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Green Beacon Foundation Workshop Saturday

We just received word of a new organization called the Green Beacon Foundation. Located in Elysian Heights, it focuses on environmental educational and teaches people how to lead more sustainable lives through workshops and lectures.

They’ve got a workshop coming up this Saturday, April 17 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm entitled “PLASTIC: The Good, The Bad & The Deadly.”

Our homes are filled with plastics, and most of us don’t really know what they’re made of – or whether they’re safe.  Nancy Astid Lindo of Astrid Design Studio is back again to enlighten us on just how we can effectively reduce or eliminate the use of plastic inside the home and in our bodies. More than a workshop, this is a call to action. We must take a stand for our health and that of the planet and begin to eliminate the use of plastics as much as possible.

Cost is $10, you can pay online by clicking here. To RSVP and for address and directions, email Julie at contactgbf@gmail.com

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Flashback Fridays: Chavez Ravine (Part 1)

Photo of Chavez Ravine by Don Normark.

Ever heard of Chavez Ravine? A lot of people haven’t (even those who live right next to it) as it doesn’t really exist anymore. It was the neighborhood that the city of L.A. bulldozed in order to build Dodger’s Stadium. But that’s a whole other ball of wax, and a piece of history that will definitely be addressed in my next post. But I figured (what with baseball season beginning this week) it would be timely to write a Chavez Ravine-related post.

Julian Chavez was the man after which Chavez Ravine was named and the original “owner” of the land on which Dodger’s Stadium now sits. Chavez came to California from New Mexico in the 1830s. At the time, California was part of Mexico and was transitioning from being dominated by Spanish-owned missions to being divided into ranchos. During this period, one had only to petition the ayuntamiento (city council) and ask for a piece of land. In this way, Chavez acquired the 83 acres of land near downtown in 1844 that became known as Chavez Canyon.

His land was used by the county as the site of a pest farm/isolation hospital (I can only imagine that this would be a place that they sent people to die) during the 1850s and 1880s when there were local smallpox outbreaks. It was primarily used to house Chinese and Mexicans who suffered from the disease. A smallpox hospice was on the site of Dodger’s Stadium. Isn’t this interesting?!?!

In 1846, California passed from Mexican to American hands. Six years later, in 1852, Chavez was elected to the first L.A. County Board of Supervisors. He continued to serve the city in various roles until his death in 1879.

Stay tuned for next week’s installment of Flashback Fridays: Chavez Ravine!

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Restaurant and Business Roundup

New restaurants and businesses:

Other new news

  • Buy: A Guide to the Public Stairways of Echo Park by Bob Inman aka “Stairway God” (buy here)
  • The old Ramona Theater is to become El Camino, a restaurant and bar serving beer and wood-fired pizzas. The opening has been pushed back from Thanksgiving 2010 to some time in 2011 (probably)
  • Warwick vintage store has moved to 1205 Sunset Blvd

Ongoing/Weekly Restaurant Specials

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Tax Man Got You Down?

It’s unavoidable now – today is officially tax day. Whether or not you paid the government or got a refund, you might find good company enjoying some cheap eats and drinks in Echo Park tonight.

Happy hour specials and fun to-dos:

  • Allston Yacht Club: from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, house wine, imported beers and selected cocktails are $4, and four rotating snack selections for $4 each.
  • The Short Stop: every day from 5 – 8:00 pm, $2.00 PBR, free pool and jukebox, drink specials, and more.
  • City Sip: starting at 5:30, $4.00 beer and wine.
  • Stories Books: four-play! reading at 7:30 pm on the patio.
  • 2HeadedHorse: Campfire songs with Micha and Leighton at 7:00 pm

And so you don’t forget, there are many ongoing specials throughout the week in Echo Park:

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Is it another crackdown?

A resident posted on the Echo Elysian Neighborhood Council forum information this afternoon about the fruit cart vendor on Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Boulevard:

As we were driving down EP Ave. today, I was telling my son how excited I was that there was a fresh squeezed orange juice vendor on the corner of Sunset/EP. To my horror, we reached Sunset where police cars and Public Safety trucks were carting off the fruit vendors. As a public health nurse, I appreciate the health and safety concerns, but feel there should be a way to facilitate their presence. They really do provide a public good- people have access to fresh fruit with more selection than the bottled-in-plastic stuff you buy in the store. They are a part of what makes EP “old neighborhood,” and I think should be preserved. Does anyone know why they were carted off?

It may be the Health Department conducting a “crackdown” of some kind on the food vendors in Echo Park. We’ll keep you updated if more information becomes available.

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Grilled Cheese Sampler at AYC is Cheesylicious

AYC's Grilled Cheese Sampler

Guanabana with gin

Last Tuesday night was Allston Yacht Club’s first Grilled Cheese Night in honor of National Grilled Cheese Month, and we think they’ve got the right idea serving up a four grilled cheese sampler to gear up for the Grilled Cheese Invitational on April 24.

The happy hour drink of the evening was called something along the lines of a fruity gin concoction, consisting of guanabana nectar, gin and lime with a campari float. It was a really refreshing drink after walking around Echo Park earlier in the evening.

As far as the sampler went, I wasn’t surprised that it was delicious (most of the menu items at AYC are well-prepared). The samplers went like this: White cheddar cheese with green chili pepper, goat cheese with basil pesto, Swiss cheese with balsamic roasted onions, and feta cheese with olive tapenade and roma tomatoes, all served on a soft, buttery french baguette. My favorite was the feta with tapenade, and I was most surprised by the cheddar with green chili peppers (I don’t normally enjoy green chili peppers, but the balance between cheese and chili was just right). Overall, the experience was delightful, and the service excellent as always.

Don’t miss out – the next Grilled Cheese Night is on Tuesday, April 20. They’ve also revived some new happy hour specials: from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, house wine, imported beers and selected cocktails are $4, and four rotating snack selections for $4 each.

Allston Yacht Club is located 1320 Echo Park Ave.

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Sports and Recreation in Echo Park

via timothy.steingraeber's Flickr

We recently received a lovely letter from one of our readers:

I would love to be a part of a softball team in our area but there is little or no info out there.  I know Los Angeles has a recreational sports website but they don’t really offer anything local.  Elysian Park has fields that are usually open and if there is enough interest around town, maybe we could organize a Sunday league.  Do you have any thoughts, info, suggestions?

Why, yes, dear reader. We do have some thoughts, info and suggestions! The Echo Park Recreation Center is located at 1632 Bellevue Ave (across from the lake, on both sides of the 101 freeway). It has tennis courts, a baseball diamond, basketball courts and a lot more. The center is under construction, so some of its facilities (such as the outdoor pool) are not accessible at the moment. They also offer a bunch of classes and leagues for kids, but adult teams and leagues are a little more scarce. I recommend checking out their Facebook page for announcements. You can also call them at 213-250-3578 (the phone number on their Facebook page is incorrect) or drop in. Don’t let the scaffolding fool you, they are open right now. Their hours are 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Friday, Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:45 pm and Sunday from 9:00 am to 2:45 pm.

If aquatic activities are more your bag, I suggest checking out the Echo Park Deep Pool. There is a full-sized indoor pool and offer swimming and water exercise classes. It’s located at 1419 Colton St. The cost for adults is $2.50 to swim, but with your Library card it’s only $2.00.

Another suggestion we have is to look outside the borders of our neighborhood. The Silver Lake Recreation Center has an indoor gym, basketball courts and a baseball diamond. However, they offer mostly classes for kids.Your best bet for adult and senior classes is the Griffith Park Adult Community Center. They offer yoga, tai chi, cardio classes and more.

Another fun thing that you more adventurous types might want to check out: the Los Angeles Dodgeball Society. There’s a Silver Lake league that starts up on April 25th.

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Friday Night Sobriety Check in Echo Park

Schedule your designated drivers now, because tomorrow night (Friday, April 16) the LAPD will be conducting a sobriety check in Echo Park on Glendale Blvd and Effie Street from 8:00 pm – 3:00 am.

From the LAPD press release:

The purpose of the sobriety checkpoint is to reduce the number of traffic collisions involving intoxicated drivers and hit and run collisions. In 2010, residents residing in the Northeast Area have endured 32 driving under the influence-related and 280 hit and run traffic collisions. The checkpoint will educate the community to use designated drivers and not drink and drive. Our message is simple: If we catch you drunk, you will be arrested.

For more information, please contact Officer Don Inman, Traffic Coordination Section, at 213-486-0703.

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Opening Day!!

I woke up yesterday to the familiar tones of people alternately cheering and arguing while walking down my street. I knew this could only mean one thing: opening day. To be honest, I have a love/hate relationship with baseball season. I live right near Dodger’s Stadium, and it can get a bit rowdy. Which is a blast when the Dodgers do well. It’s nice to see everyone in the neighborhood with smiles on their faces. It’s less fun when someone asks me if they can park in front of my driveway. Really, dude?!?!

But I think this season is gonna be a good one. I can feel it in my bones… and in my liver. At about 1:00 pm, two of my friends came by my house already a bit tipsy and carrying foam cups full of beer. They had been tailgating since 8:00 am. I enjoy drinking in the middle of the day as much as any other red-blooded American. So, I put on my blue, and we all headed down to the Short Stop. And I brought my camera with me to document our adventures.

This Is My Town

Short Stop

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826LA’s Dead Author Readings at Upright Citizens Brigade

This Friday, April 16 at 7:00 pm, 826LA will be hosting a show entitled “Dead Author Readings” at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. About the show:

Thanks to the miracle of science, very famous, extremely dead authors time travel to the present and are brought together to discuss their lives and works! But mostly, these dead authors fight like dead cats and dead dogs! And the audience gets to ask questions! That’s you! YOU are the audience! YOU get to ask questions! INTERACTIVE!!!
Moderated monthly by H.G. Wells (played by Paul F. Tompkins)

Tickets are $5 and all proceeds benefit 826LA. RSVP and learn more about the show here.

The UCB Theatre is located at 5919 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles 90028

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Summer Drumming Classes for Kids at Bedrock Studios

Bedrock in Echo Park is offering basic drumming classes for kids age 9 to 16 this summer. Presented in association with Dixon Drums, the two-week course is led by studio/live drummer John Montgomery, and takes place  from July 12-24. There is a morning group (9:00 am – 1:00 pm) and an afternoon group (1:30 – 5:30 pm). The classes themselves are not free, but a limited number of scholarships are available courtesy of the Los Angeles Performing Arts Foundation.

Bedrock is having a free open house on Saturday, April 24 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm for those interested in the summer session to meet the staff, play drums, and take part in a demonstration.

For more information, call Bedrock at 877-6BEDROCK (ext 7), 213-673-1473 (ext 7), or email them at lessons@bedrockla.com

Bedrock Studios is located at 1623 Allesandro St.

Here’s the full flyer:

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Possible LAPD Hiring Freeze

The E-Police Newsletter sent out yesterday contains a message from Captain Bill Murphy regarding the LAPD hiring freeze everyone is talking about. Here’s the message:

By now most of you are aware of the budget crisis facing the City of Los Angeles. Many city departments have all ready experienced cut backs resulting in a reduction in city services. Possibly tomorrow, the City Council may vote on a hiring freeze for the LAPD. If the motion passes, the Department may see an estimated reduction of several hundred personal by the end of the year due to attrition. We are all ready experiencing a reduction in the number of personal deployed in both detective and field officers due to the elimination of cash overtime. Officers are currently being compensated by compensatory time off. Once officers reach a designated amount, they are required to take extra days off, reducing our deployment. As of now, this is reducing the amount of officers in the field by over six percent. With a hiring freeze, this number will increase. Over the last several years, we have seen a significant decrease in gang activity and violent crime. The Department is dedicated to providing the best service possible. We do not want to take a step backward. It is hoped that the community shares my concerns. Please take an active part by contacting your councilperson and urging them to vote against a hiring freeze. Even though this message is being sent on short notice, if you can, please attended the council meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) and let your voice be heard.

Related Links:
Investigations sit idle as LAPD detectives hit overtime caps – LA Times, April 12, 2010
Council’s budget committee recommends LAPD hiring freeze – LA Times, April 12, 2010
Is a LAPD Hiring Freeze on the Way? – LAist, April 13, 2010

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It Was a Nice Day for Baseball

We don’t want you to think that all we do is complain about Dodger Stadium and game days, so we’re going to enjoy this nice evening in Echo Park and end Opening Day 2010 on a positive note. That note being: it was really a gorgeous day for some baseball! And another one, for good measure, the Dodgers won against the Diamondbacks 9-5.

Getting through the Stadium parking lot

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DJs and Flatscreen TVs: Dodger Fans Party in the Park

Photo by The Eastsider LA

This is a little crazy, but they look like they’re enjoying themselves! The Eastsider LA has some great photos of the craziness going on in Elysian Park right now, click here to check it out.

We heard the fly-over from Atwater Village just a few minutes ago, and the Twitter word is that LeAnn Rimes will be singing the national anthem, then Will I Am will be tossing the ceremonial first pitch.

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Get Your Grilled Cheese on at AYC Tonight

AYC Grilled Cheese

In celebration of National Grilled Cheese Month, Allston Yacht Club will be hosting two Grilled Cheese Nights this month on Tuesday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 20. The restaurant will be serving a sampling of four different grilled cheese sandwiches for just $10. I’ll be headed over tonight for the first Grilled Cheese Night, and will be sure to let you know how it goes!

Also, Chef Mike D. will be creating a different grilled cheese sandwich every week—that’s 52 different grilled cheeses per year. The last grilled cheese sandwich I tried at AYC included an olive tapenade which, despite my date’s initial reservations, was incredibly delicious.

Allston Yacht Club will also be participating in the upcoming Grilled Cheese Invitational in Los Angeles on April 24, where some 300 competitors will vie for bragging rights for who makes the BEST grilled cheese sandwich. An estimated 8,000 grilled cheese fanatics are expected to attend.

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