Arts District Neighborhood Tour
Hey EDA friends!
We all might be feeling a little restless during COVID-19, and wanted to do some exploring and visit some of the street art our neighborhood has to offer. Whether you’re an art critic, a regular museum-goer before the pandemic, or don’t have the first idea about art, we believe you can appreciate the amazing larger-than-life public art found in our neighborhood! Art can lift the spirit, confront issues in society, and celebrate ideas, people, and the human spirit. Having such a variety of murals dotting the Los Angeles urban landscape means we can view a multitude of perspectives and topics represented artistically, no admission ticket needed.
We want to support the creation and appreciation of art here at EDA, and so this week we want to take you on a virtual tour, and offer a guide for the next time you feel like exploring our neighborhood. So grab a to-go snack and put your sneakers on, because we want to take you on a tour of our favorite sights, shops, and places we find inspiring, and make our Arts District neighborhood unique!
Thanks to Anca, our day shift lead, for these awesome photos! Read on to see some of our neighborhood picks.
Manuela garden mural across from Eat Drink Americano
Hauser and Worth Building
901 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles
Our first stop on our neighborhood tour is the Hauser and Worth Gallery, right across the street! The art gallery space might be closed temporarily, but you can still enjoy its artwork on its building.
Manuela, the restaurant in Hauser and Worth’s building, has a garden that features this beautiful mural on its back wall. The above photo was taken from our parking area in the alley in front of our restaurant. If you’re standing on our patio, you can see the mural in its entirety. Until Manuela is open for dine-in service and the galleries at Hauser and Worth are open again, this is the best view for art fans and gallery visitors alike.
Kim West, image from Hauser and Worth
Another mural can be seen extending along the side of the building down the alleyway, as well -- Los Angeles based artist Kim West’s extended piece, titled “No Way Home.” It depicts a polar bear and a forest of trees that extend along the east wall to the end of the alley. You can learn more in an interview with the artist here.
Dia de los Muertos mural by Peter Greco
Peter Greco mural
303 Hewitt Street, Los Angeles
Graphic artist Peter Greco has been a staple in the art community in Los Angeles and beyond for decades now. From designing the iconic D.A.R.E. logo for the LAPD, the Los Angeles Times Magazine’s logo used for 25 years until 2015, and notably, the murals found in our dining room, Peter Greco’s unique “calligrafiti” work across mediums brings traditional graphic hand-written lettering together with striking color and bold, large-scale design; we love it so much, we commissioned a chalk mural for our restaurant!
His mural found outside the American Hotel takes his signature lettering and transforms the side of the storied hotel with his personal style. The 18-foot tall “Dia de los Muertos” mural depicts a large orb filled with script that is a creation of Greco, influenced by the hand lettering found in centuries-old Hebrew, Arabic, Gothic and Roman scripts.
You can see his gothic-influenced calligraphic script on other walls outside the American Hotel, as well. If you’re looking for additional artwork by Greco, his website is our go-to for inspiration.
More Peter Greco calligrafiti
Next on our tour, we wanted to highlight a few of the boutiques and stores found in our neighborhood. Since its origins as an industrial neighborhood back in the 1800s and early 1900s, and its resurrection in the 1990s and 2000s, the Arts District has been home to many storefronts; but we think these are a unique addition to the neighborhood!
Arts District Co-Op
Arts District Co-Op
453 Colyton St, Los Angeles
We love the great use of space of this industrial building-turned-collective of vendors at our neighborhood co-op! The recently renovated space houses vendors of all kinds selling their wares that include anything from bicycles, art, homemade soaps, candles, and well-curated vintage collections. Venture inside and you’ll see large-scale art on the brick and concrete walls, and wander through dozens of booths to find your new favorite handmade piece! Check out their Instagram for updates on what’s happening, their vendors, and events.
Woo storefront, with walk-up kiosk for COVID-19 friendly shopping
Woo signs advertising their new face masks
House of Woo boutique
209 S Garey St, Los Angeles
We’re right around the corner from a really cool little shop, House of Woo! It’s the home base of Stacy Woo and her husband Mike Badt, and has served as their design center since 2006. They create unique lifestyle products and aim to, “keep the Arts in the District,” and showcase their designs, as well the work of other Los Angeles and Southern California based artists. They carry everything from men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, to home goods, apothecary items, art supplies, books, and more.
They’ve adapted and grown their product line to be pandemic-friendly, and now include handmade masks, and offer a walk-up kiosk so shoppers can continue to shop their wares safely. We love their selection of masks and their stationary! Check out their site here to shop online, see the brands they carry, and how they’re adapting and growing during the pandemic.
Buru
826 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles
Next on our tour is the local LA-based clothing brand and factory Buru. We first noticed their beautiful window displays walking by one day, and upon doing some research on their brand we love what Buru is about. Founder Morgan Hutchinson is passionate about knowing where our clothes are made, the conditions they’re constructed in, and how their production impacts our environment, and the people who fabricate them. Their atelier on 3rd Street is new to the neighborhood, but we know it will soon become a permanent fixture.
After becoming a mother herself, she realized that there was a significant hole in the womens’ apparel market that accommodated new mothers. She sought to fill that hole, and began designing and producing her own clothing and the brand Buru (Mandarin for ‘breastfeed’) was born. The Buru showroom and factory found a home in the Arts District, and her playful yet functional designs are new mom-friendly, and the storefront has grown to offer everything from her own designs, to other brands, accessories, footwear, home goods, and more. Check out their site here.
Thanks for coming along on our neighborhood tour! We want to feature brands, businesses, and art that call the Arts District home over the next few months, so give us a shout if you want to see a business or mural featured! We love our Arts District home, and want to share the neighborhood with others, so the next time you stop by our to-go window and pick up a meal or round of drinks, remember to stick around and explore our neighboring streets! The Arts District is constantly changing, growing, and evolving, and we’re privileged to see the changes happening.
Until next week,
EDA team