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SEPTEMBER 7, 2015 I VOL. 44 I #36

SPECIAL SECTION:

Holiday Parties & Catering SEE PAGES 7–14

PLAY TIME Pershing Square Gets Two New Playgrounds

photo by Gary Leonard

SEE PAGE 6

An Arts District Park Is Delayed : 5 Hearing Voices at the Last Bookstore : 17

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

2 Downtown News

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AROUND TOWN

Big Upgrade Planned for Herald Examiner Building

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lans to reimagine the historic Herald Examiner Building have bounced around for the better part of a decade. Now, the project finally appears to be on the fast track. Building owner Hearst Company last week revealed plans to turn the edifice at 1111 S. Broadway into a 100,000-square-foot creative office complex, with some retail and restaurant space.

Hearst has partnered with the New York-based developer Georgetown Company on the project. The landmark opened in 1914 as the headquarters for William Randolph Hearst’s newspaper, and was designed by Julia Morgan, who was also the architect on Hearst Castle. It has been mostly empty since the daily paper closed in 1989, though it has seen a steady stream of filming activity. Michael Fischer, vice president of the Georgetown Company, said the time is right for the project. “We love what’s going on in Downtown with its renaissance and resurgence, specifically in the South Park and South Broadway area,” Fischer said. He added that construction is expected to begin in six to nine months and finish in late 2017.

The budget is about $40 million, he said. Carl Muhlstein of Jones Lang LaSalle will oversee the leasing efforts, and said the project has garnered significant preliminary interest from wellknown stores and restaurants, as well as some architecture and tech firms.

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New Director Takes Over At SCI-Arc

September 7, 2015

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

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here’s another big change in the Arts District: a new director of the Southern California Institute of Architecture. On Tuesday, Sept. 1, Hernan Diaz Alonso took charge of the school with approximately 500 students, replacing Eric Owen Moss, who had been director since 2002, and who stepped down to focus on his eponymous Culver City architecture firm. Alonso has been a faculty member at SCI-Arc since 2001, most recently serving as graduate programs chair, and in 2012 he won the Educator of the Year award from the American Institute of Architects. He also serves as principal of the architecture and design firm Xefirotarch. Alonso said he wants to continue the educational and administrative initiatives started under Moss while boosting the school’s brand internationally. “People in architecture know SCIArc, but it’s not common knowledge beyond that,” he said. “We want a more aggressive pursuit of showing off what SCI-Arc represents as a cultural agitator on a worldwide scale.” One of Alonso’s first acts as director was to name new administrative leadership. On his first day, he appointed John Enright as vice director, Elena Manferdini as graduate program chair, and Tom Wiscombe (who is designing the proposed Old Bank District art museum) as undergraduate program chair.

Petty Cash Taqueria Debuts in Arts District

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he domination of Downtown’s dining scene by restaurateur Bill Chait marches on. Late last month, Petty Cash Taqueria, Chait’s project with chef Walter Manzke, opened at 712 S. Santa

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Fe Ave. Manzke also runs the original Petty Cash and the popular Republique, both in Mid-City, and once helmed the kitchen in the Arts District’s Church and State. That experience inspired him to open his own eatery in the neighborhood, he told Los Angeles Downtown News earlier this year. “In fact, the whole idea of Petty Cash, the concept, the name, everything — the project was first supposed to be in the Arts District,” Manzke said.

Petty Cash has garnered strong reviews for its take on Mexican taqueria classics and its modern mash-ups, such as guacamole laced with sea urchin and served with pork rinds. The new Downtown spot once housed the upscale operation

August 29, 2015

Fifty Seven, but it has been transformed into a colorful room with street art and casual seating.

An outdoor patio is planned for the near future.

Petty Cash is open from 6-10 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and 6-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday. More information is at pettycashtaqueria.com.

Art Exhibit to Celebrate Sixth Street Bridge

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tructural problems spelled doom for the Sixth Street Viaduct, which will soon be Continued on page 16

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EDITORIALS

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September 7, 2015

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

The Readers Talk Back Website Comments on DASH Upgrades, the Return Of Clifton’s and More Regarding the article “City Report Calls for More Storage for Homeless People’s Possessions,” by Eddie Kim, published online Aug. 28 I wonder whether it would be possible to develop campgrounds for those who have no place to stay because they feel unable to comply with the rules of the various shelters and housing options, or because they have companion animals they would have to abandon in order to stay in the available places, or because they feel more comfortable outdoors. In a well-run campground, they could pitch a tent or park a car or RV or tiny house or borrow a simple cabin, in safety and peace, with appropriate restrooms, showers, washing and cooking facilities, and access to needed services.

—Denise LaChance, Aug. 28, 6:29 p.m.

Regarding the article “City Looks at DASH Upgrades,” by Eddie Kim, published Aug. 24 I’d love it if they could run DASH into later hours. Living in Downtown, we would definitely use it more often if they at least ran during dinner hours, from 7-10 p.m.

—Victor TM, Aug. 24, 11:22 a.m.

Regarding the article “The Comeback of Clifton’s,” by Eddie Kim, published online Aug. 14 I’m looking forward to eating where my grandparents ate.

—Bill Haugland, Aug. 15, 7:11 a.m.

The first time I ate at Clifton’s Cafeteria I was 4 years old, in 1957. I was still going there until they closed. I will be there when they reopen.

—Dennis Pierce, Aug. 15, 2:15 p.m.

Downtown Needs a Bigger, Broader And Busier DASH System

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growing Downtown faces numerous challenges. There is the conundrum of homelessness and the question of what to do about ever-rising apartment rents. The exploding number of Central City residents places demands on infrastructure such as water and electricity.

Then there is the subject of mobility or, its opposite, gridlock. Numerous steps have been taken to persuade people to leave their car in the garage, or give it up altogether, and instead walk, ride a bike or use mass transit. These range from the creation of bike lanes to the Broadway “road diet” to the announcement that a bike share program will kick off next year, with 1,000 bicycles at 65 Downtown stations.

Yet another crucial element, the use and expansion of DASH buses, has been largely overlooked by the general public. If an increasingly packed Downtown is to avoid traffic-choked streets and miserable, ecologically wasteful drives, then a comprehensive, thoughtful and frequently running DASH system is a must.

DASH has been around for decades, and its routes were created in response to the reality of the time in which they were launched. In Downtown the growth and changes in recent years have been dramatic, and DASH routes need a serious update.

Officials at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation recognize this and have begun conducting a comprehensive review. This is good, because DASH will be a key component of moving Downtowners around in the coming years. Now is the time for all sides — the public and the LADOT — to recognize the potential and respond to the future.

The LADOT held a series of DASH workshops to gather public input during the summer. The second phase, for draft recommendations, ends this month. A third phase, which involves developing final recommendations, will run from October to December. LADOT hopes to complete the review by the end of the year.

We’re sure that by now, LADOT officials have some ideas as to what a Downtown DASH system should look like. We hope that this is the moment in which they embrace the needs of the extraordinary growth happening in Downtown.

The battery of small buses that cost 50 cents a ride can be a valuable tool to combat gridlock. Considering that many people will never get on a bike in Downtown, and others don’t like to walk more than a few blocks, the buses are full of potential. Think of them as the last line of

defense before someone takes the car out of the garage.

An effective Downtown DASH must run not only through areas where routes exist now, but in neighborhoods that will become busier in the near future. It is a no-brainer that the small buses have to operate frequently in Bunker Hill, the Historic Core and the Financial District, where hundred of thousands of people work.

However, DASH must serve quickly growing residential hubs in South Park, the Arts District and City West. In addition to routes that primarily go north-south, lines should run east-west. While this may be asking for everything, the ask is reasonable — just look at the wave of housing and other projects hitting each of these communities.

The other key issues are frequency and timing. According to the Aug. 1 DASH schedule, the five main Central City routes run from about 6 a.m. to 6:30 or 7 p.m. While buses on two lines are scheduled every five minutes, on other routes they come every seven to 10 minutes.

This is a great base on which to build, but given the compact size of the buses, we can see some routes needing to run every three to four minutes during rush hour. This sounds like a lot, but if someone walks out of their home in South Park needing to get to their job on Bunker Hill, and misses three buses because of a long line, then the individual might take that car out of the garage.

One of the great advantages of DASH is that it can be nimble. The LADOT can change routes or schedules according to evolving needs.

For instance, DASH hours also must respond to a Downtown with a thriving nightlife scene. Service should no longer end at 6:30 or 7 p.m., not in a community where people work long hours and where bars and restaurants thrive. While frequency can be dialed back after 7 or 7:30 p.m., the buses should run until at least 10 p.m., though ideally it would be midnight, and possibly later on weekends. Again, consider what people will do if they cannot get somewhere quickly and easily on mass transit — they’ll drive or use Uber. Either way, it means a car trip.

LADOT is on the right path with its review of services, and the agency is correct to take into account things such as the coming Regional Connector, as the $1.4 billion project may have some overlap with certain DASH routes. However, just as the agency ponders that issue, it should bring front and center a Downtown residential population that is skyrocketing.

September 7, 2015

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Contaminated Soil Delays Arts District Park Remediation Taking Place After Discovery of Harmful Materials. Crews Found Century-Old Bottles of Gonorrhea Medicine, Too

By Heidi Kulicke or months, Arts District residents have been looking forward to the fall opening of a park at Fifth and Hewitt streets. Now, they’ll likely have to wait at least another six months — that’s because construction of the $1.6 million half-acre facility has yielded numerous unexpected discoveries.

Work crews and archeologists in recent months have uncovered hundreds of objects from the late 1800s, everything from roller skates and marbles to women’s stockings and even glass bottles of gonorrhea medicine.

Traces of lead, copper and other harmful metals were also found in the dirt. That has led to a remediation effort that will take soil off the site, and bring in new dirt.

Josephine Gonzalez, environmental affairs officer with the Department of Water and Power, which is overseeing the soil remediation effort, said the first finds were made in July following a routine soil inspection. Such inspections are necessary in former industrial areas where a new project is rising.

The DWP is removing and replacing the top three feet of soil from the site as part of the remediation effort, Gonzalez said. She expects the city Bureau of Engineering to resume construction of the park shortly thereafter. Rick Coca, spokesman for 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, said the park is now expected to open in spring 2016.

The stockings and bottles of gonorrhea medicine were particularly surprising, and

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during a presentation to the Historic Cultural Neighborhood Council in August, Gonzalez said that the park site may have been a brothel at one point.

She backtracked from that assertion in a phone interview last week, saying the brothel idea was speculation, and that most of the medicine found was cod liver oil, a popular remedy during the 1800s.

The most time-consuming part of the process is the extraction of individual objects, which is being performed by a team of archeologists from Environmental Science Associates, which has an office in Downtown at Wilshire Boulevard and Hope Street. The archeologists carefully remove each item, sometimes using a metal sifting tool for small objects, said archeologist Madeleine Bray.

Bray said the idea of a brothel being there is “highly unlikely,” and that she and other ESA archeologists have extensively researched city records and historic archives to learn more about the site.

Bray said the area was originally developed with single family houses in the late 1880s. Some were torn down in the 1920s to make way for warehouses, and the rest remained until the ’50s when the area become an industrial zone.

So what does Bray think the site used to be?

“It was pretty common back then for people to bury their trash in the backyard, so what we’re finding are several trash pits,” Bray said.

“The objects give us an idea of the daily lives of the people that lived here during the late

The opening of the Arts District Park at Fifth and Hewitt streets has been pushed back by about six months after hundreds of objects from the late 1800s were discovered on the site. Dishes, roller skates and even bottles of gonorrhea medicine were pulled from the ground.

photo by Gary Leonard

19th and early 20th century.”

Further supporting the trash pit theory is the fact that the items are in layers, with the deepest sections containing the oldest items.

Bray said that her team has found dozens of household goods that people would throw away such as glass milk jugs, alcohol bottles, medicines, ceramic dishes, shoes, stockings, roller skates, children’s toys and more.

Arts District resident Rick Barber said the new park is needed, and he plans to take his dog there, as well as his grandchildren when they visit. Although he is eager to see the park

completed, he said it is more important that the artifacts are properly excavated.

“These old objects they’ve found are a reminder of our past, and should be preserved for the future,” he said.

The items pulled from the ground will be labeled and stored in ESA’s Downtown office.

Eventually, they will be moved to the Fowler Museum at UCLA where they will be held long term. Bray and Gonzalez said the objects could become a museum exhibit at the Fowler or elsewhere.

Continued on page 16

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6 Downtown News

September 7, 2015

New Playground Today, a New Look Tomorrow Pershing Square Has a Big Week, With the Opening of Kids’ Areas and the Launch of a Design Competition

By Heidi Kulicke new sound was heard at Pershing Square last week, as a pair of children’s playgrounds opened. It may only be the start of the transformation of the park in the heart of Downtown, as the week also brought the launch of a design competition to reimagine the facility.

On Thursday, Sept. 3, local leaders cut the ribbon of the $600,000 playgrounds at the southern end of the park at 532 S. Olive St. The day before, 14th District City Councilman José Huizar and the nonprofit Pershing Square Renew kicked off the competition that could bring a new look to the park by 2020.

The playgrounds were orchestrated by the city Department of Recreation and Parks, the Pershing Square Park Advisory Board and Huizar’s office. One play area is for 2- to 5-yearolds and includes a bridge and slide. The other, for kids 5-12, features a climbing structure and a balancing apparatus, among other things.

Mike Shull, general manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks, said Pershing Square is “long overdue” for a playground.

“This is real change we’re seeing at Pershing Square,” Shull said. “We’re not just talking about it, we’re seeing it happen. There is nothing more important that we do than build playgrounds, providing kids their first opportunity to enjoy a park.”

The playgrounds were funded mostly by the Department of Recreation and Parks, which provided $500,000. Another $100,000 was

given in a grant by the Goldhirsh Foundation’s LA2050 initiative.

The project included the removal of a wall facing Sixth Street. That is part of an effort to improve sight lines and increase interactivity with surrounding streets.

Mario Valdez attended the ribbon-cutting with his 3-year-old son, Mateo. He said he is happy to have a place for Mateo to play after daycare. He expects to visit the park often.

“It’s nice to have another playground option that’s more convenient for us,” Valdez said. “I love that it’s here in the middle of Downtown.”

If the new playgrounds are any indication of what’s to come at the park, then all of Downtown should be excited, said Cynthia Thompson as she watched her 4-year-old son Trevor go down the slide.

“It’s an exciting time to live in Downtown,” she said. “I can’t keep up with all of the changes, and that’s a good thing.”

Long View On Wednesday morning, Huizar and Pershing Square Renew kicked off the design competition.

It followed the City Council’s unanimous vote on Tuesday to authorize Pershing Square Renew to raise money, conduct community outreach and develop a design competition for the park.

“The space hasn’t been living up to its potential, and isn’t as interactive with the community as it should be,” Huizar said during a press conference on the steps of City Hall. “We need to get rid of its fortress-like appearance and create an inviting place for everyone.”

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Children and their families showed up at Pershing Square last week for the opening of a pair of playgrounds at the park.

photo by Gary Leonard

The competition will unfold in three phases.

It starts with an open bid submittal period, and in November 10 semi-finalists will be selected for the second phase. In December, four design teams will be chosen as finalists and will be asked to present a vision for the park. Unlike in the first two phases, the finalists will be paid a stipend for their work.

In April, a winner will be chosen. The decision will be made by the board of directors of Pershing Square Renew.

The goal is to open a redesigned park in 2020, though no specific timeline has been laid out. Also unknown at this point is the budget.

Funding for the construction of a new Pershing Square will come mostly from the pri-

vate sector, Huizar said. Developer MacFarlane Partners, which plans to build two apartment structures on the block north of the park, has donated $1 million to the project. Another $250,000 has been made available from the developers of the Metropolis project in South Park. The remaining funds will be gathered through benefits and fundraisers, Huizar said.

“We saw this as an opportunity to do something really special for the community,” said Jeff Berris, director of development with MacFarlane Partners.

Information about the design competition is at pershingsquarerenew.com/competition or on Twitter at @psrenew. heidi@downtownnews.com

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Holiday Parties & Catering 4 Five Downtown Party Planning Experts Offer Advice on How to Deliver a Memorable Holiday Event, and How to Save Money 4 Downtown Wrote the Book on Partying, and Here Are 55 Places That Prove It. See Page 9

Global Flavor Triple 8 China Bar & Grill Joins the Holiday Scene

By Tom Fassbender riple 8 China Bar & Grill opened in May, filling the old Trader Vic’s space at L.A. Live. While the restaurant might be a newcomer, owners Michael Kwan and Kerry Moy are veterans of the Downtown restaurant scene, as they are also behind Wokcano, Spear and a few other establishments.

Eight is the luckiest Chinese number, and Kwan and Moy are trying to get lucky with their xiao long bao — or soup dumplings — one of the latest hot local restaurant trends. Triple 8 also features dishes from regions across China, such as hot and sour soup, kung pao chicken, garlic seafood noodles, and high-end options like Peking duck and Wagyu beef.

Tammy Nguyen, Triple 8’s executive events coordinator, is gearing up for the new restaurant’s first Downtown holiday party season.

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Los Angeles Downtown News: What kind of trends or themes are you expecting this year when it comes to holiday parties?

Tammy Nguyen: The trend lately has been toward reception-format parties with buffet-style or tray-passed dishes as opposed to sit-down dinners. Companies want their employees to mingle instead of sitting in one spot for an entire event.

Q: How soon should people start planning a holiday party?

A: We start locking down events in October.

But obviously, the earlier you start planning the better your rate will be. Starting in June or July

Tammy Nguyen is in charge of coordinating holiday events at Triple 8 China Bar & Grill. The L.A. Live restaurant opened in May and features dishes from regions across China.

is the best time to get a good rate and the date and time you want.

Q: How much should a company expect to spend for an office holiday party at Triple 8?

A: We are flexible with budgets, but we tend to range from $5,000, including food and beverage, for a private event in one of our dining rooms, to $15,000 or $20,000 for a full buy-out. We can also do partial buy-outs. The price depends on what a company wants and how many guests will be attending.

Q: Should there be entertainment offered at the party, such as music or a show?

A: It’s not necessary to bring in live entertainment to make a party successful, but music is always nice. We have a great sound system, and often guests will pick a satellite radio station to play during the event. We can’t do live entertainment, although we can feature something like a solo guitarist. We can also bring in a mixologist who will show people how to make a cocktail, or a noodle chef who will create and then cook noodles for the guests to enjoy.

Q: What are your recommendations for making a work event more fun?

A: It’s always fun when a portion of the evening is dedicated to a gifting game, like a white elephant or secret Santa.

Q: What size crowds does Triple 8 handle?

A: We have a private dining room that will hold

HOLIDAY PARTIES AT MORTON’S

photo by Gary Leonard

up to 20 people, another that will hold up to 50 seated guests or 60 for a reception-style event, and we can go all the way up to 400 or maybe even 450 with a full restaurant buy-out.

Q: What food items or specialties do you offer for a holiday party menu?

A: We want to keep the food we offer classic and true to the identity of our menu and theme, so we don’t have a special holiday menu, but our venue will have decorative elements that will add flavor to every holiday party that’s hosted here.

Q: How do you accommodate vegetarians?

A: Our menu offers many vegetarian options, and our chef can create special items that will work with any dietary restrictions, including gluten-free and vegan diets.

Q: If it’s an office party, should booze be allowed?

A: Your employees do so much for you, and the holiday party is the one day where they can all let loose and have some fun celebrating the holiday, so yes, alcohol should definitely be allowed. It can be a great addition to any party as long as it’s under control and people keep it respectful and don’t go overboard.

Q: What is the biggest mistake people make when planning a holiday party?

A: If there’s a lot of set-up, like bringing in equipment or decorations, sometimes clients don’t allow themselves enough time. In many cases these holiday parties are held on a weekday, and employees are still taking care of all the tasks of a normal workday and don’t allow themselves enough time to get everything set up properly.

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HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

September 7, 2015

Burgers and Beyond Plan Check Builds on Modern Decor and Comfort Food

By Tom Fassbender lan Check, chef Ernesto Uchimura’s modernist burger bar, first opened on Sawtelle in 2013. A Downtown outpost debuted in City West last October, and the local burger scene hasn’t been the same since diners got access to the high-quality meat topped with, among other things, “ketchup leather” (like a ketchup fruit roll-up, but much better than that sounds).

Uchimura is the former executive chef at Umami burger and helped develop the menu there. In addition to its burgers, Plan Check offers American comfort food staples, such as smoky fried chicken and beef short-rib pot roast.

The restaurant, named for the process that architects and engineers endure as they seek to secure permits for their projects from the Department of Building and Safety (an office is next door to the restaurant’s first location on Sawtelle), is a work of modern architecture itself, done up in a simple, urban-industrial style with clean lines of concrete and steel.

General Manager Jessica Wind is looking forward to the second holiday party season at the Downtown restaurant. She filled in the details on how to celebrate, with burgers and beyond.

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Los Angeles Downtown News: What kind of trends or themes are you expecting this year when it comes to holiday parties?

Jessica Wind: This year, people are going with simpler parties. They’re sticking to basic menu

Jessica Wind, general manager of Plan Check in City West, urges party planners to approach her at least a month in advance if they want to secure their date and time of choice.

offerings, which is always easier to plan.

Q: How soon should people start planning a holiday party?

A: At least a month to a month and a half before the event. This will help them get the exact time and date that they want.

Q: How much should a company expect to spend for an office holiday party at Plan Check?

A: It all depends on the size of the group. We offer a $25 per-person menu, so for a party with 20-25 people, a company could easily spend around $450-$500. This includes an appetizer to share, with a burger or salad and an order of fries to share. Then for dessert we end it with a root beer float or one of our cruller donuts. We also have $35 and $45 per-person menu options. That price doesn’t include drinks, though.

Q: Should there be entertainment offered at the party, such as music or a show?

A: We see a holiday party as more of a get-together, a place for people to hang out, so we don’t have any accessories to watch shows. But we do like to enhance a party with music. We’re known for our hip-hop happy hour, where we play new hip-hop and pop mixed with some old school hip-hop.

Q: What are your recommendations for making a work event more fun?

A: The easier the party is to plan, the better.

Some of the best events feature an open bar

photo by Gary Leonard

and a selective menu with a decent amount of choices.

Q: What size crowds does Plan Check handle?

A: We can host a party of anything from a very small group to an entire restaurant buy-out, which would be a maximum of about 120 people.

Q: What food items or specialties do you offer for a holiday party menu?

A: Each day we serve a different special item, written up classic-style on a chalkboard, and most of our regulars come in for those. So we can easily repeat someone’s favorite daily special.

Q: How do you accommodate vegetarians?

A: We offer a veggie burger and we can substitute a bun with lettuce wraps as a gluten-free option. We also have a few salads and vegetarian appetizers on the menu.

Q: If it’s an office party, should booze be allowed?

A: Yes, and we have a full bar to help with that.

We feature some really good Japanese whiskies. One in particular is extremely hard to get — there are only a few bottles in the world and we have four of them. Our S&L Old Fashioned on tap is also very popular, and we have 13 different craft beers on draft. So there’s something for everyone.

Q: What is the biggest mistake people make when planning a holiday party?

A: The biggest mistake is waiting too long to make a reservation or forgetting to specify if they want an open bar or not. That can kill a party pretty quickly.

Plan Check is at 1111 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 4031616 or plancheck.com.

Continued on page 11

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H O T E L S & R E S O RT S

Choose the Westin Bonaventure As Your Holiday Co-Host Get a head start on the holiday season, and plan the perfect party with our Season of Renewal offer. As your guests dance within our soaring California Ballroom, or marvel at stunning 35th floor views of Los Angeles, we’ll take care of the wining and dining with a three-course dinner, butler-passed hors d’oeuvres, and full wine service.

Available any Sunday through Thursday in November and December, this events package will seal your reputation as the host with the most with the following features: • Three-course plated holiday dinner, created by Executive Chef Jose Velasquez • Two butler-passed hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour • Wine service offered during dinner, featuring two bottles per table of 10 Rate: $85 per person, inclusive of all service charges and taxes. | For availability, please contact our Catering Sales Department at 213.612.4808 *Offer applies on any Sunday through Thursday in November and December, 2015

September 7, 2015

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Downtown News 9

55 Fantastic Downtown Party Places Whether You Want a Big Bash, An Intimate Affair or Something Else For Your Holiday Party, Downtown Has You Covered

photo by Gary Leonard

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ou’ve just enjoyed the Labor Day holiday. The kids are back in school and you’re still fondly recalling the summer vacation and all those sweaty beach days.

All of which means you should also be thinking about where to host your holiday party, whether for your office staff or a group of friends.

Yes, it’s really that time, because while your brain is stuck in summer, other party planners are eyeing the best November and December weekend dates. If you want a prime night at a place everyone wants to go, then you had best begin making calls now.

Los Angeles Downtown News is here to help. Downtown has a continually growing roster of places to host a party. From restaurants with private rooms that can hold a dozen people, to hotels with huge ballrooms that can satisfy the eating, drinking and dancing needs of hundreds, to unique spaces that weave in events like bowling or a locked-room mystery, there is something for every taste and budget. Here is a big, but by no means definitive, list of Downtown choices.

Call now.

Your stay, your LA – new in 2015: Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown is in the heart of the new pulse of downtown LA:

Perch — one of the best views in L.A. features fine French food, copious outdoor space and plenty of cocktails

The Bloc. Welcoming guests and locals alike with signature Sheraton warmth, our hotel

Ledlow — the former Pete’s Café got a new look and a skillfully upgraded menu from chef Josef Centeno

been activated - from our marble-clad lobby up to our 26th floor Club Lounge - with

Water Grill — the Downtown joint still ranks as one of the best seafood spots in the city. You can’t go wrong with the raw bar

Find out more at sheratonlosangelesdowntown.com or call 213 488 3500

has been completely revitalized through a $75 million redesign. The entire hotel has clean, modern lines accented with references to silver screen glamour.

Church and State — a fabulous French bistro in the Arts District. Party while eating escargot and Tony Esnault’s cooking L.A. Live — there are small spaces, huge spaces and food from the Wolfgang Puck empire Yxta Cocina Mexicana — loads of tequila and authentic Mexican food in an off-the-beaten-track location Continued on page 10

©2015 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Sheraton and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.t

10 Downtown News

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

September 7, 2015

party places, 9 City Tavern — a stellar lineup of craft beers and an open, airy space in the heart of the Financial District, at FIGat7th Border Grill — take in the festive decor, the patio and the Two Hot Tamales’ reliable cuisine

CATERING

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Millwick — a former livery-turned-cold storage warehouse in the Arts District has a big indoor room and a big garden space Redbird — there’s private dining, a retractable roof and chef Neal Fraser’s amazing cooking

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Maddalena Restaurant at San Antonio Winery — Italian food under a barrelshaped ceiling, just steps from a working winery

photo by Gary Leonard

Spear Restaurant — host 10 people or more than 500. There’s a multi-level patio and fireplaces for those cold (in L.A.) nights

starting Monday, July 29th at 7:30am

Conga Room — the L.A. Live spot with xclusively with Intelligentsia Coffee and Babycakes, Artisan House gives you endless flavor breakfast options to get your day started right. Grab something toLatin go or joinand us the best salsa sounds in the city at our indoor/outdoor market café.

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Hilton Checkers — a private dining room and a secluded patio in a boutique hotel, or try the rooftop space Tom’s Urban

Natural History Museum — dance and mingle under dinosaur bones in Exposition Park Artisan House — do parties of all sizes in a big Historic Core space Plum Tree Inn — a Chinatown staple with a private room, addictive honey walnut shrimp and more

For private parties, a 10,000 sq. ft. 9th Escape Room L.A. — gather a dozen floor space that was once home to the friends for a game in which you solve twitter.com/ArtisanHouseLA instagram.com/artisanhouseLA Jonathan Club, is available for the asking. puzzles to escape a locked room in an hour. Follow it up with drinks and eats at Pricing on request. View our group dining a nearby bar or restaurant options and see why the Artisan House can be yours anywhere you want to be.

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Beelman’s Pub — affordable food packages, well-crafted drinks and a great jukebox in the Historic Core

Bottle Rock — more wine choices than you can ponder, plus tasty snacks and an easy location in South Park

Mas Malo — killer margaritas, Mexican

Local Table — relaxed Figueroa Street joint can do appetizers, main courses, pastries, specialty coffees, booze, pressed juices and more

e gives you endless food and several private rooms Partnering exclusively with Intelligentsia Coffee and Babycakes, Artisan House gives you endless Broken Spanish — chef Ray Garcia’s elto go or join us coffee and breakfast options to get your day started right. Grab something to go or join us ting Monday, July 29th at 7:30am

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Au Lac—vegan fare on Bunker Hill in the old First & Hope space. Hey, not everyone eats meat Drago Centro — some of the best Italian food in L.A., with a massive wine list and an assortment of private rooms

Alexandria Ballrooms — old L.A. elegance with a full bar and a commercial kitchen at Fifth and Spring Café Pinot — Cal-French fare with a gorgeous patio next to the Central Library O Hotel — a boutique establishment where the party choices include the Red Room and, egads, the Mafia Room X Lanes —the joint on the top floor of the Little Tokyo Galleria has 24 bowling lanes, a big restaurant and 100 arcade games

Blue Cow — a Bunker Hill sit-down space The Majestic Downtown — a 20,000square-foot former bank headquarters from the sandwich kings behind Mendotwitter.com/ArtisanHouseLA instagram.com/artisanhouseLA has old-L.A. charm and modern touches cino Farms. Pair with inventive drinks instagram.com/artisanhouseLA

Hotel Figueroa — Moroccan flavor and indoor and outdoor spaces. Enjoy the coffin-shaped pool

photo by Gary Leonard

L.A. Center Studios — party where they make movies and filmed “Mad Men.” There’s also a private theater

Tom’s Urban — 62 TVs, Moscow Mules, sticky belly street tacos and a variety of other choices The Edison — a bash in a former boiler room that looks like no other place in L.A. Try the artisanal cocktails Belasco Theatre — a renovated South Park theater, with two modern bar spaces and a top-notch sound system The Palm — big lobsters, thick steaks and plenty of private spaces Grand Park — rent a chunk of Downtown’s best park, a green expanse with fountains and pink furniture Center at Cathedral Plaza — the headContinued on page 14

September 7, 2015

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Downtown News 11

Party Planners, 8

In Good Company Newcomer Barrel Down Rolls Out the Fun for Holiday Parties

By Tom Fassbender arrel Down has only been open for four months, but it’s already drawing big crowds. This may not be surprising when you consider that the modern saloon on Seventh Street features 40 different rotating craft beers on draft, as well as custom cocktails and a menu full of barroom staples such as burgers, chicken wings and other small plates.

With the long bar that’s perfect for socializing and a high, open ceiling that radiates a comfortable, easygoing atmosphere, Barrel Down provides something unique for the holiday party scene. Bar manager Jason Hamilton talked about what is shaping up to be a very busy few months for the new restaurant.

B

Los Angeles Downtown News: What kind of trends or themes are you expecting this year when it comes to holiday parties?

Jason Hamilton: We’re booking a lot of office parties in our mezzanine these days, but we haven’t seen any specific trends. Most of the time people are just looking for a cool space for their employees to hang out.

Q: How soon should people start planning a holiday party?

A: The holiday season books up far in advance.

We’ll start getting calls in mid-October to book parties, so I’d say a company needs to have

Jason Hamilton is getting ready for the first holiday party season at Seventh Street’s Barrel Down. It offers 40 rotating craft beers on tap.

their planning done and start calling venues by the end of September or the beginning of October.

Q: How much should a company expect to spend for an office holiday party at Barrel Down?

A: It really depends on the size of the group that is attending the party, but it usually ranges between $2,000 and $5,000.

Q: Should there be entertainment offered at the party, such as music or a show?

A: Definitely. Live entertainment helps with icebreaking, especially with larger groups. Employees spend a lot of time together, and when they’re out they don’t want to talk about work.

So it’s nice to have something to help the conversations get going. We’re working on hosting live music once a week, so that’s something we can hook up at an event. We’re also getting a jukebox and will be able to play albums by request for parties.

Q: What are your recommendations for making a work event more fun?

A: Everybody’s there to have a good time, so don’t go into the event with any preconceived notions. Instead, go into it with an open mind and be ready to talk.

Q: What size crowds does Barrel Down handle?

photo by Gary Leonard

A: We can handle up to 135 in the restaurant, and our downstairs semi-private lounge can hold 25 while our upstairs loft can also hold 25 comfortably. We can fit a few more people up there, but it gets crowded.

Q: What food items or specialties do you offer for a holiday party menu?

A: We’ve got 40 taps for beer, and when the holiday season starts we’ll be rotating in some seasonal beers, like Oktoberfest and winter beers. We’ve also got some wonderful seasonal cocktails planned.

Q: How do you accommodate vegetarians?

A: We have great vegetarian items on our menu, like our cauliflower popcorn, our black bean burger, and some really fantastic salads.

We can also modify other dishes to make them vegetarian.

Q: If it’s an office party, should booze be allowed?

A: The best place to drink is in good company, so alcohol definitely adds to the enjoyment factor of a party and helps to loosen things up — but moderation is a good thing. Talking about what beers and cocktails they’re drinking gives people a reason to start a conversation.

Q: What is the biggest mistake people make when planning a holiday party?

A: Not planning enough in advance. I’ve seen parties where people have rushed the planning and they expect things to be done that haven’t been communicated. So have a plan of what you want and work it all out in advance. Also, not having an accurate count on the number of attendees will make the party a little more challenging for us and the guests.

Barrel Down is at 525 W Seventh St., (213) 2328657 or barreldownla.com

12 Downtown News

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

September 7, 2015

An Approachable Atmosphere Cerveteca Offers a Hip, Relaxed Setting for Holiday Parties

By Tom Fassbender erveteca opened last October in an old loading dock nestled between Second and Third streets in the Arts District. It had a tough culinary act to follow, occupying the space once filled by lauded sushi joint R23.

Cerveteca has made its own name. The for­ mer warehouse space, with its tall ceilings, exposed brick, reclaimed wood and polished steel, is a warm and inviting neighborhood favorite offering what’s been called “L.A. com­ fort food.”

As he gears up for his second holiday sea­ son, General Manager Chris Wulff is relying on Cerveteca specialties such as Chicano Cheese Pots and fresh ceviche, and washing them down with the restaurant’s Spicy Margarita and a wide selection of craft beers. He ran down some of the holiday party options.

C

Los Angeles Downtown News: What kind of trends or themes are you expecting this year when it comes to holiday parties?

Chris Wulff: From what I’m seeing as a Down­ town resident, the new trend is dressing down and enjoying a more casual dining experience.

Q: How soon should people start planning a holiday party?

A: I have people calling me now to book events for Christmas, so if you want to secure a reser­ vation, the earlier you plan, the better. That said, I can reasonably book out a party here within a week if we have an open spot.

Chris Wulff, general manager of the Arts District’s Cerveteca, says music, booze and family-style service can help make a memorable holiday party.

Q: How much should someone expect to spend for a holiday party at Cerveteca?

A: To book a basic holiday party holiday for 13 or more people, it’s going to cost $50 per per­ son. That gets each person an entree and a couple drinks or a couple starters and a couple cocktails. But if someone has a particular bud­ get in mind, I can put together some food se­ lections that’ll work for them.

Q: Should there be entertainment offered at the party, such as music or a show?

A: Absolutely. Music’s a big deal for us — the right music is just as important as the salt on your steak — and we have a great, diverse se­ lection of music that really fits the space.

Q: What are your recommendations for making a work event more fun?

A: I always recommend family-style service to keep the event moving. When the food is served on big plates and everyone can help themselves, it gets people out of their seats and engaging with each other. People don’t want to worry about what to order. A holiday party is all about socializing and having a good time.

Q: What size crowds can Cerveteca handle?

A: We can handle about 100 people, but I don’t like to book out more than two large parties of 20 or 25 people each during lunch or dinner. But we have done buyouts where

photo by Gary Leonard

one group rents out the whole space during non-peak hours.

Q: What food items or specialties do you offer for a holiday party menu?

A: On the weekends we do a rotating ceviche plate and our chef will often come up with a ceviche of the day, so that’s something we can easily add to the menu. We also offer weekend specials that are typically something from the sea, like seared scallops or grilled fillet of yel­ lowtail, and we can add these off-the-menu specials to the party menu, too.

Q: How do you accommodate vegetarians?

A: We offer veggie tacos, enchiladas and a house-made veggie patty. Plus, many of our side dishes are vegetarian. We offer a seasonal roasted veggie plate with heirloom vegetables that’s great for a table of two or a table of 20.

Q: If it’s an office party, should booze be allowed?

A: I think if it’s a party at all, booze should be allowed, but there’s definitely something spe­ cial about breaking bread and sipping on a nice glass of wine or chilled champagne as you toast your co-workers to celebrate the things you’ve accomplished together.

Q: What is the biggest mistake people make when planning a holiday party?

A: When someone books a large reservation and they don’t follow up with changes, wheth­ er it’s the size of the group or the timeframe of the event, it’s going to cause speed bumps.

Any surprise for a restaurant is going to create a delay, and that’s the last thing we want for our customers. So not communicating changes to us is a big mistake. The more the planner communicates with us, the better experience they’ll have.

Cerveteca is at 923 E. Third St., (213) 805-5862 or cervetecadtla.com

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September 7, 2015

Downtown News 13

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Simple With a Side of Wow Chaya Offers Asian-Fusion Cuisine and an Indoor-Outdoor Space for Holiday Events

By Tom Fassbender haya has been a Los Angeles institution for 31 years, ever since opening in Beverly Hills in 1984. More locations have come, including a Downtown outpost at City National Plaza in 2009.

Chaya is known for its French-influenced Asian-fusion cuisine. A new chef, Joji Inoue, took over the Downtown kitchen this summer, and has given the menu a refresh. In the coming months, Kristel Kim, Chaya’s director of special events and catering, will be arranging parties that put Downtowners in his midst. Kim explained how the restaurant works to keep its approach to parties simple, yet still wow guests with something unexpected.

C

Los Angeles Downtown News: What kind of trends or themes are you expecting this year when it comes to holiday parties?

Kristel Kim: I’m expecting to get many requests for customizable elements and themes to brand parties, like adding a logo or color scheme to the menu, or special lighting to the venue, or even a signature food item or cocktail with a unique flavor.

Q: How soon should people start planning a holiday party?

A: Always jump on planning a party as soon as possible. Chaya is a highly sought-out venue, and it fills up fast. I recommend starting the process as soon as September and making a fi-

Chaya at City National Plaza has been doing holiday parties since 2009. This year Kristel Kim, the restaurant’s director of special events and catering, expects party guests to ask for a range of customizable elements.

nal decision on venue by the end of October.

Q: How much should a company expect to spend for an office holiday party at Chaya?

A: The cost depends on the size of the party as well as the day and time it’s held. Of course there are many variables, and we can customize anything to fit what a client is looking for.

For a large event that’s a full buy-out, an average price is about $15,000, but we’re willing to work with everyone, even if it’s a lower budget.

Q: Should there be entertainment offered at the party, such as music or a show?

A: Some kind of entertainment is always nice, especially if it’s a bigger office party where the guests might not know everybody. But even for a small office party having something, even a single DJ playing a holiday/pop music mix, is better than no entertainment.

Q: What are your recommendations for making a work event more fun?

A: I suggest having something interactive, like a food-based action station. For example, a handroll station where guests add their own toppings. People really enjoy that and it’s a great way to have conversations start.

Q: What size crowds does Chaya handle?

A: We limit a full-restaurant sit-down dinner to around 250 guests, but for a cocktail-style party with passed hors d’oeuvres, we can host up to

photo by Gary Leonard

Q: If it’s an office party, should booze be allowed?

A: Offering alcohol is a nice touch, especially during the holidays, to reward employees who have worked so hard. But if people are worried about guests drinking too much, we can do simple things like a hosted beer and wine menu.

500. We also have a private dining room that can fit 36 people seated or 75 cocktail-style, and a patio that can handle 80 seated or 125 cocktail-style.

Q: What food items or specialties do you offer for a holiday party menu?

A: We generally stay within our specialty of Eurasian, which is what Chaya is known for, but if our customers ask for certain things we can work with them. We can add carving stations, mobile bars and interactive stations — even a live fish station.

Q: What is the biggest mistake people make when planning a holiday party?

A: Many people will underestimate, underbudget or under-order, and there may not be enough food or drinks. We give suggestions and do everything we can do to help with those areas, but in the end the decision is on the client. Also, timing is critical. Some people will set up a party with a two-hour window, like 7-9 p.m., but then all the guests show up at 8 and the event feels too short.

Chaya is at 525 S. Flower St. (213) 236-9577 or thechaya.com

Q: How do you accommodate vegetarians?

A: All the M Cafes are part of Chaya, and all items on the M Cafe menus are macrobiotic — vegetarian and gluten free with no refined sugar, poultry, red meat or dairy. We can easily piece together items from the M Cafe menu and the Chaya menu and present them together at one party.

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HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

party places, 10

LoftSEVEN in the Haas Building — a spacious, stylish Seventh Street penthouse

quarters of L.A.’s Catholic community also hosts private events, and is run by Levy Restaurants Oiwake — eat sushi, drink sake and sing karaoke until you are hoarse

City Club Los Angeles — a sprawling, elegant club on the 51st floor of City National Plaza offers some of the best views in Downtown

Library Bar — sip smart drinks while surrounded by leather-bound books

Traxx — modern cuisine in Union Station, with a choice of indoor and patio seating

Farmers & Merchants Bank — throw a big party at ground zero of the Old Bank District revival

Terroni — homemade Italian pastas and other specialties at a chic, modern and flexible Spring Street spot

Public School — American gastropub in the Financial District touts gourmet eats and craft brews

Oviatt Building Penthouse — an Art Deco gem, with an al fresco atmosphere and, once again, an amazing Downtown view

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Regent China Inn Authentic Chinese Cuisine in Chinatown

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Downtown Independent — see a movie and follow it with drinks and food in the lobby or on the roof Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge — who doesn’t like bowling and drinks? There are private rooms and a semi-private bowling suite with four lanes Doubletree by Hilton — a hidden garden in the Little Tokyo hotel; the food is Japanese American and Asian fusion Noé Restaurant and Bar — chic eatery in the Omni Hotel has inventive cuisine and room for 125 AT&T Center Penthouse — drop-dead views on the 32nd floor of an office tower with fare from Joachim Splichal’s Patina Catering

September 7, 2015

Downtown News 15

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

The Safer Downtown Initiative As Crime Rates Rise, Police Urge Downtowners To Pay Attention and Be Involved

By Heidi Kulicke owntowners have been fretting since the Los Angeles Police Department revealed that crime has increased sharply in the first half of the year. Although overall crime rose 12% in Los Angeles through June compared to the same period last year, Downtown saw a 34% jump. Violent crime in Downtown, meanwhile, soared by 60%.

While shifts are being made in how and where officers are deployed, Central Division, which patrols Downtown Los Angeles, is also trying to rope in more local workers and residents to keep the community safe. Sgt. Michael Flanagan, who heads the Community Relations Unit at Central, spoke with Los Angeles Downtown News last week about what every Downtown resident can and should do about crime. The key takeaway: Be involved.

D

Los Angeles Downtown News: How can police and Downtowners work together to keep the neighborhood safe?

Sgt. Michael Flanagan: It has to begin at the community level. I’m here 10 hours a day and have a large area to patrol. I’m not going to know what’s happening in an individual community because I don’t live there. People see things that we don’t see and they recognize the players on the street. It starts with people who actually care about their own community enough to get a successful crime preven-

Sgt. Michael Flanagan heads the Community Relations Unit at Central Division. When it comes to stopping crime in Downtown, he said, public involvement is crucial.

tion program going. I could go out there and preach and pass out pamphlets or hold meetings. But it’s not going to do any good unless we have that community support.

Q: On DowntownNews.com, you wrote, “Crime does not exist in a strong-bonded community.”

What does that mean?

A: When you live in a neighborhood you have to look out for each other. That’s what a strongbonded community is. You have to believe in your neighborhood and you have to want to live there. Lots of people are moving to Downtown because they want to be here and want to be part of the growth. But we need them to take interest in their community. Their investment doesn’t just begin and end on their property, it covers the street outside, too.

Q: So what should people do as crime rises?

A: The best way to get involved is to support the Neighborhood Watch program. We don’t need people out on the street patrolling, we just need eyes and we need people to call. If you see something that looks and feels wrong, it probably is, because you live there and know your neighborhood. So report any suspicious activity before it becomes a crime. Let us come out and take a look and investigate.

Q: What’s the best way to report suspicious activity? Can someone remain anonymous?

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photo by Gary Leonard

A: If a crime is in progress, call 911. Otherwise, call 1-877-ASK-LAPD. The operator will always ask for a name, but it’s not required. If you can at least provide a phone number it will help in case we need more information. You can also submit an anonymous tip through the programs WeTip and Crime Stoppers. They both offer a cash reward if the tip leads to an arrest.

WeTip lets you report the crime online. With Crime Stoppers, you’re able to call, text or go online to report a tip. We discourage reporting any tips through social media though, because it’s not monitored 24/7.

Q: Why is crime in Downtown getting worse?

A: It’s important to consider factors like Prop 47, which addresses jail overcrowding by changing some crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, which allows an inmate to be released the day

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after being arrested. Added to that is the fact that the majority of social services are concentrated in Skid Row, where lots of inmates end up. Downtown is unfortunately filled with drug addiction, and dealers are preying upon these addicts. Many of them don’t have jobs so it often leads to criminal activity.

Q: What can locals do to be safe in their daily lives?

A: There will always be crimes of passion when people get angry at each other and do something violent. But the robberies and thefts could be prevented if more people would get involved. Our motto is “Lock It, Hide It, Keep It” to remind people to lock their cars and guard their property at all times. Somebody out there might steal it if they get the chance. heidi@downtownnews.com

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To learn more about these exciting events, follow us!

501 North Main Street | www.lapca.org | 888.488.8083

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TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

16 Downtown News

Park, 5

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Finding historic items during excavation is nothing new in Downtown. Construction on projects including Los Angeles State Historic Park and the Chinatown housing complex Blossom Plaza have yielded portions of the Zanja Madre, the city’s historic water delivery system (it means “mother ditch”). In 2010, during work on the La Plaza de Cultura Y Artes facility near Olvera Street, the bones of 118 Native Americans were uncovered. The site had previously held a cemetery. The bones were reburied in a garden portion of the project in April 2012.

“These types of discoveries happen in Downtown, as it’s the birthplace of Los Angeles,” said Coca. “It’s happened before and it will happen again.”

When completed, the park will feature an eight-foot wall for mural art, outdoor eating areas, a playground, shade trees, concrete seating and lighting. Funds for the park were secured through Quimby fees, which developers pay for park creation. heidi@downtownnews.com

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demolished to make way for a modern, Michael Maltzandesigned bridge. While the latter will serve as a new architectural icon connecting the Arts District to Boyle Heights, Art Share L.A. is celebrating the curves of the old project in an exhibition opening this week. Ode to the Bridge, curated by Dale Youngman and Tanner Blackman (the planning director for 14th District City Councilman José Huizar), features more than 30 local artists’ interpretations of the landmark. The exhibit opens Wednesday, Sept. 9, and runs through Sept. 19, with the art available for viewing from 1-6 p.m. at Art Share’s headquarters at 801 E. Fourth Pl. Those who want a deeper dive into the history and future of the project that spans the Los Angeles River can attend a panel discussion on Sept. 16 with speakers including Tim Williams, from Maltzan’s studio, and conceptual artist Glenn Kaino. The talk runs from 7-9 p.m. Additional information is at artsharela.org.

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Bookstore to Leave Hollywood and Santa Monica, Come Downtown

T

he Arts District is seeing all manner of housing complexes and restaurants. Now, it’s getting an actual arts-oriented addition. The art and architecture bookstore Hennessey + Ingalls has signed a lease to fill 5,000 square feet of space in the massive mixed-use complex One Santa Fe at 300 S. Santa Fe Ave. The bookstore was founded 52 years ago, and the new outpost is expected to open in January, at which point Hennessey + Ingalls will close its Hollywood and Santa Monica locations, said Danielle Cornwell, a broker with Jones Lang LaSalle who worked on the deal. Hennessey + Ingalls chose One Santa Fe to capitalize on the architecture community at the nearby A+D Museum and the Southern California Institute of Architecture, Cornwell said. The shop bills itself as the largest art and architecture bookstore in the Western United States.

The $160 million One Santa Fe opened last fall and contains 438 apartments; those residences are now 90% occupied.

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590 South Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles, CA PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD September 7 – October 7, 2015 WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED? The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) invites you to review and comment on the draft Removal Action Workplan (RAW) for the Butterfield Property (Site) located at 590 South Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles from September 7 through October 7. The Site will be a maintenance yard for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) Purple Line Extension/Westside Subway Project. There are chemicals in the soil, soil vapors and groundwater that need to be cleaned up. A draft RAW is a plan that describes results from tests and identifies ways to cleanup the contamination. The RAW and related documents can be found here: http://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/profile_report.asp?global_id=19281223 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) In accordance with CEQA, DTSC has reviewed the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared by MTA for the MTA Purple Line Extension/Westside Subway Project (PLE) to ensure that CEQA requirements have been satisfied for the Site. The EIR included excavation activities at the site associated with the RAW and thereby evaluated environmental impact(s) from the Site. The EIR can be found on MTA’s website: http://www.metro. net/projects/westside/final-eis-eir/ HOW DO I PARTICIPATE? DTSC will consider all public comments postmarked or received by October 7, 2015 and addressed to: Jessy Fierro, DTSC Project Manager 9211 Oakdale Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311 Jessy.Fierro@dtsc.ca.gov Office: (818) 717-6563 Fax: (818) 717-6515

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Downtown News 17

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DT

photo by Gary Leonard

September 7, 2015

Hearing V o i c e s at t H L a st B ooks e tore

CALENDAR

Shop at Fift h an Powerful Pro d Spring Adds a gramming L ineup To Its Huge Selection

The Last Bookstore has ramped up its events programming, and now draws prominent authors such as noir novelist James Ellroy, who appeared at a reading and signing in May.

By Eddie Kim hen Josh Spencer opened the Last Bookstore in a small Historic Core space in 2009, he knew that part of the shop’s success would hinge on its ability to host intriguing speakers and events.

This is a truism for every bookshop owner in the age of Amazon. Readings, signings and other public programs get people through the door and spur more purchases.

But Spencer and his makeshift bookstore team were learning on the fly. Or, as Spencer bluntly puts it, “We didn’t know what we were doing.”

“We were putting on more highbrow, obscure local stuff, very tied into avant-garde art and literature,” Spencer recalled. “That was cool and we were proud of many of those events, but it wasn’t sustainable. They didn’t really bring people out.”

In 2011, the shop moved from a 970-squarefoot room to a 10,000-square-foot former bank space on the ground floor of the Spring Arts Tower at Fifth and Spring streets. While the Last Bookstore remains immersed in the world of indie publishing and art, its events calendar has exploded.

Noteworthy authors and personalities filter in every week, attracting fans and curious passersby. Some have limited followings, like musician Ben Chasny, who visited the shop last week to tout his book The Hexadic System. Others are major names in literature or pop culture: In May, famed noir novelist James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential, The Black Dahlia) spent an evening at the Last Bookstore for his book LAPD ’53. In July, superstar DJ Steve Aoki drew throngs of people for a signing of his photo travelogue Eat Sleep Cake Repeat.

In the coming weeks the Last Bookstore will host guests such as Pulitzer-winning author Héctor Tobar, fantasy novelist Patrick Rothfuss,

W

a Halloween party and more (see sidebar). The shop’s calendar also has group readings and a monthly open mic night.

Spencer credits the steady lineup to Liska Jacobs, who signed on as the shop’s event coordinator last October and now has an array of ambitious concepts in mind.

“Our space is huge and phenomenal, we have sound equipment, we have a key location in Downtown,” Jacobs said. “We’re talking about doing larger seated events and partnerships.

We’re talking to the Los Angeles Theatre Center.

Basically, we’ve got a lot of big ideas.”

Scare Tactics The Last Bookstore courts requests from publishers and writers to do in-store events, and these still compose the majority of the calendar, Spencer said. Yet he wants to do more original programming, and has given Jacobs free reign to brainstorm day-long events, festivals, live music and more.

That is borne out by The Last Spookstore, a month-long exhibit featuring 31 artists that starts Oct. 3. The artists will reimagine the covers of 31 classic horror novels — think Frankenstein and It — and the exhibit will kick off with a party featuring three local bands (dancing, especially in costume, is encouraged) and bars from Highland Park Brewery and Field Recordings Wine. Donations and artwork sales will benefit local education nonprofit 826LA. The efforts help people see the Last Bookstore as a community space, not just a place to buy literature. Jacobs noted that, as Spencer once hoped, there is an economic upside.

“It really gets people in the store,” she said.

“They’re not only buying a book for an event, but once you get into the bookstore, you get lost in the literature and you end up wanting something from that experience.”

Bookstores around the country have shut-

tered as the industry has taken blows from a changing literary landscape with new reading habits and new technologies. Along with libraries, bookstores must continue to play a vital role for free programming in a community, said Louise Steinman, director of cultural programs at the Library Foundation of L.A. “The Last Bookstore is a haven for book lovers and a place to meet and hear writers,” she wrote in an email. “To create a real literary community L.A. needs many venues and places to browse books and exchange ideas.”

More opportunities to bring people to the Last Bookstore loom in the near future. Jacobs hopes to partner with the three-day Associa-

tion of Writers and Writing Programs conference coming to the L.A. Convention Center in the spring. She’s also trying to incorporate more kids-oriented programming amid the rising number of families in Downtown.

Jacobs, for one, sees the Last Bookstore as a “great equalizer,” where affluent newcomers and longtime Skid Row residents can come together to look at books, hear an author or see an upand-coming artist free of charge. For them and everyone else, it’s good news that the store wants its calendar filled for years to come.

The Last Bookstore is at 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com. eddie@downtownnews.com

five Last bookstore Highlights Héctor tobar in conversation witH L.a. times’ caroLina miranda

Saturday, Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m.

The man who literally wrote the book on the 2010 Chilean mine collapse, which trapped 33 miners underground for more than two months, dives into the process of authoring Deep Down Dark.

Under tHe infLUence: 20 Years of Permanent midnight

Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m.

Authors Joe Clifford, Ryan Leone and Jerry Stahl reflect on the impact of the latter’s seminal junkie memoir Permanent Midnight, and read some of their own selections.

spring arts coLLective opening: tHe marveLoUs minds

Sept. 18, 6-9 p.m.

See the surreal creations of 11 artists at the opening reception of “The Marvelous Minds.” There’s also live painting and music to keep things going.

ted raLL on Snowden

Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.

The cartoonist and journalist stops in to talk up his graphic novel on Edward Snowden, which probes Snowden’s personality and the ethics of his whistleblowing. Expect Rall’s tiff with the Los Angeles Times to also get a serious airing.

Q&a and signing witH aUstin KLeon

Oct. 4, 6:30 p.m.

The bestselling author of Steal Like an Artist presents his new interactive journal, which aims to boost creativity through daily exercises, questions and quotes.

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18 Downtown News

September 7, 2015

Shop Hop Downtown’s Shopping Scene Includes a New Burlington, More Stores at One Santa Fe and an Auction House

By Heidi Kulicke oats and Beyond: In March, representatives of the discount retailer Burlington announced that they would open a Downtown outpost in the fall. It was an aggressive timeline, but it looks as if they will make it.

A company representative last week told Shop Hop that the 56,565-square-foot store will open at 309 W. Seventh St., in the old Big Lots space, on Oct. 23. It will be a big event, with a morning ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed the next day by a slate of family activities such as face painting. The business, often called Burlington Coat Factory, sells clothing for men, women and children, shoes, jewelry, accessories, home goods and, yes, coats. The store plans to hire about 100 workers. It will be open seven days a week.

Coming to 309 W. Seventh St. or burlingtoncoatfactory.com.

C

Bon Voyage: The massive mixed-use complex One Santa Fe has a new addition. The Voyager Shop, which sells minimalist clothing for men and women, along with shoes, accessories, kitchenware, home goods, stationery and more, opened last month. The 1,200-squarefoot Arts District boutique comes from a San Francisco-based company that brands itself as a collaborative retail environment with a global influence. For the Downtown shop it has partnered with Austin-based Spartan for the home goods collection; the line includes Japanese

The Jalfaro Design Studio opened last month at Seventh and Spring streets. It sells home furnishings, artwork, vintage wares, lighting fixtures and more.

wooden tableware and a wooden mug for $47.

Women’s T-shirts start at $46 and a women’s knit sweater goes for $172. The store is open daily from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

At 300 S. Santa Fe Ave., (415) 795-1748 or thevoyagershop.com.

photo by Jimmy Jalfaro

Hi Design: The Historic Core has a new shop with a mix of handmade home furnishings, artwork, vintage wares and more. Jalfaro Design Studio opened last month at Seventh and Spring streets. It comes from artist/craftsman/designer Jimmy Jalfaro. “As Downtown grows, the studio can help new and existing residents design, update and enhance the look and feel of their living space,” Jalfaro said. Jalfaro makes many of the goods himself. Items range from $10 decor pieces to a $4,000 custom-designed sofa. There are also some consignment items. The store is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

At 650 S. Spring St. or (213) 840-2895.

a life-size format. The brand offers a variety of L.A. labels, such as street-inspired Second/Layer, shoes from Article No., eyewear from Garret Leight and denim from Simon Miller. Guests who stay at The Standard during the pop-up will receive a $100 credit toward a purchase at École, according to Jolina Hoang, marketing manager at the hotel.

At 550 S. Flower St., (213) 892-8080 or ecole.me.

And… Sold!: Get those auction paddles ready, because Billings Auction will open on Sept.

18 on Bay Street in the Arts District. The debut collection features 300 lots of mostly vintage items from the 1940s-’70s. Expect furnishings, art, housewares and accessories. Price points range from $100-$5,000. Highlights include a 1951 Triennale sofa by Marco Zanuso, estimated at $2,500-$3,500; a 1940s glazed pottery vase by Beatrice Wood, estimated at $1,500$2,000; and a signed and dated 1968 geometric oil painting by Los Angeles artist Patrick Hogan, who suffered from multiple sclerosis and painted the work with a brush between his

School Daze: You don’t have to be a hotel guest to enter menswear retailer École, which has a pop-up shop in The Standard lobby through September. However, you won’t walk out with any new duds, either. École (which means “school” in French) eschews actual clothing displays on site, and the tech-savvy space instead has 55-inch touchscreens, which showcase the full online inventory. So while you can’t try anything on, you can see the goods in

teeth; it is estimated at $1,500-$2,500. Previews will take place Sept. 14-17 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

The Sept. 18 auction is open to the public and will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Online bidding at liveauctioneers.com is available.

At 1917 Bay St., (213) 842-2857 or billingsauction.com.

Broadway Boomlet: Mexico City-based designer and artist Carla Fernández is bringing her clothing, art, jewelry and housewares to the Lindon Schultz Studio on Broadway from Sept. 12-28. Fernandez specializes in handmade items, focusing on traditional Mexican textiles and techniques. The collection features her 2015 fall/winter clothing, hand-woven rugs, throws, pillows, drawings and photographs, highlighting the styles and techniques of five Mexican states. Hours are Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m.

At 850 S. Broadway Ste. 600, (310) 694-2759 or carlafernandez.com.

Got some retail news? Email heidi@downtownnews.com.

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CALENDAR LISTINGS

Monday, Sept. 7 Open Mic Night Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

8 p.m.: The first Monday of every month brings this event where Downtowners get to show off their skills, whatever those skills may be. Sign-ups start at 7:45.

one

2

Thanks largely to concerned voters, the controversial bill to embargo Canadian indie rock was defeated in the Senate. OK, we made that up, but in an age of rampant xenophobia and sensationalist politics, is it that farfetched? Further proof of the proficiency of our northern neighbors at the indie rock game comes Saturday, Sept. 12, as Toronto’s Tokyo Police Club storms The Regent. It’s been four years since the band has put out an album, and now they’re back. And yes, you’ve surmised correctly: This gaggle of gifted young troubadours are neither Japanese nor sworn law officers. At 448 S. Main St. or theregenttheater.com.

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

Sept. 8: Alekos Syropoulos Group.

Sept. 9: Dan Cray Quartet.

Sept. 10: Nick Mancini/Eric Reed/Gary Fukushima.

Sept. 11: Lorca Hart Trio and Kenny Washington.

Sept. 13: The Brad Dutz Quartet.

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

Sept. 7, 8:30 p.m.: The lads over at Danger Collective Records are fronting a residency.

Sept. 8, 8:30 p.m.: The Charlie Rose who plays steel banjo and trombone in Arc Iris is not the same Charlie Rose you see on PBS. Sept. 10, 8:30 p.m.: Andy Allo has co-written with Prince. Not the artist formerly known as Prince, but Prince.

Sept. 12, 8:30 p.m.: Willis Earl Beal’s performer bio has all the brevity of a Herman Melville novel. To summarize: He is still feeling emotional about his former record label.

Sept. 13, 8:30 p.m.: Fell Runner is but the latest in indie bands to fall prey to the allure of West African rhythms.

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

Sept. 11, 9 p.m.: We’re no Spanish scholars and we’re no copyright attorneys, but something tells us Los Angeles Azules are about to get a cease and desist from the U.S. Navy.

Sept. 12, 9 p.m.: You know the Jagermeister Country Tour with Lee Brice is going to be packed to the gills with quality entertainment because that brand is synonymous with good judgment.

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

Sept. 13, 10 p.m.: It’ll be a hot time on old Boyd Street tonight as RT N the 44s take the stage.

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

Sept. 10-11: Oliver Heldens.

Sept. 12: Umek.

Continued on next page

image by Erynn Richardson

Saturday, SepteMber 12 Hector Tobar at The Last Bookstore Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

8 p.m.: The longtime L.A. Times journalist has received raves for Deep Down Dark, about the 33 people trapped for 69 days in a Chilean mine. He’ll talk about the tome with Carolina Miranda.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

photo by Jeff Fasano

There are many individuals who would have you believe that the Carpenters are the best sibling musical act ever to emerge from Downey. They’re plenty fine, but our money’s on Phil and Dave Alvin, a pair of roughshod rockabilly and blues fans who pooled childhood ambitions into The Blasters, a band at the very heart of Los Angeles punk. The brothers Alvin will descend on the Grammy Museum this Thursday, Sept. 10, in support of their new album, Lost Time. As part of the museum’s series The Drop, there will be a discussion and a performance, and probably a Q&A, too. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

photo courtesy Tokyo Police Club

Friday, Sept 11 Samuel Sattin at The Last Bookstore Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

8 p.m.: The novelist and essayist talks about literary monsters and his new novel, The Silent End. He’ll be in conversation with Xach Fromson.

By Dan Johnson calendar@downtownnews.com

Plenty of Music and Plenty of Art in Downtown This Week

EVENTS

thurSday, SepteMber 10 Downtown Art Walk Historic Core or downtownartwalk.org.

5 p.m.: The streets will ring with the sound of our city’s artistically inclined plying their trade.

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

7:15 p.m.: One of the world’s preeminent novelists discusses his creative endeavors with Hector Tobar.

Downtown News 19

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

3

We recognize that some people may be suffering from Live Music Fatigue after a summer jammed with quality concerts. To those ailing, too bad, as the sonic blast continues.

On Saturday, Sept. 12, from noon-3 p.m., FIGat7th hosts a concert that not only features the stylings of California-based singer/ songwriter Sam Marsey, but also takes place mere steps from Mendocino Farms. It’s difficult to say enough about Marsey’s dedication to craft, an obsession that has helped hone his jazz-influenced vocals, structured his astute lyrical sentiments and guided him in arranging harmonies for his band. So too are we hard pressed to limit our praise for Mendo’s sandwich selection with its fresh meats, delectable toppings and freshly baked breads. Listen, eat, repeat. At 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 955-7150 or figat7th.com.

5

Art enthusiasts celebrate our founding fathers’ inclusion of a right to peaceful assembly in the Constitution as the monthly Downtown Art Walk returns on Thursday, Sept.

10. You can anticipate the standard lineup of luscious food trucks, street vendors and Hare Krishnas. What didn’t you expect? The Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts Gallery (727 S. Spring St.) hosts the opening night of their My Own Spaces group show benefiting Para Los Ninos. The Last Bookstore (453 S. Spring St.) features 17-year-old wunderkind guitarist Matthew Smolsky. And Bermudez Projects (117 W. Ninth St., space 810), opens Sacred and Haunted, a series of works

by Erynn Richardson about the deer that hunters across America hunt, kill and display (shown here). In the Historic Core or at downtownartwalk.org.

photo courtesy of Sam Marsey

September 7, 2015

4

Every year, as the students clamor back into Bunker Hill’s performing arts institute the Colburn School, the Piano Spheres program also returns, if only to remind them that excellent piano playing is a truly hypnotic art that demands an ungodly amount of sacrifice. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, the 2015 Piano Spheres program kicks off with Grammy winner Gloria Cheng in a duo performance with Thomas Ades. Ades’ bulkily titled “Concert Paraphrase on Powder Her Face for Two Pianos, Four Hands” debuts in a staggering performance that will presumably require two pianos and four hands. The show is the first of five this season. At 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu.

photo courtesy Lefterisphoto.com

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20 Downtown News

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Plus tax, 36 Month closed end lease on approved credit through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. $2,499 CAP reduction, $795 acquisition fee. Excludes title, taxes, registration, license fees, insurance, dealer prep and additional options No security deposit required. 25¢ per mile in excess of 30,000 miles. Offer good on all with MSRP $33,925.

$24,989 2015 Mercedes GLK350 ........................ $32,880 Certified, Only 10k miles, Must See! 8336L/FG343677 2013 Mercedes E350 ..............................

Certified, Prem Pkg1, Nav Syst, 14k Miles Only! 8163C/DA763233 $34,981 AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2013 Mercedes C250 ..............................

Certified, Nav Syst, Must See! 8213C/DR276793

888-583-0981 1900 S. FIGUEROA ST. • AUDIDTLA.COM

NEW ’16 AUDI A3 1.8T

LEASE FOR ONLY

299

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per month for 36 mos

Plus Tax, 36 month closed end lease on approved credit. $1800.00 cash down plus first month payment, tax, title, license, fees, and $695.00 acquisition fee. $0 Security deposit.Must qualify for the Audi Loyalty of $750.00. $0.25 per miles over 7,500 miles/year. One at this offer #G1003596

$17,988 2009 Audi A4 ........................................... $18,988 White/Black, Full Service, 48,000 miles. 9N056245/ZA11098 2012 Infiniti G37 Sedan ........................

Ltd Edition, Silver, Full Options, 25,000 miles. CM935203/A15119-1 $22,988 PORSCHE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2010 Acura TL 3.5 Sedan ......................

Pearl white, Low Miles, Loaded! AA025498/A160043-2

888-685-5426 1900 S. FIGUEROA ST. • PORSCHEDOWNTOWNLA.COM

NEW ’16 PORSCHE CAYENNE LEASE FOR ONLY

799

$

per month for 48 mos

GM SELECT BONUS CASH ................. - $1,750 TOTAL SAVINGS ........................... $7,725 * Program subject to change, see dealer for details.

$2,999 due at lease signing P16172. 48 months, 10k miles per year, VIN#GLA10178, residual $35,136.35,1 at this price Down payment excludes tax, DMV fees, $995 Bank Acquisition fee, first payment and document fees. Rates based on approved Tier 1 credit through Porsche Financial Services. Excludes tax, title, and license fees. No security deposit required.

$12,888 2014 Ford Fiesta .................................... $12,888 White/Gray, 36 MPG HWY, Auto., 102437 2013 Chevy Malibu ................................ $18,888 Silver/Gray, 34 MPG HWY, Auto, 2.5L. 325774

$61,898 2014 Boxter S .........................................

Blk/Beige, 3K Miles Only, PDK, Sport Exhaust, Like New! (ES141327) $65,898 2013 Cayenne GTS ................................. $69,898 Red/Blk/Red, Fully Loaded, 21” Whls, Pano Roof. (DLA75484)

MSRP ........................................................ $26,670 FELIX DISCOUNT .................................. - $2,475 CONSUMER CASH ................................ -$1,500 GM TRADE ALLOWANCE ................... - $2,000

2012 Chevy Impala ................................

Black/Gray, Auto., 3.6L, UC1629R-1/251967

2014 Cayman S ......................................

Wht/Blk, CPO, 7 Speed, 20” Wheels, Sport Chrono. (EK190762)

Continued from previous page FIGat7th 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 955-7150 or FIGat7th.com.

Sept. 12, 12 p.m.: Sam Marsey brings out the whole band.

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

Sept. 10: Blasters by the pair as Phil and Dave Alvin debut their new album.

Orpheum Theatre 842 Broadway, (877) 677-4386 or laorpheum.com.

Sept. 5, 7:30 p.m.: When it comes to Promarcom Inc Presents Prolive with Mohit Chauhan, your guess is as good as ours.

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

Sept. 10, 8 p.m.: Folk meets R&B with Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.

Sept. 12, 8 p.m.: The Tokyo Police Club makes Toronto swoon with pride.

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

Sept. 8, 10 p.m.: Could you please move? You’re obscuring The Makers’ view of the pool table.

Staples Center 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7326 or staplescenter.com.

Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.: Ariana Grande caps off a summer of women performers at Staples Center.

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

Sept. 11: Moaning, Roses, Blind Lovejoy and Post Life.

Sept. 12: Gap Dream, Tongues, Janelane and The Side Eyes.

Sept. 13: Pelts, tik///tik, Sea of Centuries and Err. Teragram Ballroom 1234 W. Seventh St. or teragramballroom.com.

Sept. 11, 9 p.m.: Hip-hop influenced Parisian Onra will be on the mic tonight.

Sept. 12, 8 p.m.: Shrek The Third soundtrack veteran Trevor Hall.

Sept. 13, 8 p.m.: Destruction Unit do not have a permit to use high explosives within the county or city of Los Angeles.

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

Sept. 11-13: Quoting directly from the press materials for Japanese anime film LoveLive!: The School Idol Movie, “Although u’s, the defending champions of the school idol tournament, plans to dissolve their group after the graduation of their senior members, they receive news that leads them to holding a concert event!”

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

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

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

Experience the gripping story full of hope, crushing disappointment and triumph in Hubble 3D. Regal Cinemas LA Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-6070 or lalive.com/movies.

Through Sept. 10: The Transporter Refueled (12:25, 3, 5:30, 8 and 10:30 p.m.; in 4DX at 12, 2:30, 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m.); War Room (1:10, 4, 6:50 and 9:40 p.m.); Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos (11:50 a.m. and 2:20, 4:50, 7:20 and 9:50 p.m.); We Are Your Friends (12:05, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40 and 10:15 p.m.); No Escape (11:55 a.m. and 2:35, 5:15, 7:55 and 10:35 p.m.); American Ultra (1:20, 3:50, 6:20 and 9 p.m.); Hitman: Agent 47 (12:15, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50 and 10:25 p.m.); Sinister 2 (11:35 a.m. and, 2:25, 5, 7:40 and 10:20 p.m.); Straight Outta Compton (12, 1, 3:30, 4:30, 7, 8and 10:30 p.m.); Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (12:20, 3:20, 6:40 and 9:30 p.m.); Dope (1:14, 4:20, 7 and 9:30 p.m.); Jurassic World 3D (12:40, 3:30, 6:30 and 9:20 p.m.).

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Bob Baker’s Musical World Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 250-9995 or bobbakermarionettes.com.

Sept. 5-6, 2:30 p.m.: Puppets playing music. How is this different than, say, any band you hear on modern rock radio? Bob Baker’s puppets are non-sentient creatures, that’s how!

Gianni Schicchi/I Pagliacci Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8001 or laopera.org.

Sept. 12, 6 p.m.: L.A. Opera returns with Placido Domingo in rare form as both the star of a Woody Allen-helmed staging of Gianni Schicchi and as conductor of I Pagliacci. Cry clown, cry!

Relationships Suck!

Loft Ensemble, 929 E. Second St., #105 or loftensemble.org.

Sept. 4, 8 p.m. or Sept. 5, 7 p.m.: Cohabitating, love-forsaken characters travel down a familiar road of unrequited love, social examination and the eternal obsession with romance.

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

Sept. 1, 9 p.m.: Every Tuesday this irreverent stand-up comedy cavalcade takes up residence at the Downtown Independent.

September 7, 2015

CLASSICAL MUSIC

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

8:30 p.m.: Composers William Gardiner, Alex Temple and Nina C. Young duke it out in this prestigious contest.

Jacky Terrasson Quartet Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu.

8 p.m.: Jackie Terrasson, Burniss Travis II, Justin Gaulkner and Mauricio Herrera join forces.

Tuesday, sepTember 8 Piano Spheres with Gloria Cheng and Thomas Ades Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu.

8 p.m.: This year’s Piano Spheres concert series kicks off with Gloria Cheng joining Thomas Ades in a worldLos premiere of a twoAngeles Downtown News facebook: person composition. sepTember 12 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles,saTurday, CA 90026 L.A. Downtown News phone: 213-481-1448 • fax:Colburn 213-250-4617 Chamber Music Society twitter: web: DowntownNews.com Friday, sepTember 11 Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., DowntownNews (213) 621-2200 or email: realpeople@downtownnews.com C E 19 7 2 American Composers Forum National colburnschool.edu.

Composition Concert 8 p.m.: Mozart and Joan Tower provide the tunes for toaris PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

Eastin

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

10 PieCe sPeCiaL

Dim Sum

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

Party Paks available

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.

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

with Tortillas & Salsa onLy

$11.95 +

taX

2 Downtown Locations Corner of BroaDway & 3rd

260 S. Broadway, 213-626-7975 • 213-626-8235, Tel/Fx: 213-626-4572

Fashion DistriCt at Corner 9th/santee 226 E. 9th St. , 213-623-5091 • 213-327-0645, Tel/Fx: 213-623-9405

Lunch and Dinner • An Extensive Seafood Menu including Dim Sum at Moderate Prices • Relaxed Dining in an Elegant Ambiance • Live Lobster Tank

700 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Free Parking Next to Restaurant Tel: 213.617.2323

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aris Eastin

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now accepting Credit Cards

MUSEUMS

Through Sept. 26: From “Better Call Saul” to “Wolf Hall,” the Ninth Annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design brings the finest in TV dress up to Downtown.

Through Dec. 19: Inspired Eye chronicles the contributions Donald and Joan Damask have made to the collection at the FIDM museum.

Through Dec. 19: Fleurs: Botanicals in Dress from the Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection is, as advertised, an exhibit highlighting floral aspects in fashion.

Ongoing: The FIDM Museum presents Artfully Adorned, a collection of fragrance, cosmetics and ephemera from the house of Lucien Lelong. This group of objects was donated by Monique Fink, wife of artist Peter Fink, who worked for Lelong as package Continued on next page





why Cook?

n Yumi Kanegawa

night’s intimate show.

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens  sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez

gardie

e hryn Maese eff Favre, Greg Fischer

Downtown News 21

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris

GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie

sENior writEr: Eddie Kim

stAFF writEr: Heidi Kulicke

S I N C E 19 7 2

coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese

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

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

AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

facebook: L.A. Downtown News

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt

twitter: DowntownNews

clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway

AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens

sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon

distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles

distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie sENior writEr: Eddie Kim stAFF writEr: Heidi Kulicke coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer

©2015 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved.

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

One copy per person.

Coming Soon

Our annual Downtown Los Angeles Guide will publish September 28.

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

YOUR TICKET TO EXPLORATION

Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa

2016 GUIDE TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt

facebook: L.A. Downtown News

clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez

twitter: DowntownNews

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

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt

©2015 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved.

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

One copy per person.

Discover: ❚ 16 Unique Downtown Neighborhoods ❚ Downtown Nightlife ❚ Seasonal Events ❚ Hundreds of Eateries ❚ And more

22 Downtown News Continued from previous page designer and interior decorator.

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

California African American Museum 600 State Drive, (213) 744-7432 or caamuseum.org.

Through April 24, 2016: If you like shapes and textures, you’ll probably dig Hard Edged: Geometrical Abstraction and Beyond.

Ongoing: The Gallery of Discovery offers visitors the opportunity to connect with the lineage of their own family, engage in artistic workshops, educational tours and other programs of historical discoveries. Hear recordings of slaves from the Library of Congress archives and discover stories from the past.

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

Ongoing: Mission 26: The Big Endeavour presents Los Angeles’ 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-celled human being. The new Ecosystems exhibit explores how life on our planet is shaped by geophysical and biological processes.

Through September 7: Long-obscured ecclesiastical texts and

CROSSWORD

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS the fate of the Old Testament are explored in Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition.

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.

Through January 10, 2016: Lyric journals, long forgotten interview footage, handwritten prison complaints, personalized Death Row Records memorabilia and a righteous video of an ancient

Notorious B.I.G./Pac freestyle are all part of All Eyez On Me: The Writings of Tupac Shakur.

Through Sept. 20: The late great comedienne par excellence is honored in Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?

Through Spring 2016: Gowns, memorabilia and personal photography form the backbone of Legends of Motown: Celebrating the Supremes.

Through Oct. 4: Shake off your expectations and dive right in to everyone’s favorite pop country icon in The Taylor Swift Experience.

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

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.

September 7, 2015

2 YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

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

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

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

September 7, 2015

DT

CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL

LEGAL legal notices

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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR Notice of Divided publication NOTICE OF DIVIDED PUBLICATION OF THE PROPERTY TAX-DEFAULT LIST (DELINQUENT LIST) Made pursuant to Section 3371, revenue and taxation code pursuant to revenue and taxation code Sections 3381 through 3385, the Notice of power to Sell tax-Defaulted property in and for los angeles county, State of california, has been divided and distributed to various newspapers of general circulation published in the county. a portion of the list appears in each of such newspapers. i, Joseph Kelly, county of los angeles tax collector, State of california, certify that: Notice is hereby given that the real properties listed below were declared to be in tax default at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2013, by operation of law. the declaration of default was due to nonpayment of the total amount due for the taxes, assessments, and other charges levied in the 2012-13 tax Year that were a lien on the listed real property. Non-residential commercial property and property upon which there is a recorded nuisance abatement lien shall be subject to the tax collector’s power to sell after three years of defaulted taxes. therefore, if the 2012-13 taxes remain defaulted after June 30, 2016, the property will become subject to the tax collector’s power to sell and eligible for sale at the county’s public auction in 2017. all other property that has defaulted taxes after June 30, 2018, will become subject to the tax collector’s power to sell and eligible for sale at the county’s public auction in 2019. the name of the assessee and the total tax, which was due on June 30, 2013, for the 2012-13 tax Year, is shown opposite the parcel number. tax-defaulted real property may be redeemed by payment of all unpaid taxes and assessments, together with the additional penalties and fees as prescribed by law, or it may be paid under an installment plan of redemption if initiated prior to the property becoming subject to the tax collector’s power to sell. all information concerning redemption of tax-defaulted property will be furnished, upon request, by Joseph Kelly, treasurer and tax collector at 225 North Hill Street, los angeles, california 90012, 1 (888) 807-2111 or 1 (213) 974-2111.

Downtown News 23

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

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. i certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. executed at los angeles, california, on august 24, 2015.

JoSepH KellY treaSurer aND taX collector couNtY oF loS aNGeleS State oF caliForNia assessees/taxpayers, who have disposed of real property since January 1, 2009, may find their names listed for the reason that a change in ownership has not been reflected on the assessment roll.

ASSESSOR’S IDENTIFICATION NUMBERING SYSTEM EXPLANATION the assessor’s parcel Number (apN), when used to describe property in this list, refers to the assessor’s map book, the map page, the block on the map (if applicable), and the individual parcel on the map page or in the block. the assessor’s maps and further explanation of the parcel numbering system are available at the office of the assessor. the following property tax defaulted on July 1, 2013, for the taxes, assessments, and other charges for the fiscal year 2012-13: liSteD BeloW are propertieS tHat DeFaulteD iN 2013 For taXeS, aSSeSSMeNtS aND 0tHer cHarGeS For tHe FiScal Year 2012-2013. aMouNt oF DeliNQueNcY aS oF tHiS puBlicatioN iS liSteD BeloW. Del GiZZi,DaNa M 5535-025-

002 $148.68 FrieDMaN,roSS SituS 4212 BurNS ave loS aNGeleS ca 90029-2902 5539-012-003 $21,132.00 MacKeNZie,KeNNetH SituS 5448 FouNtaiN ave loS aNGeleS ca 90029-1007 5537-002-005 $16,618.61 SituS 5430 FouNtaiN ave loS aNGeleS ca 90029-1007 5537-002-008 $27,371.37 reYeS,BeNita M et al HuYBrecHS,carolYN r SituS 1166 N HoBart BlvD loS aNGeleS ca 900291138 5537-010-028/S2011-010/ S2012-010 $35,935.79 ricHar iNc SituS 1250 N WeSterN ave loS aNGeleS ca 90029-1019 5537-002-026 $58,694.84 roDriGueZ,eFraiN et al carloS,acela r SituS 5180 SaNta MoNica BlvD loS aNGeleS ca 90029-2428 5537-019-030 $5,021.91

name cHange SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, NORTH CENTRAL DISTRICT ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME No. eS018972 petitioner (name of each) Shannon lee, 1299 e. Green St., #111, pasadena, CA 91106, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name: Shannon loweta lee proposed name: reyna Nicole loweta lee tHe court orDerS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objec-

tion that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

Notice of Hearing Date: 09/09/2015 time: 8:30aM Dept.: D the address of the court is 600 east Broadway, Glendale, ca 91206. a copy of this order to Show cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in la DoWNtoWN NeWS, 1264 West 1st Street, los angeles, ca 90026 of general circulation, printed in this county. prepared by: Sherri r. carter, Executive Office/Clerk.

Superior court North central District 600 east Broadway Glendale, ca 91206 Date: July 09, 2015 Hon. Mary thornton House Judge of the Superior court pub. 08/17, 08/24, 08/31, and 09/07/2015.

MONTAGE CAPITAL NOTIFICATION OF DISPOSITION OF COLLATERAL AUGUST 28, 2015 to: Mobile roadie, inc. po Box 480400 los angeles, ca 90048 attn: chief executive officer From: Montage capital ii, l.p.

900 east Hamilton avenue, Suite 100 campbell, ca 95008 (408) 659-2299 We will sell (or lease or license, as applicable) all of the personal property of Mobile roadie, inc.,

at Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley

626.573.2831

Sat., September 26 6-10 PM • Dinner at 6:30 PM

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24 Downtown News

September 7, 2015

For Downtown Jews, It’s Lucky Seven

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

Local Temple Hits a Milestone as the High Holy Days Arrive

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Rabbi Moshe Greenwald of the Jewish Community Center-Chabad of Downtown Los Angeles will preside over Rosh Hashana services this week.

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By Jon Regardie n Jewish culture, seven is an important number. In Downtown Jewish culture, it is even more important this week. That is because the Jewish Community Center-Chabad of Downtown Los Angeles is beginning its seventh celebration of the High Holy Days.

The term refers to Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, which starts at sundown on Sunday, Sept. 13, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which begins Sept. 22. They’re the high-water marks for any synagogue, a time when many nonobservant Jews come out to worship.

They are also big for Rabbi Moshe Greenwald, who runs the Downtown-JCC. He expects a combined 300 people to attend Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services this year. Crowds grew so big last year that he moved the proceedings from his Seventh Street synagogue to the ballroom of the Alexandria Hotel. The Shomof family, which owns the hotel, is once again donating the space.

For Greenwald, seven has particular resonance. He noted that the seventh day of the week is the Sabbath, a time when observant Jews rest and refrain from working. That will be the theme of the High Holy Days, he said, as he asks people to unplug, both physically and psychically.

“So many people are fatigued from work, social media, from a bombardment of information hitting their heads,” Greenwald said. “I will talk this year to encourage people to take Shabbat into their lives, not because it is something religiously mandated, though that is important, but more important is the idea that it can bring more rest and the ability to be present.

“Once a week we can shut off our phones and unplug electronically, and face our loved ones. I think everyone can do it.”

Unlike many temples where expensive High Holy Days tickets are required, the Downtown services are free (donations are requested), and people can drop in as their schedule permits.

There is also a Rosh Hashana dinner on Sept. 13, which Greenwald expects upwards of 130 people to attend. Reservations for that are mandatory, and guests are asked to pay $50, or more if they can sponsor someone who can’t afford it.

Rosh Hashanah runs Sept. 13-15, and while Greenwald knows that many people can’t attend all the services, he stressed the importance of the noon events on Sept. 14 and 15, when the shofar, a ram’s horn, will be blown. Yom Kippur services are Sept. 22-23.

Sept. 14 also brings a 4 p.m. Tashlich ceremony, with a crowd walking from the Historic Core temple to MacArthur Park, for a service traditionally performed near a body of water. Last year, Greenwald said, a number of Latino families saw the crowd of Downtown Jews, and two communities came together.

“I blew the shofar and they came and participated,” Greenwald said. “Some of our Spanish-speaking members explained what was going on, and they joined us through the prayer and the Tashlich.”

The High Holy Days begin Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Alexandria Hotel, 501 S. Spring St. Information, a full schedule, and dinner reservations (which are required) are at downtownjcc.com.

I