Garcettis come out to Mar Vista

Eric Garcetti with Mike Bonin and Eloy Mendez

Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti has public events on his calendar most days already. On Sunday afternoon, he came to the annual Mar Vista Neighborhood Association block party on Barry Avenue with his wife, Amy Wakeland. It's my neighborhood so my clan walked over and checked out the new guy. From two blocks away, we could hear Garcetti's amplified voice talking about the good things he hopes to do as mayor and promising to be back in the 11th council district soon. He didn't talk for long. Mostly he met the people, answered questions one on one and posed for mobile phone pics. The one above is a selfie with Councilman-elect Mike Bonin and actor Eloy Mendez.

Controller-elect Ron Galperin and state Sen. Ted Lieu also stopped in and spoke to the crowd of maybe 200 (and several dozen dogs.) The councilman for the area, Bill Rosendahl, commanded the most attention other than Garcetti. Rosendahl lives in Mar Vista and had a lot to do with the success of the local Sunday farmers market on Grandview Avenue. This was likely one of his final community appearances before he leaves office on June 30. He was a Wendy Greuel supporter but urged everyone to get behind Garcetti and Bonin, Rosendahl's former chief of staff. In a short speech, Rosendahl alluded to the cancer that forced him not to seek reelection. He walked around the party with the help of a walker but looked pretty good.

LA Observed photo of Bill Rosendahl

That's a pretty good politico turnout for a small block party on the Westside. But it's also the home neighborhood of the Garcetti campaign's communications director, Jeff Millman, and his parents.

Garcetti speaks to crowd, cropped from photo by Marta Evry.

Lieu also tweeted a photo: "At annual Mar Vista BBQ & Block Party, where one constituent made amazing home made stout beer. I love my district."

Before the Mar Vista stop, Garcetti was scheduled to ride in the LA Pride parade in West Hollywood.