04-22-19

The 18th Annual

2019 Honoring Eight Projects That Made Downtown Better in 2018 See Pages 5-18

photo courtesy NoMad Los Angeles hotel

APRIL 22, 2019 I VOL. 48 I #16

a grand park festival returns The rooftop pool at the NoMad Los Angeles hotel.

The Financial District establishment won the Project of the Year prize.

Page 19

reviewing ‘falsettos’ at the ahmanson

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. SINCE 1972

Page 20

2 DOWNTOWN NEWS

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AROUND TOWN

Police Shootout Leaves Man Dead Near Metro Station

A

man died after being chased and shot

by Los Angeles Police Department officers on Sunday, April 14. According to the LAPD, around 2:15 p.m. a man, later identified by the County Coroner as William Crawford, was seen inside the Seventh Street/Metro Center station carrying a shotgun. When confronted by officers, Crawford, 47, ran out of the station and down Hope Street, near The Bloc. Police opened fire and struck Crawford; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

It is still unclear if Crawford opened fire or threatened the police. Police recovered the gun and ammunition from the scene.

Service Extended for Downtown DASH Buses

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he many riders of Downtown DASH buses who have been clamoring for longer hours have had their wish granted. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation this month announced that all five of Downtown’s main short-haul DASH bus routes will now operate until 9 p.m., with weekend service extended to all routes; the rate remain 50 cents per ride, or

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

35 cents with a TAP card. The changes went into effect on Monday, April 15. Weekend service will run until 6 p.m. on all routes except Route F, which operates until 9 p.m. Previously, DASH buses ended after rush hour, with only a few routes offering weekend service. The expansion follows a slew of changes to Downtown’s DASH network that sought to alter routes to address underserved neighborhoods such as the Arts District. According to LADOT, the plan is to increase frequency and further modify DASH routes by the end of the year.

LADOT Opens Bus Maintenance Space

I

n 2016, Metro opened a large new bus maintenance facility. Now the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has one as well. This month, LADOT debuted a bus operations and maintenance facility at 454 Commercial St. near Union Station that is designed to hold up to 77 DASH buses. The nearly three-acre facility has six maintenance bays, as well as a two-story building for administrative staff. It is equipped with tools to service and fuel LADOT’s current compressed natural gas buses, as well as 26 electric charging stations, as LADOT plans to transition its bus fleet to become fully electric in the coming years. The project has been certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council for its sustainable elements, which include low-electricity lighting and water reclamation systems.

APRIL 22, 2019

Skid Row Job Fair This Week

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n event that matches job seekers to employers is returning this week. The Skid Row Job and Resource Fair will take place at San Julian Park (526 San Julian St.) on Tuesday, April 23, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Organized by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, it serves people living in and around Skid Row, and will feature more than 40 businesses and organizations that will offer jobs, and provide assistance in skill building, resume assistance, interview preparation and more. “Everyone in Downtown who needs a job, job training or interview practice is welcome to come,” DLANC Historic Core Resident Director Claudia Oliveira said in a prepared statement. “The fair is meant to meet everyone where they [are] as they look for employment, from housing resources to companies looking to hire immediately.”

Skid Row Group Earns Mike Kelley Grant

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ince artist Mike Kelley passed away in 2012, the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts has carried on his legacy, providing grants to arts institutions around Los Angeles. For its fourth year, the foundation awarded a total of $400,000 to 10 Los Angeles arts groups, including the Downtown based Los Angeles Poverty Department, which received $45,000. The money will help fund a new project, Compassion and Self-Deception, being created in collaboration with artist Robby Herbst. The work,

to be presented in performances, an exhibition and guides to the city, explores the aftermath of the passage of Proposition HHH, a $1.2 billion bond to create supportive housing for homeless individuals, and how certain neighborhoods in the city have resisted shelters.

The LAPD staged I Fly! Or How to Keep The Devil Down in the Hole at REDCAT this month.

New Managing Director At CTG

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os Angeles’ most prominent theater organization has a new top executive. The board of Center Theatre Group announced this month that Meghan Pressman has been hired as managing director and CEO. Pressman was selected after a nearly six-month search following the departure last year of Stephen Rountree, who had been in the position since 2015. Pressman will oversee CTG’s management, finances, communications, marketing and technology efforts, and will partner with Artistic Director Michael Ritchie. Pressman comes to CTG, which operates the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum in Downtown Los Angeles, from Washington D.C.’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, where she had been managing director since 2014. She also worked for the Signature Theatre in New York, the Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Chicago Improv Festival. “This is an amazing opportunity to build on Center Theatre Group’s legacy of artistic ambition and excellence, and to cultivate an audience as diverse and vibrant as Los Angeles,” Pressman said in a prepared statement. She will start the job on July.

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DOWNTOWN NEWS 3

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EDITORIALS

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APRIL 22, 2019

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

A Level Field for Marijuana Sales

I

n Downtown Los Angeles, one doesn’t have to go far to find a shop selling recreational marijuana. There are dozens of outlets.

However, as Los Angeles Downtown News recently reported, only about 10 of the Central City locations have received all necessary permits and approvals from the state and the city.

Some people may shrug this off, arguing that pot is legal in California, so what’s the big deal? But whatever your views on the drug, this situation poses a problem: Those businesses trying to play by the rules can be undercut on price and undermined by the many competitors, and most consumers will have no idea which outlets have acquired all necessary permits. To rectify this, Los Angeles needs a speedier approvals process and enforcement policies with teeth.

We know this isn’t easy. It requires Mayor Eric Garcetti to dedicate more funds so there can be additional staff at the city Department of Cannabis Affairs. It requires money flowing to the LAPD so that entities such as the Central Gang and Narcotics Unit can keep up with the illicit businesses. It requires City Attorney Mike Feuer’s office to focus more personnel on this sector.

Some progress has been made. Feuer’s office last week said that since May 2018, it has filed 217 cases with 840 defendants and verified the closure of 113 locations. It also last week sued an operator that lacked permits and was allegedly using banned pesticides in its marijuana. The lawsuit additionally targeted the property owner and real estate brokers who helped ink its lease.

That crackdown could send a message, but then again, anyone in the field knows that this is a whack-a-mole industry, and that after illegal businesses are raided or shut down, they frequently pop back up in the same or a nearby location. The leader of a local cannabis trade group told Downtown News that the operators of unlicensed shops know that penalties are rarely severe, and they view fines as just a cost of doing business.

Although recreational marijuana use is still prohibited by the federal government, in California it looks like it is here to stay. State and city voters both passed measures allowing for sales and creating steps to regulate the industry.

One problem is that ramp-up across California has been slow, and the anticipated tax windfall for local and state government has been lower than expected. It’s likely that many business owners who want to follow the law have been stymied by a lagging bureaucracy.

Still, red tape exists in every sector from restaurant approvals to construction, and businesses in many fields must adhere to strict regulatory standards; there are consequences if they don’t. Things should be no different when it comes to cannabis.

Local government has some tools at its disposal that it has yet to fully wield. In addition to the lawsuit by Feuer’s office, the City Council recently approved a motion that could shut off water and power to buildings that have unlicensed cannabis businesses.

A level playing with high regulatory standards benefits businesses and consumers. We need to see that in Downtown and beyond.

Temple Street

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S I N C E 19 7 2

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3/23/2019

Safety, Subways and the Streets A Dangerous Incident Sparks Concern From a Public Transit Rider

By Kimberly Briggs n Sunday, April 14, I did a double take when I saw a Google Alert about a police shooting involving a man with a shotgun at the 7th Street/Metro Center station.

I’m 100% transit dependent. I don’t own a car and have no desire to get one. Thankfully, the worst

O

GUEST OPINION I’ve seen anyone carry around on the street (and this was in University Park some years ago) was a bat, and he wasn’t smiling as if he was about to play baseball. I’m not so naive to think there aren’t registered and un-registered gun owners Downtown. I’m sure people are standing their ground in one fashion or another, but it’s in the shadows from my purview.

On that day I rode the train to the Westlake/Macarthur Park station and back to the Historic Core. Being Palm Sunday, there was a sleepy, pleasant vibe in the station. Imagine out of nowhere having to run for your life underground where there’s really nowhere to run or hide and nary a police officer in sight.

EDITOR: Jon Regardie STAFF WRITERS: Nicholas Slayton, Sean P. Thomas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre

Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-533-6990 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com

Joshua Jose & Chuck Levin

ART DIRECTOR: Brian Allison ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Yumi Kanegawa PHOTOGRAPHER: Gary Leonard CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Claudia Hernandez ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb, Rick Federman OFFICE MANAGER: Claudia Hernandez

The Sunday situation ended in tragic fashion. When police responded, the man with the shotgun ran out of the station onto the streets of Downtown. Police opened fire and the man was shot and killed.

Riding buses and trains regularly, you see a lot of things and you do a lot of things to tolerate the unsavory parts of transit. My threshold is pretty high and I can deal with a lot of things, but seeing an armed person on a train would send everyone amok.

Officers are rarely seen at the stations. When they are, it seems to be in a fare-checking capacity only. I believe the department has taken a step back from enforcing “broken windows” type violations and for good measure. But that doesn’t mean police should just vanish from the stations altogether. Perhaps officers really are there in plain clothes around the clock and I’m misinformed — I’m unsure.

So what do you do when anything could happen anywhere and at any time? The LAPD and Metro are fully capable of addressing that. I’m sure transit riders would appreciate some blessed assurance in the meantime.

Kimberly Briggs is a Downtown resident.

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©2017 Southland Publishing, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Southland Publishing, 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.

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APRIL 22, 2019

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 5

NoMad Hotel Named Downtown Project of the Year Housing Complex, Bridge Housing Facility and Soccer Stadium Among Other Recipients of Downtowners of Distinction Prizes

By Sean P. Thomas ach year, a collection of projects open in Downtown.

Last week, eight of them were celebrated for what they bring to the area at Los Angeles Downtown News’ 18th annual Downtowners of Distinction awards.

Approximately 250 people attended the awards ceremony at the L.A. Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 16, where the NoMad Los Angeles hotel won the Project of the Year prize.

Seven other Distinction awards were handed out.

The NoMad opened in January 2018, three years after New York-based Sydell Group purchased the property for $39 million. Sydell Group completely overhauled the nearly 100-year-old, 12-story building that began life as the local headquarters of the Bank of Italy. The upscale boutique hotel has 241 guest rooms, along with a coffee bar, a restaurant, a bar and a rooftop lounge.

Phil Pavel, managing director for the hotel, said that Sydell Group fell in love with the Doric columns, terra cotta façade and steep Italian ceilings, and that company leaders were amazed that the structure had been empty for so long.

The property at 649 S. Olive St. had been effectively dormant for decades, following its purchase by the New Yorkbased Chetrit Group in 1998.

“It’s such a stunning property and such a stunning jewel,” Pavel said. “Only in Los Angeles would you have something like that just completely abandoned and unused. It’s a historic landmark that’s been beautifully refurbished and sort of begs people to come and fill the space.”

E

Attendees at the event included City Attorney Mike Feuer and Horace Frank, the former commanding officer for the LAPD’s Central Area and currently deputy chief of the department’s Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau.

Another Distinction award, in the El Pueblo/Union Station area, went to the El Puente Bridge Housing Site. The first of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s A Bridge Home locations, the project has 45 beds for homeless men and women, along with hygiene facilities, space for case workers and an outdoor deck.

Operated by the nonprofit The People Concern, the facility is designed to help get homeless individuals off the streets and on the path to permanent housing. John Maceri, CEO of The People Concern, said the organization is proud to set the tone for the other bridge housing facilities planned to open across the city.

“It’s really important for us to feel accepted by the community, and I think also for us to help educate the community that when you house people, it actually helps improve the quality of life for everyone,” Maceri said.

In the Arts District, the Distinction prize went to Two Bit Circus, an attraction with high-tech carnival games, trivia contests and numerous immersive and interactive components. Co-founder Eric Gradman acknowledged that the creators had no idea how Downtown would respond to such a unique project.

“It’s been such a positive experience seeing people we Continued on page 6

photo by Gary Leonard

Phil Pavel, managing director of the NoMad Los Angeles hotel, accepted the Project of the Year prize last week at Los Angeles Downtown News’ 18th annual Downtowners of Distinction awards.

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6 DOWNTOWN NEWS

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NOMAD, 5 never expected to see come out of the woodwork and have a good time,” Gradman said.

The prize in City West went to the 16,500-square-foot Grocery Outlet, which opened on the ground floor of the Sofia apartment complex. Owned by husbandand-wife team Carlos and Sandra Torres, it offers an affordable grocery option in an increasingly expensive Downtown climate.

“From the very start, it was important for us to support our community with local hiring and to make sure that we have affordable food and groceries,” Carlos Torres said. “It supports everything that we believe in which is to support nutrition, health and wellness.”

Other winners included Holland Part-

APRIL 22, 2019

ner Group’s dual housing projects Grace on Spring and Griffin on Spring, which brought 575 units to two 24-story towers in the Fashion District; the eclectic CAP UCLA series of performances at the historic Theatre at Ace Hotel, in the Broadway Corridor; the transformation of the landmark Hotel Figueroa in South Park; and the $350 million Banc of California Stadium, which opened in Exposition Park as the home of the expansion Los Angeles Football Club.

The Distinction award recipients were chosen by the editorial staff of Downtown News based on the criteria of which effort played the greatest role in bettering its community. The Project of the Year was selected from among the district winners. A winner was not chosen in all 16 Downtown districts. sean@downtownnews.com

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photos courtesy NoMad Los Angeles hotel

New York-based developer Sydell Group spent $39 million to acquire the former Bank of Italy headquarters in the Financial District and turned the nearly century-old structure into a 241-room boutique hotel. The project has energized the corner of Seventh and Olive streets while also restoring a Downtown treasure.

APRIL 22, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 7

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

HISTORIC

BROADWAY THEATRE DISTRICT

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ou don’t have to fly to New York or London to see beautiful historic Broadway Theatres anymore. For the first time in many years the historic theatres on Broadway are making a comeback and are once again open to the public.

Come be part of the revitalization.

Dating back to the early 1900s the Historic Broadway Theatre District is the original heart of Los Angeles entertainment and the home of an unparalleled collection of early 20th Century commercial architecture. Bordered by 3rd to 9th Streets, the district is the largest and most dense historic theatre district in the country with twelve magnificent theatre palaces in seven blocks. These theatres are some of the most architecturally significant and most intact theatre buildings in the world and serve as one of Los Angeles’ most important and valuable historic assets.

Los Angeles Theatre 615 S. Broadway

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These four theatres are now under the same management to give you more locations to choose from.

Call us today to view for showings, private tours, or to let us help you plan your next event.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

8 DOWNTOWN NEWS

APRIL 22, 2019

A RT S DI S T R I C T

Two Bit Circus

— THE 18TH ANNUAL —

2017 The Downtowners of Distinction Winners

By Jon Regardie he transformation of the 1923 Gianinni Place into the NoMad hotel was revealed as the Project of the Year last week at Los Angeles Downtown News’ 18th annual Downtowners of Distinction party.

But there was plenty of company in terms of developments that made Downtown a better place in 2018.

Seven additional Downtowners of Distinction prizes were handed out at the L.A. Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 16, and they represent some of the many facets of the community that are changing. Honorees ranged from a two-tower apartment complex in the Fashion District to a cultural series that enlivens Broadway at night to an effort to combat homelessness.

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In the following pages, Downtown News highlights the 2018 Distinction winners.

The prizes are presented by district, and when choosing winners we sought to identify projects that had the greatest positive effect on their individual community, and also benefitted Downtown as a whole (prizes were not given in every district). Everything was considered, whether a housing complex, an office building, a store or something else.

The eight district winners were selected by the editorial staff of Downtown News. The Project of the Year was selected from among those individual winners.

Following, in alphabetical order by district, are this year’s seven other Downtowners of Distinction winners.

We believe that human experience is the driving force behind how we shape our future cities.

Read the latest insights from the Gensler Research Institute at: www.gensler.com/d33

photos by Gary Leonard

Seven More Projects That Made Downtown a Better Place in 2018

D

owntown has never seen anything like Two Bit Circus. Labeled a “micro-amusement park” by co-founders Brent Bushnell and Eric Gradman, the entertainment destination has revitalized a Mateo Street warehouse and filled it with feats of technology and ingenuity, along with a dash of the playfully absurd. Two Bit Circus offers a roster of thrilling virtual-reality games, from “story rooms” that twist off the popular escape room, to tech-savvy trivia or wine-tasting contests. The project has activated a formerly forlorn building, and lures people from across the city who often augment their visit with a drink or a meal at a nearby restaurant or bar.

DESIGNING CITIES FOR PEOPLE gensler.com |

@gensler_la

APRIL 22, 2019

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 9

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

10 DOWNTOWN NEWS

APRIL 22, 2019

CITY WEST

CAP UCLA Series at the Theatre at Ace Hotel

Grocery Outlet

photos by Nicholas Slayton

photos courtesy of CAP UCLA Series

B ROA DWAY C O R R I D O R

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he Center for the Art of Performance series has long drawn crowds to the UCLA campus, but it’s no longer just a Westside thing. Last year, the acclaimed programmer of avant-garde offerings hosted dozens of events in the gorgeous Theatre at Ace Hotel, and found out that Downtown denizens are eager to enjoy the roster of theater, dance, music and more. The series programmed by Artistic Director Kristy Edmunds is thoughtful and thought-provoking, and the performances are all over the map, from Taylor Mac’s four-night epic that traced 240 years of popular music, to a film/music event featuring the ensemble Kronos Quartet, to a 25th anniversary show for alt-comedy stalwarts UnCabaret. Season two is underway, and the house is usually packed.

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istorically, when people who lived in City West needed groceries, they had to trek to the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. No more. The 16,500-square-foot Grocery Outlet opened at the base of the Sofia apartment complex in February 2018, giving area inhabitants easy access to supermarket staples and fresh produce. The store stocks fruit and vegetables, cereal, beer and wine and most everything else found in a traditional grocery store. While it lacks the upscale items seen in some new Downtown markets, it offers deep discounts on familiar goods, part of a business model built on buying bulk or overstock items from distributors. The net result is most everything residents need, at a fraction of the price, without having to leave the neighborhood.

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APRIL 22, 2019

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 11

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2019 DOWNTOWNERS OF DISTINCTION Banc of California Stadium l CAP UCLA Series at Ace Hotel El Puente Transitional Housing Shelter l Grace and Griffin Apartments Grocery Outlet l Hotel Figueroa l NoMad Hotel l Two Bit Circus

We appreciate everything you have done to accentuate the dynamic community in DTLA.

Committed to enhancing the quality of life in Downtown LA DowntownLA.com

12 DOWNTOWN NEWS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

APRIL 22, 2019

FA S H I O N D I S T R I C T

El Puente Bridge Housing Site

Grace on Spring/Griffin on Spring

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he El Pueblo area is one of the many communities across L.A. County that has seen tent encampments proliferate amid a homelessness crisis. Last September, a pilot effort to address the situation debuted on a City-owned former parking lot. The El Puente bridge housing complex is the first of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s A Bridge Home projects, and its five trailers hold 45 beds for homeless individuals, laundry and bathroom facilities, and space for caseworkers.

The project, operated by the nonprofit The People Concern, seeks to help homeless individuals begin the process of transitioning to permanent housing by providing them a respite from the streets. Homelessness will not be eradicated any time soon, but the El Puente shelter provides a model for change that will be replicated in communities across Los Angeles.

photos by Gary Leonard

photos by Gary Leonard

E L P U E B LO / U N I ON S TAT I ON

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he Washington state developer Holland Partner Group has long been active in Downtown, but last year made its biggest investment yet, with a pair of housing towers near Eighth and Spring streets. Both buildings opened in the fall, and together the two 24-story structures created 575 studio to three-bedroom apartments, instantly enlivening the streets and providing more customers for area shops, bars and restaurants. Both buildings offer amenities including pools, gyms, roof decks and dog runs. With the Grace and Griffin, Downtown’s residential revolution continues, and the projects mean that more local denizens can walk to their job and leave the car in the garage.

27 APRIL - 18 MAY 2019 ARCHITECTURE + EXPERIENCE Venice Design Series 2019 is a collection of six events that celebrate architecture, design, cuisine, landscape and art. Visit our website for dates and event details on private tours of Trousdale Estates, Mar Vista’s historic Gregory Ain mid-century homes, DTLA artists’ studios and eclectic Venice homes and studios.

Proceeds benefit Venice Community Housing.

www.venicedesignseries.org (310) 526-3857

APRIL 22, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 13

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

@ Treasures of Los Angeles™ is CCA’s signature event,

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celebrating the diversity, strength and excellence of

PRESENTING

Los Angeles. More than 1,000 of our city’s top business, elected and civic leaders come together to honor those who have made exceptional contributions to our city. Our honorees represent the best of Los Angeles. They are

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our communities safe and inspiring Angelenos to dream big. Thank you to our sponsors for supporting Treasures!

H O N O R E E S

SAPPHIRE VICTOR J. COLEMAN Chairman & CEO Hudson Pacific Properties Victor Coleman pushes the boundaries of real estate by transforming buildings into some of the most iconic developments in Los Angeles.

SUZANNE GOIN Chef & Restaurateur Suzanne Goin is an award-winning chef who transformed Los Angeles into one of the most exciting food cities. Her next venture is at the Proper Hotel, opening this summer in DTLA.

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT CENTRAL DIVISION Accepted by Chief Michel Moore LAPD Central Division keeps Angelenos safe and makes Downtown a welcoming place.

WEN ZHOU CEO & Co-Founder 3.1 Phillip Lim Wen Zhou is a creative entrepreneur who has shaped the global fashion industry by propelling the 3.1 Phillip Lim label into an international brand.

TICKETS & EVENT INFO AT: c c a l a . o r g / t r e a s u r e s

Partial list as of 4/18/2019

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14 DOWNTOWN NEWS

APRIL 22, 2019

Los Angeles Downtown News would like to thank the following sponsors for making this year's Downtowners of Distinction Awards a huge success: PRESENTING SPONSOR

Downtown Center Business Improvement district GOLD SPONSORS

BROADWAY THEATRE GROUP FELIX CHEVROLET SILVER SPONSOR

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2019

APRIL 22, 2019

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DOWNTOWN NEWS 15

F I G U E ROA C O R R I D O R

photos by Gary Leonard

Banc of California Stadium

L

ast April, the Los Angeles sports scene expanded, with the debut of a $350 million soccer stadium on the site of the former Sports Arena in Exposition Park. The home of the expansion Los Angeles Football Club is both intimate and exciting, as the 22,000-capacity arena includes 3,252 standing slots for “supporters,” the team’s most vocal and ardent fans. The project designed by the Downtown office of architecture firm Gensler is state-of-the-art, with clear sightlines and a seating arrangement that brings all fans close to the game. Making things even better is The Fields LA, a three-floor food hub adjacent to the stadium that is open seven days a week. Consider the stadium a new jewel in the Downtown sports scene.

CAP UCLA is proud to receive a Downtowners of Distinction Award!

S O U T H PA R K

Hotel Figueroa

photos by Gary Leonard

Thank you Los Angeles Downtown News!

T

he Hotel Figueroa has long been a landmark thanks to the trio of massive ad panels on its south side. While those remain, almost everything else is different, brighter and better, as in March 2018 Green Oak Real Estate and Urban Lifestyle Hotels completed a two-and-a-halfyear renovation of the property at 939 S. Figueroa St. The transformation is dazzling, as the faded Moroccan decor has been replaced by a vibrant and inviting modern take on Spanish Colonial design. The 93-year-old establishment now boasts 268 upscale guest rooms (including 63 suites) and a bevy of buzzworthy eating and drinking spaces. The lobby is open and bright, the pool welcomes swimmers and sun-bathers, and the project continues to cement Downtown’s role as a tourist destination.

@CAP_UCLA #CAPUCLA

cap.ucla.edu

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16 DOWNTOWN NEWS

APRIL 22, 2019

SCENES FROM THE DOWNTOWNERS OF DISTINCTION PARTY PH O TO S B Y G AR Y LE O N AR D Approximately 250 people showed up at the L.A. Grand Hotel on Tuesday, April 16, for the 18th annual Downtowners of Distinction awards. Among the attendees who celebrated eight projects that made Downtown Los Angeles a better place in 2018 were City Attorney Mike Feuer and LAPD Deputy Chief Horace Frank. The Downtown Center Business Improvement District was the evening’s Presenting Sponsor. Felix Chevrolet and the Broadway Theatre Group were Gold Sponsors, Gensler served as a Silver Sponsor and the L.A Football Club was the Bronze Sponsor. The L.A. Grand Hotel was the Event Sponsor.

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Those who accepted Downtowners of Distinction prizes were (clockwise from top left) Sandra and Carlos Torres of Grocery Outlet, Greg Velasquez of the Hotel Figueroa, Seth Burton of the Los Angeles Football Club, Eric Gradman of Two Bit Circus, Andrew Hartwell of the CAP UCLA series, Perla Urzua, John Maceri and Waldo Chuc of The People Concern, operator of the El Puente Bridge Housing Site, and Sherif Aly, Dan DeMitro and Clement Tsay of Holland Partner Group, developer of the Grace and Griff in on Spring.

On facing page are (clockwise from top left) City Attorney Mike Feuer, Phil Pavel of the NoMad hotel, LAPD Deputy Chief Horace Frank, Darryl Holter of Felix Chevrolet, Cyrous Davoodian of Broadway Theatre Group, and Suzanne Holley of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District.

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APRIL 22, 2019

APRIL 22, 2019

DOWNTOWN NEWS 19

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photos courtesy Grand Park/The Music Center

an artistic vision of l.a.

CALENDAR

Grand Park’s second Our L.A. Voices festival returns this week. A series of workshops will take place on Monday-Friday, while the weekend brings two days of performances and art sales.

Grand Park Hosts Free Festival With Performances and Workshops

By Nicholas Slayton ast year, the leadership of the L.A. County Music Center and Grand Park launched a new arts festival in the 12-acre Civic Center space. Our L.A. Voices was a half-exhibition, half-performance series, and drew approximately 3,000 people over the course of a weekend.

The festival returns this week with an expanded lineup. It also has two components: On Monday-Friday, April 22-26, the park will play host to a series of workshops that touch on subjects including the business of the performing arts world, intellectual property and even feminist acting. All are free, though reservations are required.

Then, on the weekend, there is a two-day performance and exhibition showcase, with live theater, dance and more, as well as creations from scores of artists.

The Grand Park staff learned a lot in its first year of the festival, according to Interim Director Julia Diamond. She said that unlike art shows and festivals that are spread over multiple weekends and venues, the aim with Our L.A. Voices is to create a dense experience in one spot, where visitors can stumble upon something they might not expect.

“There are more performances and more artists, but it’s a shorter format. If you come and spend an hour or two, you’ll see a half-dozen performances, and see the work of 50-plus visual artists,” Diamond said. “We want people to have a multisensory experience like walking into a spice bazaar. There’s so much swirling around, lots of colors and texture.”

This year’s theme is “Origin Stories,” which Diamond said utilizes a wide canvas. Artists can draw on their own origins as creators, or can springboard off their journey to Los Angeles.

The festival is a multimedia experience. There will be short films focused on dance, portrait installations from photographer Lluvia Higuera, site-specific “flash theater” performances from Playwrights Arena, and other groups.

One of the participating troupes is Viver Brasil, a Hollywood-based dance theater company. It is stag-

L

ing two world premieres, one on Saturday at the splash pad in Grand Park’s fountain, and one on Sunday on the festival’s main stage on the lawn across from City Hall. Company Artistic Director Linda Yudin said that both dances mix traditional Afro-Brazilian movement with more contemporary forms, and both are energetic and joyful.

Yudin said the company will present each piece three times. That allows multiple chances to catch the show, and casual observers might see something they missed the first time while wandering through the festival.

Another component of the weekend is the Jardín del Arte, a marketplace set up between Grand Park’s fountain and central lawn, where paintings, collages, drawings and more will be for sale. Painter Devin B. Johnson, a Los Angeles native now based in New York City, said the open-world nature of the festival makes it accessible and engaging for audiences. People don’t need to be regular museum visitors or be versed in the offerings of art galleries. Instead, they can wander through the park and find something they might not even be looking for.

“When it can be accessed at that level, it can succeed in a way a gallery can’t. When it’s in a park, any onlooker can come in and get informed,” said Johnson, who will be selling a series of small collage-based paintings created in a kind of stream-of-consciousness process. “It’s a different vibe. It’s really interesting, because L.A. culture is so attached to the sun.”

The festival will be open on the weekend from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. each day.

Helping Artists Ahead of the big celebration, the Music Center and Grand Park are hosting five days of workshops where artists can learn new skills outside of their disciplines.

On Monday-Friday, the sessions will touch on topics such as how to acquire funding and how to market oneself. Other symposiums include a two-day feminist acting workshop and how to use dance in activism.

Diamond said the workshops are about finding new ways to support artists in the city, helping them Continued on page 24

photo by Gia Trovela

One performer is Viver Brasil, an Afro-Brazilian dance troupe. The Hollywood company will stage two new world premieres.

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20 DOWNTOWN NEWS

APRIL 22, 2019

All in the Dysfunctional Family ‘Falsettos,’ an Unlikely, Song-Filled Revival, Succeeds at the Ahmanson and 1990 — than the single show it became

By Jeff Favre n the landscape of celebrated musicals of in 1992. In the end it remains a touching and a previous generation that are remounted often funny foray into a decision by one man for a tour, Falsettos on its surface seems an that forever changes the lives of his family, his friends and even his therapist. odd choice.

The man is Marvin (Max von Essen), and Of its nearly unceasing 40 songs (it’s more of an opera than a musical), none contain the decision is to leave his wife, Trina (Eden hummable tunes or easy-to-recall choruses. Espinosa), and 10-year-old son, Jason (an imInstead of an epic tragedy or family-friendly pressive turn by Thatcher Jacobs), for an atcomedy, the story concerns an atypical and tractive man named Whizzer (Nick Adams). self-absorbed family kvetching about unful- The story quickly becomes even more complicated when Marvin’s psychiatrist, Mendel filled lives.

So what is it about the William Finn-James (Nick Blaemire), begins treating and then falls Lapine collaboration that makes it worthy of in love with Trina.

The first act, set in 1979, is a pastiche of a small national tour based on the 2016 revival some 27 years after its Broadway pre- musical styles, from cabaret to wild comedy to quiet ballads. While there are several miere?

The easiest answer is that Finn’s lyrics are gems that keep the tempo and interest from the most intricate and clever this side of Ste- waning, Act One ultimately takes longer than phen Sondheim, and that Falsettos’ story suc- needed to wrap up, and does so with an unceeds simultaneously as a highly specific pe- derstated climax.

The pinnacle is “I’m Breaking Down,” easriod piece and a timeless view of how families can find a way to stick together and over- ily Falsettos’ funniest offering. It shows Trina barely holding it together while trying to come all obstacles.

The revival, which plays through May 19 at pretend that sharing a meal with her ex-husDowntown’s Ahmanson Theatre, is directed band and his lover is normal. Espinosa’s perby Lapine with a stellar seven-member cast. formance, which includes hysterically vio800.900.5788 I aerioconnect.com Broadband Voice ItoWiFi I HDTV of bananas, gets ever-more It feelsI closer what it was originally — two lent chopping separate one-act productions written in 1981 Continued on page 24

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(l to r) Eden Espinosa, Thatcher Jacobs and Max von Essen are members of a family that is falling apart in the revival of the musical Falsettos, which opened last week at the Ahmanson Theatre.

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ROCK, POP & JAZZ

Ace Hotel 929 S. Broadway or acehotel.com/losangeles.

April 25: TNT Boys are a very young Filipino boy band. And now you know. And we left room for you to make the joke about them being explosive.

Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E.S. Onizuka St. Suite 301, (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com.

April 22: Ian Roller and Friends.

April 23: Katalyst.

April 24: Fabiano Do Nascimento.

April 25: Dean Mucetti and Rhythm Real.

April 26-27: Chris Dave and the Drumshedz.

April 28: Pedro Martin has a new CD and a show to go with it.

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

April 22: Izaak Optaz is here once again.

April 23: KidEyes is filling that pop-rock void left as we drift farther away from the early 2000s.

April 24: Do you long for 1970s-nostalgic, Fleetwood Mac-type rock music with heavy allusions to natural wonders? Grand Canyon is here then.

April 25: Apollo Soul brings that jazz-funk fusion.

April 26: Guitar-driven rock from Hand Habits.

April 27: Emily Wells wants to link pop music and chamber music and wants you to listen.

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

April 28: Party on the Porch, Blind Pony.

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

April 26: 4B. April 27: Midnight Tyrannosaurus, Yakz, Cromatik.

Continued on page 22

Rapper Earl Sweatshirt has done plenty of growing since bursting onto the hip-hop scene in 2010 at just 16 years old.

Then labeled a rap prodigy, Sweatshirt is now 25 and coming into his own, scrapping the teen angst of his early work with the hip-hop collective Odd Future in favor of a new and fuller sound and outlook. That philosophy is apparent in his latest album, Some Rap Songs, which is sure to get plenty of play when Sweatshirt visits The Novo on Wednesday, April 24, at 8 p.m. He’ll be joined at the L.A. Live venue by rappers MIKE and BbyMutha. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or thenovodtla.com.

In the wake of the horrific mass shooting at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018, a group of survivors has fought to turn tragedy into activism. New York Times bestselling author Dave Cullen is coming Downtown to discuss how those teenagers have inspired millions of Americans. Cullen, who also wrote the books Columbine and Parkland, will show up at the Central Library’s Mark Taper Auditorium on Saturday, April 27, at 6 p.m., for the opening event in Rights Night, a series from the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. Expect an illuminating exploration of the Second Amendment. At 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7250 or lfla.org.

Amidst a totalitarian regime in an unnamed Latin American country, a mother searches for her missing son. That is the premise behind Revoluciones, a play from the Latino Theater Company premiering this week at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. Written by Elaine Romero, directed by Bruno Bichir and presented in conjunction with Mexico’s nonprofit theater company Foro Shakespeare, the play explores the lengths a mother will go to for her child. There are four performances this week, on Thursday-Saturday, April 25-27, at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. At 514 S. Spring St., (866) 811-4111 or thelatc.org.

Industrial music took off when Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails gave the buzzing, machine-fueled sound a radio-friendly edge. So without all those palatable hooks, it’s no surprise that Ministry never earned equal acclaim. Still, the Chicago act drew plenty of passionate fans, particularly with their albums released on the influential independent label Wax Trax! On Tuesday, April 23, the Teragram Ballroom brings those elements and more together as it hosts a screening of the film Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records, followed by a Q&A and then a live set by Ministry. One never can guess what frontman Al Jourgensen will have in store, but considering that he titled a Ministry album The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste, and was known to set up a chain link fence separating the band from the fans, anything is possible. At 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

> 1 > 2

photo by Theo Cote

Artist John Kelly wears many hats. Throughout his 40-year career Kelly has been a choreographer, a writer, a vocalist, a filmmaker and a dancer, just to name a few. Throw those various disciplines into a pot, and combine them with his advocacy during the height of the AIDS crisis in New York, and you get Kelly’s live memoir Time No Line, a solo show making its West Coast premiere at REDCAT this week. The performance, on Thursday-Saturday, April 25-27, at 8:30 p.m., springboards off 42 years of journal entries, in which Kelly comments on the ever-changing cultural landscape. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

photo by Steven Traylor

MONDAY, APRIL 22 Mystic Monday Resident, 428 S. Hewitt St. or residentdtla.com.

8 p.m.: The free stand-up comedy show is back.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24 Downtown L.A. Street Scenes of a Fading Era – Early 1970s Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St. or events.lapl.org 12:15 p.m.: The latest installment of the free lunchtime library series “The Photographer’s Eye” focuses on the images of Downtown that Robert Pacheco shot in the early 1970s, when the community was in decline. Bring a lunch and enjoy the show.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26 Kevin and Bean’s April Foolishness Microsoft Theater, 777 Chick Hearn Ct. or microsofttheater.com.

8 p.m.: KROQ’s annual comedy show is back for its 11th year, with Ray Romano, Adam Ray and more.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 Our L.A. Voices Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave. or grandparkla.org.

11 a.m.: Catch live theater, music and dance and shop for art from local artists at this free showcase. The festival continues on Sunday. See story on page 19.

COLDXELA 2019 LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N. Main St. or eventbrite.com.

2 p.m.: Los Angeles homebrewers offer samples of their creations and compete for the title of the best brew.

Rights Night: 2nd Amendment Mark Taper Auditorium, Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St. or lfla.org/aloud.

6 p.m.: Reporter Dave Cullen and activist Ryan Pascal look at the wave of recent school shootings and how survivors and others are trying to change gun laws to prevent another tragedy.

BY SEAN P. THOMAS

> 3 > 4 > 5

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

photo by Justin Bishop

EVENTS

The Don't Miss List

photo by Magaly Castellanos

DT

CALENDAR LISTINGS

DOWNTOWN NEWS 21

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

photo by Phil Parmet

APRIL 22, 2019

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

SAN ANTONIO WINERY EVENT CALENDAR

Wine Tastings, Wine Festivals, Wine Tours & More at our Los Angeles Winery Location.

MAY 19, SUNDAY • 11am to 2pm • $65

Soulful Sunday Brunch Prepared by Cheryl Lindsay from Taste with Grace Catering.

Menu to include: Eggs, Southern Fried Chicken, Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Southern Style Cheesy Grits, Collard Greens, Corn Muffins, Sweet Treats. Stella Rosa Prosecco, Stella Rosa Orange Moscato, Sparkling Wine and Mimosas.

Menu subject to change.

JUNE 23, SUNDAY • 1 to 4pm • $55

Tri-Tip Oak BBQ We invite you and your friends to enjoy this lively afternoon event with us! Along with refreshing wine and beer offerings, we will be serving Santa Maria style BBQ tri-tip, teriyaki chicken, sausages, veggies, and all the fixings. Additionally, live music will be played throughout the event.

We hope to see you for this festive June afternoon!

JULY 21, SUNDAY • 1 to 3pm • $70

Wine & Sushi Pairing Although sushi is most often served with Sake, our awardwinning wines make a delicious and exceptional pairing. We invite you to enjoy an afternoon with us while eating sushi prepared by Master Chefs. Together we will explore the art of wine and food pairing, while tantalizing the taste buds.

Wine and Sushi can make for a magical experience.

San Antonio Winery, Maddalena Restaurant, Tasting Room, Bistro & Gift Shop 737 Lamar St, Los Angeles, CA 90031 Phone: 323.223.1401

APRIL 22, 2019

LISTINGS, 21 Ham and Eggs Tavern 433 W. Eighth St. or hamandenggstavern.com.

April 27: LXRY, Leni, Voxmod.

Moroccan Lounge 901 E. First St., (213) 395-0610 or themoroccan.com.

April 22: Flock of Dimes and Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner has teamed up with Madeline Kenney for a new project, which they’re bringing to the Arts District.

April 24: Old Sea Brigade is all about Americana and country music, which has nothing to do with the sea. This makes no sense.

April 25: L.A.’s folk rock group Run River North is still going strong, even after lineup changes.

April 26: Absolutely nonstop funk music with Brassroots District.

April 27: Axel Mansoor has an Emmy nomination for his work on “General Hospital.” That’s not a sentence you see often in music calendar listings.

April 28: Telekinesis will move you.

Resident 428 S. Hewitt St. or residentdtla.com.

April 25: Experimental jazz group and self-described “tallest band in Los Angeles” The Roswell Universe headline a night. They’ll be backed by the presumably shorter Bridesmen and electropop artist Alexander Vincent.

April 26: Trybvl.

April 27: Electronic producer Redux Saints headlines the Misfit Masquerade.

Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St. or sevengrandbars.com/la.

April 22: Modern Bluegrass Quartet has four people and plays bluegrass. But you knew that.

April 23: The Makers already have tickets to the midnight premiere of “Avengers: Endgame” and are so excited.

April 24: Rosa Lee Brooks.

April 25: Sax Offenders really went into that pun, didn’t they?

April 26: Holy Crow.

April 27: Molly Miller Trio.

April 28: Downtown stalwarts the California Feetwarmers are once again on Seventh Street. Say hi.

The Novo 800 W. Olympic Blvd. or thenovodtla.com.

April 24: Earl Sweatshirt has been growing up, and his rap game has only gotten better.

April 26: A bit of rock en Espanol with Los Amigos Invisibles & Aterciopelados.

The Redwood 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com.

April 23: The Torrents, Soraia, Hollow Forty-Fives.

April 24: A Global Threat, Long Knife, Generacion Suicida, and Foza Comun all sound very intense.

April 25: Friendly Bear, Black Letter Day, Rosk.

April 26: The Focke Wolves, Beggars & Choosers, Symbol Six, Order Disorder.

April 27: The Night Times, The Sloths, The Unclaimed, The Osteoblasts.

April 28: Jonathan Halls’ birthday party, with Magnet Hearts and 100 Flowers.

The Regent 448 S. Main St. or spacelandpresents.com.

April 25: Death Side, Exit Order, Enzyme, Condition, Zoloa, Hate Preachers.

Woohoo, bring the whole family.

April 26: Neo soul and surf rock great Nick Waterhouse has his most rocking album yet out and is playing in support of it. His backing band is also great live.

The Smell 247 S. Main St. in the alley between Spring and Main or thesmell.org.

April 26: Lucky Wife and Mother, Hot Brothers, Birote the Musical, and Goodboy

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promise an oddly family-themed night.

April 27: The Cozzmos, Grumpster, Cotton Ships, It’s Butter.

April 28: Oort Smog, FeatherWolf, Prissy Whip, Chum Out! Teragram Ballroom 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

April 22: Tim Showalter is Strand of Oaks.

April 23: Ministry and Cold Cave will perform following a screening of the new documentary “Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records.”

April 25: Ex Hex has a wonderful name.

April 26-27: Two nights of White Denim is great news for people who like White Denim.

FILM

Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.

April 26-28: It’s the neo-noir adultery tale Rattlesnakes.

IMAX California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 744-2019 or californiasciencecenter.org.

Dogs can do more than just slobber over your shoes. Check out all of their unique abilities in Superpower Dogs 3D. Patrick Stewart narrates Journey to Space 3D, about the effort to send astronauts to Mars. Since we’ll never go to space ourselves, at least we can hear Captain Jean-Luc Picard talk about it.

Witness the destructive and raw power of volcanoes as Volcanoes 3D: The Fires of Creation tours different hot spots around the globe.

Regal Cinemas LA Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-6070 or lalive.com/movies.

Through April 28: The Curse of La Llorona (12:30, 1:10, 1:50, 2:30, 3, 3:50, 4:40, 5:30, 6:40. 7:30, 8, 9:10, 9:50, 10:20 and 10:50 p.m.); Hellboy (12:40, 1:10, 4:10, 4:20, 6:10, 7:20, 9:10 and 10:30 p.m.); Little (12:50, 3:50, 6:50 and 9:50 p.m.); Missing Link (1:40, 4:10, 6:40 and 9:30 p.m.); Pet Sematary (12:40, 3:30, 7:4 and 10:30 p.m.); Shazam! (1, 4:20, 6:40 and 9:40 p.m.); Us (12:30, 3:20, 7:10 and 10:10 p.m.); Captain Marvel (12:50, 3:40, 6:20 and 9:20 p.m.).

Rooftop Cinema Club Level Furnished Living, 888 S. Olive St. or rooftopcinemaclub.com.

April 23: It’s Bohemian Rhapsody. The editing’s weird, but you can’t go wrong with Queen songs.

April 24: Mean Girls is so fetch.

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.

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APRIL 22, 2019

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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.

REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL LOFTS FOR SALE

LARealEstateExpert.com Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper

213.598.7555 LEGAL PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF CONTRERAS BERTHA CASE NO. 19STPB00313 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Contreras Bertha.

A Petition for Probate has been filed by: Frank Contreras in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.

The Petition for Probate requests that: Frank Contreras be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act with limited authority. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 5/17/2019 - Time: 8:30 A.M. - Dept.: 29 Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles Address of the court: 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Branch Name: Probate -

Stanley Mosk SVP CT. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing.

Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided in Probate Code section 9100.

The time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for petitioner: Frank Contreras, 929 E. Foothill Blvd., SP104, Upland, CA 91786. (909) 576-0503 Pub. 4/22/2019, 4/29/2019, 5/6/2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019 077957 The following individual(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) THE BEACHWOOD TEAM, 2738 BELDEN DRIVE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90068, LA COUNTY are hereby registered by the following reg-

DOWNTOWN NEWS 23

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM istrants: (1) PETER LAVIN, 2738 BELDEN DRIVE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90068. This business is conducted by an Individual. Registrant(s) began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 01/2019.

This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on March 27, 2019.

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. 4/1, 4/8, 4/15 and 4/22.

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019 060391 The following individual(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) HAPPI APATHI, 2020 N. MAIN ST., 3221, LOS ANGELES, CA 90031 LA COUNTY are hereby registered by the following registrants: (1) BRIAN RUPPEL, 2020 N. MAIN ST., #221, LOS ANGELES, CA 90031. This business is conducted by an Individual.

Registrant(s) began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 03/2019.

This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on March 7, 2019.

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. 4/1, 4/8, 4/15 and 4/22.

Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2019 073633 The following individual(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) Avon Construction, 12016 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD

SUITE 10, LOS ANGELES CA 90025 LA COUNTY, are hereby registered by the following registrants: (1) LET ME SLEEP PRODUCTIONS, INC. 12016 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD SUITE 10, LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 . This business is conducted by a Corporation.

Registrant(s) began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 07/2018 This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on MARCH 21, 2019.

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. 4/1, 4/18, 4/15 and 4/22.

PETITION FOR PROBATE PETITION FOR PROBATE OF AUTHORIZATION TO ADMINISTER THE ESTATE OF RUTH MAE STEPHENS CASE NO. 18STPB07100 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of Ruth Mae Stephens the decedent.

A Petition for Probate has been filed by: Matthew C. Long in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.

The Petition for Probate requests that: Matthew C. Long be appointed as personal representative attorney for Eddie Williams, III to administer the estate of the decedent.

The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an inter-

LEGAL NOTICE 2019-2020 Invitation for Bid Vendor Information Packet includes: Appendices Attachment A: Traditional Food-Based Menu Planning Attachment B: Menu Production Record Certifications regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension; Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable); and Certificates Of Independent Price Determination All certifications must also be included for the bid to be considered Complete. Please see the Invitation for Bid: Vended Meals” for further Information. Sealed bids are due to Value Schools via mail or in person at 680 Wilshire Place, Suite 315, Los Angeles, Ca. 90005 by 12 pm on May 24, 2019.

For further information, please contact Erika Coronel, Nutrition Program Director at 213-388-8676.

ested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.

A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Date: 04/26/2019 - Time: 8:30 A.M. - Dept.: 67 Address of the court: 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Branch Name: Stanley Mosk If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney.

If you are a creditor or a contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within four months from the date of first issuance of letters as provided in Probate Code section 9100. The time for filing claims will not expire before four months from the hearing date noticed above.

You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-1 54) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250.

A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.

Attorney for petitioner: Matthew C. Long(SBN: 55857), 3580 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1785, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 388-0423 Pub. 4/8, 4/15, 4/22.

NAME CHANGE Superior court of California, County of Los Angeles ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME No. 19STCP00992 Petitioner (name of each) Lauren Theresa Attard, 530 South Hewitt St #455, Los Angeles, CA 90013 filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

Present name: LAUREN THERESA ATTARD Proposed name: LAUREN THERESA D’ABATE THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter 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. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of hearing Date: 05/28/2019 Time: 10:30 AM Dept.: 44 Room: 418

The address of the court is: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, 111 North Hill Street, Room 115, 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 LA DOWNTOWN NEWS, 1264 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 of general circulation, printed in this county.

Prepared by: Sherri R. Carter Executive Office/Clerk.

Deputy Clerk: Nicolas Miramontes Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles 111 North Hill Street, Room 118 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Date: April 2, 2019.

Hon. Edward B. Moreton Jr. Judge of the Superior Court Pub. 4/8, 4/11, 4/15 and 4/22.

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Notice is hereby given that: Cathay Bank, headquartered at 777 North Broadway, Los Angeles CA 90012 has filed with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) the California Department of Business Oversight (DBO), and New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) to establish a new office: Cathay Bank Canal Branch To be located at: 159 Canal Street New York City, Borough of Manhattan, New York 10002 Any person wishing to comment on this application may file his or her comments in writing with the Regional Director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 25 Jessie Street at Ecker Square, Suite 2300, San Francisco, California 94105 and/or the Commissioner of the California Department of Business Oversight, 45 Fremont Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco, California 94105, not later than 15 days after the date of this newspaper publication. The non-confidential portions of the application are on file at the appropriate FDIC office and are available for public inspection during regular business hours. Photocopies of the non-confidential portion of the application file will be made available upon request.

This notice is published pursuant to 12 CFR §303.7.

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24 DOWNTOWN NEWS

APRIL 22, 2019

GRAND PARK, 19

TRILOGY

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hone business and other pragmatic skills.

A workshop on Monday will be run by the Music Center CEO Rachel Moore. Moore, a former dancer with American Ballet Theater, said it will be about helping aspiring artists and performers early in their career understand the business side of the industry, from negotiating contracts to how some arts organizations work and are funded.

“I really feel like young artists, kids in high school and in conservatory, there’s no sort of practical discussion of what it takes to be a performer and navigate the business of showbiz,” Moore said. “This workshop will be about targeting the younger artists and marketing strategy and positioning a personal brand.”

The workshops take place outside in the park, with each one starting at noon. Attendance is free, but an RSVP is required and reservations can be booked through the Grand Park website.

Diamond said that like the festival itself, the workshops represent a different way to activate the park.

“If people want to travel from location to location, they can have that moveable feast,” Diamond said. “If you want to spread out a picnic blanket in one spot, the show will come to you.”

Our L.A. Voices: A Pop-up Arts + Culture Fest runs Monday-Sunday, April 22-28, at Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave. or grandparkla.org. nicholas@downtownnews.com.

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frenzied as she sings, “It’s me who is the matter/Talking madder than the maddest hatter!/If I repeat one more word, I swear I’ll lose my brain!/Ohhh, what else should I explain?”

The adults act like children, so it makes sense that the most sensible one is the child, Jason, who would rather play chess by himself than make friends. He’s angry with his dad, but there’s a longing, shown with subtle effectiveness by Jacobs, that he wants to love his father.

Act One, as it did long ago, could stand on its own, but the back-to-back stories provide deeper insight into the characters. The second half, set two years later, appears at first to be lighter in tone.

New friends have arrived in “the lesbians who live next door,” Dr. Charlotte (Bryonha Marie Parham) and Cordelia (Audrey Cardwell). At first, the key plot point appears to be whether Jason — who lives with his mom and Mendel — wants to be bar mitzvahed. Then things take a dark turn, beginning with the dramatic number “Something Bad Is Happening.”

Keeping the music and story front and center, Lapine opts for minimal staging. The design is dominated by a series of interconnected blocks that are taken apart and used as furniture and props for dancing. The backdrop is a cardboard-style fake city skyline, which hides the band placed upstage and above the action.

Falsettos would achieve an even more emotional climax by removing a few songs from the first act, and by Lapine pushing the pace harder. Still, Finn’s impressive climactic song, “What Would I Do,” pulls the expansive show back into focus.

Since its creation, the reality of many people, such as these characters, has changed dramatically, so Falsettos falls firmly now into the status of a period piece.

The good news is that, more than a generation after its debut, it remains both musically and topically relevant.

Falsettos runs through May 19 at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.