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McSweeney’s Launch Party at 826LA and Stories

McSweeney’s Issue #34 Launch Party at 826LA and Stories

Monday, April 26th, 2010

There will be food, drink and a discussion and signing with McSweeney’s contributors Nick McDonell and Teddy Wayne. The musical guest for the evening is The Blasting Company.

826LA East / The Echo Park Time Travel Mart and Stories

8:00 pm

Free

RSVP and reserve your copy here (McSweeney’s Quarterly #34 is $20+tax at Stories).

Issue 34 features new stories of shipwrecks, kidnappings and bad vacations, by (among others) Anthony Doerr, Daniel Handler, and T. C. Boyle. Also included are new letters about wine and Hawaii from John Hodgman and Sarah Vowell, twenty-one dead-on self-portraits drawn by the likes of Michael Martone, Michel Gondry, and Sarah Silverman, and, beyond all this, in a standalone volume, Nick McDonell’s stunning exploration of the latest iteration of the war in Iraq-a ground-level account from within the 1st Cavalry Division. The whole thing weighs in at just under 400 pages, and comes in its own custom-made double-sleeve. Purchase it on Amazon.

826LA is located at 1714 W. Sunset Blvd.

Stories is located at 1716 W Sunset Blvd.

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Earth Week: Illegal Dumping

Getting rid of an old chair, couch, or other rubbish that just won’t fit in your trash can? Don’t just leave it curbside. The city will actually dispose of bulk items – for FREE.

If your bulk items still have some life left, consider donating to Out of the Closet thrift store in Echo Park, which will pick up your items for you, or Goodwill in nearby Hollywood. Otherwise, all you have to do is dial 3-1-1. Please call the service if you also see abandoned furniture around the neighborhood.

Paints, solvents, and computer equipment can be dropped off on Saturdays and Sundayat the nearest S.A.F.E. collection center in Glendale. Learn more here.

Read more

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For The Cheap Seats

Goldstar has deals on Dodgers tickets. You can save up to 50% off select tickets here. Goldstar works directly with various Los Angeles venues to sell unused tickets at reduced prices. You will have to sign up for a free Goldstar account.

Upcoming games for sale:

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Monday Menus: The Park Spring Menu

The Park Restaurant has released their Spring 2010 dinner menu, and it sounds pretty delicious!

The Park Restaurant
1400 Sunset Blvd
(213) 482.9209
Website

Brunch hours:
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Lunch hours:
Tuesday – Friday: 11:00 am – 2:30 pm

Dinner hours:
Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: 5:30 – 10:00 pm
Tuesday and Friday: 6:00 – 10:00 pm
(reservations recommended)

Read more

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Earth Week in Echo Park

This Thursday, April 22 is Earth Day – so what are you doing to support a cleaner, healthier environment this year?

There are a lot of ways the community of Echo Park can make it easier for you to contribute to a cleaner environment, from recycling facilities, to community gardening and eco-friendly shopping and services. Throughout the week, we’ll be exploring all the ways Echo Park can make a difference in big and small ways.

If you have any tips for Earth Day activities going on in Echo Park, or would like to share your favorite ways that support a healthy environment and community, feel free to write us at info@echoparknow.com or fill out our online contact form.

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Traffic Collision in Echo Park

A traffic collision that occurred around noon today on Sunset Blvd and Lemyone in Echo Park has really backed up traffic – driving down Sunset we tracked the delayed cars to around Silver Lake Blvd. Quite a few Dodger fans were running late to the game as the tow trucks cleared out the vehicles about 40 minutes ago. Try an alternative route for a while, it looks like things are still a little slow on Sunset.

The Eastsider LA has reported that one of the vehicles ended up on the sidewalk, and “one nearby Echo Park restaurant owner said it appeared that a westbound vehicle ran a red light. The Eastsider is awaiting more info about the accident and any possible injuries from the LAPD Central Traffic Bureau.”

Be safe out there!

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Monday: Echo Park Advisory Board Meeting

Echo Park Advisory Board Meeting Agenda
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Echo Park Recreation Center, 1632 Bellevue Avenue

Meeting called to order

  • Roll Call
  • Approval of Minutes – January/February/March 2010
  • Mitch O’Farrell (Sr. Advisory, Special Projects, Office of Council President, Eric Garcetti): Echo Park Updates and Discussion
  • Public comment of non-agenda items (10 minutes)
  • Echo Park Recreation Staff Reports (5 minutes)

Old business

  • Pending Business
    • Lake Rehab – Construction projected for January 2011
    • Boys & Girls Club – RAP Commissioners meeting projected for September 2010
    • Sunday Flee Market Issue
  • Follow-through on fundraising efforts for Spring/Summer 2010
  • Follow-through on new PAB Member Recruitment
  • Changing of the regularly scheduled meeting day and time
    • 4th Monday of the month, motion to vote

New Business

  • Secretary Duties – board member to temporarily facilitate
  • Board member reports/remarks

Motion to Adjourn

  • Next meet May 17 at 7pm (pending vote above)
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Did You Turn in Your Census, Echo Park?

According to an LA Weekly article, the California Community Foundation has found that one of Los Angeles’ least-counted areas in the 2010 Census includes the Echo Park/Hollywood communities.

“For the first time in census history, we have access to information that can really help us focus our outreach efforts,” said Antonia Hernández, president and CEO of the foundation. The early data gives groups like the CCF and its partners an opportunity to give underrepresented communities a second chance to be included in the census, according to the LA Weekly article.

As of early April, the Hollywood/Echo Park communities have a 42.8% participation rate, compared to a national average of 67% and a countywide average of 64%.

Other under-counted areas include Koreatown, 110 Corridor in South L.A. Long Beach, South West area, the North Valley and Boyle Heights.

While we will have to wait a few months (the Census data is supposed to be released to the government on or before December 31, 2010) to see exactly what the data reflects, here are some interesting Echo Park facts from the 2000 Census, provided by the LA Times Mapping LA Neighborhoods Project:

  • The population of Echo Park from the 2000 Census was 40,455 (about average in comparison to the rest of the city’s neighborhoods), compared to an estimated 43,832 for 2008
  • Echo Park consists of 2.4 square miles, but with 16,867 people per square mile is among the highest densities in the city
  • Latinos make up a majority of the population with 64%, while 18.9% are Asian, 12.9% White, 2.3% Other, and 2.0% Black
  • $37,708 median household income (low in comparison to the rest of the city) with an average of 3.0 people per household (which is high).
  • 76.0% of households are renters (high in comparison to the rest of the city)

Click here to read more statistics about Echo Park in the year 2000 from the LA Times project.

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Dodgers 2010 Promotional Schedule

Between bobbleheads, rally towels, and blanket nights, there are a lot of reasons why you might schedule some Dodger Stadium visits around its special promo nights. We’ve got the best of those promos listed here, just for you:

  • Sunday, April 18: Viva Los Dodgers and hat giveaway for the first 50,000 fans
  • Tuesday, May 4: This Is My Town fleece blanket for the first 50,000 fans
  • Tuesday, May 18: Andre Ethier Bobblehead for the first 50,000 fans
  • Monday, May 31: Manny Ramirez kids batting practice jersey for the first 15,000 kids 14 and under
  • Thursday, June 3: Matt Kemp action figure for the first 15,000 kids 14 and under
  • Friday, June 4: 70’s Night and Loney/Blake poster giveaway for the first 20,000 fans
  • Tuesday, June 8: Jonathan Broxton Bobblehead for the first 50,000 fans
  • Thursday, July 8: Andre Ethier action figure for the first 15,000 kids 14 & under
  • Tuesday, July 20: James Loney Bobblehead for the first 50,000 fans
  • Thursday, July 22: Manny Ramirez action figure for the first 15,000 kids 14 & under
  • Wednesday, August 4: Beach Towel giveaway for the first 30,000 fans
  • Friday, August 6: 80’s Night and Matt Kemp Poster Giveaway for the first 20,000 fans
  • Tuesday, August 17: Matt Kemp Bobblehead for the first 50,000 fans
  • Tuesday, August 31: Cooler Bag Giveaway for the first 20,000 fans
  • Tuesday, September 21: Fleece Blanket for the first 50,000
  • Friday, October 1: Oktoberfest

Fireworks are no longer every Friday home game, instead they are scheduled for:

  • Independence Day: Monday, July 5th (start of game is 6:10 pm)
  • Labor Day Weekend: Friday, September 3rd (start of game is 7:10 pm)

You can also check out the full Dodger Promo schedule here.

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Record Store Day

This Saturday, April 17th is Record Store Day!

Echo Park’s Origami Vinyl will be participating.

They will be opening 2 hours early for the occasion: 10am – 10pm

Free Origami Vinyl/Altamont canvas totes*
Free Shapes and Sizes / The Weird Weeds split 7″*
Free Hooper Heroes Comic Book*
Free Colt45 (21+)

* With purchase while supplies last

Spend $50 and get 20% at etnies.com
Enter to win 500 printed 7″ standard jackets

CoolHaus Ice Cream Truck will be serving up treats from 7pm – 8:30pm.
Non alcoholic beverages and margaritas (21+) will be provided by Function Drinks.

Dum Dum Girls – 2pm
Male Bonding – 3pm
The One AM Radio – 4pm
Adam Harding – 5pm
Lou Barlow + The Missingmen – 6pm

Origami Vinyl is located at 1816 W Sunset Blvd.

Here is a little info on Record Store Day from their website. “This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on.”


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Green Beacon Foundation Workshop Saturday

We just received word of a new organization called the Green Beacon Foundation. Located in Elysian Heights, it focuses on environmental educational and teaches people how to lead more sustainable lives through workshops and lectures.

They’ve got a workshop coming up this Saturday, April 17 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm entitled “PLASTIC: The Good, The Bad & The Deadly.”

Our homes are filled with plastics, and most of us don’t really know what they’re made of – or whether they’re safe.  Nancy Astid Lindo of Astrid Design Studio is back again to enlighten us on just how we can effectively reduce or eliminate the use of plastic inside the home and in our bodies. More than a workshop, this is a call to action. We must take a stand for our health and that of the planet and begin to eliminate the use of plastics as much as possible.

Cost is $10, you can pay online by clicking here. To RSVP and for address and directions, email Julie at contactgbf@gmail.com

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Flashback Fridays: Chavez Ravine (Part 1)

Photo of Chavez Ravine by Don Normark.

Ever heard of Chavez Ravine? A lot of people haven’t (even those who live right next to it) as it doesn’t really exist anymore. It was the neighborhood that the city of L.A. bulldozed in order to build Dodger’s Stadium. But that’s a whole other ball of wax, and a piece of history that will definitely be addressed in my next post. But I figured (what with baseball season beginning this week) it would be timely to write a Chavez Ravine-related post.

Julian Chavez was the man after which Chavez Ravine was named and the original “owner” of the land on which Dodger’s Stadium now sits. Chavez came to California from New Mexico in the 1830s. At the time, California was part of Mexico and was transitioning from being dominated by Spanish-owned missions to being divided into ranchos. During this period, one had only to petition the ayuntamiento (city council) and ask for a piece of land. In this way, Chavez acquired the 83 acres of land near downtown in 1844 that became known as Chavez Canyon.

His land was used by the county as the site of a pest farm/isolation hospital (I can only imagine that this would be a place that they sent people to die) during the 1850s and 1880s when there were local smallpox outbreaks. It was primarily used to house Chinese and Mexicans who suffered from the disease. A smallpox hospice was on the site of Dodger’s Stadium. Isn’t this interesting?!?!

In 1846, California passed from Mexican to American hands. Six years later, in 1852, Chavez was elected to the first L.A. County Board of Supervisors. He continued to serve the city in various roles until his death in 1879.

Stay tuned for next week’s installment of Flashback Fridays: Chavez Ravine!

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Restaurant and Business Roundup

New restaurants and businesses:

Other new news

  • Buy: A Guide to the Public Stairways of Echo Park by Bob Inman aka “Stairway God” (buy here)
  • The old Ramona Theater is to become El Camino, a restaurant and bar serving beer and wood-fired pizzas. The opening has been pushed back from Thanksgiving 2010 to some time in 2011 (probably)
  • Warwick vintage store has moved to 1205 Sunset Blvd

Ongoing/Weekly Restaurant Specials

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Tax Man Got You Down?

It’s unavoidable now – today is officially tax day. Whether or not you paid the government or got a refund, you might find good company enjoying some cheap eats and drinks in Echo Park tonight.

Happy hour specials and fun to-dos:

  • Allston Yacht Club: from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, house wine, imported beers and selected cocktails are $4, and four rotating snack selections for $4 each.
  • The Short Stop: every day from 5 – 8:00 pm, $2.00 PBR, free pool and jukebox, drink specials, and more.
  • City Sip: starting at 5:30, $4.00 beer and wine.
  • Stories Books: four-play! reading at 7:30 pm on the patio.
  • 2HeadedHorse: Campfire songs with Micha and Leighton at 7:00 pm

And so you don’t forget, there are many ongoing specials throughout the week in Echo Park:

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Is it another crackdown?

A resident posted on the Echo Elysian Neighborhood Council forum information this afternoon about the fruit cart vendor on Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Boulevard:

As we were driving down EP Ave. today, I was telling my son how excited I was that there was a fresh squeezed orange juice vendor on the corner of Sunset/EP. To my horror, we reached Sunset where police cars and Public Safety trucks were carting off the fruit vendors. As a public health nurse, I appreciate the health and safety concerns, but feel there should be a way to facilitate their presence. They really do provide a public good- people have access to fresh fruit with more selection than the bottled-in-plastic stuff you buy in the store. They are a part of what makes EP “old neighborhood,” and I think should be preserved. Does anyone know why they were carted off?

It may be the Health Department conducting a “crackdown” of some kind on the food vendors in Echo Park. We’ll keep you updated if more information becomes available.

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