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Dodgers fundraiser for Brian Stow – happening now!

The Dodgers are in San Francisco tonight for another round against the rival team, while the stadium hosts a fundraiser today for Giants fan Brian Stow, who was critically injured in the Dodgers parking lot on opening less than two weeks ago. In addition to the tragic incident (Stow remains in critical condition in the hospital), this has been a bit of a PR issue for the Dodgers franchise and Los Angeles, as owner Frank McCourt and our own mayor have been criticized for not handling the issue very well.

Today, until 3:00 pm, the Dodgers are hosting a “drive-through” relief event for Bryan Stow. All collections going directly towards the trust fund established by the Stow family to benefit Bryan and his children. Assisting the Dodgers in the relief effort will be American Medical Response, the club’s media partners (KCAL 9, Prime Ticket, KABC 790 and Univision Radio), and the Los Angeles Times.

Please drive to the Stadium and donate, in Parking Lot 1. At noon, several community supporters are scheduled to be on hand.

Monetary donations of cash and checks will be accepted, with checks being made out to the “Bryan Stow Fund.” Contributions will also be accepted via PayPal and online at sfpcu.org.

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HiFi neighborhood cleanup Saturday!

The Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council (GEPENC) are hosting a neighborhood cleanup this weekend in partnership with the Historic Filipinotown Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown, and neighbors and friends.

They’ll be focusing on the Historic Filipinotown neighborhood for the cleanup.

With Earth Day coming up this month, now’s your chance to contribute to a clean environment in your neighborhood!

Meet at Lake Street Park (227 N. Lake Street) on Saturday, April 9th, 2010 from 9:00 am – 12:00 noon.

For more information about the clean up or to RSVP, please contact
Jose Sigala at 213-308-2826 or by email at jose_sigala@yahoo.com

Refreshments and lunch provided by the GEPENC and the Rotary of Historic Filpintown, with tools and supplies provided by the City of Los Angeles Office of Community Beautification.

Click here to download the full flyer.

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Tonight: EPIA social event at Taix!

I am very much looking forward to the meeting/social/fundraiser/mixer tonight for the Echo Park Improvement Association (as a committee member, I’ve been involved in the organization and this event).

At this particular meeting, the EPIA will have representatives from CD1, CD13, and the Northeast and Rampart Divisions to provide updates on community issues. Oftentimes there will also be input from other community members for event announcements and other comments. In between those agenda items, there will be cocktails, raffles (lots of great stuff from local eateries and businesses), and other goodies. It’s a great way to get involved!

Hope to see you tonight at 7:00 pm at Taix!!

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Order your Farmers’ Market healthy basket today!

At he beginning of March, the Echo Park Farmers Market started a healthy baskets program. Similar to CSA Please review the options below to find the Healthy Market Basket that’s right for you and your family!

Order now! Orders placed by Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. will be delivered that same week. Orders placed after 12:00 p.m. Tuesday will start delivery the following week. (If you would like to pay using CalFresh/EBT please email hmbp@see-la.org or call 323-463-3171)

Available in 4, 8 and 12-week options!

Fresh Market Basket:
Weekly farm-fresh produce selection featuring approximately 8-10 farmers’ market produce items each week. No customization will be offered on these baskets. $22/week

Healthy Market Baskets:
Weekly farm-fresh produce selection offering subscribers 13-16 different market fresh fruits and vegetables. Each basket will help subscribers to meet the USDA recommendation of 31.5 cups of fruits and vegetables per person per week. Subscribers will be able to choose between Basket A and Basket B options by making a selection online.

1-Person Healthy Market Basket: $29/week
2-Person Healthy Market Basket: $55/week
3-Person Healthy Market Basket: $82/week

Click here for the website and to sign up!

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Your guide to Dodgers promo days

A Dodgers "sleeved fleece." Yes please!

Now that opening day is over, we’re looking forward to a new season of McCourt-divorce-drama-free baseball! (Pretty please!) Here’s your season lineup to all the freebies (aka promos) at the Stadium:

Friday night fireworks are back, so you can expect all the oohs and ahhs of fireworks every Friday evening when there’s a home game. This starts at tonight’s game (Friday, April 1 vs. Giants).

Dodgers Sleeved Blanket: Sunday, April 3 at 5:00 pm vs Giants

Lakers Tribute – Purple and Gold LA Cap: Thursday, April 14 at 7:10 pm vs Cardinals

Jackie Robinson Night: Friday, April 15 at 7:10 pm vs Cardinals

Fernando Valenzuela Fleece Blanket: Tuesday, April 19 at 7:10 pm vs Braves

Half-Price Food & Drink: Thursday, April 21 at 12:10 pm vs Braves

Retro ’81 World Series T-Shirt: Sunday, May 1 at 1:10 pm vs Padres

Cooler Bag: Tuesday, May 3 at 7:10 pm vs Cubs

Half-Price Food & Drink: Wednesday, May 4 at 12:10 pm vs Cubs

Kids James Loney BP Jersey: Sunday, May 15 at 1:10 pm vs D-backs

Clayton Kershaw Bobblehead: Tuesday, May 17 at 7:10 pm vs Brewers

Bark in the Park: Saturday, May 28 at 7:10 pm vs Marlins

$1 Dodger Dog Day: Monday, May 30 at 5:10 pm vs Rockies

Don Mattingly Bobblehead: Wednesday, June 1 at 7:10 pm vs Rockies

Hong-Chih Kuo Bobblehead: Tuesday, June 14 at 7:10 pm vs Reds

Half-Price Food & Drink: Wednesday, June 15 at 12:10 pm vs Reds

Read more

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Prepare for Opening Day at Dodger Stadium

Since the Dodgers are at this moment kicking the Mariners you-know-whats, it’s time for a Dodgers update.

Thursday, March 31, is D-Day – that is, Opening Day (and the 54th season in Los Angeles!). If you have lived around Echo Park long enough to know how completely insane Opening Day is, well you know how to avoid getting caught up in the traffic. Here’s the deal:

The past couple of years, Opening Day started in the early afternoon. This year, it starts at 5:00 pm. This could be either a good thing or a bad thing:

Good: Fans won’t be blasting music and starting the day off with a little buzz at 7:00 am in Elysian Park. (Trust me, you can hear it pretty early)

Bad: Fans will be blasting music and catching a little buzz starting at 10:00 am in Elysian Park.

Good: 50,000 people across Southern California won’t “mysteriously” call in sick on the same day, instead they’ll be able to take a half day to enjoy the game!

Bad: Traffic, traffic, traffic. Even the non-arteries to the stadium are jam-packed, so expect a bit of a parking lot outside your front door for a little while.

Good: The Dodgers are going to win their first game, and it’s against the Giants (returning from their, uh uhm, win in the world series last season)

There will be a pregame ceremony at 4:30 om, which will include displays on the field and a military flyover. All parking gates will open at 1:00 pm (much earlier than they usually open the gates to accommodate the crowds) and the stadium gates will open at 1:30 pm.

There will be some street closures on Thursday from 1:00 am – 11:00 pm for “staging purposes and game preparations.” Closures include:

  • Scott Avenue between Stadium Way and North Boylston Street
  • North Boylston between Academy and Stadium Way
  • Lilac Terrace between Stadium Way and Lookout to Stadium

And lastly, the Dodger Stadium Express is back! You can get transit service to and from Dodger Stadium using the Metro and the Metrolink trains. Transit from Union Station starts 45 minutes before the start of the game and will stop running one hour after the last out.

That’s it for now – since we have to work all day Thursday, we won’t be planning on getting home until after all the traffic has gone through. Good luck out there! See you at the games.

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Menu Monday: New items at Xoia

Xoia (pronounced soy-yah)
1801 West Sunset Blvd.
(213) 413-3232
Website

Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday: 11:30 am to 10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday: 11:30 am to midnight
Sunday: 11:30 am to 10:00 pm

New items were recently added to the Xoia menu!

Mi Quang Pozole: Traditional Mexican pork and nixtamal corn stew prepared with Vietnamese Mi Quang pork/shrimp stock. Served with a side of shredded cabbage, red onions, limes, salsa and tortillas. $8.25

Vietnamese Hot Wings: Half dozen fresh chicken wings marinated in lime and fish sauce, deep fried and wok fired in caramelized fish sauce, chili and garlic. Served w/ Vietnamese dipping sauce, cucumbers and pickled carrot/daikon. $9.25

House made ice cream/sorbets: All assortments made in-house. Vietnamese Coffee, Hoisen Peanut Sauce, Thai Iced Tea, Lychee, Jackfruit, and Lemon/Lime. $3.50

They have great pho if you’re in the mood, and an always-growing, amazing menu!

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Volunteer and celebrate Cesar Chavez’s birthday on Saturday

On Saturday, March 26, LA Works is partnering up with the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council to accomplish a unique community service project in honor of Cesar Chavez’s March 31 birthday.

Expert muralists, volunteers and civic leaders will oversee volunteers and LAUSD students in the creation of five to ten community justice and human rights-themed murals. The murals will be donated to schools and libraries around Los Angeles.

Andres Chavez, grandson of Cesar Chavez, will be a guest speaker at the event. He was “raised in the tradition of the farm worker movement that his grandfather, César Chávez, founded. He has participated in United Farm Workers’ marches, rallies, picket lines, union conventions, and political campaigns, including those for immigration reform.”

Former State Senator Richard Polanco (who helped make March 31, Chavez’s birthday, a state holiday in 2000) will also be a guest speaker.

The program begins at 9:00 am on Saturday, March 26 at Echo Park Lake. Full details and directions are provided to you after you register. You can register to volunteer by visiting the LA Works website.

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Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, March 21 through Sunday, March 27

Monday
Monday Night Residency: Spirit Vine, Mi Gu, Wet & Reckless, Sister Crayon @ Echo
Slumberland and Origami Vinyl Present: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Belong premiere party @ The Echo Patio
Honeyhoney, The Dead Trees, Yellow Red Sparks @ Bootleg Theater

Tuesday
Aquarium Drunkard, FYF and the Echo present:  the Strange Boys, Fresh & Onlys, Natural Child @ Echo
The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Nico Stai @ Echoplex
Esben and the Witch, Julianna Barwick, Native Fauna @ Bootleg Theater
Open Mic Night @ The Fretted Frog
The Health Club, Best Supporting Actress, K-Tel’79, Evan apRoberts @ Lot 1 Cafe

Wednesday
Liam Finn, The Luyas @ The Autry
O’death, David Dondero, Franz Nicolay @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex
Ponderosa, Black Apples @ Bootleg Theater
Echo Park Juke Joint: Downtown Train @ Lot 1 Cafe

Thursday
Wye Oak, Callers @ Echo
Appleseed Cast, Muscle Worship @ Echoplex
Aaron Roche, Chris Schlarb @ Origami Vinyl
The Hours, Army Navy @ Bootleg Theater
La Underground Presents: Saint Sea Hat, Fort Wife, Hot TV, Time Of Wolves @ Lot 1 Cafe
EZ Tiger @ Taix Lounge

Friday
Say Hi, Parson Redheads, Yellow Ostrich, Blair @ Echo
Passion of the Weiss Presents Rainbow Arabia, Spoek Mathambo, Matthewdavid, Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Echoplex
Tecumseh, Rale, Pedestrian Deposit, Ezra Buchla @ Pehrspace
Duzheknew, Cousins @ Origami Vinyl
Bobo House Sessions: Kissing Tigers and DJs @ Dinner House M
Moondog Orchestra, the Ross Sea Party, Dead Dawn @ Lot 1 Cafe
Azalea Snail, Rough Church @ Taix Lounge

Saturday
Los Angeles Aussie BBQ Showcase with Maniac, Andy Clockwise, Dan Brodie and The Grieving Widows, Grand Atlantic, The Level Spirits, The Boat People, Wagons, Dogs, Dash and Will, Novocaines, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Sampology @ Echo
Men, Psychic Friend, DJ Paul V @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Sunshine Factory, Seasons @ Origami Vinyl
Art vs Science, American Royalty, Florrie, DJ set by Scribbly Jim @ Bootleg Theater
Jaxart presents: Cousins, Duzheknew, Birdhand, Basement Babies @ Lot 1 Cafe
Lawndale, Sylvia Juncosa @ Taix Lounge

Sunday
Variedades @ Echoplex
Part Time Punks: Factory Records Night with a live performance By boy Division (doing Joy Division covers) @ Echo

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.

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An LA Times video of our awesome neck of the woods

The LA Times takes a close look at some of our favorite Los Angeles neighborhoods (including, of course, Echo Park!) in a video titled, “My LA: Four locals tell all about Echo Park, Griffith Park, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake.”

Included in the video is Shannon Losorelli, store coordinator at 826LA’s Echo Park Time Travel Mart.

FYI, the video ends with a list of places mentioned in the video, including Masa. The restaurant’s website is listed incorrectly – make sure to go to masaofechopark.com if you’re interested…!

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Celebrating St. Patty’s Day in Echo Park

AYC's Chef Mike D. Photo courtesy of AYC.

Allston Yacht Club

AYC is open at noon today, serving up house-cured corned beef to get you in the mood for St. Patty’s Day. Sandwiches are $7 throughout the day, $10 for dinner (includes corned beef and cabbage). Guinness is $5 all day!

Masa of Echo Park

Starting at 5:00 pm, Masa will have a Corned Beef Brisket with Colcannon special (cabbage and potatoes), and Rhonda is baking her family’s Irish Soda Bread.

Barragan’s

Green beer, apple martinis, and $5 Jameson shots. Happy hour goes from 3:30 to 7:00 pm, with a DJ from 6:00 pm – midnight.

City Sip

It might be a wine bar, but they also have beer!

Lot 1 Cafe

“Kewl Beanz” Opening Ceremony and St. Patrick’s Day Celebration starting at 7:00 pm

The Park

Murphy’s Irish Stout on special for $5, and since it’s Thursday all bottles of wine are half price.

We’ll update this posting throughout the day as we hear about more St. Patty’s Day festivities. Click here for the week in music article if you’re hankering to go out on the town for some live music.

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Tonight: Historical Society meeting, election, and tour!

Flickr photo via Mary-Austin & Scott

Tonight is the Echo Park Historical Society Quarterly Meeting, and if you’re into Echo Park history this is definitely the one to check out!

Favorite local author Charles Fleming (he wrote the Secret Stairways book I’ve been carrying everywhere with me) will be talking about his book at the stairways of Los Angeles. I’ve also heard there’ll be a short tour of the remnants of the Egyptian themed mural in what once was the bowling alley (see awesome historical photo above.

EPHS will also hold its annual Board of Directors election. Members in good standing (paid memberships) will cast ballots during the quarterly meeting. Candidates will have an opportunity to make a brief presentation before ballots are cast.

The historical society meeting takes place TONIGHT! from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the Rec Center Studio, located at 1161 Logan Street.

Visit the Echo Park Historical Society website for more info, or email ephs@HistoricEchoPark.org

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Echo Park charter school takes home Bravo award

Congratulations to Gabriella Charter School! The Echo Park school was recently awarded the 2011 Music Center Bravo Award!

“As Dance Coordinator Chippy Zuniga noted in accepting the award,” said the school in an email, “there are students at Gabriella Charter School who have never attended a day of school without a dance class.”

The Bravo Award was established to recognize teachers and schools for creativity, innovation and excellence in arts education. Winners receive a sculpture and cash awards.

Check out some Gabriella kids in action at a December 2010 flash mob in Downtown LA:

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Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, March 14 through Sunday, March 20

Monday
Monday Night Residency: Spirit Vine, Dark Moon, Dante vs Zombies, Rumspringa, Origami DJs on the back patio @ Echo
Honeyhoney, The Wild Feathers, Milo Greene @ Bootleg Theater

Tuesday
Alpine Decline, Residual Echoes @ Echo
Iheartcomix, Media Contender, & La Record Present Check Yo Ponytail 2 With The Death Set, The Gas Lamp Killer, Ninjasonik, Zowie, Biker Daughter, Franki Chan @ Echoplex
Family Band, Papercranes, The Moor @ Bootleg Theater
Daniel Ahearn With Johny Goraj And Toby Burke @ The Fretted Frog

Wednesday
Echo and Echoplex SXSW Throwdown featuring: Creep, Hanni El Khatib, Superhumanoids, Other Lives and Special Guests @ Shangri-La
Dub Club with Prezident Brown, Quinto Sol @ Echoplex
Linda Draper, Old Toy Trains, Chief Nowhere, Dominic Campanella (Quarter After) @ Bootleg Theater
Echo Park Juke Joint with The Downtown Train @ Lot 1 Cafe

Thursday
Wye Oak, Callers @ Echo
Appleseed Cast, Muscle Worship @ Echoplex
“Kewl Beanz” Opening Ceremony and St. Patrick’s Day Celebration @ Lot 1 Cafe

Friday
Say Hi, Parson Redheads, Yellow Ostrich, Blair @ Echo
Passion of The Weiss Presents Rainbow Arabia, Spoek Mathambo, Matthewdavid @ Echoplex
Lava Band @ Bootleg Theater
Foot Foot @ Pehrspace
Bruises, Satellite Sky @ Taix Lounge
The Neighborhood, Haunted Tiger, Shoenberg Knife Fight Ensemble, Zaptra @ Lot 1 Cafe

Saturday
Los Angeles Aussie Bbq Showcase With Maniac, Andy Clockwise, Dan Brodie & The Grieving Widows, Grand Atlantic, The Level Spirits, The Boat People, Wagons, Dogs, Dash & Will, Novocaines, Hungry Kids Of Hungary, Sampology @ Echo
Men, Psychic Friend @ Echoplexsaturday 03.26.11: Funky Sole @ Echo
Funky Sole @ Echo
Wild Up, David Shane Smith @ Bootleg Theater
The Only Michael James @ Taix Lounge
Walk, Stellaluna, Rumble Rumble, & The Kris Special @ Lot 1 Cafe

Sunday
Ariedades @ Echoplex
Part Time Punks: Factory Records Night with live performance by Boy Division @ Echo

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.

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Echo Park in the news

Twitpic by RosalineMae

You may have read that Echo Park’s famous goose Maria (made famous by an OK Go music video, then a Facebook page, then the brilliant snowball effect that comes with celebrity life in Los Angeles) was moved to the Los Angeles Zoo in preparation for the upcoming Echo Park Lake rehab project this summer. Well, as it turns out, Maria is actually a boy! The Zoo learned of the official gender while doing a checkup after the gander arrived. Dominic Ehrler told the LA Times, “He’s Mario now. But I’ll call him Maria if he doesn’t respond to Mario.”

In case you’re wondering, Dominic will be able to visit Mario/Maria.

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LA TACO @ STREET ART POP UP! from LA TACO on Vimeo.

Street Art Pop-Up Store opened last Friday, March 4 at 1461 1/2 W. Sunset Blvd. (formerly Warwick Vintage Store). The temporary art space will be featuring new artwork daily from a variety of artists, including Bigfoot, Robots Will Kill, Evil Design, Shepard Fairey, and more.

The temp shop is open daily from noon to 7:00 pm. Check out the video about from LA Taco.

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We found out on Tuesday this week that Writer Brando Skyhorse’s “The Madonnas of Echo Park” won the Hemingway/PEN Award for first fiction.

Congrats to Brando Skyhorse! And yes, the book is still on my New Years Resolutions to-do list, but I’ll be stopping by the library fairly soon to grab a copy.

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