A battle over the term ‘Eastside’

Allison Henry walks her dog Cooper past a mural on Sunset Boulevard in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. When asked if it bothers her that the term “Eastside” is often used to describe her neighborhood, she said no. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Feb. 17, 2014 2:31 PM PT

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For more than a decade, the debate over what constitutes Los Angeles’ Eastside has embroiled two clusters of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. There’s the historic Eastside east of the river: Latino neighborhoods such as Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno and East L.A. And then there’s the new Eastside: hipster enclaves such as Silver Lake, Echo Park and Los Feliz. The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council recently voted to stop calling the enclave the Eastside. It was the first time a governing body has officially drawn the line.

Katrin Osmialowski, left, of Silver Lake and Nadia de Winter of Mount Washington enjoy coffee outside Morning Nights Cafe on Griffith Boulevard in Los Angeles. Osmialowski likes the term “Eastside” because she has German friends on the Westside and it helps distinguish the two communities. The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council passed a motion to officially quit calling the neighborhood the Eastside. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

A pedestrian is reflected in the storefront glass of Surplus Value Center on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake. The discussion of what constitutes L.A.’s Eastside is about geography, layered with gentrification, race, history and community identity. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Kit Williamson holds a poster of his Web series, “The Eastsiders,” at his Silver Lake home. He is very connected to the Eastside name. But, he said, “I would never say Boyle Heights and those other areas are not the Eastside. That would be hurtful and should be avoided. The term is big enough it could be applied to both places.” (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Miguel Sanchez, a resident of East Los Angeles since 1982, has lunch at Xiomara’s on Whittier Boulevard. “I am not offended [by people using the term ‘Eastside’ to describe the Silver lake neighborhood], but this is the Eastside.” (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Vehicles drive along Sunset Boulevard on a Saturday morning in Silver Lake. About a decade ago, young professionals began settling here and in the surrounding neighborhoods. To distinguish themselves from the Westside, the gentrified areas collectively began to call themselves the Eastside. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Artist Al Guerrero, 50, walks along Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles. He grew up near here and now lives in Silver Lake. He objects to the Silver Lake area being called the Eastside. “The Eastside is not to be borrowed or shared or bounced around. You can’t buy it like you buy a pair of vintage jeans. It means something very deep in the heart and soul of the people east of the river.” (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Bookseller Arlo Klahr looks through artist Jenny Ziomek’s East L.A. calendar at Skylight Books in Los Feliz. Here and in Silver Lake and Echo Park, use of the word “Eastside” goes on unrestricted -- a darling among business owners. (Christina House / For The Times)

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A battle over the term ‘Eastside’

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