Posts Tagged ‘Downtown LA’
Commune
Commune is the Los Angeles-based design firm behind the amazing Ace Hotel and Swim Club in Palm Springs (pictures above and below). Commune was founded in 2004 with a diverse staff of interior designers, architects, and graphic designers. Using a collaborative mindset, they assemble a team for each project, whether it’s a residence, commercial space, retail environment, website, or corporate identity.
Aside from the Ace Hotel, Commune’s past commercial spaces include Heath Ceramics in San Fransisco, Oliver Peoples in Malibu, Opening Ceremony in Tokyo, retail design for the Standard Hotel in New York, and many more. Commune has designed residential spaces throughout LA, as well…
Unique LA
Last year, I had every intention of making it to the first UNIQUE LA Spring Show… Something which seemed significant at the time, but I am sure was totally insignificant came up and I missed it. But just like that, another year has passed and it’s time for the Second Annual UNIQUE LA Spring Show!
From April 24th through April 25th, UNIQUE LA takes over the California Market Center Penthouse in Downtown LA. Over 300 hand-selected, local designers and artists will be in attendance, making it the largest independent design show in the country. This is a great chance to pick up housewares, clothing, accessories, and artwork, for a great price while supporting the community. Plus, UNIQUE LA partners with a non-profit for every show and donates a portion of sales to the organization. For the Spring Show, they are partnering with Ed Begley Jr.’s’ GreenWish.
At the event there will be free workshops, a family/kids creativity zone with seating, and two cafes and, of course, food trucks! What would an LA event be without food trucks? Tickets are just $10 at the door and kids 12 and under are free. The price of admission includes free drinks and a hosted bar stocked with IZZE, Honest Tea, water, beer, and UNIQUE cocktails. You also get unlimited re-entry for both days and a collectible tote bag designed by LA graphic designer Keith Scharwath. (Basically, get there early, kids, it’s going to be packed.)
Parking will be available at The California Market Center’s underground parking lot. They will be offering a discounted rate of $6 for all-day parking during the show. There are also outside lots nearby that run $3 to $5 for all-day parking.
UNIQUE LA Spring Show
April 24th & 25th, 11am – 6pm both days
California Market Center Penthouse
110 East 9th Street
Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension
The Metro Gold Line’s Eastside extension opened Sunday, November 15th. The extension was formally introduced by the Mayor and other local officials last week with a big ceremony but starting tomorrow riders will be able to visit the eight new stops from Little Tokyo/Arts District to Atlantic.
Under construction for the past five years, the six-mile Eastside Extension links East L.A. with downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena, as well as with the Metro Blue and Green light-rail lines, Metro Red and Purple subway lines and the Metro Orange Line dedicated busway.
As someone who takes the Metro every day to work (the Red Line) I have a love/hate relationship with the transit system. However, I think this a great step in the right direction for L.A. and hopefully leads to more light rail extensions in the future. An extension from Downtown to Westwood as I’ve heard rumored would be especially great! But for now everyone should check out the Gold Line extension and the neighborhoods it travels through.
For more information about the Eastide Extension click here.
Park[ing] Day LA 2009
When I started working in Downtown LA around this time last year, I walked outside for my afternoon walk only to find that where a parking spot used to be right outside my building now lay a tiny park. Yes…a park. Three people had set up grass, a bench and some plants and were sitting around lounging in their little man-made park the size of a parking spot. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, but I loved it!
My reaction was just what they were trying to draw out of local Angelons as part of Park[ing] Day LA – a yearly event where artists, designers, and activists transform parking spots into temporary public parks. I love this event because it really makes people think about LA.’s lack of public parks and green space.
According to the web site, Park[ing] Day LA is “an opportunity for community members to engage passers-by, motorists, members of the press, city leadership and yes, even the authorities, in a rational and respectful dialogue of everything from our city’s parks and public space to the environment and allocation of land to mobility issues and local beautification projects.”
Park[ing] Day LA takes place this Friday, September 18th. Last year over 70 mini-parks sprouted up across the city and this year should see even more. For more information and to see what parks may be appearing around you, check out their web site and follow them on Twitter.
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Copyright 2009 Take Sunset. Designed by Curt Ziegler.
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