12-08-14

Frozen Rats, Donald Sterling and Big Data : 5 A Locked Room Mystery Opens : 21

DECEMBER 8, 2014 I VOL. 43 I #49

THE BIG PILL PROBLEM Prescription Drug Sales Inside the Rite Aid at Fifth and Broadway Spark a State Investigation

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AROUND TOWN

Learning Center Named for Andre Ethier Opens in Skid Row

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revamped learning center has debuted in Skid Row, thanks to the efforts of a bigtime Dodger. The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and outfielder Andre Ethier, and Ethier’s wife Maggie, in June contributed $100,000 to renovate the learning center at Union Rescue Mission. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Maggie and Andre Ethier Learning Center was held on Thursday, Dec. 4. The project at the mission at 545 S. San Pedro St. was made possible by two contributions, with the first donation from the Dodgers Foundation in 2013. Ethier has been a frequent presence at events at the Skid Row mission over the years.

“I’ve enjoyed volunteering at URM since I became a Dodger,” Ethier said in a prepared statement. “Knowing that the Learning Center will serve the mission for years to come makes this project very special to me.” Other partners in the project included Habitat for Humanity and the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

Newest Bar to Open in Downtown Is at Ralphs

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he rush of new Downtown bars continues, with one in a very unexpected place: The

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS Ralphs Fresh Fare supermarket. Yes, the grocery store at 645 W. Ninth St. now features a bar, dubbed Elevate, which opened last month.

Though brighter than many other area drinking spots, the Ralphs wine and beer bar (no hard liquor is served) offers a variety of grapes and suds. Don’t expect full pours, however, as beer servings are limited to eight ounces, and wine tops at four-ounce glasses (but you have to ask for a double). Kendra Doyel, vice president of public affairs for Ralphs Grocery Co., said the store is constantly working to bring innovative shopping experiences to its markets. “We listen to the needs of the communities we serve and try to make sure we are offering items and experiences that make them want to come back to Ralphs,” she said. The in-store bar is part of the $2.5 million renovation for the South Park market, which opened in 2007. The renovation, which began in the summer, will also offer an expanded sushi bar, a larger self-check out area and made-to-order pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches. The bar is open every day from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Dick Lewis, PR Executive, Dies

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ick Lewis, a prolific Los Angeles public relations figure, has died. He passed away on Nov. 21 at the age of 89 after battling bone cancer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on Aug. 13, 1925, Lewis was best known for his work at his PR agency, Lewis & Associates. He was also an original founder of the Downtown Breakfast Club, an organization of Central City business and community leaders that hands out the annual Roses and Lemon Awards. During his PR

December 8, 2014

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career Lewis worked with clients including the Los Angeles chapter of the American Institute of Architects, Bunker Hill Towers, and the Auto Club of Southern California, among many others. As a teenager, Lewis joined the Merchant Marines and served as a deck officer during World War II. After the war, he studied journalism at Ohio University and became a reporter before being drafted to fight in the Korean War. Lewis resumed his reporting career after that war and eventually joined the Auto Club of Southern California’s public relations department, which kicked off a 60-year career in the field. He is survived by a son, Ian Lewis.

November 26, 2014

Regional Connector Street Closures Hit Little Tokyo

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hink of it as another week, another big street closure caused by the Regional Connector. The work this time involves the Metropolitan Transportation Authority moving a sewer line in Little Tokyo in anticipation of the $1.46 billion project. The eastbound lane of First Street, between Central Avenue and Alameda Street, will be closed off, and detours will divert drivers from Central Avenue down to Second Street and back up around Alameda Continued on page 32

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EDITORIALS

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December 8, 2014

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

Praising Grand Park’s Playground

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t’s the rare project in Los Angeles that opens on time and on budget. Such an occurrence is even less frequent when the effort comes from an arm of government. Whether delays or price hikes stem from inclement weather or change orders placed after groundbreaking, it seems that something almost always comes along to muck up the plans and increase the cost.

The fact that the new children’s playground in Grand Park came in at the expected date and for the anticipated cost is just one reason to applaud its arrival. Meriting equal praise is that it represents the county’s understanding of and commitment to a growing contingent in Downtown Los Angeles, that of families with children.

Los Angeles Downtown News last month reported on the opening of the 3,700-square-foot playground, which is on the eastern edge of the 12-acre park, across from City Hall’s Spring Street entrance.

The $1 million price tag was covered by a $500,000 grant from the nonprofit First 5 LA and another $500,000, secured by former County Supervisor Gloria Molina, in county Proposition A funds, passed by voters for the creation of park space.

There are a lot of claims on county dollars. However, we think this is a worthy allocation of public money. The playground will draw users every day and will help humanize the Civic Center. The area, so often full of government workers in suits, can use a bit of childish glee.

The playground is another strong addition to Grand Park, which since its opening in summer 2012 has become an extraordinarily good community destination. The park, operated by the county, offers a number of free events (an exception was the Made in America festival), from Fourth of July celebrations to a litany of dance and cultural performances. As with Exxopolis, a 2013 happening that mixed giant inflatable structures with a lineup of international music, sometimes the biggest problem is too much free good stuff — lines there were hours long.

The playground won’t have similar problems, though we do expect it to be heavily utilized. Its centerpiece is a 20-foot tall structure with a pair of slides. There are also a series of undulating berms, one with rope and another featuring rock-climbing handles. Designers responded to the roughand-tumble behavior of the playgrounds’ users by spreading a soft surface across the grounds. Smartly, there are also benches for parents and shade trees for hot days.

We applaud those individuals, including Molina, who had the vision for the playground and who worked diligently to get it open so quickly — construction, after all, only started in July. We assume part of the speed included the desire to christen it before Molina was termed out on Dec. 1; if that is part of what propelled things, we’ll gladly take it.

Two other kids’ playgrounds are in the works at Pershing Square. We look forward to their debut, though designers must acknowledge that the bar has been set high with Grand Park’s great new addition.

Neighbors, Parking Lots and Tall Towers

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ast month, a veteran housing developer got the final important go-ahead from the city to build a new Downtown highrise. On the surface, this wasn’t a big deal: Development in the Central City has sped along for more than a decade, and Vancouver, Canada-based Amacon’s 28-story tower is another in a line of buildings that will bolster the residential base.

However, the battle before the council approval could prefigure other area real estate fights. In fact, as Downtown Los Angeles becomes denser, the community should expect that vocal, heated opposition to individual projects will be raised from time to time.

That makes this an important moment in Downtown’s evolution, and area leaders would be wise to start planning today for fights that might erupt years from now. With scores of housing complexes open and dozens more in the pipeline, and the number of empty lots shrinking fast, the potential for conflict not only exists, but should be expected. Whether the solution comes from the local City Council office, the various neighborhood councils or another body, Downtown Los Angeles will be well-served by establishing a process that can help defuse tensions and find compromise on coming real estate conflicts.

A new protocol will mark a change in Downtown, and not everyone will be prepared for it. Since the residential revolution began in 2000, nearly all housing projects have been welcomed, with area business and community leaders urging the creation of a “critical mass” of residents that will inspire restaurateurs, bar owners and other entrepreneurs and businesses to invest in the community.

Turning empty lots into housing, went the argument, puts more people on the street, and when these projects contain groundfloor restaurants or stores, existing inhabitants benefit.

The Amacon project might be the first protracted Downtown example of NIMBYism. This has been seen frequently in communities such as Hollywood and Beverly Hills, where residents and business owners may say they support development in general, but oppose a specific project, leading to the “Not in My Back Yard” designation. While those fighting a project almost always reject the NIMBY label, they can find success, particularly when numerous members of a community get organized and press the right political buttons.

As Los Angeles Downtown News reported last month, the Ama-

con proposal had come under fire from some residents of the adjacent Flower Street Lofts, which opened in 2003. They charged, among other things, that the tower would block their natural light and complicate a heavily trafficked alley. Most of the objections had either been addressed or shot down, and on Nov. 24 the City Council rejected an appeal regarding a zone variance for the proposed building’s bicycle parking. The ruling essentially gave the developer the green light to break ground, though a start of construction has not been announced.

The concern here is what comes next, not on this project, but on others. As mentioned above, the number of empty parcels in Downtown is shrinking as property values rise and landowners sell to investors. Many people, including those who have owned a condominium or rented an apartment for years, are going to be unhappy when they learn that a housing tower is planned for the block across from their window.

To be clear, we believe that the Central City will continue to welcome the majority of the proposed projects. This will be the case particularly when the developers have thoughtful, attractive designs, and make it a point to engage the surrounding community early in the process.

One key to success will be to establish a balance. Developers can’t saunter into Downtown and expect that a dense high-rise, similar in design to one that worked in another city, will be instantly embraced. Instead, they will have to prove they are ready to be part of the community and that they will be open to making changes based on neighbor feedback. The willingness to compromise, even if it impacts the bottom line, is required.

Existing residents, at the same time, should not expect that they will get to dictate the rules simply because they have been living in an area a few years before a new arrival. Continuing that line of thinking, anyone who has a nice, open view over a parking lot should never expect the site to remain empty in perpetuity.

It’s a safe bet that the future will bring more disagreements similar to what occurred between Amacon and residents of the Flower Street Lofts. Local leaders can be proactive by coming up with channels for how to deal with these situations. These fights may not result in the fabled win-win, but laying some groundwork now could make things much easier later.

December 8, 2014

Downtown News 5

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

A Second Dose of Big Data Mining Controller Ron Galperin’s Website Reveals Information on Frozen Rats, Live Mice, Donald Sterling and More

By Jon Regardie had the same reaction almost everyone else did when I first learned that the City of Los Angeles spent $129,218 over three years to buy 52,100 frozen rats: Wow, the members of the City Council are really hungry.

Then I read closer, and realized that yes, the rats were meant to be eaten, but by the snakes

I

THE REGARDIE REPORT in the L.A. Zoo, and not the gang around the horseshoe in City Hall. It’s an easy mistake to make.

The information about rats and how they get consumed is part of the mountain of information that City Controller Ron Galperin splashed across his website in early October.

It’s an ongoing and evolving effort for Galperin, who did his first digital data purge in late 2013, operating on the principle that the public deserves to know how its money is being spent and who is getting bribed, I mean paid, to do what.

Galperin, who assumed office about 18 months ago, has done a fine job of getting people to think about things they wouldn’t normally consider when it comes to the city’s finances. His upgraded website, it turns out, is the fiscal equivalent of a hot sauce store, and while said shop lets you go mild or crazy spicy, on Big Data Ron’s Controlpanel.la you can get

simple information or something very complex.

The simplest comes in the “What We Buy” link. It bounces to a page with 15 easily digestible “cards” that detail how much the city spent on things like motorcycle boots, soccer balls and the aforementioned rats.

Some information here is intriguing, though I’m uncertain whether it has a value beyond preparing someone for the category “How L.A. Spends Its Money” on an episode of “Jeopardy!”

For instance, I learned that, through the General Services Department, the city bought five Toro Groundmaster 5900 Rotary Riding Motors for a total of $530,238. This is interesting in that none of these have probably ever been used at Pershing Square, because as everyone knows, you need a Toro 7300 Concrete Mower there to keep all the cement trim.

The city also spent $6,797 on 2,723 mesh basketball nets. Nets get worn out by people making a lot of shots, so if basketball-loving Angelenos pattern their game after Kobe Bryant, who just set the NBA record for most misses, then the recent round of purchases should hold up until about 2089.

The most surprising revelation on the “What We Buy” page is the $629,218 the taxpayers spent for 6,492,750 paper ballots for city elections. This is shocking, because anyone who has visited a city polling station on election

City Controller Ron Galperin has released a trove of online data detailing how the city spends its money.

Dig deep and you just might learn that the Zoo paid nearly $3,900 for elephant supplements.

photo by Gary Leonard

day knows it’s about as busy as a cemetery, but cemeteries are way more fun. In the March 2013 mayoral primary, 411,000 votes were cast in the city, and in the May runoff 459,000 ballots were used. That adds up to 870,000, and though elections have been held in other years, I’m pretty sure the total number of ballots cast isn’t close to 6.5 million.

What happened to the remaining ballots and why we ordered so many, I have no idea.

Rabbit’s Hole of Statistics The “What We Buy” page is essentially an

amuse bouche for the greater data Galperin provides, and I think I’m the first person ever to use “Galperin” and “amuse bouche” in the same sentence. Keep looking and you can tumble down a rabbit’s hole of statistics on spending, revenue, salaries and more.

Galperin is not the only person to try this.

Mayor Eric Garcetti is a big proponent of making city information on everything from spending to crime rates easily accessible on the web.

Former City Controller Wendy Greuel also postContinued on page 6

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December 8, 2014

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ed online the pay of all city employees, which I know sounds shocking, because most people think the only thing Greuel ever did as controller was run for mayor.

Like Greuel, Galperin doesn’t identify employees by name, but by job title. Still, there’s value here, starting with the fact that everyone should seek a job with the title Port Pilot II, and while I don’t know if this is a sequel to the Pauly Shore movie Port Pilot, last year 28 people with that gig earned more than $250,000 (including base salary, bonus pay, overtime and more). And no, Port Pilot isn’t really a movie, though if it ever becomes one, Shore would be perfect for the lead.

I found nuggets on the “Ten Largest Taxpayers Page,” which details entities with the highest “secured assessed valuation” in 2013. While that phrase alone can cause eyes to gloss over, the bit of treasure is that number seven on the list is Donald T. Sterling, whose assessed value was nearly $560 million. Unmentioned is how much of this Sterling gave to V. Stiviano.

I clicked on the “Revenue” page, primarily because it has a picture of a pig (or maybe it’s a piggy bank). There I learned that parking fines will generate an estimated $39 million in fiscal year 2015, and no wonder everyone in the city seethes at meter maids. It’s not the only big grab that feels unfair: Impound fees amount to about $2.8 million, and nearly $2 million will be

THE WEBSITE IS THE FISCAL EQUIVALENT OF A HOT SAUCE STORE, AND WHILE SAID SHOP LETS YOU GO MILD OR CRAZY SPICY, ON GALPERIN’S CONTROLPANEL.LA YOU CAN GET SIMPLE INFORMATION OR SOMETHING VERY COMPLEX. collected in something dubbed excessive false alarm fees. Who knew these existed?

The most entertaining section is “Purchasing,” because you can try random words to see if the city bought anything related to it. Type in “mice” for example, and you’ll find 194 Zoo Department purchases, including, I swear this is true, nine different $2.62 acquisitions with the description “Mice, fuzzy, live. Disease free. No missing limbs or tumors” from Layne Laboratories. No information was given on what the price would be for diseased or three-legged mice.

I also typed in “donkey” — I like donkeys — and learned that in 2013 the Recreation and Parks Department paid $53.29 to the Bornstein Co. for the Donkey Kong Country video game for a Wii system. That inspired me to type in “Wii,” and I learned that Rec and Parks paid a total of $3,251.69 in 2011 and ’12 for Wii games, consoles, charging stations and, in one instance, a nunchuck controller.

L.A. has spent $19.81 on parasols, and almost $3,900 in elephant supplements which, interestingly, were not provided

by Herbalife. Between 2011 and 2014 there were 29 claw hammer purchases. Perhaps the most curious expenditure came on Jan. 11, 2012, when Rec and Parks paid $27.86 for something dubbed “Give a cat a cupcake.” I have no idea what this is or why someone would give a cat a cupcake.

Is all of this helpful? Is any of this helpful? Galperin believes it is, and when he released the new data two months ago he said he hoped it would improve the city procurement process by encouraging more bidders and driving down the cost of goods. He also suggested that releasing the information could increase the amount of money spent locally, as only 15% of payments went to businesses in Los Angeles.

It remains an interesting ongoing effort, and Galperin and others continue to encourage the tech wizards to dig into the information and come up with apps and other tools to save the city money.

In the meantime, data miners can have plenty of fun. Did you know that in 2013 the city had 207,384 streetlights, three archery ranges and 19 wedding sites? According to the Controlpanel Capital Assets page, we do. Now, if only someone could explain why the cat got a cupcake. regardie@downtownnews.com

December 8, 2014

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December 8, 2014

Big Plans for a Huge Arts District Building Ford Building on Seventh Street Would Hold Retail and Office Space

By Donna Evans s the Arts District has boomed in the past few years, one mammoth structure has stood quiet. That is about to change.

San Francisco-based real estate giant Shorenstein Properties purchased the 102-year-old former Ford Motor Factory building at the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Santa Fe Avenue, and two accompanying structures, for $37 million in April. Last week, Shorenstein officials revealed details of their revitalization plan at a meeting hosted by the land use committee of the Los Angeles River Artists and Business Association.

The vision involves turning the approximately 300,000-squarefoot complex into creative office space with ground-floor retail on Seventh Street and Santa Fe Avenue, said Jim Pierre, senior vice president of Shorenstein. He said he expects construction to begin next April and be completed in spring 2016. No budget has been announced.

Shorenstein owns and manages 26.2 million square feet of office and mixed-use buildings across the country, including Downtown’s 1.1-million-square foot Aon Center, which it acquired for $270 million in October. Pierre said the company was drawn to the Arts District by the growth in the residential sector, transit improvements and an increasing number of restaurants and entertainment options.

The vicinity of Seventh and Santa Fe has seen the creation of housing complexes and the arrival of the artisanal bakery Bread Lounge and Stumptown Coffee, among others. Pierre said these developments, which he termed “urbanization trends,” have resulted in an increased office demand from a variety of industries, including tech and media.

“That trend and the unique history of this special property made the investment very appealing to us,” Pierre said.

The project will be called the Ford Factory. Renderings reveal floor-to-ceiling windows on the ground floor. The four levels

A

Hello humankindness.

above the street also will feature large windows.

One major change will be the rooftop. Shorenstein Development Manager Jeanie Ranier told the LARABA committee the company envisions a deck that would offer sweeping views of Downtown and Boyle Heights.

Shorenstein representatives said they plan to keep the existing water tower on the roof, though for decorative purposes.

The steel window frames will also remain, but the glass will be replaced. Pierre described a 340-foot-long skylight stretching down the middle of the building as “just amazing.”

He said plans call for using recycled materials from the property in the new construction. In past Shorenstein projects, Pierre said, the company turned a 1,000-pound door into a conference table and used marble from a bathroom floor to create lobby tiles.

Pierre would not discuss possible retail tenants, though he indicated the company will not pursue chain stores.

“Retail creates a vibe we want — cool retail. We don’t want a Starbucks,” he said. “I don’t think that would be in keeping with the neighborhood.”

No More Model T’s The Ford building opened in 1912 as Ford Motor Company’s primary Southern California assembly operations for Model T’s and Model A’s. It functioned as the headquarters of Los Angelesbased Imperial Toy Company from 1972 to 2005. Shorenstein bought the three buildings on the roughly four-acre site and plans to demolish one structure to erect a parking garage.

It is not the only prominent project set for the area. Mark Borman, the original developer on the project that became 940 E. 2nd St., has purchased two properties east of the Ford Building, and owns another property at 2045 Violet St., south of Shorenstein’s acquisition. He is in the midst of preparing plans and said he thinks the clutch of developments can heavily increase foot traffic in the community.

image courtesy Shorenstein Properties

San Francisco’s Shorenstein Properties has purchased the 1912 Ford Motor Factory Building in the Arts District and plans to market it to creative office tenants, with retail on the ground floor. The renovation will start in the spring.

“I think the activity will keep continuing all the way down to the 10 Freeway,” Borman said. “It’s going to create a lot of jobs and continue to be unique and dynamic.”

In 2013, Bolour Associates and Crescenta Capital partners purchased a collection of 11 warehouse and industrial buildings on the north side of Seventh Street at Santa Fe Avenue. Their AMP Lofts will be a $130 million development with 320 live/work apartments and 20,000 square feet of retail space. It would include 60,000 square feet of open space.

AMP project manager Ryan Granito anticipates breaking ground by the middle of 2016, with an opening in 2018. Residences at AMP Lofts would range from 525 to more than 1,200 square feet. donna@downtownnews.com

December 8, 2014

Downtown News 9

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

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December 8, 2014

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“Best Womenswear Boutique” and “Best Art, Craft & Design Store”

(they’ve been named among the best design shops in the city). If

start any weight management program. All of the pharmacy’s

in Downtown. Proceeds from the store generate scholarships for

you want pieces you won’t see anywhere else, a visit to this beau-

supplements are created by their compounding pharmacist and

current students. Visit fidmscholarshipfoundation.org.

tiful store is a must. Visit hammerandspear.com.

backed by science. Visit tentenpharmacy.com.

20

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December 8, 2014

Downtown News 11

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SHOP DOWNTOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

LaTRES LINGERIE

KUR MOBILE MASSAGE AND SPA

EL MAESTRO BICYCLE SHOP

Luxury lingerie has finally arrived in

For the pampered person in your life, a

For more than a decade, El Maestro has

Downtown L.A., lucky you. This high-end

gift certificate from this Downtown spa

served Downtown’s community of mes-

shop stocks gorgeous pieces by designers

is the ultimate indulgence. The unique

sengers, commuters, casual riders, racers

such as Mimi Holliday, Maison Lejaby and

mobile massage and spa service brings

and tricksters. Known for excellent service

Maison Close, as well as bridal garments,

relaxation to your recipient (or you) in

and a knowledgeable staff, they’ll take care

hosiery, swimwear, candles, books and

the comfort of their home, office or ven-

of you whether you’re in the market for a

bath/body items like scrubs and soaps.

ue of choice. A holiday special will get

new bike or need a repair. Maestro services

Be sure to check out the sweet staff picks

you three certificates for $99 good for

all makes and models, and will even come

under $50, including five pairs of panties for $20 — perfect for

massages, facials or mani/pedis. The services can be mixed and

to you via their awesome mobile bike repair. They stock a variety of

any lady’s Christmas stocking. A trip to LaTres Lingerie will most

matched, so you can give one to three people or all of them to

accessories, too. Gift idea: Rent a bike from Maestro and take a tour

definitely spice up your holiday. Santa baby! Gift wrapping and

one special person. Kur specializes in spa parties, a great way

of Downtown — they provide all the safety gear and a map. Visit

delivery are available. Visit latreslingerie.com.

to celebrate the holidays. Visit relaxatkur.com.

elmaestrobicycles.com.

KINOKUNIYA

MONTAGE COLLECTION

MADE BY DWC

Little Tokyo’s Weller Court boasts the

This is one of Downtown L.A.’s best

This inspiring social enterprise was created

biggest Japanese bookstore in America,

kept secrets — luxury items offer-

by the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC), a

packed with books, magazines, manga,

ed at outlet prices without the

nonprofit helping women overcome home-

anime merchandise and other gifts you

long drive. Tucked inside the Little

lessness in Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Its mission is

won’t be able to resist (Totoro T-shirts,

Tokyo Galleria, shoppers will de-

to break the cycles of chronic unemployment

light at the well-curated selection

and homelessness by empowering women to

designer USB flash drives and plenty of adorable stationary). Pick up reading

of designer brands displayed in this light and airy upscale bou-

material on French macarons, Japanese

tique. The impressive designer roster includes Michael Kors,

discover talents and develop skills through vocational opportunities. MADE by DWC’s resale

crafts, art, fashion and just about anything else that catches

Ferragamo, Gucci, Prada, Balenciaga, Fendi, Dita and Tom Ford,

boutique, which also helps support DWC programs, offers vintage

your fancy. There’s a kid section too, with DVDs, CDs and toys.

to name a few. Merchandise runs the gamut from men’s and

and contemporary women’s clothing, shoes, accessories and house-

Kinokuniya is a dream to browse and you’re sure to find some-

women’s clothing to stylish accessories such as purses, shoes

hold accents, as well as a signature product line, handmade all-natu-

thing for that hard-to-shop-for person on your Christmas list.

and sunglasses. Make the Montage Collection your one-stop

ral soaps, soy candles and much more. Stop in at this adorable shop

Did we mention free gift wrap? Visit kinokuniya.com/us.

shopping destination this year. Visit montagecollection.net.

and you won’t leave empty-handed. Visit madebydwc.org.

Holiday SpecialS

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Up to Brand-Name Designers

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Montage Collection • 333 S. Alameda St., Ste. 207 • 213.621.7838

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Mention this ad. Expires 1-1-15

Bicycle Sales and Service • Fixing Downtown LA Since 2001

12 Downtown News

December 8, 2014

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SHOP FIGAT7TH FOR THE HOLIDAYS

ZARA

H&M

BATH & BODY WORKS

If you want to find a stylish gift for every-

H&M FIGat7th is your one-stop-shop for all

Bath & Body Works at FIGat7th

one on your list — in one place — shop

of your gift giving needs, with affordable

wants to bring you a perfect Christ-

the latest fall/winter trends in clothing for

fashions for everyone on your list this holiday

mas. Every time you walk into the

women, men and kids at ZARA FIGat7th.

season. Keep your family and friends warm

store, you’ll be greeted by one

At this 27,000-square-foot flagship store,

with one of H&M’s sweaters in luxe materials

of their fragrance experts to help

you’ll find new arrivals, exclusive collec-

such as cashmere or knits in an assortment

tions and thousands of new designs each

of colors. For the special women in your life,

search for the freshest fragrances for body, hand and home.

pick up a leather biker jacket or faux fur lined

Stop by and check out the new Thousand Wishes line and

year. Clothing ranges from casual to for-

you prepare the perfect gift set or

mal, with a tempting selection of accessories, shoes, handbags

puff vest, perfect for layering. Men can stay trendy with a pea coat

festive candles just in time for the holidays. Pick up stocking

and jewelry perfect for putting under the tree. It’s impossible to

to layer with Henleys. With more than 32,000 square feet, H&M has

stuffers like the adorable shea-infused lounge socks, scented

walk away from Zara without something in your holiday shop-

something for all ages including quirky graphics for boys, and floun-

mini candles or cute critter coin purse gift sets. Make it the per-

ping bag. Shop here. Shop for everyone. Call (213) 406-3330.

cy dresses in feminine silhouettes for girls. Call (213) 623-3756.

fect Christmas with Bath & Body Works. Call (213) 623-3263.

TASTE

SPORT CHALET

DINE IN & TREATS

You can’t shop without fueling up.

Sport Chalet is a premier, full-service specialty

Whether you are in the mood for fresh

FIGat7th’s TASTE offers a variety of eateries

sporting goods retailer featuring the indus-

shucked oysters or refined comfort

that include south of the border delicacies

try’s top sports brands in apparel, footwear

food at City Tavern, local and seasonal

from Loteria Grill, a modern spin on Indian

and sports equipment. Sport Chalet has an

eats at Mendocino Farms, delicious

cuisine at Indus by Saffron, cold and hot

extensive offering of best-in-class gifts for the

Greek fare at George’s Greek Grill, the

Soba noodle options from Gentaro Soba,

whole family this holiday season. No mat-

elevated Shawarma/Gyro street food at

ter the adventure, Sport Chalet is geared up

Morton’s the Steakhouse, The Original BBQ Chicken or gluten-free choices from California Pizza Kitchen, the restaurants at FIGat7th have

highest quality aged prime beef at

Twist & Grill, delicious custom pizza from

with great gift ideas and specialty collections.

Pizza Studio, authentic Korean cuisine at Oleego by Park’s BBQ,

They’ve got stocking stuffers, high-tech gadgets, gifts for under $50,

options for even the most finicky diners along with signature cock-

and more. Experience signature items on the new $7 Happy

hard-to-find items and gifts that wow (check out their electric skate-

tails and the best California craft draft beers available. And don’t for-

Hour menu at your favorite FIGat7th eateries on weekdays from

boards or popular fitness bands). Additionally, they offer an array of

get the sweets — freshly-baked cupcakes from Sprinkles and fresh

4 pm-close. Restaurants are open late, so head for a late-night

in-store services and an Expert Center to help athletes learn more

handmade organic gelato at Pazzo Gelato. Each of the restaurants at

munch or happy hour drink anytime. Visit FIGat7th.com.

about their fitness passions. Call (213) 542-5150.

FIGat7th will have you savoring every bite. Visit FIGat7th.com.

Enjoy shopping and dining at downtown’s hippest outdoor lifestyle center.

213.406.3330

213.623.3756

213.623.3263

DINNER 213.542.5150

FIGAT7TH.com

+ DESSERT

December 8, 2014

Downtown News 13

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SHOP FIGAT7TH FOR THE HOLIDAYS

VICTORIA’S SECRET & PINK

MAC COSMETICS

LENSCRAFTERS

It’s time to put a bow on it. Come into

Give your look the royal treatment

Eyes are the windows to the world,

Victoria’s Secret & PINK at FIGat7th to gift

this holiday season. Come into the

capturing memories and immersing

like an angel this holiday season. From

FIGat7th location to check out the

us in moments. At LensCrafters, vi-

naughty to nice and everything in be-

M·A·C Heirloom Mix collection in

sion care is about far more than a pair

tween, they have something for every-

coordinated hues that are sure to

of glasses or a prescription. Vision is

one — new styles from Body by Victoria

get you a courtly nod of approval.

a precious gift that they are passion-

Bras, holiday PJs, gifts of beauty to add

They are available in an elegant range of colors to keep you

ate about improving in every way. LensCrafters at FIGat7th accepts

some holiday sparkle (check out the fash-

looking simply divine both day and night. Treat yourself or

most vision healthcare plans as well as Care Credit, FSA and HSA, so

ion show glitter train case or bombshell luxe gift set), fun and

surprise your friend with a special gift that captures the aris-

hurry in this holiday season to meet with an optometrist and check

sexy stocking stuffers (like the signature eau de parfum crack-

tocratic allure of the M·A·C Holiday collection. To book an ap-

out special promotions, including 40% off lenses with a purchase of

ers), and special items in their holiday lingerie shop. Make

pointment for your special event or holiday makeup applica-

a frame and 40% off complete pairs. You’ll want to see every holi-

your list and check it twice. Call (213) 622-0689.

tion, call (213) 622-0252.

day moment this year... clearly. Call (213) 612-0174.

GOLD’S GYM & YOLANDA AGUILAR SPA

L’OCCITANE EN PROVENCE

SUNGLASS HUT

Gold’s Gym FIGat7th is designed to help

With all the typing and texting we do

Shop shady for everyone on your

Downtown achieve maximum fitness re-

these days, our fingers are always ex-

list at Sunglass Hut within FIGat7th.

sults. Whether strength, fitness or well-

posed and stressed. This season, give

This fun store offers great holiday

ness is your focus, their team can help you

those hands some much needed

picks for her, him or even your-

achieve your goals. Gold’s offers the latest

R&R. Treat a friend to a L’Occitane’s

self. No matter which shades you

cardio machines and result-oriented fitness

Holiday Hand Cream Bouquet, in-

choose, they are sure to be loved

classes. Give the gift of fitness to yourself or

cluding their best-selling shea butter hand cream and other deli-

and appreciated. Their friendly experts are on hand to help you

loved ones and save big on end of the year

cious scents like vanilla, almond, lavender, rose and zesty lime. Their

pick out top favorites this holiday season, including their selec-

deals. Call (213) 688-1441. Also on-site is Yolanda Aguilar Beauty

hands will surely thank you. For stocking stuffers, try the Savons de

tion of polarized lenses, designs inspired by the Tiffany Keys jew-

Institute & Spa. If you’re short on time, gift cards make the perfect

Provence, a quartet of soaps enriched with shea, or the mini EDT

elry collection, and the super cool signature Oliver Peoples West

last-minute gift solution. Yolanda and her professional staff of es-

trio of fragrances. For the men on your list, the chic new Cade Col-

“Maliblu” lenses that reflect the color of the Pacific Ocean. At

theticians, massage therapists and specialists ensure that gift re-

lection is beautifully pre-wrapped and includes eau de toilette,

Downtown’s Sunglass Hut, friends and family will unwrap some-

cipients will leave rejuvenated and relaxed. Call (213) 687-6683.

shower and shave gel, and after shave balm. Call (213) 239-0495.

thing special… and shady. Call (213) 627-7612.

Enjoy shopping and dining at downtown’s hippest outdoor lifestyle center.

HEIRLOOM MIX 213.622.0689

213.612.0174

213.622.0252

213.627.7612

213.688.1441

213.239.0495

14 Downtown News

December 8, 2014

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SHOP DOWNTOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

JEWELS BY JOE

RAW MATERIALS ART SUPPLIES

ROGER STUART CLOTHES

Since 1978, this family-owned busi-

Pop into this friendly neighborhood store

Well-dressed men head to this longtime hab-

ness has been all about service and

and you’ll find a wide array of fine art goods

erdashery in the Fashion District, where qual-

quality. Located in the heart of the

for every type of artist, including architec-

ity and affordability are hallmarks. The shop

Jewelry District, Jewels By Joe of-

tural supplies, custom framing and large-

imports fine men’s suits, sports coats, slacks

fers the best selection of fine jew-

format digital fine art printing in the heart

and formal wear from Italy and around the

elry including diamond engage-

of Gallery Row in Historic Downtown. You’ll

world, and sells to fine men’s stores across

also be tempted to peruse the aisles for

the U.S. At Roger Stuart prices are 40% to

ment rings, tennis bracelets, pendants, earrings and a variety of gift ideas to fit every taste and budget. So if you’re planning

lovely notebooks, pens and other covet-

70% below those of retail stores. Unlike other

to propose over the holidays or just want to buy an extra spe-

worthy materials to make hand-crafted gifts, cards, signs and

discounters in the area, Roger Stuart carries only natural fibers, no

cial gift for that special someone, visit the Jewels By Joe show-

presentations. More than 90% of their products are priced below

synthetics. Thankfully, for the discerning shopper, the store contin-

room or their website and they will work with you to design an

suggested retail. For gift ideas check out Wonton’s Holiday Gift

ues to preserve the tradition of impeccable service, large selection

unforgettable custom piece. Visit jewelsbyjoe.com.

Guide, favorites from our store mascot. Visit rawmaterialsla.com.

and the highest quality in the Fashion District. Call (213) 627-9661.

PUSSY & POOCH

REVOLUTION

ROTELLI CYCLERY

Whether they’ve been naughty or nice,

Nestled in the heart of the bus-

This recently opened Arts District

your dog or cat deserves a gift this holi-

tling Fashion District, this unique

spot offers a new take on the tradi-

day. P&P is a pet lifestyle boutique for

open loft space sports a vintage

tional bike shop, with an emphasis

modern pets and their owners, with inter-

rock ‘n’ roll vibe. It is part of a grow-

on customizing and repurposing

active social events and distinctive prod-

ing fashion scene that’s modern-

vintage steel. In other words, they

ucts, food and supplies that focus on nu-

izing retail on Los Angeles Street.

take old rides and make them seri-

trition and green living. It’s also home to

Revolution is essentially a full-time sample sale store that carries

ously cool again. The lofty, brick-walled space stocks road and

the one-of-a-kind Pawbar and grooming

multiple designers including big names, small brands and dis-

track bikes, beautiful leather wares (like saddle seats), retro-style

services. Just in time for chilly weather, be sure to check out

continued items for men and women. Stock changes daily and

riding jerseys from De Marchi, handmade wooden bike mounts

the shop’s adorable selection of pet hoodies, sweaters, jackets

prices are 70% to 90% off. It’s a fun treasure hunt for the fashion-

and other cycling accessories that would make the perfect gift

and accessories to keep your pooch warm, cozy and stylish.

minded shopper who likes to score one-of-a-kind deals. For the

for any bike enthusiast. Rotelli also does repairs and restoration,

Don’t miss the Twelve Days of Twinkle event Dec. 12-24. Visit

Christmas season, Revolution will keep its doors open daily from

which means that it might just be time to pull out grandpa’s old

pussyandpooch.com.

9 a.m.-5 p.m. until Dec. 31. Call (213) 488-0622.

Schwinn from the garage. Call (213) 621-7922.

Jewels By Joe

SAVINGS, SELECTION, SERVICE & SATISFACTION Many Gift Ideas For That Special Someone!

Mention this ad and receive a

FREE GIFT!

Holiday Blow-Out Sale!

SAVE UP TO 70% OFF! 550 South Hill St., Ste. #765, 90013 213-488-0048 ~ jewelsbyjoe.com Hours: 11am to 4pm, Mon. - Sat.

Raw Materials Art Supplies + Custom Framing & Digital Printing

Find creative gift ideas in WontonÕ s Holiday Gift Guide, available from our website.

436 South Main Street • Los Angeles, CA 90013

(800) 729-7060 • RawMaterialsLA.com

70-90% OFF

838 S. Los Angeles St. 90014 • 213.488.0622

SUITS, SPORT COATS, SLACKS, FORMAL WEAR, SPORT AND DRESS SHIRTS, TIES AND ACCESSORIES.

[

The only california wholesaler of better menswear selling to fine stores around the country.

]

35 EXTRA-SHORT TO 60 EXTRA-LONG

40% - 70% OFF RETAIL OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

729 S. Los Angeles St. ~ 213-627-9661

December 8, 2014

Downtown News 15

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SHOP DOWNTOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS

THE SATURDAY SALE

U-SPACE

THE LIBRARY STORE

Located in the California Market Cen-

Visit Little Tokyo and you’ll find two things

The Library Store is not your typical bookstore.

ter, the Saturday Sale is L.A.’s biggest

that don’t exactly seem synonymous, uku-

Located in Downtown’s historic Central Li-

and most anticipated sample sale.

leles and good coffee, sharing one of the

brary, it features a carefully crafted collection

This is where savvy shoppers line up

most original spaces in Downtown. This

of eclectic literary gifts and goods, including

for serious deals on designer apparel,

store/school/cafe hybrid aims to educate

bookish knick-knacks, locally made jewelry,

sportswear and accessories at 50% to

the community about the art and beauty of

unique children’s gifts, Los Angeles-themed

85% off original retail. You’ll find women’s, men’s and children’s ap-

the four-stringed instrument. Sip from your

items, and clever greeting cards, in addition

parel by known labels such as Young, Fabulous & Broke, Calvin Klein,

micro-roasted latte or 16-hour cold brewed

to autographed books from the most popu-

Eva Franco, Michael Kors, Timberland, DKNY, English Laundry, Ecko,

iced coffee while you peruse the walls lined with ukes of all

lar authors to visit the ALOUD speaker series. As part of the Library

City Girl and more. Bring comfy shoes and a big bag for all your finds.

shapes and sizes ranging from $100 to $3,000. You can also give

Foundation of Los Angeles, proceeds benefit the Los Angeles Public

The next two Christmas sales are Dec. 13 and 20. Cash, check and

the gift of music with a series of group or private lessons. Ukulele

Library. Stop by in-person, online at lfla.org/store, or follow @TheLi-

some exhibitors accept credit cards. Visit thesaturdayla.com.

has never been more hip. Visit uspacela.com.

braryStore to see when the mobile store is headed your way.

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

ZINC CAFE & MARKET

OLDE GOOD THINGS

Whether you’re looking for a one-of-

At Zinc, shoppers will find a much

If you love architectural salvage, then Olde

a-kind vintage piece, antique furni-

needed respite from the holiday

Good Things is your mothership. The stun-

ture or a nostalgic trinket, Down-

madness while they fill their bel-

ning 9,000-square-foot warehouse stocks

town’s St. Vincent de Paul thrift store

lies with tasty eats or an excellent

a mind-boggling array of architectural

is ground zero for smart holiday

craft cocktail from the bar. Inside,

and altered antiques, hand-crafted farm

a convenient marketplace offers

tables, industrial chic and so much more.

shoppers. This longtime favorite has been a haunt of stylists, designers and fashionistas who love the

an array of gorgeous gifts for your kitchen and home, such

thrill of the hunt, scouring the vast warehouse for clothing (men’s,

as teak salad servers, white ceramic dishware, carved wood

women’s and children’s), shoes, linens, draperies, dishes, decor,

bowls, cake stands and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. You

tage signs, salvaged hardware and other unique treasures that

furniture, collectibles, appliances, computers, books, samples,

can also pick up a gift for the foodie on your list with a bottle

will delight for hours. There’s beauty in the store’s basic mission,

overstock and even cars. Donations pour in daily, so it pays to

of wine, gourmet spices and salts, prepared foods or even

which is to salvage pieces of the past from buildings that are set

shop often and snatch up a find on the spot. Credit cards accept-

a stunning selection of pastries from the dessert case. Gift

for the wrecking ball. There’s no way you’re walking away with-

ed and there is plenty of parking. Visit svdpla.org/thriftstore.

cards available. Visit zinccafe.com.

out a gift. Visit ogtstore.com.

the

Saturday Sale

L.A.’S BIGGEST & ORIGINAL SAMPLE SALE

Saturday dec 13th & 20th california | market center

PRICES BELOW WHOLESALE ALL SIZES AVAILABLE

CHRISTMAS

SALES

twitter.com/saturdaysale facebook.com/thesaturdaysalela.com

LOS ANGELES & 9TH ST.

Women’s, Men’s & Children’s thesaturdaysalela.com Designer Clothing & Accessories 310-837-6788 • 10am - 3:30pm

244 S. San Pedro St. • uspacela.com • 323.577.5567 Ukulele...

• Sales • Service • Selection • Lessons

10% OFF with this ad. Offer excludes Holiday specials and consignment instruments.

25% OFF* WITH THIS AD 210 N. Avenue 21, Los Angeles, CA 90031 www.svdpla.org * mattresses and cars are excluded.

EXPIRES 01/15/15 — no photocopies. Cannot be combined with other promotions.

galore, mantels, doors, suits of armor, vin-

Visit The Library Store at Downtown’s historic Central Library!

A carefully crafted collection of eclectic and literary gifts and goods.

All sales support the Los Angeles Public Library.

213.228.7550 lfla.org/store The Library Store @TheLibraryStore TheLibraryStore

Holiday Shopping

coupon code 123

St. Vincent de Paul’s 54,000 square-foot thrift store offers clothing, shoes, furniture, housewares and appliances.

It’s a feast for the eyes with lighting fixtures

Your Eat & Shop Destination ZINC ALSO HAS GIFTS! 580 MATEO STREET * MON-SAT: 7AM - MIDNIGHT ~ SUN: 7AM - 10PM

@ZINCCAFEANDMARKET OR ZINCCAFE.COM

Architectural and Altered Antiques Best of Antique Store 2012 — LA Weekly

Handcrafted farm tables Industrial chic Building elements, some from famous buildings All styles of lighting, including industrial Handcrafted mirrors made from tin ceiling, copper, wood

“ THE MOST INTERESTING STORE IN L.A.” OLDEGOODTHINGS.COM 1800 South Grand Ave. • 213-746-8600 or 8611 | Mon - Sat 9 am to 6 pm, Sun 10 am to 6 pm

16 Downtown News

December 8, 2014

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SHOP DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE

THE LOFT EXPERT! GROUP

HOME & LIFESTYLE DTLA

TOTAL REALTY GROUP

If you live, work or play Downtown, chanc-

If you’re looking to rent or buy proper-

In August 2011, Total Realty Group

es are you have met Bill Cooper or heard his

ty in Downtown L.A., Home & Lifestyle

Inc. (Stephen Watson, Michael Fuku-

name. Bill is one of Downtown’s leading real

DTLA can assist in your search. You’ll

shima and Associates) joined Keller

estate agents. His vision to help create a suc-

have access to a trusted network of

Williams Commercial in Downtown

cessful, thriving residential community in

realtors, lenders, leasing agents, hotels,

L.A. Eon Lew joined as a partner in

Downtown led him to launch The Loft Expert!

staging, furniture rental and design

June 2012. The group now numbers

Group. Bill has endeavored to learn everything

companies. The company also partners with corporate employers to

16 licensed agents and brokers. They represent owners in office,

he can about Downtown lofts and condo resi-

relocate staff into the area and help their team assimilate quickly for

retail and industrial leases; sell all asset classes of property; and

dences, and shares his insights with clients. His passion for service,

maximum productivity and quality of life. They will be your guide to

provide owners with accurate broker’s opinion of value and analy-

knowledge of the marketplace and understanding of what it takes to

the Downtown lifestyle, including the best restaurants, bars, muse-

sis. TRG offers expertise in 1031 exchanges. Its associates believe

complete any real estate transaction with the least amount of prob-

ums, shopping, public transportation and historic architecture. They

strongly in a win-win philosophy based on service, trust and expe-

lems is matchless in Downtown. Visit theloftexpertgroup.com.

are the urban experience experts. Visit homelifestyledtla.com.

rience. Call (213) 446-3636 or visit totalrealtygroup.com.

DTLA REAL ESTATE

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December 8, 2014

Restaurant Buzz New Orleans Eats, a New Izakaya and More Food Happenings

By Eddie Kim ampling the Big Easy: It’s been more than a year since the Parish gastropub closed at the wedge-like building on the corner of Spring and Main streets. The space’s big sleep becomes a nod to the Big Easy this week, when a New Orleans-inspired bar and restaurant dubbed Preux & Proper debuts.

The establishment is slated to open Wednesday, Dec. 10, and is the brainchild of Joshua Koppel and Mark Egland, who own the similarly themed Five0Four bar/restaurant in Hollywood. Preux & Proper fills two levels, with a raw bar upstairs and a frozen daiquiri bar on the ground floor. Expect a cocktail program designed by super-hip bartender Pablo Moix, who is using moonshine in a number of drinks.

Food also draws from the Crescent City, with items such as smoked shrimp beignets, crispy frog legs, po’boy sandwiches and more. Preux & Proper will initially open at 4 p.m. for happy hour and dinner, with lunch and weekend brunch coming later.

Coming to 840 S. Spring St., (213) 896-0090 or preuxandproper.com.

S

Filling Up: It was big news when chef Ben Ford’s Culver City gastropub Ford’s Filling Station closed after eight years. Ford’s eatery, however, is now the restaurant in the lobby of the J.W. Marriott hotel at L.A. Live, replacing L.A. Market. Ford’s Filling Station debuted on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hours are 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Downtown News 17

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

(breakfast until 11 a.m.), then 5:30-10 p.m. for dinner. There’s also a weekend brunch from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. No matter when you dine, expect the same rustic American dishes that Ford built his name on; highlights include a smoked pork chop with a Brussels sprout and squash hash, pan seared halibut with artichokes, and braised beef cheeks with salsa verde.

At 900 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-8630 or lalive.com.

Buzzworthy: Little Tokyo’s Café Dulce is known for its stellar pastries and top-notch espresso and coffee. After holding a java pop-up at Alameda Square (home of American Apparel), owner James Choi has decided to take the plunge with a permanent space. Dulce Dos debuted in late November and is open weekdays from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Parking is in a lot next to the salmon-colored American Apparel warehouse off Alameda and Bay streets. It offers the same excellent lattes and espressos found at Café Dulce, as well as a selection of pour-over coffees (made with a choice of Chemex, Hario V60 and Kalita Wave brewers, for the caffeine geeks out there). As for food, the clean white-and-black space will offer a selection of pastries from the Little Tokyo mothership.

At 777 S. Alameda St. or facebook.com/ cafedulce.

More Izakaya Eats: It was a sad day when chef David Bartnes and owner Jun Isogai’s inventive eatery b.o.s. closed this year at Honda Plaza in Little Tokyo. That space, however, has

been transformed by Isogai into a new izakaya, named Kinjiro. It began serving in November, offering a menu divided by cooking styles, with sections for raw, simmered/steamed, fried and grilled dishes, plus a selection of salads and even two pastas (including a version of the ever-hip sea urchin pasta). Most items are $10-$20 and are intended for sharing. The drink selection includes beer, sake, wine and shochu, the Japanese liquor that’s typically distilled from barley, buckwheat, rice or sweet potatoes. Kinjiro is open Wednesday-Saturday from 6-11 p.m. and Sunday from 5:30-10 p.m.

At 424 E. Second St., (213) 2298200 or kinjiro-la.com.

photo courtesy Preux and Proper

The former Parish space at Spring and Main streets will be reborn this week as Preux & Proper, a New Orleans-style bar/restaurant with dishes including seared rockfish with bacon and okra.

A More Affordable Alma: A year after Bon Appétit named it the Best New Restaurant in America, Broadway’s Alma remains one of the most interesting and ambitious restaurants in Los Angeles. Chef Ari Taymor and general manager Ashleigh Parsons’ establishment transitioned to a tasting-menu-only format late last year, but now they’re offering a three-course meal on Tuesday-Thursday. The $50 per person offering is a drop from the usual $95 dinner.

As with all the food at Alma, the three-course menu will change based on what’s available at local markets and Taymor’s whims. Expect anything and everything from a chicory salad to roasted rib-eye steak to chocolate-covered menthol marshmallows.

At 952 S. Broadway, (213) 244-1422 or alma-la.com.

Paint and Draw: Artistic inspiration and alcohol go together like, well, artistic inspiration and drugs. Experience the former on Monday, Dec. 8, and again on Dec. 22, when the event Painting & Vino takes place at Salvage Bar and Lounge in the Financial District. For $45, wannabe Manets can learn how to re-create a painting together. The admission price includes all art materials and three hours of instruction from a professional artist, but does not include alcohol and snacks (you can, however, bring your own food). The 21-plus event runs from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. both days.

At 717 W. Seventh St. Tickets at paintingandvino.com.

Got juicy food news? Contact Eddie Kim at eddie@downtownnews.com

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

18 Downtown News

December 8, 2014

A Downtown Pharmacy’s Big Pill Problem Proliferation of Prescription Drug Sales at the Rite Aid at Fifth and Broadway Sparks a State Investigation

By Donna Evans n Dec. 2, 2011, a woman identified as R.P. entered the Rite Aid at Fifth Street and Broadway, walked by the cash registers and the candy boxes, passed through the aisles selling food and home cleaning products, and reached the gray counter of the pharmacy in the rear of the store. There, R.P. approached a pharmacist in a white jacket and filled a prescription for 120 pills of hydrocodone, better known as the painkiller Vicodin.

On Dec. 19, according to records uncovered by a state pharmaceutical inspector, R.P. returned and purchased 50 more hydrocodone pills. Five days later, on Christmas Eve, she received another 70 hydrocodone pills from the Downtown pharmacy.

The purchase of those 240 pills in just over three weeks was hardly an aberration. Between Dec. 27, 2010, and Jan. 26, 2012, R.P. filled prescriptions for 2,045 hydrocodone pills at this Downtown Los Angeles Rite Aid. From March 16, 2010, to Jan. 26, 2012, she obtained prescriptions from 19 doctors for three different strengths of hydrocodone which were filled at the Fifth and Broadway store.

That is just one case in a long string of questionable purchases of prescription drugs revealed in a 41-page complaint that Attorney General Kamala Harris filed this past March against the pharmacy at 500 S. Broadway and its then-pharmacist-incharge, Anne Chung. The complaint alleges that the store has illegally dispensed tens of thousands of painkillers, anti-anxiety medication and other controlled substances, as well as subverted an investigation by the state Board of Pharmacy. It accuses Chung and Rite Aid of unprofessional conduct, gross immorality, incompetence, gross negligence and the “clearly excessive furnishing” of controlled substances between 2009 and 2012.

If the most serious charges are substantiated, then Chung and

O

Rite Aid could lose their pharmaceutical licenses.

Rite Aid officials declined to comment on a pending legal matter. However, Ashley Flower, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania-based chain, said in an email that the company is aware of the state investigation and is working with the LAPD and community leaders to improve conditions near Fifth and Broadway.

Citing personnel matters, Flower would not say whether Chung is still employed by Rite Aid. A Rite Aid employee, who was not authorized to speak to a reporter, said Chung left the store several months ago.

Chung would not open the door to a reporter at her Mar Vista home last Monday. When questioned about the attorney general’s investigation, she said, through a small window in the door, “It has been settled.”

She would not comment further.

Problem Corner Historic Core residents and workers for years have been offered Vicodin, Oxycontin and other prescription drugs when walking on the sidewalk near Fifth and Broadway. The practice garnered the attention of Sean Lewis, the LAPD senior lead officer for the Historic Core. In 2012, Lewis said area residents and business owners were complaining about the audacious drug trade outside the Rite Aid. Police performed “buy busts,” purchasing and then arresting the sellers of pills. That seemed to indicate a link, Lewis said, between what was happening inside and outside the store. Lewis said he saw long lines of people, during the day and evening, waiting to get prescriptions filled. His boss, Capt. Horace Frank, asked him why people seemed to be coming from all over the city to get their prescriptions filled at this Rite Aid. In late 2012, Lewis approached a pharmacist at the Broadway

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store — he was uncertain of her identity — and asked her why the foot traffic seemed unusually heavy. The pharmacist, he said, became visibly irritated and asked why he and his partner were “bothering” her.

“There was just no shame,” Lewis said. “Whatever was going on should have been a red flag to this pharmacist.”

Lewis contacted a pharmaceutical inspector, one of 48 in California, who all have their own territories and specialties. An initial examination of the drug store’s records, Lewis said, found numerous “abnormalities and discrepancies,” and prompted the inspector to spend months on a deepening investigation.

Lewis said he heard from the inspector early this year, and

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Attorney General Kamala Harris has filed a complaint against the Rite Aid at 500 S. Broadway, charging that the store and its former pharmacist, Anne Chung, illegally dispensed tens of thousands of painkillers, anti-anxiety medication and other controlled substances.

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December 8, 2014

Downtown News 19

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

LAPD Senior Lead Officer Sean Lewis patrols the Historic Core.

He drew a line between the proliferation of pill sales inside the Rite Aid at Fifth Street and Broadway and the illegal narcotics trade on the sidewalk in front of the store.

photo by Gary Leonard

that numerous inconsistencies in the store’s records had prompted him to take his findings to the Board of Pharmacy.

“What he found shocked me,” Lewis said. “I felt we had a good case.”

‘Doctor Shoppers’ The attorney general and Virginia Herold, executive officer for the Board of Pharmacy, which is part of the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs, filed the complaint on March 14, 2014. The process involves an administrative law judge hearing the case and rendering a decision, which must be approved by the members of the Board of Pharmacy.

According to the complaint, Chung and Rite Aid filled and

dispensed “uncertain and ambiguous” prescriptions, failed to question whether prescriptions served legitimate purposes and failed to use professional judgment with patients “who presented as habitual doctor shoppers.” The term refers to individuals who visit multiple physicians, often simultaneously, and then receive numerous prescriptions for painkillers or other prescribed drugs, which may be abused or sold.

The complaint reveals alleged instances in which 27 people purchased large numbers of pills, and refilled prescriptions, in a time period that seemed to indicate more than personal use.

In addition to R.P., the complaint recounts the purchases of a customer identified as V.R. Between Sept. 2, 2009, and July 12,

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2010, V.R. filled prescriptions for 2,320 hydrocodone pills, sometimes as close as eight days apart (for example, 100 pills on June 16, 2010, and 90 pills on June 24). Additionally, between July 12 and Oct. 28 of 2010, V.R. filled 10 prescriptions totaling 600 pills of alprazolam, a generic form of Xanax.

Similar activity among other customers involved pills such as Ativan, Klonopin, Valium and Ambien.

According to the complaint, Chung attempted to “subvert” the Board of Pharmacy’s investigation. The complaint states that, on Oct. 18, 2012, “respondents refused to provide original prescription documents requested by the board in writing.”

Joyia Emard, public information officer for the Board of Pharmacy, said the case against Rite Aid is pending. However, “discipline information” regarding Chung will be released publicly this week, she said. The Board of Pharmacy will have the option to adopt or not adopt the administrative law judge’s decision, Emard added.

Using CURES Many in Downtown may be surprised by the allegations of such a heavy pill trade inside a pharmacy. However, the result of another case, involving Pacifica Pharmacy in Huntington Beach and pharmacist Thang Tran, in January 2013, should have put pharmacists on alert for questionable prescription practices, said Robert L. Stein, a professor of Practice for Pharmacy Law & Ethics at the KGI School of Pharmacy in Claremont. In that case, the Board of Pharmacy revoked Tran’s license after finding that he profited from repeatedly filling prescriptions.

Flower of Rite Aid would not discuss payments and bonuses made to Chung. She said only, “Rite Aid does provide bonuses to pharmacists based upon overall store performance.”

When writing certain prescriptions, Stein said, pharmacists should consult the state’s Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) database, which provides the history of the kinds of drugs that have been dispensed to a patient.

“Should the pharmacist see that the same medication was issued recently, or that multiple controlled substance prescriptions have been issued by multiple prescribers in a relatively Continued on page 20

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PILLS, 19 short time span, the pharmacist must then contact the prescriber and discuss the indications for the prescribed controlled substance in an attempt to confirm it indeed is for a legitimate medical condition,” he said.

Jon Roth, the CEO of the California Pharmacists Association, a trade organization that represents pharmacists, said it is incumbent upon physicians, dentists and pharmacists to track the history of controlled substances being sold to patients. Failure to do so often results in doctor shopping, he said.

“For some folks, it turns into an addiction,” said Roth, who also advocates utilizing the CURES database. “They obtain as many prescriptions for as many pills as they can to sell or further abuse in other ways.”

Community Outlook Blair Besten, executive director of the Historic Downtown Los Angeles Business Improvement District, has long been disturbed by the illegal pill sales occurring outside the Rite Aid. She helped curb a loitering problem there by pushing for the relocation of a bus stop from in front of Rite Aid to the northeast corner of Fifth and Broadway.

“I hope any enforcement changes the climate on that corner,” she said.

Besten credited Rite Aid for recently making the windows at the store more transparent. Additionally, several signs have been placed on and around the pharmacy counter informing custom-

ers that certain prescriptions “will now require additional time to validate and process,” and that showing ID may be required.

According to the statement from Rite Aid, the company and the management of the Broadway outlet “is committed to adhering to all local, state and federal regulations and works very hard to ensure compliance with all laws. We work diligently to address any issue that may arise and do our part to ensure a safe environment for our associates, customers and the community.”

The statement added that the store is being remodeled as part of the Bringing Back Broadway initiative. A ceremony marking the upgrade will take place in January.

Lewis, who continues to walk the beat in the Historic Core, said he sees less questionable activity these days at 500 S. Broadway than he did in the past. Moving the bus stop has helped, he said, and the on-street trade of illegal pills has moved farther west on Fifth Street — something the department continues to grapple with.

Still, Lewis sees a problem at Fifth and Broadway.

“I look at Rite Aid and wonder how this negligence happens,” he said.

“Even on Sundays, I’ll be working and I’ll see some old guy who just picked up his pills trying to sell them, one at a time, on the street, for whatever he can get.” donna@downtownnews.com

December 8, 2014

How Someone Buys 1,740 Hydrocodone Pills in Six Months

T

he complaint filed by California Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office details instances in which 27 people purchased large numbers of prescription drugs in compact time periods at the Rite Aid at 500 S. Broadway. A state investigation revealed that some individuals visited multiple doctors and had prescriptions filled at other pharmacies beyond the Fifth and Broadway Rite Aid. One customer, identified in the complaint as “N.M.,” obtained 1,740 pills of hydrocodone (a generic for Vicodin) in a six-month span — approximately 180 days — at the Fifth and Broadway Rite Aid. The complaint noted that N.M. ultimately visited as many as eight doctors and took prescriptions to six pharmacies.

Shown here is a timeline of N.M’s activity at the Fifth and Broadway Rite Aid, including the number of days early, according to the complaint, that prescriptions were refilled.

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photo by Donna Evans

20 Downtown News

A sign on the pharmacy counter in the Fifth and Broadway Rite Aid warns customers that they may not always be able to get prescriptions filled quickly.

July 15, 2011: 150 hydrocodone July 26: 150 hydrocodone, 26 days early August 8: 150 hydrocodone, 24 days early August 12: 20 hydrocodone, 33 days early september 8: 60 hydrocodone september 14: 150 hydrocodone, eight days early OctOber 12: 150 hydrocodone, nine days early OctOber 26: 150 hydrocodone, 23 days early NOvember 6: 60 hydrocodone, 26 days early NOvember 18: 150 hydrocodone, 18 days early December 5: 150 hydrocodone, 19 days early December 14: 150 hydrocodone, 28 days early JANuAry 3, 2012: 150 hydrocodone, 17 days early

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Downtown News 21

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

A Locked Room Mystery Comes to Downtown Race L.A. Creator Puts 12 People Together.

They Have One Hour to Find Missing Jewels and Get Out

photo by Gary Leonard

Escape Room L.A., a puzzle-based game where participants have one hour to solve a mystery and get out of a locked room, comes from John Hennessy, the creator of the city scavenger hunt Race/LA.

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“Diana,” Cover said, grimacing. “We gotta do a [expletive] logic problem.”

“Oh! I’m good at those,” Casillas said, looking up from a pile of crime scene photos.

The idea for Escape Room came to Hennessy in the spring, when he stumbled across an article about a locked-room event in Budapest, Hungary. He learned that others existed and made trips to San Francisco and New York City to take part in a few games himself.

Escape Room is $30 on weekdays and $32 on weekends, and on opening day December’s events were already nearly booked up, Hennessy said. Tickets are being sold through early May, but Hennessy plans on keeping it going indefinitely, with different themes and settings in the future.

“My background is in theater directing and producing. It’s very different to not lead actors and just watch people navigating this thing you’ve created,” he said. “It’s fulfilling to see people have fun with this.”

Film Noir Touches Hennessy knew early on that he wanted to set Escape Room in a 1940s private eye’s office, with film-noir touches that harken back to L.A.’s grimy but romanticized criminal past. Actu-

S CE

By Eddie Kim ast week, Diana Casillas and Micah Cover entered a nondescript building on Eighth Street, took a sluggish elevator up to the third floor, and walked through a bright red door. It clicked shut behind them, placing them in the midst of a 1940s-themed mystery about a detective who has gotten wrapped up in a jewel heist and is on the run from mobsters.

The duo had to solve a series of challenging puzzles that would help them uncover the missing jewels. If they could do everything asked of them, they’d bust out of the mystery dubbed Escape Room L.A. The catch: They only had one hour.

Escape Room comes from John Hennessy, the founder and director of the urban scavenger hunts Race/LA and City Race. He launched Escape Room on Wednesday, Dec. 3, and Casillas and Cover were the first two paying customers.

Although normally up to 12 people can participate, the two were alone, likely a result of the day’s rainstorms. They had never met each other, but instantly began working together, and were quickly deep in a pile of documents and cryptic items, everything from wooden blocks to playing cards to toy metal airplanes.

Cover thumbed through a manila envelope,

H

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

22 Downtown News

escape Room, 21 With so many parts, the key to Escape Room is clear and constant communication (a Los Angeles Downtown News team participated in a November practice run). Gathering all the clues is one thing, but understanding how they fit together is perhaps the game’s biggest challenge. Even if one person figures out a complicated code, it’s likely worthless without additional information.

Hennessy said he initially looked to run Escape Room in West Hollywood (where he lives), but felt the atmosphere wasn’t right for the film-noir setting. So he searched in Downtown, checking out office buildings and warehouses.

“I wanted people to feel comfortable going there, because some people are iffy about some areas of Downtown, but it needed to have the right feel,” Hennessy said. “Building managers didn’t really get what we were doing, either, which made things harder.”

December 8, 2014 recalled being deeply nervous. What if the puzzles didn’t make sense? Worst of all, what if people didn’t have fun? He ultimately decided to include a “secretary” in the room with the players to provide tips, if necessary.

One early question is whether the majority of players will solve the mystery and get out in an hour. Casillas and Cover didn’t make it, though Hennessy said they got far for just two people.

“I picture in my head it happening a certain way, and it’s surprising and sometimes frustrating when it doesn’t happen the way I imagine,” he said.

The big a-ha! moments, however, make it all worthwhile. Hennessy loves seeing the relief on a player’s face, he said, when they realize they’re one step closer to unlocking the red door.

Escape Room runs Wednesday-Sunday at various times at 120 E. Eighth St. Suite 311 (third floor). Tickets and information are at escaperoomla.com. eddie@downtownnews.com

He finally picked a quiet building at 120 E. Eighth St., then searched for a production designer to flesh out the space. Jeff McLaughlin, who recently won an Ovation Award for his work at the Skylight Theatre in Los Feliz, turned out to be the perfect partner, even if there was some early confusion.

“In our first meeting, there was a good 15, 20 minutes where I didn’t even know what we were talking about,” McLaughlin said with a laugh. “The first thing that came to mind was the Saw movies, but once I knew what was going on, I fell in love.”

With just a couple thousand dollars, McLaughlin built and scavenged all the furniture and accessories that fill Escape Room. Design touches include wainscoting, copper-painted pipes, a grandfather clock and vintage-looking posters and photos.

“Usually people are sitting at least 10, if not 30 or 60, feet away from my work. So to design with people being right on top of it all was exciting,” McLaughlin said.

Testing of the puzzles began in early October, and Hennessy

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FRIDAY: The Voice of the Silence and the Key to Theosophy: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

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December 8, 2014

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Putting a Downtown Spin on the City’s Asia Trip

Accompanying Mayor Eric Garcetti (left) on his trade mission to Asia were (l to r) Council members Joe Buscaino, Mike Bonin, Curren Price and Gil Cedillo.

Local Council Members Sought to Drum Up Business, Particularly in China, on Garcetti Trade Mission

By Donna Evans he big name on the recent trade mission to Asia was Mayor Eric Garcetti: He led 85 people on a 12-day delegation to three countries, with the longest stop in China, in the effort to increase tourism and boost economic development in Los Angeles.

The biggest news during the Nov. 15-26 trip was the announcement of a deal with the Japanese company Kinkisharyo International to build 175 light rail cars for Metro at a plant in Palmdale. Disputes between the company and Los Angeles labor organizations had led to the threat to move the project, and its 250 jobs, out of Los Angeles County.

With the high-profile figures and Kinkisharyo dominating headlines, it was easy to overlook the trip’s impact on communities in and around Downtown Los Angeles. However, two local City Council representatives were on the mission.

Ninth District City Councilman Curren Price, who represents a portion of South Park as well as the Figueroa Corridor and much of South Los Angeles, and Gil Cedillo, whose First District includes City West and Chinatown, among other communities, were two of the four councilmembers on the trip (11th District rep Mike Bonin and 15th District Councilman Joe Buscaino also attended).

One stop on the trip was Shenzen, China, where the delegation promoted Los Angeles’

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green technology and financial centers, in the hopes of inspiring deals with Shenzen-based businesses. The city is the home of automaker Build Your Dreams, which opened a U.S. outpost on the Figueroa Corridor in 2011, and Shenzen Hazens, which in August purchased the Luxe City Center Hotel in South Park, and two adjoining lots, for a reported $105 million.

While in Shanghai, Price said the delegation met with another company with a strong Downtown Los Angeles play, Greenland Real Estate Group, which purchased the 6.33-acre Metropolis site just north of L.A. Live in January. Greenland is building a $1 billion, multi-phase project that will create three condominium towers and a 19-story hotel.

“When they embark on a plan, that’s what occurs. If they decide to build [something], it gets built,” Price said.

Price, who like Cedillo and Garcetti came into office in the summer of 2013, said the trip provided a unique perspective on development: In China, he said, officials are planning to construct 97 airports around the country, as well as 11 rail lines in Shanghai alone. In Los Angeles, he said, “We fret about two or three. It’s just a different scale.”

The Chinese presence in Downtown Los Angeles is growing. As Los Angeles Downtown News recently reported, a number of factors,

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Downtown News 23

photo courtesy Mayor Eric Garcetti

including government policy changes making it easier for investors to take their money outside of China, has led to a wave of local investment. Last year, Chinese investment in the city amounted to $780 million, according to real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle.

Additionally, tourism from China has boomed, going from 158,000 in 2009 to 570,000 visitors last year, according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation. That number could rise to 2 million by 2020.

Garcetti played up these figures and the potential they provide.

“We must leverage our assets in the global marketplace to create jobs here in Los Angeles,” he said in a prepared statement. “We have developed strong economic ties with Asia, and we must continue to build on them to increase investment, trade, and tourism in our city.”

Another stop on the trip was Seoul, South Korea, the headquarters of Korean Air, which is building the 73-story, $1 billion Wilshire Grand replacement project in Downtown Los Angeles. Garcetti met with Hanjin/Korean Air Chair Cho Yang-Ho as well as Seoul Mayor Park Won

Soon. He talked about the importance of economic ties between Korea and Los Angeles at a luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce and the Korea International Trade Association. He also hosted an event promoting the city as a tourist destination.

The trip cost approximately $570,000, according to the mayor’s office. The Port of Los Angeles paid $214,000, while Los Angeles World Airports contributed $198,000. Additional funds were provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and other entities.

While the trade mission did not result in any Downtown deals akin to the contract with Kinkisharyo, Price took the long view, suggesting that relationships established last month could pay off in the future.

“It was a chance for us to sell L.A., and what a great place it is to live, work and play,” Price said. “These organizations like Greenland are accustomed to doing gigantic, massive projects. They’re looking for the opportunity to invest dollars in the U.S. and we want them to know they should be looking in Los Angeles.” donna@downtownnews.com

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

24 Downtown News

December 8, 2014

s ’ n w to DTDowln t n o r F Co D

CALENDAR

entral City, C e th in y it nd Once a Scarc to Now Abou la e G d n a m Ice Crea

By Donna Evans n the very recent past, Downtown Los Angeles was an ice cream desert. Despite the summer’s triple-digit temperatures, and the occasional 80-degree day in January, there were very few places to get a frozen sweet treat. Curiously, this situation continued even as the residential community boomed. Yes, there was an overflow of bars and restaurants, but not a lot of ice cream.

Since 2013, however, that has changed in a big way. It seems a number of entrepreneurs all sensed the Central City’s appetite for frozen scoops at the same time, and at least five local ice cream or gelato businesses have opened in the last two years. Flavors range from traditional to adventurous. The lineup is also primed to expand: Big Gay Ice Cream is expected to open soon at Ninth Street and Broadway, and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is in the works for the retail portion of the One Santa Fe housing complex.

Here’s a rundown of where to go when you need that cold sweet treat.

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photos by Gary Leonard

Uli Nasibova of Gelateria Uli in the Spring Arcade Building prepares a number of flavors, from the traditional Italian stracciatella (similar to chocolate chip) to fruity sorbets to poblano.

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Peddler’s Creamery on Main Street lives up to its name, with the staff pedaling a bicycle to churn out the frozen treats.

Place: Peddler’s Creamery Opened: April 2013 That Something Special: They pedal to peddle at this Main Street business, which combines two passions of owner Edward Belden: cycling and organic desserts. The ice cream is made by hand — or, rather, hands and feet — and customers can even take a spin on the two-wheeler in front of the counter that churns the goods. It takes 20 minutes of pedaling to prepare a single batch, said scooper Kristine Arismendy. They make three or four flavors every day, and offer up to nine choices at any particular time. Three fall favorites are pumpkin pie, gingerbread and brown butter. Raspberry Pop Tart is popular year-round.

Cost: A single scoop is $3.50. Double scoops are $6.50.

Yelp Rating: 4 stars out of 176 reviews At 458 S. Main St., (213) 537-0257 or peddlerscreamery.com.

Place: Mikawaya Opened: 1910 That Something Special: Tucked in the al fresco Japanese Village Plaza, this Little Tokyo spot is the creator and the primary manufacturer of mochi ice cream, said president and CEO Joel Friedman. Run for decades by the late community leader Frances Hashimoto, Mikawaya offers gelato and ice cream, but is best known for its mochi, with chocolate, red bean, green tea, mango and others flavors of ice cream balls wrapped in a short-grained, sweet, glutinous rice. Yes, this is the stuff they sell in boxes at Trader Joe’s.

Cost: Prices are $1-$4, or $5 for pints of exotic flavors such as pomegranate and plum wine.

Yelp Rating: 4 stars out of 964 reviews At 118 Japanese Village Plaza, (213) 624-1681 or mikawayausa.com.

Place: Scoops Opened: April 2014 That Something Special: The uniqueness and constant rotation of the 11 daily flavors keeps customers coming back to the Chinatown Scoops, said owner Chris Gere. The Scoops inside Far East Plaza is a spinoff of the popular ice cream store founded by Tai Kim (who still runs the original on Heliotrope Avenue in East Hollywood). The only flavor this Scoops serves every day is bianco bread, Gere said. Fall highlights include pumpkin. On the “really extreme” side, he added, are peanut butter and pickle juice. There are also vegan options, as well as milkshakes and floats. Currently, Culver City-based Cognoscenti Coffee is pouring java inside Scoops.

Cost: A single scoop is $2.50. Two scoops runs $3.25. Shakes and floats are $4.95.

Yelp Rating: 4.5 stars out of 85 reviews At 727 N. Broadway or (323) 739-8675.

Place: Pazzo Gelato Opened: November 2013 That Something Special: Pazzo Gelato, in the FIGat7th shopping center, uses whole milk instead of cream for its frozen treats, and adds “unexpected herbs and spices,” according to its website. This second shop from the gelato purveyor (the initial store is in Silver Lake) also makes a dairy-free/vegan sorbetto, which contains less sugar than most other frozen treats. Flavors on the gelato side of the freezer include seasonal choices such as butternut squash and baked yellow peach, with yearround options including banana malt crunch and chai tea. Sorbetto options include pineapple celery and red wine.

Cost: A range of $3.50 for one scoop to $6.25 for four scoops.

Yelp Rating: 3.5 stars out of 29 reviews At 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 489-9020 or pazzogelato.net.

Place: Gelateria Uli Opened: April 2014 Place: McConnell’s Fine Ice Cream That Something Special: The first unique thing about Gelateria Uli is its location inside the historic Spring Arcade Build- Opened: July 2014 That Something Special: McConnell’s, which has a stall in ing, with its three-story glass-enclosed breezeway boasting Grand Central Market, is a family-owned business founded Spanish Renaissance and Beaux Arts details. The shop also stands out because they make everything in house, said pro- in Santa Barbara in 1949 that specializes in small-batch frozen treats. Lily Min, a publicity consultant for McConnell’s, prietor Uli Nasibova. She uses local, fresh ingredients (think Now Playing/Starts Dec. 5 said the myriad flavors include churros con leche, double farmer’s markets) to prepare the rotating batch of 16 gelapeanut butter chip and Dutchman’s chocolate; among the tos. Options run from the traditional Italian stracciatella (it’s seasonal offerings are egg nog and pumpkin pie. One of the like chocolate chip) to fruity sorbets to a punchy poblano, and there are even vegan options. Located next to Guisado’s, most decadent offerings at the Downtown site is an iced coffee milkshake that comes with six scoops of ice cream. Min Uli serves the gelato in metal dishes, harkening back to days assures, “It’s very filling.” of old.

Cost: Starts at $4 for two scoops (which is considered a single).

Cost: From $3.50 for a single scoop to $6.25 for three Yelp Rating: 4.5 stars out of 95 reviews scoops.

At 317 S. Broadway, (213) 346-9722 or mcconnells.com Yelp Rating: 4.5 stars out of 164 reviews donna@downtownnews.com At 541 S. Spring St., (213) 900-4717 or gelateriauli.com.

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December 8, 2014

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Downtown News 25

A Forgotten Retail Pioneer How Arthur Letts Came to Own Two Downtown Department Stores

By Greg Fischer any Angelenos have had their stories told since the city was founded 233 years ago. One of the more anonymous ones belongs to the merchant prince Arthur Letts.

Letts was born in Holdenby, Northamptonshire, England in 1862. He moved to Canada, where he married, and then went on to Seattle.

He chose the dry goods business as a profession and opened a store there, but was literally burned out by a devastating fire that destroyed a large part of Seattle in 1889. Nearly broke, Letts continued his establishment by working out of a tent until the city shut him down.

Letts was not one to stand still, and in 1895 he moved to Los Angeles. The best man at his wedding, George I. Cochran, was here. Cochran and Letts went to see Col. George Bonebrake, the head of the Los Angeles National Bank, which was headquartered in the magnificent Richardsonian-Romanesque complex known as the Bryson-Bonebrake Block on the northwest corner of Second and Spring streets.

Cochran knew the colonel and persuaded him, on signature alone, to advance a small sum to Letts. Letts used the money to buy the bankrupt J. A. Williams Company, which had recently opened as The Broadway Department Store at Fourth Street and Broadway. Letts put his name above the title “The Broadway Department Store” and added the tag line “Watch us Grow.” His knack for knowing his market and

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his merchandise made him a tremendous success. Today, the former department store is known as the Junipero Serra State of California Office Building.

In 1906, a new building was being constructed on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Broadway. The edifice, the property of Edwin T. Earl, publisher of the Los Angeles Express, was called the Tehama Building for the county in Northern California in which Earl had been born. Earl was building a dry goods store on the site when an economic downturn killed the project in the middle of construction.

Earl approached Letts about moving The Broadway from Fourth to Seventh streets. Letts said he wouldn’t do that, but he would take the site for another store.

Earl completed the project and Letts assigned his general manager from The Broadway to oversee the build-out of the store, including choosing the merchandise and the furnishings. The general manager, John Gillespie Bullock, picked an upscale theme. Thus was Bullock’s born (today, the building is the original piece of the St. Vincent’s Jewelry Center).

Now, Letts had The Broadway and Bullock’s department stores in Downtown to his credit.

He had made his mark.

In 1904, Letts bought a large piece of land on Rancho Los Feliz from Col. Griffith J. Griffith, for whom Griffith Park is named. Letts hired the well-known firm of Train & Williams to design a spectacular English country house and had

Arthur Letts, who lived in England and Seattle before coming to Los Angeles, owned The Broadway Department Store at Fourth and Broadway. Today it is the Juniper Serra State Office Building.

photos by Gary Leonard

the entire site landscaped. The grounds were magnificent and Letts opened the property to the public on a regular basis so that they could stroll the land and admire the many rare and fascinating plantings that Letts had installed.

In 1919, Letts purchased 3,296 acres of the Rancho San Jose de Buenos Ayres lying between Sepulveda Boulevard and the Beverly Hills city line. The $2 million transaction was, at the time, the largest cash real estate deal in the city’s history. Letts’ son-in-law, Harold Janss of Janss Investment Company, and Harold’s brother, Dr. Edwin Janss, turned the property into Westwood/Holmby Hills; the latter name came from Holdenby, where Letts was born.

Letts sat on the board of the Los Angeles State Normal School, which was on the site of the Central Library before the institution

moved to Vermont Avenue, where Los Angeles City College is today. It was a hope of Letts that the school, which became the southern branch of the University of California and today is UCLA, would move to the rancho site.

Letts died unexpectedly in 1923. The Letts estate and the Janss Investment Company lowered the cost of the Westwood land and bonds were purchased to present the property as a gift to the regents of the university. UCLA moved to its current location in 1929.

Letts is little remembered today. A plaque in Holmby Park notes that the park was dedicated to him. The memorial was made by the Janss brothers. It’s an understatement that is in keeping with the way in which Arthur Letts lived.

Greg Fischer is a Downtown resident and amateur historian.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

DT

December 8, 2014 photo courtesy Disney on Ice

26 Downtown News

CALENDAR LISTINGS EVENTS

SPONSORED LISTINGS Holiday Art Sale 801 E. Fourth Place or ArtShareLA.org Art Share L.A.’s Holiday Art Sale features local artists David Hollen, Fred Hoerr, Nichole Fournier and more. All works will be priced to sell. At 8 p.m. there will be a theatrical performance of Medea with musical guests Marisa Gomez & The Ghosts of Echo Park to follow. The event runs from 1-11 p.m. Email info@artsharela.org.

WEDNESDay, DEcEmbER 10 Disney on Ice Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or staplescenter.com 7:30 p.m.: For the umpteenth time, this is a not show about the rumor that Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen.

Rather, the program dubbed Let’s Celebrate has Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Lilo and Stitch, Buzz Lightyear and other enjoying holidays such as Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year. Through Dec. 14 Is L.A. Mobile Enough to Be a Global City?

MOCA, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-6222 or zocalopublicsquare.org.

7:30 p.m.: This may not be exactly how you posed the question in your head when you were stuck on the 110 Freeway during last week’s rainstorm. Nevertheless, Zocalo Public Square presents this panel discussion on Los Angeles transportation and its implications about the city’s future.

The varied and wonderful characters from Disney will be slipping sharp blades onto their feet and sliding about on frozen water as Disney on Ice takes over Staples Center for 10 performances on Wednesday-Sunday, Dec. 10-14. Entitled Let’s Celebrate, the program pays tribute to holidays year round with character-driven forays into Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year and a most boisterous Very Merry Unbirthday Party (oh that Mad Hatter!). Expect to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Lilo & Stitch, Buzz Lightyear and Sen. John McCain on ice (one of those is made up). At 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or staplescenter.com. photo by Simon Fowler

Holiday Themed Fun on the Ice, In the Concert Hall And at the Mall

By Dan Johnson calendar@downtownnews.com

ThuRSDay, DEc. 11 Downtown Art Walk Historic Core, (213) 617-4929 or downtownartwalk.org.

5 p.m.: Check out the creative community and all its talents.

And please, be kind to those who drive in from Orange County.

2

photo by Giovanni Solis

SaTuRDay, DEcEmbER 13 Pershing Square Winter Holiday Festival Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare.

Dec. 13 and 14, 12-7 p.m.: Go for a skate, chat it up with Santa Claus, frolic in fake snow and generally bask in the holiday season in this two-day celebration of Yuletides and such.

photo by Patrick Brown

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

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Vocal revelry abounds on Saturday, Dec. 13, as the Los Angeles Master Chorale performs its “Festival of Carols” at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. When 2 p.m. rolls around, so will a smattering of holiday classics from traditional Ukranian carols to the anthemic “Christmas Time Is Here.” For those whose households are rocking a menorah instead of a Douglas fir, the selections will include “The Chanukah Suite.”

The splendor comes from the scores of Master Chorale voices all singing as one. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

A quick glance at the stats on Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa reveals that it is a sister city of San Francisco.

Not to be outdone by the home of the Giants, Los Angeles proudly flaunts its premier jazz/Ethiopian fusion band EthioCali on Friday, Dec. 12, as they drop into FIGat7th for a free outdoor gig. The nine-person outfit and their motley band of contributors hit the stage at 8 p.m., but there’ll be a robust DJ set beginning at 7 p.m. and an all-night happy hour to wet your whistle and pack your digestive system before the live tunes start. At 735 S. Figueroa St. or artsbrookfield.com/holidaysessions. photo by Gary Leonard

SuNDay, DEcEmbER 14 Eric Kasum and Michael Smith at the Last Bookstore Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstore.com.

1-4 p.m.: Toting their latest release, 100 of the Worst Ideas In History, tonight’s guests will pontificate on notable fails from humanity’s long and storied career of idiocy.

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

Dec. 14, 7 p.m.: Victoria Rawlins spins as Dante Fontana offers up some groovy visuals at Spaced.

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

Dec. 8: Bossa Zuzu and The Sole Sisters.

Dec. 9: Sara Gazarek and Josh Nelson.

Dec. 10-11: Jose Gurria-Cardenas’ Gurrisonic Orchestra.

Dec. 12: Goldings-Piltch-Bellerose-Aymanns. They sure do like hyphens.

Dec. 13: No childs were harmed when the Billy Childs Quintet played.

Dec. 14: Natasha F. Agrama and Friends.

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

Dec. 8, 8:30 p.m.: The Black and The White offer Manichean ideas on music.

Dec. 9, 9 p.m.: Dear Boy sound like a better-produced Jimmy Eat World.

Dec. 10, 8 p.m.: A warehouse full of synth pop as Step Rockets

Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini debuted in 1934 in, of all places, Baltimore, Maryland. Who knew Rachmaninoff and “The Wire” have something in common? Stringer Bell ties or not, the piece has become a beloved standard of 20th century classical music, earning a place on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s 2014 calendar. On Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 11-13, at 8 p.m., and again on Sunday at 2 p.m., the Walt Disney Concert Hall will echo with this orchestral pleasure as James Gaffigan (the noted composer, not the pasty stand-up comedian) takes the baton. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

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In the month since the last Art Walk, Los Angeles lost Richard Duardo, a preeminent artist, master printmaker and an icon of Chicano art. This month’s Art Walk theme is “Artisans and Small Works,” a fitting tribute to Duardo, whose work was featured prominently in the September Art Walk and many times before. Guests on Thursday, Dec. 11, can enjoy new art from the recently relocated Miguel Osuna, abstract acrylic with David Cortez’s pen stroke at the bottom and a bevy of other work on the streets and in the galleries. As always, visit the website to plan your trip, including finding parking. In the Historic Core or downtownartwalk.org.

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

December 8, 2014

Downtown News 27

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

headline the Blind Date indie showcase.

Dec. 11, 9 p.m.: We may be a little too high-strung for Portland native Josh Garrel’s halcyon message of peace and understanding.

Dec. 12, 9 p.m.: Roadkill Ghost Choir lists Cormac McCarthy as a major influence. Careful guys, literacy isn’t a great selling point in today’s music industry.

Dec. 13, 9 p.m.: The Lonely Wild seem appropriately bummed about the prospect of weathering another holiday season.

Dec. 14, 7 p.m.: Bust out the disinfectant, cause nothing’s going to get in the way of the 2014 California Pole Dance Championship.

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

Dec. 11, 8 p.m.: Phillip Phillips: “American Idol” champ and son of two unimaginative people.

Dec. 13, 8:30 p.m.: Jhene Aiko returns with help from uber-sophisticated, educational luminary Willow Smith and her groundbreaking empowerment anthem “Whip Your Hair.”

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

Dec. 8, 10 p.m.: Local Rhythm plays Skidrokyo, where a daily system of heavy beer consumption comprises a cycle of happiness.

Dec. 9, 10 p.m.: Two Turtle Doves have a quiet holiday theme to their name. Get it?

Dec. 10, 11 p.m.: The Get Down Boys are here today and gone tomorrow. Their love is just a passing phase.

Dec. 11, 10 p.m.: Loud post-punk bruisers Black Hole Past will be tearing a hole through the corner stage wall right on into the great beyond (Boyd Street).

Dec. 12, 11 p.m.: To be fair, Skin & Bones chose their band name before Tara Reid resurfaced with her new body shape.

Dec. 13, 10 p.m.: Snakearm is a punk blues band with a name that is the stuff of nightmares.

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

Dec. 12: Simon Patterson.

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL SING-ALONG Merriest Sing Along in DTLA. Come and carol with a cause this Christmas and end human trafficking in LA FO R FRE E TI C K E T S VI S I T : N E W C I TYC H U R C H L A . C O M

Dec. 13: Justin Martin.

FIGat7th 735 S. Figueroa St. or artsbrookfield.com/holidaysessions.

Dec. 12, 8 p.m.: The nine-person jazz/Ehiopian outfit EthioCali takes the stage as part of the shopping center’s Holiday Sessions series. There will also be a DJ and Happy Hour specials.

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

Dec. 9, 8 p.m.: Multi-decade Americana veterans Hot Rize have a night of their own.

Nokia Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6030 or nokiatheatrelalive.com.

Dec. 10, 8:30 p.m.: KOST FM presents Christmasland, a holiday program that features Hillsong.

Dec. 11, 8 p.m.: KOST’s Christmasland returns with Celtic Woman Christmas.

Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.: Kenny G brings his talents with woodwind instruments, circular breathing and strong lip control to 94.7 The Wave’s Soulful Christmas.

Dec. 14, 8 p.m.: Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens is here to entertain you.

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

Dec. 12, 7 p.m.: Lilith Fair lives with Melissa Etheridge.

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

Dec. 9: Turbulent Hearts.

Dec. 10: Fuzzyvision Records Ugly Sweater Party.

Dec. 11: Half Bad, Moonraker, Deathcat and Mouth of Guns.

Dec. 12: X-Mas with the Distractions.

Dec. 13: Toys For Tots Punk Show.

Dec. 14: Pizza Wolf.

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

Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page Dec. 10, 8:30 p.m.: Sabrosura with Bostich and Fussible promises a night of danceable pleasures.

Dec. 12, 8 p.m.: Museum of Love comes from the dude who used to pound the skins in LCD Soundsystem.

Dec. 13, 8 p.m.: Yung Lean is the height of current Swedish rapping technology.

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

Dec. 8: The Brian Swartz Sextet is not as kinky as it sounds.

Dec. 9: Improvised jazz and a keen knowledge of Downtown street parking signage set The Makers apart.

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

Dec. 11: The Living Strange, Kid Cadaver and Missions.

Dec. 12: Jeffertitti’s Nile, Jjuujjuu, Adult Books and Prettiest Eyes.

Dec. 13: The Abigails, The Pocket Rockets, The Frights and Ancient Animals.

Dec. 14: Ghost Noise, Goodnight Cody, howardAmb and In Tents.

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

Dec. 8, 5:30 p.m., Dec. 9, 7 p.m., Dec. 10, 4 p.m. and Dec. 11, 9 p.m.: We’ve got ourselves a stylized, off-kilter coming of age tale featuring William H. Macy in Two-Bit Waltz.

Dec. 13, 1 p.m.: Director Seiji Mizushima’s latest contribution to the world of anime, Expelled From Paradise.

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

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

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

Flight of the Butterflies is visually stunning.

Experience the gripping story full of hope, crushing disappointment and triumph in Hubble 3D. REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

Dec. 8, 8:30 p.m.: Lucid international cinema in Mati Diop’s The Dawn of a Thousand Suns.

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

Through Dec. 11: The Pyramid (12:30, 3:10, 5:30, 8 and 10:25 p.m.); Voice of the King (12, 2:30, 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m.); Horrible Bosses 2 (12:05, 2, 4:40, 7:20 and 9:50 p.m.); Penguins of Madagascar 3D (12:20, 1:40, 4:10, 6:40 and 9:10 p.m.); Penguins of Madagascar (2:40, 5:10, 7:40 and 10:10 p.m.); The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (12:50, 1:50, 2:50, 3:50, 4:50, 6:50, 7:50, 9:10 and 10 p.m.); Dumb and Dumber To (11:55 a.m., 3:55, 6:10 and 8:50 p.m.); Big Hero 6 (1:20, 4:20 and 9:40 p.m.); Big Hero 6 3D (7 p.m.); Interstellar (12:10, 2:30 and 9:20 p.m.).

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Blithe Spirit Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Dec. 9-12, 8 p.m., Dec. 13, 2 and 8 p.m., Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m.: Angela Lansbury stars in this staging of Noel Coward’s supernatural comedy.

Bob Baker’s Nutcracker Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 250-9995 or bobbakermarionettes.com.

Dec. 11-14, 11:30 a.m. The March of the Sugarplum Fairy will never be the same after marionettes have their way with Bob Baker’s version of The Nutcracker. RIP Bob. Florencia en el Amazones Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or musiccenter.org.

Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 14, 2 p.m.: Soprano Veronica Villarroel stars in this Amazonian riverboat-themed opera written by Il Postino’s Daniel Catan. Through Dec. 20.

The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., (213) 489-0994 or thelatc.org.

Dec. 11-13, 8 p.m. and Dec. 14, 3 p.m.: The Robey Theatre Company, in conjunction with the LATC, offer the story of a Central Avenue hotel during the Jazz Age. Sleepaway Camp Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.

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

Solofest 2014 Loft Ensemble, 929 E. Second St., (213) 680-0392 or loftensemble.org.

Dec. 8-14: Eight solo shows comprise this year-ending festival of genre-spanning theatre.

Takarazuka East West Players, 120 Judge John Aiso Court, (213) 625-7000 or

December 8, 2014

CLASSICAL MUSIC Tuesday, december 9 Green Umbrella: European Avant-Garde Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 9727211 or musiccenter.org.

8 p.m.: The contemporary wing of the L.A. Phil’s classical music agenda returns with Matthias Pintscher helming an evening featuring work from Beat Furrer and others.

Thursday, december 11 LACO: Baroque Conversations 1 Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu.

7 p.m.: Conductor and harpsichordist Jeffrey Kahane leads this program of Vivaldi, Albinoni, Corelli and Bach in a “conversation” more akin to you sitting there quietly as the ensemble plays.

Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 9727211 or musiccenter.org.

Dec. 11-13, 8 p.m. and Dec. 14, 2 p.m.: James Gaffigan conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program of Bernstein, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff.

saTurday, december 13 Los Angeles Master Chorale: Festival of Carols Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 9727211 or musiccenter.org.

2 p.m.: The finest vocalists in Los Angeles assemble for a program full of season’s greetings.

Winter Concert Chorale Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu.

1:30 p.m.: The Colburn Concert Choir, Colburn Chamber Singers, Children’s Opera Workshop, Junior Chorus, Young Men’s Chorus and Young People’s Chorus II all get their kicks. sunday, december 14 Los Angeles Master Chorale: Rejoice! A Cappella Christmas Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 972Continued on next page

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Snow in Downtown Los Angeles? Apparently, anything is possible on Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 13-14, when the Winter Holiday Festival descends on Pershing Square. The free event, hosted by the city Department of Recreation and Parks, features snow, sledding, live entertainment, ice skating and an appearance from Santa Claus (or at least someone dressed as Santa Claus).

Kids can take free pictures with Saint Nick, hop on a miniature train or even participate in the Elf Olympics, featuring games and prizes. Also expect arts and crafts and a collection of vendor booths hawking all things holiday. The event runs from noon-7 p.m. both days.

At Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St. or laparks.org/ pershingsquare.

eastwestplayers.org.

Dec. 11-13, 8 p.m. and Dec. 14, 2 p.m.: As she prepares for retirement, a Japanese showgirl in an all-female theater troupe looks at the past and the future.

What the Butler Saw Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Dec. 9-12, 8 p.m. and Dec. 13, 2:30 and 8 p.m. and Dec. 14, 7 p.m.: John Tillinger directs Paxton Whitehead in this Joe Ortonpenned psychiatric farce. Through Dec. 21.

Vox Lumiere: The Phantom of the Opera Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., (213) 4890994 or thelatc.org.

Dec. 12-13, 8 p.m.: Steampunk, silent film and classic musical theatre collide in the final weekend of this odd adaptation.

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Downtown News 29

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30 Downtown News Continued from previous page 7211 or musiccenter.org.

7 p.m.: “O Magnum Mysterium” figures prominently into this sophisticated evening of traditional Christmas songs.

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

Through February 2: Straight from 1978, Andy Warhol’s 102-part silkscreened exhibition Shadows reemerges into

S I N C E 19 7 2

ople@downtownnews.com

5 OFF $

LUNCH

twitter: DowntownNews

the light of day.

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

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

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made out of parts of an airplane.

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.

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins

clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

*ANY PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE. 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER, PER VISIT. EXPIRES 12/15/14

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

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

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

One copy per person.

CROSSWORD

ne Holloway n, Catherine Holloway

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

Gustavo Bonilla

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield

News is a trademark of Civic Center

spaper for Downtown Los Angeles and residences of Downtown Los

Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

72

wn News geles, CA 90026 : 213-250-4617 eople@downtownnews.com twitter: DowntownNews

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

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

LAST WEEKS ANSWERS

facebook: L.A. Downtown News

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt

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

2 YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

scher, Kristin Friedrich,

December 8, 2014

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie stAFF writErs: Donna Evans, Eddie Kim coNtributiNG Editor: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jeff Favre, Greg Fischer, Kristin Friedrich, Kylie Jane Wakefield

S I N C E 19 7 2 Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News twitter: DowntownNews ©2014 Civic Center News, Inc. Los Angeles Downtown News is a trademark of Civic Center News Inc. All rights reserved.

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

One copy per person.

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Yoji Cole, Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway sAlEs AssistANt: Claudia Hernandez circulAtioN: Danielle Salmon distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

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

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

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

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

One copy per person.

December 8, 2014

DT

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SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME No. ES018313 Petitioner (name of each) Narine Nana Gevinian, 1305 North Columbus Avenue, #115, Glendale, CA 91202, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: NARINE NANA GEVINIAN Proposed name: NARINE GEVINIAN THE CoURT oRDERS that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NoTICE oF HEARING Date: 02/03/2015 Time: 08:30 a.m.

Dept.: E The address of the court is 600 East Broadway, Glendale, CA 91206-4304. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in LA DOWNTOWN NEWS, 1264 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 of general circulation, printed in this county.

Prepared by: Sherri R. Carter, Executive Office/Clerk.

Glendale Courthouse 600 East Broadway Glendale, CA 91206 Date: November 20, 2014 Hon. Mary Thornton House Judge of the Superior Court Pub. 11/24, 12/01, 12/08, and 12/15/2014.

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32 Downtown News

December 8, 2014

AROUND TOWN, 2

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.

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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

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Street. The work began in late November and will continue for approximately three months, according to Metro, during which time westbound traffic will also be affected. Anticipated work hours are from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays. The Regional Connector will connect area rail lines to streamline cross-county travel and will create three new Downtown Metro stations. The project is expected to finish in 2019.

Fundraising Milestone Reached For Budokan Project

T

he Little Tokyo Service Center has surpassed the halfway mark in the fundraising effort for the $23 million Budokan project. The long-gestating development at 237-249 S. Los Angeles St. will be a multi-purpose sports and activities center with a gymnasium, mezzanine, community space and a rooftop park; it will provide an array of sports, including basketball, volleyball and martial arts, as well as after-school programs and social events. New renderings reveal windows from street level to the bright yellow roof of the three-story portion of the structure. A garden is shown atop the second story with a children’s playground on a courtyard below the garden. Funding has come mostly from public-sector sources, according to a press release from the LTSC. Fundraising began in 2011 and LTSC officials expect it will take another year and a half to raise the remainder.

A groundbreaking is anticipated for 2016 with construction expected to take up to 18 months.

New Head at Chinese American Museum

T

he Chinese American Museum, located in the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, has a new leader. Lucille Wang, the co-chair of the museum’s membership committee, has been appointed executive director, succeeding chief curator Steve Wong, who served as interim executive director. Wang’s tenure at the 11-year-old museum began on Monday, Dec. 1.

Most recently, Wang was the donor relations and events officer for Vancouver General Hospital and the University of British Columbia Hospital Foundation. The museum holds 7,200 square feet of space and chronicles the Chinese and Chinese-American experience in Los Angeles that began with the first immigrants 150 years ago. “As the museum embarks on its second decade of offering meaningful and innovative programs, we are fortunate to have someone of Ms. Wang’s background and experience join our team,” Dr. Gay Yuen, president of the museum’s board of directors, said in a prepared statement.

Underground Bar Opens at Pershing Square Building

D

owntown now has a place to see exotic fish in a 5,500-gallon tank, though it’s not a new aquarium. It’s Mrs. Fish, a sprawling bar from the owners of the rooftop restaurant Perch. Mrs. Fish sits in the basement of the Pershing Square building at 448 S. Hill St., and is accessed through a stairwell to the right of the building’s main entrance. Guests are greeted by an extravagantly designed room flaunting teal and gold drapery, plush leather seating, a glass-encased Harley Davidson and the aforementioned fish tank, which is suspended against the ceiling. There’s a bar menu with a handful of specialty cocktails and about 20 food items, ranging from sliders and fries to imported caviar. The menu comes from chef Greg Bernhardt, formerly of the Arts District’s Church & State.

Mrs. Fish is currently open Thursday-Saturday from 6 p.m.-2 a.m.

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