Andrew SimmonsOn Monday, Michael Jackson subbed for Patt Morrison on KPCC and tried to tie some ridiculous bowstrings around the Carmaggedon that wasn't. He started out asking callers for reactions to the 405's strife-free closing — the absence of the usual “car-strangled spanners,” which really ought to be the municipal anthem — and ended up wondering out-loud: “Do we need downtown?”
The people behind BloomfestLA, a free music, street art, and food festival happening this coming Saturday in the Downtown Arts District would certainly like to think so. BloomfestLA looks to be a classic summer shindig, the stuff of sunburns and stomach aches. There'll be a stage featuring bands like Voxhaul Broadcast and Grouplove, no shortage of murals to see, a variety of shops, craftspeople, and artists holding down booths — and a horde of food trucks to supplement the brick-and-mortar options near the corner of 3rd and Traction.
A grip of Coolhaus sandwiches; Credit: Grand Performances/flickr
What we'd eat: Coolhaus's ice cream sandwiches inspired by architectural creations (we like the Mia Lehrer — salted caramel on a snickerdoodle cookie), butter chicken and sweet chili naan from India Jones Chow, and some spicy buckwheat noodles from Ahnjoo Truck. Of course, with Wurstküche so close by, a brat with a groot of double-dipped fries might be hard to pass up. For a full list of possibilities, click here.
BloomfestLA: Downtown Arts District of Los Angeles at 3rd St. & Traction Ave; Saturday, July 23 from 2-10 p.m. Free.
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