It took a moment to notice something was different while driving up Scott to Glendale Blvd around 11pm Sunday night.  All the power was out up until the traffic light right before the 2 as well as in the surrounding blocks. Be careful tonight!

The Eastsider LA has the scoop. Apparently it was caused by a traffic accident. Can’t blame the rain for this one

I know, I know. We were supposed to be a little bit further into this series by now than just two posts, but don’t we all have projects that get put on the back burner for just a tad too long? Well, I’m back, I’m bad and I’m unemployed, so let’s do this!

This time we’re going to be telling you a little bit about those three little but awesome places that occupy the strip in between The Echo and the travel agency: Future, Origami Vinyl and Two Boots.

Future just moved into their current spot at 1814 Sunset this past November. I really can think of no better way to describe this place than to use the owner, Will’s, own words: “good times and cool clothes.” When I went in they had a screen and a projector set up with which to watch skate videos. They gave me two free Bill & Ted’s trading cards. They have a bench out front emblazoned with lines from 80s films for their friends to skate on. They have an impressive selection of VHS for sale. And in their store I found the most mouth-watering (maroon, leather, Jordache!) jacket I have ever seen.

Check out their blog and their online store. Or, if you would like to actually go there, they’re located at 1814 W. Sunset Blvd. They’re open from noon to 1 am, Monday through Sunday.

There isn’t much to say about Origami Vinyl that hasn’t already been said. Every person I spoke with before going to visit them told me about Neil and how his and Sean’s store made the neighborhood an awesome place to live. They exclusively sell new vinyl and re-issues, so don’t go there looking for second-hand or vintage records to hang on your wall. To paraphrase Neil, there are just too many great new releases and re-issues to fit anything else into their small space. But he obviously adores every square foot of his little store. They get new stuff in once every couple of days, and there are shows there about once a week. Be sure to check out what’s going down on their blog.

Do you like pizza? Do you live in or near Echo Park? Well, then you should be eating at  Two Boots on a regular basis!! This goes double if you’re an east coast transplant and crave the kind of pizza that you find everywhere on the right side of the country. Oh, that delicious cornmeal-coated crust (not the type that you have to dip in ranch dressing)! Hurray for their carefully-planned-out topping combinations! Behold the pizza angel that adorns their wall! It’s not as cheap as La Pizza Loca, for example, but it’s worth every penny. And they’re open until midnight every night and 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. You can order online here.

wild Up music collective is, in their own words, “a modern music collective, comprised of young Los Angeles area musicians, committed to creating eclectic, vibrant art.”

Tonight they will do just that at Jensen’s Recreation Center (1710 Sunset), one of Echo Park’s coolest historic landmarks. The concert, entitled I See It Coming: songs after Radiohead, will include musical masterworks from the last two and a half centuries. It begins with Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No. 3″ and ends with songs from Radiohead’s “In Rainbows.”

I’m actually a little sad that I already have plans for tonight because this concert looks as though it’s going to be really rad.

Tonight (Friday, February 5) at 8 pm. Tickets available at the door. $15 for students and $20 general admission.

From the Echo Park Historical Society

Another kind of beautiful stairway in Echo Park:

Happening Saturday, February 6 from 12 noon – 6:00 pm.

Grill Em All Truck

Calbi Fusion Truck

Fix Coffee

• Live music, chain link fence art gallery, and 1-2 artists showcased inside

Echo Park Cycles

• Bike Race
• 1932 Echo Park Ave.

Echo Park Outpost

• Live performances by Nathan Xander & Witchouse, among other artists.
• Works by Alex Heilbron (opening is February 5th from 6-11:00 pm)
• Event day discounts
• 1930 Echo Park Ave.

Ronin Gallery

• Art and food truck
• 1924 Echo Park Ave.

Evil Monito

• Dengue Fever Music Documentary

The Dahlhouse

Peter Shire Gallery

• Valentine’s Day Pet Photo shoot

Feeding Birds Boutique

• Driveway Film Screenings, Screen printing workshop, in store discount, music

Delilah’s

• Live jazz music and painter

Magic Gas Station

• Interactive Improvisational Dance Troupe

Chango

• Artist showcased inside

Flounce

Silverwood Properties

• Interactive Sculpture

Tavin

• Live piano Music, and live knitting

Blue Collar

• Interactive sculpture

Iko Iko Presents

Self Improvement & New Hobbies

“Gardening accessories, wool for weaving, rocks/minerals, vintage art books, salts, herbs, Japanese teas & brushes, handmade toys, African jewelry and more things to start a collection or inspire a new hobby.”

Opening: Saturday 7-10 p.m.

Store hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 1-7 p.m.; Sunday: 1-5 p.m.
1298 W. Sunset Blvd.

See the Iko Iko blog to learn a little more about what’s happening at this concept store.

… or works here or hangs out here, or you know one of them through a friend or through a friend of a friend. Perhaps that’s why it feels less like a store and more like someone’s home. But you never feel as though you’re intruding. The front of the space is a second-hand store; “But it’s also my living room,” says Whitney (resident/photographer) who happily showed me around her home.

The Clinic is both a living space for several artists and a space in which they’ve set up shop or studios. There’s a custom framing shop, Ballard’s Artwork Framing, run by Aaron Ballard and focused on personalized and sustainable framing. Adriana Rodriguez, a professional hair stylist, has set up a one-chair salon in the back of the space where she does work by appointment. And local band Pity Party (Have you heard of them? If not, check them out. They’re super.) does “design, layout and printing on 100 percent trash.” And it just seems to keep going. It’s less of a store than a living entity. Or an artists co-op, if you wanna get technical. Perhaps I’ll let the man that helms the whole operation, Drew, explain what it is.

Now for the hard data. The Clinic is located at 1832 W. Sunset Blvd. It’s on the south side of the street just east of the Sunset bridge that goes over Glendale. It’s open Wednesday through Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday) and by appointment.

After the Echo Park Art Hop (aka Echo Park Public Displays of Art), stop by Feeding Birds Boutique for their 1 year anniversary.

February 6, 2010 from 6-9:00 PM

According to their Facebook event page, “Festivities will include live music by Miles Moore, snacks & drinks, and varied sales throughout the store!”

Bring your wallets as one of those sales includes 50% off all original organic print t-shirts, and free t-shirts with purchases over $100.

Click here to RSVP on their Facebook page.

Feeding Birds Boutique is located at 1825 Echo Park Avenue, Suite A

ADULT

Sunday, February 7 – INTRO TO FINAL CUT PRO: 1 – 5 pm

Calling all interested adults (ages 20+) looking to learn the beauty and grace of digital editing! All equipment and materials provided by EPFC. Class limited to 6 students;. Tuition is $60. $50 for members.

Monday, February 8 – INTRO TO DOCUMENTARY: 7:30 pm

In this 8-session class, students will learn the fundamentals of documentary filmmaking through the creation of a 5-minute film on family and/or community stories. No filmmaking experience necessary; all equipment and supplies provided by EPFC. ONE SPOT LEFT! Instructor: Josh Lee. Class limited to 6 students. Tuition is $250. $200 for members.

Continue reading Echo Park Film Center – February Workshops (Adult and Youth)

Adding to their already delicious-looking menu, Stories Books & Café is now serving Pancakes with Cinnamon Apples (yum!).

In addition to the breakfast item (which is making me hungry), Mondays are now “Mac N’ Mondays”, during which you can order their 3-cheese macaroni n’ cheese and green salad for $5.00 every Monday between 5-8:00 pm. “You bring the vino we’ll loan you the glass.”

Some more updates to their menu of events to keep you entertained throughout the week in Echo Park include:

- StoryTimeFunLand kids music hour every Wednesday at 4:30 pm.

- Tarot Card Readings with Marcella (on the patio) are now every Wednesday at 5:00 pm

- Friday Night Knits every Friday at 7:30 pm

- Happy Hour Book Discounts start Monday, February 8 from 5-8:00 pm. Get 20% off books from these sections:

Mondays: Music & Pop Culture

Tuesdays: Cookbooks & Child Care

Wednesdays: Biographies

Thursdays: Architecture, Art & Gardening

See you there Echo Park!

Stories Books & Cafe is located at 1716 Sunset Blvd.

CAFE HOURS
open at 8:30am Mon – Fri
(please enter through the back alley)

STORE HOURS
Mon – Thur 10:30am – 9pm
Fri & Sat 10:30am – 10pm
Sunday 11am – 7pm

Check out Useless Keys here.

Mondays at the Echo are always free, 21+. 8:30pm.

826LA just announced their upcoming writing workshops for kids and teenagers. Over the next month and a half, kids can learn to do things like write a screenplay, create a piece of fantasy writing and re-imagine Valentine’s Day (jealous!). Check out the listing on their website for more details and to sign up!

826LA is also working on a project called High School Students – Talk Back! In their own words:

“You, this generation’s high school students, know so much about education—and yet you’re rarely asked. 826LA is working with other 826 chapters nationwide to produce a sequel to 826 Valencia’s Talking Back: What Students Know About Teaching. Come to the 826LA writing labs and work with 826LA tutors to write essays for this book, for possible publication by Edutopia and The New Press!”

Click here for more info.

I’d like to welcome the weekend with two very different pictures from Flickr.

Echo Park Lake as a rainstorm passes by. From Newsphotog2's flickr.

Have You Seen My Dignity? From Pixx of Nixx's flickr.