Eat, be merry, and help others, too!

This weekend, Los Angeles area food bloggers will hold a massive bake sale all proceeds going to support the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank. Indulge yourself with pumpkin swirl brownies, handmade macaroons, black sesame cupcakes with matcha frosting or any of the more than 800 other baked goods.

The Eat My Blog bake sale will be held on Saturday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Zeke's Smokehouse (7100 Santa Monica Boulevard). In addition to the scrumptious goodies, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf will feature a selection of beverages.

Nevermind that this event has an official butter sponsor (Challenge Dairy) -- it's all calorie-free when it's for a good cause, right?

Submit your comments on the Los Angeles Bicycle Plan

The Los Angeles Planning Department is accepting public comments on the draft City of Los Angeles Bicycle Plan and wants as many Angelenos as possible to participate in developing our new plan.

Comments may be submitted until January 8, 2010. After that date, city staff will begin to prepare a revised Plan based on the input received through the website, workshops, letters, e-mails, and comment cards. They expect to release a staff report and revised Draft Bicycle Plan in February 2010, and give all interested parties two months to review it and provide comment. This part of the public process will also include hearings and a public meeting at with the City Planning Commission will act on the revised plan, which would then be submitted for review by the City Council.

All are encouraged to submit comments. Those with questions may contact Jordann Turner at 213/978-1379..

Training for apartment owners and managers

On Thursday, December 10, my office will join the City Attorney's Office in co-hosting a training for apartment owners and managers.

Come to the Glassell Park Community Center (3750 Verdugo Road) to learn more about abatements, evictions, and how to prevent crime through environmental design of your property. The free seminar begins with registration at 5:30 p.m. and the training will last from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Spanish translation will be available.

For more information or to reserve a space, please contact Armida Bayliff at 310-575-8548.

HiFi Parol Parade is December 11

Join the Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council in celebrating the holidays with the annual lighting of the polemount parols and the parol parade. (For those not familiar with them, parols are Filipino Christmas lanterns traditionally star-shaped and made of paper.)

The festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. and go until 8 p.m. at 1711 W. Temple Street. There will be music, dancing and food, as well as the parol parade and prizes for the best parols.

For more information, contact HiFi Neighborhood Council President Cecile Ramos (213/413-3323) or Director Jorge Prado (213/484-8292).

Check out the Silver Lake library opening on Channel 35

Click here to see LA CityView Channel 35's coverage of the Silver Lake Branch Library opening.

Hollywood Christmas Parade - November 29

After the turkey and stuffing are gone, come to Hollywood to usher in the holidays at the Hollywood Christmas Parade. The parade steps onto Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday, November 29, at 6 p.m. and will include celebrities, floats, marching bands, equestrian units, and -- of course -- Santa Claus. The 2009 Grand Marshall is All My Children's Susan Lucci, pictured at right.

Curbside viewing is free. Grandstand seats are also available for $35 per ticket by calling 866-PARADE1. The parade will begin at the corner of Orange and Hollywood and follow a U-shaped route that heads east down Hollywood Boulevard. Those who can't be there in person can watch the parade locally on KCOP-TV (Channel 13) and across the country. Check the television schedule here.

Coca-Cola, Associated Television International, and the City of Los Angeles are Presenting Sponsors of the 2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade. It's great to be able to bring this free family event to Hollywood and have the opportunity to show off the new revitalized Hollywood to the rest of the country.

Garcetti Community Holiday Party - December 7

I hope to see you at the annual Garcetti Community Holiday Party, which will be held on Monday, December 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Silver Lake Library. This annual event provides an opportunity for our community celebrate the holidays together and this year we'll do it in style at Council District 13's newest branch library. There will be refreshments, entertainment, and stories for kids.

Please consider bringing a canned good that will be donated to a family in need this holiday season.

RSVP to 323-957-4500. For more information, click on the invitation at right.

Thanks for walking East Hollywood with me

On Saturday, I joined a team of volunteers in walking the neighborhood around Lemon Grove Park in East Hollywood. We went door-to-door to provide information about 3-1-1 (the city's non-emergency service number) and distribute our Go Green brochures. We also let neighbors know about the new street lights that will be installed in January 2010.

I would like to thank and acknowledge the volunteers who helped knock on doors, provided information, and listened the concerns of their neighbors. Improving our neighborhoods is a team effort and I'm proud to represent an area where so many residents care deeply about our community.

Gobble Gobble Give needs Thanksgiving volunteers

What better way to show gratitude than helping to serve others this Thanksgiving?

Ten years ago, Gobble Gobble Give was started by one Echo Park resident who cooked and delivered Thanksgiving meals to homeless in the neighborhood. Last year, this event served more than 1,500 people and provided clothing and toiletries, too!

This year, Gobble Gobble Give needs volunteers who can donate their time or money (or both!). Those who would like to make a financial contribution to support this event may click here. Those who can volunteer their time to prepare or serve food can click here to sign up. Volunteers are asked to arrive at The Echo (1922 Sunset Blvd.) at 10 a.m. sharp on Thanksgiving morning a potluck dish of any size. They will assemble meals and then head out in teams to deliver Thanksgiving dinner to homeless people who might otherwise not have anything to eat on this holiday.

New business in Elysian Valley - welcome to Franky and Johnny's Seafood Outlet!

As the sign out front proclaims, everyone is welcome at Franky and Johnny's Seafood Outlet, which is now open in Elysian Valley.

This welcome addition to the neighborhood is meeting its goal of being the "seafood lover's value paradise," providing high quality seafood at wholesale prices. In addition to fresh and frozen seafood, the store also sells grab-n-go lunches with sandwiches and sushi starting around just $3.

Visitors with a little more time can also buy a fresh fish lunch that is grilled-to-order. The Mexican sea bass or red snapper is marinated in a special Italian dressing that co-owner Johnny helped develop to complement seafood.

Franky and Johnny's is located at 1633 Riverside Drive (at Eads), a site that sat vacant for most of the last 20 years. It's great to have such a wonderful and delicious new neighbor here!