WED 6/5 @ 6:30 PM (walk) or 7:00 PM (bike): Join us for our neighborhood R.A.D.D. Bike & Walk Social! We do an easy, meandering ride packed with surprise stops and special guests. This week, we have a couple of cool local residents riding along with us. The first is street art writer/photographer/curator and self-defense expert Steve Grody of Graffitti L.A. who has lived in the Arts District since 1986 and curated a graffiti exhibition in 2011 called Street Cred at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, among other art-related projects over the years. I’ve asked Steve to talk to us about the murals near Megatoys, a now-closed business located in an amazing Art Deco industrial building that sadly will be torn down to develop a new residential project and that is adorned with lots of important classic murals. We’ll also have professional BMX rider Andrew Jackson cycling with us and can hopefully coax him to do some of his signature pegless/brakeless West Coast style moves on his bike.
Walkers meet up with Scot Ezzell and the decade-old Arts District Neighborhood Watch Walk group at The Pie Hole (714 Traction Ave., 90013). Cyclists meet up with Melissa Richardson Banks and R.A.D.D. Bike Club members at Eat.Drink.Americano (923 E. 3rd St., 90013). All reconvene afterwards around 8:30 PM to socialize and build community relationships (this week, at Eat.Drink.Americano).
THU 6/6 @ 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Summerland Produce is hosting a weekly mini-farmers market with local and organic produce outside of The Pie Hole. Make a purchase, and The Pie Hole will give a 10% discount for any hand pies or slices of pie purchased that night! Located at 714 Traction Ave., 90013.
FRI 6/7 @ 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM: Celebrate Los Angeles at what is being billed as the “Ultimate L.A. Block Party” at Grand Park. This community event is a farewell to the city’s outgoing Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and features special guests Evan Kleiman, President Bill Clinton, Ryan Seacrest, and more. Free and open to the public. More info at CelebrateLA2013 or call (213) 365-0605.
SAT 6/8 @ 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM: Enjoy music by pianist Stuart Elster, drink some bubbly and shop at our neighborhood’s latest pop-up shop, Guerilla Atelier. While the event itself is free, attendees are asked to RSVP and bring their wallets to shop! Located at 823 E. 3rd St., 90013.
SAT 6/8 @ 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM: The Control Room opens its latest exhibition of artwork that includes sculpture, paintings, and videos. Ten visual artists are featured in “The Privilege Show”: Math Bass, Sara Clendening, Jonathan Fields, William Kaminski, Devin Kenny, Nick Kramer, Adam Mason, Michael Parker, Sally Spitz, and Christine Wang. Performances by Devin Kenny, Sally Spitz, and Christine Wang start 9:00 PM. Located at 2006 E. 7th St., 90021 (across from Pizzanista), (818) 720-2713.
SUN 6/9 @ 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM: Support local businesses, meet new friends, and get some exercise in Downtown’s Historic Core this Sunday during ShopWalk DTLA. Check out the Merchant Directory HERE.
SUN 6/9 @ 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM: The Daily Dose hosts “Seeds of Love: The Butterfly Project”, a garden party featuring a butterfly installation and a fashion show by Closets for Causes. Refreshments courtesy of Anything & Everything LA and Golden Road Brewery. Gift bags for the first 200 guests. Cocktail attire recommended. All food and beverage proceeds support the Nature Conservancy of California, dedicated to conserving the lands and waters of our beautiful state. Located at 1820 Industrial St., #260, 90021.
MON 6/10 (and on Mondays through August): Throughout the summer on Mondays, dine at Church & State, show your MOCA membership card or a recent ticket stub to your waiter, and the restaurant will donate a portion of your check to support the museum.
Got a community event coming up that might be of interest to residents in the Arts District and Downtown Los Angeles? For consideration, send a request to me via email HERE.