DOWNTOWN NEWS DOWNTOWN NEWS LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES Volume 39, Number 34 August 23, 2010 WWW.DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM BY RICHARD GUZMÁN CITY EDITOR W hen Chicago native Alex Sheft was ready to move out of his dorm, he looked at several apartments near USC. Able to pay about $1,000 in rent, and willing to share a room, Sheft had several options. But not many would come with an Internet-ready laundry room, roof decks, a gym, study rooms and a 24-hour concierge, along with furniture and a flat screen TV. Those amenities were what brought Sheft to University Gateway, a $200 million student housing project by Downtown based developer Urban Partners. He is one of about 1,250 stu- dents who have already moved in to the complex, where he shares a suite with three roommates. Located at 3335 S. Figueroa St., on the southeast corner of Jefferson Boulevard, the long-delayed and lon- ger-awaited development was designed and built by Clark Construction. It includes 421 apartments for approxi- mately 1,600 students. It also features 81,500 square feet of ground-floor re- tail space, half of which is being taken up by USC for office space. Within 45 days, all of the retail space should be filled, with restaurants, a bank and a CVS pharmacy, said John Hrovat, a principal at Urban Partners and a USC alumnus. Rents range from $899 for a single bed in a two-bedroom apartment that houses four people, to about $3,000 for a sole occupancy one bedroom. “It’s expensive,” Sheft admits. “But that’s living in L.A., and with all the furniture, with the TV already included, it costs about the same as it would have cost me to rent furniture for another place, so you get what you pay for.” Easy Living The eight-story structure blends in with the USC aesthetic, utilizing the Italian Romanesque architectural style seen throughout the campus. Inside, however, it’s a modern, high-tech mix of contemporary style and computer- assisted living. University Gateway began leasing see Gateway, page 8 BY RICHARD GUZMÁN CITY EDITOR T his is a case where you should pay attention to the man behind the curtain. Hillsman Wright stands behind the mas- sive, faded red drapes on the stage at the United Artists Theatre. Although the 1927 landmark at 933 S. Broadway currently operates as a church, the Spanish cathedral-styled venue looks a lot like it did in its hey- day. The biggest difference is the antique bibles dis- played throughout. Well, that and the large television on the stage that preaches 24 hours a day, whether anyone is in the auditorium or not. Wright, the executive director of a preservation organization called the Los Angeles Historic Theatre see Theater, page 15 Let’s Do Lunch! The $200 Million Trojan Home University Gateway Offers Housing for 1,600 Students 10-14 INSIDE INSIDE A Dodger is a hit on Skid Row. 2 Controversy at the Pershing Square garage. 6 Feeling crafty in Chinatown. 17 Imagining Los Angeles without cars. 7 Next up for the Sixth Street Bridge. 9 MAP MAP 20 CALENDAR LISTINGS CALENDAR LISTINGS 18 CLASSIFIEDS CLASSIFIEDS 21 To Protect and Restore The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation Dreams Big With Broadway and the United Artists Theatre photo by Gary Leonard Hillsman Wright, executive director of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, has his eye on Broadway’s United Artists Theatre. He hopes to convince a buyer to acquire the 1927 structure and let his organization run the venue. • No High School Diploma Required (Excludes Ultrasound Program) • Financial Aid Available (For Those Who Qualify) • Job Placement Assistance for Our Graduates Start Your Career Today. In Just 6 Months! 1-888-41-COAST Text “COAST” to 69302 | www.CoastCareer.com Sonography (Ultrasound) • Medical Assistant • Optical Dispensing • Solar Installation • Security Guard • Cake Decoration• Floral Arrangement COAST CAREER INSTITUTE Approved For: EDD • REHAB • WIA • VA (Accredited by ACCSC) 633 W 5th St., Suite 5750 | 213.617.8229 6 WEEK TRANSFORMATION PACKAGE Reg $1,125 2 Full Body Analyses Before & After Photos 6 Weeks Training Nutrition Program 4 Health Seminars Discounted Membership
Transcript
DOWNTOWN
NEWS DOWNTOWN
NEWSLOS ANGELESLOS ANGELES
Volume 39, Number 34 August 23, 2010 WWW.DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
by RichaRd Guzmán
city editoR
When Chicago native Alex Sheft was ready to move out of his dorm, he looked
at several apartments near USC. Able to pay about $1,000 in rent, and willing to share a room, Sheft had several options. But not many would come with an Internet-ready laundry room, roof decks, a gym, study rooms and a 24-hour concierge, along with furniture and a flat screen TV. Those amenities were what brought Sheft to University Gateway, a $200 million student housing project by Downtown based developer Urban Partners. He is one of about 1,250 stu-dents who have already moved in to the complex, where he shares a suite with three roommates. Located at 3335 S. Figueroa St., on the southeast corner of Jefferson Boulevard, the long-delayed and lon-ger-awaited development was designed and built by Clark Construction. It includes 421 apartments for approxi-mately 1,600 students. It also features 81,500 square feet of ground-floor re-tail space, half of which is being taken up by USC for office space. Within 45 days, all of the retail space should be filled, with restaurants, a bank and a CVS pharmacy, said John Hrovat, a principal at Urban Partners and a USC alumnus. Rents range from $899 for a single bed in a two-bedroom apartment that houses four people, to about $3,000 for a sole occupancy one bedroom. “It’s expensive,” Sheft admits. “But that’s living in L.A., and with all the furniture, with the TV already included, it costs about the same as it would have cost me to rent furniture for another place, so you get what you pay for.”
Easy Living The eight-story structure blends in with the USC aesthetic, utilizing the Italian Romanesque architectural style seen throughout the campus. Inside, however, it’s a modern, high-tech mix of contemporary style and computer-assisted living. University Gateway began leasing
see Gateway, page 8
by RichaRd Guzmán
city editoR
This is a case where you should pay attention to the man behind the curtain. Hillsman Wright stands behind the mas-
sive, faded red drapes on the stage at the United Artists Theatre. Although the 1927 landmark at 933 S. Broadway currently operates as a church, the Spanish
cathedral-styled venue looks a lot like it did in its hey-day. The biggest difference is the antique bibles dis-played throughout. Well, that and the large television on the stage that preaches 24 hours a day, whether anyone is in the auditorium or not. Wright, the executive director of a preservation organization called the Los Angeles Historic Theatre
see Theater, page 15
Let’s Do Lunch!
The $200 Million Trojan HomeUniversity Gateway Offers Housing for 1,600 Students
10-14
INSIDE INSIDE
A Dodger is a hit on Skid Row.2
Controversy at the Pershing Square garage.6
Feeling crafty in Chinatown.17
Imagining Los Angeles without cars.7
Next up for the Sixth Street Bridge.9
MAPMAP20
CALENDARLISTINGSCALENDARLISTINGS18
CLASSIFIEDSCLASSIFIEDS21
To Protect and RestoreThe Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation Dreams Big With Broadway and the United Artists Theatre
photo by Gary Leonard
Hillsman Wright, executive director of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, has his eye on Broadway’s United Artists Theatre. He hopes to convince a buyer to acquire the 1927 structure and let his organization run the venue.
• No High School Diploma Required (Excludes Ultrasound Program)
• Financial Aid Available (For Those Who Qualify)
• Job Placement Assistance for Our Graduates
Start Your Career Today. In Just 6 Months!
1-888-41-COASTText “COAST” to 69302 | www.CoastCareer.com
Sonography (Ultrasound) • Medical Assistant • Optical Dispensing • Solar Installation • Security Guard • Cake Decoration• Floral Arrangement
Coast Career InstituteYour Best EducationCOAST CAREER INSTITUTE
Approved For: EDD • REHAB • WIA • VA (Accredited by ACCSC)
Twitter/DowntownNews2 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
tax included
Why does this little burger stand attract over a
million people a year?
Find out at the landmark location near Downtown. Home of the original Chili-burger.Quality and value since 1946:Chili Hamburger .............. $1.85Chili Cheeseburger ........... $2.25
Many Imitate, But None Compare!
H O N D A
We will meet or beAt any other authorized Honda coupon!
Prices may vary by model. Plus taxes and fees where applicable. Please pres-ent coupon during write-up. Not to be combined with any other discounts. Expires 9/30/2010. Our Honda-trained technicians use Honda Genuine oil and filter, and perform a free Multi-point inspection with every oil change. All this at a very competitive price! *Additional charge for Hybrids, S2000s & Synthetic oil. Additional charge for haz. waste. Honda cars only.
$1995 $1200+TAX +TAX
Offer includes installations cost - only on original equipped Honda wiper blades.
Coupon must be presented when order is written. Not good in conjunction with any other coupon or offer. One coupon per service item. Valid only at Honda of Downtown Los Angeles. HONDA ONLY. Expires 9/30/2010.
FrONt Wiper bLaDe iNSert repLaceMeNt
Per Pair installed
888-802-4218WWW.HONDAOLA.COM
of Downtown Los Angeles1540 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90015
Complimentary shuttle
to and from your work!
(within 5 mile radius)
AROUNDTOWNAROUNDTOWN
SCI-Arc Launches Competition For Cleantech Corridor
The Southern California Institute of Architecture and The Architect’s Newspaper recently launched a contest
for architects, landscape architects, designers, engineers, urban planners and others to create a vision for the Cleantech Corridor, the several-miles-long development zone on the eastern edge of Downtown. Up for grabs is $11,000 in prizes, furnished by the mayor’s office and the Community Redevelopment Agency. The competition asks entrants to help move the neighborhood past its current focus on industrial uses to create “an integrated economic, residential, clean energy and cultural engine for the city through architectural and urban strategies.” Competitors are asked to consider the work already com-pleted by the Urban Land Institute’s Advisory Service Panel for the Cleantech Corridor. Information and ap-plications are at sciarc.edu.
photo by Gary Leonard
On Wednesday, Aug. 18, Dodger Andre Ethier appeared at the Union Rescue Mission in Skid Row. The All-Star outfielder helped serve Dodger dogs and dispensed blankets to people who utilize the shelter’s services.
City to Look for Pico-Garnier Block Developer
After years of sitting unused due to a long-running lawsuit, the Pico-Garnier Block at El Pueblo de Los
Angeles Historical Monument is on the road to being re-activated. According to officials with City Attorney Carmen Trutanich’s office, the City Council last week authorized a public bidding process to rehabilitate and lease the seven-building, two-block area anchored by the Pico House, fronting the El Pueblo plaza, and the Garnier Building, which faces Los Angeles Street. A re-quest for proposals for new developers could be released in as little as two weeks, but would first require approval from the El Pueblo Board of Commissioners, said Valerie Flores, managing assistant city attorney. Old Los Angeles Company, an entity whose partners include politically connected attorney and restaurateur Andy Camacho, has long had primary rights to develop the Pico-Garnier Block. However, about five years ago Old L.A. sued the city, claiming the city violated the deal by allowing the Chinese American Museum to expand. Settlement talks have gone nowhere through the years, and previously the city had entered into an agreement with Old L.A. not to solicit bids on the property while pursuing settlement. Terminating that agreement means that Old L.A. no longer has exclusive rights to develop the property and could spark another lawsuit, Flores said. However, the buildings have sat idle and have not been seismically ret-rofitted for years, and the city wants to see the property activated, she said. She also said Old L.A. could bid on the project. Camacho did not return a call for comment by press time.
Broad Museum Could Notch Final Approval Aug. 23
Philanthropist Eli Broad’s proposed $100 million contemporary art museum on Grand Avenue could
officially become a go project this week. On Monday,
Aug. 23, the joint powers Grand Avenue Authority will vote on the development. The plan was approved by the county Board of Supervisors last week and there is little question the project will be approved again considering that the panel includes two people who have already said yes to the development: Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry and Supervisor Gloria Molina. Despite the widespread speculation that the project will rise just south of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Broad’s camp main-tains that it’s not a done deal. “Santa Monica is in the running,” Broad spokeswoman Karen Denne said last week, referencing the other city that has been considered for the museum. “Mr. Broad will make a decision after the meeting.” The Downtown plan calls for Broad to de-velop a museum for his 2,000-artwork collection atop a three-level parking structure. In addition to funding con-struction and a $200 million endowment, Broad would pay $7.7 million into a fund to support affordable hous-ing in the planned residential component of the larger Grand Avenue project.
Bank of America Plaza Gets the Gold
The Bank of America Plaza at 333 S. Hope St. is the latest Downtown project to receive LEED Gold cer-
tification from the U.S. Green Building Council. It joins a small group of Downtown office buildings that have achieved the environmental designation. Brookfield Properties, owner of the 55-story office tower, an-nounced the recognition last week. Brookfield officials credit upgrades such as high-efficiency lighting systems, occupancy sensors, ventilation upgrades and more ef-ficient cooling systems for achieving the certification. Other Downtown buildings that have gained LEED Gold status include Thomas Properties Group’s City National Plaza at 505-515 S. Flower St., which was certi-fied in May. The Aon Center at 707 Wilshire Blvd. and the AT&T Center at 1150 S. Olive St. round out the list of privately owned Downtown office structures to secure LEED-EB (existing building) status.
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 3DowntownNews.com
The Downtown L.A. Auto Group treats the needs of each individual customer with
paramount concern. We know that you have high expectations, and as a car dealer
we enjoy the challenge of meeting and exceeding those standards each and every
time. Allow us to demonstrate our commitment to excellence!
Our experienced sales staff is eager to share its knowledge and enthusiasm with
you. We encourage you to browse our online inventory, schedule a test drive
and investigate financing options. You can also request more information about a
vehicle using our online form.
We look forward to serving you!
Downtown L.A. Auto GroupClose to Work • Close to Home
1900 S. Figueroa St. downtownporsche.com
888-685-5426
1900 S. Figueroa St. dtlamotorsvw.com
888-781-8102
1900 S. Figueroa St.audidtla.com
888-583-0981
1801 S. Figueroa St. mbzla.com
888-319-8762
3330 S. Figueroa St. felixchevrolet.com888-879-9608
635 W. Washington Blvd.downtownnissan.com
888-838-5089
1505 E. 223rd St.nissanincarson.com
888-203-2967
Family Owned and Serving the Community Since 1955
www. d t l a m o t o r S .comC a l l U S a N d C o m Pa r E
AUDI OFDOWNTOWN L.A.
DOWNTOWN L.A. MOTORS MBZ
PORSCHE OF DOWNTOWN L.A.
NISSAN OF DOWNTOWN L.A.
CARSON NISSAN
FELIX CHEVROLET
VOLKSWAGEN OF DOWNTOWN L.A.
Washington Blvd.
W 23rd St.
W 18th St.
Venice Blvd.
W Pico Blvd.
Chick Hern Ct
W Olympic Blvd.
S Figu
eroa S
t.
S Flow
er St.
S Gran
d Ave
.Main
St.
W Adams Blvd.
W Je�erson Blvd.
10
110
N
USC
CONVENTIONCENTER
STAPLES
LA LIVE
8
888
88
4 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
Editor & PublishEr: Sue LarisGENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin
ExEcutivE Editor: Jon RegardiecitY Editor: Richard GuzmánstAFF writEr: Ryan VaillancourtcoNtributiNG Editors: David Friedman, Kathryn MaesecoNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jeff Favre, Michael X. Ferraro, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada
Art dirEctor: Brian AllisonAssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi KanegawaProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis RawlinsProductioN AssistANt / EvENt coordiNAtor: Claudia Hernandez
PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard
AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt
AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve NakutinsAlEs AssistANt: Annette CruzclAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine HollowayAccouNt ExEcutivEs: Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway, Tam Nguyen, Kelley Smith, Brenda Stevens
circulAtioN: Norma RodasdistributioN MANAGEr: Salvador InglesdistributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla
The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.
One copy per person.
Los Angeles Downtown News1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617web: DowntownNews.com • email: [email protected]
facebook: L.A. Downtown News
twitter: DowntownNews
EDITORIALSEDITORIALS
Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis
The Los Angeles Dodgers play baseball, but the game getting the most attention in Chavez Ravine these days is one of high-stakes chicken.
That’s the scenario as Frank and Jamie McCourt approach an Aug. 30 divorce trial. They are hurtling toward each other, and if neither blinks in the next week — and there has been no indication yet that either will — a situation that has al-ready been embarrassing will turn into a full-blown debacle. One big question is whether they realize that what has already been ugly is little league compared to what lies ahead. They probably do comprehend this, and they probably don’t care, making the proceedings painful for all Dodger lovers. The McCourts and their very highly paid attorneys need to figure out a way to resolve their differences before the trial begins. If this acrimonious situation makes it into the courthouse, the lawyers, in their quest to make a case with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, will use every op-portunity to savage the other side. Frank will be vilified (more than he already has been). Jamie will be lambasted (more than she already has been). The media will do its job and dutifully report all the gory details. Even if the judge rules in favor of one side, the comments made and facts revealed will never be forgotten. The stain will live indelibly on the uniform of the “winner.” It is often unfortunate when a relationship spoils. Yet this situation is different because the Dodgers are in play. Although Frank and Jamie are arguing over who should control the team, the Dodgers are not a house, a car or a private plane. It would be nice if the McCourts cared that what they are playing for means more to other people than
it does to them. The team may be run by a family that moved here from Boston six years ago, but in actuality, the faithful are the millions of fans, the people who, in some cases for more than 50 years, have been dutifully plunking down money for tickets, concessions and trinkets. The team may be owned by one or two McCourts, but the Dodgers belong to Los Angeles. There has been plenty of time to avert a trial. News of their separation broke during last season’s playoffs, and at the start of the current campaign a sense of doom wafted through the ballpark; this page published an editorial in April titled “A Dodger Embarrassment” and reminded the McCourts that, when they first bought the team and its holdings from News Corp. in 2004, Frank described the family as the “stewards” of the organization. Unfortunately, it has only gotten worse since then. Arguments over eight-figure houses and hefty spousal sup-port requests have been exacerbated by reports that Frank has had to borrow money from family members to make some payments. Then there was the embarrassing Los Angeles Times revelation that the team pays a Boston psychic/healer to sit in front of a television and think positive thoughts about the Dodgers. The marketing and sales sides made their own gaffes, most notably demanding that fans who wanted to see a Yankees game pay for six additional games. That was pretty close to fan gouging. All of the above are cringe-worthy. But the thing is, what will come out in a trial could be worse. Allegations will be made, likely regarding personal relationships and possibly
financial malfeasance. We are not sure how either Frank or Jamie can believe that victory in court is worth the damage their reputations will suffer. Again, it’s clear they don’t care. Perhaps the worst thing of all is that the groundwork had been laid to restore the Dodgers to glory. The team made the playoffs in four of the six years since the McCourts took over, and advanced to the National League Championship Series the past two seasons. With a clutch of young stars in the making and a capable, experienced and well-compensated manager in Joe Torre, it seemed the squad was just a top-flight player or two away from being a championship caliber team for the first time in decades. In a town that has come to expect the class and the championships of the Lakers, the Dodgers were close to the latter; the former would have been easier to secure with a World Series trophy. Instead, the team has endured a disappointing season, and no fan buys the line that the ownership scuffle is not impact-ing the player payroll. Now, with losses mounting and the Dodgers falling in the standings, attendance is reportedly dropping. Expect this to accelerate as the season winds to a close. Even if some tickets are already sold, there will be in-creasing no-shows, which means even less money going for hot dogs and tchotchkes. It’s a shame to see what has become of the Dodgers’ front office. It’s embarrassing to observe what has already been re-vealed. It’s scary to think that the worst is yet to come. Frank and Jamie still have the opportunity to stop the crisis from reaching its apex. If they won’t do it for themselves, then they should do it for those who truly care about the Los Angeles Dodgers.
August may be known as a dead time for business and politics, but in Downtown Los Angeles, it’s a great
time for entertainment. The only downside of the latter is that three top series are ending. As they come to a close, it is worth noting how lucky the residents and workers of the community are. After all, these activities are all outdoors and all free. Which is a great location and, especially given the economy, a great price.
Last week, the free concerts at Pershing Square put on by the city Department of Recreation and Parks came to a close. This week marks the end of the shows staged by Grand Performances at the California Plaza Watercourt, and the Chinatown Summer Nights program organized by the Community Redevelopment Agency and other stakeholders in Chinatown. The first two series ran for several months, while the latter was staged on Saturdays in
August. Yet every event in all three was es-sentially a gift for those who spend time in Downtown. Each brought people together and gave neighbors a chance to meet each other. All had the beneficial effect of bringing families out onto the streets of Downtown after dark. It’s hard to predict what will come in the future. Grand Performances will likely be back (they’ve been at it for 24 years, af-ter all), but given the city budget cuts, one doesn’t know what Rec & Parks will be able
to afford next summer for Pershing Square. Chinatown officials probably haven’t deter-mined yet if the economics of another series are there. In an ideal world, all three series will be even more expansive next summer, and will be complemented by other additions. But right now, it’s worth taking advantage of what ex-ists, enjoying the free outdoor opportunities spread across the area. As August ends, it’s nice to know how much Downtown has.
From Baseball to a Game of Chicken
August Opportunities
4 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 5Opinion
Convenient Healthcare.*In The Heart of Downtown Los Angeles.
On Grand and Pico. Just 2 blocks east of L.A. LIVE!
Discover what the right doctor can do for you ...
CALL 1-888-742-CHMC (2462)
* great doctors included.Patient-Centered Medical Care Close to Work, Close to Home:
� Ear, Nose and Throat Diagnostic and Treatment Services
� Urology — Diagnostic, Treatment and Surgical Care
� Cardiology — Diagnostic and Testing Services
� Women’s & Children’s Services — Level II NICU
� 24/7 Emergency Care and Level II Trauma Center
FLOWER
We’re Here for You.
DIGITAL MAMMOGRAMS NOW AVAILABLE
CALL NOW!
Not the Metro WayDear Editor,
It was irresponsible for Los Angeles Downtown News to publish an editorial cartoon (Urban Scrawl, Aug.
16) depicting what appears to be a Metro train op-erator, based on the M logo, and a bus operator texting while driving. Cartoonist Doug Davis just assumes this is commonplace. Not on Metro. Long before a state law was passed making it illegal to text or talk on a hand-held cell phone while driving, Metro prohibited its operators from doing this. Our credo is “Safety’s 1st.” Anything that distracts the operator from paying attention to traffic is not tolerated. Period. If an op-erator is caught texting or talking on a cell phone, it’s a major rule violation and he or she is subject to serious disciplinary action including termination. We have cameras on our buses and trains. If riders see an opera-tor engaged in unsafe behavior, we encourage them to call us at 1-800-COMMUTE or e-mail comments to [email protected]. Let us know the opera-tor badge number on the uniform, the number of the bus or train, location and time of travel and we’ll take swift action.
—Marc Littman, deputy executive officer,Metro Public Relations
Los Angeles Downtown News encourages let-ters. They become the property of Los Angeles Downtown News and may be edited. All letters should be typewritten and include an address and telephone number for verification. Please send them to:Letter to the Editor1264 W. First St.Los Angeles, CA 90026Fax to: (213) 250-4617Email to: [email protected]
by CounCilwoman Jan Perry
The story of homelessness in Los Angeles is about as complex as you can find anywhere. It would
be convenient to believe that we are faced with a problem of such enormity that it is simply impossible to address, or that suddenly in Project 50 a solution has been found. In fact, as the people
who have worked on answers to home-lessness for many years know, reality is more nuanced. Project 50 relies on permanent sup-portive housing, a solution to chronic homelessness that combines affordable housing, supportive services provided on-site at the residential complex, fed-eral rental subsidies, and maximizing the amount of income for those living with disabilities. Use of the permanent supportive hous-ing model in Project 50 was not an inno-vation; we have known for a very long time that supportive housing works. The City of Los Angeles Housing Trust Fund has financed almost 800 permanent sup-portive housing units for the homeless, most of them in Downtown Los Angeles. In fact, if the City of Los Angeles had not developed and preserved these units, there would have been no place to house Project 50 clients. What made Project 50 different
from other homeless programs in Los Angeles was that, for the first time, Los Angeles County devoted adequate
resources to out-reach and ongoing supportive ser-vices. Permanent supportive hous-ing is the right model for the chronically home-less, but it can only work if Los Angeles County
provides the funding for on-site ser-vices to meet the needs of the homeless people we are housing. I believe that the County could achieve better results at a lower cost if, rather than having County agencies directly provide the services, the County would fund the experts: the developers of per-manent supportive housing who have produced and managed thousands of residential units throughout Los Angeles. The people who take the risk to con-struct, manage and provide supportive housing for the homeless are heroes in their own right. As are the many fine homeless policy advocates and social ser-vice providers — both faith and secular based — that have worked in the trench-es for decades waiting for government to come along. We will not end homelessness just by
moving people from the streets, how-ever. We must address the policies that cause homelessness. Some examples:■ The County should do more to help homeless people living with severe dis-abilities to apply for and receive federal Supplemental Security Income, which would save the County money. ■ Fifty percent of emancipated foster youth are homeless within a year of re-lease from County care. The County should make the transition to employ-ment and permanent housing a routine part of its administration of the foster care program.■ As a society we chose to close mental hospitals and failed to make a provision in communities to support those that need our help the most. The County needs to make access to permanent housing an integral part of service plans for all mental health services consumers. The Project 50 clients present one pic-ture of homelessness in Los Angeles. We need to ensure that the many veterans, older homeless adults, homeless families and people most at-risk of homelessness are not forgotten. All are deserving of our best efforts. Project 50 sought to help the few. By changing the way it funds health and mental health services, the County could save money and help more of the people who need help most. Jan Perry represents the Ninth District on the Los Angeles City Council.
LETTERSLETTERS Project 50 Is Just Part of the Homelessness StoryLos Angeles County Needs to Work With the City and Do More
GUEST OPINION
Because Toyota owners deserve more,
1-800-716-1345 • toyotacentral.com/dn1600 S. Figueroa (at Venice), LA — 2 blocks south of the Staples Center
we do more for Toyota owners.
$29 OIL CHANGE* • TOYOTA Genuine Parts • Rental vehicles available • Service: M-F 6AM-6PM, Sat 6AM-5PM • Sales: 7 days 9AM-10PM * Up to 5 quarts of oil. Tax and hazardous disposal fees extra. Synthetic oil additional. Toyota vehicles only.
10
110
FREE shuttle servicedrop-off & pick-up
Twitter/DowntownNews6 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
by Ryan VaillancouRt
staff wRiteR
The City Council last week advanced a controversial plan to lease out nine public parking facilities, includ-ing the garage at Pershing Square, for 50 years. The
Aug. 18 decision paves the way for the city to begin soliciting bids. Before approving the plan, however, the council added sev-eral potential changes to the contract in hopes of preventing exorbitant rate increases and preserving access for commer-cial users at Pershing Square. The 1,590-space Downtown garage, which has no debt and generates more than $2 million in annual income, is consid-ered the prime asset in a portfolio consisting largely of facili-ties that are losing money (the entire package includes 8,231 spaces). The city’s top budget watcher, Chief Administrative Officer Miguel Santana, said that if Pershing Square were re-moved, it would be a deal killer for bidders. “Without it, it simply doesn’t make sense to move for-ward,” Santana said. Taken together, the nine garages are said to be worth hun-dreds of millions of dollars, though city officials have been careful not to publicly discuss a value so as not to set a pricing benchmark for bidders. But the deal has been portrayed as a crucial mechanism to raise at least $145 million: City budget leaders are first looking to use $53 million to cover a current budget shortfall, plus another $91.4 million to pay off out-standing debt on two Hollywood garages that are in the lease plan. Any additional revenue generated would go to replenish the city’s reserve fund, which was used in part to help balance the current budget, Santana said. Santana warned that more delays in sending the plan out to bid (the council already delayed a vote once) could spell additional layoffs, since the city is banking on generating im-mediate cash flow from the garage deal. The parking plan is structured so an operator would pay a lump sum up front, then share portions of revenue generated from parking fees
and advertising at the sites. Downtown stakeholders, including property owners in the Jewelry District, historic theater advocates and business own-ers in the Historic Core, have urged the council to proceed carefully. They are wary that a private operator will seize any opportunity to raise rates, and possibly reserve spaces in the future for residential users as more housing is built around Pershing Square.
Optional Restrictions Santana and Chief Legislative Analyst Gerry Miller advised the council not to amend the lease proposal, warning that too many restrictions would prompt some bidders to walk away. Fifteen bidders responded to a request for qualifications ear-lier this year. Anything that would shrink that pool would reduce competition and drag down the deal’s value, they said. Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose district in-cludes Pershing Square, and Fourteenth District Councilman José Huizar, who represents parts of the Jewelry District and Broadway, nevertheless sought to include two main restric-tions: Reserve 1,200 spaces for commercial use 24 hours a day, and cap price increases at the annual rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. The plan calls for giving the operator essentially free reign to set prices for the first five years. After that time, rate hikes would be limited to the previous year’s inflation rate. Perry wants the inflation cap to start in year one, not year five. Ultimately, the council voted to include Perry and Huizar’s amendments, but they will be presented to the bidders as options. That means bidders will have to tell the city what they would pay for the rights to operate the garages with the Pershing Square restrictions, and without. The plan will return to the council after bids are received and analyzed. While the council advanced the proposal, it had no out-right proponents. Instead, several members acknowledged the plan to lease the operating rights for 50 years during a recession as a necessary evil — necessary, that is, to stave off more layoffs.
Comparing the original lease deal to the amendments proposed by Perry and others, Councilman Greig Smith said, “We’re looking at a really crummy plan versus a really, really crummy plan.” Councilman Bernard Parks, who chairs the council’s Budget and Finance Committee, questioned suggestions that the park-ing plan is a sort of budget savior. Layoffs, Parks said, seem inevitable even if the garage plan goes through, plugging the immediate $53 million shortfall. A $320 million deficit already looms next year, he noted. “It’s disingenuous to say it’s going to solve the budget problem,” Parks said. “It’s also poor policy making to lump nine parking lots together and sell them so I can keep people on the payroll for nine months. The mistake that I believe consistently gets made is that people push hard decisions down the line and then the consequences become even more severe.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at [email protected].
Garage Plan Advances, With Few FansCouncil Includes Pershing Square Facility as It Sends Parking Lease Package Out to Bid
photo by Gary Leonard
The City Council last week voted to include the Pershing Square garage in a package of parking facilities that could be leased out to a private operator.
gold line foothill
extension
westside subway
extension
metro rail
regional connector
30/10 INITIATIVEIN THE WORKS
metro.net/works
Metro’s 30/10 Initiative is a proposal that would accelerate construction of 12 key Metro expansion projects – originally scheduled to be built over three decades.
Some of the 12 projects to be fast-tracked:
Regional Connector Transit Corridor> The Regional Connector through downtown LA would create a seamless
transit link between the Metro Gold, Blue and Expo light rail lines.> Among alternatives being studied – a street-level route along Second,
Main and Los Angeles streets, and underground routes along Second Street surfacing at First and Alameda streets.
Westside Subway Extension > One option calls for a Metro Purple Line subway extension from Western
Avenue under Wilshire Boulevard through Santa Monica.> A second option considers the Metro Purple Line subway extension and an
extension from the Metro Red Line in Hollywood, both to Santa Monica.
Gold Line Foothill Extension> Groundbreaking was held in June for the 24-mile-long extension from Sierra
Madre Villa in Pasadena east through 11 cities.> Project will be constructed in two segments; Phase 2A, from East Pasadena
through Azusa; Phase 2B, from Glendora to Montclair. For more information, visit: metro.net/3010.
3 comment on stories3 submit your own news3 submit your own events3 post your own photos3 place an ad in classifieds
Go ahead, climb on up there.
DowntownNews.com, we want to hear from you.
Featuring a more robust local search powered by Yellow Pages.
Now
updated
daily
It’s Mobile Too!That’s right, if you own a portable
electronic device with internet capabilities you can take
Downtown News everywhere you go.
Follow us on Twitter.com/DowntownNews
You can put your confidence in—
DOWNTOWN NEWS.COM
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 7DowntownNews.com
by Carren Jao
They came from everywhere — from the heart of Downtown Los Angeles to the reaches of Los Angeles County — just to prove that getting around town
sans car is possible. On Wednesday, Aug. 18, approximately 150 people con-verged on City National Plaza for a one-night event titled Moving Beyond Cars. For once, the question on everyone’s mind was not “Where did you park,” but rather, “How did you get here?” “The idea was to attract people to come here using differ-ent means than the typical car,” said Ashley Hand, secretary of event host railLA. “We’re hoping that we inspire people by that sense of ‘there are others that feel the same way,’ as well as ‘a little bit of action can make a difference.’” Granted, plenty of people in Los Angeles survive without a car every day. Untold thousands stream into Downtown via bus, rail, bicycle and other means. Still, for many attendees, getting where they were going took some planning. Justin Bensan, a 19-year-old college student, relived a piece of his Carson childhood by taking the Torrance Transit #3 bus to the Long Beach Transit Mall, then taking the Blue Line all the way into Downtown. He even found time to take a quick peek at the Watts Towers by getting off momentarily at the 103rd Street-Kenneth Hahn station. Jessica Wall, a program assistant at the Natural Resources Defense Council, took 90 minutes to bike 15 miles from Santa Monica to Downtown. She negotiated the bike lane-less Venice Boulevard and dismissed the distance by saying, “It’s not that bad.” Still, she promised to find an alternate route back. Meanwhile Charlie Becker, 59, wowed the crowd in the 15,000-square-foot exhibition space with his Tribred Pon-e, a three-wheeled battery-operated scooter from the L.A. Trikke Shop. He used it to make the three-mile commute from Silver Lake to the Financial District.
Challenge With Curlers The heart of Moving Beyond Cars was a series of creative design challenges moderated by railLA volunteer and Gallery 727 founder James Rojas. Using pink plastic curlers, glow-in-the-dark stars, empty shampoo bottles and other found objects, Rojas challenged attendees to imagine their ideal transportation system and build it — in 20 minutes. “Weird objects force you to be creative,” Rojas said. “It al-lows people to explore ideas about form and shape. It brings urban planning to a personal level.” Deliberately vague, open-ended and time-constrained, Rojas’ instructions were intended to spark a creative urban planning spirit. To that end, Mark DeMarta, a Valencia-based architect working Downtown, envisioned a dense urban envi-ronment that still allowed for generous green spaces. Vertical elements made of empty shampoo bottles and bright red curlers stood for live-work buildings, while “spongy, square things” were meant to stand in for park land or open plazas. A wandering martini olive poking out of a shampoo bottle mouth was supposed to be an edible garden on the roof of a building, DeMarta said cheekily. Teri Lucky, who took the Gold Line from South Pasadena and connected to the Red Line, envisioned a more streamlined model. Arched wooden blocks bisected her workspace, sym-bolizing the planned high-speed railway. On either side, neat rows of red curlers topped with plastic cherries substituted for generous greenery. Lacking the usual clutter of knickknacks, Lucky’s model reflected a call for simplicity and vibrancy. As attendees explained their creations, a clear theme emerged, one calling for seamless transportation and inno-vative and community-building land-use patterns. A simple addition of shades around bus stops earned approving nods from the group. Concentric circles made out of popsicle sticks connecting one outlying neighborhood to another without having to go through Union Station sparked applause. “We found that people have a lot of great ideas and can
speak about them very clearly and very creatively for what they want to see the future of their communities look like,” said railLA volunteer Anne Guillebeaux, who helped Rojas moderate the design challenges. The creations were documented by Guillebeaux and can soon be viewed on railLA’s website alongside other creations from previous workshops, says Rojas. L.A. Beyond Cars, an exhibit that showcases designs, plans and creative solutions revolving around California’s planned high-speed railway, provided even more stimuli to the budding urban planners. Invited submissions include those created by architects Eric Owen Moss, Thom Mayne, Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid. While no one expects Los Angeles traffic patterns to change because of the event, some attendees saw a reason for hope. “None of us in this organization want to eliminate the auto-mobile. That doesn’t necessarily need to happen,” said railLA chair Gunnar Hand. “What we’re looking at are other options. Mobility is about providing as many options as you can.” L.A. Beyond Cars runs through Aug. 28 at the Jewel Box in City National Bank Plaza, 525 S. Flower St. Open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. More information at railla.org/.
Car-less and Loving ItCity National Plaza Event Looks at Alternate Ways to Get Around Los Angeles
photo by Gary Leonard
Attendees of last week’s Moving Beyond Cars event were challenged to make it to the Financial District event by any means other than the automobile.
Grand OpeninGOctOber 1, 2010
45% Off everything
FREE Biometric HealtH evaluation and samplesExperts will be present for advice
*with exception of drinks and bars at 20% off. 45% discount will be good for sale day only. No other discounts will be combined.
510 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles CA 90014 • Ph: 213-622-2078
special appearance ByPro Bodybuilder & Actor
roland Kickinger11:00am to 4:30pm
DescriPtion reg. retAil 45% sAle PriceBSN No Xplode 2.25 lbs. $66.99 $36.84GNC Mega Men Sport 180 Tabs $34.99 $19.25MT Cell Tech 6.7 lbs. $79.99 $43.99CytoSport Muscle Milk 2.47 lbs. $49.99 $19.99 Super Special
8 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
salonpurela.com
c I T Y o F a nG e l s
SALONPURE 117 E. 6TH STREET
213.624.7873
c
117 E. 6TH S
CHURCHLIVE LA
EVERYONE IS INVITED EVERYONE BELONGS
213-493-4329
“There’s a new place in town and everyone
is invited”
www.livechurchla.com Sundays at 10 am
AT
L.A. LIVE
Dr. Kathy Maasoumi - USC GraduateDr. Roshi Rofagha
404 S. Figueroa, #207 • 213-486-0006 • www.KathyDDS.net
CLEANING, X-RAY & EXAM
VALIDATED PARKINGWe use digital X-rays • Se habla Español
For patients without insurance. New Patients only.(Patients with Insurance: Your insurance might cover your entire treatment.)
in September 2009, and students have been moving in since late June. A mass moving day was held on Saturday, Aug. 14, when more than 300 students lugged their clothes, computers and stereos into the project. Hrovat notes that the occupants don’t need much more than their personal items. “The day you move into your unit the electricity is on, there’s a phone on, the Internet is on, the cable TV is on, there’s a high definition flat screen in your living room. It’s fully furnished,” Hrovat said. “Everything is on, you just bring your bedding and your groceries and your bookbag and laptop. “The whole point of that is focus on school, we’ll focus on your housing needs.” Three security guards work 24 hours a day and greet stu-dents in the lobby. Once inside, the first thing people see is a massive video wall comprised of 25 32-inch flat screen televisions. So far they’ve broadcast ESPN, but soon they will display a video art installation. Past that room is an information kiosk where two TVs are mounted on a wall above a couch. They display information about events going on at the campus. Recently the TVs high-lighted a pie-eating contest in the building’s courtyard. There is a concierge desk — “It’s staffed 24 hours a day and you ask for anything you would ask for at a hotel,” says Hrovat — and a lounge with couches, chairs and more large televisions. Beneath the TVs are connections where students can plug in everything from iPods to laptops to X Boxes. “Whatever you can throw on it we can display on the TVs,” Hrovat said. “But the idea is not just to be fun, but functional. If students need to come here and practice a Power Point pre-sentation they can plug their computer in here.” There are 27 study rooms spread throughout the building; one includes computers, while most are just tables and tack-boards. There is also a gym and a kitchen facility. The laundry facilities, meanwhile, have online connections, allowing students to know which machines are available and when their laundry is done. The building also has roof decks and courtyards with brightly colored outdoor furniture, tables, planters and hang-ing lights. Utilities are included in the rent.
Filling a Need Getting to opening day has not been easy. Early in the planning process, Urban Partners ran into trouble from Conquest Student Housing, a company that at the time had about 20 area housing projects. Although USC and officials including Eighth District City Councilman Bernard Parks strongly endorsed the project, Conquest vigor-ously opposed the development, and sought to generate more opposition from some in the community.
In September 2007, USC and Urban Partners sued Conquest, accusing the company of resorting to abusive litigation, extortion and othewr illegal measures to halt University Gateway. They also charged that Conquest was stymieing other projects from Urban Partners, a firm whose developments include the Caltrans headquarters and the California Endowment campus in Downtown. The suit was settled in February 2008, and the project broke ground that July. However, it was two years behind schedule. While difficult, the trouble may now be worth it for USC officials, who have previously stated that University Gateway will help fill the school’s student housing shortfall of about 7,000 beds. USC guarantees housing to freshmen and sopho-mores, but the institution has also set a goal in its campus master plan to guarantee four years of student housing for undergraduates and one year for graduate students by 2011. While people are moving in, for some students, the cost is too high. “I can’t pay nearly $1,000 in rent,” said Jason Delaney, a junior who shares a two-bedroom apartment in Hollywood with two other roommates. “This is something that I think is out of reach to a lot of students.” Indeed, a recent search on Craigslist showed that a two-bedroom apartment near USC could be had for as little as $1,150 a month, making prices considerably lower than those at the new project. But for every student like Delaney, there is someone for whom University Gateway is a fit. Urban Partners hopes to be 100% occupied this semester, and Hrovat said some of the more expensive units near the rooftop deck were amongst the first to be rented. Gerald Fisher, a freshman from Northern California who recently toured the building with his mother Carol, was im-pressed, despite the price. “It’s steep, but it’s a great building, everything is brand new,” he said. More important was the seal of approval from mom. “It couldn’t be closer to the university and I think the facili-ties look wonderful,” said Carol. “Time will tell, but it looks like a great deal for a student.” Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].
Continued from page 1
Gateway
phot
os b
y G
ary
Leon
ard
Students have begun moving in to the $200 million University Gateway project. The development near USC includes approximately 1,600 beds.
John Hrovat, a principal at Urban Partners, in the lobby, which is
adjacent to the gym. (Below) Units come fully furnished, including flat screen TVs.
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 9DowntownNews.com
213. 620.5777 • DOWNTOWNDENTALLA.COM255 SOUTH GRAND AVE, SUITE 204 LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 • VALIDATED PARKING
Don Mungcal, DDS
LASER DENTISTRY
DIGITAL X-RAYS
EXTREME SMILE MAKE-OVERS
Free Consultation$0 Down 0% Interest for 24 months*
Better than buying Dental Insurance!*Restrictions apply.
by Ryan VaillancouRt
staff wRiteR
The historic Sixth Street Viaduct is in such poor shape that authorities who have been studying the structure refer
to its ailment as a form of concrete cancer. Officials with the city Bureau of Engineering, who since 2007 have been looking at curing, or more likely replacing the ailing structure, had expected to finish an environmental study on the bridge by this fall. The report, which includes an analysis of several retrofit or replacement options, is now expected to take another six months, according to city and state officials. That means a new bridge won’t come until 2017 at the earliest. The project cost is estimated at $359 million. The environmental portion of the study is actually finished, but the California Department of Transportation’s legal team needs more time to evaluate the report, said CalTrans spokeswoman Judy Gish. She could not comment on specifics of the review, but confirmed that the analysis concerns the rightsofway maintained by several rail agencies operating on tracks underneath the viaduct. “Yes, it’s safe to say that some of it has to do with the railroads,” Gish said. As state lawyers continue their review, the Bureau of Engineering seems to have settled on a preferred design option that would replace the bridge’s steel arches with steel cables. Due to the viaduct’s historic, iconic status, replacing it has been a subject of controversy for preservationists. But the 78yearold bridge’s safety concerns — an unstoppable chemical reaction occurring in the concrete bones of the structure is causing cracks, and officials worry that it might not be able to with
stand a sizeable earthquake — has pushed the city toward examining replacement options. Seven designs, representing an array of architectural styles, received serious study. The preferred design alternative is decidedly more modern in appearance than the existing bridge, though it incorporates some aesthetic details meant to pay homage to the original structure, said John Koo, group manager with the Bureau of Engineering. Koo specified that, even if the bureau’s preferred design is ultimately approved for construction, it will be subject to further design review and public comment. If the cablesupported bridge does not immediately remind people of the current viaduct, salvaged and reused portions of the existing structure could serve that purpose. The bridge’s steel arches could be saved and placed at both ends of the replacement viaduct to serve as iconic gateways, Koo said. The preferred cablesupported bridge option scored the highest in a set of tests that considered flexibility and seismic durability, Koo said. The design would eliminate several of the vertical pylon support structures, lengthening the spans between those supports, while reducing the impact on the railroads underneath, Koo said. If it seems that fewer supporting pylons would make for a less stable bridge, Koo said that with cablesupported structures, the opposite is true. “For seismic design, we look at flexibility,” he said. “A short, squatty structure with a lot of supports tends to suffer more damage versus one that’s more flexible and ductile. One analogy in building designs is that highrises tend to ride through the earthquakes better than a midheight, masonry building.” The public will ultimately have a chance
to weigh in on the design alternatives, but pending the CalTrans legal review, that won’t happen for at least six months, Gish said. Despite the delay, the cablesupported option has picked up political support, notably from Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar. Speaking at a Los Angeles Current Affairs Forum luncheon this month, Huizar said that he was initially skeptical of any design that would alter the 1932 bridge’s appearance. Now, he’s on board with the
preferred alternative. “If you use the cables it lessens the amount of footprint they need to put on the L.A. River, and we want to lessen the footprint on the L.A. River,” Huizar said. “Initially I was fighting them on that, but… a couple weeks ago I finally saw more renderings of it, and I now agree with the preferred alternative. So that’s the direction we’re going.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at [email protected].
Historic Bridge Study Needs More TimeAiling Sixth Street Viaduct Likely to Be Replaced With Modern Design
Environmental and legal review continues on the ailing Sixth Street Viaduct. The report identifies a cable-supported structure (top) as the preferred design alternative for replacing the 1932 bridge.
rend
erin
g co
urte
sy B
urea
u of
Eng
inee
ring
phot
o by
Gar
y Le
onar
d
EST 1913
Leasing Office Now OpenLeasing Office Now OpenRent from $1100Unique floor plansFrom 611 to 1300 Sq. Ft.Solid white oak floorsGranite and marble kitchensHigh ceilingsMassive windowsStainless steel appliancesEuropean washer/dryer units
Central heat and airPre-wired for cable and internetSkylightsPatiosStunning Downtown Views
AMENITIES
EST 1913
www.jewelrytradesbuilding.com
220 W 5th Street, Downtown L.A. | 213-623-1010220 W 5th Street, Downtown L.A. | 213-623-1010
*One Month’s Free Rent with a 12 Month Lease*One Month’s Free Rent with a 12 Month Lease
TRUMAN, INC. | REAL ESTATE | Curt Truman | 310-467-2453*On approved credit, valid through August 31, 2010
Twitter/DowntownNews10 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
Free Parking Next to Restaurant
700 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Tel: 213.617.2323
An Extensive Seafood Menu including Dim Sum at Moderate Prices
Relaxed Dining in an Elegant AmbianceLive Lobster Tank
Dim Sum
Lunch and Dinner Regent China Inn
739-747 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012Tel: 213-680-3333 • Fax: 213-680-3507www.regentchinainn.com
catering specials available!Authentic Chinese Cuisine in Chinatown
Free
Parking
DELIVERY • DINE-IN • TAKE-OUT • CATERING
Lobster Special
$12.95 Lunch Special
$4.95 Weekdays 11-5Saturday & Sunday 11-3
Gill’s Indian RestaurantGill’s Indian Restaurant
All You Can Eat Lunch Buffet $7.95Tandori Chicken, Meat Curry, Two Vegetables Dal,
Pullao Rice, Naan, Salad, Dessert, Fruits and much more!
gillsindianrestaurant.net • (213) 623-1050 • 838 S. Grand Ave.
Free 6 Days Delivery Downtown!
Open Monday - Saturday: Lunch 11:30am-2:30pm Dinner 5:30pm-10pm
The View From the KitchenIn the Following Pages, Five Downtown Chefs Talk About the Highs and Lows of Lunch Service
Let’s Do LunchLet’s Do Lunch
by RichaRd Guzmán
city editoR
Megan Logan knew she wanted to be a chef from the age of 5. Right after graduating from the Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, she began working
for Patina Restaurant Group. In March, the 28-year-old became executive chef of the company’s Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, where she talks up the dry-aged steaks and feeds off the lunchtime rush.
Los Angeles Downtown News: What are the lunches at Nick & Stef’s like?Megan Logan: We have entree salads and then all the Oakwood grilled steaks. Each steak or fish comes with a choice of 10 sides. It’s high-end, but it’s comfortable, very good for business lunches.
Q: What’s the average someone can expect to pay for lunch?A: That would be between $12 and $25.
Q: From the chef’s point of view, what’s the best thing about lunch service?A: It’s really fast, it’s really, really high energy. Everyone comes in at once. Each day is a new challenge, each day you can get killed, but it’s fun.
Q: What’s the worst thing about lunch service?A: The worst thing? I don’t have an answer for that. I enjoy it all.
Q: When you go out to lunch, what do you pay attention to?
A: The servers keeping in mind your time constraints, the food, the freshness and the variety. I think for lunch it’s im-portant to have a good variety, especially somewhere people go a lot.
Q: What’s your specialty at Nick & Stef’s? A: Our dry-aged steaks. We have a dry-aging room on the premises; we’re actually the only restaurant in Southern California that has that. We dry-age our steaks from 21 to 28 days.
Q: Is lunch busier than dinner?A: Yes, lunch is busier. It’s different because it’s all at once. We can do the same amount of people for dinner but it’s a lot more spread out and a lot slower paced.
Q: Who are your customers? Business people? Tourists?A: It’s a mix; we have a lot of regulars here who mostly work in the building for the law firms.
Q: What one lunch dish would you recommend for someone who has never been there?A: Our spa menu is very popular. We have a two-course menu, which is $22, and it changes daily. We’ll usually serve something like a light salad and a seared white fish with sau-téed vegetables.
Q: When you have time to eat lunch somewhere else in Downtown, where do you go?A: I’ve never eaten lunch outside this restaurant. No, actu-ally, I like the French Garden and Café Pinot, one of our sister restaurants.
Q: What’s the one thing a chef hates to hear during lunch?A: The server coming in asking for the chef, asking how long on certain tables, because they all do.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about working here?A: It’s a really big operation, there’s a lot going on, a lot of different aspects of the industry in one place, a lot of differ-ent personalities, different backgrounds of people working here. It’s a really good group of people.
Q: How would you describe the Downtown customer?A: I think we have pretty good luck. I would say they’re nice, they’re good. I would say they’re a more sophisticated audience. Nick & Stef’s is at 330 S. Hope St., (213) 680-0330 or pati-nagroup.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].
Logan’s Lunch RunMeat Lovers, Meet Nick & Stef’s Megan Logan
In the Following Pages, Five Downtown Chefs Talk About the Highs and Lows of Lunch Service
photo by Gary Leonard
Megan Logan, executive chef at Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, boasts about the restaurant’s Oakwood grilled steaks.
444 S. Flower St. at 5th St, Citigroup Centerwww.blimpieontherun.com • 213-622-9227
Let Us Cater YoUr Next eveNt
The Best Since 1964FAVORITES FROm OuR WEEKDAY LuNCH SPECIALS, 11am - 2pmChile verde burrito $7.49: Tender chunks of pork simmered in Barragan’s zesty chile verde sauce topped with more sauce, sour cream and melted cheese. Served with rice & beans.
tWo beeF tACoS $7.49: Crisp beef tacos served with rice & beans.
tWo ChiCken FlAutAS $7.49: Shredded tender chicken sautéed with onion, tomato and green peppers rolled in a flour tortilla deep fried to perfection and topped with sour cream. Served with rice & beans.
ALSO VISIT OUR OTHER 2 LOCATIONS: BURBANK 730 n. victory blvd. (818) 848-2325 | GLENDALE 814 S. Central Ave. (818) 243-1103
213-250-4256 u 1538 W. Sunset blvd. u 5 min. from downtown
Authentic MexicAn cuisine since 1961The Tastiest Margaritas in L.A!
1667 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026 | 213-235-1487 | Tues-Fri, 7am-6pm 1111 South Hope Street #100 | 213.749.1900
5pc Sushi (Tuna, Salmon, Albacore, White Tuna & White Fish), Miso Soup, plus Choice of one of the following: Spicy Tuna Salad | Crazy Roll | Crunchy Scallop Roll | Shrimp Tempura Roll | Calamari Tempura Roll | Shiitake Mushroom Tempura Roll | Philadelphia Roll | & much more!
Lunch SpeciaLS (Lunch is served Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm)
11.95 Special:
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 11Let’s Do Lunch
by Pamela albanese
Fred Eric’s vision of healthy, high-quality cuisine for the discerning Fashion and Arts districts is the inspiration behind Tiara Café. At the Ninth
Street destination, the chef/owner is redefining Asian and Mediterranean cuisine with an innovative menu that ap-peals to customers who savor quality over quantity.
Los Angeles Downtown News: From your point of view, what’s the best thing about lunch service?A: I think that we have a broad menu. Once a week we change a percentage of it. We offer a lot of healthy options, a lot of vegetarian options, as well as your carnivorian options. Our service is really quick, and the way the kitchen was designed, it allows for people to come in, get their order and get their food really quickly.
Q: What’s your lunch specialty?A: We do this thing called the “freshwich,” which is taking the concept of the Vietnamese spring roll by wrapping grilled meats, vegetables, spicy things and herbs in rice paper. It’s now one of the more popular items that we serve. And for lunch it’s really good. It’s easy to eat and it tastes good and you don’t walk away belly bombed and feeling like you need a nap.
Q: What problems have you encountered with lunch service? A: People come and they’re not giving the amount of time for dining, they’re just eating. Their expectation would be kind of like going into a relationship as a one-night stand. You only expect so much and you’re done and out of there. Coming from more of a dining background, you have less time to be romanced by your food and your environment.
Q: What does lunch offer that dinner does not? A: One benefit is we have people who come four to five times a week. No one would do that for dinner. You have clients who want to get the same thing, then you get those who love to try new things and are really happy to have somewhere they can go regularly and have that kind of relationship with me.
Q: How much time should a customer at Tiara set aside for lunch?A: I think they’re done in 45 minutes. There are those who from when they walk in are gone in 25 minutes.
Q: When you are at a restaurant having lunch, what do you pay attention to?A: It changes. I like to eat a lot of ethnic food, and I like to eat a lot of vegetables. Korean places are great because you get a lot of vegetables right when you sit down. I don’t need to know a server’s name. I don’t need someone to chat up. I don’t like blasting or loud mu-sic. There are times when I go out and it’s all about the food. And there are times when I just want to have a nice environment to socialize.
Q: How has lunch changed throughout the years?A: There are two things that have changed. There was a time when people would go out and basically their lunch was their dinner. They would drink alcohol and hang out and spend an hour and a half, two hours on their corporate card. Now, people have a different mindset about work. Also, I think that people have become a lot more health-conscious, and they don’t just eat a lot and pound a bunch of coffee to make it through the day. People want to eat healthy and feel better about themselves. When I opened Tiara, I envisioned even more pris-tine, healthy small plates, more culinary-oriented. I romanticized the idea of people coming in, and es-pecially in the Fashion District, being particular and knowing good product and food and enjoying the opportunity to eat smaller amounts of better quality and really savoring that. I hoped for it a little bit ear-lier than it actually happened. Now, people are much more interested in smaller, healthier stuff. Tiara Café is at 127 E. Ninth St., (213) 623-3663 or tiara-cafe-la.com.
A Focus on FreshWhen It Comes to Lunch, Fred Eric of Tiara Café Wants People to Dine, Not Just Eat
Let’s Do Lunch
phot
o by
Gar
y Le
onar
d
Fred Eric started the Fashion District’s Tiara
Café with the goal of serving healthy, quick and innovative meals.
attcenter-la.com
Looking for a new place for breakfast, lunch and gourmet
goodies to-go? Then stop by Market Café at AT&T Center
located downstairs on the Garden Level! You’ll discover a
“toss and chop” fresh produce bar, flatbread pizzas, artisan
sandwiches, soups, daily entrée specials and a selection of
sweets. Enjoy indoor and outdoor seating with free wifi.
Planning a business meeting or birthday soon? The café
also offers delectable catering for any size event. Impress
your guests in the office, at home, or at AT&T Center! The
building offers a 500 seat state-of-art theatre and a two-story
Penthouse with 360-degree views of Los Angeles.
Market Café | The Penthouse | Theatre | Retail
NOW OPEN weekdays 6:00 am – 3:30 pm213.536.4090 | 1150 S. Olive Street
Downtown Los Angeles
Complimentary valet parking for Market Café customers 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Twitter/DowntownNews12 Downtown News August 23, 2010Let’s Do Lunch
Come to
see why the readers of
Voted us...
Open 6 a.m. tO 10 p.m. Daily 1001 n. alameDa St.
PLENTY OF FREE PARKING! (213) 628-3781 • philippes.com
1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90026 • 213.481.1448
1264 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90026, • 213.481.1448
1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90026 • 213.481.1448
Best Bargain Lunch
Best OLd-SchOOL reStaurant
Best Sandwich/wrap
102n
d Year
!
by RichaRd Guzmán
city editoR
Cucina Rustica debuted in May in the Financial District. For Swedish-born executive chef Hamlet Haghazarian, it’s been a baptism by fire. The res-
taurant (it has a sister establishment in Montrose) already pulls in lunch crowds of more than 150 people, meaning there is never any time to rest.
Los Angeles Downtown News: What kind of lunch do you serve at Cucina Rustica? Haghazarian: We do Italian food. We have lots of different kinds of salads, fish, chicken. I try to keep things healthy, which is why I like our salads a lot.
Q: From the point of view of the chef, what’s the best thing about lunch service?A: I like the people that come here. They are nice, friendly people, and there haven’t been many complaints. Most people just want something good and really fast, which we can do.
Q: Anything you don’t like about lunch service?A: If there is one thing it’s that everyone comes in at the same time. Sometimes between 12 to 12:30 we get up to 150 people.
Q: When you go out for lunch, what do you pay attention to?A: The service and the food of course. Mostly I order salads for lunch, that’s my style. I look for good, fresh, healthy vegetables.
Q: How much can you expect to spend on lunch at Cucina Rustica?A: Every day can be different, but maybe around $18 to $25. That’s salad, appetizer, dessert.
Q: How much time should a customer set aside for lunch at Cucina Rustica?A: We try our best, as soon as we get the ticket, to serve the food no more than 10 minutes after. So at most you can spend about 30-40 minutes, depending on what you order.
Q: What is your lunch specialty?A: Our fishes are very good. The baked sea bass with creamy tomato spinach Dijon sauce is very, very popular.
Q: What do you hate to hear during lunchtime?A: During lunch the kitchen is crazy; we are very busy so it’s hard when people ask for a lot of specific personal changes in the dishes. We have to serve more than 100 people in half an hour. But we have to do it, it’s all part of good cus-tomer service.
Q: How does the Downtown lunch crowd differ from other parts of the city?A: Here people seem more willing to spend more money for lunch. In our restaurant in Montrose, at lunch they don’t spend that much money. Over here for lunch we serve a lot of seafood, which is not cheap.
Q: Are you busier during lunch or dinner? A: Lunch, but we are getting busy for dinner too. We get lots of tourists right now for dinner; for lunch it’s mostly the business crowd.
Q: What do you recommend for first timers at Cucina Rustica?A: We have a penne primavera vegetable pasta, very light; definitely the stuffed tomato as an appetizer; and salad wise, we have a beautiful Rustica salad, with mixed greens, asparagus, avocados, cannellini beans topped with crunchy bacon and grilled chicken.
Q: Your name is Hamlet? Did your parents love Shakespeare?A: [Laughs] My dad named me that; he likes him.
Q: Do you get a lot of Shakespeare jokes?A: Augh, yeah.
Q: Are you tired of them?A: No, no. Cucina Rustica is at 888 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 988-8880 or cucinarusticala.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].
To Lunch or Not to LunchHamlet Haghazarian Feeds Big Crowds at the New Cucina Rustica
photo by Gary LeonardAlthough Cucina Rustica has only been open three months, executive chef Hamlet Haghazarian said they already get more than 150 people for lunch daily.
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 13Let’s Do Lunch
www.wokcanorestaurant.com
Open Daily till 2:00amDelivery till 2:00am Daily
Happy Hour 3:00pm - 7:00pm and 10:00pm - 2:00am M-FFull Bar - Sushi Bar - Chinese
Private Rooms Available
800 W. 7th Street | Los Angeles, CA 90017 | 213.623.2288
(corner of 7th and Flower streets)
Check out our other locations at wokcanorestaurant.comSanta Monica | Burbank | West Hollywood | Pasadena | Long Beach
WOKCANOASIAN RESTAURANT & BAR
®
by RichaRd Guzmán
city editoR
McCormick & Schmick’s Executive Chef Kina Deth has worked her way up the kitchen
ladder. She started as a line cook, and at 29 sees herself at the Downtown seafood restaurant for the long haul. So it’s a good thing she loves her job so much, and that she thrives on the lunch-hour pressure.
Los Angeles Downtown News: From your point of view, what’s the best thing about lunch service?Kina Deth: The best thing is what we offer here. We do a 45-minute lunch guaran-tee, which means you’re in and out of our restaurant in 45 minutes. We have enough staff to be able to provide you with that 45-minute guarantee.
Q: What happens if you don’t get someone out in 45 minutes or less?A: I haven’t had a complaint about that.
Q: That sounds like a lot of pressure on you?A: People normally have only a one-hour break, so 45 minutes is perfect. I think pres-sure at work is great. It challenges you, it makes you a better chef.
Q: Does that guarantee limit what you can serve?A: For the most part we haven’t had a prob-lem with that — fish cooks pretty fast. On the other hand, if someone were to order a
steak well done, that might be a challenge. But we’ll do the best we can.
Q: What’s the worst thing about lunch ser-vice?A: I don’t think there is a worst thing about lunch service. Everyone comes all at once, but that’s what happens in Downtown.
Q: When you’re at a restaurant having lunch, what do you pay attention to?A: Service, details and food. I look for pre-sentation and taste. I think we all eat with our eyes as opposed to our stomachs.
Q: What’s your lunch specialty?A: I think people tend to come here for our “10 for 10” menu. We have 10 items for $10. It takes people away from that fast food they would otherwise choose and they come here and spend that $10 for much better food. We offer things like pasta, a tuna melt, BLT, spaghetti Bolognese; it changes daily.
Q: What’s the one thing you hate to hear during lunch?A: I would never want to hear “that’s ugly” or “that doesn’t taste good.”
Q: And from your staff?A: I would hate if they were to get mad be-cause we’re busy, which they don’t.
Q: What would you recommend for lunch?A: I would always recommend the chef’s
recommendation at the top of the box on the menu. Those change daily, every couple of days or weekly, depending how much guests like them. Currently we have a seared barramundi sea bass with polenta and a mushroom ragu.
Q: Is lunch busier than dinner?A: Lunch is busier for us, by about a two-to-one ratio.
Q: What do you enjoy the most about work-ing at McCormick & Schmick’s?
A: I think it’s the challenge. Every day is dif-ferent and there’s never a dull moment.
Q: Where else in Downtown do you eat lunch?A: I wouldn’t know because I’m here Monday through Friday. And that was a trick question. McCormick & Schmick’s is at Fourth and Hope streets, (213) 629-1929 or mccormick-andschmicks.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].
Fish Your WishMcCormick & Schmick’s Kina Deth Mixes Speed and Quality
photo by Gary LeonardKina Deth, executive chef at McCormick & Schmick’s, thrives on the lunch-hour pressure. The restaurant guarantees lunch customers can be in and out in 45 minutes.
�avor �ur �unc� �pa �enu
Executive Chef Kevin Meehan selects the freshest ingredients from the farmers’ market to create a changing two-course
spa menu ($19.95*). Adjacent to Downtown LA’s 1920’s landmark public library, our skyline view, gorgeous garden
setting and contemporary Californian cuisine make Café Pinot the perfect mid-day escape.
Join us on Facebook!
700 W. Fifth St. | www.cafepinot.com*tax & gratuity additional
Twitter/DowntownNews14 Downtown News August 23, 2010Let’s Do Lunch
by Pamela albanese
At Casa, executive chef Alex Moreno combines his experience at upscale restaurants with an appreciation for
authentic Mexican food and fresh ingredi-ents. Casa’s lunch offers a stylish take on the neighborhood taqueria: Customers choose from a selection of meats and homemade sal-sas to tailor tacos, burritos and salads to their individual taste.
Los Angeles Downtown News: What’s the
best thing about lunch service? A: We just revamped our whole lunch menu. I just moved down from San Francisco, and my base for food is more local food. I’m very inspired by the Mission District in San Francisco. We’ve actually lowered our prices for lunch and increased the quality of our food. It’s more of a quick, casual set-up so you can come in and get out very quickly.
Q: What are some of the negatives?A: So far, none. Just our initial launch, trying to get over the bumps, but other than that, I think we’re running a beautiful show.
Q: What’s your lunch specialty?A: We’re inspired by our local taquerias, so we
Home Sweet CasaAlex Moreno Tries a Taqueria
phot
o by
Gar
y Le
onar
d
Alex Moreno recently moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles, where he helms the kitchen at Casa. Customers mix and match ingredients to craft tacos, burritos and salads.
Catering & Banquet Rooms AvailableValet Parking Available
819 S. Flower St. Los Angeles, CA 90017213.623.9904 ohotelgroup.com
Indulge yourself at the O
Hours of OperationMonday-Friday
11am-11pmSaturday
5pm-11pmThurs.-Sat. bar open
until 2amClosed Sundays
Catering & Banquet Rooms AvailableValet Parking Available
1936 East 7th Street | Los Angeles, California 90021 | between Alameda & MateoMonday through Friday 10:30am–2:30pm | phone: 213.623.4028 | fax: 213.629.4555
Free Delivery
Full Bar Free Parking
Private Parties Welcome evenings (call for details)
Beautiful Garden dininG
213-228-8999 | farmerboysla.com | 726 Alameda St. (Bay & Alameda) | Open 24/7
NEW!Introducing the
BBQ Chicken Sandwich & BBQ Burger
20% OffBBQ Chicken Sandwich or BBQ Burger
Your Entire OrderPlus Additional 10% Off Late Night Snack
Combo with fries and a 22oz. Drink
Additional 10% between hours of 8pm and 4am. No substitutions. Limit one coupon per customer. At participating locations only. Not valid with any other offer. Expires 9/30/10.
No Substitutions. Limit one offer per coupon. State sales tax applicable. One coupon per person, per visit at participating locations only. Not valid with any other coupon, combo meal, advertised special or offer. Expires 9/30/10.
$699With this coupon.
Bring this Coupon to CHINA CAFE You’ll save $1 on any
purchase of $5 or moreWith this coupon only. Coupon expires 9/11/10. #
Open Seven Days a Week 9AM to 6PMFree 1 hr. Parking with $10 Minimum PurchaseCourtesy of the City of Los Angeles Dept. of Transportation
317 South Broadwaybetween 3rd and 4th, Broadway and Hill(213) 624-2378
Feeding Los Angeles Since 1917
Grand Central Market
www.grandcentralsquare.com
Save $1
House Special Fried Rice, Won Ton Soup, Chop Suey, Egg Fu Yung, House Special Chow Mein, Kung Pao Chicken,
Hong Kong Chow Mein and much more!Available for party catering and business lunches
A Tradition at Grand Central Market for over 50 years
have an option for burritos, tacos and some of the meats. We have a traditional barba-coa, which we do with a braised short rib. We have an al pastor which is straight off the spit with a beautiful marinade. We do a grilled chicken which is a mixture of thigh meat and breast, marinated in adobo with chile ancho and a little roasted garlic.
Q: How much time should a customer set aside for lunch?A: It’s all up to the customer. They can have a great meal, eat and drink and be out the door in 15-20 minutes. The wait in line is going to be about four to five minutes. They come up to the line, we greet them, they decide if they want a taco, burrito, salad or bowl, and we go ahead and start building that for them. They get to pick what they want in their dishes.
Q: When you are at a restaurant having lunch, what do you pay attention to?A: Everything. From the plates being hot to how the waiters are dressed. I’ve been in this industry for 11-12 years now, and it’s hard to enjoy a meal sometimes be-cause you’re always looking at everything. I don’t want to go eat somewhere where I see the staff and they’re not happy. If I see the staff with big smiles, that will make me happy.
Q: What’s unique about lunch in Downtown Los Angeles?A: We have a lot of competition, but it seems that Downtown, people don’t have that much time to sit down and enjoy their meal. They just want to come in, get some great quality food, and go back to the office. Casa is at 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2249 or casadowntown.com.
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 15DowntownNews.com
CALENDARCALENDAR
Foundation, turns his attention to the wall behind the stage. He clutches a stack of pictures of the theater and fantasizes about what could be. “One of the best things about this par-ticular theater is that it’s got open space behind this wall,” he enthuses. “If we get it, we could expand the stage and then we could really have any kind of show here.” This is a good time for Wright to dream big. The theater is on the market for $12 million as the owner, the University Cathedral, plans to leave Downtown Los Angeles. Wright hopes to be involved in the deal. In an ideal world he’d find a buyer who would turn control of the building over to the LAHTF so they could present movies and live entertainment. It’s an ambitious if uncertain goal for the LAHTF, which has taken many steps through its 23-year history to try and revive the city’s old theaters. Recently the group launched a series of walking tours of Broadway’s former movie palaces. Their work earns praise from others in the preservation com-munity. “They’re incredibly devoted, passionate and articulate about the history and value of L.A.’s historic theaters,” said Linda Dishman, executive director of the Los Angeles Conservancy. The LAHTF’s roots come from the Conservancy. In 1987, eight members of the Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats committee — which stages the ultra-successful summer movie series — felt it was important to have a group whose sole purpose was protecting and restoring the theaters. “We were organized really in an effort to educate people as to the theaters’ significance, to advocate for their restoration and re-use and simply to bring attention to what we saw as a problem for all of Downtown,” said Mitzi Mogul, a founding member of the LAHTF. “We don’t just try to maintain empty buildings. We want to restore them, use them.” Since its inception, the LAHTF has sought to achieve the goal by focusing on nominating theaters as Cultural Historical Monuments, a designation that carries some pro-tection against structural changes. They’ve nominated more than 20 theaters that later earned monument status. The group has also organized the Theater Watch volun-teers, who monitor theaters across the city to prevent illegal alterations and demolitions. Ken Bernstein, manager of the city’s Office of Historic Resources, said one of the most important things the group does is make people aware that the theaters exist. “It always amazes me how many Angelenos are still un-aware Los Angeles has perhaps the finest collection of historic movie houses of any city in the nation, and education and awareness is really the first step toward good stewardship and revitalization,” he said. Not that it has always been easy. In 1991, the LAHTF got involved in trying to bring the Broadway (New York’s Broadway) production of the South African musical Sarafina to the Orpheum Theatre for three weeks. “We bet the bank,” Wright recalls. “The Foundation put up our own money, hired a producer, and three weeks before it opened, Gulf War one happens. Ticket sales went down so we ended up not doing the show.” Wright calls it a “magnificent failure.” A few years later, frustrated by conflicts with some theater owners and the city, Wright left the organization. Although the LAHTF remained alive, it effectively dropped off the radar screen.
New Tours and Programming About four years ago, Wright returned to the LAHTF. He is the only paid employee of the otherwise all-volunteer orga-nization, earning $48,000 a year. The group’s annual budget is $73,000. Wright’s love of theater began at the age of 6, when he went on a birthday trip to a downtown Memphis movie palace. “Some kid got sick, they had to turn on the lights and I thought I had died and gone to heaven,” he recalled. “Crystal chandeliers, all this great stuff, so at age 6 I was hooked.”
Fifty-two years later, with a healthy beard and short, graying hair, Wright is still every bit a kid when it comes to theaters. As an adult he spent time managing the Carnegie Hall Cinema and the Bleecker Street Cinema in New York City. His smile widens and he almost runs out of breath when talking ex-citedly about theaters and the LAHTF. The group moved back into the public consciousness in September 2008 with the launch of the “All About” tours. Events such as All About the Orpheum or All About the Mayan gave up to 350 people free, behind-the-scenes looks of the venues.
In Downtown, the Million Dollar, Los Angeles and the Globe have also been featured in the tours. Programming stepped up as well. In 2008, the LAHTF teamed with IFC Films and Orpheum owner Steve Needleman to premiere the Downtown-set independent film In Search of a Midnight Kiss. The group has also helped stage Halloween horror films at the Million Dollar Theatre and a screening of Some Like it Hot at the same venue — the latter included an appearance by Tony Curtis. On Aug. 12 they launched a new slate of walking tours of Central City theaters. The events coincide with the monthly Downtown Art Walk.
Finding an Angel Still, the group’s biggest challenge may come with the United Artists Theatre. They hope to find a way to keep it busy all the time. The 1,600-seat theater is dominated by its rooftop “Jesus Saves” neon sign. The 12-story office building (the upper floors are empty) is owned by the University Cathedral, a Protestant congregation made famous by its late founding pastor, Dr. Gene Scott. The gray-haired, bearded TV evangelist began broadcast-ing his Sunday sermons from the theater stage in 1990, when the church bought the building. Although he died in 2005, on stage a 65-inch TV plays sermons by Scott and his widow, Melissa Scott, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Next to the TV are transparent writing boards similar to the ones Scott would mark up while preaching. The church has maintained the building, which boasts a narrow lobby that resembles an old Spanish cathedral. It was built by United Artists founders D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. “When Pickford and Fairbanks were married they went on a honeymoon to Spain and they fell in love with castles and cathedrals, and when they came back and decided to build their headquarters they told the architect that they wanted the essential feel of those castles and cathedral in this new struc-ture,” Wright said. Rare bibles are displayed behind glass throughout the the-ater. A painting by Rembrandt hangs in the lobby. The church plans to move to its Glendale campus when the building sells. For now, Wright said the LAHTF is showing po-tential buyers around the theater in hopes of convincing one of them to work with the organization to reactivate the venue. He calls the stack of pictures he carries with him a “billion-aire care package.” “We are putting together 15 billionaire care packages that are going to have incredible photographs of the interior as a way to encourage them to come down and take a look,” Wright said. “We’re going to outline the program we see for this building, what could happen here, that it could be self sufficient, and see if we could put together a group of folks who would be interested in sparking a change on Broadway.” After all, the street is about dreaming big. Contact Richard Guzman at [email protected].
Continued from page 1
Theater
photos by Don Solosan/LAHTF
The Spanish cathedral-styled theater has been owned since 1990 by University Cathedral, a Protestant congregation made famous by the late Dr. Gene Scott. It has been used regularly for services.
Twitter/DowntownNews16 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
by KirK SilSbee
Strong musical marriages happen when one talent and artistic vision is complemented, encouraged and in-spired by another. They flourish through creative stim-
ulation and mutual respect. To musicians, these conjunctions are just as important as the matrimonial kind. Jazz pianist, composer and arranger George Kahn shares one such union with singer Courtney Lemmon. The blond ingénue and the middle-aged keyboard sage make a striking pair and an example of inter-generational synchronicity. When she fronts his band, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Their special blend will be on display Thursday, Aug. 26, at Fedora, a small club inside the restaurant First & Hope. Kahn is a mainstream pianist whose work is a compendium of most of the great styles and motifs of late ’50s to mid ’60s jazz, a glorious period when seemingly anything was possible within the music. He’s capable of introspective lyricism, funk-drenched backbeats, modal ruminations and flat-out swing. His current album, Secrets From the Jazz Ghetto, compiles his original compositions from previous releases and adds seven new pieces. Lemmon is unabashed in her admiration for Kahn. “George has an incredible gift for writing melodies,” she said. “His song ‘Out of Time’ is one of my absolute favorites; it’s so beautiful. He can do that with very little effort.” Onstage chemistry is important in any ensemble, and the creative exchange between Kahn and Lemmon is one of warmth, trust and freedom. Her extroverted, passionate vo-cals bring out another facet of Kahn’s instrumental gestalt. “We’ve never had a dead audience,” she boasts. Lemmon thinks that an invigorated book is a key to their success, adding, “George not only plays the classic material, he’s con-stantly bringing contemporary material in and rearranging it in interesting ways.” For his part, Kahn appreciates Lemmon’s contributions. “The bottom line,” he maintains, “is that music is still about touching audiences. Courtney is a great communicator and people respond to her singing in a profoundly emotional way.”
They come by their partnership honestly. Lemmon was a stu-dent of Kahn’s wife, a voice teacher, and she babysat the couple’s son. When she attended Santa Monica High, George was — as he is now — a supporter of the SaMoHi jazz program. He stages yearly fundraiser concerts and is an occasional presence in the rehearsal rooms, listening and offering suggestions. Lemmon studied for two years at Santa Monica College before earning a music degree at the Manhattan School of Music. Kahn clearly covets her singing. “She has a real purity of tone,” he says, “and she’s very blues-based. Courtney has a very natural stage presence, and audiences like that.” Kahn is not the first musician to have reservations about singers. He says he has found many of them to be “divas,” prompting him to shy away. “But Courtney is not a diva — she’s very engaged with the musical process and refreshingly free of attitude,” he says. “Courtney has opened me up more to the possibilities of the song form. I like how the vocals enhance the tunes. People relate to it more because it tells a story and gives out informa-tion. When I play ballads, I try to tap into the emotions that singers put across so easily. The best singers, that is.” Lemmon, who recently returned from a six-month stint in Hong Kong, has a self-produced CD, Stay With Me, which mostly showcases her original songs. It’s an impressive ar-ray of musical styles, from soul shouting to sweet ballads to Thelonious Monk’s melancholy “’Round Midnight” to funk workouts. “Miss Byrd” manages the trick of engaging in the lyrical intricacies of a show tune-style number, which then turns into a bebop flag-waver in an instant. Lemmon may have invented a new genre with that one piece. The intimate Fedora (the capacity is 70) is the music lounge in the back of First & Hope, a lavish Art Deco supper club that opened this year. Lemmon and the Kahn Trio (bassist Carl Vincent and drummer M.B. Gordy) will preside there with no velvet rope to hurdle and the promise of validated parking.
“There’s so much good music in this town,” Kahn says. “The biggest challenge is getting people to leave the house to hear it.” The George Kahn Trio with Courtney Lemmon appears Aug. 26 at 7 and 10:30 p.m. at Fedora in First & Hope, 701 W. First St., (213) 617-8555 or firstandhope.com.
A Musical MarriageA Blond Ingénue and a Middle-Aged Keyboard Sage Come Together at First & Hope
Singer Courtney Lemmon joins pianist George Kahn on Thursday at the Art Deco supper club First & Hope.
130Celebrating
years in downtown LA
phot
o by
Josh
Cas
ey
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 17DowntownNews.com
by Ryan VaillancouRt
staff wRiteR
Chinatown may be known for its gift shops and im-ported tchotchkes, but on Saturday, Aug. 28, the neighborhood will be packed with a different kind of
craft: handmade, or vintage and hard-to-find items created by local artisans. The Los Angeles Craft Experience will anchor Central Plaza as part of the Chinatown Summer Nights series, which has run every Saturday in August and concludes this week. The event takes place from 5 p.m.-midnight. The bazaar-like setting features about 50 vendors selling jewelry, apparel and an array of other accessories and gifts, said event organizer Linh Ho. There will be silk-screened shirts, toys made from recycled plastic, jewelry, hand-sewn apparel and vintage clothing items, Ho said. Although Chinatown Summer Nights, a night of family entertainment, dancing and music provided by KCRW DJs, is coming to an end, the Los Angeles Craft Experience will return on Oct. 9, and then take place on the second Saturday of every month from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Each LACE market will include a rotating selection of vendors, and the events will feature hands-on crafts demonstrations, giveaways and DJs and bands, Ho said. Los Angeles Downtown News checked in on three of this week’s vendors to learn what they will be hawking.
Tawny Manguerra, QuietDoing: This craft maker specializes in creating an array of vinyl wallets and mini-purses. For $10, Manguerra’s QuietDoing label offers a mini-wallet with slots on both sides for cards and cash. More importantly, they come in several designs, including the moustache wallet, with lip-rid-ers in four colors. That’s right, four colors, including “ginger.” For furious note takers, Manguerra makes a larger wallet that resembles one of those black and white marbled composition notebooks for $25. Or how about a pocketbook, screen-printed to resemble a Qwerty keyboard? Those go for about $40.
Brandie Mata, Art+Love+Design=Me: Most of artist and
designer Brandie Mata’s creations start with a camera. She car-ries a camera everywhere, capturing images in the urban land-scape like “an old motel sign, an old mural that was left on the side of the building or just a series of palm trees that I’m in love with,” she said. Those images make their way into layered, col-laged, multimedia pieces, either framed, wrapped around can-dles ($10 each) or shrunken down to fit into small magnets ($3 each or two for $5). The black and white collage shown here comes as a 4-by-6-inch archival digital photo print for $15.
Gina Barnes, Carrot Fever: Gina Barnes’ vendor table is alive with googly-eyed little monsters, pint-sized dinosaurs and miniature owls. Using a brand of eco-friendly felt, made from recycled plastic bottles as well as fleece, Barnes creates little toys by hand. The monsters and owls (the hooters are Carrot Fever’s best seller) go for $17. Dinosaurs are $20 and come in the stegosaurus and T-Rex varieties. Also available are some hatchling dinosaurs that come crawling out of their dinosaur eggs. “The toys are for children,” Barnes said. “Or quirky adults.” Chinatown Summer Nights is Saturday, Aug. 28. More info at chinatownsummernights.com. The Los Angeles Craft Experience is at Central Plaza, 947 N. Broadway, laceevent.com. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at [email protected].
Getting Crafty in ChinatownMonthly Fair Focuses on the Handmade and Quirky
photo courtesy of Carrot Fever
Gina Barnes creates eco-felt and fleece toys.
photo courtesy Brandie Mata
Brandie Mata makes an array of multimedia images using photographs and other materials.
photo courtesy of QuietDoing
Tawny Manguerra specializes in custom vinyl wallets, including ones festooned with moustaches.
Matthew Stoneman Friday, August 27 @ NoonFeatured guest on KPCC’s “Off Ramp” and the L.A. Times. Matthew (Mateo) Stoneman’s pure tenor voice sings classic Spanish-lan-guage boleros.
Paul Zaloom:A Toy Theater Puppet ShowFriday, August 27 @ 8 PMMature content. This show is not designed for children.
Turtle Island QuartetThis evening’s program features an
homage to Jimi Hendrix.
Saturday, August 28 @ 8 PM
LA’s best free summer concert series
www.grandperformances.org • 213.687.2159California Plaza • 350 S. Grand • Downtown LA
cour
tesy
of G
rand
Per
form
ance
sph
oto
by R
ober
t Bri
nkm
an
18 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
C a l P l a z a S a y S G o o d b y e, a S i a S a y S H e l l o
Numb
er oN
e
In 2005, three comic book artists con-jured a great excuse to hang out in a bar on a regular basis which their sig-nificant others couldn’t deny them — exercising their art. Thus, Drink and Draw was born. From the Westside to the beaches to Hollywood, the social club now calls Downtown’s Casey’s Irish Pub home every Thursday
night (including Aug. 26) beginning at 8 p.m. Sometimes drawing (pardon me) up to 50 participants, the concept has spawned two volumes of published art books and inspired global offshoots. Get out of the house, grab your sketchpad or a cocktail napkin, partake of your favorite beverage, socialize and you’ll have something to show for your partying when you get home. At 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com.
Is it cool to like 1980s supergroup Asia? Is it coolly nostalgic to like Asia? Figure it out for yourself when the band
brings its Omega Tour to Club Nokia on Friday, Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. The English rock act reunited in 2006 with original members John Wetton, Carl Palmer, Geoff
Downes and Steve Howe, an all-star lineup from the 1970s bands Yes, ELP, King Crimson and The Buggles. Now, 40 Year Old Virgin fans (and may-be some actual 40-year-old virgins) everywhere can enjoy the “Heat of the Moment” live, minus the Steve Carrell on-foot car chase of the movie. The mega-hit single has made appearances in a “South Park” episode too. There’s no keeping a good heartbreak anthem down. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., clubnokia.com.
2
S P O N S O R E D L I S T I N G S
Grand PerformancesCalifornia Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 687-2159 or grandperformances.org. Aug. 27, noon: His voice may be sweet and gentle, but beware, Mathew Stoneman is a thief who will steal your heart with his swooning Spanish boleros. He’s sold more than 45,000 CDs and he’s been a guest on KPCC’s “Off Ramp.” Aug. 27, 8 p.m.: Comedic puppeteer and political satirist Paul Zaloom brings out all the knick knacks and junk that fills his workshop for Paul Zaloom: A Toy Theater Puppet Show. While there will be toys and puppets, the show is intended for a mature audience, so leave the kids at home. Aug. 28, 8 p.m.: The Turtle Island Quartet pays homage to Jimi Hendrix with their mix of contemporary American music and classical aesthetic. Winemaker DinnerZucca Ristorante, 801 S. Figueroa St., (213) 614-7800 or patinagroup.com Aug. 26, 7 p.m.: Executive Chef Lucio Bedon and winemaker Gavin Chanin present a four-course tasting menu with wine pairings from three Santa Maria Valley vineyards — Au Bon Climat, Qupé and Chanin. Highlights include scallop crudo with summer peaches paired with Chanin Bien Nacido Chardonnay 2008 and pheasant breast with fig sauce paired with a duo of Pinot Noirs. $75 plus tax and gratuity.
Wednesday, aug. 25FIDM Campus919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1201 or fidm.edu. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Talk about wow factor. Catch some ’80s style poppin’ and rockin’ with the Fanny Pak Dance Crew and JF Mia with District 78 from MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew.” Check it.
Thursday, aug. 26California African American Museum600 State Drive (213) 744-2024 or caamuseum.org. 7 p.m.: CAAM marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by screening Spike Lee’s HBO documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts.
Friday, aug. 27Metabolic Studio Public Salons1745 N. Spring St. #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. 1-3 p.m.: The Twain, Metabolic Studio’s new red trolley, rolls out for six Fridays of mobile conversa-tion. Each week special guests will narrate the route and explore issues raised by two artworks at either end of the free tour.Angelus Plaza Senior Talent Show 255 South Hill St., (213) 623-4352. 2 p.m.: Angelus Plaza presents its annual Senior Talent Show, proving that your elders can sing, dance and do magic as well as you. Admission is free. Attendance is mandatory, you young whipper-snapper.
saTurday, aug. 28Central Library630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room B, (323) 469-9774 or lapl.org. Noon-3 p.m.: The Library of Congress Veterans History Project conducts oral history interviews with WWII veterans. Co-sponsored by the History & Genealogy Dept. Readings at MetropolisMetropolis Books, 440 S. Main St., (213) 612-0174 or metropolisbooksla.com. 4 p.m.: A reading by Darnell Hunt and Ana-Christina Ramon of Black Los Angeles: American Dreams and Racial Realities. The book delves into the rich history of African Americans in Los Angeles and presents a snapshot of contemporary issues af-fecting the community.
sunday, aug. 29The Night Stalker TourDowntown, (323) 481-7258 or nightstalkertour.blogspot.com/. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: The 25th anniversary of the 1985 capture of serial killer Richard “The Night Stalker” Ramirez is commemorated with a walking and bus tour hosted by Al Guerrero of Eastside Desmadre Tours, with Crimebo the Clown and live street per-formances throughout.
This is your grandmoth-
er’s talent show, but there’s noth-ing usual about it. Angelus Plaza, Bunker Hill’s housing com-munity for older adults, presents its annual Senior Talent Show on Friday, Aug. 27, at 2 p.m. Talent comes from all over Los Angeles ($1,500 in prizes is up for grabs), and this being the entertainment capital of the world, contestants include lots of former professional singers, ac-tors, dancers, musicians and comedians. From vaudeville to hip-hop, solo vocal-ists to tap dancing troupes, acts get three minutes to perform. Go over and the gong sounds. This is serious, folks — serious fun. Admission is free. At 255 S. Hill St., (213) 623-4352 or rhf.org.
It’s alive. And it’s fly. The Pavilion of Wings at the Natural History
Museum is a dynamic, changing environment featuring more than 40 species of butterflies
and super-sized moths fluttering throughout a living, growing eco-
system on the museum’s South Lawn. More than half are native to California; all are native to the
United States Our official state insect, the California Dogface, has a pattern of a dog’s head on its wing and is found in the foothill ar-eas. Representing the East Coast is the Spicebush swallowtail, who in the caterpillar stage sports two large eyespots on its dark green back. Hurry up and feast your eyes on all the flying creatures — the pavilion closes Sept. 6. At 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763–3466 or nhm.org.
It’s alive. And it’s fly. The Wings
and super-sized moths fluttering and super-sized moths fluttering throughout a living, growing ecothroughout a living, growing eco
system on the museum’s South Lawn. More than system on the museum’s South Lawn. More than half are native to California; all are native to the half are native to California; all are native to the
In 2005, three comic book artists con-jured a great excuse to hang out in a bar on a regular basis which their sig-nificant others couldn’t deny them —
Drink and and super-sized moths fluttering throughout a living, growing eco
system on the museum’s South Lawn. More than
NumberFour
phot
o by
Rya
n M
iller
/Cap
ture
Imag
ing
Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to [email protected].
F i V e
is up for grabs), and this being the entertainment
Is it the end of summer already? Grand Performances has given Downtown three months of diverse cultural experiences, and the series’ final weekend is no exception. Über-tenor Matthew Stoneman (shown here) sweetly sings classic Spanish-language boleros on Friday, Aug. 27, at noon. At 8 p.m. that night, actor and puppeteer Paul Zaloom brings his Toy Theater Puppet Show to the California Plaza Watercourt.
But leave the kiddies at home; this found-object-animation satire is for adults only. Come on back Saturday night at 8 p.m., when Turtle Island Quartet fuses its classical aesthetic with con-temporary style in an homage to Jimi Hendrix. At 350 S. Grand Ave., grandperformances.org.
N um b e r T H r e e
phot
o by
San
dra
How
ard
Numb
er oN
e
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 19DowntownNews.com
Esotouric Bus ToursSee web site for departure locations, (323) 223-2767 or esotouric.com Noon-4 p.m.: The Lowdown on Downtown is Eso-touric’s bus adventures into the secret heart of L.A. LAVA Sunday SalonsClifton’s Cafeteria, 648 S. Broadway, lavatransforms.org. Noon-2 p.m.: The Los Angeles Visionaries As-sociation presents David Kipen, proprietor of Boyle Heights’ new lending library and cultural center Libros Schmibros, for a loosely structured conversa-tion and some hearty comfort food. Dramastage-Qumran Theater CompanyThe Exchange, 114 W. Fifth St., (323) 850-4436 or dramastage-qumran.org. 5 p.m.: “Affordable Housing for the Homeless” is the theme of a free theater, open mic and poetry slam event featuring guest speaker and unofficial mayor of Skid Row General Jeff.
ROCK, POP & JAZZCafé Metropol923 E. Third St., (213) 613-1537 or cafemetropol.com. Aug. 27, 8-10 p.m.: LA Music Academy jams for a cool summer jazz party. Aug. 28, 8-10 p.m.: The artsy vocal jazz of Jeri Brown and her trio.Casey’s Irish Pub613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com. Aug. 27, 9 p.m.: The Fringe Radio Coalition pres-ents Shirley Rolls with their jam glam psychedelic music. Aug. 28, 10 p.m.: Don’t lose ’em, it’s indie pop band Useless Keys. Aug. 29, 3 p.m.: BBQ and live music on the patio with The 1%ers. Ask if they have 2% milk.Conga RoomL.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic, (213) 749-0445 or congaroom.com. Aug. 26, 8 p.m.: Spanish rock with Jumbo. Or is that El Jumbo? Aug. 28, 9 p.m.: Salsa lessons at 8 p.m. allow you to prep for the La Internacional Sonora Show.Club NokiaCorner of Olympic Blvd. and Figueroa St., clubnokia.com. Aug. 27, 8 p.m.: Rock-n-roll royalty Asia hit Downtown L.A. on the Omega Tour. You’re re-quired to lift a lighter during “Heat of the Moment.” Aug. 28, 9 p.m.: Something Corporate this way comes.Grammy Museum L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Aug. 23, 8 p.m.: Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde and Welsh singer/songwriter JP Jones discuss their debut CD Fidelity! the day before its release. Fol-lowing the interview, Hynde and Jones will take ques-tions from the audience and perform a few songs. Aug. 25, 7:30 p.m.: Drum Workshop Inc.’s new documentary The Love Project Journey follows the musical journey of female touring and session drummer Yael as she teams up with drumming legends and guitar aces. After the film she’ll take questions from the audience and perform. Grand PerformancesCalifornia Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., grandperformances.org. Aug. 27, noon: Tenor Matthew Stoneman sings classic Spanish-language boleros. Aug. 28, 8 p.m.: The Turtle Island String Quartet pays homage to Jimi Hendrix in the final show of the season for Grand Performances.Redwood Bar & Grill316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com. Aug. 23, 10 p.m.: An alliterative evening with Blind Boy Paxton and Frank Fairfield. Aug. 24, 10 p.m.: The Neighborhood Bullies, The Stains and U.X.A. with De De Troit rock it three times. Aug. 25, 10 p.m.: Sarah Blackwood. Aug. 26, 10 p.m.: Set a place for Dinner with Spirit Animal. Aug. 27-29, 10 p.m.: Pete Molinari sings the country blues.Saturdays @ California Plaza350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 434-7944 or downtownmusicproject.com. Aug. 28, 10 p.m.: Trip hop beat and street poet Rich Furgeson and roots rockers Patrolled by Radar.Seven Grand515 W. Seventh St., sevengrand.la. Aug. 23, 10 p.m.: Katisse Buckingham and his quartet play their blend of jazz, hip-hop and world music. Aug. 24, 10 p.m.: Make it for The Makers. Aug. 25, 10 p.m.: Dante Chambers, the jazzman, not the football player.
THEATER, OPERA & DANCEThe Good BoyBootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org. Opening Aug. 27, 8 p.m.; Aug. 28, 8 p.m.; Aug. 29, 3 p.m.: The Good Boy, written and performed by Mi-chael Bonnabel, tells the story of Bonnabel’s childhood in 1960s Pasadena. He was raised in a large family by two complicated, and deaf, parents. Through Sept. 19.Grand PerformancesCalifornia Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., grandperformances.org. Aug. 27, 8 p.m.: Paul Zaloom’s adults-only Toy Theater Puppet Show. Seriously, don’t bring the kids.Something to Crow About Bob Baker’s Marionettes, 1345 W. First St., (213) 250-9995 or bobbakermarionettes.com. Aug. 24-27, 10:30 a.m.: Aug. 28-29, 2:30 a.m.: Bob Baker’s marionettes continues its 50th anniver-sary season with Something to Crow About, in which the puppets enact a musical “Day at the Farm.” Through Sept. 26.
FILMDowntown Independent251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com. Aug. 23-26, 8 p.m.: Los Angeles-based comedy group The Vacationeers and Funny Ha Ha present a week-long film and music series featuring nightly screenings of The Scenesters. The dark comedy about a series of hipster murders on L.A.’s Eastside, is not a documentary. IMAX TheaterCalifornia Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 744-2019 or californiasciencecenter.org. Through Sept. 6: Hubble 3D enables movie-goers to journey through distant galaxies to explore the grandeur and mysteries of our celestial surround-ings, and accompany space-walking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history. Through Sept. 6: Journey to the royal tombs of Egypt and explore the history of ancient Egyp-tian society as told through the mummies of the past. Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs follows explorers and scientists as they piece together the archeological and genetic clues of Egyptian mum-mies, providing a window into the fascinating and mysterious world of the pharaohs. Through Sept. 6: Featuring nine-time world surf-ing champion Kelly Slater, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D will immerse audiences in the story of an ocean wave and the lives it impacts and transforms. From astounding surfing action to the chaos of ocean storms, the film leads audiences on a quest to understand one of this planet’s most intriguing and dramatic phenomena.Regal Cinema L.A. Live1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through Aug. 26: Lottery Ticket (12, 2:30, 5:10, 7:50 and 10:30 p.m.); Nanny McPhee Returns (1:40, 4:30, 7:10 and 9:50 p.m.); Piranha 3D (12:20, 2:40, 5, 7:20 and 9:40 p.m.); Switch (12, 2:30, 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m.); Vampires Suck (12:10, 2:20, 4:40, 7 and 9:20 p.m.); Eat, Pray, Love (1:10, 4:20, 7:40 and 10:50 p.m.); The Expendables (12:20, 1:20, 2:50, 4:10, 5:20, 6:50, 7:50, 9:30 and 10:20 p.m.); Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (12:10, 2:50, 5:20, 8 and 10:40 p.m.); The Oth-er Guys (12:20, 3, 5:30, 8 and 10:40 p.m.); Step Up 3D (1:20, 4, 6:40 and 9:20 p.m.); Dinner for Schmucks (6:30 and 9:10 p.m.); Salt (1:30, 4, 6:40 and 9:10 p.m.); Inception (12:30, 3:40, 6:50 and 10 p.m.); De-spicable Me (1:40 and 4:10 p.m.). Aug. 27 (partial list): The Last Exorcism (12:20, 2:40, 5, 7:20 and 9:40 p.m. and midnight).
MUSEUMSAfrican American Firefighter Museum1401 S. Central Ave., (213) 744-1730 or aaffmuseum.org. Ongoing: An array of firefighting relics dating to 1924, including a 1940 Pirsch ladder truck, an 1890 hose wagon, uniforms from New York, L.A. County and City of L.A. firefighters, badges, helmets, photo-graphs and other artifacts. Annette Green Perfume MuseumFIDM, second floor, 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1200 or fidm.edu. Ongoing: One of a kind, the museum is dedicated to enhancing our understanding the art, culture and science of the olfactory. Originally opened in New York City in 1999, the collection — 2,000 bottles, perfume presentations and documentary ephemera dating from the late 1800s to the present — was do-nated to FIDM in 2005. Also, “High Style: Perfume and the Haute Couture” features a selection of fra-grance bottles and packaging that reflect the many ways that fame inspires design.California African American Museum600 State Drive, (213) 744-7432 or caamuseum.org. Through Jan. 1, 2011: “How We Roll” features
four decades of skateboarding legends starting with the birth of surfing and the influence of roller skat-ing to its evolution into the dynamic sport of today. Through Oct. 31: “Our Love of John T. Scott” exam-ines the New Orleans artist’s life, artwork, journey and private reflections and the people he influenced. The exhibition includes lyrical sculptures, paintings and four-by-six-foot woodcut blocks used to make large-scale prints. Ongoing: The multi-functional “Gallery of Dis-covery” offers visitors the opportunity to connect with the lineage of their own family, engage in ar-tistic workshops, educational tours and other pro-grams of historical discoveries. Hear recordings of actual living slaves from the Library of Congress archives and discover stories from the past.California Science Center700 State Drive, (323) 724-3623 or californiasciencecenter.org. Current limited engagement: “Mummies of the World,” the largest traveling exhibition of mummies ever assembled, presents a never-before-seen collec-tion of both accidental and intentionally preserved mummies including ancient mummies and impor-tant artifacts from Asia, Oceania, South America and Europe as well as ancient Egypt, dating as far back as 6,500 years. Through Sept. 6: “Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science” is an immersive quest for knowl-edge that reveals how archaeologists use modern science and technology to uncover and understand the ancient civilization of Egypt. Through Sept. 26: “Exploring Trees Inside and Out” is designed for young children (ages 2-7) to better understand the significant role trees play in the environment. Ongoing: The Science Center’s permanent ex-hibits are usually interactive and focus on human innovations and inventions as well as the life pro-cesses of living things. The lobby Science Court stays busy with the High Wire Bicycle, a Motion-Based Simulator, the Ecology Cliff Climb and Forty Years of Space Photography. The human body is another big focus: The Life Tunnel aims to show the connec-tions between all life forms, from the single-celled amoeba to the 100-trillion-celled human being. Chinese American Museum425 N. Los Angeles St., (213) 485-8567 or camla.org. Through May 29, 2011: To commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Angel Island, CAM is proud to open an exhibition to honor the history, legacy and unforgettable stories of Angel Island. “Remembering Angel Island” will showcase historic photographs, a reproduction of a poem carved on the barracks of Angel Island, artifacts and a multi-media station fea-turing personal stories of those who endured or were profoundly affected by the Angel Island experience. Through November 7: “Hollywood Chinese: The Arthur Dong Collection” is an exhibition of movie memorabilia collected during the 10-years of research for Arthur Dong’s documentary on the Chinese in American feature films. Explore the film-
maker’s archive of over 1,000 items, including post-ers, lobby cards, stills, scripts, press material, and other artifacts dating from 1916 to present-day. Permanent: Re-creation of the Sun Wing Wo, a Chinese general store and herbal shop, and “Journeys: Stories of Chinese Immigration,” an exhibit exploring Chinese immigration to the United States with an emphasis on community settlement in Los Angeles. The display is outlined into four distinct time periods. Each period is defined by an important immigration law and/or event, accompanied by a brief descrip-tion and a short personal story about a local Chinese American and their experiences in that particular historical period.
Email: Send a brief description, street address and public phone number. Submissions must be received 10 days prior to publication date to be considered for print.
2
MORE LISTINGSHundreds of listings of fun and interesting things to do in Downtown Los Angeles can also be found online at ladowntownnews.com/calendar: Rock, Pop & Jazz; Bars & Clubs; Farmers Markets; Events; Film; Sports; Art Spaces; Theater, Dance and Opera; Classical Music; Museums; and Tours.
TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLETHE ANSWER
Guitar + Fish = Fun
He has one of the great made-up names in music: Carlos Guitarlos. This week, the man who is a pretty much a six-string local legend begins a four-week stint of free shows at Senor Fish in Little Tokyo. Guitarlos, who first caught the attention of Los Angeles as a member of the ’80s punkish outfit Top Jimmy & the Rhythm Pigs, will play at the restaurant from 6-9 p.m. on Saturdays through Sept. 11. In addition to the Rhythm Pigs, he performed on street corners in San Francisco, got the key to that city from a local politician, has appeared on “The Tonight Show,” and has been honored by the Los Angeles City Council. As for what will be on the set list at Senor Fish, longtime friend and Downtown News photographer Gary Leonard said, “With Carlos you never know. The list is long.” Senor Fish is at 416 E. First St., (213) 625-0566. Carlos Guitarlos performs Aug. 21, 28, Sept. 4 and 11 from 6-9 p.m.
WASHINGTON BLVD WASHINGTON BLVD WASHINGTON BLVD WASHINGTON BLVD SAN PEDRO STATIONSAN PEDRO STATIONSAN PEDRO STATIONSAN PEDRO STATIONSAN PEDRO STATIONWASHINGTON BLVD
110
NATURALHISTORYMUSEUM
L.A./SPORTSARENA
AFRICANAMERICANMUSEUM
ROSEGARDEN
CALIFORNIASCIENCE CENTER
AIR & SPACEMUSEUM
SHRINEAUDITORIUM
HEBREWUNION
COLLEGE
UNIVERSITYVILLAGE GALEN
CENTER
MOUNT ST. MARY’S
COLLEGE
MEMORIALCOLISEUM
ORTHOPEDICHOSPITAL
AAAHQ
ANNENBERGCENTER FOR
COMMUNICATION
U N I V E R S I T Y O FS O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A
NORTH UNIVERSITY PARK
E X P O S I T I O N PA R K
HO
V
UNIVERSITY EXPOPARK WEST
FIGUEROACORRIDOR
EXPOSITION BLVD
MLK BLVD
FIGUEROA ST
GRAND AVE
FLOWER ST
HOOVER ST
ADAMS BLVD
JEFFERSON BLVD
HARBOR FWY
VERMONT AVE
South Figueroa Corridor District
SAN BERNARDINOSAN BERNARDINOSAN BERNARDINOSAN BERNARDINOSAN BERNARDINOSAN BERNARDINOSAN BERNARDINOSAN BERNARDINO
CESAR E. CHAVEZ AVE
Contact Cartifact for the full-color,every-building version of this map and others. Available as a poster and in print, web, and mobile media.
Downtown
700 S. Flower St, Ste. 1940 Los Angeles, CA 90017213.327.0200 maps�cartifact.com
ARIZONA LAND Liquidation Starting $129/mo, 1-2 Acre ranch lots 1 hour from Tucson, No Credit Check! Owner Financ-ing, Money Back Guarantee. 1-800-631-8164 Code 4031 www.SunsitesLandRush.com. (Cal-SCAN)
SOUTHERN COLORADO’S Best Land Bargains! Deedbacks, repos, foreclosures. Starting as low as $380 per acre. Excellent financing. Call 1-866-696-5263 x 5548. www.ColoradoRanchdeal.com. (Cal-SCAN)
TROPHY ELK Area Land Sale!! Horse Trails – BLM bordering Bank Liquidation Sale- Call Now! 20 Acres w/ Road & Utilities- $19,900 20 Acres w/ New Cab-in- Was: $99,900. Now: $69,900. Also Available: 200- 3000 acres w/ trees, views, utilities. Loaded w/ 350 class bulls, deer & game birds. Large acreage starts at $800/ acre 888-361-3006. www.WesternSkiesLand.com. (Cal-SCAN)
condo/townhouses
homes for sale
real estate services
CONSIDERING Foreclosure? Are you late in payments? A short sale may be your solution. Call Lady Rodriguez, Realtor 310-600-7534. Represent both buyers and sellers.
timeshare/resorts
WORLDMARK / Timeshare Sell / Rent For Cash!!! We’ll find you Buyers/ Renters! 10+ years of success! Over $78 Million in offers in 2009! www.SellaTimeshare.com Call (877) 554-2098. (Cal-SCAN)
REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL
retail space lease/sale
residential investment
DAVID BRAMANTE Specialist in Multi-Family Investments around Downtown Los Angeles. Call for a market analysis & info on recently sold. www.DavidBramante.com DRE Lic CA 01511588 (213) 943-1832.
FOR RENT
apartments/unfurnished
AWESOME ONE BEDROOM and studio in renovated classic 1905 building. West downtown/MacArthur Park. High ceilings, views, walk to Metro-rail, $720 to $1,025 util. paid 213-389-0753
CHARMING Spacious 2 bdrm. Lots of windows and closets. Fireplace. Patio, private garage. Quiet street. $1250 805-772-9079.
FREE RENT SPECIALS @ the Medici. Penthouse 1 & 2 bdrm apts. Granite kitchens, washer/dryers, business center, 2 pools, spa! Visit TheMedici.com for a full list of amenities. Call 888-886-3731.
FREE RENT SPECIALS Up to $3500 off select apartment homes! Additional Look + Lease specials may apply. Free park-ing, free tanning, free wi-fi + biz center avail. Cardio Salon, pool, Spa, steamroom, sauna. Call us today. 866-742-0992.
ORSINI III - Now open for imme-diate Occupancy. Never Lived in, Brand New Luxury Apartment Homes, Free Parking, Karaoke Room, Free Wi-Fi, Indoor Bas-ketball, Uncomparable Amenity Package. Call today to schedule a tour - 866-479-1764.
loft/unfurnished
REAL LOFTS Large open lofts, high ceilings, concrete floors, skyline views, parking included, professional-creative tenant mix. www.CityViewLofts.info 213-216-3754
condominiums/unfurnished
PROMENADE LUxURY Condo across from Music Center, Disney Hall: 2BR 2BA, 2 bal-conies, 2 parking; microwave, dishwasher, fully equipped gym, pool, spa, 24/7 security, heat, air, paid cable $2200/mo 818-522-7838
EMPLOYMENT
computers/it
OP RESCH ANYLST: use com-puter & optimizing methods to analyze, devlp busn’s operatn data etc. Must: Master degree & skills. F/T job: City of Industry, CA. Harry C. Lin, CPA, A Prof. Corp. Fax: 626-810-2450
drivers
COMPANY DRIVERS (So-los & Hazmat Teams) * Great Pay * Great Miles * CDL-A Re-quired. We also have dedicated & regional positions available. Call 866-789-8947. Swift. (Cal-SCAN)
DRIVE FOR THE BEST! Gor-don Trucking, Inc. Immediate Openings!! Teams - All the miles you can log! Regional & OTR openings. Full Benefits, 401k, Regular Hometime. We have the Freight! Talk to a recruiter live! www.TeamGTI.com 1-888-832-6484 EOE. (Cal-SCAN)
DRIVERS/CDL Training - Career Central. We Train and Employ You. Company Drivers up to 40K First Year. New Team Pay! Up to 48c/mile Class A CDL Training Regional Locations. 1-877-369-7091 www.CentralDrivingJobs.net. (Cal-SCAN)
IF YOU LIVE on I-5, We have the Job for You! Regional Driv-ers Wanted! More Hometime! Top Pay! Up to $.41/mile! Heart-land Express 1-800-441-4953. www.HeartlandExpress.com. (Cal-SCAN)
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 21DowntownNews.com
Call: 213-481-1448Classified Display & Line ad Deadlines:
Thursday 12 pm
“Be wary of out of area companies. Check with the local Better Business Bureau before you send any money for fees or services. Read and under-stand any contracts before you sign. Shop around for rates.”
All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any adver-tisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept
any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.
FOR RENTplaCe your ad online aT www.ladownTownnews.Com
CLASSIFIEDCLASSIFIED
voted downtown's best residential living
six years in a row
888.886.3731 •TheMedici.com725 Bixel St., Los Angeles, CA 90017
walk to l.a. live and nokia theater
FREE RENT SPECIALS!Studio, one & two Bedrooms•Granite kitchens•Italian marble counter baths•Washer/dryer in every home•Crown molding•Direct TV & Internet access•Dramatic views of the city•Free gated parking•Sand volleyball court•Roof top pool and spa•Fitness centers with sauna•
Downtown Los Angeles Brentwood Century City Woodland Hills
Please call 213.627.6913www.cityloftsquare.com
On Spring St.
Spring Tower Lofts:
1900 sqft, LOFT $2650/mo • 17 ft ceilings, Live/Work space • 14 story bldg. • Rooftop garden terrace w/city view • Pet friendlyWe are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighbor-hood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C
Luxury Rooms in Downtown
(213) 484-9789
Monthly Rents Start at $780 1 & 2 Rooms Available
• Fully Furnished • 100% Utilities Paid •• Refrigerator, Microwave & TV In Each Room • • Wireless Access Throughout Bldg. • Gym •
• Close to USC & Loyola Law School •• Presidential Suite with Kitchen • Parking Available Onsite
Mayfair Hotel1256 West 7th street
Special STUDeNT RaTe!$690 1 person
Buying, Leasing or Selling a Loft?
TheLoftGuys.netLA’s #1 Loft Site
Call 213-625-1313
ultimate life livingBeyond Real Estate!
Downtown LA Resident Realtors since 2001
Buy your loFTwith the BEST TEAM in
downTown la213 626 5433
WWW.ULTIMATELIFELIVING.COMMeridian Capital Real Estate Services, Inc. - (800) 729-5111 - DRE #01822666
Lounge • Amazing Views6th + Grand Ave. • 213.627.1900
milanoloftsla.com
old Bank DistrictThe original Live/Work Lofts
from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries,
Parking adjacent. Pets no chargeCall 213.253.4777
laloft.com
EMPLOYMENT
Drivers
NATIONAL CARRIERS needs O/Os, Lease Purchase, Com-pany Drivers for its Regional Operations in California. Gener-ous Hometime & Outstanding Pay Package. CDL-A Required. 1-888-707-7729. www.National-Carriers.com. (Cal-SCAN)
REEFER DRIVERS Needed! Experienced drivers and Class A commercial students welcome! Our Incredible Freight network offers plenty of miles! 1-800-277-0212. www.PrimeInc.com. (Cal-SCAN)
SLT - $2,000 BONuS. Flatbed and heavy haul. Owner Ops needed up to 78% of load Pay. Owners with trailers a plus. 1-800-825-8471. (Cal-SCAN)
Office/clerical
JOBS NATIONWIDE! Admin., HR, Clerical, Accounting, Mgmt., Tech., etc. - www.Jobs444.com and www.JobsBloom.com.
General
AuTOMOTIVE Great jobs in downtown LA! Full time or part time. Two blocks south of the Staples Center at Figueroa & Venice. Toyota Central is grow-ing! Sales Associates - all levels. Internet Associates. Service Technicians. Service Consul-tants. Drivers. Cashiers. Re-ceptionists. Bilingual Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Middle East-ern and women encouraged to apply. Great compensation package and employee benefits. Please call 800-597-5516 or send resume to [email protected]. EOE.
HELP WANTED Movie Extras. Earn up to $150/day. People needed for background in a major film production. Exp. not required. 888-366-0843
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Business OppOrtunities
100% GuARANTEE or Complete Refund! Revolutionary product changes the lives of people. Just work the business per our strate-gic marketing plan. $9,000. Call 1-800-477-2334. (Cal-SCAN)
Help WanteD
ATTN: COMPuTER Work. Work from anywhere 24/7. up to $1,500 Part Time to $7,500/mo. Full Time. Training provided. www.KTPGlobal.com or call 1-888-304-2847. (Cal-SCAN)
JOBS. JOBS, JOBS! Get paid to train in the California Army National Guard. up to 100% tuition assistance. Part-time work. Full-time benefits. May qualify for bonus. www.NationalGuard.com/Careers or 1-800-GO-GuARD. (Cal-SCAN)
SERVICES
eDucatiOn
HIGH SCHOOL Diploma! Gradu-ate in 4 weeks! FREE Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com. (Cal-SCAN)
lOans
PACE SBA MICROLOAN $1,000-$15,000 For working cap, equipment &start-up Mini-mum Requirements: FICO 650, Cashflows, collateral. Call: Da-vid Gonzalez 213-989-3220
cOmputers/it
FRuSTRATED BY Comput-ers? For services or solutions for home or business, call 213-458-6873.
Business services
ADVERTISE ONLINE in a net-work of 140-plus newspaper websites. Border to Border with one order! $7 cost per thou-sand impressions statewide. Minimum $5,000 order. Call for details: (916) 288-6010. www.CaliforniaBannerAdNetwork.com. (Cal-SCAN)
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach over 6 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)
DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers state-wide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SDAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)
attOrneys
cleaninG
CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experi-enced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants. Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183.
financial services
CASH NOW! Get cash for your structured settlement or annuity payments. High payouts. Call J.G. Wentworth. 1-866-SET-TLEMENT (1-866-738-8536). Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. (Cal-SCAN)
music lessOns
NOT READY FOR LA MASTER Chorale, but love to sing? Join the uSC university Chorus Wednesdays 7pm-9pm [email protected] (213) 740-7416
AUTOS
pre-OWneD
2000 HONDA ACCORD ex-tra clean, recent trade in, (YA075458), only $6,988, call 888-203-2967.
1986 CHRYSLER NEW Yorker good trans. New battery/tires and good tires, as is $300. 213-842-3337
autOs WanteD
A CAR DONATION Helping sick kids! Donate Your Car to SONGS OF LOVE and make a sick child smile! Featured on NBC (TODAY SHOW), CNN. Tax-deductible, all vehicle conditions accepted. www.SongsofLove.org 888-909-SONG (7664). (Cal-SCAN)
DONATE YOuR CAR: Chil-dren’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Pack-age. Fast, Easy & Tax Deduct-ible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (Cal-SCAN)
DONATE YOuR VEHICLE! Re-ceive Free Vacation Voucher. united Breast Cancer Founda-tion. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf.info Free Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners Accepted, 1-888-468-5964. (Cal-SCAN)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
nOtices
ATTENTION ANIMAL Workers - Do you work with swine, tur-keys, geese, or ducks? Are you age 18 or over? If so, you may be eligible to enroll in the uni-versity of Florida’s Prospective Study of uS Animal Agricultural Workers for Emerging Influenza Virus Infections. The purpose of the research study is to follow ag workers and their household members for influenza (flu) in-fections from both animal and humans. Compensation avail-able. For more information, view our study website at http://gpl.phhp.ufl.edu/AgWorker or con-tact Whitney Baker at 352-273-9569 email: [email protected]. (Cal-SCAN)
Continued from previous page
Downtownnews.com
Downtownnews.com
22 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitters/DowntownNews
For a complete list of our pre-owned inventory, go to www.DTLAMOTORS.com
MILANO LOFTS Now Leasing!• Gorgeous Layouts• 10-15’ Ceilings• Fitness Center• Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge• Amazing Views
Casaloma L.A. Apartments
Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo. with private bath at $695/mo.sec. Deposit special @$100Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area.
208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA
For English Call Pierre or Terri213.744.9911
For Spanish Call Susana213.749.0306
REQUEST FOR BIDSAngels Walk LA is seeking quali-fied disadvantaged business en-terprises (DBE) as well as other qualified business enterprises to do the graphic design of a quality, historic, self-guided walking trail guidebook and panels for a series of stanchions. Bids to be received no later than 9/10/10.
For more information please contact: Angels Walk LA 16060 Ventura Blvd., Suite 105-327,
Encino, CA 91436 Ph. 213-744-0016 Fax 213-744-0090
SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433
Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up!
Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up!
Sunshine GenerationChildren’s Performing Group
ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION!Family, Criminal, P.I.
for more than 20 yrs!Child Support / Custody
Necesita Permiso de trabajo? - Tagalog / Español / Korean
Get your Green carD or citiZensHipLaw Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq.,
(213) 689-1710
CHURCHES
THE BRIDGE / Little Tokyo: Contemporary worship, 4:00pm Sundays, 401 E. Third St. www.thebridgewired.org.
ITEMS FOR SALE
Lawn & GaRdEn/FaRm EqUip
NEW NORWOOD Sawmills- LumberMate-Pro handles logs 34” diameter, mills boards 28” wide. Automated quick-cycle-sawing increases efficiency up to 40%! www.NorwoodSawmills.com/300N 1-800-661-7746 ext. 300N. (Cal-SCAN)
miSC. itEmS
27” COLOR TV with converter box. Free delivery in downtown surrounding. 213-484-7111 x.6033.
LEGAL
CiviL SUmmonS
STATE OF WISCONSINCIRCUIT COURT
SHEBOYGAN COUNTYCASE NO. 10-CV-0638
Plaintiff: M&I MARSHALL & ILSLEY BANK,
770 North Water StreetMilwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
vsDefendants:
RONALD L. BARCENILLA a/k/a RONALD L. BARCCNILLA and
JANE DOE, unknown spouse of Ronald L.
Barcenilla a/k/a Ronald L. Barccnilla,10032 Westwanda DriveBeverly Hills, CA 90210,FORTY DAY SUMMONS
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, TO :
RONALD L. BARCENILLA a/k/a RONALD L. BARCCNILLA and
JANE DOE, unknown spouse of Ronald L.
Barcenilla a/k/a Ronald L. Barccnilla,10032 Westwanda Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210; and616 1/2 North Doheny Drive
West Hollywood CA 90069; and964 Larrabee Street Apt 106West Hollywood CA 90069
You are hereby notified that the plaintiff named above has filed a lawsuit or other legal action against you. The complaint, which is also served upon you, states the nature and basis of the legal action. Within 40 days after August 9, 2010, you must respond with a written answer, as that term is used in Chapter 802 of the Wisconsin Statutes, to the complaint. The court may reject or disregard an an-swer that does not follow the requirements of the statutes. The answer must be sent or delivered to the court, whose
address is:Clerk of Circuit CourtSheboygan County Courthouse615 North 6th StreetSheboygan WI 53081and to O’Dess and Associates, S.C., Plaintiff’s attorneys, whose address is:O’Dess and Associates, S.C.1414 Underwood Avenue, Suite 403Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 53213You may have an attorney help or represent you.If you do not provide a proper answer within 40 days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the complaint. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the fu-ture, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property.O’DESS AND ASSOCIATES, S.C.Attorneys for PlaintiffBy: M. ABIGAIL O’DESSBar Code No. 1017869POST OFFICE ADDRESS:1414 Underwood Avenue, Suite 403Wauwatosa, WI 53213(414) 727-1591O’Dess and Associates, S.C., is attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.If you have previously received a Chapter 7 Discharge in Bank-ruptcy, this correspondence should not be construed as an attempt to collect a debt.Publish dates 8/9, 8/16, 8/23/2010
DEPARTMENT OF THE
TREASURER AND TAX COL-
LECTORNotice of Divided Publica-tionNOTICE OF DIVIDED PUB-LICATION OF THE PROP-
ERTY TAX DEFAULT(DELINQUENT) LIST
Made pursuant to Section 3371, Revenue and Taxation
CodePursuant to Sections 3381 through 3385, Revenue and Taxation Code, the Notice of Power to Sell Tax Defaulted Property in and for Los Ange-les County, State of California, has been divided and distrib-uted to various newspapers of general circu-lation published in the county. A portion of the list appears in each of such newspapers.I, Mark J. Saladino, County of Los Angeles Tax Collec-tor, State of California, cer-tify that:Notice is hereby given that the real properties listed be-low were declared to be in tax default at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2008, by operation of law. The declaration of default was
due to non-payment of the total amount due for the taxes, as-sess-ments and other charges levied in 2007-08 tax year that were a lien on the listed real property. Property upon which a nuisance abatement lien has been recorded shall be sub-ject to sale if the taxes remain unpaid after three years. The name of the assessee and the total tax, which was due on June 30, 2008 for the 2007-08 tax year, is shown opposite the parcel number. Tax de-faulted real property may be redeemed by payment of all unpaid taxes and assess-ments, together with the additional penalties and fees, as prescribed by law, or it may be paid under an in-stallment plan of redemp-tion. If the 2007-08 taxes remain unpaid on non-residential prop-erty after June 30, 2011, the property will be subject to sale at public auction in 2011. All other residential property that remains unpaid after June 30, 2013, will be sub-ject to sale at public auction in 2014. All information concerning redemption of tax-defaulted property will be furnished, upon request, by Mark J. Sala-dino, Treasurer and Tax Collec-tor, 225 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, Califor-nia 90012, 1-(888) 807-2111 or 1-(213) 974-2111.I certify under penalty of per-jury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed at Los Angeles, California on August 4, 2010.
MARK J. SALADINOTREASURER AND TAX COL-LECTORCOUNTY OF LOS ANGE-LESSTATE OF CALIFORNIAAssessees/taxpayers, who have disposed of real prop-er-ty since January 1, 2007, may find their names listed for the reason that a change in owner-ship has not been reflected on the assessment roll.ASSESSOR'S IDENTIFICA-TION NUMBERING SYS-TEM EXPLANATIONThe Assessor's Parcel Num-ber (APN), when used to describe property in this list, refers to the Assessor's map book, the map page, the block on the map (if applica-ble), and the individual par-cel on the map page or in the block. The Assessor's maps and further
explana-tion of the parcel num-bering system are available in the Assessor's office.The following property tax de-faulted on July 1, 2008, for the taxes, assessments, and other charges for the fiscal year 2007-08:LISTED BELOW ARE PROP-ERTIES THAT DE-FAULTED IN 2008 FOR TAXES, AS-SESSMENTS AND 0THER CHARGES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008.AMOUNT OF DELIN-QUENCY AS OF THIS PUBLICATION IS LISTED BELOW. ABRAHAM,YASMINE SITUS 532 N VIRGIL AVE LOS AN-GELES CA 90004-2316 5539-029-039 $24.68 ASHIKIAN,KARAPET AND YEVA ET AL ASHIKIAN,SARKIS AND MARIAM SITUS 4969 RO-MAINE ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-3800 5538-003-012 $10,957.09 BRISENO,EFREN SITUS 755 N VIRGIL AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-3646 5539-017-014 $24,044.55 CHOI,EURRI SITUS 501 N MADISON AVE LOS ANGE-LES CA 90004-2222 5539-032-013/S2006-010 $3,463.00 DEVITO,NICK INC SITUS 800 W 1ST ST APT 0801 LOS ANGELES CA 90012-2447 5151-027-030 $11,600.52 DHANAPHA-TANA,NAYADA AND ASUNCION,JOEL SITUS 1022 N NORMANDIE AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2404 5538-001-012 $321.00 EL CENTRO LORETTO LP SITUS 1021 N HOOVER ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-3086 5539-001-025 $121,311.04 GARCIA,WALTER AND IRENE 5538-005-019 $493.31 GREAT VISION CHURCH SI-TUS 748 N ALEXANDRIA AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2502 5538-008-018 $4,237.88 HENRIQUEZ,CLAUDIA L AND HENRIQUEZ,MARTA L SITUS 757 N WILTON PL LOS ANGELES CA 90038-4112 5535-003-013/S2006-010/S2007-010 $11,298.28 LINARES,RONY A SITUS 811 N EDGEMONT ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2519 5538-014-027/S2006-010/S2007-010 $1,275.97 MARTIN,WILLIAM W SI-TUS 5356 LA MIRADA AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-1009 5537-004-002/S2005-010/S2006-010 $29,469.84 MIZRAHI,SUSAN P SITUS 1166 N EDGEMONT ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2630
5540-025-006 $15,586.01 PEREZ,MILTON AND ROSA SITUS 542 N VIRGIL AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90004-2316 5539-029-026/S2006-010 $235.36 SALAZAR,ANDREA SITUS 1168 N BERENDO ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-1706 5540-021-004/S2006-020/S2007-010 $35,558.35 TONG,WILLIAM P SITUS 880 W 1ST ST NO 623 LOS ANGELES CA 90012-2474 5151-016-124 $372.95
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELESDEPARTMENT
OF THE TREASURER
AND TAX COLLECTORNotice of Divided PublicationPursuant to Sections 3702, 3381, and 3382, Revenue and Taxation Code, the Notice of Sale of Tax De-faulted Property Subject to the Power of Sale in and for the County of Los Angeles, State of California has been divided and distributed to various newspapers of gen-eral circulation published in said County for publication of a por-tion thereof, in each of the said newspapers. Public Auction Notice (R&TC 3702) Of Sale Of Tax-Defaulted Property Subject ToThe Power Of Sale (Sale No. 2010A)Whereas, on June 29, 2010, I, MARK J. SALADINO, Treasurer and Tax Collector was directed by the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County, State of California to sell at public auction certain tax-defaulted properties which are Subject to the Power of Sale. Public notice is hereby given that unless said properties are re-deemed prior thereto, I will, on October 18, 19, and 20, 2010, at the hour of 9:00 a.m. at the Fairplex Los Angeles County Fair-grounds, 1101 W. McKinley Avenue, Building 8, Pomona, California, offer for sale and sell
said properties at public auction to the highest bidder for cash or cashier's check in lawful money of the United States for not less than the minimum bid. If no bids are received on a parcel, it will be re-offered at the end of the auction at a reduced minimum price.The minimum bid for each parcel is the total amount nec-essary to redeem, plus costs, as required by Section 3698.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.Prospective bidders should obtain detailed information of this sale from the County Treasurer and Tax Collector. Pre-registration and a $5,000 deposit in the form of cash, cashier's check or bank issued money order is required at the time of regis-tration. No personal checks, two-party checks or busi-ness checks will be ac-cepted for reg-istration. Registration will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., start-ing Tuesday, September 7, 2010, at the Treasurer and Tax Collector's Office lo-cated at 225 North Hill Street, Room 130, Los An-geles, California, and will end on Friday, October 1, 2010, at 5:00 p.m.If the property is sold, par-ties of interest, as defined by Section 4675 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, have a right to file a claim with the County for any proceeds from the sale, which are in excess of the liens and costs required to be paid from the proceeds. If excess pro-ceeds result from the sale, notice will be given to parties of interest, pursuant to law.All information concerning redemption, provided the right to redeem has not previous-ly been terminated, will upon request be fur-nished by MARK J. SALADINO, Treasurer and Tax Collector. If redemption of the property is not made according to the law before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 15, 2010, which is the last business day prior to the
first day of auction, the right of redemp-tion will cease.The Assessor's Identification Number (AIN) in this publica-tion refers to the Assessor's Map Book, the Map Page, and the individual Parcel Number on the Map Page. If a change in the Assessor's Identification Number oc-curred, both prior and cur-rent Assessor's Identification Numbers are shown. An expla-nation of the parcel numbering system and the maps referred to are avail-able from the Office of the Assessor located at 500 West Temple Street, Room 225, Los Angeles, California 90012.A list explaining the abbre-via-tions used in this publica-tion is on file in the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Col-lector, 225 North Hill Street, Room 130, Los Angeles, California 90012, or tele-phone 1(213) 974-2045.I certify under penalty of per-jury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed at Los Angeles, California, on August 4, 2010.
MARK J. SALADINOLos Angeles CountyTreasurer and Tax CollectorState of CaliforniaThe real property that is subject to this notice is situ-ated in the County oft Los Angeles, State of California, and is described as follows:PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF TAX-DEFAULTED PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THE POWER OF SALE(SALE NO. 2010A)2846 AIN 5535-020-012 SEDLAK,O LOCATION COUNTY OF LOS ANGE-LES $1,696.002847 AIN 5537-001-003 HAIAZI DEVELOPMENT INC C/O C/O ARA HAIRA-BEDIAN LOCATION COUNTY OF LOS ANGE-LES $235,242.00
August 23, 2010 Downtown News 23DowntownNews.com
now LEaSinG$1,400’s/mo. Free parking
ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA
MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS
WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET
756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com
Pricing subject to change without notice.
I conIc Beau t yS e e k S S t y l i S h M at e
Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk
clerk service. •Daily, $25.00
•Weekly, $99.00 •Monthly, $295.00 (213) 622-1508423 East 7th St.
Dressing Rooms• Concierge Service• 24-Hour Doorman• 24/7 On-Site Management• Magnificent City Views*Amenities vary among communities
Best Downtown Locations!
The Downtown Renaissance Collection
Be Inspired...
Elegant World Class Resort
Apartment Homes
Orsini550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.
877-231-9362WWW.THEORSINI.COM
725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.877-239-8256
WWW.THEMEDICI.COM
Medici
616 ST. PAUL AVE.877-235-6012
WWW.THEPIERO.COM
1221 WEST THIRD ST. 866-690-2888
WWW.THEVISCONTI.COM
Piero
Visconti
FREE Rent Specials On Select Floor Plans
Voted Best Downtown Residential Real estate Agent Call us today!
Downtown since 2002
Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com
loft the loft expert! group
TM
LOFT LIVINGYour number 1 source for Loft
sales, rentals and development!
downtownnews.com
HELP WANTEDSTAFF ACCOUNTANT: Assist to design, develop & maintain company’s accounting database systems; prepare bank account rec-onciliation, ledgers, payroll, & remit state sales taxes; prepare & analyze financial statements. Req. Bachelor in Accounting or BA majored in Accounting. Resumes: Laurie Joiner, Actuarial Systems Corp., 18321 Ventura Blvd., #660, Tarzana, CA 91356.
THAI MASSAGE SPECIALIST
Professional massage for men & women. Services include Thai Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Swedish Oil Massage, Foot Massage, Sauna, Steam, and more. Lounge area.
HealtH Dept. rank a for 7 ConseCutive Years
VIP Room Available. The Best Way For Business Meetings & Entertainment
SaKURa HEaLtH GYm & SaUna, inC.
3386
766
0119
111 N. Atlantic Blvd. Ste #231-233Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 458-1919 [Corner of Garvey Ave.]
HBODY MASSAGEHFirst Professionally Licensed Massage Shop in L.A. County.
Take us homeADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email [email protected] or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.
Twitter/DowntownNews24 Downtown News August 23, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews
Los Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com. The Dodgers are away all week, with a trip to beer town to take on the Brewers (Aug. 24-26). The playoff picture isn’t looking pretty, but the regular season is far from over. Lately, most of the Dodger talk has concerned trade speculation involving Manny Ramirez, who has been sitting out with a calf boo boo. (Can’t you hear the folks in Boston saying, “We told you so?”) Clayton Kershaw has been a bright spot for the team as of late, and he’s slated to get the ball against the Brewers. After that, the Dodgers head to the Mile High City to take on the Rockies (Aug. 27-29).
Los Angeles SparksStaples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 929-1300 or wnba.com/sparks.
The Sparks post-season destiny was to be decided after press time. But it’s safe to say that if they snuck into the playoffs, they exceeded expectations. Without Lisa Leslie, who retired last year, or the injured Candace Parker, the Sparks had a rough season.
Fight Night Club Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 234-8425 or clubnokia.com. July 22, 7 p.m.: Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and AEG present the latest instalment of the monthly Fight Night Club. The event presents boxing in a nightclub atmosphere, with a DJ, music and a VIP room; the ring is on Club Nokia’s stage, with standing room and balcony seating. The highlights of this month’s card include Ronny Rios and Gary Russell Jr., in separate bouts. Doors open at 6 p.m.
—Ryan Vaillancourt
It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Con-temporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.
Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!
Promenade Towers123 south Figueroa streetLeasing Information213 617 3777
Grand Tower255 south Grand avenueLeasing Information213 229 9777
museum Tower225 south olive streetLeasing Information213 626 1500
Community Amenities:~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby~ Concierge~ Pool / Spa / Saunas~ Fitness Center~ Gas BBQ Grills~ Recreation Room
Community Amenities:~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby~ Pool / Saunas~ Fitness Center~ Covered Parking
On Site:~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon
Community Amenities:~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby~ Concierge~ Pool / Spa / Saunas~ Fitness Center~ Gas BBQ Grills~ Recreation Room
Apartment Amenities:~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dishwasher (most units)~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating~ Balconies (most units)
