in collaboration with Really Awesome Great Experiments and their “8 1/2 x 11 Experiment”, Bruce’s Buddies threw a supper social, pancake brunch edition. We really wanted to take over the sidewalk, redefine Occidental Blvd. as one that has the possibility for more than something pedestrian and static: Occupy Sidewalk.
I love Los Angeles. Bags of oranges, all year round for fresh squeezed O.J.
photo by Jamilah Welch.
Found some bright blue milk crates. And received some free California Bay trees from LA city’s “Million Trees LA” initiative. So I planted them in the crates, with burlap as a liner to liven up my street and apartment complex.
My complex doesn’t have a yard. So last season, i planted some tomatoes in some crates in the back patio. And now, it’s harvest time!
Avishay, Marya and I partook in a small hike, lead by the Big Parade, through the staircases of Silver Lake, starting with the Music Box Steps, site of the classic Laurel & Hardy 1932 comedy “The Music Box”.
L on Descanso -> R Stairs Down -> L Sunset Blvd. -> R. Edgecliffe Dr.
Corner of Edgecliffe Dr. & Griffith Park Blvd.
L Effie St. -> R Lucile Ave.
Pass by R. M. Schindler’s 1926 Manola Court Apartments. One of my favorites.
R Landa St. Stairs Up
L Micheltorena St. -> R Rock St. -> Redcliff St. -> L Landa St. -> Stairs Down
R Redesdale Ave.
Then we ran into this little guy…
We spent some time with him, chatting. By the time we continued on the hike, we lost the rest of the group. Instead of trying to catch up, the three of us decided to get drinks and food at La Parrilla on Sunset. It also happened to be Mexican Independence Day.
Mexican Elvis Serenade. Sold.
After four beers and some enchiladas, I biked over to greet Jamie on her annual LA excursion. Macaroni ensued.
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
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.
some trees up and down Sunset Blvd. in echo park received some lovin - MULCH!
sources have told me that the Echo Park Time Bank & the Micheltorena Elementary Community Garden might have been involved. highly unlikely.
excursion through the hills of Silver Lake and Echo Park to the Corallitas Red Car right-of-way. 5 miles. > 500 steps.
Starting Point: Materials & Applications. Ascend stairs at 1612 Silver Lake Blvd. (22 steps up) -> R Occidental -> L @ Stairs (178 steps up) -> L Silver Wood Terrace -> L Effie -> R Fanning -> R Silver Lake Blvd
-> R Rockford -> R Cove (164 steps up) -> L Apex -> L Glendale Blvd -> R Loma Vista (183 steps up, 166 down, 1/4 mile long)
many of these houses are only accessible via these stairways; no driveways or “front yards”; just stairs. we crossed paths with the mailman, who has to climb these steps, everyday to reach the residences.
L Allesandro -> L Earl -> L @ Stairs (219 steps up)
R Hidalgo -> descend stairs at end (82 steps down)
R Electric -> R Silver Ridge. L @ Stairs (77 steps down)
R Silver Lake Ct (Corallitas Red Car Line)
“The Corralitas Red Car Property was a private right-of-way through Silver Lake (Los Angeles) for the Pacific Electric interurban streetcar. The “Big Red Cars” ran until 1955 when the Glendale Line was decommissioned for freeway construction. For more than 30 years, a series of developers tried and failed to develop the Corralitas Red Car Property.” - http://redcarproperty.blogspot.com/
L up dirt trail after India, hug redwood fence. L @ stairs (98 steps up) -> Rosselin -> R Lake View -> R Adelbert -> L at bottom. 2678 Adelbert on right -> L onto Corralitas dirt road.
Down slope to Fletcher. Up stairs behind Home Restaurant (56 steps up)
Follow trail to Waverly (156 steps up) -> L Farwell -> L Locksley
-> L at end of street, trail behind church to Fletcher. Cross Glendale Blvd and turn right -> L @ 2617 Glendale Blvd. (185 steps up) -> R Ivanhoe -> L Lakewood -> L Armstrong -> R Silver Lake Blvd
urban exploration w/ kevin, cole, tyler, madelyn, germain, tony, clay.
