Silverlandia | Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz & Atwater Village News

Silverlandia is a community based project aimed to promote exploration and growth for small and local businesses in the four neighborhoods of Silverlandia:
Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz and Atwater Village.

February 12, 2019

Step Into the Past and Enjoy Roma in Los Feliz

Starting Friday, February 7th, catch the movie everyone is talking about and enjoy Roma in Los Feliz. The endearingly nostalgic Vintage Los Feliz Theatre on Vermont will be one of the few movie venues in town showing Alfonso Cuarón’s latest masterpiece. The film is an emotional journey through a year in the life of a Mexican family in the 1970s. It recently earned ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture (for which it is a top contender). However, you won’t be able to find it at most theaters.

The movie, produced by Netflix, is currently available for streaming on the platform. But as many movie lovers will tell you, Roma is to be enjoyed best in a theater. The acclaimed Mexican director’s latest venture is a display of the most beautiful imagery and heartbreaking performances. You have to experience the immersive sound work and masterful visuals on the big screen. Upon exiting, you will be thankful you didn’t just watch it in your living room.

And what better place to enjoy this wonder of filmmaking than in the gorgeous Los Feliz Theatre? Low-cost tickets, delicious popcorn, and an irresistible vintage aesthetic make this the perfect place to go catch a movie. Roma has been described as Alfonso Cuarón’s love letter to his own past, so why not embrace that? This week step into the past (and by past, we mean an 85-year-old theater) and enjoy the subtle brilliance of Roma in Los Feliz. Roma in Los Feliz

February 7, 2019

At the Corner of Lyric and Hyperion – The Hipster Silver Lake Cafe

Los Angeles is a Mecca to those who never fit in back in their hometowns, and when such wildly different people from everywhere in the world converge in one place you’re bound to find something interesting and unique. That blend takes form in an ever-alternative Silver Lake cafe at the corner of Lyric and Hyperion.

Walk in. Take a seat amidst the decorative decadence and enjoy a tasty cup of coffee and one of the house’s gourmet (diet and allergy friendly) sandwiches, both of which will look great on your Insta-story. Maybe you’ll sit outside and enjoy a parfait on the shaded deck as you work on your latest screenplay. Perhaps your day job is a nightmare and you need a drink, so you head over to the bar. Regardless, at the end of the day you can count on a show unlike anything you’ve seen before. Welcome to the Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe.

A Space for Anyone and Everyone

An eccentric little venue that borders on the pretentious (and what about it?), this Silver Lake cafe is a definite triple threat: a cafe, bar, and theater that plays host to a variety of acts on a near-daily basis. These range from your run-of-the-mill LA stand-up to one-person shows so specific that anyone is bound to find themselves represented.

Because if there’s something the Lyric Hyperion prides itself on is their commitment to inclusivity and diversity. Self-described as a space by artists for artists, the Theatre & Cafe aims at being a sanctuary free of societal judgment. The space encourages women, people of color, and members of the LGBT+ community to feel at ease within its walls and live to their full creative potential on its stage. Whatever your niche is, here they are totally into that.

February at the Silver Lake Cafe

So plan a visit sometime soon! This month at the Lyric Hyperion you can enjoy some of the most shamelessly out-there and hopelessly niche performance art you’re bound to find in the area. Fans of popular podcast The Bechdel Cast can catch host Jamie Loftus workshopping her latest routine Boss, Whom Is Girl: a self-described “fabulous keynote presentation from girlboss Shell Gasoline-Sandwich” tackling faux corporate empowerment. No Valentine’s Day plans? The St. Valentine’s Show can be your source of joy on this otherwise depressing holiday as hosts Lady Love and Johnny T. Ass invite you over for “an evening of love and laughter.” VIP tickets even include champagne and a massage.

There is no shortage of alternative entertainment to be found at the Lyric Hyperion. Tickets for most events range between $5 and $12, half of what you’ll be charged at most comedy clubs. So don’t be afraid to try something new! Grab a drink and enjoy a show that may to challenge your worldview and make you laugh in the process.

February 4, 2019

Into the Stars – Free Fun at The Griffith Observatory

In the early 1930s, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith donated thousands of acres of land in Silver Lake to the City of Los Angeles. He included necessary funding to build an observatory, for he believed these shouldn’t be restricted to scientists in remote locations. As a result, the Griffith Observatory came to be and, upon looking through its telescope for the first time, Griffith famously said that “if all mankind could look through that telescope, it would change the world.”

Just Like the Movies

Arguably the most iconic landmark in Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory is the crown jewel of the city of stars, hence proving the aforementioned stars aren’t just the ones in movies. Since its opening in 1935, it has served as a guiding beacon through the vastness of space for locals and tourists alike, and it does so – as it always has due to Griffith’s will – free of charge.

James Dean fought there. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling danced through it. Well, now you get to have your own iconic moment at the Griffith Observatory, for the landmark hosts an array of free monthly activities. These will undoubtedly spark up the interest and imagination of anyone who has ever wondered about outer space and has waited for their chance to take a look themselves.

Griffith Observatory

What to do at the Griffith Observatory?

You can be a part of the Griffith’s monthly public star parties. Here, the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Los Angeles Sidewalk Astronomers, and The Planetary Society come together. They attend the event to share their knowledge and equipment in a variety of free activities for everyone to enjoy. Dozens of telescopes will be available across the Observatory grounds for you to take a look. Go ahead, find the Moon, the Sun, visible planets, and all kinds of celestial bodies. A knowledgeable astronomer mans each station, ready to answer questions you may have about the sky, space, and beyond.

However, if you are more of a romantic and would rather enjoy the stars the traditional way, then the monthly Sunset Walk & Talk events are definitely for you. Starting in the Observatory, this laid-back hour-long hike is the perfect way to enjoy Griffith Park. Why? Because you’ll experience a beautiful Los Angeles magic hour firsthand from above the city. As the group walks the trails, lecturers will delve into the landmark’s history and place in local culture. The entire city will transform into its night self before your eyes. You will get the chance to lay back and star-gaze from the very top of the world.

Indeed, Griffith himself was on to something when he looked through that telescope. Witnessing the mystery of space firsthand can be quite a humbling experience. Maybe we should all get the chance to admire the wonders of space. Lucky for you, living in Los Angeles you get the chance to do it for free! So go ahead, star-gaze next to a beautiful architectural icon and sneak a peek at the vastness of space.

January 31, 2019

Looking for Candles in Echo Park: P.F. Candle Co. Opens Its First Flagship

It seems as though for the last few years, every hipster market we’ve walked into has displayed the same little amber jar filled with soy based candle. Whether it’s the famous Urban Outfitters or a tiny blonde-wooded boutique in Los Feliz, that candle is there to taunt us with it’s tantalizing teakwood & tobacco aroma. Whether you recognize it yet or not, P.F. Candle has undeniably built its way into the bohemian candle realm and has decided to take their efforts even further with a new candle store in Echo Park. If you’re looking for candles in Echo Park or in the Los Angeles area, you’re in luck. Now opening its first flagship in Echo Park, P.F. Candle Co. is ready to serve it’s audiences on a new level and all their indie candle needs.

The hipster candle chain started off wholesaling it’s candles and other indie products to local California vendors with the same demographic. Their selling didn’t just stop there – eventually, they reached markets all across the globe in places like New York, Colombia, Lebanon, and Japan. P.F. even sold it’s stock to online vendors thus extending it’s soy based reign to the intangible cyber realm.

Candles in Echo Park

Indie Candles in Echo Park

On your hunt for candles in echo park, you’re probably wondering, why is this candle in such high demand? Well, for starters P.F. is sound in the ethics corner because all of their product ingredients are vegan and cruelty-free. Made in Southern California, P.F. has various ways of making their candles: some have a small amount of synthetic-material and some are all-natural like their Terra candles. They also provide a full-list of ingredients on their product page to show their audience that they care about what they are selling you.

The design of P.F. candles and product are rustic yet chic. Every indie candle, aside from their Terracotta candles, come in an amber jar with a cute brown tag labeling the scent. Jar sizes range from 3.5 oz to 12.5 oz and their scents are separated into four categories: Woods, Fresh, Botanical, and Spice. The thing that stands out with P.F. Candle is their unique scents. The scent ingredients alone seem nice such as amber or moss, but when you have indie candles labeled as “amber & moss” it creates an enchanting aroma that is nearly indescribable other than through comparison to some tropical location.

Not only that, but they are still affordable. With a sleek and minimalist design and ethical production, you can still find these standard trendy candles at prices less than $20. The products don’t stop there; this indie candle monarch also sells unisex perfumes, reed diffusers, gift sets, home goods, incense, and room sprays in their popular scents like Sandalwood Rose and Patchouli Sweetgrass.

A Monarch Deserves a Castle

What better way for a monarch to enjoy their reign than to build a castle and let the community take a gander. The P.F. Flagship is located at 2213 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026 just west of Alvarado Blvd and Echo Park Lake. The credit-card only store will be stocked with all of your favorite P.F. products plus indoor plants and plant products, coffee table books, kitchenware, and apothecary items. If you thought P.F.’s products were appealing, you can just imagine the other products sold at this flagship. When looking for candles in Echo Park, stop by the new P.F. Flagship next time you’re in the area and live your aromatic fantasy.

January 30, 2019

Rudy’s Barbershop is Shattering The Hair Binary: An LGBTQ Friendly Barbershop

When we think of the culture around getting a haircut we imagine a bit of a binary. A hair binary if we may. What do we mean by hair binary? Well, we have our rowdy barber shops where men are passing around beers and bro-ing it up with sports on in the background. Then we have the other end where women sit in a high-end establishment and destroy your self esteem with just a glance. We may watch too much TV and get in over our heads, but sometimes this is what it feels like to someone who has not yet mastered getting a haircut comfortable. Rudy’s barbershop in Silverlake is one place where you can brush away all these worries as they shatter the hair binary by creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for everyone! If you’re looking for an LGBTQ friendly barbershop, this barbershop in Silverlake is the place to be.

The History of the LGBTQ Friendly Barbershop

In 1993, three friends decided to create a barbershop together in Seattle. Paralleling the 90s counterculture vibes, they sold only three products: Mohawks, Buzzcuts, and tattoos. It was later named Rudy’s after someone spray painted that on the side of their business so they decided to roll with it. Little did they know that this lackadaisical idea to create a place where all their friends could hangout will turn into a thriving business unique to its market.

Rudy’s currently has 27 locations, but it’s Silverlake location is the biggest and busiest of them all. The large inclusive barbershop is located on 4451 W Sunset Blvd. What makes Rudy’s stand out from other hair salons and barbershops is the environment they create for their clientele. Upon walking into the warehouse like barbershop, many would think they would be intimidated, but that is the contrary. The laid back and positive attitude of all the stylists and even the receptionist will make you feel like you immediately made the right decision.

The walls of the warehouse are plastered with grungy magazine cut outs and queer iconography. It’s like a 20 year old’s college dorm room in the 90s on psychedelics – and it’s irresistible. Two large industrial doors that are cracked open to let customers in are home to large portraits of puppies. Yes, puppies. The large portraits are a few feet wide and have paintings of french bulldogs, bichon frise, cocker spaniels and more!

LGBTQ Friendly Barbershop

This Barbershop in Silverlake Helps The Community

In an era of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and The Muslim Ban, Rudy’s finds it important to ensure that they’ve “created a space where people from all walks of life can come to look and feel good.” This extends to the LGBTQ community they serve as they are in close partnerships with the LA LGBTQ Center and the It Gets Better Project. The pride flag adding the only pop of color to cities across the nation can speak for itself.

The style options at Rudy’s have definitely grown from their original menu of “Mohawks, Buzzcuts, and Tattoos.” Now they offer everything any other barbershop in Silverlake would from beard trims to blow outs to a full dye. They also have their own product line aside from services their community with great cuts. Rudy’s has fine products for all aspects of your grooming experience including Hair, Body, and Face. Products include their popular matte pomades and even their travel sized tonic spray! Their store and website also sell different brands such as Malin+Goetz, Grant’s Golden Brand, and Davines.

Check out Rudy’s Barbershop

As you can see, Rudy’s is a special place that has managed to blur the lines of what it means to be a barbershop. While creating an inclusive environment, they manage to service their community with chic haircuts and styling. Check out Rudy’s if you’re worried about fitting in during your next cut. You can even get in your shopping across the way at Crossroads and check out any local coffee shops!