DATELINE CRENSHAW

OCTOBER, 2012

PEOPLE TAKE TO THE STREETS

 

Debbie Allen’s dance troupe entertained a large and patient crowd to welcome the space shuttle Endeavour on its 26^th mission through the heart and soul of Los Angeles.

1. This thing is BIG!
2. Seeing it ALMOST makes you want to go back to school, take calculus, and become an engineer.

People from near and far took to the streets, and the LAPD had NOTHING TO DO but pass out water donated by Walmart.

 

Crenshaw Boulevard felt pedestrians again the following weekend with the TASTE OF SOUL that has its new boundaries from Stocker to Coliseum.

 

250,000 people strolled the pavement usually reserved for cars and trucks. The food vendors had great business. I talked to the Chevy representative. He said that he spent most of his time talking about the VOLT.

 

Hours after the booths closed, people were still in the street, celebrating the car free night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATELINE APRIL, 2012

 

CHANGE COMES TO LOS ANGELES ON A RAIL ON 4-28-12

 

After a lot of hard work from volunteers of Friends4Expo,

light rail transit service is BACK in west Los Angeles.

 

Friends4Expo is an all-volunteer group of citizens joined together to support an alternative to Los Angeles' world-record traffic: a fast, comfortable, safe, quiet, exhaust-free, high-capacity light rail transit line — with landscaping and bike path — from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica.

 

The Expo Line will serve Westside and downtown jobs; recreational, educational, and cultural opportunities from Santa Monica Beach to Exposition Park, Staples Center, and downtown; and the over 800,000 people who live within 2 miles. And it will link the Westside to L.A.'s growing rail network.

In fact, light rail is popular, proven, and growing in nearly every major western U.S. city, including Portland, San Francisco, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Denver, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, and Housto.

 

For more information about how you can build the community YOU want, go to friends4expo.org.

 

SEE YOU AT THE RIBBON CUTTING AT CRENSHAW AND EXPOSITION BLVD 4-28-12.

 

 

 

 

 

DATELINE JEFFERSON BOULEVARD 10-19-2011

 

There Goes the Neighborhood.

 

The  “UNEXPECTED” Farmdale Station on the soon to open Exposition Light Rail Transitway is the center of a small but growing art community of Jefferson Boulevard, between LaBrea and Crenshaw.

 

Nick Hadim is the founder and creator of Artist District in early 2000 with a vision to create Artist studios in the heart of Los Angeles.

 

Hadim states that “I love the character of the old buildings, and the fact that we are 15 minutes from Downtown, the beach and Hollywood”. Properties offered by Hadim are currently 100% occupied by the artists, designers, advertizing companies that have grown too big for the home garage.

 

Nickhadim.com receives approximately 3,000 hits per month by artist inquirers that want to be a part of the Nick Hadim artist community and other properties offered by the company.

 

Nick Hadim Group of Companies, Inc. is recognized nationally for its transformation of historic properties into stimulating work environments at affordable prices.

 

The projects offer authentic yet modern studios perfect for work and creative use as well as recreational environment that includes an artfully designed outdoor space - with greenery to create and enjoy a vibrant social scene.

 

Hadim says  that the cooperative city hall staff made this is a good place to develop the art district idea.

 

The creative future is bright, and Hadim is looking to expand services to include restaurants, supply stores, and meeting spaces.

 

ART WALK anyone?

 

DATELINE LAMIERT PARK 8-29-11

 

 

 

 

Smile on us, Richard "5th Street Dick” Fulton.

 

The Leimert Park Art Walk, on the last Sunday afternoon of each month, is a just the latest next big thing in crenshawplace.

 

Unlike the Downtown LA Artwalk, this cousin has its own rhythm and spice.

Drummers, spoken word, Capoeira Angola, visual artists and hundreds of people who just need a creative jumpstart for the month, all meet in Leimert Park for the perfect afternoon.

 

Creative corners were available for the young and not so young to stretch their visions of community and of themselves. This event is at the “SOLID WALKING STAGE” of development.

 

Help this THING develop into something new and greater.  .

Be there next month. More food trucks, please.

 

 

 

DATELINE LOS ANGELES 8-17-11

Assemblymember Holly Mitchell sent an email about a new neighborhood event, the Leimert Park Art Walk on the last Sunday of the month, from 2pm to 8 pm.  I AM SO THERE.

 

 

 

DATELINE PHOENIX 8-13-11

 

I have been coming to Phoenix since 80's. I saw this planning accident from start to pop.

 

For the first time, I am OPTIMISTIC about Phoenix, in spite of Arizona's deserved reputation for backward governance and law enforcement.

 

Phoenix New Times Magazine describes HOT art scene. Districts are emerging from area residents and business operators.

 

I talked to a worker at Rosati's pizza who also works for the City doing community organizing and events. He is Latino with an MSW from ASU.

 

Seeing lots of tattoos (potential creative class)

 

South Mountain Community College has a HOT new library and innovative programs.

 

City should act like Long Beach, CA under Mayor BETTY and increase collaboration among k-12, occupational centers, community colleges, the National Public Radio station and Arizona State University.

 

Emphasize DECENTRALIZED creativity. Convert vacant commercial and retail structures into livework space. Make it EASY to create and distribute THE NEXT BIG THING. If someone is experimenting in the field of alternative power generation, MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE POWER FOR THEMSELVES, as well as to the grid.

 

The freeways and streets are generally trash free. The new light rail line is exciting, but City needs additional transit service.

 

City should encourage participation not just spectator sports. Support health research and development, alternative energy, ageing research, bio-engineering.

 

While at Good Sam hospital, I sat next to 2 preschool latinas who are PLAYING DOCTOR WELL in spanish. Mom said they frequently played that way at home. I tried and failed to get a Spanish speaking health professional to give them a 5 minute pep talk.  We must grab these teachable moments.

 

City also has the capacity be an intervention center to "deknucklehead" youth. Why should Utah have all of the rehabilitation programs and boarding schools?

 

Barrio Cafe (COMIDA CHINGONA) and Richardson's Restaurantsmake Phoenix the Mexican nuvo capital of southwest cuisine.

 

Why this rant? Because we can do this and more on Crenshaw.

 

 

 

 

 

8-3-2011

 

National Night Out at LAPD Southwest Division

 

Since the party was just outside the Baldwin Villa Senior Senior Residence, MC Taylor Mayfield was warned at 9:30 pm "these people are not going home."

 

Great music, food and community information. See you next year.

 

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