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.

Oops! Dyslexic Marketing Survey from Americana

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.

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.

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.

Alas, Some Atwater Village Love from LA Magazine

THE MAY 2009 issue of Los Angeles Magazine dedicates 2 pages to the banana-shaped northeast LA neighborhood we call Atwater Village. "Warrants the 'village' moniker." "Relaxed enclave." "Small-town experience." Their words and, despite certain recent events, still ours. The magazine profiles much of what we agree the AV and its 18,000 residents are really all about: Amelia Fitzwater (3129 1/2 Glendale Blvd.) "Shelves overflow with ready-to-wrap goodies." 55 Degree Wine (3111 Glendale Blvd.) "Expansive underground wine cellar and bar." Lula Holistic Mini Spa (3542 1/2 Hollydale Dr.) "Good for both you and the planet." Jill's Paint (3534 Larga Ave.) "Loads of eco-friendly paints." The Little Knittery (3042 Glendale Blvd.) "Guidance to anyone stuck on a stitch." Viet Noodle Bar (3133 Glendale Blvd.) "Spartan-chic." The Griffin (3000 Los Feliz Blvd.) "Dark Ages decor." India Sweets and Spices (3126 Los Feliz Blvd.) "Exotic pantry essentials." Canele (3219 Glendale Blvd.) "Worthy of a special occasion... Approachable any day." Kaldi Coffee (3147 Glendale Blvd.) "Neighborhood brew." Racket Doctor (3214 Glendale Blvd.) "Well strung since 1971." Tam O'Shanter Inn (2980 Los Feliz Blvd.) "Tartan time." Hugo's Tacos (3300 Glendale Blvd.) "Beyond carnitas." LA Times' West magazine gave us a similar showcase in February 2007.

Weekend Promises to Be a Little Yummier

CHECK OUT neighborhood French fave Canele restaurant (3219 Glendale Blvd.) in the May 2009 edition of Bon Apetit magazine, an article about the top 10 brunch spots in the nation: "Along Atwater Village's main drag sits this tiny gem run by chef Corina Weibel and her partner, Jane Choi. The omelets (filled with tomato confit, goat cheese, mushrooms, or caramelized onions) are simple perfection." Canele serves brunch, first come first served, Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00am to 3:00pm.

Shepard Fairey Propaganda Twofer: Esquire, Time

WHEN WAS THE last time 2 major national magazines put the same artist's work on their covers? (Within weeks, no less.) From neighboring neighborhood Echo Park, artist and designer Shepard Fairey has produced 2 covers featuring President Barack Obama.

Time ran what seems to be an original portrait, the President'slips parted, on its Dec. 29, 2008, issue. But Esquire's February 2009 issue, in mailboxes this week, ran what appears to be the same closed-mouth portrait from Fairey's famous "Hope" campaign poster.

Good for Shepard. How did he swing it? This is surely the final nail in the mainstream-media's-in-the-tank-for-Obama coffin that certain skeptics (sore losers) have been waiting for.

LA Times Dips Tentative Toe Into Flickr Pool

FAR BE IT from me to discourage anonymous pseudonyms, but someone under the moniker losangelestimes has dipped a tentative toe into the Flickr photostream. Assuming he/she is authorized to do so, it's disappointing that his/her contributions so far have been to mark favorites, add contacts and post one thumbnail of that best-selling Nov. 5 Los Angeles Times front page. (With a link to sell you more, of course.) Today there's a bit more explanation: "We're working on what exactly we'll share here (exclusive images that don't make it into print or online? hmm) and would love to hear your suggestions." Suggestion #1: How about posting behind-the-scenes photos they'd never put in the paper? The photographers, the reporters, the printers doing their thing. (See LAFD's otustanding Flickr contributions.) Hey, maybe even the executives laying people off. Could be juicy!

LA Times Likes 'Hip,' 'Upscale' Viet Noodle Bar

FROM THE LOCAL daily newspaper's (website's) roundup of Best banh mì shops in Southern California:

Viet Noodle Bar (3133 Glendale Blvd.) - "Far more upscale (and pricey) than the traditional Little Saigon banh mì shops, this hip vegan-friendly Atwater Village restaurant has five bánh mì to choose from: white fish and dill, shiitake-tofu, lemon-grass organic chicken, spicy sardine and vegan tofu basil. It doesn't make its own baguettes but has them made from its own recipe at a San Gabriel bakery. Stay for dessert: The fresh ginger soy curd alone is worth the trip." (323) 906-1575, $5.75-$6.75.

Glendale's Palate is One of Esquire's Best New Restaurants

THE ONLY LOS ANGELES County nod in Esquire's list of Best New Restaurants 2008 is Glendale's Palate Food + Wine (933 S. Brand Blvd.). Just a mile from Atwater Village, Palate is "worth the trip" to Brand Boulevard, even though the magazine's John Mariani "had never seen so many car dealerships in my life." "Palate hits every point of hospitality," Esquire continues in the November 2008 print edition (not yet on the magazine website), "in a year when it was hard to stifle a yawn over the new restaurants in LA." And after raving how the most expensive menu item is $19, the magazine concludes: "Whatever you spend on gas to get to Glendale, you'll save on the food and wines here and go home very happy." We really need to try that place.

'Politics Happen, Even in a Small Place Like Atwater'

THIS WELL-RESEARCHED ARTICLE in The Los Feliz Ledger captures the drama of the last couple of years of our Atwater Village Neighborhood Council Atwater Village Chamber of Commerce. Turns out it started with a Christmas tree lighting. Go figure. Find out how the new guard ousted the old guard: Los Feliz Ledger's current home page Los Feliz Ledger's October PDF edition (Note: Annoying PDF format means you have to find the article at the bottom of page 1 and continue it on page 18 of the PDF.)

Atwater Village's Woof Boutique Wins Best of LA

OPEN SINCE SUMMER 2007, Atwater Village's Woof Boutique (3172 Glendale Blvd.) has caught the eye of LA Weekly editors for Best of LA 2008. Woof wins in the category, Best Splurges for Your Doggy BFF: Treat drama-queen dogs to a fashion adventure at Woof in Atwater Village, where their wildest costume dreams will be fulfilled... "Having a boutique is an art form," says owner Diane Serafino, who takes pride in delivering products to the "underprivileged" dogs of the Eastside.

A Mini-Mag to Replace Atwater Village's Arthur?

WHEN JAY BABCOCK high-tailed it out of Atwater Village for Brooklyn NY he took the headquarters of micro-magazine Arthur with him. Would anything fill our neighborhood's publishing niche? Now along comes The Drama. The art mag's editor-in-chief and creative director, Joel Speasmaker, moved from Richmond VA to Atwater Village this summer and does Q&A with Rubin Recommends: RR: Best food you've had in your neighborhood lately or while you were traveling? Speaksmaker: Found this tiny Cuban spot [Baracoa Cuban Cafe, 3175 Glendale Blvd.] near where I live in Atwater Village that's pretty great, and I meet my buddy Justin pretty much every few days for lunch at EAT [Los Feliz Cafe, 3207 Los Feliz Blvd.] on Los Feliz. Read the rest of Joel Speasmaker's interview.

Olympic Flames Dies, Time Warner LA Kills 2 Channels

THE SUMMER GAMES aren't the only thing missing from my TV this morning. Time Warner Cable has removed at least 2 channels from my high-definition lineup: CNBC HD and USA HD. CNBC and USA aired some of NBC's Olympic coverage, so maybe that's why they went away. But will I see an adjustment on the part of my Time Warner bill where I pay extra for high-def channels? (Answer: not likely.) And will anyone ever challenge Time Warner's cable monopoly in LA? (Answer: even less likely.) UPDATE: Time Warner Cable confirms, on the phone, that CNBC HD and USA HD were only available for the Olympics. Tough luck, "Psych" fans.

Find the Lamest Headline

ANYONE CAN START a blog. Anyone. So what does it mean when the lamest headline on my RSS reader, "Olympic volleyball medalists are hot!" comes from one of the largest professionally-staffed daily news organizations in the nation. (That would be the LA Times.)

Yes, Atwater Villagers Would Rather Not Call Ahead

TIME TO REVISIT Canele, Glendale Boulevard's finest local eatery, in this Metromix profile of Lot 1 chef Josef Centeno: We meet at Canele, a restaurant Centeno, 34, lists first among his favorites on the east side of town. It's a sliver of a space with exposed brick and ceilings high enough to prevent the onset of claustrophobia. The small dining room dictates a "no reservations" policy, a first-come, first-served axiom that favors the locals of Atwater Village - yet the Mediterranean-inflected cuisine draws foodists from all over the city. A neighborhood joint with excellent food everyone wants to try? We see the appeal.

'Best of LA' 2008 Winner in Atwater Village

THE LIST OF this year's 152 winners in Los Angeles Magazine's Best of LA includes just one spot in Atwater Village: The Racket Doctor. Best Tennis Shop: A technician refurbishing an expensive Volkl C-10 racket at one of the eight stringing machines at The Racket Doctor wears surgical scrubs. Clerks selling Adidas Barricade shoes and Prince tennis shirts sport shirts labeled FASHION ICU. More than just a gimmick, the staff's wardrobe testifies to the level of service it provides to rank amateurs and ranked pros. Owner Randy Kramer opened the business in 1970 after working at a shop at Griffith Park's municipal courts. He prides himself on his vast inventory (cheap balls and top-of-the-line gut string) and informed employees (who advise beginners to buy intermediate-level rackets they can grow into). 3214 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village, 323-663-6601, racketdoctor.com LA Mag's website posts a sampling of other Best of LA 2008 winners. See all of them in August's print edition.

Voice of the Neighborhood: Alex Cohen

ON HER PROFILE for National Public Radio, Day to Day reporter Alex Cohen admits to being a resident of a particular sliver of northeast Los Angeles: She lives in the LA neighborhood of Atwater Village with her husband Rich and their two dogs Buddy and Bosco. What was perhaps her bravest local report came from the "All You Can Eat" seats at Dodger Stadium.

So What's the Second Best?

Clean Sweep, originally uploaded by Atwater Village Newbie.

DID ANYONE KNOW the phrase "Best of L.A." was a trademark - nay, registered trademark - of Ennis Communications, the Indiana-based corporation that puts out Los Angeles Magazine? From the August 2007 "best of" issue: Walk Along the L.A. River: The L.A. River is at its renegade best where Los Feliz Boulevard crosses the 5 in Atwater Village. Here at the Glendale Narrows, cement paths for jogging, walking, biking, and horseback riding line the river’s green expanse. Herons and egrets fish for spawning carp among willows and palms. Access the northern path where the EATZ Cafe abuts the Los Feliz Municipal Golf Course parking lot - and don’t ever again question whether the river is authentic. Yes, we all know the river is authentic. And so is that American cheese on the omelettes at Los Feliz Cafe! (Formerly EATZ Cafe, LA Mag, who's fact-checking?) But who cares, as long as you get breakfast next to a putting green for less than 10 bucks.

This Gilmore Girl, She Is Intrigued By Us

COMING UP IN TOMORROW'S "favorite weekend" column in the LA Times, Lauren Graham kicks it eastside: "I tend to stay on the east side of town - I get nervous if I get west of La Cienega... "I haven't been to Griffith Park since the fire, but it's been scary around here since then. The coyotes are getting really bold... "One of the best places in town for Sunday brunch is here at Alcove Cafe & Bakery. Their eggs are delicious, and so is the bacon... "Although I don't spend my weekends doing spas and beautification - I don't like to waste my time doing personal maintenance - I really have been wanting to go to a new spa called dtox in Atwater Village. That's where the Eastside people are going these days... "Sunday night my sister and I hit Mexico City in Los Feliz for some fantastic Mexican food... "We'll occasionally go for Mexican at Malo if we're with my friends who live even farther east. They're Silver Lake people, and you have to compromise with the Silver Lake people." Darn right you do. Thus completes my circle of fascination with All Things Gilmore, started here 13 months ago with the greatest Newbie celebrity sighting to date.