December 29, 2009

Sorry, Google Maps, But Valleybrink is One Word

On the Brink of the Valley
SOMETIME RECENTLY Google Maps updated the northeast area of Los Angeles with a curious respelling. What used to be marked as Valleybrink Rd., a curvy residential street in central Atwater Village, is now split: Valley Brink Rd. In fact, when Googlers use the one-word spelling to look up a specific address along this century-old street, they're asked: Did you mean Valley Brink? No, we didn't, Google. And neither should you.

December 23, 2009

Two Bodies Found in Burned Motor Home

THIS JUST IN: The LA Times reports 2 badly burned bodies were found early this morning in a motor home that caught fire in a parking lot near a newspaper distribution plant, 3333 N. San Fernando Road. Both victims were adults. An investigation is on. More from the LAFD.

December 17, 2009

As of Today, 400 Twitter Followers

WELCOME TO the fold, Playa Vista Property Management, the 400th follower of the Atwater Village Newbie Twitter feed at twitter.com/atwatervillage.

December 12, 2009

Saturday: Heartbeat House Holiday Party

THE ANNUAL holiday party at Atwater Village dance and fitness studio Heartbeat House, 3141 Glendale Blvd., is Saturday, Dec. 12. Appetizers and bar open at 7:00pm, with dance performances starting at 7:30pm. Sure to raise holiday spirits and temperatures on this cold, wet weekend in Los Angeles.

December 11, 2009

Watch Out for Those BFMVs, South Atwater Village

FROM THE LATEST Northeast Los Angeles Police Department newsletter: "Atwater Village: Very clear on north side above Glendale Blvd. A few BFMVs south of Glendale Blvd." No, this doesn't mean appearances by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. BFMV is cop talk for "burglary from motor vehicle." Stuff stolen from cars. See crime map of BFMVs in Atwater Village.

Weekend Combo Grand Opening and Birthday Party

IT'LL TAKE 2 days to celebrate these 2 parties this weekend as the Atwater Village Art Center celebrates its grand opening and the Atwater Playhouse marks its fourth birthday. The deets:
Atwater Playhouse Grand Opening and
Atwater Village Art Center 4th Birthday

  • Casitas Artists Complex
  • 3191 Casitas Ave., Atwater Village
  • Saturday, Dec. 12, noon to 5:00pm
  • Sunday, Dec. 13, noon to 5:00pm
  • Free
Come for the treats and drinks and prizes, stay for the visual and performing arts. Free admission and free parking.

December 10, 2009

Yoga Lab: RIP

Iced Hempaccino

JUST THIS SUMMER the Yoga Lab opened at 3362 Glendale Blvd., full of promise and iced hempaccinos. But a reader now writes:
"Drove by Yoga Lab today and they have shut shop, and posted a large To Let sign on the windows. Sad to see another small business shut its doors. I never really thought that would last though. The few times I'd been in they only had 2-3 people in each class!"
Word is one or more of the former Yoga Lab instructors can be found at nearby Heartbeat House.

December 9, 2009

Hipster or Not, Garcetti is Representin' Proudly

Stylin' GarcettiLOS ANGELES City Council President Eric Garcetti surely has been accused of worse, but this interesting exchange took place over the course of 2 interviews on Neon Tommy; one with Garcetti, one with Council Member Tom LaBonge).
NEON TOMMY: Who do you think represents more hipsters, you or Eric Garcetti?

TOM LABONGE: (thinks for a second) I think it's probably Eric because Eric is more of a hipster than I am. Though I could talk you up if you wanted me to.

NEON TOMMY: You know I talked to Tom LeBonge...

ERIC GARCETTI: Yeah I heard, I can answer the hipster question right out. I mean, not even close. CD 13 is hipster central. Silver Lake, Echo Park, Atwater Village...

NEON TOMMY: Are you a hipster?

ERIC GARCETTI: No but I represent them proudly.
Garcetti may not consider himself "hip" but just over the last 3 years it's hard to ignore the extra bit of style baked into the appearance of the future LA mayoral candidate. Yes, in answering, "What's next?" Garcetti admits that one possible path "would be to look at mayor in 2013." Hipsters represent.

December 8, 2009

Fabric to Canvas: Old Store (Temporarily) is Gallery

Inside the Old Fabrics Store
NOTED ON THE night of the Atwater Village tree lighting: The former home of Thousand Fabrics, 3229 Glendale Blvd., is hosting a 4-artist exhibit, "Forms of Abstraction 4." The show is open Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 5:00pm, now through January 2010.

December 7, 2009

Again! Second River Rescue on This Rainy Day

JUST A BIT upstream this time, around 4:00pm in the LA River as it flows (rather torrentially today) through Atwater Village, another rescue from the LAFD: 3207 W. Los Feliz Blvd., one victim needing help on land in the center of the river; not the water at this time.

UPDATE: CBS2 reports that the victim "rebuffed initial attempts at rescue because he allegedly said he didn't 'want to leave his bicycle behind.'".

River Rescue in Atwater Village

HELICOPTERS OVER Atwater Village this afternoon. At about 12:30pm, from the Los Angeles Fire Department: River rescue, 3398 W. Riverside Dr., one victim needing help in the storm drain; not the water at this time.

UPDATE: More details and video of the rescue on CBS2.

December 5, 2009

Last Night's Tree: All Lit Up


Tree: Lit, originally uploaded by Atwater Village Newbie.

December 3, 2009

On, Off, On Again: Tree Lighting Still Scheduled Dec. 4

DESPITE SOME recent reports to the contrary, the 18th annual Atwater Village tree lighting is still scheduled for tomorrow, Friday Dec. 4, as part of a 4-hour holiday celebration along Glendale Blvd. Come one, come all, and hopefully this year's party will still be one of the biggest and best tree-lighting ceremonies in all of the City of Los Angeles.
See the agenda for the whole event, including a list of food vendors, on the AVNC forum.

December 1, 2009

Chef Yoo's Next Project: Los Feliz Meat, Fish Market

UPDATE FROM Chef Karen Yoo, who back in June was hunting around Atwater Village for a possible location for her future restaurant, about her new plans in neighboring Los Feliz:
"My husband and I are currently building out a small meat and fish market in Los Feliz called McCall's Meat and Fish Company. We are part way through construction on a space on Hillhurst Ave. right next to Mexico City Restaurant [Google map].
"We are planning on selling amazing quality meats and seafood as well as some retail items like our favorite oils, vinegars and salts, etc... We will also offer dry aged steaks, house made sausages, and pre-seasoned and tied roasts on a limited basis.
"We are really excited to be in the neighborhood and have a projected opening date set for mid January."

November 23, 2009

Amtrak Train Hits, Kills Woman in North Atwater Village

AN AMTRAK TRAIN struck and killed a woman at 11:30am Monday. The woman had stumbled onto the tracks at Doran Street and San Fernando Road, just 1.5 miles north of the Chevy Chase Drive crossing where a Metrolink train derailment killed 11 in January 2005.

It's Back! Half Price "Groupon" for 55 Degree Wine

The Year for Wine
TODAY ONLY: In a one-up of its sweet July deal, get a "Groupon" for $50 worth of wine, beer, cheese or whatever you desire from 55 Degree Wine, 3111 Glendale Blvd., at the low, low price of only $25. The offer is good till midnight tonight only on the Groupon website.

November 22, 2009

Rumor Alert: Free Cookies at Village Bakery & Cafe?

SUNDAY MORNING report from a tipster, although unsubstantiated by anyone or anything else: "My friend Barbara has a new bakery in Atwater and she is giving a free polenta/raspberry cookie to anyone who comes in today [Nov. 22] and says 'chupacabra.' I just tried one of the cookies and they are ridiculously good. I thought I'd let you know, but you are probably out enjoying your Sunday. I've attached a photo I took of the cookies just in case." Village Bakery & Cafe is at 3119 Los Feliz Blvd. Someone try the password and let us know how it goes.

November 17, 2009

Revo Cafe Opening Soon on Glendale Blvd.

MORE DINING options coming to the southeast side of Glendale Blvd. here in Atwater Village. From a tipster: "Walked past the new cafe that's taken over the old Coldstone building. They finally have their fancy new sign up. Been told that they will be open for business in the next two weeks." (Cold Stone Creamery closed its location at 3134 Glendale Blvd. back in December 2008.)

Does anyone know if this new Revo Cafe is the art-themed coffee, juice and organic food cafe we heard about this summer? Does it have anything to do with the Revo Coffee and Cigarette Cafe in Glendale? New location? Entirely different business?

UPDATE: It's possible Atwater Village's new Revo Cafe has some connection with a similarly-named establishment (Revo Cafe, a.k.a. De-Revolution) formerly of the Adams Hill neighborhood in Glendale. If so, read why Glendale neighbors weren't thrilled.

November 16, 2009

B is for Bubbles; C is for Canele

THIS WEEK'S Friends Cook series brings a genuine TV star to the Canele kitchen, 3219 Glendale Blvd., in Atwater Village. Andre Royo (also known as Bubbles on HBO's The Wire) cooks a $32, 3-course prix fixe menu for dinner Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30pm to 10:00pm:
  • First Course: "Eat Your Veggies"
  • Second Course: "Sloppy Andre" and Tater Tots
  • Third Course: Coffee Ice Cream Sandwich

November 14, 2009

Date Confirmed: Atwater Village Tree Lighting is Dec. 4

ATWATER VILLAGE'S tree lighting, in years past one of the biggest and best-attended neighborhood holiday events in Los Angeles, is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4. The 50-foot, 82-year-old California Redwood in the median of Glendale Boulevard will again be the centerpiece of this year's event.
18th Annual Atwater Village Tree Lighting
  • Wells Fargo parking lot
  • 3250 Glendale Blvd.
  • Friday, Dec. 4, 2009
  • 6:00pm ceremony begins
  • 6:45pm Santa Claus arrival (via fire truck) and tree lighting
The event is put together by the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council, the Atwater Village Chamber of Commerce and LA City Council President Eric Garcetti (CD13).

November 12, 2009

Workshop Jewelry Store Opens Nov. 21

THIS JUST IN: Workshop is a new jewelry gallery opening in the old Amelia Fitzwater space at 3129 1/2 Glendale Blvd. Grand opening event is Nov. 21, 7:00pm, with refreshments and handmade artist jewelry by Serena Kojimoto. Regular store hours will be Tuesday through Friday, 12:00 noon to 7:00pm and Saturday, 11:00am to 6:00pm.

November 10, 2009

Only $5 an Hour for Neighborhood Theater

GET ONE HOUR of "100% organic acting," in an ensemble of scenes from today's playwrights, from our neighborhood's very own Atwater Playhouse Theater Company -- all for a mere Lincoln.

November 7, 2009

LittleBird Gallery Returns for Silver Lake Art Crawl

BACK IN APRIL LittleBird Gallery closed its Glendale Blvd. location but promised it was "not saying good bye, just see yah later." Well, it's later. LittleBird debuts its new temporary pop-up art show, "My Love For You Is Immense," at a new location tonight:
  • Saturday, Nov. 7
  • 7:00pm to 10:00pm
  • Grain (back studio)
  • 3135 Glendale Blvd.
The show is part of today's Silver Lake Art Crawl, which also includes Black Maria Gallery, 3137 Glendale Blvd., in Atwater Village.

November 5, 2009

Rumor Alert: Jewelry Store Coming to Old Gift Shop?

IT LOOKS LIKE a jewelry store that goes by the name of Workshop or something like that and is from Santa Monica or someplace like that is moving into the old Amelia Fitzwater space at 3129 1/2 Glendale Blvd. Stay tuned as actual facts are gathered.

November 3, 2009

Patternless Crime in Atwater Village

FROM THE LATEST Northeast LAPD crime update: "Atwater Village: No patterns or trends - a few property crimes (car break-ins, residential burglary, etc.)" Of course to victims and neighbors of victims, it only takes one crime to make a pattern.

October 31, 2009

Atwater Chatter: Get Your Fright On

HALLOWEEN HORROR and mischief in and around this northeast Los Angeles neighborhood we call Atwater Village:

October 29, 2009

Friday: Trick-or-Treat on the Boo-levard

FRIDAY MARKS the 6th annual Trick-or-Treat on the Boo-levard, a fall festival put on by the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council and nearly 50 local businesses. Costumed kids hit the 3100 Block of Glendale Blvd., between Glenhurst and Revere, October 30, 2009, 4:30pm to 6:00pm. Might be the most villagey thing that happens in Atwater Village.

October 28, 2009

Burnt House Was Location of 1985 Kirk Douglas Film

"Amos" HouseTHROUGH AN INFORMATIVE reader comment we learn the Atwater Village house that caught fire last week was the location of "Amos," a 1985 made-for-TV movie starring Kirk Douglas. Look at a subtitled YouTube version. Perlita Avenue appears toward the end of the credits, around the 2:00 mark. And then take a look at how the house looked pre-fire on Google Street View. Good news: the commenter says the house will be rebuilt by summer.

October 26, 2009

Volunteers Needed for Atwater Village Halloween Event

IN PREPARATION for the annual Trick-or-Treat on the Boo-levard this Friday, the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council needs volunteers. Sign up as crossing guards, candy deliverers, and to help with setup and cleanup by contacting lgershman@atwatervillage.org.

October 22, 2009

Hyperion Bridge Lights Back On, But For How Long?

A WEEK AGO the Glendale-Hyperion bridge-viaduct system was dark, too dark many would say, at night. The pretty lampposts stayed off. The pedestrians, any brave enough, trudged in dangerous darkness over freeway and river. Phones were called, comments were posted. And tonight, and for at least the last 3 nights, the bridge is re-lit. This on-off-on switch has been flipped before, though. How long will it stay on now?

October 21, 2009

LAFD Knocks Down Atwater Village House Fire


View Perlita Avenue Fire in a larger map

THE HOUSE FIRE was labeled "stubborn" and "heavy" at first, but 50 firefighters took just 24 minutes this afternoon to extinguish it at 3507 W. Perlita Avenue in Atwater Village. From LAFD's Twitter feed:
  • Update #1: Structure fire through roof of 2-story home
  • Update #2: 50 Firefighters battling stubborn fire with heavy attic involvement
  • Update #3: Knockdown; 50 firefighters took just 24 minutes; No injury; Confined to 2nd floor and attic
MORE: In a later report from the LAFD, we learn one firefighter was injured with first- and second-degree burns. He was treated and released to remain off-duty. The cause of the fire "remains under active investigation."

October 18, 2009

Surprised? Atwater Village Loses Video Store

October 17, 2009

September Burglaries Continue in October

THE DAYTIME residential burglaries in Atwater Village, first reported in September, seem to be continuing. A reader writes:
"The house across the street from us on Valleybrink Road was burglarized last week! It was a weekday; not sure which one. During the day while the husband and wife were at work. The burglar(s) broke in thru a side window. They stole a huge flat screen TV, the wife’s jewelry, etc. The couple have a lab dog that stays in the backyard. Please alert your neighbors!"
Neighbors, you are on alert. Check windows and doors. Watch for interlopers. Report emergencies to 911, other police matters to 1-877-ASK-LAPD.

October 15, 2009

Believe It Or Not, Hyperion Bridge Has Street Lamps


bridge, originally uploaded by dan gabai.



THIS PHOTO by Dan Gabai was taken more than a year ago, Sept. 13, 2008, back when street lamps on the Glendale-Hyperion bridge viaduct system came on at night. These days, the lamps stay dark. The corners and shadows along and beneath the bridge and its staircases and sidewalks are even darker. What gives? Can't be all about money savings for the city, especially on a bridge where City Council spent $2,000 to install American flags. (Which, by the way, some might say, ought not be waving in the dark.)

UPDATE: Week later. Lights on.

October 13, 2009

Cops Blocking, Circling: Armed Suspects on Run?

YOU MAY BE noticing quite a ruckus during this evening's rush hour in Atwater Village. News, as it comes in, from the Twitters:
  • 6:13pm from AtwaterVillage: "Something afoot (and in air) on Revere Ave south of Los Feliz Blvd [Google Maps] ... cops blocking street & circling above"
  • 6:31pm from Fixer: "I live on Revere south of Los Feliz Blvd, I hope my dog doesn't eat anyone while I am not there."
  • 6:33pm from DougMcInnes: "Policed cordoned off a block of Brunswick, we talked to an officer and apparently there's a suspect running around possibly with a gun."
  • 6:50pm from Wambat: "My wife went out to the store and the cops cordoned off Los Feliz and Brunswick. She can't get back home."
  • 7:03pm from AtwaterVillage: "Cop copters still circling"
  • 7:16pm from Fixer: "LAPD NE has confirmed, the perimeter is set up and they are searching for 2 armed and dangerous suspects"
Also tracking it on the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council forum, where this report came at 9:02pm: "I called the precinct to see if they could tell me anything. They just said that there was an on-going investigation and to stay in my house. It went on for a long time ... so glad it's quiet again."

October 12, 2009

Green Hornet Invades Atwater Village


View Green Hornet Filming Locations in a larger map

FILMING CONTINUES Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights this week for Michel Gondry's Green Hornet feature film, starring Seth Rogen.

Friends of Atwater Village posts the specific locations -- here's a map -- mostly along Riverside Drive but also on Fletcher Drive (basically where Pulp Fiction was shot in Atwater Village) Oct. 12-14, 6:00pm to 6:00am.

The kids at the Riverglen Apartments should get great views of the action, though possibly little sleep, the next few nights. Expect, for example, "automatic gunfire, explosions ... and use of ramps to simulate rollover."

October 11, 2009

LA Tap Water: Suddenly Too Much Chlorine?

AT LEAST I know I'm not alone in this. A few Angelenos lately feel like Los Angeles tap water has been a bit over-chlorinated. From the Twitters:
As research at San Diego State Univeristy points out, "If you can smell the chlorine ... it is dangerously high." Their research was about pools, but what does the smell mean for the water we bathe in and drink, just last year judged tastiest in the world?

Homeless Getting Comfortable at Hyperion Bridge



YOU NOTICE IT when you're driving south along Glendale Blvd., just before crossing under the Hyperion Bridge toward Silver Lake. It's a homely little camp, blankets, shopping cart, all the amenities of street life spread out at the base of the pedestrian staircase. At least one or 2 homeless men have occupied this shady slice of Atwater Village, adjacent to a north I-5 on-ramp, for the last couple of weeks.

Two years ago this spot had become a trash heap. The city eventually came along and bagged it. Back then, no one lived there. So now, what will the city do? And how long will they wait to do it?

October 9, 2009

The Mystery School Bus in Front of Party City

A READER wants to know: "While it may not be doing anything wrong, maybe other people aren't noticing, but I have to know: What is the deal with that school bus on Los Feliz in front of Party City?! It has been there for weeks, day and night. It leaves every few days, but after a few hours, it's BACK. Is it serving a specific Atwater Village community service? Has the city run out of school bus parking and thought, 'Hey! In front of that Party City looks pretty empty.' Maybe it's not bothering anyone but me, but that doesn't make the curiosity any less intense."

October 8, 2009

Goodbye Gas Mart, Hello Valero

Food Mart

AN EAGLE-EYED reader questions changes at the petrol station formerly known as Gabriel's Gas Mart, 3047 Glendale Blvd. "Hey would you happen to know what is happening at the Gas Mart gas station on Glendale Blvd.? It's near the Crispy Crust and Starbucks." On Tuesday the reader saw the new Valero signs go up. "Was it sold or something?" he asks. "It's a shame to lose a family-ran gas station."

October 6, 2009

They Can Talk, But Can They Cook?

STEVE AND MIKE from KFI 640 AM Talk Radio are cooking at Atwater Village's Canele bistro, 3219 Glendale Blvd., for the Friends Cook series, Tuesday Oct. 6, 5:00pm to 10:00pm. Their 3-course, $32 dinner:
  • Braised artichoke on a fat toast with shaved pecorino
  • Seared halibut with cherry tomatoes, cracked olives, capers and basil
  • Apple and raisin crostata with ice cream

October 2, 2009

Monsters and Aliens Land at Atwater Elementary

TO RAISE FUNDS for Atwater Avenue Elementary School, a community organization is hosting a movie screening. The deets:
  • Friday Oct. 2, 6:00pm
  • Monsters Vs. Aliens
  • Atwater Avenue Elementary School field
  • 3271 Silver Lake Blvd.
  • $5 suggested donation

October 1, 2009

Something Fishy for Sale on Sunnynook Drive

MORE TIDBITS about that 2-story $1,096,000 listing on Sunnynook Drive: Turns out the seller is a musician named Ginger Fish, a drummer for Marilyn Manson. The Real Estalker gives the lowdown and adds a fresh opinion about our neighborhood:
"The 3 bedroom and 2 bathroom house is located in a modest section of Los Angeles called Atwater Village, a neighborhood with a Silver Lake zip code that borders Glendale, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Los Feliz, and the sprawling Griffith Park. Being the hub in a geographic wheel certainly makes Atwater Village accessible to and from many parts of the Tinseltown but, as far as Your Mama and the Dr. Cooter are concerned, it's far to [sic] hot and smoggy for our delicate constitutions..."
Real Estalker's POV aside, the Fish house adds another note (with Beastie Boys, Eels, Black Eyed Peas) to the musical history of Atwater Village.

September 30, 2009

New Village Bakery Ready for Expansion Already

MIXED IN WITH the great photos in LA Weekly's story about the new Village Bakery and Cafe (3119 Los Feliz Blvd.) is some news from owner and baker Barbara Monderine. The report: "Monderine took over the lease of the furniture store next door when it recently went out of business, and says they will be knocking out the wall and expanding the bakery sometime early next year." Also, don't miss her recipe for hazelnut-pistachio biscotti.

September 28, 2009

A Bit of Disney History in Atwater Village

The Tam O'Shanter Inn

NEXT TIME you venture into the Tam O'Shanter Inn, 2980 Los Feliz Blvd., ask for table 31. It's the 4-person booth in the corner by the fireplace. And it was where Walt Disney and his animators ate lunch in the 1920s and 1930s.

Back then, creating 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Disney's studio was 2 miles away in Silver Lake, where Gelson's Market stands today on Hyperion Avenue.

Disney and his animators ate so often at the Tam O'Shanter (est. 1922), it became known as the studio commissary. And NBC LA includes it in its list of best Snow White spots in Los Angeles:
"And the inside? Looks just like a little nook-filled cottage, still. Is it a coincidence that Snow White was in the works around the time the artists would dine here?
"Snow White" isn't the only Disney connection with the Scottish-themed restaurant and pub, according to Jim Hill Media:
"Someone once told me that the houses around the Tam were built by Walt Disney for his employees to live in. I've also been told that the architecture of the Tam helped influence building design on the Pinocchio ride at Disneyland."
And if Walt's table 31 doesn't do it for you, see if table 15 is available. That was John Wayne's.

September 26, 2009

Scrubbed Wednesday, Tagged Again Saturday

ON SEPT. 16, I used the new City of LA graffiti website to report layers of colorful spray paint on the Glendale Blvd. bridge in Atwater Village.

On Sept. 23, I got an email saying the graffiti was removed.

On Sept. 26, I walked up the LA River to check it out. Indeed, the old graffiti was painted over, bright white on beige concrete. But now outlined in black was a giant TRS. That's The Rascals (or Thee Rascals) for those of you following your gang turf wars at home.

September 23, 2009

Season Finale: Summer Nights Event in Atwater Village

THIS FIRST week of autumn it's snowing in Colorado (where we used to live) but it's quite sunny and warm here for Atwater Village's third and final Summer Nights on the Boulevard for 2009. The festivities start on the 3100 block of Glendale Blvd., with several blocks of retailers, restaurants, shops and galleries staying open late and hosting live music and other social activities, Thursday Sept. 24, 6:00pm to 10:00pm. See you out there before the temps dip into the autumnal 80s next week.

September 22, 2009

Latest Heat Wave is Atwater Village Burglary Wave

Suspect DescriptionTHE NORTHEAST DIVISION of the Los Angeles Police Department is warning Atwater Village about a rash of daytime residential burglaries in September. Most of them take place between 8:00am and 4:00pm. See the latest Atwater Village crime map.

In one burglary, suspects were seen knocking on a front door. When no one answered, suspects cut a rear window screen and entered through the window. In another, a resident was distracted while suspects entered the front door. Items stolen: checkbooks, mail, computers.

At this time LAPD detectives do not believe the incidents are related, or that all the suspects are working together, but they do have a few descriptions:
  • Male Hispanic, 18-19 years old, 5'5" to 5'8" and 130-140 pounds
  • Female Hispanic, 16-18 years old, 5'1" to 5'2" and 105-110 pounds
  • Female Hispanic, 25 to 30 years old, 5'4" to 5'5" and 160 pounds
  • Male Hispanic, 18-25 years old, 5'8" and 155 pounds
Burglaries occurred along Los Feliz, Madera, Atwater, Garden and Brunswick, so no part of Atwater Village is immune. Seems like a good time to make sure doors and windows are locked. Report emergencies to 911, other police matters to 1-877-ASK-LAPD.

September 18, 2009

Viet Noodle Bar Makes Top 10 in Bon Appetit

Viet Noodle Bar

ATWATER VILLAGE'S Viet Noodle Bar, 3133 Glendale Blvd., has made the list of top 10 new Asian noodle bars in the US, published in the October 2009 issue of Bon Appetit. From the magazine: "At this Atwater Village noodle bar, pho comes topped with ingredients like organic chicken and cilantro." See all 10.

One More Golf Course Movie: The Princess Bride

FRIDAY NIGHT marks the final outdoor movie scheduled this summer for the Los Feliz Municipal Golf Course, 3207 Los Feliz Blvd., in Atwater Village. See the poster. Showing September 18 at sundown: The Princess Bride. Blankets and picnics on the green are encouraged. Chairs and pets, not so much.

September 16, 2009

New Website: Request Graffiti Removal in City of LA

Round the Corner 2TONIGHT I'M requesting graffiti removal via the new "self help" website from the City of Los Angeles, anti-graffiti.lacity.org.

I'm reporting huge, multiple scrawls on columns and walls on the northwest wall of the Glendale Blvd. bridge (Google map), the wall facing the LA River. They're likely only visible from river trails in Atwater Village, but still. It's a historic damn bridge! Show some pride! And let's see how long it takes the City to clean it up. Next, maybe Sunnynook Footbridge?

UPDATE: Already got this: "Your report has been assigned the following Service Request Number: 310893. You will be notified via e-mail when the contractor reports they have completed this request."

September 14, 2009

Every Canele Has Its Thorne

CHEF DAVID THORNE helms the menu tomorrow, Sept. 15, at Canele in Atwater Village. Part of the Friends Cook series, it's a 3-course dinner for $32:
  • First: Watermelon and beet salad with feta and preserved meyer lemon
  • Second: Seared duck breast with parsnip puree, cabbage and plums
  • Third: Roasted figs with creme fraiche and condensed arabic coffee
Read all about the last Friends Cook event on Sept. 8.

September 11, 2009

Village Bakery & Cafe Opens in Old LA Bread Space

NOW OPEN: The Village Bakery and Cafe opened its doors this week in the former L.A. Bread space, 3119 Los Feliz Blvd. Helmed by the founding co-owner/pastry chef at Eagle Rock's Auntie Em's Kitchen, this new breakfast and lunch spot in Atwater Village promises to be a richer, nicer cousin of the building's former occupant. I stopped by yesterday for the decadent Thanksgiving on a Bun: turkey, stuffing, cranberries, gravy on the side. Huge. With a salad. For $8.95.

The Village Bakery will still bake and serve the same breads as LA Bread, but pastries and cafe items are now made daily from scratch. Signs and paint went up this week. The Village Bakery is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 8:00am to 4:00pm, and Sundays, 8:00am to 3:00pm.

September 9, 2009

Update on Van de Kamp Campus

EVEN AS ITS new college prep school enrolls students for fall term, the old Van de Kamp bakery site on Fletcher Drive is still a subject of debate. Did Los Angeles City College balk on promises to restore the historic building for a satellite campus? Van de Kamps Coalition hosts a community meeting and update presentation:
  • Thursday Sept. 10, 7:00pm
  • LA River Center and Gardens
  • 570 Avenue 26, Los Angeles, CA

Maybe Not the Message LADWP Wants to Send

Maybe Not the Right Look

SHORT, PERSONAL note to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power CEO David Nahai:

During a week when LADWP's busted water mains swallow a fire engine and drown a major traffic artery, you might not want to go with the casual mafia lieutenant look on the evening news.

Despite LADWP's alleged history of thuggery, nothing instills less confidence in a nervous public, worrying their street might be the next sinkhole, than a dude lounging on a leather sofa.

Sit up straight. Button the shirt. Maybe throw on a jacket. Or sit at a desk. Drop a couple grand on media training if you have to. At the very least, try and look like the guy who might be able to handle the problem.

September 8, 2009

NBC's 'Southland' Comes to Atwater Village Sept. 11

ALTHOUGH IT sometimes feels like we're already living inside a police drama, this marks the first time NBC's "Southland" will shoot scenes in Atwater Village. This Friday, Sept. 11, keep eyes peeled for hunky cops, moody perps and parking restrictions on the south side of Fletcher Drive, the east side of Casitas Avenue, both sides of Kerr Street, and the south side of Carillon Street. Highway 2 and the Los Angeles River will also have their fair share of:
  • atmospheric smoke effects
  • "weapons" brandished
  • emergency vehicles with flashing lights
  • actors with exterior dialogue
The second season of "Southland" debuts Oct. 23 on NBC, but the Atwater Village scenes are likely part of a later episode. Stay tuned for airdates. In the meantime, see a map of other "Southland" crime scenes.

'The Duo Dishes' Duo Dishes Tonight's Canele Menu

SURE IT'S last minute, but that's how friends are sometimes. Canele bistro continues its Friends Cook dinner series tonight, Sept. 8, 5:30pm to 10:00pm. Chrystal and Amir, the duo behind The Duo Dishes food blog, have a 3-course menu for $30 per person:
  • Sweet Apple and Bacon Puffs with Pomegranate Glaze
  • Tarragon Chicken and Grape Pot Pie
  • Almond and Coconut Cream Fruit Cake
No reservations taken. Canele is 3219 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village.

September 4, 2009

Is Foothill Boulevard LA's Most Perilous Street?


View What's Going on with Foothill Boulevard? in a larger map

WHEN THE NEWS came today about a vehicle driving into a structure on Foothill Blvd., I had an acute sense of deja vu. Foothill? Again? A search on the last year of Los Angeles Fire Department alerts revealed no fewer than 10 incidents along an 8-mile stretch of Foothill Boulevard:
  • Sept. 4, 2009: 13700 W Foothill Blvd; Solo vehicle into (business?) with structural compromise.
  • Aug. 21, 2009: 14040 W Foothill Blvd; 2 1/2 year old male fell from 2 stories.
  • Aug. 18, 2009: 8935 W Foothill Blvd; Brush Fire, 2-3 Acres on Ridgeline.
  • June 11, 2009: 11451 W Foothill Blvd; Reported fire in 1 acre of grass/brush in the Hansen Dam area, south of the soccer field.
  • March 13, 2009: 15950 W Foothill Blvd; Male hiker fell approx. 50 ft down hillside, sustained multiple inj's, listed in critical cond. Hoisted out of canyon for tsp to hosp.
  • March 7, 2009: 12950 W. Foothill Blvd; Structure fire, McDonalds restaurant, heavy smoke on arrival
  • Jan. 16, 2009: 10411 W. Foothill Blvd; Physical Rescue, Traffic collision involving auto vs pwr pole. 1 person trapped.
  • Nov. 18, 2008: 13947 W. Foothill Blvd; Air Ambulance, 2 y/o injured in traffic collision.
  • Sept. 27, 2008: 11798 W. Foothill Blvd; Air Ambulance, Young female run over by horse.
  • Sept. 19, 2008: 13142 W. Foothill Blvd; Reported traffic collision on the back side of dam in vicinity of hang gliders. Vehicle on side of hill.
As possible explanation, this long, windy street about 15 miles north of Atwater Village often represents LA's last line of defense against the mountains. I'm sure some of the Man vs. Nature incidents (brush fires, young female run over by horse) get coded as happening along Foothill Blvd., even if they occur further into the wilderness.

But that doesn't explain all of it, least of all traffic collisions and restaurant fires. So what gives? Something in the air? Bunch of crazies living up there?

Still Time to Get into New School at Van de Kamp Campus

THE COLLEGE PREP school newly-opened at the landmark Van de Kamp bakery site, 2930 Fletcher Drive, is still accepting applications for its inaugural year. Classes began August 31 at Environmental Science & Technology High School but ninth-grade enrollment continues through September at (213) 943-4930, ext. 1000.

September 2, 2009

Where Will Michael Jackson Finally Rest?

Death Above Los AngelesWE ALREADY know the body of Michael Jackson will be buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, just across the tracks from Atwater Village. It (he) goes down tomorrow, September 3, during a private evening service.

But where will the King of Pop finally rest? Where would you? One detailed report has MJ resting near Walt Disney's garden grave beside the Freedom Mausoleum. Another story says Jackson will be slid into a crypt inside the Great Mausoleum.

Forest Lawn staffers are notoriously mum toward tourists and fans, but this one is sure to eventually pop up on one of the many celebrity grave location websites.

September 1, 2009

What's the Scoop with Old Cold Stone Creamery?

FROM A SLEUTH via email: "Just wondered if anyone knew what was happening inside the old Cold Stone on Glendale? There seems to be some activity happening inside. Air-conditioning unit stripped out, paper on the windows. Pink Berry, Red Mango, who has the scoop?" Indeed, what is heating up there? The retail slot at 3134 Glendale Blvd. has been vacant since December 2008
UPDATE: From the AVNC forum, word is this spot will be an as-yet-unnamed art-themed coffee, juice and organic food cafe of some kind, probably not unlike the new-ish Yoga Lab about 3 blocks up.

Ash Tuesday in Atwater Village

Contained SunriseFOR THE FIRST time in this 6-day-old Station Fire, I noticed ash this morning on vehicles in Atwater Village. We're about 10 miles from the nearest flames. Of course it's not the visible stuff that gets you, they say, it's the finer particulates in the air that cause the greatest health risk. And AQMD's air quality forecast map calls for "unhealthy" air today, with an air quality index value of 159. I think this'll take more than one Shamwow.

August 31, 2009

Tweet Me Like a Newbie

SOME STORIES are so small they don't make it onto the Atwater Village Newbie blog; they fit better into the 140-character updates on my Twitter feed. Some recent samples:
  • 14 pictures from last week's Atwater Village Summer Nights street festival ... dancers, babies, balloon hats
  • Bottega Louie today; could go every week! Working through Jonathan Gold's 99 essential LA restaurants & here's the map
  • Philip Lumbang “Hug Life” Warehouse Pop-Up Show, September 12, 8:00pm ... 3333 N. San Fernando Rd.
Follow me at twitter.com/atwatervillage.

Thursday: Jackson Burial Takes Over South Glendale


View Street Closures for Michael Jackson Burial Service in a larger map

THIS THURSDAY watch for swarms of media vehicles around Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, just across the tracks from Atwater Village. The private burial service for Michael Jackson is September 3, 2009, 7:00pm.
  • Media parking: 1600 and 1700 block of S. Glendale Avenue
  • Crew parking: 1400 to 1600 blocks of S. Glendale Avenue
  • Media camp: Cerritos Park (restrooms, tables, rest area)
  • Streets closed: Laurel, Eulalia and Cerritos (except for school dropoff) between Brand and Glendale
Assume afternoon and evening backups along surrounding streets like San Fernando Road and Brand Boulevard. So, fellow Atwater Villagers, you may need to find another Thursday commute home.

August 30, 2009

Wind Shift: Smokier Sunday Morning

Not a Gas Station Fire

THE WINDS YESTERDAY, when this gas station photo was shot, seemed to carry smoke from the mountainous Station Fire safely up and away from Atwater Village and northeast LA neighborhoods.

But Sunday morning, no such luck. LA Times confirms winds shifted down-canyon overnight, pushing the 35,000-acre, 4-day-old blaze toward residential areas. And just after sunrise in Atwater Village, about 10 miles southwest of the fire (Google map), the sky turned dull orange and smoky smells began to pour through open windows.

South Coast Air Quality Management District has sage advice (stay inside, close windows, recirculate cleaner indoor air) for anyone in "areas where residents can see or smell smoke." That's us, Villagers.

August 28, 2009

Get Hourly Updates on La Canada Flintridge "Station Fire"

SINCE THE "Station Fire" in La Canada Flintridge falls outside the City of Los Angeles, we can't rely on the Los Angeles Fire Department's excellent blog and tweet updates; it's out of their jurisdiction. But as the flames and smoke fill the sky over Atwater Village and the rest of northeast Los Angeles, the City of La Canada Flintridge is providing its own hourly updates:

August 27, 2009

Return of Summer Nights on the Boulevard



IT'S BACK: For the second time this summer, Atwater Village shops and restaurants are spilling out onto the sidewalks of Glendale Blvd. for another Summer Nights event. Expect sidewalk sales, live music, art and fashion in this LA version of a retail block party. It starts tonight, Aug. 27, 6:00pm, up and down both sides of Glendale Blvd., north from Glenfeliz Blvd.

August 25, 2009

Tonight: Silverton, Pressman are Guest Chefs at Canele

Canele InsideAS A PREVIEW of Grass Burger, their upcoming restaurant at the Farmers Market on Fairfax, Nancy Silverton (Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria Mozza) and Amy Pressman (Pasadena's Old Town Bakery) are guest chefs at Atwater Village's Canele, 3219 Glendale Blvd., tonight, August 25, 5:30pm to 10:30pm. No reservations. The 3-course, $36 prix fixe menu:
  • Weiser Farms melon salad
  • choice of Sonoma grass-fed beef cheeseburger or Sonoma grass-fed beef burger topped with fried egg and frisee
  • fig-milk-chocolate-bourbon ice cream dessert
More from the LA Times.

August 21, 2009

Tomorrow: Neighborhood Cleanup at Red Car River Park

Revisit the Red Car

THE NEXT Atwater Village neighborhood cleanup project is at Red Car River Park (Ferncroft Rd. and Glendale Blvd.) on Saturday Aug. 22, 9:30am to noon. Friends of Atwater Village and USC Student Volunteers are pitching in and seeking volunteers to spruce up this access point to the Los Angeles River.

A Job (Well, an Internship) in Atwater Village

STREET AGENCY Attack! Marketing & Promotions, 3191 Casitas Ave., is hiring a marketing intern for college credit plus $25/day, 2 to 5 days a week. Could it end the recession? Unlikely. But could be fun.

August 20, 2009

Oops! Dyslexic Marketing Survey from Americana

Americana Survey Oops

FROM A 10-question marketing survey by The Americana at Brand in Glendale, question number 5 asks what radio stations I listen to. I think by KCRW 83.9FM they really meant KPCC 89.3FM. I picked "other" and put in the correct ID for the public radio station in Pasadena. I hope the Glendale mall ends up sponsoring the right station.

August 19, 2009

Welcome, All My Children

Club Tee Gee

TECHNICALLY THEY'LL be working in the neighboring neighborhood of Glassell Park, but chances are cast and crew of All My Children could find themselves enjoying the nearby amenities of Atwater Village, conveniently located on the way to work from whatever westside and/or Los Feliz housing accommodations they may have.

The soap opera moves production out of New York City and into northeast Los Angeles at Andrita Studios, 3030 Andrita St., starting January 2010. Here are a few tips to help Susan Lucci and friends adjust to the NELA lifestyle:
Lots more to see and do, but we'll ease you into it over time. (That one actor from Heroes, for example, he likes Hugo's Tacos.) All in all, All My Children, this is to say, welcome!

More about AMC's move from Franklin Avenue
.

August 16, 2009

More Movie Nights at Golf Course: Aug. 21, Sept. 18

TWO MORE FREE outdoor movie nights are scheduled this summer for the Los Feliz Municipal Golf Course, 3207 Los Feliz Blvd., in Atwater Village. Saturday August 21 is Ghostbusters and September 18 is The Princess Bride. Blankets and picnics on the green are encouraged. Chairs and pets, not so much. This will make 3 movie nights this summer, and might just make the beginning of a monthly summer tradition for the AV. Kudos to the neighborhood council and the (long list of) community sponsors. Here come the Marshmallow Man and the Dread Pirate Roberts!

August 14, 2009

Thursday Night's Fatal Crash at I-5 and Colorado Blvd.

LAST NIGHT Robert Vardanyan, 21, and Tina Uguryan, 18, both from Glendale, died when their vehicle crashed into a tree in Atwater Village, on the Colorado Street offramp from southbound I-5. Officials said their Nissan was speeding and had just cut off another vehicle before crashing. More from Glendale News-Press. Mangled car photo from KTLA.

Garcetti's New Emphasis on North Atwater Village

FOLLOWING THE successful Toonerville gang raids in July, City Councilman Eric Garcetti has been focusing all kinds of love on North Atwater Village. This Wednesday was a "job readiness" workshop at Chevy Chase Park helping citizens figure out how to get construction jobs. And last Saturday morning saw a neighborhood walk where Garcetti's roving gang was repeatedly thanked for LAPD efforts to crack down on other less desirable roving gangs.

August 12, 2009

Oops! LA Times Forgets Reason It Has Website

IN THIS WEEK's heralded redesign of the LA Times website, one thing's forgotten: deep links. In its new design the paper neglected to keep old URLs, like the ones for articles blogs like mine link to all the time. In fact it seems the paper seems to have retired the latimesblogs.latimes.com address and its accompanying LA Now blog, perhaps the Times' best online news effort. No redirects, either. Aren't inbound links still important, LAT? Isn't this one of the top reasons news organizations have websites in the first place? So next time you see a "host not accessible" blank page when clicking through from my blog to an old LA Times article, you know whom to blame...

UPDATE: The LA Times blogs seem to be coming and going. After I wrote this, they were back up. Today, they're back down.

August 11, 2009

What's a Walking Mom To Do (in Atwater Village)?

FROM A READER: "I was wondering if you know of any mother's groups or baby friendly spots in Atwater. My bub is 6 months old and we plan to do a bit of walking..." Good question. Any ideas? Comment here or email me and I'll pass them along.

August 10, 2009

What's That Odd Little Building by the Post Office?

>I WAS SUSPICIOUS of the window sign, "iced hempaccino," on the building next to our neighborhood post office. Was this yet another new business hanging off the quickly-departing caboose of the medical marijuana gravy train in Atwater Village?

Not exactly. The Yoga Lab, 3362 Glendale Blvd., is a yoga studio, health shop and juice bar rolled into one black-and-white brick box. Blog reader and band member of Silver Phial reports: "I stopped in to the Yoga Lab last week and really enjoyed their selection of drinks and their extensive knowledge of nutrition. Really friendly folks and they have a beautiful sit-down counter."

As for that iced hempaccino? It's purified water, organic coffee infused with herbal extracts, vanilla hemp milk and agave. No prescription required.

August 6, 2009

Korean BBQ Truck Sorta Gets Near Atwater Village

TONIGHT JUST a couple of neighborhoods over in Eagle Rock arriveth the Kogi Korean BBQ truck, 6:00pm to 9:00pm, 4372 Eagle Rock Blvd.

August 4, 2009

LAPD Dubs Atwater Village "Very Clear"

FROM THE LATEST Northeast LAPD crime update, Captain Bill Murphy says Atwater Village "continues to be very clear ... especially since the Toonerville gang takedown."

August 3, 2009

Dtox Day Spa: 3 Years and Counting

Dtox Day Spa at Night

WHILE WE SADLY bid adieu to a fave gift shop in the neighborhood, we can still treat our pains at another local hot spot. Dtox Day Spa, 3206 Los Feliz Blvd., is celebrating its third anniversary. Save a receipt from a treatment in August, get $20 coupon for September. And the spa's Happy Hour Friday is Aug. 21, this time a detox/retox partnership with Bigfoot Lodge across the street. Soak it in, just like Lorelai Gilmore!

Food Porn: Beekeeper Takes Over Canele Bistro

FIND OUT WHAT you missed back on June 30 when Amy Seidenwurm of the Backwards Beekeepers took over the kitchen at Atwater Village's Canele Bistro. See the delicious photos and essay in LA Times Magazine.

July 28, 2009

When Does Atwater Village Get Mobile Ice Cream?

HERE'S A CALL to that architecture-themed ice-cream truck-about-town, Coolhaus. How about showing some cool, sweet love to your hometown neighborhood? According to Pasadena Star-News, one of the Coolhaus co-founders is an Atwater Village native. Does this mean we might see some Frank Behry or Mintamalism ice-cream sandwiches at the next Summer Nights event? I think it's worth asking. Let's all hound them on Twitter.

UPDATE: D'oh! They were here last Thursday. How could I have missed them?

Next Summer Nights Event: August 27

ANYONE STROLLING along busy Glendale Blvd. during last Thursday's Summer Nights on the Boulevard event could tell it was a success. Restaurants hopping, music on every corner, stores actually selling stuff! Atwater Village Chamber of Commerce was quick to announce the next Summer Nights event is Thursday, Aug. 27. See a lot of you there.

July 25, 2009

Illegal to Fish in the LA River? Don't Let That Stop You

July 24, 2009

Atwater Village's Haircut: Labonge Calls It River Glen


View River Glen or North Atwater Village? in a larger map

THE NORTHERN TIP of Atwater Village has the neighborhood's last remaining strip club, and now the whole area might be stripped from the neighborhood.

Not that anyone really lives in this concrete industrial stem at the top of Atwater Village's banana, but Los Angeles City Councilman Tom Labonge has taken to renaming it River Glen.

The new moniker appears on the LA River Revitalization Plan and other City documents, according to the Friends of Atwater Village blog. Labonge has also been using it in emails to describe development initiatives in the area.

Never mind the name. (Not much Glen-like about it.) But splitting it from residential areas of Atwater Village seems rather arbitrary.

Exchange and CutterAre we saying industrial and residential don't mix? Or could this be a clever ploy by Labonge's office to locate a waste treatment facility in North Atwater Village without approval from our usual stakeholders, like neighborhood council?

The "River Glen" area is also adjacent to the Chevy Chase Park area, where LAPD recently raided Toonerville gang compounds and promises continued cleanup of the area. I suppose neighborhood stakeholders could want continued say in how both areas are governed.

I only spent time in "River Glen" once, at a furniture sale. (Didn't buy anything.) But I wouldn't be surprised if people through it was part of the City of Glendale anyway.

July 23, 2009

Tonight: Summer Nights Festival on Glendale Blvd.

SUMMER NIGHTS on the Boulevard, tonight, Thursday July 23, 6:00pm to 10:00pm, in Atwater Village along Glendale Blvd., from Glenfeliz to Perlita.

July 22, 2009

Tomorrow: Summer Nights Event on Glendale Blvd.

TOMORROW MARKS the return of the street fest to Atwater Village. In 2008, our neighborhood enjoyed an April "Artwater" art festival, a June sidewalk festival, an October trick-or-treat event and a December holiday tree lighting festival. But this year, with anticipated budget cuts to neighborhood organizations, it looked like we'd get through all of 2009 without taking to the streets. No worries, now. Enter the Atwater Village Chamber of Commerce:
Summer Nights on The Boulevard
Thursday July 23, 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Glendale Blvd., from Glenfeliz to Perlita [see map]
Live music, dancers, stores open late, sidewalk dining
  • The Complex, 3015 Glendale Blvd., live bands, dancers, art exhibits
  • Parking lot, 3111 Glendale Blvd., DJ, art exhibit, massages, dancers
  • Madera bumpout, 3147 Glendale Blvd., 10 bands, live dancers, CD release party
  • Little Knittery, 3195 Glendale Blvd., live music
  • Hugo's Tacos, 3300 Glendale Blvd., live jazz
  • Woof Dog Boutique, 3172 Glendale Blvd., pet adoption

July 19, 2009

Top Chef Winner Cooking at Canele This Tuesday

NOT TO MISS: Top Chef season 2 winner Ilan Hall takes over the kitchen Tuesday July 21, 5:30pm to 10:00pm, at Canele, 3219 Glendale Blvd., in Atwater Village. Hall's 3-course prix fixe (price TBD) Scottish-influenced menu is predicted to include:
  • roasted mushrooms with walnut-marrow vinaigrette
  • chicken Haggis with braised corn and pureed potatoes
  • shortbread lime bar with Bustello condensed milk

July 18, 2009

Toonerville Gang Raid: By the Numbers


Toonerville, originally uploaded by KID DEUCE.


JULY 9 gang raid in North Atwater Village is being hailed, not least of all by the raiders themselves, as an unqualified success. The numbers, from Northeast LAPD:

  • 21 locations searched
  • 19 suspects arrested (murder, attempted murder, narcotics trafficking, weapons violations)
  • 2 additional arrests on scene (weapons violations)
  • 63 firearms confiscated (48 in one house alone)
  • 3 ounces of meth/cocaine confiscated
  • 32 ounces of marijuana confiscated
Authorities sell the raid as the beginning of a turnaround for the residential area around Chevy Chase Park. Expect continued patrols, anti-gang programs and community outreach, similar to post-gang Drew Street in Glassell Park. Maybe even a street party.

Key to the long-term success of the raid will be preventing rival Rascals gang from filling gaps where Toonerville once reigned.

Involved agencies were Los Angeles Police Department, LA County Sheriff’s Department, City Councilman Eric Garcetti, Glendale Police Department and Drug Enforcement Agency.