Conversations with Mona Holmes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mona Holmes.

Hi Mona, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
How did I get my start? In a very non-linear path, which started with waiting tables in Los Angeles and being an avid reader. Back when print ruled the day, Sundays were dedicated to downtime by reading magazines, books, and newspapers. Especially the LA Weekly and Jonathan Gold’s Counter Intelligence column. He taught me how to explore LA through my own lens and how valuable that is for every Angeleno to take their own adventures around LA.

I started by working at KPCC, then in non-profit communications, before starting my own music site (Shejay) and a cooking blog. I pitched around to different outlets and published a handful of stories before landing at Eater LA in 2017. A year later, KCRW gave me a comfortable home to expand my reach to listeners. Writing about dining culture and Los Angeles is truly a joy for me.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Earning a living as a writer is just hard. The pay is not great, and we take a lot of abuse from people who don’t always fully understand media and how it works. Because of social media, I hear or read criticisms about my coverage fairly regularly.

Watching our written work be surpassed by influencers (who often use Eater stories as source material) is deeply frustrating. One of the worst is when someone repeats a line a chef has said to me, which was only accessible after years of cultivating the relationship. But there is rarely, if ever, any attribution. I work overtime to get the details right. I make mistakes as any human does, but the pushback can be brutal.

There are fewer of us in LA writing about food. The number of LA County restaurants and food businesses surpasses that of any other county in the United States. By a lot.

Website traffic has changed the game over the last two years, making it more difficult to shine light on these establishments. It makes me sad because LA restaurants are struggling more than ever.

It can be a thankless job. But I understand their deep desire to serve as hospitality professionals.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Rapper and actor Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) said something years ago that resonated with me. I’m paraphrasing, but the meaning hits hard: “You claim the community that claims you.”

Does LA claim me? I thought about this for some time. As someone who has lived in LA for most of my adult life, I’ve discovered that She (LA) is complex, beautiful, heartbreaking, delightful, full of surprises, discoveries, joy, sadness, and frustrations. But I love and claim Los Angeles. Los Angeles loves and claims me, too.

I grew up in Altadena. Waking up to the San Gabriel Mountains every day throughout my childhood is something that I cherish. Being from Northeast LA had its own flavor and is fully unique from LA. Participating in athletics in Southern California is its own entity, as the culture embraces the year-round access to great weather. (Former volleyball player, gymnast, and high jumper).

I’ve lived in Culver City, Long Beach, Echo Park, Silver Lake, Long Beach, and Eagle Rock. All are unique spots to call home. Without KCRW, I wouldn’t have been immersed in fantastic music most of my adult life. This geographic diversity has shaped my point of view significantly since the 1990s.

All of these contributed to the type of writer I am today. I try to incorporate these experiences into my writing.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
That I was a Rose Princess on the Tournament of Roses Royal Court. It is a Pasadena thing. Teens from adjacent high schools try out to become one of seven members on an annual court. Our Grand Marshall that year was Gregory Peck. I spent much of my senior year of high school parading around town (pun intended) by promoting the organization. I learned so much. Am never shy about speaking in front of large crowds, appreciate a tailored outfit, and know how to work a room. It was the 80s, so my hair was HUGE. And fabulous.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eater.com/authors/mona-holmes
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monaeats/
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@monaeats

Image Credits:
Mona Holmes