M Street Coffee Opens on Moorpark

For those who didn't see it on LAist, there's a new coffeehouse in East Sherman Oaks near Moorpark and Fulton, (more specifically Longridge).  

Free wifi, plenty of wall plug space, eco and vegan friendly, you can't complain.  

It's great to see this corner of Sherman Oaks beginning to become revitalized -- it only takes one coffeeshop.  I always found it sleepy since I moved here.  M Street can really bring some sidewalk activity with their outdoor seating at their corner-front store.  Added bonus that it's surrounded by mostly apartment complexes, so it's serving a walkable need.  

Right now they close at 6 p.m., which is way early, but it seems to be a Valley thing to do, save for LuLu's Beehive, but last I checked, no wifi and the Ventura coffeehouse just never clicked with me.  The Coffee Fix in Studio City I'm a fan of, but they close early too at 7 p.m. Andrea, who seems to be the face of M Street (I never asked if she was the manager or not), says they will be most likely be extending to later hours as word gets out about them.  So here it is, go visit them!

Woodman/Ventura to get left turn arrow

Going eastbound on Ventura to northbound Woodman is never a fun turn, even sometimes later at night. My solution has always been to turn left onto a side street, which is much faster.

But not to fear, no longer are those days, a left turn arrow will be born.

More info at my post on LAist.

Rally In The Alley

On Saturday, September 8th from 9 am to 11 am, the Sherman Oaks Beautification Committee is having a “Rally in the Alley.” Volunteers will meet at the northeast corner of Van Nuys and Ventura Blvds., by the California National Bank building. After some food and camaraderie, we will go through the north and south alleys, sweeping up trash and debris, pulling weeds and painting out graffiti.

There will be refreshments, courtesy of The Coffee Roaster, Western Bagel, Whole Foods and Sherman Oaks Hospital . Walk-ins are welcome! At past cleanup events, we have had a great deal of support from the Office of Community Beautification, Council District Offices 2 and 5, the Buckley School, Dixie Canyon Elementary, Riverside Drive Elementary, Boy Scout Troop 139, Sherman Oaks Hospital, the new Best Buy staff, New Directions for Youth, Van Nuys Middle School, Pacoima Graffiti Busters, the LAPD, and many wonderful Sherman Oaks residents.

We are encouraging businesses whose rear entrances face either alley, to come out and meet your neighbors and our wonderful volunteers, and join in for a productive and rewarding morning.

If you have any questions, please email leslie_elkan@yahoo.com. Walk-ins are welcome.

Sherman Oaks Bicycle Committee

I'm tempted to start this up, but I am way over-involved. But for this to happen would be incredible.

With three bicycle shops in Sherman Oaks and other community support, a bicycle committee can really do some good for the neighborhood:

• Work on sidewalk bicycle parking in business districts not currently served (Van Nuys Blvd., Woodman Blvd, Sepulveda).
• Work with big box and grocery stores on off-sidewalk bicycle parking.
• Support and report on status of long-term bicycle projects such as the Fulton Ave. Class II Bike Lane and the LA River Class I Bike Path
• Education Projects in the community with Sharrows and Signage (as seen in the picture)
• Identifying Class III routes in the community.
• Work with Land Use Committee and developers of new apartments and condos to build and design in bicycle parking for tenants and guests.
• Identify and work with property owners who have trees and bushes that "shed" thorns into sidewalks and streets causing bicycle tires to easily pop.

So who wants to do this?

Shots Fired at Ralphs

It's Britney Spears' Ralphs too:

Los Angeles Times
7:03 PM PDT, June 26, 2007
Man wounded in shooting at Studio City grocery
By Francisco Vara-Orta, Times Staff Writer

A gunman armed with a semiautomatic weapon shot and wounded a man after firing off several rounds this afternoon outside a bustling Ralphs supermarket in Studio City.

Several people ducked when the shots started flying about 3:45 p.m. outside the supermarket in the 12800 block of Ventura Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon Avenue, said Officer Karen Smith, a spokeswoman with the Los Angeles Police Department. The lone victim was shot in the leg, she said.

It appears that the victim and the suspect "have some form of a relationship, but we don't know yet what that could be," Smith said. The suspect was described as a man in his early to mid-20s who was accompanied by another man, she said.

"The suspect shot at the victim from six to 10 times with a semiautomatic weapon," Smith said. "But we don't know if the second man also had a gun or shot at the victim."

The two suspects fled east on Ventura Boulevard in separate vehicles, Smith said. Witnesses described one car as a black Mercedes-Benz and the other as possibly a red BMW, she said.

Smith said the victim, whose name was not released immediately, was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive.

An investigation of the shooting is continuing.

"It's too early still to determine what happened," Smith said.

END

Pizza 'til 2 a.m.

I never knew until I was dropping off a package at FedEx Kinkos tonight that Greco's pizza next door is open to 2 a.m. all week long. This is the same pizza company that serves you on inebriated nights at Hollywood and Las Palmas and Hollywood and Highland.

Greco's New York Pizzeria
4572 Van Nuys Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
818 789-1652
(in the same strip mall as Solley's and Gelsons)

Armed Robbery @ Coldwater/Moorpark

From an E-Policing Alert

COMMUNITY ALERT NOTIFICATION
LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT

It is not very often that we have a armed street robbery in Studio City but on Thursday June 7th we had one. At approximately 3:55am the vict was walking on Moorpark towards Coldwater Canyon to catch the bus for work.

The suspect approached the victim on foot, pulled out a handgun, pointing it at the victim's neck and stated, "Give me your F***** money." The victim complied and the suspect fled on foot southbound Coldwater Canyon.

The victim stated he possibly observed the suspect enter an awaiting brown 4dr possibly '87-'89 Chevy Celebrity that quickly fled in the location. The suspect is described at a male white Brown hair, unk eyes, 505, 160lbs 27-28yrs. He was wearing a white baseball cap, black t-shirt, and plaid shorts.

If anybody has any information regarding this incident please contact me at 818-634-2593.

Officer Lewis
Senior Lead Officer Studio City