EPIAn Ways October-November 2006

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Echo Park Improvement Association

Meets at 7 p.m. the 1st Thursday of each Month

in Williams Hall at Barlow Hospital 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) hasgiven an unexpected thumbs-down to design Alternative5, the community‘s preferred design for the rebuilding of

the SR2/Freeway Terminus.

In a series of public meetings in the spring of 2006,MTA showed altered versions of the Alternative 5, thedesign commissioned by the Echo Park CommunityAction Committee (EPCAC) without consultation with theEPCAC or the community. The EPCAC design calls for 2lanes on and 2 lanes off the freeway. MTA‘s version of

Alternative 5 includes 2 lanes on to the Freeway and 3lanes off. This is

not aninsignificantdetail.

As a result,MTA claims thatAlternative 5cannot beachieved unlessthe bridge isdestroyed – it‘s

that extra lanethat causes this.

As of this

writing, MTAwants to totallyeliminateAlternative 5fromconsiderationand focus itsstudies onAlternative 1, 2,5B and 6A – none of whichcontain theentire package of

elements thatthe communityprefers.

The MTA claimsthat building an

extra freeway lane is possible only if the bridge isdestroyed, but the bridge is a key element inrevitalization of the area, and we cannot support adesign that creates an environment that supports moregridlock and fewer community amenities.

Reconstructing the Terminus with EPCAC‘s original

Alternative 5 as the guide has many positive benefits:The freeway on- and off-ramps are consolidated east

of the bridge.The bridge surface is ―recycled‖ for use as a

community plaza, not just a walking path.Open space is created for community recreational

use.A portion of a bikeway with links to the Los Angeles

River and other communities would be included in theproject.

Saint Teresa‘s Church and School would experienceless noise and pollution, as the current ―north‖ off-rampfacing the school would be eliminated.

The atmosphere in the area would be improved forbusiness.

Pedestrian access would be improved.

We urge you support the Echo Park CommunityAction Committee and the community. Please tell MTAthat Alternative 5, the original preferred alternative,

must not be eliminated as a design alternative. After sixyears of meetings and public input, it would be a terriblebetrayal if Alternative 5 and its benefits are summarilydismissed.

We ask you to call or write the following people toexpress your continued support for Alternative 5 andyour displeasure with MTA‘s peremptory decision to

ignore the community‘s preferred choice.

Councilmember Eric Garcetti, (323) 957-4500, or emailMitch O‘Farrell, [email protected];

Supervisor Gloria Molina, (213) 974-4111, or email tothe attention of Nicole Englund , [email protected];

Representative Xavier Becerra, (213) 483-1425 or email

Gayle Greenberg, [email protected]‘t wait! It will take only a few minutes to show

your support for your community.

COMMUNITY PREFERS TERMINUS ALTERNATIVE 5; MTA SAYS NO By Judith Raskin, Echo Park Community Action Committee



October-November 2006

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(323)

girl’s teen yoga

Pilates

The Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council

2006 Election will be conducted Saturday, October 21,2006 from 9am until 6pm. The election will take placeat the Logan Street Elementary School Auditorium,1711 W. Montana Avenue. Both Executive and Districtoffices are up for election. The Executive offices ofPresident, Vice President, C.I.O. and Treasurer are allopen. One District representative is to be chosen ineach of the five Districts. While Candidate filings for theoffices were closed on September 21st so that the bal-lots could be printed, the GEPENC voting proceduresallow write-in candidates to register up to October 21,the day of the election, at 8am-9am before the pollingbegins at 9 am. You could even campaign without al-ready filing and throw your hat in the ring the morningof the election to allow your supporters to vote for you.

To run for office you need to be a stakeholder in theGEPENC area. (See www.GEPENC.org/faq.php to view amap of the council‘s boundaries). A Community Stake-

holder is any individual who lives, works or owns prop-erty in this neighborhood council area. In addition,

Community Stakeholder status may be identified by

participation in, among other things, educational insti-tutions, community organizations or other non-profitorganizations, block clubs, neighborhood associations,homeowners associations, apartment associations, con-dominium associations, resident associations, school/parent groups, faith based groups and organizations,senior groups and organizations, youth groups and or-ganizations, chambers of commerce, business improve-ment districts, service organizations, park advisoryboards, boys and girls clubs, cultural groups, environ-mental groups, code watch, neighborhood watch, policeadvisory board groups, and/or redevelopment actionboards. Note that to run for office or Vote in theNeighborhood Council Election you do not have to be aRegistered Voter or a U.S. Citizen.

Further information can be obtained by contactingGEPENC Elections committee co-chairs, Suzi Rogers(213) 250-5208 or Larry Pickens (323) 810-4413. Asthe Election approaches more information will beposted on the NC‘s website, www.GEPENC.org.

Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council 2006 Election




1911 SUNSET BOULEVARDLOS ANGELES, CA 90026

(213) 484-1265

As we come to another GEPENC election, I pauseto think about what‘s important to Echo Park. It‘ssomething I think about often, as I, like many others,

treasure what we have, yet want to see changes forthe better. What are our concerns?

Diversity. We are arguably the most ethnically di-verse neighborhood in Los Angeles. And we areproud of it. We realize that our community has be-come very desirable, but we do not want that to be atthe expense of our diversity. We need to find a way tokeep our diversity despite increasing incomes. Ourincreased population of middle class should help eve-ryone, not force out people of lower incomes.

Our Character. We are one of the oldest neighbor-hoods in Los Angeles -- the first suburb. We have a

unique character that we want to preserve. We haveour small bungalows, narrow streets and historichouses. While we realize that we will have increasedpopulation, we want to maintain the character of theneighborhood. And also keep quality of life but notcreating unmanageable traffic and parking.

Safety. While Echo Park is one of the safestneighborhoods in Los Angeles, we still have our fears.

Most center around gang activity. So what can wedo? We need to provide a positive alternative. Weneed a way for youth to earn an income. We need

more organized activities, such as skate board parksand late night basketball, more green space and rec-reation areas, mentoring about life skills, such as in-terviewing, how to balance a checkbook, informationabout scholarships. Yes, we have some wonderfulgroups that do this, but we need more. Too manyyouth are lost, and it‘s something we cannot afford.

Community. Perhaps this is what I have been say-ing all along. We all want to be part of a diverse,unique, safe community. We want to appreciate andcelebrate our differences and realize that we are allpart of this wonderful community.

When the Neighborhood Councils were first pro-posed, I had a great hope that they would be a placewhere we could all realize that we all had the samegoals. I still believe this. We face a challenge in com-municating this, but this is how we can grow. Andhow we can create an Echo Park that is even betterthan the one we now have and love.

NOTES FROM THE ‘HOOD by Lynn Barbé, EPIA President

WWW.GEPENC.ORG




In a blast of colorful spray paint, with a spectacularrainbow of hues including Royal Blue, Aqua Marine and

Sunflower Yellow - ArtStorm opened another ArtPark – (3rd of 10 planned); the ArtStorm ArtPark in Echo Park.

Some of the greatest Aerosol Artists in the history ofLos Angeles converged on Saturday, September 2,2006 from noon to 5 p.m. at Chicken Corner – the in-tersection of Echo Park Avenue and Morton Street inEcho Park just 1 ¼ mile north of Sunset Blvd. The

event was sponsored by District 1 of the GEPENC.

Smack in the middle of the neo-urbane hipsteropo-lis, with locals, cute immigrant families being trailed byskinny guys jogging in funny shorts, Vietnamese fami-lies, cute, pale San Francisco-like women walking dogswearing turtle-neck sweaters on hot days, to Dodger

Fans stuck on the Boulevard on the way to the stadium,Echo Park has got to be the epitome of diversity in the21st Century with a happening 3rd World Country flair.

Now, with an ArtStorm Aerosol ArtPark, Echo Parkhas finally reached the pinnacle of coolness, with cut-ting edges written in complex dimensions of 3D letter-ing, characters and images sprayed with color andmore color. The Art produced at the event was for saleto interested aficionados with 3‘x 4‘ canvases starting

as low as $250.

The growth of ArtStorm Aerosol ArtParks acrossLA‘s hip and un-westside environs is due to the explo-sion in young‘ns dedication to actively get paint and go

on missions of artistic derring-do at 4am under theconfluence of the 100 foot-high bridges of the 5 and110 freeways, among other places.

Risking life and limb, freedom and injury, arrest,incarceration, fines and spankings, these dedicatedAerosolers continue to pave new trails in audacity, skill,courage, passion and dedication to making bigger andbetter pieces in more and more illegal places.

The growth of ArtStorm Aerosol ArtParks is a tellingsign that the police departments and graffiti abatement

departments of the city have failed. They are wastingmoney, fighting a losing battle. Long term preventionproviding by ArtStorm is the answer.

The next event will be October 7 in the Walgreensparking lot. District 2 of GEPENC is the sponsor of thisArtPark

The only way to achieve zero illegal graffiti in LosAngeles is to build Aerosol ArtParks.

ARTSTORM AEROSOL ARTPARKS COME TO ECHO PARK By Steve Bagish

Aerosol Artists apply tasteful touches to their creationat September 2 ArtStorm ArtPark at Chicken Corner.




ECHO PARK CALENDAR

Event Date Location Comments

EPIA Meetings 1st Thursday, 7:00 pm

Nov 2, Dec 7 (Holiday Potluck – bring a gift for a CCACyouth)

Williams Hall at Barlow

Hospital, 2000 StadiumWay in Elysian Park

Call EPIA message phone for

additional information. And participate in the EPIAHoliday Parade Entry.

EPIA SteeringCommittee Meetings

2nd Monday, 7:15 pm Oct 9, Nov 13

Call (323) 882-4835 for location

Take an active part in EPIA.Join the Steering Committee

Community Safety Meeting

2nd Thursday,3:30 pm Oct 12, Nov 9

LAPD Stop-In Center,Echo Park Avenue andSunset Boulevard

Hosted by Echo Park SecurityAssociation. Call (323)666-3228 for more info

CitizensCommittee toSave Elysian

Park

1st Wednesday, 7:30 pm Nov 1, Dec 6

Williams Hall at BarlowHospital, 2000 StadiumWay in Elysian Park

Call 213-666-9651 for meetinglocation

Echo ParkChamber of Commerce

Thursday, Oct 19th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Taix Restaurant. Call 213-630-3032 for further information.

Greater EchoPark ElysianNeighborhoodCouncil Meeting

4th Tuesday, 7 pm Oct 24, Nov 27

Logan Street SchoolAuditorium, 1711 W.Logan Street

Call (213) 413-3196 for info or visit www.GEPENC.org

EdendaleLibrary FriendsSociety

>=> ELFS <=<

2nd Wednesday, 7 pm Oct 11, Nov 8

Edendale Branch LibraryCommunity room 2011 W. Sunset Blvd.

Join the library’s support groupand find out how you can helpyour neighborhood’s branch.

DeadlineDecember EPIAn ways

Friday, Nov 24 , 2006 Send submissions to EPIA,Attn: EPIAn Ways Editor

SPECIAL EVENTS

ArtStorm AerosolArtPark

Saturday, October 7 Walgreens parking lotCorner Sunset Blvd & Echo Park Avenue

Greater EchoPark ElysianNeighborhoodCouncil Election

Saturday , Oct. 21, 9 am – 6 pm

Logan Street SchoolAuditorium1711 Montana Ave

Contact GEPENC Elections commit-tee co-chairs, Suzi Rogers (213)250-5208 or Larry Pickens (323)810-4413 or view the NC’s website,www.GEPENC.org for more info.

Barlow Hospital

RespiratoryHealth Fair

Saturday, Oct 21,

10 am – 2 pm

Barlow Hospital

2000 Stadium Wayin Elysian Park

Free Flu Shots for the first 350 so

arrive early. Info 213.202.6445 or www.barlow2000.org/fair

EPHS HistoricalHome Tour

Sunday, November 12 from 11 am to 4 pm

Visitors will pick up tickets, a program and map at WilliamsHall of Barlow Hospital, 2000 Stadium Way in Elysian Park Tickets may be purchased the day of the tour for $20

Home Tour section of www.HistoricEchoPark.org for ad-vance purchase tickets by mail or online with a credit card, $15. Re-quest an order form by phone at (323)860-8874. Discount ticket orders mustbe received or postmarked no later than November 4




[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]






EXHIBITIONS November 1- 8 Echo Park Community Dia de los Muertos Altar Live flowers and community mementos grace thisfestive Day of the Dead altar as part of an importantLatino tradition. LIBRARY COMPUTER CLASSES Computer ComfortThursday, Oct 5, Nov 9, Dec 5, 4pm.Learn to use the Library’s electronic catalog to search for materials, renew items, and place your own holds. Learnthe basics of surfing the Internet. Introduction to variousdatabases and search engines. For adults only.Familiarity with the keyboard and mouse is recommendedbut not mandatory. Reservations required. Please arrive10 minutes before class begins.

Computer Class for Improving Your EnglishTuesday, Oct 10, Nov14, Dec 7, 4pm.

“Rosetta Stone” An introductory self -paced class to beginor improve your English language skills. Computer experience is mandatory.

Introduction to Basic Web Design Tuesday, Oct 24, Nov 16, Dec 12, 4pm.Learn about HTML codes to create a simple web page.Computer experience is mandatory.

EVENTS Movie Madness Saturday, Oct 7, Nov 12, Dec 2, 4pm.Join us for a movie classic.Adults only. Call (213) 250-7808 for information.

Tarot Reading Program Saturday, Nov 18, Dec 16 4pm.Come and receive short mini-tarot readings. Sign-ups are

required. Adults only. Call (213) 250-7808.

JUST FOR TEENS

OngoingEcho Park Branch holds many teen activities andprograms, including film screenings, art workshops,readings and skills-building activities. To learn about thecurrent schedule of events, call or email Wendy at

(213) 250-7808 or [email protected].

College ClubTuesdays, 4-6pm.

For high school students who want to go to college.

Topics covered during these informal sessions includefinancial aid options, how to choose a college, study skills,and important things you should be doing NOW in highschool to get yourself into college. Refreshments alwaysserved. Call Wendy for information at (213) 250-7808.

FUN FOR KIDS SATURDAYS GAB. Echo Park Branch, call 213/250-7808

for times.(Continued on page 9)

ECHO P ARK LIBRARY H APPENINGS Library Hours

Mondays 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Tuesdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmWednesdays 10:00 am - 8:00 pmThursdays 12:00 pm - 8:00 pmFridays 10:00 am - 6:00 pmSaturdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pmSundays CLOSED

Library Address

Echo Park Branch Library

1410 W. Temple Street

Los Angeles CA 90026Phone 213.250.7808

FAX 213.250.3744 World Wide Web Address

http://www.lapl.org

24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

Who responds to your alarms?

Experience does matter.

With so much at risk why take chances?

Count on the experience of Select Patrol.

For more information about our 24 - hour alarm response service, call us today.

Select Patrol A superior level of service since 1984

323.644.1014 Lic. PP0-92292150 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 90026 CA

http://mail.lapl.org/cgi-bin/webmail.cgi?cmd=msg_new&[email protected]&utoken=nflores!40smtp3.lapl.org!3A110_!7E2-febd496f9e14ec9e05e400_0






Book SalesWeekly Preowned Book Sale. Each Wednesday from 2pm until 8 pm in the Community Room.

EventsFamily Storytime & crafts for all agesMondays, 6:30-7:30pmOctober 23, The Fox OutfoxedOctober 30, Halloween Haunted House(hosted by the Edendale Teen Council)November 13, Names & Family StoriesNovember 27, Winter TalesDecember 11, Holiday Cookie Exchange(Please bring treats & one copy of the recipe. Copieswill be made to exchange.)

Other Programs

After-school Fun:Mind-Boggling Mythology,Wednesday, Nov. 1, 3:30-4:30 pmJaneece Flint tells Eskimo Tales,Wednesday, Dec. 6, 3:30-4:30pmHoliday Stories & Crafts,Monday, Dec. 18, 3:30-4:30pm

Edendale Teen CouncilOct. 4 ETC Meeting (Halloween Planning) 6:30-7:30pmOct. 11 Meet an Author 6:30-7:30pmOct, 30 Haunted House 6:30-8pmNov. 15 Book Charades 6:30-7:30pmTuesday’s Knitting Club (10/10, 10/24, 11/7) 4-5pm

EDENDALE LIBRARY H APPENINGS Library Hours Mondays 12:30 pm – 8:00 pmTuesdays 12:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Wednesdays 12:30 pm – 8:00 pmThursdays 12:30 pm – 5:30 pmFridays 10:00 am – 5:30 pmSaturdays 10:00 am – 5:30 pmSundays CLOSED

Library Address

Edendale Branch Library

2011 W. Sunset Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90026

Phone (213) 207-3000

FAX (213) 207-3097

24 Hour Renewal: 888-577-LAPL

MONDAYS Bilingual Storytime Call 213/250-7808. EchoPark Branch, 4pm.

THURSDAYS Game Day Board & card games. Call213/250-7808. Echo Park Branch, 4pm.

November 2 Thu. Author Visit Day of the Dead withauthor, Max Benavidez, and his book Maria de Flor . Call213/250-7808. Echo Park Branch, 3pm.

December 23 Sat. Christmas Storytime & CraftProgram Join us for Christmas stories and crafts. Call213/250-7808. Echo Park Branch, 1pm.

(Continued from page 8)

ECHO P ARK LIBRARY

MORE H APPENINGS

Is it a Red Flag Day?With the first day of "official" Santa Ana seasonalready here we want to pass on the link to "redflag" day warnings. Go to www.lafd.org/redflag/and find your council district. You will see whatstreets are affected and if it's a "flag" day or not.

Barlow Respiratory Hospital4th Annual Respiratory Health Fair

Saturday, October 21, 2006

10:00—2:00 pm

Free flu shots to the first 350Health screenings: lung capacity, blood

oxygen & sugar levelsSeminars and exhibits by experts!

2000 Stadium Way (next door to Dodger Stadium)

more info: www.barlow2000.org/fair • 213.202.6445

It’s Patriotic to have your own opinion! Vote

November 7




Mon–Thur 11am–11pm • Fri 11am–Mid • Sat 8am–Mid • Sun 8am– 11pm Brunch served 8am–3pm Saturday & Sunday

Free Delivery for Echo Park on $15 minimum order 1800 West Sunset Blvd • 213.989.1558

From painters to poets and architects to actors,Echo Park has long been home to a wide variety of art-ists. So it is only fitting that this year's Historic Echo

Park Home Tour on Sunday, November 12 honors thecommunity's creative spirit. The theme, "The BohemianHavens of Elysian Heights" reflects the tour's focus onthe northern edge of the neighborhood, where secludedcanyons and steep hillsides have served as refuge andinspiration to generations of artists.

Tickets purchased on the day of the tour are $20.But $15 tickets will be sold in advance through themail and online during the month of October (see de-tails below).

The self-guided tour will feature eight propertiesranging from nearly century old bungalows to mid-century cottages to Spanish colonial compounds. Most

of these dwellings continue to serve as home to indi-viduals involved in artistic fields, including dance, tilemaking and the entertainment industry.

In its fourth year, the Historic Echo Park Home Touraims to promote the neighborhood's past and encour-age preservation and restoration. Some of the homesretain their original character, while others have beenrestored or remodeled in ways that respect Echo Park'shistoric scale. Proceeds from the tour help pay for thesociety's ongoing preservation and history programs.

Elysian Heights

Located within the original boundaries of the City of

Los Angeles, the steep hills of Elysian Heights wereonce the highest in the city. The remote and rustic at-mosphere made these hills made them popular withthose seeking seclusion, including a great many artists

and creative individuals who contributed to theneighborhood's bohemian reputation. These includedCarey McWilliams, chronicler of the struggles of the

state's working class during the Depression, who re-sided in a hilltop home on Alvarado Street. EdwardMiddleton Manigault, a World War I veteran who exhib-ited in the nation's first major exhibition of modern art,found refuge at the top of Elysian Heights.

Tour Tickets & Details

The self-guided tour will be held on Sunday, Novem-ber 12 from 11 am to 4 pm. The tour starts at WilliamsHall, 2000 Stadium Way near Dodger Stadium. Tourvisitors will pick up tickets, a program and map at Wil-liams Hall before touring the homes in any order theywant. Please visit the Home Tour section ofwww.HistoricEchoPark.org to purchase $15, advance

purchase tickets by mail or online with a credit card.You can also request an order form by phone by calling(323) 860-8874. Discount ticket orders must be re-ceived or postmarked no later than November 4.

For more information about the tour, including vol-unteer and advertising opportunities, please call (323)860-8874 or email [email protected].

ECHO PARK HOME TOUR FEATURES ELYSIAN HEIGHTS BOHOMES

SaturdaySpecial

TypicalHaitian

Food

Mon — Sat11 am — 7 pm

Sundays — Group of 10or more byReservation Wood Burning Rotisserie

309 N. Glendale BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90026

www.tigeorgeschicken.comEmail: [email protected]




Summer was profitable for our youth. Six kids aged15-16 years old were able to work until September 30,2006. First the kids learned how to fill out an

application for the position. Then they were off toschool to obtain the necessary work permits. Before welet them go out and work they underwent extensivetraining on job safety and keeping cool in the hotsummer heat. The kids became an integral part of ourgraffiti removal program. Their help with our graffitiprogram provided our staff with dependable helpduring the past 8 weeks. At the end of August, allparticipants in the special work program were honoredat a delicious luncheon held at City Hall. Our kids notonly looked great in their purple shirts but werebeaming as they were presented with Certificates ofCompletion from the Board of Public Works. They just

finished their last week and now I will be teaching themhow to prepare a resume for future employment.

A special thanks to the kids who participated in thisprogram — Richard Hernandez, Maria Martinez, AndresJimenez, Natalie Espinoza, Eddie Santiago andYonathon Barreles.

Basketball has always been our favorite sport andthe older kids just finished a set of games inconjunction with El Centro Del Pueblo. At the end of

the games we received a beautiful trophy as well as abanquet. Flag football is now the game of choice rightnow.

Miguel is starting an in house league for all ages.

School has started and so our homework room isabuzz every afternoon when the kids arrive. I‘ve started

a reading program with the younger kids. Together we

have read three books. My hope is to have all the kidsread three books by December.

The days are beginning to get shorter and duskcomes early. Did you know that Captain Rollo has beensighted in the stairways at CCAC? As the days getshorter, there are more sightings of our infamouscharacter. Every year ‗round this time— the Captainmakes appearances

Central City Action by Gloria

Echo Park is an exciting place todo business these days. And the EchoPark Chamber of Commerce, proba-bly the earliest local association stillin existence, continues to attract newmembers. Nearly fifty Echo Park busi-nesses comprise the membershipthis year. To join, call 213-630-3032and request an application.

Not a group to rest on its laurels,the Chamber is making sure that itsprograms are changing and evolvingright along with Echo Park itself. A

monthly roundtable dedicated to find-ing answers to the problems causedby homeless people in the businessdistrict has been set up. The roundta-ble took place at 1:30 p.m. onWednesday, October 4th at Taix Res-taurant. It was open to anyone inter-ested in this topic.

President Mitchell Frank holds a

weekly luncheon meeting everyWednesday, also at Taix, at 1:30 p.m.to which all members and theirguests are invited. This informalmeeting is a good way to meet yourfellow business people. Call 213-630-3032 to reserve a seat.

The Chamber's next evening meet-ing will be on Thursday, October 19thfrom 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Taix Res-taurant. The officers are also lookinginto the possibility of holding a break-fast meeting every quarter for mem-

bers and others who prefer an earlystart to their day.

Were you at Dodger Stadium onSeptember 19th? The Chambersponsored discount tickets to the L.A.Dodgers' game with the PittsburghPirates.

Support your Echo Park Chamberof Commerce!

by Susan Borden

BROCK

BROCK REAL ESTATE

IDA POTASH




THE ECHO PARK DRAMA of the month involves LaPaz, the restaurant right next to House of Spirits thathas been looking for a liquor license. The new ownersof La Paz want to sell drinks while serving food at itscounter. Backers say it will be a grown-up drinkingestablishment; opponents say it‘s a sports bar insheep‘s clothing.

The neighborhood council‘s land use committeenarrowly favored the proposal. Then the fullneighborhood council overturned that decision, inpart over fears that La Paz planned to evict tenants inorder to provide more parking. A zoning officer is still

reviewing the case, but may have cut off the deadlinefor comment before the full neighborhood councilhad a chance to vote. At this rate, the proposal couldgo all the way to the City Council.

How do you know the Echo Park housing market isfinally starting to slow down? Treats! One high-profileopen house last week had a major spread of fingerfood -- slices of salami, miniature sandwiches, evensmoked salmon on pumpernickel! Real estate agentsare also blind-calling the names on their sign-insheets, even the lookey-loos.

DESPITE THE COOLER MARKET, Echo Park‘s

business districts continue to evolve. The lateststorefront to undergo a change is on Sunset

Boulevard just east of Laveta Terrace, where a formerbeauty salon is being turned into Echo Curio, an artand performance space. The building‘s new tenantsmade their presence known by painting the façadebright shades of blue.

Word has it that Dov Charney, the mogul behindthe mega-clothing company known as AmericanApparel, has bought up four units on Morton Avenueas possible living quarters for his garment workers,who face a tough real estate market. The building,just north of Magic Gas, has already been gutted andpainted a faint sky blue.

TALK ABOUT LATE BLOOMERS: Whoda thunkthat the Lotus blossoms of Echo Park Lake would stillbe around on Labor Day? Although the Lotus bednever fully flowered this year, many of the latearrivals were standing tall during the back-to-schoolseason.

***

Two new L.A. history books are out, each withsome interesting nuggets for Echo Park. The moreacademic of the two, Daniel Hurewitz‘s “Bohemian

Los Angeles,” focuses on the artistic and politicallyactive community of Edendale, the section of the citythat takes in the northeastern section of Silver Lakeand the northwest portion of Echo Park.

THERE‘S ALSO A COFFEE table book, JohnBengston‘s “Silent Traces,” which revisits thebackdrops used in the films of silent star CharlieChaplin, whose first year in the film industry wasspent in Edendale on Glendale Boulevard – it wasthen known as Allesandro Street.

Although most of the book deals with Chapllin‘slife after Edendale, it contains some early images of

the intersection of Echo Park and Sunset – includingthe Sunset Pharmacy, which in 1914 stood on thecorner Bank of America now occupies. SunsetPharmacy migrated across the street in the early

1930s

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the writers

and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Echo Park

Improvement Association

LOTUS PAD NOTES NEWS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM ECHO PARK & ANGELINO HEIGHTS by E.P. Lagoso

VOTEGreater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council

Election —Saturday, October 29, 9am —6pmLogan Street Elementary Auditorium, 1711 Montana Avenue

see www.GEPENC.org for information

Documents

EPIAn Ways October-November 2006