Theater for Short Attention Spans

SORRY, WHAT was that? Oh, right. The Atwater Playhouse presents Puppies, Plays, Trains and Family Names, an evening of one-act performances at 3191 Casitas Avenue:

• Friday Nov. 12, 8:00pm
• Saturday Nov. 13, 8:00pm
• Friday, Nov. 19, 8:00pm
• Saturday, Nov. 20, 8:00pm

One-act plays include:

• Puppies with Papers by Catherine Pelonero
• What Play? by Franco D'Alessandro
• Family Names by Catherine Pelonero
• Night Train by Gena Acosta

Tickets are $15 each and reservations are required, (323) 769-5808.

Tweet Me Like a Newbie

ATWATER VILLAGE news too small to blog, too big to ignore:

• leeleepitts: Hey everybody! We have so much fun planned for the Summer Nights event in @AtwaterVillage on Sep 23. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/bEQ8vV
• themewsnews: Atwater Village Celebrates Summer Nights on The Boulevard! http://conta.cc/bli8yf
• atwatervillage: Northeast LA's No Home Depot Coalition busily re-organizing itself into No Wal-Mart Coalition: http://bit.ly/b1Eb62
• atwatervillage: Portrait of Lilly La Bonge of Atwater Village's Sweets for the Soul: http://bit.ly/cODL0L
• atwatervillage: "If there was a heaven for bungalows it would have to be Atwater Village" http://bit.ly/dwQZbx

Block Party! Thursday, Aug. 26

ONE OF THE top 10 reasons to live in and/or visit Atwater Village is happening again: Summer Nights on the Boulevard, Thursday, August 26, 6:00pm to 10:00pm in the 3100 block of Glendale Blvd., with fun stuff including:

• Community organization booths
• Businesses open late
• DJ and live music all along Glendale Blvd.
• Ice cream social at Hugo's Tacos, 3300 Glendale Blvd.
• Handwriting analysis at Revo Cafe, 3134 Glendale Blvd.
• Dog-treat bake sale at Woof Dog Boutique, 3172 Glendale Blvd.

Schedule: Atwater Village Outdoor Movies

SEE SOME CLASSICS this summer under the stars of Atwater Village. The annual movie series takes place at the Los Feliz Municipal Golf Course, 3207 Los Feliz Blvd., where blankets and picnics are encouraged, but tall chairs, pets and smoking are rightly shunned. Gates at dusk, showtimes at dark.

• July 9 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
• August 13 - Young Frankenstein (1974)
• September 10 - E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Tick Tock, Food Truck

THE GOURMET FOOD truck Vizzi (menu, tweets) rolls into Atwater Village for pre-show dining before the Saturday night performance of "Tick Tock" at Atwater Playhouse, 3191 Casitas Ave. Truck's at 6:30pm, play's at 8:00pm (tickets $15).

And She Doesn't Look a Day Over 80

Tracks Into Atwater Village, 1927, originally uploaded by Atwater Village Newbie.

REMINDER: The Atwater Village Centennial Street Festival, marking 100 years since a field of poppies became a genuine subdivision (named after Harriet Atwater Paramore), is Sunday, June 13, 2010, 11:00am to 4:00pm in the 3100 block of Glendale Blvd. Expect the usual: food, music, dance, arts, crafts, family fun, entertainment, all your neighbors out and about.

All Worth the Wait

Grilled Cheese Truck, originally uploaded by Atwater Village Newbie.

THREE LINES tonight: one to order @grlldcheesetruk, two to pickup @grlldcheesetruk, three for table @55degreewine.

June Events in Atwater Village

NOT ALL is gloom in June in our slice of northeast Los Angeles:

• Wednesday June 9, 7:00pm to 9:00pm: The Grilled Cheese Truck is parking at 55 Degree Wine, 3111 Glendale Blvd.
• Saturday June 12, 8:30pm: Famous actor Joel McHale introduces a performance of Violators Will Be Violated, Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., and hosts a party to help send the show to the New York International Fringe Festival this August.
• Sunday June 13, 11:00am to 4:00pm: Atwater Village Street Festival, celebrating neighborhood's centennial, 3100 block of Glenadale Blvd.
• Sunday June 13, 11:30am: Return of the Homemade Cookie Contest (check out 2007's winner) during the Atwater Village Street Festival, 3100 Block of Glendale Blvd. Prizes awarded at 1:30pm.

What 2 Kids Dreamed Up for Charity Brunch Menu

CANELE SIGNAGE, originally uploaded by cathydanh.

AS PART OF its Friends Cook series, Canele Bistro, 3219 Glendale Blvd., turns the menu over to 2 young friends. A 6-year-old and an 8-year-old developed special dishes, drinks and menus, and will be on hand to meet, greet, serve, bus and cook for the one-time brunch, Saturday, Marcy 27, 10:00am to 3:00pm.

Sweets: $7.50

• Owen's berry bread pudding
• Housemade granola (add chocolate and bananas $2.50)
• Bowl of berries and banana

Savories: $10.50

• Violet's cheesy baked shells
• Eggs in a hole
• Soft scrambled eggs with herbed cream cheese
• Fried egg sandwich with braised leeks, bacon and romesco market soup

Sides: $4.50

• House cured or apple smoked bacon
• Pan roasted potatoes
• Market lettuces with crème frâiche
• Just eggs (soft scrambled, omelet, fried)
• Ginger scone

Toast: $2.50

• Toast and homemade jam (baguette, buckwheat or seeded pullman)

Sips:

• Owen's hot chocolate with whipped cream
• Violet's pink rhubarb lemonade
• Chado teas, LAMILL coffee, espresso, cappuccino, latte
• Mimosas
• Wine by the glass and bottle
• Tomato juice, orange juice
• San Pellegrino mineral water, limonata, aranciata

Saturday's brunch profits will be donated to the American Red Cross, as the 2 young chefs specified, to benefit relief efforts in Haiti. No reservations. First come, first served.

"Two Rounds" of Matinees Added

TWO MATINEES have been added to the current run of the American premiere of "Due Partite (Two Rounds)" at Atwater Playhouse, 3191 Casitas Avenue in South Atwater Village. The theater adds 2 afternoon performances, April 11 at 3:00pm and April 18 at 3:00pm, to the run, which is Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm through April 17. General admission ticket is $15, senior or student $10.

Northeast LA Dives posted a review on Facebook.

Tasty Weekend Events in Atwater Village

GET YOUR DRINK (and eat) on at a few tasty events coming this weekend to central Atwater Village:

• Saturday, March 27, brunchtime: "Kids in the Kitchen" brunch fundraiser for Haiti relief, Canele bistro, 3219 Glendale Blvd.
• Sunday, March 28, 11:00am to 2:00pm: Champagne brunch, with bagels and bacon, among other goodies, 55 Degree Wine, 3111 Glendale Blvd.
• Sunday, March 28, 11:00am to 3:00pm: Best Friends Pet Adoption, Revo Cafe, 3134 Glendale Blvd.
• Sunday, March 28, dinnertime: Friends Cook series with LA City Council President Eric Garcetti and family, Canele bistro, 3219 Glendale Blvd.

And next week, get ready for a 3-hour food truck convention at the nearby Americana at Brand. It's Tuesday, March 30, 6:00pm to 9:00pm, with truck grub from Frysmith, Buttermilk, Komodo, Coolhaus and more.

March 20 Opening at Smooth n Purdy Gallery

THIS WEEKEND marks the opening of an exhibit by Michele Mikesell at Smooth n Purdy gallery in Atwater Village. The Evangenitals supply live background music.

chapter 2: Quotidian life
Opening Reception
by Michele Mikesell
Saturday, March 20, 7:00pm
Smooth n Purdy Gallery
3015 Glendale Blvd. (The Complex)

The gallery, in case, like me, you'd never heard of it, is curated by photographer Greg Cohen to show "emerging local artists working in a variety of mediums" and "raise awareness and funds to benefit the many charities our artists support."

Grand Opening: Eagle Rock Brewery

Three types of beer., originally uploaded by ubrayj02.

JUST THE OTHER side of San Fernando Road from Atwater Village comes a welcome addition to northeast Los Angeles. Eagle Rock Brewery has been serving at area establishments a while, and now opens its own doors:

Grand Opening Celebration
Eagle Rock Brewery
Friday, Feb. 26, 4:00pm to 10:00pm
3056 Roswell Street, LA, CA

They'll tap 8 of their own beers, along with a few special guest beers, and the french fry truck Frysmith will be on hand to help soak it in. (And maybe some of the All My Children kids; Andrita Studios is a block away.)

Swirling, Smelling, Slurping at Canele Bistro

IT'S NOT TOO late to plan to attend this rich and delicious "friends cook" event tonight at Canele Bistro, 3219 Glendale Blvd. No reservations required (or taken). Tonight the Renaissance personas behind Swirl Smell Slurp wine blog take over the kitchen with wine pairings from Vintage Wine Marketing.

• Frisée aux lardons (with Riesling, Vieilles Vignes, Lucas et Andre Rieffel)
• Steak frites (with Lussac St. Emilion, Chateau du Courlat 2005)
• Profiteroles (with Madeira, 15-year-old Bual, Henriques & Henriques)
• Prix fixe: $37 per person (plus $5 per wine course)

This menu is available one night only, Feb. 23, 5:30pm to 10:00pm. And rumor has it there will also be one-night-only accordion music in the joint. Ooh la la.

Tuesday: Chamber Mixer on Casitas Avenue

THE ATWATER VILLAGE Chamber hosts A Night on Casitas:

• Atwater Village Chamber Mixer
• "A Night on Casitas"
• Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6:30pm
• Atwater Playhouse
• 3191 Caistas Ave.

Take a Flight, Support the Kids

THIS SUNDAY Friends of Glenfeliz Elementary host a wine-tasting event in Atwater Village to benefit Glenfeliz Kids, a new after school program. The event, Meet Your Neighbor Night, sends half its proceeds to the learning enrichment program. It promises to be a friendly night in the 55 Degree Wine cellar.

Meet Your Neighbor Night

• 55 Degree Wine
• 3111 Glendale Blvd.
• Sunday, Feb. 21
• 5:00pm to 10:00pm
• $18 for flight of 3 wines
• 50% of proceeds benefit Glenfeliz Kids

Don't Say Neigh to Unique Valentines Dinner in LA

SEEKING A UNIQUE Valentines date in the City? Look no further than the 2.5-acre urban farm on Rigali Avenue, right here in North Atwater Village. Taking the Reins, a nonprofit org that teaches girls horseback riding, gardening and creative arts, hosts a Valentines Day dinner fundraiser each year in its working, 100-year-old barn. This year, neighborhood fave Canele bistro caters:

• Taking the Reins Annual Valentines Dinner
• When: Saturday, Feb. 13, 6:30pm
• Where: 3919 1/2 Rigali Ave., LA, CA
• Price: $100 per person
• Catering: Canele Bistro
• Tickets: Paypal or (323) 906-1560

The nonprofit promises the horses will be looking on, "but no, it doesn't smell. Our barn is very cozy and clean!"

Best Joke from Bigfoot Lodge's First Comedy Night

LAST NIGHT marked the debut of The Laura Palmer Comedy Hour at Bigfoot Lodge in Atwater Village. Wide assortment of comics, from safe to rude, most working from notes, but a promising start for this free event scheduled for the first Tuesday of each month. Best joke? From Jim Hamilton:

Funyuns?

More like...

Actually, Funyuns is the perfect name.

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.

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.