There Are a Million Stories in NoHo...

Pauline Williams

And I had the chance to catch a few of them at Hollywood Stories, produced and hosted by writer/comedian Pauline Williams, at the hip Amsterdam Cafe right here in Downtown NoHo.

Williams, a native of the Hoosier state, has an extensive resume as a comic, writer, author, musician, singer, journalist, poet - you name it - Pauline has done it.

Hollywood Stories showcases writers with interesting and great stories to tell.  When I attended this week on the bill were Williams, actor and author Peter Coca and comedian Mel Kohl.

Peter Coca at Hollywood Stories

Williams regaled the audience with a cornucopia of adroitly composed and brilliantly rhythmic poetry and short stories, some touching on tales of lost or unrequited love.  Coca performed a brilliantly delivered piece that was way beyond this reviewer's ability to truly critique but seemed to combine elements of Lenny Bruce and Dr. Seuss.  Rounding out the bill was Kohl with a humorous riff on the self-indulgent absurdity that is, Starbucks.

The Amsterdam Cafe itself is really quite the facility - reminscient of the NoHo BoHo coffee house scene those of us active locally in the 90s may remember but with a more modern elegance.  Tasty food and beverages compliment hookah smoking and a lovely even larger than the main room zen patio definitely beckons me to hang out there on a warm spring evening soon.

Check out Hollywood Stories, every Wednesday at 7:30 PM at the Amsterdam Cafe, 10905 Magnolia Boulevard in NoHo.