Half off wine at City Sip

Today’s Los Angeles Groupon deal comes back to Echo Park, this time you get half off wine at our friendly neighborhood wine bar, City Sip.

This means you spend $20 and you get $40 worth of delicious wine. Great deal! Here’s a little description of the featured wines (and beers!) to tempt you to try few of their 40 wine bottle selections:

Swirl, sniff, and sip your way through potable pleasures such as an Alsatian gewürztraminer from Klipfel ($11/glass), a Felino malbec ($12/glass), or another pick from the encyclopedic selection of bubblies, whites, reds, roses, and other vine-based beauties. Like the three-fisted men who harvest the grapes, wine flights provide a one-two-three palate punch, while dessert wines such as a Landskroon morio muscat ($11/glass) gently slap tongues with sweetness. A selection of craft beers including Allagash Curieux ($8) and Eagle Rock Brewery Solidarity ($7), plus a handful of nonalcoholic options, round out the liquid luxuries.

The fine print: Limit 2 per person. Limit 1 per table. Not valid toward retail or classes. Tax and gratuity not included. Not valid with other offers, including happy hour.

Click here to visit Groupon.com and purchase today’s deal. Get it soon – you have until midnight tonight!

CitySip is located at 2150 W. Sunset Blvd, click here for the website.

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Estevan Oriol signing at Montana Cans tonight

Check out Montana Cans tonight for an in-store book signing by well-known LA Street culture photographer Estevan Oriol.

Last year Oriol released “LA Woman,” his first book featuring iconic images of women of the city of Los Angeles. He will be signing copies of the book, which will also be for sale along with calendars, posters and more. There will also be some free Montana Store giveaways.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
7:00 – 9:00 pm

Montana Cans is located at 1528 1/2 Sunset Blvd

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Delilah’s pies take home third

Photo from LAist

Delilah Bakery owner Genevieve Ostrander has taken home the third place ribbon for her Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust at KCRW’s 2nd Annual Good Food Pie Contest in Beverly Hills over the weekend.

Congratulations to Delilah’s Bakery!

Now go eat some pie, people!

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Echo Park’s Missed Connections

“Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.”

– Kahlil Gibran

September 7:

we stood close but no exchange of words – w4m – 22
you played drums at echo curio last night (9/6/10) and after your set you stood right next to me to watch the next band. i wanted to say hi because you were cute but i got too shy. i was wearing a white boat neck with blue stripes.

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September 5:

FYF Fest – During Cold Cave – w4m (Echo Park)
Dave at FYF Fest! I feel so creepy doing this.. but you seemed really cool and I left Delorean to catch all of Panda Bear’s set!

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September 3:

asian market shenanigans – m4w
We both had a chuckle when the cashier at the asian market in Echo Park wouldn’t let you buy your sweets because they had gone bad. Especially since you had eaten some of them already. You dressed like a painter and moved like a dancer. Would love to have more laughs, minus possible food poisoning.

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September 1:

Gold Room girl – m4w
We’ve run into each other a few times, and you told me once that you liked a particular peculiarity about my speech. I like your kind eyes and freckles. Last time I saw you you were with a guy– was he a boyfriend? I hope not. I’d like to learn more. If this is you, you’ll know what junk I’ve got my in my trunk.

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August:

Burning Girl at Vons – m4w – 40
You told me my Mercury was in retrograde!
Help!
😉

Laguna Ave – m4w – 46
To the pretty redhead with the beautifully curvy figure walking down Laguna Avenue Saturday morning about 9am……………..were you just passing through or do you live nearby? You were wearing jean shorts and had a cigarette in your hand. I had my dog with me, and had just got in my vehicle to leave when you passed by.

h/t Craigslist

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2010 CA Coastal Cleanup Day in Echo Park

Along with 80 locations at beaches, rivers and other Southern California neighborhoods, Echo Park Lake will be a site of the 2010 CA Coastal Cleanup day. Heal the Bay and the California Coastal Commission have teamed up for this event in Echo Park and need everyone’s help picking up trash and beautifying our community – 80% of trash found on beaches comes from an inland source, and last year 120 volunteers cleaned up 1,000 pounds of trash and over 6,000 cigarette butts around Echo Park Lake alone.

Signing up is easy! Just go to the Heal the Bay website and click on the “participate” button to the right. Click here to download the Echo Park cleanup PDF flyer to pass along to your neighbors and friends!

Saturday, September 25, 2010
751 Park Avenue (by Glendale and Park Avenue just north of the Lotus bed)
8:00 – 8:45 am registration
9:00 am – 11:00 am cleanup
11:00 am – noon trash count and snack lunch
Don’t live in Echo Park but want to participate? Inland neighborhoods like Silver Lake and Culver City, along with a slew of beaches will be cleanup site. Click here for the full list and map from Heal the Bay.
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Dodgers Lose Series to Giants, 2-1

It was a rough holiday weekend for the Dodgers, who blew a lead in Saturday’s game against the Giants and then were shutout in Sunday night’s series finale.

On Saturday, the Dodgers capitalized on a strong start by Ted Lilly and entered the ninth with a 4-3 lead over the Giants. All-Star closer Jonathan Broxton, who has been struggling since the break, was given the opportunity for the save. He promptly gave up a two-run homer, and the Dodgers were defeated 5-4. The loss was the final straw for Torre, who is officially pulling Broxton from save positions.

Kuroda pitched over seven innings in Sunday’s game, striking out eight, and giving up one in the second off a sacrifice fly by Pablo Sandoval then two more off a homer in the seventh. Despite a relatively solid start by Kuroda, Dodgers’ offense was once again nonexistent. Andre Ethier, currently on a one-for-19 streak, struck out three times, as did Matt Kemp, who is supposedly hitting clean up. Dodgers lost the game 3-0.

A look ahead

Tonight the Dodgers move south, with a three-game away series against the Padres. The Padres, who have been the division leader for the majority of the season, are on a 10-game losing streak. The Dodgers must put in a strong showing against the Padres if they are to keep their wildcard hopes alive.

Monday 9/6 at 7:05 pm – TV: KCAL, Radio: KABC 790
Dodgers v. Padres @ PETCO Park
Tuesday 9/7 at 7:05 pm – TV: KCAL, Radio: KABC 790
Dodgers v. Padres @ PETCO Park
Wednesday 9/8 at 7:05 pm – TV: PRIME TICKET/ESPN, Radio: KABC 790
Dodgers v. Padres @ PETCO Park

The buzz

What’s Next for Torre? The Dodgers’ manager, whose contract ends this season, had originally planned on announcing whether he’d return by Labor Day. But the holiday is here and still no word from Torre. Check out Helene Elliott’s column on the LA Times.

Dodgers Call up Five from Triple-A Albuquerque, including 16-year minors veteran. It took 16 long years, but first-basemen John Lindsey will finally make his major league debut. Lindsey, who’s played 1,570 games in the minors, earned his Dodger blues by leading the Pacific Coast League in hitting (.356) and slugging (.663) percentage.  No current player has spent more time in the minors without receiving a call-up.

Pitcher John Ely, who started for the Dodgers in several games this season, is also back. Joining him is relief pitcher Jon Link, who has been called up three times so far this season, shortstop Chin-Lung Hu and infielder Russell Mitchell, making his major-league debut.

  • Read more about John Lindsey’s call to the Big Leagues from Eric Stephen on True Blue LA
  • Steve Dildeck’s take on why Lindsey’s call up is noteable on  the LA Times Dodgers Blog
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Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, September 6 through Sunday, September 12

Monday
Kisses, Mystery Claws, Brittain Ashford, Blunt Mechanics (new band featuring Ben Barnett of Kind Of Like Spitting) @ Echo Curio
Monday Night Residency: Vanaprasta, Pacific Hurt @ Echo
Summer Darling Video Release @ Origami Vinyl
Nasa Space Universe, The Emotron, Terraform, Okie Dokie, Stag Bitten @ Pehrspace
Family of the Year, Hi Ho Silver Oh, Torches in Trees, Death Kit @ Bootleg Theater

Tuesday
Hipsters Who Heart Hip Hop presents: Mestizo, Offwhyte, Briefcase Scenario, Speak, Magick Orchids @ Echo Curio
Buzz Bands & Al Borde present Wait. Think. Fast: Album Release Show, Light Fm, Marvelous Toy, Future Ghost @ Echo
Little Teeth @ Origami Vinyl
KROQ Locals Only presents: The Funeral Party, My Pet Saddle @ Bootleg Theater

Wednesday
Michael Nhat Album Release, Halloween Swim Team, Pizza!, Tik//tik @ Echo Curio
Aquarium Drunkard Presents The Gories, Haunted George, Nice Smile @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Graham Forrest, Red Hunter, Ecce (Emily Lacy And Ezra Buchla), Black Jesus @ Echo Curio
Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven @ Echoplex
We Barbarians, Superhumanoids, Tijuana Panthers @ Echo
KXSC Presents Daedelus “Acla 10x10x6” record release party, Teebs @ Origami Vinyl

Friday
Kevin Greenspon, Vehicle Blues, Little Teeth, Former Ghost @ Echo Curio
Echo & Club Underground present: Helen Stellar, Saucy Jacks @ Echo
Club Underground @ Echo
Telle Eyed Specs, The Natives @ Tribal Cafe
Chung Antique, traps, ps @ Pehrspace
The Watson Twins, Mini Mansions @ Bootleg Theater

Saturday
Heather Woodbury’s as the Globe Warms followed by Matt Salas Solo, Not An Airplane, Guests @ Echo Curio
Clientele, Lay Low, Gangi @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Robotanists @ Origami Vinyl
Special Guest TBA, Red Arrow Messenger, The Hundred Days @ Bootleg Theater
Instant Pussy, Stepfather Show (closing Reception Of David Yow “Solo” Show) @ Diy Gallery

Sunday
Ige*timer, Stls, Mimes of Wine @ Echo Curio
Grand Ole Echo with Kingsizemaybe, The Running Kind, Gentlemen Farmers, Skip Heller @ Echo
Mogwai Screening @ Echoplex
Part Time Punks with Wild Nothing, The Procedure Club, Sweater Girls, DJ Mike Schulman from Slumberland Records @ 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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Menu Mondays: Xoia Vietnamese

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

Hours (starting Tuesday, September 7):
Tuesday-Thursday: 12:00 noon to 10:00 pm
Friday: 12:00 noon to midnight
Saturday: 12:30 pm to midnight
Friday: 12:30 pm to 10:00 pm

Cash only!

Starters

Spring Rolls: Rice paper rolls w/ shrimp, pork, rice noodles, and fresh herbs served w/ peanut sauce. $5.75
Vegetarian Spring Rolls: Rice paper rolls w/ sautéed mushrooms, tofu, rice noodles, fresh herbs served w/ peanut sauce. $5.50
Pho Beef Tacos: Pho infused beef served on corn tortillas w/ cilantro, onions and house made red salsa. $5.75
Mi Quang Pork Tacos: Paprika and shallot spiced pork on corn tortillas w/ cilantro, onions and house made red salsa. $5.75

Read more

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Sea Nymph: A shipwrecked boat inside Machine Project, opening tonight!

We mentioned last month that the Machine Project would be hosting Josh Beckman’s Sea Nymph – a series of nautical-themed events, workshops and performances along with a capsized hull of a ship inside the art space. There will also be a crystal cave!

The opening reception is tonight, September 5, from 5-10:00 pm. Performances by Clay Chaplin, Ambient Force 3000, Ecce, OK Music, Chris Kallmyer, and Colin Woodford.

Check out a couple of the photos from the Machine Project website of the ship being built:

Read more

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Cars of Echo Park: Honey Bee

Cute and yellow!

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New parking meters coming to a street near you!

Looks like the City of LA will be updating the parking meters along a few Echo Park streets as soon as September 13 or 14. No word on if there will be any price increases, but according to the announcement:

The new meters are being installed as part of an initiative launched last month by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Councilmember Tom LaBonge, and LADOT General Manager Rita L. Robinson to install 10,000 new Card & Coin Meters this summer in high-demand parking spaces throughout the City. When the installation is complete at the end of August, a total of 33% of the City’s 40,000 metered spaces will accept credit card payments, and Los Angeles will boast the largest number of solar-powered parking meters in the country.

Gone are the days of failed meters (and free parking)? The meters will communicate using wireless and send instant text messages to parking meter technicians when the meters become jammed.

The map below highlights the areas of Echo Park that can expect to have updated meters:

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Flashback Fridays – Angeleno/Angelino Heights

"Exterior view of the first Kaspare Cohn Hospital at one thousand four hundred forty Carroll Avenue"

It was originally spelled with an E and a tilde over the second N. That is the original (Spanish language) spelling of the word. The sign just down the street from me at Sunset and Douglas reads “Angeleno Heights.” Somewhere along the way, some people began to spell it “Angelino”, but no one knows when or why although there are different theories. But the two different spellings do not connote any sort of difference in meaning. That’s just what happens over a period of 120 years.

Angelino Heights (see what I did there?) is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Los Angeles second only to Bunker Hill. It was founded in 1886 by William W. Stilson and Everett E. Hall when they filed for the creation of a subdivision in this elevated part of Los Angeles. In the same year, the Temple Street Cable Railway was built. It ran from Angeleno Heights to downtown and allowed those living in this newly formed suburb to commute from home to work. This line was later electrified making transportation to and from home even easier for Angeleno Heights’ residents.

The first big building boom occurred when the neighborhood was first created which is where all the Victorian homes come from. Then, beginning in 1888,  a banking recession stopped all new construction. Another big wave of construction happened in the early 1900s resulting in Craftsman and California bungalow-style homes. Just after World War II, many older homes were split up into multiple apartments to accommodate more people.

In 1983, Angeleno Heights became Los Angeles’ first historic district. Several homes in the neighborhood are Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments and the entire 1300 block of Carroll Avenue is registered as a United States Historic District (and Michael Jackson’s video for “Thriller” was filmed there).

Unfortunately, I could only find one photo of old Angeleno Heights (see above) in our beloved USC Digital Library. But they do have a huge collection of filled-out census forms from 1939! One just has to search by street name to find them. Check out the census forms for Carroll Avenue, W. Edgeware Road and Calumet Ave. It seems there were a fair number of renters living in Angeleno Heights in the 1930s, and rent could cost anywhere from $25 to a whopping $35 per month.

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Restaurant and Business News Roundup

New restaurants and businesses:

  • Ballard’s Framing and Raven-Lily held a grand opening on Saturday, August 7 and officially opened on August 14.
  • International Playground opened up on August 12 in the old Mohawk Store location at 1102 Mohawk St.
  • Warwick opened up its new location 1205 Sunset Blvd.
  • Cookbook, the greengrocer, opened up on August 31 on Echo Park Avenue near Chicken Corner. Click here to read about the store!
  • A Mac computer repair store is rumored to open up this weekend next door to Beauty Box on Sunset Blvd. More details to come!

Other news:

Ongoing/Weekly Specials

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Mooi serves up some delicious vegan events for September

Mooi is offering quite a few treats for us in the month of September, including a raw food seminar, speaking events, and a guest chef night. Here’s the low-down:

Tonight is the first night for a free raw food seminar by Lou Corona to be held every Thursday of September from 7-10:30 pm (we’ve heard food will be served!). Lou’s seminar is about raw food and his 38-year experience as a “raw living foodist.” He’ll be teachin the “4 principles” that have helped transformed his life. You don’t need to RSVP, and it’s free!

On Saturday, September 11, Mooi will host a guest chef with BeLive (“gourmet raw living culinary artist and visionary”).

On Friday, September 17, Mooi will host an event called “Farm of Life,” where guest speakers Brian and Jody Calvi talk about healing sickness and disease through a raw food diet, as well as their experiences on a raw vegan organic farm in Costa Rica. There will be two showings, one at 7:00 pm and one at 9:00 pm. The event is free! Go to www.farmoflifecr.com to learn more.

And, of course, every Tuesday from 3-5:00 pm Mooi is the pickup location for CSA subscribers.

Keep your eyes peeled, Mooi is also planning some film nights art shows, and more!

Mooi is located at 1700 W. Sunset Blvd.

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Holiday weekend sobriety checkpoint in Echo Park on Friday

It’s Labor Day weekend!

Don’t party too hard – Friday night (September 3) is another Sobriety/DUI checkpoint in Echo Park and all over Los Angeles, reports LAist. You’ll find it on Sunset Boulevard and Sutherland Street by the Short Stop (a pretty typical spot for these things) from 8:00 pm to 1:30 am.

Be safe out there!

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