Okay, we can’t change all of the above, but we can change how we react to it – let’s get to know our neighbors! If you know me, you know I’m a fan of the POSITIVE. Join me for R.A.D.D. (Residents of the Arts District, Downtown), an informal gathering of residents designed to communicate and share what’s really happening here and what’s most of interest to those of us who actually LIVE in the Arts District. Let’s hang out and get to know each other in “real time.”

Interested in meeting local residents? Walk or bicycle around the Arts District this Wednesday, May 22. I’m hosting an evening bike ride of the neighborhood at 7:00 PM (starting and ending at Eat.Drink.Americano – wear a helmet and mount lights on your bike) – I’d like to do this weekly. Don’t have a bike? Please join Scot Ezzell on this week’s Arts District Neighborhood Watch Walk, which starts and ends at Traction & Hewitt. He and his regular group of walkers are invited to join us afterwards at Eat.Drink.Americano around 8:00 PM.

RSVP HERE – PED POWER (pedalists and pedestrians = PED):
R.A.D.D. BIKE RIDE
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH WALK

Not on Facebook? Sign up HERE to join my mailing list!

Hope to see you there!

I like bikes … I ride my foldable Tern bicycle whenever and wherever I can and I am known for sporting my favorite Nutcase helmet, which I just accessorized yesterday with stickers from artists GERMS and Miguel Felipe (looking for more!). I also have a ruby red 1969 Schwinn Breeze to which I added an era-appropriate basket yesterday and a lovely pink-and-white 1950 Schwinn Starlet with lime green detailing.

ANNOUNCING: This summer, I’m launching a series of fun, meandering bike rides that feature or start and end in my beloved Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles. Details to follow. In the meantime, if you are interested, sign up for my mailing list HERE.

ENTER TO WIN NOW by simply commenting below on WHY you should be the winner AND subscribe to the Downtown Muse mailing list (click HERE) if you haven’t already. Winners will be randomly selected and notified by email no later than Saturday, March 2 @ 12 noon.

UPDATED: Congrats to Mary Robinson for winning the two VIP tickets. Thanks to everyone who entered to win. Watch for upcoming specials, deals, and opportunities to win in the weeks ahead!

In the Arts District, there is a triangle lot (near what is called Bloom Square), which used to be a gas station up until around 2000, then it was removed and converted into a place for parking. Recently, street artists have been leaving creative installations there … most recently, Wild Life and now someone whose work is being seen increasingly in the Arts District, Elmer the Wild (he has a real name, but asked me not to share!).

Artist Elmer the Wild encourages you to pick up a heart with his message on the back that states “This is a magic heart. It is meant for everyone. I left it here for you. Take it home if you want. Enjoy. Return it when you like; and another one will fly just as you and I. Forever. Linked.”

Take a heart while you can … perhaps a painted stone can weigh down the pain of losses like mine. Here’s hoping …

Photo: @DowntownMuse Artist: unknown

“I can fix you” … street artist words painted on wall along 3rd St. south of Wurstkuche.

BEST BET: Chef/owner Tara Thomas of Traxx at Union Station has created special Valentine’s Day cocktails tonight from 6 PM to 9 PM. Tell her or a bartender that “a woman walks into a bar …” and you’ll get 50% off your first drink!

Traxx at Union Station
800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles 90012; (213) 625-1999

photo: abclocal.go.com

LONELY? The Pie Hole is stocking up on a mini-version of its ever-so-popular-but-rarely-available Lonely Pie (chocolate, potato chips, chunky peanut butter and an Oreo crust … I’m in!). Even better, co-owner Matt Hefner tells me that there’s two NEW pies just for today: My Bloody Valentine (blood orange cheesecake) and Black Heart Whoopie Pie (chocolate cake, marshmallow, and pretzel filling).

The Pie Hole
714 Traction Ave., Los Angeles 90013; (213) 537-0115

NEED A DATE? Get a date bar at Bread Lounge. Manager and baker Ziv Wagner made special date bars just for today that seem like they might go well with coffee, or at least, with that bottle of wine that you might chug at home tonight while watching re-runs of “The Bachelor” (might be my plans!).

Bread Lounge
700 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles 90021; (213) 327-0782

WANT TO DRINK? Even if you don’t have a reservation for chef Tony Esnault’s saucy aphrodisiac dinner, drop by Church & State to see if you can wiggle up to the bar for His and Hers specialty cocktails. Take your pick: “His” includes whiskey, rum, and beer; “Hers” contains gin, house-made grenadine, fresh thyme, and sparkling wine.

Church & State
1850 Industrial St., Los Angeles 90021; (213) 405-1434

P.S. The featured photo in this post is one I took this morning when I discovered a newly installed artwork on the wall of the former Bloom’s General Store by street artist EENCH … it is a red painted Valentine with a REAL heart pierced by an arrow.

Factory Place Arts Complex owner HBK Investments confirmed its purchase of the corner building at 707 E. 4th Pl., Los Angeles 90013, which formerly housed Shojikiya Bookstore and offices for Dale K. Ogawa Accounting. According to Matt Klein, the decision on how the space will be utilized is not confirmed as of yet. Since this project is being developed with the assistance of Creative Space (which recently moved to the Arts District), I’m looking forward to whatever is conceived since the firm’s motto is “urban transformation should serve its community” and since HBK Investments is known for recreating amazing spaces. As a side note, let’s also hope that the murals surrounding the property survive the transformation. On the 3rd St. wall, the stunning black-and-white “Celebration of Elephants” mural by artist Damon Martin was created in 2012 to heighten awareness of the plight of elephants with the support of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). On 4th Pl., an otherwise dismal-looking wall was given a much-needed vibrant palette of color and life this past July through an untitled East Coast/West Coast collaboration by artists SEEN and RISK organized by the L.A. Freewalls project.

According to the realtor representing the property, Mosaic Artspace is not renewing the lease for its Arts District location that ends this coming May. The good news is that a local business owner (who asked to be unnamed for the time being) has taken over the lease for use as either office or retail space.

Details on both newly announced ventures will follow as they become available. P.S. Of course, I’m among the many locals eagerly awaiting the Spring 2013 opening of Urban Radish, an eco-conscious grocery store located at 660 Mateo St. owned by residents Carolyn Paxton and Keri Aivazis.

Known for using only the finest in-season fruits and vegetables at his cafes, Secretan says, “It’s just how I eat.”

P.S. Why the name Zinc? Apparently, sometimes European corner cafes are called “le zinc,” referring to their zinc-covered tables and counters.

MORE ABOUT ZINC
Stu News Laguna article
Coastline Pilot article
Corona del Mar BID newsletter article

Photo © Estevan Oriol

On Friday, February 8, 2013, there were two reported sightings of fugitive Christopher Dorner in Downtown Los Angeles; both of which were false alarms that turned up nothing. In addition to one near the Twin Towers jail in the morning, the second took place near 7th Place and Santa Fe late last night. Around 10:45 p.m., local residents, followed by ABC7, California Fire News, and others, reported that police were searching Amtrak trains parked in the Metro Red Line storage yards along the east bank of the Los Angeles River. The search resulted in finding a man with a duffel bag reportedly who resembled Dorner, but was not him. Click HERE for a photo by photographer Estevan Oriol.