LAOBRA CAFÉ — THRILLIST
The Latin American saying “manos a la obra'' can be translated in two ways: Hands at work or hands at play. The dichotomy of this adage is the creative impetus behind owner and documentary photographer Michel Oscar Monegro’s LaObra Café—a communal space in Bushwick that caters to artists looking for better work-life balance and kinship within the industry.
“I was getting distracted from my creativity for a long time with work,” says Monegro. “I got really lost in that world, disillusioned—just working, working, working. So, when I first found the building and walked in I felt it. Something was going to come out of the space that needed to happen: Creation and inspiration.”
Day passes to LaObra Café are released every two weeks through the LaObra newsletter. Each day pass comes with all-day access to the co-working space, as well as complimentary espresso, tea, and sometimes sweet treats like bespoke Mexican chocolates and pastries. Monegro only offers 40 passes per weekend and walk-ins are not allowed, so tickets are a hot commodity and sell out quickly once dropped into inboxes. This is to keep the cafe’s environment neither boisterous nor solemn, but somewhere harmoniously in the middle.
Primarily a photography and film studio called LaObra, the industrial workplace transforms into the inviting hangout spot only on the weekends. A typical Saturday at LaObra Café does not include any scheduled programming or activities. Instead, ticket purchasers are greeted by check-in, then are free to roam the space, find a cozy spot to set up, converse with fellow patrons, and work on laptops, sketchbooks, journals, or reading materials. The layout and feel of LaObra Café is so endearingly Brooklyn, from the brushed concrete floors and walls to the Noguchi paper lamps and smattering of floor cushions. Monegro designed the space to feel airy, but welcoming.
“When people come through, they can focus on whatever project they’re exploring at the moment, but then also they can look to the person next to them and spark conversation and inspiration very naturally. The space naturally allows for that—genuine, in-person connection,” explains Monegro.
LaObra Café is open on Saturdays from 10 am–5 pm at 53 Scott Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Ticket prices vary from $15–30 and are available through the LaObra newsletter.
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