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Go “pazzo” with some local Echo Park gelato

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“Pazzo” may mean crazy – but there’s nothing wrong with the culinary flavors of the new Echo Park gelato spot, Pazzo Gelato. This is the second store for the family-run business, which opened the first location in Silver Lake in 2006. The Echo Park location, which opened in July, is just a mile down Sunset, and fills an ice cream void for us locals (Kind Kreme also has great vegan ice cream options).

Though the Echo Park location offers fewer flavors than the Silver Lake location (18 here, 24 there), it still has mouth-watering flavors like Blood Orange Sorbet, Watermelon, and the unusual Butter Brown Sugar Bacon. Since the flavors are made fresh from local ingredients, they do change so make sure to check them out on Facebook to see what’s in the freezer.

For our first-ever visit, we ordered Almond Expresso Chip, and a Plum-Mango Sorbet combo (half of each). Two medium scoops cost us around $10 (plus I always tip!), which is about right for this type of treat – it sure ain’t your RiteAid ice cream!

In addition to free parking behind the Citibank building, there is also free wi-fi and plenty of seating, including a spacious patio area overlook Sunset Boulevard.

Next up, we’re looking forward to trying the food menu – gourmet coffee, bagels, bagel/breakfast sandwiches, and sweets. It’s also nice they are open at 7:30 am for the early morning commute! We are hoping to see an addition of paninis and other sandwich options to the menu as well.

Pazzo Gelato is located at 1910 West Sunset Boulevard.

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LAFD Motorcyclists head east, 9/11 memorial service Sunday

On August 25, the LAFD Fire Hogs departed from the Los Angeles World Trade Center Memorial in Elysian Park, joining other LA Firefighters on the road to the World Trade Center in New York to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The LAFD Fire Hogs are a group of “retired and active-duty firefighters.” They’ll be traveling by motorcycle the whole way.

Here in Los Angeles, the nearby Los Angeles World Trade Center Memorial will be the site of a memorial service “commemorating our collective loss and affirming our personal resolve.” September is also National Preparedness Month.

“This year will mark the 10-year anniversary of 9/11,” Erik Scott of the LAFD told Our Weekly, “and the Los Angeles Fire Department asks you to take time to remember those lost as well as time to make sure you are prepared for future emergencies.”

The memorial shown in the picture to the left is a 23 ton, 22 foot tall steel column that originally was part of the World Trade Center lobby, and believed to be the largest remnant on the West coast.

The free and public event is on Sunday, September 11, 2011 from 9:00 am – 10:00 am, with a reception immediately following.

The Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center is located at 1700 Stadium Way.

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An Echo Park artist’s submission to the LA vs. War show

Echo Park resident Mike Fisher is a seasoned vocalist in hardcore/metal bands, a graphic designer, and multimedia artist (he’s done skateboards, album covers, t-shirts, websites of course, commissioned artwork… the list goes on). Lately he’s been working on a piece for the upcoming LA Vs. War show in Downtown Los Angeles, and his piece certainly fits the theme.

The theme, of course being the state of the nation – and how we as individuals are processing – in a post-9/11 world. This weekend marks 10 years since that horrific day – and one curator John Carr will never forget. Which is why he and partner Estee Ochoa started LA Vs. War in 2008 (which around 6,000 people showed up for), an exhibit of live art demonstrations, workshops, fine art, street art, and more. The show asks the question of its artists: After 10 years of the Global War on Terror, where do we now stand as a nation? Is the world a safer place? Where does the Peace movement go from here?

For Mike Fisher, his piece for the show expresses his frustration with the politicians and those in power who got us to where we are today:

I decided to participate in the show because I truly believe we were lied to about starting these current wars. I’m not even an anti war guy. I just think these wars are criminal. Started by criminals. The painting is my 10 years of frustration with the fact they essentially have ruined our country. Everyone points fingers at each other but, it’s all the Bush family and their cronies that are directly to blame.

His piece is a combination of hand painting and multiple layers of silk screening. You can check out more of his artwork by visiting his website.

Mike is probably not the only Echo Park artist to submit a piece to the show (we have such a creative neighborhood!) – there is a mix of local artists along with out-of-towners, you can find a complete list on their Facebook event page.

The LA Vs. War exhibit (curated by Yo! Peace, Center for the Study of Political Graphics, Political Gridlock, and Ad Hoc Art) goes on from Friday, September 9 through the 11th from noon to midnight. The Vortex is located at 2341 E. Olympic Blvd. Entry is a $5 suggested donation.

Other cities should keep an eye out for this popular exhibit, they are hoping to expand the show to other cities under the “Vs. War” name.

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Weird weather watch in Echo Park

Today was a another gorgeous, breezy, cool day in Echo Park – a great break from the recent heat that keeps the kitchen activity at a minimum and the window AC on high. Tonight we got another rainbow (and even sightings of a double rainbow), and now as we are enjoying the after dinner glass of wine there is plenty of lightning and thunder flashing through the windows. Although this is my favorite kind of weather, it’s a little eerie that it’s not 85 degrees and clear skies – but the weather girls keep saying we are getting “monsoonal moisture” in the foothills, creating those big thunderheads we’ve been seeing a lot lately and now the lightning bolts.

It was about a year ago that it was literally 90 degrees outside at 9:00 pm (unusual for Los Angeles, not the central valley!), and we had an incredible storm producing some amazing shots all around Echo Park. Although we’ve been living here for more than a few years now, it’s always a pleasant surprise.

Makes for a beautiful sunset!

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