Silver Lake Reservoir

In a city that contains hundreds of miles of recreational walks, routes and trails, the opening of a new jogging path sounds about as noteworthy as a Pinkberry christening or another starlet DUI. But the new scenic path that opened in December along the east side of Silver Lake Reservoir is no ordinary playground for fitness nuts and leisure strollers. Several tortured years in the making, the path represents the latest leg in L.A.'

It was dog days at the dog park. Whereas on most sunny afternoons the park near the Silver Lake reservoir is abuzz with tail-wagging, ball-fetching canine exuberance, the place was nearly empty for a while Saturday as temperatures across Southern California hit triple digits. "I was just wondering where everybody is," said Peter Brightman, 45, of Silver Lake. "What are they doing that's cooler?" PHOTOS: Sizzling temperatures in the Southland Brightman, a tattooed counselor at a residential treatment facility, was sharing a table and some umbrella shade with the park's only other human patron, Gabriel Smalley of Los Feliz.

Surrounded by freeways and bombarded with billboards, we green-seeking Angelenos take pride in our nature-ish things. East L.A. has Evergreen Cemetery; West L.A. has Venice Beach; Silver Lake has its reservoir. Or had, anyway. After a rare photochemical reaction created carcinogens in the "lake," the Department of Water and Power pulled the plug, draining its entire 600,000-gallon supply. By the standards of municipal thirst, that's not very much. It wouldn't even satisfy a single day's need.

"Was everything terrific as always?" asked the host as my friends and I left Reservoir in Silver Lake. What kind of question is that? Talk about putting you on the spot. I wanted to put a bag over my head and sneak out without answering. What could I say but that we had a wonderful time. And we did. Despite the food, I could have said. But I didn't. I didn't have the heart. And also, because I'm always hoping that the next time I go to a restaurant, the food will be better.

They've talked about -- and fought over -- the six-acre patch at the edge of the Silver Lake Reservoir for nearly a decade. Should the flat, grassy area created in the early 1950s when a stagnant reservoir cove was filled in with dirt be turned into a park? Or should it remain a fenced-in habitat for wildlife?

It was dog days at the dog park. Whereas on most sunny afternoons the park near the Silver Lake reservoir is abuzz with tail-wagging, ball-fetching canine exuberance, the place was nearly empty for a while Saturday as temperatures across Southern California hit triple digits. "I was just wondering where everybody is," said Peter Brightman, 45, of Silver Lake. "What are they doing that's cooler?" PHOTOS: Sizzling temperatures in the Southland Brightman, a tattooed counselor at a residential treatment facility, was sharing a table and some umbrella shade with the park's only other human patron, Gabriel Smalley of Los Feliz.

Los Angeles Councilman Michael Woo on Wednesday urged the city's lake-view residents to form a coalition against plans by the Department of Water and Power to cover drinking water reservoirs. In a press conference beside the Silver Lake Reservoir, Woo said he will ask the city's Cultural Heritage Commission to declare that lake and Lake Hollywood historic-cultural monuments. He said it would send a message to the DWP that their appearance is as important as their water quality.

Silver Lake Reservoir -- the century-old neighborhood landmark drained earlier this year -- started to look like its old self again Wednesday. The reservoir got its first drink in months when officials turned on the water Wednesday to start the 20-day process of refilling its 600-million-gallon, clay-based shell. The emptying of the reservoir began in January.

City Council President Eric Garcetti formally unveiled a plan Monday to open more than 3 acres of land along Silver Lake Boulevard to the public. Garcetti spokeswoman Julie Wong said the proposal would set aside about 60% of the city-owned property for residents to walk, sit and view the adjacent Silver Lake Reservoir. The plan will be presented to the public at a community meeting Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. at Micheltorena Street Elementary School. Silver Lake residents have spent years debating the future of the land, frequently described as the Meadow.

In a city that contains hundreds of miles of recreational walks, routes and trails, the opening of a new jogging path sounds about as noteworthy as a Pinkberry christening or another starlet DUI. But the new scenic path that opened in December along the east side of Silver Lake Reservoir is no ordinary playground for fitness nuts and leisure strollers. Several tortured years in the making, the path represents the latest leg in L.A.'

Silver Lake Reservoir -- the century-old neighborhood landmark drained earlier this year -- started to look like its old self again Wednesday. The reservoir got its first drink in months when officials turned on the water Wednesday to start the 20-day process of refilling its 600-million-gallon, clay-based shell. The emptying of the reservoir began in January.

Surrounded by freeways and bombarded with billboards, we green-seeking Angelenos take pride in our nature-ish things. East L.A. has Evergreen Cemetery; West L.A. has Venice Beach; Silver Lake has its reservoir. Or had, anyway. After a rare photochemical reaction created carcinogens in the "lake," the Department of Water and Power pulled the plug, draining its entire 600,000-gallon supply. By the standards of municipal thirst, that's not very much. It wouldn't even satisfy a single day's need.

After several weeks of draining, Silver Lake Reservoir is nearly empty now, save for some random puddles on the basin's bottom. The emptying of the reservoir began in January. Water officials said the action was necessary to eliminate water contaminated by bromate, a carcinogen formed by the interaction of bright sunlight, chlorine and natural bromides that exist in groundwater.

They've talked about -- and fought over -- the six-acre patch at the edge of the Silver Lake Reservoir for nearly a decade. Should the flat, grassy area created in the early 1950s when a stagnant reservoir cove was filled in with dirt be turned into a park? Or should it remain a fenced-in habitat for wildlife?

City Council President Eric Garcetti formally unveiled a plan Monday to open more than 3 acres of land along Silver Lake Boulevard to the public. Garcetti spokeswoman Julie Wong said the proposal would set aside about 60% of the city-owned property for residents to walk, sit and view the adjacent Silver Lake Reservoir. The plan will be presented to the public at a community meeting Jan. 26 at 2 p.m. at Micheltorena Street Elementary School. Silver Lake residents have spent years debating the future of the land, frequently described as the Meadow.

Midge fly larvae stewing from the drought and summer heat forced the Department of Water and Power to shut down the Rowena Reservoir in Los Feliz Friday for the second time this summer. Service will not be interrupted. Robert DiPrimio, a sanitary engineer with the department, said the closure was prompted by about a dozen complaints from residents who found the tiny, thread-like larvae coming out of their water faucets.

Reports of tiny brown wormlike larvae spotted in glasses of water and bathtubs just south and west of downtown Los Angeles triggered the temporary closure Wednesday of the Silver Lake Reservoir.

"Do you walk?" a woman was overheard asking guests at a recent cocktail party in Silver Lake. In any other city, this question would seem absurd. Well, of course people walk. But in L.A.--where strolling to the coffee shop or corner grocery is an alien concept to many residents--walking has taken on an entirely new meaning, one with cultural subtexts and social repercussions. It's fun. It's fitness. It's yet another way to profess devotion to the environment --although most Angelenos would think nothing of hopping in the car to get to a better walking spot where they could take in prettier scenery and, more important, be seen.

Most days Knauff, 26, can be found hosting fashion shows and designer trunk shows at her downtown loft/boutique Apartment 3. When she's not selling clothes, she's making them as co-designer of the line three-LA. STARRY, STARRY NIGHT I'd start Friday evening with a walk around Silver Lake Reservoir with my dog, Thunderbird. If I wasn't working on Saturday, I'd go to dinner with girlfriends at Cafe Stella in Silver Lake. I like the atmosphere -- really cozy and intimate.