Where they stand

Some SoCal mags -- L.A. Confidential, Los Angeles and Angeleno -- are so, so ubiquitous. Others, such as Anthem and Beautiful Decay, are just beginning to carve out space on newsstand shelves. And the newest and specialty titles, such as Fugue and Arkitip, can be difficult to track down. Below, a pocket guide for periodical perusal.

Above the Fold: Walking districts are rare in L.A., but this chain has found them, making them as good for people watching as page flipping. Their three locations offer 750 to 950 titles each, tailored to neighborhood needs. The Fairfax stand, for example, offers newspapers in Hebrew and Russian, while Larchmont carries dozens of home design magazines. Third Street Promenade’s caters to tourists with maps, guidebooks and travel titles.

Third Street Promenade, between Arizona and Wilshire, Santa Monica, (310) 393-2690. Also: 226 N. Larchmont Blvd., L.A., (323) 464-6397; 370 N. Fairfax, L.A. (323) 935-8525.

Book Soup: Smack in the center of the strip, this outdoor adjunct to the Sunset Boulevard bookstore carries more than 2,000 titles. It’s particularly strong in locally produced magazines -- carrying hard-to-find titles such as Metro Pop, Anthem and Fugue -- and in international design, architecture and fashion, that is, it sells seven versions of Vogue.

8818 W. Sunset Blvd., W. Hollywood, (310) 659-3110.

Bungalow News: This cozy shop stocks about 7,000 titles -- from the intellectual (Atlantic Monthly) to the obscure (Bagel Digest), as well as locally published design mags like American Bungalow. It also stocks about 30 newspapers from the U.S. and abroad, including some in Arabic, French, Italian, German and Japanese.

746 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 795-9456.

Centerfold International Newsstand: This jam-packed news shack stocks about 4,000 magazines, including a number of self-explanatory niche publications like Anarchy and Red Neck Living and many locally published titles. About 75 international newspapers can also be found here, within spitting distance of a shelf crammed with obscure poetry journals.

716 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A., (323) 651-4822.

Circus of Books: Each location stocks a better-than-average selection of about 1,000 magazines, including a wide variety of action-sports, gay and local titles. But if you’re just looking for magazines, stay out of the adults-only back room.

8230 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 656-6533; 4001 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (323) 666-1304.

Hennessey & Ingalls: Though predominantly a high-end, art-and-architecture bookstore, the rack just inside the door boasts more than 100 magazines, from hard-to-find Italian design mags like Domus and Abitare to local artsy titles Arkitip and Beautiful Decay.

214 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 458-9074.

Los Feliz Newsstand: Offering just 600 titles, this smallish outdoor newsstand doesn’t offer the widest variety, though it does carry a number of established, locally produced titles. It’s also close to various cafes and eateries -- a perfect pit stop for some breezy reading to go with your coffee.

4657 Melbourne, L.A. (323) 661-8018.

Miracle Mile Newsstand Cafe: This neighborhood hangout is less notable for its magazines than its clientele of “regulars” who chill out and play chess. About 1,500 titles are available, for purchase or for leisurely perusal.

5325 Wilshire Blvd, L.A. (323) 525-0893.

Robertson Magazine & Book: This outdoor newsstand is among the biggest in the city, offering about 10,000 titles. One of the few that’s open 24 hours, it’s a favorite of night owls and .

1414 S. Robertson, L.A., (310) 858-1804.

Universal News Agency: This Hollywood stand carries about 1,000 magazines, from bestsellers like People to countercultural faves such as Adbusters. Their international selection includes newspapers from England to Croatia.

1639 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, (323) 467-3850.

What’s News: This bustling valley newsstand boasts thousands and thousands of titles. Just a few quick turns off the Ventura Freeway, it’s an easy stop to pick up some light reading for wherever you may be headed.

21900 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 704-9744.

World Book & News: This 24-hour stand carries paperbacks and maps, in addition to its 5,000 periodicals, which run the gamut from Soldier of Fortune to Vanity Fair. Looking for a jump on the day’s news? The 40 newspapers begin arriving at 5 a.m.

1652 Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 465-4532.