08-18-14

An Interview With a Police Horse : 5 | A Look at Downtown Healthcare : 10 | The Can’t Miss Acts at the FYF Fest : 15

AUGUST 18, 2014 I VOL. 43 I #33

Downtown Housing Design Doldrums Why Do So Many Buildings Look So Underwhelming?

It Has To Do With Wood SEE PAGE 8

photo by Gary Leonard

John Sedlar in the kitchen of his South Park restaurant Rivera.

Watch City Living on DTTV New Episodes Every Monday @ 9am on DowntownNews.com

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AROUND TOWN

Three-Block Slip-and-Slide Coming to Olive Street

A

nyone in Downtown feeling really hot on Sept. 27 will have a unique way to cool down: They can take a ride on a giant slip-andslide. An event called Slide the City will occur that day, with organizers setting up a long vinyl slide along Olive between Third and Sixth streets. According to the Slide the City website, the course is “1,000 feet of soapy vinyl.”

The company describes it as “a family friendly slip-and-slide water party event. There will be live music, food, drinks, water, and of course the biggest slip and slide ever to hit asphalt.”

Prices will be $15 for one ride and $25 for three slides. Those who pay $35 get unlimited access.

There is also a $45 VIP ticket. The website says riders must be at least four feet tall and can wear whatever they want, except for jeans with rivets.

Please, don’t rip the slide.

Part of Second Street to Close For a Month for Regional Connector Work

W

ith a $1.42 billion Downtown transportation project, you might imagine local transit will improve. First, though, you should expect delays. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority continues to do the preliminary work for the 1.9-mile Regional Connec-

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS tor that will connect area rail lines and create three new Downtown stations. The goal is to streamline travel through Los Angeles County, but first, the backups. For four weeks beginning Saturday, Aug. 23, Second Street between Spring Street and Broadway (the rear of the Los Angeles Times building) will be closed all day, every day, likely hampering commutes to the Civic Center and Little Tokyo. Westbound and eastbound drivers will be detoured through Main and Hill streets, respectively. Closures also began on Thursday, Aug. 13, in Little Tokyo: First Street from Alameda to Hewitt streets will shutter from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekends through Aug. 28. The current work involves moving utilities, in anticipation of the tunnel boring that will begin in the third quarter of 2015. The latest information on the mammoth project is at metro.net/ regionalconnector.

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

Pershing Square Gets WiFi

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ood news for those who want to be able to watch online cat videos or make changes to their fantasy football team lineup when having an outdoor lunch in the park: Pershing Square now offers free WiFi, thanks to upgrades from the city Department of Recreation and Parks. Pershing Square is one of six city parks, including Echo Park Lake and Griffith Observatory, to get the free service. Rec and Parks partnered with visitor guide publisher American Park Network and Toyota, which funded the entire upgrade program. It is part of an effort to encourage more people to spend time in parks, according to American Park Network. Meanwhile, the city is still looking at ways to fund, install and operate a free citywide

Why does this little burger stand attract over a million people a year?

August 18, 2014

City Hall

Kickoff of Tall Ships Festival

Amy Wakeland

WiFi system. The city began surveying residents and reaching out to Internet providers and experts earlier this year.

Downtown Eateries Snag Bon Appétit Nominations

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ast year, chef Ari Taymor’s modernist restaurant Alma, near Broadway and Olympic Boulevard, won Bon Appétit magazine’s Best New Restaurant in America award. Downtown has a chance at a repeat in 2014, as the Central City destinations Grand Central Market, Orsa

Commercial Office Space for Lease

August 8, 2014

& Winston and sushi joint Q are on the list of 50 national eateries nominated last week for the coveted prize. Restaurant and Drinks Editor Andrew Knowlton praised Grand Central Market as a “one-stop culinary snapshot” of L.A. that is mixing old (Sarita’s Pupuseria) with new (Wexler’s Deli) to great effect. Chef Josef Centeno, meanwhile, “exceeds expectations” at Orsa & Winston with precise plates of delicious food, Knowlton noted. Q, he said, is a “zone of seafood meditation” full of pristine examples of Edo-style sushi. The national winner will be announced Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Continued on page 14

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EDITORIALS

August 18, 2014

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

The Power and Reach of Little Tokyo

O

ver the past two weekends, Little Tokyo was a hub of activity, with thousands of people swarming the community. The visitors took in cultural and martial arts performances and enjoyed colorful festivals. Many sampled the cuisine in the district and some danced in the streets. A large number of people checked out a parade. Another crowd watched a gyoza-eating competition.

The attraction, of course, was Nisei Week, the annual celebration founded eight decades ago by area stakeholders as a way to show off and boost business in Little Tokyo. It has long been one of Downtown Los Angeles’ most beloved summer events, and even in the years before the residential revolution, when it could be difficult to lure people here on the weekends, large crowds always showed up for the Grand Parade and other festivities.

The crowds still come, but these days their makeup is different than in years past. While Little Tokyo remains a regional center for those of Japanese descent, with historic businesses on First and Second streets, the community’s shifting demographics (which reflect the overall growth in Downtown) make it a place for non-Japanese as well.

This isn’t seen just during Nisei Week in the crowds watching the parade and the gyoza-eating contest, or checking out the streamers on display in the Tanabata Festival. For years, new businesses and some stalwart area institutions have been recognizing the opportunities that come from expanding beyond the traditional base.

A case in point is the Japanese American National Museum, which has been a cultural anchor in the community for decades. The museum continues to serve its traditional audience with displays focused on the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Yet, more and more the museum is reaching for a broader base of patrons. Closing next month are two shows that might surprise many people: Dodgers: Brotherhood of the Game, about the baseball team and its history of breaking racial and ethnic barriers, and Perseverance: Japanese Tattoo Tradition in a Modern World, which explores the history and prevalence of Asian tattoos, including the many non-Asians who these days are coloring their bodies with traditional Japanese designs and letters.

The growth of the non-Japanese community in Little Tokyo is primed to continue. Opening soon is Ava Little Tokyo, an apartment complex at 236 S. Los Angeles St. that will create a total of 280 apartments (in two phases). It is immediately east of another housing project, Sares-Regis Little Tokyo, that will deliver 240 rental units.

Is Little Tokyo losing something as new businesses and housing complexes that cater to a broader audience arrive? Perhaps. However, we think whatever is lost is more than made up for, in part by the continued leadership of longtime community players, and in part by the current offerings. One need only look at Nisei Week or the programming at JANM: People who may have never considered visiting Little Tokyo are now coming here. Once they arrive, they begin to see what for decades has made the community special.

Find Middle Ground in Arts District Project Divide

I

t’s not surprising when a large proposed project engenders opposition from people living in a community. Sometimes it’s NIMBYism, with residents not wanting to suffer through years of construction and then, when the work is done, having to deal with increased noise and traffic. Other times those who live and work in a neighborhood recoil at the design of the coming project, or fear that a developer is more interested in dollars than the health and future of the community.

All of those concerns and more come into play in the debate over a project proposed for 950 E. Third St. in the Arts District. The discussion, even when it’s heated, is not a bad thing, as the complex next to the Southern California Institute of Architecture would be the biggest residential development in the area, its 472 units eclipsing the 438 apartments in the soon-to-open One Santa Fe. A project this big deserves vigorous debate, and the development team should have to jump through hoops and prove that 950 E. Third St. will both fit with the neighborhood and be a good neighbor. The project would rise on a strategically located six-acre parcel, and considering that it will likely stand for decades, the city and the quickly growing community can’t afford to get things wrong.

That said, if done right the project can help the neighborhood, and those whose opposition is driven by the desire to avoid an inconvenience in the short and long term need to re-examine their stance.

The opening of One Santa Fe, and many other residential and other projects, proves that the Arts District has forever changed. To use a cliché, the genie is out of the bottle, and while it is right to demand that a project fits architecturally and contextually within its community, it is wrong in this instance to fight the development because of worries over future inhabitants. That’s something more appropriate for the suburbs, not Downtown Los Angeles.

We think a middle ground exists, though getting there will require that all parties give a bit more than they currently anticipate.

It is also in everyone’s interest to work together, because if the current plan falls apart, the next development proposed for the site could be worse.

To be sure, a number of things have been done right. The 950 E. Third St. team, which consists of Legendary Development and Associated Estates, has conducted multiple meetings with area stakeholders, and this community input has led to some changes in the

design. That’s more than we have seen from some developers on other projects.

Still, the current proposal is generating more opposition than a project commonly gets, and as Los Angeles Downtown News reported last week, more than 60 letters of opposition have been filed with the City Planning Department. Some addressed a design that neighbors say doesn’t fit with the area, and others complained about a lack of green space. One architect charged that public presentations have been vague.

It is impossible to tell how much of the opposition is driven by actual design concerns that could be alleviated, and how much is an attempt to prevent another mammoth development. That makes things difficult for the developer, but still, steps can be taken.

We think the development team needs to go above and beyond what is required by law and code and come up with a design and ancillary elements that make the project a net positive for the Arts District. A template might be One Santa Fe, which stands out for multiple reasons. The nearly quarter-mile long complex has an intriguing design by a prominent architect, and about 80 units will be set aside for affordable housing. The project contains a 5,000-square-foot space that will be utilized by local artists and nonprofit organizations.

Then there is the development’s large retail and restaurant area, including a grocery store.

The Legendary/Associated team can learn from what the One Santa Fe partners did right. Some designs and plans may have to be altered, and some new and original thinking might help — perhaps the developers can figure out how to engage area artists or include something like a dog park. Whatever the case, the onus now is on the development team to continue the outreach.

Those battling the project should understand that the land will ultimately get activated, and it is in their interest to work with a developer such as Legendary that has ties to the community. We have seen affluent developers armed with a team of attorneys steamroll neighbor opposition. We’d hate to see the current development team throw up its hands and sell to someone ready to adopt this roughshod tactic.

The debate and discussion over 950 E. Third St. should continue, but all sides should think about the end game. It’s worth making sure that whatever comes to the site is positive for the Arts District.

August 18, 2014

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

An Interview With the Horse That Almost Took Down the Chief Charlie Beck Got Another Five Years Atop the LAPD, And George the Horse Has Something to Say About It

THE REGARDIE REPORT Beck took about how he metes out discipline, his less-than-peachy relationship with the Police Commission that oversees the department, and a troubling Los Angeles Times investigation into the LAPD’s errant classification of assaults.

Then there was a curious hubbub involving Beck’s daughter Brandi Pearson. Pearson, an LAPD officer, sold a horse named George to the department for $6,000. While the price seems kosher, Beck initially denied knowledge of the sale. The Times then uncovered a document in which he signed off on the transaction.

The situation prompted me to visit George’s paddock and get his take. I found him surlier than I expected. Here’s what he had to say about the fracas, the chief and sugar cubes.

Note: This is made up. Most horses can’t talk.

DN: My bad. I was trying to start with a light touch.

GTH: My bad? Hey, 2002 just called. It’d like its phrase back. You wanna throw in a Baha Men “Who Let the Dogs Out?” reference to keep it company?

DN: I’m sorry. Let’s start again. How are you?

GTH: I’m sorry too. I’m really stressed. I just wanna hang out in a field, eat my sugar cubes, meet some mares and do my job. Then suddenly I’m being sold to the LAPD and everyone’s asking questions and the media’s all up in my stable like I’m Justin Bieber.

DN: Take me back. What was life like before everyone knew about George the Horse?

GTH: It was good. I had this sweet owner, Brandi. For years I didn’t even know she was the chief’s daughter. We’d saddle up, go on rides, have some sugar cubes.

DN: How did you learn about her dad?

GTH: One day she came to the stables with this guy in police blues who looked like Tom Sell-

photo by Gary Leonard

eck. I was excited because I loved “Magnum P.I.” When he came up to stroke my nose I saw that his badge said “Chief.” She called him “Dad” and I put everything together.

DN: Because you’ve got horse sense?

GTH: C’mon! What’s with you?

DN: You’re right. I can’t help myself. What do you think about being sold?

GTH: I’m disappointed in the price. I mean, $6,000? I’m a 10-year-old stallion, in my prime, and I’ve got the temperament and

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Los Angeles Downtown News: It seems like it’s been a hectic week. Why the long face?

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By Jon Regardie ast week, the Police Commission gave LAPD Chief Charlie Beck another five-year term. Beck, who has been strongly supported by Mayor Eric Garcetti, will run the big blue show through 2019.

The confirmation wasn’t a surprise, though things got bumpier in the late stages than many expected. That’s because of some flack

George the Horse, who was sold by Police Chief Charlie Beck’s daughter Brandi Pearson for $6,000, will join the LAPD’s Mounted Unit.

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6 Downtown News

August 18, 2014

Alamo Drafthouse Coming to The Bloc on Seventh Street Nine-Screen Movie Theater to Open in Late 2015

By Jon Regardie he renovated Seventh Street shopping, office and hotel complex The Bloc won’t open for more than a year. However, it already has one of Downtown Los Angeles’ most anticipated future destinations: an Alamo Drafthouse.

Executives with Austin, Texas-based Alamo and The Bloc owner The Ratkovich Company last week announced plans to open a theater in the Seventh Street complex. The Drafthouse, which will be in the southwest corner of The Bloc next to the third floor of the Macy’s department store, will have nine screens and approximately 800 seats.

It is expected to open in late 2015.

Founded in 1997 as a single-screen endeavor by Tim and Karrie League, Alamo is known for movie houses that host a mix of first run, independent, foreign and revival films. Alamo theaters let people order food and beer from their seats.

“We’ve been eyeing Los Angeles for many years now,” said Tim League, who is CEO of the 19-location company that operates primarily in Texas, but also has theaters in Michigan, Missouri and Colorado. “With The Bloc, we finally found the perfect location and partner to bring our brand of cinema to the birthplace of the industry.”

The Downtown Alamo Drafthouse will be equipped with digital projection capabilities, and theaters will be able to screen 3D or 35 millimeter prints. According to a prepared state-

T

ment, the project will include “locally inspired and sourced food and drink.” It will also have a craft beer bar with California beers.

Visitors to the Downtown location will get four hours of validated parking at The Bloc. The theater will offer a free bicycle valet.

Customers at the Downtown Drafthouse will have to adhere to the chain’s strict policy against talking or texting during screenings.

On the Alamo website, Tim League said, “If you talk or text, you will receive one warning. If it happens again, you will be kicked out without a refund.”

First Arrival The announcement of the Alamo Drafthouse is expected to be the first in a series of prominent additions to The Bloc, which developer Wayne Ratkovich purchased from Jamison Properties in 2012. The complex bounded by Seventh, Eighth, Hope and Flower streets is in the midst of a $180 million renovation. Plans call for creating an open-air complex on the street level, with the towering, unfriendly brick walls being replaced by windows and dining terraces. There will be a new lineup of shops and restaurants, and the project’s Sheraton hotel is receiving a $40 million upgrade.

Ratkovich drew ties between the movie theater chain and the ongoing work at The Bloc.

“Alamo Drafthouse has reinvigorated the movie-watching experience, much the way we intend to reimagine the traditional retail and entertainment experience and enliven the Seventh Street corridor with The Bloc,” he said in

The Austin, Texasbased chain Alamo Drafthouse will open a movie house on the third floor of The Bloc.

The Financial District shopping, office and hotel complex is in the midst of a $180 million renovation.

image by The Ratkovich Company

a prepared statement. “We want Angelenos to come to The Bloc for distinctive, curated experiences and Alamo Drafthouse provides just that.”

The Drafthouse will be the second major movie complex in Downtown Los Angeles, following the 14-screen Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live. That venue has a large theater, known as the “premiere house,” that with 806 seats rivals the capacity of the entire Alamo project. The slate of 14 theaters has a total of 3,782 seats.

Also operating in the Central City is the Downtown Independent on Main Street. Additionally, the community has a number of outdoor screening series, including free summer programs at Pershing Square and Grand Park.

Preservationist organization the Los Angeles Conservancy runs the Last Remaining Seats, a late-spring series of classic films in old Broadway movies palaces such as the Los Angeles and Orpheum theaters.

It is not the first time Alamo has kicked the tires in Downtown. In April 2013, Los Angeles Downtown News reported that plans were in the works to bring an eight-screen, 30,000-square-foot Alamo Drafthouse to the proposed second phase of the Medallion project at Fourth and Main streets in the Historic Core. Although a letter of intent was signed, that plan never moved forward. regardie@downtownnews.com

August 18, 2014

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August 18, 2014

Why Are So Many of Downtown’s New Housing Complexes So ‘Ugly’?

Architects and Others Complain About a Uniform Look Driven by Price.

There Are Solutions, Though They Take Work

By Eddie Kim rank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. Claud Beelman’s Eastern Columbia Building. Henry Cobb’s Library Tower. George Wyman’s Bradbury Building. These are some of Downtown’s architectural gems, and though they vary in height and impact on the skyline, they will continue to impress locals and visitors for decades to come.

Not every building can be a landmark, of course, but as Downtown Los Angeles is in the midst of a development boom that will see numerous parking lots replaced by residential and other projects, one of the most frequently asked questions is, why is the crush of mid-rise residential buildings so unspectacular?

Some observers call the just-opened or in-the-pipeline apartment and condominium complexes “generic,” while others use “ugly” or more colorful phrases. While the outcry varies in volume, the message is uniform: Downtown is squandering a chance to be beautiful.

Plenty of factors are at work, say toplevel architects and others engaged in the civic scheme. Sometimes it is about saving money. The city’s convoluted permitting process also is a factor.

The biggest challenge is that many mid-rise structures essentially follow the same design format: There’s a main box built with wood (known as “Type V” construction) and finished with stucco. Although this has been true for years, the 2014 decorative scheme generally tinkers with a mélange of balconies, window openings, facade articulations (including large frame-like protrusions) and details on the “skin,” such as wood accents or metallic touches. The results can be seen in communities including Little Tokyo, Chinatown and South Park.

Some say the trend is creating a homogeneous look that will damage the aesthetic environment of Downtown. SCI-Arc Director Eric Owen Moss, who also has an eponymous architecture firm in Culver City, pulls no punches in his critiques, saying that the skin-deep approach “debases the pursuit of design.”

“It trivializes architecture and planning and makes the art of creating buildings all about superficial decoration,” Moss said. “You’re clever if you paint something different or add a sunscreen. It’s pathetic, considering the amount of stuff being built.”

It is also a case where size matters, and building codes requiring structures taller than seven stories to use steel for their framing, which is far more expensive than wood, essentially means that projects can’t pencil out until they hit approximately 20 stories. Thus, many price-conscious developers build lower and add more units per floor. The majority of these projects are rentals.

Part of the problem is that while there are ways to create unique-looking woodframed buildings, for the most part Type

F

Why do so many wood-framed buildings look unspectacular?

Local architects point out that unlike taller buildings with steel frames, wood structures get their strength from solid exterior walls. That limits the amount of freedom to play with exterior designs.

photo by Gary Leonard

V projects are architecturally conservative, said Scott Johnson, a design partner at Johnson Fain.

“We could find a dozen Type V buildings in L.A. that are creatively designed.

But most of them aren’t,” Johnson said.

“Developers who are familiar with building these in suburbs are coming into Downtown, and I think people are justified in saying a six-story plaster building isn’t going to hold up aesthetically in a decade.”

Downtown stakeholders generally agree that new housing units are needed to push the neighborhood forward. Yet an approach to creating buildings merely as practical commodities can have downsides, said Will Wright, director of government and public affairs at the L.A. chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

“When there’s no character and sensitivity to the design impact of a building, it lowers standards of how people see the city and interact with it,” Wright said. “Bare basics and no aesthetic delight affect the emotional and psychological connection we have with a neighborhood.”

Sticks or Stones Common sense from an ecological point of view dictates that an urban core such as Downtown should be rife with high-rises, which can house a greater density of people.

Although some 20-story and taller buildings are under construction or in the pipeline, the current housing and lending markets are still frequently driving the market toward shorter buildings. Financing remains difficult to obtain, and more ex-

pensive projects lead to higher rents or sale prices, which are harder to market.

“I want ivory towers, but who are you gonna fill them with?” asked Rob Jernigan, managing principal at Gensler. “We need a diversity of product type, not only visually but from a cost perspective.”

Wood construction means huge savings on building materials compared to using concrete and steel. Yet the approach has a profound architectural impact beyond just size: Whereas concrete and steel provides the structural strength to work with glass facades and interesting exterior openings, wood buildings get their support from solid exterior walls, limiting the amount of freedom to play with exterior designs.

Are there ways to build more innovative Type V residential structures? Architects say yes, but it hinges on how much a development team is willing to spend beyond the basics.

SCI-Arc’s Moss is a proponent of building a variety of extra purposes, such as office, educational or commercial uses, into a residential complex. Doing so, he said, creates more life and “affects the form of a building” in terms of access, structural design and activation by passersby. He also champions pushing the possibilities of wood-framed buildings.

“If the wall curves or leans, that’s huge,” he said, giving one example. “You can take units away to have open holes, or lift a building up to open the bottom floor.

Maybe you use experimental materials, like fiberglass or alloys, on the outside. Maybe you have big indents pressing into the side

August 18, 2014 of a building, or overhanging spaces off the roof.

That’s breaking the tedium.”

Those decisions, of course, can drive the project price higher and the profitability lower than developers and financiers want. Take exterior surfaces: Whereas stucco runs about $8 a square foot, aluminum composite paneling would be closer to $35 a square foot, according to Simon Ha, managing partner at Tate Snyder Kimsey Architects. On a project with 200 or more units, picking a more exotic exterior treatment would add millions to the cost. Then there’s the fact that, unlike interior upgrades, exterior design doesn’t significantly raise the prices that a developer can fetch from renters.

“The sad truth of the matter is that curb appeal has limited value in terms of rent,” said Daniel Gehman, a principal at architecture firm Harley Ellis Devereaux.

So, when given the choice, Ha notes, developers tend to put their dollars toward interior amenities such as gyms and pool decks. They invest in premium exterior materials usually only for highly trafficked areas such as along ground-floor retail space.

Looking Ahead The trend of mid-rise, budget-oriented construction will likely wane as remaining empty land is snapped up and the current development cycle ends. Though it requires taking the long view, architects also say the buildings won’t be around forever: Wood-framed complexes usually aren’t built to last for more than a few decades, and many will one day be demolished to make way for new housing.

One upside of the mid-rise design trend is that most of the new Downtown buildings have a contemporary California feel and don’t pretend to be of a different era or city, Gen-

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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM sler’s Jernigan noted. But beyond aesthetics, he said, the priority should be to make buildings that engage the public and benefit a neighborhood.

“Green space, bicycling, open air, green roofs, more operable windows — we don’t deliver on this stuff enough,” Jernigan said. “We really need to push the street experience, too. This is a city where you can eat and play outdoors 12 months a year. That’s the character we need to promote.”

Another long-term change could come from the city’s ongoing streamlining of the antiquated zoning code. Making the entitlement process swifter and cheaper would leave more funds and time to give to an architect, AIA’s Wright said.

Ha also notes that things have changed in just a few years. In the past, few pushed hard on design details, as Downtown leaders primarily wanted a critical mass of residents. Now that mass is arriving, and aesthetics mean more.

“We’re pulling back and being more discerning now, and sending architects back to present more attractive projects in some areas,” said Ha, who is also the chairman of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council’s planning and land use committee.

Moss, like many, hopes for better design in the future, and theorizes that wide-scale change could be easier than some believe. If even a few developers and architects stretch to make a remarkable project, Moss said, the impact could be felt everywhere.

“If someone does something unusual, and then it sells and it works, others pay attention,” Moss said. “I’m optimistic that somebody will do something different.” eddie@downtownnews.com

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The Central City Crime Report A Rundown on Downtown Incidents, Trends and Criminal Oddities

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

I

Purloined Pot: Three men smashed the front glass door of a medical marijuana dispensary at 310 S. Wall St. between Aug. 9-10 and made off with $60,000 worth of the drug. A video surveillance camera showed the perpetrators all wore hoodies and jumped into a getaway vehicle following the incident.

Bottle Service Brouhaha: A woman who got into a fight with family members at the Belasco Theater, at 1050 S. Hill St., on Aug. 3, was hit in the head with a champagne bottle. The victim initially told police her cousin wielded the weapon during the 2 a.m. altercation, but then recanted. She suffered a cut to the head.

Beer Busted: A man who got angry when the open bar closed during a beer bust at Coles, at 118 E. Sixth St., lobbed two glasses at another man at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 9. There were no injuries, but the irate patron was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault.

A Dirty Dancer Divide: Two dancers at Deja Vu, at 710 E. Commercial St., got into an argument at 2:45 a.m. on Aug. 9 over a tip from a patron. One woman threw a candle at the other’s nose, causing a laceration. The victim was treated and released at a nearby hospital.

Restaurant Robbery: A man approached the cashier at The Original Pantry Café, at 877 S. Figueroa St., on Aug. 7 at 4 a.m. He said he had a gun and ordered the cashier to empty the register. Another person told the man to leave, which he did. The suspect was arrested outside the restaurant.

Broadway Blues: A man yelled to a woman walking on Broadway near Venice Boulevard at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 that he wanted some money. The woman said she didn’t have any and the man punched her in the face. She fell to the ground and the man stole the Nike sneakers from her feet.

Sneak Attack: A man carrying groceries at Seventh and Main streets on Aug. 4 was grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground. The assailant ripped the man’s lanyard from his neck during the 9:30 a.m. attack and stole his money, bank card and Metro pass.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

10 Downtown News

August 18, 2014

Not Just Another Hospital White Memorial Medical Center Celebrates More Than a Century of Touching Stories

H

e’s a familiar figure: John Doe, the man no one knows. The world has misplaced him or he has misplaced himself. In the case of Jose Acevedo Velez it was the latter.

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS Found wandering near Temple Street in Downtown Los Angeles, disoriented, unable to quite place himself, he knew he had been on his way somewhere, belonged somewhere; he just didn’t know where. He had a family, remembered a family — a brother, an uncle, neither, both. He just couldn’t tell you who and where they were. “Jose,” he said.

“My name is Jose.” The rest was disjointed. Or nearly so.

Days later Jose Acevedo was reunited with his family, all of them delighted and thankful in finding him alive and well. How? It was the media alert White Memorial posted on its Facebook page and a great lead about a missing person flyer at City Bank on Indiana and First streets.

You might think this is one of those once-ina-while, buzz-worthy stories. It isn’t. Stories like

this are common at White Memorial (lovingly known as “The White”). There’s the story about the patient in a wheelchair and spinal brace who went from immobility to tearfully moving his feet and clapping to the regular “Healing Melodies” concert in the hospital’s main concourse. And this one: “You were born at The White? So was I. My mother, my grandparents, my children, we were all born here at The White.”

In healthcare, every day presents a new challenge, a new opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. It isn’t the numerous awards and world-renowned doctors that motivate White Memorial’s 2,000-plus employees. It’s the lasting memories, the humble, gratifying exchanges.

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Traditionally, conditions such as rotator cuff tendonitis/tears, hip osteoarthritis, knee injuries, and osteoarthritis and elbow tendonitis have been treated non-surgically with antiinflammatory medications such as Motrin or Advil, as well as with steroids (also known as cortisone shots). Flexogenix now provides a new and innovative non-surgical option for these aforementioned conditions utilizing PRP, also known as platelet rich plasma, and stem cells derived from amniotic tissue of the placenta.

This minimally invasive treatment has the ability to grow cartilage in joints with arthritis, repair tendons, and heal meniscal tears of the knees without the fear of a trip to the operating room. Regenerative medicine takes the natural healing process of the body and significantly accelerates your recovery with no significant down time and minimal side effects.

The Regenerative Therapy Program at Flexogenix is customtailored to your individual condition and needs. This exclusive therapy, which many leaders in the field have termed “the future of medicine,” was once only available to high-performing athletes for sports-related injuries. It is now offered at Flexogenix.

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This unique non-surgical therapy utilizes a hyaluronic acid-based cushioning and lubricating gel. Hyaluronic acid is a normal component of cartilage and fluid within the joint. Therefore, the administration of this hyaluronic acid-based cushioning and lubricating gel not only resolves your pain, but in fact improves the function of the knee as well. Activities that were once considered improbable, such as standing and walking for a long duration, going up and down stairs, or even shopping at the market, can now be a reality.

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12 Downtown News

August 18, 2014

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By Donna Evans itting on a blanket-covered, threadbare chair at the corner of Sixth and San Julian streets last week, a woman took a drag from her cigarette and watched a sanitation worker from the city Department of Public Works shovel items into a trash truck. The abandoned blankets, stained pillows and dilapidated umbrellas looked like the possessions that surrounded her, but smelled very differently, she pointed out.

“This is wonderful,” said the woman, who would only identify herself as Elizabeth, and who said she has lived on the streets of Downtown with her daughter, Jazz, since 2007. “They’re concerned and they’re cleaning. I love that scent, that chemical scent.”

While Elizabeth appreciates the bouquet of Clorox and the removal of biohazards from the trash-strewn streets of Skid Row, neither she nor her daughter plan to move to a nearby shelter.

That type of situation is what a team of doctors, outreach workers and mental and public health officials from the city and the county have encountered in recent weeks as they fanned out across Skid Row. The biggest concentration of resources came on Wednesday, Aug. 13, when a fleet of cleaning crews began removing hazardous materials, pressure washing streets and picking up unattended items.

The coordinated effort includes an attempt to help move some of the estimated 2,000 people off the streets of Skid Row and into housing. The multifaceted outreach program began nine days before the cleaning crews arrived. The last street and sidewalk cleaning will take place Aug. 21. Deep cleanings will occur six times a year, and spot cleanings will take place as needed.

The outreach is part of Operation Healthy Streets, a $3.7 million program to clean the streets and offer social services and medical help to the homeless in Downtown Los Angeles. As part of the effort, city sanitation workers go block by block to remove hazardous debris and wash the concrete and asphalt.

Items are not discarded unless they are deemed dangerous or a public health hazard. As a result of a previous lawsuit filed on behalf of homeless individuals whose personal property had been thrown away while they accessed showers in missions or other services, many items, including those that appear to be refuse, are put in bags and stored at a city facility for 90 days, allowing their owners time to claim them.

The street cleanings began two years ago after the county cited the city, declaring that the rampant vermin and human waste, among other conditions, made Skid Row a health hazard. Since then, an estimated 260 tons of debris have been removed, said Adel Hagekhalil, assistant director for the Bureau of Sanitation. He

S

photo by Donna Evans

Sanitation workers predict three tons of hazardous debris will be picked up from a current round of cleaning in Skid Row. Since 2012, workers have removed 260 tons of trash from the impoverished area.

predicts the current round will remove an additional three tons.

In the wake of the ruling, the city launched a $1.5 million cleanup effort.

However, that has not been enough to change conditions in the neighborhood, said City Councilman José Huizar, whose 14th District includes Downtown Los Angeles.

“The problems were much more severe than that,” he said during a press conference at the Wednesday cleanup. “We obviously needed a… better comprehensive plan in the area.”

Huizar has filed a motion asking the city to hire a homelessness “czar” to manage initiatives across Los Angeles, and to coordinate with the county and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

The program also marks an increased level of cooperation between the city and county. In the past, mental health experts, social workers, police officers and medical professionals frequently worked independently of each other. Operation Healthy Streets is intended to bring everyone together and link the players, their communication, their resources and their data.

Offers and Rejections Services offered by outreach workers in the current campaign include on-site health screenings, TB testing, drug and alcohol treatment placement and MediCal enrollment. Dr. Susan Partovi, medical field director for the county Department of Health Services, said she and other service providers have been aggressively working to find severely ill homeless people for the past 18 months. They have contracted with agencies that specialize in housing those individuals.

“The idea is to make sure if there are people who are chronically ill, that they have a medical home,” she said. “If there are any acute needs, we try to triage those needs at the moment.”

Attempts to get people off the streets have been occurring in Skid Row for decades. However, outreach workers have long encountered people who rejected offers for help, sometimes because of rules that shelters or missions may have, and other times because the individual suffered from mental illness or addition issues, or simply didn’t trust the providers.

A case in point occurred when Tyrone Barlow, an outreach worker with LAHSA’s emergency response team, encountered a woman who identified herself as Antoinette. She told Barlow that “regular shelters” would not take her because she’s a domestic violence victim. When Barlow said he could help her with that, she countered, saying that no beds were available.

He maintained that they could find her a bed, and after several minutes of verbal volleying, she agreed to go with another outreach worker, though she emphatically shook her head, saying the team wouldn’t be able to help her.

Barlow estimated that efforts in the days before the cleaning resulted in 30 people leaving the sidewalks. Authorities have not released official statistics.

Another aspect of the effort came from LAHSA Director Jeanette Rowe. Driving down Seventh Street near San Julian Street on Wednesday, she motioned to the people lining the streets and sidewalks. She said that city workers had performed a spot cleaning along this stretch a month and a half before. A week later, dozens of people Continued on page 24

August 18, 2014

Downtown News 13

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown’s Glamorous Feeding Frenzy Event Celebrating Food and Wine Returns to Grand Avenue and Other Locations

By Eddie Kim alifornia has some of the best restaurants and grows some of the finest produce in the United States. It also produces the most, and arguably the best, wine in the country. So why isn’t there a nationally prestigious festival celebrating local food and wine, like the ones hosted in Aspen and South Beach?

Seven years ago, that question smoldered in the head of David Bernahl, the co-founder and CEO of Coastal Luxury Management, a Montereybased hospitality company. Thus, Bernahl and his team in 2008 created the Pebble Beach Food and Wine festival. After a few years of success on the Central Coast, Bernahl posed a similar query regarding Los Angeles.

“The question really was, ‘How does the entertainment capital of the world not have a food and wine festival?’” Bernahl asked. “Especially in the last 10 to 15 years, L.A.’s food scene growth trumps anything in the rest of the country. We wanted to showcase this culturally and socially diverse region.”

The festival, dubbed Los Angeles Food and Wine, debuted in 2011, and returns to Downtown on Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 21-24. While a handful of activities take place in other communities, the festival is based on Grand Avenue (between First and Second streets) and fills venues including the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the events space Vibiana and L.A. Center Studios.

The schedule comprises a plethora of cooking demonstrations, lunches, wine-tasting ses-

C

photo by Gary Leonard

Ari Taymor, the chef and owner of Broadway’s Alma, will participate in the festival’s “Ultimate Bites of L.A.” program on Thursday night on Grand Avenue.

photo courtesy Los Angeles Food and Wine

The Los Angeles Food and Wine festival, featuring more than 140 chefs, returns to Downtown on Aug. 21-24. Events take place on Grand Avenue, and at Los Angeles Center Studios and other locations.

sions and luxury dinners. Highlights include a tribute dinner for L.A. legend Nancy Silverton, an “Asian Night Market” hosted by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, a lunch by chefs Michael Hung and Dominique Crenn at Faith & Flower, and multiple “Grand Tastings” featuring 300plus wines and bites from 25 chefs.

Event tickets are $50-$500. Most of the sitdown meals run $125-$250.

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Try Everything The festival stands out in part for its breadth, allowing diners to try simple, ingredient-driven California fare as well as glamorous tastings of imported champagne and caviar.

For the chefs, L.A. Food and Wine is an opportunity to step away from the pressure of a professional kitchen and cook alongside old friends and new faces.

A host of Downtown-based chefs are taking part in the event, including Bestia’s Ori Menashe, Drago Centro’s Ian Gresik, Water Grill’s Damon Gordon and Ari Taymor of Broadway’s Alma. Taymor will be serving up an Alma favorite, nitrogen-frozen duck liver with coffee granola and carrots, on Thursday’s “Ultimate Bites of L.A.” program.

“I like the process of meeting the people you’re always reading about,” Taymor said. “For me, it’s less about the cooking — event cooking and restaurant cooking are way different.

But talking with all these chefs about something that gets you really excited is the fun part. I’ve become friends with people that I never thought I would come across.”

Continued on page 14

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14 Downtown News

aRoUnd Town, 2 Foodie Fair Coming to Arts District

T

hose with a hankering for green curry duck tamales, a flight of gourmet éclairs or braised beef cheek cream puffs should head to the Arts District this week. That’s because something with the big name the World Foodie Fair is taking place from 4:30-9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Imperial Arts Studios at 680 Imperial St. Admission is free, but individual dishes from the 14 vendors will run $2-$10, said Julio Hechavarria, Jr., a member of the board of directors for the L.A. Arts Alliance, which is co-sponsoring the event. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Arts Alliance, which pro-

motes art and cultural programs for economically challenged youth. Additional information is at worldfoodiefair.com.

Fundraiser Benefits Youth Kayaking Trips on L.A. River

I

n May, city officials celebrated the approval of a coming $1 billion upgrade for the Los Angeles River. Now, there is even more attention for the waterway. L.A. River Expeditions will host a Downtown movie screening and fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 23, with proceeds helping cover kayaking trips for youth groups around Los Angeles. The 7 p.m. event at Art Share, at 801 E. Fourth St., will feature a screening of Rock the Boat, which L.A. River Expedi-

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tions’ Jed Schipper calls “an offbeat documentary” about the unique 51-mile waterway. In addition to the film, there will be a panel discussion on the future of the river and a silent auction. Admission is $10. Additional information is at lariverexpeditions.com.

Juice Bars Galore In Downtown

T

he cold-pressed juice trend continues, with two new shops hitting Downtown.

The third outpost of Venice-based Moon Juice opened this month in the old ticketing kiosk

food and wine, 13 His take is echoed by Neal Fraser, who is currently building out his Redbird restaurant in the former rectory next to Vibiana. The camaraderie makes such large-scale, chef-driven events fun, Fraser said.

“You always learn new things. Last year, a chef next to me was working with live jellyfish. I didn’t know you could eat it like that,” Fraser recalled. “It makes you start thinking about how to apply different techniques and products.”

L.A. Food and Wine was originally housed at L.A. Live, and the first year 15,000 people showed up over the weekend. Attendees initially wondered why the event was taking place Downtown instead of Beverly Hills or Santa Monica, Bernahl said, but the sense of excitement and growth in the Central City was a big draw.

“People have been making Downtown cool for a while now,” he said. “We wanted to be a

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part of that by bringing a big luxury event and making a statement.”

Last year, Coastal Luxury Management moved out of L.A. Live onto Grand Avenue, partnering with the city and multiple Downtown venues in the process. It was the right move for the company’s long-term approach, Bernahl said, which is to expand the Grand Avenue footprint and program in conjunction with the upcoming Broad museum, the Music Center and other nearby stakeholders.

The ultimate goal, Bernahl added, is to draw people from across the country to celebrate California’s bounty and culinary talent in the urban heart of the state’s biggest city.

Los Angeles Food and Wine runs ThursdaySunday, Aug. 21-24, at multiple locations in Downtown. More information, a schedule and tickets are at (855) 433-5239 or lafw.com. eddie@downtownnews.com

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of the United Artists Theater attached to the Ace Hotel on Broadway. The small space offers organic juices, nut and seed milks, and raw snacks, and there is outdoor seating for those who want to linger. Meanwhile, Green Grotto is coming to the Spring Arcade Building, between Spring Street and Broadway, north of Sixth Street, where it will be alongside eateries such as Guisados and Gelateria Uli. It will offer cold-pressed juices, as well as tea, coffee, smoothies and a snack unusual for a juice bar: Jamaican-style patties made with beef, shrimp, vegetables and more (owner Kieran Roberts has Caribbean roots). The shop is slated to open in October.

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August 18, 2014

Downtown News 15

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DT

photo courtesy of Earl Sweatshirt

F Y F e Th ’s FesT 10 T c e F Per

photo by Tasya Menaker

photo by Miki Matsushima

photo courtesy of Little Dragon

CALENDAR

’t Miss n a C u o ds Y ng The Ban n’s Most Exciti ntow At Dow estival Music F

photo courtesy of Slowdive

AUG 4 ! dtowWnNein an s U e k Li ws wn .Do /L.A Facebook.com Now Playing/Starts Aug 8 photo by Jed DeMoss

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Check Our Website for Full Movie Listings DowntownNews.com Artists performing at the FYF Fest on Saturday include (top to bottom) Little Dragon, Boris and Slowdive.

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songwriters.

By Dan Johnson Given that it’s impossible to see everything, n some ways, things are different at this Los Angeles Downtown News has come up year’s FYF Fest. In other ways, the 11th anwith five can’t-miss acts on Saturday, Aug. 23, nual ecstatic celebration of old-fashioned and five more on Sunday. summer music worship is the same as it ever Saturday was.

E-NEWS ntownNews.com N UP Sign up at Dow SIG Boris: The enigmatic Japanese trio Boris sticks First the difference: A renovation of the fesout of the FYF lineup like a sore thumb — but tival’s longtime home, the Los Angeles State Sign for Our &a good way! Since 1992, the group has naviin Historic Park, hasUp spurred a shiftE-News of venues,Blasts to gated the sonic boundaries between novel the Los Angeles Sports Arena and Movie Exposition Be Entered to Win Tickets! neo-psychedelic rock and face-melting, heavy Park. The complex at the southern end of the reverb-treated doom metal. While we can’t Figueroa Corridor has hosted plenty of music guarantee exactly which Boris will take the before, but one never knows what hiccups will stage, it’s a safe wager that cuts off this year’s occur when a new festival arrives. spacey post-metal release Noise will get a lot That said, the lineup is as eclectic as always, with some well-known groups, perky indie acts, of attention. Expect the amplifier-worshipping group from Tokyo to be the heaviest act at FYF. suave sophisticated electro and dainty singer/

I

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Acts on the Sunday bill include (top to bottom) Earl Sweatshirt, John Talabot and Darkside.

Four Tet: The British electronic producer and DJ will deliver one of the most anticipated sets of the day. Four Tet (also known as Kieran Hebden) has made a name for himself in the world Starts of contemporary synthetic music with an Aug un- 15 orthodox mixture of lush sonic textures and a rhythmic sensibility. If Four Tet’s pulsing set at the 2011 FYF is any indication, concertgoers can expect a bevy of found samples woven into challenging beats that form an altogether hypnotic whole.

been skillfully fighting the good fight since 1997. Through good times and bad, the band has reliably produced intellectually engaging punk philosophy wrapped in an uncomfortably chipper and up-tempo brand of confrontational rock — witness the 2010 song “I Was a Teenage Anarchist.” Most recently singer and guitarist Laura Jane Grace has very publicly addressed her search for acceptance as a transgender woman. Lesser issues have felled mightier bands, but Against Me! endures.

Against Me!: One of the hardest things about creating a successful punk band forged on undertones of anarcho resistance and the strength of self-identity is staying true to that vision. Gainesville, Florida’s Against Me! has

Little Dragon: Alternately funky, soulful, serious and experimental, this rangy Swedish outfit sits astride the not-so-well-defined boundary that separate serious indie rock from the pulsContinued on page 17

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August 18, 2014

Unexpected Art Chinese American Museum Exhibition Focuses on Artists With Disabilities

By Donna Evans t first, the distinction may sound like an exercise in semantics. Yet Steve Wong, the interim executive director of the Chinese American Museum, prefers to refer to the creators of his latest exhibit as “artists with disabilities” rather than “disabled artists.”

The curator for Transpacific Ties: Bridging Hong Kong and Los Angeles Through Art, Wong finds that each of the show’s 40 painters, sketchers, ceramics makers and calligraphers are artists in their own right. He views them as people who have found a way to communicate through art.

“I’m fourth-generation Chinese American.

I don’t speak Cantonese,” said Wong during a visit last week to the museum at the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. Referring to one of the show’s artists, he added, “Lisa Hing-ling Leung doesn’t speak English or verbalize herself that well, but she can convey her fascination with and passion for animals — squid, cranes, snakes, fish — through a medium that surpasses cultural and language barriers.”

Transpacific Ties opened Aug. 9 and runs through Dec. 14. The 65-piece show features work from artists ages 20 to 40. The participants came from Hong Kong’s Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and the Southern California-based Chinese Parents Association for the Disabled.

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photos courtesy Chinese American Museum

The exhibit Transpacific Ties features works by Hong Kong and Southern California artists with disabilities. The 65 pieces on display include (left) “Wrangler” by Ka-yan Cheng and Wing-kin Lam’s “Boy and Girl.”

Each entity works toward keeping an open dialogue of the Chinese diaspora by sharing stories, histories and challenges of the communities on both sides of the Pacific, said Gay Yuen, president of the Friends of the Chinese American Museum.

CAM doesn’t usually focus on Chinese citizens, Yuen said, but the Hong Kong group’s dedication to art therapy mirrored that of the

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local nonprofit’s mission. Two years ago, the idea of merging the works into a single exhibition gained momentum. After much communication, including 3 a.m. phone calls to Hong Kong due to the 14-hour time difference, Transpacific Ties was born.

“It’s amazing. There’s a lot of raw, natural creativity,” said Yuen. “At the opening, a lot of the comments I heard were, ‘If you didn’t tell us

they were artists with disabilities, we wouldn’t have known.’”

Something else no one will know is whether Wing-kin Lam, in his acrylic on canvas, “Boy and Girl,” meant for the boy to be crying, as two black lines plunge from the left eye. Or, did the artist have an involuntary arm movement and the marks were a mistake?

To Wong, the answer doesn’t matter. Lam

August 18, 2014

Downtown News 17

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and his contemporaries are people who, inhibited by other modes of expression, are expressing themselves in a way open to anyone. The way he sees it, art’s true power is availability.

Five members of the 30-strong Hong Kong contingent came to Downtown Los Angeles for the opening of Transpacific Ties. Accompanying the group were family members, physical therapists, nurses and aides.

They did more than just visit the museum.

The day before the opening, Fourth District City Councilman Tom LaBonge recognized both the international and Southern California artists in City Hall. They visited Universal Studios and toured Goodwill Southern California’s facilities, which highlight achievements made by individuals with disabilities.

The visitors headed back to their homes on Aug. 13. Though Yuen said it was an exhausting itinerary, she said these visitors experienced different emotions.

“The mom of one of the artists said her son laughed out loud in his sleep, for two nights straight, because he was so happy,” she said.

That man, Ka-cheung Cheung, was both a contributor and a subject in the show. His likeness, portrayed by Wai-kai Keung, showed Cheung in a less affable state. Keung’s watercolor, “Unbowed Man,” depicts the head and shoulders of a man with a furrowed brow and crooked, pursed lips. They are lips that Cheung, who has limited use of his hands, uses to hold a brush and paint calligraphy, flowers and animals.

Transpacific Ties: Bridging Hong Kong and Los Angeles through Art runs through Dec. 14 at the Chinese American Museum, 425 N. Los Angeles St., (213) 485-8484 or camla.org. donna@downtownnews.com

AT

FYF Fest, 15 ing, dancey world of mainstream electronica. On this year’s Naguma Rubberband, Little Dragon explores their personal tastes in an even deeper sound that evolves beyond previous successes. Those striving to get close to siren singer Yukimi Nagano can expect a pellmell mix of drum machines, heavy synths, live instruments, soulful crooning and a healthy blend of eminently danceable tracks marbled with downtempo numbers.

Slowdive: The early ’90s shoegaze movement was all about big walls of guitar, building drums and coy vocals. The recently reunited English quintet Slowdive were among its most adept practitioners, sort of My Bloody Valentine’s quieter, more introspective cousin. Where MBV got their kicks with bigger and better amplifiers and a reputation for helping people go deaf, Slowdive were hanging out with Brian Eno, listening to the melodic noodling of the Cocteau Twins and presumably spending significant amounts of time trying to understand their role in a larger cosmic whole. Not only do FYFers get to sample this sonic throwback, they’ll get a taste of the influences that spawned a generation of post-rock in the vein of Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai.

Sunday Earl Sweatshirt: Although just 20, Earl Sweatshirt is no spring chicken to the insanity that accompanies success in the music industry. The rapper’s debut album Earl championed the same grotesquely languid yet

hard-hitting sensibility that turned his fellow misfits in Odd Future into overnight hip-hop sensations. Alas, the artist was just 16 at the time and his mother didn’t take too kindly to the surreally violent lyrics on the release and the other things her son was getting into.

Young Earl was shipped to a boarding school in Samoa. Now of age to make legal and creative decisions for himself, the L.A. rapper comes to Exposition Park to blast a couple numbers off his most recent album, Doris.

John Talabot: While some still argue that the beauty of live music is watching actual musicians play actual instruments, an immense number of festival goers these days are enchanted with electronic dance music.

Yes, some DJs do little more than push buttons, but it’s hard to deny the talent of Spain’s John Talabot. Mixing pulsing backbeats, head-bobbing, vibey deep house and colorful neo-disco, Talabot’s ever-evolving DJ set has earned laurels across the globe.

Kelela: With a retinue of strong producers and a powerfully evocative voice, Kelela represents a local dose of the inventive brand of electronically charged R&B that’s starting to conquer the charts. Kelela resides in MacArthur Park and recently packed two nights at the Echoplex. Tack on her strong 2013 debut mix tape Cut 4 Me and a celebrated showing at this year’s SXSW festival and you’ve got a local artist poised to break big in the coming years. Come on hipsters, catch her at FYF and you can tell everyone you saw her before she was huge.

Darkside: For those unaccustomed to the tumultuous trends of indie electronica, allow us to introduce Nicolas Jaar. Eschewing the bright melodies and joyous textures of the recent dream pop and retro chillwave fads, Jaar specializes in a brand of morose and meandering downtempo synthetic music. Alongside talented psychblues guitarist and collaborator Dave Harrington, Jaar has brought a little of the Darkside to the sunny world of indie. Last year the duo released their debut fulllength effort Psychic. Two years in the making, this spacious and spooky shadow play promises to be the bedrock of Darkside’s FYF set.

Flying Lotus: Calling the Winnetka-born electronica icon Flying Lotus (real name: Steven Ellison) one of the most internationally impactful artists to come out of Los Angeles in the last 20 years isn’t a stretch. Really.

Positioned at a unique nexus of tastes where early dubstep, hip-hop beats and flows and freewheeling bebop jazz converge, FlyLo has earned the acclaim (and collaborated with) artists ranging from Erykah Badu to Thom Yorke. Whether or not you’ve seen Flying Lotus at the Airliner’s Low End Theory or caught his triumphant show at the Hollywood Bowl in 2012, it’s hard to find a venue that doesn’t suit the eclectic luminary, especially with the promise of new cuts off his forthcoming release You’re Dead.

The FYF Fest is Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 23-24, at the Sports Arena and Exposition Park. Information at fyffest.com.

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SPONSORED LISTINGS Friday Night Flicks by Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/ pershingsquare Catch a free screening of Great Balls of Fire at Pershing Square on Friday, Aug. 22. It’s the story of Jerry Lee Lewis, one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent and unconventional lifestyle often brought him into conflict with others in the industry, the general public and even his band. The movie will begin at 8 p.m., and well-behaved dogs are allowed. Parking can be found in the Pershing Square garage.

SaTuRDay, auGuST 23 ACME Bar Crawl Library Bar, Sixth Street Tavern, Spring St. Bar, Beelman’s Pub and the King Eddy or acmehospitalitygroup.com.

5:30 p.m.: Ungodly drink specials and an overly festive excuse to sample other beverages at some of Downtown’s most celebrated bars are reason enough to attend this parade of inebriation.

Free Music, Free Films, Free Theater And Some Serious Senior Talent

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By Dan Johnson | calendar@downtownnews.com

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eads up Downtown: The Gruska kids are back to make some more music. If you’re not familiar, these two grandchildren of composer John Williams have been kicking out tunes under the nom de guitar The Belle Brigade. On Friday, Aug. 22, they’ll be stopping by FIGat7th to round out that shopping center’s summer concert series with tracks from their recent album Just Because. Naturally, they’ll also be strumming gems from their eponymous 2011 release, including their celebrated sonic treatise on the joys of being a “loser.” The free show gets going at 8 p.m., but arrive early at Seventh and Figueroa streets to grab some food and drink. At 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 955-7150 or artsbrookfield.com photo courtesy Cornerstone Theater Company

FRIDay, auGuST 22 Angelus Plaza Senior Talent Show Angelus Plaza, 255 S. Hill St., (213) 623-4352 or angelusplaza.org.

2 p.m.: The yearly showdown between Los Angeles’ most talented people over the age of 55 is a Downtown treasure. Admission is free. Entertainment is astronomical.

Dance Downtown: ’90s Music Music Center Plaza, 135 N. Grand Ave,. (213) 972-7211 or musiccenter.org.

6:30 p.m.: Typically these free dancing events include extensive instruction. We can’t begin to imagine what sort of dance moves will be taught tonight (besides the ubiquitous Macarena), but we suspect this might be one of the most enjoyable Dance Downtowns yet.

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We very much enjoy the idea of English playwright William Shakespeare being transported to California across space and time so he can train his quill pen on the quandaries of the Golden State. Until Christopher Lloyd gets that timetravelling DeLorean working, we’ll have to content ourselves with Cornerstone Theater Company’s California-oriented production of The Tempest. The contemporary version of Shakespeare’s classic addresses the environmental concerns that affect us all here under the Bear Flag. California The Tempest plays at the Cal Plaza Watercourt on FridaySaturday, Aug. 22-23, at 8 p.m. The shows are free. At 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 687-2159 or grandperformances.org.

SuNDay, auGuST 24 The University of MMA Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

8 p.m.: Take on a heavy course load including pain tolerance 101, a 200 level class on violence in contemporary culture and that pesky class about anger management. No, wait, this is just a bunch of buff dudes fighting.

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n We Will Rock You, the music of Queen provides the emotive backdrop to a triumphant story of rebellion in a world where rock music is outlawed (a future dystopia, not the place where Kevin Bacon lived in Footloose). It’s unabashedly silly, but also full of sing-along anthems, thanks to the inclusion of 24 Queen hits including “Another One Bites the Dust,”“Killer Queen” and, of course, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” This, however, is the final week to catch We Will Rock You at the Ahmanson Theatre.

Shows are Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 19-22, at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and again on Sunday at 1 p.m. Somewhere, Freddie Mercury is smiling. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Fo UR O

n Friday, Aug. 22, from 2-4 p.m., the halls of the Angelus Plaza senior living facility swing open to invite talented folks over 55 to show off their skills. The Senior Talent Show is one of the most fun events in Downtown, with amateurs, and former professionals, dancing, singing, doing magic, telling jokes and more. It’s not all fun and games, however: A whopping $1,700 is handed out to the winners, so these seniors are serious. The unofficial motto is “from vaudeville to hip hop,” which should give you an idea of how immensely entertaining this free show is. At 255 S. Hill St., (213) 623-4352 or angelusplaza.org.

photo by Javier Guillen

photo by Gary Leonard

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

Aug. 19: Brandon Bae Group.

Aug. 20: Ben Wendel/Walter Smith III/John Clayton/Mark Ferber.

Aug. 21: Fabiano de Nascimento Quintet.

Aug. 22: Joe Less Shoe.

Aug. 23-24: Los Angeles Jazz Collective Summer Festival.

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

Aug. 18, 8:30 p.m.: What sets the Maudlin Strangers apart from the hoards of over-stimulated, hyper-desensitized hipsters you meet in Silver Lake is the band’s penchant for synth music. Oh wait…

Aug. 19, 8:30 p.m.: Inglewood’s Tiffany Gouche drops massive low end behind her deep-in-pocket jazz vocals.

Aug. 20, 8:30 p.m.: Blind Date indie showcase returns with Black Gatsby, Magic Bronson, Rio Rio and Leland.

Aug. 22, 9 p.m.: Donora is the musical equivalent of those overly perky customers at Blue Bottle who don’t know when to say no to more espresso.

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

Aug. 18, 9 p.m.: Brian Walker and Monster Mondays will not suffice as excuses for why you’re too hungover to work on Tuesday.

Aug. 19, 10 p.m.: Not a basketball cheer but a local nostalgia

photo by James Frost

DT

August 18, 2014

photo by Greg Kolnik

18 Downtown News

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hen it comes to science fiction films, few features surpass Flash Gordon and Barbarella for, respectively, sheer action and robust eroticism. On Saturday, Aug. 23, bring out the whole family and claim a space on the Grand Park event lawn as the two galactic heroes — one played by Jane Fonda! — helm a free double feature. There’ll be food trucks and copious sci-fi fanatics eager to share the bounty of yesteryear’s vision of universe-wide struggles for the fate of mankind. Guests are encouraged to bring a blanket, but don’t be all about that giant tent/line of sight obstruction game — it’s tacky. At 227 N. Spring St., (213) 972-8080 or grandparkla.org.

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

August 18, 2014

Downtown News 19

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photo courtesy California Philharmonic

Aug. 18, 9 p.m., Aug. 19-21, 5:30 p.m.: Level 5 takes the viewer on a journey back to the Battle of Okinawa as a contemporary video game developer falls deeper and deeper into that tragic narrative.

Aug. 18-21: Cheatin’ is a whimsical animated take on the insecurities inherent to any relationship.

Aug. 18, 3:30 and 5:45 p.m., Aug. 19, 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., Aug. 20, 3 and 5 p.m. and Aug. 21, 3 and 7 p.m.: Coldwater chronicles a problem child who is abducted and taken to a reform minded survival course up in the hills. Hate when that happens.

Grand Park 227 N. Spring St., (213) 972-8080 or grandparkla.org.

Aug. 23, 5:30 p.m.: The sci-fi double features continue with Flash Gordon and Barbarella. The latter stars Jane Fonda! It is also the film from which the band Duran Duran got its name.

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

Island of Lemurs: Madagascar 3D is an eye-popping journey full of, you guesses it, lemurs.

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

Flight of the Butterflies is visually stunning.

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. 22, 8 p.m.: The manic pleasures of Jerry Lee Lewis come to full filmic light in Great Balls of Fire!

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

Through Aug. 21: The Expendables 3 (1:30, 4:40, 8, 11:10);

The Giver (11:50 a.m., 2:20, 5:10, 7:40 and 10:20 p.m.); Let’s Be Cops (11:40 a.m., 1:50, 2:30, 4:30, 5:20, 7:10, 8:10, 9:50 and 11 p.m.); Into the Storm (1:20, 4, 6:40 and 9 p.m.); Step Up All In (12:50 and 10 p.m.); Step Up All In 3D (3:50 and 6:50 p.m.); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1:40, 4:20, 7 and 9:40 p.m.); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3D (11:30 a.m., 2, 4:50, 7:30 and 10:10 p.m.); Get On Up (12, 3, 6:20 and 9:20 p.m.); Guardians of the Galaxy (12:30, 3:30, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.); Guardians of the Galaxy 3D (11:20 a.m., 2:10, 5, 7:50 and 10:40 p.m.); Lucy (12:20, 2:50, 5:30, 8:20 and 10:50 p.m.); Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (12:10 p.m.).

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Bob Baker’s Fiesta Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 2509995 or bobbakermarionettes.com.

Aug. 12-15, 10:30 a.m. and Aug. 16-17, 2:30 p.m.: Complete with cacti and sombrero-clad locals, the majesty of the American Southwest achieves its truest remembrance in this puppet spectacle.

California: The Tempest California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 687-2159 or grandperformances.org.

Aug. 22-23, 8 p.m.: Downtown-based Cornerstone Theatre Company presents Shakespeare’s The Tempest reimagined through the lens of modern California’s ecological struggle.

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

Aug. 19, 9 p.m.: Every Tuesday this irreverent stand-up comedy cavalcade takes up residence at the Downtown Independent.

We Will Rock You

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Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Aug. 19-22, 8 p.m., Aug 23, 2 and 8 p.m. and Aug. 24, 1 and 6:30 p.m.: Ben Elton directs a musical set to the immortal music of rock band Queen. The show has 24 songs, including “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” The curtain falls Aug. 24.

CLASSICAL MUSIC Sunday, auguSt 24 California Philharmonic: Broadway & Bolero Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 8502000 or musiccenter.com.

2 p.m.: Classical music makes for strange bedfellows. Just ask the California Philharmonic. They’ve paired Broadway classics including Evita and Cats with some Ravel.

MUSEUMS African American Firefighter Museum 1401 S. Central Ave., (213) 744-1730 or aaffmuseum.org.

Ongoing: An array of firefighting relics dating to 1924, including a 1940 Pirsch ladder truck, an 1890 hose wagon, uniforms from New York, L.A. County and City of L.A. firefighters, badges, helmets, photographs and other artifacts.

Annette Green Perfume Museum FIDM, second floor, 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1200 or fidmmuseum.org.

Ongoing: Artfully Adorned highlights two centuries of jewelry from the Christie Romero Collection.

Through July 5: Bliss features 19th century wedding gowns Continued on next page

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

Aug. 18, 7:45 p.m., Aug. 19, 7:30 p.m., Aug. 20, 7 p.m. and Aug. 21, 5 p.m.: Issues of emasculation and pride drive the documentary Big Like Me, the story of men’s search for larger appendages.

The California Philharmonic closes out its summer program at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Sunday, Aug. 24, with a jaunty concert dubbed “Broadway and Bolero.” Befitting the title, the orchestra will play cuts from the classic musicals Evita, Cats and Chicago, as well as Ravel’s “Boléro” (accompanied by flamenco guitarist Adam Del Monte) and Emmanuel Chabrier’s “España.” Tickets range from $26.50 for balcony seats to $111 for front orchestra seats. Who knew Spanish rhythms and Broadway show tunes went together so well?

Showtime is 2 p.m.

At 111 S. Grand Ave., (626) 304-0333 or calphil.com.

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outfit, We Are the West promises to supplant your threadbare identity with some geographic truth.

Aug. 20, 10 p.m.: Like the revolving door of D.C. politics, the Vibrometers will be monitoring the vibrations of the sound waves that they in fact created with their funk rock set.

Aug. 21, 10 p.m.: Los Angeles’ finest bluegrass purveyors The Get Down Boys return to teach us all about the good old days.

Aug. 22, 9 p.m.: We’d like to thank Crown City Krooks in advance for spelling the first two words of their band name with a “c.”

Aug. 23, 10 p.m.: The Vibrometers pull double duty this week opening for Charlie Chan and the SOBs. Aug. 24, 10 p.m.: RT N the 44s class up the joint.

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

Aug. 22: John Dahlback.

Aug. 23: ATB. FYF Fest 3939 S. Figueroa St. or fyffest.com.

Aug. 23-24: The LA Sports Arena grounds will be packed with two big days of indie, electronica and all other sorts of musical pleasures.

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

Aug. 19, 7 p.m.: The great and wise Al Jarreau drops his latest album, a tribute to George Duke.

Aug. 20, 7 p.m.: Baltimore’s Future Islands gets the spotlight treatment preceding their appearance at this weekend’s FYF Fest.

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

Aug. 18: TGIM. Aug. 21: Killer Cam. Aug. 22: Jack of All Tracks.

Aug. 23: DJ Aaron Castle.

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

Aug. 18: Acoustic Punk Night with Nick Oliveri.

Aug. 20: City Mouse.

Aug. 21: Fuzzyvision Records Presents.

Aug. 22: The Members, Maniac, The Plexikill, Bloodline.

Aug. 23: Songs For Snakes and Lost Cobras.

Aug. 24, 3 p.m.: The Voodoo, Slow Poisoner and Col Gibber Rock ‘N Roll.

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

Aug. 19: The Makers bring an unprecedented amount of musical sophistication to this second floor venue.

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

Aug. 22: Joanna Gruesome, Dunes, Michael Vidal and Debt.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

20 Downtown News Continued from previous page from the Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection.

Ongoing: The FIDM Museum presents an exceptional collection of fragrance, cosmetics, and ephemera from the house of Lucien Lelong. This group of objects was graciously donated by Monique Fink, wife of artist Peter Fink, who worked for Monsieur Lelong as package designer and interior decorator.

Ongoing: Accessories from The Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection surveys footwear, fans, gloves, purses and hats.

California Science Center 700 State Drive, (323) 724-3623 or californiasciencecenter.org.

Ongoing: Mission 26: The Big Endeavour presents Los Angeles’

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

very own space shuttle/tree destroyer in all its splendor.

Ongoing: Science in Toyland presents physics through favorite kids’ toys. This hands-on exhibit engages museum visitors with Dominos, Sails and Roller Coasters in a fun, but informational primer on friction, momentum and chain reactions.

Ongoing: The Science Center’s permanent exhibits are usually interactive and focus on human innovations and inventions as well as the life processes of living things. The lobby Science Court stays busy with the High Wire Bicycle, a Motion-Based Simulator, the Ecology Cliff Climb and Forty Years of Space Photography. The human body is another big focus: The Life Tunnel aims to show the connections between all life forms, from the single-celled amoeba to the 100-trillion-

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celled human being. The new Ecosystems exhibit explores how life on our planet is shaped by geophysical and biological processes.

Through January 4, 2015: Pompeii: The Exhibition brings rare archives from the lost Italian city to another grand metropolis perched on a tectonic zone.

Chinese American Museum 425 N. Los Angeles St., (213) 485-8567 or camla.org.

Permanent: Origins presents the story of the Chinese-American community in Los Angeles.

Permanent: Re-creation of the Sun Wing Wo, a Chinese general store and herbal shop, and Journeys: Stories of Chinese Immigration, an exhibit exploring Chinese immigration to the United States with an emphasis on community settlement in Los Angeles. Outlined into four distinct time periods, each is defined by an important immigration law and/or event, accompanied by a description and a personal story about a local Chinese American and their experiences in that particular historical period.

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.

August 18, 2014 Through November 30: California Dreamin’ is a tribute to the famous Laurel Canyon rock community and the work it produced between 1965 and 1977.

Through July 2015: The bashful six-string master with the churlish smile receives his own museum tribute complete with articles from his life as special insight into his music. Pride & Joy: The Texas Blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

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

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 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 VDrums and BOSS pedals to VIMA keyboards and the MV-8800 Production Studio.

Japanese American National Museum 369 E. First St., (213) 625-0414 or janm.org.

Through September 14: Perseverance: Japanese Tattoo Tradi-

August 18, 2014

Downtown News 21

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

tion in a Modern World traces the world of body art as a historical trend and modern fascination.

Through September 14: Dodgers: Brotherhood of the Game explores the roots and heritage of our own Dodgers from their time in Brooklyn through the days of the Coliseum to their run of World Series wins in the 20th century and our own era where the boys in blue have the highest payroll in baseball.

Through August 31: Colors of Confinement presents a masterful collection of rare Kodachrome prints of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Ongoing: Common Ground: The Heart of Community chronicles 130 years of Japanese American history, from the early days of the Issei pioneers to the present.

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.

MORE LISTINGS Hundreds of listings of fun and interesting things to do in Downtown Los Angeles can also be found online at ladowntownnews.com/calendar: Rock, Pop & Jazz; Bars & Clubs; Farmers Markets; Events; Film; Sports; Art Spaces; Theater, Dance and Opera; Classical Music; Museums; and Tours.

2YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

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

Email: Send a brief description, street address and public phone number. Submissions must be received 10 days prior to publication date to be considered for print.

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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 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.

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ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie per month per month stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim for 36 mos coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese for 42 mos coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, S I N C E 19 7 2 Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield Plus tax 42 month closed end lease on approved credit. $2199 down, plus first month payTwo at this price. $299 plus tax per month for 36 months on approved above avLos Angeles Downtown News ment, tax, title, licensing fees and $695 bank acquisition fee.$0 Sec. Dep. Must qualify for the erage credit. MSRP $32,545. $2999 down plus tax, license, and fees. $0 security 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, 90026 dirEctor: Allison Audi Loyalty or Audi Acquisition Rebate of $1,000. $0.25 per miles over CA 10,000 miles/year. 1 deposit. 12k miles per year, 0.15 per mileArt in excess.

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L.A. Downtown News

clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez

circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon

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

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

22 Downtown News

August 18, 2014

Map © 2014 Cartifact

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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.

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LEGAL fiCtitioUs BUsiness name Fictitious Business name statement File no. 2014195310 The following person is doing business as: 1) THE STANDARD, DOWNTOWN 550 South Flower Street at 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071 2)THE STANDARD, DOWNTOWN LA, 23 East 4th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003, are hereby registered by the following registrant: STANDARD DOWNTOWN LESSEE, LLC, 23 East 4th Street 5th Floor, New York, NY 10003. This business is conducted by a limited liability company. Registrant began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on September 1,2013.

This statement was filed with Dean Logan, Los Angeles County Clerk of Los Angeles on July 18, 2014.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious

business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 08/11, 08/18, 08/25, and 09/01/2014.

Fictitious Business name statement File no. 2014201608 The following person is doing business as: New Energy Design Group, 1250 Long Beach Ave, Loft #115, Los Angeles, CA 90021, are hereby registered by the following registrant: Michael Ulmer, 1250 Long Beach Ave, Loft #115, Los Angeles, CA 90021. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed.

This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on July 25, 2014.

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

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Fictitious Business name statement File no. 2014210304 The following person is doing business as: LA Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, 545 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013, are hereby registered by the following registrant: Union Rescue Mission, 545 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein.

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DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on AUGUST 01, 2014.

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

Pub. 08/18, 08/25, 09/01, and 09/08/2014

• Items under $300 • Items $301 to $500 • Items $501 to $1200 • Items $1201 to $2000 • Items $2001+…

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TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

24 Downtown News

August 18, 2014

HORSE, 5 not to know about the sale?

GTH: Can I have a sugar cube?

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

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Grand Tower

255 South Grand Avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777 Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

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

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

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DN: You’re trying to avoid the question.

GTH: What are you, Woodward and Bernstein? You think I’m gonna cross the “Blue Line” and talk? Besides, we just got a new contract guaranteeing raises for new recruits.

DN: Those are for humans, not horses.

GTH: You ever heard of trickle-down economics? Sugar cubes are coming my way. I’ll be getting 16% more per week than I was before.

DN: You’re going to be part of the Mounted Unit. Where would you like to work?

GTH: Protests, baseball games, the Venice boardwalk, Garcetti’s house, wherever. I’m good with people. I don’t mind crowds or kids coming up to pet me. I’m even fine with patrolling Skid Row. Horses are allowed to poop in the street there.

DN: Say what?

GTH: Yeah, in 2009 Downtown News did a story about police horses in the area who dropped their manure straight into the streets of Skid Row. It’s mostly just hay and water and doesn’t smell. But things may have changed now.

DN: Did you mention that just because you like to say “poop” and wanted to link to the old story online?

GTH: Yes and yes. Can I have a sugar cube?

DN: What do you make about the Times’ report that the department misreported the status of 1,200 assaults, perhaps to make it appear as if crime was down?

GTH: We all make mistakes. You make your dumb jokes. I once ate a police badge Brandi left in my paddock. In this case, it was a teensy department slip. Really, who hasn’t misreported 1,200 assaults before?

DN: Some people say the department cooked the books?

GTH: Think about it this way: Crime’s down, or at least downish, and people pretty much like the cops these days. The Daryl Gates era is behind us, and Charlie has promised to work closely with the Police Commission.

DN: Again, you didn’t answer the question.

GTH: I know. Hey, check out that mare!

DN: Do you think you’ll be happy in the LAPD? GTH: I do. We get three feedbags a day, a nice stable and a police pension the size of Mount Rushmore. Plus, Brandi has promised to visit frequently. I’m in a good place.

Can I have a sugar cube? regardie@downtownnews.com

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Skid ROw, 12 were back on the sidewalk. Though conditions looked the same, she said something had improved.

“The difference is they’ve got new stuff, like hygiene products, bus tokens and blankets, stuff that isn’t infested with lice and fleas and scabies,” Rowe said.

Some of the current attention on conditions in Skid Row stemmed from LAPD Senior Lead Officer Deon Joseph, who has worked in the 50-block area for 16 years. In June, he penned a guest opinion in Los Angeles Downtown News that classified the neighborhood as being in a “mental health state of emergency.”

As he walked through the streets on Wednesday, a homeless woman approached him and said she had been robbed by another woman, who Joseph recognized by her description. It was a woman who had been offered mental health services a day earlier, and declined, he said.

“She’s still out here,” Joseph said. “So now, when I see her, I have to arrest her for the robbery, but the victim is going to be uncooperative because she needs services too.”

After a pause, he added, “But, we’ve gotten seven people off the streets this week.” donna@downtownnews.com