East Side of Paradise

Thank you Los Angeles—the hard work begins but I am honored to lead this city for the next four years. Let’s make this a great city again.

— Eric Garcetti (@ericgarcetti) May 22, 2013

Kate Earl opened up for Robert Schwartzman at the Satellite last week and was everything (and more ) I’d hoped she’d be. She was gorgeous, gracious, talented, and she really opened up to the crowd about her band, her journey, and her son. In response, the early Satellite crowd….

​Just stared blankly, unmoving.​

​Seriously.

​I was so bummed. And kind of embarrassed for my too-cool-for-school (but rest assured, still beloved!) Silver Lake.

​I’m done with this overwhelming apathy of my Gen Y. (I’m refraining from using the “H” word.)

So I danced. Danced like my mama taught me, shook what she gave me, and didn’t give a damn about people side-eyeing me over their PBR tallboys.

​I have so much respect for what these performers do, running around the nation (world!) with no sense of home or routine, ​to perpetuate this artform that they love.

So often I see my peers prefer not to stand up and show their enthusiasm (read: vulnerability) to the world because they are afraid. So they hide…behind irony. Behind apathy. Behind each other. 

Maybe this comes from being the first generation to grow up with such rapidly advancing technology and fast-forming self-centered online community, where all the nuances of our lives can be shared, saved, and scrutinized. Then re-scrutinized at a later date. Maybe this is where this collective facade of apathy comes from? I don’t know. But I do know this:

Duuuuude. It’s time to get up and DANCE.​


​Kate Earl is on Pledge Music, collecting money to upgrade her tourbus so that her 2-year-old son can accompany her on her tour. In her words, “I have to be his mother.” It’s a beautiful thing. Click here to be directed to her pledge page.

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Saturday was a mini parade and celebration of local farmers down at the Micheltorena Community Garden and ​Silver Lake Farmers Market. There was dancing, costumes, a maypole and more. Here are a few photos of the garden. I put the rest on Facebook so attendees could tag themselves. Check them out, here. I <3 Silver Lake ;)

Artist Bailey Biggers poses with her photos in The Stop in Station courtyard. More photos, here.

On Friday night, making my way down to Black Hogg for a late dinner, I stopped to admire some new signage: Grand opening, Saturday! I exclaimed (loudly and…tipsily). That’s tomorrow. We should go!

Yeah, you should! Said a voice coming from the alley below the sign. A bearded fellow popped out of the shadows and invited us in to check out the courtyard and shops of the new Stop In Station collective. We ducked in, leaving the rest of our party tromping along the street, none the wiser. (Until, of course, they thought we were abducted and started calling frantically.) The bearded fellow turned out to be John Ownes, master barista and owner of Cafeina Galeria.

I guess we could have been abducted. But we hadn’t been. We just made a new friend. This is Silver Lake.

On Saturday night, The Stop In Station collective (3318-20 Sunset Blvd) hosted a Grand Opening celebration. The building’s shiny new façade was painted by local artist Bailey Biggers, whose photography work was on display throughout the space. Festivities started at 6 p.m. with free gift bags, cake, and live performances in their cozy courtyard by Up Down Up, Dear Left Brain, Downtown Train, Jew Cocks, Eekis, and the Jim Dolore Project.

The collective includes Hot Mess Vintage, Cafeina Galeria, Saint of Me, Eco-Apothecary, and Eden Condensed. Business hours are 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

They host an open mic the second Thursday of every month.

Stop in to The Stop In Station and get some of your needs met. Find a hat. Drink a coffee. Listen to some local music. Support our local businesses!

Originally posted on www.bkm-photography.com and Patch.com​

Give the playslist a listen. If you like something, look them up and go to the show :)

Any suggestions? xo