Hidden Gems: Figueroa at Sycamore Park [Ave 46?]

First, let's start this post off with a little Zapp & Roger. I've heard this blasting from many cars growing up in the 90042 area.

I drive up North Figueroa a lot when I know the 110 might be crowded.  I've always noticed a lot of Succulents across from the Sycamore Park, where the painted arch and stairway is.  I finally stopped and was happy to find an awesome path. When you walk up the [Glenmary] stairs through the arch, that was painted bu students from Franklin High School in 2010, there is a little nook with a Guadalupe altar.  It's a neat little urban moment when you stumble across things like this [and there are tons of them in Northeast Los Angeles  http://framework.latimes.com/2011/07/04/guardians-of-the-guadalupe/].  The stairs are set in a T with path on each side that lead to the houses and apartments up there.  There are lots of euphorbia, aloes, and agaves plated throughout.  There's a lot of trash thrown around, but it still an amazing hidden gem.

     

If you walk further up Figueroa there is another lot full of succulents next to the historic home locate on the corner of Figueroa and Ave 49 next to the school. Note: Do not wear leather soled cowboy boots if you're going to climb a dirt hill = major slippage.

Beautiful bougainvillea tunnel.

Neighborhood Cleanup with The Gun Club

To get to the park that I go running at, I always trip on this overgrown ivy at the bottom of my street, so I decided to do something about it.  I went down there with my green trash can and all the necessary garden tools for the job.  Ironically, For the Love of Ivy by The Gun Club came on my ipod right when I was about to get to work.  The lady who lives next door helped me with the clean up so I didn't listen to anything else after that, but it was a really good moment. Thanks shuffle!

Hidden Gems Ave 57: Cactus House/ La Culebra

I thought this song was fitting just because.

All around the neighborhood I've been noticing that there are lot of yards with cactus and succulent gardens.  There are also lots of amazing little hidden parks and trails.  The yard below is AMAZING.  The house is on Ave 57 and Benner [I live in LA if you haven't guess already].  They have an old Craftsman type of house and a gigantic lot with a huge garden.  I love peeking in to see all their plants. You might not notice the yard because they have a chain link fence that surrounds the property.

View of yard on Ave 57

Across the street from the house is a small art park called La Culebra [The Snake].  All the terraces in the park are formed by a large winding stone snake.  It's really peaceful there.  There are lots of aloe and agave throughout the small park and plenty of artistic details to explore.