Donna Wong, Deputy City Attorney, Northeast Area Neighborhood Prosecutor extends an invitiation to all Northeast Los Angeles property owners to attend an Apartment Owner and Manager Training on July 30, 2008, 6pm, at the Glassell Park Community and Senior Center (in back of Public Storage) located at 3750 Verdugo Road, Parking available at first come first serve basis. The event is free and open to the public. Speakers will include the City Attorney's Office, LAPD, the Apartment Association of Greater LA, and Council District 13. Hear about how to work with LAPD, access City resources, and prevent crime through environmental design. Please direct reservations and questions to Armida Bayliff at 310-575-8548. Donna WongDeputy City AttorneyNortheast Area Neighborhood Prosecutor 07/19/2008

A long time resident of NELA (Northeast LA) and a highly regarded Location Manager, Robert Mendel once called the streets of Northeast Los Angeles a "living backlot". Here's a link to Robert's original "Living Back Lot" Proposal. (In the lingo of the film industry, a backlot is an area behind or adjoining a movie studio with space to build or with permanent exterior sets for outdoor scenes in motion picture and/or television productions.) Northeast Los Angeles is located only minutes from the media centers of Hollywood, Burbank and Downtown Los Angeles; its wealth of historic architecture, its terrain of hillsides, valleys and sycamore groves, and its eclectic and diverse atmosphere make it a go-to location for film shoots. The old Security Trust and Savings Bank building on the corner ... 07/17/2008

Council member Jose Huizar, Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council, Friends of Hermon Dog Park Again Sponsor Major Eastside Pet FestivalLow-cost Health Check-ups and Services for Animal Companions FeaturedHermon (Los Angeles) -- If, as the saying goes, every dog is destined to "have its day" then this summer's "Dog Days of Summer" family festival on July 19, 2008, in the Northeast Los Angeles community of Hermon, may just be that day for dozens of dogs (and cats) -- along with the people who take them home.For the third year, Sycamore-shaded Hermon Park will be the site of a FREE pet event featuring fun for all the family, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., this time featuring pet adoptions, a "Puppy Party" hosted by Handle With Care Dog Training (for young dogs new to the world of dog parks), veterinary... 07/15/2008

LOS ANGELES- On July 17, July 31 and August 28 step out of your car or get off the Metro Gold Line on your way home from work for a relaxing evening of live music in an historic atmosphere at Heritage Square Museum. This free event is made possible thanks to support of several local neighborhood councils and the LA County Arts Commission.Doors open to the public at 4:00 PM with music beginning at 5:00 PM. Arrive at the museum early to see the historic architecture up close. Visitors will have a chance to try local food and drink and shop in the museum store. Costumed docents will be on hand to enliven the evening.The concerts include an impressive lineup.July 17 begins with Marie MacGillis and the Toddy Trio, followed by the Pasadena City College Swing Band.July 31 begins with Groove Se... 07/13/2008

Journalist, poet, traveler, outdoorsman, newspaper and magazine editor, historian, archaeologist, folklorist, photographer, American Indian rights activist, librarian, preservationist, museum founder, and prodigious lover of dozens of women, Charles Fletcher Lummis is celebrated as one of Northeast L.A.'s most colorful founding fathers. In 1884, at the age of 25, Charles Fletcher Lummis was working for a newspaper in Cincinnati when he was offered a job with the Los Angeles Times. Lummis decided to make the 3,507 mile journey from Cincinnati to Los Angeles on foot.  He set out from Cincinnati in September wearing knickerbockers and a duck coat.  The journey took 143 days, and all the while Lummis sent weekly dispatches to The Los Angeles Times chronicling his trip.  His writing gained ... 07/11/2008

The second Saturday of every month is Gallery Night in Northeast Los Angeles:  Your opportunity to explore the Galleries, Shops, Restaurants and Nightlife in the historic and eclectic neighborhoods of Northeast Los Angeles.  Maybe even purchase art for your home or office.   Tour participating galleries this Saturday, July 12, from 7PM - 10 PM.   Wrap up the evening with food and drinks at La Casa Blue or Mr. T's Bowl. More info here:  http://www.nelaart.com/ And here:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NELAart/ Mr. T's Bowl:  http://mrtsbowl.tripod.com/ La Casa Blue:  http://www.lacasablue.com/ NELAart is based in Highland Park and consists of galleries and art organizations located in Northeast Los Angeles who are dedicated to increase the visibility of the thriving arts community in the ... 07/11/2008

Real Estate Market Update For The City Of Highland Park, Ca, 90042 Month Of June 2008   In my endless pursuit to keep my friends, family and past clients updated in the Real Estate Market, I am submitting to you the following statistics for the city of Highland Park.    The following is the criteria I used;   Property Type: Residential   Property Subtypes: Condominium, Planned Unit Development (PUD), Single Family Residence, Townhouse   Properties that have opened escrow for the month: 8 Average days on the market for properties that have opened escrow: 119 Minimum price of properties that have opened escrow: $260,000 Average price of properties that have opened escrow: $444,000 Highest price paid for a property that has recently opened escrow: $579,000 Properties that have sold for the... 07/07/2008

The Churches of NorthEast LA presents Peace in the NorthEast Community March On August 16, 2008 at 10am, lead by the Churches of NorthEast LA, the NorthEast LA community will be meeting at the Highland Park Adult Senior Citizen Center, 6152 N Figueroa St,  to march down York Blvd to Eagle Rock Blvd and down Eagle Rock Blvd to a Resource Fair. Snacks will be served at both the staging area and the Resource Fair. Bottled water will also be available for marchers. The Resource Fair will end at 5:00pm. Along with the Resource Fair there will be music and a Mini Car Show. Community groups, families and other local organizations are encouraged to join the march and bring organizational / identificational banners. And, we can still use more help in organizing the Peace March / Resource Fair, s... 07/06/2008

Photo Portraits by Terry Konrath With new works by......Roberto Gutierrez • José Lozano • Armando Baeza •Leigh Salgado • Margaret GarciaRaul Baltazar • Kim Abeles • Poli Marichal • MiguelAngel Murillo • Stephanie MercadoMely Troches • Daniel Gonzalez • Abel Alejandre •Yreina Cervantez Curated by José Lozano Opening Night Reception:  Saturday, July 12, 2008 from 7-10 pm The Avenue 50 Studio is proud to present "1+1", photo portraits of the exhibiting artists by Terry Konrath with new works by each artist.  Terry Konrath's sensitive and insightful black and white portraits hang tellingly next to each invited artist's painting, giving our audience an opportunity to familiarize themselves with some of the most important contemporary Latino artists in LA.   Her portraits are the perfect acco... 07/01/2008

The Arroyo Seco Journal and Rock Rose Gallery are proud to present singer/songwriter CARIS ARKIN as the debut artist for the Rock Rose Gallery 2008 Summer Concert Series, this SUNDAY, June 15 at 6 p.m. Arkin, an American who has lived in Assisi, Italy for the past 15 years, is an exceptional and unique performer whose music is spiritual, inspiring and grooving, all at once.  Arkin will be performing songs from his albums, "The Unstoppable Train," "The Diving Horse," and many more. A talented guitarist and singer, Arkin was a guest of the band Ann Likes Red, at the recent Lummis Day show with Jackson Browne, and has been playing shows in the LA area since his visit began here in late May. He will be heading north for shows in San Francisco this coming week before his return to Europe and... 06/13/2008

  Approximately 9,000 people attended events at Lummis Home, Casa de Adobe and Sycamore Grove Park on Sunday June 1 for the 3rd annual Lummis Day Festival. The peak crowd of over 6,000 that gathered as Jackson Browne took the Sycamore Grove stage set a record for an event at that venue.Scores of community volunteers, including students from local high schools, local church groups and the members of the Native American group, Changing Spirits, kept the event running smoothly. Arroyo Seco Journal staff photographer Art Villanueva ceated a Flickr Gallery of Lummis Day Photos here Lummis Day 2009 will be held on June 7, 2009. 06/05/2008

3rd Annual "Lummis Day: The Festival Of Northeast Los Angeles" Scheduled For Sunday, June 1, 2008, 11am-7pm Los Angeles- The 3rd annual Lummis Day: The Festival of Northeast Los Angeles event, a free, public celebration of the diverse culture and history of the L.A.'s Arroyo neighborhoods, will take place on Sunday, June 1, featuring musical, visual, culinary and literary artists representing an array of the region's cultural traditions. This year's Lummis Day event will be presented by the Annenberg Foundation and the Autry National Center, with over a dozen community organizations, neighborhood councils, City Council Districts 1 and 14, the Department of Recreation and Parks, public radio station KPFK 90.7 and KMEX-TV acting as sponsors. Principal activities for the event will be stag... 05/26/2008

As most of my loyal readers know, I love Monterey Hills.  I used to live in Monterey Hills.  My parents still live in Monterey Hills.  And, what most of you do not know is that I started my real estate career, sort of, in Monterey Hills.  I used to show the Monterey Hills condo models when Huntington Terrace and Hudson Terrace was first built back in the early 80s.  I was, yes, a hostess.  :-) So when you are ready to buy your first condo in Monterey Hills what should you look for? Amenities:  each Monterey Hills condo complex has different amenities and its own history.  Almost all have pools and spa, but some Monterey Hills condo complexes have a recreation room, steam room, sauna, gym and paddle tennis courts. Floor plan:  In my experience, Monterey Hills has mostly 2 bedroom condos.... 05/07/2008

Join in with proud Highland Park community members to celebrate the publication of "Highland Park" at La Casa Blue, 5930 York Blvd. (90042), on February 9, 2008 from 6:00 - 9:00 PM.  Author Charles J. (Charlie) Fisher will be selling and signing copoes of his book "Highland Park". The new book captures the history of Highland Park, and is part of Arcadia Publishing's "Images of America" series.  Charlie Fisher, community leader, professional historian, and local author compiled the pictorial history of Highland Park's fascinating past.Situated between Los Angeles and Pasadena, Highland Park was founded during the 1886 land boom and was the first town to be annexed by Los Angeles  Highland Park nonetheless retains a strong sense of its own identity and has taken a fiercely independent pa... 02/06/2008

OK.... So, this is blatant plug to build a little link love for Charlie Fisher's Historian 4 Hire business... And for no other reason except that Charlie has given so much to the NELA community, I figured it was time for a little payback.  Charlie doesn't even know I'm doing it.NELA locals will recognize Charles J. Fisher as a tireless advocate for historical preservation.  Charlie is a multiple-times past president of the Highland Park Heritage Trust. He was integral in establishing the Highland Park Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, participates in the Alliance of Historic Preservation Overlay Zones, and currently serves on the Highland Park HPOZ Board.If you own an older home, you may have heard of the property tax relief via the Mills Act for owners of homes declared Los Angeles H... 12/27/2007

Hello to all! I am a realtor in Pasadena. CA. I live in the Arroyo View Estates section of Highland Park, and I thoroughly enjoy living here.  We had no idea that this neighborhood existed prior to coming up here six years ago.   The average home value hovers around $650,000 for a 3+2.  There's one on the market now for $599.  I would like to buy it, if I had any money left after buying in Palm Springs.  Lots of families, dogs and cats, and generally a great quality of life.-lee 09/17/2007

As most folks know, I am an active observer of, if not an active participant in, local politics and causes in Northeast Los Angeles.Recently, the establishment of an HPOZ (Historic Preservation Overlay Zone) for Garzanva (a small community in the general HIghland Park area) has been a "hot topic".Here are some posts by various contributors on my NelaLive blog:http://www.nelalive.net/2007/06/act-now-protect.htmlhttp://www.nelalive.net/2007/06/act-now-prote-1.htmlhttp://www.nelalive.net/2007/07/by-request-spec.htmlhttp://www.nelalive.net/2007/07/a-new-post-from.htmlAnyway ... yesterday I received an email from a Los Angeles City Planner, looking for more information  to complete the city's final report.Did this planner contact me off NelaLive?  No.  The contact came through as an Active R... 07/21/2007

In California, where I work, one agent handling both sides of a transaction is not considered unethical.  I've heard from several of my colleagues in other states, however, that for them it is not allowed.From my perspective, it seems like there is a conflict of interest.  I have represented both buyer and seller in a couple of transactions and I felt like I was walking a tightrope.  In both instances I reported to the sellers that I had a buyer that wanted to write.  The sellers both times wanted me to handle the buyer rather than referring them to another agent.  I documented every conversation, made sure to keep paper trails on every point of negotiation, and bent over backwards to make sure every tiny issue was disclosed and agreed to by both parties.  They came to a happy conclusio... 06/11/2007

I picked up a listing in December of a Highland Park house  (5528 Echo Street, Highland Park, CA 90042) that had been on the market for several months and had expired.  The owners are lovely people.  The house, although once a great beauty built around 1905 sided in wood with large character windows, had been stuccoed and slidered by investors in the early 1990's.  This happened shortly before the neighborhood was zoned as an HPOZ - Historic Preservation Overlay Zone.We priced it in the middle of the market and soon did a price reduction but most people who came to the open houses would get wide eyed as they drove up, shook their heads for a moment in shock and drove off without stopping.  I took to standing in the street and trying to guilt them into coming in.  "Hey, you already drove... 06/07/2007

A new way to enjoy Second Saturday Art Gallery Night in Northeast Los Angeles!  Ride the Highland Park Arts & Culture Shuttle! June 9th - Artists in the Arroyo: An Evening in Highland Park On the evening of June 9th, 2007 LA Commons is sponsoring the Highland Park Arts & Culture Shuttle to connect you to local galleries, artists, neighborhood events, and of course great food! An Evening in Highland Park will give you access to an amazing line up of activities, including: 5:00 PM Sidewalk in front of 131 - 135 Avenue 50 - Check in with LA Commons and receive event listings and recommendations for dinner and planning your evening. 5:30 PM to 6:45 PM Sidewalk in front of 131 - 135 Avenue 50 and multiple neighborhood stops - LA Commons' Highland Park Arts & Culture Shuttle begins its neigbh... 06/07/2007