LOS ANGELES/ORANGE COUNTIES

• Barnes & Noble Poetry and Verse with Bill Robertson every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., open workshop/reading, 1201 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, (310) 260-9110.

• Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center presents an Open Reading, first Sundays monthly, free, 5:00, sign up at 4:45. Hosted by Marie Lecrivain. Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, (310) 822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.org.

• Cobalt Poets presents open readings every Tuesday, hosted by Rick Lupert, with featured readers on the first Tuesday, featured regulars on second Tuesdays, Valley Contemporary Poets featured guest plus open reading on third Tuesdays, and Cobalt Classic All Open Reading usually every fourth and fifth Tuesdays, seven minute limit, 9:00, sign up 8:30-8:45, free, one drink minimum, all ages. The Cobalt Café, 22047 Sherman Way in Canoga Park (west of Topanga Canyon Blvd.), (818) 348-3789, http://poetrysuperhighway.com/cobalt.

• Da’ Poetry Lounge spoken word open mic, every Tuesday, 9:00-midnight. Greenway Court Theatre, 544 N. Fairfax Blvd. near Melrose, LA, free parking next door at Fairfax High School, early arrival is a must, www.dapoetrylounge.com.

• Featured and open reading, every last Saturday, sign up 6:30, reading 7:00. Hosted by Ron Dvorkin. Barnes & Noble, 16461 Ventura Blvd., Encino, RONDVORKIN @ aol.com.

• Poetry circle, second Wednesday, 6:30. Hosted by Ron Dvorkin. Encino-Tarzana Branch Library, 18231 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 343-1983, RONDVORKIN @ aol.com.

• Gypsy Den in Santa Ana hosts a featured poetry reading every first Tuesday and open mics every Monday and Thursday, sign up starts 7:30. 125 N. Broadway Avenue, Santa Ana, (714) 835-8840, www.gypsyden.com.

• Emerging Urban Poets Saturday Afternoon Poetry presents featured readers and open mic, every first and third Saturday, including January 23, 3:00-5:00. Free, hosted by Don Kingfisher Campbell. Santa Catalina Branch of the Pasadena Public Library, 999 E. Washington Blvd, two blocks east of Lake Avenue, Pasadena, kingfisher1031 @ charter.net, emergingurbanpoets.blogspot.com.

• Moonday, A West Side Reading Series, open reading followed by featured reading, second Monday monthly, come early to sign up, 7:30. Hosted by Lois P. Jones and Alice Pero, Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore Avenue, Pacific Palisades, (310) 454-4063, www.moondaypoetry.com, or pero @ earthlink.net.

• La Palabra presents a featured poetry reading, plus open mic, usually every fourth Sunday, except January 31, 2:00-4:00. Co-hosted by Laura L. Longoria and Don Newton, Avenue 50 Studio, 131 N. Avenue 50, Highland Park, (323) 258-1435, www.avenue50studio.com.

• Our Poetic Souls open mic, every third Sunday monthly, sign up 2:30, readings 2:45. Hosted by Jim Lyon, please use appropriate language. Home Brew Coffee, 661 West Arrow Highway, San Dimas, (909) 394-1964, www.chrystinedrums.com/PoeticSouls.

• Psychobabble Cabaret open mic with teeth, every Sunday, sign up 8:00, reading 8:30, no cover. Psychobabble Coffee House, 1866 N. Vermont, at Franklin, LA, (323) 664-7500.

• The Rapp Saloon spoken word open mic, every Friday, sign up 7:30, readings 8:00. Six minute slots, free, all ages, co-hosts Mani Suri, Dave Nordling, Brenda Petrakos, Joe Camhi. International Youth Hostel, 1436 2nd Street, Santa Monica, www.rappsaloon.com.

• Redondo Poets featured reading and open mic every Tuesday, sign up 7:50, reading 8:10, free. Coffee Cartel, 1820 South Catalina Avenue, Hollywood Riviera, Redondo Beach, (310) 316-6554, www.redondopoets.com.

• Tebot Bach presents featured readers and open reading, last Friday of the month, sign up 7:30, reading 8:00. Golden West College, Community Room 102, Huntington Beach, www.tebotbach.org.

• Tía Chucha’s Open Mic: Night of Music & Spoken Word, every Friday, 8:00-10:00, no cover, donations welcome. Hosted by Nery Boche. Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural, 13197-A Gladstone Avenue, Sylmar, (818) 896-1489, www.tiachucha.com.

• Two Idiots Peddling Poetry featured and open poetry readings every Wednesday at 8:00, $2 cover or one drink minimum with student ID. Ugly Mug Caffé, 261 N. Glassel, Orange, (714) 997-5610, www.poetryidiots.com.

• World Stage Anansi Writers Workshop presents a three-part evening beginning with a workshop session, followed by a featured reader and open mic, every Wednesday, 7:30-10:30, open mic 9:05. Literary Director: Jawanza Daumisani, $5. World Stage, 4344 Degnan Blvd., LA, (323) 293-2451, www.theworldstage.org.

SAN BERNARDINO/RIVERSIDE COUNTIES

• Barnes & Noble “Valley Voices of the Muse” featured poet and open reading, first Friday monthly, 6:00. Westfield Shopping Center, 72-840 Highway 111, Palm Desert, (760) 346-0725. Patricia D’Alessandro, host: ciaopat9 @ gmail.com.

• A Mic & Dim Lights presents spoken word and music open mic, every Thursday, 9:30, $3. Cal Poly Downtown Arts Theater (Pomona Arts Colony), 300 W. Second Street, Pomona (909) 469-0080.

SAN DIEGO AREA

• Monday Montage, a support group for poets, readers, and writers, bring your own work, share your thoughts, or just listen, first Monday monthly, 7:00, if Monday falls on a holiday, reading will be held on the second Monday. Hosted by Curran Jeffery. Bluestocking Books, 3817 Fifth Avenue, Hillcrest, San Diego, (619) 296-1424, www.bluestockingbooks.com.

• Lestat’s Coffee House songwriters/poets open mic, every Monday, 7:30-11:00, sign up 6:00. Ten-minute slots. Lestat’s Coffee House, 3343 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights, San Diego, (619) 282-0437, www.lestats.com.

• The Off Beat Open Mic, second and fourth Sundays monthly, 5:00-7:00. Poetry, fiction. Rebecca’s Coffee House, 30th and Juniper Street, San Diego, (619) 284-FOOD, www.rebeccascoffeehouse.com.

• Dime Stories Open Mic for prose writers, first Friday monthly, 7:00.
Hosted by Amy Wallen, $5. The Ruby Room, 1271 University Avenue, San Diego, (619) 299-7372, www.DimeStories.org.

• Poetic Brew open mic poetry reading, third Thursday monthly, sign up 6:30, reading 7:00. Hosted by Eber Lambert, read up to three poems or for three minutes, thirty-three seconds. Rebecca’s Coffeehouse, 30th and Juniper Street, South Park, San Diego, (619) 284-FOOD, sandiegowriters.org.

• Sunset Poets presents a featured poet and open mic, usually third Sundays monthly, 3:00. Oceanside area, (760) 758-2410, or www.sunsetpoets.org.

• Fallbrook’s Writers featured reading and open mic for poetry or prose, once a month, usually on Thursdays, doors open 5:30, reading 6:00. Café des Artistes, 103 S. Main Street, Fallbrook, (760) 522-1064, www.kbgressitt.com/fallbrooks-writers-read.

• theVessel open mic features poets, singers, actors, comedians, every first and third Friday, 8:00. Live music, drinks, and refreshments, all ages, $5 cover. Canvas Cafe, 1370 San Marcos Blvd., Suite 120A, San Marcos, www.myspace.com/thevesselmovement.

• Drunk Poets Society spoken word open mic, every Monday, 6:30-8:00. Hosted by Ola. Winston’s Beach Club, 1921 Bacon Street, San Diego, (619) 222-6822, www.myspace.com/winstonsdrunkpoetssociety.

SAN LUIS OBISPO/SANTA BARBARA/VENTURA

• Tuesday Night Poets featured reading with open mic, every Tuesday, 7:30. Hosted by Roe Estep. The Artists’ Union Gallery, 330 South California Street, Ventura, (805) 320-3524.

• Bell Arts Factory presents a featured poet and open mic last Saturday monthly, 7:30. Host: Friday Lubina. Bells Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Avenue, Ventura, www.bellartsfactory.com.

• Corners of the Mouth! presents an open reading after the featured poets, limited to five minutes and original work every third Sunday monthly since 1984, free, 7:00. Linnaea’s Café, 1110 Garden Street, San Luis Obispo. Kevin Patrick Sullivan, Artistic Director, (805) 547-1318, www.languageofthesoul.org.

• Favorite Poems Project reading, poets and non-poets read favorite poems not their own, hosted by Lois Klein, third Monday monthly, 5:15-6:30. The Blue Agave, 20 East Cota Street, Santa Barbara. e-mail: loisklein @ verizon.net.

• Friday Night AA Meeting plus Open Mic, every Friday, 6:30. Drug and alcohol free, 896 East Main Street, Ventura, (805) 794-9878, www.aplaceofpeace.org.

• Poetry Zone featured reading and open mic, every second Saturday, 2:00-4:00. Karpeles Manuscript Museum, 21 W. Anapamu, Santa Barbara. Host, Suzanne Frost, (805) 252-1655.

• Train of Thought open mic, every Thursday, 6:30, 856 East Thompson Blvd., Ventura, between Ash and Kalorama, behind Kids and Families Together.