Thank you for your patience. Our second year online started off with a bang! And then the site went down.
You/we/everyone are no longer at risk for viruses, but as always feel free to let us know if you run into any technical issues with the site.
Thanks again!
A friend's dog, Murray, is missing right now in Echo Park
A recent personal experience has prompted me to share with everyone some basic information about what to do when you find a lost cat or dog wandering the streets of Echo Park. Here are some steps and suggestions for what to do:
I got a lot of help from someone at the Echo Park Animal Alliance, a great resource for residents. They “feed, foster and re-home stray dogs dumped in Elysian Park, raise funds for local animals’ medical expenses, offer free pet food and shelter to the neediest members of our community.” There are some really cute dogs and cats up for adoption through the EPAA, you an take a look at those animals through its website by clicking here.
Xoia Vietnamese restaurant (pronounced soy-yah) opened up last Friday, and we finally got a chance to go check out the new diggs and try out the menu.
Right now, Xoai is having a soft opening – meaning there is a limited menu and cash only (that was a surprise for us – we had to run down to the ATM a couple of blocks away for cash). They don’t serve alcohol yet, but according to Eating LA may apply for a license some day.
Echo Park Now didn’t attend the restaurant’s “community night” on Monday where bloggers and press were treated to sample the soft opening menu, so we ventured out last night and ordered just a couple of dishes on our own. I was feeling under the weather, and with the temperature outside unusually cool lately, I had to warm up with some pho. I ordered the vegetarian Pho Chay with tofu, my dinner date the Pho Tai with rare steak.
The broth is delicious – heavy on the anise flavors and plentiful. At first I didn’t think the broth had enough heat (I like mine spicy and steaming hot), but that was nothing a little sriracha didn’t fix. As mentioned, the vegetarian dish had plenty of broth and plenty of noodles, and while there were only about five chunks of tofu there were a LOT of mushrooms (mini portabello I believe). I’m not a huge fan of mushrooms (flavor good, chewing not so much), so I avoided those as much as I could. Other than that, it was tasty and while I put good dent in the bowl I couldn’t finish the whole thing in one sitting.
Vegetarian Pho
Oh yes, and my dinner partner really liked the Pho Tai.
I don’t eat red meat, but there seemed to be a pretty good balance between poultry, red meat, and vegetarian options. Though the menu doesn’t say, I did ask our server and the spring rolls do come vegetarian as well (on the menu they have pork and shrimp).
For the week of Monday, June 28 through Sunday, July 4.
Monday
Rainbow^Arabia, Gary Wilson & The Blind Dates, Tame Impala, Weave! @ The Echo (FREE!)
Cold Mold, Vulture, Fuckass, Treasure Mammal, Jamuel Saxton @ Pehrspace
New Music Monday feat. Buzz or Howl, Daryl Shaun + guests @ Echo Curio
Stone Axe @ Origami Vinyl
Tuesday
Johnny O’Donnell’s Pratfall Effect, Mack Winston and the Reflections, Dante VS Zombie @ The Echo
Wednesday
Hot Hot Heat, Voxhaul Broadcast, 1, 2, 3 @ Bootleg Theater
KSCR presents Asura + Shlohmo @ Origami Vinyl
Thursday
Dum Dum Girls, Crocodiles, Dunes, Soft Healer @ The Echo
Batwings Catwings, I.E., Luna Is Honey, Michael Nhat, Kid Infinity @ Echo Curio
These Are Photos: A Collection By Danny Krug music by My Pet Saddle @ Origami Vinyl
Friday
Mates of State, Free Energy, Nick Thune @ The Echo
The Foreign Resort @ Origami Vinyl
Saturday
Mates of State, Free Energy, Nick Thune @ The Echo
Moses Campbell’s summer tour fundraiser feat. Moses Campbell, Pizza!, Rare Grooves, Voice on Tape, Ostrich Eyes, Heller Keller, PROTECTME, Nouns, Sober Two Year Olds, Forts, Moriel Berger @ Pehrspace
Closing party with Mammoth Life, Cave Country + Special Guests @ Echo Curio
Sunday
Part Time Punks feat. Magic Bullets’ record release, The Tartans @ The Echo
Shout-out to LAist
Monday
Concrete Blonde, Flametal, Shok @ Henry Fonda Music Box Theater
One Eskimo @ Largo at the Coronet
Anjulie @ Bardot (RSVP Only)
We Barbarians, Rumspringa, Kissing Cousins, Stone Darling @ Spaceland (FREE!)
Rainbow^Arabia, Gary Wilson & The Blind Dates, Tame Impala, Weave! @ The Echo (FREE!)
Line and Circle, The Minor Canon, HT Heartache, Wet & Reckless @ Silver Lake Lounge (FREE!)
First Ever Hotel Comedy Night feat. Neal Brennan, Ian Bagg, Brent Weinbach, Josh Haness, Steven Benaquist, Amy Dresner + more; Music by Nikki Lynn Katt & Zachariah & The Lobos Riders @ The Hotel Café
Cold Mold, Vulture, Fuckass, Treasure Mammal, Jamuel Saxton @ Pehrspace
New Music Monday feat. Buzz or Howl, Daryl Shaun + guests @ Echo Curio
Tuesday
Taking Back Sunday, Rufio @ The Wiltern
Blitzen Trapper, The Moondoggies @ El Rey Theatre
The Parson Red Heads, Wheelhouse, Ghost Kings, Goldenboy @ Spaceland
Tame Impala, White Arrows, Bowery Beasts @ Silver Lake Lounge
Nicole Simone’s record release, Sam Bradley, Grouplove, Tim Williams @ The Hotel Café
Johnny O’Donnell’s Pratfall Effect, Mack Winston and the Reflections, Dante VS Zombie @ The Echo
The Gracious Few, Royal Bliss @ Troubadour
Saint Vitus, Stone Axe @ The Viper Room
The Submarines @ Detroit Bar
Wednesday
Hot Hot Heat, Voxhaul Broadcast, 1, 2, 3 @ Bootleg Theater
Sally Seltmann, Jasmine Ash (Canceled!)
Damien Jurado, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, Hi Ho Silver Oh, Tenlons Fort @ Spaceland
Oona, Bullet and Snowfox, Big Moves @ Silver Lake Lounge
Golden State, The Break and Repair Method, John Lefler, The Wandering Bears, The Western Front @ The Hotel Café
60 Watt Kid, White Arrows, DJ Dirty Diaz, Death At Space Camp @ The Viper Room
Thursday
Gulf Coast Benefit feat. Kaki King, Ben Lee, Carina Round, Rachael Cantu, The Silver Lake Chorus @ The Mint
Dum Dum Girls, Crocodiles, Dunes, Soft Healer @ The Echo
Also I Like To Rock feat. Saint Motel, Kitten @ Hammer Museum
Year Long Disaster, Waxy, Open Hand, Solare @ Spaceland
The Foreign Resort, Tigers Can Bite You, Dreamtiger, Space Waves @ Silver Lake Lounge
Batwings Catwings, I.E., Luna Is Honey, Michael Nhat, Kid Infinity @ Echo Curio
Tiny Little, Ostrich Eyes, Disciple of Saturn, Plasma Center @ The Smell
B-Kids, The Legion of Dumb, Anesthetic Frank, Cosmonots @ Mr. T’s Bowl
Gary Jules, Garrison Starr, Congos, Scott Mellis @ The Hotel Café
See Spot, The Bohunks, The Debonaires @ Troubadour
Sloan @ House of Blues Sunset Strip
Pinback presents The Rob and Zach Show @ Detroit Bar
Friday
CocoRosie, Cibelle, Busdriver @ The Orpheum Theatre
Dam-Funk, Master Blazter, Peanut Butter Wolf @ Troubadour
Mates of State, Free Energy, Nick Thune @ The Echo
Fishtank Ensemble @ Levitt Pavillion (FREE! 85 E. Holly Street, Pasadena)
The Entrance Band, The Growlers, VOICEsVOICEs @ The Smell
Rademacher @ Casey’s Irish Bar & Grill
Wallpaper, Rob Roy, White Apple Tree @ Spaceland
Black Light Revelation, Wulfbane, Die Fast, The Beatmeters, El Death @ Mr. T’s Bowl
Zac Poor, Jennifer Quiroz, Army of Me, Tiff Randol, Sonnett, Marcus Very Ordinary @ The Hotel Café
Nobody @ Amoeba Music (FREE!)
Saturday
Hootenanny 2010 feat. Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Old 97’s, Shooter Jennings, Nick 13 (of Tiger Army) and more @ Oak Canyon Ranch (5305 Santiago Canyon Rd. Irvine)
Mates of State, Free Energy, Nick Thune @ The Echo
Steel Train, Shadow Shadow Shade, Matt Embree, Young The Giant @ El Rey Theatre
Los Pinguos @ Levitt Pavillion (FREE! 85 E. Holly Street, Pasadena)
Baths, Daedelus, El Ten Eleven, Matthewdavid @ Troubadour
Moses Campbell’s summer tour fundraiser feat. Moses Campbell, Pizza!, Rare Grooves, Voice on Tape, Ostrich Eyes, Heller Keller, PROTECTME, Nouns, Sober Two Year Olds, Forts, Moriel Berger @ Pehrspace
Stevenson Ranch Davidians @ Casey’s Irish Bar & Grill
Closing party with Mammoth Life, Cave Country + Special Guests @ Echo Curio
blectum from blechdom, Captain Ahab, Foot Village, E&E @ The Smell
Love Revisited, Hot As Balls, Quincy Blaque Trio @ Spaceland
The Janks, John Torres, White Lights, Katelyn Benton, Kristin Diable @ The Hotel Café
Death at Space Camp, Blond Summer, Black Angel, Dark Underground, Inside the Black @ Mr. T’s Bowl
Miss Kittin, Paolo Mojo @ Avalon
Carte Blanche, Destructo @ Key Club
Sunday
Part Time Punks feat. Magic Bullets’ record release, The Tartans @ The Echo
Las Sangronas Y El Cabrón, Stella Pace, Sin Remedio, Desmadre En Krisis, Social Concern, Angustia @ The Smell
Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 29 at 7:00 pm is the GEPENC Planning, Public Works, Parks and Land Use Committee meeting. An item of interest is the motion/action about a 64-unit complex going up at 2229 Sunset Blvd in Echo Park. This is the site of the former community garden, now possibly the site for the 65,000+ square foot residential complex.Go to the meeting if you’re interested in learning more!
Also, according to agenda item D-2, Rodeo Grill might be getting a full liquor license (they upgraded to beer and wine at the end of last year). I’m all for it as long as the margaritas are tasty!
Here’s the meeting agenda from the GEPENC website:
COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, June 29, 2010 – 7:00 p.m.
GEPENC Office and Community Center
1572 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90026
(entrance off of Echo Park Avenue)
A. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS:
B. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS**:
Comments from the public on non-agenda items within the Committee’s jurisdiction. Two minutes per speaker.
C. REPORTS:
D. MOTIONS & RESOLUTIONS (Discussion Items/Possible Committee Action):
E. FUTURE COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEMS
F. ANNOUNCEMENTS
G. ADJOURNMENT
* Time allocations for agenda items are approximate and may be shortened or lengthened at the discretion of the Chairperson.
Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of Echo Park Now! We have also surpassed 600 posts since that first one on June 27, 2009.
We’d like to give a hearty thanks to everyone out there who read and respond to our posts.Your comments are very important to us and are a very integral part of our dialog regarding all the activities in the neighborhood. We couldn’t do that without your comments, tips, and questions.
We do the best we can to provide you with as much accurate information as possible, but sometimes we may forget or overlook some things (we are a small group of volunteers living in Echo Park, so we don’t get paid or sponsored). We encourage you, our wonderful readers, to comment on our articles, and share information about what’s going on in Echo Park! We would also love for you to participate in other ways – if you are interested in being a guest blogger, please email us.
The past year we have really worked hard to develop Echo Park Now as a source for residents to know what’s going on from a youthful and multifaceted perspective – we’ve written about Echo Park history and community activism, as well as information about music, events, businesses, non-profits, traffic, and even the occasional rumor.
We decided to call the website Echo Park Now – the word “Now” being not just about expediency, but also about engaging residents in all things Echo Park, and getting us all involved in the many unique facets of this community. That’s why, in addition to the website, we have personally taken time to volunteer and be a part of the community in many other way. We encourage you to as well – our Community Resources section contains information about volunteer opportunities, and ways to get involved in local government and community activism.
And as always, we are on Twitter constantly sharing small-item news and comments (our Twitter feed is always displayed on the right of the articles pages).
We’d also like to give a special shout-out to everyone else working hard to keep you updated about what’s going on in Echo Park:
(You can also see all related sites here)
Thank you again, everyone, and we look forward to another wonderful year!
The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority are teaming up for free family campfires each week throughout the summer.
Along with the campfire, naturalist staff will be in attendance to help demonstrate how to perfect the roasted marshmallow! From the email invitation: “This summer, pack up the family, a picnic dinner, a blanket and head to any one of our four weekly campfire programs…. Programs are complete with an interpretive nature program, campfire songs, and activities.”
Closest to Echo Park is the Vista Hermosa Park campfire evening, which takes place every Wednesday at 7:00 pm starting July 7.
Vista Hermosa Park is located at 100 N. Toluca Street (near Glendale and Beverly Blvd.)
Click here for more info about the other Los Angeles campfire locations.
When Echo Park resident Celeste Alleyne isn’t working full-time at Microsoft as the Director of Community Affairs and Corporate Citizenship, she is baking up some delicious cupcakes through Soul Cups, her very own Los Angeles-based catering company.
We caught wind of Celeste and Soul Cups with the announcement of a tasting event of Soul Cups at Say Cheese Cafe, happening this weekend in Silver Lake!
“Say Cheese is an amazing establishment with the type of design esthetic and food insight I adore-Glenn Harrell is my mentor who has graciously asked me to showcase my cupcakes for every holiday in his cafe,” she says.
Make sure to stop by Say Cheese Cafe, located at 2800 Hyperion Ave in Silver Lake (right by the Trader Joe’s). The tasting event goes on Saturday, June 26 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. We definitely plan on stopping by to support our fellow Echo Park resident, especially since they are showcasing flavors like Strawberry Twist, Lemon Drop and Muddy Water Chocolate cupcakes. You’ll be able to taste, as a sample, Blueberry, Strawberry Twist and Apple Pie cupcakes (the samples are like mini cupcakes, which she calls “baby dots”). Yum!
Le Magnifique Sample SaleSample sales happen all the time downtown where it can be hard/expensive to park. It’s nice when Echo Park gets to play host to some fashionable discounts.
Le Magnifique is an LA-based and -made clothing line designed by French designer Nils Kock. Graphic and limited editions T-shirts (for men and women) will be available for up to 70% off retail price. Prices start at $5.
The company also has a pretty cool blog on its website.
Fix Coffee is holding a free Local Artisans Bazaar the last Sunday of every month, starting this Sunday (June 27)!
Local artisans will be selling their wares, sidewalk chalk artists will be coloring up the area, and band African Cowboy will be playing starting at 4:00 pm. Bring your families, friends, and even doggies are welcome. They will provide chalk for the kids to join in.
The Bazaar goes from 2:00 – 7:00 pm.
If you are interested in playing or vending at the venue, please email Veronica Hunt at screamingchica@mac.com
Fix Coffee is located at 2100 Echo Park Ave (at Baxter)
Tweets started coming in not too long ago about road closures and traffic building up on Sunset Blvd., and The Eastsider LA is now reporting that police are searching for a gunman following a possible shooting.
Photo via resident and business owner Justin Warwick
The photo above, taken by Warwick owner Justin Warwick, shows that LAPD are diverting traffic on Sunset Blvd.
In addition, ABC7 is reporting the following:
LAPD officers were on the scene of a reported shooting near Echo Park on Sunset Blvd. Thursday afternoon.
The shooting occurred on the 1300 block of West Sunset Blvd. at about 4:13 p.m. Thursday, according to the LAPD.
One person has been transported by firefighters.
No suspects were arrested.
Police did not immediately release further details.
Los Angeles Police were investigating the incident.
We’ll keep you posted! Follow us on Twitter!
UPDATES:
LA NOW reports that one man at the pot dispensary, The Higher Path, where the robbery took place was killed, while another is in the hospital. The Echo Park robbery occured at around 4:15 pm, and hours later at 9:15 pm another dispensary was robbed El Centro Avenue in Hollywood, leaving another employee dead. The LAPD have not yet determined whether or not the two events are linked.
The much-anticipated Dodgers versus Yankees series starts tomorrow, and the Stadium is preparing for the crowds and some unusual start times. Neighborhood Relations Manager Noel Pallais just sent out an email to community members about some of the steps the stadium is taking to “minimize the impact on our neighbors”:
Dear Neighbor:
As has been our commitment to inform the surrounding community of upcoming events, we have listed below updated information for games to be played this weekend at Dodger Stadium against the New York Yankees. Please note that in an effort to minimize the impact on our neighbors due to the starting times being different than our regularly scheduled weekend games we are working very closely with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (DOT); additionally, as was the case during this past Opening Day and last year’s National League Division and Championship Series, all of our parking gates will open 2 ½ hrs prior to the start of the games:
Friday, June 25th – 7:10PM
Parking gates will open at 4:40PM and Stadium gates will open 5:10PM.
Saturday, June 26th – 4:10PM
Parking gates will open at 1:40PM and Stadium gates will open by 2:10PM.
Sunday, June 27th – 5:05PM
Parking gates will open at 2:40PM and Stadium gates will open by 3:10 pm.
Do note that for all three games LAPD and DOT are treating this weekend series as 3 separate Opening Days. To this end, DOT will have an earlier deployment of officers in an effort to keep arteries open for community members to access their neighborhoods. Additionally, LAPD will, also schedule an earlier deployment, as well as deploy an increased numbers of officers, to proactively patrol the surrounding community, especially the area in and around the park. Also, the City of Los Angeles will enact street a closure for Lilac Terrace between Stadium Way and Lookout Way from 12:00AM on Friday, June 25th and continuing to 11:00PM on Sunday, June 27th for staging purposes and game preparations. During this closure emergency access will be maintained at all times.
Also, we are actively encouraging all fans to arrive early, carpool and take the Dodger Stadium Express shuttle from Union Station to help alleviate parking congestion. We recently sent out a press release that noting that the Dodger Stadium Express picks up fans at the Patsaouras Bus Plaza adjacent to the east portal of Union Station and drops them off in the parking lot behind left/center field.
Finally, since safety is of paramount importance, all necessary traffic controls will be in place. Additionally, (323) 224-1363 is the 24-hour number you should use to report any security concerns.
The Scott gate will be open for exiting traffic for all games. I’ve asked Noel to see if DOT will provide assistance on the corner of Sargent and Scott Avenue at the stop sign to help with the traffic.
As for fans – don’t expect to walk up on game-day to get tickets. The Dodgers didn’t sell individual tickets to the Yankees series, but reserved tickets for fans buying season seats or packages of 14, 21 or 28 games. It looks like you can get tickets on StubHub, but they won’t come as cheap as all the other games (right now, top deck prices are around $27.00 – ouch!).
I’ll be happily enjoying the game from home or at El Compadre myself. See you there!
MusiCares has teamed up with The Echo to throw a benefit concert to raise money for people affected by the Middle Tennessee floods tomorrow (Thursday, June 24) at 7:00 pm. Cost is $20 benefiting Musicares Nashville Flood Relief Fund.
The lineup for the event includes Carlene Carter, along with Dave Alvin, Exene Cervenka, Syd Straw (our neighbor in Echo Park!), Tony Gilkyson, Seaspin, The Damn Sons, and DJ Travis Keller.
From The Echo website:
Nashville and its surrounding communities were unexpectedly struck by a major disaster on Saturday, May 1. Many in this music community experienced significant loss — homes, cars, equipment, and rehearsal space — ruined by the unprecedented flooding in several communities. It has been estimated that only a fraction of those who experienced significant loss have adequate flood insurance to cover their damages. MusiCares understands the effects of this disaster in a unique way. Since our inception in 1989, it has been our mission to assist music industry people facing unexpected crises. MusiCares is poised and ready to help the Nashville music community get through this crisis.
MusiCares has established the MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief Fund to assist music people affected by the Middle Tennessee Floods. MusiCares’ initial assistance will provide funds for food and clothing, gasoline and transportation, cleanup efforts, relocation costs, medicine, and other critical supplies.
18 and over, click here for tickets.
Monday marked the first official day of summer! We’ve been lucky with the mild weather lately, but soon enough it’s going to get hot outside. If you’re like me and live in an old house with no central air, you’ll be looking for a place to cool down soon enough. Here are some good local places to go cool off:
Not to be confused with the Echo Park Shallow Pool by the Rec Center, the deep pool is located at 1419 Colton St. It’s super cheap too – adults get in for $2 with your library card (regularly $2.50)! Children and seniors are free. Some Yelp! reviews say the pool is pretty crowded, but I haven’t personally been yet so it’s worth a shot!
Website
Download PDF flyer of events/services, hours and pricing for 2010 (there are swimming lessons!)
Through September 3, hours are:
Monday-Friday: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Monday – Thursday: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Edendale: Located at 2011 West Sunset Boulevard, the library is a nice (and quiet!) place to go sit under an air conditioning vent and read a book. Unfortunately, city cuts have reduced library hours. So while you can’t go on Sundays, or before noon on some weekdays, the library is available. Click here for the website and hours.
Echo Park Library: Located at 1410 W. Temple Street, the Echo Park Library always has something going on. There are lots of activities for kids, volunteer opportunities for high school students, computer classes, book sales, and more. Click here for the website and hours.
While the shallow pool looks like it’s closed for a while, the Rec Center still has barbecue pits and picnic tables, a really awesome playground, baseball diamond, basketball courts, football field, indoor gym, soccer field, and tennis courts. There are a ton of classes (from ballet to free kickboxing to cooking), adult and children’s leagues, and even an after school club. Click here for the PDF flyer of the 2010 program.
Any other brilliant ideas on how to cool down for summer in Echo Park? Let us know!
It took me a while, but I finally figured out who’s moving into 1528 1/2 W. Sunset Blvd after finding this post on the Eastsider LA. The newest addition to Echo Park’s businesses will be Montana LA, a boutique spray paint store. The brand Montana has been around for a while (at least ten years)* and offers high end spray cans as well as markers, black and sketchbooks and apparel. As well as selling products, the company also sponsors artists, projects, events and does charity work. The store should be opening soon as its website announces that it will open in early 2010.
*Montana Cans (or German Montana) is not to be confused with Montana Colors (or Spanish Montana). The two companies seem to have a long and sordid history. See this PDF.