Coffehouses & Club Directory:

Anastasia’s Asylum – 1028 Wilshire, Santa Monica. (310)394-7113Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center – FREE Workshops & Readings. This week: Sat, 3/4, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.: X-Tra & BB present: State of The Independents, a “day-long symposium on the subject of independence in relation to the production, display, distribution, and promotion of art in Los Angeles. Spurred on by the recent emergence of a number of artist-run, non-commercial venues and projects like the High Desert Test Sites, Lazy J, Outpost for the Arts and LAXART, the event will be divided into panels exploring the relations between past and present approaches to creating alternatives to the “official” art world, while speculating on forms such activity may take in the future.” Sun, 3/5, 5p.m.: Open reading with Larry Colker & Kristine Anderson. Colker’s work has been published in “The Los Angeles Review, The Cortland Review, RATTLE, Spillway, Solo, and in anthologies from Tebot Bach and Valley Contemporary Poets.” Anderson’s work “has appeared in Entelechy International, The Alembic, Phase and Cycle, the anthology Active Voices IV, and elsewhere.” Co-hosted by Sarah Maclay & Lynne Thompson. Sign-up 4:45 p.m. FREE. Ongoing: Free Workshops & Open Readings “Since 1969, Beyond Baroque has provided a free workshop and open reading program as gathering place for writers to develop their voice, find support, build new communities, and experiment with new forms.” 681 Venice Blvd., Venice. (310)822-3006, www.beyondbaroque.orgDiesel, A Bookstore – 3890 Cross Creek Rd., Malibu, CA 90265. (3100 456-9961, www.dieselbookstore.comDuttons Books Brentwood & Beverly Hills – Critically acclaimed readings and events. This week in Brentwood: Thu, 3/2, 7pm: Sarah Arvio signs Sono: Cantos. Sat, 3/4, 11am: Storytime with Dan The Giant. Sat, 3/4, 2pm: Mary Rourke signs Two Women of Galilee. Wed, 3/6, 7pm: T. Jefferson Parker signs The Fallen. This week in Beverly Hills: Sat, 3/4, 3pm: Princess Meg Storytime. Sun, 3/5, 3pm: Storytime with Gabe. Wed, 3/8, 4pm: Polly Petunia Storytime. Wed, 3/8, 2pm: Echoes with Doug Dutton. “Mirroring the Philharmonic season, Dutton’s is proud to offer a book group covering the lives and accomplishments of the major composers of Western music. March’s discussion is of Clara: A Novel by Janice Galloway. Preregistration is required.” 11975 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, (310) 476-6263 or www.duttonsbrentwood.com. Duttons Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills – 447 N. Canon Drive. The Hammer Museum – 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. (310) 443-7000. TTY (310) 443-7094.The Talking Stick Coffee Lounge – 1630 Ocean Park Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 450-6052, www.thetalkingstick.net.The Unurban Coffee House – 3301 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, (310)315-0056Village Books – Swarthmore Ave., Pacific Palisades, (310) 454-4063. www.pp90272.com/books