Weekend Guide: May 3 + 4 + 5

Posted on May 3, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

Friday night (May 3rd) check out the Pancake and Booze art show downtown from 8p-2am. It’s being held at Lot 613, 613 Imperial St, LA (aka warehouse party/art show). Cover is $5 but it includes all you can eat pancakes. There will be live body painting, a photo booth, a stencil art performance, and a 3d blacklight experience. Street parking is free but sketchy, and the show has a $7 lot.

Independent Label Market is hosting a FREE music event on Saturday May 4th at 11 to 4pm in Silverlake. Expect food trucks and live music. Think of this as a farmers market for the music industry. It’s located at the Micheltorena Elementary School in Silverlake and check HERE for more details.

After checking out the Independent Label Market, head over the the Vegan Beer & Food Festival on Sunset in West Hollywood on Saturday. More than 40+ brewers are participating with more than 30 food vendors and live music. Tickets are $40 in advance (get them here) and general admission gives you unlimited beer sampling. Beer lovers unite!

On Sunday May 5th it’s Cinco de Mayo… but it’s also Big Sunday! Big Sunday is a volunteer weekend about helping your community. In the past I’ve chopped wood at a kids summer camp, danced with elderly people at an old folks social, volunteered at the first Echo Park Art Walk and even made sandwiches and hand delivered them to homeless people. All of these activities were rewarding, eye opening, extremely memorable and a great chance to meet others in the community interested in helping others. There’s still plenty of time to sign up for an event. Do it!

Do This Today: Dear Boy at Bootleg

Posted on April 25, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

Bootleg Bar is hosting Dear Boy, Soft Swells, and The Active Set tonight. Doors open at 8, show starts at 9pm. Click HERE to read about each musician and get links to their music. Tickets are $10 and you can get them HERE.

Event: Dear Boy, Soft Swells, and The Active Set
Location: Bootleg Bar, 2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Time: 8:00 doors
Cost: $10! Get tickets HERE!

Do This Today: Weekend Edition

Posted on April 19, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

This weekend has SOOO much going on, I can’t do all the events justice so instead I’m going to do an abbreviated Weekend Guide. Here goes…

Tonight visit the Iam8bit Art Gallery for the opening of their newest show “It’s the ShizNICK!” celebrating the good ol’ days of Nickelodeon tv shows and cartoons. From 7-11p tonight they are having their opening celebration with live tunes by DJ Lance, a “Photo Playset”, and SLIME! Get ready to get nostalgic!

Do you love reading? And books? And Authors? Check out the LA Times Festival of Books! I went last April and had a fun day (check that post here). Be sure to bring sun screen and walk’in shoes, cause it’s a big event.

The Echo Park Art Walk is happening on Saturday in Echo Park (duh) from 12p-6pm! I do a lot of my secret stair walks around here and it’s a fun neighborhood to explore. Many shops are participating and this is a fun people-watching neighborhood. I went to this two years ago and saw Danny Devito and his wife enjoying a local band performing on the street. I can’t recommend this event enough and it celebrate local small businesses.

Go from the Echo Park Art Walk to the Frogtown Art Walk! Come check out this cool neighborhood along the LA River from 4 to 7pm on Saturday.

Are you less into books and more into cycling? Or running, or just general moseying along the streets of LA? The next CicLAvia is happening this Sunday from 10a-3p. Check out the map HERE for details about road closures. It’s Marina Del Ray to downtown. Get out your sneakers!

There’s just SO much happening this weekend, it’s hard to choose! Either way, get out there and have a fabulous weekend. It’s FRIDAY! Enjoy!

Secret Stair Walk #16: Allesandro Loop

Posted on March 13, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

– In 2012 I had the goal to do all 42 walks from my book, “Secret Stairs, A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of LA” by Charles Flemming. I was 10 walks shy of meeting my goal, but thats means I get to enjoy the Secret Stair walks in 2013! These posts are to (hopefully) convince you to buy the book and get out there to explore the secret stairs around LA. Enjoy! –

My most resect secret stair walk was in Echo Park, #16: Allesandro Loop. I did it in conjunction with walk #17 to really make an afternoon of it.

In quiet sunny Echo Park, you really get a great view of the city.

STAIRS!

The road might end, but the path continues. I got to meet several nice people along this trek.

Down, down, down.

Graffiti fun. Local flavor.

Echo Park is colorful creative hillside. You never know what you’ll find.

The dogs above were adorable. When I stumbled upon them the little dog was curled laying on the larger dogs arms… dog spooning. It was the cutest thing. Of course when I paused to take a photo, they jumped up and ran to the fence barking. Their friendship is really sweet.

This was in the window above someones front door. Like a guard dinosaur.

More roaming through the hills.

The above home (and below, mailbox) are Paul Landacre‘s. He was a famous artist/printmaker/woodworker. It’s unfortunate this property is boarded up. I’m so curious to know what’s inside (signs everywhere say “do not trespass”).

Above is a fun/tacky gardenscape that’s taken over an Echo Park property. The gnomes and their castle.

I finished this walk passing by this home with a cat staring me down. Only after a few snap shots did I see there was another cat further back watching me, and then another cat on the stairs. They blended in so well, that before I knew it I was in front of MANY cats… all quietly watching me.

Secret Stair Walk #17: Fellowship Park

Posted on March 4, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

A couple weeks ago I ventured out on Secret Stair walk #17: Fellowship Park, up in Echo Park’s hills. I really enjoyed this walk, as it really felt like I stumbled on a hidden gem in Los Angeles.

Plants!

Echo Park feels so quiet up in the hills, it’s easy to forget how close to downtown it is. But occasionally you’ll reach a hilltop and catch a glimpse (like above) of city life.

This was a fun diagonal set of stairs connecting two residential streets.

Hills and hills and hills…

Such a beautiful day for a secret stair climb. The flowers are blooming and spring is coming!

The above photo shows you my favorite part of this walk. That staircase to the right of the garage seems like it’s private and leading to someones residence, but really it’s a little hidden pathway. Like the wardrobe that leads to Narnia, these steps lead to Fellowship Park.

This seemingly private staircase changes from rough steps to a well manicured pathway, with it’s own babling brooks following alongside.

This land was formally a religious compound but now is shared land with several little homes along it’s path. There are also several gates you have to pass through, making it feel like you’re trespassing but it’s technically public land. Isn’t the cute house perched on this land adorable? The hammock is right along the path and allows for excellent views of downtown.

The path topography keeps changing! See the mailboxes? There are signs of life along this secret path.

It’s a two seater at the perfect sunset spot.

I liked this area so much that mid-walk I had to give it a thumbs up! Notice the path change again. On to dirt!

Eventually, the path ends at a gate leading to a main road. The signs say “no trespassing” but that must have been put up by neighbors hoping to hide their LA gem. And I was back on the road hunting for more secret stairs.

You know how I love doors, and here are some gates! I just love the texture and colors (which were more vibrant in person).

And that concludes another Echo Park Secret Stair weekend expedition.

Secret Stair Walk #15: Avon Baxter Loop

Posted on February 21, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

It’s always a delight to take a Sunday morning Secret Stair walk in Echo Park, and even more fun when a few friends join in. We met up at Chango to explore walk #15: Avon Baxter Loop.

Haha the photo above still makes me laugh. People in this town are so creative. This Missing/Wanted poster is an ad for the play Terminator Too Judgement Play at the Dragonfly in Hollywood. It stars the original cast of Point Break Live (for those who got to check that out). Anywho.. the walk continues..

Graffiti fun!

Up, up up!

The above photo is to illustrate the steepness.

We walk down the hill to catch these massive stairs, up we go!

The views make it all worth it and distract from the stair climbing pain.

Toward the end of the loop, we made a friend!

Color fun.

Windows, doors and texture. I love it all.

We stopped into this shop, The Dog Show, to try on some clothes. It really felt like a Portlandia skit. One wall was completely covered in wig hair. I just couldn’t resist stopping in here.

Secret Stair Walk #14: Magic Gas

Posted on February 12, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

This walk begins by one of my favorite Echo Park spots, Chango Coffee. That strip of shops are very independent, local, hipstery spots. It’s adorable and a fun location that also feels like a set from Portlandia. The name of the walk, “Magic Gas”, comes from the gas station on the corner of Echo Park Ave and Morton Ave.

The stickers and graffiti in this neighborhood are a lot of fun. It makes me feel like I should be slapping Life Absorbed stickers on all the posts.

Door and texture fun.

Up, up up!

I feel like such an old person, as I have no clue what the above square barcode thing is called, nor do I know how to use it. Frankly, I’m okay being left in the dark on this.

I think I’m being watched.

Sculpture graveyard? Or sculpture maternity ward?

Knock at your own risk.

Sometimes public roads start to look like driveways…

… and then become steep dirt paths.

I love the Echo Park hills and the views that accompany them.

Graffiti fun by the recycling center.

Another great day of getting out there, getting exercise + vitamin D, getting to know the neighborhood, and getting to do it for the big price of zero dollars. Sometimes frugal activities can be awesome.

Enjoy The Day!

Posted on January 13, 2013 by LifeAbsorbed

I took this yesterday on an Echo Park Secret Stair walk, and I’ve got more stair walking to do today. It’s chilly outside here in Los Angeles, but it’s still sunny and beautiful. Life’s too short, get out and enjoy the day!

Do This Today: Free Mondays @ Bootleg

Posted on December 3, 2012 by LifeAbsorbed

Bootleg Bar has free Mondays this month. Tonight see More Amor at 8:30p, The New Limb at 9:30p, Jhameel perform at 10:30p (photo above), followed by We Are/ She Is at 11:30p. Click HERE to read about each musician and get links to their music.

Event: Jhameel, More Amor, The New Limb, We Are/She Is Performing FREE
Location: Bootleg Bar, 2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
Time: 8:00 doors
Cost: Free!
FIY: There will be free music here every Monday all month.

Do This Today: Comedy Bender

Posted on October 23, 2012 by LifeAbsorbed

I’ve talked a lot about Mohawk Bend recently and I vowed to take a break from posting about them, but then they started something called Comedy Bender and how can I not share that with you? Tonight is a FREE comedy show at Mohawk Bend, and hopefully the beginning of a more regular event.

Event: Mohawk Bend’s Comedy Bender (facebook event)
Location: Mohawk Bend, 2141 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
Time: 9pm – 10:30p
Cost: FREE!
FYI: They have a huge craft beer list and delicious apps. They are also very vegan/veggie friendly.

LifeAbsorbed

Los Angeles on a budget!

Tag Archives: Echo Park