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Plácido Returns to the L.A. Opera Stage | 21 Parking Battle: Bikes vs. Cars | 9

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o you have a favorite restaurant in Downtown, a favorite event or even a favorite hotel? Do you like free stuff? If you answered yes to both questions, then your opinion is needed to help Los Angeles Downtown News choose winners for the summer’s Best of Downtown issue.

Balloting in our annual reader’s poll opens on Monday, May 12, and readers can go online at votebestof.com to pick winners in more than 130 categories (you do have an opinion on the best dry cleaner and best juice spot, right?). Voting runs through May 30, and those who fill out a lot of categories can be entered into a drawing with some big prizes: the grand prize winner will get a two-night stay at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel, dinner for two at Noe, $200 spending cash, dinner for two at Morton’s The Steakhouse and a Los Angeles Conservancy walking tour (yes, one person gets all that). Other prizes include an iPad Mini, cash, gift certificates and more. The Best of Downtown issue will be published on July 21.

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Broadway Beauty Goods Shop Officially Opens

May 12, 2014

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

T

he rapid transformation of the southern end of Broadway continues, with the upcoming opening celebration of Aesop. The store, which sells plant-based skin, hair and body products, will have a grand opening event that is open to the public on Tuesday, May 20, from 7-10 p.m. Aesop, which debuted in Melbourne in 1987, has run a popup store on Ninth Street since the fall. Its permanent location, at 862 S. Broadway, began operations in April. Proceeds from the May 20 event will benefit the Museum of Contemporary Art’s education programs, according to Aesop spokeswoman Victoria Del Rico.

Attendees must RSVP to (213) 265-7487 or dtla@aesop.com, by Friday, May 16.

Auto Dealer Withdraws MyFigueroa Protest

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he $20 million proposal to transform the Figueroa Corridor with more biking and pedestrian amenities has taken a big step forward. That’s because the Shammas Automotive Group, which owns eight car dealerships along the street, has dropped its appeal, allowing the MyFigueroa plan to move

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The effort, funded by a state Proposition 1C grant for transportation investment, would cut Figueroa Street’s seven current driving lanes down to five and add protected bike lanes between the Financial District and Ex-

May 6, 2014

position Park, as well as widen sidewalks, add landscaping and create improved transit stops. While the plan had garnered support from bicycle advocacy groups, some businesses and establishments along the corridor Continued on page 13

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EDITORIALS

May 12, 2014

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

Sell, Donald, Sell

I

t has now been two weeks since the Donald Sterling scandal erupted, and much of note has happened. The community came together loudly and forcefully. The owner of the Los Angeles Clippers was banned for life from the NBA by league Commissioner Adam Silver. The team itself was ultimately able to overcome the distraction and anger sparked by the racist remarks and win a hard-fought series over the Golden State Warriors.

It is clear what has to happen next. It is time to sell, Donald, sell.

This likely won’t happen quickly. Early reports are that the famously litigious Sterling will dig in his heels and refuse to part with the franchise he acquired three decades ago. Silver and the league have indicated they will do all that they can to force a sale, but as we have seen time and again, things slow down and twist in unexpected ways when the courts get involved. Sterling is reportedly worth billions. That pays for a lot of lawyers.

So what happens next? That’s up to Sterling. But possibly, some folks in Downtown Los Angeles can also play a role.

Sterling travels in the circles populated by the wealthy and powerful. There happens to be a number of people in Downtown Los Angeles who also travel in those circles. Some of these individuals know Sterling professionally or socially.

It is time for those people to pick up the phone and say sell, Donald, sell.

If Sterling is not inclined to sell the Clippers, then a couple calls surely won’t change his mind.

However, a steady stream of messages from a number of people he knows and works with, and others who wield considerable influence in Los Angeles, might contribute to making him question his stance. It’s one thing to feel you are being wronged by a powerful entity such as the NBA and convince yourself that you are misunderstood (as misguided as that may be). It’s another when people you have known for years and have personal connections with repeatedly and unequivocally point out where you have gone wrong. That sometimes sparks introspection.

This isn’t a tossed-off thought. This page is not in general in favor of requiring individuals to divorce themselves from what they have rightfully acquired.

However, this is a rare situation, and though Sterling owns the Clippers, they “belong” to their fans, to the community, and to the city that bears their name. It is reminiscent of the Dodgers under Frank and Jamie McCourt — they bought (or borrowed heavily to buy) the team, but the Dodgers are ultimately a shared Los Angeles asset. The team had an emotional and community component that overpowered and ultimately outlasted the McCourts.

It is not hard to see the good that happened in the wake of Sterling’s taped remarks. After TMZ made public his conversations with V. Stiviano, a remarkably diverse community stood up and unified against him. This anger and offense led to the now popular “We Are One” sentiment.

The task isn’t over though, and it won’t be until someone else owns the Clippers. Sterling should do what is right, but getting there may require some forceful nudging from the people who know him.

Sell, Donald, sell.

Opportunities and Challenges With Parker Center Replacement

I

t seems that almost every week we hear about another new housing project, restaurant or unique business coming to Downtown Los Angeles. This is usually a good thing, and these additions have sparked an unprecedented comeback in the Central City. With approximately 52,000 people now living in the area, and a surfeit of nightspots and entertainment venues, Downtown today is the cultural and housing hub many long thought impossible.

Yet even during this renaissance, too many eyesores and dead zones remain. Although they are spread throughout Downtown, a frustrating number of these are in the Civic Center. Here, alongside jewels such as City Hall, residents, workers and visitors are confronted with ugly, fenced-off lots and aged, derelict buildings. This is problematic on a number of fronts: the eyesores are wasted land, a depressing message to tourists and an easy tool for those looking to disparage all the positives underway in Downtown.

It is with this context that one should think about the proposal to raze one of the most bothersome eyesores, Parker Center, and replace it with a 27-story tower housing city workers.

This could be one of the most important additions to Downtown Los Angeles. Right away one can tick off numerous benefits for both government and the citizenry: Do this project right and it will save the city money by consolidating municipal workers in the Civic Center, allowing the expiration of leases in far-flung buildings. Do this right, and the district’s foot traffic will increase and the pedestrian ties to nearby Little Tokyo will be strengthened. Do this right and, with the already announced $475 million budget, Downtown will gain an energy-efficient new building that stands out architecturally.

Of course, the “Do this right, and…” plea presents the obvious counter: Do this wrong, and Downtown will replace an eyesore with an ugly edifice that doesn’t fit the neighborhood. Do this wrong and the city will wind up with a building that clashes with the look and functionality of the Civic Center and/or Little Tokyo.

Do this wrong, and Downtown will squander a once-in-a-generation chance to activate a key parcel.

Los Angeles Downtown News last week reported on the proposal to replace Parker Center. Though nothing has been formally decided, city staff have finished their analysis of what to do with

the 1954 building that long housed the Los Angeles Police Department. In 2010, most of Parker Center’s inhabitants moved into the new $440 million Police Administration Building at First and Spring streets. Yet even before that, the structure at 150 N. Los Angeles St., across the street from City Hall East, was deteriorating.

The city spent a couple years exploring what to do with the building. Wisely, the recommendation is to tear it down. Parker Center is not particularly beautiful, and some of the policing decisions made there seem as archaic as the structure itself. Razing and building anew makes more sense than the other options, which were rehabilitating the entire structure, or replacing just part of the building while renovating what remained.

The City Council is expected to discuss the future of the site this summer. That provides the opportunity to focus now on some of the most important issues and design features.

There is a lot to consider. We strongly agree with comments in the Downtown News article by Dan Rosenfeld, who has experience both as a developer and in managing real estate assets for various levels of government. Rosenfeld described the need for the building to have street-facing retail, with a lineup of shops and restaurants that people will want to patronize.

Though it will be a government building, it also needs to have a community function.

Then there is the parcel’s location on the cusp of Little Tokyo, a community that is seeing a lot of development. Initial plans call for the new building to have a public courtyard with pedestrian connections between Los Angeles and Judge John Aiso streets. These connections must be well-planned and inviting. Make it a pleasant draw, perhaps with a small park and benches.

Just as important is design, and at 27 stories the building will share skyline space with City Hall. The new structure must be respectful of that landmark while also serving modern needs.

This is a transitional time for the Civic Center. Grand Park opened two years ago and the Hall of Justice is being renovated. At First Street and Broadway, a $400 million Federal Courthouse is rising and a graffiti-flecked lot is being turned into a park.

The area is moving forward. The new building at Parker Center needs to be an active, vibrant part of the future.

May 12, 2014

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown News 5

2020 Report? It’s a Vision Thing Will a Panel of Experts Help Change L.A., Or Will Their Ideas Wind Up on a Shelf?

By Jon Regardie ver the past four months, Los Angeles political observers have glimpsed one of the most curious spectacles in years.

It’s been a saga of smart people, ideas that resemble flaming arrows and a raft of denial. It’s been a tale of battering-ram tactics, bruised egos and some pointed power plays.

It sounds like an episode of “The Good Wife,” except that it’s playing out in City Hall and, in-

O

THE REGARDIE REPORT stead of starring Julianna Margulies, Archie Panjabi and Michael J. Fox, the leads are Austin Beutner, Mickey Kantor and Herb Wesson. Hey, we can’t win ’em all.

It concerns the Los Angeles 2020 Commission, a 12-member panel that has refused to operate in the milquetoast manner of most appointed blue-ribbon groups. Normally these bodies, tapped by the political elite, write a report that generates some pleasant lip service and then winds up on a shelf. The unwritten rule is don’t bite the hand of the powerful.

That rule has been ignored by the commission, which instead sniffed the hand and then chomped down hard, possibly snapping off a digit or two. If its pair of reports wind up on a shelf, it won’t be for lack of effort.

The 2020 Commission appeared before the full City Council last week, where the reception was, not surprisingly, fairly cool. Still, the most

interesting part of the story is what got the members there.

The 2020 Commission began last year when council President Wesson asked top lawyer and former U.S. Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor to assemble a group to look into what ails Los Angeles. I still don’t know what Wesson hoped would come from this and whether it was a power hedge against incoming Mayor Eric Garcetti — wait, it’s Wesson, so of course it was a power move — but Kantor ended up co-chairing the group with businessman and former First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner.

They assembled some big names including ex-Gov. Gray Davis, business figures such as David Fleming and labor leaders including the Police Protective League’s Tyler Izen and DWP union chief Brian D’Arcy.

The 2020 Commission’s opening salvo was the biggest surprise since Rocky Balboa landed a haymaker that floored Apollo Creed at the start of their first fight. The opening line to its January report, “A Time for Truth,” stated, “Los Angeles is barely treading water while the rest of the world is moving forward.” That was about as nice as it got. The report bludgeoned the city, at one point declaring, “Los Angeles suffers from a crisis in leadership and direction.”

In response, the elected class pretty much decided they didn’t want to play the 2020 panel’s reindeer games. “A Time for Truth” was effectively ignored.

Austin Beutner has emerged as the frontman of the Los Angeles 2020 Commission. The panel appeared before City Council last week, where the reception was fairly cool.

photo by Gary Leonard

Suggestions, Please The panel then seems to have recalculated.

It dropped the scorched Earth tone and went the suggestive route in the follow-up “A Time for Action.” Wesson attended the April 9 Downtown release of the study, which, what a coincidence, came the day before Mayor Eric Garcetti delivered his first State of the City address.

Garcetti’s office avoided the report as if it were a one-man musical starring Donald Sterling. Though Wesson said hearings would take place, for weeks it appeared as if the council too would ignore the prescription of 13 ways to improve civic life and boost job growth.

The media and public response were mixed.

Some slammed “A Time for Action,” calling it too thin and saying it left out solutions to things like paralyzing gridlock. Several observers questioned the ties between members of the panel and its suggestions. Everyone had a field day battering the involvement of D’Arcy, who, oy vey, continues to refuse to detail how the DWP spent $40 million allocated to two mysterious institutes.

Others applauded suggestions such as creating a city Office of Transparency and Accountability that would provide the media and the citizenry information on the budget and other matters. They urged quick movement on the Continued on page 14

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

6 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

Playoff fever Photos by Gary Leonard

P

layoff fever was back in Downtown Los Angeles last week, as Staples Center hosted four Kings and Clippers games in four days. To celebrate the hockey and basketball teams’ move into the second round of the post-season, L.A. Live and Staples Center owner Anschutz Entertainment Group set up a “fan fest” before each game outside the arena and at Nokia Plaza. The Kings played the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night (where these photos were taken) and Saturday afternoon, while the Clippers battled the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday and Sunday. The playoffs for each team continue this week.

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8 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown News 9

In Some Big New Buildings, There Are More Bike Than Car Parking Spaces Trend Draws Praise From Mass-Transit Advocates, But Some Question Whether Renters Will Stay Away

By Eddie Kim os Angeles has a well-known love affair with the car. Yet in Downtown, a number of residents are eschewing auto travel, opting instead to walk, take mass transit or ride a bike. Meanwhile, surface parking lots are being snapped up by developers and the city is designing more bike lanes on heavily trafficked streets.

Now, there is another manifestation of the trend: a growing number of housing developers are incorporating bicycle parking in their buildings, often at the sake of car spaces.

Veteran developer Sonny Astani has proposed including 744 bike parking spaces at his G12 project at Grand Avenue and Twelfth Street — the complex would include just 595 car stalls.

Developer Mack Urban plans to build 402 bike stalls and 382 car parking spaces in the first phase of its upcoming South Park mega-project. Forest City is proposing a combined 446 bike stalls, and 507 car slots, at its two-building project near the Herald Examiner Building.

The moves follow an ordinance proposed by the City Planning Department and passed by the City Council last year. It mandates that developers include greater amounts of bike parking in new residential and commercial projects. Critically, the ordinance also includes an incentive: By adding additional bike spaces, developers can decrease the amount of required car parking, which is expensive to build.

With thousands of Downtown housing units in the pipeline, the ordinance could impact car parking in the Central City, while serving as a founda-

L

tion to increase bike infrastructure and ridership.

“The city has had a bicycle plan in place, based on thorough studies about how to best support transportation in an area with growing density,” said Tom Rothmann, a senior city planner and author of the bike parking ordinance.

“We have had minimum requirements for auto parking for a long time, but space is limited and we think this offset for bike versus auto parking is going to really change the way people approach traveling in the area.”

The approach has garnered mixed reactions in the real estate community, with some cheering the opportunity to save money by building less car parking, and others viewing mandated bike spaces as another expense on top of their plans to accommodate residents with multiple cars.

Forest City Director of Development K.C. Yasmer praised the policy but, like many, questioned its long-term effect.

“The ordinance is well-intentioned, and having bike parking is a good thing for a healthy urban center,” said Yasmer. “The question is whether potential residents can give up their cars, and whether some developers are willing to play along.”

Reduce the Ugly The city calculates car and bike-parking requirements based on a project’s floor area and number of units, though density, proximity to transit hubs and other factors can affect the requirements. Last year’s ordinance effectively increased the ratio of bike parking stalls, and expanded the requirements to properties with

Bikes are becoming even more prevalent on Downtown streets thanks to the painting of new bike lanes. The trend could accelerate as some coming housing complexes feature more bike parking spaces than slots for cars. photo by Gary Leonard

commercial, industrial and manufacturing uses of less than 10,000 square feet.

In addition to increasing the bike parking minimum, the ordinance allows developers to eliminate one car stall for every four bike parking spots created. Up to 10% of the auto parking can be replaced on a residential project (or 15% if the property is within 1,500 feet of a transit facility).

The figures are higher for non-residential projects.

Reducing car parking helps developers cut back on one of the most expensive aspects of a new building. Simon Ha, a managing partner at architecture firm Tate Snyder Kimsey and chairman of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council’s planning and land use committee, said auto parking requirements can negatively impact the size and design of a project on a tight budget.

“Auto parking takes up a lot of space and is in-

credibly expensive to construct, especially with subterranean parking. That’s why there is a proliferation of above-ground parking podiums, many of them ugly,” Ha said. “Bike parking, on the other hand, is far more compact and simpler to design.

You just need a swath of empty space.”

Yasmer notes that increasing bike access has indirect benefits, such as increased activation of street-level storefronts.

“That’s something that is going to help Downtown in the long run as it becomes more walkable and more connected with transit,” he said.

Despite the benefits, some developers worry that buildings with limited parking will push away potential residents. Many households own two or more cars, and the developers of higherend luxury complexes in particular are still building approximately one car stall per bedroom.

Continued on page 11

10 Downtown News

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

May 12, 2014

May 12, 2014

Downtown News 11

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

PARKING, 9 The situation has been noticed by Jim Ries, senior vice president of development consulting firm Craig Lawson & Co. Ries, who has worked on Downtown projects for the Hanover Company, Sonny Astani and others, said some developers are hesitant to reduce car parking when many renters demand it.

The issue is complicated by the restrictions of the city Planning Department’s Downtown Design Guide, which discourages Central City projects from building as much auto parking as in other parts of Los Angeles. For some developers that want to create as much car parking as possible, the bike parking incentive isn’t much of an incentive at all, but rather an additional expense in terms of both money and space.

“I’ve had pushback from clients saying that it’s just too much bike parking they’re being forced to build, and that the location requirements for the bikes are hard to meet,” Ries said. “Coupled with the Design Guide restrictions, the bike mandate is creating havoc for some developers.”

Go Even Further?

On the other side of the issue are planning experts who say the city isn’t going far enough to support developers who want projects to have even less parking.

Donald Shoup, a professor of urban planning at UCLA and one of the country’s leading experts on parking, calls the ordinance a good step toward curbing the “insanely high” amount of off-street car parking in Downtown.

Still, he thinks eliminating minimum car parking requirements would help create a denser

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“Downtown is the worst of both worlds — it has density, but everyone also has cars. It doesn’t make sense for an urban community,” Shoup said. “People who want to live in Downtown should have to compromise on this. Offstreet car parking requirements are ultimately hurting Downtown’s ability to be vibrant and grow for people.”

Rothmann said the car parking minimums have historically hurt some smaller Downtown projects that might not even need automobile space — the requirements made projects economically unfeasible. That changed, he noted, with the 1999 passage of the adaptive reuse ordinance, which allowed developers to skirt certain code requirements such as minimum parking.

More than anything, Rothmann believes improvements could come with a tailored approach that takes into account the density and transportation goals of a neighborhood.

He suggested Downtown in the future could utilize off-site residential parking or build cityowned parking structures such as those in Old Town Pasadena.

Both bike infrastructure and off-street parking requirements in Downtown will be reviewed as part of the city’s ongoing revision of the antiquated zoning code, Rothmann added.

Though it has been a little more than a year since the ordinance was passed, its effects on Downtown remain to be felt. The impact may not be known until the next wave of residents arrives — with or without their cars and bikes. eddie@downtownnews.com

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A Metro customer since childhood, Michael takes Line 81 and the Gold and Red lines every day to his job in downtown LA. He’s an accountant, and chooses to Go Metro because he avoids battling rush hour traffic and saves wear and tear on his car.

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TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

12 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

Some Pershing Square Trees to Be Replaced by Chessboards

The city Department of Recreation and Parks has removed five trees from Pershing Square where the roots were choking the electrical and irrigation lines.

Permanent chess tables are being installed where they once stood.

Work Comes as Roots Wreak Havoc on Electrical, Irrigation Systems

By Donna Evans ershing Square has generated its share of design and infrastructure debate over the years, largely for the 1994 redo that resulted in the current look of plenty of hardscape and minimal green space.

Now, five trees that lined a portion of the Olive Street side of the park, across from the Mil-

P

lennium Biltmore Hotel, have been removed.

However, park officials and city staff say, that’s a good thing.

The Pershing Square Park Advisory Board (PAB) secured a $5,000 grant from Yahoo to install four permanent chessboards and add some flower boxes around the trees. But when landscape crews got into the dirt, they saw that

photo by Donna Evans

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the tree roots had “gone crazy,” said Louise Capone, senior recreation director for Pershing Square.

During construction work to install the chess tables, workers found that the thick roots of the park’s 20-foot high tipu trees had burst through the original concrete tubs they’d been planted in. It got to the point that they were strangling the electrical and irrigation systems beneath the soil, and were poised to adversely affect the structural integrity of the parking garage roof that sits beneath the park, said Tom Gibson, a city landscape architect who is heading the project.

The tree removal was not part of the original project, but for the safety of the garage and the park, officials uprooted and recycled them into mulch. They will be replaced with smaller trees.

Currently, the tree removal area is fenced off

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May 12, 2014 while workers finish cutting away the tangled roots and lay PVC pipe for the irrigation system.

“We’re working to transition areas of the park for better community use,” Capone said.

The removal of the trees and the addition of the chessboards is one of several changes coming to the park. The PAB is working with Downtown’s Ur-Bin Community Garden Network to beautify and green the park at 532 S. Olive St. Board members are in the process of creating a community room from a space long used for storage, Capone said.

At one time the room, which faces Olive Street, was a porch where park officials sold tickets. Once work is complete, the formerly darkened room will have windows. It will be used for things including yoga and parenting classes and support group meetings, Capone said.

She added that a children’s play area will be added in the south end of the park.

Despite the lack of green space, the park hosts a number of community events, everything from a weekly farmers market to a spring and summer Friday night film series.

It is also known, however, for the large contingent of homeless individuals who gather there, particularly at the seating areas at the southern end.

Capone said she doesn’t believe that the chess tables will attract an even larger

Downtown News 13

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM group of homeless individuals. She added that some people already come to Pershing Square and set up their own chessboards on the concrete, so she believes the permanent tables will improve the park. Additionally, the PAB is working with area chess clubs to get players out to the park.

Across the park, on the Hill Street side, landscape crews have planted bougainvillea that will wrap around the “Pepto Bismol-colored columns,” Capone said. The wrought-iron fence that separates the dog run area will be extended to partition off the plants from the Ur-Bin Garden Network, she added.

PAB members are applying for additional grants to pay for more work.

These changes come as 14th District City Councilman José Huizar looks at more comprehensive changes for Pershing Square. Huizar assembled a 21-member task force last year to examine the state of the park and come up with potential alterations. The panel includes architects, property owners, city and police officials and homeless services representatives.

The goal of the task force is to come up with a long-term plan for the park, which could mean a redesign, infrastructure improvements and more programing. The group will also seek to identify funding sources for any short- and long-term changes. donna@downtownnews.com

AROUND TOWN, 2 worried that cutting driving lanes would hinder access to businesses. Darryl Holter, CEO of the Shammas Group, said the appeal was used to give time to address the concerns, not stop the project. “The appeal was intended to bring the [Department of Transportation] and the Mayor’s office together with the stakeholders to resolve these issues,” Holter said in an emailed statement to Los Angeles Downtown News. “These discussions took place and agreements were reached so I agreed to withdraw the appeal.” The project has already cleared the city’s environmental review process. Construction specifications will now be prepared by the city Department of Transportation, and the project will go out to bid after that.

Hearing Slated for Da Vinci Pedestrian Bridge Dispute

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project at 900 and 909 W. Temple St. is under construction, but one proposed feature will be the subject of a public hearing on Tuesday, May 13. The proposal originally included a pedestrian bridge over Temple Street that would allow residents to walk between buildings without crossing the street below. The feature was rejected by the Central Area Planning Commission; a subsequent appeal was rejected on April 8.That didn’t sit well with 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, who on April 29 introduced a motion asking the City Council to assert jurisdiction over the city Planning Commission and allow the bridge. “The proposed pedestrian bridge is necessary to provide circulation within the separated elements of the overall project and to address resident public safety concerns, particularly during the evening hours,” Huizar stated in the motion. The issue will be considered in a meeting of the council’s Planning and Land Use Management committee at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, in room 350 of City Hall. Additional information on the dispute can be found by searching for file No. 14-0546 at lacouncilfile.com.

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14 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

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panel’s support of changing the dates of city elections, bemoaning the 23% turnout in last May’s mayoral runoff.

In late April, the 2020 team displayed a willingness to bare its claws again. At a Downtown luncheon hosted by the organization Town Hall-Los Angeles, Beutner and Fleming pondered whether L.A. is on the path to becoming the next Detroit. “Is our community better served by the status quo than by change?”

Beutner asked, before touching on one of his main points — the goal with “A Time for Action” is to ignite a legitimate conversation.

At the end of the session, I asked Fleming if Wesson’s office had scheduled the promised hearings.

“It’s been radio silence,” he said.

Conciliatory Route Then, suddenly, a week later, the 2020 team appeared before the council. They brought along some big guns, with County Federation of Labor leader Maria Elena Durazo and L.A. Area Chamber head Gary Toebben opening the proceedings by expressing their support for the report.

Kantor and Beutner went the conciliatory route. “This report isn’t perfect. We don’t pretend that it is,” Kantor stated.

Beutner stuck to a few key points, hitting the election date change and calling for regional cooperation in tourism, saying that L.A., Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and other communities will see more dollars if they work together to woo international visitors. He pushed for the accountability office, saying a similar body exists in New York, Chicago and other locations.

Then the electeds took over, and one after another, delivered speeches that went a) Thank you, b) I like idea x, and c) But, one thing I have a problem with is…. It was reminiscent of the scene in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure when Pee-Wee talks with Simone inside the giant dinosaur, and she wants to travel but life gets in the way. Then Pee-Wee proclaims, “Everyone I know has a big but.”

It was the same thing: The council reps said they liked the 2020 report in general, but everyone had a big but.

Mike Bonin questioned the proposal to change the election dates, theorizing that if a mayoral ballot coincides with the federal election cycle, there will be more, not less, influence from special interests. Bob Blumenfield had similar election concerns, and he and Bonin both also doubted that an accountability office is needed when more data is coming online and Los Angeles has a Chief Legislative Analyst and a City Administrative Officer. Mitch Englander wondered if the study took into account some recent City Hall advances. Curren Price spun off with questions on economic development and public-private partnerships. José Huizar asked if you can get fries with that (joking!).

Beutner and Kantor effectively and politely parried each thrust, and by the end it was apparent that, in a room of smart people, the smartest ones were sitting at the speaker’s table, and not around the council horseshoe.

Then, there was Councilman Paul Koretz. He started off by agreeing with the need to regionalize tourism. Then he revealed his “but,” saying he “vehemently” disagreed with suggestions regarding retirement payouts.

To be fair, it’s confusing stuff, but Beutner, who made a fortune on Wall Street (he became a partner at top-notch investment firm the Blackstone Group when he was 29), noted that retirement costs have gone from consuming 3% to 20% of the city’s budget. He explained how assets respond in changing economic markets and suggested that the council seek advice from folks like investment guru Bill Gross.

“We’re asking you to broaden the spectrum of experts you talk to,” he said.

At that point Koretz shook his head back and forth, his expression somewhere between incredulous and sad. He looked like a kid whose kitten had just been taken away.

Will the 2020 Commission make a difference? Who knows?

Though Wesson said some of the topics should be picked up in council committees, that’s historically a place where matters can be seriously discussed, or simply sent to wither.

Afterwards I asked Beutner if he saw any indication that the conversation about change he has asked for will continue.

“We’ll see. The proof’s in the doing,” he said.

Soon Fleming chimed in.

“We’d rather not have it become a dust collector as others things have in the past.” regardie@downtownnews.com

May 12, 2014

Downtown News 15

photos by Gary Leonard

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Corporate Catering & Summer Entertainment

Tips From the Experts I

n a growing Downtown, there is an ever-increasing need for event space. Whether it’s for an office gathering, a business meeting or simply a friendly celebration, the community’s residents, workers and visitors need places to go.

Finding that spot is step one. Then comes the harder

part: figuring out exactly what you need to satisfy a crowd.

That’s where the event planner comes into play. Fortunately, many Downtown restaurants and hotels have an on-site person who can help make sure that everything comes off without a hitch. Much of it involves asking the questions

you never knew to ask.

In the following pages, Los Angeles Downtown News gets tips from five local corporate catering and summer entertaining experts. Wherever you go, keep one thing in mind: Book your event as soon as possible.

16 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

CORPORATE CATERING & SUMMER ENTERTAINING

Spicing it Up at Bugis Street Brasserie

we’ll cater to that person. It’s not like we’ll leave the person just eating spring rolls. We’ll make sure everyone has enough to eat.

New Biltmore Hotel Restaurant Is Already Hosting Large Parties

By Donna Evans hen it comes to planning summer events, Bugis Street Brasserie Manager Staci Flores offers this advice to potential clients: taste the food, book the space, choose the menu. Flores, who joined the Singaporean-Chinese restaurant for its October 2013 opening in the Millennium Biltmore Hotel (it replaced the Sai Sai Noodle Bar), said the restaurant’s signature Asian specialties can be adjusted for spice, but customers should expect a very flavorful experience.

The 150-seat split-level restaurant named for Singapore’s largest street shopping district offers four private dining rooms that seat six to 30 people. The lower level can accommodate 120 guests. Flores has a heap of suggestions for would-be clients.

W

Los Angeles Downtown News: How soon should you start planning a summer event?

Staci Flores: Sooner is always better. I’m able to personally work with all large-party guests as close as two weeks in advance, and I can also book far out, as I already have reservations on the books for August.

Q: Is having a theme a good idea?

A: We are part of the Biltmore Hotel, which is known for extravagant banquet events. Our catering team has the resources of the hotel’s event staff and marketing team to tap into their

Q: What else do you offer for a private affair? Entertainment? Decorations?

A: We’ve had guests borrow the hotel’s audiovisual equipment, speakers and screens for showing slideshows with sound. They can set up lots of different types of equipment through our audio-visual team. There will be a small, additional cost for the equipment and set-up.

creative minds for theme ideas, decorations and colors.

Q: What trends do you expect to be hot this summer?

A: The biggest trend in types of groups we’re seeing right now are for rehearsal and wedding dinners. Rehearsal dinners are usually smaller, intimate groups that would be perfect for the private dining rooms that host up to 30 people.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make when planning an event?

A: The thing I notice is that guests choose their menu too soon, and then have to keep changing it. Right now, I have a contract with a groom’s mom who chose all the items she wanted. Then her husband added to it and then the bride needed to change it. It’s good to know what you want first before ordering. Also, if you give the group size too early, that tends to change too, which then affects the price.

Q: How much should you expect to spend per person for an event?

A: Large-party menus have three options with price points of $27, $34 and $42 per person, depending on how different, simple or complex you would like the menu to be. The more items offered, the higher the cost.

Q: How do you determine the menu?

A: When a guest calls in about an event reservation, I send them the regular menu as well as what foods, flavors and ingredients the largeparty menu offers. It is all determined by the guests. The event’s budget dictates the amount of options. We can customize items to a guest’s dietary preference. We can replace meat with tofu for vegetarians and reduce the spice.

As the summer approaches, Staci Flores, manager of Bugis Street Brasserie in the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, said she is booking a number of wedding rehearsal dinners.

Q: Speaking of vegetarians, how do you accommodate food allergies and veggie-only preferences?

A: Well, 90% of the menu is made to order. We

want you to have something you’ve created and enjoy it. For some things we can’t tone down spice, but we can add garlic and veggies.

Even in a large party, if there’s one vegetarian

photo by Gary Leonard

Q: If someone is planning an event, what is the number one thing you recommend?

A: Come in and taste the food first. I’m always willing to meet with guests and do a walk around the space so they have a feel for it and the environment, so when they do create a menu they’ll have a good idea what they’re going to get. Many dishes have spices and flavors they might want to know about in advance.

Bugis Street Brasserie is at 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1100 or millenniumhotels.com donna@downtownnews.com

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May 12, 2014

Downtown News 17

CORPORATE CATERING & SUMMER ENTERTAINING

A Taste of the New

commodate them when we already have a sold-out restaurant. It is also difficult if people are late.

Recent Arrival Faith & Flower Has Shared Plates and Flaming Absinthe

By Joey Kaufman t Faith & Flower, the new contemporary restaurant in the former Towne Food & Drink space in the WaterMarke Tower in South Park, the past collides with the present.

“Faith” harkens back to the street’s name during the 1920s, while “Flower” pays tribute to the current moniker. The design also spans eras, featuring an old-timey feel accented with modern touches.

The recent arrival is already booking corporate gatherings and summer parties. Events manager Jamie Schneider described how Faith & Flower can work for large or small groups, and provide something different.

A

Los Angeles Downtown News: How soon should you start planning a summer event?

Jamie Schneider: As soon as possible. First come, first served.

Q: Is having a theme a good idea?

A: Not particularly, because our restaurant really isn’t set up for it and we’re pretty specific in that our menu is set up for sharing style. But if you’re going to rent out the whole space, then we can customize anything.

Q: What trends do you expect to be hot this summer?

A: I think people are just always looking for new and exciting things, trying different ways

to eat food. One thing we do is serve “family style.” We don’t give the traditional threecourse or four-course meal. It’s more about everyone interacting and trying a little bit of everything.

Q: Where do you have events?

A: At the patio or a private room. The private room can be split in half if it’s a really intimate group. It can be a large private dinner with 60 or a small group of 20.

Q: How much should you expect to spend per person for an event?

A: Dinner packages are $48, $65 or $80 per person. Lunch is a lot cheaper. We have packages for $28 and $40.

Q: How do you determine the menu?

A: It’s based off of our regular menu. It’s working with executive chef Michael Hung to see what he’s bringing in. Our menus are usually about 11 items with a little bit of everything from pasta to small-plate dishes.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make when planning an event?

A: Not letting us know all the expectations and needs, or just expecting that they had more space reserved. Or adding people late, and we need to scramble to get another table to ac-

Q: If someone is planning an event, what is the number one thing you recommend?

A: Let us know what they’re envisioning so we can be on the same page and meet the expectations. Make sure they understand how our menu works and how everything comes out family style when it’s ready.

Q: Do you have a drink, dish or dessert that is a specialty?

A: I would say our specialty would be our absinthe, because we light it on fire and do a whole big presentation. We have a great cocktail menu, too. Our rib-eye is really popular, and also the eggs benedict pizza.

Q: How many people can you accommodate?

A: For a reception, about 425. Seated is about 150.

Q: How do you deal with vegetarians, vegans or people with specific dietary needs?

A: We just need to know in advance so we can make sure we have things in house and can take care of them. But we can absolutely accommodate them, and we don’t charge extra, either.

Q: What do you always wish people would ask that they forget to ask?

A: I wish people would ask how to make the experience a little more unique. Like, more ways to challenge us instead of just doing the normal things, so we can make it more special for

photo by Gary Leonard

Jamie Schneider, events manager at Faith & Flower, warns customers not to expect a traditional three-course meal.

them.

Faith & Flower is at 705 W. Ninth St., (213) 2390642 or faithandflowerla.com.

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18 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

CORPORATE CATERING & SUMMER ENTERTAINING

A Case of More Space

ternally, what they’re trying to accomplish. Say, is there a theme? Everything revolves around what they’d like to accomplish.

Luxe City Center Hotel Provides Multiple Options for Summer Events

Q: How much should you expect to spend per person for an event?

A: As low as $25 when you’re talking about breakfast. Lunch, dinner and receptions can go $35 and up.

Q: Is having a theme a good idea?

A: It can go either way. There are certain types of themes like ’80s themes that sometimes make it difficult for attendees. But I think, for a theme where they’re trying to make a statement, it can fit with what they’re trying to accomplish.

Q: How do you determine the menu?

A: Our restaurant is really a play on dual personalities. Stafford is a little more classic, traditional, a little bit of a safer route. Mathis, given the opportunity, is something a little bolder and unexpected. We want to apply that to catering as well, and we’re in the process of starting to re-engineer our banquet menus. For example, a carpaccio might represent the Stafford side of the menu, and then there will be bone marrow with porked yam on the Mathis side. It’s a little more adventurous for somebody who wants to try something new.

Q: What trends do you expect to be hot this summer?

A: A lot of the trends have to do with people looking for healthier and lighter options, espe-

Q: In addition to food, what else do you offer for a private affair? Entertainment? Decorations?

A: Depending on the event, we can do all that.

We have an outdoor patio that is so in demand.

Los Angeles Downtown News: How soon should you start planning a summer event?

Tom Xavier: The sooner the better. We’re approaching summer quickly.

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The Luxe City Center Hotel has a patio overlooking L.A. Live and Staples Center than can be used for a summer event.

General Manager Tom Xavier said it is in high demand.

There’s live entertainment. We’ve done it during the L.A. Auto Show with special decor.

Q: If someone is planning an event, what is the number one thing you recommend?

A: Make sure they understand, internally or ex-

Q: How many people can you accommodate?

A: Four hundred is probably the max.

Q: How do you deal with vegetarians, vegans or people with specific dietary needs?

A: We have all the options available, and we’re developing more.

Luxe City Center Hotel is at 1020 S. Figueroa St., (213) 748-1291 or luxehotels.com/luxecitycenter.

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Q: Do you have a drink, dish or dessert that is a specialty?

A: We have a cocktail menu that’s being developed. Our Velvet Revolver is basically a cucumber sriracha martini. It has great flavors, it’s refreshing, but has a little bit of a kick. We’ve got what we call a Downtown Mule that comes with a ginger foam. On the dinner menu, what’s been popular is a vegedoor chicken, and our fried chicken and waffle.

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Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make when planning an event?

A: It goes back to late planning, and part of that is the nature of the business right now. We have found booking windows, especially for catering and social events, have been growing shorter. In the past it could go three, four, five months in advance. Now, it can be in the month for the month. I wouldn’t say things are thrown together, but the time you’re given to plan the entire event is far less than what it used to be.

cially as it starts to heat up. You don’t want things quite as heavy. From the catering side, people like wine tasting menus. I think cocktail receptions are starting to get more popular. On the food front, even if people aren’t necessarily vegetarian, they like those options. Local, fresh, organic — those are things you hear a lot about.

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By Joey Kaufman hen it comes to hosting a summer event, the Luxe City Center Hotel on Figueroa Street has something many competitors can’t offer: a lot of space, and a lot of different spaces.

“Say you have a meeting,” said Tom Xavier, the hotel’s general manager. “We can move that into a separate room and then have a completely different setting for your reception, for your dinner.”

The hotel just opened a new restaurant, Stafford + Mathis Kitchen, which features modern American cuisine. Xavier described some of the event options.

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May 12, 2014

Downtown News 19

CORPORATE CATERING & SUMMER ENTERTAINING

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A Fish Dish and Beyond Downtown Institution Water Grill Offers Top-Notch Seafood and More

By Eddie Kim owntown seafood restaurant Water Grill has been open since 1989, and it has much to celebrate on its 25th anniversary.

After all, there aren’t many Downtown Los Angeles eateries that have consistently delivered great cuisine and seen so many stellar chefs pass through its kitchen (including Providence’s Michael Cimarusti and MB Post’s David LeFevre). The Financial District destination has also changed with the times, and a $1.5 million renovation was completed in early 2012.

Over the years, Water Grill has become a popular destination for group dining and even private events that buy out the entire restaurant. General Manager Dede Commans chatted about the best way to plan a special event, and what Water Grill has in store for guests this summer.

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Los Angeles Downtown News: How soon should you start planning a summer event?

Dede Commans: Today! You usually need to book about two months out at Water Grill, depending on the group. As soon as possible is key.

Q: Is having a theme a good idea?

A: It can be fun. We’ve had guests, for instance, that have done a bridal shower with a vintage flair and with flowers and decorations to match. But that’s not as common in Water Grill.

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Water Grill General Manager Dede Commans advises guests to book as early as possible.

flower arrangements — the restaurant is so beautiful that most people are happy as it is. We also normally offer a shuttle service from hotels and theaters, which can be helpful.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make when planning an event?

A: Doing it too late is the biggest one.

For example, USC’s upcoming graduation — we booked that up two months ago. Otherwise, we’re pretty accommodating.

Flavor, freshness, imagination, and service. Artisan exclusivelythat with Artisan House House Catering Partnering is everything stands for brought straight to you wherever you are. For what ever the occassion —Artisan House’s discriminating palate and its uncompromising service await you.

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NEW HOURS, NEW 10% Discount NEW HOURS NEW OFFERINGSNEW HOURS, NEW O Q: What trends do you expect to be hot this summer?

A: For us it’s about the food, and we’re really looking at farm-to-table-type menu items and requests for ingredients that are new in the season.

Q: If someone is planning an event, facebook.com/artisanhouse what is the number one thing you recommend?

A: Knowing how many guests are coming and what their dining needs are is important. Special requests need to come in advance.

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ence is whether you do lunch or dinner. For lunch, it’s between $45 and $60 per person, depending on whether you have drinks and cocktails. Dinner ranges from $65 to $100 per person.

Q: How do you determine the menu?

A: All large parties have the option of a prix-fixe menu that we can put together. Or you can customize based on preferences and dining style.

Q: Do you have a drink, dish or dessert that is a specialty?

A: Our seafood platters are popular, and we have great product in our tanks, such as live spot prawns and live lobster. We offer a selection of 14 to 16 oysters daily, and we even have live uni (sea urchin).

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Q: How many people can you accommodate?

A: We offer up the entire restaurant for buyouts, and that’s about 160 people. For a group dining event, we can Q: In addition to food, what else do you facebook.com/artisanhouse offer for a private affair? Entertainment? do up to 50 people. Usually we see groups of 16 to 25.

Decorations? twitter.com/ArtisanHouseLA Water facebook.com/artisanhouse Grillinstagram.com/artisanhouseLA is at 544 S. Grand Ave., any live entertainfacebook.com/artisanhouse A: We don’t have twitter.com/ArtisanHouseLA (213) 891-0900 or watergrill.com. ment, and decorations are mainly

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20 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

CORPORATE CATERING & SUMMER ENTERTAINING

Freedom of Choice

Wokcano general manager Jensen Kumamoto lets guests pick a sit-down meal, a buffet or even family style serving.

plan for your event. That way, if you need to make adjustments, you have enough time to do so.

Q: If someone is planning an event, what is the number one thing you recommend?

A: Always try to provide an accurate head count. That way you can plan accordingly. A lot of times people will over-order, expecting a lot more guests will come. They end up spending a lot more money on food than necessary.

Q: Do you have a drink, dish or dessert that is a specialty?

A: As far as our drinks, we’re doing a Templeton Rye whiskey sour, which is fairly popular here in Downtown. We don’t do as many dessert sales, I think because of the portioning of our dishes.

By the time it comes down to dessert, people tend to be full.

Q: How many people can you accommodate?

A: For private parties we can accommodate up to 60. We have had people rent out our restaurant, as well, for parties larger than 60.

Q: How do you deal with vegetarians, vegans or people with specific dietary needs?

A: We provide several different vegetarian dishes such as mixed vegetables. We have a lot of tofu dishes that are vegetarian. We also offer our vegan chicken kung pao. That is made with a faux chicken that is soy based. We can do gluten-free dishes as well.

A: Last-minute planning. Like I mentioned before, always give yourself enough time to

Wockano is at 800 W. Seventh St., (213) 6232288 or wokcanorestaurant.com.

Wokcano Events Offer a Variety of Eating Options and Serving Styles

By Joey Kaufman he advantage to booking a summer event at Wokcano is rather simple: You’ll have some variety. That’s not just in what you eat, but also how you eat.

“We can do a buffet,” said General Manager Jensen Kumamoto. “We can do a sit-down, where they order per entree. Or we can even do family style. Also, as opposed to just having to order a Chinese dish, we offer sushi as well.”

The contemporary Asian restaurant on Seventh Street offers a wide-ranging menu with choices including sushi, Mongolian chicken, noodles and more. Kumamoto ran down some of the keys to planning an event.

T

Los Angeles Downtown News: How soon should you start planning a summer event?

Jensen Kumamoto: Typically the sooner the better. Usually you want to make sure there’s enough time so the room’s not booked up. But at the same time, we have accommodated lastminute reservations, even on that same day.

You want to give ample time, like two weeks’ notice, or a week’s notice.

Q: Is having a theme a good idea?

A: Theme events always tend to be a lot more fun. To make things more interesting, themed events are a great tool to use.

Q: What trends do you expect to be hot this summer?

A: For the past couple years, the whole Prohibition-style trend has been going on, It seems to have continued this year.

Q: Do you do events both in your location and off-site?

A: Mainly we do only on-site at the Downtown location, although we do provide catering trays for outside.

Q: How much should you expect to spend per person for an event?

A: You’re looking as low as $20 per person and up to $45 per person. With $20 you get the basic starting off with a salad or soup. You get the entree and possibly a dessert selection. If you go to $45 you’ll have more variations with sushi. Everything will be course style, starting from soup to appetizers. Also, entree selection tends to be higher quality. It is followed by dessert.

Q: How do you determine the menu?

A: Usually we pick our most popular items.

From there, we have some set menus, although we can modify the set menus. Now that we’re getting into summer, sushi is selling a lot more.

As it gets hotter out there, people want dishes that are a little bit lighter and cooler.

Q: What’s the biggest mistake people make when planning an event?

photo by Gary Leonard

May 12, 2014

DT

Downtown News 21

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CALENDAR

Soprano Nino Machaidze stars as a beautiful actress in a newto-L.A. production of Thaïs.

photo by Guillermor Mendo

L.A. Opera Thaïs One On Domingo, Machaidze Star in Local Premiere of Massenet’s Work

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s.com that his goal comes with tragic consequences.

BySIG Eddie N UP Kim Sign up at DowntownNew The character of Thaïs was originally written nside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the as gold paint adorning a bevy of opera boxes Sign Up for Our E-News Blasts & an Alexandrian courtesan in Egypt under Byzantine rule, but received a twist when the glimmers under candlelight. A sweeping Be Entered to Win Movie Tickets! show was produced for the Göteborg Opera swath of burgundy velvet frames the stage. in Sweden in 2010. There, production designer Offstage, a grand chandelier hovers over an Johan Engels and director Nicola Raab placed actress’ boudoir, casting shards of light on an the story in a more contemporary setting that assortment of pillows, throws, ornate paintings reflected the era of Massenet. and flowers.

“Our initial reaction was to do something These aren’t actual features in the Chandler, different that really complemented Massbut rather the set of L.A. Opera’s production enet’s style of music and the tone it evoked, of Thaïs. By the time the third act rolls around, the whole flavor of the late 19th century,” said what remains will be literally a burned, abanRaab, who is also directing the six performancdoned shell. es through June 7 in Downtown. “If you’re The 1894 opera, which features music from changing the period of an opera, it’s a good French composer Jules Massenet and a libretidea to look at the time it was written, and that to by Louis Gallet, opens Saturday, May 17, in Downtown Los Angeles. It stars twotow of nNe op-ws inspired us.” .Down ok.com/L.Asoprano FaceboGeorgian What hasn’t changed from previous proera’s biggest names: Nino ductions is the challenge of singing the lead Machaidze and tenor Plácido Domingo, who role. An infamously difficult part with shifts also serves as Downtown general directorNews of L.A. Opera.

It Like on Facebook from virtuoso coloratura vocals to nuanced opens the same week as another anticipated & Be Entered to Win Movie Tickets! lyrical segments, Thaïs is taken on by only a show, A Streetcar Named Desire, featuring sohandful of sopranos around the world, Maprano Reneé Fleming. chaidze said.

The destruction of the theater comes from That made the 29-year-old a bit nervous the hand of titular character Thaïs, a beguiling actress and star of the stage in the late 19th when she debuted as Thaïs in Seville, Spain in 2012, but the jitters have now faded in favor of century. Her life is changed with the arrival of joy and appreciation for the score. the ascetic monk Athanaël, who attempts to “I always say that when you open the score convert her to religious chastity, but discovers

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Now Playing/Starts May 2 has done this particular production several and start learning a part, you understand times to great success also made it a perfect whether it’s for you or not,” Machaidze said.

“Sometimes you open your mouth and the mu- choice.”

The goal of offering different approaches to sic just flows perfectly from inside. I felt that opera also explains the adaptation of Tennesway about Thaïs.” see Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, which While the story is driven by Machaidze’s runs for three performances (May 18, 21 and character, Athanaël is the tragic figure. Though 24). The opera, with music from André Previn he resists her charms, he struggles deeply with and a libretto by Philip Littell, features an exhis attraction to Thaïs. Machaidze said Domintended stage that brings the performers over go, who also played the part opposite her in the orchestra pit and closer to the audience Seville, brings “incredible drama” to the role. while placing the orchestra in the background.

She has used the chance to work with him as a It changes the dynamic of the performers and learning opportunity. offers a different feel.

“I’m looking to him to study what he does “Unlike our other productions, the music and soak in all of his experience, every little bit itself becomes part of the actual show in a viI can,” Machaidze said. “He has such incredible Playing/Starts 9 manner, interacting as a part of the scene,” sual energy on stage. Even youngNow artists don’t have May Hemmings said. this much energy. Maestro has a big, big presStreetcar features Fleming in the role of ence.”

Southern belle Blanche DuBois. Blanche visits Hey Streetcar Thaïs stands as another piece in a diverse L.A. her sister in New Orleans without much notice and under strange circumstances, much to the Opera season, which has featured everything chagrin of temperamental brother-in-law Stanfrom an avant-garde drama (Robert Wilson and ley Kowalski. Their interactions spiral downhill Philip Glass’ Einstein on the Beach) to a Mozart as Stanley discovers the truth about Blanche’s opera with the whimsical and modern flourish past. of video projections (The Magic Flute).

Thaïs runs May 17-June 7 and A Streetcar “This has been a more forward-thinking seaNamed Desire runs May 18-24 at the Dorothy son, if you will, and Thaïs is one we’ve never Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972done before,” said L.A. Opera Senior Director of 8001 or laopera.org.

Production Rupert Hemmings. “That Plácido

Now Playing/Starts May 16

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22 Downtown News

May 12, 2014

Downtown Gets Rolling With Bike Week L.A. Lineup Features Blessing of the Bicycles, Group Rides and More

By Donna Evans ark your car and pump up the tires on your two-wheeler: It’s time again for Bike Week L.A. Every May, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority hosts a series of events that promote bicycling as a sustainable and mainstream mode of transportation. This year, Metro has partnered with transit providers, elected officials, hospitals, biking organizations and businesses to celebrate bicycle transportation from May 12-18. Much of the activity takes place in Downtown Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, May 13, Good Samaritan Hospital in City West will host one of the week’s highlights: the Blessing of the Bicycles.

The annual event, which runs from 8-9:30 a.m., is expected to bring more than 100 cyclists, as well as a cadre of religious leaders who will offer their blessing. Past events have included Catholic priests, Jewish rabbis, Episcopalian reverends and Buddhist monks.

The event will also feature the presentation of the Golden Spike Award. This year’s recipient is Ghost Bikes Los Angeles.

“The purpose of the award is to recognize organizations or people who promote bicycle safety,” said Katrina Bada, a spokeswoman for Good Samaritan. “Ghost Bikes place white bicycles in spots where people have perished, hopefully reminding people to watch out for cyclists.”

The first Ghost Bikes were created in St. Louis in 2003. Currently more than 600 of the somber memorials have appeared in 210 locations around the world, according to ghostbikes.org.

Bada recalled seeing one at Virgil and Sixth streets, not far from the hospital, several months ago.

The Blessing of the Bicycles, which takes place at the hospital’s entrance at 616 S. Witmer Ave. at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard, is free. In addition to blessing the riders, it also honors those who have been injured or died while biking. The attend-

P

photo by Gary Leonard

The Blessing of the Bicycles, which takes place on Tuesday, May 13, at Good Samaritan Hospital in City West, is one of the highlights of Bike Week L.A. During the event, a group of religious leader will bless local cyclists and honor those who have been injured or killed in accidents.

ees will cycle around the hospital as a salute to people who have been in biking accidents.

Ticket to Ride Metro will hold a kick-off celebration for Bike Week at Union Station on Monday, May 12, from 9-11 a.m., bringing together

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The Gershwins Tony Award-winning musical Porgy & Bess, now playing at the Ahmanson.

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representatives from local and regional transportation agencies and bicycle advocacy groups. It will be followed by a 15-mile ride on Tuesday that goes from Sunset Triangle Plaza in Silver Lake to Santa Monica. Wednesday brings more guided rides, among them a commuter trek from Downtown through Vernon and down to Long Beach. It begins at Seventh and Alvarado streets.

Thursday is Bike to Work Day. On that day, cyclists who bring their bicycles or bike helmets will receive free rides on Metro buses and trains. The wrap-up event, Metro Bike Night, runs Friday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Fred Harvey Room and courtyard area at Union Station. The free event will feature live music, food trucks, and even bike portraits and a fashion show. There will also be raffles for gear including Metro passes and a Tern folding bike.

Paula Carvajal, Metro’s transportation planning manager, has been managing Bike Week L.A. since 2005. It started out as Bike to Work Day, she recalled, then became Bike to Work Week. More recently it grew to Bike Week L.A., with the goal of reflecting other cycling-oriented events happening at the same time.

“Metro’s Bike Week L.A. is an opportunity to encourage commuters to leave their cars at home and bicycle to work,” Carvajal said in an email. “It’s sustainable, it’s good for the environment, and reduces traffic congestion.”

Carvajal also pointed out that Bike Week L.A. brings visibility to the fact that many people in the county are already bicycling to work or are riding bikes for everyday trips. Hence the agency’s new campaign, “Every day is a bike day.” Metro’s hope, she said, is that more people will be encouraged to pedal to work and that drivers will pay greater attention to those sharing the road on two wheels.

Metro has funded nearly $200 million in bicycle infrastructure improvements over the last 20 years, according to metro.net.

The Blessing of the Bicycles is Tuesday, May 13, 8-9:30 a.m. at Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Ave. Information at (213) 977-2911 or goodsam.org. A Full Bike Week schedule is at metro. net/bikes/bike-week. donna@downtownnews.com

May 12, 2014

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown News 23

Anarchy in the Downtown One-Woman Play About the Radical Emma Goldman Takes Place in an Unlikely Spot

By Donna Evans he railed against government and big business and staunchly supported free speech, free love and workers’ rights.

Some considered her a prophet, others a terrorist.

So who was Emma Goldman, a devout anarchist and Russian Jew who emigrated to New York in 1885? That’s what actress McCready Baker hopes to reveal in the one-woman show Emma Goldman: Love, Anarchy and Other Affairs. The play, written by Jessica Litwak, runs Wednesday-Saturday, May 14-17, in an unlikely spot: Civic Center Studios, a photography and special events space at 207 S. Broadway.

The 60-minute production, scored with a punk rock soundtrack, opens with Goldman hiding from the police in a Chicago apartment in 1901. Soon she would be arrested for planning President William McKinley’s assassination. She was later released, Baker explained, due to a lack of evidence that the shooter, a mentally ill man (who was executed for the crime), was incited to kill the president following Goldman’s speeches on anarchy.

“Goldman was opposed to all forms of government,” Baker said.

She added that Goldman also strongly disagreed with suffragists who thought that “women’s participation would purify a corrupt political system.” Rather, Goldman encouraged women to

S

stand up for themselves.

The actress first read Litwak’s script in the late 1990s and felt connected to Goldman — in 2012, Baker participated in a 10-day no-talking, no-writing, no-reading meditation. During the process, she said, she had a calling that she should perform this play. Additionally, the date 5-14-14 came to her. The show is opening on May 14, the 74th anniversary of Goldman’s death in Toronto, following a stroke.

Baker, who grew up in Atlanta and lived in New York before moving to Los Angeles in 2005, liked the idea of speaking Goldman’s words in an unusual space because, she said, Goldman advocated her belief in social justice, unhampered by government rule, everywhere she could.

Passionate Person Though photos and reputation make Goldman seem like a stern and angry woman, Gina Young, the play’s director, said she was actually a passionate person who had many love affairs and spoke fervently about her beliefs. Young also cited Goldman as an inspiration to the punk movement.

Goldman has generated plenty of attention over the years, including for some of her quotes, among them, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” She espoused anarchy as a way to escape what she saw as the tyranny of government, religion and even, in her words,

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McCready Baker stars in a one-woman show about the anarchist Emma Goldman. There are four performances this week in Downtown.

photo by Howard Wise

“the coercion of property.”

Litwak, a New York actress and writer, grew up with her family sharing tales about Goldman. She penned her script in 1984, and the late anarchist has long influenced her — Litwak even named her daughter Emma.

“She’s a big part of my life,” Litwak said. “I got to meet the man who was with Emma during her final stroke and I’ve visited her grave. We’re both Russian Jews. She’s a very close subject to me.”

In addition to writing the script, Litwak has performed the one-woman play in larger Off Broadway productions six times and in synagogues all around the globe. Many times Litwak finds herself explaining to audiences that Goldman’s anarchy was rooted in a “peaceful

philosophy of true unity.”

Of course, when an American spends her life traveling around promoting anarchy, the United States government might take notice. Litwak believes her phone has been tapped and that, for a long time, she “has been on some kind of FBI list.”

That doesn’t stop her, though. Like her lifelong heroine, Litwak said she believes in the theatrical work and the message that everything should stem from a place of passion and love.

Emma Goldman: Love, Anarchy and Other Affairs is at Civic Center Studios, 207 S. Broadway, Suite One, (213) 394-4226 or civiccenterstudios. com. Performances are 8 p.m. May 14-17. donna@downtownnews.com

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May 12, 2014

CALENDAR LISTINGS

TuESDay, May 13 Colson Whitehead at Aloud Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

7:15 p.m.: Author Colson Whitehead discusses his latest novel and his own time gambling away the dollars and the hours at the World Series of Poker.

ThuRSDay, May 15 CalArts Writers Showcase: Next Words REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

8:30 p.m.: In this live read, upcoming graduates of the CalArts MFA program in creative writing offer selections worthy of receiving a degree.

Chinatown After Dark Chinatown Central Plaza, 943 N. Broadway, (213) 6800243 or chinatownla.com.

8-10 p.m.: Food trucks, live music and myriad opportunities to float your liver enliven this night of revelry in Chinatown.

Stand Up Straight and Sing!

Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

7:15 p.m.: From a childhood in the Jim Crow South to performing with some of the finest opera companies in the world, it’s been a surreal journey for Jessye Norman. She’ll be talking about herself.

FRIDay, May 16 Dance Downtown ’60s Night Music Center Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or musiccenter.org.

6:30 p.m.: The arrival of the first Dance Downtown evening of the year signals summer’s imminent return. Complimentary dance lessons and DJing is but the icing on the cake in this free event that also allows you to bring your own alcohol.

SaTuRDay, May 17 Daughters of the Purple Sage and Wylie & The Wild West W.M. Keck Amphitheatre, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 9727211 or musiccenter.org.

11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.: The World City program features

photo by Laurel Ollstein

ONE

Lawsuits, physical therapy, lengthy insurance claims: These are the most frequent results of a car accident, but rarely does one find love in a casual fender bender.

Enter Hit, a new play by Alice Tuan at the Los Angeles Theatre Center exploring the romantic potential of one particularly fortuitous auto accident. Every Thursday-Sunday through June 8, you can delve into a complex love story woven around the all-too-familiar theme of Los Angeles traffic.

Opening night is Saturday, May 17, but there are previews on Thursday-Friday at 8 p.m. There’s also a Sunday 3 p.m. matinee. At 514 S. Spring St., (213) 489-0994 or thelatc.org.

3 2

The Music Center’s World City program offers performances from unique cultures around the globe. On Saturday, May 17, the metaphorical chickens come home to roost, as the W.M. Keck Amphitheatre at Walt Disney Concert Hall is the setting for a pair of shows highlighting the traditional sounds of the American West. The Daughters of the Purple Sage will regale the audience with tunes from the heyday of Hollywood singing cowboys (or cowgirls in this case), while Wylie & The Wild West (shown here) yodel up a storm. Tickets are free for the 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. shows so long as you’re on hand an hour before each performance to claim them. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 972-0777 or musiccenter.org.

MacArthur Fellowship-winning writer Colson Whitehead scored the opportunity of a lifetime a few years ago when the website Grantland bought him a spot in the World Series of Poker. Now Whitehead is releasing his latest work, The Noble Hustle, a thinly veiled bit of autobiographical fiction in which a character with a striking resemblance to the author explores the world of competitive poker.

On Tuesday, May 13, Whitehead joins Los Angeles Review of Books editor Laurie Winer for a talk at the Library Foundation’s Aloud program. The discussion starts at 7:15 p.m. Make free reservations in advance. At 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

4

photo courtesy Lindsey Sterling

MONDay, May 12 Mayor Eric Garcetti at Town Hall­LA City Club Los Angeles, 555 S. Flower St., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org.

11:30 a.m.: Join the mayor for lunch as he pontificates on the challenges of job creation and leadership in Los Angeles. Patt Morrison will moderate.

By Dan Johnson calendar@downtownnews.com

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been waiting for someone to blend classical violin technique with dubstep backbeats. Rest easy friends, your sleepless nights are over. Lindsey Sterling, a former “America’s Got Talent” contestant, will take over Club Nokia on Thursday, May 15. This stormin’ Mormon is ecstatic to share songs from her eponymous debut and her most recent full-length offering Shatter Me. Sterling has also gained immense success as a motivational speaker, so if music alone doesn’t float your boat, be sure to drop by for some words of encouragement. At 800 Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

A year into his tenure as mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti has had more ups than downs. He stops by the City Club on Monday, May 12, for a Town HallLos Angeles sponsored lunch discussion on job creation, leadership and more. L.A. Times columnist Patt Morrison will be on hand to ask Hizzoner about his campaign promise to facilitate 20,000 new jobs. All eyes will be on Garcetti as he lays out his plans for a new Los Angeles renaissance. Don’t be surprised if talk veers into Donald Sterling and the Clippers, as Garcetti got some mayoral points for his response to the situation. At 555 S. Flower St., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org.

5

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

photo by Gary Leonard

Friday Night Flicks by Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/ pershingsquare Catch a free screening of Iron Man 3 at Pershing Square on Friday, May 16. When industrialist Tony Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. The screening will begin at 8 p.m., and well-behaved dogs are allowed.

Parking can be found in the Pershing Square garage.

Arts Brookfield Live! Sounds of LA 333 South Grand Ave., or artsbrookfield.com/SoundsofLA Free Lunchtime Concerts will be held bi-weekly on Wednesdays from May 14 to July 23 from noon to 1:15 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center Free Dance Classes at Your Neighbor­ hood Studio 101 W. 5th St., (213) 640-4033 or yourneighborhoodstudio.com Dance the day away for free at Your Neighborhood Studio, from 1:30-6:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 18th. Check out 30-minute sample classes of Afro Brazilian, Dancehall, West African, Samba Reggae, NYC Mambo, Yoga Booty Ballet and more. Special discounts on class passes. One day only, first come first served.

photo by Erin Patrice O’Brien

SPONSORED LISTINGS

Cowgirl Music, a Mayoral Talk and Auto Crash Theater Fill Downtown

photo by Ross Hecox

EVENTS

May 12, 2014

Downtown News 25

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

performers from close to home. Two acts bring the best of the great wide American West to a humble little outdoor stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall where no antelopes roam and there’s not a tumbleweed in sight.

Mozart Opera Tales Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or musiccenter.org.

10 a.m.: The good folks over at L.A. Opera step down off the stage to offer a morning program highlighting the history and relative merits of one Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Extra focus is given to the late great’s best operas, including sample performances from Don Giovani, The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute.

Sunday, May 18 Ann Magnuson’s One-Hour Bacchanal Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central, (213) 626-6222 or moca.org.

3 p.m.: The life of artist Mike Kelley will be celebrated in spirit with some strange fun of the avant-garde variety.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ Belasco 1050 Hill St., (213) 746-5672 or thebelascotheatre.com.

May 19: James Blunt, an English singer-songwriter not to be confused with your neighbor Jimmy (we mean the one with the penchant for rolling. Shhhh).

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

May 13: Conner McElwain Group.

May 14: Marcos Ariel + Justo Almario Duo. Notice how they’re tricky and use the + sign.

May 15: Kathleen Grace/No Place to Fall Band.

May 16: Ethio Cali.

May 17: The Billy Childs Ensemble does not involve children.

May 18: Come see the Vanishing Tribe.

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

May 12, 8:30 p.m.: Electro R&B resident Jarell Perry returns.

May 14, 8 p.m.: If Melissa Etheridge got really, super, mega upset, she still wouldn’t sound nearly as raw as Dead Sara.

May 15, 8 p.m.: There will be a sufficient amount of synths as New Young Pony Club takes the stage. Yes, a band actually named themselves the New Young Pony Club.

May 16, 9 p.m.: Mother Hips rolls into town to claim their title as “creators of California Soul,” a mantle that actually belongs to Marlena Shaw for her 1969 song of the same name.

May 17, 9 p.m.: As if on cue, tonight’s intriguing fashion plate Jesse Boykins III claims to have originated “World Soul.”

Continued on next page

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Plus tax, 24 Month closed end lease on approved Tier 1 credit through Toyota Financial Services. $999 drive off Excludes title, taxes, registration, license fees, insurance, dealer prep, acquisition fee and additional options. Based on MSRP of $25,235. No security deposit required. 15¢ per mile over 12,000 miles/year. 1 at this offer T140412/E1745492

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Plus tax 36 month closed-end lease, $2,349 due at signing. Based on MSRP of $17,715 (including destination charges) for a 2014 Jetta S 2.0L with manual transmission, excluding title, tax, options and dealer fees. Monthly payments total $5,724. Purchase option at lease end for $9,388.95. $0.20/mile over 36,000. VIN 387459 Tier “A” by Volkswagen Credit offer Ends 06/30/2014

$7,412 2007 VW Jetta 2.5 Sedan ......................... $9,886 Gray, 2.5LI5 20v , great looking. ZV2670-1/108816 2008 VW Jetta SE Sedan .......................

Silver Metallic/Gray, auto, Leatherette Seating. V140893-1/194998 $10,690 CARSON NISSAN 2004 VW Jetta GLS Sedan ........................

Silver, 31 mpg, sunroof,1 owner. ZV2575-1/049902

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$25,880 2011 Mercedes GLK350 ........................ $26,980 Certified, Low Miles, Special APR avail. 7198C /BF573898 2012 Mercedes E350 ............................ $36,991 Certified, Prem.Pkg.1, Nav.Syst., Must See. 7259C/CA535990 AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2011 Mercedes C300 .............................

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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News

twitter: DowntownNews

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

©2014 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved.

The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

One copy per person.

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ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim per month coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese for 42 mos coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, MSRP - $14,975 S I N C E 19 7 2 Kristin Friedrich, Kylie JaneNISSAN Wakefield AFTER $600 CARSON NISSAN DISCOUNT - $1,980 Plus tax 42 month closed endLos lease on approved credit. $2199 down, plus first month payAngeles Downtown News COLLEGE GRAD CASH FACTORY REBATE - $500 ment, tax, title, licensing fees and $695 bank acquisition fee.$0 Sec. Dep. Must qualify for the Art dirEctor: Brian Allison 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 NMAC CAPTIVE CASH - $500 2 To Chose From.Art Stock C140525, Vin 399663 AssistANt dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa Audi Loyalty or Audi Acquisition Rebate of $1,000. $0.25 per miles over 10,000 miles/year. 1 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 SALE PRICE: $11,995 Stock C140539, Vin 400327, Model #114545 ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlinsat this offer EN022577.

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circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon

315

©2014 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved.

The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

One copy per person.

distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles 888-304-7039 888-685-5426 AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla 3300 S. FIGUEROAdistributioN ST. • FELIXCHEVROLET.COM 1900 S. FIGUEROA ST. • PORSCHEDOWNTOWNLA.COM

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ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie 1.6 L, 4 Cyl., Low Miles, Great MPG. F14485-1/4B136890

AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins

1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617

26 Downtown News Continued from previous page Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

May 12, 8 p.m.: The MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert honors Ozzy Osbourne with an all-star show gathering proceeds for musicians in recovery. This is definitely the show you don’t want to roll in to reeking of bourbon.

May 14, 8 p.m.: Dancescape XVI is a cranium cracking combination of dancers from “So You Think You Can Dance,” “America’s Best Dance Crew” and “America’s Got Talent.” You’ve been warned.

May 15, 8:30 p.m.: Lindsey Sterling will be fiddlin’ over electro.

May 17, 9 p.m.: The authorities at the Danbury, Connecticut Federal Prison say Ms. Lauryn Hill has paid her debt to society.

But is she truly reformed? Come find out.

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

CROSSWORD

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com.

May 12, 9 p.m.: If you stumble in to see Yonatan tonight wearing a sombrero and a rank odor, we can only assume you’re still riding the tail end of last week’s Cinco de Mayo bender.

May 13, 10 p.m.: Boom Boom Boom: a primer on the concussive power of neo soul.

May 14, 10 p.m.: With names straight out of a Restoration Hardware catalog, American Primitive and Fiddle & Pine are far less accommodating than your new davenport.

May 15, 10 p.m.: Wicklow Atwater and Acousta Noir will fill the streets of Skidrokyo with sweet, sweet melodies.

May 16, 9 p.m.: Boom Boom Boom returns. This time they’re bringing Skin & Bones.

May 17, 10 p.m.: Charlie Chan and the SOBs say yes to good dental hygiene!

May 18, 10 p.m.: Sunday brings with it an air of dignity and, conversely, RT N the 44s.

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

May 16: Andrew Bayer.

May 17: Damian Lazarus & Skream.

Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

May 14, 8 p.m.: Tonight’s evening with Keb’ Mo’ is sold out.

Hello Stubhub.

Honeycut 819 S. Flower St., (213) 688-0888 or honeycutla.com.

May 15, 8 p.m.: DJ Mathieu Schreyer.

May 16, 10 p.m.: Jack of All Tracks.

May 17, 8 p.m.: DJ Aaron Castle.

Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com.

May 12: Thee Nodes, Surprise Vacation, The Execution of Quality and No Parents.

May 13: The Fall of Me, Gentlemen Prefer Blood, Blind Owl and Mr. K. May 14: Wayfarer, Defiant the Lion, The Deal, The Quarantined and Giant Monsters.

May 15: The Wandering, Red Roses and Buffalo Bones.

May 16: Char-Man, New Way On, Low Brow and Jay Levy.

May 17, 3 p.m.: The Charlie Shooter Band.

May 17: Hospital Job, French Exit, Sid & The Twins, Harry & The Hendersons.

May 18, 3 p.m.: Zero Boys, Neighborhood Brats and Surprise Vacation.

May 18: The Ritch Kids, Burning of Rome and Cray on.

Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la.

May 12, 10 p.m.: The Sidewinders are billed as a New Yorkbased band, but for the amount of times they play Downtown Los Angeles, they may just be terribly confused.

May 13, 10 p.m.: At this point The Makers are only playing improvised jazz each week to pass the time until the next Arbor Day. May 14, 10 p.m.: With a big bodied guitar as slick as his name, Emile Poree will definitely not be going home alone tonight. Seriously though, he carpools.

May 15, 10 p.m: Smooth R&B from Jessica Childress.

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

May 14: Mr. Elevator & The Brain and Hotel.

May 16: Self Jupiter, This Machine Kills Zombies, Flako 7 and King.

May 17: 100 Onces, Cinder Cone, The Loyalists and Hex Horizontal.

May 18: Tyvek and Protect Me.

May 12, 2014

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

May 12-15: Picking up where David LaChapelle’s Rize left off, Flex King chronicles a dance craze with its epicenter in far off Brooklyn.

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

Explore the remnants and wisdom of an ancient empire in Mysteries of Egypt.

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.

2 YOUR 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.

May 12, 2014

DT

CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL

ANNOUNCEMENTS notiCes

home for sale

WHAT’S YOUR LOFT WORTH? Free Online Home Evaluation

LALOFTPRICE.COM lofts for sale

TheLoftExpertGroup.com

To William E. Auer, you are the beneficiary of a divided interest in the estate of Corinne Auer.

You are hereby notified and have 30 days to respond. If you do not respond the balance will be distributed to the four remaining beneficiaries. Call 909-2862693.

AUTOS & RECREATIONAL pre-oWned

Bill Cooper

DoWNtoWN l.a. aUto groUp

FOR RENT

Over 1000

Downtown since 2002

213.598.7555

loft/UnfUrnished

vehicles on Sale Now!

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.

bUsiness Supply Chain Business Analyst (Nestlé USA 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.

ITEMS FOR SALE bUilding/sUpplies Water storage tanks for commercial, industrial use.

Hydropneumatic, chilled, hot water tanks. Carbon, stainless steel. Los angeles manufacturer. 213-747-7514

LEGAL

Nearly Every Make & Model

old bank District The original Live/Work Lofts from $1,295 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge Call 213.253.4777 laloft.com

apartments/UnfUrnished SENIOR APARTMENTS 62 + Studio $881 1 Bedroom $937.

Balcony, Full Kitchen, A/C, Clubhouse, BBQ, Resource room, Laundry, SEC 8 O.K. Visit GSL SAN LUCAS.com 213623-2010.

Visit us online

dtlamotors.com

Downtown News 27

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

legal notiCe

general circulation published in the County. A portion of the list appears in each of such newspapers.

NOTICE OF IMPENDING POWER TO SELL TAXDEFAULTED PROPERTY Made pursuant to Section 3361, Revenue and Taxation Code Notice is hereby given that real property taxes and assessments on the parcels described below will have been defaulted five or more years, or, in the case of nonresidential commercial property, property on which a nuisance abatement lien has been recorded or that can serve the public benefit by providing housing or services directly related to low-income persons when three or more years have elapsed and a request has been made by a city, county, city and county, or nonprofit organization that property will become subject to the Tax Collector’s power to sell.

The parcels listed will become subject to the Tax Collector’s power to sell on July 1, 2014, at 12:01 a.m., by operation of law.

The Tax Collector’s power to sell will arise unless the property is either redeemed or made subject to an installment plan of redemption initiated as provided by law prior to 5:00 p.m., on June 30, 2014. The right to an installment plan terminates on June 30, 2014, and after that

date the entire balance due must be paid in full to prevent sale of the property at public auction.

The right of redemption survives the property becoming subject to the power to sell, but it terminates at 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before actual sale of the property by the Tax Collector.

All information concerning redemption or the initiation of an installment plan of redemption will be furnished, upon request,

by Mark J. Saladino, Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, 225 North Hill Street, First Floor, Los Angeles, California 90012.

The amount to redeem, in dollars and cents, is set forth opposite its parcel number. This amount includes all defaulted taxes, penalties, and fees that have accrued from the date of tax-default to the date of June 30, 2014.

I certify, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing is true and correct. Dated this 18th day of April, 2014.

MARK J. SALADINO TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES STATE OF CALIFORNIA PARCEL NUMBERING SYSTEM EXPLANATION

general

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

SERVICES

NOTICE OF DIVIDED PUBLICATION Made pursuant to Section 3381, Revenue and Taxation Code Pursuant to Sections 3381 through 3385, Revenue and Taxation Code, the Notice of Power to Sell Tax-Defaulted Property in and for Los Angeles County, State of California, has been divided and distributed to various newspapers of

Corporation Bldg. For Lease Creative Office Space 724 S. Spring St. LA • 900 to 1500 sqft.

• Elegant tiled flooring and polished concrete floors • Brand new A/C, bathrooms in each unit • Spectacular views of Downtown • Great Location, restaurant on the ground floor

Please call (213) 627-6913

Cleaning CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants.

Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183.

For Sale Albuquerque, New Mexico

Seven Acres Los Ranchos

Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom.

Excellent location.

Downtown LA. Weekly rate $275 inc.

Monthly from $600 utilities paid.

(213) 612-0348

Casaloma L.A. Apartments Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $600/mo. with private bath at $745/mo.

Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site.

Gated building in a good area.

208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA

For English Call Pierre or Terri 213.744.9911 For Spanish Call Susana 213.749.0306

is your teen experiencing:

• School problems?

• Conflict at home or with friends?

• Beautiful view of Sandia mountains • Great for large homes • Alfafa field with irrigation

The real property that is the subject of this notice is situated in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and is described as follows: PROPERTY TAX DEFAULTED IN YEAR 2009 FOR TAXES, ASSESSMENT, AND OTHER CHARGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009 3908 $35,419.13

MACKENZIE,KENNETH SITUS:5433 LA MIRADA AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-1010 AIN: 5537-002-021 3909 $8,485.94 CAMPOS,MICHELLE T SITUS:5400 LEXINGTON AVE 3 LOS ANGELES CA 90038 AIN: 5537-006-009 3910 $12,951.35 THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE SITUS:5058 FOUNTAIN AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-1422 AIN: 5540-001-022 PROPERTY TAX DEFAULTED IN YEAR 2004 FOR TAXES, ASSESSMENT, AND OTHER CHARGES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003-2004 3907 $390,151.62 HAIAZI DEVELOPMENT INC C/O C/O ARA HAIRABEDIAN SITUS:1277 N WESTERN AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90038 AIN: 5537-001-003

the LOFT expert!

TM

Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper 213.598.7555 TheLoftExpertGroup.com

Bill Cooper 213.598.7555

TheLoftExpertGroup.com BRE #01309009

DRE # 01309009

Voted BEST Downtown Residential Real Estate Agent!

EMPLOYMENT

U.S. GOVT JOBS NOW HIRING

The Assessor’s Identification Number (AIN), when used to describe property in this list, refers to the Assessor’s map book, the map page, the block on the map, if applicable, and the individual parcel on the map page or in the block. The Assessor’s maps and further explanation of the parcel numbering system are available in the Assessor’s Office, 500 West Temple Street, Room 225, Los Angeles, California 90012.

• 5 minutes from shopping • 9 miles from downtown Albuquerque • 8817 4th Street, NW

For appointment call Alex Sanchez 505.898.3934 or cell 505.362.6488 One of the few remaining property of this size in the North Valley

adolescent support group now forming ages 13-17 low fee Call marney stofflet, lCsW

(323) 662-9797

4344 fountain ave. (at sunset), suite a los angeles, Ca 90029

Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator.

Full bathroom.

Excellent location.

Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

Monthly from $695 utilities paid.

(213) 627-1151

Thomas E. Rounds Attorney at Law 825 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 109, Santa Monica, CA 90401

(424) 234-6381

trounds4esq@gmail.com lawofficeofthomaserounds.com.

5B#268274

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May 12, 2014