Farewell, Happy Foot/Sad Foot Sign

As Curbed LA and other outlets have reported, the Sunset Foot Clinic is moving — and with it, that means the infamous Happy Foot/ Sad Foot sign will be leaving as well. The iconic sign has become a bit of a modern meme in Silver Lake, and even now adorns t-shirts and jewelry that you can buy. The sign has delighted residents for years thanks to its, well, silliness -- depicting a sad foot, with crutches, on one side, and a happy, healed foot on the other.

Alissa Walker writes on Curbed:

The Sunset Foot Clinic is moving, and so is the two-sided sign known as Happy Foot Sad Foot that has spun from its high-profile perch on Sunset Boulevard for 37 years.

Just reading the news is like watching the famous sign rotate in real time. The clinic needs a bigger office (happy!), will be leaving its current location (sad!), is taking the sign with them (happy!), but the sign won’t spin anymore (sad!).

The impending loss will be most acutely felt by a group of tight-knit neighbors in the immediate vicinity who use the sign to tell people where they live. Due to the fuzzy demarcations between Silver Lake and Echo Park, the neighbors started referring to their community as Happy Foot Sad Foot or, in full neighborhood-branding mode, HaFoSaFo. The designation was made quasi-official when the neighborhood social network Nextdoor dubbed the area “Sunset HaFoSaFo” on its LA map.

Sad foot, indeed.

Rate-A-Restaurant #373: Magpies Softserve (Silver Lake)

Restaurant: Magpies Softserve

Location: 2660 Griffith Park Boulevard (Silver Lake)



Type of restaurant: Dessert (Ice Cream)



We stipulated: I love soft serve more than anything. I still dream almost daily of the "Salty Bea Arthur," as served at New York's Big Gay Ice Cream shop (which sadly still hasn't opened a Los Angeles outpost, despite promising so). But I also love adventurous flavors, which is why Scoops is my fave ice cream scoop in LA. Magpies promised to marry the two, and I was in.



They stipulated: "Magpies Softserve is a scratch recipe soft serve dessert shop. We make our soft serve mix and all toppings in house. We wanted to expand the flavors of typical soft serve ice cream from the traditional vanilla and chocolate by creating flavors of soft serve that bring us back to our childhood, flavors that inspired us to become chefs. From a Horchata (non dairy), to a Cortadito, a sweetened Cuban espresso to Yuzu Honey, a traditional Korean tea that is unique to the American palate. We had a lot of fun creating flavors that are authentic to us."



What we ordered: Mike: Toasted marshmallow and Corn Almond; Maria: Thai Tea and Sweet Cream; Evan: Toasted marshmallow with caramel and cookie crumble; Nathan: Toasted marshmallow. All junior size at $3.95; the two toppings were 95 cents more.


High point:  Loved the corn almond, which reminded me of the "cereal milk" flavor found at New York's Milk Bar. Plus: The fact that you could split your order and get *two* flavors was well appreciated!

Low point:  It's a small store, so there aren't many places to sit and enjoy your treat. (But that's a common refrain at spots like Scoops too.)



Overall impression: The junior size is more than enough; it's the perfect amount of ice cream. Also loved the free samples as we tested out what we wanted. And the diversity of flavor choices means there's something for everyone.



Will we return: Oh yes. Magpies rotates its flavors, which means there will be always new flavors to try. Not good for my diet, but fantastic news for my tastebuds.

First Look: Silver Lake's New 365 by Whole Foods Market

Trader Joe's, don't worry just yet. "365," the new supermarket concept from Whole Foods Market, recently opened in Silver Lake to much fanfare -- but also much confusion.  We finally visited for the first time, on Sunday, and although the experience was pleasant, I'm left wondering what the strategy is.



Again, that's not to say it's not a pleasant shopping experience. But as Devon Maloney wrote in the Los Angeles Times, it's hard not to keep thinking about how 365 "is the national grocery chain’s attempt to reach a younger, less financially sound generation by selling them food that’s slightly less expensive than what they might find at the original Whole Foods. With 365, Whole Foods hopes to capitalize on the student-loan-saddled bourgeoisie (you know, the people who can swing some organic produce but aren’t champing at the bit for a $6 asparagus water) while still keeping the rabble clear of its highest-quality aisles."



Adds Maloney: "But 365 is not just about appealing to millennials through our wallets — it’s about capturing our hearts, too, by revolutionizing the food-buying experience...somehow? Anyway, this flashy gimmick certainly isn’t here to profit from an already-gentrified, upwardly mobile yuppie community and help drive up rent prices for low-income immigrant families who have been here for decades!"



Can't I just pick it up? Do I really need to order it on this iPad too?



Long lines, during these early days of 365's existence.



OK, nice wine offerings.



And a mini version of Whole Foods' Allegro coffee.



Ha, jumble "Lake" and it becomes "Kale," get it?



Whoa. I've been disappointed with Trader Joe's for discontinuing my beloved Jalapeno cheese puffs. Good to see Barbara's (which I assume also produced TJ's version) still makes them. OK. 365, you're beginning to win me over, much like Maloney. Maria felt a bit like we were cheating on Trader Joe's; I figure it can't hurt to keep an open grocery store relationship.

Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2015, Part 1

In no particular order, I've selected the favorite tracks from 2015's playlists for our fourteenth annual Choice Cuts end-of-year mix. The first four:



1. Overboard -- The Silver Lake Chorus

Ben Lee wrote and performs the solo in this song, from The Silver Lake Chorus-- which "performs choral arrangements of indie music." Yeah, I know, sounds so very Silver Lake-y. But Ben Lee knows how to craft an infectious pop tune, and this is one of them -- attached to a striking multi-part chorus. (Thanks to TSLC for correcting me -- that's not Ben Lee doing the solo, but one of their talented members!)



2. Wild Things -- Alessia Cara

I've been listening to a lot of top 40 radio toward the end of this year, and during a recent drive up to Sacramento, Alessia Cara's "Here" was in heavy rotation. I was drawn to the song's sample -- Isaac Hayes's "Ike's Rap II," which was the core of one of my favorite tracks of the 1990s, Portishead's "Glory Box." Cara's voice is remarkable, and "Wild Things" is a fantastic follow-up.



3. Don't Wanna Fight -- Alabama Shakes

Brittany Howard does it again -- that raw grit in her voice as she screams, "I don't wanna fight no more!" is powerful.


4. Flesh Without Blood -- Grimes

Claire Elise Boucher, better known as Grimes, has a sound that one magazine described as an "alien love-child of Aphex Twin and ABBA." I'm not sure if that's a good thing, but this song is.

The next four tomorrow!

Also on Franklin Avenue:

Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2015, Part 2

Choice Cuts: Franklin Avenue's Favorite Tracks of 2015, Part 3

Rate-A-Restaurant #359: Pine & Crane (Silver Lake)

Restaurant: Pine & Crane

Location: 1521 Griffith Park Blvd (Silver Lake)



Type of restaurant: Taiwanese/Chinese

We stipulated: Simply looking to try something new, and Pine and Crane has been earning raves.





They stipulated: No reservations. See the rules above. "Pine & Crane is a fast-casual Taiwanese-Chinese restaurant located in the heart of Silver Lake. Our goal is to bring you authentic, delicious Taiwanese-Chinese fare in a comfortable, modern setting. We are passionate about what we do, and take pride in preparing our food using simple, fresh ingredients. Whenever possible, we source seasonal produce from our family's local Asian vegetable farm: as a result, our vegetable dishes change frequently in order to showcase rare and freshly harvested items.

"In addition to Taiwanese staples like Three Cup Chicken and Beef Noodle Soup, we offer a variety of small plates, traditional cold appetizers, and vegetarian/vegan options, together with a curated selection of fine teas sourced from Taiwan and a rotating craft beer and wine list."



What we ordered:

PANFRIED PORK BUNS (Kurobuta Pork, Cabbage, Black Sesame, Scallions, $8);

LAYERED PORK PANCAKE (Kurobuta Pork, Scallions, $6.50);

POTSTICKERS (Kurobuta Pork, Taiwanese Cabbage, $6);

DAN DAN NOODLES (Sesame-Peanut Sauce, Chili Oil, Cucumbers, Peanuts, $7.50)

High point:  Those pork buns were pretty great, and a great value as well.



Low point:  The line and the wait. Pine & Crane is a popular place.



Overall impression: If you're lucky enough to score a table, it's a great experience and the economical prices will blow you away. Just make sure you order everything you want to -- you don't want to go back in that line again!



Will we return: Yes, especially if the line isn't line the one above!

Hipster Zombies: Here's Where That "Fear the Walking Dead" Church Is

Photo: Eastsider LA
The zombie apocalypse begins in Silver Lake.

That's the home to the former Bethany Presbyterian Church, which plays a large role in the first episode of AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead." We first see the effects of the zombies in Los Angeles there, and one of the show's main characters witnesses a zombie bloodbath.

In real life, the empty church sits in a fairly pricey and desirable neighborhood, and indeed, there has been talk for some time of turning the Bethany (located at Griffith Park Blvd. and Lucile St.) into a boutique hotel.

Coincidentally, we were just there last night, eating dinner at nearby Pine & Crane restaurant, at Sunset Triangle Plaza. Yep, the chruch is still there, boarded up and creepy. It's not always abandoned, though: It's been used as the home of the Silver Lake Chorus. But as Eastsider LA wrote way back in 2011, plans are afoot to completely renovate the Bethany:

The imposing front doors to the former Bethany Presbyterian Church in Silver Lake are locked shut, the entryway is strewn with trash and shards of broken terracotta roof tiles litter an overgrown garden. A man sleeps alongside of the building, which is topped by a rusting white cross. The church, which neighbors say has not been used on a regular basis for several years, has definitely seen better days since parishioners gathered 80 years ago to lay the cornerstone for the $75,000 Romanesque-style church and Sunday school at the corner of Griffith Park Boulevard and Lucile Street. The church, however, may once again serve as a sanctuary – not for the faithful but for tourists and travelers wanting to bed down in Silver Lake style. The leader of this church revival is Silver Lake resident Dana Hollister, who has renovated many other neglected neighborhood buildings and helped open popular restaurants and bars, including Cliff’s Edge and the 4100 Bar.

Hollister is now taking on perhaps her most ambitious project, turning Bethany Presbyterian into a boutique hotel with 20 rooms and a “food component” or restaurant. “I want to do something that is conservative and appropriate,” she said.

The church is spooky enough that last year it was the site of the scary play "Delusion: Masque of Mortality."



1629 Griffith Park Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 9002

Rate-A-Restaurant #345: What The Fish Sushi (Silver Lake)

Restaurant: What The Fish Sushi

Location: 2804 Hyperion Ave (Silver Lake)

Type of restaurant: Sushi



We stipulated: We're always looking for a cheap sushi joint, like our standby Blue Fish in Montrose. We ate for years at Pazazz Sushi in Silver Lake, but always walk by WTF while visiting the Silver Lake outpost of Trader Joe's. It was finally time to go inside.



They stipulated: Their delivery area is quite wide: Atwater Village, Glassell Park, Griffith Park, Hollywood, Los Angeles City College, Wilshire Center, Silver Lake and Los Feliz. Minimum order: $15.



What we ordered: Dinner Sushi Combination (Served with sushi 7 pcs -- tuna, salmon, shrimp, albacore, yellowtail, red snapper and eel), miso soup and spicy tuna roll 8 pcs) $13.95; shishito pepper $3.95; shrimp tempura $7.95; shrimp tempira roll $3.95; California roll $3.95





High point:  The prices are fantastic, and the rolls are quite imaginative.



Low point:  The shishito pepper portion was disappointingly small -- but had a nice, slightly citrus flavor, so we forgave it.



Overall impression: Listen, this isn't high-end sushi. That's not the point. Especially with kids in tow, we're just looking to get our sushi fix as economically as possible -- but I'd still like the sushi to be edible. WTF is more than just edible, it's actually quite good.



Will we return: We will!

L.A. Ad Town: Matthew McConaughey Loiters in Silver Lake

In his latest Lincoln commercial, Matthew McConaughey dines alone as it rains hard outside. It turns out he's eating at Blair's restaurant in Silver Lake, on Rowena next to Ivanhoe school. (Here's our 2004 Rate-A-Restaurant review of Blair's.)



Mood-effect rain outside Blair's in the Lincoln commercial.


Hey, it stopped raining in time to take a spin in the Lincoln! Allrightallrightallright!


The Blair's building recently underwent a renovation. Here's how it looked in September, via Yelp user Eric T. And below, a shot of how Blair's used to look, from a Google Maps pic taken in May:

What's The Real Dividing Line Between Silver Lake and Echo Park?

In an early episode of Amazon's "Transparent," a character tells Josh (Jay Duplass) that she doesn't even know the dividing line between Silver Lake and Echo Park. "Rampart," Josh says in passing, almost dismissively.

Is that true? Is Rampart the dividing line between Silver Lake and Echo Park? According to Google Maps, the boundary is more complicated:



What say you, hipsters?

Silver Lake's Stairs to Nowhere

Behind Home restaurant at Fletcher and Riverside, where half a century ago an elevated Pacific Electric car ran, there exists a staircase to nowhere. Starting behind Home's parking lot and aiming north, the stairway points to nothing. There's no reason to climb it, other than exploring. Read more here.