The sounds of the LA Marathon

There’s a few inconveniences that come with living near the start of the LA Marathon, including street closures, parking restrictions. But for the most part, it’s completely doable.

And then come the helicopters.

The news ‘copters arrive as early as 5:00 am to film the crowds in Dodgers Stadium, the start line for the LA Marathon. While we’re a little used to the police helicopters that fly overhead, the trouble is that these ones STAY there. For hours. The noise is insistent, and unforgiving. They hover just a short distance from our quiet, sleeping homes, in the wee hours of the morning, until finally departing some time after the start of the race to follow the runners to the finish line.

We knew it would happen – and even asked Dodgers Stadium to remind the news media there are actual neighborhoods surrounding the stadium, but still it happens every year. Call me Mr. Scrooge, but it’s impossible to sleep despite ear plugs and a pile of pillows.

Time for a nap!

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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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Elysian Park’s “Avenue of the Palms” trees are dying

You wouldn’t know by just looking at them, but the 100+ year old palm trees, a rare species of wild date, that make up “The Avenue of the Palms” on Stadium Way are dying.

Planted in 1895, the palms are now dying from a “combination of disease spread by using uncleaned chainsaws,” as well as old age.

The Citizen’s Committee to Save Elysian Park is addressing the issue, and will be discussing replanting the trees during their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday.

Avenue of the Palms, 1950. Photo from the LAPL archives.

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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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Flashback Fridays: The sandstone cliffs that make up “The Cut”

Echo Park resident, historian, and contributor to The Eastsider LA Rory Mitchell explores the history behind the sandstone cliffs that make up the west end of Echo Park as you drive into Silver Lake on Sunset.

Apparently this section has a pretty interesting history – in 1887 an ostrich farm decided to build a railway to its new Griffith Park location. Apparently the landowner of the section they blew threw, who knew about the project and initially supported it, was left “unsatisfied” with the work, sued the railroad company, and won. This landowner was lawyer George H. Smith, former Colonel in the Confederate Army and the grandfather of General George S. Patton.

Here’s a little video about the project, via the Echo Park Historic Society:

The Cut is now home to some unique vendors selling various items on the weekends, and is often plagued by landslides, especially after the “big” rains we had a couple of years ago.

Click here to read the entire write-up by Rory on the My Historic LA website.

Related articles to also read:

  • A look into landslides reveals Sunset Boulevard’s rocky past. The Eastsider LA, February 26, 2011
  • “The Cut” digs into the geology and history of Echo Park & Silver Lake. The Eastsider LA, February 24, 2012
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Celebrating 50 years on the job at Taix

Bernard Inchauspe, Fernando Gomez, Jose Fragoso

Wednesday night, Taix employees, family and long-time patrons attended a special celebration featuring three of the restaurants long-time employees and the 50 years they’ve dedicated to the job.

The flyer for the event reads, “This is NOT a retirement party,” but it was a party indeed! We stopped by to say hello and congratulate the trio, which included Bernard Inchauspe (dining room waiter), Fernando Gomez (bartender), and Jose Fragoso (banquet waiter). They’ve seen the restaurant change so much over the years – which actually started out near downtown Los Angeles, serving family-style dinners, until moving to its existing location in Echo Park in the early 1960s.

Taix used to be one of those places we’d only go to if our roommate’s mother was in town, treating us to a fancy dinner at the window-less, old-school style restaurant. But now we’ve frequented Taix, usually once a month, to grab an Eagle Rock Solidarity from the tap and nosh on a basket of fries. A little flirting action with Bernard, and we’re set!

If you’ve never been, go! Taix hosts music events throughout the week in the lounge, and even stand-up comedy on Sunday night. They have great happy hour deals, and fabulous staff. And in case you’re wondering, it’s pronounced “tex.”

Related articles:

  • Taix Employees Celebrate 50 Years of Service. Echo Park Patch, March 1, 2012
  • After 50 years on the job, Echo Park restaurant workers still ready to serve. The Eastsider LA, February 22, 2012
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Long-time Echo Park resident claims winning lottery ticket

The Eastsider LA reports this morning that the $15 million winning lottery ticket purchased at our very own House of Spirits has been claimed by an Echo Park resident!

Victor Caube, a sushi chef, just learned on Monday he had the winning ticket when he stopped at the House of Spirits to buy another ticket. The long-time resident will be sharing his winnings a friend.

Congrats!

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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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Elf Café hosting popup Falafel Night in Echo Park

Late night partying hipsters rejoice! Hot Knives bloggers/food lovers (Evan George and Alex Brown) are bringing the delicious street food – the Falafel – to Echo Park!

Elf Café is opening up its Sunset-facing window to service the drunk and hungry on Tuesday, February 28 from 10:00 pm – 2:30 am. The Hot Knives guys call this a “temporary autonomous eating zone,” aka a popup Falafel stand, so who knows how long they’ll be serving up these late-night treats.

There’s only one item on this menu, and it’s a Falafel. It also happens to be vegan! As a fan of the duo’s book Salad Daze, this will sure to win over hipster taste buds from all around.

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Echo Park’s Week in Music

From Monday, February 27 through Sunday, March 4

Monday
Unique LA’s Movie Night Presents: Chinatown @ Echoplex
Filter presents Monday Night Residency: Electric Guest, Chains of Love, Gangi, Evan Voytas @ Echo
Sunland-Tujunga Music Festival: Dream Being, Tujunga, Snorlax, Diet Thrills Foreman, Foreman Submissions, Parallaxscroll @ Pehrspace
LA Underground Presents: Incan Abraham, Harriet, Gothic Tropic, Cuckoo Chaos @ Bootleg Bar
Motown Mondays: Stax vs. Motown With DJ Platurn, E Da Boss, And Expo @ The Short Stop

Tuesday
The Echo & Buzzbands La Present: The Dead Ships, The Ross Sea Party, Hello Echo, The Muddy Reds @ Echo (8:30 Pm)
Check Yo Ponytail 2 with Das Racist, Mr. Muthafuckin’ Exquire, Young L @ Echoplex (9:00 Pm)
Holy Fever, Amigo The Devil, The Record Company, Fat Tony @ Lot 1
Soft Swells @ Origami Vinyl
John Reilly and Friends (featuring Becky Stark and Tom Brosseau) @ Bootleg Theater
Terraplane Sun, Jamestown Revival, Coyol @ Bootleg Bar

Wednesday
Reptar, Quiet Hooves, Lucius @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex
Leap Day Show with Hearts & Minutes, Barrows, Derde Verde @ Lot 1
Chadwick Stokes, Bhi Bhiman, Aras Baskauskas @ Bootleg Bar
Live Jazz Every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Café
Live Pinata Hour Broadcast Party @ Los Globos

Thursday
He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister, Bad Weather California, The Lonely Wild, The John Steel Singers @ The Echo
!!!, Wild Belle, DJ Nobody @ Echoplex
Crashing Star, E.W. Project, Midnight Vultures @ Taix Lounge
Maria Volonté @ Bootleg Theater
Jenny Owen Youngs, Little Hurricane, Rene Breton @ Bootleg Bar

Friday
Natural History Museum First Fridays With Zola Jesus, Ema @ Natural History Museum
Iron Room Presents: Nunslaughter, Sadistic Intent, Insanity, Dreaming Dead, Mutilacion @ Echoplex
Cloud Nothings, Mr. Dream, Talk Normal @ Echo
Charles The Band, The Bamboozeled @ Taix Lounge
Cymbals Eat Guitars @ Origami Vinyl
Jarrod Gorbel, Now the Rabbit has the Gun, Miracle Days @ Bootleg Bar
J Hawk uncloaking and album performance, Ghiant, Tommy Santee Klaws, Brass Tax @ Echo Country Outpost

Saturday
Elliot Brood, The Pack A.D.@ Echo
Bootie LA @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Joe Purdy & All Spots to the Black, The Roof Beam, Carpenters @ Taix Lounge
Kiven, White Lights, Golden Ghost @ Bootleg Bar

Sunday
Fidlar, Pangea, Lovely Bad Things, Anus Kings, DJ Blaque Chris @ Echo
Part Time Punks Presents: Tribute To 120 Minutes (aka 80s/90s Alternative Music Dance Party) @ Echoplex
French Toast Weekly Standup Comedy @ Taix Lounge
Jolie Holland, Emily Jane White @ Bootleg Theater
Super Soul Sunday @ The Short Stop
The Summer Bros., Olentangy John, Leslie Stevens, Matt Taylor and His Laurels @ Echo Country Outpost

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New Echo Park restaurant to replace La Botana on Sunset

photo via Villainy General Store

It seems like yesterday that we were chowing down at Nuvia’s Restaurant & Pupuseria before heading to a show at the Echo Curio next door, but so much has changed on that little stretch of businesses along Sunset Boulevard at Laveta in Echo Park.

Villainy General Store, which took over the old Echo Curio space, posted this photo on its Facebook page today of the former Nuvia’s and then La Botana (which closed down in October 2011 all of a sudden). The caption says the former cheap eats place is being renovated for a new gastro pub owned by local Echo Parkians.

No word yet on who, what, and when, but we’ll let you know!

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CD13 to lose parts of Echo Park in new redistricting proposal

CD13 shown in grey, the red areas are "lost" to CD1 (Click map to download the full PDF)

New maps uploaded to the Los Angeles redistricting website show a much different redistricting plan for Echo Park’s CD13 and CD1 map lines than previous proposals. And, according to the LA Times, the redistricting commission approved the new maps last week, which means the proposal will head to the City Council fore review next month.

While a lot of the redistricting news has been focused around Koreatown, here in Echo Park there are some minor changes that might be a hot button issue for residents as well as the upcoming council district elections in 2013. GEPENC president Jose Sigala (also in the running for City Council in District 13) expressed on the Echo Elysian Neighborhood Council Forum his concern that the Echo Park Farmers’ Market will be no longer be in CD13, and is asking everyone to sign his online petition.

Whatever happens, it’s all about politics. It doesn’t look like Echo Park will be combined into one council district, and will continue to be divided into council district 13 (currently Eric Garcetti) and council district 1 (currently Ed P. Reyes).

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Celebrate another National Margarita Day in Echo Park

We’ve spent quite a bit of time, dollars, and brain cells testing out the best margaritas within walking distance of our Echo Park pad. Since it’s another National Margarita Day, we’ll once again delve into the world of the best margaritas in Echo Park:

El Compadre

El Compadre

Enter the dimly lit establishment on Sunset Boulevard, and you won’t return to the real world until after dark. El Compadre is a given. The ambiance is well-matched for margarita drinking, Dodger games (or the Lakers) are always on, and the bartenders are the best. At a dining table, margaritas come in their famous style (flaming), while at the bar they come sans flame (which is fine with me!). I always order a Cazadores Reposado margarita on the rocks with salt, knowing the good tequila will be more expensive, but boy is it worth every penny.

Cazadores Reposado is a perfect margarita tequila: Aged in oak casks, it’s certainly not a tame tequila and becomes well-balanced in margaritas. It’s particularly delicious when you have a good margarita mix, which El Compadre definitely does. They’ve had the recipe for 30 years, and try as I might I could not coax any ingredients out of the bartender.

Why pay more than a few bucks for a good margarita? Well, let’s put it this way: one margarita and you’re feeling good, two and you’re set (plus no hangover)! Why drink the several of the cheap stuff when you can have just a couple good margaritas, and enjoy it in the process?

AYC's spicy margarita

Allston Yacht Club

AYC serves up a lot of delicious mixed drinks, wines, and even added a couple of taps for craft beers. As an ex-bartender myself, I always sit at the bar and chat with the always friendly and well-versed bartenders.

At AYC, order the Spicy Margarita. It’s mid-shelf tequila, fresh lime juice, agave syrup, and muddled jalapeños – but not too much. The jalapeño leaves a little heat in the back of your throat, and gets a tiny bit stronger and you drink it down. Overall, it’s refreshing and delicious, and worth the $9. Did I mention they also have a cozy back patio?

If you don’t see the Spicy Margarita on the AYC menu, just ask! They know what to do. If you hit up AYC on a Wednesday (like today) you’re in for a treat – Wicked Wednesdays means $5 on all menu items, and they have a great happy hour.

The number three spot used be Barragan’s, but to be honest we haven’t been there in a looooong time, so I’m keepin’ it off the list. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t go for a margarita at Barragan’s, as one of our readers pointed out in the comments section of my from 2010 agrees with a commenter who doesn’t like a high price tag: “I agree, $8 and waaay west of Alvarado doesn’t count. I’m all for Barrigan’s very LARGE and VERY TASTY margarita on the rocks WITH SALT at a decent price. And I can walk there…!” It’s completely true – margaritas can certainly get expensive! But it’s a trade off – the cheaper the tequila, the worse the hangover!

Hopefully this helps your margarita choices in Echo Park. Remember, the bottom line is this: Good margarita mix, good margarita! And I don’t want to leave out the other guys, so the other spots you can get margaritas include the Short Stop, and even Rodeo Grill. Enjoy, and remember to walk home if you can!

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Mark your calendar: Echo Park TAP neighborhood cleanups

The next Echo Park Trash Abatement Program (TAP) 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!

Dates for the cleanups include:

Saturday, February 18, 2012
and Saturday, March 3, 2012

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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Free workshop: How to include your pets in emergency preparedness plans

This Sunday, February 19, 2012 from 6-7:30 pm, join the P.U.P. (Prepare Ur Pet) at BlueCollar Working Dog in Echo Park for a FREE emergency preparedness class! They are, after all, our best friends, and we wouldn’t want to leave our babies behind in an emergency because we weren’t prepared.

Animal trainer and behavior specialists will be doing live demonstrations on how to handle your pet before and after a disaster, including calming your pet during stressful circumstances, what to pack in an emergency kit, as well as how to collar, harness, or leash your pets for an emergency evacuation.

RSVP is a must – simply email prepareurpet@gmail.com.

BlueCollar Working Dog is located at 1533 Echo Park Avenue

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