02-17-14

INSIDE THIS WEEK:

Healthy Living Pages 7-10

FEBRUARY 17, 2014 I VOL. 43 I #7

Fishy Business A Sushi Purist Comes to Downtown

Photo by Gary Leonard

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AROUND TOWN

Opening of Broad Museum Pushed Back; Plaza Details Revealed

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rt fans will have to wait a little longer to check out the highlights of philanthropist Eli Broad’s 2,000-piece art collection. Representatives of the under-construction $140 million attraction last week announced that The Broad will open sometime in 2015, rather than late this year, as had been previously planned.

The pushback of the anticipated project came as Broad revealed details about a new public plaza and restaurant. As Los Angeles Downtown News previously reported, restaurateur Bill Chait, who helped create Rivera and Bestia, among other establishments, will partner in the project. New to the mix is chef Tim Hollingsworth, who is known for his time as chef de cuisine at the French Laundry in Napa Valley.

The restaurant will rise in a freestanding building at the western end of a 24,000-square-foot plaza south of the museum. Project officials last week said the plaza will feature 100-yearold Barouni olive trees, and there will be tree stump tables and seating fashioned from salvaged olive trees. The plaza will also have a slate of outdoor public programming, including films, performances and education events, and a new mid-block traffic signal will connect the plaza with MOCA and the Colburn School on the east side of Grand Avenue. The plaza is scheduled to open this fall.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

Veteran Developer CIM Group Buys Two Cal Plaza

February 17, 2014

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

T

wo California Plaza, a defining office tower of the 1980s Downtown building boom, has been sold. Los Angeles based-CIM Group last week announced that it has acquired the 52-story edifice at 350 S. Grand Ave. from CW Capital Asset Management. It was part of a seven-asset portfolio that includes properties in California and Maryland. No price for the purchase was provided in a prepared statement. It is the latest local move for CIM Group, which brought the Ralphs supermarket to Downtown in 2007 as part of its Gas Company Lofts. The developer was also on the cutting edge of the Central City housing boom, opening the condominium project the Flower Street Lofts in 2003. The sale could mean a brighter future for the steel and glass high-rise long owned by MPG Office Trust.

Although the company was a Downtown real estate giant for years, it hit financial troubles and in 2011 defaulted on its $470 million loan on the building. The following year it was placed in receivership and taken over by CW Capital.

Huge Sculpture Moves From Arts District to Historic Core

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oving a two-and-a-half ton steel sculpture is no simple feat, and it’s even harder when you have to plop it on top of a six-story building.

But the Southern California Institute of Architecture did just that recently with “Earthwave,” an 18-foot by 18-foot artwork that was designed by the late architect Lebbeus Woods (though it was not built until SCI-Arc took on the project last year). “Earthwave” was transported from its

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home at the Arts District’s Joel Bloom Square and placed, via crane, onto the roof of developer Tom Gilmore’s building at 425 S. Main St. (Gilmore is also a SCI-Arc trustee). While the public won’t be able to access the structure up close anymore, “Earthwave” will be viewable from the Spring Street Park, according to SCI-Arc.

Brookfield Cited for Interfering Frequencies

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he Federal Communications Commission has fined Brookfield Properties

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for frequencies emanating from its Ernst & Young Plaza that are interfering with the Verizon Wireless network, the agency announced last week. The problem, according to the FCC, stems from the fluorescent lights at 725 S. Figueroa St. and date to last April. Although the FCC sent a warning letter to Brookfield in May to investigate the issue and provide a report of its findings, the FCC has received no response, according to the citation. By November, as Verizon continued to complain of interference, FCC representatives confirmed that radio emissions on Verizon’s licensed frequencies were coming Continued on page 11

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EDITORIALS

February 17, 2014

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

Radio Towers and a Sense of History

I

n 2014, Downtown Los Angeles loves the new.

There’s the embrace of new housing, new restaurants, new stores, and new area residents and workers. There are new plans for the streets, new parks and even new dog parks. Los Angeles Downtown News is among the many publications, both in the city and across the country, chronicling the additions and how they are changing the community.

That affinity for the new, and the corresponding investment and buzz it brings, makes it easy to overlook the old, the elements that existed long before people began rediscovering the city center. In a way that seems curious, because so much of the activity happening today takes place inside cleaned-up, century-old structures. Often you barely even see the old.

That comes into play with the KRKD radio towers. As Downtown News reported this month, the 82-year-old, non-functioning beacons atop the Spring Arcade Building are being preserved, and though the two towers won’t transmit radio signals, a lot of money is going into ensuring that they meet modern Federal Communications Commission and Federal Aviation Administration standards.

It would have been easy to decide to take down the 220-foot high towers. The Spring Arcade Building is getting a spruce-up from Downtown Management, a firm owned by Joseph Hellen that has brought a trio of housing projects to the Historic Core. A collection of new restaurants is coming to the arcade that stretches between Spring Street and Broadway. Hellen is an extremely successful businessman both in this country and in Australia, where he spends much of the year. One might expect him to focus his energies and investment on the parts of the property that will actually bring in income.

Fortunately, he has a broader worldview. Hellen has chosen to spend as much as $80,000 to repaint the towers, add illuminated beacons and ensure that the electrical work meets current standards. All that is no small feat in a pair of aging towers that are as tall as a 20-story building.

Hellen deserves recognition and praise for going this route. We’re sure that, in a similar situation, many other property owners would have discovered the cost and then quietly demolished the towers, recognizing that they won’t do a thing for the bottom line. We could understand that reasoning, too.

The preservation of the towers means that a piece of Downtown’s past will live on well into the future.

The towers were erected on top of the Historic Core building in 1932 when a radio station that had started in Inglewood moved to Downtown and adopted the KRKD call letters. In 1960, the station was purchased by the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, founded by the Los Angeles televangelist Aimee Semple McPherson (who had passed away by this time). KRKD broadcasts were on AM and FM stations.

So much of Downtown’s past has been forgotten during the development boom, and taking down the towers would have been another cut of ties to what came before. We’re pleased that Hellen has made the decision to respect history. The community is better for it.

The Return of the Downtown Mega-Project

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n the past few years people have grown accustomed to the wave of investment rolling in to Downtown Los Angeles. Each week seems to bring either the opening of a development or the announcement of a new housing or hotel project. Just look at the cranes that are dotting the skyline.

Amidst this rush of development an important pattern has emerged: Call it the return of the Downtown mega-project.

Over the past several months, the Central City has seen major progress or significant announcements on four developments that stand to vastly alter the community. Although any one of these efforts would be a notable addition to the landscape, having all of them happen at the same time in one compact area is jaw dropping.

Last Friday brought the groundbreaking of the first phase of the long-delayed Metropolis in South Park. The following day the pouring of the foundation of the $1 billion replacement of the Wilshire Grand Hotel was slated to begin (after Los Angeles Downtown News went to press). A short walk east of the Wilshire Grand work has started on the renovation and repositioning of The Bloc, the shopping/office/hotel complex long known as Macy’s Plaza. Up on Bunker Hill, meanwhile, developer Related Cos. has also been reversing difficult trends of the past as it powers forward on new plans for a $650 million complex that will be highlighted by two towers designed by Frank Gehry.

The collection of projects might seem unprecedented, except for the fact that there is a precedent for it, and the precedent was also in Downtown. In the late 1990s, the community saw the simultaneous building of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Staples Center and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. A fourth mega-project, a proposed renovation of the Coliseum in Exposition Park to hold an NFL team, never came to fruition.

That burst of iconic development helped lay the foundation for the residential revolution that started in the year 2000. That first wave of housing in turn ushered in a rush of restaurants and bars and began Downtown’s transformation into a hub of evening entertainment. Though the ensuing recession slowed or killed many projects (including scuttling an earlier version of Related’s Grand Avenue plan), the critical mass created by the housing and nightlife projects has provided the spark for the current return of the

mega-project. Yes, it all goes around in a dollar-fueled circle.

Still, this new spate of development has some notable differences from the past. The Wilshire Grand, The Bloc, Metropolis and the Grand Avenue plan all are, to use a phrase, many-splendored (the common real estate term is the less colorful “mixed-use”). Rather than have a singular aim, such as Disney Hall being home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, each of these projects seeks to do multiple things, and all are situated in busy areas that will capitalize on pedestrian traffic. Additionally, all four will have a hotel component (including a refurbished Sheraton at The Bloc and an upscale SLS Hotel in the Grand Avenue plan). The collection of what one can expect will be four- and five-star establishments will help address Downtown’s shortage of hotel rooms.

One can also expect each project to add to the area’s surging retail and dining scene. Another intriguing addition, first at the Wilshire Grand site and potentially later at other mega-project locations, is the creation of office space. Downtown has not seen new office development in more than two decades, and the vacancy rate of approximately 19% in top-tier skyscrapers explains why. Still, if white-collar or creative firms rush to the new building (where the 400,000 square feet of office space will be below the 900 hotel rooms), other office projects will certainly follow.

While exciting and potentially transformative, there are concerns. The opening of multiple mega-projects in a compressed time period will mean intense competition. If there is not yet sufficient activity at the Convention Center, for example, then the hotels could suffer in the short term.

However, Downtown has a recent history of quickly catching up with a building boom. Back around 2006, when the previous wave of residential complexes were opening almost weekly, there was more supply than demand. That oversaturation only lasted for a short time, though, and now the community has a lack of housing, as evidenced by low vacancy rates and climbing rents. That will be alleviated in the coming year as new apartment projects open.

Still, it is the mega-projects that draw the most attention and give the strongest indicators of a community’s economic health and potential. Downtown is lucky to have four of them happening at once. It hints at an even more vibrant future.

February 17, 2014

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown News 5

Thanks for Calling 911. What Are You Wearing?

Maybe It Really Is a Good Idea to Overhaul the Emergency Response Phone Script

By Jon Regardie “ e ask a lot of questions that end up going nowhere, providing us with nothing and really upsetting people and delaying a response.”

—LAFD dispatcher Robert Ashley, in a Feb. 15 Los Angeles Times

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THE REGARDIE REPORT article about the department replacing the current 911 response system with a new script 911 Operator: 911 emergency response. How are you?

Caller: I’ve got an emergency.

911 Operator: Methinks I can help. Let me ask a couple questions so I can ascertain the nature of the emergency. First, what are you wearing?

Caller: Excuse me? I’m calling to report an emergency.

911 Operator: OK, I’ll just check off “outfit” as “not applicable.”

Let’s see, what’s next? Oh, I know. Today is Monday. How was your weekend? You do anything fun?

Caller: My weekend! What does that have to do with things?

911 Operator: You’re right. Probably nothing. We’ll scrap that one and get to your emergency in just a moment. But before we do, it’s my pleasure to tell you that you’ve been randomly selected to take part in a short customer survey at the end of this call. It’ll just take a few minutes, and when we’re done all you’ll need to do is press 5, tap the star sign three times, followed by the pound sign, punch in the first seven numbers of pi, do a touchdown dance of your choosing and then use the letters on the touchpad to type out “Garcetti Rules.” Then hit the pound and star signs again.

Caller: Look, I’ve got a real emergency here. My friend— 911 Operator: Oooh, sorry to hear about that. Date of birth?

Caller: Whose?

911 Operator: I don’t know. It says here in the script to ask for date of birth.

Caller: Mine or my friend’s? He collapsed a few minutes ago and— 911 Operator: In that case, his. What’s his date of birth?

Caller: I don’t know.

911 Operator: Well, how does he look?

Caller: Terrible. He’s not moving.

911 Operator: No, how old does he look? We’ve got some choices to help out: Would you say he’s a sprightly and muscular 23? A well-maintained 47, though under his shirt a developing paunch would give away his age? Or would you describe him as a man who appears older than his already significant years, his hands ravaged by decades of grinding work on a farm, his skin toughened into a leather-like material by the unforgiving heat from the hours spent each day beneath a pounding Equatorial sun?

Caller: I dunno. He’s in his 30s.

911 Operator: Fantastic! OK, let’s see here. Sorry, this script is sooooo long. Oh, here we go: See any good movies lately?

Caller: No! What’s this got to do— 911 Operator: Alrighty, I’ll just mark off the box “does not frequently attend motion pictures.” Now, let’s get right to your emergency, shall we?

Caller: Yes, please, my friend is in bad shape.

911 Operator: Wonderful! What’s your name?

Caller: Joe Smith.

911 Operator: And how are you today, Mr. Smith?

Caller: I told you, my friend’s in trouble.

911 Operator: Gotcha. Mr. Smith, is it OK if I call you Joe? It’s our goal here at 911, a service of the city of Los Angeles, to provide excellent service, and we think every life, even Republican lives, are important.

Caller: Huh? 911 Operator: So Joe is OK then, Mr. Smith?

Caller: Yeah fine, whatever.

911 Operator: Cool beans, Mr. Smith. Sorry, I mean, Joe. So, what are you wearing?

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The Los Angeles Fire Department is looking at changing the script 911 dispatchers use before sending out fire engines or ambulances.

Caller: Look, I already told you— 911 Operator: You’re right, you did tell me. My bad. I forgot to write it down. On behalf of the LAFD 911 emergency response system, I apologize. So what is your emergency today? Does someone have a severe case of the Mondays?

Caller: My friend. He’s passed out. We’re in his apartment. He’s starting to turn blue.

911 Operator: Would you say this blue is bluer than normal?

Caller: Yes, it’s bluer than normal! He’s not usually blue.

911 Operator: And by blue you mean the color blue, not emotionally blue as in sad, symbolizing a state of unpleasant feelings and perhaps having a sense of melancholy at the state of the world, right?

Caller: Yes! Blue! He’s turning the color blue! He’s not sad! He’s blue!

Continued on page 11

6 Downtown News

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

February 17, 2014

Q Marks the Spot How Three Lawyers and a Tsunami Brought a Sushi Purist to Downtown

By Eddie Kim sk Hiroyuki Naruke what he thought of the Los Angeles sushi scene when he visited from Tokyo in 2011, and he’ll laugh and shrug.

“What can I say?” the soft-spoken chef said, almost apologetically, one afternoon last week.

L.A. may be the country’s sushi epicenter, but Naruke wasn’t impressed with what he saw and tasted: too-warm rice laced heavily with sugar, heavy-handed cuts of chilled fish, puddles of sweet, sticky sauces and mounds of fake wasabi.

Naruke’s 26-seat restaurant Q, which opened in November in the Financial District, is a stark contrast to all that. The menu is uncompromising — it’s omakase-only, meaning Naruke serves what he chooses — and a purist’s sensibility abounds. To date it has served dinner only, with meals starting at $165 for a series of 20 small courses.

In the classic Edo style, the rice is served at room temperature, flavored only with red vinegar and sea salt. Naruke’s treatment of the fish involves careful curing and seasoning to coax out subtle textures and tastes, a technique rarely seen in local sushi joints.

“People worry about ‘fresh’ too much, and think cold and no flavor means fresh,” he noted, still smiling.

The factors combine to make Q one of the most intriguing new restaurants in Los Angeles. That doesn’t even take into account Naruke’s journey from an obscure six-seat sushi counter in Japan to Downtown, a move made possible by three law-firm partners and the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

Off the Beaten Path As Shon Morgan, a partner at Downtown firm Quinn Emanuel, describes it, Naruke’s sushi restaurant in Tokyo was the kind of place that foreign travelers dream of finding. It was tucked off the main street without much signage. It was a place you needed to know someone to find, let alone eat at.

For Morgan that someone was Quinn Emanuel partner Ryan Goldstein, head of the Tokyo office, who had discovered Naruke through a colleague. The duo were joined by another partner, John Quinn. Morgan, who first ate Naruke’s food in 2008, considered the meals a revelation.

“I kept dwelling on the fact that this was the place I wanted to eat every day,” he said. “It was almost a joke at first, to say, ‘We need this guy right by our L.A. office.’”

Naruke’s cuisine and vision is a culmination of decades of experience. Training to become a master sushi chef remains a notoriously rigorous and lengthy affair; Naruke, who is 50, began training when he was 18. He worked at seven different establishments before starting his own place.

The success in his own small venture couldn’t insulate him from the repercussions of the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which also led to the meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. While the chef

A

photo by Gary Leonard

With the backing of Shon Morgan and two other partners at the Downtown law firm Quinn Emanuel, chef Hiroyuki Naruke moved from Tokyo to Los Angeles. His Sushi Q opened in November.

photo by Gary Leonard

The 26-seat space is omakase-only, meaning Naruke decides what diners eat.

Dinner, which generally holds 20 small courses, starts at $165 per person.

other devotee of Edo-style sushi, was branded the “sushi Nazi” for his strict “Trust Me” menus and propensity for throwing out people he deemed disrespectful (using phones, speaking loudly, or, worst of all, demanding California rolls).

Now retired and the face behind Sugarfish, Nozawa himself was pleased to hear about Naruke’s project.

“Nozawa was bemoaning the state of sushi in L.A., the lack of truly trained chefs and about how even he had to compromise to create a market here 25 years ago,” Morgan said. “He was glad Hiro was coming here to represent traditional sushi.”

The omakase at Q is thrilling, though mainstream sushi diners must be prepared to bend their expectations. The focus of all great sushi is on the rice, and Naruke, using his honed senses of taste and touch, mixes two or three types of California rice each day to create the perfect blend. His nigiri, or pillows of rice covered with a sliver of fish, serves as a master class of balance and texture, whether topped with unctuous San Diego uni (sea urchin roe) or a cut of glistening kohada (gizzard shad). He pickles his own ginger and grates expensive fresh wasabi root on a shark-skin paddle.

Naruke’s deft touch extends to other dishes such as the deliContinued on page 20

AL A VE

wasn’t personally affected by the disaster, his diners became wary of radiation in seafood, and few people were in the mood to spend on a luxurious meal while the country was suffering.

“With such a small restaurant, any decrease in business is a very big hit,” Morgan said.

After the disaster, Morgan, Goldstein and Quinn’s informal discussion on financing a restaurant for Naruke in L.A. turned serious. Despite some early hesitation, Naruke flew to Los Angeles in July 2011, and returned four months later to approve a location on Seventh Street near Grand Avenue. Construction began one month later.

Hidden Treasure It’s easy to walk right by Q without realizing it. Compared to the bustle of neighbors Sugarfish, Bottega Louie and Mas Malo, Q is beyond austere — a large black unmarked door serves as the entrance. There are no windows through which to observe the busy street.

Most diners would consider the restaurant small, but it still stands as a huge expansion from Naruke’s Tokyo establishment.

Q features the familiar long wooden counter attached to the kitchen, as well as two rows of mahogany-colored wood tables with comfortable chairs and soft banquettes. Strings of overhead glass globes cast a soft yellow glow.

Naruke’s biggest concern wasn’t the size increase, however. It was whether local diners would take to his traditional approach.

“I didn’t want to change anything,” Naruke said.

He consulted local sushi pioneer Kazunori Nozawa, who rose to fame at his eponymous Studio City restaurant. Nozawa, an-

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Downtown News 7

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

At the Heart of the Matter Good Samaritan Hospital Is First on West Coast to Use New Technology for Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease

delivery and expansion of a stent within the blocked coronary artery.”

The Diamondback 360 Coronary OAS is an eccentrically mounted 1.25-millimeter diamond-coated crown that sands away calcium in severely calcified coronary arteries, enabling stent deployment. As the crown rotates and its orbit increases, centrifugal force presses the crown against the lesion, reducing arterial calcium, while healthy tissue flexes away.

Mayeda successfully performed Dumbauld’s procedure in less than 60 minutes on Dec. 9,

2013. He was released from the hospital the next day with his wife Karen still holding him to his promise that they will begin taking ballroom dancing lessons once he is fully recovered.

“I felt better right after the procedure and recommend it to anyone who is a candidate,” says Dumbauld. “My wife and I are looking forward to travelling to Europe and taking our first ballroom dancing lesson.”

For more information about Good Samaritan Hospital visit goodsam.org.

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illiam Dumbauld, a 75-year-old Rossmoor (Los Alamitos) resident and retired Los Angeles Police Department officer, is no stranger to life-threatening heart maladies. Having endured the passing of both parents and several aunts and uncles to heart attacks, Dumbauld did not want to suffer a sim-

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Spearheaded by Mayeda, the Heart & Vascular Center at Good Samaritan Hospital recently became the first facility on the West Coast to use the Diamondback 360 Coronary OAS from Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSI). This technology is the first evidence-based, safe device approved by the FDA for treating severely calcified coronary lesions.

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February 17, 2014

HEALTHY LIVING

Year-Round Heart Healthy Fun Four Ways for Angelenos to Keep Their Heart Rate Up, in Their Own Backyard

W GOOD SAM. GREAT DOCTORS.

e all know that staying active is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy heart, but sometimes it is hard to get motivated. California Hospital Medical Center has some recommendations for fun ways to keep your heart rate up, right here in your own backyard.

Nupur Kumar, DO Family Medicine

Meet Dr. Nupur Kumar, one of the many Family Physicians providing personalized care at Good Samaritan Hospital.

As a family physician, Dr. Kumar coordinates

We’re proud to be among the highest ranked

all areas of patient care. She knows that when

healthcare providers in the nation: the distinguished

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“Good Sam offers access to some of the finest specialists available. Yet, being a smaller hospital, they are able to provide a more comfortable setting and a more personalized

For a referral to a Good Samaritan Hospital physician, please call 1(800) GS-CARES.

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS Pedal the City With Just Ride L.A. Join a group bike ride every Monday at 6 p.m. Led by the staff at Just Ride L.A. Bike Shop, these pros know every nook, cranny and pothole of Los Angeles streets. They choose a new route each week, and welcome bikers of all levels just as long as you’re comfortable road biking. Meet at 1626 S. Hill St. Stroll During Your Lunch Break There are dozens of quick walks to explore in Downtown L.A. Check out downtownlawalks.com for inspiration. Bunker Hill, Chinatown, the Fashion District — they all have something different to offer. A single lap around Grand Park will log a whole mile on your FitBit. Splish Splash Living in Los Angeles, we can enjoy swimming yearround. With tons of open swim times and an entrance fee ($2.50) to meet any budget, the indoor Echo Park Pool offers a great way to get low-impact, heart-healthy exercise.

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Hike at Angeles National Forest Only 10 miles from Downtown, L.A.’s best kept secret boasts hundreds of hiking trails, breathtaking views, and yes, waterfalls. We recommend Hermit Falls. Remember to stop by the Ranger Station for a $5 parking permit (good for the whole day).

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February 17, 2014

Downtown News 9

HEALTHY LIVING

Flexogenix Offers an Innovative Therapy Leading the Way in Nonsurgical Treatment and Prevention of Knee Pain From Osteoarthritis

Now open! building and its place in the vibrant eclectic community make it an obvious choice for a medical office such as Flexogenix.

The idea of knee replacement surgery can be discouraging for most patients considering the risks and associated side effects. Flexogenix is on the forefront in the treatment of knee pain from osteoarthritis utilizing a nonsurgical approach with little to no downtime. The Flexogenix method is personalized to the individual needs of each patient. With the use of the latest medical technology, a joint cushioning gel is administered in conjunction with advanced image guidance to ensure that treatment offers the best success in healing knee pain.

The unique approach at Flexogenix in the treatment of degenerative knee pain from osteoarthritis derives from a distinctive multidisciplinary philosophy. A free initial consultation is followed by a thorough evaluation by the professionally trained medical staff. A highly trained board certified physician will then perform a detailed medical exam of the knees and, with the use of cutting-edge diagnostic medical imaging, an accurate diagnosis will be rendered. A custom tailored treatment regimen will be created that maximizes the success of the therapy. The treatment is FDA approved and in most cases covered by Medicare and medical insurances.

In the spring, Flexogenix will offer treatment of additional large joints including the shoulders, hips, elbows and wrists, implementing PRP, also known as Platelet Rich Plasma. PRP is a collection of autologous growth factors which function to stimulate healing and regeneration. Many people have heard about PRP in reference to high-level athletes who have used this restorative therapy for sports-related injuries.

Flexogenix is excited to offer this innovative treatment for multi-joint pain and degenerative arthritis.

Flexogenix is at 219 W. Seventh St., Suite 207. For more information call (800) MY-KNEE-0.

Thanks to Keck Medicine of USC’s newest location, accessing world-class health care just got easier. Offering same-day appointments, our new center is ideal for those living, working or visiting Downtown Los Angeles.

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10 Downtown News

February 17, 2014

HEALTHY LIVING

Healthcare Experts at Your Downtown Doorstep Keck Medicine of USC Opens Convenient Flower Street Clinic for Busy Business and Residential Patients

A

s many Downtown L.A. residents and businesses know, it’s all about “location, location, location.” The same holds true in health care, which is why Keck Medicine of USC decided to move its

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS Downtown clinic last December from its Hope Street address, where it served patients for nine years, to a more convenient location at 830 S. Flower St. (between Eighth and Ninth streets).

Offering the same world-class expert services that patients expect at Keck Hospital of USC, Norris Cancer Center and other Keck Medicine of USC clinics in the greater L.A. area, the Downtown Los Angeles clinic location becomes a hospital-based outpatient department of Keck Hospital of USC with the following internal medicine services: cardiac stress testing, orthopedic surgery, imaging and digital mammography, urology, dermatology and a comprehensive executive health program.

The 8,000-square-foot facility includes nine exam rooms along with a pharmacy catering to patients’ specific needs. The facility has room to expand and Keck Medicine

of USC plans to add an urgent care center in the near future, part of its goal to become the healthcare partner of choice for Downtowners. While the clinic is within steps of major businesses and the new highrise living options in Downtown, the clinic also includes convenient parking for patients driving there.

“As one of only two university-owned academic medical centers in Los Angeles, we offer a variety of specialists who complement the world-class internal medicine we practice in our clinics,” said Scott Evans, CEO of Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Center.

“In the first month in our new location, Keck Medicine’s Downtown clinic has doubled the number of patients seen, supporting our goal to be conveniently located to serve as many of our local patients as possible.”

Same-day appointments and walk-in appointments are proving to be popular with employees working Downtown and residents who want care close to home. Keck Medicine of USC is expanding its hours to better accommodate patients who would like to see a doctor after work hours.

“The executive health program is helping busy working men and women pay attention

to their health needs,” said Gregory Taylor II, medical director of Keck Medicine of USC – Downtown Los Angeles. “The comprehensive half-day testing includes full blood work-up, state-of-the-art imaging and screenings, and even a cardio room with a treadmill for heart stress tests. Going beyond medicine, we thought about patient convenience and added a shower area where employees can return to work after their tests.”

Taylor, who speaks Mandarin Chinese, will host 10 Chinese businessmen in the executive health program in March and is getting numerous requests from local businesses and homeowners associations to speak about the new clinic’s services.

Keck Medicine of USC – Downtown Los Angeles is at 830 S. Flower St. For appointments or information call (800) USC-CARE or visit KeckMedicine.org.

Trust Was The First Step In My Treatment I was a personal financial manager for more than 30 years.

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February 17, 2014

Downtown News 11

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911 Operator: Thank you for your patience Joe. Was he feeling blue before this incident?

Caller: I don’t see how that matters, but no! He was feeling great.

We were hanging out drinking in the apartment and he banged into something and he passed out, and now he’s turning blue.

911 Operator: Ay carumba! Was it bigger than a breadbox?

Caller: Was what bigger than a breadbox?

911 Operator: The thing he banged into. Was it bigger than a breadbox?

Caller: Yes, but what does this matter?

911 Operator: That’s a “yes” on breadbox. Was it bigger than an icebox?

Caller: An icebox?

911 Operator: I know, confusing. Tell me about it. All day long I say “icebox” and I get these miffed responses, like, what’s an icebox? But it’s basically a refrigerator. They wrote this script about 70 years ago when everyone had an icebox. I guess people must have been banging into them all the time. So, was it?

Caller: Was it what?

911 Operator: The thing he banged into. Was it bigger than an icebox?

Caller: It’s the wall. He banged into the wall! He was drinking and we were horsing around and he slammed into the wall and knocked himself out. But what does it matter?

911 Operator: I don’t know what it matters, but former LAFD Chief Brian “The Human Fire Extinguisher” Cummings told us to complete the script so we can provide the best emergency response service possible. I’ll go ahead and mark “yes” on bigger than an icebox. We’re getting really close here.

Caller: Finally.

911 Operator: So we know your name is Joe, your friend passed out after running into a wall and is turning blue. Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Caller: Yes, please! Can you send an ambulance or do I have to do this myself?

911 Operator: I have to warn you that you may proceed as you desire, and I can’t recommend that you do things yourself, as this presents a possible issue of liability to the city of Los Angeles. However, I can’t stop you from doing what you desire and feel is necessary, as this too would raise issues regarding liability to the city of Los Angeles.

Caller: Ugh!!!!!! I’m gonna try CPR! 911 Operator: If that is your decision and yours alone, I’ll cheer you on. Go Joe! Go Joe! Go Joe! The bang of the phone dropping to the ground is followed by the sounds of labored breathing and hands pressing rhythmically against a chest, Suddenly there’s a coughing, gasping and crying, and a new voice is heard to utter, chokingly, “What happened?” A moment later the caller picks up the phone.

Caller: I think my friend is OK. You can cancel the ambulance.

911 Operator: Bravissimo Joe! Are sure you don’t need any emergency medical attention?

Caller: No, he’ll be alright. He’s breathing again. The color is coming back to his face. He’s sitting up.

911 Operator: I’m so pleased to hear it. If there is any future trouble and he gets blue — either physical or emotional — feel free to call back your city of Los Angeles 911 emergency response system.

Caller: I will, but I think he’ll be OK. He’s having some Schnapps.

911 Operator: Good Joe, just one more question.

Caller: Yeah, go ahead.

911 Operator: What are you wearing?

The caller hangs up. regardie@downtownnews.com

AROUND TOWN, 2 from ceiling lights inside the Financial District building. If Brookfield does not report back to the FCC with its findings and take corrective measures, the company could be fined $16,000 a day up to $112,500. Criminal sanctions could follow. Brookfield’s Melissa Coley, vice president of investor relations and communications, wrote in an email, “Brookfield strives to be a good neighbor and we are committed to resolving any technical issues associated with our properties.”

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12 Downtown News

February 17, 2014

Metropolis, in the Works for 27 Years, Finally Breaks Ground Chinese Developer Buys Site And Embarks on South Park Mega-Project

By Eddie Kim n 1987, City Centre Development unveiled an ambitious proposal to build three office towers, a 500-room hotel and 300,000 square feet of retail across eight parcels between South Park and the Financial District. The project was dubbed Metropolis and early renderings showed a cluster of gleaming buildings intended to turn the area into an employment hub.

Nearly 27 years and two developers later, a new iteration of the project is finally underway.

Shanghai-based Greenland Group broke ground Friday, Feb. 14, on Metropolis, which will rise on a 6.33-acre site spanning two blocks between the 110 Freeway and Francisco, Eighth and Ninth streets. It is Greenland’s first significant real estate deal in the United States.

“After 22 years of preparation and becoming a dominant leader in Chinese real estate, we think we’re qualified to diversify our market and step into key international markets, especially the U.S.,” said Greenland U.S. Holding Company CEO and President I Fei Chang in an interview in her Figueroa Street office four days before the groundbreaking.

The start of construction comes just two weeks after Greenland completed the purchase from IDS Real Estate Group, which had tried unsuccessfully for years to launch Metropolis.

The first phase of Metropolis will create a 38-story apartment building with around 300 units and a 19-story hotel with 350 rooms. It will rise just north of L.A. Live.

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I Fei Chang, president and CEO of Greenland U.S. Holding Company, at the Feb. 14 groundbreaking of the $1 billion Metropolis.

The first phase will create a 38-story building with around 300 units (it has not been revealed if they will be rentals or for sale) and a 19-story hotel with 350 rooms, according to Chang.

They will be a tied together by a public plaza.

The residential building will sit on a five-story parking and retail podium, while the hotel will feature a podium that mixes shopping with two levels of event space. It will also have two floors of subterranean parking.

The hotel will be a four-star establishment.

Chang said Greenland is in talks with international brands it has already worked with, such as Intercontinental, Starwood and Marriott.

Renderings by architecture firm Gensler reveal a highly textured, elegantly jagged facade on the

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residential building and a sleeker skin on the hotel. Gensler Managing Principal Robert Jernigan said special attention is being paid to the site’s location and how to distinguish the buildings from the skyscrapers behind them. The project’s visibility from the freeway, and its placement in the “foreground” of the skyline, makes Metropolis a Downtown gateway, he said.

“With all the traffic on the 110 and with people coming from the Westside, we really thought about how the light from the setting Continued on page 20

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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown News 13

Morrie Markoff’s 100th: A Celebration of the Art of Life

Chinatown Arts District

978 Chung King Road Los Angeles, CA 90012 310.663.1296 info@redpipegallery.com Open Wed - Sat Noon to 5pm and by appointment DIRECTIONS: The Gallery is located in Chinatown’s Arts District on historic Chung King Road. Chung King Road is a walking street that parallels Hill Street, just north of College.

Easy access is from the 110 freeway.

Parking is available adjacent to our building.

The Metro Gold Line (Chinatown stop) is just 2 blocks away.

Metro buses 91, 94/794, 81, and 96 stop adjacent on Hill Street (College Street stop).

Join us at the Red Pipe Gallery for a special celebration of never before seen sculptures and photographs done during the 50’s and 60’s by Morrie Markoff.

100th Birthday Celebration Wednesday, February 26, 5pm - 8pm Show opens February 21-22, Friday and Saturday, noon-5pm, for those friends who can’t come to the reception and for the general public.

The birthday celebration and closing reception will be on Wednesday, February 26, noon-8 pm, with refreshments starting at 6pm.

14 Downtown News

DT

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

February 17, 2014

CALENDAR

photos courtesy ABImages

e I v o M , M D I F t A CostuMes Are BACk In style Annual Exhibit Showcases the Best Outfits From the Year’s Films

of the 22nd annual exhibit.

By Donna Evans The show that runs through April 26 hile the camera may have lingered features more than 100 outfits from on Amy Adams’ plunging neckline in 21 movies, including all five nomiAmerican Hustle, every bead on the nated for an Academy Award for Best backless sequin gown she wore in the film was Costume Design (in addition to Ameriready for its own close-up. can Hustle, the other four are 12 Years In fact, Nick Verreos, a fashion designer and a Slave, The Grandmaster, The Great spokesman for South Park’s Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, encourages visitors to Gatsby and The Invisible Woman).

When visitors enter the gallery, the just-opened Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibit to lean in — there’s no glass sep- they might wonder if they’ve wandered into an alternate universe. arating spectators from the celebrities’ attire They will be greeted by costumes — and peruse thoroughly the outfits adorning from Man of Steel, The Hunger Games: mannequins on display.

Catching Fire, Pacific Rim and Hansel “People might think, ‘Oh, that wasn’t on camand Gretel: Witch Hunters, to name a era so it’s probably just half glued on.’ Um, no,” few. There were so many 2013 sci-fi he said, pointing to the three-foot long slit on S E-NEWelegant om s.cdesigners films that displaying them together Adams’ frock.

“These costume New wn nto Dow at up UP n N Sig SIG made the most powerful statement, are extremely detail-oriented from head to toe.”

Adams’ Halston and Gucci outfits, assembled Sign Up for Our E-News Blasts said & Kevin Jones, a fashion historian and part of the curatorial team. by the film’s costume designer, Michael WilkinBeasEntered to Win Tickets!When assembling the exhibit, FIDM son, as well the garish garb wornMovie

by Jennifer borrows the clothing from the studios or whomLawrence and Christian Bale’s velvet suit are part ever owns the outfits (though Johnny Depp has it written into his contract that he retains the rights to his costumes) and cuts the mannequins to fit the garments. The outfits are not altered in any way, Verreos said.

That explains why there are piles of wooden hands, torsos and legs in the workshop known as nNews the “surgical room,” he said.

Facebook.com/L.A.Downtow Before the clothes touch those mannequins, however, the Like Downtown News on Facebook wooden stand-ins are scoured, & Be Entered to Win Movie Tickets! scraped, sanded and smoothed.

Verreos likened the process to a “mannequin’s spa day.”

Inspired by Fabio The purpose of the exhibit, which is free to view (unless Also on display are costumes from Oz the Great and Powerful. The exhibit contains you opt for a curated tour), is more than 100 outfits from 21 films.

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Amy Adams’ plunging sequin gown and an array of other American Hustle outfits are among the costumes on display in FIDM’s Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition. It runs through April 26.

to expose people to fashion who might not otherwise have the opportunity to check out pieces worn onscreen. The lack of a partition between the viewer and the vestments allows for a personal experience, Verreos said, and one that affords the opportunity to school representatives began seeking out conzero in on exquisite details, such as Gary Now Playing/Starts 7 for the 2015 exhibit last week. Over the tenders Jones’ sequined chiffon gown with feath- Feb ers and a fitted bustier worn by Rachel Weisz course of the year, FIDM brass will compile a list of some 60 films, paying attention to which in Oz the Great and Powerful. Verreos described costumes will likely have the biggest impact. the dress as “saloon couture.”

Walking through the exhibit last week, Verre- It’s a guessing game to some degree, as FIDM hopes it will have outfits from what will be all os stopped abruptly at the five mannequins five films nominated for Best Costume Design. wearing Patricia Norris’ creations from 12 Years As the year ticks on, the list of 60 will be a Slave, which tells the story of a free black man whittled to about 25, and, ideally, will include a from New York who is abducted and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War south. Chiwetel Ejio- mix of genres.

“We teach this art form to students, and we for’s pants are tattered and Lupita Nyong’o’s want them to have a broad range to work with,” dress is faded, a choice Norris made to show said Jones. “We don’t want just the most spectacthat slaves would likely only have worn handular fantasy pieces, but a variety: big budget, inme-downs and discards from their owners. dependent, historical and contemporary. WhethBringing a moment of levity to the film’s heart er it’s12grandiose or simple, the costume still goes wrenching narrative, Verreos shared Norris’ inNow Playing/Starts Feb through the same process to end up onscreen.” spiration for slave owner Edwin Epps’ loose-fitThen they’ll come off screen for a closer inting top worn by Michael Fassbender. spection.

“Fabio. She pictured Fabio from the covers Art of Motion Picture Costume Design runs of romance novels and from that came this,” he through April 26 at FIDM, 919 S. Grand Ave. or said of the cream-colored cotton shirt. fidmmuseum.org. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, The task of assembling the yearly exhibit 10 a.m.-5 p.m. is gargantuan and requires help from FIDM’s donna@downtownnews.com entire curatorial staff, Jones said, noting that

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February 17, 2014

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Absurd Is the Word Taper Show Manages to Mix Laughs and Chekhov

By Jeff Favre here’s an insider, and sometimes insulated atmosphere to theater that seems to say, “If you don’t know the works of Shakespeare, Molière and Beckett then you won’t get this.”

It’s that attitude, real or perceived, that keeps some people from attending the theater. That might make those who don’t know the canon of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov hesitant to see Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

The happy news (an oddity when it comes to Chekhov) is you can walk into the Mark Taper Forum not knowing The Cherry Orchard from The Seagull or Uncle Vanya from Three Sisters and still laugh through most of Christopher Durang’s Tony-winning play, which is directed by David Hyde Pierce, who starred as Vanya in the Broadway production. The Downtown Los Angeles show runs through March 9.

True, knowing the above works may boost your enjoyment, just as having a deep movie knowledge helps with the references in Quentin Tarantino films, but Durang isn’t trying to be lofty with his homage to a playwright he admired. Instead, he’s pushing the ideas into a realm of absurdity that anyone can understand, while still finding room for the heart and warmth that is lacking from some of his satires.

In this instance, Durang has simultaneously created ridiculous people doing ridiculous things, which somehow come across in key moments as completely believable.

First, there’s the ridiculous. Durang dispatches the entire necessary exposition in two minutes in a matter-of-fact, let’s-getthis-out-of-the-way style.

Vanya (Mark Blum) lives in a Bucks County, Penn., farmhouse (David Korin’s beautiful scenic design) with his adopted sister Sonia (Kristine Nielsen). They do little but watch for a blue heron to land on their pond while complaining about their dislike

T

of each other and how they have no lives because of the years spent caring for their now-deceased parents.

They have no jobs, but their movie star sister Masha (Christine Ebersole) pays the bills, which allows them to afford a maid, the soothsaying Greek tragedy-like Cassandra (Shalita Grant), who predicts dire warnings about someone or something named Hootie Pie. Five-time divorcee Masha makes one of her infrequent visits to the house, this time with her young boy-toy Spike (David Hull), whose claim to fame is that he almost got a part in the sequel to HBO’s “Entourage.” Masha enjoys being rude, and has an immediate fear of the young neighbor girl Nina (Liesel Allen Yeager) stealing Spike.

Durang said that Vanya “takes Chekhov characters and themes and puts them in a blender.” He starts by using names from other plays, which the character Vanya explains was an homage by their professor parents. In fact, several of the Chekhov touches are overt and discussed by the characters, while others, such as why Sonia keeps shouting “I’m a wild turkey,” don’t need an explanation to be funny.

Most of the laughs come from Durang pushing the absurdity.

There is the throwing of china, voodoo dolls, a reverse striptease and even Disney-inspired costumes.

These are matched by purposefully overacted performances, highlighted by Nielsen. Her woebegone sighs, tears and self-criticism get funnier with each layer, and are crowned by a remarkable impression of Maggie Smith. The lasting takeaway from Nielsen’s portrayal, however, isn’t her turn with comedy, but a tender, quiet monologue as Sonia talks on the phone to a potential suitor, while physically fighting urges to sabotage the relationship.

Each performance is memorable. Grant steals scenes when Cassandra goes into wild trances to predict the future. Hull’s dumb hunk is so believable that he actually appears to be texting on stage instead of paying attention. Ebersole somehow straddles the line between awful and endearing, aided by a sobbing scene that rivals an “I Love Lucy” episode.

But it’s Blum who perfectly encapsulates what Durang does so well in a tirade about the things that Vanya misses from his childhood, which meanders to the point of including the entire

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David Hull and Christine Ebersol appear in the comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Mark Taper Forum. You don’t need to have read a lot of Chekhov to enjoy it.

plot of a movie for no reason.

Having been a part of the Broadway cast, it’s a safe bet that Pierce is able to help the actors get the most from each moment. His pacing is staccato when appropriate, which helps the show’s only flaw — at two-and-a-half hours it’s a bit long.

Even at this length, though, Durang deftly celebrates Chekhov’s influence without excluding anyone who doesn’t know the source material. It’s a happy ending for everyone.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike runs through March 9 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-4444 or centertheatregroup.com.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

DT

CALENDAR LISTINGS

THE

EVENTS

Wednesday, February 19 Kevin Ratner at SCI-Arc SCI-Arc, 960 E. Third St., 7 p.m.: Real estate and investment guru Kevin Ratner gets down to brass tacks as he discusses his development firm Forest City Enterprises, Inc. Bring your prospectus on Chinatown’s Blossom Plaza project for him to sign.

D O N'T M I S S

By Dan Johnson | calendar@downtownnews.com

ONE

ROCK, POP & JAZZ Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com.

Feb. 17: Eli Brueggeman and Marcel Camargo with The Brazil You Never Heard. Though after this performance you won’t be able to say that anymore.

Feb. 18: Ryan McGillicuddy, Vardan Ovsepian and Peter Erskine.

Feb. 19: Matthew Stevens residency. Come see what he’s done with the place.

Feb. 20: Jeff Babko Group.

Feb. 21: Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Quintet.

Feb. 22: Helen Sung Group.

Feb. 23: Creative Underground Los Angeles.

Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org.

Feb. 17, 8:30 p.m.: Representing the new and hip school of jazz is highly lauded pianist Kris Bowers.

Feb. 18, 8:30 p.m.: From the land of slickly produced indie synth pop comes Harper Blynn, Misun and Monogem.

Feb. 19, 8 p.m.: With a curious blend of archival footage and cheeky video cuts, progressive London-based electro-rock outfit Public Service Broadcasting promises an intriguing evening of son et lumiere.

Feb. 20, 9 p.m.: Mirror Talk, Fleurs and Deluka will all be peddling their musical wares in the new Blind Date band showcase.

Feb. 21, 9 p.m.: Stringy neo-punk from the ubiquitous Criminal Hygiene.

Feb. 22, 9 p.m.: Electro R&B practitioner Lawrence Rothman proves that the right plug-ins truly make the man.

Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.: Fever the Ghost will be haunting the Bootleg alongside Courtney Barnett.

Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com.

Feb. 17, 9 p.m.: Yonatan’s Monster Mondays, a jazzy tribute to

Folks are going crazy for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, but another kind of Russian celebration is taking place in Downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s big ol’ Tchaikovsky Fest runs Feb. 20-March 2. This week, Phil Music Director Gustavo Dudamel will be swinging his baton through Tchaikovsky’s First and Sixth Symphonies, the real OG stuff from the Russian’s back catalog. Prepare to experience sonic transcendence at performances on Friday at 11 a.m. (yes, 11 a.m.), Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. At Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

2

Those attending this week’s Moustache Monday at La Cita should hold on to that leather jacket, as it could be used on Tuesday, Feb. 18, for the sing-along screening of the 1978 John Travolta-Olivia Newton-John classic Grease at the Million Dollar Theatre. The event commemorates Travolta’s 60th birthday, and what could be more fun than helping a packed house belt out “Summer Nights”? The screening starts at 7:30 p.m. and the adjacent Grand Central Market will be serving food until 8 p.m. For $2 off tickets, use the discount code “GCMlatenight.” Grease fan or not, Downtowners know that Horse Thief BBQ and Egg Slut truly are “the ones that we want.”

OK, we paraphrase here. At 307 S. Broadway, (213) 624-2378 or grandcentralmarket.com.

photo © les documents cinématographiques, Paris

sunday, February 23 Jacob Hashimoto Art Talk at MOCA MOCA, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org.

3 p.m.: As he prepares for his forthcoming exhibition at the museum, spatial artist Jacob Hashimoto drops by MOCA for a free afternoon chat.

Image TM, ® & COPYRIGHT © 2014 BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Thursday, February 20 Writing Los Angeles Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. 5th St, (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

Feb. 20, 7:15 p.m. and Feb. 21-22, 10 a.m.: Crime writer Walter Mosley kicks off a weekend-long program co-sponsored by the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West.

Friday, February 21 Next Words: Dark Obsessions Last Bookstore, 452 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

7 p.m.: For the good folks in the CalArts MFA writing program the end is nigh. Degrees will be conferred soon, but not before these budding authors get a chance to share the fruits of their labor in this free reading series.

LIST

Big-Time Dance, Tchaikovsky Time, a ‘grease’ sing-along anD an more DownTown Fun photo courtesy L.A. Dance Project

Tuesday, February 18 Higher Education Discussion MOCA, 250 S. Grand Ave. or zocalopublicsquare.org.

7:30 p.m.: Zocalo Public Square presents a roundtable discussion about making college more inclusive. Get ready for talk about the admissions process and the costs of a bachelor’s degree.

February 17, 2014

The new Ace Hotel has partnered with Benjamin Millepied’s L.A. Dance Project, and this week the beneficiary is you! On Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 20-22, the modern dance company from the noted choreographer will premiere Reflections, a number put together by Millepied himself with concept art by the daring Barbara Kruger. Also on the bill is Murder Ballads, no doubt a lighthearted number featuring music from the band The National’s Bryce Dresser. Many of the tickets are a mere $20, so you can’t make the excuse that dance is high-priced and hifalutin’. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday. At 929 S. Broadway, (213) 623-3233 or ladanceproject.com. photo by Anna Hult

16 Downtown News

Thre e

4

With the title The Vampire, the Seahorse and the Octopus in Love, the Monday, Feb. 17, screening at REDCAT has all the markings of an off-color joke. However, it is actually a fascinating collection of renegade filmmaker Jean Painleve’s works shown in 35 mm. Painleve was known for his genre-spanning vision and a penchant for underwater films, a few of which will be shown this evening. If you’ve been looking for a sympathetic bunch of movie buffs to help you mourn the director who died in 1989, this is for you. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

Stay away from the blinds and do not get into any fights, lest you ruin the Black Panther-inspired art party at Art Share LA. Starting Friday, Feb. 21, and running until March 21, the exhibit Rise: Love. Revolution. The Black Panther Party features local art highlighting the impact of the radical organization. Los Angeles is the jumping-off point for a five-city tour so comprehensive it’ll have you reassessing the fundamental hierarchies of power inherent to democracy. Or maybe it won’t.

Whatever the case, the exhibit’s grand opening runs from 7-11 p.m. on Friday. Artists in the show include Shephard Fairey and William Cordova. At 801 E. Fourth Place, (213) 687-4278 or artsharela.org.

5

Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.

February 17, 2014

Downtown News 17

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Aileen Wuornos.

Feb. 18, 10 p.m.: For months now, Boom Boom Boom has been playing rock/paper/ scissors with Bunny West to determine who goes on first. Bunny, when will you learn to stop throwing rock all the time?

Feb. 19, 10 p.m.: Lucid Americana from Chicago’s own Rivals of the Peacemaker greases up the crowd for Los Angeles’ own funk outfit the Vibrometers.

Feb. 20, 10 p.m.: Blackwater Jukebox and Punch Drunks, two bands created especially to inhabit Skidrokyo.

Feb. 21, 10 p.m.: Boys School and The Diamond Light will be on hand for your aural pleasure.

Feb. 22, 10 p.m.: Rivals of the Peacemaker return just to welcome Charlie Chan and the SOB’s to the stage.

Feb. 23, 1 p.m.: What would Sunday brunch be without a righteous hangover and bluegrass from the Get Down Boys?

Feb. 23, 10 p.m.: RT N the 44s will be closing out the weekend and christening another work week with their deviant honkytonk.

Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com.

Feb. 21: Myon and Shane54.

Feb. 22: Heidi, Bob Moses, Ewan Pearson and Plastic Love.

Ham and Eggs 433 W. Eighth St. or hamandeggstavern.com.

Feb. 21: Soulville.

Feb. 22: Hungry Beat.

MORE LISTINGS Hundreds 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.

2YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

4 WEB: LADowntownNews.com/calendar 4 EMAIL: Calendar@DowntownNews.com

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.

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CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL lofts for sale

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CROSSWORD

February 17, 2014

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

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.

EMPLOYMENT GENERal

U.S. GOVT JOBS NOW HIRING Civil Service / Postal Clerks No Experience. Job Security. $20-75 an hour and Benefits CALL NOw! (855) 631-0850

Financial Manager Mail resume to F&F Enterprises Inc. DBA Rex Fabrics, 722 Stanford , Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90021.

SERVICES

Professional Supply Chain Business Analyst (Nestlé GLOBE Inc. in Glendale, CA): Responsible for driving continuous imprvmnt initiatives.

Multiple F/T positions available.

Req PhD in Industrl/Elec/Sys Engnr’g, Ops Rsrch, or rel field.

Must have exp in follow’g: ops rsrch technqs in optimization; formulat’n & implmnt’g optimization mdls; dvlp’g heuristics for complx op & mngmt probs; SQL & relatn’l dtbases; commercial optimization solvers; stat analysis sftwre; & mdl’g & progrm’g exp w/ Access & Excel/VBA. [In lieu of PhD, will accept Master’s degr & 3 yrs exp as stated.] Edu & exp may, but need not, be gained concurrently. Resumes: M. Simo, Nestle USA, Inc, 800 N. Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203. Job: SCBA.

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LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

February 17, 2014

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ANNOUNCEMENTS volunteer opportunities Do you have flu symptoms? If you are over 18 years old and having symptoms of flu, please call us at 213-261-3680. We are doing a research study testing an investigational flu medicine.

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LEGAL Civil summons LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT NO. BC492507 PLAINTIff: fRANk MAYOR vS DEfENDANT: JON kRAShNA, AND DOES 1 ThROUGh 10, INCLUSIvE 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 fee waiver form.

If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages,

Downtown News 19

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM 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 Web site (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: Los Angeles County Superior Court Central District 111 North Hill Street Los Angeles, CA 90012-3014 Case Number: BC492507 Dated: January 15, 2014 Mary Flores, Deputy The name, address, telephone number, and fax number of Plaintiff’s attorney, or plaintiff without an attorney, is: Frank Mayor 424 Bamboo Lane Los Angeles, CA 90012 213-617-7200 NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served as an individual defendant.

Pub. 02/03, 02/10, 02/17, 02/24/2014 SUPERIOR COURT Of CALIfORNIA, COUNTY Of LOS ANGELES, NO. EC061495 PLAINTIff: CROSSChECk, INC. A CALIfORNIA CORPORATION vS DEfENDANTS: vAGhINAk MARTIROSYAN, AN INDIvIDUAL; EAGLE EYE COLLISION CENTER, INC., A CALIfORNIA CORPORATION, AND DOES 1 ThROUGh 10, INCLUSIvE 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

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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 fee 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 Web site (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: North Central Glendale 600 E. Broadway Glendale, CA 91206 Case Number: EC061495 Dated: October 09, 2013 The name, address, telephone number, and fax number of Plaintiff’s attorney is: D. Lilah McLean (SBN 203594) CrossCheck, Inc. 1440 N. McDowell Blvd.

Petaluma, CA 94954 Telephone: (707) 665-2110 NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served as an individual defendant on behalf of CCP 416.10 (corporation).

Pub. 02/03, 02/10, 02/17, 02/24/2014 FiCtitious Business name fICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT fILE NO. 20090170655 The following person is doing business as: 1) CIVIC CENTER NEWS, INC, 2) L.A. DOWNTOWNER, 1264 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026-5831

fICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT fILE NO. 20090187396 The following person is doing business as: 1) L.A. DOWNTOWN NEWS 2) LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN NEWS, 1264 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026-5831 are hereby registered by the following registrant: CIVIC CENTER NEWS, INC, 1264 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026. This business is conducted by a corporation.

The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/12/1972.

This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on February 11, 2009.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 02/10, 02/17, 02/24, and 03/03/2014.

The following person is doing business as: 1) LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN SHOPPER 2) DOWNTOWN SHOPPER, 1264 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026-5831 are hereby registered by the following registrant: CIVIC CENTER NEWS, INC, 1264 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026. This business is conducted by a corporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/12/1972.

This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on February 11, 2009.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 02/10, 02/17, 02/24, and 03/03/2014. fICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT fILE NO. 2014019305 The following person is doing business as: 1) ENGRAVING DESIGNS BY ALFRED, 133 S. KENWOOD STREET #310, GLENDALE, CA 91205, are hereby registered by the following registrant: ALFRED GOLBOUDAGHI, 133 S. KENWOOD STREET #310, GLENDALE, CA 91205. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrants began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on January 24, 2014.

This statement was filed with

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The address of the court is 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in CIVIC CENTER NEWS, 1264 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA of general circulation, printed in this county.

Prepared by: John A. Clark LOs ANgELEs sUPERIOR COURT 111 NORTH HILL STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 Date: Aug. 01, 2013 Hon. Kevin C. Brazile, Judge of the Superior Court Pub. 2/17, 2/24, 3/3, 3/10/2014 poliCe permit

SUPERIOR COURT Of CALIfORNIA, COUNTY Of LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT ORDER TO ShOW CAUSE fOR ChANGE Of NAME NO. BS144399 Petitioner (name of each): Melisa Rayanne Greenfield, 833 S. Berendo, #103, Los Angeles , CA 90005, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: MELISA RAYANNE GREENfIELD Proposed name: MELISA RAYANNE OWENS-GREENfIELD THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted.

NOTICE Of hEARING Date: 03/27/2014 Time: 8:00 a.m.

Dept.: 20 Room: 310

NOTICE Of APPLICATION fOR POLICE PERMIT Notice is hereby given that application has been made to the Board of Police Commissioners for a permit to conduct an ARCADE GAMES / GAMES OF SKILL AND SCIENCE NAME Of APPLICANT: CEC Entertainment, INC DOING BUSINESS AS: Chuck E. Cheese’s LOCATED AT: 2706 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90057 Any person desiring to protest the issuance of this permit shall make a written protest before March 3rd, 2014 to the: LOs ANgELEs POLICE COmmIssION 100 West First Los Angeles street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Upon receipt of written protests, protesting persons will be notified of date, time and place for hearing.

BOARD OF POLICE COmmIssIONERs Pub. 02/17, 02/24/2014

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fICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT fILE NO. 20090189318

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DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on January 24, 2014.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 02/17, 02/24, 03/03, 03/10/2014.

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are hereby registered by the following registrant: CIVIC CENTER NEWS, INC, 1264 W. 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026.

This business is conducted by a corporation. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 09/12/1972.

This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on February 06, 2009.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 02/10, 02/17, 02/24, and 03/03/2014.

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sun would catch on the surfaces of the buildings, the notion that it would just sparkle and shimmer,” Jernigan said. “We wanted to create depth with shadows, especially in the residential building.”

The courtyard will connect the two towers’ retail and entertainment components. Chang hopes to see coffee shops, restaurants, gyms and other amenities geared toward both young professionals and empty nesters looking for an urban lifestyle.

She said Greenland plans to make Francisco Street a pedestrianfocused corridor.

The first phase of the project will take about 30 months, said Jernigan. Greenland and Gensler declined to discuss details about future construction, but a city memo indicates that phase two would involve a mix of residential and commercial uses in three towers. The entire multi-phase development has been budgeted at $1 billion.

Coming to America Greenland looked at several cities when considering where to make its United State development debut, Chang said, but the firm settled on Downtown Los Angeles partly because of the revitalization of the area. The company wants to be a force for growth in Downtown, not serve as a “passive investor,” Chang said.

“Look, if you go to San Francisco for the first project, that is only a 10-mile by 10-mile city. You don’t have much space. Or New York, look at the prices and the overcrowding,” Chang said.

“Here, you have such a renaissance and there’s room to grow.”

The groundbreaking of Metropolis is a pleasant surprise for John Vallance, who helped City Centre Development assemble the Metropolis site and secure its entitlements in 1987. City Centre stuck with the project through several lawsuits, a lengthy permitting process and multiple recessions, including one in the early ’90s that hammered the local commercial real estate market. Replacing office towers with residential didn’t make sense at the time, Vallance said.

City Centre sold the project to IDS Real Estate Group in December 2005.

“When we sold the project we knew it was going to be a significant development for Downtown,” Vallance said. “We just didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for ourselves.”

Vallance is happy to see his efforts pay off, not only with regard to piecing together the Metropolis site, but also working with CalTrans and the city Department of Transportation on the creation of the Ninth Street off-ramp from the 110 Freeway. He also “marvels” at the growth in the southern portion of Downtown, noting that Greenland’s project will do much to propel the residential boom.

“There’s been a real push for residential like we had Downtown in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s, rejuvenating something that was so critical to the whole city,” he said. “I worked in Downtown in the ’80s and it was not a destination. You couldn’t even find a restaurant to eat dinner.”

Greenland seemingly understands the sea change and its importance — it chose to stick with the ambitious plan of creating a community, rather than look for a smaller plot elsewhere. eddie@downtownnews.com

SuShi, 6 cate cubes of seared o-toro, the richest cut of the tuna’s belly, cozied up against a deceptively simple paste of rice, soy sauce and sansho pepper — buttery meat intertwining with a streak of salt and spice.

Creating a stage for Naruke’s cuisine was no simple endeavor. Though the project had an original budget of $600,000, it ballooned to an astonishing $2 million as permitting delays drew construction out.

“We’re barely going to break even one day, but that wasn’t the point of the project,” Morgan said.

Perhaps the start of a lunch service will aid the slow march toward profitability and open up the restaurant’s audience: Beginning Tuesday, Q will offer a shorter $75 omakase with 10 courses.

But it appears that no matter what, Naruke will continue to create traditional Edo-style sushi in the only way he knows how. In Downtown, the old is now new again.

Q is at 521 W. Seventh St., (213) 225-6285 or qsushila.com. eddie@downtownnews.com