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Labor Day Fireworks at Dodger Stadium

It’s been an exciting few days in Dodgertown: Manny was traded to the White Sox, the McCourts are battling it out in court, and we won 3-0 against the Phillies last night (take that!). We might be nine games behind in the NL West, but that’s not going to stop a fireworks show on Friday night!

The Dodgers will be up against the San Francisco Giants (commence the usual rivalry bickering) in a three-game series starting Friday night. To commemorate Labor Day and Labor Day weekend, the Stadium will be hosting a fly-over by an LAPD helicopter, as well as a 15-20 minutes fireworks show at the end of the game on Friday night.

Assuming the LAFD doesn’t request the Dodgers cancel the fireworks due to weather concerns, the show will go on. They have set aside some tickets for residents of the Echo/Elysian Park and Solano Canyon areas who are interested in attending the game – email Noel Pallais at noelp@ladodgers.com with your address and telephone number no later than 9:00 am on Thursday.

The Stadium Neighborhood Focus phone number is (323) 224-2636 if you have any questions.

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Sneak Peak: Echo Park’s best margaritas

AYC's Spicy Margarita

What makes a good margarita? How should you order one? Where in Echo Park has the best margaritas?

As a self-proclaimed margarita specialist, I have been touring the Echo Park bars for the strongest and most delicious margaritas our little community has to offer. Hopefully I’ll find my way home after drinking all that tequila and publish my finds later this week!

In the meantime, share your thoughts in the comments section below! What’s your favorite kind of margarita I should be sampling?

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Echo Park resident offering LACC jewelry-making classes

Ever wanted to learn how to make your own jewelry (that didn’t involve your little cousin’s plastic beading kit)?

Artist Gordon Wainwright has been making and repairing jewelry for a long time, and has called Echo Park his home and his studio since 1987. In addition to creating his custom jewelry (he is strongly influenced by 1960s designs, but also creates his own modern looks and classical styles), he does jewelry repair and even teaches aspiring jewelers, jewelry designers and silversmiths.

This year, Gordon is also teaching classes at his Echo Park studio through Los Angeles City College (LACC) for the Fall semester. To make sure each student gets individual attention, classes are limited to 9 students, and registration for LACC is now open (classes start September 25).

To register for Gordon’s jewelry and silversmithing classes, register by calling (323) 953-4000 ext. 2650, 2651, 2652, or 2653. The registration fee is $135, and a materials fee of $60 is due to the instructor (cash or check only) at the first class.

Class descriptions and class numbers are as follows:

Silversmithing: Learn to create jewelry from silver and other precious and non-precious metals. During the 5 week class students will create a simple jewelry project of their own design.

Class #99524A: Saturdays, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon

Class #99524B: Saturdays, 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Class #99524C: Mondays, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Metal Casting: Learn the technique of metal gravity casting using cuttle bone, French sand, clay, centrifugal and vacuum casting using the lost wax process. Class #99523A  Tuesdays, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

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Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, August 30 through Sunday, September 5

Monday
Monday night residency: Fol Chen, Sister Crayon, Evan Voytas @ Echo
Ilo Mar, Emily Lacy, Sleepwalkers Local, Team Andrew (free) @ Echo Curio
Hypercolors (debut of new Mae Shi Band), Nicole Kidman, Generation, Dimples, So Many Wizards @ Pehrspace

Tuesday
Bobby Bare Jr., Blue Giant, Stephen Brower and the Silent Majority @ Echo
Drop for Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love! @ Echo Curio
Open mic night at 7:30 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
The Submarines, Obi Best, Sea Of Bees @ Bootleg Theater

Wednesday
The Spring Standards @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex & Echo
Open mic night at 7:00 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
Seven Saturdays Record Release, Helen Stellar Tape Deck Mountain @ Bootleg Theater
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 Pm @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Marijuana Deathsquads (Featuring P.O.S., Ryan Olson Of Gayngs, Har Mar Superstar, Isaac Gale, and former members of Cows), Holloys, Woah Hunx @ Echo
Katherine Sheehan Art Opening @ Origami Vinyl

Friday
Southern Culture on the Skids, Lynda Kay, Jeremiah and The Red Eyes @ Echo
Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love Opening @ Echo Curio
Stereo Total, Hawnay Troof, Kisses (Live), Allister Izenberg @ Echoplex
Media Blitz, Summer Vacation, Imperial Can, Roman Candles @ Pehrspace
Education, Other Bands TBA @ Tribal Cafe
Sky Parade, The Quarter After, The Dolly Rocker Movement, DJ Tami @ Bootleg Theater
Digital Aspergers Presents Echopulco #4: Poly Wave Experiment (PWE), Horse Thieves, HEP/Horse Intermediary Fukkk Orchestra, Hepa/Titus @ Sancho & DIY Gallery

Saturday
Bootie LA with DJ Tripp, DJ Paul V., R.A.I.D. @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Heather Woodbury’s As the Globe Warms, Kris Special, Barrie Rose, Worker Bees, Ugly Winner @ Echo Curio
George Glass, Off Campus, Geisha Boys @ Pehrspace
The Elite Entropy Hive Mind Night @ Tribal Cafe

Sunday
Part Time Punks – Smiths/Morrissey Nite with Guest DJ Jose Maldonado @ Echo
Cobalt Cranes, Night Beats, Boom Chick, The Myonics @ Echo Curio
Trestles – Electronic Music @ Tribal Cafe

For more information on weekly musical events like club nights, see our community resource pages.Visit the venue website for more information on the cost and times of shows. Venue information can be found in our community resource pages.

This list may not represent all the musical events happening in Echo Park this week – feel free to add more events in the comment section. All events listed are subject to change at any time. New events announced for the week after this posting may not be included.

Monday
Monday night residency: Fol Chen, Sister Crayon, Evan Voytas @ Echo
Ilo Mar, Emily Lacy, Sleepwalkers Local, Team Andrew (free) @ Echo Curio
Hypercolors (debut of new Mae Shi Band), Nicole Kidman, Generation, Dimples, So Many Wizards @ Pehrspace

Tuesday
Bobby Bare Jr., Blue Giant, Stephen Brower and the Silent Majority @ Echo
Drop for Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love! @ Echo Curio
Open mic night at 7:30 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
The Submarines, Obi Best, Sea Of Bees @ Bootleg Theater

Wednesday
The Spring Standards @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex & Echo
Open mic night at 7:00 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
Seven Saturdays Record Release, Helen Stellar Tape Deck Mountain @ Bootleg Theater
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 Pm @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Marijuana Deathsquads (Featuring P.O.S., Ryan Olson Of Gayngs, Har Mar Superstar, Isaac Gale, and former members of Cows), Holloys, Woah Hunx @ Echo
Katherine Sheehan Art Opening @ Origami Vinyl

Friday
Southern Culture on the Skids, Lynda Kay, Jeremiah and The Red Eyes @ Echo
Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love Opening @ Echo Curio
Stereo Total, Hawnay Troof, Kisses (Live), Allister Izenberg @ Echoplex
Media Blitz, Summer Vacation, Imperial Can, Roman Candles @ Pehrspace
Education, Other Bands TBA @ Tribal Cafe
Sky Parade, The Quarter After, The Dolly Rocker Movement, DJ Tami @ Bootleg Theater

Saturday
Bootie LA with DJ Tripp, DJ Paul V., R.A.I.D. @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Heather Woodbury’s As the Globe Warms, Kris Special, Barrie Rose, Worker Bees, Ugly Winner @ Echo Curio
George Glass, Off Campus, Geisha Boys @ Pehrspace
The Elite Entropy Hive Mind Night @ Tribal Cafe

Sunday
Part Time Punks – Smiths/Morrissey Nite with Guest DJ Jose Maldonado @ Echo
Cobalt Cranes, Night Beats, Boom Chick, The Myonics @ Echo Curio
Trestles – Electronic Music @ Tribal Cafe

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Monday Menus: Mooi introduces brunch

Mooi
Gourmet Raw Vegan
1700 W. Sunset Blvd. (in the Jensen’s Rec Center building, right on the corner)
(213) 413-1100

Hours:
Breakfast and Lunch, Monday-Saturday: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
Dinner, Wednesday-Saturday: 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Sunday Brunch: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Brunch just started yesterday (Sunday, August 29), so go check it out! Click here to view the entire Mooi menu.


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Cars of Echo Park: American

I’m a sucker for a classic car that can rock a kiddie car seat!

An "American" in the Vons parking lot

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Fun find: Echo Park street in Coke commerical

Just to prove to you that I can spot an Echo Park street from a mile away, here’s a video of a recent Diet Coke commercial with a brief shot of Academy Road (near Morton Ave. and Sargent Pl.) in Echo Park. Take a look at about 17 seconds:

There actually used to be a huge mural painted along each side of the corridor on Academy, but has been painted white for some time now.

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Flashback Fridays: A Brief History of Chavez Ravine and Dodgers Stadium in Photos

I sure hope you guys like photo posts, because I can not get enough of the photos of Echo Park in the USC Digital Library. The collection is full of awesome old photos, and I highly suggest you check it out.

Today, we are going to take a little photographic tour of Chavez Ravine and the early years of Dodger Stadium.

"They're playing ball in Chavez Ravine, 1957"

The text that goes with this photo reads, “Some day the Los Angeles Dodgers hope to be playing ball where Mrs. Barden Scott is playing with her three children, Richmond, 5; Matthew, 3, and Valerie, 18 months. She figures that when the Dodgers build their fancy new ball park in Chavez Ravine home plate will be just about where her home is. But first the Dodgers will have to buy up her place and a few others scattered through the area. Mrs. Scott is willing to sell, but some other owners aren’t.”

"Aerial shot of Chavez Ravine and surrounding area, 1959"

An aerial view of Chavez Ravine just before construction began on Dodgers Stadium.

“Dodger stadium (Chavez Ravine), 1961”

“Chavez Ravine Dodgers ball park, 1961”

Photos of Dodgers Stadium being built.

“Dodgers plant first tree in Chavez Ravine, 1961”

The text that goes with this photo reads: “The Dodgers will plant the first tree in the Chavez Ravine ball-park landscaping on Thursday morning March 9 at 9:30 am. The tree will be an ash — baseball bats are made from ash. Present will be Dick Walsh, Dodger Vice President, a bat boy in a Dodger uniform with a ball bat and Mrs. Carolyn Patterson, Chairman of Plant a Tree Week.” I want to know where this tree is!

“Dodger Stadium in Chavez Ravine at night, June 1, 1962”

A night game at Dodgers Stadium less than two months after it opened on April 10, 1962.

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Sunday: “LAB” at Fix Coffee in Echo Park

It’s that time again! Fix Coffee in Echo Park is hosting another Local Artisan Bazaar (LAB) Sunday (August 29).

Local artisans and crafters 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 dogs are welcome. For the kids, they have sidewalk chalk and a face painter.

The monthly bazaar is free, goes from 2:00 – 8:00 pm.

Fix is also holding a raffle for each bazaar, and are looking for a local and meaningful group to donate proceeds to. For more info, please contact Veronica screamingchica@mac.com

For more information, please contact Veronica Hunt at

Fix Coffee is located at 2100 Echo Park Ave (at Baxter).

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Happy 6th Birthday Masa!

A birthday celebration from a couple of years ago

It seems like yesterday we had just moved into the neighborhood and Masa had just opened its doors. It’s already be six whole years, and a lot of great stuff has happened: They serve awesome beer and wine, are very involved in the community, and recently introduced vegan pizza options to the menu. Happy birthday Masa!

As part of their traditional celebration, stop by Masa and grab a piece of Devil’s food cake with buttercream frosting tomorrow (Saturday, August 28)!

Masa is located at 1800 W. Sunset Blvd.

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Echo Park resident takes home the Comedy crown

This actually happened earlier this month, but I’m finally getting caught up on my TV-watching and I am very stoked for the winner of Last Comic Standing. Felipe Esparza was born and raised in Boyle Heights, but he now calls Echo Park his home. He’s hilarious and we look forward to seeing him around Echo Park!

Felipe is also a former Homeboy, and will be donating a portion of his winnings to Homeboy Industries!

Speaking of seeing him around Echo Park… Felipe, if you’re out there, tell us your favorite places you eat and drink in Echo Park so that we can stalk you for an interview, and get drunk together at the same time (wink, wink).

Felipe performs tonight in Los Angeles at the Ricardo Montalban Theater, but you can click here for other tour dates and places.

If you’re like us and don’t leave Echo Park much, you can check out some stand-up comedy at nearby Taix restaurant in the Lounge on Sunday nights. French Toast takes place every Sunday at 8:30 pm, and features comedians from Los Angeles, New York City, Comedy Central, HBO, and more. The best part? It’s FREE!

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Stop Motion Mini Film Festival at Echo Park Film Center

This Saturday, August 28th at 8:00 pm, Stop Motion Magazine will be hosting a stop motion film festival at the Echo Park Film Center. An array of stop motion short films will be shown that feature puppets, clay, sand, cut-outs, toys and legos. Prizes and awards will be handed out by professional stop motion animators. But the grand prize (the coveted “Purple Monkey” Award) will be awarded based on the audience’s decision!

Festival is open to everyone. Cost is $5. The Echo Park Film Center is located at 1200 N. Alvarado Street.

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Loft living in Echo Park: Definitely a trend

Sunsets must look nice from up high at the 1030 Alvarado Street project

Another high density live/work loft building in Echo Park, this one about to open up at 1030 Alvarado (just south of Sunset). Echo 1030, according to the website, is the “newest, greenest, and most contemporary live/work loft units for lease in Los Angeles.” The 20 units just next door to the Alvarado car wash actually do sound pretty nice: 18-foot vaulted ceilings, central heat and AC, solar reflective windows, and more. What makes them “green” is that it’s LEED Certified. But how long will the development fair and will they be able to sell the lofts?

More importantly, there is an empty lot at Chicken Corner, the Durbin project, that has been undeveloped for quite some time now. Sunset Five on Sunset Blvd. and Portia was having some trouble selling its lofts when it first opened. Developers want to build a 64-unit complex on Sunset and Rosemont, and there’s also an eight-unit live/work loft unit proposed for Echo Park Ave. and Avalon Street.

Just why might we be seeing so many developments of this kind in Echo Park these days? Darren Hubert, a local real estate agent, makes a good point. “They build them here because there is a group of residents in Echo Park that appreciate and will live and work in them.  We have one of the strongest arts communities in the city. We are on the cutting edge of the Urban movement in a city that was build around its suburbs. In Echo Park you still have a sense of community, a walking district, and parks close by. It is the best of what Urban LA has to offer yet you still have a community to be a part of.” And a strong community it is!

While Echo Park-ians (rather, me) certainly welcome the “green” living movement, we tend to be more of a makeshift gray water system, self-installed solar panel type of neighborhood. Sustainable living doesn’t always have to mean brand-new and dense residential structures, and naturally I’m a fan of the California bungalows around Echo Park. But now that’s it’s up and built – someone, someday, will take a look at 1030 Alvarado and say, “That’s were I want to live slash work!”

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Echo Park shooting last night results in death of a teenager

Today is a heartbreaking day for the family of a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed around 11:30 last night near Temple Street and Union Avenue. The Eastsider LA and L.A. Now are both reporting that it may have been a gang-related shooting.

L.A. Now quotes LAPD Officer Bruce Borihanh as saying:

A male suspect walked up to the victim at the corner of Temple Street and Union Avenue about 11:30 p.m., Borihanh said. The suspect, described as 19 to 24 years old, fired multiple rounds at the victim with a handgun, striking the victim in the head and shoulder.

Lt. Wes Buhrmester of the Rampart Division told The Eastsider LA that the victim was in an argument with the suspect, who fired five rounds:

Right now (8:00 a.m.), the investigation is still ongoing.  Rampart Homicide Unit detectives responded to the scene, and are still here, piecing things together.  The victim has been identified and his parents notified and interviewed, however because he is a juvenile his name is being withheld at this time.

Thanks to The Eastsider LA and L.A. Now for keeping us in the know. Be safe everyone!

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Photo: Echo Park sunset

There was a real nice sunset tonight you can see from, well, Sunset Blvd! You probably saw the huge thunderheads over the mountains earlier today. Other areas didn’t fare as well as we did – a flash flood warning in parts of Southern California actually resulted in some crazy storms, including the following video from Lake Elsinore, which was also featured tonight on KTLA. Hard to believe that’s So Cal in August!

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