Meet Maya Irons | Writer & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maya Irons and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maya, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
There was never a moment in my life where I wasn’t expressing myself through creativity. As a kid, I had a new art project brewing pretty much every week. There were hand-drawn comic books, clay sculptures, stop-motion camcorder movies, and Barbie clothes sewn together with scrap fabric. There was never a doubt in my mind that I would end up in a creative field. Getting to spend my time writing and creating content for a living is the very predictable result of a very long journey!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When people discuss the type of person who parties in Los Angeles, they typically use words like “dumb,” “empty,” or “shallow.” A person who enjoys cocktails and dancefloors must not be very smart, because if they were, they’d apparently be at home reading a book and sipping a cup of tea. At some point I realized that being a writer with a penchant for silly nightlife adventures was actually something that made me unique. There aren’t many people who will stay out until 3am only to wake up the next day and compose a 1,200-word blog post about their experience. Embracing my destiny as the “intellectual party girl” has helped me build a brand that translates messy LA nightlife culture into coherent information that your average person can appreciate.

At the time I launched my website LALA Guide in 2022, people were just starting to feel comfortable emerging from their homes after years of being cooped up during the pandemic. Nobody knew which of their favorite venues had made it through the storm, or if they’d have to find all new destinations to call home.

I knew there was something missing in the coverage of the Los Angeles hospitality scene. Plenty of people write about restaurants, but rarely do you find up-to-date details about nightlife. What kind of crowd is it? When is the best day to go? Where’s the best area to take a birthday group shot? I felt called to create a central hub for people to reference as they did their research on post-quarantine nightlife destinations. I wanted to paint a realistic picture of what a night on the town can be–no pretension, no judgement, just reality. My coverage naturally expanded to include restaurants, hotels, and events as well. Some people love sticky dive bars and some love luxurious supper clubs, but everyone just wants to know the same thing before they leave the house: “What’s it going to be like when I get there?”

It’s taken me a lifetime to be able to stand on my own as a writer. I fell in love with screenwriting as a teenager, and pumped out screenplays that captured my coming-of-age experiences. I started an online lifestyle magazine in college where I managed a team of fellow students. I’ve had plenty of personal blogs, wrote the first draft of a novel, and have paid the bills as a professional copywriter. The biggest thing I’ve learned through exploring each of these branches of writing is that you have to write what fuels you. Work is a “push” but passion is a “pull.” Always pay attention to the thing that feels like it’s dragging you along by your hair because that’s what’s actually going to lead you somewhere you want to go.

I’ve had a great time watching my brand grow bigger and bigger each year. Being able to get the word out about Los Angeles hospitality venues has been incredibly fulfilling. Each and every email I get from a business owner thanking me for shining a spotlight on their venue makes the entire journey worthwhile. I’m still actively being dragged along by a fiery passion for “La La Land,” so I’m excited to see what the future holds!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Wow, you can cover a lot of ground in a week! My friends know I’m not afraid of a little travel time, so we would definitely be all over the place.

I’d make sure to take them to brunch spots like La Boheme and Bacari W. 3rd. for bottomless mimosas, or Superba and Salt’s Cure if they want a true Angeleno brunch experience. I’m a big fan of the vibes at Sunset at EDITION which would be a required visit for dancing under disco balls. We’d also have to do a Venice Beach bar hop with drinks at The Erwin rooftop, dinner at Teddy’s Red Tacos, and dancing at Townhouse.

On the Eastside, I’d make sure they kick off the week with Motown on Mondays at The Short Stop. We could also catch an al fresco happy hour at Alcove or bites at The Semi-Tropic before some live music at Zebulon. And can’t forget about the Valley! Idle Hour is a must-visit landmark and the tiki drinks at Tonga Hut are everything. Also can’t skip out on Midori for sushi. Needless to say, they’d absolutely eat and drink their way through every neighborhood in the city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to my Mom and Dad. They’ve supported me through each and every zig-zag in my creative journey and I couldn’t be more grateful. Not everyone’s parents are enthusiastic about creative pursuits, but I really lucked out being raised by two extremely supportive cheerleaders. Couldn’t have made it this far without them!

Website: https://lalaguide.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayatonight

Other: https://www.instagram.com/lala.guide