Flickr photo by BrassAngel
Earlier this week, Angelenos celebrated Dia de los Muertos. This Echo Park home is elaborately decorated for the holiday this year.
This isn’t exactly in Echo Park, but our soon-to-be neighbor and vegan Tony Yanow (who is opening up Mohawk Brasserie restaurant in the old Ramona Theater here in Echo Park) has teamed up with vegan blogger Quarry Girl to hold the Vegan Beer Fest at the Roxy tomorrow, Saturday, November 6.
I have a lot of people asking me why beer isn’t vegan already, it’s just barley/wheat, hops, water and yeast right? Well this might be a good chance for you to taste some deeelicious vegan beers such as Duvel, New Belgium, and Anchor Brewing, amongst many more, and learn why some beers are vegan and some are not.
For instance, not all beers are vegan because some animal products can be used in the filtration process, such as charcoal (sometimes made from animal bone) or gelatin. So if you’re really curious or just like good beer, you should check it out – oh and there are unlimited pours of the beers.
Tickets are $35 for GA or $45 for VIP if you buy in advance. Day-of tickets are $45 and $55.
To buy tickets call 310-278-9457 or visit the Roxy Theater Box Office on Sunset. Or click here to purchase online via Ticketmaster (but expect to pay an online purchasing fee).
Our friends at the LA History Twitter page have reminded us that today is November 4! What the heck does that mean, you ask?
You guessed it: Oil!
Or maybe you didn’t. It’s kind of a weird part of LA History to embrace, but, as we wrote about recently, the very first oil well was actually here in Echo Park. It was November 4, 1892 when Edward Doheny and Charles Canfield dug this well at the site of what is now the Echo Park Pool. This discovery launched an oil boom in Los Angeles, so today is an interesting, and important, day in our history.
Currently, there are just a handful of oil wells compared to what it used to be (see photo of the Belmont oil field below). In fact, there’s a Google map Urban Oil Wells existing in Los Angeles – check it out by clicking here. To put things in perspective, here’s an 1906 map of oil fields in Los Angeles:
Source: Library of Congress
I’ve added the blue dot to indicate Echo Park Lake, the orange dot indicates the Los Angeles River (it’s a little tough to read). All the little black dots are oil fields (not just individual wells, oil fields).
Belmont Oil Field, date unknown
This is a book that’s on our holiday wish list this year – Charles Fleming‘s Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles, published in April this year. And, you guessed it, Echo Park is among the guide’s hidden stairways, and include an Echo Park Lake Victorians walk, Laveta Terrace (one of my faves), Magic Gas (the Delta Stairway, we think), Avalon-Baxter Loop, Allessandro Loop, and Fellowship Park.
This weekend, on Saturday, November 6, Charles “Dancing With the Stairs” Fleming himself will be at Stories Books and Cafe for a Secret Stairs book signing. Before the signing, however, anyone is welcome to join Stories on a Walking Tour (we’re not exactly sure if Charles will be leading the tour, but probably) of some of the hidden stairways covered in the book. The signing after the walking tour will include coffee, cookies, cheese, wine and, of course, books! Buy your copy of Secret Stairs and get it signed.
Walking Tour
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm (ish)
Meet at Sunset Blvd. and Lemoyne Street
Difficulty: “3”
Book Signing
Immediately following the Walking Tour until 10:00 pm
Refreshments served
Check out our interactive map of Echo Park stairways.
There will be wine!
Flickr photo Theron Trowbridge
For our readers: We recently added an “Opinions” category to the website as a way to separate out our posts from our more, well, opinionated articles. This would be one of those…
Wednesdays are rough days for me. They are not nearly close enough to Fridays, and the heavy workloads usually make me want to start drinking during the week again. But mostly, they are exhuasting as I just don’t get enough sleep in the mornings. They wouldn’t be, except for the lovely sounds of our neighborhood trash trucks.
Now before you comment on this article saying, “Kelly, why do you hate city services?”, let’s be frank. I actually like having my garbage picked up and the streets swept clean for (even if the street sweeping is half-halfhearted and infrequent). But sometimes… sometimes you’re just not so into it.
Here’s why I, and those who live above the alley in an apartment complex can feel me, despise trash day: My street seems to be a main thoroughfare for trash pickup in our part of Echo Park. Dozens of trucks come by, and by around 8 or 9:00 am they’ve all done u-turns below our bedroom window – squeaky breaks piercing through our single-paned windows, “beep, beep, beep” with every reverse, loud diesel engines working hard against the steep hill. It’s like shrill bombs going off every few minutes outside the window (again, single-pane windows).
And the beeps are the worst – because there are so many trucks needed in our high-density neighborhood, they start by 6:00 am, if not a few minutes before. Earplugs always ready by my alarm clock, I typically catch a glance at how early it is when I’m shoving those things in. I keep thinking, there’s just no way these guys can be in Echo Park at 5:54 am, beep-beep-beeping and crashing the heavy plastic cans against the curbs. But they are – and they can.
A quick Google search reveals city noise ordinances allow garbage trucks and such services to operate between the hours of 6:00 am and 9:00 pm. So much for my letter-writing campaign to the LA Bureau of Sanitation.
So some day, hopefully, my dear trash truck drivers: fix those incredibly squeaky, shrill brakes, spray some WD-40 on those arm thingies that lift the cans up and down, and maybe lightly (or less forcefully) place the trash cans on the curb. Then maybe on a Wednesday, I’ll be cheery at work from a nice, uninterrupted night of sleep.
It’s lunchtime, and LAist reminds us that today is National Sandwich Day. We have some faves around Echo Park we thought we’d share with you, and don’t forget to share yours by commenting on this article!
Photo by L.A. Digest blog
Delilah’s Bakery turkey sandwich is probably the best of its kind around. Extreeeemely fresh bread, real turkey (yes, real! not the processed, sliced kind), and a mini cupcake on the side. Delicious!
Photo credit: Mario Anzuoni / Reuters, via LA Times
The LA Times online included the Echo Park Pool polling place in today’s article, “Eight fascinating California polling places.” Other strange polling places in the article include a McDonalds, a car dealership, and a very cluttered Silver Lake furniture store.
Last night we went to the Echo Park Senior Housing facility on Morton – where did you go?
Buy your tickets for the Echo Park Historical Society Home Tour, Eco Echo Park yet? Here’s some recent coverage from KTLA:
You might want to do it soon – you save $5 on tickets if you purchase them before November 14!
Both the Echo Park and Edendale Libraries have some FREE special programs for kids, teens, and even some for adults all fall. Here are the November events for both libraries:
For Kids
- Popcorn Pals: Enjoy a children’s movie with other kids and a bag of popcorn. Ending time is approximate. Tuesday, November 16 at 3:30 pm, Edendale Branch.
- LACMA Family Art Class: Learn about art and artists, then create your own masterpiece! LACMA hosts this weekly art workshop for school age children. Program is bilingual in Spanish and English. Thursdays at 4:00 pm, Echo Park Library.
- Art Class for Kids: Kids will learn about art from an artist from LACMA and create something new each week. For hours please call 213-250-7808.
- Bilingual Baby & Toddler Storytime at Echo Park Branch: Tuesdays at 12:30 pm
- Infant & Toddler Storytime at Edendale: Nursery rhymes, songs, and finger plays, for children 1-3 and their special grown-ups. Wednesdays at 10:00 am.
- GAB: Books come alive for kids when they share the fun of reading with GAB library volunteers. Tuesdays at 4:00 pm, Echo Park Branch.
For Teens
- Meditation For Teens: Stressed by school? Younger siblings getting to you? Parents bugging you? Feel like punching someone? Turn yourself into a stress-free zone through meditation This is a 4-week class. Space is limited so please sign up in advance. Every Tuesday at 4:00 pm, Echo Park Branch.
- Teen Council: Make your voice heard at our next Teen Council Meeting. Choose materials, plan programs, and design publicity. Tasty snacks provided. Thursday, November 4 at 5:00 pm. Edendale Branch.
- Student Smart SAT Practice Test Follow-Up: Examine your test results and learn strategies to improve your scores with a Princeton Review instructor. Thursday, November 4 at 5:00 pm, Edendale Branch.
- Student Smart Seminar, Financial Aid: Learn the steps involved and how your financial aid award affects college admissions. Parents are encouraged to attend with their high school and middle school children. Materials will be available in Spanish and English. Thursday, November 4 at 4:00 pm, Echo Park Branch.
- Weave Your Own Dream Catcher: Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by creating a spiral of bright string and feathers. Friday, November 12 at 4:00 pm, Echo Park Branch.
- College Club, Fall Session: For those who want to go to college… and those who thought they never could. High school and middle school students meet the first and third Tuesday each month. Topics include, Fall Session (Oct. 5 – Dec. 7): SATs, ACTs, college applications and essays; Winter Session (Jan. 18 – March 15, 2011): financial aid, FAFSA and scholarships; Spring Session (April 5 – June 7, 2011): study skills, acing tests, and college visits. Start at any time. Pizza served. Tuesday, November 16 at 4:00 pm, Echo Park Branch.
- Teen Book Club: We’ll be reading The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan, sequel to our previous book club selection, The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Copies of both books will be available behind the Reference Desk, snacks provided. Thursday, November 18 at 5:00 pm, Edendale Branch.
For more information, Edendale Teens has a website! There’s a book club, film screenings, and teens get library bucks when they sign up and write book reviews (which they can use to bid on prizes at the Carnival). Click here to visit the website. Teens can sign up at the Library or by visiting the LAPL Teen Web page.
For Adults
- ELFS Monthly Meetings: Join the Edendale Library Friends Society and support the Edendale Branch Library. ELFS meets once a month on the second Tuesday at 7:00 pm. Click here for the website.
- Game Day Saturday: Join us for fun and games in our community room on most Saturdays. We have many popular games; including chess, backgammon, scrabble, dominoes, and much more. This is a program for adults. Children must come with a parent or guardian. Call (213) 207-3000 for more information. Saturdays at 1:00 pm, Edendale Branch.
- ELFS Used Book Sale: Join the Edendale Library Friends Society for their weekly used book sale. All sales support the library. Every Wednesday at 2:00 pm.
- Introduction to Computers at Edendale: Friday, November 5 at 11:00 pm.
- Introduction to the Internet at Edendale: Friday, November 12 at 11:00 pm.
- Introduction to Email at Edendale: Friday, November 19 at 11:00 pm.
- Online Job Searching & Resume Review at Echo Park: If you are a seasoned employee searching or a recent graduate looking for a job, this class will assist you in job searching, creating, and updating your resume. This class is by appointment. For information please call 213-250-7808.
- Computer Classes to Go at Echo Park: Join us for Computer Comfort, Computer Classes for Improving your English, and Introduction to Beginning Web Design. Individual and group classes by appointment only. For information call Nadine Flores at 213-250-7808.
Edendale Library is located at 2011 West Sunset Blvd. Click here to visit the LAPL website.
Echo Park Library is located at 1410 West Temple Street. Click here to visit the LAPL website.
Teen
* Nov 02 – College Club: Fall Session
4:00 PM
College Club: Fall Session
For those who want to go to college . . . and those who thought they never could. High school and middle school students meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. Topics include, Fall Session (Oct. 5 – Dec. 7): SATs, ACTs, college applications and essays; Winter Session (Jan. 18 – March 15, 2011): financial aid, FAFSA and scholarships; Spring Session (April 5 – June 7, 2011): study skills, acing tests, and college visits. Start at any time. Pizza served.
* Nov 04 – Student Smart Seminar: Financial Aid
4:00 PM
Student Smart Seminar: Financial Aid
Confused about how to apply for financial aid? Come learn the steps involved and how your financial aid award affects college admissions. Parents are encouraged to attend with their high school and middle school children. Materials will be available in Spanish and English.
* Nov 09 – Meditation For Teens
4:00 PM
Meditation For Teens
Stressed by school? Younger siblings getting to you? Parents bugging you? Feel like punching someone? Turn yourself into a stress-free zone through meditation This is a 4-week class. Space is limited so please sign up in advance.
* Nov 10 – Weave Your Own Dream Catcher
4:00 PM
Weave Your Own Dream Catcher
The original web dream catcher of the Ojibwa was hung above the cradleboard to give an infant beautiful dreams and trap the nightmares. Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by creating a spiral of bright string and feathers.
* Nov 16 – College Club: Fall Session
4:00 PM
College Club: Fall Session
For those who want to go to college . . . and those who thought they never could. High school and middle school students meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month. Topics include, Fall Session (Oct. 5 – Dec. 7): SATs, ACTs, college applications and essays; Winter Session (Jan. 18 – March 15, 2011): financial aid, FAFSA and scholarships; Spring Session (April 5 – June 7, 2011): study skills, acing tests, and college visits. Start at any time. Pizza served.
* Nov 16 – Meditation For Teens
4:00 PM
Meditation For Teens
Stressed by school? Younger siblings getting to you? Parents bugging you? Feel like punching someone? Turn yourself into a stress-free zone through meditation This is a 4-week class. Space is limited so please sign up in advance.
* Nov 23 – Meditation For Teens
4:00 PM
Meditation For Teens
Stressed by school? Younger siblings getting to you? Parents bugging you? Feel like punching someone? Turn yourself into a stress-free zone through meditation This is a 4-week class. Space is limited so please sign up in advance.
* Nov 30 – Meditation For Teens
4:00 PM
Meditation For Teens
Stressed by school? Younger siblings getting to you? Parents bugging you? Feel like punching someone? Turn yourself into a stress-free zone through meditation This is a 4-week class. Space is limited so please sign up in advance.
Concerned with the development in Echo Park? Remember the 4-story complex on Echo Park Avenue and Avalon? Fighting the 64-unit development on Sunset at Elsinore?
This one might make those look like small potatoes.
On Wednesday, November 3, the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council Planning, Public Works, Parks and Land Use Committee will hold a special meet to discuss Barlow Hospital‘s plans to update the facilities in order to comply with California seismic codes (retrofitting the buildings so things don’t go bad during an earthquake). Since the hospital was built in 1927 and damaged in 1994 during the Northridge earthquake, the plan is to replace the primary hospital facilities with new structures in order to keep up to code.
Sounds like a great idea, right? Barlow is an important part of the community and we don’t want to see it go away. Unfortunately the original proposal doesn’t just include a new hospital and even some shops, but also calls for the sale or leasing of part of Barlow’s 19-acre land to build a 1 million-square-foot, 888-unit apartment complex (according to an Eastsider LA article, the largest-ever residential project in the Eastside) in order to fund the new hospital structures.
In February, Barlow Hospital mailed out a survey to Echo Park residents, which asked questions like “Please rate your level of support for Barlow Respiratory Hospitals plans to rebuild? High, Medium, or Low.” (The “helllllll NO” option was mysteriously missing.) Also missing from the brochure was a mention of plans to build the 888-unit residential complex – this spurring community concern and discussion that Barlow wasn’t exactly doing the right kind of outreach to the community.
We are aware that the Echo Park Improvement Association has been involved with Barlow Hospital representatives to develop new ways to raise funding for lower-impact alternatives, and also that Council District 1 has opposed this project in the past (we have not yet heard back from a rep for details). We are hoping the Neighborhood Council won’t support a large residential structure at Barlow, and will instead encourage it to seek other sources of funding for the hospital rebuilding.
Share your opinion at the meeting tomorrow at St. Paul Cathedral Center (Grand Hall), located at 840 N. Echo Park Avenue at 7:00 pm.
You can download the Neighborhood Council meeting agenda by clicking here, or reading the excerpt describing the project and the meeting after the jump.
UPDATE:
Planning Deputy Susan Wong of CD1 told us that Councilman Reyes does not support the residential complex:
The Councilman supports Barlow Hospital in its effort to rebuild the hospital. Our office has been working with Barlow to look at different sources of funding for the hospital only. With that said, he does not support the proposed 888 unit development at the site. The proposed project is too dense and incompatible with the surrounding land uses.
For the week of Monday, November 1 through Sunday, November 7
Monday
The Apples in Stereo, Fol Chen @ Echoplex
Monday Night Residency: The Black Apples @ Echo
Tuesday
Stew And The Negro Problem @ Echoplex
The Lonely Wild, The Honey Trees, Wild Feathers, Auditorium @ Bootleg Theater
Wednesday
Dub Club @ Echoplex & Echo
Bob Woodruff and Royal Giants @ Taix Lounge
Live Jazz every Wednesday Night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Cafe
Thursday
Walter Meego @ Echo
Colour Revolt, Dahga Bloom @ Origami Vinyl
Minus Ned @ Taix Lounge
Friday
Yelle @ Echoplex
Club Underground @ Echo
Colour Revolt (Oxford, Mi), The Pity Party @ Bootleg Theater
Dana Zielinsky Photo Exhibit W/Music By Young Hunting, Surfwitch @ Origami Vinyl
Saturday
Funky Sole @ Echo
No Joy, La Sera, Lower Dens @ Origami Vinyl
Alias Means @ Taix Lounge
Sunday
Part Time Punks/Frontier Records 30th Anniversary Party: Adolescents, Avengers, T.S.O.L., Middle Class, The Deadbeats, Rikk Agnew, Flyboys, The Stains, The Pontiac Brothers and Yer Emcee Keith Morris (of the Circle Jerks) @ Echoplex
Sweater Girls, Sourpatch, One @ Origami Vinyl
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. 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.
"From Echo Park, with love." Flickr photo by Rachel Carr
October 31
Jack and Jill – m4w
Met you briefly at Short Stop. I am a character from Wizard of Oz.
It was nice chatting with you, I think we should hang out again- this time longer than 2 mins.
🙂 Hope to hear from you.
October 28
driving together listening to devo – m4w – 2
“uncontrollable urge” came on my ipod and all of the nights we spent driving together flashed back to me.
you’ve moved back to your old hometown. i never said anything because you were best friends with my ex-girlfriend.
was i just your friend?
i doubt you’ll check this.
October 25
cute girl with the red chucks – m4w – 28 (echo park)
you were sitting behind paul cibis at the end of the bar at taix. the room was dark and my eyeglass prescription has been in need of an upgrade for sometime now, so forgive me if i didnt recognize you at first. also, it was our first random comedy encounter and i was caught off guard. your luminous smile finally gave you away and i was definitely checking you out. definitely. hope to run into you again.
October 24
heart on my car – m4w
you wrote “i heart you” on my car behind my building in echo park. who are you?
tell me the model / color of the car if you respond.
October 21
bicycle ride in the rain – w4m
you were riding your bicycle down echo park blvd as i opened my umbrella and looked at you.
October 15
I was walking by as you got into your car in front of 711 on Sunset – m4w – 26
I was walking by & you were getting into your car. We locked eyes as I was walking by. I kept walking cuz I wasn’t sure if you were just looking at me cuz my glasses are broken & are crooked. I turned the corner & wondered if I should’ve waited or said something to you.
Anyways, if by some divine intervention you see this email me & say “hello”!
h/t Craigslist
Flickr photo by RexSteed
The Park Restaurant
1400 Sunset Blvd
(213) 482.9209
Website
Brunch hours:
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Lunch hours:
Tuesday – Friday: 11:00 am – 2:30 pm
Dinner hours:
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: 5:30 – 10:00 pm
Tuesday and Friday: 6:00 – 10:00 pm
(reservations recommended)
The new Fall menu at The Park sounds deeelicious! If you sign up for their email list on the website, they’ll send you updates on restaurant specials (which will, quite frankly, make you want to go at least one a week if you could!).