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A Special Holiday Parties & Catering Section | 9-19 Angels Flight Derails | 5

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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 I VOL. 42 I #36

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School Is in Session

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Photo by Gary Leonard

After Two Years of Work, Downtown’s Metro Charter Elementary Opens SEE STORY PAGE 6

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AROUND TOWN

City Presents Options for Future of Parker Center

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ity officials last week released a draft environmental impact report for what to do with Parker Center, the bedraggled former headquarters of the LAPD. The Civic Center building, at 150 N. Los Angeles St., has sat almost completely empty since 2009, when the department left the edifice for the $400 million Police Administration Building. The three options are rehabbing the 1955 structure, during which the 319,000-square-foot edifice would be updated with improvements including seismic retrofitting and expanding the parking garage; rehabbing some of the building while tearing down the dilapidated Parker Center jail, and then adding a new structure, creating more than 522,000 square feet of usable space; and razing the building and replacing it with either one or two office structures that could stand up to 450 feet tall and have a total of about 750,000 square feet of space. “This Draft EIR is an important step in what should be a thorough and extensive public dialogue on what direction we should take in maximizing the space and scope of the Parker Center building and surrounding area, as well as the potential impacts and benefits for the Civic Center and Little Tokyo,” said 14th District City Councilman José Huizar in a prepared statement. The public can comment on the draft EIR through Oct. 21.

Two Chinatown Project Openings Set for Next Month he residential upswing in Chinatown will become more heated next month, with a pair of projects scheduled to open. Allison Geiman, a representative of developer Equity Residential, said the first move-ins for the $92 million Jia Apartments will take place in October. The six-story edifice at 639-643 Cesar Chavez Ave., at the southern entrance to Chinatown, will house 280 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments and 18,000 square feet of retail. The Jia will open in phases with full completion expected by early 2015, Geiman said. Additionally, October will bring the debut of the low-income apartment complex Lotus Garden, said Katelyn Silverwood, a spokeswoman for developer Affirmed Housing Group. The 60-unit development at 715 Yale St. is for families earning 30%-60% of the county’s median household income. A highlight of the $24 million development is the parking structure: Vehicles in the 63-car garage will be moved vertically and horizontally, allowing for a space-saving, stacking effect.

Intersection Named for City Hall Architect

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istory and architecture have intersected at Fifth and Spring streets. The City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday, Sept. 4, to name the corner John Parkinson Square after the iconic Los Angeles architect who designed some of the city’s most notable buildings.

Parkinson, who was born in England, moved to Los Angeles in 1894 and opened an archi-

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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

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tecture office on Spring between Second and Third streets. From there he undertook notable projects including designing the campus master plan and several buildings of the University of Southern California, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, City Hall (with Albert C. Martin and John C. Austin), Bullocks Wilshire and Union Station. Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar, who authored the motion to rename the intersection, said that while some people might not know Parkinson’s name, they wouldn’t recognize Los Angeles without his genius. “His is a legacy of work worth preserving and honoring and no one street better exem-

August 31, 2013

plifies his contribution to making Los Angeles Los Angeles than Downtown’s Spring Street,” Huizar said in a prepared statement.

Little Tokyo Rec Center Gets $1.3 Million Grant

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he effort to build a $22 million recreation center in Little Tokyo got a big boost recently. Scott Ito, the project manager for the planned Budokan of Los Angeles, said the development from the Little Tokyo Service Continued on page 8

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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

September 9, 2013

EDITORIALS

Make Pershing Square Pretty, Green And Program Friendly

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

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ershing Square is an ever-popular topic in Downtown Los Angeles. That is because the park in the heart of the Central City has turned out to be, despite best intentions, an unfortunate design choice. The current look, from 1994, did not solve the problems it set out to solve, and it inadvertently created some new problems. On reflection, after 174 years of various redesigns, perhaps no design can solve all its problems.

Still, we are glad that 14th District City Councilman José Huizar has pulled together a team to look at shortand long-term plans for the park. The formation of the new group is an important and positive step, structured quite similarly to the broad-based committee assembled to “fix” the park leading up to the 1994 design.

The task force, which Los Angeles Downtown News reported on last week, is in its infancy, and no serious plans have yet been laid out. However, even at this stage one thing is clear: The 21-member panel (it includes Downtown News General Manager Dawn Eastin, who follows in the footsteps of community involvement by the newspaper’s leadership in non-political issues) needs to aim big and aim smart when it comes to the park. More than anything, the space needs to be green, pretty and open.

Some of Pershing Square’s problems are social, some economic, and some, such as the current appearance, reflect a lack of competency in those charged to maintain it. As problematic as the park has turned out to be, the lack of proper maintenance shows the park at its worst. What were vibrant colors in 1994 are now faded, unpleasant, sore thumbs.

The 1994 park, which was funded by nearby property owners who agreed to tax themselves for 20 years, included a budget for essential elements of that maintenance, most importantly that special paint.

Unfortunately, the city did not store the paint properly and it deteriorated and became unusable.

The current Pershing Square has been controversial since the day it was unveiled. It was an international design achievement, a hoped-for tourist attraction. Perhaps the shortfalls result from overreaching, but the effort was certainly worth a try.

When considering Pershing Square, try seeing it without its current configuration. Try envisioning the opportunity that lies in a rather glorious five-acre parcel in the heart of a dense city. It can be green! It can be beautiful!

Denizens of the city can enjoy it!

It’s possible that no design will make Pershing Square a 24/7 joyful place. If it’s green and beautiful and provides a place for programming (and, yes, a dog park), perhaps that is as much as we can expect the land to provide. The rest of whatever negative things happen there are society’s problems, and no new design can fix them.

Society currently has a positive influence in some ways. The concerts, films and other programming sponsored by the City Department of Recreation and Parks reclaim the land from the underbelly of the city on a regular basis. We need more programming. We need more programming. We need more programming. It needs to be said at least three times.

The negative things that happen — a persistent problem of some people relieving themselves, for instance — will only be solved when the city figures out how to install and manage public toilets that can be kept clean easily. It has nothing to do with the treasured piece of land itself.

Any major change will be expensive and complex, but a revitalized Pershing Square is essential to the evolution of Downtown. The residential community is continuing to grow and the office base remains strong. Having a green, welcoming park that is activated throughout the year, including in the evenings, will go a long way toward enhancing a feeling of community and making Downtown a more hospitable place.

Pershing Square has a long, sometimes curious history. As a Downtown News guest opinion by Max Pierce noted in 2006, the five-acre plot was first surveyed in 1849 and it became a park called La Plaza Abaja 17 years later. It had a series of name changes and multiple redesigns. This has brought about, at various times, bandstands, symmetrical sidewalks, green space and fountains.

The current park was dedicated in 1994. While there was solid reasoning during the planning process, the work by architect Ricardo Legoretta and design architect Laurie Olin has come to be something between problematic and, to some observers, laughable. Now many people look at it in a “What were they thinking?” way.

The first huge problem — and a key issue the task force and Huizar must address — is the lack of usable green space. While Pershing Square claims a small lawn and some trees, it is dominated by hardscape and limited shade. This can be unbearable during the summer.

Then come the strange architectural elements. In 2013, the huge purple bell tower looks like a reflection of early ’90s design noodling. Although it may have been intended as a focal point for the Square or a photo opp, mostly it sparks curious looks. It’s the same for the unusable water feature at the southern end of the park, also a maintenance issue.

Another factor is that the park attracts a number of homeless individuals. This makes some Downtowners uncomfortable, but homeless people deserve a place at the park, provided they are as respectful as other visitors. The task force wisely includes members of the homeless services community.

The biggest problem with Pershing Square is the layout. The interior is uninviting for pedestrians and difficult to see from surrounding streets. If you are walking, for example, on Olive Street, you glimpse little more than a line of trees. It does not make you want to enter.

The task force should recognize a community hungry for public space. Downtown workers and residents have flocked to the new Grand Park and Spring Street Park, in part because they are instantly inviting. Pershing Square can copy what they got right — they have green spaces and are open.

The big question will be how to pay for changes. One can assume that after being hit up two decades ago, some area property owners will be reticent about paying again. However, they will have to be part of the funding system, and those in for the long haul are unlikely to resist any sensible plan. They will, after all, benefit if the park is made right.

A Huizar spokesman said the task force will seek out federal and state money. That’s smart, but Huizar’s office will have to do the heavy lifting. He has been in office eight years and has extensive ties with various governing bodies. This is a good place to leverage those relationships.

Fortunately, Huizar has experience in this type of communityoriented project. The Bringing Back Broadway initiative he launched in 2008 started with 27 neighborhood “trustees,” and their involvement and his passion are largely why the street has seen so much investment and finally has a chance at a true revival. The opportunity exists to do the same thing in Pershing Square.

It is exciting to think about what Pershing Square could become. The ideas are almost limitless, as designs by the architecture firm Gensler reveal (staffers looked at a park transformation as part of an in-company project). A Gensler architect is on the task force, as are members of other architecture and design firms.

The past and present of Pershing Square have been underwhelming. That doesn’t mean the future has to be as well.

September 9, 2013

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

State Investigating Angels Flight Derailment Operator Says Incident Related to Electrical Grounding Issues

By Richard Guzmán he investigation into what caused one of Angels Flight’s railcars to derail last week has begun. As state officials look into the incident, the operator of the funicular stated that there was an issue with a “grounding brush,” and added that the railway’s safety systems worked as intended.

An official from the California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees rail safety, was on site within an hour of the Thursday, Sept. 5, derailment. During the 11:33 a.m. incident, Sinai, one of the two orange and black cars, suddenly tilted to the side about 100 feet from the base of the railway. Firefighters helped escort seven people off the railway. No injuries were reported.

Christopher Chow, a spokesman for the CPUC, said in an email to Los Angeles Downtown News last Thursday that the agency is conducting an inspection and investigation. He said the CPUC would have more to say once the investigation is completed, though no indication was given on how long that would take.

The CPUC official who was on site in the wake of the derailment would not talk to a reporter. Nor would an Angels Flight ticket attendant stationed at the top, near the California Plaza complex.

In a prepared statement, John Welborne, president of the Angels Flight Railway Foundation, which oversees the funicular, said that the incident was caused by a grounding brush connected to the rails of the electrical circuit for the lights and other equipment in Sinai.

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“Because the grounding was not complete, the backup batteries of the Sinai car gradually depleted,” Welborne said in the statement.

“Therefore, when there was no power on the car, the main drive system shut down, and the rail brake on the Sinai car set, lifting the rear wheels of that car off the track.”

He went on to say that Angels Flight has several safety systems and that, when any are triggered, the entire funicular stops.

No reopening date for the funicular has been announced.

Recalling 2001 The Thursday accident was the latest, though not the most serious, incident at Angels Flight.

A 2001 accident killed 83-year-old Leon Praport and injured seven other people. It was caused by a problem with the gear and drive system that caused one car to roll down the track and smash into the other.

Angels Flight remained closed for nine years.

The long reopening was initially attributed to delays in reaching legal settlements with victims of the accident; those were resolved in 2006.

The railway finally resumed service in March 2010, but was shut down three months later due to malfunctioning end-gates. That occurred after a CPUC rail safety manager saw that an end-gate on one of the cars was open while carrying passengers. It stayed closed for about a week.

A year later, the railway closed again. It stayed shuttered for about a month because of excessive wear on the steel wheels of the cars.

The closing was again ordered by the CPUC after the agency determined that the condition of the wheels placed riders at risk. At the time, it warned that that specific condition could have led to a derailment.

In a letter addressed to the Angels Flight Railway Company in June 2011, the CPUC cited wear on the wheels “which we believe results in unacceptable risk of an incident, including potentially, derailment of the vehicles.”

The wheels were replaced and the agency authorized resumption of service. The railway reopened on July 5, 2011.

Rick Coca, a spokesman for 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, said that given the history of Angels Flight, they have “serious concerns” about what occurred last week.

“Obviously given the history it adds a heightened sense of urgency to make sure we address the problem, fix the problem and ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” Coca said.

As Sinai leaned to the side last week, the second car, Olivet, remained higher up the incline.

Yellow police tape blocked off the Hill Street side of the railway and the stairs along its side that lead to California Plaza.

Jeffrey Winston, who works at the Angelus Plaza senior housing complex adjacent to the railway, heard the sirens before noon and came out to see what had occurred.

“It was déjà vu,” said Winston, referring to the 2001 accident. “We didn’t have the same tragic ending as the first instance, but you couldn’t help but reflect on it.”

photo by Gary Leonard

The investigation into the cause of last week’s Angels Flight car derailment is underway.

Angels Flight was originally opened in 1901

by Colonel J.W. Eddy to ferry passengers between the then residential Bunker Hill district and the commercial businesses below. It was closed and dismantled in 1969 when Bunker Hill underwent redevelopment.

Coca said Huizar’s office expects to be briefed by Angels Flight officials soon to determine what should happen next.

“You have an incident there and we thought the problems were fixed, and to have another incident is deeply concerning,” he said.

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6 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

At Long Last, School Is in Session Downtown Celebrates the Debut of a Charter Elementary School

By Richard Guzmán ike the other anxious parents gathered in the small lobby at 3:15 on Tuesday afternoon, Chinmaya Misra peeked into the classroom in the effort to get a glimpse of her child. Yet for Misra, who was waiting for her 5-year-old daughter Anvaya on her first day of kindergarten, a second set of feelings was at play.

As Misra waited for class to end, she considered what it took for the day to arrive. That’s because Misra was one of a group of Downtown parents who spent two years putting together the Metro Charter Elementary School. The long-awaited institution opened on a blistering hot Sept. 3.

“I’m just thinking about everything, all the sleepless nights that got more and more sleepless as we came closer to this day,” she said Tuesday. Then class let out and Anvaya raced straight into her mother’s arms.

The opening of the charter school marks a sea change for elementary education in Downtown Los Angeles. The institution with 110 kindergarten through second grade students came about only after a group of parents decided to address what they saw as the lack of quality schools in the area.

Metro Charter opened in a temporary home in a 12,000-square-foot space that previously belonged to the Hope Street Family Center. To reach the milestone, the parents wrote a charter, got the approval of the Los Angeles Unified School District, raised $250,000, found a loca-

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tion and recruited a student body, convincing area parents that they could trust a nascent school to teach their children.

There were opening day kinks to be sure, but for Maricela Barragan, the school principal who was hired in June, the day started off as planned.

“It’s going great,” Barragan said in the morning, just after the students entered class. “I was expecting some tears and we saw some from the kids and the parents as well. It’s always a little emotional. We know it’s tough to let go of the little ones.”

Park Talk The school effort began in late 2011 when a group of parents who took their then preschool children to Grand Hope Park for play dates began discussing their educational concerns. Already, they had seen some families move out of Downtown when their kids reached kindergarten age because they felt local facilities were not up to snuff.

The group included South Park resident Misra, her husband Apurva Pande, and Simon Ha, David Chun and Mike McGalliard. They now make up the five-member Metro school board.

They decided to open a charter school, which is funded by the local school district but is allowed to operate independently, with freedom from certain LAUSD curriculum and hiring standards. At first the group met once a week to plan their project. Their workload quickly increased as they wrote a charter petition, held fundraisers and applied for grants. At one point

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In February the LAUSD approved the charter. In June they signed a lease for the Grand Avenue space, which was being mostly vacated as the family center moved into a new home (though some of its staff and programs remain in the building and currently share the first floor space with the school). Then the board hired Barragan. The Metro Charter staff is now comprised of five teachers and a

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school manager.

For the core team, Tuesday’s opening brought about a mix of exhilaration, pride and even relief. As McGalliard waited to pick up his daughter Sophia, he too reflected on all that by L.A had passed .D own tow” he said.

“We made it through some battles, n ews “There were a lot of conversations withNpeople Re ade assuring them the school was going to be great rs and trying to cut through a lot of red tape.”

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Downtown News 7

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Figueroa Streetscape Plan Continues to Divide Community

Ninth District City Councilman Curren Price met Thursday with architects, designers and other community members for a discussion about the MyFigueroa project.

Councilman Gets Involved as Cycling Advocates Push Proposal for Limiting Auto Lanes

By Donna Evans he Figueroa Streetscape Project may not be on the radar for everyone in Downtown, but for cycling advocates and stakeholders on the stretch of Figueroa Street that runs from the Financial District to Exposition Park, no issue is more important.

The project, which recently saw the completion of an environmental impact report, is on the front burner, as key funding depends on starting construction by January. That is partly why a public discussion Thursday morning on the issue generated a passionate response.

During the session at the Financial District offices of the firm HMC Architects, Ninth District City Councilman Curren Price called the project, also known as MyFigueroa, “promising,” and said he does not want to see it delayed. However, he also said he believes more questions need to be answered.

Price recently filed a motion that asks the city departments of Planning and Transportation to provide an in-depth analysis to the City Council on how to mitigate the traffic congestion caused by the removal of auto lanes on South Figueroa Street.

The EIR for the plan to remake a three-mile section of Figueroa Street into a more bike- and pedestrian-friendly corridor addresses a host

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of concerns from critics who fear that the result will be gridlock. The project area, which runs from Seventh Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, with a spur down 11th Street, would include north and southbound bike lanes. Two segments of the northbound corridor would get “cycle tracks,” or lanes separated from traffic by a new curb.

At the Thursday session organized by the Los Angeles chapter of the American Institute of Architects, Price said there are legitimate concerns that must be addressed regarding the $20 million project, which is funded by Prop 1C bond money. Dollars must be spent by the end of 2014.

“It’s a promising project. Let’s not rush through it. Let’s make it a good deal for everybody,” he said, adding, “Major stakeholders have lingering concerns.”

One of those stakeholders is Darryl Holter, the CEO of the Shammas Group, a longtime area player who owns eight car dealerships on the Figueroa Corridor. Holter, who did not attend the morning event but has long been monitoring the process, fears that a race to make the spending deadline could cause potentially critical fallout if all traffic mitigation outcomes are not properly assessed. He opined that a street less busy and vital than Figueroa would be a better

choice for a project with this scale and scope.

“We’re doing something that has never been done in Los Angeles before, and we’re doing it on a very trafficked street,” he said. “[This project] is about mobility and access. Will the 600 service customers who come into our dealerships every day find it easy to get to us with fewer traffic lanes? I don’t know. It’s dicey.”

During the morning meeting, Price reiterated the importance of economic development for the Ninth District, and repeatedly tossed out the term “cultural tourism,” meaning the need to find a way to bring people to different parts of the city with lures such as international cuisine and art.

Shanon Muir of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition agreed with the assessment, and said a great way to drive more people to small businesses is on two wheels and on foot via bike and pedestrian lanes. She believes the lanes would draw more interest in the area, which could then attract more businesses. With

a neon green bike pendant pinned to her lapel, Muir said to Price, “I could do some outreach.”

Transportation reform advocate Deborah Murphy, executive director of Los Angeles Walks, said she saw a lot of synergy between Price’s goal of economic development and the MyFigueroa project. But the ticking clock for funding is worrisome, she said.

“We have an opportunity to be an example for all the rest of L.A.,” she said regarding transit-oriented developments. “This would put the Ninth [District] in the forefront and set the tone for the future of Los Angeles.”

The plan also calls for widening sidewalks, planting additional trees and installing better street lighting. Construction would have to start by January to meet the funding deadline.

The project is subject to the approval of city Department of Transportation General Manager Jaime De La Vega. It is appealable to the City Council. donna@downtownnews.com

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8 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

Nightclub Envisioned For Spot With Notorious Past Proprietor Says Globe Theatre Would Be Unlike Troubled Club 740

By Donna Evans he last time a nightclub operated in Broadway’s Globe Theatre, it was known more for fighting than dancing.

Frequent brawls, along with gang and drug activity, earned the nightspot a dubious reputation. That and multiple noise complaints from nearby residents helped cause the club’s eventual demise.

That is not the kind of establishment Erik Chol plans to operate.

Chol, a native of France, has embarked on a $5 million turnaround of the Historic Core property. He hopes to open it in November.

Chol’s venture, which he plans to call The Globe Theatre, would span 24,347 square feet in the Garland Building, reactivate the mezzanine balcony and reopen the Broadway entrance to the 1913 theater. The previous occupant, Club 740, had its patrons wait in line in a dark, dank alley.

“His goal is a wholesale rejuvenation of the building,” said Nikola Hlady, a planner in the Elizabeth Peterson Group office handling the proposed Globe Theatre’s entitlements. Hlady speaks for Chol as Chol’s English is limited, he said.

Chol said he has secured 80% of the money for the turnaround, with most of the funds coming from himself and his family. While cosmetic improvements are underway in the theater, full-on construction should begin this month.

In addition to upgrading the interior, plans call for restoring the Globe Theatre marquee. Having it illuminated at night would enhance Broadway, which 14th District City Councilman José Huizar has made a priority through his Bringing Back Broadway initiative.

The plan includes restoring streetcar service to the street.

Huizar asked Chol to rehabilitate and reopen the Broadway entrance, spokesman Rick Coca said, noting that the business would have a different focus than the troubled Club 740.

“The Globe Theatre will be just that — a theater, with a wide range of live entertainment, from theatrical performances to music concerts,” Coca said.

In documents filed with the city, Chol called out the previous business operation as “irresponsible” and said that he is committed to operating the nightclub “in a markedly different fashion.”

He pledged to work with Zoning Administration officials to ensure that the club will not adversely affect the community.

That would be welcome news to those who remember the past.

Club 740 opened in May 2005 and initially catered to a mostly young, hip-hop crowd. By late 2006, the club had been referred to by then-City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo’s office as a nuisance location because of the number of assaults that occurred there.

Los Angeles Downtown News reported in 2009 that the Planning Department case file on Club 740 detailed dozens of violent incidents at or near the club, including fights, sexual assaults, gang activity and a 2006 homicide. The club closed in 2011.

Chol’s venture would provide one security guard for every 75

T

AROUND TOWN, 2 Center will receive $1.3 million grant in Prop K funds. The money brings the fundraising campaign to nearly the halfway point, with about $11 million raised, Ito said. The project would create a 38,000-square-foot facility between Second and Third streets. It would include a four-court gymnasium, community space and a rooftop garden with a jogging track. A groundbreaking is expected in 2015 with completion approximately 16 months later. Prop K funds are intended for the acquisition, improvement, construction and maintenance of city parks, recreation facilities and other projects.

Ito said the second half of the campaign

photo by Gary Leonard

In the turbulent days of Club 740, the entrance was through an alley and the Globe Theatre marquee on Broadway was left dark. Erik Chol’s plan to upgrade the venue would restore the sign.

patrons, whom the business owner described as a “higher-end clientele.” That ratio is industry standard, but Hlady said the security team would be flexible and adjust strategies based on the type of event scheduled. The Globe Theatre, he said, would host top international DJs, live performances, movie premieres and be rented out for private events.

Chol, who ran clubs in Reims, France, is committed to operating a safe club in which all attendees are of legal drinking age, Hlady said.

Still, Tracy Allen, a senior lead officer for the LAPD’s Central Division, remembers the problems from the previous club, and is concerned about a nightlife business occupying the vacant theater.

“I am not happy to hear that another club will be going in there, especially considering how unhappy the residents of the Chapman building were with the noise and chaos from the 740 Club,” she said in an email.

Hlady said the project team recently worked with the manager of the Chapman Lofts to host a meet-and-greet, inviting residents into the theater to speak with Chol and learn about the project. It’s a dialogue that will continue once the venue is up and running, he said.

“He has the utmost interest in existing harmoniously with the neighboring residents and businesses,” Hlady said. “Mr. Chol aims to attract a respectful and engaged clientele, not those that wish to cause trouble and ruckus.”

The fact that the historic theater will return to life is a positive for the neighborhood, said Los Angeles Historic Theater Foundation coordinator Michelle Gerdes. She said she was pleased to hear that the Broadway entrance would be reopened and that Chol plans to maintain the historic integrity of the theater. donna@downtownnews.com

will focus on obtaining donations from corporation and foundations.

L.A. Opera to Have Space In Merced Theatre

T

he long-dormant Merced Theatre, which is in the midst of a major renovation, could ultimately be partially occupied by L.A. Opera. On Sept. 27, the City Council is expected to approve a Memorandum of Understanding between the city and the performing arts company to operate a public performance space at the theater. According to a motion authored by 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, L.A. Opera

would use a theater space on the second floor of the historic structure for events.

The plan is part of a $23 million upgrade of the 1870 theater that will include moving the city’s Channel 35 television station from its current Little Tokyo home to the building at the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. The project requires seismic upgrades and an elevator that could accommodate freight and disabled access; the transformation is expected to take about three years. The move is intended to save money on rent and lower station operating costs; the annual lease savings would be $341,710.

Channel 35 airs all City Council meetings and other programs related to city departments and events.

September 9, 2013

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Holiday Parties Catering

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~ Downtown Wrote the Book on Partying, and Here Are 50 Places That Prove It

Downtown News 9

10 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Food, Laughs and France Les Noces du Figaro Gears Up For Its First Full Holiday Party Season

Jonathan Mgaieth is part of the family that turned a 1928 Broadway building into Les Noces du Figaro.

The French restaurant can hold up to 500 people for a holiday party.

by Sonya English ne year ago, the Mgaieth family opened Les Noces du Figaro on Broadway. It garnered attention not only because the original Figaro in Los Feliz had become an exceedingly popular destination for French food, but also because of the look and the size: The family spent $2 million to transform the 16,000-square-foot Downtown edifice that first opened in 1928 as Schaber’s Cafeteria.

Now, with a year under their belt, the Figaro folks are gearing up for their first full holiday party season. Their vision, said Jonathan Mgaieth, who oversees the restaurant, is clear: authenticity at all costs.

“We try to bring you to France for one night,” said Mgaieth, who as a native Parisian would know exactly what that involves.

That means a host of traditional menu items, along with some well-crafted drinks that allow guests to let loose. When it comes to holiday parties for friends or employees, the vast rest­ aurant features marble-topped bars and private spaces. There is another unusual option: Figaro hosts a weekly comedy club, and laughs can be inserted into a party.

too many sit-down parties. People prefer to be standing and mingle.

Q: What tips do you have for keeping prices down?

A: Try finger foods like cupcakes and cheese plates. It’s easy for us to do it and very fast.

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

A: If they want something special my bartender is a mixologist. He can create cocktails for the party.

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

Jonathan Mgaieth: Most of the time, finger food and drinks, and an open bar. There are not

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

A: We have a comedy club. If the company wants to add it, we can do something. It might be $15 per person.

Q: How do you handle vegetarians?

A: I try to ask the people what they like. Some­ times we can do a menu with what they want and try it before the party. My chef can work with them.

O

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

A: I recommend people do it four to six months before. A holiday party of 20 people, we can do it almost anytime. But for a bigger party they should start planning sooner.

Q: What’s your advice for someone who hasn’t planned in advance and needs a place for an event?

A: They can call me and we can try to find a day.

There are many days during the week that I can try to do something. I can cut the room and try to do two parties at once.

Q: How much should you expect to spend for a holiday party at your place?

A: About $25 per person for two appetizers and two drinks. They can spend $100 per person or more if they want something upscale.

photo by Gary Leonard

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

A: Just let the people not be too stressed about organizing things. We’ll do everything. Just come and enjoy the place and the food and the drinks. If they want to have some games, they can, of course. People love to play games to win something.

Q: What size crowds do you handle?

A: Up to 500.

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

A: Not during the day, but after work, yeah.

Why not?

Q: Should the boss be there for the whole party?

Or do people have a better time if the man or woman in charge just makes a short appearance?

A: I have fun with my employees after work, so it’s not a big deal. Sometimes it’s nice to see that the boss is human and can have fun. What is during work is during work, and what is after work is different.

Q: When someone is working with you and planning a party, what should they always keep in mind?

A: I need to have all the information. We need to work a lot beforehand to make it as successful as possible. I have a lot of parties and everyone wants something different, so giving me all the information is most important.

Les Noces du Figaro is at 618 S. Broadway, (213) 622-2116 or figarobistrot.com.

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September 9, 2013

Downtown News 11

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

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12 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Steak-ing Their Claim to a Party Nick & Stef’s Is Big on Meals and Customization

By Sonya English hen it comes to holiday parties, the last few years were tough for restaurants like Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse.

During the depths of the recession, even big companies were wary of gestures that could be seen as lavish or over-the-top.

Now that the economy has improved, the parties are back, said Katie Winter, the director of sales and special events at Nick & Stef’s.

“We are seeing that companies are not afraid to spend, especially if guests are able to see the value,” Winter said. “They’re feeling more comfortable with adding the upgrades again.”

At Nick & Stef’s, that means a busy season is approaching, and the options for the big spenders mean anything from private tastings with the chef to a dessert station.

W

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

Katie Winter: Even smaller parties are booking in advance. Another big trend, especially for larger events, are interactive dessert stations. Instead of doing a plated dessert course they’re doing, for example, a spiked milkshake station. For the main meal, people are looking for more of an experience. A lot of my guests this year are doing a one-on-one session privately for their dinner.

Instead of just serving one of our dry steaks or our bone-in rib-eye, we have a chef come in and give a little meat course. They get to try more than one type of meat, which is great.

Katie Winter, the director of sales and special events at Nick & Stef’s, says big holiday parties are back after the belt-tightening of the recession.

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

A: I would recommend now, to be honest. A lot of our time-dates are booked already. We’re booking up every year, it seems, earlier and earlier. I suggest people book now to lock in their date. They can plan the details later.

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

A: For lunch, I would say about $35 a person.

Dinner prices, they can spend as little as $55 a person and add on from there.

Q: Should there be some sort of entertainment, such as music or a show?

A: A lot of guests do add some sort of entertainment, such as surprise carolers who come in during a meal and sing songs. Jazz trios or duos are always great for cocktail-style events.

And then a DJ will really get people up and mingling and active. It will definitely add a different type of energy.

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

A: Make sure at some point in the evening to have a mingling component; really allow your guests to mingle with each other and not just come in and sit.

Q: What size crowds do you handle?

A: We can take private events as small as two people and as large as a 350-person reception

photo by Gary Leonard

and everything in between.

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

A: We always do a gorgeous salad, which incorporates calamari, pomegranate and hazelnuts.

Nick & Stef’s is known for their sides and we serve our sides family style, so in the winter our chef loves to incorporate butternut squash and Brussels sprouts.

Q: How do you handle vegetarians?

A: We always have a vegetarian option. The chef will talk to her purveyors every morning and will purchase the freshest vegetables and will customize a vegetarian dish the day of the event.

Q: Should the boss be there for the whole party?

Or do people have a better time if the man or woman in charge just makes a short appearance?

A: I think the boss should definitely make a

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Q: When someone is working with you and planning a party, what should they always keep in mind?

A: Menus can and should be customized for them. The chefs and event planners love customizing event menus to make it perfect.

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

A: Not being open to suggestions. Sometimes I’ll find that people have a list of things that they definitely want with, of course, a budget attached to that. And sometimes I think they really need to hear what’s possible in keeping within that budget.

Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse is at 330 S. Hope St., (213) 680-0330 or patinagroup.com.

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September 9, 2013

Downtown News 13

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

The Crossroads of Holiday Fun Mexican Food and a Cool Industrial Vibe Mix Well at Yxta

A

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

Catherine Sudo: I think that we will probably see people spending a bit more money. As the economy has improved, we’ve noticed that people are spending a little bit more during the holidays. When the economy was bad, people just weren’t having holiday parties.

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

A: I would say start inquiring by October for places. People can procrastinate and wait until, like, November. Even as early as this month, just start checking places to see what their policies are. It can take a while to plan a party. If you start inquiring in October and you book it and put the deposit down, then you can start plan-

ning the menu, but you already have the date in place.

Q: What’s your advice for someone who hasn’t planned in advance and needs a place for an office event?

A: You can definitely do it. In our restaurant Sunday is actually a cheaper day to rent, so if you’re willing to do it on a Sunday you could probably still do it if places aren’t booked. Or maybe even suggest a Sunday brunch. It’s just a matter of finding a place that didn’t book a party that day.

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

A: Our minimum to close the restaurant for a private party on a Friday night is $10,000, but we can squeeze 100 people in there. For smaller parties you can have 30 people for $50 a head. But you can do $30 a head if it’s for appetizers and cocktails only.

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

A: No, because you want to be able to talk.

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

A: Maybe a Secret Santa party or a white elephant gift exchange. That makes people interact.

Q: What size crowds do you handle?

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A: We can have parties for up to 100 people, but we have to shut down the restaurant. We can do parties of 40 or less and not shut down the restaurant.

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

A: We do a lot of tray passing, so things that you can eat in two bites. We also have tacos, which are pretty big and filling. We always recommend tray passing, but we can also do three-item menus for the larger parties. If we do a restaurant shutdown we can do tray passing as well as a buffet.

Q: How do you handle vegetarians?

A: We have some potato tacos and we could do empanadas with cheese.

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

A: I think so. You can do drink tickets. Like two drink tickets per person, so once they use it,

they can’t get any more free booze.

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

A: Maybe not getting a good head count, so they plan for 100 but only 70 show up, and then if there’s a minimum you have to pay that price. Or, sometimes you plan for 50 and then 80 people show up.

Q: Any fun holiday party ideas you’ve picked up at Yxta?

A: We have this one holiday party that comes in every year and they give out gifts as a raffle at the end of the night. They have given out iPads and a Wii. They bring in a photo booth for their employees to take pictures. They also brought in a projector to do a slideshow. They’ve done that every year and the employees really have a good time.

Yxta Cocina Mexicana is at 601 S. Central Ave., (213) 622-5540 or yxta.net.

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By Sonya English strip mall at Sixth Street and Central Avenue is not what most people think of when a holiday party comes to mind.

However, those who arrive at the corner and walk into Yxta Cocina Mexicana usually wind up pleasantly surprised.

The restaurant is housed in a brick building dominated by high ceilings and dark woods.

The mosaic-tiled bar complements the modern Mexican menu and margarita-heavy cocktail list.

Catherine Sudo, the restaurant’s chief financial officer, shared some tips on planning a holiday party at Yxta.

Parties at Yxta can hold up to 100 people, says the restaurant’s Catherine Sudo. The modern Mexican cuisine is complemented by a margarita-heavy cocktail list.

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Scan this code or visit us at smartandfinal. com for store locations, recipes, specials and more. Call 1-866-411-SMART for the location nearest you.

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14 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Great Grandparents, Pasta and a Party Kayleen Arazm of Spring Street’s Terroni.

Some of the dishes that will be served at holiday parties are handed down from the owner’s great grandparents.

At Terroni, They Do the Holidays With Italian Style and Plenty of Tradition

By Sonya English t Terroni, the small Italian chain that opened its fifth location on Spring Street inside the former City National Bank building, they’ve been working on their recipes for a long time.

That means they know what they are doing and can accommodate a lot of requests from large parties. However, it also means that they understand what they do well, and don’t like to vary from their strengths. So when it comes to ordering food, party planners are advised to follow the adage that Terroni knows best.

“We don’t do any modifications,” said events coordinator Kayleen Arazm. “We have recipes that are handed down from the owner’s grandparents and great grandparents.

We ask that they just respect our menu.”

Fortunately, there is a lot to respect on that menu. Dishes include pastas made fresh each day along with a calamari. Other authentic, traditional meals include the capunti pasta in lamb ragu. Then there are the pizzas.

They restaurant is chic and modern and, come party time, they can do anything from an intimate gathering to a lively celebration for dozens of employees and friends.

A

Los Angeles Downtown News: How soon

should people start planning a holiday party?

Kayleen Arazm: By September or October.

Q: What’s your advice for someone who hasn’t planned in advance and needs a place for an office event?

A: Do it as soon as possible because our dates go pretty quickly.

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

A: About $50 per person. More if they want more food.

Q: What tips do you have for keeping prices down?

A: Pre-order drinks like bottles of wine as opposed to having everybody order a glass Q: What are your recommendations for making a work event more fun?

A: Definitely do it on a weekend. That way no one has to get up in the morning and go to work.

Q: What size crowds do you handle?

A: We have a private room where we can seat 44 people for a sit-down dinner, and we can do up to 70 people standing. We have a small, private dining room that fits 12 people.

photo by Gary Leonard

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

A: We would do a special menu for each party. Our pasta is made fresh every day. I would say our calamari is one of our best dishes.

Q: How do you handle vegetarians?

A: We have some vegetarian pastas and pizzas. We’ve got a few different types of salads.

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

A: I think so. I actually have not had one party that has not had alcohol.

Q: Should the boss be there for the whole party? Or do people have a better time if the man or woman in charge just makes a short appearance?

A: I feel like so far we’ve seen the bosses and

that really doesn’t affect anything. They’re part of the team and if people are out of the office I think they have a little bit of a different attitude.

Q: When someone is working with you and planning a party, what should they always keep in mind?

A: Get the exact head count. Or if anyone has any special interests, let us know. Food allergies are a big one.

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

A: Leaving it until the last minute, that’s probably the biggest mistake. Everything is either booked or they’re not getting the room they wanted.

Terroni is at 802 S. Spring St. (323) 954-0300 or terroni.com.

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HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Downtown News 15

It’s Not Just a Party, It’s an Experience Coco Laurent Offers a Big Patio and French Cuisine

By Sonya English successful holiday party isn’t onesize-fits-all, says Winston Hewitt, Coco Laurent’s private events coordinator and assistant general manager.

Craft cocktails might pop at a party of young professionals, he notes, while a selection of quality wines would better serve a more conservative crowd.

The French restaurant that opened in December at Seventh Street and Grand Avenue serves dishes influenced by the Basque region.

Although any part of the restaurant is available for a holiday party, Coco Laurent is known for its large patios. That’s where most special events take place.

A

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

Winston Hewitt: Probably events on the casual side. People don’t really go crazy with sit-down dinners and multiple courses and stuff like that. Whether it’s a big law firm or a marketing company, they want more of that passed-app, cocktail feel. They just want a fun time.

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

A: At least two months in advance; late part of October, early part of November, depending on the space. That’s a pretty popular time, so they go pretty quickly.

Winston Hewitt of Coco Laurent says the restaurant at Seventh Street and Grand Avenue can hold up to 200 people for a party.

It has indoor spaces, but most events utilize one of the patios.

Q: How much should you expect to spend for a holiday party at your place?

A: With alcohol involved, usually right around $50 a head.

Q: What tips do you have for keeping prices down?

A: Sometimes we’ll do a cap on the bar side instead of an open bar. We can have bartenders keep track of what’s being sold and after that start doing tabs on individual people. You could always do the drink-ticket approach.

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

A: Sometimes it’s not really about the entertainment but about the food, drink and people that are around them. A band is always an option.

We’ve got certain spaces available in the restaurant where you could throw a band or a DJ. Q: What are your recommendations for making a work event more fun?

A: We have a bartender that’s a great mixologist and sometimes he’ll throw in something more on the punch side, where you’ll have an oldschool punch bowl. Just making sure that you have a really cool wine selection and really, just the space. The space is so much of the party.

Q: What size crowds do you handle?

A: We can always rent out the whole restaurant and easily fit 200 people, and we can do 10-15 almost anytime. The south patio turns into more of a private space for us. It’s 60 feet long and 15 feet

photo by Gary Leonard

deep. It can comfortably seat 40-50. The patio is much more advantageous for a cocktail party.

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

A: We’ve got a lot of passed appetizers like tuna tartare. We’ve got little crostinis with a skirt steak and gorgonzola on top, or charcuterie.

Also, we have per-person menus, so we’ll have soup, salad and an entree choice.

Q: How do you handle vegetarians?

A: Passed appetizers are really easy to change into something that could be vegetarian. For sit-down meals we always have a vegetarian option. As long as we have decent enough notice then we have amazing chefs that can whip up something that’s individualized to the person.

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

A: Yeah, I don’t see why not. Booze is great for us. In fact, I think it facilitates a better party.

Q: Should the boss be there for the whole party?

Or do people have a better time if the man or woman in charge just makes a short appearance?

A: It all depends on the boss, to be honest with you. You have those bosses that are facilitating the party and actually making the party better, or you might have the boss that causes the confidence level to be a little lower and when they leave people start having a better time.

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

A: Really understanding the price point of things. We want to work with you — please work with us and we’ll find a nice, solid area where it’s advantageous for both of us. At the end of the day it’s not just selling some chicken cutlets we put on a plate. We want to create an experience for you.

Coco Laurent is at 707 S. Grand Ave., (213) 6230008 or cocolaurent.com.

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16 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

50 Fantastic Downtown Party Places

N

ow is the time to start planning your holiday party. Seriously, even though it’s 100 degrees outside, this is when you should start thinking about what you’ll be doing for your office or your friends at the end of the year.

We understand this may sound odd, but once Labor Day passes, party planners start gobbling up all the good places and dates. If you wait too long, you may wind up not with the desired Friday night private room, but instead the Tuesday brunch. Just try explaining that to your team.

The good news is that Downtown Los Angeles

has a wealth of choices. From restaurants that offer private rooms to hotels with huge ballrooms to spaces that exist solely for the purpose of a party, there is something for everyone’s taste and budget. Here is a big, but by no means definitive, list of Downtown choices.

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L.A. Center Studios — party where they make movies and film “Mad Men.” There’s also a private theater Hotel Figueroa — Moroccan flavor and plenty of indoor and outdoor choices, including one

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Downtown News 17

photo courtesy of Noé Restaurant

photo courtesy of First & Hope

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

Noé Restaurant and Bar

First and Hope

with a coffin-shaped pool Grand Park — rent a chunk of Downtown’s best park, a green expanse with fountains and pink furniture Church and State — a fabulous French bistro in the Arts District. Party while eating escargots Daily Grill — private dining rooms in the busy American fare restaurant afford a VIP experience. There’s also an in-house gastropub Elevate Lounge — a sleek Financial District penthouse 21 floors up, with a dance floor

Clam Chowder

Center at Cathedral Plaza — the headquarters of L.A.’s Catholic community also hosts private events, and is run by Levy Restaurants

Conga Room — the L.A. Live spot with Latin flavor and the best salsa sounds in the city The Palm — big lobsters, big steaks and plenty of private spaces

Plum Tree Inn — a Chinatown staple with a private room, addictive honey walnut shrimp and more

Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge — who doesn’t like bowling and drinks? There are private rooms and even a semi-private bowling suite with four lanes

The Edison — a bash in a former boiler room that looks like no other place in L.A. Try the artisanal cocktails

X Lanes — speaking of bowling and drinks, the $6 million joint in the Little Tokyo Galleria has 24 lanes, a big restaurant and 100 arcade games

Soleto — multiple indoor and outdoor spaces where you can enjoy pizzas, caprese skewers and other Italian fare

Millennium Biltmore Hotel — host a few dozen or a few hundred of your closest friends Blue Cow — a Bunker Hill sit-down space from the sandwich kings behind Mendocino Farms.

Pair with inventive drinks Marvimon — sharp hipster aesthetic in a transformed car showroom in Chinatown Natural History Museum — dance and mingle under dinosaur bones in Exposition Park Library Bar — sip smart drinks while surContinued on page 18

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Pete’s Café and Bar—the Old Bank District standout has been around for more than a decade, and is still a top place to gather

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

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

Border Grill — Two Hot Tamales cuisine and a festive décor

Oviatt Building penthouse — the essence of Art Deco, with a Downtown view

L.A. Live — there are small spaces, huge spaces and food from the Wolfgang Puck empire

Mas Malo — killer margaritas, Mexican food and several private spaces

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

Los Angeles Athletic Club — historic Downtown building does events from 10 to 700 people

Los Angeles Brewing Company — start with the more than 100 beers on tap. Then hire a band and order some burgers. Then go back to the beer

Café Pinot — Cal-French fare with a gorgeous setting next to the Central Library

Traxx — modern cuisine in Union Station, with a choice of indoor and patio seating Downtown Independent — screen a film and follow it with drinks and food in the lobby or on the roof Drago Centro — some of the best Italian food in the city, with a massive wine list and an assortment of private rooms The Majestic Halls at SB Main — a sprawling old bank lobby with old Downtown charm Oiwake — eat sushi, drink sake and sing karaoke until you are hoarse

Hotel Figueroa

O Hotel — a boutique establishment where the party choices include the Red Room and the amazingly named Mafia Room Water Grill — the Downtown seafood standout got an upgrade last year, and the food is as good as ever AT&T Center Penthouse — drop-dead views on the 32nd floor of an office tower with grub from Joachim Splichal’s Patina Catering Mo-Chica — sample Downtown’s Peruvian cuisine in a vibrant Seventh Street space Ensenada — traditional Mexican tamales, beef and chicken, along with a mole poblano. Enjoy in a very festive atmosphere

September 9, 2013 photo courtesy of Hotel Figueroa

Party Places, 17

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

photo by Gary Leonard

18 Downtown News

Traxx

September 9, 2013 The Gorbals — Downtown’s only JewishScottish menu. Try Ilan Hall’s bacon-wrapped matzo balls

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

Belasco Theatre — a renovated South Park theater, with two modern bar spaces and a topnotch sound system

Luxe City Center — a former Holiday Inn has upgraded event facilities for up to 250 people

Vibiana — where red carpets meet a repurposed Catholic church

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

Noé Restaurant and Bar — chic restaurant in the Omni Hotel has inventive cuisine and room for 125

Alexandria Ballrooms — old L.A. elegance with a full bar and commercial kitchen at Fifth and Spring

City Club Los Angeles — formerly located on Bunker Hill, they’re prepping a new Financial District space that opens this fall

First and Hope — room for up to 400 people, with inventive cocktails and staff with some of the best outfits in Downtown

Downtown News 19 photo courtesy of L.A. Center Studios

HOLIDAY PARTIES & CATERING

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20 Downtown News

DT

September 9, 2013

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

CALENDAR

Most people know Steel Magnolias as a 1989 film with Sally Field, Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts.

East West Players re-spins it with an Asian-American cast. The show runs at the David Henry Hwang Theatre from Sept.

11-Oct. 6.

Pulling light From Dark photos by Michael Lamont

East West Players Explores Silver Linings With ‘Steel Magnolias’

the musical Beijing Spring from May 15-June 15.

By Richard Guzmán “In all these stories there is a revelation in terms of how we ast West Players is known for taking season-long approaches to various subjects and themes. A few years ago transition,” Dang said.

During the season East West Players will also present a third the company tried to shake things up and draw a younger audience with a series of adventurous plays, including one with installment of its Evoke New Works Festival. The five-day event will feature a number of yet to be determined plays that focus nudity. Later, it used a season to explore the notion of spirit.

Now, the Little Tokyo theater company is at it again. A series of on emerging Southeast Asian artists and stories.

Southern Connection four plays that starts this week examines the silver lining behind Steel Magnolias was written as a play in 1987 by Robert every dark cloud. It is known as “Making Light.”

“We wanted to present some of these situations that can be Harling. The story about a group of Southern women is set in a tough in life, tough on us, that might be hurdles for us,” said Tim beauty shop. It was inspired by Harling’s sister, who died of comDang, the company’s artistic director. “But out of that comes plications from diabetes.

The show was a hit on Broadway, and inspired the film two some sort of humor or light.”

The season begins Wednesday, Sept. 11, with Steel Magnolias, years later. Although the movie moved beyond the beauty shop a comedy-drama about the bond between a group of Southern and incorporated a few male characters, EWP’s version follows women.

The thanks to the the original script.

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How Tomi Got Her Groove Back, which also has obvious references ater company and a play set in the American South.

“We did a lot of research for this play and we found that to past mainstream Hollywood films. After that EWP presents the world premiere of A Nice Indian Boy, which was generated by a there is a big Asian population there in Louisiana and the company playwriting competition; it runs Feb. 20-March 23. The South,” he said. “There are Asian communities living in the season at the company’s David Henry Hwang Theatre ends with South and that’s part of our mission, to highlight these com-

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munities and geographical areas.”

The play is directed by Laurie Woolery, who previously worked as associate artistic director at Downtown’s Cornerstone Theater Company. Woolery is making her debut at East West Players with Steel Magnolias.

“I kind of thought it was a brilliant choice, and for me the excitement is on how a story about Southern white women holds up when a company of six Asian women take it on,” she said.

Woolery expects that since the play is so personal, and is written in a way that does not turn women into caricatures, the story will translate well in Downtown.

“I’m hoping audiences are going to embrace it,” she said.

Silver Linings After Steel Magnolias, the season turns to The Nisei Widows Club: How Tomi Got Her Groove Back. The title, which has apparent references both to the 1996 film The First Wives’ Club and Terry McMillan’s novel How Stella Got Her Groove Back (which also became a movie), also explores the concept of female bonding.

In this case there is a generational shift. The play by Betty Tokudani follows a group of widowed Nisei women in their golden years who lean on each other for support. It incorporates humorous elements when the women take a trip to Hawaii and unleash their inner cougars while at a hula retreat.

“We thought it would be a way to present that seniors can still find love, enjoy life and be very vital to their community,” Dang said.

The third play, Madhuri Shekar’s A Nice Indian Boy, is an interracial love story that deals with homosexuality in a conservative culture. It centers on Naveen Gavaskar and Keshav Kurundkar, who live in San Francisco and meet online. They find that they have a lot in common, including being gay in Hindu culture.

Shekar’s play arose out of EWP’s Face of the Future playwriting competition. Dang praised the way it explores changing and challenging family dynamics.

“Through all of this cultural tradition, religion and conservative thoughts about gay marriage, there is finally acceptance of their son because they just want their son to be married,” Dang said.

The season wraps up with a musical based on, of all things, the 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising in China. Beijing Spring, Dang said, is a reminder of the battle for human rights and the fact that freedom has yet to be won for many.

“I remember watching it on CNN as it unfolded, seeing the students assembled in the square fighting for democracy,” Dang said. “This is our commemoration in terms of not only educating people that it happened but that these social justice issues still need to be brought up.”

He added, “The light at the end of this is that the fight continues, even though we lost this battle.”

Steel Magnolias runs Sept. 11-Oct. 6 at 120 Judge Aiso St., (213) 625-7000 or eastwestplayers.org.

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Downtown News 21

Touchdown and Tossbacks As the NFL Season Arrives, Downtown Offers Plenty of Places Where You Can Watch the Game and Grab a Drink

By Donna Evans ngelenos have gotten used to not having an NFL team. But with football season arriving, Downtown now has to deal with another issue: the loss of ESPN Zone, a popular destination for area workers and residents to see their favorite team play, no matter what team it is.

With 150 high-definition TVs, the L.A. Live destination was the 800-pound gorilla of the sports bar scene. It abruptly shut down in July, and will be replaced by three restaurants.

Still, ESPN was hardly the only game in town.

Whether you work, live or just plan to visit Downtown, there is no shortage of places to watch every NFL game. If your home is oppressively hot, or if your living room lacks amenities such as NFL Sunday Ticket, plenty of local joints allow you to pull up a bar stool, drain a beer or six, and sing the song of your fellow football people. With a full lineup each Sunday and a Monday night doubleheader in week one, here’s a rundown.

A

Down & Out: While the DnO hasn’t hustled to get Lamar Odom’s oversized mug shot hanging in their hall of fame, which includes disheveled celebs such as O.J. Simpson, Nick Nolte and James Brown, they do offer a spacious spot and 10 big screen TVs, along with a whopping 170-inch screen. The Historic Core space has the NFL Sunday Ticket and other sports pack-

At Big Wangs, a sports bar at Eighth Street and Grand Avenue, the game is on both indoors and out, thanks to a large patio.

The restaurant/bar has 29 TVs.

ages. It is also easy to find a beverage with a selection of four $3 beers. Plus, the DnO serves Miller tall boys and a “Meaty Mary” (garnished with fruit, veggies and a Slim Jim). Bonus: The bar will be raffling off a trip to Las Vegas each week during Monday Night Football.

At 501 S. Spring St. Big Wangs: If you weren’t sure whether Big Wangs is a game day go-to destination, then you’re either new to Downtown or don’t know the Dodgers from the Clippers. The restaurant/ bar’s Facebook page features a cover photo of a football field and their website links to recent news from the NFL, MLB, NBA and UFC. The Downtown location is one of five Big Wangs and stands out for its large patio. It has 29 TVs, 12 variations of bottled and canned beer and 16 taps. Game-day specials include $3 cans of Bud Light, a $5 build-your-own Bloody Mary bar and a 32-ounce mimosa for $8. Breakfast is served until noon.

At 801 S. Grand Ave. #175, (213) 629-2449 or bigwangs.com.

Casey’s: The underground pub is known for its gigantic St. Patrick’s Day party, and a few years ago it attracted huge early morning crowds for World Cup games. Turns out, it’s a pretty good place to catch American football too, with 13 TVs, traditional Irish fare and a 9:30 a.m. opening time on Sundays during pigskin season.

photo by Gary Leonard

Happy hour is all day and night Sunday and Monday. Appetizers include Guinness Stout for $8 (you have to respect a bar that rates beer alongside mac & cheese for a pre-meal snack.)

The football season’s specials are currently under review by management.

At 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or 213nightlife.com/caseysirishpub.

Yard House: If you want to be close to the former ESPN Zone, and/or if beer selection rates at the top of your must-have list on game day, then Yard House at L.A. Live is for you. The bar and restaurant is a quick walk from the Pico Metro station off the Blue or Expo lines, and it boasts 30 TVs, with flat screens inside and out.

Yard House has a mindboggling 138 beers on tap, though if the joint gets super crowded —

✔ Free Wi-Fi ✔ Free Parking ✔ Drive-Thru ✔ Breakfast All Day

and this routinely happens on a Monday Night game that also coincides with a Lakers, Kings or Clippers home contest — then be prepared to get bumped and jostled. Some of the fabled brew could end up on you. Hey, a rhyme!

At 800 W Olympic Blvd., (213) 745-9273 or yardhouse.com.

Dublin’s Irish Whiskey Pub: This bustling restaurant and bar is a quick jaunt from the Seventh Street/Metro Center, from which you can grab the Red, Blue or Expo lines.

Monday Night Football coincides with the bar’s regular 3-7 p.m. happy hour. The pub offers 20 HDTVs. The number sounds impressive until you consider it is beaten by the 30-plus beers it offers. For the record, NFL Continued on page 24

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22 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

DT

CALENDAR LISTINGS

son ws.com e n John

by Da @downtownn r a d n le a c

EVENTS

SPONSORED LISTINGS

photo by Gary Leonard

photo courtesy Mission UK

TuESDay, SEPTEmbER 10 Literature, Hip-Hop and Freedom at Aloud Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

7:15 p.m.: Hip-hop chronicler and author Jeff Chang chats with fellow writer MK Asante about his new memoir.

The art agenda is back in full effect on Thursday, Sept. 12, as the monthly Downtown Art Walk again turns the Historic Core into a concentrated cross-section of Los Angeles’ creatively inclined. The Art Walk Lounge will anchor the evening with a show by Andre Miripolsky (the lounge will also offer samples from its corporate sponsor, Perrier).

Elsewhere, the Downtown Art Center Gallery presents the group show Horizon Lines. The exhibit is an initiative fostered by special needs group ECF Art to incorporate adults in their program. Art Walk kicks off around 5 p.m. and goes until the galleries (and bars) close. Art Walk Lounge is at 634 S. Spring St., (213) 617-4929 or downtownartwalk.org.

The ’80s are alive and well this week as The Mission UK drop an explosive set of vintage guitar grooves on Club Nokia. Often pigeonholed under the goth label, The Mission UK sound like The Cure if Robert Smith had listened to more Hawkwind. Deep resonating bass, dark aesthetics and uptempo new wave flourishes bounce off one another in a churning stew that first found its footing in 1986 and has congealed in nine full length offerings since. In celebration of their latest offering, The Brightest Light, the lads from Leeds are dropping by Downtown on Tuesday, Sept. 10. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

FRIDay, SEPTEmbER 13 Exxopolis Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or musiccenter.org.

Sept. 13-15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: The opening event in the Music Center’s World City program features a walk-in sculpture complete with rich lights, color, sound and musical performances.

Walk ups will be accommodated first-come, first-served.

SaTuRDay, SEPTEmbER 14 Can the Left Survive Without Labor?

The California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda St. or zocalopublicsquare.org.

7 p.m.: As factions of the American right work to neutralize the labor movement in favor of “right to work” initiatives, Zocalo Public Square ponders how American liberalism will function.

Harold Meyerson of the Washington Post and American Prospect will be in discussion with Jennifer Medina of the New York Times.

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

Sept. 10: Nick Grinder Group.

Sept. 11: You only need to count to three tonight when the Michael Gallant Trio plays Sept. 12: Matt Mayhall, Jeff Babko and Tim Lefevbre.

Sept. 13: Gene Coye’s Jazzgene.

Sept. 14: Daniel Rosenboom Quintet.

Sept. 15: Brandon Bernstein Quartet featuring Joey Sellers.

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

photo courtesy Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band

ThuRSDay, SEPTEmbER 12 Art Walk Historic Core, (213) 617-4929 or downtownartwalk.org.

5 p.m.: You will know it for the crowd of people and the increasingly rare highbrow art connoisseur jockeying for room on the sidewalk.

Eli Broad at Aloud Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

7:15 p.m.: Noted art collectors Eli and Edythe Broad will discuss the birth of their new mega-museum atop Bunker Hill.

With Downtown’s bevy of bars and adult-oriented concerts, it’s easy to forget kids need entertainment too. Easy to forget unless you’re a parent, that is. Well, we’ve got you family folks covered this week with one of the most engaging kid-friendly acts to come around. On Saturday, Sept. 14, Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band head to the Grammy Museum for a special 11 a.m. show in anticipation of their new album Lishy Lou and Lucky Too! The husband and wife team promises to stun your kids with an acoustic guitar and Broadway-style vocal arrangement loaded with redemptive lessons and a cheery world outlook. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 7656800 or grammymuseum.org.

The times they are a-changing. Well, not really, but it is the last week to catch A New Sculpturalism, the MOCA Geffen Contemporary exhibit that focuses on 38 Los Angeles architects engaged in a multifaceted dialogue with their city.

Photographs and physical sculpture form the basis of the richly diverse social critique via design. The show, which has the requisite big segment on Disney Hall architect Frank Gehry, is open each day this week except Tuesday and Wednesday.

At 152 N. Central Ave., (213) 626-6222 or moca.org.

photo by Brian Forest

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

Sept. 13, 8:30 p.m.: The summer film series continues with Election. In the film, Tracy Flick is the most driven student at Carver High, and she just happens to be having an affair with one of her teachers. Another teacher — Mr. McAllister — is having an affair with his wife's best friend.

Student elections are under way when Mr. McAllister persuades football jock Paul to run against Flick for his own pleasure. Who will win the election?

“Bringing Peace to a Conflicted World” All Peoples Christian Church, 822 East 20th St., near the San Pedro stop on the Blue Line, (213) 747-6357 To celebrate the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the All Peoples Christian Church, an open and affirming congregation, will offer the following events: Sept.

15: Peace in Our Community, Anti-Gang; Sept. 22: Peace in Our Lives, Tina Tessina, therapist and author. The events are free and a light lunch will be served. RSVP at events@ allpeopleschristianchurch.org.

East West Players likes to put its own spin on established works. That will be the case again this week with Steel Magnolias. Robert Harling’s celebrated play opens Wednesday, Sept. 11 (previews started Sept. 5) and runs through Oct. 6. In the Downtown version, the dialogue of a beauty parlor in the American South will mesh with EWP’s focus on Asian Pacific culture. The run features 8 p.m. shows each Wednesday through Saturday and a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. A “pay-what-you-can” performance takes place this Thursday at the company’s David Henry Hwang Theatre. At 120 Judge John Also St., (213) 625-7000 or eastwestplayers.org.

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

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coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, GregDOWNTOWNNEWS.COM Fischer, Los Angeles Downtown News Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026  Art dirEctor: Brian Allison phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa Buy 1 Combo web: DowntownNews.com ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins2nd email: realpeople@downtownnews.com Receive PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

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circulAtioN: Jessica Tarr distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

Gourmet Fast Casual Restaurant Since 1973 7 Days-7am to 10pm • FREE Parking • We Cater 1657 W. 3rd St. at Union Ave. • 213-483-8885

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

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AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG Holloway *Equal or Lesser Value. 1MANAGEr: coupon per customer,Catherine per visit. Expires 9/30/13 AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Josie Damian, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: Donna Evans coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield

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IMAX ©2013 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News California Science Center, 700 State Drive, 744-2019 is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights(213) reserved.

The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newsor californiasciencecenter.org. paper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every circulAtioN: Jessica Tarr Downtown Independent Explore remnants and wisdom of anof ancient Mondaythe throughout the offices and residences Downtownempire in distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles Los Angeles.

251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent. of Egypt. distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla Mysteries One copy per person. com.

Ice and polar bear enthusiasts will likely dig To the Arctic 3D. Sept. 9, 10:15 p.m., Sept. 10, 4:30 p.m., Sept. 11, 4 and 10 Experience the gripping story full of hope, crushing disapp.m. and Sept. 12, 4 p.m.: The Kevin Smith Movie Club comes pointment and triumph in Hubble 3D. Downtown with a screening of American Milkshake. It’s a mid- Pershing Square ’90s story of a boy who wants to be make the basketball team 532 S. Olive St., (213) 485-1645 or laparks.org/ and be black, even though he happens to be white. pershingsquare.

Sept. 13, 3, 5 and 7 p.m., Sept. 14, 12:30 and 9:30 p.m., Sept.

Sept. 13, 8:30 p.m.: See Matthew Broderick’s high school 15, 5, 7 and 9 p.m.: In The Muslims Are Coming!, a group of teacher get more than he bargained for when he takes on Reese Muslim-American standupSue comedians Witherspoon’s Tracie Flick in Election.

Editor & PublishEr: Laris go on the road.

Grand Park Regal Cinemas GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin 200 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8080 or grandparkla.org.

1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-6070 or lalive.com/ ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie Sept. 14, 8:30 p.m.: Grand Park digs out the Reese’s Pieces movies. citY Editor: Richard Guzmán with a screening of E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial. Watch a young Through Sept. 5: Riddick (11:20 a.m., 1:10, 2:10, 4:10, 5, stAFF writEr: Donna Evans Continued on next page Drew Barrymore get profane.

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

AccouNtiNG: Tara LaPlante

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AccouNtiNG: Tara LaPlante

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photo by James Stephenson

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This weekend marks your second and final opportunity to take in Exxopolis, which is sort of like a gigantic bounce house, though one in which you enjoy music and changing colors and Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris are not allowed to careen into the GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin walls. The opening event from the ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie Music Center’s World City series is citY Editor: Richard Guzmán extremely popular, as advance reserstAFF writEr: Donna Evans vations are already sold out. However, coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM you can show up at News the door, where coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Los Angeles Downtown first-come, first-served tickets Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CAwill 90026 be available.

The creation from phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 Art dirEctor: Brian Allison Nottingham, England’s Architects of web: DowntownNews.com AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa email: Air isrealpeople@downtownnews.com up, literally, from Sept. 13-15.

ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins At Grand Park, (213) 972-4396 or PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard facebook: musiccenter.org.

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Sept. 9, 8 p.m.: Well-groomed indie apologist Dear Boy promises a residency complete with attractive, sycophantic female DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM hangers-on and copious closed-eye, introspection-laden head bobs. We sure used a lot of dashes in that description.

Sept. 10, 8 p.m.: Denison Witmer’s subdued acoustic songs are on par for an artist out of Lancaster, Penn.

Sept. 11, 8 p.m.: The Love Language is a purveyor of chunky indie rock and not an informative seminar for aspiring Lotharios.

Sept. 12, 8 p.m.: You may find Matt Wertz’s mild mannered electro-acoustic pop rock suitably entertaining.

Sept. 13, 8 p.m.: A band with the whimsically rad name Bleeding Rainbow.

Sept. 15, 7 p.m.: Hey Buddy!, the comedy show named after a creepy Los query.

Angeles Downtown News Broadway Bar 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or broadwaybar.la. phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 Sept. DowntownNews.com 12, 10 p.m.: Funky Brewsterz kicks it realpeople@downtownnews.com with The Late Shift web: • email: late night. facebook: twitter: Club Nokia L.A. Downtown News DowntownNews 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.

Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.: Nickelodeon script jockey turned singer Editor & PublishEr: Laris Carey impression.

Ariana Grande promises her Sue best Mariah GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawnfrom Eastin Sept. 10, 8:30 p.m.: Straight Leeds, England, circa 1991 it’sExEcutivE the Mission UK. Editor: Jon Regardie citY Richard Guzmán Sept.Editor: 13, 9 p.m.: If you dig fist pumping and an incessant four Evans enjoy Morgan Page. onstAFF the floorwritEr: beat, youDonna could possibly coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese Escondite Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.: Cornelius Herring does his thing on the coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com. piano.

Kylie Jane Wakefield Sept 9, 9 p.m.: Yonatan’s Monster Monday, a jazzy hoot faciliSept. 10, 8 p.m.: Down Home Blues Jam Session.

ArtbydirEctor: Allison tated opening actBrian Brian Walker.

Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m.: Boogie Lou and the Prestige.

AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa Sept. 10, 10 p.m.: Bunny West, a country influenced vocalist One-Eyed Gypsy ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins and not an illicit Skid Row hare-smuggling operation. Similarly, 901 E. First St., (626) 340-3529 or one-eyedgypsy.com.

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard Boom Boom Boom, a bluesy fabric of musical wonder and not a Sept. 10: Hot Club Vignati.

GOP catch phrase for escalation in Syria.

Sept. 11: RT N the 44s.

AccouNtiNG: Tara LaPlante Sept.

11, 10 p.m.: Where were you when The Rayford Bros and Sept. 12: Ubiquity presents Frolic.

AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin WeclAssiFiEd the Folk tookAdvErtisiNG the stage? MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway Redwood Bar and Grill Sept. 12, 10 p.m.: Trip Rezac & The Josie Scumbags and Ted Z and Holloway 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com.

AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Damian, Catherine AssistANt: Claudiamore Hernandez thesAlEs Wranglers are significantly fun than staying at home Sept. 9: Black Water Jukebox, Christian Lee Hutson and Joseph and listening to Pure Moods.

Garate.

Sept. 13, 9 p.m.:Jessica Let Trevor Menear and For the Kings kick off Sept. 11: The Pocket Rockets, Shirley Rolls and Victory. circulAtioN: Tarr distributioN your weekend. MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles Sept. 12: The Mighty Surf Lords and old school funsters the distributioN AssistANts: Castillo, Sept. 14, 10 p.m.: Come hell orLorenzo high water, CharlieGustavo Chan willBonilla Insect Surfers. be wrangling his SOBs in for some blues.

Sept. 13: The Booze Hounds, Motorcycle Black Madonnas, ©2013 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center Sept. 15, 10 p.m.: Honky Tonk Sundays with RT N the 44s.

Golden Sombrero, Kilroy and False Confession.

News Inc. All rights reserved.

Exchange LADowntown News is the must-read newspaper for DowntownSept.

14, 2 p.m.: Punk Rock Rovers Benefit for the Pasadena The Los Angeles Los Angeles andS.isSpring distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los with The Golden Rulers, Backbiter, Mike Watt, 618 St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com.

Humane Society Angeles.

Sept. 13, 10 p.m.: Protoculture’s claim to being the No. 1 DJ Black Widows and CH 3. This will be a good night for aging exper person. in One Southcopy Africa apparently doesn’t take the sheer radness of DJ punks.

Hi-Tek into consideration.

Sept. 14: A Pretty Mess.

Sept. 14, 10 p.m.: Sharam promises a diverse and rewarding Sept. 15, 3 p.m.: Fools on Stools with Skip Heller, Deborah Iyall show full of bleeps, boops, drops and derps. (the singer from Romeo Void!) and Ronnie Mach & the Hollywood Grammy Museum Blues Destroyers.

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

Sept. 15: Craig Extine and Heartracers. org.

Seven Grand Sept. 9, 8 p.m.: Get the dirty lowdown in a conversation with 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la.

Boz Scaggs.

Sept. 9: NYC’s finest transplant jazz band, the Sidewinders.

Sept. 12, 8 p.m.: To celebrate their new exhibit at the muSept. 10: We’re still waiting for the Makers to improvise their seum, Cheap Trick drops by for a Q&A. Surrender to their majesty. way through a cover version of Vangelis’ classic “Chariots of Fire” Sept. 14, 11 a.m.: Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band will be theme. We’re extremely patient, Makers, but don’t test us. kicking out tunes for the whole family.

Sept. 11: Emile Poree: jazz singer, guitarist, ponytail enthusiast.

Ham and Eggs Sept. 15, 10 p.m.: Nora Germain is poised to rock your world, 433 W. Eighth St. or hamandeggstavern.com. violin style.

Sept. 13, 9 p.m.: Tommii Lim. Staples Center Sept. 14, 9 p.m.: Tape Deck Mountain and QunQ. 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7326 or staplescenter.com.

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM Nola’s Sept. 14, 8 p.m.: A slew of great role models including Chris 734 E. 3rd St., (213) 680-3003 or nolasla.com.

Brown anchor the lineup for Calibash 2013.

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Downtown News 23

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Lunch and Dinner

twitter: • An Extensive Seafood DowntownNews Menu including

Dim Sum at

©2013 Civic Center News, Inc. Moderate Los AngelesPrices Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All • Relaxed Dining in an rights reserved.

Elegant Ambiance The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is dis• Live Lobster Tank tributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

700 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

One copy per person.

Free Parking Next to Restaurant Tel: 213.617.2323

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DT DT DT NEWS NEWS NEWS September 9, 2013

AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Josie Damian, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Jessica Tarr distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla ©2013 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.

24 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

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$6,999 2007 Nissan Altima Sedan ..................... $13,999 Only 42,000 Miles, Must See, N130227-1/7N418393 2005 Nissan Armada SE .......................... $15,999 5.6L V8, Silver/Black, Leather, 38K miles, NI4111/5N706134

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Continued from previous page 7:10, 8, 10:10 and 11 p.m.); Getaway (12, 2:20, 4:40, 7and 9:20 p.m.); Instructions Not Included (11:20 a.m., 2, 4:50, 7:50 and 10:40 p.m.); One Direction: This Is Us (11:30 a.m.); One Direction: This Is Us 3D (1:50, 4:20, 6:50 and 9:20 p.m.); Closed Circuit (5:10 p.m.); The Grandmaster (1:40, 4:30, 7:20, 10 p.m.); The World’s End (12:10, 2:40, 5:20, 8:10 and 10:50 p.m.); You’re Next (12:20, 2:50, 5:30, 8:10 and 10:50 p.m.); The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (1 and 4 p.m.); Kick-Ass 2 (1:20, 4, 6:30 and 9:10 p.m.); Lee Daniels’ The Butler (12:40, 3:40, 6:40 and 9:40 p.m.); Elysium (1:30, 4:30, 7:20 and 9:50 p.m.); We’re the Millers (12:50 a.m., 3:50, 7:40 and 10:20 p.m.); 2 Guns (11:50 a.m., 2:30, 7:40 and 10:20 p.m.); This Is the End (7:30 and 10::30 p.m.).

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

2YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

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

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

Football, 21 games sometimes end with a 30-20 score.

At 815 W. Seventh St. or (213) 627-6900.

Los Angeles Brewing Company: With a massive list of microbrews, LABC should satiate the snootiest of craft beer snobs.

Doors open at 10 a.m. on Sunday, where games will be displayed on eight huge screens. For those who prefer the bubbly, LABC serves $10 bottomless mimosas. If you overindulge, walk it off by staggering along Broadway and taking a peek at some timeless movie houses.

At 750 S Broadway (213) 622-0500, labrewingco.com Spring Street: This is by no means a sports bar. That said, the neighborhood friendly joint smack in the middle of the Historic Core is a great option for cheering and cursing at a public TV. Spring Street serves a host of craft beers and signature cocktails, not to mention 10 hot and cold sandwiches and a palatecleansing cucumber quinoa salad. We dare you not to run into at least one neighbor. There is also an outdoor, dog-friendly patio, though said space can get mighty smoky, so unless you don’t mind smelling like a pack of Marlboros, that Jacksonville Jaguars jersey is going right into the hamper. Just joking: No one outside Florida has even worn a Jags jersey.

At 626 S. Spring St., (213) 622-5859 or springstla.com The Escondite: This Skidrokyo pub offers four TVs inside and two outside on a dog-friendly smoking patio for game day. Do they have the NFL Sunday Ticket package? Yes. Will they show Raiders games? No. (No judgment here: Los Angeles Downtown News is just the messenger.) Sundays bring $4 Bloody Mary’s or Maria’s, with doors opening at 9:30 a.m. Since Monday Night Football falls right in line with the Toy District spot’s happy hour, patrons can pick up $5 craft beers, $4 well drinks, $4 glasses of wine and appetizers that run $3-$5.

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

King Eddy Saloon: OK, maybe the King Eddy isn’t the first thing that passes through your mental goalposts when you think “sports bar,” but to a lot of football and morning beer enthusiasts, that’s a good thing. At the King, which this year received a touchup that removed the grime without significantly changing the flavor, patrons can enjoy cans of Fat Tire, Heineken and Old Milwaukee for $4, and various drafts for $6. But, really, if you’re here, how can you pass up a $9 glass of moonshine? Cocktails, complete with their signature Moonhattan, run $9-$10.

At 131 E. Fifth St., (213) 629-2029 or kingeddysaloon.com. donna@downtownnews.com.

September 9, 2013

FUTURE KOREAN AIR WILSHIRE GRAND

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Downtown News 25

26 Downtown News

DT

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2009 CHEVY MALiBU HYBRiD 4DR. Gray/Gray, Great Mileage, AC, Loaded F13074-1/ F131890 ONLY....$13,995 Call 888-3047039 www.felixchevrolet.com

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To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448, or go to DowntownNews.com Deadline classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm.

FORfor RENT All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

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EMPLOYMENT professional COMPLEMENTARY APPLiCATiONS Specialist (Financial Applications) (Nestlé GLOBE, inc., Glendale, CA): Provide apps expertise on Treasury & rel financial complementary apps to ensure quality of the delivery, availability, & performance on business critical apps. Req BS in Mgmt info Sys, Comp Sci, Eng, Finance, or rel field & 5 yrs’ exp dev, config, & deploy’g ERP apps in a global mfg enviro. Stated exp must incl 3 yrs’ in tech config & troubleshoot’g of apps support’g financial flow & bank transfers (Sungard, Swift or rel), complementary apps based on Quantum Tech (Quantum Risk) & Service Mgmt v.7 or above.

Must have 2 yrs’ exp support’g Sales Force automation tools like Hamilton, Accenture (CPWerx), or Newspage. Must have exp in use of Windows Server, Swift SVNP security, Sungard Quantum, Swift Alliance access, Swift Alliance gateway, Quantum Trax, PERL, & Vb script. Must be available for on-call & weekend coverage as needed. Exp may, but need not, be gained concurrently. F/T. Resumes: M. Simo, Nestle USA, inc., 800 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203. Ref. job code CAS-FA.

BACHELOR, 303 S. Hewitt St., $595/Month Historic Arts District, Controlled Access 310-5761446, WestsideRentals.com.

Complementary Applications Specialist (Windows Technology) (Nestlé GLOBE, inc., Glendale, CA): Provide apps expertise for HR (Payroll, Time Mgmt), Sales, Tax, Treasury on Unix/Windows platform. Req Bach’s deg in info Tech, Eng, or a rel field & 5 yrs’ exp. install’g, configur’g, integrat’g, & support’g 3-tier apps. Exp must incl 3 yrs’ in each of the follow’g: Windows Server 2003 & 2008 admin; Service Mgmt. v.7 or above; & iiS. Must have exp. in the follow’g: support’g Sales Force automation tools such as Hamilton, Accenture (CPWerx), or Newspage; work’g in an org unit structure setup w/delegated security; Citrix admin; Websphere; Cognos; Kronos; & BSi. Must be avail for oncall & weekend coverage as needed. Exp may, but need not, be gained concurrently.

F/T. Resumes: M. Simo, Nestle USA, inc., 800 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203. Ref. job code CAS-WT.

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DowntownNews.com

County of Los Angeles Department of the Treasurer and Tax Collector Notice of Divided Publication Pursuant to Sections 3702, 3381, and 3382, Revenue and Taxation Code, the Notice of Sale of Tax Defaulted Property Subject to the Power of Sale in and for the County of Los Angeles, State of California has been divided and distributed to various newspapers of general circulation published in said County for publication of a por-

Whereas, on June 18, 2013, i, MARK J. SALADiNO, Treasurer and Tax Collector, was directed by the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County, State of California, to sell at public auction certain tax-defaulted properties which are Subject to the Power of Sale. Public notice is hereby given that unless said properties are redeemed prior thereto, i will, on October 21 and 22, 2013, at the hour of 9:00 a.m. at the Fairplex Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, 1101 W. McKinley Avenue, Building 5, Pomona, California, offer for sale and sell said properties at public auction to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check in law-

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Public Auction Notice (R&TC 3702) Of Sale Of Tax-Defaulted Property Subject To The Power Of Sale (Sale No. 2013A)

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September 9, 2013

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emPLOymeNT Urth Caffé will be accepting applications for back of the House positions only: prep cooks, food runner, line cooks & barista.

We are looking for Energetic, Friendly and Hard-Working candidates with experience. Job fair will be held every Fridays and Mondays, 9am-12pm at our Pasadena location, 594 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101. Must apply in person.

September 9, 2013 ful money of the United States for not less than the minimum bid. If no bids are received on a parcel, it will be re-offered at the end of the auction at a reduced minimum price.

The minimum bid for each parcel is the total amount necessary to redeem, plus costs, as required by Section 3698.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Prospective bidders should obtain detailed information of this sale from the County Treasurer and Tax Collector.

Pre-registration and a $5,000 deposit in the form of cash, cashier’s check or bank issued money order is required at the time of registration. No personal checks, two-party checks or business checks will be accepted for registration. Registration will be from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., beginning Monday, September 16, 2013, at the Treasurer and Tax Collector’s Office located at 225 North Hill Street, Room 130, Los Angeles, California, and will end on Friday, October 4, 2013, at 5:00 p.m.

If the property is sold, parties of interest, as defined by Section 4675 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, have a right to file a claim with the County

Downtown News 27

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM for any proceeds from the sale, which are in excess of the liens and costs required to be paid from the proceeds. If excess proceeds result from the sale, notice will be given to parties of interest, pursuant to law.

If redemption of the property is not made according to the law before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18, 2013, which is the last business day prior to the first day of auction, the right of redemption will cease.

rent AINs are shown. An explanation of the parcel numbering system and the maps referred to are available from the Office of the Assessor located at 500 West Temple Street, Room 225, Los Angeles, California 90012.

All information concerning redemption, provided the right to redeem has not previously been terminated, will upon request be furnished by MARK J. SALADINO, Treasurer and Tax Collector.

The Assessor’s Identification Number (AIN) in this publication refers to the Assessor’s Map Book, the Map Page, and the individual Parcel Number on the Map Page. If a change in the AIN occurred, both prior and cur-

A list explaining the abbreviations used in this publication is on file in the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector, 225 North Hill Street, Room 130, Los Angeles, California 90012, or telephone 1(213) 974-2045.

I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed at Los Angeles, California, on August 22, 2013.

MARK J. SALADINO Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector State of California

The real property that is subject to this notice is situated in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and is described as follows: PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF TAX-DEFAULTED PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THE POWER OF SALE(SALE NO. 2013A) 3645 AIN 5151-027-087 EGBASE,ANTHONY AND

EGBASE,VICTORIALOCATION COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES $9,122.00 4330 AIN 5539-006-011 SYNOD OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND HAWAII LOCATION COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES $16,270.00 4332 AIN 5539-012-020 123 RAMONA LLC LOCATION COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES $67,410.00

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

Do you have something to sell?

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Ad Prices

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(Marketplace and Automotive Categories ONLY) • Items under $300 • Items $301 to $500 • Items $501 to $1200 • Items $1201 to $2000 • Items $2001+…

Name: Address: City Phone: Cash $ Credit card #: Exp. Date:

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Restrictions: Offer good on private party ads only. Ads must be pre-paid by cash, check or credit card. Certain classifications excluded. Deadline: Thursday at noon for next issue.

CROSSWORD

28 Downtown News

September 9, 2013

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

School, 6

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

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

Grand Tower

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

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

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

Promenade Towers

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

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

On-Site: ~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon

museum Tower

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

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

8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6

TOWERS T H E

A PA RT M E N T S

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RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM

photo by Gary Leonard

The school currently holds 110 kindergarten through second-grade students. Plans call for it to grow to a K-5 facility with 500 students.

First Day Jitters Metro Charter’s first day was typical of elementary school starts. Nervous kindergarteners clung to their parents in the morning. Some parents were confused about which class their child would be in.

“This is his very first day at school and I’m very, very nervous,” said Octavia McClain shortly after dropping off her son, Oliver.

McClain lives in Arleta and works as an administrative assistant for the Los Angeles Clippers in Downtown. She decided to enroll Oliver in Metro Charter so he could be near her job.

Oliver was a bit shy at first. He stood behind his mother before finally going into his classroom.

McClain said one of her worries is that the school shares a lobby and other spaces with the family center. For the next month it will stay that way, as the organization has not yet completed its move into its new headquarters. The family center now uses a portion of the first floor space for its human resources office as well as its child development program.

That means Metro Charter’s first and second grade classes must share a room. The school’s future library is also now occupied by the family center.

The school’s administrative offices, cafeteria and teacher’s lounge are also in temporary spaces on the building’s second floor. They will all move downstairs in about a month.

Parent Clauvisia Martin, who was standing next to McClain in the morning, was also concerned about the space constraints.

Yet she too was able to relax once classes began and she saw her daughter Kaelin begin conversing with the other children.

“I was a little anxious, but I think they got it together,” said Martin, who lives near Crenshaw and Jefferson boulevards and works Downtown in the District Attorney’s office. “When we came to orientation there was nothing here and nothing set up to give you an idea of how it was going to be, but now I like the classroom set-up.”

Downtown resident Juan Ramos was a bit more relaxed. He said his 6-year-old daughter Clara was happy and calm as she started her first day in first grade.

“Once she got here she felt at ease,” he said. “I think they did a nice job with the facilities. It’s the first day of school for a new school which I expected to be a little chaotic, but it seemed fine and very orderly.”

Misra, who took the day off from her job at architecture firm Gensler to pick up her daughter, got an eager reception from Anvaya. After the hug, Anvaya pulled her mom into the classroom to show off her new desk.

Metro Charter plans call for adding a grade each year through 2016, with enrollment ultimately reaching 500 kindergarten through fifth grade students. By then, school officials also hope to have a larger, permanent home.