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AUGUST 10, 2015 I VOL. 44 I #32

Steve Aoki’s DOWNTOWN

SPIN How the Superstar DJ Brought His Record Label Dim Mak to The Central City

photo by Gary Leonard

SEE PAGE 8

What Is the Future of the Civic Center? : 5 Nisei Week Turns 75 : 10

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

2 Downtown News

DT

AROUND TOWN

City Finishes $8 Million Renovation of North Main Street Bridge

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he city has completed the renovation and seismic retrofitting of a bridge that connects Lincoln Heights to Chinatown and Downtown.

Repairing the North Main Street Bridge, built in 1910 and located just northeast of Los Angeles State Historic Park, took three years and $8 million, according to the city Bureau of Engineering. The renovation included “jacketing” the existing arch ribs in new concrete and replacing the roadway and sidewalks. The bridge’s historic status mandated the installation of replicas of the original bridge’s railings, lampposts and decorative arch crown keystone. A grand opening ceremony was held July 29.

Family of Skid Row Shooting Victim Files Lawsuit

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he family of a homeless man killed on Skid Row in March during an altercation with Los Angeles Police Department officers has filed a civil lawsuit against the city and the LAPD. The suit, filed last week by the family of 43-yearold Charly “Africa” Keunang, alleges that officers acted negligently in the incident. A key aspect of the $20 million lawsuit is an account by journalist Jeff Sharlet, who saw LAPD body camera footage of the incident and wrote in a

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS story for GQ magazine that the video contradicts the LAPD’s assertion that they opened fire because Keunang became violent and tried to grab an officer’s gun (the body camera video has not been made public). The suit alleges that Keunang spoke calmly with four officers before retreating into his tent, at which point he was tased and pulled out. “At that juncture, the officers exploded into acts of violence, almost certain to cause anyone, much less a person suspected of suffering from mental illness, to panic,” the lawsuit claims. An autopsy conducted by the L.A. County Coroner’s office showed officers shot Keunang six times. A city investigation into the shooting continues.

August 10, 2015

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

New Residential High-Rise Proposed for City West

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n application was filed last week with the Department of City Planning for a condominium high-rise in City West. According to the filing, the 24-story building would have 223 market-rate residences and 18 affordable units. The structure, proposed for a three-quarters acre lot at 1135 W. Seventh St., would replace an existing motel. The 261,686-squarefoot project would have 6,885 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The city documents list Xiaojun Xia of Pangea Development as the developer; a project representative declined to provide additional information. The city documents refer to the project as The Seven, and renderings show a sleek, modern glass tower with balconies. Initial plans include a parking podium with 352 spaces, and an infinity pool and courtyard on the roof of the podium. American General Design in Pasadena is

Broadway

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listed as the architect. A timeline and budget have not been disclosed.

Dracula and an Opera Party At Ace Hotel

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t’s only August, so is it really time to worry about Halloween plans? Yes! That’s because three October screenings of the 1931 film Dracula, hosted at the Theater at Ace Hotel

by L.A. Opera, have already sold out. But don’t despair: The company has added a fourth screening on Halloween night, and this one

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comes with an invitation to the hotel’s Black & White Ball. The 8 p.m. showing on Oct. 31 will be scored by an original composition from Philip Glass, who will be backed by a live performance from the Kronos Quartet. After the screening, guests (who are 21 and older) will be able to attend the ball in their finest blackand-white themed attire and hang out at four cocktail bars, wander through some “sensorystimulating” rooms, listen to a number of DJs or find a few “mysterious treats.” Tickets are $34-$160, and more information is at acehotel. com/calendar. The screening is part of L.A. Opera’s Off Grand program.

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EDITORIALS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

August 10, 2015

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

LETTERS The Affordable Housing Conundrum Dear Editor, y big beef with affordable housing (“For a Lucky Few, the Price Is Right,” by Eddie Kim, June 15) is that it’s a joke. I too applied for an affordable housing unit at One Santa Fe, and was lucky enough to win the lottery, but I made too much money. At the same time, I can’t afford the $1,200-plus rent a month that most Downtown apartments go for.

It’s a jarring and annoying situation when you’re someone I guess could be called “pseudo middle class.”

It’s confusing how some of the affordable housing apartments require $700 or so in rent, but you have to prove you don’t make over about $30,000.

I don’t see how someone with student loans, bills, etc. could afford to pay those bills plus rent, yet they end up being the ones who get awarded this housing that they still can’t necessarily afford. It’s like I’m being punished for holding a steady job.

No, I’m not saying I deserve to live Downtown. But I love it here and it fits my lifestyle as someone who does not own a car and has not since moving to Los Angeles 12 years ago (I’ve lived in Downtown for two years). It’s necessary to have housing Downtown for those who work in the service, restaurant, retail, etc. industries so that they may serve the growing consumer class living and working here. I don’t think this is a ridiculous request.

More housing needs to be available for those of us in the middle. Clearly, too much of the new construction Downtown is only catering to the highest of incomes.

—Kimberly Briggs, Downtown

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The Readers Speak Out Website Comments on Drinking Regarding the article “50 Great Places to get a Drink in Downtown,” published July 6, and the editorial “Drinking in a Changing Downtown,” published July 13

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wo of my favorites are missing from the list: the Continental Club on Fourth between Main and Spring streets, and Precinct, the new rock n’ roll gay bar at Third Street and Broadway.

—James McDaniel, July 1, 8:29 p.m.

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he choice is an ever-expanding entertainment district, catering to partiers in their 20s, or a quality residential district catering to all ages and households. Because the impacts of alcohol are not kept inside the purveyors’ establishments, one can’t have it both ways. There are many things Downtown lacks and needs, but more bars is hardly one of them.

—Dan Silver, July 14, 9:26 p.m.

Have We Reached a Broadway Nightlife Tipping Point?

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ate last month, elected officials and Downtown business and community leaders came together for the reopening of the Globe Theatre. Simply turning the former Club 740 into a modern nightspot was a notable achievement, given its long record of problems that required a police response. However, the benefits of the Globe’s resurgence extend well beyond the doors of the 1913 edifice at 740 S. Broadway.

That is because the approximately $5 million renovation of the Globe by Frenchman Erik Chol didn’t occur in a vacuum. Instead, it follows a line of celebrated Downtown nightlife projects, and likely prefigures another batch of clubs and concert halls that will add to the after-dark entertainment slate.

In other words, if the comeback of the Globe doesn’t mark the actual tipping point in the Downtown nightlife revival, it almost certainly is on the brink. This makes four prominent nightspots that have opened in Downtown Los Angeles in less than two years. This doesn’t count all of the new bars and restaurants that have arrived in the same period.

The Globe follows by a few months the opening of the Teragram Ballroom on Wilshire Boulevard in City West, and isn’t too far removed from the November debut of The Regent at 448 S. Main St. Both venues now host a steady stream of rock and other bands, as well as some film screenings and special events. Early in 2014, the 1,600-seat Theatre at Ace Hotel opened; the former United Artists Theater today is a hotbed for concerts, films and more.

That’s pretty definitively critical mass.

The Globe was no easy project, and Chol deserves credit for the money, work and years he put into it. The venue’s reputation had been hammered by the infamous Club 740, and a 2009 Los Angeles Downtown News article noted that city officials were trying to shut down the spot following dozens of violent incidents over a four-year period, including fights, sexual assaults, gang activity and even a 2006 homicide. It finally closed in 2011.

Chol’s work started literally with the entrance. Although patrons got into Club 740 through an alley, visitors now arrive on Broadway under a nicely restored and illuminated marquee. This provides both light and street life, and with the nearby Ace Hotel and the clutch of other businesses at Ninth and Broadway, there is now the

ability to have real pedestrian activity every evening.

Chol’s work inside the building is also extensive and impressive.

As Downtown News reported in an article last week, there is a main floor, a wide mezzanine, a third-floor balcony with moldings and Baroque-style features, and two small opera boxes alongside the proscenium. These and other touches that recall the building’s past help make it a unique place, something that can’t be created in a new, suburban nightspot.

While we are pleased with what Chol has achieved, there will be challenges. The booze that flows at nightclubs frequently leads to noise and fights, and a strong security contingent will need to be in place on the nights the Globe is open. Chol will have to partner with the police and the safety detail from the local business improvement district, and he must make sure that noise from the DJs, bands and exiting customers at closing time doesn’t bother residents in surrounding blocks. It’s a balancing act to serve patrons ready to party and neighbors who want peace after nightfall. Chol will have to err on the side of caution and be willing to work with local stakeholders.

The Globe also marks another victory for 14th District City Councilman José Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway initiative, which continues to lure investment and activity to a corridor that had lost its luster before he launched his turnaround effort in 2008.

The Globe complements not only the nightclubs mentioned above but also the street’s growing collection of restaurants and stores. Again, more businesses mean more pedestrian activity, which enhances Downtown.

The Globe also serves as another indicator of what could happen on Broadway, and as the street evolves, many people are still waiting to see what the Delijani family will do with the Palace, Los Angeles, Tower and State theaters. The family has long discussed plans to invest millions and program them on a regular basis, but so far activity remains sporadic. Steve Needleman was the first to prove this can be a viable business when he revived the Orpheum Theatre in 2001. Now, as the street really takes off, Downtown is waiting for the Delijanis to take serious steps forwards.

The Globe is a strong addition to Broadway, and Chol has done some nice work. However, there are more pieces in the puzzle.

August 10, 2015

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

The Civic Center’s Future Becomes an Issue for the Present With Questions Over Whether to Save or Raze Parker Center, Some Want Local Leaders to Think About the Entire District

By Eddie Kim nitially, the debate over whether to demolish or preserve and renovate the empty Parker Center focused on the historic merits of architect Welton Becket’s 1955 building.

Now, the discussion is expanding, and in the process is extending well beyond the boundaries of the defunct building at 150 N. Los Angeles St.: What does the city need, particularly in terms of office space, and can those needs be satisfied on this singular plot?

The answer depends on whom you ask.

In May, 14th District City Councilman José Huizar authored a motion asking city staff to look not just at creating office space on the Parker Center site, but also to explore the reuse of nearby city-owned properties such as the underutilized Los Angeles Mall.

It’s an idea whose time has come, say those who in decades past have worked on efforts to upgrade the Civic Center. Now they say Downtown’s resurgence and an increase in residents make it more important than ever to get things right and plan for the future.

In essence, some want a new “master plan” for the area. When the city began writing its last Civic Center Master Plan in 1995, the first question was whether the city even needed a proper Civic Center amid a quickly changing technological and communications land-

scape, recalled Dan Rosenfeld, who was part of the team.

“We concluded in ’97 that the need for a Civic Center was even greater than in the past because our communities are so diverse and dispersed that there needs to be common ground in the symbolic and operational heart of government,” said Rosenfeld, who today is director of land-use solutions at Community Partners, which helps public and nonprofit entities develop projects.

The resulting plan, often referred to as the “10-Minute Diamond,” suggested consolidating city, county, state and federal government workers so that they were within a 10-minute walk of City Hall, with the idea that this would streamline communication and create a critical mass of pedestrians to activate the area. While many new buildings have opened, the Civic Center still has a mash of underutilized structures, awkward thoroughfares and empty lots.

Meanwhile, said Josh Rohmer, a principal project coordinator for the City Administrative Office, the city has about 1.6 million square feet of “non-optimal” office space that it either leases or is otherwise remote and inefficient for workers.

The Civic Center has the potential to meet the long-term needs of the city, but that makes a holistic approach all the more neces-

I

The debate continues over whether Parker Center should be torn down and replaced, or saved and restored.

Civic Center watchers say what happens on the site will determine what occurs on other plots in the district.

photo by Gary Leonard

sary, said Adrian Fine, the director of advocacy for preservationist organization the Los Angeles Conservancy.

“Before the city or county goes down the path of making potentially irreversible changes to the Civic Center, we need to update the master plan and craft a vision that everyone can

get behind, rather than fighting these out one project at a time,” he said.

Booming District Like much of Downtown, the Civic Center is booming. Last October the County completed a $230 million renovation of the 1925 Hall of Continued on page 6

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August 10, 2015

CiviC Center, 5 Justice, and the past 15 years have seen the rise of Grand Park, the debut of the Police Administration Building and the Caltrans headquarters, as well as the opening of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. A $323 million federal courthouse is scheduled to be completed next fall.

How the city’s office needs fit into the equation is perhaps the biggest question in the area’s continuing evolution. The environmental impact report for the Parker Center redevelopment said the city needs about an additional 1.1 million square feet of office space to satisfy current demand.

City employees remain scattered throughout Downtown. Some work in the Garland Center at 1200 W. Seventh St. in City West while others are east of Little Tokyo at 700 E. Temple St. or at Figueroa Plaza next to the 110 Freeway.

“If we’re spending $30 million or $40 million on leases each year, what’s the break-even to build a new structure?” Rohmer said.

The city owns enough property to explore building a series of office structures in the Civic Center, Rosenfeld said. In addition to the aging City Hall South building at the northeast corner of First and Main streets, there is the Parker Center block and the parcel on the northeast corner of First and Alameda streets dubbed “the Mangrove Estate.” Different plans have been floated for all of the sites in the past.

Figuring out Parker Center is the key to planning the rest of the Civic Center, experts say.

While the size and look of a project there remains to be seen, any structure would need to incorporate not just government needs, but also those of the rapidly expanding residential base, said Edward Avila, president of the city’s

The Los Angeles Mall remains severely underutilized. While some believe it could be a site for a new city office building, its huge underground parking garage raises logistical and engineering challenges.

photo by Gary Leonard

Project Restore, which spearheaded two significant reports on improving urban connectivity in and around Downtown, “Civic Crossroads” and “First Now,” in past years.

“There aren’t many locations left to do a government-only building,” Avila said. “There’s got to be an effort to maximize office space for the city and include mixed uses for the public. It’s the way moving forward.”

Old Mall Questions Some long-underutilized parcels in the area

the drop wishes they

could all be California - friendly landscapes.

are already changing. In addition to the federal courthouse, a park is being planned at the northeast corner of Broadway and First Street.

A station for the Regional Connector at Second Street and Broadway could spur development on surrounding blocks.

Still, questions remain. In addition to Parker Center, one of the most puzzling pieces is the L.A. Mall. The complex at 201 N. Los Angeles St. has about 100,000 square feet of underground retail space that is only about one-third occu-

pied, said Rohmer.

“It would be a perfect site for a city office building,” he said. “The commercial space isn’t the most viable. And it’s not very viable for anything else. No one else is going to build a residential structure or office building there.”

There is no easy solution. Rohmer noted that the mall is on top of a 2,000-space parking garage, which poses logistical and engineering questions.

Other issues concern aged structures. The

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August 10, 2015

Downtown News 7

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

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photo by Gary Leonard

The 1940 Federal Courthouse at 312 N. Spring St. will be mostly empty after the new courthouse next to the L.A. Times building opens. A future use of the 75-year-old structure has not been determined.

1940 Federal Courthouse at 312 N. Spring St. across from the L.A. Mall will be mostly empty after the new courthouse is complete, but its configuration (the courtrooms lack windows) and designation as a historic structure complicates any demolition or major transformation. No reuse plans have been revealed.

Others have called for the redevelopment or razing of the County Hall of Administration and the Stanley Mosk Courthouse; the latter is frequently criticized for its imposing, unfriendly presence on First Street. But as with Parker Center, the Conservancy’s Adrian Fine cautions people from jumping to demolish a structure because it seems “ugly.”

“They’re a product of their time,” Fine said. “It’s 1950s-era architecture, and it’s harder to get your arms around those types of buildings, if you will, but what’s special about the Civic Center is its array of different eras and styles.”

An Outdoor ‘Living Room’ The Central City has come a long way since Robert Harris began working on the Downtown Strategic Plan in the mid-1990s.

In a proposal that now seems ahead of the curve, Harris and other planning and design experts called for the activation of commercial space and creating housing in Downtown as a way to kick-start development in the urban core.

Today, Harris, who is an architecture professor at the University of Southern California, is closely watching developer Related Cos.’ $850 million Grand Avenue plan, which he believes will usher in a new era for Bunker Hill as a cultural and residential hub, and in turn help pump life into the Civic Center. He pointed to the benefits of what he termed “socially equitable housing” in the project.

“In a big city like L.A., those who can only afford a relatively small house or apartment, they want to go out and use the city as the family’s living room,” Harris said. “When units are so big that you can just exist forever in your home with all the amenities on the property, that public activation doesn’t happen quite the same.”

Rosenfeld sees both low-hanging fruit (using city and county buildings to host community activities and even movie screenings) and broader issues (how to reconnect the Civic Center with El Pueblo and Union Station) on the horizon. He thinks a Civic Center joint powers authority with city and county leaders could lead to a new master plan.

Rohmer expects instruction from the City Council to do something along those lines in the coming months. eddie@downtownnews.com

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August 10, 2015

Steve Aoki’s Downtown Spin The Star DJ Moves His Dim Mak Label Into the Historic Core

By Eddie Kim n the sixth floor of a nondescript building in the Historic Core, behind an unmarked white door, sits the office of one of the most recognizable DJs in the world.

More precisely, it’s the office of his record label.

The DJ is Steve Aoki, the 37-year-old star whose long, spindly hair and thin frame has prompted some to describe him as a Japanese Jesus. The label is Dim Mak, which after a decade as a passion project has matured into a serious business, with nearly 20 employees and a growing roster of acts.

Those unfamiliar with the electronic dance music scene may not be familiar with Aoki, who bluntly states that, “radio stations don’t really play my music.” Yet he ranked No. 5 on Forbes’ 2014 list of the highest paid DJs in the world, raking in $23 million while playing up to a staggering three gigs a day. He has Los Angeles political connections, too — in May he teamed with Mayor Eric Garcetti to stage LAoki, an outdoor performance on Broadway with free admission for those who signed up for the mayor’s volunteer corps.

Dim Mak, meanwhile, has risen to prominence in the last five years thanks to a number of high-profile artist signings and Aoki’s ceaseless marketing efforts. Last July, the company moved from a cramped space in East Hollywood to an airy office in the Corporation Building at 724 S. Spring St. The move has been a long time coming, Aoki said during an interview after a recent signing

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for his new book of travel photos, Eat Sleep Cake Repeat, held at Downtown’s Last Bookstore. For the first time, it feels like Dim Mak has found a home and community to grow with, he added.

“When we decided to move, I wondered, do we want to go back to Hollywood? Or do we want to go where there’s some real culture being built?” Aoki said. “Downtown has an authenticity that Hollywood doesn’t give me anymore. I grew up in Hollywood, but Downtown is the true center of the city now.”

Beyond the Pickle Patch Aoki, the son of wrestler and Benihana restaurant founder Rocky Aoki, grew up in Newport Beach. He started Dim Mak (the name refers to the mythical “touch of death” in martial arts) in 1996 as a teenager, driven by a love of punk and hardcore music. While attending college at U.C. Santa Barbara, Aoki and his band, This Machine Kills, played shows in a living room dubbed “The Pickle Patch.”

Dim Mak began to grow in the early 2000s, when Aoki moved back to Los Angeles and traded his guitar for a pair of turntables and began playing electronic music shows around the city. Downtown L.A. at the time reminded him of “tumbleweeds,” and the empty buildings and warehouses made it a choice locale for underground raves.

“I kind of learned how to throw parties that way,” Aoki recalled.

Dim Mak remained a fledgling business for Aoki until a number of key signings in the middle of the decade. There were rock bands The

Steve Aoki is one of the biggest DJs on the planet, and also has a new book of travel photos, Eat Sleep Cake Repeat. Last year, he moved the offices of his record label Dim Mak from East Hollywood to the Historic Core. The business has nearly 20 employees.

photo courtesy of Dim Mak

Kills and Bloc Party, then influential electro acts The Bloody Beetroots and MSTRKRFT, which helped cement Dim Mak’s role in a new wave of electronic music, said Director of Marketing Bryan Linares.

“When we signed Beetroots and MSTRKRFT in 2007, we thought we found our voice. That was a big moment,” said Linares, who started as a Dim Mak intern in 2006. “Were we making money? No. I don’t think we really made money until like, 2010 or ’11. But it was a key time.”

Aoki got big as a DJ around the same time, gaining a reputation for rambunctious shows

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that involved plenty of stage-diving, headbanging and, oddly, smearing cake in the faces of his fans.

The momentum carried Dim Mak’s growth from around 2010 on, Aoki and Linares say, and today, in addition to Aoki himself, the label has prominent acts including Crookers, Little Boots, and SBCR. Dim Mak often serves as a steppingstone for artists such as Zedd and The Chainsmokers, who move on to major labels, Linares said.

The office, however, remained a weak spot; it looked “like it was built by interns,” as Linares puts it. Its lack of air conditioning and creature comforts made it a weird place to bring potential signees.

The Downtown headquarters does offer A/C, along with the hip features of a modern creative office space: polished concrete floors, big windows and an open feel. A beer-pong table sits next to a conference room. Down a short hall is an area for video and photo shoots.

Aoki has his own large office, but it remains a largely unfurnished work-in-progress, as he is frequently out of the city — when not touring, he lives in Las Vegas. Still, connected to his office is a small studio with a bank of keyboards, expensive speakers and a vocal recording room for spur-of-the-moment collaborations.

Aoki isn’t the only big name in dance music to find a base in the Central City, and he said

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Downtown News 9

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The Central City Crime Report Aoki is bullish on Downtown Los Angeles, and inspired by the community’s creative base. “Downtown has an authenticity that Hollywood doesn’t give me anymore,” he said. “I grew up in Hollywood, but Downtown is the true center of the city now.”

photo by Gary Leonard

praise for Downtown came from Sonny Moore — better known as Skrillex — who has a home here and is building a studio in Chinatown.

“Then there was Diplo, and the Smog Records guys, and 12th Planet, who’s right across from us,” Aoki said. “They’ve all known this place for a while.”

The number of music venues, as well as the increasing batch of cutting-edge fashion boutiques and event companies in Downtown, makes it a logical place to build a business, Linares added.

“We really have a lot of peers here. You don’t really have to leave to do anything,” he said. “There’s a vibe that makes it feel like a real fast-paced, creative city.”

An illuminating moment for Aoki came during 2014’s Made in America festival, held in Grand Park.

Playing with City Hall behind him, Aoki was reminded of the seminal post-hardcore band Fugazi performing in front of the White House in 1991. The difference, of course, is that Fugazi was playing as a

political protest, while MIA was endorsed by the political establishment and sponsored by Budweiser.

Still, it had a kind of beauty for Aoki.

“I’m playing and I see Jay Z and Beyonce in the corner of the stage watching, and the mayor, and thousands and thousands of the L.A. community in front of me, and the political powers that made Grand Park and MIA happen, and you look left and see City Hall,” Aoki said. “It wasn’t a gathering like a riot. It was a celebration.”

Dim Mak is pursuing event opportunities throughout Downtown, and has launched a bimonthly pool party, dubbed Wavey, at the Hotel Figueroa with South Park fashion brand The Well.

What happens beyond that is unclear, but Dim Mak is in the Historic Core to stay, Aoki adds. The label came here for the cultural growth, he said, and now it’s time for them to add to it. eddie@downtownnews.com

A Rundown on Downtown Incidents, Trends and Criminal Oddities

By Heidi Kulicke n the Central City Crime Report, we survey the recent week in public safety. All information is provided by the LAPD’s Central Division.

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Another ATM Theft: Thieves cut the lock to the security gate of a flower shop at 769 S. San Pedro St. in the Fashion District during the early morning hours of July 29. They took an ATM machine that contained $4,000 in cash.

The theft is believed to be related to similar ATM thefts earlier this year in the Fashion District.

Hold on to That Purse: A purse was stolen at Triple 8 China Bar & Grill at 800 W. Olympic Blvd. in L.A. Live. Surveillance cameras captured the incident, and police believe three people are working together as part of a purse theft ring at various Downtown restaurants.

Nightclub Fight: An intoxicated man became violent after being escorted from the Belasco at 1050 S. Hill St. on July 26. The man punched three peo-

ple, but one of them fought back and hit him in the face, knocking him out.

The aggressor was arrested.

Pink Diamond Gone: On July 30, a two-karat pink diamond ring worth $900,000 was taken from a residence in the luxury apartment complex Eighth + Hope at 801 S. Hope St. No arrests have been made.

Foot Smashed: Two friends got into an argument at Seventh and Figueroa streets on July 29. One decided to leave and went to the other’s car to retrieve his stuff. The second man followed and got into his car. He then started the engine and drove off, in the process running over his friend’s foot.

More Bike Thefts: Six two-wheelers were reported stolen during the week of July 26-Aug. 1. Four had their locks cut, including a $1,500 custom bike taken from a bike rack at 350 S. Grand Ave. Police arrested a man on July 28 after he attempted to steal a locked bicycle at Fifth and Hill streets.

STEP UP FOR THE COMMUNITY

www.muralconservancy.org

www.doartfoundation.org www.southpark.la

A DECADE STRONG

A SOUTH PARK PUBLIC ART TOUR

Tuesday, August 18, 2015 5:00 - 8:00PM 1147 S. Hope Street Los Angeles, CA 90015

EVENT INFORMATION: 5:00PM Registration 5:30PM Introductions & Welcome 6:00PM Guided Public Art Tour 7:00 - 8:00PM Reception & Festival

KETCHUM-DOWNTOWN YMCA

STAIR CLIMB FOR LOS ANGELES FRIDAY SEPT.25 www.ymcaLA.org/stairclimb

FOOD AND DRINK SPECIALS! Parking: Lots at 12th & Flower, 12th & Hope, Pico & Hope.

@SouthParkLA #SouthParkLA #SPDoesArt www.facebook.com/SouthParkLosAngeles Join us as we celebrate South Park’s 10-year anniversary with an inaugural public art tour.

EVENT IS FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

RSVP REQUIRED.TO RSVP: http://bit.ly/1DpPZNZ

FEATURED ARTISTS & GUESTS: DourOne Kent Twitchell Gary Ward devNgosha CASE Faith47 CRYPTIK Sheri Neva Christina Angelina

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August 10, 2015

CALENDAR

Little Tokyo Holds Its 75th Annual Nisei Week, With a Parade, Dancing, Food and More

By Heidi Kulicke owntown Los Angeles hosts numerous annual events, everything from business dinners to awards luncheons to a showcase for dogs. Few of them, however, have been around as long as Nisei Week, which celebrates a memorable anniversary this year.

The 75th installment of the Little Tokyo celebration kicks off Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 15-16, with events at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center. The festival continues through Aug. 23, with highlights including an opening-day Rubik’s Cube tournament, the Grand Parade this Sunday on the streets of Little Tokyo, and a gyoza-eating contest on Aug. 22.

The festival honors nisei, or second-generation Japanese Americans, and their efforts in the wake of the Great Depression to build Little Tokyo into the community it is today, said Terry Hara, a recently retired Los Angeles Police Department commander and the president of the Nisei Week Foundation.

During the 1930s, business in Little Tokyo

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hit a low point. A group of local leaders launched Nisei Week in 1934 in the effort to draw visitors and drum up sales.

It worked, though in 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and widespread hysteria led to the imprisonment of thousands of Japanese Americans in internment camps. As a result, Nisei Week was put on hold from 1942-’48.

That hiatus explains why this year’s celebration marks 75 years and not 81. Hara said the 75th festival is particularly special, as many nisei, including his mother, are now in their 90s.

“Nisei Week celebrates what [the nisei] endured during World War II and the challenges they overcame,” Hara said. “They won’t be around for our 100th celebration, so we’re trying to make this year the best yet.”

Packed Lineup The Grand Parade begins at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, and about 10,000 people are expected to line the streets, Hara said. One of the most anticipated sights is the Nebuta float from Japan.

The large float features a wire sculpture cov-

photo by Gary Leonard

A Big AnniversAry for A Big evenT A highlight of Nisei Week is the Grand Parade, which takes place Sunday, Aug. 16, at 5:30 p.m. on the streets of Little Tokyo. An estimated 10,000 people are expected to watch the procession.

ered in colorful paper, lit up by an array of interior LED lights. It’s part of the Nebuta Matsuri Festival that attracts 3 million people each summer to the Japanese city of Aomori. Three floats are made annually and stand 15-30 feet tall. The floats depict illuminated Samurai warriors, animals and mythical creatures and are pushed through the street, while people wearing traditional costumes called haneto dance around the float.

The Nebuta float made its American debut at the 2007 Nisei Week, where it caused quite a stir, said Helen Ota, director of marketing and development at the JACCC. It has been part of Nisei Week ever since.

“The float lights up the night and people are just in awe of it,” Ota said. “Many people from Japan have never had the chance to see it, so it’s quite the crowd pleaser.”

This year’s Grand Marshal is Roy Yamaguchi, chef and founder of the Asian fusion eatery Roy’s. The Parade Marshal is Kenny Endo, a taiko drummer with 40 years’ experience.

Another popular event is the World Gyoza

Eating Championship, now in its ninth year.

During the noon competition on Aug 22, professional competitive eaters have 10 minutes to consume as many gyoza (Japanese potstickers) as they can. Last year, Joey Chestnut wolfed down a record-breaking 384 gyoza, which works out to about 15 pounds of food, said Cory Hayashi, chairman of the World Gyoza Eating Championship.

“It’s a spectacle, and the energy is just incredible,” Hayashi said. “Everyone who thinks they will be completely grossed out by it ends up just loving it.”

Those with smaller appetites may be drawn to a variety of Asian food vendors. There will also be a beer garden.

Nisei Week provides the opportunity to share Japanese art and culture with people from all backgrounds, Ota said. The JACCC will offer several exhibits featuring calligraphy, floral arrangements, bonsai trees and handmade ceramic Japanese dolls known as kimekomi, she said.

“It’s important that we continue to share Continued on page 20

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Humanity Amid Tragedy Powerful Performances In a Rare Revival of the Holocaust-Era ‘Bent’

By Jeff Favre erhaps the best compliment to give Martin Sherman’s Bent is that it’s a compelling human story that defies specificity of time, place and politics.

Sherman’s aching, challenging, two-anda-half hour drama was one of the first mainstream works of art to reveal the Nazi persecution of gays. The play, peppered with some welcomed gallows humor, debuted in a preAIDS era (1979 in London and, later that year, with Richard Gere on Broadway), when the gay rights struggle was in a formative stage.

Now, the Mark Taper Forum in Downtown Los Angeles is hosting its first major revival in decades, at a time when America appears to be evolving on LGBT issues. Bent runs through Aug. 23.

Director Moisés Kaufman, who brought similar unsettling moments and memorable poignancy to another Taper war-related play, Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, displays a remarkable touch with Sherman’s material. He allows the tension to build through the first hour, followed by a second act that’s simultaneously difficult to watch and mesmerizing.

Bent’s opening scene is its only weak spot, with a bit too much exposition, but Kaufman keeps the action lively while the characters set the story.

Born into affluence but living in near poverty, Max (Patrick Heusinger) has a harddrinking free-love lifestyle that doesn’t mesh

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with his more demure partner Rudy (Andy Mientus). Max doesn’t recall the night before, including the nude man (Tom Berklund) coming out of his bedroom, and it’s clear that’s not uncommon.

What’s different about the evening is that it coincides with the purge known as Night of the Long Knives, during which Nazis carried out several political murders, including that of German army officer Ernst Röhm, who was gay.

In a single, violent instant, Max and Rudy transform from a couple worried about paying the rent to fugitives on the run.

They receive a bit of help, though not much, from ancillary characters, most notably Greta (Jake Shears from the rock band Scissor Sisters), whose primary role in the story is to lead an odd change of pace via a musical number.

Holocaust stories, even ones with a rarely used perspective, are familiar to almost everyone and are usually accompanied by a desensitized reaction. What keeps Bent from falling into that category is that Sherman concentrated more on showing humanity within the terror. What does it take to survive, and to love, in a hell on earth?

As Max, Heusinger’s transformation from playboy to prisoner in the Dachau concentration camp is impressive, in particular the way he never loses the swagger in his voice, even when he’s being subjected to harsh experiences. Max is a survivor, and Heusinger’s portrayal

Compelling performances by Patrick Heusinger (left) and Charlie Hofheimer drive the Mark Taper Forum’s revival of Martin Sherman’s 1979 drama Bent.

photo by Craig Schwartz

never abandons that.

Also strong and compelling is Charlie Hofheimer, who as Horst wears the pink triangle Nazis used to mark gay men almost as a badge of honor.

The interactions between the two men are the play’s heart, and the chemistry between Heusinger and Hofheimer makes all of their exchanges authentic.

Three technical contributors, all using minimalist techniques, work in harmony with the tone set by Sherman and Kaufman. It starts with Beowulf Boritt’s stark and eerie set design.

A wood plank platform on a rotating stage elevates into a guard tower in an effect that’s creepy and ominous.

Justin Townsend’s lighting is a mix of subtle shadows and harsh spotlights as characters move from one nightmare to another. Cricket S. Myers caps the overall mood with a sound

design that is at its most effective when it’s barely audible.

Bent couldn’t be as powerful without its humor, and Kaufman gets the most laughs possible in the second act, which is no small feat given that, during the time of Adolph Hitler, anyone can die at any moment. It’s a way of showing hope in a clearly hopeless situation.

Kaufman also handles one of theater’s most unusual love scenes with such deft pacing and delicacy that it evokes passion and tears.

While the Nazis’ brutality toward gay men still remains unknown to much of the world, Bent has been telling audiences about it for 35 years. This riveting production will inform a new generation, while also offering a timeless tale about what it means to be human.

Bent runs through Aug. 23 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-4444 or centertheatregroup.org.

12 Downtown News

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Restaurant Buzz

brought some big changes to the breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch menus. The additions have a California-Mediterranean bent, with new items including an heirloom tomato salad with red beet puree and basil aioli, a squash blossom and burrata pizza, and slow-roasted sea bass with pureed artichokes. In other news, Artisan House recently released an app that allows diners to pre-order food or get delivery from the restaurant and its adjoining gourmet market/deli.

At 600 S. Main St., (213) 622-6333 or artisanhouse.net.

Craft Coffee in South Park, Poke Popularity And More Downtown Food Happenings

By Eddie Kim New Buzz: Think Downtown’s craft coffee scene is tapped out? Think again. San Francisco-based Philz Coffee is finally ready to debut in South Park on the ground floor of the swanky Eighth + Hope apartment building. Philz will begin brewing on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and kick into regular hours (6 a.m.-9 p.m. daily) on Wednesday. For those unfamiliar, Philz offers dozens of specialized coffee blends as well as single-origin beans, brewed via the pour-over method — don’t expect traditional espresso drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos, although the baristas can create similar-tasting beverages by adding cream and sweeteners. The Downtown opening is part of Philz’s expansion into the Los Angeles region, which began last year with the opening of a shop in Santa Monica.

At 801 S. Hope St., (213) 213-2616 or philzcoffee.com.

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Poke Face: What’s the hottest food trend in the city? Overpriced avocado toast is still going strong, but the top contender seems to be the explosion of eateries specializing in poke. A popular dish in Hawaii, poke (pronounced poh-keh) refers to seafood — usually raw tuna — marinated in various seasonings with garnishes such as sliced sweet onion or seaweed. There are a number of Downtown restaurants serving the dish, but only Ohana Poké Co., which opened last month, specializes in it. Headed by chef/owner Eric Park, Ohana Poké lets customers pick a size (regular for $8.95 or large for $12.95), a base (white or brown rice or sauteed kale), a choice of poke flavor and additional toppings.

By the way, if the name Eric Park and the address seems familiar, it’s because the previous concept to fill the space was Park’s modern bahn-mi joint Hero Shop.

At 130 E. Sixth St., (213) 265-7561 or ohanapokeco.com.

August 10, 2015

photo courtesy of Artisan House

Karo Patpatyan, formerly of Spago, is the new executive chef of the Historic Core restaurant Artisan House. He is sprucing up the menu with a collection of California-Mediterranean items.

Bye-Bye Bruno: The much-loved Bruno Cafe, just west of Sixth and Olive streets, is no more. The hole-in-the-wall was known for its affordable selection of burgers, entrees and coffee, but it has shuttered in anticipation of the arrival of a new restaurant, Ugo Cafe. Ugo is a local chain with a full restaurant in Culver City and an Ugo Cafe in Santa Monica; the Downtown location’s menu will be identical to the latter’s when it opens in about two months, according to the company. Expect an array of Italian paninis, salads, some pasta dishes and gelato.

Coming to 502 W. Sixth St. or cafeugo.com.

An Artisan Change-up: The Historic Core restaurant Artisan House has a new man in charge of the kitchen. Karo Patpatyan became executive chef last month, and the Spago veteran has

A New Downtown ‘District’: Construction continues on the transformation of the former Macy’s Plaza into The Bloc, but one new restaurant has already opened inside the (also renovated) Sheraton Hotel. District debuted last month and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a full bar with craft cocktails and beers. District’s menu is a hodgepodge of American, Asian and Mediterranean influences put together by executive chef Hansen Lee, who previously led the kitchen in Pasadena’s boutique dusitD2 Constance hotel. Highlight dishes include a “popcorn bisque” with charred corn, chili-miso-cured beef carpaccio, and cedar plank-roasted salmon with summer vegetables and harissa yogurt. District is open from 6:30 a.m.-midnight, Monday-Friday, and 7 a.m.-midnight on Saturdays and Sundays.

At 711 Hope St., (213) 612-3185 or districtdtla.com.

Fishy Business: The flurry of Arts District restaurant announcements just keeps coming. This time it’s Fin and Fire, which, as you probably guessed, will focus on seafood. The project comes from Steven Fretz, chef of West Hollywood’s popular Church Key, and the Moscow-based restaurant group Ginza Project. The menu will focus on seafood classics such as lobster rolls, crab cakes and big seafood stews served in cataplanas, a traditional Portuguese cooking vessel. Fin and Fire will occupy about 2,100 square feet in a building across the street from Bestia, with about 100 total seats inside and on a rooftop deck. The restaurant is slated to open next summer, according to the L.A. Times, which first reported the news.

Coming to 2140 E. Seventh St. Got juicy food news? Email eddie@downtownnews.com.

August 10, 2015

Downtown News 13

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DT

CALENDAR LISTINGS EVENTS

ixed tsy and Rem r A , y k n u F ts e Downtown G calendar@downtownnews.com

SPONSORED LISTINGS

FRIDay, auGuST 14 Dance Downtown Music Center Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-0777 or musiccenter.org.

7 p.m.: Tonight’s free DJ will be bumping tunes from the golden age of disco. No, not that sappy, pastiche-ridden nu-disco noise the kids are into nowadays, but real, actual, honest-to-God disco.

SaTuRDay, auGuST 15 EBI Orpheum, 842 Broadway, (877) 677-4386 or laorpheum.com.

7 p.m.: The spate of sanctioned combat in Downtown continues with a 16-man featherweight tournament. What’s at stake? A $20,000 prize and copious opportunities for lasting brain damage.

Nisei Week Japanese American Cultural Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., and throughout Little Tokyo, niseiweek.org.

8 a.m.-1 p.m.: Holy cow, a Rubik’s Cube tournament is taking place on the plaza.

11 a.m.-6 p.m.: The Japanese Festival features taiko drums, dancers, martial arts, musical performances, children’s activities, cultural exhibits and more.

SuNDay, auGuST 16 Nisei Week Japanese American Cultural Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., and throughout Little Tokyo, niseiweek.org.

11 a.m.-6 p.m.: The Japanese Festival continues, with all those martial arts demonstrations, performances and more.

Continued on next page

Classical composition inexplicably merges with contemporary remix culture on Saturday, Aug. 15, as Grand Performances hosts Classical Remix. To start, members of the Colburn School student body will play select classics with piano luminary Alfredo Rodriguez.

Once finished, Los Angeles-based sample guru and all-around facial hair specialist Daedelus (shown here) will take the stage to proverbially chop and screw the previous compositions with newly minted groove vibes, while carefully avoiding a soaring flight too close to the sun. The gig begins at 8 p.m., but as usual a hoard of eager fans will arrive early and pack the Cal Plaza Watercourt, so consider yourself warned. At 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 687-2190 or grandperformances.org.

For the past two weekends, REDCAT has reverberated with the collective weight of a world’s worth of creative experimentation in the form of the annual New Original Works Festival. This weekend holds the third and final week of the run, and with its closing comes a trio of distinct shows. A stylish pop music song cycle from Cassandra (shown here) meets the choreography of Tokyo’s Takao Kawaguchi and multimedia theater from Kevin Williamson during their performances on Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 13-15, at 8:30 p.m. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

photo by Jenny Risher Photography

photo by Gary Leonard

Who would have thought that the recent diplomatic détente between the United States and Cuba could have been a prelude for this month’s Downtown Art Walk?? Certainly not this Listings Editor. Yet, the happening on Thursday, Aug. 13, features a strong contingent of culture from that island nation in Colors of Cuba: A Sensory Art Exhibition,, to be hosted at the Art Walk Lounge (634 S. Spring St.).

Elsewhere, Broken Fingaz, the laudable lads from Haifa, Israel, continue their psychedelic odyssey with the exhibit Journey Galactico at the Howard Griffin Gallery at Fourth and Spring streets. Further art pleasures will crowd the streets of the Historic Core, namely the block of Spring between Fourth and Fifth where vendors will bake away the day in the hot sun and sell their wares. Throughout the Historic Core or downtownartwalk.org.

photo courtesy Grand Performances

ThuRSDay, auGuST 13 Downtown Art Walk Historic Core or downtownartwalk.org.

5 p.m.: See art. See people. See restaurants. See bars. See more art. Repeat for hours and hours and hours on a warm summer evening.

Dew Tour Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway, (213) 623-3233 or acehotel. com/losangeles.

Aug. 13-16: Your favorite saturated soft drink hosts a weekend of art, fashion, music and live skateboarding. What could go wrong?

nson |

By Dan Joh

photo by Laurel Butler

FIGat7th Downtown Festival Fridays 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 955-7150 or artsbrookfield.com Arts Brookfield presents a free live music festival every Friday night now through Aug. 28 at the FIGat7th shopping center plaza. This Friday, Aug. 14, is soul musician Adrian Younge & Friends. Food and drinks starting at 4 p.m. with music starting at 8 p.m.

Friday Night Flicks at Pershing Square 523 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or pershing.square@ lacity.org Pershing Square’s free summer movie series will feature the film Guardians of the Galaxy on Friday, Aug. 14, at dusk. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and a picnic if desired.

Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome.

Samurai Play in Little Tokyo 244 S. San Pedro St. or jaccc.org The Little Tokyo Business Association and Burai Productions present Burai: Standing All Alone, a play about samurai warriors performed at the Aratani Theater at the JACCC. Performance dates are Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at jaccc.org.

Metro Art Moves Tours 800 N. Alameda St., (213) 683-6729 or metro.net/about/art Metro Art Moves is a free weekend series of regularly scheduled and special tours of artwork in the Metro Rail system, including Union Station. The tours are led by docent volunteers and provide insight into the art and its creation at various stations. For more information visit metro.net/about/art.

One of the world’s oldest and most penetrating questions is, “Why must dog chase the cat?” It has yet to be adequately answered, though George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic will broach it again on Friday, Aug. 14, at Club Nokia. Expect an evening of funky goodness and plenty of audience members chanting “bow wow wow yippy-yo yippy-yay.” BTW, in 1997, 16 members of Parliament Funkadelic were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. We’re unsure which of that crew will be on hand this week, but we can guarantee that you will not need a flashlight to see how spectacularly rad this gig will be. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

The Summer Concert Series at Pershing Square continues with yet another classic band you will immediately recognize for that song you have heard 1,001 times (at least). Don’t be surprised when the familiar strains of America’s “Horse With No Name” fill the park on Saturday, Aug. 15.

The band that, ironically enough, was formed in London will pass through Los Angeles with no less than two of the three founding members. While original bass player Dan Peek is no longer with us, you can bet that a resolute America will offer no compromises in their electrified folk rock musings. Arrive early to catch a few tunes from the Freddy Jones Band. At 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare.

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

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

Continued from previous page 5:30 p.m.: The Grand Parade is always a highlight of the celebration, and about 10,000 are expected to watch the procession.

Sunday Sessions Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8080 or grandparkla.org.

1-7 p.m.: Gallons upon gallons of deep house fill the park as this well-curated excuse to sprawl out on the lawn with your neighbors and listen to music issues forth its penultimate event of the year.

University of MMA Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

5 p.m.: Those guys who used to pick on you in high school have matriculated to a venue where physical violence is not only OK, it’s encouraged.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

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

Aug. 10: Christian Euman’s Drums and Symbols.

Aug. 11: Rebecca Kleinmann with the Jason McGuire Trio and the Danny Green Trio with Arun Luthra.

Aug. 12: Abraham Laboriel Group.

Aug. 13: Joshua White Trio.

Aug. 14: Jamire Williams Group.

Aug. 15: Alan Pasqua Group.

Aug. 16: Vinny Golia Septet. Finally, someone gets away from the trio thing.

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

Aug. 13, 8:30 p.m.: Davila 666’s bass player returns with Alex Davila Terror Y Amor.

Aug. 15, 8:30 p.m.: Deceptively named Ballet School is actually a Berlin-based synth pop band.

Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

Aug. 13, 8 p.m.: The Toadies co-headline a run of shows with fellow ’90s rockers Everclear. If you just said who?, they had that song where the guy warbles, “Do you want to die?”

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Aug. 14, 9 p.m.: George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic promise an evening of wholesome, family-oriented fun that in no way advocates madness, creative catharsis or the use of illicit substances.

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

Aug. 16, 10 p.m.: RT N the 44s are an all-American dose of fun.

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

Aug. 14: Ferry Corsten.

Aug. 15: Thomas Gold.

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

Aug. 10, 8 p.m.: Bear witness to another wave of pop as Of Monsters and Men drop their new album. You’ve probably heard them on a bubbly radio station.

Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m.: The indecipherable limit between authenticity and publicity blurs again as “the prince of Americana” Jackie Greene stops by.

Grand Performances California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 687-2190 or grandperformances.org.

Aug. 14, 8 p.m.: The Classical Remix series kicks off with help from Mark de Clive-Lowe.

Aug. 15, 8 p.m.: Pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and electronica maestro Daedelus take the reins for night two of the Classical Remix.

Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare.

Aug. 12, Noon: RamFunkshus is a funk cover band.

Aug. 13, 8 p.m.: Telemundo darlings Tiempo Libre have three Grammy nods to their name. How many do you have?

Aug, 15, 8 p.m.: America will be playing in the epicenter of the very country that L.A. sycophant Carey McWilliams described as “erupting, like lava from a volcano.”

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

Aug. 10: Rubber.

Aug. 11: Karina Toriz, Ellex Bree and Aaron Jones.

Aug. 12: Oranges From the President and No Better.

Aug. 13: Rivermaker, Seahorses Forever, Horscha on the Moon

Regent China Inn Authentic Chinese Cuisine in Chinatown

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14 Downtown News

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ar photography usually brings to mind shots of injured or haggard soldiers, or maybe blown-out terrain and buildings. The Japanese American National Museum exhibit Before They Were Heroes: Sus Ito’s World War II Images goes in a different direction.

It features photographs by the now 96-year-old Ito, who took thousands of pictures of his fellow soldiers in the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, which was part of the all-Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, during the war. The images portray the everyday lives of soldiers during their downtime, including visiting tourist destinations. It runs through Sept. 6.

At 100 N. Central Ave., (213) 625-0414 or janm.org.

August 10, 2015 and DJ Scrapps McGee. Aug. 14: The Stitches, The No Talents, Bloodline and Chemicals.

Aug. 15: Gutterlife and Appalooza.

Aug. 16: Eliza Battle and Mercy Music.

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

Aug. 15: Embrace your favorite pop music feud via mashup at Bootie LA’s Taylor vs. Katy night.

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

Aug. 11: The Makers may not practice Santeria, nor do they have a crystal ball, but they play improvised jazz and hang out on the roof and that is all.

Teragram Ballroom 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

Aug. 11, 8 p.m.: It’s going to get downright heavy with Power Trip.

Aug. 13, 8 p.m.: Brooding ambient from Tim Hecker.

Aug. 16, 8 p.m.: Think of Boogaloo Assassins as the logical

Downtown News 15

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM heirs to the Eastside Sound.

FILM Ace Hotel 929 S. Broadway, (213) 623-3233 or acehotel.com/dtla.

Aug. 13, 9 p.m. and Aug. 15, 12:45 p.m.: Besides having a blinding glimpse of the obvious for a title, We Are Made of Blood is also a “modern day skate epic.”

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

Aug. 10-12: Dragonball Z Resurrection ‘F’ will not suffer for lack of attendance despite its ill-conceived title.

Aug. 10-13: We’re dealing in alt-buddy comedies now as Lawrence & Holloman take the screen.

Grand Park 200 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8080 or grandparkla.org.

Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m.: The intermingling of former gang members

with policemen in an attempt to bring peace to Los Angeles shines the light of scrutiny on urban culture in License to Operate.

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

Galapagos 3D. If it was good enough to blow Charles Darwin’s mind, it’s probably good enough for you!

Forces of Nature promises a panoply of nature’s worst destruction.

Experience the gripping story full of hope, crushing disappointment and triumph in Hubble 3D. Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare.

Aug. 14, Sunset: Long live talking raccoons, tree creatures and epic mix tapes in Guardians of the Galaxy.

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

See website for schedule.

The Regent

448 S. Main St. or theregenttheater.com.

Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m.: Pop in during Art Walk for a glimpse at some curious family dynamics in God Bless the Child.

Street Food Cinema Exposition Park or streetfoodcinema.com.

Aug. 15, Sunset: The creeps will be rolling down to Expo Park where strong men also cry at the thought of catching The Big Lebowski on an outdoor screen. No Eagles!

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Bent Music Center Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-0777 or musiccenter.org.

Aug. 12-15, 8 p.m., Aug. 16, 1 and 6:30 p.m.: Get another view of Nazi Germany in Martin Sherman’s Bent. The play, which premiered on Broadway in 1979, tells the story of two gay men who were persecuted in 1930s Germany. This is the show’s first Continued on next page

With this coupon. Offer Expires 8/31/15

213-228-8999 | farmerboysla.com | 726 Alameda St. (Bay & Alameda) | Open 24/7

Live on Stage “Performed in English”

SAMURAI PLAY Friday, 8/28: 8pm Saturday, 8/29: 8pm Sunday, 8/30: 2pm Aratani Theatre at JACCC 244 S. San Pedro St. L.A., CA 90012

S W O H S E FRE K E E W S I H T

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Masterpieces from the classical repertoire will be performed by Colburn School Alumni before getting a 21st century treatment Friday, Aug 14 @ 8pm CLASSICAL REMIX FEAT. MARK DE CLIVE-LOWE w/Gina Luciani, Charissa Barger, Zachary Dellinger & Benjamin Lash Saturday, Aug 15 @ 8pm CLASSICAL REMIX FEAT. DAEDELUS | ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ w/Ray Ushikubo Little Tokyo Business Association & Burai Productions Presents:

For the entire summer line-up, visit

GRANDPERFORMANCES.ORG

hryn Maese eff Favre, Greg Fischer

n 16 Downtown News Yumi Kanegawa

circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

s Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved. The Los Angeles Downtown News is the wn Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

Continued from previous page major revival in 36 years. Through Aug. 23. See review, p. 11.

Bob Baker’s Musical World Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 2509995 or bobbakermarionettes.com.

Aug. 15-16, 2:30 p.m.: Puppets playing music. How is this different than, say, any band you hear on modern rock radio? Bob Baker’s puppets are non-sentient creatures, that’s how!

REDCAT New Original Works Festival REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

Aug. 14-16: The final weekend of NOW features work from Cassandra, Takao Kawaguchi, Jonathan Hall, Deanna Erdmann

and Kevin Williamson.

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

Aug. 11, 9 p.m.: Every Tuesday this irreverent stand-up comedy cavalcade takes up residence at the Downtown Independent.

CLASSICAL MUSIC Friday, August 14 Imaestri Voice Orchestra Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 972-

GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie

sENior writEr: Eddie Kim

stAFF writEr: Heidi Kulicke

coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese

coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer Art dirEctor: Brian Allison

AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway

AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens

sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon

distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles

distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

twitter: DowntownNews ©2015 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.

CROSSWORD Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie sENior writEr: Eddie Kim stAFF writEr: Heidi Kulicke coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com email: realpeople@downtownnews.com

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt

facebook: L.A. Downtown News

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twitter: DowntownNews

circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

gardie

ke hryn Maese eff Favre, Greg Fischer

n Yumi Kanegawa

Saturday, August 15 LA Symphony Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 9727211 or musiccenter.org.

8 p.m.: In case you’re extra into the 70th anniversary of Korean independence, today’s orchestral performance featuring Maestro Hyun Sang Joo will swell your chest with pride.

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris

Laris Eastin

7211 or musiccenter.org.

7:30 p.m.: South Korea’s Imaestri Voice Orchestra celebrates their country’s victory over Japan.

©2015 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.

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

s Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved. The Los Angeles Downtown News is the wn Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

August 10, 2015

MUSEUMS El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument 124 Paseo de la Plaza, (213) 485-8372 or elpueblo.lacity.org.

Ongoing: The whole of El Pueblo is called a “monument,” and of this monument’s 27 historic buildings, four function as museums: the Avila Adobe, the city’s oldest house; the Sepulveda House, home to exhibits and the monument’s Visitors Center; the Fire House Museum, which houses late 19th-century fire-fighting equipment; and the Masonic Hall, which boasts Masonic memorabilia. Check its website for a full slate of fiestas, including Cinco de Mayo, Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in November and December’s beautiful candlelight procession, Las Posadas. Open daily, though hours at shops and halls vary.

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

Through 2015: Leadbelly: A Musical Legacy tracks the career of famous bluesman Huddie William Ledbetter.

Through Winter 2015: The 75th anniversary of the illustrious jazz label gets the museum treatment with Blue Note: The Finest in Jazz.

Through Fall 2015: Shake off your expectations and dive right in to everyone’s favorite pop country icon in The Taylor Swift Experience.

Ongoing: 360 Sound: The Columbia Records Story provides an in-depth look at all aspects of Columbia Records’ history and offers a virtual history of the music industry from its infancy, tracing Columbia’s pivotal technological as well as business innovations, including its invention of the LP. Ongoing: Featuring copious memorabilia including drum kits and a cape, Ringo: Peace & Love is the first major exhibit to be

August 10, 2015 dedicated to a drummer at the museum.

Ongoing: White sequined gloves and other wardrobe pieces are the focal point of the new exhibit case paying tribute to the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. This special display serves as a follow-up to the Museum’s past exhibitions, Michael Jackson: HIStyle and Michael Jackson: A Musical Legacy. Housed on the Museum’s third floor, the launch of the new exhibit coincided with the second anniversary of Jackson’s death.

Ongoing: Roland Live is a permanent installation courtesy of the electronic musical instrument maker, Roland Corporation. The exhibit gives visitors a chance to participate in the music-making process by playing a wide variety of Roland products, from V-Drums and BOSS pedals to VIMA keyboards and the MV-8800 Production Studio.

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes 501 N. Main St., (888) 488-8083 or lapca.org.

Current: Los Angeles’ first Mexican American cultural center’s inaugural exhibition, LA Starts Here!, reveals the essential role of Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the founding and shaping of Los Angeles’ history and culture—a multicultural project from the very beginning.

Ongoing: Calle Principal invites visitors of all ages to explore the Mexican American community of downtown Los Angeles during the 1920s. Located on the second floor of the historic Plaza House, Calle Principal is an evocative re-creation of 1920s-era Main Street, at the time the heart of Los Angeles’s growing immigrant community. Featuring a variety of vignettes—a grocery store, portrait studio, clothing store, phonograph and record store, pharmacy, and more—it offers visitors a hands-on investigation of daily life during that period, encouraging them to make connections between the past and the present.

Museum of Contemporary Art, Grand Avenue 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2766 or moca.org.

Through Aug. 16: Inspired by the setting and lyrics of Kendrick Lamar’s opus Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City, Khalil Joseph: Double Conscience explores Los Angeles with a dual screen narrative.

Ongoing: Installed chronologically, this selection of some of the most significant works from the museum’s permanent collection introduces major art movements of the 20th century, including abstract expressionism and pop art.

Permanent: Nancy Rubins’ cheekily and comprehensively titled “Chas’ Stainless Steel, Mark Thompson’s Airplane Parts, About 1000 Pounds of Stainless Steel Wire, Gagosian’s Beverly Hills Space, at MOCA (2001-2002)” is a monumental sculpture made out of parts of an airplane.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763–3466 or nhm.org.

Through September 2015: Grandes Maestros highlights art from 22 Latin American countries and illuminates a larger cultural relationship between old world and new.

Ongoing: “Age of Mammals” tells an epic evolutionary story that spans 65 million years. But its theme can be distilled into just six words: Continents move. Climates change. Mammals evolve.

Ongoing: From sleepy Spanish outpost to American metropolis, the ideas, resources and people that helped to fashion our dear city come into clear focus in Becoming Los Angeles.

Ongoing: The spectacular Humboldt fin whale specimen, “Finwhale Passage,” features the 63-foot-long specimen, which weighs more than 7,000 pounds and has been re-articulated to create a more realistic impression of the living animal. An intriguing sound installation and interactive visitor components will accompany the display, which is one of the best and most complete large-whale articulations in the world.

Ongoing: The “Dino Lab” is a working paleontological lab, wherein museum preparators will work on a several dinosaur and other fossil creature skeletons for future display at the museum. For a true behind-the-scenes experience, come witness the exciting dinosaur preparation process in the Level 2 Dino Lab. Sneak a peek at real fossils and see the NHM staff working on the day-to-day details. Everything you see in the lab is real.

Wells Fargo History Museum 333 S. Grand Ave., (213) 253-7166 or wellsfargohistory.com.

Ongoing: Take in an Old West exhibit including a faux 19th-century Wells Fargo office, a real-life Concord stagecoach that once traversed windy southern Kentucky roads and a gold nugget weighing in at a shocking two pounds.

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.

Downtown News 17

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18 Downtown News

August 10, 2015

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The Mayan Belasco Theatre

7+Bridge Cartifact

HILL ST

FW

Molino Lofts

At Mateo

A ED

RA NT

OR

ST

AM

CE

ST

RB

AL

RO

PED

SPRING ST

HA

SAN

LOS ANGELES ST

SPRING ST

SOUTH PARK

CT

Gilbert Lindsay Plaza

South Exhibit Hall

O

Luxe City Center

VD PICO BL

PICO UNION

United Artists Theatre

Staples Center Arena

West Exhibit Hall

BROADWAY

CHIC

Orpheum Theater

OLYMPIC BLVD

Nokia Plaza

RN EA KH

BROADWAY

11TH ST

12TH ST

HILL ST

West Garage

Nokia Theatre

N

Barker Block

7TH ST

9TH ST

Figueroa Hotel

Regal Cineplex

110

Stillwell Hotel

OLIVE ST

Ralphs

LI

Stay Hotel

8TH ST FIDM Annex

Grand Hope FIDM Park

JW Marriott L.A. Live & Ritz Carlton

LAPD Central Division

Midnight Mission

LAAC 7TH ST

GRAND AVE

Ritz Milner O Hotel

M

O

SEAFOOD DISTRICT

CENTRAL CITY EAST

JEWELRY DISTRICT

4TH ST

5TH ST

Union Rescue Mission

6TH ST

HOPE ST

OLY

HISTORIC CORE

Sheraton Hotel

FLOWER ST

FIGUEROA ST

FRANCISCO ST

E ND AV

GARLA

LVD

B WOOD

VD MPIC BL

OLIVE ST

Verizon

AVE LUCAS Garland Building

LA Mission

Mercantile Arcade

The Bloc

777

4TH ST Downtown Women’s Center

New LATC

Pershing Square

7TH ST / METRO

725

Museum of Neon Art

5TH ST

Biltmore Hotel

Metrorail Maintenance

ARTS DISTRICT

Little Tokyo Market Place & Woori Market

3RD ST

TOY DISTRICT

One Santa Fe

Sci-Arc

Art Share 4TH PL

Aratani Theater Jaccc

OLD BANK DISTRICT & GALLERY ROW

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

FIGAT7TH

ST D 2N TRACTION AVE

Noguchi Plaza

PERSHING SQUARE STATION

Gas Co Tower

FUTURE KOREAN AIR CENTER STATION 1000 WILSHIRE GRAND Wilshire

VD IRE BL

Loyola Law School

California Plaza

WILSHIRE BLVD

WILSH

M JAMES

US Bank Tower

Citigroup Center

Figueroa At Wilshire

Grand Central Market

CBRE

YMCA

City National Jonathan Plaza Calif. Club Club The Standard

Good Samaritan Hospital

Water Angels Court Flight

Bradbury Bldg Ronald Reagan Biddy State Mason Bldg Park

4TH ST

Maguire L.A. Central Library Gdns

CITY WEST

7TH ST

Westin Bonaventure Hotel

Union Bank Plaza

Wells Fargo Center

GRAND AVE

Los Angeles Center Studios

HOPE ST

BEAUDRY AVE

Miguel Contreras Learning Complex

Chamber of Commerce T 4TH S

The L.A. Hotel Downtown

FLOWER ST

T 3RD S

BA Plaza

3RD ST

Japanese Village Plaza

2ND ST

Little Vibiana Tokyo Library

Downtown Independent Theater

ST 1ST

5

Colburn School of Perf. Arts MOCA Omni 3RD ST TUNNEL Hotel

LAUSD HQ

LITTLE TOKYO

Caltrans HQ Doubletree

by Hilton

Lapd HQ

2ND ST

CROWN HILL

Japanese American National Museum

3R D

Los Angeles Times

GELE

ST

BUNKER HILL

Union Center for the Arts

City Hall South

1ST ST

Walt Disney Concert Hall & Redcat

LITTLE TOKYO/ ARTS DISTRICT STATION

Geffen Contemporary @ MOCA

Parker Center

ST

L. A. County Courthouse

LOS AN

FWY HARBOR

2ND

CIVIC CENTER STATION

Music Center FIGUEROA ST

Shakespeare LA

Los Angeles City Hall

E AV

1ST ST

L.A. Downtown News

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

City Hall East

CIVIC CENTER

Grand Park

Emergency Operations Center

FE

Vista Hermosa Park

Dept. of Water & Power

Dept. of Building & Safety

Hall of Criminal Records Courthouse

TA

Edward R. Roybal Learning Center

Mark Taper Forum

Federal Bldg Roybal Federal Bldg

Los Angeles Mall

ST

N SA

110

TEMPLE

Hall of Administration

ALISO PICO DISTRICT

H

Ahmanson Theater

SANTE E ST

TEMPLE BEAUDRY

Federal Courthouse

4T

Cathedral of Our Lady of The Angels

UNIVERSITY EXPO PARK WEST

10

History Jesse Museum Brewer Park

Exposition Park Memorial Coliseum

L.A. Sports Arena LK

M

N BLVD INGTO WASH

SAN PEDRO STATION

VD BL

August 10, 2015

DT

CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL lofts for sale

TheLoftExpertGroup.com Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper

213.598.7555 Homes for sale Near Downtown area living with privacy of your own home.

3br. 2.5 ba. 1680 sf of living space, built in 2008. Asking only $669,000. Agt. Paxton 626-2013464.

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Newly renovated • Brand new bathroom, kitchen • Hardwood floor • Newly painted • Located in Downtown LA Asking rent is $ 1,950.00/month

Call 213.327.0105

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.

AUTOS & RECREATIONAL Pre-oWned

DoWNtoWN l.a. aUto groUp

The Torah School at Temple Beth Israel Open enrOLLmenT temple Beth israel of highland Park and eagle rock (tBi), home to lA’s oldest continuous saturday morning minyan, announces open enrollment for the torah school at tBi, under the leadership of Rabbi and Education Director Arielle Hanien. learn more. Attend ‘tBi torah school Open house and BBQ’ on

Sunday, August 30 from 2:00pm - 5:00pm.

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Holiday Parties Catering

Have a great party space? Do you cater?

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Special section publishes:

September 7, 2015

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20 Downtown News

August 10, 2015

Nisei week, 10

How many Japanese potstickers can you eat in 10 minutes?

Last year, Joey Chestnut scarfed down 384. He’ll attempt to hold on to his title at the World Gyoza Eating Championship on Aug. 22 at 2 p.m.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency Call Now Fo is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one r bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room Move-In Spec with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and ial slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses s ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.

E

at xci Gr ti A 255 South Grand Avenue an ng sk A dT ow Ne bou Leasing Information er w t O Co 213 229 9777 m Re ur ing n Su ova Apartment Amenities: Community Amenities: m m tio ~ Refrigerator, Stove, ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby er Microwave & Dishwasher ~ Concierge 20 n 15 (most units) ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas

Grand Tower

~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)

On-site: ~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants

Promenade Towers 123 South Figueroa Street Leasing Information 213 617 3777 Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Spa / BBQ Grills ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking

Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Solariums and/or Balconies

On-Site: ~ Convenience Store / Beauty Salon

museum Tower 225 South Olive Street Leasing Information 213 626 1500 Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units) ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)

8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6

TOWERS T H E

A PA RT M E N T S

www.TowersApartmentsLA.com MAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKING

RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM

photo courtesy Joey Chestnut

our culture and arts in a city as diverse as Los Angeles,” Ota said. “It’s not always so easy to communicate with words, but when we celebrate and share what we have with the community, we build a bridge that brings us all together.”

At the heart of Nisei Week is a celebration of family both past and present, Hara added. Everyone has a story, and the story of the nisei is one of hard work and perseverance in the face of discrimination and challenges, he said.

It’s a story he hopes will be told for many generations to come.

Nisei Week runs Aug. 15-23 in Little Tokyo. A full schedule is at niseiweek.org. heidi@downtownnews.com

Five Nisei Week Highlights Rubik’s Cube OpeN

Saturday, Aug. 15, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

JACCC Plaza Nisei Week kicks off with a competition for those with serious puzzle skills. Getting the same color on six sides of a cube can’t be that hard, can it?

CaR sHOW

Saturday, Aug. 15, noon-6:30 p.m.

101 Judge John Aiso St. Check out some impressive imported autos that are gunning for trophies and cash prizes. Admission is $12.

bOOk FaiR

Aug. 15-16, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

JACCC Panel discussions and book signings with Japanese American authors, including mystery novelist Naomi Hirahara.

JapaNese Festival

Saturday, Aug. 15 and 22, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 16 and 23, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

JACCC plaza Activities include taiko drumming, martial arts demonstrations, traditional Japanese dance, musical performances, children’s activities and of course, food vendors.

Dai DeNGaku/ONDO stReet DaNCe aND ClOsiNG CeReMONY

Sunday, Aug. 23, 4 p.m.

First Street Japanese dance group Dai Dengaku will perform during the closing ceremony on First Street. Viewers are invited to learn the dance the day before at 1 p.m. and join in the performance. Contact the Japan Foundation for more information at jflainfo@jflalc.org.