At the corner of Hope and 12th sits a 47-year-old family-owned restaurant with no concrete menu and an impressive loyalty base. I spent a Wednesday morning at Aladdin’s with Cyndi, the owner, and some of her regulars.

One of the perks of living in Downtown L.A. is that there is always something to do nearby! You don’t have to look far to plan your next outing or to just get out for a day. We’ve rounded up some of the best events, shows, and activities going on in October / November that you can’t miss out on.

A group of South Park residents were recently certified in 3 life-saving methods – packing, pressure, and tourniquet - to stop bleeding in emergency situations as part of a nationwide preparedness plan.

SPNA (South Park Neighborhood Association) hosted the LA Rams vs Buffalo Bills Watch Party at First Draft Brewery + Kitchen (Olive and Pico) with 180+ South Park residents joining their neighbors to celebrate the home opener of the season for our World Champion Rams. 

On the sunny afternoon of August 18, the SPBID (South Park Business Improvement District) hosted a get-together at the South Park Commons. This first (of what we hope will be many such events) was attended by hundreds of South Park residents and business owners who enjoyed catering by Pine and Crane and refreshments by First Draft Brewery + Kitchen and HiDef Brewery.

In January 2022, a new organics recycling mandate went into effect requiring all California residences and businesses to compost to offset methane emissions, a direct approach to battle climate change. Food waste accounts for 21% of landfill waste. When discarded in a landfill, that organic waste produces and releases methane into the atmosphere, a greenhouse gas linked to rising temperatures. California’s goal is to compost 75% of organic waste by 2025.

We see babies in strollers, parents with toddlers, and even a few school-age children around the neighborhood. What are the options for school-aged children in South Park? There are some private school options in the South Park area, which we will explore in the next series. But what are the options for public schools? Herewith we would like to share our initial findings.

California Hospital, in South Park, is offering a Stop the Bleed training session for residents as part of a nationwide preparedness plan for disaster situations – earthquakes, shooters, and more. A person can bleed out within 5-minutes which can be before emergency help arrives. The 90-minute training will be held on Monday, September 19, from 5:30 – 7:00 pm at EVO – 1155 S. Grand (corner of Grand and 12th). The training is limited to 30 people. RSVPs are required at https://tinyurl.com/yckt9puk.

California Hospital Medical Center is a community hospital serving downtown and its neighboring communities for well over a century. Known for its wide range of medical services from obstetrics and gynecology to orthopedics and cardiology, the hospital also operates as a Level II Trauma Center, and its emergency department treats over 70,000 patients each year.

The Stop the Bleed training is hosted by South Park Neighborhood Association (SPNA).

By Debra Shrout

SPNA and First Draft Brewery + Kitchen at the corner of Olive and Pico are hosting a Watch Party for the LA Rams Home Opener Game on Thursday, September 8 beginning at 5 pm. RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/59N73BN4 . Get there early to enter the football pool $5, raffle tickets are $1, get a beer card and enjoy the beer on tap all evening, food available, indoor and outdoor viewing.

Mamba Day featured the unveiling of the newest and largest mural of Kobe Bryant in L.A. at 1147 South Hope Street on the side of the West Coast Trial Lawyers building facing 12th Street. Mamba Day is the annual Kobe Bryant Day held on 8.24 which are Kobe’s 2 jersey numbers.

The center of the mural is Kobe, to his right is his daughter Gianna (Gigi) along with other children, and to the left is the black mamba snake. The mural was unveiled on Mamba Day, the annual Kobe Bryant Day.

The artists are world renown Odeith and LA based Nikkolas Smith. Branded Arts and West Coast Trial Lawyers held the mural unveiling on 8.24.

The popular Taiwanese restaurant PINE & CRANE has officially opened their 2nd location in DTLA’s South Park, situated between South Park Commons and the Aven residential building.

Read more to learn about PINE & CRANE from the owner herself!