Tag Archive for: echo park

,

Echo Park resident offering LACC jewelry-making classes

Ever wanted to learn how to make your own jewelry (that didn’t involve your little cousin’s plastic beading kit)?

Artist Gordon Wainwright has been making and repairing jewelry for a long time, and has called Echo Park his home and his studio since 1987. In addition to creating his custom jewelry (he is strongly influenced by 1960s designs, but also creates his own modern looks and classical styles), he does jewelry repair and even teaches aspiring jewelers, jewelry designers and silversmiths.

This year, Gordon is also teaching classes at his Echo Park studio through Los Angeles City College (LACC) for the Fall semester. To make sure each student gets individual attention, classes are limited to 9 students, and registration for LACC is now open (classes start September 25).

To register for Gordon’s jewelry and silversmithing classes, register by calling (323) 953-4000 ext. 2650, 2651, 2652, or 2653. The registration fee is $135, and a materials fee of $60 is due to the instructor (cash or check only) at the first class.

Class descriptions and class numbers are as follows:

Silversmithing: Learn to create jewelry from silver and other precious and non-precious metals. During the 5 week class students will create a simple jewelry project of their own design.

Class #99524A: Saturdays, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon

Class #99524B: Saturdays, 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Class #99524C: Mondays, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Metal Casting: Learn the technique of metal gravity casting using cuttle bone, French sand, clay, centrifugal and vacuum casting using the lost wax process. Class #99523A  Tuesdays, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

/292 Comments/by
,

Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, August 30 through Sunday, September 5

Monday
Monday night residency: Fol Chen, Sister Crayon, Evan Voytas @ Echo
Ilo Mar, Emily Lacy, Sleepwalkers Local, Team Andrew (free) @ Echo Curio
Hypercolors (debut of new Mae Shi Band), Nicole Kidman, Generation, Dimples, So Many Wizards @ Pehrspace

Tuesday
Bobby Bare Jr., Blue Giant, Stephen Brower and the Silent Majority @ Echo
Drop for Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love! @ Echo Curio
Open mic night at 7:30 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
The Submarines, Obi Best, Sea Of Bees @ Bootleg Theater

Wednesday
The Spring Standards @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex & Echo
Open mic night at 7:00 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
Seven Saturdays Record Release, Helen Stellar Tape Deck Mountain @ Bootleg Theater
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 Pm @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Marijuana Deathsquads (Featuring P.O.S., Ryan Olson Of Gayngs, Har Mar Superstar, Isaac Gale, and former members of Cows), Holloys, Woah Hunx @ Echo
Katherine Sheehan Art Opening @ Origami Vinyl

Friday
Southern Culture on the Skids, Lynda Kay, Jeremiah and The Red Eyes @ Echo
Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love Opening @ Echo Curio
Stereo Total, Hawnay Troof, Kisses (Live), Allister Izenberg @ Echoplex
Media Blitz, Summer Vacation, Imperial Can, Roman Candles @ Pehrspace
Education, Other Bands TBA @ Tribal Cafe
Sky Parade, The Quarter After, The Dolly Rocker Movement, DJ Tami @ Bootleg Theater
Digital Aspergers Presents Echopulco #4: Poly Wave Experiment (PWE), Horse Thieves, HEP/Horse Intermediary Fukkk Orchestra, Hepa/Titus @ Sancho & DIY Gallery

Saturday
Bootie LA with DJ Tripp, DJ Paul V., R.A.I.D. @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Heather Woodbury’s As the Globe Warms, Kris Special, Barrie Rose, Worker Bees, Ugly Winner @ Echo Curio
George Glass, Off Campus, Geisha Boys @ Pehrspace
The Elite Entropy Hive Mind Night @ Tribal Cafe

Sunday
Part Time Punks – Smiths/Morrissey Nite with Guest DJ Jose Maldonado @ Echo
Cobalt Cranes, Night Beats, Boom Chick, The Myonics @ Echo Curio
Trestles – Electronic Music @ Tribal Cafe

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. Venue information can be found in our community resource pages.

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.

Monday
Monday night residency: Fol Chen, Sister Crayon, Evan Voytas @ Echo
Ilo Mar, Emily Lacy, Sleepwalkers Local, Team Andrew (free) @ Echo Curio
Hypercolors (debut of new Mae Shi Band), Nicole Kidman, Generation, Dimples, So Many Wizards @ Pehrspace

Tuesday
Bobby Bare Jr., Blue Giant, Stephen Brower and the Silent Majority @ Echo
Drop for Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love! @ Echo Curio
Open mic night at 7:30 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
The Submarines, Obi Best, Sea Of Bees @ Bootleg Theater

Wednesday
The Spring Standards @ Echo
Dub Club @ Echoplex & Echo
Open mic night at 7:00 Pm @ Tribal Cafe
Seven Saturdays Record Release, Helen Stellar Tape Deck Mountain @ Bootleg Theater
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 Pm @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Marijuana Deathsquads (Featuring P.O.S., Ryan Olson Of Gayngs, Har Mar Superstar, Isaac Gale, and former members of Cows), Holloys, Woah Hunx @ Echo
Katherine Sheehan Art Opening @ Origami Vinyl

Friday
Southern Culture on the Skids, Lynda Kay, Jeremiah and The Red Eyes @ Echo
Version Mary Prepare the Ones You Love Opening @ Echo Curio
Stereo Total, Hawnay Troof, Kisses (Live), Allister Izenberg @ Echoplex
Media Blitz, Summer Vacation, Imperial Can, Roman Candles @ Pehrspace
Education, Other Bands TBA @ Tribal Cafe
Sky Parade, The Quarter After, The Dolly Rocker Movement, DJ Tami @ Bootleg Theater

Saturday
Bootie LA with DJ Tripp, DJ Paul V., R.A.I.D. @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Heather Woodbury’s As the Globe Warms, Kris Special, Barrie Rose, Worker Bees, Ugly Winner @ Echo Curio
George Glass, Off Campus, Geisha Boys @ Pehrspace
The Elite Entropy Hive Mind Night @ Tribal Cafe

Sunday
Part Time Punks – Smiths/Morrissey Nite with Guest DJ Jose Maldonado @ Echo
Cobalt Cranes, Night Beats, Boom Chick, The Myonics @ Echo Curio
Trestles – Electronic Music @ Tribal Cafe

/2 Comments/by

Fun find: Echo Park street in Coke commerical

Just to prove to you that I can spot an Echo Park street from a mile away, here’s a video of a recent Diet Coke commercial with a brief shot of Academy Road (near Morton Ave. and Sargent Pl.) in Echo Park. Take a look at about 17 seconds:

There actually used to be a huge mural painted along each side of the corridor on Academy, but has been painted white for some time now.

/by
,

Happy 6th Birthday Masa!

A birthday celebration from a couple of years ago

It seems like yesterday we had just moved into the neighborhood and Masa had just opened its doors. It’s already be six whole years, and a lot of great stuff has happened: They serve awesome beer and wine, are very involved in the community, and recently introduced vegan pizza options to the menu. Happy birthday Masa!

As part of their traditional celebration, stop by Masa and grab a piece of Devil’s food cake with buttercream frosting tomorrow (Saturday, August 28)!

Masa is located at 1800 W. Sunset Blvd.

/121 Comments/by

Echo Park resident takes home the Comedy crown

This actually happened earlier this month, but I’m finally getting caught up on my TV-watching and I am very stoked for the winner of Last Comic Standing. Felipe Esparza was born and raised in Boyle Heights, but he now calls Echo Park his home. He’s hilarious and we look forward to seeing him around Echo Park!

Felipe is also a former Homeboy, and will be donating a portion of his winnings to Homeboy Industries!

Speaking of seeing him around Echo Park… Felipe, if you’re out there, tell us your favorite places you eat and drink in Echo Park so that we can stalk you for an interview, and get drunk together at the same time (wink, wink).

Felipe performs tonight in Los Angeles at the Ricardo Montalban Theater, but you can click here for other tour dates and places.

If you’re like us and don’t leave Echo Park much, you can check out some stand-up comedy at nearby Taix restaurant in the Lounge on Sunday nights. French Toast takes place every Sunday at 8:30 pm, and features comedians from Los Angeles, New York City, Comedy Central, HBO, and more. The best part? It’s FREE!

/3 Comments/by

Loft living in Echo Park: Definitely a trend

Sunsets must look nice from up high at the 1030 Alvarado Street project

Another high density live/work loft building in Echo Park, this one about to open up at 1030 Alvarado (just south of Sunset). Echo 1030, according to the website, is the “newest, greenest, and most contemporary live/work loft units for lease in Los Angeles.” The 20 units just next door to the Alvarado car wash actually do sound pretty nice: 18-foot vaulted ceilings, central heat and AC, solar reflective windows, and more. What makes them “green” is that it’s LEED Certified. But how long will the development fair and will they be able to sell the lofts?

More importantly, there is an empty lot at Chicken Corner, the Durbin project, that has been undeveloped for quite some time now. Sunset Five on Sunset Blvd. and Portia was having some trouble selling its lofts when it first opened. Developers want to build a 64-unit complex on Sunset and Rosemont, and there’s also an eight-unit live/work loft unit proposed for Echo Park Ave. and Avalon Street.

Just why might we be seeing so many developments of this kind in Echo Park these days? Darren Hubert, a local real estate agent, makes a good point. “They build them here because there is a group of residents in Echo Park that appreciate and will live and work in them.  We have one of the strongest arts communities in the city. We are on the cutting edge of the Urban movement in a city that was build around its suburbs. In Echo Park you still have a sense of community, a walking district, and parks close by. It is the best of what Urban LA has to offer yet you still have a community to be a part of.” And a strong community it is!

While Echo Park-ians (rather, me) certainly welcome the “green” living movement, we tend to be more of a makeshift gray water system, self-installed solar panel type of neighborhood. Sustainable living doesn’t always have to mean brand-new and dense residential structures, and naturally I’m a fan of the California bungalows around Echo Park. But now that’s it’s up and built – someone, someday, will take a look at 1030 Alvarado and say, “That’s were I want to live slash work!”

/747 Comments/by
,

Echo Park shooting last night results in death of a teenager

Today is a heartbreaking day for the family of a 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed around 11:30 last night near Temple Street and Union Avenue. The Eastsider LA and L.A. Now are both reporting that it may have been a gang-related shooting.

L.A. Now quotes LAPD Officer Bruce Borihanh as saying:

A male suspect walked up to the victim at the corner of Temple Street and Union Avenue about 11:30 p.m., Borihanh said. The suspect, described as 19 to 24 years old, fired multiple rounds at the victim with a handgun, striking the victim in the head and shoulder.

Lt. Wes Buhrmester of the Rampart Division told The Eastsider LA that the victim was in an argument with the suspect, who fired five rounds:

Right now (8:00 a.m.), the investigation is still ongoing.  Rampart Homicide Unit detectives responded to the scene, and are still here, piecing things together.  The victim has been identified and his parents notified and interviewed, however because he is a juvenile his name is being withheld at this time.

Thanks to The Eastsider LA and L.A. Now for keeping us in the know. Be safe everyone!

/82 Comments/by
,

Photo: Echo Park sunset

There was a real nice sunset tonight you can see from, well, Sunset Blvd! You probably saw the huge thunderheads over the mountains earlier today. Other areas didn’t fare as well as we did – a flash flood warning in parts of Southern California actually resulted in some crazy storms, including the following video from Lake Elsinore, which was also featured tonight on KTLA. Hard to believe that’s So Cal in August!

/22 Comments/by

Get inspired: Novel writing class in Echo Park

It's hard not to be inspired in Echo Park. Flickr photo via Alysa Pakkidis

Echo Park resident and novelist Tempany Deckert is offering a Beginner’s Novel Writing Class on Wednesdays, starting September 1. While the class isn’t free, you will get to:

Learn to write your very own novel in this fun, informative and inspiring class. Taught by eighteen time novelist, T. Deckert, you’ll learn how to develop characters, plot, structure and most important of all, have the discipline to complete your very own work of art. Anyone can write, but not many people can navigate their way through the entire novel writing process. In this class you’ll not only learn the tricks of the trade, but you’ll complete your very own book over the course of 10 weeks.

Cost of the class is $260, and class size is restricted to so sign up fast!

To reserve your spot, email Tempany@mac.com

/54 Comments/by

Donate to Blue Collar’s Military K9 Program

Flickr photo via The U.S. Army

Blue Collar in Echo Park has been collecting donations for their Military K-9 Program, in which the business sends military K9s in Afghanistan some much-needed dog items, including beds, shampoos, ear cleaners, medicines, joint support, treats, and grooming supplies. They were also accepting items for the K9 handlers such as bug spray, sun screen,vitamins, coffee, etc. They have had success collecting those donated items, but the boxes have become expensive to ship the items – just two boxes cost $100 to ship to Afghanistan.

They are asking for monetary donations or someone with a Postal Service business account to help by funding some of the shipping (they can only ship via USPS). They have four boxes that need to be shipped, and Blue Collar needs your help!

Stop in and talk to the folks at Blue Collar about how you can help.

Blue Collar is located at 1533 Echo Park Avenue.

/250 Comments/by
, ,

Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Monday, August 23 through Sunday, August 29

Monday
Monday Night Residency – Fol Chen, Crocodiles, Woom, Jessica 6 @ Echo
Asss, Bestial Mouth, Tik//tik, White Leopards @ Echo Curio
Sean Carnage presents: Stellaluna, Blood Beach, White Fang, Sexhair @ Pehrspace

Tuesday
Henry Wolfe, Charlie Wadhams, Sunday Soundtracks @ Echo
Gza, Freddie Gibbs, Kendrick Lamar, Toks, Abcnt @ Echoplex
Chelsea Boys, Buffalo Moon, Tan Dollar, The Cosmonauts (Burger Records) @ Echo Curio
Big D (Little Richard Tribute), Thee White Dogs @ Bootleg Theater

Wednesday
Dub Club @ Echoplex & Echo
City Of Progress, Whqles (Both Last Shows!!!), Random Patterns @ Echo Curio
Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, The Americans @ Bootleg Theater
Live Jazz every Wednesday night at 7:00 pm @ Downbeat Cafe

Thursday
Juliette Commagere, Papercranes, Luke Rathborne, Estelle Raskina @ Echo
Vaud And The Villains, Lil Gizzelle, Rt N The 44s @ Echoplex
Learning Music Residency With Gals, Forget Me Nauts @ Echo Curio
Black Mountain (Jagjaguwar), Lower Heaven @ Bootleg Theater

Friday
Club Underground With Little Ones, Downtown/union, Kissing Tigers @ Echo
The Shants, Evan Ap Roberts, Dead Flowers, Ricky Stein @ Echo Curio
Easter Everywhere Presents: Gamble House, Walter Meego, Mystery Claws @ Pehrspace
Shannon Curtis, Jt Spangler, Aaron Beaumont @ Bootleg Theater

Saturday
Lit Crawl II and Funky Sole @ Echo
Heather Woodbury’s As The Globe Warms, followed by Cinder Cone, Swore, Towards Distant Suns, Snore Tape @ Echo Curio
Cap’n Jazz, Abe Vigoda, The Black Apples @ Echoplex
Cobra Lilies EP Release, Evangina …Daylong Valleys Of The Nile @ Pehrspace
Nate Lapointe Band @ Origami Vinyl

Sunday
Part Time Punks with Batwings Catwings, Dadfag @ Echo
Pete Swanson, Rene Hell, John Wiese, Robedoor, Infinite Body @ Echo Curio

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. Venue information can be found in our community resource pages.

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.

/by
,

Echo Curio nixes BYOB

When you go out this weekend to see some awesome shows in Echo Park, don’t forget that the Echo Curio is no longer allowing patrons to bring their own booze to the gallery’s shows. Last week the curiousity shop tweeted “changes they are a-coming – ECHO CURIO is going to go dry for the time being… no byob in or out of the shop… sorry for inconvenience.” This week they confirmed the news with a blog post, saying:

We’re now an alcohol-less venue, neither selling nor allowing byob anymore. It is for the greater good, according to the LAPD, so all we can suggest is get your freak on before or after you visit us. Or maybe sneak out in the middle for a quickie… My word!

It seems they were visited by the LAPD on August 9 during a show, and were cited for being a “bottle club.” Co-owner Grant Cape told the LA Times music blog Pop & Hiss: “Funny thing was, we had no one drinking outside, no loud music playing, and maybe five adults drinking inside.” Either way, patrons had to poor out what drinks they did have (for quite a few months now, the Curio hasn’t allowed drinking outside).

So is this the future of venues like Echo Curio, where BYOB or a cooler of Colt 45 will be a critical concern of neighbors and the LAPD? It’s becoming such a common (and expected) part of the “speakeasy” shows in LA, especially in areas like Silver Lake and Echo Park. What once started as an innovative way to bring customers into an art gallery or a record store, now might be a problem. The Echo Curio isn’t as concerned, Cap told the LA Times, “[This] will make it harder to get a crowd, I think, but we’ll see.”

/3 Comments/by

Echo Park’s Missed Connections

“Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart.”

– Washington Irving

—————————

August 9:

redhead at el prado – m4w – 32

hello there..

we locked eyes like a million times but you were sitting with some dude.

i moved behind you, you turned and i said hello.

you. are. hot.

i sure hope you see this.

—————————

August 3:

Dan of Echo Park! Dance Right at La Cita on 07/29 – w4m – 23 (Echo Park (where you said you lived))

Oh, Dan of Echo Park, who works for the LA Times blog section (?)

You wore a black t-shirt with red horizontal bars and I wore a blue and white button down with a pencil skirt. You had cute glasses; I had black stilettos. You were walking by the bar, when I spotted you fretting and I told you to smile and cheer up a bit. A while later, you came out and told my friend that you wanted to talk to me. She told you to ask me to dance. So we did. It was great. You got my number, but you might have heard it wrong? I’d like for you to call me.

—————————

August 13:

Bank of America?! (Echo park)

Now i regret i wasnt brave to Talk to this dressed in red girl…but there was somebody sitting next to you And i want to ask you now: do you want to have a Coffee?

—————————

August 18:

Patras/Echo Park – w4m – 26

Hello, I was at Patras with my cousin her man and her kids. We were waiting for our food and I noticed a guy on his cell phone. When I looked at him he smiled. Since he was on his cell I just smiled back. Then once again our eyes connected and we smiled at eachother. I wanted to say hello but since he was on his cell I did not want to interrupt anything. He was so adorable with his colored eyes and light hair.

If this message reaches you let me know what color your eyes are and what I was wearing so I know it’s you.

h/t Craigslist

/47 Comments/by
, ,

Mishka Fall 2010 Release Party

Mishka of Echo Park is throwing its Fall 2010 Release Party on Friday, August 20 at the Echoplex.

The lineup for the 8-11:00 pm time slot includes: Pictureplane, Blessure Grave, Puro Instinct (formerly Pearl Harbor) and Tearist.

From 11:00 pm – 2:00, there will be DJ sets from Acid Girls, The Captain and Star Eyes (of Trouble & Bass), and Killing Spree (Zane & Gibby).

The party is free if you RSVP in advance, and only $5 at the door if you don’t RSVP.

Visit Mishka of Echo Park’s blog or the Facebook event page for more info.

Friday August 20th, 8pm-2am
The Echoplex located at 1154 Glendale Ave.

/3 Comments/by
, ,

Echo Park’s Week in Music

For the week of Tuesday, August 17 through Sunday, August 22

Note: Sunset Junction is this weekend, so a lot of the normal weekend stuff in Echo Park may be taking place down the road.

Echo Curio is now an alcohol-free establishment as requested by the LAPD, meaning no more BYOB. Our best guess is that it’s because they didn’t have the necessary permits, and neighbors were probably complaining. But the show must go on!

Tuesday, August 17
Aquarium Drunkard presents Cotton Jones, The Parson Red Heads, Roadside Graves @ Echo
KCRW and The Fold present: Darker My Love, Wounded Lion, My Pet Saddle @ Bootleg
Dunes, Masters and Johnson, Naomi Punk, Geffrika @ Echo Curio

Wednesday, August 18
Dub Club with the Dub Club DJs, Chicano Batman, DJ Ron Miller @ Echoplex & Echo
Childish Gambino (Donald Glover Of Community) @ Bootleg
Adeline and The Phillistines, Rad Clouds, Old Toy Trains @ Echo Curio

Thursday, August 19
Jogger, Matthewdavid, Sun Araw, M. Geddes GeNgras @ Echo
Childish Gambino (Donald Glover Of Community), Limited Tickets Sold Day Of Show! @ Bootleg
Aures, Greg Davis, Ezra Buchla (With Emily Lacy), Mirror To Mirror, Guests @ Echo Curio

Friday, August 20
Mishka La Fall Release Party @ Echoplex
Chief (Domino Records) and Grouplove @ Bootleg
Gabriel Sullivan And Taraf De Tuscon Returns with Alec K. Redfearn, Orion Rigel Dommisse @ Echo Curio
Club Underground With Mndr, Chain Gang Of 1974, Kisses (DJ Set) @ Echo
Liz Pappademas And The Level, CarleE Hendrix And The Whole Earth Catalog @ Pehrspace
Origami Comedy Night Hosted By Matt Braunger: Kumail Nanjiani, Pete Holmes, Joselyn Hughes, + More @ Origami Vinyl
Backyard Boogie with Heretic, DJ CRS?, Dip Vertigo, DJ APX1, Jahwy,  @ M Bar

Saturday, August 21
Bootie La With Faroff / Dj Paul V. / R.A.I.D. @ Echoplex
Funky Sole @ Echo
Heather Woodbury’s As The Globe Warms 8p Followed By Kazai Rex + The Middle Initials + Rabbits Running + La Font @ Echo Curio
Cat Party @ Origami Vinyl

Sunday, August 22
Part Time Punks – The Cure Nite With Guest Dj Lol Tolhurst @ Echo
Boats + The Clorox Girls + The EnLows + Meka Leka Hi’s + Cum Stain @ Echo Curio

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. Venue information can be found in our community resource pages.

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.

/4 Comments/by