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Geek Culture in Los Angeles

Alex LeavittAlex Leavitt
edited March 2011 in Everything Else
So this fall, I'll be moving across the country from Boston to attend USC Annenberg as a doctoral student in Communication.

I've only been to LA once for Anime Expo and to do some anime fandom research at the Fred Patten collection in 2009 (besides visiting USC last week).

Other than that, I barely know the area. Does anyone from the forum live in LA? I understand that it's extremely diverse and spread out, but is there any sort of geek culture that exists there? Kind of like the NerdNYC board game meet-ups?

Also, if anyone has recommendations of where I should look for apartments (heard that USC's not the best neighborhood), I'd love to hear! The recommendation I keep hearing is Silver Lake, but I really don't know much about it at all.

Thanks!
Alex

Comments

  • MattMatt
    Strategicon is a series of three hotel gaming cons that run on President's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day weekends. They're no PAX, but if you're that close, a hotel gaming con can be fun.
  • SailSail
    edited March 2011
    I live in LA, and I'm hopefully also going to USC this fall as well. You'll kind of have to be more specific in terms of "geek culture," everything is here if you look for it, but you kind of have to know what you're looking for. I don't know of any board game meetups because I'm not really a boardgamer. There are some great hackspaces, though.

    In terms of apartments, yeah, USC is in the middle of the "bad" part of town, but as long as you remain within a few blocks away, it's fine. I have friends who live in apartments just off campus. I can ask them about their complex for you, if you'd like. Silver Lake would be a bit of a commute, about 15 minutes by car on the freeway. But if you don't mind commuting, then I'd recommend looking for apartments near Eagle Rock or Echo Park. Both are about the same ~15 min commute away from USC, just that Eagle Rock is closer to Pasadena and Echo Park is closer to Hollywood.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • Alex LeavittAlex Leavitt
    I live in LA, and I'm hopefully also going to USC this fall as well. You'll kind of have to be more specific in terms of "geek culture," everything is here if you look for it, but you kind of have to know what you're looking for. I don't know of any board game meetups because I'm not really a boardgamer. There are some great hackspaces, though.

    In terms of apartments, yeah, USC is in the middle of the "bad" part of town, but as long as you remain within a few blocks away, it's fine. I have friends who live in apartments just off campus. I can ask them about their complex for you, if you'd like. Silver Lake would be a bit of a commute, about 15 minutes by car on the freeway. But if you don't mind commuting, then I'd recommend looking for apartments near Eagle Rock or Echo Park. Both are about the same ~15 min commute away from USC, just that Eagle Rock is closer to Pasadena and Echo Park is closer to Hollywood.
    1) Are you going for undergrad or grad?

    2) I'd love to hear about hack(er)spaces if you know of them!

    3) As for transportation, I'm in the weirdest situation: no driver's license, since I've been riding around Boston on a bike for the past 12 or so years. But a 30 min commute by bike isn't bad (though I'd rather keep it to 15 max). And, yes, I know I need to learn to drive ASAP.

    4) Geek culture really might mean anything tech/game/anime/comic/etc. related, but I'm mainly looking for meet-ups or groups where I can get to know people, since I barely know folks in the LA area, and I'd love to have friends outside of my grad school cohort.
  • ChurbaChurba
    edited March 2011
    Other than that, I barely know the area. Does anyone from the forum live in LA? I understand that it's extremely diverse and spread out, but is there any sort of geek culture that exists there? Kind of like the NerdNYC board game meet-ups?
    If I remember rightly, Sail, Sonic, Blackvelvetplease and Funfetus all live in LA, and I'll be moving there in the hazy, undefined future known as "as soon as I can afford it". I don't know much about the living areas, as in, what's a slum or not, but I do know you've got a pretty good geek community about, and I'm decent enough with what's around and what's to do, I've been researching.
    2) I'd love to hear about hack(er)spaces if you know of them!
    This I can help you with, as a hackspace ambassador. Allow me a minute while I re-edit this post with the information.

    Hokay, let's go.

    Right, we have Crash Space, Sugar Shack, Null Space, and The Archive Hacker Pad, along with Hackers Bike Ride Los Angeles, which is not strictly a space per se, but is more of a hacker social event.

    Archive Hacker Pad is over Highland Park, and their a smaller space, currently working on a UAV blimp project. Their google group/mailing list is Here.

    Crash space is in Culver city, and regularly hold events such as Take Apart Tuesdays, radio mondays, Show and Tell, and linux nights. They're an excellent crowd, more info about them Here

    Sugar shack is much more art focused, and have had some rather interesting projects. Their twitter is here.
    I'll personally vouch for Null Space labs. They're right in downtown, and in my opinion, they are the premier hackspace in LA, with Crash Space trailing slightly behind.
    Post edited by Churba on
  • SailSail
    edited March 2011
    Churba's got it.
    1) Are you going for undergrad or grad?
    Transferring as an undergrad into the Music Industry program.
    3) As for transportation, I'm in the weirdest situation: no driver's license, since I've been riding around Boston on a bike for the past 12 or so years. But a 30 min commute by bike isn't bad (though I'd rather keep it to 15 max). And, yes, I know I need to learn to drive ASAP.
    Yeah, it's pretty much impossible to get anywhere here without a car. You will realize very quickly how fortunate you were to have Boston's public transport. LA isn't always very bike-friendly in terms of having bike lanes either. Really depends on the area.
    4) Geek culture really might mean anything tech/game/anime/comic/etc. related, but I'm mainly looking for meet-ups or groups where I can get to know people, since I barely know folks in the LA area, and I'd love to have friends outside of my grad school cohort.
    Meltdown Comics on Sunset comes to mind. They host tons of events of all types all the time. Sign up for their mailing list. I hear Indie Cade is pretty neat, but that only happens once a year. You're sure meet a lot of people if you volunteer, though.

    I wish more came to mind. I'm not really a part of many geek-specific communities around here. I could suggest a great many DIY music venues and artspaces around though if you were ever interested ;)
    Post edited by Sail on
  • ChurbaChurba
    Meltdown Comics on Sunset comes to mind.
    They also have Nerdist industries moving in, and putting in a stage for standup and the like.
  • DromaroDromaro
    I live in Orange County, which is about 25 miles south of LA, and I can confirm Churba, once again, has the goods. I'm all over geekshit in OC so if you ever head south, hit me up and we can make magic happen. Conversely, if FRCF stuff starts forming in LA, I'll see about heading northwards.
  • ChurbaChurba
    I can confirm Churba, once again, has the goods.
    Another three people satisfied, and I've not even taken off my pants.
    I'm all over geekshit in OC so if you ever head south, hit me up and we can make magic happen.
    Good man, I'm not as familiar with OC.
    Conversely, if FRCF stuff starts forming in LA, I'll see about heading northwards.
    It's inevitable.
  • SailSail
    When Churba gets here, we're all getting together to watch him and Funfetus fight.
  • ChurbaChurba
    When Churba gets here, we're all getting together to watch Funfetus kick the shit out of him.
    FTFY. He's probably gonna win, but fuck if I'm gonna make it easy for him. All FRC, worldwide are welcome. There might be video.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    edited March 2011
    Then I fight the winner. I honestly don't care if lose, it's just been a while since I've had a good fight with people I can trust.
    Post edited by Victor Frost on
  • ChurbaChurba
    Then I fight the winner. I honestly don't care if lose, it's just been a while since I've had a good fight with people I can trust.
    Hell, I'll fight you for a laugh anytime you want. S'good old fun.
  • WalkerWalker
    Then I fight the winner. I honestly don't care if lose, it's just been a while since I've had a good fight with people I can trust.
    Hell, I'll fight you for a laugh anytime you want. S'good old fun.
    I wish I had friends like you that didn't live many thousands of miles away.
  • ChurbaChurba
    I wish I had friends like you that didn't live many thousands of miles away.
    If I'm gonna have to fight everybody, I'm going to have to ask y'all to form an orderly line.
  • RuffasRuffas
    I'm glad to see 'y'alls' and 's'good's in use without getting a funny look for saying them. Maybe you Aussie's aren't so different after all. (At least that's what Jameson says.)
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    edited March 2011
    I'm glad to see 'y'alls' and 's'good's in use without getting a funny look for saying them. Maybe you Aussie's aren't so different after all. (At least that's what Jameson says.)
    Many of us can use apostrophes and quotation marks properly, though. ^_~
    Post edited by lackofcheese on
  • ChurbaChurba
    edited March 2011
    I'm glad to see 'y'alls' and 's'good's in use without getting a funny look for saying them. Maybe you Aussie's aren't so different after all. (At least that's what Jameson says.)
    When we say it, it sounds different - it sounds much more like "You all" just smashed together real fast instead of a mroe distinct Y sound at the front like the US accents that use it, but it's used the same way, and spells out the same. S'good or S'all good both come out with the S sound a half beat longer, and it's more of a slight hiss against the teeth than actually pronoucing the S. S'good comes out slightly more like Skood.
    Post edited by Churba on
  • SailSail
    image

    Just found out about this like five minutes ago from the Pehrspace twitter, so I'm not going to be able to go, but apparently some people from CalArts put this on every few months. People dress up as trainers and have battles while live bands an electronic music DJs play. Sounds like a good time, and Pehrspace is a great venue, so I'll be keeping my eye out for the next one to happen.
  • SailSail
    My friends and I are thinking of going to Comikaze.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    Argh, I've got a movie shoot those days.
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