New Expo Light Rail Line From Downtown LA to Culver City!

Photo by official Expo Line Website(http://www.buildexpo.org/)

Los Angeles is proud to welcome the new local rail line- Expo Light! Expo Light rail line ranges from Downtown LA westward to beautiful Culver City! Stops include some great LA landmarks, featuring LA’s Convention Center, the Staples Center, and Exposition Park home of LA Memorial Coliseum & Sports Arena, the Natural History Museum, California Science Center, Exposition Park Rose Garden, plus many more wonderful Museums in our community. The new transit line is a sustainable addition to our Los Angeles neighborhood.

Residents can now conveniently use the line to commute to their jobs and schools throughout our community. The Expo Light Line spans 7.9 miles, and is still in progress! In a few months the line will continue 0.7 miles into Culver City. Los Angeles transit hopes to extend the line to Santa Monica at Colorado and 4^th St. right by the beach and Santa Monica Pier! It would be wonderful to spend a day out enjoying LA’s landmarks during the day, and watch the sunset at the beach in the evening, using green means of transportation, and appreciating the resources made in Los Angeles!

Expo Light Rail Line route and info-

Photo by Los Angeles Times (http://graphics.latimes.com/storyboard-la-me-expo-line/)

Please read the LA Times Article to learn more about the Expo Line and to view a time lapse video of the new line-http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0429-expo-line-20120429%2c0%2c18240.story

Please take a moment to look at our local goods and products at http://madeinlosangeles.co

Westec’s Positive Focus On Local Manufacturing

Photo credit: http://www.cogsdill.com/westec-2010-2/

The Westec technology and innovation show recently came to town at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  The convention highlights the positive and local direction in which the manufacturing industry is heading. Westec is the largest manufacturing and innovative technology event on the west coast. The convention takes place in our technologically cutting edge city of L.A. Westec was proud to present the leading manufacturers of Los Angeles – National Oilwell Varco, Edelbrock, and Robinson Helicopter.

Many important manufacturing decision makers attended the event and a main topic of focus was bringing jobs back home to America, which is great! New technological evolution will give local industries what they need to create an economically sustainable and innovative means of mass production in southern California! It is exciting that the leading technology show is pushing towards an overall positive change in the focus of the manufacturing industry, to bring manufacturing local and create more products made in Los Angeles through innovative technology!

Sacbee’s article: Manufacturers Celebrate Change at WESTEC 2012: 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/manufacturers-celebrate-change-at-westec-2012-2012-04-12

Made In Los Angeles Website Now Launched, Please take a look at the local products we have to offer.

http://madeinlosangeles.co/

Viva CicLAvia: A Day Without Cars Is A Beautiful Thing

If you haven’t yet experienced CicLAvia Los Angeles you are missing out on one of the best events that L.A. has to offer.  10 miles of streets are closed to vehicle traffic in Downtown to make way for bicyclists, rollerbladers, and pedestrians of all sorts.  April 15^th 2012 marked the 4^th CicLAvia event to be held here in L.A.  From Boyle Heights to Little Tokyo to Melrose, the atmosphere is energetic.  More than just a day set aside for alternative transportation, CicLAvia is a huge party with food trucks, entertainment and great little businesses all along the route to visit.

People of every variety coming together outdoors in the city we love, enjoying the weather and each others company made for a festive atmosphere.  People in costume, lots of little dogs in bike baskets, from the fun to the fascinating, one guy on rollerblades even had a loudspeaker backpack playing house music.  Another woman was riding over the Boyle Heights bridge with about 8 cockatoos on her shoulders.  There was a large rolling sugar skull bike trailer, unicycles and tall bikes, every wild modification and accessory was represented, from the furry bikes to the one we saw with sky high handles and too many horns to count.  The point I’m trying to make folks is that you’ve got to go!

Cilavia originated in Colombia over 30 years ago but you will enjoy all the best of the culture, food and architecture that is made in Los Angeles here at our southern California CicLAvia.

The next CicLAvia is Sunday October 14^th 2012 so I’m sure there will be a hint of Halloween in the air and even more costumes than in April.  Come out, make a day of it and have fun, see you at the afterparties.

New Autry Farmers Market at Griffith Park

       4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles

Griffith Park welcomes A New Local Los Angeles farmers market at the Gene Autry American Western Museum! Located across the street from the Los Angeles County zoo and Griffith Parks Municipal Golf Course, the market will feature local food vendors, and fresh produce from sixteen Southern California based Organic Farmers. This weekly market in our community will begin Saturday April 28^th 8am to 12pm.

Farmers markets are spectacular for bringing communities together, supporting local trades, and creating a connection with neighbors. It is great to enjoy the multicultural products featured by so-cal vendors, such as hummus, honey, cheese, produce, and coffee that is entirely organic and made in Los Angeles! Enjoy a beautiful Californian Saturday Morning out in renowned Griffith Park, while supporting LA’s Community. It is wonderful that the market will feature family games, a mimosa bar, and live performances by Los Angeles based musicians, there is something fun for everyone!

List of Included Local Farmers and Vendors:

Tutti Frutti Farms, Underwood Family Farms, Avila & Sons Farms, Milkman Artisan Cheeses, Homeboy Bakery, Novy Ranch, Cobblermania, Longshot Espresso, Heirloom LA, Global Soul, and the Crepe Kitchen

NBC Article on the new Autry Farmers Market:

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/the-scene/food-drink/New-Autry-Farmers-Market-146901465.html

American Apparel goes green while making a scene!

American Apparel Retail Model. Photo from americanapparel.net

           American apparel has made a great decision to go green while making a scene! The Los Angeles based clothing company has made an earth friendly decision to install solar panels on the roof of their large downtown factory. All while putting their signature tactics of grabbing attention with employee turned models into play. California girls in swimwear, having fun in the sun, while maintaining the effectiveness of the company’s local and environmental cause.

Not only is it great that American apparel is and has always been 100% made in Los Angeles, but that they are showcasing an influential green message in a trendy LA-esque style. It is wonderful to have a clothing giant in our community that makes quality products and positive decisions. Hooray for local businesses that fashionably care about the environment in a resourceful marketable way!

American apparel now features a virtual tour of their factory online at americanapparel.net.  The tour shines light on the quality condition of the factory and the high standards kept to keep local employees healthy, happy, and safe.  A wonderful example of a local company presenting sustainable means of mass manufacturing environmental focus, and symbolizing pride in the characteristics of Los Angeles!

LA Weekly Article: http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/03/american_apparel_models_solar_panels_video.php

Cleanliness Is Next To Goatliness

I had the pleasure Monday of meeting with Lauren Johansen from Chivas Skincare.  We met up to exchange product as our upcoming online store will be carrying their Goat Milk Skincare products when we launch.  She was on her way to the farm where she and her mother Donna tend the goats and create the most exquisitely scented soap I have ever smelled.  They make the soaps with goats milk fresh from the source and herbs from their garden that are moisturizing and great for dry and sensitive skin.  I love meeting with our local manufacturers like Chivas, its great to meet neighbors like Lauren and see the people we support and introduce them to others.  I’m really looking forward to their Holiday Open House in December and I am so excited to be working with them.

by Tori Notz, Made In Los Angeles

THE TOP TEN REASONS LA IS A LEADING CLEAN TECH CITY

Clean Technology is Made in Los Angeles

LA is a bustling, massive industrial hub where labor, business and government efforts are working together to make the city’s industries sustainable as well. With access to the ports, a strong, skilled workforce, a robust university presence, and industry groups such as CleanTech Los Angeles, the city is primed for growth in the cleantech sector. To go to the website click here

by Shawn Lesser, Originally at CleanTechies.

Santa Monica

Santa Monica Pier is more than a teenage hangout or tourist trap, it is visually enticing if you look in the right places.  Locals know when the sun sets it gets downright amusing.

Sales Up For Los Angeles Clothing Manufacturer

American Apparel says sales rose 14% in January

By Shan Li, Los Angeles TimesFebruary 7, 2012

Los Angeles clothier American Apparel Inc. reported strong preliminary sales for January.The retailer, known for colorful basics and racy ads, said total sales last month rose 14% from a year earlier to $41.4 million.Online sales increased 39% over the same period. Comparable-store sales, an important barometer of a retailer’s health, rose 11%; American Apparel measures comparable-store sales as the combination of online sales and sales at stores open at least a year.

Dov Charney, the company’s chief executive and founder, said he was “very encouraged by the sales performance.”

“Higher sales running through our three sales channels — retail, online and imprintable wholesale — allow us to continue improving operational efficiencies at the factory, as well as leverage corporate costs, thereby improving prospects for our long-term growth and profitability,” Charney said in a statement.

shan.li@latimes.com

Copyright © 2012, Los Angeles Times

The Hometown Advantage

Lawmakers unanimously approve an ordinance that will give local firms an edge when seeking city contracts. It is intended to strengthen businesses, boost tax revenue and create jobs.

October 15, 2011|By John Hoeffel, Los Angeles Times

To view article click here