It wasn’t all fun and games during the World Naked Bicycle Ride

This is one of those times you just have to ask: What is wrong with people?

The World Naked Bike Ride (we wrote about the event last Friday) is a yearly event that promotes the use of bicycles as an alternative to cars. The naked part was meant to demonstrate “the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against car culture.”

Unfortunately, not everyone “got it.” A fight broke out on Saturday during the ride near the Echo Park/Silver Lake border along Sunset, during which a couple of men in a car in traffic got out of the car and started beating up two cyclists. The Eastsider LA has the scoop, sent to them by someone who was filming the cyclists when the fight suddenly broke out:

And from the witnesses themselves, via The Eastsider LA:

While driving down Sunset, we came upon on a nude bike ride that looked like a protest of some sort. People were having fun it seemed, we took a video to document the fun things that happen in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, some guys behind us in traffic, got out of their car to beat up the riders. I don’t know what provoked them to do such a thing. All I heard them yelling was “faggot” at the riders. In the shaky video, its hard to see, but one of the guys picks up a bike and slams it into a rider. It happened so quick, but we got the license plate info.

The cyclists were okay and declined medical attention, but the perpetrators won’t get off easily as the beating is being investigated as a hate crime because they yelled the “f-a-g” word.

Lt.Wes Buhrmester also provided a description of two male suspects:

The first suspect is described as a male, 20 years old, black hair, brown eyes, 5-8, 180 pounds, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans. The second suspect is a male, late 20s, black “buzz cut” hair, dark complexion, 5-10, 200-250 pounds, wearing a blue shirt with blue jeans. If anyone has information, you can either call or e-mail me at the addresses below (confidentiality will apply, other than me referring your information to detectives), or call Rampart Detective Division at (213) 484-3450. Refer to DR No. 11-0212143. There are some leads upon which detectives are acting.

Let’s hope these guys get what they deserve!

UPDATE:

Suspects were arrested on Wednesday, June 22, according to an article published by The Eastsider LA.

June 13, 2011/by Kelly

Announcements, Art & Music, Lifestyle, Nightlife

Echo Park’s week in music

For the week of Monday, June 13 through Sunday, June 19.

Monday
Monday Night Residency: Dante vs. Zombies, Double Negatives, Vows, The Icarus Line @ Echo
Brand X presents: LA Unheard featuring J. Irvin Dally and Big Moves, The One AM Radio @ Echoplex
Backseat Bingo, Eyes Lips Eyes, Bikos @ Lot 1
Henry Wolfe, What Laura Says, Monstre, Olin and The Moon @ Bootleg Theater

Tuesday
Mona, Mind The Gap @ Echo
Open Mic Night @ Fretted Frog
Buzz Bands LA presents: Luz Elena, Chris Accardo, Mark Lane @ Lot 1

Wednesday
Dub Club @ Echoplex
Traindodge @ Origami Vinyl
Echo Park Juke Joint: Burroughs, The Downtown Train @ Lot 1
Carolina Chickadee presents: “Melody in The Round” @ Taix Lounge
Live Jazz Every Wednesday Night at 7:00 PM @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Meat Puppets, Trotsky Icepick @ Echo
Echo & Dublab presents: Ford and Lopatin, Telepathe, Sun Araw, DJ Frosty (Dublab) @ Echoplex
RFSL presents: A Surprise Bash for Joe Fielder @ Lot 1
Sister Rogers Residency Thursdays @ Taix Lounge

Friday
The Wooden Birds, A House For Lions, Daniel Ahearn and The Jones @ Echo
…And You Will Know Us by The Trail Of Dead, Ringo Deathstarr, Follow That Bird @ Echoplex
Club Underground: Joy Division vs. The Cure night @ Echo
Miracle Parade @ Origami Vinyl
Fort King, Tommee Santee Klaws @ Taix Lounge
Elevaters, Brit Manor @ Bootleg Theater

Saturday
Pangea, Them Howling Bones, Images, Delabre @ Echo
Friends of Friends Anniversary Show featuring: Baths, Mexicans With Guns, Salva, Shlomo, Ground Is Lava, Anenon, Jonwayne @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
The One Am Radio, Dreamtapes @ Origami Vinyl
Sarah Bradford, Gina Maria, Emily Clibourn @ Taix Lounge
Watts Ensemble, Graham Reynolds and Golden Arm Trio @ Bootleg Theater

Sunday
Grand Ole Echo with Skip Heller, David Serby, The Dirt Poor Folklore, Ted Russell Kamp CD Release Party, Mark Lennon @ Echo
Swervedriver, The Black Watch @ Echoplex
Part Time Punks: NDW Nite (AKA Neue Deutsche Welle Nite AKA German New Wave Nite) with Horrid Red and German Army@ Echo
Bruteheart @ Origami Vinyl

Visit the venue websites 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.

June 13, 2011/by Kelly

Announcements, Art & Music

The nude and barely clothed to descend on Echo Park… with bicycles

Another exciting Saturday for Echo Park tomorrow as our community hosts (unofficially, of course) the start of the World Naked Bike Ride. The idea isn’t to just flash Echo Park, downtown, Silver Lake, and the other communities the ride will take the brave bicycle riders through, but to demonstrate “the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against car culture.”

And this is, you guessed it, a world-wide event, not affiliated with similar concepts like CicLAvia, and brings some very creative folks out for the ride. To participate, you aren’t required to be naked – they’re just happy you’re helping spread the word that bicycling is much better than driving.

Yet the biggest question is, wouldn’t that be… uncomfortable? You know, riding naked? The wiki page has an answer for us:

Suprisingly, for both women and men, riding naked isn’t especially less comfortable than riding clothed. When riding with clothes on you’re often rubbing against the seams, so in some ways naked riding is comfier! Ride routes will often be chosen with less experienced cyclists in mind, so will avoid hills and be more leisurely in pace, increasing comfort.

I think I’ll pass, but it looks like it will be fun from the sidelines!

To join a ride, you have to sign up and contact the organizers directly. Check out the World Naked Bike Ride website for more details, and if you have young children and you’re concerned about the extra skin being exposed … maybe avoid the area where they’ll be gathering. Departure time is planned for 2:30 pm from Echo Park (click here for details).

There’s also a Facebook page for the Los Angeles ride, which you can check out here.

If you missed it last year, click here for a slideshow from last year’s bike ride via the LA Weekly.

June 10, 2011/162 Comments/by Kelly

Community News, Lifestyle

The Eastsider LA gets a nod from the LA Weekly & fans

LA Weekly’s Web Awards were published yesterday – celebrating the best of Los Angeles’ Twitterers, Flickr pools, business websites, activists websites and everything in between. Echo Park’s own community website, The Eastsider LA, picked up an award for the Best Neighborhood Blog! Here’s what the LA Weekly had to say:

“The Eastsider LA” were the first words out of pretty much everyone’s mouth when we mentioned this category. Jesus Sanchez covers the northeast corner of Los Angeles like only someone born in Boyle Heights could. His take on news and events in Echo Park and beyond give one of the city’s most bustling areas a decidedly small-town feel.

Congratulations to Jesus, and the entire team!

June 10, 2011/2 Comments/by Kelly

Announcements, Art & Music, Nightlife

Saturday: The Classroom LA grand opening party

We are very excited for the grand opening for The Classroom LA – a recreational class space created by Echo Park resident and uber entrepreneur Justin Warwick. Also a friend of ours, Justin is the man behind Warwick Vintage store, which used to be along Sunset Blvd., and now The Warehouse – a large vintage and DIY space filled with tons of treasures. If you haven’t checked it out – now’s your chance!

The Classroom offers inexpensive (only $25 each) classes from jewelry making and sewing to terrarium building. They also host private events should you want to take a private class as a group.

Gift certificates for both the store and the classroom are available for $35 – they include a unique and really cute terrarium. We got a peak at these last Saturday at the Citizens Committee to Save Elysian Park annual banquet, where two of them were donated and raffled off – they were pretty awesome!

The Classroom LA grand opening party takes place tomorrow, June 11 from 4-11:00 pm at the Warehouse, located at 1197 W. Sunset Blvd.

Please contact us (213) 482-4089 or info@theclassroomla.com for more information.

See you there!

June 10, 2011/2 Comments/by Kelly

Announcements, Community News

Dodgers’ Throwback Days to kick off with WWII flyover

photo from the Dodgers website

Next Wednesday’s game (June 15) vs. the Reds at Dodger Stadium will kick off the first day of Dodgers Throwback Days, where the team will sport a rendition of the 1940s Brooklyn uniform (we say rendition, because it’s not quite an exact replica of the originals). To tempt you further – the stadium is also offering half off all food and drink that do (and no, alcohol doesn’t count).

Prior to the start of the game, which is 12:10 pm, will be a flyover by several World War II planes in conjunction with Throwback Days.

As usual, there are a few tickets for neighbors in the Echo/Elysian Park and Solano Canyon communities. They are on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can email the Neighborhood Relations Manager Noel Pallais at noelp@ladodgers.comwith your name, the number of tickets you want, your address and phone number. If you want free tickets – make sure to send your request by noon on Friday, June 10th!

If you have any issues with the Stadium, call the Neighborhood Focus Line at (323) 224-2636.

June 8, 2011/4 Comments/by Kelly

Community News

Man threatens suicide, surrenders safely

According to The Eastsider LA, a man threatened suicide at the Citibank building on Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park earlier this morning. Reports of fire trucks under Sunset bridge began around 8:30 am. More from The Eastsider LA:

Police units have converged on the Citibank office tower in Echo Park this morning and closed off nearby streets after a man reportedly threatened to commit suicide. Early reports from police and residents indicate the man is threatening to jump from a balcony on the property or the Sunset Boulevard bridge that crosses Glendale Boulevard.

*Update: The man has surrendered to a firefighter, said Lt. Wes Buhrmester with the Rampart Division. Authorities are now reopening streets that had been blocked off during the incident.

Glad everyone’s okay!

June 8, 2011/1 Comment/by Kelly

History, Lifestyle

Zooming in on Echo Park: Early 1900s Los Angeles maps

Automobile Club of Southern California

It’s always interesting to find some historical pieces of Los Angeles on the big Internet, this one comes from Big Map Blog. It’s a 1915 road map of the entire Southern California area, commissioned by the Automobile Club of Southern California. And it’s a pretty big map – so we’ve zoomed in on the Echo Park area to show you our little area almost 100 years ago. Funny thing is, if you compare this map with a current-day Google map, it doesn’t look a whole lot different. But the landscape sure is: what was once a bunch of fields and open space now is one of the city’s most populated areas.

Another interesting map from the same blog – credited to Birdseye View Pub. Co.’s – of the Los Angeles area circa 1909. Incredible detail on this one – here’s the zoomed in version on Echo Park below:

Birdseye View Pub. Co.'s birdseye map of Los Angeles, California in 1909.

Both very, very large maps are made available for download on the Big Map Blog. See if you can find your house!

June 6, 2011/7,913 Comments/by Kelly

Art & Music, Nightlife

Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, May 30 through Sunday, June 5

Monday
Monday Night Residency: The Bixby Knolls, Cannoneers, Wake Up Lucid, The Icarus Line @ Echo
Ark Sano (Jazz Piano) @ Dinner House M
Maniac, Y Luv, Hello Vegas @ Bootleg Theater

Tuesday
Oh My Rockness Presents: Eternal Summers, The Beets, Seapony @ Echo
Iheartcomix, Media Contender, LA Record present: Check Yo Ponytail 2 with Stereo Total, Giant Drag, Batwings Catwings, Scarlet Casanova @ Echoplex
Eternal Summers @ Origami Vinyl
Shinya Kano (Piano & Vocal) @ Dinner House M
Them Howling Bones & Santoros @ Lot 1

Wednesday
Gruff Rhys, Y Niwl, DJ Andy Votel @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex
Echo Park Juke Joint @ Lot 1
Eastern Block Party Featuring Ak and Her Kalashnikovs, The Shpil, Plotz!, Shoestring Trio, DJ Jason Savvy @ Bootleg Theater
Live Jazz Every Wednesday Night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Echo, Part Time Punks & Club Underground Present: The Undertones, Sweater Girls, Exploding Flowers @ Echoplex
Woodsman, Tape Deck Mountain, White Hinterland, Kissing Cousins @ Echo
Sister Rogers Residency @ Taix Lounge
Professor Calculus, Twin Steps, Wild Pack of Canaries, Vacation Dad @ Lot 1
Givers, Family of The Year, Caddywhompus @ Bootleg Theater

Friday
Gayngs, Dirty Beaches, Funky Sole DJs @ The Natural History Museum
KCRW, Echo, Club Underground present Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Ema, Oregon Bike Trails @ Echo
Abe Lincoln Story, Rough Church @ Taix Lounge
Rock Concert Teen Island, Socorro, The Seizure! @ Lot 1
Future Dancing Record Release, The Lonely Wild, Handshakes, Sea Of Cortez @ Bootleg Theater

Saturday
Bootie LL 6 Year Anniversary! @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
The Globes @ Origami Vinyl
Bumtech and Guests, Seeing Thingz @ Taix Lounge
The Bird and The Bee, Alek Fin @ Bootleg Theater

Sunday
Grand Ole Echo, Part Time Punks (14 Iced Bears, Phil Wilso, Aberdeen) @ Echo

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.

RIP our favorite Echo Park laundromat

About a month ago, we return from the honeymoon to the real world – lots of laundry and an empty refrigerator. Now, you might be a fan of Lucy’s – tempting you with Starbucks and Subway sandwiches and all. But we have a different routine along Sunset Boulevard. Sandwiched between Stories Books and Out of the Closet is (rather, was) a reliable 24-hour place to do the laundry. Better yet, its proximity to some of our favorite bars and restaurants gave us the excuse to have dinner and a beer or two at Masa while the our delicates spun in the washer.

But this time we arrive to a shuttered laundromat, and seeing the vending machines had been removed and mail piling up near the front door, we had a feeling it was for the long run.

Now, a month later, the favorite laundromat is still closed and collecting dust. No word on why it closed or what’s going to happen with the empty space, and our routine will have to change a little bit.

It’s not that there aren’t enough laundromats in Echo Park, but we’ll miss the routine of grabbing a beer in between loads. Perhaps someone should take over the space and turn it into a combined bar and laundromat (Like the ones they have in San Fran?)? The hipsters would LOVE it.

June 4, 2011/256 Comments/by Kelly

Art & Music, Community News

Community Arts Fest at Gabriella – happening now!

We’re a little late on the announcement for this event, but happening right now, from noon to 4:00 pm, Gabriella Charter School is hosting a FREE Community Arts Festival!

The event promises a lot of family-filled fun, including face painting, student performances, activities for toddlers, music, art and more.

There’s also a Spanish version of the flyer, which you can view here.

Gabriella Charter School is located at 1435 Logan Street. Entrance to the festival is on Lemoyne between Montana and Scott.

June 4, 2011/6 Comments/by Kelly

Announcements, Lifestyle

Echo Park resident geared up for AIDs LifeCycle ride

Tomorrow (Sunday, June 5, 2011), Echo Park resident Katherine Gladwin will embark on a seven-day, 545 mile bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The ride is in support of AIDS/LifeCycle, where participants raise money to help support the organization that provides HIV testing and treatment.

The timing for this event is perfect and purposeful: The start of the fund raising/informational tour on Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of the discovery of HIV/AIDs. Also, June is national LGBT month, and Los Angeles is kicking off the first ever LGBT Heritage month.

Katherine works at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center doing HIV testing and counseling, so it’s a very important cause for her. “I’ve been working in the field of HIV Prevention for over a year and I’ve been an avid cyclist for 7+ years now, so doing this ride is an awesome opportunity to raise life-saving money while doing something I love,” she says on her AIDS/LifeCycle profile page.

The ride ends in Santa Monica on June 11 for the closing ceremonies.

You can donate to our fellow Echo Park resident’s cause by clicking here. Also check out her fundraising video sent to us by director Car Nazzal. Notice all the great Echo Park shots!

KATHERINE AIDS.LIFE.CYCLE FUNDRAISING VIDEO from Car Nazzal on Vimeo.

June 4, 2011/619 Comments/by Kelly

Art & Music, Nightlife

Update: Why Dinner House M is closing

Flickr photo via mikeywally

We ran an article late last week announcing the closure of 24-year-old Echo Park/HiFi club Dinner House M. Today, the LA Times reports the closure is due to one of two (or maybe both?) factors: A revoked liquor license, and/or increased and unaffordable rent.

Apparently, the liquor license issue revolves around multiple citations for serving after 2:00 am. Sgt. Fernando Garcia of the Rampart Division told the LA Times: “It was well known as an after-hours club. They had their license revoked, they appealed, and they lost the appeal.”

However owner Miki Saito denies the license is being revoked, and told the LA Times that a rent increase is the issue.

Either way, the final send-off (with a four-piece jazz band and Miki at the mic) is next week on Wednesday, June 8.

June 3, 2011/181 Comments/by Kelly

Echo Park’s Week in Music

Leave a Reply Cancel reply