Broadway’s
Big Bash
February 6, 2017 I VOL. 46 I #6
Photos From the Annual Night on Broadway
SEE PAGE 7
Evite RSVPs to a Downtown Future : 6 Great Valentine’s Day Events : 10
photo by Gary Leonard
THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. SINCE 1972
2 Downtown News
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AROUND TOWN
Onni Group Reveals New Details for Two Big Projects
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ancouver-based Onni Group, which has become a big player in Downtown real estate, recently revealed new details for two key projects: a South Park high-rise and its redevelopment of the Times Mirror Square complex at First and Spring streets. Renderings from Chris Dikeakos Architects for 1000 S. Spring St. show a boxy, 48-story tower similar in look to Onni’s 820 S. Hill St. and 1212 S. Flower St. projects, but with a curving roof, rather than a flat surface. Onni filed plans with the city for the tower, which would have 498 residential units, in December. In the Civic Center, preliminary renderings from AC Martin show 37- and 53-story glass-and-steel towers at Times Mirror Square. They would replace structures on the southwest and northwest parts of the complex, and would hold 1,127 residential units between them.
Little Tokyo Building Sells
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60,000-square-foot building at 120 S. San Pedro St. has been sold by MUFG Union Bank to an affiliate of Brickstar Capital LLC, a Los Angeles-based private investor. The building currently holds a Union Bank branch and some office space; Union Bank had owned the six-story building since its construction in 1984. While there are few details on the future of the building, the new owner plans to keep the
TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS Union Bank location and boost leasing. “Little Tokyo’s rich cultural history, pedestrian-friendly environment, and location between the Civic Center and the Arts District is further cementing Little Tokyo as one of Downtown L.A.’s most popular neighborhoods to live, work and play,” said Brickstar Principal David Mirharooni in a prepared statement. CBRE represented Union Bank in the transaction and has been retained by Brickstar to handle leasing at the structure. Through its affiliates, the company now owns the South San Pedro block between First and Second streets, including the adjacent building at 312 E. First St. Rebranded as 312First, Brickstar recently completed improvements to market that property as creative office space.
February 6, 2017
TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD
Museum, Brewery to Host Discussion Series
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t long last, Downtown’s science and beer worlds are uniting. Exposition Park’s Natural History Museum and the Arts District’s Angel City Brewery announced that they are teaming up for a new discussion series called Citizen Science + Suds. The series, which begins this month, will focus on the idea of citizen science, or people doing their own research and collaborating with one another outside of major scientific institutions. Events will take place at Angel City Brewery (216 Alameda St.). The first discussion, from 6-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9, will delve into urban planning and how to address homelessness in Los Angeles. The March 9 happening will touch on environmental conservation efforts and crowd-sourcing data, while the April 13 edition will examine the global impacts of civic science projects.
600 Wilshire Blvd.
Evite
Grand Opening
Keeping with the theme, the museum and brewery are creating a new beer, with the ingredients and name being decided by crowdsourcing. Events are free with advance reservations, which can be made at nhm.org/lectures.
Learn About the Sixth Street Viaduct Park
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ork on the $482 million Sixth Street Viaduct replacement is underway. Although the new bridge won’t open until 2019, Downtowners this week can learn about some of the
January 26, 2017
project’s public space. On Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m., a public meeting about the 12-acre (get ready for it) Sixth Street Viaduct Mobility Park, Arts and River Commons will take place. The majority of the project, also known as the M-PARC, is on the eastern side of the Los Angeles River, but the Arts District portion would hold a park and an art plaza. The meeting takes place in SCI-Arc’s Keck Auditorium at 960 E. Third St. (a Boyle Heights meeting is on Tuesday). Scheduled attendees include 14th District City Councilman José Huizar and City Engineer Gary Lee Moore. More information is at sixthstreetviaduct.org.
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February 6, 2017
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4 Downtown News
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EDITORIALS
phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com email: realpeople@downtownnews.com
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February 6, 2017
EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris GENERAL MANAGER: Dawn Eastin
ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie
PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, Michael Lamb SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez
SENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis STAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Maese CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Emily Manthei ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt
CIRCULATION: Danielle Salmon DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla
©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved. 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.
Hail the Small Hotel
One copy per person.
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he Downtown hospitality scene is undergoing rapid and deep change. A community that has long suffered from a shortage of hotel rooms — and thus consistently lost events to regional convention industry rivals such as Anaheim and San Diego — is seeing its roster expand. The 350-room Hotel Indigo will soon open in the Metropolis complex, and a 900-room Intercontinental will arrive in the spring in the Wilshire Grand replacement. The 200room Freehand Hotel in the Commercial Exchange building is almost ready to open. Also approaching is the renovated Hotel Figueroa; the landmark north EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris of L.A. Live has been closed for more than a year. GENERAL MANAGER: Dawn Eastin By comparison, the opening of the 14-room Tuck EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie Hotel is minor stuff. Still, it’s a fun and unique addition, SENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim and not only does it (slightly) boost the number of hoSTAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton tel rooms, it also helps activate the Fashion District. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Maese S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News last week wrote CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre, Greg Los Angeles Downtown News about the hotel, where check-ins began in DecemFischer, Emily Manthei 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 ber. The project at 820 S. Spring St. comes from Juan phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison Pablo Torre, who has previously launched hotel and web: DowntownNews.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa restaurant projects in Europe. email: realpeople@downtownnews.com PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard The Tuck is a quirky destination, a 9,000-squarefacebook: ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt foot boutique establishment in a district that is by L.A. Downtown News CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway no means a tourism hub. Still, the Tuck is within easy twitter: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, I N C E 19 7 2 walking distance of the Broadway theaters andSnuYet all previous efforts fizzled. DowntownNews Michael Lamb Los Angeles Downtown News merous restaurants. While business travelers coming Huizar’s Broadway effort has coincided with massive investment ©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved. W. First Street, Angeles, CA 90026 to1264 Downtown for a Los convention may not book rooms in Downtown Los Angeles. isThe Everything from huge housing projects Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newsphone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 CIRCULATION: Danielle paper forreinvention Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every here, it is easy to envision younger tourists attractto Andrew Meieran’s $10 million of Clifton’s has made he progress that has occurred on Broadway since 14th Salmon Disweb: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles Los Angeles. ed to a community that has been written about frethe street a focal point. Huizar and his team have shown admirable trict City Councilman José Huizar launched his effort to reDISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla One copy per person. quentlyfacebook: by the domestic and internationaltwitter: press. follow-through and have nurtured the growth by facilitating the vive the street nine years ago has been stupendous. The anL.A. Downtown News DowntownNews arrival of businesses such as the Ace Hotel, Urban Outfitters and nual festival celebrating the street is equally impressive. The Tuck is an unlikely project for its location, a clutch of chic boutiques. He has also worked on streetscape imthough its restaurant and bar could draw people The edition of Night on Broadway that took place on Saturday, EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris provements and activating the upper floors of Broadway buildings. who live and work in the Eastin Fashion District. The comJan. 28, was fantastic. In just its third year, Night on Broadway has GENERAL MANAGER: Dawn GENERAL MANAGER: Dawn Eastin A transformation is not complete, but it is underway. munity is also starting to see new kinds of investbecome not just Downtown’s signature street festival, but one of EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie ment. A few housing projects have opened, and oththe biggest and best in Southern California. For seven hours the Some charge that Broadway is being gentrified, that older busiEXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie SENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim ersSTAFF are on the way. LastSlayton July, the vinyl record store thoroughfare was alive and full of free, top-notch entertainment, nesses have been forced out and that a Latino population that SENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim WRITER: Nicholas Pop Obscure Records at 735 S. Los Angewith crowds enjoying indoor and outdoorSTAFF performances amid a Slaytononce flocked to the street to shop no longer visits. The street has CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: opened Kathryn Maese WRITER: Nicholas Tom Fassbender, Favre,the Greg Fischer, fun, convivial and sometimes quirky (chessboxing!?) CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathrynchanged, Maese lesCONTRIBUTING St. The TuckWRITERS: Hotel widens the frameJeff of what atmosphere. but we think it is largely a sign of progress — people in Emily Manthei SIN C Ebefore. 19 7 2Additionally, CONTRIBUTING Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre, community can hold. The bonus is that Night on Broadway reminds visitors ofWRITERS: the poten2017 have more shopping options than ever Greg Fischer, Emily Manthei Brian Los Angeles tial of a historic street with beautiful theaters. Broadway, which remains very diverse,Downtown is a more News intriguing place ART TheDIRECTOR: Tuck is also a Allison pleasant reminder of the indeASSISTANT ARTas DIRECTOR: Yumi Los Kanegawa with fewer swap meets. 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 pendent spirit Downtown Angeles increasing Huizar’s office deserves immense credit for its vision and for doART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 ly PHOTOGRAPHER: becomes an investment destination for national ing the work that has led to celebrating the street. Recognition also It’s staggering to think ofphone: the planning work that goes into Night Gary Leonard web: DowntownNews.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa developers, brands chains. The community is a goes to festival director and producer Jessica Wethington McLean on Broadway, and organizers have improved the event through email: realpeople@downtownnews.com ACCOUNTING: Ashley and Schmidt PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard better place when it offers a mix of both established and her team of dedicated volunteers, many of them experts in arsteps such as having some portions of the celebration, including a CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway facebook: streets. Other imnames and businesses that can afford to be more ranging signature events. Night on Broadway drew an estimated kid’s zone and an LGBTQ area, on the east-west ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, Michael Lamb L.A. Downtown News adventurous. 75,000 people, up from 60,000 in 2016. The night flowed well, and provements should be made in the future. There remains too much SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez ADVERTISING Catherine twitter: the little details were handled with finesseCLASSIFIED — even the trashcans MANAGER: Huizar signageHolloway — he should rest assured that people already rec Few would have guessed that a boutique hoCIRCULATION: Danielle Salmon DowntownNews ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherineognize Holloway, were emptied regularly. him. Additionally, the pedestrian snarl near the stage where telDISTRIBUTION would open at this location near where Eighth, MANAGER: Salvador Ingles Brenda Stevens, Michael Lamb performers did fire tricks was somewhere between far too crowdSpring and Main streets converge. But Gustavo that unex The celebration springs from work thatSALES beganASSISTANT: in 2008, when DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Bonilla Claudia Hernandez ©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News a trademark of Civic Center Newspath Inc. Allfor —is there needs to be a wide pected element is part of what makes Downtown Huizar launched his Bringing Back Broadway initiative. As this page ed and downright dangerous ©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center rights reserved. Inc. All rights people to walk. soNews exciting as itreserved. evolves. It’s nice to see something has noted before, the idea of reviving Broadway had been profThe Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles CIRCULATION: Danielle Salmon newspaper for Downtown Angeles that and iswas dissmall vibrant amid throughout all the big-name big-of Downtownfered several times in the past, with leaders including former May Those elements are fixable, and come amid aLosfestival and is and distributed every Monday the offices andand residences Los tributed every Monday throughout the offices and DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles Angeles. budget projects. or Jim Hahn recognizing the opportunity to create a nightlife desti- 95% great. Night on Broadway has ofbecome calling residences Downtown a Los Angeles.card for the DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, One copy per person. nation based on activating the street’s dozen century-old street, and for Downtown in general. One copy per person. Gustavo Bonilla theaters.
Broadway’s Fantastic Night
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EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Sue Laris GENERAL MANAGER: Dawn Eastin
S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News
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EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Jon Regardie SENIOR WRITER: Eddie Kim STAFF WRITER: Nicholas Slayton CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Kathryn Maese CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Emily Manthei ACCOUNTING: Ashley Schmidt
ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER: Catherine Holloway ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, Michael Lamb SALES ASSISTANT: Claudia Hernandez CIRCULATION: Danielle Salmon DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Salvador Ingles DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla
©2016 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved. 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.
February 6, 2017
Downtown News 5
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After Homeless Count, It’s a Number Game Data Crunching Begins, With Final Figures Set to Take Months By Eddie Kim ou could spot them from a block away: shuffling figures in lime-green vests, peering down the sidewalk, into pitch-dark alleyways, storefront stoops and every space in between. On Jan. 24-26, volunteers organized by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority fanned out across the county with the mission of tallying every homeless person and makeshift shelter on the streets. The final night brought teams to Downtown Los Angeles. It will take several months to turn the hard counts and affiliated estimates into final figures. Those will become the definitive source for both government and media purposes, and will impact federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, local policy, and even the recruiting by shelters and nonprofits for philanthropic dollars. Last year, the count tallied 28,464 homeless people in the city and 46,874 in the county, with 5,590 settled in Council District 14, which primarily covers Downtown. This year LAHSA surveyed 2,155 census tracts. The department is already processing the information and plans to release final figures in May. There are three main parts to the process. The best-known is the street count, in which volunteers seek to tally homeless people, plus any makeshift shelters including tents and vehicles. It is a visual process, meaning no homeless people are questioned. LAHSA also collects numbers from shelters. The data-crunching begins as soon as volunteers bring their tally sheets back to the community hub (in Downtown, it was Skid Row’s Los Angeles Mission). An on-site data validator reviews the handwritten tallies and inputs them into a computer, according to LAHSA Data and Research Manager JuHyun Sakota. The tally sheets are then sent to LAHSA’s headquarters and recounted, she said. “It takes many hours and many additional volunteers to do
Y
photo by Eddie Kim
Volunteers took to the streets of Downtown on Jan. 26 to count homeless people and makeshift shelters. It was part of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s annual countywide Homeless Count, which took place over three days.
this,” Sakota noted. “We also figure out tracts or areas we missed during the night count, and deploy teams where they’re necessary. Once we have all the data entered, we compare it to last year’s numbers to find abnormalities. Is a big difference an actual change in population or an error?” The second step is a demographic survey undertaken in select census tracts; this helps provide a picture of who the homeless are and how they’re living. The process includes analyzing living situations, such as whether it’s mostly individuals, families, people in makeshift shelters, etc. A key to the final figure is using the demographic survey to create a “multiplier” number for all the makeshift shelters
counted. Since it is impossible to know how many people are staying in a given tent or car, the surveys — which include questions such as how many people the respondent lived with when they were on the street — are distilled into an average figure. LAHSA’s goal this year was to notch 4,000 demographic surveys, said Clementina Verjan, associate director of the authority’s Policy and Planning Department. The newest and trickiest of the three components is the youth count. Children are so hard to find that LAHSA uses what it terms “youth navigators,” usually formerly homeless youth, Verjan said. Those individuals literally point out hotspots or a group of kids to aid counters, she added. “As we got more youth volunteers and involvement from service providers, the population kept growing and we didn’t know whether it was a growth in population or just us finding more youth,” Verjan said. “We created a new methodology last year. Even HUD lacks a firm grasp on this. Homeless youth was a focus this year on a national level.” LAHSA works to limit room for error, but the process is rife with potential mistakes, such as double counting a homeless person or missing them while counting from a moving vehicle, as occurs in some areas. The judgment calls are trickier. Volunteers are taught to identify homeless individuals by using an ABC process: appearance, behavior, condition. Long trains of tents must be counted by approximating where one shelter ends and another begins. More vagueness comes with identifying gender and age group from a distance. LAHSA remains confident in its process, even with some refining left to do with the youth count. A common misconception is that the homeless tally can singlehandedly affect how the city collects dollars and resources (“So many other factors, including poverty levels and wages, are considered for things like funding,” Verjan noted), but it’s the biggest piece in understanding homelessness in the region. The number crunching continues, full speed ahead. In the spring, city and county leaders will have a sense of what kind of progress they are actually making on the streets. eddie@downtownnews.com
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6 Downtown News
February 6, 2017
Evite RSVPs to a Downtown Future Tech Company Leaves West Hollywood and Doubles in Size in Financial District By Nicholas Slayton owntowners were abuzz last October when Warner Music Group announced it would relocate from Burbank to a renovated Ford Factory Building in the Arts District. However, it is not the only big-name business ditching other communities for a future in Downtown Los Angeles. Last month, the electronic invitation and party planning company Evite formally opened an 18,800-square-foot space on the fourth floor of the 600 Wilshire building. That is more than double the size of its previous home on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. “We were too crowded. The last space was half this size, so we were on top of each other,” CEO Victor Cho told Los Angeles Downtown News during a recent visit. “The business was growing, so we needed to move.” Evite, which launched in 1998, has a more than five-year lease on the space. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Cho said the company currently has 75 people on staff. He said the Financial District office can comfortably hold up to 200 workers. Cho said that when it came time to search for a new home, Evite looked at space around Los Angeles County, including Culver City, Venice and Santa Monica. He said rates were cheaper in Downtown than in Silicon Beach, and that the centrality of the neighborhood made it easier for the company’s employees, who live around the county, to commute. “I think you’ll see a lot more companies moving here,” Cho said. Evite’s space has all the touchstones of a technology company, with an open office floor plan and desks clustered together. There are soundproof rooms for phone calls and conference rooms on the edges. There is also a communal kitchen and a large, curving couch up against a window where employees can hang out or work.
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Several spaces are named for Los Angeles music venues, with conference spaces named for the Greek Theater and the Palladium. A game room with foosball and ping-pong tables is called the Whiskey A Go Go. Other workspaces include The Mint, The Wiltern and the Roxy. No Downtown clubs are represented. Kristy Gharabally, the director of business development and corporate communications, said the entire staff helped create the music-themed decor. Each team — video, sales, finance, etc. — weighed in on ideas, designing via committee, she said. The office contains a set of remote-controlled video screens for teleconferencing. The roughly five-foot-tall machines have large displays allowing people to chat with each other; the platform is mounted on a steerable device that can be moved around the office without assistance. Cho, who lives in the Bay Area, said the machines let him interact with the staff when in Northern California. The office includes a large section for video production. Ben Dally, the director of video development, said Evite’s Downtown office provides a significant expansion over the “closet” they were operating out of in West Hollywood. The video team has two editing bays. Cho said that new video projects are part of Evite’s expansion plans. The company reaches roughly 150 million people annually counting those who send and receive invitations. The video elements are intended to be entertaining and offer information on party planning. The company also aims to expand its services with a more social element, including creating private chat rooms for guests. Cho said that while Evite started with its invitation system, there is an opportunity to grow into wider applications. Moving Downtown Evite’s move to Downtown is another indicator of the community’s growing technology scene. Although the Central City can’t compete with Silicon Valley, Silicon Beach and
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Evite CEO Victor Cho in the company’s new Financial District headquarters. Evite currently has 75 employees, though the Downtown location could up to 200 people.
other established tech hubs, the area does have a longstanding tech presence. Cushman and Wakefield Managing Director Andrew Tashjian, who represented 600 Wilshire owner the Onni Group in leasing the space, said that Downtown is not new to the industry. “I think Downtown’s always had kind of a rebellious tech scene that you don’t quite see from the surface,” Tashjian said. More technology companies are moving to the Central City, particularly from the Westside, Tashjian said. He added that the last three years in particular have been busy ones for tech in Downtown, with businesses drawn by the success of entities such as the community organizing company NationBuilder. The digital networking company MiTu recently leased a 13,000-square-foot office at the Arts District’s Row DTLA complex. The tech boom in Downtown is only getting started, Tashjian believes. He thinks Evite’s relocation will add to the momentum. nicholas@downtownnews.com
February 6, 2017
Downtown News 7
DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
Oh What a Night
Photos by Gary Leonard
An estimated 75,000 people turned out for the Night on Broadway celebration on Saturday, Jan. 28. The third annual event, organized by the office of 14th District City Councilman JosĂŠ Huizar, featured performers and DJs on more than a dozen indoor and outdoor stages. The night included food trucks, fire tricks, a giant harp with strings affixed to a building, and even a Ferris wheel in the middle of Broadway.
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8 Downtown News
February 6, 2017
Love, Loss and Big Prizes The Winners of the 2017 Downtown News Love Story Contest
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dmit it: No matter how tough you profess to be, you love a good love story. Admit it again: No matter how romantic your heart, you delight in a really good, totally cringe-worthy bad date story. Los Angeles Downtown News is celebrating both of those. A few weeks ago we asked our readers to send in their best stories of love gone right and dates gone wrong. The tales, limited to 200 words, poured in. Now we have our winners, and they come in three categories: Best Wedding Day/Engagement Story, Most Romantic Story and Best Worst First Date Story. There’s a big payoff too, with some nice prizes. One thing we’ve learned from this contest is you never can predict what will roll in. Actually, there’s something else we’ve learned: Our readers tell a really good tale, whether it’s happy, sad or funny. Below are the winning stories. Thanks to everyone who submitted. May these tales help get you in the spirit for Valentine’s Day. HE’S THE PIANO MAN used to frequent Perch in Downtown. One summer night, a woman walked in and noticed me on the piano, before I ever saw her. It happened on the rooftop. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Surrounded by friends, she’d make eye contact, smile, then look away. Try as I might, I couldn’t find the opening to talk to her. We left having exchanged only smiles. Who was this girl? I scoured Instagram, hoping she’d taken a picture at Perch that night. Nothing.
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Months later I met someone through Bumble. We talked about our interests and I told her I enjoyed playing the piano and hanging out at Perch. Hearing that, it hit her who I was. She said she vividly recalled seeing me that night and feeling unbelievable chemistry, even from across the rooftop. She confessed to having searched Perch’s website to see if I worked there and told me that I was on her mind for weeks after that. We didn’t waste our second chance. We went out on a date and have never looked back. —Edward Mederos Edward is our Grand Prize winner. Way to go, Edward! He’ll receive a package that includes a one-night stay at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza, dinner for two at Noé, and a gift card for a movie night at the Regal L.A. Live cinemas. CLOSING TIME stopped at a business cocktail mixer after work, mainly so I could get some snacks and not have to cook dinner for one. Soon, I was introduced to a handsome gentleman. We eventually sat at a table with two bottles of wine, his red and mine white. At some point a waiter came over and told us they were closing and could we please leave so he could go home. We looked around and all the guests had left. We were alone in the room and oblivious to how much time had passed. We exchanged business cards and I later got a dinner invitation. At dinner we got so wrapped up in conversation that, guess what? The restaurant had closed. Chairs stacked on tables, floors vacuumed, doors locked, yet again we were the only two left in the entire restaurant.
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I didn’t know it was possible to be so into someone else. That’s when I knew this was something special. We married exactly two years from the night we met. That was over 25 years ago. —Pamela Hagar Pamela is our second place winner. She gets a $100 gift card to the Patina Restaurant Group. OH, BABY ne day I went out to purchase a bicycle for my son for Christmas. As I was looking at the bikes, a handsome man caught my eye. He smiled and I smiled back. While loading the bike into my car, he approached me and introduced himself. He told me I was beautiful and asked me if I would go out on a date. I accepted. The following night he picked me up for dinner. He looked amazing and was a perfect gentleman. After we finished the main course, we ordered drinks. Our conversation became personal. Without any hesitation, he told me he was wearing a diaper and would like for me to be his mommy. I was flabbergasted! I asked him if he was serious. He stated, “My fantasy is to be a baby, have a gorgeous woman talk baby talk to me, and change my diaper.” I felt disgusted. I immediately got up and left. I went to the bar and ordered a tequila shot. I called a taxi and drank until it arrived. —Michelle Corey Michelle came in third place. She wins a $50 gift card to Chaya. Check out some of the Honorable Mention entries at downtownnews.com
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Questions Remain as City Seeks to Legalize and Regulate Sidewalk Vending By Eddie Kim he City Council last week voted to draft a law that would immediately decriminalize sidewalk vending and create a new framework for where, when and how vendors can operate. The vote on Tuesday, Jan. 31, caps more than two years of governmental hemming and hawing, and comes in the wake of concerns that President Donald Trump will seek to deport undocumented immigrants. Implementation details, however, remain sparse. Sidewalk vendors are technically illegal in the city, although they’re a common sight in Downtown and other neighbor-
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While sidewalk vendors are a common sight in Los Angeles, the practice is illegal. The City Council voted last week to decriminalize sidewalk vending and create a permitting system. photo by Gary Leonard
hoods, hawking everything from bacon-wrapped hot dogs to Laker T-shirts. Back in 2014 the council launched an effort to potentially legalize sidewalk vending with a new policy, but talks stagnated until Trump’s election. The current priority is on the decriminalization front, as the city is far from finalizing regulations for the Los Angeles Police Department, County Department of Public Health, city Department of Sanitation and others. That process could take months. The council also requested that the City Attorney look into amnesty for current vendors with misdemeanors, as a response to Trump’s claim that his administration could move to deport undocumented immigrants who are merely charged with a crime, not formally convicted. The proposal would have vendors register with the city and pay fees that would cover the cost of the program. One idea is to limit the number of vendors on a given block, with a cap of two stationary vendors on each side of a block in a commercial or retail area, and a “limited” number of mobile vendors in a residential neighborhood. It is unclear how the distinction will be defined in Downtown Los Angeles. The council also recommended a caveat that advocacy groups have long been wary of: a system allowing certain neighborhoods to opt out of the vendor program with a petition from 20% of an area’s property or business owners. It would allow the council to make changes to vendor permitting, including areas and hours of operation, or ban it altogether. That caveat garnered praise from business groups including Downtown’s powerful Central City Association and various business improvement districts. “CCA is pleased the council heard us and recognized that one size won’t fit all in a city that spans 500 square miles,” Jessica Lall, president and CEO of the CCA, said in a prepared statement. “The framework includes some really smart provisions, including the requirement that stationary sidewalk vendors have the consent of adjacent business or property owners.” Vendors and advocates, meanwhile, charged that such a provision would make it too easy for brick-and-mortar businesses to block vending as a matter of competition, rather than health or safety justifications. One as-yet-unanswered issue concerns enforcement. The council’s recommendations include creating an “immediate enforcement response and same-day service” for any complaints, but also demands that the vendor system’s fees cover the costs of the program, with “minimal assistance” from the city’s general fund. eddie@downtownnews.com
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February 6, 2017
CALENDAR
16 Great Events for
Valentine’s Day The Meals, Parties and Other Happenings to Fill Your Calendar in the Days Leading Up to Feb. 14
By Nicholas Slayton t happens every year: You forget that Valentine’s Day is approaching. That’s understandable, what with work and family and the complications life throws at you. But then you suddenly look up and the day with intense romantic pressure has arrived, and everything you want to do is sold out and every place you want to eat is booked solid. Los Angeles Downtown News is here to help, with an early rundown of options. Some of these you can book now and enjoy on Feb. 14, while other happenings take place this week, allowing you to celebrate early without the crowds. Here are 16 options for the occasion, from Mexican wrestling to an Edwardian ball to French feasts. Feel free to go to more than one. Events and Parties Play It Again, Sam: The restored Clifton’s Cafeteria is home to vintage fashions, kitsch decor, throwbacks to old Hollywood and some of the coolest bars in Downtown Los Angeles. On Valentine’s Day, the Broadway establishment highlighted by a huge faux redwood hosts a party that pays homage to the cinematic classic Casablanca, with a “Café Americain” celebration. There will be live music and entry is complimentary with food and drink minimums. If you’re rusty on the details, remember, Humphrey Bogart didn’t get the girl at the end. At 648 S. Broadway, (213) 627-1673 or cliftonsla.com.
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All Hail the Queen: The nightclub The Edison is known for rich and extravagant events that fill the former boiler room. On Feb. 14, the basement club in the Higgins Building hosts its Queen of Hearts Ball, with burlesque and dance performances. Stilt walkers and aerialists will cavort throughout the space, DJs will spin and the bar will have its strong cocktail menu. The event calls for “upscale cocktail attire,” so please, no ripped jeans. Advance tickets are $40. At 108 W. Second St., (213) 613-0000 or edisondowntown.com. It Takes Two to Tango: A train station might not seem like the most romantic spot. Still, there’s an undeniable romance to Union Station. On Feb. 14, the Alameda Street landmark’s soaring ticketing hall will be transformed into a dance space for a free tango party. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and there will be complimentary lessons. Later, there will be a live orchestra and performances by tango luminaries Carlos Barrionuevo and Mayte Valdes. Practice holding a rose stem between your teeth. At 800 N. Alameda St., (213) 683-6729 or unionstationla.com.
photo courtesy of Tease If You Please
The burlesque show Tease If You Please will be hosting performances on Feb. 9-10 at the Globe Theatre.
A Bit of a Tease: The burlesque show Tease If You Please usually does two shows a month at the Globe Theatre on Broadway. To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the performers will do back-to-back nights a few days before the holiday arrives. The 13 dancers are promising some new routines for the events that take place at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday-Friday, Feb. 9-10. Expect some lacy and sexy outfits. Tickets start at $25. At 740 S. Broadway or teaseifyouplease.com. Sex, Violence and Laughs: Much like Lucha VaVoom, relationships are replete with tumbles, rough spots, laughs and hopefully some striptease. Lucha encapsulates all that with its thrilling bouts and sultry performers, and this week the troupe is hosting its “Twisted Valentine” event. Lucha, now in its 15th year, will fill Hill Street’s Mayan Theater on Wednesday-Thursday, Feb. 8-9. In addition to masked Mexican wrestling matches, there are burlesque performances, music from Prince Poppycock and comedy from Blaine Capatche, Jeff Davis and Dan Harmon. For more on Lucha, see the story on p. 12. At 1038 S. Hill St., (213) 746-4287 or luchavavoom.com.
Get Trippy: John Van Hamersveld designed the poster for the surf documentary The Endless Summer. While there is very little surfing in Downtown Los Angeles, Van Hamersveld will have a presence in the Financial District this week, as he creates a large art installation focused on psychedelic lights and patterns. They’ll go up at the FIGat7th shopping complex and the Bank of America Plaza. To kick off the installation, Arts Brookfield is hosting a Psychedelic Valentine’s Day Love-In at FIGat7th on Friday, Feb. 10. This will be far less debauched than it sounds, though the 5 p.m. event will have themed drinks. From 6-10 p.m. there will be a silent disco. At 735 S. Figueroa St. or figat7th.com. Celluloid Romance: Nothing captures a love story quite like the big screen. The cineastes at Cinespia know that, and in advance of V Day they are hosting a pair of screenings in historic Downtown theaters. Sofia Coppola’s romantic comedy Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, will show at the Palace Theatre at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. On Valentine’s Day proper, the weepy The Notebook, with Ryan Gosling and Ra-
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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM Teragram Ballroom in City West is hosting a benefit concert for Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles. Doors open at 7 p.m. and more than a dozen acts will perform, including Los Angeles alt-rock stalwart Ty Segall, and Jennifer and Jesse Clavin of Bleached. Bonus: Each act will perform at least one love song. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. At 1234 W. Seventh St., (213) 689-9100 or teragramballroom.com. Heartbreak City: The Arts District’s Angel City Brewery is bringing back its annual Broken Hearts Circus on Sunday, Feb. 12. From 1-7 p.m., the brewery will be hosting musical acts SeeYa, Blackwater Jukebox and Supertall Paul, plus acrobats, dancers and even clowns. The event takes place in a brewery, so expect to see a lot of pints. The happening is free. At 216 S. Alameda St., (213) 622-1261 or angelcitybrewery.com.
Do It Yourself: Instead of going and having everything handed to you, couples might want to check out the Ace Hotel’s DIY event. Starting at 6 p.m. on Feb. 14, guests can make their own ice cream, courtesy of Smitten Ice Cream, or create their own corsage, using materials from Black Leaf Flower Shop. The electronic band Cousin Liar will perform, and three DJs will spin. The event is free, but you must be at least 21 to enter. At 929 S. Broadway, (213) 623-3233 or acehotel.com/losangeles.
All Dolled Up: The annual Edwardian Ball returns to Los Angeles for its eighth year, filling Broadway’s Globe Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 11. Named for macabre artist Edward Gorey, the event features dancing, aerialists, art and various oddball performances — to quote Weird Science, it’s a night of chips, dips, chains and whips. This year, the ball is themed around Gorey’s murder mystery The Deadly Blotter. Expect a mix of formal dress, steampunk attire and early 20th century fashions. At 740 S. Broadway or edwardianball.com. Meals Surf, Turf and Romance: South Park’s The Palm, known for its big lobsters and thick steaks, is offering a Valentine’s Day menu both on the holiday and on Feb. 13. The dishes are classic: a surf and turf dinner for two makes up the main course, bookended by a salad and the option of either cheesecake or tiramisu for dessert. The meal is $195 per couple (wine is extra). Be sure to make a reservation. At 1100 S. Flower St., (213) 763-4600 or thepalm.com.
Musical Benefit: Even a holiday dedicated to love and affection doesn’t change the fact that Donald Trump is the president, and that plenty of people remain angry. Thus, on Valentine’s Day, the
Fish Your Wish: The Japanese restaurant Takami Sushi is doing away with its normal menu for Valentine’s Day, and instead will offer a prix-fixe dinner. Couples can flock to the joint on the 21st
photo courtesy of Ghost Media
The Valentine’s Day special at Café Pinot next to the Central Library ends with the restaurant’s decadent take on strawberries and cream.
chel McAdams, will be presented at the Los Angeles Theatre. It’s BYOT — Bring Your Own Tissues. Lost in Translation is at 630 S. Broadway; The Notebook is at 615 S. Broadway or cinespia.org.
floor of a Financial District high-rise and enjoy both the cuisine and the view of Downtown. The three-course menu includes a choice of a sushi plate, Chilean sea bass, filet mignon or vegetable robata. There are sashimi samplers and tempura options for the first course. The dinner is $60 per person and includes a glass of prosecco. At 811 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 236-9600 or takamisushi.com. Outdoor Splendor: The restaurant Café Pinot, the lovely Patina Group establishment next to the Central Library, is offering a Valentine’s Day dinner menu from Friday, Feb. 10, through the actual holiday. Options include a foie gras terrine with poached pears and a beet ravioli with short rib and bone marrow. For dessert, the restaurant has a strawberries and cream dish using mascarpone Chantilly, berries and strawberry Pop Rocks. There is a three-course option for $65 and a four-course meal for $75. If it’s not too cold, ask to sit on the outdoor patio. At 700 W. Fifth St., (213) 239-6500 or cafepinot.com. A Feast Fit for a Saint: Neal Fraser’s gorgeous, romantic Redbird is getting into the Valentine’s Day mood with a special menu on Feb. 14. The restaurant in the rectory of the former St. Vibiana’s cathedral is offering a three-course meal, with choices of beef fillets with haricot vert, lamb loin, tai snapper crudo and whipped mango panna cotta. Dinner is $125. It is offered from 5-10:15 p.m. At 114 E. Second St., (213) 788-1191 or redbird.la. A Taste of Paris: You may not get to Paris on Valentine’s Day, but that’s okay, because Church and State’s chef Tony Esnault is bringing some of Paris to Downtown L.A. At the Arts District bistro, Esnault (who also helms the kitchen at Spring in the Historic Core) will be offering a menu including pork belly roulade, house-made tagliatelle with winter vegetables and sautéed scallops. There’s a chocolate cake with a raspberry ganache for dessert. The meal is $90. At 1850 Industrial St., (213) 405-1434 or churchandstatebistro.com. nicholas@downtownnews.com
Works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Thomas Houseago, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Cindy Sherman, Kiki Smith, Andy Warhol and more from the Broad collection.
Free General Admission Tickets at thebroad.org
© Thomas Houseago. Courtesy of the artist and Gagosian.
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12 Downtown News
February 6, 2017
15 Years of ‘Sexo y Violencia’ Lucha VaVoom Founder Rita D’Albert Talks About Mexican Wrestling, Burlesque and Landing Downtown
photo courtesy of Lucha VaVoom
Q: How did the show end up at the Mayan? A: We were originally supposed to be at the Palace Theatre. It had just reopened for events and we were working with a film festival at the time. It would have been somewhat dangerous with the set-up we’d need. It also would have been expensive. I had to go to a meeting at the Mayan for another event I was producing and thought, why not do it here? We pasted “Mayan” over “Palace” on the posters we’d already made. We haven’t changed since. It has its challenges — they have their Friday and Saturday night shows so we bring people out on Wednesday and Thursday. But we love it. Q: What were some of the early challenges? A: Some of these big-name comedians would not come unless we sent a limousine or a private car because they were worried about parking or thought it was dangerous. It was a
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really great test. If you can’t hang with walking from your car to the Mayan, you might not hang with us. Thankfully, over the years we’ve stopped getting those requests. Q: Are any of the performers from the early years still with you? How have the acts evolved? A: It evolves every show. We still have the [lucha comedy group] Crazy Chickens, we still have [burlesque dancer] Kitten De Ville. But we evolve with everything else. I like to push our dancers to really seek out new skills and to push specialty acts to be more bold and daring. Q: How have the crowds changed over the years? A: Our first crowd was an extension of rock clubs and fashion scenes, plus a few people who work in film. There were very few Hispanic people. That’s the way we’ve evolved the most — the Hispanic population realized we genu-
Q: Are more people drawn to the wrestling, the comedy or the dancing? A: It started out with some people more into wrestling, some into girls. But we make every show with everyone in mind. Q: What’s the most important element to a Lucha VaVoom show? A: The most important thing to me as a producer is to keep delighting and surprising. If it even slows down for a second, I start freaking out. We want it to be fast paced. We don’t want anyone getting up to pee until intermission. Lucha VaVoom is Wednesday-Thursday, Feb. 8-9, at the Mayan Theater, 1038 S. Hill St., or luchavavoom.com. nicholas@downtownnews.com
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inely love lucha libre. They’ve embraced us, which was a big win and meant a lot.
Los Angeles Downtown News: What was the inspiration for the show? Rita D’Albert: Liz and I went to a Mexican wrestling show at the Olympic Auditorium, back when they still had roller derby and wrestling. I fell in love with it right away. To me Mexican wrestling had the energy of a great rock and roll show. I was also really impressed by the humor in the wrestling. At the same time, the shows at the Olympic were all in Spanish. I though we should have someone explain like
Q: How did it turn into a regular event? A: We did our first show in August of 2002 and it was a hit. I thought, oh my God, this has to happen regularly. But not monthly — we didn’t want it to feel repetitive. So we do it on special events, such as Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, in the summer and on Halloween.
L
they do in boxing. Then we thought, let’s get some of the comics I work with.
By Nicholas Slayton ucha VaVoom has been part of Downtown Los Angeles since 2002. Every year there are several multi-night shows that mash together masked Mexican wrestling, sultry burlesque dancers and saucy comedians. Producers Rita D’Albert and Liz Fairbairn proudly use the tagline “sexo y violencia” for the events that take place at Hill Street’s Mayan Theatre. D’Albert and Fairbairn created Lucha VaVoom with the aim of bringing lucha libre and burlesque to a wider audience. Indeed, the crowds have grown over time. In honor of the 15th year for the event, and a pair of “Twisted Valentine” shows on WednesdayThursday, Feb. 8-9, D’Albert spoke with Los Angeles Downtown News about how Lucha VaVoom started, how they landed Downtown, and what has changed.
Lucha Vavoom was founded in 2002. The show with masked Mexican wrestling — the Crazy Chickens are shown here — burlesque and comedy returns to the Mayan Theatre on WednesdayThursday, Feb. 8-9.
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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
DT ‘Don’t Miss’
CALENDAR LISTINGS
THE
EVENTS
Au Lac/Café Fedora 710 W. First St., (213) 617-2533 or aulac.com. Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m.: Viva Vinson’s Blues All Stars. Belasco 1050 S. Hill St., (213) 746-5670 or belascous.com. Feb. 8: Alicia Keys is like a more successful Vanessa Carlton. Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com. Continued on next page
2
Although African Americans represent only about 12% of the population, they account for 35% of the people in U.S. prisons. And you have seen all the reports of African Americans killed during confrontations with police. This oft-discussed subject returns with Dahlak Brathwaite’s Spiritrials, which lands in Downtown Los Angeles this week. With three 8:30 p.m. performances at REDCAT on Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 9-11, Brathwaite takes a theatrical journey through racial profiling and unjustified police targeting that feels tragically apropos for this day and age. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.
3 The Aratani Theatre welcomes back its Festival of Sacred Music this week with a dose of contemporary dance catering iem to modern urban S im rge o e yG dwellers with a taste to b pho for the ancient. On Saturday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m., dance troupe Culture Shock L.A. invites hip-hop colleagues Versa-Style to the Little Tokyo stage for a double bill of mythic choreography. First Versa-Style offers Box of Hope, a kinetic retelling of Pandora’s Box. Next the terpsichorean trotters in Culture Shock present a folklore reboot with 4 All People: A Tale of 4 Brothers. It’s a one-night only affair with a whopping 40 dancers. At 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 680-3700 or festivalofsacredmusic.org.
5
photo courtesy RCA Records
Pop songstress Alicia Keys is no longer wearing make-up. Why? Keys has a problem with the ways in which mass media portray women in a mode of objectification that elevates desire-based imagery over substance of message or talent. On Wednesday, Feb. 8, Keys will pound the, uh, keys when she visits the Belasco Theatre for a night of uplifting, thought-provoking music. Given her sensitivity to issues of importance, we hope Keys will have the tact to keep her New York City song “Empire State of Mind” off the set list. This is L.A. At 1050 S. Hill St., (213) 746-5670 or thebelasco.com.
The El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument received a bright new addition last year when the long-awaited Italian American Museum of Los Angeles opened. Not only does the institution have cool artifacts, it makes a super-cool acronym: IAMLA. The Museum recently opened Color Fusion, an exhibit of polychromatic wonders from noted Italian-American artist Dick Marconi. Now through March 26, you can trot on down to Olvera Street to peek at the swirling marbles of rainbow colors that came out of Marconi’s six-decade career. IAMLA is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. At 644 N. Main St., (213) 485-8432 or italianhall.org.
Established in 1981, Kodo is the Rolling Stones of Japanese taiko ensembles. The traditional drumming style has many an acolyte, yet Kodo endures year after year thanks to inventive programming and a gold standard of excellence that ensures the most qualified and capable hands are the ones pounding those magnificent skins. See for yourself on Thursday, Feb, 7, at 8 p.m., when Kodo struts into the Walt Disney Concert Hall for a loud primer on the merits of culturally enshrined percussion. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 9727300 or laphil.com.
4
photo by Takashi Okamoto
ROCK, POP & JAZZ
1
L I S T
image courtesy IAMLA
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 Jose Oubrerie and Todd Gannon SCI-Arc, 960 E. Third St., (213) 613-2200 or sciarc.edu. 7 p.m.: This lecture is dubbed a “Duel and Duet.” Think of it as a happy meeting of the minds between two acclaimed architectural thinkers. Clara Bingham at Aloud Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org. 7:15 p.m.: The author of “Witness to the Revolution” reflects on resistance movements in late 1960s Los Angeles. She’ll get some help from David Harris, Winter Dellenbach and Bob Zaugh. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 Los Angeles vs. San Francisco at Town Hall L.A. City Club, 555 S. Flower St., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org. 12 p.m.: No, it’s not sports. It’s urban planning mind Michael Storper getting together with the eminent former L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to talk civic cohesion. Lunch will be served. Lucha VaVoom Club Mayan, 1038 S. Hill St., (213) 746-4287 or clubmayan.com. Feb. 8-9, 7 p.m.: Burlesque, tequila and Mexican wrestling, while normal for some of us, are rarely constituent parts of an evening for most Downtowners. Change that. Saul Friedlander at Aloud Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org. 7:15 p.m.: The UCLA Professor Emeritus returns to discuss Holocaust remembrance and his latest book, “Where Memory Leads: My Life,” with USC’s Steven J. Ross. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Art Walk Historic Core or online at downtownartwalk.org. 7 p.m.: Art + streets + people = Art Walk. Tease If You Please Burlesque Globe Theatre, 740 S. Broadway, (805) 738-3273 or teaseifyouplease.com. Feb. 9, 8:30 p.m. and Feb. 10, 9 p.m.: Professional burlesque dancing set amidst a century-old theater is always a solid bet for Valentine’s Day. Thomas Houseago at MOCA MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1741 or moca.org. 7 p.m.: Houseago, the sculptor, dishes on Max Ernst and his famed “Capricorn,” which you can get a glimpse of these days at MOCA. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Al Satterwhite at the Last Bookstore Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com. 7 p.m.: Satterwhite regales the crowd with some yarns from his days with Dr. Hunter S. Thompson in Mexico City. Again, your nearest bar is Little Easy/Overflow/Down and Out across the street. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Firecracker Festival and Bike Ride Chinatown Central Plaza, (213) 680-0243 or chinatownla.com. 10 a.m.: It’s an annual affair and a joyous one. Saturday is the bike ride and Sunday at 8:15 a.m. is the 5K/10K. Get off your couch.
Downtown News 13
BY DAN JOHNSON • CALENDAR@DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
photo courtesy REDCAT
February 6, 2016
Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.
14 Downtown News Feb. 6: Emmet Cohen Trio. Feb. 7: Carl Stone. Feb. 8: Grammy Camp Jazz Session with Joey Alexander. Feb. 9: Mike Cottone Group. Feb. 10: Los Angeles Jazz Quartet. Feb. 11: David Baker Tribute Concert. Feb. 12: Authentic Light Orchestra. Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org. Feb. 7: Outlaw country singer Jamie Wyatt is an “old soul,” which means she doesn’t care. Feb. 8: Bruce Springsteen-inspired Young in The City are, unfortunately, not the E Street Band. Feb. 9: Military metaphors abound with The Brevet. Feb. 10: The danger of being a band like Boogarins with a catchy track like “Lucifernandis” is being constantly caught between predatory Christians who want to stone them to death and craft brewers who want to steal the name for a beer. Feb. 11: Those of us following the gutting of the EPA are rightfully triggered by tonight’s band, Heron Oblivion. Feb. 12: Here’s hoping The Brinks are more personable than they appear on Vevo. Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com. Feb. 6: The Jazzaholics invited their sponsor tonight, but only Trevor the beer rep showed. Feb. 7: The Sheriffs of Schroedingham are prouder than ever to represent a banana republic of post-blues. Feb. 8: A band called Deronda. Feb. 9: If The Punknecks are our favorite form of DIY anatomy. Feb. 10: Boom Boom Boom and Charlie Chan & The Drones are our favorite doubleheader in Downtown.
CROSSWORD
TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS Feb. 12: Ben Bostic Honky Tonk, or BBHT as he’s known in the notary public business. Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com. Feb. 10: Seven Lions. Feb. 11: Dirtybird Players. Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Feb. 6, 7 p.m.: Celebrating Sire Records 50th Anniversary is a conversation featuring co-founder Seymour Stein and Brett Ratner, among others. Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.: R&B innovator Gallant is all sold out. Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.: We Are Friends: A Lifetime Party of 70s Hawaiian Music. Ham & Eggs Tavern 433 W. Eighth St., (213) 891-6939 or hamandeggstavern.com. Feb. 9: Granite Mask and Snakeland. Feb. 11: Latinx Night Feb. 12: Jason Adams, The Moors, Derek Gaines + Nick Lesley. Mayan 1038 S. Hill St., (213) 746-4287 or clubmayan.com. Feb. 10: Copious salsa (the music and dance, not the garnish) with La India. Resident 428 S. Hewitt St. or (323) 316-5311 or residentdtla.com. Feb. 7: Levitation Room, Midnight Sister, E Arenas and Dream Phases. Feb. 8: The Social Underground, GrooveMartini and SuVi. Feb. 9: Michael Nau/Valley Queen, Christian Lee Hutson and Kat Myers & The Buzzards. Feb. 10: Cassandra Violet Hates Valentine’s Day. Why, Cas-
sandra, why? Feb. 11: DJ Dave Paul’s The Prince and Michael Experience. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la. Feb. 7: The Makers are working on a romance novel about an improvised jazz band that falls in love with a conservative news commentator after they are asked to save the world from an orange despot. The Novo 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or thenovodtla.com. Feb. 9: Aloe Blacc and King are sitting in on the Grammy Camp Jazz Session. Feb. 10: Scorpio singer Tove Lo is here for her Lady Wood Tour. Feb. 11: Donald Glover seems to like Migos. The Regent 448 S. Main St. or theregenttheater.com. Feb. 7: Introducing the band that’s only one diagonal mark away from being Spam, Spain! Feb. 8: Starro and Friends Celebrate the Grammys, ideally by just meditating silently. Feb. 9: Dez of Devildriver fame “could care less!” but, seriously, buy tickets please. Feb. 10: 40oz Van, Kool John, Dre Sinatra, Orange Calderon and Marcus Shadden are all a part of the 40oz Bounce, which is also a really poor suggestion for handling a 40 ouncer of malt liquor. Feb. 12: Animal Collective play a DJ set to remind you of the hipster ennui of 2007. The Smell 247 S. Main St. in the alley between Spring and Main or thesmell.org. Feb. 10: Tres Oui, Susan, Sextile and Fragile Gang.
February 6, 2016
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LAST WEEKS ANSWERS
February 6, 2017
DT
CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL LOFTS FOR SALE
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762 E. 12th Street, Unit 2 Los Angeles, CA 90021
EMPLOYMENT GENERAL
Drivers: LOCAL, Home Daily Openings! Ask About Upcoming Hiring Event!
1yr CDL-A, Call Estenson Logistics: 909-347-6967 or: www.goelc.com
To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448, or go to DowntownNews.com Deadline classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm. FORfor RENT All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement 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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS NOTICES
AUTO SALES
Attention Drivers: Hiring Event for LOCAL, Class-A Port & Flatbed Home Daily Openings! Featuring Excellent Hourly Pay and Many Bonuses! Have 1yr CDL Class A Exp.
come see us Wed 2/15, 10a-6p at
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Pre-Register now at: www.goelc.com
Estenson Logistics: 909-347-6967
THANK YOU, St. Expedite Martyr, for granting me my urgent request. A. Serrano.
LEGAL CIVIL SUMMONS SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES NO. BC633585 PLAINTIFF: NATIONAL FUNDING, INC. VS DEFENDANT: QUARTERSHARE INTERNATIONAL LLC, ET AL. NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp),
your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a few waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. The name and address of the court is: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles Stanley Mosk Courthouse 111 North Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Case Number: BC633585 Dated: September 09, 2016 Prepared by: Sherri R. Carter, Clerk and Judi Lara, Deputy The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s
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Name of owner: Space number Description of goods Amount
Alexis Wilson Personal effects $356.00
A-18
Fritzi Villanueva Personal effects $888.00
Arisa Anena Rogers Personal effects $276.00
C-38
Daniel Shvartsman Personal effects $427.00
F-24
Zorina Turner Personal effects $1410.00
D-31, L22
NOTICE OF SALE
Jenny Blumenthal Personal effects $288.40
H-20
John Harman Personal effects $1152.00
D-23,F-12
Valerie Turks Personal effects $190.00
L-52
Elizabeth Burbank Personal effects $539.00
U-48
Jordana Kushner Personal effects $813.00
L-24
Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased storage units with the items contained herein are sold on an “as-is” basis and must be removed at the time of sale. Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between Thriftee Storage Co. and obligated party.
Ida Carrasco Personal effects $373.00
C-27
Jordan Young Personal effects $634.00
E-25
NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code. The undersigned will sell on the 14th day of February 2017 at 11: 00 A.M. on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at Thriftee Storage Company LLC, 1717 N. Glendale Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, the following:
S-3
Thriftee Storage Company LLC Dated at Los Angeles, CA by Felipe F. Islas / Manager February 2, 2017.
PUBLIC NOTICE CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER INVITATION FOR BID LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – LOS ANGELES COUNTY IFB-CSC-16-350 CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR CONCRETE PAD, ENCLOSURE AND INSTALLATION OF CONDUIT FOR NEW DWP INDUSTRIAL STATION (TRANSFORMER) This project is being bid informally to select prime Contractors in accordance with Government Code 14838.7 Project comprises labor, material and services necessary for: The California Science Center is soliciting bids from general contractors to coordinate with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) on the construction of a new 34.5 kv electrical transformer and switchgear. Bidders may view Drawings and Invitation for Bid, including the entire Scope of Work, on the following web site:https://caleprocure.ca.gov/pages/LPASearch/lpa-search.aspx. Click on the “Contract ID” field and enter the IFB number: IFB-CSC-16-350. License required to bid the project: Contractors License - B Successful bidder shall furnish payment bond in the amount of 100 percent of the Contract price. Prospective bidders must attend the mandatory pre‑bid site conference scheduled on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. Please report to the California Science Center, Phase II - Ecosystems building, Conference Room #3 (Room 342, 3rd Floor), 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles, California 90037 The State’s requirements for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation will be presented along with other contract requirements. One set of plans and specifications will be provided to each bidder who attends the pre-bid conference. Bid opening will be February 22, at 12:15 P.M at: 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90037 The total contract price shall not exceed $400,000. The Contract shall commence upon approval of the Department of General Services (DGS).Contractor shall begin the work no more than thirty (30) days upon signing the contract and shall complete the conduit and the industrial station by June 30, 2017.
Downtown since 2002
Bill Cooper 213.598.7555
attorney(s), or plaintiff without an attorney, is: Neal S. Salisian, Yujin Chun, and Jay M. Lichter 550 South Hope Street Suite 750 Los Angeles, CA 90071 (213) 622-9100 Pub. 01/30, 02/06, 02/13, and 02/20/2017.
TM
Bill Cooper 213.598.7555
The State’s Project Manager is Chris Stokes at (213) 744-7502
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Voted BEST Downtown Residential Real Estate Agent!
LEGAL NOTICE Children’s Performing Group
Downtown News 15
DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
MORLIN ASSET MANAGEMENT, LP, a Delaware Limited Partnership as Agent for the JOINT MANAGEMENT COUNCIL, an unincorporated association, will receive qualifications packages from qualified general contractors wishing to become prequalified for an available bidding opportunity at Los Angeles Union Station. It is the intent of this Joint Management Council to select a firm that will provide construction services to build a new security kiosk at Los Angeles Union Station at the best overall value. In order to be fully considered for prequalification and subsequent bidding opportunities, please proceed to the RFIQ questionnaire at: https://goo.gl/forms/ Ya33sRwl1gjWz40s1 . Completed forms are due on or before close of business by February 3rd, 2017. Submissions received after 5:00pm on February 3rd, 2017 will be rejected.
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16 Downtown News
February 6, 2017
Nordstrom Rack Coming to FIGat7th
Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore! It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency Call Now Fo is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one r 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 Move-In Spec with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and ial slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses s 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.
255 South Grand Avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777 www.255GRAND.com
On-site: ~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove,Microwave & Dishwasher (most units) ~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
PROMENADE TOWERS
123 South Figueroa Street Leasing Information 213 617 3777 www.THEPROMENADETOWERS.com Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Spa / BBQ Grills ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Solariums and/or Balconies
On-Site: ~ Convenience Store / Beauty Salon
MUSEUM TOWER
225 South Olive Street Leasing Information 213 626 1500 www.MUSEUMTOWER.com Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
TOWERS
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units) ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
T H E
A PA RT M E N T S
D
Re Ne no wl va y te d
255 GRAND
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
By Nicholas Slayton owntown Los Angeles is getting a Nordstrom. Not the top-shelf store known for its high level of customer service, but a Nordstrom Rack, the popular line that sells clothing, shoes and accessories for prices far below those in the department store. Nordstrom Rack will fill a 27,000-square-foot space on the lower level of the FIGat7th shopping complex. Brookfield Property Partners, which owns the retail center at the southwest corner of Seventh and Figueroa streets, announced that the store, which sells Nordstrom items at approximately 30%-70% off regular prices, will move in during the fall.
MAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKING
RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM
photo by Gary Leonard
Nordstrom Rack will fill the 27,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Sport Chalet. It is scheduled to open in the fall.
That space has been empty since last spring, when Sport Chalet left as part of the company’s liquidation. Sport Chalet had arrived just three years earlier; along with Target, it was one of the anchor tenants of the outdoor mall. The Seattle-based Nordstrom, Inc. has been in Southern California since 1978, when it opened at the South Coast Plaza shopping center. There are now eight Nordstrom stores in the region. The Downtown location will be the 12th Nordstrom Rack in the Los Angeles area. Nordstrom Rack joins other FIGat7th clothing retailers including Zara and the fast fashion brand H&M. A company executive said Nordstrom has been eyeing the Central City for a while. “We’ve long been on the lookout for the right location to bring Nordstrom Rack to Downtown Los Angeles, and we couldn’t be more excited to join FIGat7th,” Karen McKibben, president of Nordstrom Rack, said in a prepared statement. “We feel this new location will provide better convenience for our customers who live and work Downtown.” Derrick Moore, a principal at the brokerage firm Avison Young, said Nordstrom Rack made a smart choose in selecting one of the two malls in Downtown Los Angeles. He added that there would have been competition at The Bloc from the Macy’s there. Moore noted that the FIGat7th space is smaller than most Nordstrom Rack locations. However, spaces of that size are lacking in Downtown, he added, meaning the retailer might otherwise have had to wait for something to open. Brookfield has invested heavily in the mall, giving it a $40 million makeover and aggressively luring Target. Bert Dezzutti, executive vice president of the western region for Brookfield, called Nordstrom Rack the “ideal addition” to the mall’s tenant roster. “Their on-trend merchandise appeals to our entire customer base, solidifies FIGat7th as the one-stop shopping destination for Downtown, and will encourage even more cross-shopping throughout the center,” he said in a prepared statement. Moore echoed that take, saying the store could boost evening traffic at the mall’s lower-level food hall. He also said that the store could bring a new customer base to the shopping complex. Chain clothing stores have increasingly been flocking to Downtown Los Angeles. Urban Outfitters, Ross, Burlington and a Gap Outlet store have all opened in the last several years. nicholas@downtownnews.com