National Night Out

Tomorrow night is National Night Out. As far as I know, there are about four block parties happening around Sherman Oaks, but I won't list them since they are really for the neighbors on those specific street.

But the one public one is open at the Sherman Oaks Galleria which begins at 7 p.m. Park and go to the front of the mall where the fountains are. If you want free validated parking, LAPD Senior Lead Office, Geroge Aguilar, will have 100 or so passes. But you're going to eat dinner there anyway, right?

Our Tree Fell Today

An olive tree got top heavy and fell from LA River property into our garden apartment's parking lot. The backlot was blocked, my car in the frontside was not. Too bad I rode my bike around anyway today.

Upon calling 311 a few times, we found out that this was happening all over the city today. But I realized I should probably call the county since it is really their deal. Being jaded about the county, I thought no one would pick up and this issue would not be resolved anytime soon.

But the county slowly is turning my head around. With around 90,000 employees, today was quite an efficient and satisfying experience. I called, they called back, they came, it was done. All within a hour.

"We do more by 9 a.m. than the city does the whole week."
~ Anonymous County Employee

Brogin v. Kovacevich: The Basketball Hoop Story

Sherman Oaks in the spotlight over an old and obscure 1936 ordinance of no fun in the streets or parks. I'm looking more into this, but in the meantime, I wrote about this on LAist.

Photo of the actual basketball hoop taken be me

I Bought A Bike Rack For My Car Today

And it's thrilling. And it's no offense to Sherman Oaks, but sometimes I just want to ride on the beach and I rather not bike the Sepulveda Pass or deal with it on a long bus ride. One of the other main reasons I wanted to get it now was that I am itching to join the Midnight Ridazz on their next ride over the hill.

But really, shouldn't the Valley get a Midnight Ridazz event? I'll slowly start to rally for it and probably get banned in the process, hehe.

Speaking of biking, when this heat gets a little less insane, I need to check out the Orange Line Bike Trail.

Photo: "Midnight Ridazz" by PangPang

The Light Was Beautiful Today

Despite the heat, the light reminded me of a hot summer evening in Chicago where I grew up.

The Ghetto of Bel Air

Photographer and Bel Air resident Rebecca Fenning talks about her cul-de-sac:

Technically Bel Air, but only because it's graded higher than Mulholland Drive, or some such nonsense -- Sherman Oaks is only about 5 feet away on the opposite side of the street. This cul-de-sac is the place for illicit drug deals, sketchy backseat liasons and the setting-on-fire of stolen cars. My family lives here, in the ghetto of pseudo-Bel Air.

Coldwater Canyon: Jay Leno's City Raceway

I had a meeting in Culver City that ended at 6:00 p.m. I was not too hip on being in rush hour 405 traffic back to the Valley, so I decided to side street it back up to Sherman Oaks via Robertson - Santa Monica - Doheny - Sunset - Rexford - Beverly Dr. - Coldwater Cyn. Dr, which turns into Coldwater Cyn. Ave after Mulholland.

Yeah, I know, it's a convoluted route. Scenic, nonetheless.

And who do I see, as usual, on Coldwater Canyon? Jay Leno. This time sporting something that looks like his tank car. I've come to the conclusion that he owns this street since he is always driving up and down, to and from work, showing off his fancy ass cars. I've even seen him race down it at 2 a.m. after my friend's driving skills one night scarred him off.

Photo: OneSecondFilm via Flickr. (side note: I was there for all of the movie's shenanigans over at CalArts and even witnessed the world premiere)

Hate Crimes on the Rise

Fortuna Ippoliti of the Mayor's office spoke of the Tarzana Temple blaze at the last SONC meeting, but I was sketchy on some details, so I didn't feel good posting about it. LAFD's blog clarifies:

On Friday, July 7, 2006 at 8:04 AM, two Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters and four LAFD Arson Investigators responded to an Incendiary Fire at 'Temple Beith David' located at 18648 Clark Street in Tarzana.

Summoned but once by a neighbor who had grown weary of hearing alarm bells ringing at the building for more than two hours, Neighborhood Firefighters arrived quickly to discover burnt debris piled against rear doors of the Jewish Temple amidst obvious signs of criminal vandalism.

In accordance with Los Angeles Fire Department protocol, the House of Worship Arson Task Force (HOWATF) was requested as Firefighters cordoned off the area and confirmed that Fire Sprinklers located under the eaves of the recently refurbished building had indeed fully extinguished the flames.

continue reading "Sprinklers Snuff Arson Fire at Tarzana Temple" + $55,000 Reward Offered

Photo: Mean Banana

Lindsay Lohan is in town

If you've been seeing these movie set directional signs around, it's been for Georgia Rule, directed by Gary Marshall, and stars Lindsay Lohan, Jane Fonda and Felicity Huffman.

And hey, it's Lindsay Lohan. Can we say gawker gossip?

It Didn't Feel That Hot

Despite the warning, Sherman Oaks got pretty lucky in my eyes. I went to the Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday and while it was hot, it was not unbearable.

My apartment is a 1950's heat trap and I did not melt as usual. Yet, it is still hot and the LAFD Blog continues to be a great source of info for the heat wave:

Wildfire Danger in Southern California
Cooling Centers Open During L.A. Heat Wave
Firefighters Warn of Heat-Wave Dangers
Children, Hot Weather & Cars = Danger!
Wildfire 101: Plan For Wildfire

Photo of illegal dumping and what looks like Valleyheart, West of Woodman, by Ian Broyles

Be Careful in the Hills and in General

Via LAObserved (and then I looked at EDIS myself). Please protect yourself:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
954 AM PDT SAT JUL 15 2006

...DANGEROUS HEAT EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS THE VALLEYS AND LOWER
MOUNTAIN ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA...

.VERY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL AFFECT THE VALLEYS AND LOWER MOUNTAIN
ELEVATIONS TODAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REACH 100 TO 110 IN MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS...WITH THE HOTTEST AREAS AS HIGH AS 112 DEGREES. HIGH TEMPERATURES OF 95 TO 105 CAN BE EXPECTED AT LOWER ELEVATIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE HIGH HEAT COMBINED WITH INCREASING HUMIDITY LEVELS TODAY SHOULD PRODUCE DANGEROUSLY HIGH HEAT INDEX VALUES ACROSS THE REGION

Photo: Los Angeles Fire Department

Bizen: Neighborhood's Best Sushi

To this date, this is my favourite sushi place in Sherman Oaks. Consistent readers of this site probably have figured by now that I'm a vegetarian, but my roommate, who definitely eats meat and spent a year in Japan, considers this his favourite too. He even has a good friend who drives up from Silver Lake to eat here.

Bizen is a narrow sushi and Japanese cuisine restaurant that is easy to pass by on Ventura Blvd. (it's between Sunnyslope and Greenbush). For vegetarians, there is no inari, but they serve oshinko rolls, sweet zucchini, and one fresh and colourful vegetable roll (filled with the zucchini, tomato, finely chopped carrots, mushroom, eggplant). Drop down, the best veggie roll I've ever had. Additionally, the best vegetable tempura roll as well.

For fish eaters, make sure to ask the chef what's good and fresh today. Oh, this sushi place consistently has an A rating (well, except that one time, but that shot right back up soon after).

Bizen
13447 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Vegan Plate

I've recently become obsessed with Vegan Plate in Studio City. The service is a little hard sometimes, but the food is worth it: chicken nuggets, satay tofu, thai food, curries, salads and much more. By the end of this year, I should have had every item off the extremely large menu.

Reviews:
Vegetarians in Paradise
Happy Cow

Location:
11943 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604

Phone: 818-506-9015
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily

SONC July Parks Ad Hoc Committee Meeting

Tonight was the monthly Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council (SONC) Parks Ad Hoc Committee (which has been quite an effective committee in the community). Here are interesting factoids from tonight's meeting:

• If you've putted around at the Sherman Oaks Castle Park lately, you may have noticed the miniature golf carpet is getting a little old. Not for long. Well, not for long in government speak that is.
• Back in March or April, an 83 year old woman didn't see a metal gate on the Authorized Vehicles Only driveway as she slowly unhitched it with her car at 5 mph and dragged it 500 feet. She realized when she parked and went into the Parks Office going "Oops!" Thing is, here we are in July and the gate is still not fixed.
• Supposedly, on the Fourth of July, Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks (VNSO) Park was "crazy and insane." Fireworks, overcrowding and lots of garbage.
  
• VNSO is not a "reservation park." Therefore, picnic permits for large groups do not exist. But park staffing is limited and it is an uncontrollable factor.
  
• 3 Weeks ago on the first day of Summer Day Camps, many of the park's buildings woke up with a lot of graffiti. The head of Day Camps (I forgot her name) got creative and covered up all the graffiti temporarily with HUGE paper signs telling where parents to go. The graffiti was not seen. Kudos to this particular staff member!
  

Universally Accessible Playground

Flyer Distributed:

Help Us Design a Universally Accessible Playground for Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Park

Help create a magical, full-accessible playground for ALL the children in your community!

When: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center

Why: Children with disabilities are routinely excluded from playgrounds - and the incredible social, physical, and emotional benefits that play provides. You have the power to change that. Help the LA Department of Recreation and Parks and Shane's Inspiration design a Universally Accessible Playground in your community. This remarkable play space will offer accessible and sensory-rich equipment that will enchant and delight children with and without disabilities.

RSVP to Marjorie Stark at 818-752-5676
Space is Limited

Photo: LeRamz

Studio City's Union 76: The Ball

In a 1,000 years, will Union 76 balls be museum items?

St. Francis de Sales

7/11 Celebrates Birthday

I celebrated at Fulton & Moorpark. Where did you go?

Photo of the Week: Mel's Drive-in, Ventura Blvd.

Photo by Rebecca Fenning, a.k.a. Rutabegabunny.

Mel's Drive-in (it's not really a drive-in)
4846 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-3453

(818) 990-6357
Cross Street: Kester Avenue

Emergency Preparedness Fair this Weekend

An e-mail forwarded to me that I give to you...

A friendly reminder of Councilman Tony Cardenas and the Los Angeles
Emergency Preparedness Department's upcoming Emergency Preparedness Fair scheduled for Saturday, July 15, 2006 at the Braude Center located at 6262 Van Nuys Boulevard from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

We have included in this year's program special presentations on Pandemic Flu and Anti Terrorist Awareness. Hope that you can make it and learn how to better prepare for an emergency. We will be giving away emergency kits to the first 300 attendees. Please feel free to distribute this information to your e-mail contacts.


If you have any questions please contact Arturo Gonzalez.

Thank you


Arturo Gonzalez
District Director
Councilmember Tony Cardenas
Council District Six
14410 Sylvan St. Suite 215
Van Nuys, CA 91401
(818) 778-4999
Fax: (818) 778-4998

Photo from the LAFD Flickr Page