On the groceries and community watering hole front: we lost the independently operated grocery store Pioneer Market not too long ago. The loss still hurts every time I look at the bleak Walgreen's parking lot on Sunset at Echo Park, where Pioneer used to be. It's like a big crater. The drugstore company didn't bother with the tiniest of design embellishments as our neighborhood does not have style mandates for developers. "We" tend to think that mandating style is not what we are all about. But then we get Walgreens. And there goes the neighborhood. (We already had two Save-Ons and a Rite Aid.)

But now we have some mitigating news: a farmers market in our own hood! In walking distance to Echo Park Lake. It's opening this Friday. Local activist Holly Hampton sent around the following open invitation:

Echo Park Friends & Neighbors, Please join me on Friday October 13th for the GRAND OPENING of the Echo Park Farmers' Market. Festivities begin at 3pm and the market continues until 7pm. The weekly market will be located in Parking Lot #663 on Logan Street, one block south of Sunset.

Sponsored by Council President Eric Garcetti of CD 13 and the Greater Echo Park Elysian Neighborhood Council. The market is operated by
Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles. For more information, call (323) 463-3171 or visit farmernet.com.

Speaking of our council President, I received an email from Josh Kamensky on the councilman's staff. Josh wanted to let me know that Eric blogs every day, not occasionally, as my post "Back on the blog" would suggest. Good point.