I made it to California at last!
Honestly, I never thought it was going to happen. It's not like I didn't want to see the West Coast, and I've heard good things about San Diego for years (and San Francisco; but perhaps another time.) So it's been on my travel "bucket" list, but I am the reigning queen of travel procrastination. However, when my friend Bathy moved to San Diego, and opportunity presented itself that was too good to pass up: the chance to take a nice trip and visit someone I've missed quite a lot!
Now, even this staunch New Yorker/indoor girl had some fun in the sunshine, and I'll be sure to share some of those experiences. However, true to character, I had to see some of the more bookish offerings, and Bathy loves a good bookshop roam, so we fitted in time to do just that.
Verbatim Books was a beautiful place in the North Park neighborhood. One side of the shop is shelves and shelves of reasonably priced books in all genres - I spotted tons of Doctor Who books, but didn't get any this time...
The other side looked like this:
Imagine the events! I'd love to attend a reading here. Or sing some Phantom of the Opera music. That chandelier!
I've never had a strong desire to visit Los Angeles, but the train ride up the coast makes it worthwhile in itself. Of course we had to go to The Last Bookstore.
It was everything I'd dreamed it would be and more! Endless shelves of books, and like Verbatim, quite good discounts. The building was a large one, so there were rooms with galleries and shops, a guy walking around playing guitar, that kind of thing. Books arranged into tunnels (the most crowded part, of course, because it's Instaworthy, and there were records for sale, and did I mention books? Just a joy.
I would have liked one or both of these shops to have a cat and/or a cafe, thus satisfying the Catherine Trifecta, but really they were complete in and of themselves.
If you're in Southern California, go! These places need to be supported.
3 comments:
That Verbatim set up is fantastic ���� Also, the pic of you looking up from the stacks is you in your element ����
Bathy picked the perfect moment to take my pic! I'd just finished looking at some Trollopes.
There used to be a really neat bookstore in Seaport Village. Sadly it isn't there anymore. I think they lost their way and started focusing too much on the trinkets instead of books.
I haven't been to Cali in a long time. But, my son and I joked about going to England to book shop. LOL
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