Echo Park area library happenings: GED, poetry, and art classes

There are a lot of things going on at the Echo Park and Edendale Library branches, click here for a review of ongoing classes and events. But there are a lot of other great things happening in the next couple of months that we try to keep up on, including:

Poetry Collage program at Edendale Branch Library

The “Words That Inspire Poetry Collage Program” takes place on on Thursday, May 19 at 5:30-7:00 pm.

Teens are invited to discover the voices of diverse poets, and create their own collage of words and images. This event celebrates National Poetry Month at the Los Angeles Public Libraries. Email wickedlovelyfilms@gmail.com

Edendale Branch LA Public Library is located at 2011 W. Sunset Blvd.

LACMA art classes at the Echo Park Library

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Echo Park Library are providing free family art classes every Thursday evening from 4:00-5:00 pm. LACMA professionals will be on hand to help you find your inner Picasso! For more information, please contact the Echo Park Library at (213) 250-7808.

GED on Wheels at Edendale Branch Library

Every Thursday from 2:30-4:30 pm at Edendale Branch Library.

MFN is a non-profit organization that works to empower local residents with educational tools for economic success.  Our goal is to help as many high school dropouts become college and career ready so they will have the ability to earn a sustainable living wage. On January 14, 2012, MFN  launched GED on Wheels (SM) at the Edendale  Branch Library. GED on Wheels  (SM) is a free mobile GED service and we provide TABE Tests, Official GED OPTs, and workshops on the GED Essay or GED Math. The GED can be the first step to new  found personal success. Students prepare to succeed by learning helpful test taking strategies and becoming familiar with the format of the GED Test. They review and evaluate their abilities in English, Reading, and math. Instruction on the use of the Casio FX 260 Calculator is also included. Although this workshop is not intended as a substitute for an all inclusive GED Program, it can serve as an indicator of your their needs. The workshop is 2 hours.

This event is free and open to the public. Our program complements the library goals and interest of adult education in the community.

Free Drama West performances at Edendale Library

Drama West is presenting another wonderful and free series of original one-act play readings at Edendale Library on Saturday, April 21 from 2-4:00 pm. For more information, please call the library at 213-207-3000.

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Eat In-N-Out = Support Elysian Heights Elementary kids!

Time is running out to purchase your tickets to the Elysian Heights Elementary School Family Fun night!

In N Out burger will be serving up your pre-purchased meals at the school on Monday, April 23 at 6:00 pm as part of a fund raiser benefiting the 6th grade field trip to Catalina Island Marine Institute – a trip that costs about $7,500.

But it’s worth every penny – once in middle school myself, my 8th grade class took a similar trip and it was one of my best experiences growing up. A lot of kids never leave their neighborhood, and the trip is an educational program providing them with hands-on marine biology and island ecology lessons. They’ll get to hike around the island, snorkel, experience marine fish and wildlife, pet a shark, and even do a plankton tow along with dolphin excursions.

The cost of the trip includes the student’s camp fee, all activities, all meals, Catalina Express transportation, lodging, teacher chaperones, and supplies. 75% funds realized from this event will directly support the field trip. The remaining 25% of the funds go to the IN-N-OUT Child Abuse Foundation.

Tickets for the Family Night are $6 and gets you burger, chips, and a soft drink. There will be a demonstration by the students at 6:15 pm in the auditorium. Dinner will be at the school from 5-6:00 pm.

Get your tickets today! Tickets are only available until noon tomorrow, and can be picked up no later than noon on April 18 in the school office.

If you are unable to attend, but would you or your company would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please contact the school office at 323.665.6315

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Thursday: Echo Park Chamber of Commerce mixer at Taix

The Echo Park Chamber Of Commerce is hosting a Spring Mixer on Thursday, April 19, 2011 at 7:00 pm.

Join fellow business-owners in Echo Park at the event at Taix Restaurant, bring your business cards to network and your happy faces!

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Lotus Festival returning in 2012, sans Echo Park Lake

We’ve suffered through Lotus Festivals without dragon-boat races, and the past few years without the lotus blossoms themselves – but a Lotus Festival with no lake?

Planned for July 14-15, this will mark the 34th Lotus Festival in Echo Park – the past couple of years have been “scaled back” versions of the festival (it was canceled completely in 2009). We didn’t expect to have on in 2011, until plans to start the Echo Park Lake rehabilitation project were pushed back until later that year and the fest went on.

This year’s Lotus Festival will not be held at the lake, which is currently empty and completely gated up during construction. Instead, the parking lots between Echo Park Avenue and Lemoyne, south of Sunset Boulevard, will serve as the grounds. This will definitely be a “scaled back” version of the event.

The details aren’t finalized, but one thing’s for sure – there won’t be any Dragon Boat races!

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New Echo Park salon celebrating opening with Saturday block party

Photo Credit: Daniel O'Connell

Sticking around Echo Park this weekend instead of roughing it up at Coachella?

There’s a brand new salon in town that wants to celebrate its opening with you – Folklore Salon just opened up its doors on Mohawk Street near Sunset Boulevard. They are kicking it off with a block party on Saturday, April 14 from -8:00 pm, with all the neighbors!

Participating businesses will be offering up discounts in support of the event, including: Spit Fire Girl, Gentlemen’s Breakfast, Myrtle (drinks & snacks, 20% off store), 8 Limbs, The Hedgehog (formerly the Coffee Pot), Kelly Green, DeKore, Iam8bit, Lux DeVille. The SweetBeats Truck will be serving up beats and ice cream on the corner, so you can’t miss it!

Congrats on the opening!

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El Clasico offering $13 tattoos for Friday the 13th

If you’re not the superstitious type, and you live to save a buck, and you’re down for some ink, head to El Clasico Tattoo. Today is Friday the 13th, so you can get a pre-designed tattoo for just 13  bucks.

What does a $13 Friday the 13th tattoo look like? How about a spooky black cat, an evil eye, a third eye, or a bicycle?

El Clasico Tattoo is located at 1610 Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park.

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Bobbleheads and blankets: 2012 Dodgers promo schedule

Opening Day is upon us, make sure you mark your calendars and take advantage of the goody give-aways for kids and adults! We’ve definitely got our share of Dodger gear – the “sleeved fleece,” blankets, bobble heads, and more!

Friday Night Fireworks are also back – so every home game on a Friday there will be fireworks for everyone to enjoy (we have a super secret spot near our house where we watch the show!). There will also be fireworks for the 4th of July celebration.

A Dodgers "sleeved fleece." Yes please!

Opening Day / 50th Anniversary of Dodger Stadium
Tuesday, April 10 at 1:10 pm vs. The Pirates

Clayton Kershaw Cy Young Replica (Cy Young Award Presentation)
Wednesday, April 11 at 7:10 pm vs. The Pirates

Dodger Stadium Replica
Saturday, April 14 at 6:10 pm vs. The Padres

Kids Jackie Robinson Sweatbands
Sunday, April 15 at 1:10 pm vs. The Padres
Also: Kids Run the Bases, Viva Los Dodgers

Sleeved Blanket
Tuesday, April 24 at 7:10 pm vs. The Braves

Bobblehead #1: Don Drysdale and Maury Wills
Saturday, April 28 at 6:10 pm vs. The Nationals

Kids Clayton Kershaw Replica Jersey
Sunday, April 29 at 1:10 pm vs. The Nationals
Also: Kids Run the Bases, Viva Los Dodgers

Read more

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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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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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Help clean up Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park on Saturday!

How much do you love Echo Park? Bring a tee along and get it silk-screened on for everyone to see!

Echo Park resident Josh Post (also running for office in CD13, and is an EPIA committee member) is teaming up with The Warehouse LA and CD1 for a cleanup of Sunset Boulevard this Saturday, March 31, along the east end the community.

I’ll be there as well – helping make sure you supplies, breakfast, and a t-shirt before heading out to clean up the neighborhood! We’ll be covering Sunset Boulevard from Elysian Park Avenue to Beaudry Avenue – a much-neglected portion of Echo Park that could use a little trash cleanup, sidewalk improvement, and graffiti removal (provided by the CCAC). Meet up at The Warehouse for some morning goodies provided by local Echo Park businesses, bring your favorite light-colored tee to get our now infamous “I Heart Echo Park” logo printed on it.

Office of Ed Reyes, Council District 1, is provided trash bags and supplies, but we recommend dusting off those work gloves and bringing them along! Bring the kids, your neighbors, and friends.

Our last cleanup of Glendale Boulevard in November was a huge success, bringing out over 50 people from all over the community (including schools and churches). Come out and have some fun!

Sunset Boulevard cleanup
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Meet at The Warehouse LA at 9:00 am, located at 1197 W Sunset Boulevard
Bring a tshirt for silk-screening!

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Tonight: 826LA celebrates publication of Literary Los Angeles: A Road Guide

In partnership with PEN, Poets & Writers, and the Ayrshire Foundation, 826LA has published Literary Los Angeles: A Road Guide – a visual guide to the literary hotspots in Los Angeles.

They’ll celebrate tonight at 826LA / The Time Travel Mart in Echo Park, and along with libations will feature readings from contributors Wanda Coleman, Nina Revoyr, Luis J. Rodriguez, and David Ulin, and moderated by Tom Lutz.

Tonight’s event is just $12, includes a map, and benefits 826LA. Click here for ticket, or buy them at the door for $15.

You can also order the 24″ x 18″ posters or fold-out online (or purchase at The Time Travel Mart in person) for $10.

Doors open at 7:00 pm, the event starts at 7:30 pm.

The Time Travel Mart is located at 1714 West Sunset Boulevard

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Missing cat in Echo Park: Tootsie

This cute furball named “Tootsie” has been missing from its Scott Avenue home, between Parmer and Sargent (north of Echo Park Avenue). Her owners miss her very much!

Please contact us if you’ve seen Tootsie.

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deLaB hosting self-guided Echo Park home tour in March

Photo credit: Laure Joliet/Sunia Homes (via deLaB)

Join deLaB (Design East of La Brea) on March 24, 2012 for its first-ever Echo Park home tour. Home tours are a popular event here in Echo Park – the Echo Park Historical Society hosts a popular one every year or so, and Dwell on Design usually includes at least one of our neighborhood’s architecturally significant homes on its annual city-wide tours. And it’s no surprise we’re so cool when it comes to homes – Echo Park is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles, and is well-known for its diverse, artsy, and rebellious residents who create unique homes and gardens.

The tour features four different Echo Park homes within walking distance of each other for the self-guided tour, including:

  • John Oddo’s 495 square foot house designed by Good Idea Studio
  • Simon Storey’s 960 square foot “Eel’s Nest”
  • The Dick+Jane 1600 square foot townhouses on Echo Park Avenue
  • The new and green, 2,000 square foot “Sunia Homes” designed by Jerome Pelayo  (pictured above)

Click here to read more features about each house.

Be sure to purchase tickets now – early bird purchases are $30 instead of $35, but only through March 10.

The post-tour starts at 4:00 pm at Red Hill, 1325 Echo Park Avenue, for happy hour (even if you’re not a ticketholder, you’re welcome to join)

deLaB Echo Park House Tours
Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 12:00 non to 4:00 pm
Click here for tickets, must be purchased in advance
$30 per person early bird special (through March 10) / $35 per person after March 10

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Elysian Heights Elementary celebrating Dr. Suess’ birthday

Elysian Heights Elementary School is celebrating the birthday of Dr. Suess tomorrow with a special guest – DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba!

The Read Across America event will involve parents and volunteers reading Dr. Suess books throughout the day (volunteers can still sign up in the main office).

Dr. Seuss Birthday Celebration with DJ Lance Rock
Friday, March 2 from 1:00-4:00 pm
Elysian Heights Elementary is located at 1562 Baxter Avenue
Call 323-665-6315 with questions or for more info

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