Rosie Merlin

6 days ago | 7x7.com | Rosie Merlin

When you want to combine the two, you need a bookish bar or literary lounge—and you're in luck. Over the last few years, a new crop of establishments that blur the line between literary energy and tasty drinks has grown up around the Bay Area. These six spots will have you curling up with both. Clio’s BooksStepping downstairs into Clio’s is like entering a deeply appealing combination of pirate ship captain’s cabin and vintage university library.

Sep 30, 2024 | 7x7.com | Rosie Merlin

If you’re anything like us, you probably have a few dog-eared and wine-stained Litquake festival guides tucked into your bookshelves. Every Bay Area resident with a love for words has memories of this beloved local festival—whether that's seeing your favorite author's favorite author (this year, that would be Rachel Kushner) or strutting along Valencia Street with the hordes of Lit Crawlers at the huge, free pop-up event on the festival's final night.

Mar 13, 2024 | 7x7.com | Rosie Merlin

Bay Area authors are giving us memoirs, crafty guides and some very juicy novels to dive into this season. And Then? And Then? What Else? by Daniel HandlerFrom San Francisco's own Lemony Snicket, aka Daniel Handler, comes this part memoir, part inspiration for aspiring writers. And Then? And Then? What Else? traces the author's sometimes challenging and often amusing path toward one of the most successful writing careers of the 21st century.

Sep 19, 2023 | 7x7.com | Rosie Merlin

From cooking Japanese izakaya at home with Rintaro chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett to solving mysteries with beloved SF illustrator/author Paul Madonna, here are eight Bay Area books we're reading this fall. (@hardiegrantusa) The debut cookbook from one of San Francisco’s most acclaimed restaurants, Rintaro, translates the experience of a Tokyo izakaya for the home kitchen.

Sep 5, 2023 | 7x7.com | Rosie Merlin

Founded by Peter Martin and Lawrence Ferlinghetti in 1953 as a triangular one-room store at 261 Columbus Avenue, City Lights has survived and thrived for seven decades. The store continues to play a vital role in SF by stocking an ever-evolving and well-curated collection of books and periodicals, and by acting as a meeting place and cultural hub for the local literary community. Plus, it's just a very charming spot to browse and rub shoulders with some of the coolest readers in the city.