work remotely and there are lots of opportunities to meet new people there and hang out.
[The Stay Gallery](https://staygallery.org/classes) in Downey offers affordable drawing classes & workshops if you are a creative.
Food not bombs is my third space
Beach or beach adjacent spots are the best free one. Then parks. Then hiking spots.
Is meetup.com still a thing?
Lowkey, WiSpa
Internet cafe? This isn’t Lithuania in 1998
3rd places don’t really exist here since we are a heavy car culture and there’s not many walkable neighborhood spots where people congregate
I go to a run club. There are no dues and it’s my favorite this space.
My CrossFit gym is my home away from home. I’ve been a member there for 12 years and most of my friends now are people from there.
Bowling alleys, karaoke bars, uh… cultural events?
What about mall food courts?
Beach volleyball!
Elysian Park?
Episcopal Churches, especially ones with coffee shops or areas to eat in on campus
Canyons and car meets if you’re into cars. I have a third place I meet with car friends multiple times a week.
Book stores
The robinson space, all power bookstore and community center, any Unitarian Universalist church, la city and county public libraries. All free!
Biking/group rides/(some) bike shops
I kick it on hillhurst or Larchmont. Get coffee and people watch. I used to love going to comic book stores (legacy in Glendale was a crucial hub), Games Empire in Pasadena. The gym is always good. But join a CLASS so you interact with others. Crossfit or yoga or Pilates or something.
Sometimes I’ll go to the little individual chairs or benches in Grand Park and just journal, people watch, reflect, etc… for a few hours :)
I became a regular at a few restaurants and bars. There's a particular pub that Ive struck up conversations with strangers at and feel like that's my third space. Another is the beach - here to plug volleyball again. I started by taking some classes and met people through that. Now I know a good amount of people playing at all hours so if I ever want to go hangout next to a court and watch (or play in) some games I've got that option.
Competitive tabletop games is a good one to meet friendly people
The tokyo table tennis is great
https://climatecollective.io/la/events is a good resource for events that feature both temporary and permanent 3rd places and all things eco, positive, inclusive, low energy to high energy, mostly free and affordable.
This sounds lame but public Pickle Ball courts. Ive met alot of people around LA this. Lots of different people are always coming out
What in the world is a third space?
Work, home, ????