Why you might want to avoid the Echo Park McDonald’s tomorrow

Photo via The Effervescent Vegan

PETA didn’t just moved its west coast headquarters to Echo Park last month  – they’re apparently going to start making their mark with a protest in the neighborhood.

LA Weekly reports that tomorrow PETA will take a stand against McDonald’s by staging a protest at the Echo Park location on Glendale Boulevard. The 5:00 pm protest (just in time for dinner) will bring out “hundreds” of young animal-loving demonstrators, including some wearing chicken costumes.

The purpose of the protest isn’t exactly about the “pink slime” we’ve all heard about on Facebook, but to demand McDonald’s start using more humane methods when it comes to killing chickens, which apparently European franchises already do. McDonald’s responded in the LA Weekly article:

We appreciate the chance to correct the inaccuracies of PETA’s campaign, and to outline the facts about McDonald’s animal welfare practices. McDonald’s expects humane treatment of animals by our suppliers in every part of the world where we do business. McDonald’s requires our food suppliers to do the right thing – for animals, for humans, and for the environment.

Who knows if a protest at the Echo Park McDonald’s will make a difference, but I guess you gotta start somewhere!

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Saturday: Echo Park Trash Abatement neighborhood cleanup

If you didn’t make it to last weekend’s Echo Park Improvement Association cleanup of Sunset Boulevard, tomorrow is your chance:  Echo Park Trash Abatement Program (TAP) is hosting a cleanup is tomorrow morning, so make sure to get up bright and early and help out!

You can also show up after the start of the cleanup and contribute for an hour, or more!

8:00 am – 12:00 noon

Meet at the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Logan Street by Walgreen’s Parking lot. Dress for weather. Bring gloves if possible.

Also, save the date for:

Friends of the Los Angeles River Cleanup
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Check the Friends of the LA River website for details.

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Meet the Easter bunny at the Echo Park Farmers’ Market

Kids get a special treat today at the Echo Park Farmers’ Market for Easter!

Hide the carrots because the Easter Bunny will be entertaining kids starting at 4:30 pm. Younger kids get a head start on the egg hunt at 5:00 pm, while the older kids get to start at 5:30 pm.

The craft table will also feature bunny ear making with Cindy!

And, as always, make sure to stock up on plenty of tasty veggies from our local farmers. See you there!

 

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Echo Park and Edendale Branch Library happenings for April

Be sure to take advantage of all the great services offered by our local libraries – Echo Park is lucky enough to have two! Here are some great classes and activities that are ongoing as well as for the month of April:

Echo Park Branch Library

Where is it? How to use the library and website for school projects and reports. Call 213-250-7808 for an appointment.

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.

GAB: Books come alive for kids when they share the fun of reading with GAB library volunteers. Call 213-250-7808 for hours.

Computer Class: Introduction to Computers, Ten Week Series. 3:30 PM on Wednesdays and Fridays through April (started in March).

Edendale Branch Library

ELFS Used Book Sale: Wednesdays at 2:00 pm. Join the Edendale Library Friends Society for their weekly used book sale. All sales support the library.

Book Club: First Thursday of each month, 6:30 pm.

For Children

Infant & Toddler Storytime: Wednesdays at 10:15 am and 11:00 am. Children 1-3 and their special grown-ups join the children’s librarian for nursery rhymes, songs, finger plays, and books.

Legos Club: Saturday, April 21 at 10:15 am. Join other children for some creative construction. We’ll provide the Legos and Duplos, but donations are welcome to help build up our collection.

For Teens

Teen Council: Thursday, April 5 at 5:00 pm. Make your voice heard at the next Teen Council meeting. Help plan programs, design bulletin boards, and choose materials. Free snacks!

Teen Book Club: Thursday, April 19 at 5:00 pm. Visti edendaleteens.blogspot.com for more info.
Teen Cooking Club: Thursday, April 26 at 5:00 pm. Learn how to make delectible seasonal dishes, both savory & sweet.

Computer classes

Introduction to Computers: This class starts at the very beginning and provides a basic introduction to computers. Absolute beginners are welcome. April 7 at 2:00 pm.

Introduction to the Internet: This class offers an introduction to navigating the Internet and using a search engine. Students should already be able to use the mouse.April 14 at 2:00 pm

Introduction to E-mail: In this class students create a free e-mail account and learn the basics of sending and receiving e-mail messages. April 21 at 2:00 pm.
Introduction Word Processing: In this easy word processing class we cover the basics skills necessary for creating professional documents like letters and simple resumes. April 28 at 2:00 pm.

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Sunset Beer Company debuts beer mirror slash “mascot”

Sunset Beer has some new artwork on the walls – mainly a vintage-looking, awesome beer mirror behind the taps. The new installation serves as both a kickass piece of artwork on the walls as well as the bar’s new mascot – they’ve even named it “Platy:”

Bud has their Clydesdales on a hill. Miller, some snow covered wolves on a bluff. And so, may we introduce: Platy – the Sunset Beer Company beer mirror.

Designed by Rebecca Johnson and Jeff Klarin of Bughouse Design, Platy hangs amidst other pieces of art by the creative duo. It features Echo Park Lake (before the construction, obviously), a platypus (which are not native to the lake, but hey, they needed a mascot!), and the downtown skyline emerging from the distance.

Why all the fuss about a new piece of artwork in a beer bar?

Why, the party of course! They’ll be celebrating the debut of Platy on Saturday, April 7 from 6-8:00 pm, with half off draft beers and munchies.

Please RSVP on the Facebook page, to 213-481-BEER email info@sunsetbeerco.com if you want to join in on the festivities. See you there!

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What will an “improved” 2 Freeway Terminus look like?

Imagine what it would be like if the 2 Freeway, right where it dumps onto Glendale Boulevard, were a smooth flow of traffic each day, from the freeway itself and down Glendale Boulevard. Exiting the freeway, cars would slowly make their way (at a reasonable speed) into Echo Park.

Sound wall mockup along Allessandro Street, via the "Green Echo Park" Facebook page

As if!

When they first started building the 2 Freeway way back in 1959, it was intended to continue all the way through Echo Park to the 101 Freeway. The community said no to extending the freeway, and the flyover that was initially supposed to be a temporary flyover remains today.

Unfortunately, there is an incredible amount of unplanned-for congestion. For decades now, Metro and community members, groups and activists have been planning and re-planning what to do with the SR2 Terminus. The Echo Park Community Action Committee (EPCAC) and the Echo Park Improvement Association have long been a part of the design process for the terminus, coordinating the council office, distributing petitions, and offering community-supported recommendations for the renovations.

However, last year Metro decided to go its own route with a “hybrid” design despite community opposition. The plan would remove all parking on the west side of Glendale Boulevard south, creating a big parking and access issue for businesses along that corridor. It’s also a silly proposition – existing no-parking restrictions during high-traffic times don’t solve the congestion problem.

The hybrid plan includes removing the left turn lane from the off-ramp on the east side of Glendale Boulevard, so no more access to Glendale Boulevard south from that ramp.

In case you’re not horrified enough, they are also proposing putting up a few sound walls, including around the St. Teresa of Avila school, and along Allesandro Street (pictured) – to the dismay of neighbors.

The bottom line is the project (the “hybrid” version) is not an improvement to what we have now.

Tonight, LA Metro will be the guest speaker at the Echo Park Improvement Association town hall meeting, hopefully providing the community with some updates since we last heard from them in 2011. This is an issue that affects all of Echo Park, so be there!

Echo Park Improvement Association town hall
Thursday, April 5 at 7:00 pm
Williams hall at Barlow Hospital (2000 Stadium Way)

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Echo Park Quinceañera mural restored to its former glory

Retouching the mural. Twitter photo via @andresjcruz

Andres Cruz on Twitter sent us the above photo yesterday, showing the progress made on the Quinceañera mural on the former Pescado Mojado building. The mural, painted in 1996, was being sanded off for the new Señor Fish restaurant when the neighborhood protested. Work stopped immediately, and the new restaurant owners hired an artist who had worked on the mural before to begin the retouching immediately.

Before restoration started. Photo via KCET

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Origami Vinyl anniverary celebration at tonight’s Record Club

If we could make a cake for Origami, this is what it'd look like. (Flickr photo via Sugar&Lace)

Origami Vinyl is turning three!

The record store/music venue is celebrating at tonight’s weekly Record Club across the street at El Prado. Bring some cupcakes and some 45’s to spin on the record player any time from 9:00 pm – 12:00 midnight. Perhaps you’ll make some vinyl record themed cupcakes for the occasion?

if you can’t make it tonight, mark your calendars for Record Store Day – a nation-wide event celebrating, you guessed it, record stores – on Saturday, April 21. Origami plans on throwing a grand fiesta with eight bands at The Echo, DJs at Origami Vinyl, giveaways, and we’re sure much much more.

Read more about Origami Vinyl on just-published interview on LAist.

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Have you seen a lost Siberian Husky named Ghost?

“Ghost” is a white male Siberian Husky with light blue eyes lost on April 1. He was last seen on Coronado and Sunset Boulevard in the Silver Lake / Echo Park area.

Please contact us if you have any tips on the whereabouts of Ghost – he is missed terribly by his owners!

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Why hang Teddy Bears from power lines?

Photo via ironiclast.com

The last time we wrote about things hanging from power lines, it was the red glittery shoes (that are still there, btw) put up by artist Manny Castro to advertise his show at Echo Park gallery iam8bit. Now joining the sun-soaked glitter shoes are stuffed teddy bears hanging from power lines all over Los Angeles, including Echo Park, West Hollywood, Silver Lake, and Los Feliz so far. We’ve heard the rumors, but the Franklin Avenue blog also asks the question we are asking – what’s up with all the hanging teddy bears?

It’s probably not some Build-A-Bear ad campaign, but we’re thinking something more like a some hipster art project and less like the Care Bears are going to sell you some drugs. Let us know if you’ve got the details.

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Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, April 2 through Sunday, April 8, 2012

Monday
KXLU and KSPC Present Monday Night Residency: So Many Wizards, Geoff Geis, Night Control, Peter Pants @ Echo
Grace Woodroofe, Rumspringa, Terraplane Sun, Dayna Kurtz @ Bootleg Bar
Sean Carnage presents: Realization Orchestra, Sister Fucker, Generation, Fart Machine @ Pehrspace
Motown Mondays @ The Short Stop

Tuesday
The Far West, Jackson Tanner, Geronimo Getty @ Echo
KCRW Presents: Heartless Bastards, David Vandervelde, Brian Lopez @ Echoplex
Bronze Swagger, Dylan Trees, Escalator Hill, Song Preservation Society @ Bootleg Bar
Pat Regan, Dustin and the Explosions, Emperor X, Kool Skull, Paper Slang @ Lot 1 Cafe

Wednesday
The Red Paintings, Timur & The Dime Musesum @ Echo
DUB CLUB @ Echoplex
SanguinDrake, Hana Pestle, Charlie Wadhams Band @ Bootleg Bar
Derde Verde April residency with Sanglorians, Wyatt Blair @ Lot 1 Cafe
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Café

Thursday
Bear In Heaven, Blouse, Doldrums @ Echo
Megafaun, Field Report, Henry Wolfe (Solo) @ Bootleg Bar
The Gajillionaires, The Obsessd, As If and The Whatevers @ Lot 1 Cafe
ETM, Track @ Taix Lounge

Friday
Bear In , High Places, Blouse @ Echo
Take aka Sweatson Klank (Alpha Pup), Free Moral Agents, Mono/Poly (Brainfeeder), RYAT (Brainfeeder), Doldrums @ Echoplex
Rubblebucket, Noah and the Megafauna, Big Tree @ Bootleg Bar
The Kris Special, Borrelia, The Spires, Minor Me  @ Pehrspace
SHAME, The Vitals, The Withers @ Lot 1 Cafe
Abe Lincoln Story, Ruby Sue and the Ethereal Blues @ Taix Lounge
McDougall, Triple Chicken Foot and Rabbit Foot Stringband @ Echo Country Outpost

Saturday
Echo & LA Record present: Feedtime, Jon Wayne, Lamps, Dead Meat @ Echo
Bootie LA @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Julia Holter @ Origami Vinyl
Book Release for Strange Light, Derrick Brown, You Belong Everywhere (film screening), Caught a Ghost @ Bootleg Bar
Dallas Don Burnet CD Release Party w Echo Park Players, The Black Watch @ Taix Lounge
Open mic night @ The Fretted Frog
Joel Walter, Detective, The Great Invisibles @ Echo Country Outpost
Azucar LA @ Los Globos

Sunday
Part Time Punks Presents: Britpop Nite with Guest DJ Jose Maldonado @ Echo
Moses Campbell, Bohdi, The Lovely Bad Things, Peter Pants @ Bootleg Bar
Super Soul Sunday @ The Short Stop

Visit the venue websites for more information on the cost and times of shows. Feel free to add more events in the comment section. All events listed are subject to change at any time, and new events announced for the week after this posting may not be included. Visit our Weekly Events page for more neighborhood events, shows and specials.

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