Source: Facebook; Mel Melcon, Los Angeles Times.

SILVER LAKE—Event organizers predict that more than 500 people attended a memorial walk July 25th to celebrate the life of Dr. Marc Abrams, the locally famed Silver Lake “Walking Man.”

Abrams, who was found dead in his hot tub July 21st, has walked shirtless along the same route, in rain or shine, every day for as long as most anyone in the community can remember. The cause of his death remains under investigation.

Crowds gathered in a grassy field beside the Silver Lake Recreation Center to speak in honor of the local icon before embarking on a five-mile portion of Abrams’ regular walking route. The Facebook event page, created by Brandon Fuller, 25, had listed that 572 people had planned to participate in the memorial walk.

A few people at the event were close friends and patients of the doctor, but most were members of the community who saw him on a regular basis, though they were not personally acquainted with him.

“I’ve seen him thousands of times and I would always wave and say hi,” said Raymond Lomax, 48, of Los Feliz, who was wearing a T-shirt he made to celebrate the event. “I see a lot of people and don’t know each of them personally. But, I still want to support him because he was a part of our neighborhood.”

Paul Redmond, an 18-year Silver Lake resident, reminisced about the 2004 Queen of Silver Lake pageant when Abrams made a surprise “walk-on” onto the stage.

“He was sort of aware of himself being a local icon. He wasn’t scheduled to be in the show. He just walked on as part of his regular walk and the crowd went wild,” Redmond said.

The event came a day after the Los Angeles Times printed a story stating that Abrams was under criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Dept., according to several anonymous sources, for allegedly inappropriately prescribing drugs to patients from his Studio City medical practice.

“I know some of you probably read stuff in the L.A. Times,” said event organizer Verdell Wilson, addressing the crowd through a megaphone. “I don’t know anything about that. What I do know is that he was our neighbor and he walked the streets of our neighborhood for 30 years. We’re here to celebrate that guy.”

The megaphone was shared with the crowd so members of the community could speak about Abrams’ life and what it meant to them.

Kevin West, who said he was one of Abrams’ “better friends,” read a letter on behalf of Abrams’ wife Cindy, thanking the community for creating and attending the event.

Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Tom LaBonge also came to pay their respects.

Garcetti announced the Los Angeles City Council adjourned their meeting Friday in Abrams’ memory.

“For all of the changes that Silver Lake has gone through, we haven’t ever lost a piece of our soul like we have now,” he said.

HOLLYWOOD—Pat Boone received a proclamation from Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge and the City of Los Angeles, designating July 12th as “Pat Boone Day.”

The actor, singer and author met with LaBonge’s constituents at the Las Palmas Senior Center where adoring fans created their own Pat Boone Day, paying homage to the actor by screening “State Fair,” the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

“Pat Boone is a Hollywood legend and an American icon,” LaBonge said. “More than a part of Americana, he has become a huge part of Los Angeles through his charitable efforts.  Los Angeles loves Pat Boone.”

LOS FELIZ—On June 11th 22 8th grade students graduated from Our Mother of Good Counsel School in Los Angeles.

Congratulations: Marcus Droz, Alexia Gradford, Brooke Roth, Ryan Elias, Arlene Gonzalez, Stephanie Droz, Ryan Miranda-Cacdac, Eric Sweasey, Andy Ovakimyan, Kailey Martinez-Ramage, Francis Laborte, Diana Petrosyan, Michael Datuin, Aaron Wada, Amy Noochlaor, Gabriela Chaparro, Janet Shin, Madeleine Grillo, Kevin Huerta, Sooji Nam, Jullyanna Mendez, and Anna Enriquez.

Also present was their 8th grade teacher Jane Jayaraj and principal Andrea Deebs.

LOS FELIZ—The name is a little odd, but that’s no reason to shun Tangier Korean BBQ, of Tokyo: a fun spot offering a close-to-authentic Korean barbecue experience. With Japanese pop decor, Korean fare and a leftover Moroccan name, it’s a uniquely L.A. spot that’s fun for groups and families.

The former Tangier lounge is a large space, with a bar in front, a private room to the side and a dining area with spacious booths with Korean-style wooden dividers. Life-sized anime statutes greet diners at the door, and the walls are lined with colorful Japanese comicbook-style murals.

The menu will be familiar to Korean barbecue fans. Pick either a set dinner or a selection of meats, all of which come with a vast array of panchan side dishes, which include cabbage and cucumber kimchi, potato salad, marinated tofu, bean sprouts, black beans, seaweed, anchovies and broccoli leaves.

The meat is the main attraction, although non-beef-eaters can grill up chicken, seafood or vegetables. It’s hard to pass up the weekday deal of $24.99 for unlimited Kobe beef, since that meal also includes chicken and pork kalbi (short ribs). Set meals are huge, adding salad, sashimi and soup to the parade of meats.

One nice touch is a plate of fresh vegetables for grilling included with the Kobe meal, including squash, mushrooms, asparagus and carrots, which make a nice break from the meat. Unlike some spots where the servers frequently check the grills, diners here grill their own meats, which takes some concentration with thinner, quick-cooking meats.

The well-marbled Kobe Harami slices are a buttery, tender marvel, tucked into a lettuce wrap with a dab of salty soy paste. Sliced chicken breast doesn’t  stand up as well to the grill—skip it if possible and concentrate on beef.

Bigger appetites can also choose from traditional Korean dishes like bibimbap, kimchi stew and seafood pancakes.

Some dishes seem less spicy than their Koreatown counterparts— the heat might be a little toned down for the Los Feliz crowd, but the food still has plenty of flavor.

Meals average $25-$30 a person before alcohol, but the nearly-endless procession of meats means there’s no chance of leaving hungry. Sure, there are plenty of choices for Korean BBQ just a few miles away, but Tangier Korean BBQ brings some welcome variety to the Los Feliz dining scene.

Tangier Korean BBQ of Tokyo, 2138 Hillhurst Ave. (323) 663-2000.