celebrate in Echo Park – Echo Park Now

Flickr photo via sirimiri

Each year we put together a little guide for Echo Parkians to take advantage of local places to celebrate. There are some usual spots, and some new places to go, so if you’re going to head out Saturday evening make sure to support the local economy. And remember, if you do venture outside of Echo Park, the City of LA is providing free metro transportation on New Year’s Eve from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am, so don’t you dare drive under the influence!

Here are your dining options for earlier in the evening, and local spots for the new year countdown:

Taix

It’s a bit of a local tradition to have a little New Years Even dinner at Taix restaurant. In addition to serving their normal menu, News Years specials will be served from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm with a reservation. Specials include Crab Cakes, Roasted Veal Rack, Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass and other appetizers and desserts. Taix has a full bar, so be sure to enjoy some bubbly with their specials. Call (213) 484-1265 for reservations.

The Park Restaurant

The New Years Eve dinner special is six courses for $60, and includes scallops, oysters, lobster, duck and lamb for the omnivores. Tasty artichoke, Butternut Squash, Mushroom, and Gruyere courses for the veggies. And of course, The Park always has a great wine and beer selection, so we’re sure they’ll have some bubbly for you to enjoy! Seatings are between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, be sure to call for reservations! (213) 482-9209

Mohawk Bend

This will be the first New Year’s Eve celebration for the new bar/restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, and there’s a great dinner menu planned. $65 gets you Mohawk’s omnivore and vegan-friendly menu, along with specialty items like Roasted Porcini Mushrooms with potato gnocchi and in-house ricotta; Lobster Orecchiette Gratin with sea urchin and chive; and Lamb Chops with herbed polenta and tomato pine-nut gremolata. You can also add white (3g/$55; 6g/$100) or black truffles (6g/$35) to any dish.

By-the-glass and by-the-bottle bubbly will be available, as well as a beer toast in keepsake glasses at the countdown.

Reservations are required, and seatings are between 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The 10:00 pm slot will guarantee your seat until 1:00 am. Email nye2012@mohawk.la for reservations!

City Sip

We’ve spent a New Year’s Eve here before, and it was an amazing place for a chill way to celebrate.

They’ve got a pretty good deal for New Year’s Eve: for $50 a person you get bottomless bubbly, a plate of artisan cheese and charcuterie, and a panini dessert.

Allston Yacht Club

The short version of the menu: Lobster and fish terrine, warm olive oil poached beets, grilled beef tenderloin, wild mushroom fricasse, dessert, and wine pairings. Seatings are at 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Call 213.481.0454 for reservations.

The Echo/Echoplex

The annual Bootie LA New Year’s Even 2012 at the Echoplex from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am. DJ Paul V., DJ Shyboy, DJ Faroff are the resident DJs spinning the mashups, with a midnight countdown and performance by resident dance crew R.A.I.D. (Random Acts of Irreverent Dance). Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at door.

Funky Sole New Year’s Eve with Breakestra, Music Man Miles, and Clifton AKA Soft Touch. Starts at 10:00 pm at the Echo. Tickets are $15 until midnight (champagne and a toast for the countdown), $10 after.

Club Bahia

They’ve been hosting New Year’s Eve celebrations for over 30 years, and at a great deal – party all night for only $25. Click here for more info.

Masa

Masa will be hosting its annual Masa Fancy Pants Pajama Party on New Years Eve. PJs aren’t required, but are encouraged! They’ll be watching the ball drop in New York at 9:00 pm, along with a toast to ring in the new year.

Did we miss anything? Share the info in the comments section below!

We have a bit of a July 4th tradition now after living in our Echo Park pad for a few years: A little barbecue party in the yard, and then a walk around the ‘hood for some crazy fireworks action. Our street used to be like a war zone – teenagers darting into the middle of the street between cars to set of some obnoxious spinner or rocket, and plumes of smoke constantly hanging in the air. This year, our street was pretty tame, but there’s a few around the bend that ALWAYS put on a good show.

First up, Dodger Stadium had fireworks following a loss against the Mets, so we walked up the hill to a little viewpoint where a few locals sat in their beach chairs with the kids and enjoyed the show. Next up, that street around the corner that never fails to wow us with their fireworks (where the heck do they get those?!). They had some chrysanthemum-shaped ones that thankfully didn’t set fire to any of the tall palm trees. This street was pandemonium, kids running around, teens lighting their own little firework bombs, and an all-around good time.

Speaking of pandemonium: The finale, the one thing I’d promised all our friends will never fail to amaze and awe, something you have to see it just once – Fourth of July at Echo Park Lake. And the best word to describe it is indeed just pandemonium, because every year at the Lake are crowds of people lighting roman candles, bottle rockets, spinners, even home-made bombs. You name it, the firework was there, big and small. Last year, dozens of parachute shells lingered in the air while we watched a roman candle launched straight into a palm tree on bird island, lighting it on fire. Every direction you looked was some spinner or sparkler going off, and there was definitely a lot of questionable parenting going on as young kids ran rampant and lit some pretty dangerous stuff. But that aside, it’s kind of fun!

This year sadly, the Lake lacked fireworks and any crowd at all. It was deathly quiet, and strange – a small group of residents who live just up the street told us cops had come by about an hour before announcing the closure of the lake, ordering everyone to leave.

A quiet Echo Park Lake

But that’s happened before – cops come and over loudspeakers tell you to leave. Everything goes on as usual until they show up in full force. But this year they must have done something different, perhaps? Echo Park Patch writes officers had a strong presence (we didn’t see any when we arrived), and “according to officers on duty, there were no incidents at all of people using fireworks in the park.”

It’s a strange contrast to previous years, and with the upcoming rehab project shutting down the lake for two years, we’re wondering if 2010 was the last time we watched the incredible illegal fireworks show at Echo Park Lake.

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Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Echo Park