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December 24, 2018 I VOL. 47 I #52

Looking Back at

2018 Y E A R

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photo by Piranka

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THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. SINCE 1972

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JANUARY

photo by Ken Howard

photo courtesy Benoit Linero

ews, Business and Politics: One of the most anticipated Downtown projects in years finally opened, and with it, an eyesore was eradicated. On Jan. 20, the former Giannini Place at Seventh and Olive streets began its new life as the NoMad Los Angeles (1). New York-based Sydell Group turned the 12-story Neoclassical structure into an upscale and uber-hip 241room hotel.

It was an all-around active month on the Downtown development scene. The Music Center began the longawaited $40 million overhaul of its plaza, and a few

blocks away developer Brookfield launched a $60 million modernization of Wells Fargo Court. Then there was Related Cos., which this month announced it would break ground on the $950 million Frank Gehry-designed The Grand in the fall.

January also brought widespread concern to Downtown, as LAPD statistics revealed that violent crime had surged 21% in 2017. Property crime rose 7%. Central Division leadership promised an increase in foot beats and bike patrols.

Also: LAUSD Supt. Michelle King on Jan. 5 announced she would step down as she undergoes treatment for cancer.

Another stunning retirement announcement came Jan. 19, when LAPD Chief Charlie Beck revealed he would leave the department by the summer; and on Jan. 13, the six leading

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candidates for governor traded punches during a debate at USC. Restaurants and Retail: The Arts District culinary scene expanded, as Japanese-style robata specialists Inko Nito opened. Little Tokyo got sweeter when Bae began serving donuts, soft-serve and coffee drinks. Meanwhile, the blocks near Chinatown and the L.A. River saw a double burst, with the arrival of the trendy New York City cocktail lounge Apotheke, and the opening of chef David Chang’s Majordomo. On the retail front, MedMen debuted on Broadway, selling cannabis in a space that takes cues from a sleek Apple store.

Entertainment: Ten historic blocks of Downtown came alive, as Night on Broadway on Jan. 27 drew an estimated 250,000 people. Over at the Music Center, L.A. Opera got some unlikely celebrity appeal, when “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammar appeared in a production of Candide (2). Near Olvera Street, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes celebrated the late and oftenoverlooked Gilbert “Magu” Luján (3), who was a leader in the Chicano art movement. The show featured 83 of his works.

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image courtesy LA Plaza de Cultura Y Artes

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photo by Jon Regardie

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ews, Business and Politics: Virtually the entire region rejoiced on Feb. 6 when news broke that Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong would acquire the Los Angeles Times (1), ending a disastrous run of ownership under the bizarro company Tronc.

While Soon-Shiong set about hiring reporters and reviving the paper, Downtowners were disheartened in the summer when he moved the headquarters to El Segundo.

February also brought the end of another era, as Downtown said goodbye to the beloved Caravan Book Store (2) in the Financial District. The antiquarian shop was the final survivor of what was once a Downtown “bookseller’s row.” After 64 years, Leonard Bernstein shuttered the store at 550 S. Grand Ave. that his parents had opened in 1954.

Also: The Hotel Figueroa just north of L.A. Live reopened following a two-year renovation. The landmark with the three huge south-facing panels was transformed from a faded budget establishment into a sleek boutique hotel; and huge crowds flocked to Downtown as NBA All-Star Weekend took place at Staples Center on Feb. 16-18. The festivities were expected to generate $116 million in economic activity.

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• • Restaurants and Retail: The slow transformation of the former McCormick & Schmick’s was finally completed, as Asian eats emporium LiOrient debuted in U.S. Bank Tower. The Downtown beer scene expanded when Modern Times opened on Olive Street; the joint is cheekily known as the “Dankness Dojo.” Supermarket options increased when Grocery Outlet opened on the ground floor of City West’s Sofia apartment complex. Downtown residents also got a new furniture option, as Recliners L.A. debuted on Olive Street. As the name implies, it offers an array of recliners and comfy chairs.

Entertainment: One of 2019’s biggest museum shows opened Feb. 10, when The Broad launched Jasper Johns: Something Resembling Truth, the first major L.A. exhibition of the artist in more than 50 years. In South Park, FIDM debuted its annual celebration of the year’s best movie outfits with the exhibition the Art of Motion Picture Costume Design.

There was also culture in an unlikely spot: the 32nd floor of the office tower at The Bloc. On Feb. 1, the Downtown-based American Contemporary Ballet launched its show Astaire Dances.

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image courtesy the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

ews, Business and Politics: The year’s biggest groundbreaking occurred March 14, when Stars Wars mastermind George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson showed up for the start of work on the $1 billion Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (1). The privately funded project rising in Exposition Park features a spaceship-like design by Ma Yansong, and is slated to debut in 2021.

Architectural excitement spread through Downtown when the Colburn School announced that Frank Gehry would design a 200,000-square-foot expansion of the Bunker Hill campus. No drawings were revealed, though the project on a site adjacent to the school’s main building (2) will include an 1,100seat concert hall and two smaller performing venues.

Downtowners got a glimpse of a new rail line, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority hosted meetings and took input on the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor, a 20-mile effort that will connect Downtown with the city of Artesia. Public meetings allowed locals to weigh in on where they hope the line will terminate, and what path through Downtown it should take.

Also: Tens of thousands of people jammed Downtown for the March for Our Lives, powered by students in the

wake of the shooting at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School; and eight years after they went up, a set of eyesore barricades were finally removed from the plaza in the back of the Reagan Building.

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Restaurants and Retail: Burger lovers rejoiced as an outpost of Shake Shack opened at Eighth and Hill Street. Downtowners also got an opportunity to work off those burgers, as the 13,000-square-foot Attitude Fitness arrived on the seventh floor of the Wilshire Grand Center. The pet care front also expanded, with Oh Hello Dog, which specializes in boarding services, debuting in the Produce District.

Entertainment: One of the cultural highlights for the entire city in 2018 took place at the Theatre at Ace Hotel, where the CAP UCLA series presented the four-part, 24-hour A 24-Decade History of Popular Music (3). Taylor Mac explored the nation’s songs through a queer lens, with dynamic costumes and audience involvement. In Little Tokyo, longtime community supporter George Takei appeared in East West Players’ Allegiance, inspired by the time he and his family spent in World War II internment camps. The Arts District’s American Hotel got its own documentary, as filmmaker Stephen Seemayer screened his Tales of the American at the Downtown Independent.

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photo by Teddy Wolf

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photo by Phillip Pirolo

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DECEMBER 24, 2018

image courtesy Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies LLC

ews, Business and Politics: The year’s most surprising project was announced on April 26, when Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies LLC, headed by Drew McCourt, the son of controversial former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, unveiled plans for a gondola (1) that would travel from Union Station to Dodger Stadium. Details were slim, but an early goal was to carry 5,000 people an hour and float over the 110 Freeway.

Speaking of sports venues, a stunner arrived when the $350 million Banc of California Stadium (2) opened on April 29. The home of the expansion Los Angeles Football Club is an in-

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photo by Breeann Birr

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photo by Gary Leonard

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timate 22,000-capacity space, and includes 3,252 standing slots for “supporters,” the team’s most vocal and ardent supporters.

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Also: Move-ins began April 2 for Topaz, a 159-apartment complex from Jade Enterprises at 550 S. Main St.; Metro announced a four-month closure of the Blue Line that will begin in spring 2019 as part of a $1.2 billion modernization plan; BlueLA, an electric car-sharing service with vehicle hubs in Downtown, began rolling; and the Convention Center hosted Minefaire, a gathering for hordes of Minecraft fans.

Restaurants and Retail: One of Downtown’s most anticipated restaurants arrived as Ori Menashe and his wife Genevieve Gergis followed up their Italian standout Bestia with Bavel, which serves Middle Eastern fare. Coffee fans who like the flavor of dates got a destination with the opening of Medidate Coffee at Sixth and Spring streets. Downtown also said goodbye to the South Park wine bar BottleRock, which served its last drink on April 27.

Great Friends

Entertainment: Artist Kip Fulbeck returned to the Japanese American National Museum for hapa.me: 15 years of the hapa project. The array of photographs explored how mixedrace individuals changed over time, both physically and mentally. The late rock icon David Bowie was remembered in a new way, as Complexions Contemporary Ballet visited the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with StarDust (3), which had 15 colorfully clad dancers performing to Bowie songs including “Changes” and “Young Americans.” Pershing Square became an arts hub as Downtown’s Lilli Mueller, continuing her long-running Mandala Project, set up a 120-foot long fence in the park. She attached dozens of plaster casts to it; the casts were made with people who visited the site. At the Grammy Museum, an exhibit went up honoring the ultimate stoner comedy duo. Naturally, Cheech and Chong: Still Rollin’ — Celebrating 40 Years of Up in Smoke opened on 4/20.

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Entertainment: The Ahmanson Theatre hosted one of its most unique productions in years, the world premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Soft Power (3).

The show somehow managed to address global politics, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 election loss and the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I. In the Historic Core, the Main Museum announced that it would partner with Pasadena-based ArtCenter College of Design, a move that addresses both finances and what is on display. Street art fans flocked to Chinatown for Beyond the Streets, a huge exhibit celebrating graffiti and other street art.

JUNE

ews, Business and Politics: Downtown began digesting the latest Homelessness Count results from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and while many people were relieved that homelessness fell 3% in the county in a one-year period, and 5% in the city, a shock came with the revelation that the number of women on Skid Row spiked by 35%, to 1,442 during the count in January. The situation grew so severe that the Union Rescue Mission began setting up inflatable mattresses (1) in hallways to handle the overflow crowds.

Downtown witnessed a loss this month, when Cornerstone Theater Company announced it would leave its Arts photo by Sean P. Thomas

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photo by Craig Schwartz

Restaurants and Retail: Anyone feeling offal headed to Spring Street, where Hock + Hoof opened on May 7. It specializes in meals made from every part of an animal. At Row DTLA, the culinary lineup expanded as the Rappahannock Oyster Bar opened. For once, the Downtown coffee scene receded, as Blacktop Coffee in the Arts District shuttered after four years in business.

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photo by Paul Koudounaris, courtesy Cat Art Show

ews, Business and Politics: Downtown suffered a big blow when the board of the Metro Charter Elementary School voted to leave the Central City and move to a facility in Lincoln Heights (1). The school had long struggled to find a permanent home in a supercharged real estate market, and had moved multiple times in recent years, including one that split the campus into two locations. School leaders said they hope to return to Downtown in the future.

On May 8, Anschutz Entertainment Group, which operates the Los Angeles Convention Center through an agreement with the city, unveiled plans for a massive renovation and expansion. The $1.2 billion vision would modernize and unite the now separate wings of the complex, and also erect a 40-story extension of its J.W. Marriott hotel.

The LAUSD went in a new direction, replacing Supt. Michelle King, who retired due to illness, with Austin Beutner, the businessman and philanthropist who had advised Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and had been publisher of the Los Angeles Times. Beutner instantly faced challenges including financial shortfalls and a threatened teachers strike.

Also: The intersection of Hope and Wilshire was named Carol Schatz Square in honor of the longtime leader

photo by Gary Leonard

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of the Central City Association and the Downtown Center Business Improvement District; Metro reached the halfway point of its $1.77 billion Regional Connector project; and MOCA announced that Director Philippe Vergne (2), who had been embroiled in controversy, would leave the institution in the coming months.

photo by Sean P. Thomas

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1 District home after 20 years. A rent hike was the impetus, though troupe leaders said they had long been considering departing as the community evolved. Cornerstone lowered its curtain at the end of the month.

Also: On June 27, Michel Moore was sworn in as chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Moore, long a top-ranking figure at the LAPD, replaced Charlie Beck; the board of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce announced that it had selected Maria Salinas as its new president and CEO. She would become the first female head of the Chamber in its 130-year history.

Restaurants and Retail: Eight years after Royal Clayton’s closed in the Arts District, its spiritual successor, Clayton’s Public House (2), debuted, bringing British pub fare and a Victorian theme to the Spring Arcade Building. In the Financial District, JINYA Ramen Bar opened, delivering

steamy hot bowls at the height of summer. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Downtown said goodbye to the lovely Westbound, a train-themed cocktail joint in the Arts District.

Entertainment: The Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles opened the well-received exhibit This Brush for Hire: Norm Laich and Many Other Artists. It celebrated Laich, whose own strong creations were overlooked as he became primarily known for aiding prominent artists such as Paul McCarthy and Robert Rauschenberg. Huge crowds flocked to L.A. Live for the sixth BET Festival. Highlights of the four-day celebration of black culture included a performance by LL Cool J and a “Genius Talk” with film producer Charles D. King. Meanwhile, the year’s most purr-fect gallery exhibit arrived, with Cat Art Show 3: The Sequel Returns Again (3) curling up in the Think Tank gallery on Maple Avenue.

DECEMBER 24, 2018

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photo by Jon Regardie

photo by Tanveer Badal

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ews, Business and Politics: Chinatown rejoiced when a consortium of medical providers announced that they had purchased Pacific Alliance Medical Center for $33 million, and planned to reopen the former hospital. While it would not resume full operations, a scaled-down version of the renamed Allied Pacific Healthcare City would begin serving patients in the fall.

Downtowners worried by rising crime had more concern, as Downtown News reported that the number of car break-ins grew by 30% in a year. LAPD brass noted that breakin teams were working in Downtown, and again reminded people never to leave valuables in their vehicles.

On July 10, the Mayfair Hotel (1) in City West completed its long-running transformation. Veteran Downtown developer the ICO Group of Companies overhauled the former budget establishment, transforming it into a boutique hotel with 294 rooms The Arts District gained buzz when streaming video giant Spotify announced it would move to the community. The company inked a deal for nearly 110,000 square feet of space in the At Mateo complex, with plans to relocate employees in 2019.

Also: Metro revealed two options for the terminus of the West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor, with possible endings at Union Station or in the Financial District; City Attor-

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ney Mike Feuer (2) announced the eighth settlement for the “dumping” of homeless patients, with Silver Lake Medical Center agreeing to pay $550,000; and developer Jade Enterprises opened the Onyx apartments, bringing 410 rental units online in South Park.

Restaurants and Retail: Downtown said goodbye to Mas Malo, as the Seventh Street Mexican joint closed on July 30 after eight years in business. The Middle Eastern restaurant Shekarchi also closed, but only so it could move a few blocks away; it debuted in a new home on Olive Street on July 16. Another new arrival was Dama; the Latin-inspired restaurant with more than 200 seats arrived in the City Market South complex.

Shoppers seeking upscale Japanese sportswear were satiated when Visvim arrived in the Bradbury Building.

Entertainment: The Bunker Hill museum The Broad brought back one of its most talked-about pieces, Ragnar Kjatansson’s roomsized music-and-video installation “The Visitors” (3), as part of the exhibit A Journey That Wasn’t. The show explored representations of time. At Pershing Square, the Downtown Stage summer concert series was bigger than ever, with a lineup of acts including The Bangles, the Psychedelic Furs and L.A. favorites Ozomatli.

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Restaurants and Retail: A Chinatown landmark hit a milestone, as Phoenix Bakery celebrated its 80th

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photo courtesy L.A. Live

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Entertainment: At L.A. Live, the annual Nike 3-on-3 tournament brought big crowds and some incredible athletic feats (2). More than 5,000 players and 1,500 teams competed. With the Dodgers streaking toward another postseason appearance, the Central Library opened the exhibit L.A. Baseball: From the Pacific Coast League to the Major Leagues, exploring nine decades of hardball in the region. The Standard Hotel was home to the amazing Sparrow Mart (3), a pop-up installation in which British artist Lucy Sparrow created a faux supermarket with 31,000 items, all made out of felt and available for purchase.

SEPTEMBER

photo by Jon Regardie

birthday. Naturally, a public party included free slices of its signature strawberry cake. Exposition Park got a food hall, as The Fields, adjacent to the new Banc of California soccer stadium, opened Aug. 14 with nine vendors. More additions arrived soon. Downtown also said goodbye to a lauded spot, as chef Tony Esnault’s lovely Historic Core French restaurant Spring closed down after two years.

ews, Business and Politics: Downtown jumped into the gaming future on Sept. 7, when Two-Bit Circus (1) opened in the Arts District. Self-described as a “micro amusement park,” the 37,000-square-foot attraction is jammed with mind-blowing high-tech and virtual reality games. Highlights include the story rooms, where players don VR gear and do everything from complete a space mission to fight monsters while on a raft in a swamp.

On a former parking lot near El Pueblo, city leaders opened Los Angeles’ first A Bridge Home emergency housing shelter.

The project, which aims to get homeless individuals off the streets, has three trailers with a total of 45 beds, another trailer with hygiene and laundry facilities, and a fifth holding support operations. The goal is to help people transition to perphoto by Gary Leonard

DECEMBER 24, 2018

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photo by Shea Donovan

ews, Business and Politics: Historic Core denizens felt like they had hit the jackpot when bigwigs from Cupertino, Calif. announced that the Tower Theatre would house Downtown’s first Apple Store (1). Apple signed a deal for the entire historic complex at 802 S. Broadway, and revealed plans to have sales of iPads, iPhones and other merchandise on the first floor, with classes and events on a mezzanine level.

On Aug. 27, the Library Foundation of Los Angeles abruptly terminated the positions of Louise Steinman, who had run the ALOUD series at the Central Library for a quarter century, and her Associate Director Maureen Moore. It ignited a firestorm in the local literary community, with hundreds signing petitions calling for LFLA President Ken Brecher to clearly explain the rationale for the move.

Also: The long-awaited, $20 million MyFigueroa bike project opened Aug. 30, creating a four-mile corridor from Downtown to South L.A. for those on two wheels; Santa Monica-based Bow Wow Capital announced that a seven-story building at 718 S. Hill St. would become Green Street, a structure dedicated to housing cannabis businesses. Plans call for a 2019 opening; new details were revealed for the proposed Downtown Streetcar, including an updated $306 million price tag and a route with 23 stops. The aim is to open in 2021; and a small dog park debuted in Skid Row. The Weingart Center Dog Park gives residents of that residential complex a safe place for pooches to play.

photo courtesy The Wolves

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photo courtesy Apple

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1 manent housing.

Also: Richelle Huizar, the wife of City Councilman José Huizar, on Sept. 13 announced her candidacy to replace him when he is termed out in 2020; move-ins began at developer CIM Group’s 34-story apartment building 888 at Grand Hope Park; Good Samaritan Hospital opened a $100 million expansion of its City West campus; and Downtown was stunned and saddened after three homeless individuals were victims of unprovoked attacks by a man wielding a baseball bat. Two would die of their injuries. About a week later Ramon Escobar was arrested and charged with the Downtown killings as well as several attacks in Santa Monica.

Restaurants and Retail: One of the most gorgeous rooms of the year arrived, as the cocktail bar The Wolves (2) debuted in the Alexandria Hotel. Another highlight arrival was in the

Arts District, where chef Jessica Largey opened Simone. In the Financial District, the longtime Asian-fusion establishment Chaya closed on Sept. 4. On the retail front, home furnishings store West Elm opened in the Broadway Palace project.

Entertainment: Punk rock and murderous history collided in the Arts District, as the musical Lizzie (3) slammed into the club Resident, putting a loud and modern spin on the 1892 trial of Lizzie Borden. Over in Little Tokyo, the focus was on a more playful piece of the past, as Kaiju vs. Heroes opened in the Japanese American National Museum. It showed off the colorful collection of toy designer Mark Nagata. At the Mark Taper Forum, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Sweat opened, exploring racial and class issues in a Pennsylvania factory town.

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ews, Business and Politics: Another facet of homelessness was revealed this month, as Los Angeles Downtown News reported on the skyrocketing number of homeless children and families on Skid Row. The Union Rescue Mission broke an inauspicious “record” with 270 children staying overnight one evening in September, while Downtown News reported a 111% increase in the number of homeless family members in Skid Row over the previous year.

A big change was proposed on Bunker Hill, as the team that runs the Grand Performances summer concerts announced plans to remove the water feature at the Cal Plaza Watercourt and replace it with a green lawn and more seating. During the construction period, many concerts will take place at other locations.

Alarm spread when the County Department of Public Health announced an outbreak of the flea-borne disease typhus in Downtown. Local leaders responded by promising to allocate money and resources including additional cleanups, and a 279-acre

area was designated as the “Typhus Zone.”

Also: People started moving in to Circa, the $500 million, dual-tower project in South Park; also in South Park, banners and murals sprouted as Lakers fans eagerly anticipated the arrival of Lebron James (1). Councilman José Huizar encountered trouble as two former office employees filed separate lawsuits charging discrimination and harassment, and alleging that Huizar had an extramarital affair with another, unnamed former employee.

Huizar strongly denied the allegations and said they were politically motivated.

Restaurants and Retail: At Union Station, the former Fred Harvey Restaurant returned to life as 213 Hospitality launched the joint brewpub and cocktail bar the Imperial Western Beer Company and The Streamliner. On Broadway, the old Schaber’s Cafeteria was reborn as Jumpman L.A. The 19,000-squarefoot sneaker store/training location includes a rooftop basketball court. Pet lovers got yet another local option when Sticks + Pinecone opened on Ninth Street. It carries items for cats and dogs and also has boarding services.

Entertainment: The Los Angeles Philharmonic kicked off its 100th birthday celebration with the 11-day L.A. Fest, which had Music Director Gustavo Dudamel and the troops partnering with artists including Herbie Hancock, Andrew Bird and Moby. A different experience was had in City West as the Shakespeare Center turned its First Street headquarters into a Halloween-influenced show. Audiences at the site-specific The Tragedie of Macbeth followed the cast through different parts of the building.

Meanwhile, the Ahmanson welcomed record crowds for the touring production of the Tony-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen (2).

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and Karen Hatfield’s Second Street restaurant The Mighty closed after just a year in operation. Local chocoholics smiled wide when San Francisco’s Dandelion Chocolate opened an outpost in the Row DTLA complex. Nearby, London-based high-end store Dover Street Market debuted a 15,000-square-foot space, where it sells clothing from brands including Comme des Garçons, Gucci and Prada. In the Financial District, the salon Neihule opened its new shop on Eighth Street.

It includes the cosmetology training center the Neihule Academy of Beauty.

NOVEMBER photo by Gary Leonard

photo by Sean P. Thomas

OCTOBER

photo by Matthew Murphy

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ews, Business and Politics: City Hall was rocked on Nov. 7, when more than a dozen FBI agents searched the offices of Downtown Councilman José Huizar (1). Agents also searched his Boyle Heights home and field office, and emerged with boxes, bagged items and electronic equipment. The FBI said the IRS was involved in the investigation, but provided few details.

No arrests were made.

The trouble for Huizar continued a week later, when Council President Herb Wesson stripped the 14th District rep of his committee assignments, including his post as chair of the powerful PLUM committee. Then, the day before Thanksgiving, Richelle Huizar abandoned her campaign to replace her husband on the council.

On a different front, Related Cos. began tearing down the “Tinker Toy” parking structure at the southeast corner of First Street and Grand Avenue, making way for construction of the $1 billion Frank Gehry-designed The Grand.

Also: Jim Gilliam, a tech pioneer and early Downtown resident who founded the tech firm Nationbuilder, died of cancer on Nov. 23 at the age of 41; Metro took public input for a proposed $365 million bike path that would run eight miles along the Los Angeles River; and Brookfield Properties revealed new details for its $170 million transformation of the California Market Center, including plans to market a large portion of the three-building complex as creative office space.

Entertainment: On Nov. 23, the string pullers at the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre (2) staged their final show. The puppet palace closed exactly 55 years after it opened, in the wake of a developer’s plan to build apartments on the First Street site in City West.

In Little Tokyo, East West Players mounted a fresh, funny Vietgone. Qui Nguyen’s wholly original work was set in the 1970s in an Arkansas camp for people who fled Vietnam during the war. At the Music Center, the Miami City Ballet brought its vibrant, candy-colored version of The Nutcracker to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. photo by Sean P. Thomas

DECEMBER 24, 2018

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CALENDAR LISTINGS EVENTS

MONDAY, DEC. 24 Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-7211 or musiccenter.org.

3 p.m.: The free concert is back for its 59th year, with 21 acts involved. The show will be broadcast live on PBS SoCal and KCET. SATURDAY, DEC. 29 George Lopez Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or staplescenter.com.

8 p.m.: Why you crying? Lopez is bringing his classic jokes about growing up and mixing in some topical humor in his “The Wall World Tour.”

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

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

Dec. 26: Corbin Jones Group.

Dec. 27: Lineage Trio.

Dec. 28: Larry Goldings and Friends.

Dec. 29: Bennie Maupin Ensemble.

Dec. 30: New Year’s Eve’s Eve with Jonah Levine Group.

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

Dec. 27: Enjoy three sets from singer-songwriters Sofia Wolfson, Sharon Silva and A.O. Gerber.

Dec. 28: The Breathing Effect plays that eclectic blend of jazz fusion and experimental rock that only a band called The Breathing Effect could.

Dec. 29: Guess which decade synthpop group TWRP is inspired by. If you guessed the ’80s, you don’t win a prize.

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

Dec. 28: Party on the Porch.

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

Dec. 28: Green Velvet, Harvard Bass.

Dec. 29: Deorro, Adam Auburn, Mister Blaqk.

Moroccan Lounge 901 E. First St., (213) 395-0610 or themoroccan.com.

Dec. 27: Dark pop courtesy of DeathByRomy.

Dec. 28: The Nervous Return has a record release show, so come by for throwback punk rock.

Dec. 29: Few can do folk-pop quite like Laura Veirs.

The Novo 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or thenovodtla.com.

Dec. 27: The one and only Erykah Badu.

Dec. 28: New Compton rap from Roddy Rich.

Dec. 29: Yasiin Bey isn’t going by Mos Def anymore, but he’s still as good a musician as he’s ever been.

The Redwood 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com.

Dec. 28: Lujuria, Fools Like Me, Lunar Gateway.

Dec. 29: McFarland.

Dec. 30: Blind Pony, XLX, Truckerbomb.

The Regent 448 S. Main St., (323) 284-5727, or theregenttheater.com.

Dec. 29: Miles Medina and more play at the Cuffing Season Party.

Dec. 30: Maiden USA headlines the Monsters of Metal Fest.

Expect things to get heavy. Don’t expect actual monsters.

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

Dec. 28: Gap Girls, Celebrity Crush, Austin Anderson, Greer.

Dec. 29: Jurassic Shark, Small Crush, Rearranged Face, Greaseball.

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

Dec. 26: Moody post-punk from Seahaven.

Dec. 27: Indie rockers Lydia.

Continued on next page

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

DECEMBER 24, 2018

The Don't Miss List

BY SEAN P. THOMAS

oNE By the time Los Angeles-based Poolside hits the stage in Downtown, it will be winter, so shake off the cold by listening to the band’s brand of sunny disco pop at the Teragram Ballroom on Friday, Dec. 28. Poolside garnered raves for their 2011 debut album Pacific Standard Time and their 2017 sophomore effort Heat. The band is a progenitor of the chillwave sound, and if you just asked what is chillwave, think music fit for the chillest of summertime barbecues. Doors open at 8 p.m. and psychedelic rock group Amo Amo will also perform. At 1234 W. Seventh St., (213) 689-9100 or teragramballroom.com. photo courtesy of Poolside

TWO Nothing is off limits when comedy superstar George Lopez grabs the mic. President Donald Trump and the debate over the border wall take center stage when Lopez brings his The Wall World Tour to the Microsoft Theater on Saturday, Dec. 29. Never one to shy away from controversy during his 40-year career, Lopez will certainly unleash plenty of topical jokes. Also expect forays into classic bits a la his “Why you crying?” The show starts at 8 p.m.. At 777 Chick Hearn Ct. or microsofttheater.com.

THREE When he’s not fighting against social ills, rapper, actor and activist Yasiin Bey (better known as Mos Def) is still rocking the mic and tearing down venues. Bey returns to The Novo on Saturday, Dec. 29, this time to lend his flow to beats from the late J. Dilla and frequent MF DOOM collaborator Madlib. Doors open at 7 p.m. Also, Grammy-winning R&B songstress Erykah Badu will perform at the same venue on Thursday. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or thenovodtla.com. image courtesy Press Here

FOUR If you don’t want your kids spending their entire winter break staring at screens, why not let the Japanese American National Museum teach them that there is plenty more to the kaiju genre than Godzilla. Based on the collection of a prominent toy designer and artist, Kaiju vs. Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey Through the World of Japanese Toys follows the history of the kaiju genre, which spun out of post World War II-era concerns in the wake of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Toys, costumes and other kaiju artifacts are on display. The exhibit runs until March 24. At 100 N. Central Ave., (213) 6250414 or janm.org. image courtesy Mark Nagata

FIVE Celebrate the holidays with a bit of European flair in Downtown Los Angeles. Walt Disney Concert Hall will look to the continent on Sunday, Dec. 30, when the annual Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert takes place. For the 16th year, the music of Johann Strauss will be complemented with the fluid movements of the National Ballet of Hungary and some international champion ballroom dancers. The performance begins at 2:30 p.m. At 111 S. Grand Ave. or salutetovienna.com/concerts/ los-angeles. photo by Todd Rosenberg

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

DECEMBER 24, 2018

DOWNTOWN NEWS 11

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

MORE LISTINGS

LISTINGS, 10 Dec. 28: Wind down the year with soothing chillwave from Poolside. Hopefully they play “And the Sea.” Dec. 30: New Year’s Eve Eve with L.A.-based Dead tribute group Grateful Shred.

THEATER

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

Dec. 26 and 28, 8 p.m., Dec. 27 and 29, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Dec. 30, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.: In the wake of the Sept.

11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 7,000 travelers found themselves stranded in a small town in Newfoundland, Canada. The true story inspired a Tony-winning musical about trust and friendship. Through Jan. 6.

5 OFF

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

2YOUR EVENT INFO

EASY WAYS TO SUBMIT

✔ WEB: LADowntownNews.com/calendar ✔ EMAIL: Calendar@DowntownNews.com Email: Send a brief description, street address and public phone number. Submissions must be received 10 days prior to publication date to be considered for print.

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To place a classified ad in the Downtown News please call 213-481-1448 Deadline for classified display and line ads are Thursday at 12pm.

FOR RENT

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

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HOSPITALITY MARKETING Specialist: Job/resume/ad: China Travel CA, 680 Brea Canyon Rd, Ste 278, Diamond Bar, CA 91789 ACCOUNTANT: LEGAL Jobsite/ Resume/Ad: LA Metropolitan Home Health, 17100 Pioneer Blvd, Suite 313, Artesia, CA 90701 GENERAL

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Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 2018307985 The following individual(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) CRAZY YET BEAUTIFUL, 1145 ROSWELL AVE #309, LONG BEACH, CA 90804 LA COUNTY are hereby registered by the following registrants: (1) ALYSSA ROSE GLASS, 1145 ROSWELL AVENUE #309, LONG BEACH, CA 90804. This business is conducted by an Individual.

Registrant(s) began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: N/A.

This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on DECEMBER 11, 2018.

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

Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 12/17, 12/24, 12/31/2018 and 1/7/2019.

NAME CHANGE Superior court of California, County of Pomona ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME No. KS021511 Petitioner (name of each) Francisco Jaime Herrera, 15902-A Haliburton Rd #307, Hacienda Heights, CA 91745, filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: Present name: FRANCISCO JAIME HERRERA Proposed name: FRANCISCO CHANG 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:February 1, 2019 Time: 8:30 AM Dept.: EA O Room: 543 The address of the court is: Superior Court of California, County of Pomona, 400 Civic

Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766. 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.

Deputy Clerk: M. Vasquez Superior Court of California, County of Pomona 400 Civic Center Plaza Pomona, CA 91766 Date: OCTOBER 4, 2018 Hon.Peter A. Hernandez Judge of the Superior Court Pub. 12/17, 12/24, 12/31/2018 and 1/7/2019.

NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code.

The undersigned will sell on the 9th day of January 2019 at 11: 00 A.M. on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at Thriftee Storage Company LLC, 1717 N. Glendale Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, the following: : Name of owner: Space number Description of goods Amount Jordana Kushner U-12 Personal effects $773.00 Sherry Stewart D-83 Personal effects $593.00 Chantele Monares H-9 Personal effects $437.50 Consuelo Perez L-35 Personal effects $934.00 Richard Clark A-13 Personal effects $357.00 Sara Musselman A-30 Personal effects $435.00 Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased storage units with the items contained herein are sold on an “as-is” basis and must be removed at the time of sale.

Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between Thriftee Storage Co. and obligated party.

Thriftee Storage Company LLC Dated at Los Angeles, CA by Felipe F. Islas / Manager December 24, 2018.

EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMMER ANALYST (ORACLE): Design, build, test, implement, maintain, and enhance Oraclebased applications. Send resume to: Felipe de Bustamante, os Angeles Unified School District, 333 S Beaudry Ave. 10/F #10-145, Los Angeles, CA 90017.

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

12 DOWNTOWN NEWS

DECEMBER 24, 2018

TRILOGY

Downtown...It’s Not Just Big Business Anymore!

255 GRAND 255 South Grand Avenue 213-229-9777 www.255GRAND.com Community Amenities: Expansive Outdoor Terrace Heated Pool & Spa Custom-Designed Interiors 24 hr. Manned Lobby Resident Concierge Fitness Center / Yoga Studio Wi-Fi Lounge State-of-the-Art HD Theater Gourmet BBQ Areas / Gas Fire Pits Contemporary Lounge with Gourmet Kitchen

Apartment Amenities: Breathtaking Views Spacious Floorplans Central Air & Heating Balconies / Urban Patios (Most Units) Deep Soaking Tubs Luxury Stainless Appliances & Finishes Sky Level 27th Floor Penthouse Units: Complimentary Wi-Fi & Basic Cable Waterfall Countertops Bosch Appliances Nest 3rd Generation Thermostats Up to 2 Parking Spaces Included On-Site: Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants

PROMENADE TOWERS 123 South Figueroa Street 213-617-3777 www.THEPROMENADETOWERS.com

Community Amenities: Expansive Outdoor Patio with BBQ Grills Heated Pool & Spa 24 hr. Manned Lobby Fitness Center Parking Garage

On-Site: Convenience Store / Café / Beauty Salon / Private Fitness Training Apartment Amenities: Floor-to-Ceiling Windows City Skyline Views Solarium and/or Balconies

MUSEUM TOWER 225 South Olive Street 213-626-1500 www.THEMUSEUMTOWERAPTS.com

Community Amenities: 24 hr. Manned Lobby Resident Concierge Heated Pool & Spa Fitness Center / Yoga Studio Outdoor Patio Gas BBQ Grills Recreation Room State-of-the-Art HD Theater Rooftop Patio with Views

1

photo by Anja Barte Telin

DECEMBER

Apartment Amenities: City and Mountain Views Luxury Appliances & Finishes Central Air & Heating Balconies (Most Units) Basic Cable *All Amenities Under Renovation

RESIDENCES STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOMS PENTHOUSE UNITS • CORPORATE HOUSING

N

ews, Business and Politics: There was a seismic shift on the law enforcement scene, as Alex Villanueva, who in three decades with the L.A. Sheriff’s Departments never advanced beyond the rank of lieutenant, was sworn in on Dec. 3 as the new Sheriff of L.A. County. It followed his stunning upset of incumbent Jim McDonnell, the first time in more than a century that an incumbent local sheriff had lost an election.

There was yet more trouble for José Huizar, as he announced that Night on Broadway, which in January drew 250,000 people to the historic corridor, would be canceled, with plans to return in 2020. Night on Broadway had been scheduled for Jan. 26, 2019.

Also: The Dodger Stadium gondola plan advanced, with Metro and project developer ARTT moving to formal negotiations; debate continued over the future of Skid Row’s Firehouse No. 23. Plans call for the 1910 edifice to become an art space for children, but area denizens have been pushing for arts services for adults as well; work finally began on the $8.5 million Yale and Ord park in Chinatown. Planning for the project began in 2010; and Carolyn Kozo Cole, the head of the Los Angeles Public Library photo collection and the force behind the library’s Shades of L.A. project, died Dec. 6. She was 75.

Restaurants and Retail: The chicken charge in Downtown continued! The latest arrival was Pikunico, which opened in the Row DTLA complex on Dec. 3. It serves karaage (Japanese fried chicken) in sandwich, basket or rice bowl form. The shopping complex at The Bloc got a big addition, as Japanese clothing store Uniqlo opened on Dec. 13. The two-level store specializes in casual outfits.

Entertainment: Forget driving to another community for a holiday lights display — Downtown got its own version with “Winter Glow,” which filled Grand Park with 19 illuminated works, many with an interactive element. Over in the Arts District, the A+D Museum gave up some of its space for the Disgusting Food Museum (1). The exhibit, from the team that mounted last year’s Museum of Failure, showcased options including sheep eyeball juice and Chinese three penis wine.

The aim was to explore cultural norms and re-evaluate why some things are upsetting.