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Grand Park’s STYLE SQUAD: Putting on your Sunday Best
Let’s face it, music and fashion have long gone hand in hand. There’s no better place to see live music paired with the best in summer styles than at Grand Park’s Sunday Sessions. With groovy beats, soaring sounds and warm weather as the backdrop, our resident STYLE SQUAD, Veronica Meza and Mark Arteaga, were on hand last month to scope out the stylish crowd. Of course, Sunday Sessions goers came correct. The STYLE SQUAD chose 5 themes to celebrate those patrons who were truly fashion forward. Check it out!
STYLISH SWEETHEARTS – What could be cooler than seeing one absolutely stylish person? TWO stylish people who happen to be in LOVE (or in LIKE. Either way!) Perfect for our loved-filled summer at the park. UMMM… are you weak in the knees, too? Check out a few of our adorable couples. Loving each other, loving Grand Park and looking good doing it.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
MAD HATTERS – Fedora. Bowler. Derby. Cap. When it comes to hats, there are now many options to park on your pretty little head. Once reserved for men of class and distinction, hats have evolved to become the perfect summer accessory for both men and women. They’re versatile and can add that “BAM” moment to any outfit-as seen by these Sunday Sessions Mad Hatters.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
SO FRESH N’ SO CLEAN – These Sunday Sessions patrons looked like a cool breeze. How can you look so cool on such a hot day? Ask them. We got a soft spot for minimalists – these two nailed it.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
BLOOMING PRINTS – Prints and florals are the showstoppers of fashion. Whether vibrant and eccentric or ethereal and delicate, prints are the embodiment of any outdoor function: beach, barbecues, garden parties and, of course, Grand Park’s Sunday Sessions! Say it loud, say it proud with prints and take cues from these fashionistas.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
SUMMA SUMMA SUMMA DRESSES – These beauties are embracing summer with the ultimate staple! They threw on their cutest, non-fussy, flowy summer dresses and floated around the park like a dream. A DREAM. Well, two dreams.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
– Grand Park’s resident STYLE SQUAD
Look out for the return of Grand Park’s STYLE SQUAD at Sunday Sessions on SEPT 14. OOH! And follow their fashion tips on the web: Mark Arteaga produces an annual online magazine and Veronica Meza’s Insta is SUPER fashion friendly.
Go 4th DTLA
In preparation for tomorrow’s 4th of July Block Party, Grand Park’s Social Media Ninja, Javier Guillen, has continued the ongoing #gentedegrandpark series, asking people to share their 4th of July memories. Check it out!
Photo by Javier Guillen
“I’m from Alexandria, LA (near New Orleans). After Hurricane Katrina I went back home to visit. I drove around to check out what had changed. The damage was incredible. I felt really bummed about my city, and the government’s response. I couldn’t believe this happened in the United States.
One evening, while I was there, I drove near a firework show down by the bayou. A bunch of regular folks from the local town were shooting them off. I stopped and really enjoyed the show. It was magical! There was a really special feeling in the air. I loved how the town came together for this holiday, even though there wasn’t much to be happy about. That moment gave me hope for the future of New Orleans and this country.”
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Photo by Javier Guillen.
“Beautiful day in the park!”
“Yeah, I love this park and all the events. Can you believe we were against the park when it was being built? We didn’t want to lose our parking! But now everyone I work with loves it.”
“Do you have any cool 4th of July memories?”
“Yes, We always celebrate 4th of July in a big way at home. Actually, 4th of July falls on my wife’s birthday. It’s always been a special day for us. Now that I have daughters, they get a kick that everyone celebrates with fireworks on their mom’s birthday. They think everyone loves their mom. Now they expect fireworks on their birthdays, too!
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Photo by Javier Guillen.
“Cool shirt”
“Thanks! I love the US. I always wanted to visit and now I’m here in the middle of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I won’t be here for the 4th of July, but it sounds like a big party.”
“Very cool. Where are you from?”
“I’m from Chile.”
“Awesome, How do you celebrate Chile’s Independence Day?
“We celebrate in September for two days. It’s called Fiestas Patrias. Everyone has those two days off from work and sometimes the celebration goes on for a week. Everyone in the family is in a good mood, we go to fondas and eat a lot of empanadas. Maybe one day I’ll celebrate Independence Day in the US.”
Photos and stories collected by Javier Guillen, Grand Park’s Social Media Manager.
Summer Jamathon!
Like a boss, Rachel makes it happen, Event Managing like nobody’s business. Arranging logistics for the 4th OF JULY BLOCK PARTY to SUMMERTIME EVENTS. Remember NYELA? She did that too.
Comfy weather aside, Angelenos WORK HARD. Some days it’s difficult to get pumped for that 8 / 12 / 14 hour day. Some folks are into yoga meditation, doing fist pumps in front of the bathroom mirror, or using their pets as therapists.
Rachel has some amazing good taste in music (ain’t gonna lie) and knows how to get those days started. Here are some jams to help you to KNOCK IT OUT before your boss asks for those TPS reports. HAPPY SUMMER!
To Live and Dance in LA
LA Contemporary Dance Company during a light test at Grand Park. Photo by Javier Guillen
In anticipation for the upcoming Dance Camera West’s Dance Media Film Festival happening at several venues across Grand Avenue including Grand Park, I reached out to Julia Diamond, Grand Park’s Director of Programming. We talked dance in LA and, more specifically, about some site-specific work being presented in the park. Here’s what came of our convo:
MC: So I’d like to start off by touching upon the importance of dance in Los Angeles. Given the plethora of emerging companies and the unique types of work being presented, what do you think the current state of dance in Los Angeles?
JD: I think it is awesome. There is a lot of negativity and hand wringing about the LA dance community but that is not new and will likely also not change anytime soon. The cause of worry is not the lack of work being produced. The concern is that it doesn’t look like the way other cities do it. Since when has LA ever done it anyone else’s way??
MC: I agree, there can be a bit of negativity in the sea of awesomeness. I see critics lay claim that Los Angeles has no large resident dance companies. Who is to say Los Angeles needs them? Regardless of the size or type of the company, there is so much work being created here. I think we should take more opportunities to celebrate it.
LA Contemporary Dance Company in preparation for the upcoming performance in Grand Park. Photo by Javier Guillen.
MC: Okay, let’s move on to what is happening in the park. During the upcoming Dance Camera West Festival, Grand Park has commissioned LA Contemporary Dance Company to perform its work, Prite Oef Springh, as a site-specific piece. When did you first encounter this piece and what was your reaction?
JD: I saw the piece at LACDC’s spring show in 2013. I was completely drawn in. I felt the beats and the pulsation and the emotion it in my gut. That is when you know that you are watching something truly great whether it is a movie, a DJ set… Prite is about being an insider or an outsider. It is interesting to note which side you identify with. Do you see yourself on the inside or the outside? It is also about how those on the inside persecute those on the outside. Prepare to be a little unsettled.
MC: This sounds riveting. I’m excited to see it for the first time, especially in a completely new setting. So what about LA Contemporary Dance Company? I understand the company is unique in the way that it employs choreographers. How is it distinct from other companies?
JD: A choreographer recently told me that LACDC has created a dance community. I think this is a hallmark of the work specifically of Kate Hutter. Kate invites the LA dance world in and gives them the freedom to express themselves however they wish. That is a major reason why I think this company is such a great fit for the park. LACDC is a platform for LA dance artists. It showcases what makes LA awesome. Grand Park is dedicated to supporting organizations and the projects and creative thinkers who make LA such a wonderful place. All of our events bring people together and the partners we work with are all experts in bringing certain folks together around some common thread.
Ate9 dANCEcOMPANY performing at Grand Park in the spring of 2014.
MC: This is not the first time contemporary dance has been presented in the park. From your experience presenting site-specific pieces, how does gathering in an outdoor, public space affect the work?
JD: That might be a question for a choreographer but I’ll give it a shot. It loosens up the control that a choreographer has on the audience experience. When you create work in a theatre, you know where they are sitting, you know more or less how they will be behave (when they will stand, sit, clap, etc). In a space like Grand Park, there are a million places the audience can stand and a million things they can be doing. So their experience could be anything. That is probably scary but also likely exciting. It is also the reason why not every artist is interested in creating that kind of work. I get it. I am a control freak.
MC: I hadn’t thought of it in that way, that an audience can have an incredibly unique, yet shared, experience because of the space itself. It’s really exciting!
Photo by Javier Guillen.
MC: So, following the live work by LA Contemporary, park-patrons can enjoy two screenings of dance-related film in Grand Park as a part of the Dance Camera West Festival. What can we expect to see the evening of the 7th?
JD: First, a dance performance: get ready to feel your heart beating. Second, and awards ceremony: the best in LA dance. Third, 2 films: this will give you a little bit of what artists are doing here and now with film and dance and then it will tell you the story of an amazing woman who really was a pillar of dance. Even crumpers and twerkers should thank Miss Hill.
MC: Sounds like a great night to celebrate LA Dance.
Come celebrate with us! Check out the details on Grand Park’s Event Calendar.
–Julia Diamond, Grand Park’s Director of Programming & Mitchell Colley, Grand Park’s resident blogger.
The Gringo’s Guide to Salsa Swagger
THE SECRETS TO SALSA SWAGGER from Grand Park on Vimeo.
Video by Javier Guillen.
As the park began gearing up for the The Salsa Session this Memorial Day, one thing became abruptly clear: this gringo didn’t know the first thing about salsa!
I’m intrigued by salsa dancing, the history of latin jazz music and Afro-Cuban rhythms, but these have never been things I have sought out. I thought to myself, “how can you begin to engage with an event at Grand Park that you know little or nothing about?” I was suddenly on a mission.
The one thing I did know above anything else is that true salseros and salseras are cool. They are WAY more cool than I could ever hope to be. I’m talking on the level, like James Dean, Miles Davis or Aretha Franklin cool.
Brother sister team Junior and Emily. World Salsa Champions and the directors of Amicitia Dance Company will perform at The Salsa Session. Photo by Javier Guillen.
I wouldn‘t be able to master any dance moves or suddenly bring a conga drum to life in a few short weeks, but maybe I could find that special something that separates salseros from the rest of us. I needed to harness that look in the eyes when you find a partner on the dance floor, the confidence that rolls off a person when they move and the sense of passion that can give you goosebumps: I needed to find the secrets of salsa swagger.
I set out to see what I might uncover at a weekly dance class taught by Erica Bowen, Director of Arya Movement Project. She unveiled my first revelation: salsa lives in the hips of women and the shoulders of men. Additionally, she began to connect the dots between the rich Afro-Cuban history of Rumba, the Colombian-born styles of Cumbia and the emergence of Salsa in the United States and elsewhere.
World champion dancers Jefferson Benjumea and Adriana Avila. Photo by Javier Guillen.
Armed with these first secrets of salsa swag, I set out to see what Los Angeles had to offer. I hit the dance floor and got a dose of Cumbia as we caught Viento Callejero’s set during Mucho Wednesdays at La Cita.
I took in the salsa and sunshine as I got a chance to see a bit of Rumba while standing around the drum circle during Presencia Cubana en Los Angeles at Echo Park Lake. While there, I ran into Albert Torres, the founder of LA Salsa Fest, who agreed to give up some secrets of his own: most importantly, that salsa is all about pasión and comes from the heart.
I caught Oscar Hernandez, Music Director of the Grammy award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra, who spelled out a long list of musicians he attributes his salsa swag to.
Lucas Rivera, the Director of Grand Park even gave his advice. He reminded me to keep an ear out for the clave, and to be aware of the rhythms of your heart. Did you know Lucas is a dancer and a DJ?! Yup, he’s on the level too.
Global sensations Kevin and Beverly strutting their stuff in Grand Park’s splash pad. Photo by Javier Guillen.
Ultimately, the most important thing I’ve learned so far is that salsa swagger can’t be taught by any other means than experience. The best dancers and musicians devoted to the salsa tradition got to where they are because they live it in every facet of their lives. Salsa lives in every breath, the movement of the hips, shoulders, feet and most of all the heart. You can experience it for yourself at Grand Park’s Salsa Session this Memorial Day from 2pm to 6pm.
– Mitchell Colley, Grand Park’s resident gringo.
8 Tips To Help The Environment This Earth Day
Join the Music Center and Grand Park this April 22nd for Earth Day LA. Photo by Javier Guillen.
April 22nd is Earth Day and I am personally very happy to think about how we can lend a helping hand to Mother Nature. In observance of this international day devoted to the preservation of our planet’s environment, The Music Center, DWP and Grand Park are hosting Earth Day LA. The event, scheduled from 9am-2pm, features an e-waste drop off, tours of Grand Park’s sustainable landscaping, composting, recycled art and so much more! Whether you spend the day at the park, or plan to go green elsewhere, here is a list of tips (inspired by the EPA) to make sure you have the Earth’s back:
1. Reduce: Consider cutting down on the amount of things that can become waste. When shopping, keep an eye out for products that are made from sustainable, reused or recycled materials, or choose to purchase items in less packaging. It might feel like a small step, but the impact is huge.
2. Reuse: Feeling crafty? Upcycle! In other words, take items that might otherwise be thrown away and turn them into something useful for the household or workplace. There are so many awesome DIY projects, from milk cartons turned bird feeders, to potting plants in a pair of old stilettos. Let your imagination run wild!
3. Recycle: Help keep our public spaces clean! Properly dispose of trash and waste in receptacles and dumpsters. Recycle metals, plastics, and paper. Did you know that Grand Park has both trash and recycling receptacles placed throughout the park for easy access? There are even solar powered trash compactors to consolidate waste!
Have old batteries? An old P.C. that, in its heyday, ran Windows 95 ever so wonderfully? Those old games for Super Nintendo? The answer to those eyesores: e-cycling. That’s the process of recycling or properly disposing of electronic waste such as computers and other gadgets. For the the upcoming Earth Day LA event at Grand Park, The Music Center and DWP, there will be an e-waste drop-off in The Music Center Plaza from 9am-2pm. You can also find a center near you here.
4. Buy locally, or grow your own! This can reduce air pollution caused by food and goods transport.
Photo by Javier Guillen.
5. Use only the water you need, and reuse when possible. Californians rely heavily upon our water supplies to keep agriculture productive throughout the central valley and elsewhere. In the midst of an epic drought, like the one we are currently facing, it is now more important than ever to conserve water use.
6. Use human-powered and alternative modes of transportation to get to where you are going! Let’s face it, not only does it make you feel great to walk, jog, cart-wheel, dance or ride a bike from place to place, but it also improves our air quality! Why spend your life in the car? Take public transportation, carpool, plan your day in order to reduce trips and vehicle emissions, and avoid Los Angeles’ traffic. Need to go to the laundromat AND the grocery store? Do them both in the same trip to save your dollars and help the environment at the same time.
Flowers can be found blooming at different times of year throughout Grand Park.
7. Plant a tree. Or plant several trees! Plant native species in your gardens and encourage important pollinators such as bees and birds by featuring their favorite plants. You can learn about composting tomorrow at Earth Day LA. You can also take a tour of the sustainable landscaping to learn more about the Grand Park’s plant life.
8. Save energy at home. Turn off the lights and unplug appliances when they are not being used. You can also choose to purchase energy-saving appliances. Don’t know which ones are energy-saving? Look for Energy Star!
Give us a shout out on Twitter or Instagram @grandpark_LA to let us know how you plan to spend your #EarthDayLA
By Grand Park’s resident blogger, Mitchell Colley
The Plant Life of Grand Park: Designers Talk Their Favorites
A rendering of Grand Park during design phase.
It is hard to believe that the park is now well over three years old. I remember four and a half years ago when I would go out of my way to walk or drive by Grand Park on my routes home just so I could catch a glimpse of the construction progress. Watching it evolve through the cracks of the mesh green fences became a part of my daily trek. It was so exciting to see this much-needed green space grow from rendering to reality.
Wherever you are in the park, you will find an abundance of plants.
When I heard I was getting to meet with the masterminds of Grand Park, I became so excited. As a young boy, I dreamed of becoming an architect. My dad would drive me through various neighborhoods for inspiration, and I would immediately request to rush home so I could sketch a better version of the homes and public spaces we had discovered. Paper pads and colored pencils were a consistent birthday gift for me each year. This is probably why I love downtown so much. I have the same routine as I did when I was younger. I continue to imagine the future. When I sat down with architects John Fishback, Tony Paradowski and Jessa Chisari of Rios Clemente Hale Studios, I had many questions on my agenda. What was their vision for the park? What were their obstacles? What were some of their favorite features?
As we chatted over lunch, I quickly learned that as landscape architects, their favorite feature of the park was to no surprise, the plants. A huge component of the park that some may not have noticed is that park is home to plants from all over the world and planted within with curved lines all throughout the park. These lines represent the meridians of the earth. Various floristic gardens feature plants that are living in Los Angeles but are also native to different regions all over the world. During the year these native plants come alive and go dormant. No matter what the season there is always something in bloom.
The curved concrete lines represent the meridians of the earth. (Taken during construction)
“One of my favorite parts of the Grand Park project was tree selection and planting.” John explained. “During the construction process I had the pleasure of visiting many nurseries in search of the 325 new trees that were to be planted at Grand Park.” With the exception of the 40 Sycamores trees that were planted throughout the park, each tree was individually selected for its branching structure and overall form. John had the opportunity to personally oversee the planting of new trees as well as a number of existing trees that were being relocated to different parts of the park. “I specified the orientation of each individual tree based upon views to promote the growth of major branches over the walkways and to create shade. It was so much fun!”
Palm tree installation during construction.
“One of my favorite trees in Grand Park is the Phoenix Canariensis, the Canary Island Palm.” Though the park is filled with the unofficial tree of LA, the palm, John did not originally love the tropical tree. “When I first moved to Los Angeles I did not like palm trees. They seemed so pointless because they never made very much shade and were usually planted as single trees, far apart from one another.” The palm garden at The Huntington changed John’s mind. “I learned to really like a lot of the palms, especially when planted in a cluster to create an oasis of shade.”
John’s favorite plant, Phoenix Canariensis, the Canary Island Palm
The blocks between Grand and Broadway (Blocks 1, 2 and 3) are all nestled above parking structures.
The designers at Rios Clemente Hale also had many obstacles and restrictions when choosing what plants went where. Because two blocks of the park sit above a parking lot constructed in the 60s, engineers had to come in and determine just how many plants and soil the parking lot could support. Because of this Tony told me a little secret on just how they made it work. Many planter beds in many parts of the park sit in about four feet of soil, atop various depths of good old-fashioned polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) to decrease the weight put on the existing parking lot. This fascinated me. We are walking through this urban oasis that, come to find out, literally has so much depth to it.
Though the designers spent years selecting what plants would work with these restrictions, nowhere in the park will you find a lack of foliage. Over the past year I have enjoyed exploring the different plants that make up the park. One of my favorite plants is the Evergreen Fountain Grass. Growing up in northern California, there was never a shortage of huge fields filled with this grass. One could gaze out and see acres and acres of grass. There is a different backdrop with this grass here in Los Angeles as shown below, but it meshes a little bit of my old home and my new home quite nicely!
Evergreen Fountain Grass
What is your favorite plant located in the park?
Give us a shout out tomorrow on Twitter or Instagram @grandpark_LA using the hashtag #floresdegrandpark to let us know!
–Joshua Levi, special to Grand Park, Downtown With Me
¡TACO GLADNESS!
This past Saturday, Taco Gladness was achieved.
Legions of taco lovers came out to the park on a stunningly beautiful day to enjoy the fares of nearly a dozen of the finest taco purveyors. The most fascinating aspect of the event wasn’t the quality of the tacos (which was superb across the board), but rather how many different types were available. Tacos Árabes was serving a Middle Eastern-influenced taco popular in Central Mexico, while Plant Food for People offered an alternative for vegans, with wonderfully seasoned jackfruit as the protein. The rest was a dizzying array of everything in between. Everyone around me was having a blast with this madness.
Eating as many tacos as I did, with our homegrown DJ’s grooves bumping through the air, the day progressed more and more into an daze. Arteries constricted, my lips burned from the ghost chili pepper sauce in Mexicali’s delectable blue corn tortilla tacos, and the pages of my notepad became increasingly transparent from the oils on my fingers. Is this what it’s like to be Anthony Bourdain on an epicurean glutfest? Perhaps, but what I do know is that from this wonderful cacophony, 3 deserving winners emerged.
For my first-ever recognition of superior taco-making in 3 categories at Grand Park’s ¡Taco Madness!, I award the following talented institutions:
The ‘Make Your Abuelita Jealous’ taco award goes to: FRIDA TACOS
It’s clear that Chef Vicente Del Rio is very interested in a classic, solid taco. It had asada, carnitas and chicken tacos all topped the same way and they were fantastic. All elements were cooked and prepared very well, with a marvelous yin-yang balance between their guac sauce and chili de arbol sauce. I can see abuelita giving Vicente the stink eye.
The ‘Taco to Take Home to Meet Mom’ award goes to: GUERILLA TACOS
A sweet potato taco with Oaxacan cheese, braised leeks, almond chili, chives and fried corn is not only worthy of meeting mom and making a good impression, it would be a winner with the whole family at Christmas or Thanksgiving. There were so many surprising flavors and textures, all unified and working together to create a classy (vegetarian!) experience. It’s a keeper.
The ‘Alright, Alright, Alright…’ taco award goes to: CARNITAS EL MOMO
When I took my first bite of this simple yet breathtakingly succulent carnitas taco, the rest of the world disappeared for a moment. It was just me, a tortilla, and über-savory pig parts (stomach, shoulder, skin) that had been cooked in their own fat. No fixings were needed. The Acosta family makes the best damn carnitas ever, and when they make a taco with it, well then, alright, alright, alright…
Ebner Sobalvarro, Grand Park’s resident foodie.