For those of my LSAT students who live in Los Angeles, lend me your ear! For the rest of you, sit back, grab a Reading Comprehension section and relax! Heh. Heh. Joke. Don't worry, I'll be making my location rounds with cafes soon, but I thought since it's my home town, and it's where I did my LSAT prep, it's where I will begin.
The perfect café to study at seems like an elusive idea. The café must be both aesthetically pleasing, yet not cluttered. It must be quiet, but not deafeningly so. It must have delicious treats, but not so many as to be distracting. It must have mellow music and good lighting. It must have other studious patrons. It must be close to your bed at home, but not too close. And, above all, it must have amazing coffee. I have searched far and wide for such a place, and let me tell you my LSAT prepping minion, I have found such places, or pretty close to. Come along and take a journey with me.
- LITERATI CAFÉ: 12081 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Now, I love most cafes, but Literati is amazing for studying. The coffee is great, the music is mellow and tune-out-able. A bunch of students trickle in from UCLA, so there is a nice study atmosphere. The tables are large and the Wi-Fi is finicky. Wait, why is sporadic Wi-Fi a good thing? Let's be honest, you know Wi-Fi is not your friend. The Internet is one of the biggest distractions I see for my LSAT students.
Being completely cut off from the Internet is scary (though, these days no one is ever really cut off with their smartphones in hand), so shoddy Internet is perfect—especially since you don't need an Internet connection to use LSATMax. Once in a while you can check your incoming tweets and the rest of the time you can focus on your Logic Games. The café does get busy around lunch on weekdays, but hey, everyone needs to eat right? I'd also avoid the breakfast/brunch rush on Saturdays and Sundays. Other than that, I give Literati seven thumbs up!
- FUNNEL MILL: 930 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Okay, so for those of you none-LA people, this is still a spot to check out one day. Best coffee I've ever had. The café is very niche, so it had a nice relaxing and quiet atmosphere. There is a beautiful seating area that's perfect for studying or listening to lectures, and they have extremely fast Wi-Fi. They are artisans when it comes to the coffee. They fresh brew each cup they make, and they have a list of hundreds of coffees and teas you can choose from. But, this does mean you have to pay a bit extra for the superb quality of the coffee and wait a tad longer for your drink to brew. But, it's really worth it for what you get, I promise.
- NATIVE FOODS CAFÉ: 1114 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Alright, so if you've ever been to this place you might be wondering, wait, really? This place?!? But, yes! This quaint vegan café has just been remodeled, has lots of light and lots of study room. There's decent Wi-Fi, and even an upstairs seating area that's quiet and a tad bit more secluded. Not to mention deliciously healthy vegan food that will make your mind and body happy. Now listen, I'm no vegan, I love my steak as much as the next and I could never give up my Double-Double at In-N-Out. But, I can't lie, every time after I've finished a meal at Native Foods I feel light, satisfied and energized. And if I haven't sold you yet, they have great coffee with unlimited FREE refills. Yes, that's right. Boom.
That's all? You kidding? Don't worry; I have plenty more suggestions for you. For now, get back to that Logical Reasoning section and practice!
Happy Studying!
