JIA-CHI

As part of the Echo Park Time Bank’s Fun & Games Committee, I helped to plan the latest Saturday Social.  With CicLAvia coming up the following day, I thought it would be a great opportunity to do a small bike workshop to get people (and their bikes) ready for the big day, while also socializing.

It was suggested that we should hold the social at the new Sunset Triangle Plaza in Silver Lake.  The plaza was originally the tail end of the two-lane vehicular Griffith Park Blvd as it curved into Sunset Blvd, usually posing a threat between cyclists, pedestrians, and cars.  But with some green paint, big planters, chairs, tables, and umbrellas, the city through the Streets for People program has created a car-free zone for this small stretch of streets which serves a local coffee shop and vegan cafe, as well as the previously underutilized Triangle Park, which was essentially a glorified traffic island with a fountain on it.

Since its opening in March, the plaza has been getting a lot of positive - and negative - attention in the media and by community members.  One thing people noticed was that it wasn’t being fully utilized.  Most of the time, the plaza was empty.  So we decided to hold our Saturday Social there, as a way to activate - and occupy - the space.  

The Echo Park Time Bank Social at the Silver Lake Meadow.  Kristy sporting her newly bought matching suit from CVS.

Ms. Autumn Rooney, one of the founders of the Echo Park Time Bank.

Winter party at Silver Lake Farms with the smoker.  We actually used the smoker.  

my first white elephant gift exchange party.  Patrick’s awesome gift.  Other gifts: whiskey stones, knife, colander, grater, plates, vintage playboy, and a portrait of me.

Echo Park Time Bank annual talent show at Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Echo Park.  Story telling by Katrina.

Doug Tiano had an amazing idea for an Echo Park Time Bank & Bicycle Kitchen float for the annual Echo Park Holiday Community Parade.

Recycled cardboard, painted on one side with cars, smog, traffic, general unpleasantry.

The other side, painted with rivers, flowers, corn, flowers, clouds, happiness, love.

We took over Sunset Blvd.  So great to have the roads to ourselves.

wonderland _ echo park time bank garden group barn raising _ lincoln heights

yes, that is a water slide coming from the second floor balcony into a tea cup pool.

spring st. green bike lanes

unique la craft fair w/ le petit elefant

and paper & type

The Echo Park Time Bank monthly member potluck was held at our newest community member organization - Homegirl Café.  They’ve built a beautiful garden in the back parking lot in Downtown LA, where they hope to grow 30% of their veggies/fruits and herbs from the garden!

Time Bank VIP member, Doug Tiano, showed off his clams from the Children’s Puppet Theater Show Seas of Science.

Meredith Hackleman and her toasted squashes.

Took some production stills for LaMuff’s new music video for “Gold Lamé”.  As you can imagine, everything was gold.  Even the bagels.

LaMuff’s Monica Howe is a fellow Echo Park Time Bank member, who contacted me to help her out, in exchange for time dollars.  Cha-ching!  The shoot took place at Bar 1642, which is owned by fellow time bank member, Liz!

Right before Monica poured gold paint on herself.  Glorious.

Then biked over to West Hollywood to visit the Schindler/Kings Road House by Rudolph Schindler.  One of the architectural gems of LA.

Then Red Lined it back to Downtown LA for a birthday celebration in honor of Justice Laub at the Bona Vista Lounge on top of the Westin Bonaventure hotel.  You can’t tell from this photo, but trust me when i say that the lounge rotates.  Really.  Slowly.

What is this Ecovillage everyone is talking about?

“An ecovillage is a human scale neighborhood where people know their neighbors and care about them. People can live close to where they work and play and have access to other essential services without use of automobiles. Together, neighbors try to minimize waste and pollution of all kinds. Residents and friends work together to create a healthy community socially, physically and economically.”

Lois Arkin, the queen of green in LA, led us (Echo Park Time Bank) on the tour of her neighborhood.  She made us do things, like stand in the middle of an intersection.  We were not allowed to motion to the cars, who were waiting for us to get out of the way.  Instead, they just went around us.  Genius.

Some choice quotes (not verbatim, or in context) from Lois: 

“If you want to change the world, you have to do some illegal things.”

“Make friends before you need them.”

“I dated George Lam, the grandfather of Hong Kong Pop Music.”

“I want to wear a shirt that says ‘compostable’ on the front.  And I want to be buried right here in the courtyard of the ecovillage.  But I have to change the law to allow that.”

Oh, Lois.  And she bikes around town still.

Helped plan a walk through Boyle Heights with the Echo Park Time Bank’s veteran member and resident LA tour guide: Richard Holguin.  The walks are less about sight-seeing and more about learning the stories and memories behind the places from a long-time resident.

Starting Point: Mariachi Plaza Gold Line Station
End Point: Indiana Gold Line Station
4 miles

Mariachi Plaza -> N. on Boyle Ave. -> R Bridge Street -> Proyecto Jardin

Proyecto Jardin Community Garden
1718 Bridge St.
Medicinal community garden started in 1999 in connection with the neighboring White Memorial Medical Center.

L Cesar Chavez Ave.

R Chicago St. -> R 1st St. -> LAPD Station

LAPD Station

L 1st St. -> L Breed Street -> Breed Street Shul

Breed Street Shul
247 N. Breed St.
It was the largest orthodox Synagogue in western United States before the Jewish community moved to west LA.  1923 - 1996 (abandoned)

R. Cesar Chavez Ave. -> Soto St.

El Corrido de Boyle Heights Mural
by East Los Streetscapers @ Soto & Cesar Chavez
1984 Acrylic on Stucco 17’ x 80’

Cesar Chavez Ave. Street Scenes  This section of the street used to be called Brooklyn Ave, due to the large population of Jewish emigrants from New York.  

R Evergreen Ave. -> Evergreen Cemetary

Evergreen Memorial Park & Crematorium
The city’s oldest cemetery, 1877

We wandered into the cemetery, which looks quite uninviting from the other side of the chain-linked fence.  However, once you walk onto the grounds, and start looking at some gravestones, you start finding some real gems.  Such as….

The Pacific Coast Showmen’s Association. This section was founded and dedicated by the Circus and Carnival troupe in 1922, for their members and spouses.  AKA Carnies.

Chinese Shrine.  Prior to 1922, most cemeteries banned Chinese from being buried, except in the Potter’s fields.  During the construction of the Gold Line south of the cemetery, construction workers uncovered the skeletal remains of 174 Chinese, which are now buried in this portion of the cemetery. 

L 1st St. -> El Mercado de Los Angeles

El Mercado de Los Angeles.  It’s a huge maze of a building, 2-stories, with restaurants, markets, and fake Hello Kitty backpacks.

Richard’s walking shoes.  He got them at Big 5, and recommended that we all get a pair, since they’re on sale right now too.  

True Tree-lined Streets.

The most rewarding part of this walk was sensing and seeing the excitement that Richard had in sharing his neighborhood, culture, and history with some eager ears.  Walks with Richard II: Downtown LA.  Coming in the Fall.

Echo Park Time Bank Social at the soon-to-be-closed Echo Lake.  

Pendersleigh & Sons Cartography Exhibit at 1650 Gallery in Echo Park.

Eric creates some very casual, yet informative hand-drawn maps of different neighborhoods and cities in Southern California.  I recently went on a field trip through my hometown of Tustin with him.  Sadly, the Tustin map was missing from the exhibit.  But in all honesty, no big loss.

Great interview with the Eastsider.

Hyperion & Del Mar _ Silver Lake

6th & Spring St. _ Downtown LA