Filming tonight continues on Sunset Blvd. near the Glendale Blvd. bridge, rumors on twitter say it’s an Avril Lavigne video.
Echo Park baker extraordinaire Celeste Alleyne will be facing off in the Food Network’s new season of Cupcake Wars, where four bakers compete for the grand prize of $10,000. She is the baker behind local cupcake company Soul Cups, and has adapted long-time family recipes for her decadent cupcake flavors.
“To learn how this cupcake battle is fought, you must watch the show. I’m sworn to secrecy and can’t share any details,” said Celeste in a press release. “But I can promise you that this is one war you won’t want to miss. I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. And I give it my all—a one, two, punch, knock you out in three—a fight to make the best and most creative cupcakes that my customers always crave!”
The show airs on Tuesday, February 22 2011.
We almost met her a few months ago at a Soul Cups tasting at Say Cheese Café (thanks to the flu, we haven’t had the pleasure yet). She will make another appearance for the Annual Soul Cups Cupcakes Holiday sale (think Peppermint Stick, The Great Pumpkin Spice and Lemon Snowdrops) at the Silver Lake café on Sunday, December 12 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Congrats, Celeste!
It’s been quite some time now since a fire broke out in September of 2009 in the mini mall (specifically Regency Cleaners) at Echo Park Avenue and Montana. The long-time Chinese food restaurant, Chinatown Express, has finally reopened its doors, and on Saturday will hold its grand opening.
I’ve heard both good and bad things about the food there, but, heck, it beats driving to Panda Express in Atwater Village (…that horrifying parking lot near Costco).
- Bird lovers have identified over 70 species of birds at Echo Park Lake.
- The only Chinese food place in Echo Park, Chinatown Express, has finally reopened after a fire in the mini-mall last year.
- In the Northeast Division (north of Sunset Blvd), there were four homicides in 2010 compared to 38 in 2001.
- Mitchell Frank is our Chamber of Commerce President – and a busy man! He owns The Echo and Echoplex, along with El Prado. He is looking for a new space after parting ways with the owners of Spaceland in Silver Lake.
- A lot of people do not consider Echo Park technically part of “the eastside.”
- The Jensen’s Recreation building sign has been unlit for about five years (but we are working on it!).
- Echo Park Lake is famous for the lotus flowers, but it’s been at least two years since they’ve sprouted (hey, some newbs out there don’t know about it).
- Don’t tell anyone: I’ve heard rumors of super-secret underground/after hours/speakeasy activities – one I would love to join if I wasn’t always in bed by 10.
- They filmed scenes of Gilligan’s Island in Echo Park at the Lake.
- Echo Park has a long history of activism, and parts of it even nicknamed “Red Hill” for the high concentration of political activists living there.
Yesterday was a gorgeous day in Echo Park, so we took advantage of the clear skies and headed to Echo Park Lake. It was so windy (and a little chilly) that the lake’s iconic fountains were blown sideways, giving us a little rainbow along with it.
Holiday parking regulations get a little relaxed on days like today (Thanksgiving Day!). While you may have noticed no tickets are being doled out for those street cleaning sides, and the 1-2 hour parking rules relaxed, tomorrow is back to business so park appropriately!
Here’s the low-down from the LA City Department of Transportation, click the image below for the full PDF:
This is the first year we’ve been able to make it down to The Echo to check out Gobble Gobble Give, but it’s the 12th year Echo Park residents and volunteers from all around have kicked in food and clothing for this special event.
The lines were long – cars and pedestrians streamed all the way down past the Sunset bridge over Glendale Blvd. But the wait (about 45 minutes to an hour) was worth it as pedestrians and cars loaded up on pre-prepared Thanksgiving meals and free clothing. It looks like everyone did a great job!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Flickr photo via mattdans
It’s getting pretty chilly outside lately (about 45 degrees this morning in Echo Park!), and a lot of us are turning on our heaters for the first time this winter. Be careful – heating fires are the second leading cause of all residential building fires, behind cooking fires.
This weekend in Echo Park, our friend Jesús Sanchez of The Eastsider LA had an unfortunate and personal experience when his duplex, which he rents out, was damaged when a fire broke out near a floor furnace. “I have covered numerous fires as the publisher and author of The Eastsider but never one involving my own property,” writes Jesús. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but the duplex was damaged.
Firefighters also told him that it was also the second furnace fire of that night in Echo Park. And now that Thanksgiving is approaching, make sure you check the batteries in your smoke alarms and double check those directions for that deep-fried turkey.
Frankie is a miracle dog! He was found after an animal attacked him in Echo Park. He had to endure a tough surgery stitching him back together again. Then he was taken to the shelter and, sadly, no one claimed him. He is now a big kisser and cuddler (and a great fly catcher), while at the same time, he loves to play and be chased. He loves the dog park and the dog beach. He’s great with other dogs, and doesn’t seem interested in cats at all.
- He’s about 2-3 years old and weighs about 15 lbs (maybe Chihuahua/Jindo or Shiba Inu mix).
- He has been neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.
- An adoption contract, home check and adoption fee is required.
- If interested please email info@echoparkanimalalliance.com.
Click here to download Frankie’s flyer. Learn more about the Echo Park Animal Alliance (EPAA).
Flickr photo via expatriotact
Even though I despise all the noise our trash trucks make, I love that Los Angeles is a leading city when it comes to recycling its trash. According to the Daily News, the city recycles 65 percent of its trash (9.2 million tons each year, residential and commercial pickup).
That’s a pretty decent number, compared to the national average of 32.7%. New York recycles 55%, Chicago 52%, and Houston has a ghastly low of 17%, according to the article. San Francisco leads the percentage pack, though a smaller city, with a high of 72%.
Keep recycling!
This year marks the 12th annual Gobble Gobble Give – what started out as a couple of Echo Park residents cooking Thanksgiving meals for a few homeless in the neighborhood has turned into a huge community effort where 2,000 people in need are fed, clothed, and just helped out in general.
The organizers need your donations of money, food, clothing, water, shoes, blankets, soap, toothbrush kits, or whatever you can offer to help. Sign up to volunteer on their website (and do it soon!).
Gobble Gobble Give
Thursday, November 25 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
The Echo, 1822 West Sunset Blvd.
Ana Calderon will be DJ’ing. With special thanks to American Apparel, At The Echo, and everyone involved.
We know what we’re doing this weekend!
The First Annual Harvest Beer Fest, sponsored in part by Spaceland Productions, along with Anderson Valley Brewing Co., El Prado and Malo Restaurant, will be held at the Echoplex and Echo this weekend – November 20! The fest boasts LA-based food trucks, entertainment and over 50 West Coast and national brews. Local favorite bands such as Vaud & the Villains, Shannon & the Clams, Blasting Company, and Last Round Down will provide live entertainment throughout the day, and ticket sale proceeds will benefit 826LA.
The Harvest Beer Fest is 21+ for entry; attendees must bring a valid ID for entry into the event.
General Admission: $30/person; includes unlimited sample sized pours. Food is available for purchase from food trucks at the event. Tickets are available for purchase on TicketWeb.
First Annual Harvest Beer Fest
Saturday November 20, 2010
12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Echoplex and Echo
1154 Glendale Blvd
For the week of Monday, November 15 through Sunday, Novmber 21
Monday
Monday Night Residency: The Black Apples, LA Font, Oh Darling, So Many Wizards @Echo
Captain Ahab, Laco$Te, The Paradox of Time, Oscillator, I.E., DJ Sara Tea @ Pehrspace
El Ten Eleven @ Origami Vinyl
Tuesday
Legendary Pink Dots, We Are The World, Black Rainbow @ Echo
Idlewild, Happy Hollows @ Echo – Cancelled
Oh No Oh My (Austin, Tx), Pomegranates (Cincinnati, Oh), Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits @ Bootleg TheateR
Wednesday
Idlewild, Happy Hollows @ Echo – Cancelled
Dub Club Presents: The Expanders, Premiere Of Documentray “Rock Steady: The Roots Of Reggae,” DJ Mossman @ Echoplex
Ferraby Lionheart, Henry Wolfe, Nightfur @ Bootleg Theater
The Psychedlic Cowboys and “The Country” @ Taix Lounge
Live Jazz every Wednesday Night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Cafe
Thursday
Pepper Rabbit Hands, Square On Square, The Silent Comedy @ Echo
Down and Derby Roller Disco @ Echoplex
Kitten, Pepper Rabbit @ Origami Vinyl
Dudley Saunders @ Taix Lounge
Friday
Avi Buffalo, Wildbunch, Lord Huron @ Echoplex
Club Underground with Shadow Shadow Shade @ Echo
TRMRS @ Pehrspace
Tunng, April Smith and the Great Picture Show, The Good Listeners @ Bootleg Theater
Whitman, Ezra Buchla @ Origami Vinyl
Saturday
Harvest Beer Fest: Vaud and The Villains, Shannon and The Clams, Last Round Down, The Blasting Company @ Echoplex & Echo
Awol One, Acid Reign, Ecid, Noah 23, Jordan Miche, Red Foxx, Open Mic Freestyle Jam with Rare Grooves, DJ Stereotype @ Pehrspace
Bob Mould, Nico Stai @ Bootleg Theater
Sisu @ Origami Vinyl
Violeta Bioletti, Dogweed, Rough Church @ Taix Lounge
Sunday
Part Time Punks @ Echo
Lord Huron 7″ Release Part @ Origami Vinyl
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.
November 2, 2010
You: A Sweet Fraulein in the street wearing hand-me-downs. Me: In Grandpa’s Lederhosen with real Pumpkin on my head. Because of some questionable decision making skills I decided to get a beer instead of chatting more with you. And there was no beer, and I couldn’t find you at the party. Uff-da!
November 7, 2010
cute hipster girl in blue/green glasses at Booty LA – m4w
You were this ridiculously cute girl with dark hair, funky glasses and lacy tights in the front row at at Booty LA. I pulled you up on stage and sang some Peter Gabriel to you and gave you a hug out in the parking lot. My ride was leaving and I didn’t have time to ask for your name or number. I would love to watch Say Anything with you sometime.
November 9, 2010
thanks for the smile at Vons – m4w
I was the guy in the glasses and light grey jacket, looking dumb-founded around 10 pm tonight at the Echo Park Vons. Thanks for looking back at me and smiling. Made my day.
November 11, 2010
brite spot wed night – m4w – 29
to the brunette at brite spot with her blonde friend
i should’ve come back in and introduced myself
because missed connections are lame 🙁
Sunday Century Spa – m4m – 41 (Century Spa)
We talked outside, both of us from the Echo Park area. Sorry not to have seen you after my body scrub. Would love to talk over wine.
Let me know…drop me a line. Cheers!
November 12, 2010
girl in rite-aid – m4w – 30
you blew me away. i couldn’t talk to you, i was so enamored. i think you drive a volvo. write me.
h/t Craigslist
Flickr photo via Heal the Bay
The Daily News reported yesterday that LA City Council approved a plan to study anti-smoking laws that could further restrict public smoking in some public places. The idea is to focus on public spaces like beaches, multi-family buildings and other public gathering spaces.
This isn’t necessarily new news, but it got me thinking about Echo Park. I would assume that if they were to tighten restrictions in public gathering spaces, Echo Park Lake could be one of those. In 2009, 6,000 cigarette butts were cleaned up around Echo Park Lake alone, so maybe this wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. (Although, let’s be honest, is this really a role our local government can and should be taking?)
The city of Calabasas is well-known for banning public smoking, and Mayor Barry Groveman definitely weighed in his support for the study, telling the Daily News: “What we are trying to do is come up with a common measure to protect people from smoke…. What we are trying to do is eliminate places in the city – farmer markets, government buildings, areas with common meeting places – where people could be affected by second-hand smoke.”
But Echo Park is kind of hipster-ville (or so I’ve been told), and the amount of smokers standing outside of the Echo and other venues along Sunset have got to bother those non-smokers sensitive to the second-hand smoke. In a study conducted by the County of Los Angeles Public Health released in June 2010, at 14% LA has among the lowest smoking rates of any metropolitan areas in the US. However, there are also a lot of disparities within LA, and while coastal communities like Malibu have a pretty low percentage, both CD 13 and CD1 (Echo Park lies in both) rank fairly high in the number of smokers according to the study.
CD 13 has 16.1% of the population are smokers, the district ranking 106 out of 127 (see above graph). Perhaps what we need to do is look at some of these high-ranking areas of Los Angeles (rather than focus on beaches) and see what can be done to help reduce the amount of smokers and second-hand smoke. Check out the colorful map below:
