Blessing of the Bicycles at Good Samaritan Hospital Los Angeles

I remember my parents taking my first puppy to church with us for a blessing ceremony when I was about 10 years old. Later, when I started driving in high school, my mother placed an amulet in my car, shaped like an angel with a quote beneath it:

“Don’t drive faster than your guardian angel can fly.”

My pin from Blessing of the BIcycles 2012

Similar to the tradition of blessing animals, pets and homes, we are honoring cyclists and their bicycles. Today, I’m wearing this pin to commemorate the occasion. Religious leaders from different faiths were present in the ceremony to remember those who have been killed or injured in bicycle-related accidents, and to wish safe travels for everyone on the road. Good Samaritan Hospital Los Angeles hosted this annual event. Here is some information taken from their press release:

According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 630 bicyclists died in traffic crashes in the US in 2009 and more than half a million bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year.

Below are some more general conclusions and trends according to the NHTSA:

  • Bicycle crashes and injuries are under-reported, since the majority is not serious enough for emergency room visits. 51,000 cyclists were reported injured in traffic crashes in 2009.
  • Average age of cyclist killed in traffic crashes was 41.
  • Cyclists under the age of 16 account for 13 percent of all cyclist killed and 20 percent of all those injured in traffic crashes.
  • Cyclists ages 25 to 64 have made up an increasing proportion of all cyclist deaths since 2000.

Related links:
Good Samaritan Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
LADOT Bicycle Program
Metro

Venice Art Walk & Auctions - Indiana Residence

Venice Art Walk & Auctions

Here’s an opportunity to support Venice Family Clinic, the largest free clinic in the United States. Take part in a fundraiser hosted by Google Los Angeles on May 19-20 or learn more about volunteering for Venice Family Clinic and its West Los Angeles sites. Art and architecture enthusiasts and families will particularly enjoy this weekend’s events, but students who are interested in enhancing to their educational experience will benefit from volunteering with this organization during the summer and beyond.

Venice Art Walk Highlights:

  • Art & Architecture Tour, Artists and Architects East of Lincoln: May 19, Noon-4pm
  • Angel Event, Artist in Residence-Huguette Caland: May 19, 6pm-8pm
  • Art & Architecture Tour- Living between the Pacific and Abbot Kinney: May 20, 11am-2pm
  • Studio Tour, Venture into Venice Artist Studio Tour: May 20, Noon-4pm
  • Silent Art Auction hosted by Google: May 20, Noon-6pm (After Auction party until 7:30pm)

Press Release: Venice Art Walk & Auctions Celebrates 34th Annual Venice Family Clinic Fundraiser In A Big Way

Venice Art Walk & Auctions, benefiting Venice Family Clinic, celebrates community, creativity, and care with a fresh new venue, exciting art & architecture tours and exclusive Angel events, all in support of the largest free clinic in the United States. The event will be held May 19-20.

This year’s main event, Venice Art Walk & Auctions’ silent art auction and community celebration, will be hosted by Google Los Angeles, making this the largest charity event Google Los Angeles has ever held on its campus and a rare opportunity to visit the legendary “Binoculars Building” designed by Frank Gehry. Google Los Angeles’ new location is a fitting home to the signature silent art auction, featuring a curated collection of sculptures, paintings and photographs from the best and brightest of the Southern California art scene. The event also includes live entertainment, gourmet food trucks, performance art and more.

“We are excited to be hosting this year’s Venice Art Walk & Auctions,” said Max Maxwell, Arts & Culture Liaison for Google Los Angeles. “Not only do we share a neighborhood with Venice Family Clinic, but we share their vision for nurturing strong, healthy and creative communities across Los Angeles. We are proud to host this great event for a great cause.”

Elizabeth Forer, CEO of Venice Family Clinic added, “Thirty-four years ago local artists and innovators started Venice Art Walk & Auctions to help provide health care to our neighbors, in need. We couldn’t think of a more creative, innovative partnership to re-launch the Clinic’s signature event than with Google Los Angeles.”

Venice Art Walk & Auctions events include Art & Architecture tours of a selection of art studios and architecturally significant homes. This year’s tour features artists’ and architects’ homes East and West of Lincoln as well as homes between Pacific and Abbot Kinney. The Venture into Venice Art Studio Tours highlights artist enclaves around Sunset Avenue and special art exhibits.

Venice Art Walk & Auctions was started in 1979 by Venice-based artists, many of whom were themselves patients at Venice Family Clinic. 100% of all Venice Art Walk & Auctions proceeds support Venice Family Clinic’s mission of providing free, quality health care to people in need through nine sites in and around Los Angeles County.

About Venice Family Clinic:

Venice Family Clinic is the largest free clinic in the country, with nine sites in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Inglewood, and Culver City. It provides a full range of primary care services, as well as specialty care, dental care, vision care, mental health services, health education, integrative medicine, child development services, and public health insurance enrollment. Last year, with the support of Silver Circle donors and 2,000 volunteers- including 500 physicians – the Clinic served 25,000 low income and uninsured children and adults through 107,000 patient visits.

Related links:

A view of Union Station from Olvera Street

Dapper Day on the Subway with railLA Highlights and Interview

railLA hosted a free event to promote public transit and the many beautiful, historic destinations within Los Angeles to explore. A group including myself shared the spirit of glorious rail travel and toured the sites. We were armed with mustache decals and Metro Tap Cards and dressed in the Dapper Day theme to make the event more festive as we discussed the unique histories and notable people of our neighborhoods.

Hollyhock House exterior

Some highlights of the day include a visit to the Hollyhock House atop Barnsdall Park, a short uphill walk from the Sunset/Vermont Metro station. Note that the elevator from street level may not be operating so be prepared for multiple flights of concrete stairs.

Though I’ve worked in Hollywood for years and lived in Los Angeles my entire life, it was my first time visiting this national historic landmark. I was in awe of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision and execution of the design, and the stories surrounding the owner Aline Barnsdall. The docents gave a memorable tour and allowed the visitors an opportunity to snap photos throughout the house which is currently under renovation in some areas. A peek at this landmark’s famous windows and hand-crafted interior is worth the small fee.

Olvera Street is home to Avila Adobe, the oldest building in the city, and many other attractions such as plazas for cultural performances and live music, popular Mexican restaurants and a plethora of street vendors.

Olvera Street mural "Blessing of the Animals"

Union Station also known as The Last Great Train Station is a large mysterious wonder in itself. This transit hub is an architectural beauty that boasts a rich history which includes the reason for old Chinatown’s demolition. To celebrate its 73rd year, the Art Deco Society is hosting a free tour on Friday, May 4th at 7pm.

Union Station train platform

Interview with Jeremy Stutes, Rail LA board member and producer:

Maria Sipin: What’s railLA and Dapper Day on the Subway about?

Jeremy Stutes: We were really trying to shift the way people think about transit in Los Angeles as more than a way to get from point A to point B but an experience in itself. Hopefully we accomplished some of that as many of the things we experienced would have been experienced very differently had we used cars to get around the city.

MS: How can Angelenos get more involved with this cause? How can they become rail advocates?

JS: The first step is to get informed. To keep up to date about what is happening with high speed rail and local rail, and to support growth in around transit in LA we recommend subscribing to our mailing list on our website. If you’re ready to jump in and volunteer or spearhead a project email us directly to get involved at info@railLA.org.

MS: Any specific legislation that Californians and LA residents should pay attention to in regards to transit development?

railLA is supporting a campaign made up of high-speed rail organizations throughout the nation called Stand Up for Trains! This spring the California Legislature will decide whether to begin construction on the nation’s first 220-mph high-speed rail line. Long known as a progressive trendsetting state, the nation is depending upon Californians to stand up and be heard to make our high-speed rail network happen.

MS: What other events can we look forward to in the near future?

JS: While no events are finalized at the moment, we have a lot of exciting ideas and projects in the works. railLA definitely wants to continue producing events like Dapper Day on the Subway that transform the ideas and dialogue with citizens surrounding transit. The first step is gathering donations both from businesses and individuals allow us to do more work. railLA is currently a 100% volunteer organization. We simply can’t accomplish all of our goals without more funding.

For more information and multiple photo galleries of the Dapper Day event, visit the links below. Support RailLA and look out for future programs presented by this nonprofit organization.

Related links:

Union Station interior design (and a crazy blogger in the way!)


Denim Day

Break the office dress code for a good cause. Pledge to wear denim on April 25th for Denim Day USA.

Why Denim Day in LA?

Info from denimdayla.org:

This story dates back to the 1990s in Italy. A Supreme Court overturned a rape sentence “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex.” Women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans in protest of this verdict. The California Senate and Assembly followed suit and after reaching the director of Peace Over Violence, Denim Day in LA was born in April 1999.

  • Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
  • One in six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape.
  • According to the Los Angeles Police Department, there were 1,117 rapes during the year 2003, with only 260 rape suspects arrested.
  • 82.8% of rapes committed by an intimate are not reported to the police.
  • 35% of college men who voluntarily participated in psychological research conducted at several universities indicated they might commit a rape if they knew they could get away with it.
  • Two million children around the world are forced into prostitution every year.
  • Law enforcement arrests for internet sex crimes against minors are on the rise.
  • 15,000 to 19,000 people with developmental disabilities are raped each year in North America.
  • Survivors deserve support and assistance, not shame and blame.
  • We want to build healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual, domestic and interpersonal violence.
Bike Nation cruisers lined up at El Pueblo

4,000 Bikes for Los Angeles with Bike Nation Bike Share Program

Here’s some exciting news for Los Angeles. A fleet of 4,000 bicycles will be coming to self-serve kiosks around the city in upcoming months as part of a new bike share system. This fee-based program will give access to members who would like a bike for short trips.

Bike Nation made its Los Angeles debut on Sunday, April 15, 2012 with 100 free bicycle rentals and an announcement from Mayor Villaraigosa at the CicLAvia hub at El Pueblo.

Image from BikeNationUSA website

I’m looking forward to seeing the actual bicycles to be part of the bike share program. The step-through frame with easily adjustable seats are equipped with brakes and a basket. I could see myself taking advantage of this service on days when I travel without my bike on Metro buses/trains and want to borrow bike for a short trip in the downtown area. This could work well for spontaneous outings on a bicycle. The only down side to this is not having a helmet (they don’t rent them out). It would be ideal to plan ahead and bring a helmet with you.

Kiosk locations have yet to be determined. Expect to see them on university campuses like USC and UCLA later this year.

For more information, visit BikeNationUSA website.

Mayor Villaraigosa interview about Bike Nation bikeshare program
Bike Nation bikeshare coming to Los Angeles
One of 100 cruisers from Bike Nation at CicLAvia

A Challenge for You: Improving Safety in Free-For-All Streets at CicLAvia

Congratulations to Los Angeles for another successful event. I celebrate the victories of CicLAvia and ponder its future with the rest of you. Public transportation is heavily utilized, businesses get a boost, communities come together, and Angelenos gain civic pride from participating in an enjoyable outdoor activity that is uniquely theirs. The city itself is also getting better at preparing the streets for this event. In terms of logistics and execution, things are working well. Even at 3pm, the breakdown is more in favor of the remaining people still riding in the middle of the street and less in favor of the cars trying to drive through their neighborhoods again as LAPD and transportation department vehicles stall car traffic and remind riders to stay on the right.

CicLAvia really has grown. I noticed more riders coming from all directions at an earlier time and trains getting crowded with bicycles even to the point of getting turned away. I overheard “I love LA” repeatedly, while on the other hand, I overheard just as many people cursing at children for bad maneuvers.

Families stopping on the 4th Street Bridge overlooking the LA River to take photos

After continuous conversations with riders throughout the day and hours of debriefing, my rose-colored glasses have finally come off. I hadn’t uttered any negative opinions about CicLAvia other than the hours not being long enough to enjoy open streets, but this time, I’ll talk about issues as well as opportunities for improvement.

Volunteers helping to control traffic

Safety, safety, safety. The need for cycling organizations, bike shops, and organizers to continue to spread the message about road safety becomes even greater as the popularity of this event grows. Obviously, these groups aren’t able to reach every single person who participates, but all cyclists should take responsibility in helping peers become better riders by educating themselves and others too, especially parents. Sadly, cyclists become problems for fellow cyclists during events like this. Flat tires, cyclists, potholes — not just cars — can put people in an emergency room. On a regular day, there are greater obstacles on the road besides other cyclists to watch out for.

Issues at CicLAvia:

  • Inexperienced riders getting on a bicycle for the first time having little familiarity with their bicycle
  • Riding parts of the route that may be too difficult
  • Riders making unsafe maneuvers
  • Riding bicycles without helmet, lights, brakes, proper tire pressure, etc.
  • Young children riding with parental supervision
  • Riding too fast
  • Riding too slow
  • Stopping unexpectedly with moving traffic behind
  • Not stopping properly
  • Riding without using hand signals
The large crowds around the McArthur Park hub

Despite these issues, I continue to encourage people to ride bicycles and find one that fits them well. It is crucial for cyclists to have confidence on the road, and this can only be gained from practice, experience, and learning proper road safety. Young riders need all the help they can get from mentors who can show them the way. This is a great opportunity to become involved in improving public health and public safety to make CicLAvia safer and more enjoyable for everyone. Promoting bicycle culture also means promoting safety for cyclists, pedestrians, and others we share the road with.

Related Links:

Family exiting Gold Line train at Mariachi Plaza
Bike Nation cruisers lined up at El Pueblo

 

CicLAvia Route from ciclavia.org

Pedestrian Safety on Echo Park Avenue

The site of pedestrian fatality on Echo Park Avenue on April 11, 2012

It’s a sad day. A pedestrian was struck by a car near my house and died at the hospital. This is the first pedestrian fatality I’ve known of since moving here last year. According to updated reports from Eastsider LA, the pedestrian was at the crosswalk. The black Audi did not stop. We don’t know if this was a case of distracted driving or drunk driving. Some drivers may not be distracted or drunk. They may just be unfamiliar with the area, and ignore stop signs.

Even at a crosswalk, pedestrians aren’t safe. Be careful when crossing Echo Park Avenue, and take your time to look both ways. Make eye contact with drivers, and make sure they are slowing down before proceeding.

There are few crosswalks along this stretch of the street on Echo Park Avenue, and people often jaywalk to get to their cars, homes, convenience store, Delilah Bakery, or yoga studio Yogala. Even with crosswalks and stop signs, drivers are always speeding by in my neighborhood. With ongoing construction on one side of the street and parked cars on both sides, it’s difficult to see pedestrians who are about to cross. Road work and orange cones do not seem to slow cars down either. There are only crosswalks with stop signs on Echo Park at Effie and at Delta. Pedestrian visibility is low, especially where the street curves between Effie and Delta.

Perhaps with the new development of 36 on Echo townhouses, the street can be further evaluated and designed for pedestrian safety. This is an opportunity for Eric Garcetti, city council member and mayoral candidate, and other city officials to improve this area in their district. How good is this neighborhood with a great walkability score if it isn’t safe?

What features should be added or modified in this residential and commercial neighborhood? Speed bumps? Reduced speed limit? Crosswalks? Stop signs?


View Larger Map

Related Links:

Free Health Screenings on World Health Day LA

Celebrate World Health Day LA on Saturday, April 7 by keeping your health in check. When was the last time you checked your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels? Are you ready to learn about HIV testing and find out about your status? Take advantage of free health screenings and entertainment offered at the health fair held at the soccer fields of the Los Angeles Expo Center from 9am to 1pm. This event is ideal for the entire family.

Bring a list of current medications and information about medical history. Be aware of fasting requirements for the cholesterol test.

Related links:

Address:

Los Angeles Expo Center – at the soccer fields
3980 Bill Robertson Ln
Los Angeles, CA 90037

A “Good Food” Weekend is in Order!

The first ever Good Food Day LA is taking place Saturday, March 31, 2012. Participate in activities throughout Los Angeles and learn about bringing healthier foods to your table, gardening basics, and more. This event will engage communities in different neighborhoods through various activities. I will be taking my family to the Frogtown Community Garden to get our hands dirty and learn about growing and composting. Find one of many Good Food Day LA events to join.