01-11-10 by Los Angeles Downtown News

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PREVIEW:

Jan. 22nd and 23rd, 11-5pm

AUCTION:

Jan. 24th at 11am

W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M

Trading Up by Ryan VaillancouRt

Urban Scrawl makes 2010 predictions.

Meet the new head of Art Walk.

Antiques

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Community College Completes $85 Million, High-Design Addition Ridley-Thomas sets his agenda.

Tiffany aucTion House

photo by Gary Leonard

INSIDE

1 DAy ONLy!

January 11, 2010

Volume 39, Number 2

GRAND AUCTION

staff wRiteR

eading up to the 21st century, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, the oldest of nine schools in the city’s community college system, had been dealing with a sort of identity crisis. The 84-year-old institution housed some of the most unique job training programs in California, but the 21-acre site didn’t feel much like a campus. Students said the school south of the Financial District felt more like an industrial park and offered little respite from a surrounding sea of brick and concrete box buildings and warehouses.

If American colleges connote images of green quads and ivy-clad brick, TradeTech, as everyone calls it, didn’t fit the bill. That, however, is changing — and fast. The school has just completed two new buildings, both five-story structures fronting Grand Avenue between Washington Boulevard and 23rd Street. Designed by the firm MDA Johnson Favarro, the brick, steel and stone buildings feature a decidedly progressive design, with wavy facades and plenty of acute and obtuse angles. The buildings are separated by a mini plaza that marks the school’s new see Trade-Tech, page 10

Roland “Chip” Chapdelaine, president of Los Angeles TradeTechnical College, in front of a new building on the campus south of the Financial District. An $85 million project with two structures opens this semester.

One Giant Step For Music

Taking Aim At Local Fans

Spaceland Productions Rocks the World From Downtown

ESPN Expands Its Empire, and Challenges Newspaper Sports Sections, With L.A.-Specific Website by Ryan VaillancouRt

Tips to help you stay healthy.

staff wRiteR

hen sports media titan ESPN opened its West Coast television studios at L.A. Live in April, it was considered by most observers to be the third and final chapter of the company’s Los Angeles expansion. First came ESPN Zone, the sports bar mecca, followed by 710 ESPN radio, which in February started broadcasting from its new studio in shouting distance from Staples Center. But on Dec. 21, the company launched another Los Angeles venture. This one may, in the long run,

Pee-wee Herman puts on a show.

turn out to be the most relevant vehicle for Laker nuts and Dodger devotees: ESPNLosAngeles.com. The site is modeled after ESPN’s national site, but with a decidedly local spin. So whereas the flagship site gave top billing on a recent weekday to basketball star Gilbert Arenas’ locker room gun fiasco and Andre Dawson’s baseball Hall of Fame nod, ESPNLosAngeles.com was fanning the Laker-Clipper pregame flames. “We saw this as a platform in which we could tap into existing resources in the company, as well as other resources we deploy locally to see ESPN, page 8

photo by Gary Leonard

Mitchell Frank, owner of Downtown-based Spaceland Productions, at Pershing Square, where the company books indie bands. Spaceland also runs three music clubs and programs some music at the Natural History Museum.

Five events you don’t want to miss.

15 CALENDAR LISTINGS 17 MAP 18 CLASSIFIEDS

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

t is somewhat ironic that Spaceland Productions, the preeminent promoter of independent music in Los Angeles, has its headquarters in perhaps the least trendy building in Downtown. Then again, at events and shows Spaceland and its founder Mitchell Frank runs, irony plays big. About a year ago, Spaceland moved into the Collection Building,

a Seventh Street edifice with neighbors mostly in their 50s and 60s who sell fur coats. The music-oriented company stands out with its young, stylish staff of seven employees and a few interns, along with the company’s bulldog mascot, Norman Cook (the real name of musician Fatboy Slim), who roams the office. Spaceland Productions also stands out as music promoters in the Los Angeles concert scene, having see Spaceland, page 14

photo by Gary Leonard

Eric Neel oversees the recently launched ESPNLosAngeles.com, which draws on the sports media giant’s national resources to provide an L.A.-centric online sports site.

The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles

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January 11, 2010

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AROUNDTOWN South Park Church Negotiating With Downtown Developer

he South Park-based First United Methodist Church has entered into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the Central City Development Group, the latest step in the Downtown mainstay’s goal of building a new mixed-use complex on a current parking lot at Flower Street and Olympic Boulevard. Rev. Sandie Richards, the pastor of the church, last week said that she hopes a deal can be finalized by the summer. Any agreement, said Richards, would involve a developer creating a structure that includes space for a church, while the building could also contain housing or other aspects. In all scenarios the 153-year old FUMC would maintain ownership of the land. Before the economic downturn the church had looked at the concept of a high-rise, though that will likely change. “Clearly development in all of Los Angeles is shrinking, so we are not afraid to go shorter if we have to,” said Richards. “We don’t know what we will end up with. It has to be something that works for the church, works for the developer and is something that pencils out.” CCDG is headed by Hamid Behdad, the city’s former adaptive reuse czar. The firm is also developing a lowrise apartment complex at 1027 Wilshire Blvd. in City West.

Woman Murdered In Toy District Hotel

os Angeles police detectives are investigating the murder of a 74-year-old woman. Hideko Oyama was killed on Tuesday, Jan. 5, in her office at the Chetwood Hotel, where she was the manager. She was discovered bleeding at approximately 11:30 a.m. by a patron of the Toy District hotel, and died later at the hospital. As of press time, police were unable to identify any motive for the killing and had not named any suspects. Police also had yet to announce the cause of death — an autopsy with the coroner is pending — but no gun was involved, Lt. Paul Vernon said. In addition to working at the hotel at 411 E. Fourth St., Oyama lived at the building, which caters largely to Japanese tourists. Anyone with information is asked to call Central homicide detectives Thayer Lake or John

The Latest Bid for Film Companies Thacker at (213) 972-1254. Callers can also phone the 24-hour number at (877) 527-3247. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Kings to Host Hockey Tourney at Staples

ot to be outdone by the Lakers, who last summer held a three-on-three basketball tournament at L.A. Live, the Los Angeles Kings are putting their purple and black stamp on a tourney of their own. The team is hosting a three-onthree tournament inside Staples Center on Wednesday, Jan. 13; it is open to players of all skill levels. The team has hosted youth tournaments in the past, but this marks the organization’s first foray into an adult event, said Chris Bain of the Kings’ fan development department. Teams are guaranteed to play at least three games (all played on half the rink). “There are already adult leagues around the city that are three on three, so it’s something new for us but it’s not a new idea,” he said. To learn more and register, go to nhl.com/kings, call Bain at (310) 535-4445 or email chbain@lakings.com.

Conservancy Announces Film Series Lineup

he Los Angeles Conservancy last week announced the preliminary lineup for the coming season of its popular Last Remaining Seats, which screens classic films in Broadway theaters. The series will feature six Wednesday night screenings between May 26 and June 30. The tentative schedule includes the 1967 musical comedy How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at the Los Angeles Theatre May 26; Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 Strangers On a Train at the Million Dollar Theatre June 2; the 1973 George Lucas classic American Graffiti at the Orpheum Theatre June 9; The Graduate at the Los Angeles Theatre June 16; the 1943 romantic drama Flor Silvestre at the Million Dollar June 23; and the silent 1924 version of Peter Pan June 30 at the Orpheum. Tickets go on sale to the general public on April 14. For updates call the Conservancy’s hotline at (213) 430-4219.

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

he City Council last week voted to look at creating a City Film Commission, an appointed panel that would promote Los Angeles as a location to film and television production companies. Feature film production in the city, according to the motion by Seventh District Councilman Richard Alarcon calling for the commission, has seen a more than 50% decline since its peak in 1996. He estimates that the industry’s impact on the county economy, in terms of revenue and jobs created, amounts to $57 billion a year. This is not the first time the council has taken up the slowdown in film production: In August, Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry asked city staff to look into offering entertainment companies incentives for filming in Downtown. The council also voted that month to suspend the multimedia business tax for five years.

Work Begins on Job Corps Campus

onstruction has begun on the $73 million YWCA Job Corps Urban Campus. The 155,000-square-foot building at 1020 S. Olive St. is set to open in mid-2012, said Sandra Rahimi, senior finance officer for the Community Redevelopment Agency. The project, which had been delayed for years, will house the YWCA Job Corps Center and will consolidate the program’s housing and service facilities, which are currently scattered throughout six sites in Downtown. The Job Corps program provides job training and transitional housing for homeless, emancipated and at-risk youth. The seven-story building will feature a commercial kitchen, a dining hall, classrooms, a medical center and 200 residential rooms that will house 400 Job Corps trainees. Much of the funding for the project comes from the New Markets Tax Credit program, a federal initiative. The city’s NMTC program is operated by the Los Angeles Development Fund, a nonprofit organization managed by the CRA. Other entities also contributed to the project through the tax credit program. The YWCA purchased the site in 2004 for $3.5 million.

Correction The Jan. 4 story “Listen Up” reported that author T.C. Boyle will appear at the Central Library on Jan. 27. He will appear on Jan. 26.

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January 11, 2010

Downtown News 3

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First Thoughts for the Second District County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas Pushes an Agenda With Downtown Ties by AnnA Scott StAff writer

Second District Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, shown here at his swearing in, is looking at overhauling the county’s General Relief program as part of an effort to address homelessness on Skid Row.

turn an existing tower on the campus into a new hospital, which would be run by a new nonprofit entity created by the county and the University of California. Ridley-Thomas said that the hospital, if completed on schedule, would welcome its first patient in 2012. Although Ridley-Thomas, a former City Councilman and state assemblyman and senator, expressed general satisfaction with his first year in his new post, not everything was smooth. Late last year a fracas erupted over a proposal to spend up to $700,000 on renovations of his aged office. That is now being reconsidered. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

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f Second District County Supervisor Mark RidleyThomas has his way, 2010 will be a year of progress and change, in particular for homelessness in Skid Row and a long-awaited Downtown mass transit project. In a recent meeting with Los Angeles Downtown News editors and reporters, the supervisor who took office in December 2008 said that he expects to bring forward some new strategies to address one of Downtown’s most pressing issues — the large homeless population in and around Skid Row. Chief among his plans is an overhaul of the county’s General Relief program, which provides a small amount of cash to homeless adults. “We can cause it to go further and impact the quality of life for the persons who can benefit from it,” said Ridley-Thomas, whose 35-member staff includes a deputy for mental health and homeless services. Specifics have yet to be determined. But Ridley-Thomas, whose expansive district encompasses areas including Culver City, South Los Angeles and Skid Row, said he is evaluating similar programs in other cities. He mentioned San Francisco’s Care Not Cash initiative, which redirected funding to expand permanent housing, mental health and other services for homeless individuals, as one example. Ridley-Thomas said he also expects to examine closely the Project 50 initiative introduced by Third District Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. The effort, which identified and sought to pull Skid Row’s 50 most vulnerable people off the streets, has indeed put dozens of area inhabitants into housing. Yet it has also drawn criticism from some social service providers, in part because of the cost of the program. Yaroslavsky has proposed expanding the effort from 50 to 500 individuals. Ridley-Thomas said he is still evaluating whether to support the expansion, and expects the issue to come to a head within a few months. “I expect… you will see a really robust kind of discussion about this,” he said. “I’m not of the view that it should be

taken off the table as a viable, worthwhile approach. I need to know more about it.” In the meantime, Ridley-Thomas said, he has asked County CEO Bill Fujioka to evaluate Project 50’s cost-effectiveness and results. A Yaroslavsky spokesman said his office would also carefully consider Fujioka’s analysis. People Moving Ridley-Thomas, a member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, has helped fast-track several transit projects, including one that would be a boon to Downtown. The estimated $1 billion Downtown Regional Connector, a proposed two-mile transit link, would connect the Gold, Blue and upcoming Expo light rail lines through Downtown. Metro officials said in September that the project would be partly funded by Measure R, the countywide half-cent sales tax approved by voters, and that officials would seek additional money after finishing environmental studies, likely more than two years away. That same month, however, the Metro board voted to pursue federal funds for the Regional Connector, which could allow it to open in 2019. That is six years ahead of the previously anticipated schedule, according to data provided by Ridley-Thomas’ office. That fits in with an overall transportation agenda RidleyThomas has pushed since taking office. In October, the Metro board approved a move, spearheaded by Ridley-Thomas, to broaden the agency’s efforts to fund a $1.7 billion Crenshaw Boulevard light rail line that would start near LAX and extend north through the USC area to Wilshire Boulevard. That could expedite the line’s estimated 2018 opening date. Another Second District issue with indirect Central City ties is the effort to replace Martin Luther King, Jr. Hospital in Willowbrook. Ever since the facility shut down in 2007, an additional burden has fallen on other regional emergency rooms and hospitals, including facilities in Downtown. Plans have been approved by the board of supervisors to

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EDITORIALS Can CRA Remain in the Historic Core?

f all proceeds as now appears likely, sometime this year the Community Redevelopment Agency will leave the Historic Core. That is disappointing. We’re not sure if the tide of a move to City West can be turned, but if that is at all pos sible, then it needs to be seriously considered. The best place for the agency charged with redeveloping Los Angeles’ blighted neigh borhoods is the Historic Core, a community that has undergone tremendous change in the past decade, but has not completed its “transformation.” If not the Historic Core, then they should at least be in another rede velopment area to stay true to their mission, their reason for existing. On Dec. 17, the CRA Board of Com missioners approved a plan for the agency to vacate the Banco Popular Center at 354 S. Spring St., its home since 1980. The decision allows city officials to begin indepth negotia tions with the owner of the Garland Center, a facility at 1200 W. Seventh St. which also

houses several other city departments. Under the current proposal, the CRA would move this fall into approximately 96,000 square feet of space and stay at least through February 2019. The CRA cannot be faulted for looking to leave the Popular Center, where it occupies six floors. The building has long been in a state of disrepair, and last April Los Angeles Downtown News reported on the agency’s displeasure with landlord Jamison Properties, which it charged had failed to upgrade the building. If a landlord cannot provide a safe, hos pitable environment, then a tenant should look at alternatives. That is what the CRA did, giving fair warning and then examining potential new homes. However, in the case of the CRA, there is a historic and symbolic reason to stay within the area. When the agency moved into the Popular Center 30 years ago, it was a proac tive effort to boost a community that had

fallen on hard times and was filled with va cant former office buildings. The edifice at Fourth and Spring streets stood in the center of a CRA “redevelopment area,” and as such, the city was leading by example. Given the premise that remaining in the Popular Center was not possible (some have recently opined that the building could be sold and upgraded, though that scenario has too many “ifs” to depend on), Downtown real estate experts confirmed that it would be difficult to find a Historic Core home given the agency’s parameters — approxi mately 100,000 square feet for $1.50 a square foot. Since the Downtown residential revo lution began a decade ago, the number of vacant buildings in the area has decreased, and with less space, prices have risen. The Garland Center hits that sweet spot of $1.50 per square foot. The decision raises the question, though, of whether city leaders are thinking too nar rowly. It is fair to ask if it is worth paying a

little more to keep the agency in the Historic Core. That would keep CRA workers on the street and help activate the area and give the small, struggling, owneroperated businesses a sufficient customer base. Some will say no, that the city’s massive budget deficit demands a bottomline focus above all else. But given that the new lease will be for 10 years and very possibly longer, one has to amortize figures over that period and decide what will have the most long term benefits. With those issues raised, a case can be made for keeping the agency in the Historic Core. It amounts to a couple hun dred thousand dollars a year, a lot of money but not enough to make even a small dent in the City’s $500 million hole. Although a deal with the Garland Center landlord has not been signed, we are not sure whether it is too late to reverse course and find another Historic Core alternative. If possible, the city should look to keep the CRA close to its current home. That does the most for the future of Downtown, and helps ensure that the “redevelopment” in Community Redevelopment Agency is valid.

A Year of Potential, a Year of Challenge

t midnight on Dec. 31, 2009, Downtown closed out a decade of transformation, one highlighted by the arrival of thousands of housing units and the debut of landmarks such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Caltrans headquarters, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and L.A. Live. The fevered pace of new additions continued through the end of the year, with the Police Administration Building and the theaters at L.A. Live opening within days of each other in late October. That momentum has not ended, as projects that began long before the recession started are still under construction, and some of them are scheduled to open soon. However, the shadows cast by the economic downturn cannot be dismissed, and Downtown leaders and stakeholders would do well not to blindly accept reports that the economy is re bounding. Plenty of challenges remain. In some cases, the challenge and potential are linked. This is apparent in the housing projects that may come online this year (including a handful that tumbled into bankruptcy

in 2009). Developments such as Seventh Street’s Brockman Building and Roosevelt Lofts (the latter is partly open), South Park’s 705 W. Ninth and the El Dorado in the Historic Core all stand to continue the residential influx that has invigorated Downtown. Those projects (and many others too) have faced delays and fluctuating revenue projections as the housing market softened. Still, it is worth finding a way to open them, as even if they do not fill with residents immediately, their existence gives Downtown room to grow. This year, Downtown has a batch of new leaders who, again, face both opportunities and challenges. Among them is LAPD Capt. Todd Chamberlain, who replaced Capt. Blake Chow as the top cop in Central Division, and must deal with crime and community issues. Jay Lopez has assumed the role of executive director of Art Walk, a massively popular event that in the past six months has been plagued by infighting and questions of how it should evolve. This will be a crucial year for transportation in Downtown Los Angeles, as funding efforts and planning decisions for

projects such as the Regional Connector and the Broadway streetcar could reverberate for decades. Even “smaller” proj ects could have a big role: Bringing back the Bristol Hotel on Eighth Street would eradicate a blighted spot that mars the neighborhood. This is only the beginning. Many new restaurants and retail outlets are scheduled to open this year, and the success of cultural activities such as L.A. Opera’s Ring Festival L.A. will bring crowds to the community. Then there is the big gun, the Convention Center headquarters hotel, and if tourism officials can effectively book the 1,001room facility, all of Downtown (indeed, all of Los Angeles) will reap the benefits. In short, after a decade of transformation, the opportuni ties continue. Downtown remains in the midst of its evolu tion from a hub for office workers to a 24hour community replete with residential and cultural activity. Every project, big and small, plays a role. Every leader of a major company, small business or community event can have an impact on Downtown in 2010.

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis 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

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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writErs: Anna Scott, Ryan Vaillancourt coNtributiNG Editors: David Friedman, Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jeff Favre, Michael X. Ferraro, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins ProductioN AssistANt / EvENt coordiNAtor: Claudia Hernandez PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Vandervort AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin sAlEs AssistANt: Annette Cruz clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway, Tam Nguyen, Kelley Smith circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla 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. It is also distributed to the extended urban communities of Glendale, Hollywood, Wilshire Center, Los Feliz, Silver Lake & Larchmont Village.

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Downtown News 5

Opinion

The Readers Talk Back Website Comments on the Projects of the Decade, Park Plans and More

os Angeles Downtown News posts comments to stories on our website. Here are some of the most recent responses. Additional comments appear on downtownnews.com (comments follow individual articles). Further responses are welcome.

Regarding the Dec. 21 story “Downtown’s Dynamic Decade,” a ranking of the most important projects of the era, by Jon Regardie o Eastern Columbia Building? Really? Downtown’s, and the Historic Core’s, most precious Art Deco gem? Not even a mention? —posted by Rachel Parker, Dec. 21, 12:09 p.m.

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he riots of 1992 took five years to forget and a strong, market-oriented Republican mayor to foster safe streets and hope that attracted risk takers like Phil Anschutz to build Staples, myself to complete the market rate unsubsidized first phase of Medici in 2000, and Tom Gilmore to be the pioneer in adaptive reuse. What a difference a decade makes. First place should have gone to Mayor Richard Riordan for making Downtown safe for business and investors like myself. Without the leadership of Mayor Riordan, none of what transpired would have happened as it did. That quality of leadership in my opinion made all the difference we see today. —posted by Geoff Palmer, Dec. 24, 8:22 a.m.

feel Disney Hall’s construction and opening, and of course what has followed since that opening in October 2003, was the defining moment [ed. note: the project was ranked

#2 on our list], in that it thrust L.A., and by default Downtown L.A., onto the world stage in the arts. It enabled the L.A. Philharmonic to bring every major orchestra in the world to Downtown L.A. It enabled us to show L.A. Opera that audiences will come when you give them the product, and with the orchestra’s departure from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and of course the arrival of Plácido Domingo and James Conlon, it allowed the opera to have a house to itself, and thus ramp up the programming, star power, and even produce the elusive Ring cycle, money problems notwithstanding. The ascendancy of the Philharmonic orchestra to the top five in the world stunned the entire classical music world — Boston, Philly, NY, Chicago, maybe, but L.A.? No one expected that. And then there is the Dudamel phenomenon, which surely would not have occurred in the Dorothy Chandler. —posted by Carter, Jan. 4, 10:32 a.m. Regarding the Dec. 21 story “10 Biggest Problem Projects of the Decade,” by Jon Regardie ow many tens or hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted on these projects and what percentage was Valley monies? It’s time we in the Valley once and for all break away from L.A. —posted by Noel D., Dec. 19, 6:11 p.m.

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it of Despair [for the graffiti-scarred plot west of City Hall]: For the kids that need a place to skateboard, let’s make Downtown’s unofficial graffiti pit/skate park free and official with ramps, loops and stairs. Put a food cart there so the suits can eat lunch and re-

member or imagine what it’s like to be a kid again. Oops, aren’t they supposed to be in school? Well, let’s do it by summer and Downtown will have another green space, at least open and recreational. —posted by TK Nagano, Dec. 20, 2:53 p.m.

ince it looks like Angels Flight may never reopen, perhaps they just should put in an elevator so people don’t have to climb the 153 steps. —posted by Richard B, Dec. 21, 3:18 p.m.

Regarding “Getting Around,” about Downtown transportation projects to watch in 2010, published online Dec. 30, by Ryan Vaillancourt hat about the subway to Santa Monica? No single project will provide a greater development boon to Downtown L.A., and it’s time for the Downtown News to wake up to that fact. —posted by Juanito, Dec. 31, 9:19 p.m.

Regarding the Dec. 23 online item “Councilman Eyes New Park,” about a proposed facility in Chinatown, by Anna Scott t would be nice if they made a small dog park for our furry friends. Right now we have to drive to Highland Park or Silver Lake. Downtown doggies deserve their own urban bliss. —posted by Tiffany Gonzales, Dec. 23, 4:22 p.m.

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agree. It would be nice to have a dog park close by to the burgeoning Downtown residential boom. That way, people wouldn’t

have to drive their dogs to the suburbs. —posted by Michael Tagupa, Dec. 23, 7:24 p.m.

here is such a park: a 32-acre, very dog friendly, and very close-by park. The Los Angeles State Historic Park begins just past College and Spring streets (Chinatown Metro Gold Line Station) and extends between Broadway and Spring Street all the way to the edge of the Los Angeles River. A good number of Downtown residents and their dogs, and also dog walkers, frequently visit the park for exercise and a breath of fresher and a bit cleaner air. —posted by Pete V. Navidad, Dec. 25, 1:40 p.m.

Regarding the Dec. 7 story “Pennies and Minutes With Art Leahy,” an interview with the Metro CEO, by Ryan Vaillancourt like this guy! I laughed at his USC jokes. Fight on! Hopefully he’ll get his organization humming. —posted by Alex Kasperavicius, Dec. 4, 5:34 p.m.

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t’s good to have someone at the top that knows what it’s like to start from the bottom. I’ve always believed that if you love and believe in what you do, you will always want what is best for your employees. CEOs have come and gone and I don’t recall any in the last 20 years ever really giving acknowledgement to the “core” of the organization the way Leahy does. The bus and rail operators and the frontline supervisors are the core of Metro. It’s not an easy job by any means. The skill level that is required is unknown to the public. —posted by Hills-Jury, Dec. 8, 10:50 a.m.

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Divorced From the Times I Tried to Pay. They Wouldn’t Let Me. Now I Have to Get the Newspaper Online for Free by Jon RegaRdie executive editoR

fter seven years, I have split from my Los Angeles Times subscription. It’s not a Tiger Woods-Elin Nordegren-type breakup, but it’s disappointing nonetheless. The Times no longer lands on my steps seven mornings a week, as faithful and obedient as a loveable ol’ dog that’s blind in one the regardie report

eye and lame in two legs. That is not meant as an analogy to a newspaper that has chopped about 50% of its editorial team in recent years. As is often the case in splits, this one was driven by money and differing perspectives on responsibility. I’m not sure why the L.A. Times weekday circulation has fallen from about 1.1 million in 2000 to 657,000 last September (according to a New York Times story utilizing Audit Bureau of Circulations numbers), but in this instance it came down to something that didn’t seem like a good deal for the cash, and poor customer service. Plus, I realized I can get everything I need from the Times for free by going online. I’m not happy the relationship is over. In the months leading up to our fracture, I made five attempts to pay a fair rate and resolve our dispute. The first four were either unsuccessful or ignored. On the fifth, they proved nearly intractable. Maybe they thought I was intractable. From that point on, the end was imminent. Sure enough, when I walked down-

stairs on Christmas morning to get the paper, there was no paper. I’d be bothered by the Grinchy symbolism of the timing if I wasn’t Jewish. Still, it was a post-Hannukah bummer. Inadvertent Seed The seed for the problem was planted in summer 2008, when I learned that you could pre-pay by credit card for an entire year of the Times for $104. That marked a significant decrease from the approximately $21 a month I was then paying. So wham bam Van Damme, I signed up. The Times never sent me a receipt or a follow-up statement. I didn’t consider that an issue at the time — after all, the charge was chronicled on my credit card bill. So imagine my surprise when, a few months ago, I received a bill from the Times for $310. I was shocked and unhappy; I probably felt like Antonio Villaraigosa last March after he notched 55% in his mayoral re-election. I called the 800 number on the bill and wound up speaking with a call center. I soon did what you should always do when talking to a call center: I asked for a supervisor. When connected, I asked the man where the $310 came from and how could I renew the year-in-prepayment deal? He didn’t have answers, but vowed to contact the main Times offices and said I would hear back. I didn’t hear anything. The only “response” came a few weeks later when my answering machine recorded a robocall saying I was late paying my bill. It left an 866 number. I called it but got a busy signal. I tried

again. Busy. I tried three more times over the next day. Busy every time. A few weeks later I got another bill for $310. Feeling like Marty McFly in Back to the Future II, I tried to solve the same problem with a minimal plot twist. I called the first 800 number and got upgraded to a supervisor who was friendly but unable to help. He instructed me to fax a copy of my credit card statement to the Times accounting department and said he would advise them on the matter. I faxed the next day but, breaking news, got no response. Then another robocall came. When I tried the number they left, I got a message saying to call a different number where it would cost $5 to speak with someone. I replayed the message to make sure the number was right. It was. I redialed. Same message. That made four attempts to pay a newspaper whose parent company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. One would think they might want the money. A Matter of Principle In December, I finally got a call from a person. Not a robot person and not a call center person, but an accounting department person. I said thanks for calling, had they received the emails from the call center and my fax? I suppose I should not have been surprised they said no. Of course, I soon asked for a supervisor. This man was friendly and professional. He said the Times no longer offers a year prepaid for $104, but would give me a rate of $3 a week for the future. I could accept that. However, for the time passed, they wanted to

charge me $6 a week. If I’d been drinking something, it would have come out my nose. I said I never received anything from the Times indicating the rate would jump threefold after the year. I said that if someone had returned my call months before, we would not be having this dispute. He offered $4.50 a week for the past few months, which I again said didn’t help when I had tried long ago to contact them. At this point we were actually only about $20 apart. But by now it was principle as much as anything. Maybe they felt the same way. He said I’d be shifted to delinquent accounts — I felt like another dissatisfied customer. My subscription has stopped, but I still get the Times — via latimes.com. In fact, I can get much more coverage for free on the website than I would get by paying for a physical paper. I feel like all the 19-year-olds who will never buy a newspaper subscription in their entire life. Still, I’d prefer to get the paper. I like the tactile experience of reading it in the morning over breakfast. I miss the ritual of discussing stories with my wife. As a journalist, I’d like to show my kids that there is a reason, a worth and a value in a newspaper subscription. I’d have hoped that someone at the Times would have reviewed my account and fixed this. I’m also guessing that if this happened to me, I’m not the only one. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.

F E I L E R RAFFIC

S K R O W E IN TH

Everyone talks about being stuck in tra;c, but LA County voters did something about it. In November 2008, Measure R was approved, committing a projected $40 billion to tra;c relief and transportation upgrades over the next 30 years. Following are updates on some of the projects supported by Measure R.

Alternatives Studied For Westside Subway Extension Public meetings were held late last year to discuss various station locations along the proposed routes of the Westside Subway Extension. Metro is currently preparing an environmental study of two project alternatives: a Metro Purple Line subway extension under Wilshire Boulevard through Santa Monica; and the Metro Purple Line extension plus a subway extension from Hollywood.

$1 Billion I-405 Sepulveda Pass Widening Project Launches

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$9.5 Million Returned To Cities From Measure R The ﬁrst installments in Measure R local return sales tax monies totaling $9.5 million have gone out to 38 cities in LA County for transportation improvements. First and second payments for sales taxes received from July through September ranged from $2,635 for the City of Irwindale to $6.1 million for the City of LA.

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Motorists face road closures and construction delays on the I-405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass for the next few years – but with a big pay-o= in the end. Widening the freeway between the I-10 and U.S. 101 freeways will add a northbound carpool lane to one of the busiest – and most congested – freeways in the nation. For more go to metro.net/projects_studies/I405.

January 11, 2010

Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com v

The Artist in Chief

GRAND

A Conversation With New Art Walk Leader Jay Lopez by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

ast month Jay Lopez took the job of director of the Downtown Art Walk, capping a tumultuous period for the 5-year-old event that takes place the second Thursday of the month. In anticipation of the Jan. 14 Art Walk, Los Angeles Downtown News spoke with Lopez — an artist himself, he has a space in the Historic Core — about the event’s past and future.

Los Angeles Downtown News: How familiar were you with Art Walk before you were contacted about the director position? Jay Lopez: I’ve worked with a lot of different galleries in multiple capacities Downtown during their life spans and over a period from when there were five to 30 people going to Art Walk (and people were like, “Yay! We got 30 people now!”), all the way to more recently where it’s like, “Wow, I can’t walk down the street right now because it’s so packed.” Q: How will your credits producing arts event guide your leadership of Art Walk? JL: “East of Eden” was a multi-gallery exhibition I organized [in 2008 at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barsndall Park]. So instead of having one gallery with multiple artists, we had 15 galleries bringing in all of the artists they represent. It was like an art fair, an all-contemporary art fair; that was the unifying theme behind it, but everybody had something completely different to contribute. It takes a lot of determination to put on events like this. The Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery is part indoor space, but then the park in front of it is controlled by the city Recreation and Parks department. We had to deal with the city to get permits, figure out parking and figure out a lot of little nuances that very much mirror the situation with Art Walk. Q: What has Art Walk done well, and where has it faltered? JL: I wouldn’t say specifically there’s a place where it’s failing. I just see that there are some challenges. Some of them are new, and some will present themselves as we grow. Part of it right now is, there’s a lot of drinking. Is it a party? Or is it an art show? We hear the same questions about the food vendors, outdoor music, what time does it close? Then as far as its successes, first its inception — being able to pull this together is incredible, bringing this many people on board to do some incredible

AuCtiOn

things to get people to come see the vision of Downtown. Q: What are your top goals for leading Art Walk? JL: The first thing we’ve worked on, and my top priority right now, is finding a way to disseminate information to everybody. How do we get the word out to everybody on everything? Currently our focus is the web. We’re getting ready to launch a brand new website and we’re publishing the first map of the year. And I’ve made it a personal mission to walk around to every gallery to find out their questions, concerns, comments and contributions. Q: The board was recently working on a sponsorship deal with Cadillac. What’s your take on the fundraising needs? JL: The Cadillac thing happened before I got here. I’m not sure about that. But part of what we’re doing now is trying to evaluate what our needs actually are. Some of it is fundraising, but a lot of that fundraising is local businesses advertising with us on the back of our maps, and there will be a web arm to that too. Q: You came into the gig in the wake of a sort of nasty divorce between the board and its former director and treasurer. Has that affected your transition? JL: None whatsoever. I’m a diplomat by nature and I work with everybody and I’m all ears to what everybody has to say. Q: Food trucks: Pack ’em in? Or send ’em packing? JL: I like food trucks, but I like eating [at the permanent establishments] down here too. You’re asking someone who works with everybody. But there’s the issue of how do we manage the distribution of the crowds because we’re having bottlenecks at points that make it unpleasurable for everyone. And Art Walk is about the whole Art Walk, not just certain corners. As far as food trucks go, people come and eat. Let’s give them places to eat. Let’s give them options, but let’s spread it out a little bit. I also want to be very respectful to people who have businesses down here. I don’t think it’s fair if someone parks up right in front of your entrance. Q: Art Walk has become largely a social event.

y A D 1 ! y l N o PReview

Jan. 22nd and 23rd, 11-5pm photo by Gary Leonard

Jay Lopez, the new director of Art Walk, helms his first event on Jan. 14.

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How do you strike a balance between an outing geared toward socializing and one focused on promoting art? JL: The irony with a lot of the stuff that we can try to direct is that it organically grows and shrinks. We could try to give it some direction but the reality is that what people take or make out of it is what they’re going to take or make out of it. I’m here as a facilitator. So people say I’d love to do this, and I try to connect them to places that can help them. I’m here as gallery support, I’m here as support for the city. So is it bad that people come here to enjoy themselves? I love it. I think there’s room for everyone down here. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews. com.

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January 11, 2010

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ESPN Continued from page 1 connect with sports fans in a way that provided them information specific to their greatest passion, their home teams,” said Jim Pastor, ESPN’s senior vice president in charge of the local site initiative. The local site project was born in April with an ESPN Chicago site. Versions followed in Dallas and Boston. The next to arrive will be New York. The localization effort comes at a time when major metropolitan daily newspapers, long the go-to source for consumers of sports media, are losing readers and trimming staff. That could pose a challenge to the sports section of the Los Angeles Times, which currently boasts 46 full-time staffers — ESPNLosAngeles.com has 12 full-timers. “Even if for the time being the Times has a bigger staff, the trend is certainly not in their favor, and trusted names like ESPN, when joined by trusted reporters, gives them a really powerful one-two-three punch in these local markets,” said David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute. “The new [local sites] serve to more than fire a shot over the bows of the Times and other papers.” Times sports editor Mike James said the paper takes ESPN’s local presence seriously, but expects to remain the primary lo-

It’s Time

cal online hub for Los Angeles sports news. “Of course, ESPN will draw viewers to its local site, but ultimately, there isn’t anyone in this market who can approach the breadth and depth of coverage that our experienced and very talented staff provides in print and online every day,” James said in an email. ESPNLosAngeles.com already hired away brothers Brian and Andy Kamenetzky, the bloggers who had been covering the Lakers for the Times, and the site snagged former Los Angeles Daily News staffers Ramona Shelburne and Tony Jackson. Still, Pastor said that siphoning page views from the Times and other publications is not part of ESPN’s mission. “We have never really looked at this as being in competition with newspapers or anybody else who occupies this space,” Pastor said. “We know there’ll be others using digital platforms to connect with local fans.... What we’re doing is looking at resources we have in place to define our presence there, in ways that we believe will be unique.” Throwing Spaghetti As ESPN has trotted out its local sites, Pastor said the company has worked to tailor each one to the particular passions of its city. They’re not cookie cutter sites, he said, even if they share a similar layout and site architecture. Dallas, for example, has more demand for coverage of high school football and basketball, and readers want Cowboys news early and often — even in the NFL off-season, Pastor said.

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In Los Angeles, of course, there will be little professional football coverage. The local passion here comes in purple and gold, and in Dodger blue, said Eric Neel, managing editor of ESPNLosAngeles.com. In that sense, it’s little mystery what storylines to focus on out of the gate, and Neel said editorial coverage will be driven largely by what readers demand. What Neel is more focused on is how to tell those stories. That is an important question given ESPN’s slate of media platforms. Though the site’s staff is comprised largely of writers, ESPNLosAngeles.com draws from 710 ESPN (and sends its writers to the radio shows), and it works on a local version of the network’s enormously popular “SportsCenter” show every day. As writers approach stories, sometimes they’ll do so with a notebook, other times with a flipcam or audio recording gear, Neel said. “When we were interviewing people to come work for it, I said to everyone I’m not hiring writers, I’m hiring content producers, because we’re not thinking in a traditional content way,” Neel said. Neel and Pastor said readers can expect the site to be fluid in its early days, changing according to how they use it. “The word that would best describe it would be evolution,” Pastor said. “You’ll see us throw some spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks and we want sports fans in L.A. to help us shape and identify those things along the way too.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Trade-Tech Continued from page 1 entrance. It’s a grand welcome point, especially considering that access to the campus’ old entrance along Washington Boulevard has been obstructed since the Metro Blue Line opened a station across the street — in 1990. What’s more important to the school and the neighborhood is that the $85 million project is only one piece of a $600 million campus overhaul approved by voters in 2002. An additional $20 million in grants has since been secured, said school president Roland “Chip” Chapdelaine. It’s quite a change for a school that before the current burst had not seen new construction in more than 30 years. “This campus has not seen a new building since 1974 and before that not since the 1960s,” Chapdelaine said. “We have a number of buildings from the 1920s and 1930s, so it’s a true Downtown urban campus with minimum investment in infrastructure for a very long period of time.” Gleaming Green Like the rest of the city’s community colleges, Trade-Tech is a two-year institution. It serves about 16,000 students per semester, many of whom use the school as a launching pad to a four-year university. While Trade-Tech has the same kind of comprehensive curriculum offered at the other local community colleges, 70% of its programs are in career technical education. It is known for courses in construction, culinary arts (where students can even learn to carve ice sculptures) and auto mechanics. The school’s vocational training has evolved with the changes in American industry, Chapdelaine said. Whereas students through the 1990s may have learned how to troubleshoot a diesel engine, today they also receive instruction in how to make biofuels (utilizing used frying oil from the culinary students). Traditional courses for aspiring electricians remain, but

they’re now augmented by a program geared toward the solar power industry, teaching the science of photovoltaic systems and the craft of system installation. Those students will have a veritable on-campus lab later this year, as the school plans to install a photovoltaic system that will provide up to 20% of the electricity for the two new Grand Avenue buildings, said Deba Mohapatra, project director with Anil Verma Associates, the firm overseeing the expansion. The new structures, each measuring about 121,000 square feet, were built according to specifications for LEED Silver certification (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the leading standard for green building), said Mohapatra. Visually Competitive The south structure houses two 100-seat lecture halls, various offices and mathematics and behavioral sciences classrooms, each equipped with high tech accessories such as touch-screen monitors and projectors. The north structure, the student services building, houses admissions, registration and administrative offices. The buildings’ infrastructure is a major step up from the campus’ older facilities. But it is the exteriors that make the most visceral impression on the community. The corners of the twin, five-story buildings undulate, like drapes blowing in a light wind. Secondary steel structures are overlaid around parts of the façade so that few windows bear the same shape. Inside, both buildings have lobbies with curvaceous features that direct the eye upward. “It is Downtown Los Angeles — these are buildings that really had to be competitive with their image,” said Steve Johnson, a principal with MDA Johnson Favarro. “You had to notice them, notice the college, because there’s a lot of new exciting buildings being built now.” That is also why the south building features massive lettering — LATTC — on its west-facing façade: It is visible from both the Santa Monica (10) and Harbor (110) freeways. Chapdelaine said the school employed such a design scheme

photo by Gary Leonard

School officials opted for a design with curves and flourishes. “It is Downtown Los Angeles — these are buildings that really had to be competitive with their image,” said architect Steve Johnson.

to underscore a key philosophy of Trade-Tech — trade as art. Chapdelaine bristles as the stereotype that vocational training is for those who couldn’t find a job using their brain, so instead turned to their hands. “We’re emphasizing that when you do your trade correctly you actually are performing a work of art,” he said. “So we’re taking that building and making a very definitive statement about the trades. To do it right, to do it well, to give them the flexibility to be creative, you’re creating a piece of art.” The two new buildings will open to students in the spring semester, starting in February, and the school is pressing on with its master plan to overhaul and expand the campus. In the works are a new track and field, a sports and wellness center and a construction technology building. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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January 11, 2010

Downtown News 11

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HEALTH To a Healthy Year Tips to Avoid the Flu, Lower Stress and Stay in Shape by Richard Guzmán city editor

‘This is considered prime flu season, although the one rule is there is no rule because influenza can mutate throughout the year.’ —Dr. Tom Horowitz, Good Samaritan Hospital

can be a particularly stressful time for many people. “I think a lot of times people can overburden themselves with expectations that may be unrealistic,” he said. Those burdens may still exist. Things to look out for during stressful times, he said, are loss of appetite, persistent sadness, changes in your sleep patterns and a sense of fatigue, which can all be signs of depression. Maintaining balance in your life is the key to keeping your mental health intact, he said. Let’s Get Physical: Oportot recommends maintaining a balanced physical regimen during and after the holidays. If you were running around frantically trying to find the perfect gift for someone or lugging around dozens of shopping bags at once, then you should slow down and take it easy. But don’t become a couch potato either — stress can build up in your body, and exercise allows you to spend that energy in a healthy way rather then having it come out as aggression, irritability or depression. Social Butterfly: Balance your social life by appreciating the relationships you have and spending time with friends and family, but also make sure you have time on your own to regroup, relax and stay grounded. Check it Out: Maintaining a balanced

photo courtesy of Melissa Halas-Liang photo courtesy of Good Samaritan Hospital

Dr. Miguel Oportot of Good Samaritan Hospital notes that a balanced physical regimen is an important part of staying healthy, especially during times of stress.

photo courtesy of Good Samaritan Hospital

Dr. Tom Horowitz of Good Samaritan Hospital says keeping your hands away from your face can help reduce the risk of contracting the flu.

checkbook can also do wonders for your mental state, Oportot said. So be careful what you spend when buying presents for friends and relatives. “Try not to overburden yourself with making everyone happy,” he advises. The Shape of Things Many people list losing weight as a New Year’s resolution. Melissa Halas-Liang, a dietician and founder of Super Kids Nutrition, a website about family nutrition, knows that it is not always that simple. It takes work. While some of her tips apply foremost to holiday parties, they make sense for celebrations in January and throughout the rest of the year. Eat First: If you’re going to a party, try not to arrive too hungry. If you’re famished when you get there, then you are likely to head straight to the food and overeat. If you don’t have time to eat a proper meal at home, Halas-Liang suggests grabbing an apple or some low-fat string cheese on the way. It is certainly better for you than the chips and sweet snacks found at many parties. Drink Later: Water should be your beverage of choice while eating at a party. Alcohol can lower your inhibitions and turn you into the life of the party, but it can also transform you into a bigger eater, since your eating inhibitions will diminish as well. “If you have the wine after you’re done eating, you’ll be less likely to overeat,” she said. Take a Seat: Another mistake people make is to stand around and talk while eating, Halas-Liang said. “It makes you less present to your meal and you’re not aware of how many cookies you gobbled down.” Virus Control Nothing can ruin your life like the flu. Fortunately, some common sense steps can help keep you disease free, said Dr. Tom Horowitz, chairman of family practice at Good Samaritan Hospital. “This is considered prime flu season, although the one rule is there is no rule because influenza can mutate throughout the year,” said Horowitz. “But at this time of year because people are in closer proximity we see an increase pattern of transmission.” Face the Facts: One of the most important things you can do to avoid the flu is to stop

touching your face, Horowitz said. The biggest mode of transmittal is self-infection, and when a person touches something or shakes the hand of someone who has the flu and then touches his nose or eyes, that’s an invitation for viruses to come in. “Get in the habit of wiping off everything that gets a lot of human touch with antiseptic,” he advises. For your hands, use soap and water or alcohol sanitizers and periodically use lotion; that helps keep bacteria from entering the body through cracks in the hands. Don’t rub your eyes either, as they are a direct path to

Dietitian Melissa Halas-Liang recommends eating a little before parties and drinking later to help maintain your weight.

the nose, Horowitz said. Safety Bubble: If you’re at a party where a friend or relative is sneezing up a storm, remember the six-foot rule. Flu particles can only fly about three to four feet in the air, so staying about six feet away from someone who is sneezing or coughing should keep you safe. Sneezing Etiquette: If you already have the flu, think of others and learn how to sneeze properly. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you turn your head and cough or sneeze into a tissue or the inside of your elbow. Coughing into your hand will spread germs onto everything you touch. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com

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he new year is a time of looking forward, of anticipation and planning. But it is also a time to pay attention to your health. The holidays may have meant presents and family get-togethers, but for many people, they also led to health issues including added stress, weight gain from all the party food, and perhaps even an illness contracted during the height of the flu season. And just because the calendar has changed, that does not mean the health issues have gone away. To help you stay healthy in the new year, Los Angeles Downtown News spoke with three health professionals and got their advice for decreasing stress, staying virus free and staying (somewhat) in shape. Chill Out Dr. Miguel Oportot, a clinical psychologist at Good Samaritan Hospital in City West, said the holidays and the start of the new year

12 Downtown News

January 11, 2010

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Baby Got Cakes

The crowds were huge on opening day for Babycakes. The vegan bakery founded by Erin McKenna (behind counter) is the offshoot of a successful New York business.

New York Vegan Bakery Sets Up Shop in the Historic Core by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

or many dessert fans, doughnuts, red velvet cupcakes, cookie sandwiches and apple cinnamon muffins are always on the menu. For the folks behind Babycakes, a new Downtown offshoot of a remarkably popular New York bakery, traditional ingredients found in those foods are not. Babycakes, which opened Jan. 3 in the Pacific Electric Building at Sixth and Los Angeles streets, is a strictly vegan bakery. Its offerings forgo things such as white sugar, wheat flour, butter, cream and eggs. Instead, the bakery goes the organic route, sweetening treats with ingredients including agave nectar, a natural syrup from a cactus plant. It also employs rice flour, applesauce, coconut oil and a garbanzo and fava bean mix for flour. It may be different than most of what is out there, but it obviously has an audience. Lines were out the door on opening day. “We’re a specialty bakery for people with food sensitivities, people who are vegan and those who just choose to eat more healthy,” said Erin McKenna, president of Babycakes. McKenna founded Babycakes four years ago on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The bakery quickly gained a following, and in 2006 New York magazine declared that it served the best cupcakes in the city. The article brought customers from all over, including Los Angeles. They constantly asked when McKenna would open a West Coast location. McKenna, who once lived in Los Angeles and has family in San Diego, thought L.A. would be a fit. Still, Downtown was not initially her first choice. “We thought about West Hollywood, but it was just too expensive for us since our ingredients are really expensive, so our fixed costs have to be really low,” she said. “We looked Downtown and we liked the energy down here, and there are

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a lot of business owners working hard to make this an area where people celebrate the old architecture.” With neighbors like Cole’s, and tattoo artist Mr. Cartoon’s shop across the street, McKenna decided to sign a lease on a 990-square-foot spot. She relocated part of her New York team to open the Downtown business. Overwhelming Response The Babycakes fan base was apparent even before they served their first blueberry muffin. About 60 people were in line by the time the doors opened at 10 a.m. on a Sunday. “It was the best day of my life and the worst day of my life,” said McKenna, noting that they ran out of cupcakes 30 minutes before closing time. “It was overwhelming,” chimed in Sabrina Wells, McKenna’s business partner. For Downtown customers, the healthier eats are worth the wait. Although she missed the opening day crowds, Maria Fuentes still had to stand in line on a Tuesday afternoon. “I’ve been curious about how they would taste and I’m not disappointed,” she said after biting into a carrot cupcake with vanilla frosting. “Not bad, not bad,” she said as she continued to munch. “And I can eat all I want without feeling bad.”

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For Marla Green, the cookie sandwich was too much to resist. It’s gluten free, dairy free, egg free, even soy free, but at $5, it wasn’t all free. “It’s a little pricey and normally I wouldn’t eat anything this decadent,” she said. “But the peace of mind and flavor make up for it.” McKenna acknowledges that her products are on the pricey side, with cupcakes from $3.25-$4.25. But that’s what it costs to prepare healthier foods, she said. “They’re a little more expensive than regular cupcakes because we ship all of our ingredients from all over the country, and it’s things you would find in a health food store,” she said. She said Babycakes creations are more muffin-like in texture than a traditional cupcake. They are also not as “sickeningly sweet” as many cupcakes, she said. Still, the most popular item in the first few days has been the doughnuts (“They’re baked and not fried,” remarked McKenna). Even at $3.50 apiece, they can’t keep them on the shelves, McKenna said. While the ingredients may be new to people who love doughnuts and cupcakes, the selection won’t be. Babycakes keeps things familiar by offering many of the selections that can be found at regular bakeries, such as red velvet, vanilla, chocolate and carrot cupcakes, or brownies. “We keep things very familiar so people aren’t afraid when they walk in,” McKenna said. Those who walk in will also notice a retro vibe. Mimicking an old ice cream parlor, the bakery features white counters, a large glass display case and an all-female staff dressed in pink-striped short dresses sporting bowties or regular ties. It is sort of like a roller-derby girl version of soda jerks. “I want people to have an experience of more than just good desserts when they walk in,” McKenna said. “ It makes the whole experience a little more special.” Babycakes is at 130 E. Sixth St., (213) 623-5555 or babycakesnyc.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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January 11, 2010

Downtown News 13

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Pee-wee’s Big Comeback After 19 Years, Paul Reubens’ Man-Child Character Returns, With a Show at Club Nokia by AnnA Scott StAff writer

n erso Ph c M ris Ch by o t pho

Comedian Paul Reubens, in character as Pee-wee Herman. The Pee-wee Herman Show opens at Club Nokia on Jan. 12 and runs through Feb. 7.

lub Nokia is known as a venue for rock and pop concerts. For the next month however, the stage that usually serves host to singers, guitarists and drummers will instead hold a talking chair, a friendly pterodactyl and one unmistakable man-child in a short gray suit and red bowtie. Comedian Paul Reubens’ Pee-wee Herman, the character at the center of the 1980s Saturday morning children’s television program “Peewee’s Playhouse” and two movies, is staging a Downtown Los Angeles comeback. His new vehicle, The Pee-wee Herman Show, opens at Club Nokia on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The 90-minute comedy-musical blends elements of the family-friendly “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” with a sensibility closer to a raunchier Pee-wee that debuted in an L.A. stage show in 1981. The Downtown performance runs through Feb. 7 “What we’re trying to do is find that balance between keeping all the iconic stuff and then re-investing in it so the people who have seen it already don’t feel like it’s some sort of museum piece,” said Pee-wee Herman Show director Alex Timbers during a press event last month. Reubens, Timbers said, “wants to really reinvent the Playhouse. He wants to re-imagine it for 2010.” Reubens, in character as Pee-wee, gave a more exuberant take on the production. “An extravaganza!” he exclaimed when asked to describe the show. “It’s going to be so funny and technically dazzling. We’re doing all this stuff that we’ve never done before, ever.” Something Old, Something New Reubens created Pee-wee nearly three decades ago while a member of the Hollywood-based improvisational comedy troupe the Groundlings. The character who first drew attention in a show at the Roxy club in West Hollywood was full of bawdy humor. The Pee-wee of film and television was much more innocent. The Tim Burtondirected 1985 hit movie Pee-wee’s Big Adventure led to the small screen program, which ran from 19861990. The show revolved around the character’s wacky adventures in a psychedelic playhouse with friends like Pteri the pterodactyl, Chairry the talking chair, a wish-granting Genie named Jambi and The Most Beautiful Woman in Puppetland, aka Miss Yvonne. A lesssuccessful follow-up film, Big Top Pee-wee, was released in 1988. The Downtown Pee-wee Herman Show is also set in the fantasy world of the Playhouse, and revolves around its title character’s quest to fly. Sub-plots involve a romance, a firefighter and a mishap with a deep fryer. The tone of the show, Timbers said, falls somewhere between the “PG-13” Groundlings performance and the safely G-rated “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.” “It is for all audiences, but it’s not quite as vanilla as the TV show was sometimes,” said Timbers, 31. “It does have a little bit of an archness to it, and a sort of self-awareness that I think people who like alternative comedy will appreciate.” In that vein, fans of “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” will recognize some familiar faces and themes. The production also introduces new characters and contemporary pop-culture references, among them a handyman named Sergio, a dancing bear, and allusions to abstinence rings, ShamWows and PayPal. The behind-the-scenes team includes original “Pee-wee’s Playhouse”

photo by Gary Leonard

(l to r) Herman, director Alex Timbers, producer Scott Sanders and costume designer Ann Closs-Farley. The Club Nokia production tries to find a balance between the family-friendly sensibility of Pee-wee’s television show and his earlier, raunchier incarnation.

collaborators such as composer Jay Cotton and designer Gary Panter, alongside new additions such as costume designer Ann Closs-Farley and puppet consultant Basil Twist, who recently directed the REDCAT drag cabaret-puppet show Arias With a Twist. While The Pee-wee Herman Show represents a return to Reuben’s roots, in terms of scale it suggests how far the actor has come: While the original stage show cost $5,000, this multi-million dollar production (producers refuse to disclose the exact budget) requires 11 actors, 20 puppets and 17 puppeteers. “It is so much work and takes so much time, it’s shocking,” Reubens said in his nasal Pee-wee voice. “Honestly, I felt like, ‘let’s just put on a show again.’ Yeah. Not as simple as it seemed.” Taking the Stage There has been speculation in entertainment industry circles in recent years about what form Pee-wee Herman’s comeback would take, including reports of new film scripts in development. The character has mostly remained out of the public eye for more than 15 years, never recovering from Reuben’s 1991 arrest for indecent exposure in a Florida pornographic movie house. Reubens, asked why he decided to mount a stage show, said, “The real answer is, why not? There really wasn’t a whole heck of a lot of thought put into it. I was just like, maybe I’ll do the show again. Here we are.” Pee-wee Herman Show producer Scott Sanders, however, dismisses the aw-shucks approach. He describes Reubens as an exacting artist. “I knew that Pee-wee never does anything easy,” said Sanders, who has known Reubens since the early ’80s. “It was going to be exciting and it was going to be expansive and I knew it was going to be very ambitious. I said, ‘You’re talking about doing a Broadway show for four weeks.’” The Pee-wee Herman Show was originally scheduled to open last November at the Music Box Theatre in Hollywood. It was moved to the 1,100-seat Club Nokia to meet the ticket demand. Bringing a large-scale musical to a theater designed for concerts presented a new challenge, said Susan Rosenblum, vice president of the concert promoter Goldenvoice, the subsidiary of L.A. Live developer the Anschutz Entertainment Group that books Club Nokia. “It’s going to be 32 performances, the longest-running show we will have here,” she said. “When a concert comes through for one night, they pretty much have everything turnkey. It’s very different than sitting down in one place at one time and developing material for them.” Building the set in such a unique space also presented the Pee-wee Herman Show team with some logistical challenges, Timbers said. An unintended upside, he said, is that it has provided a distraction from any plans to move to another venue after Club Nokia. “The extreme peculiarities of the space really require us to deal with just this space, which is great because it takes a lot of pressure off and allows us to really cater to an L.A. audience,” said Timbers. “The goal is just to make it a great L.A. show.” Reubens said that so far, he has also avoided caving to performance pressure. “If you ask me that in hindsight, later, I might’ve felt some pressure,” he said. But for the moment, he said, he is confident that audiences will give him a warm welcome back. The Pee-wee Herman Show runs Jan. 12-Feb. 7 at Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or peewee.com/new/show.html. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

14 Downtown News

January 11, 2010

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Spaceland Continued from page 1 booked some of the most famous rock acts around, often long before they became famous. Groups who have played Spaceland’s clubs or events include the White Stripes, Snow Patrol, The Killers, Modest Mouse, Silversun Pickups and Jane’s Addiction. That’s just a start. Spaceland Productions’ three main venues are Club Spaceland, a 260-capacity space in Silver Lake that was Frank’s first club; The Echo, a 350-person spot on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park; and the Echoplex, a 680-capacity space off Glendale Boulevard downstairs from The Echo. Spaceland works Downtown, too. They book independent acts at Pershing Square during the summer and for the Downtown On Ice skating rink, and at the Natural History Museum’s First Fridays series. “We do it all,” Frank said during a recent visit to his loft-like office, populated by a staff that looks more like they should be in a band than behind a computer. “Since there are no more record companies we’re doing everything from radio promotion to tour promo-

tion and marketing. We try to break acts as well. We’ve got three venues pretty much open every night, and we’re doing about 100 outside events.” It’s a tough business however, and while Frank would not go into details about the company’s finances, he said they run a tight ship with a slim profit margin. “It’s obviously a struggle to compete with companies that have blank checks, companies that are not necessarily more focused on the music, but more focused on the profits,” he said. Hard Work In general, the company pays the bands a set rate for their performances, which for a well-known act can mean tens of thousands of dollars. It then tries to turn a profit via ticket sales. Although it doesn’t always go as planned. “We have to be out there building relationships with bands all the time,” said Elizabeth Garo, talent buyer for Spaceland Productions. “You can’t just assume everyone is going to come to us.” Frank booked his first Spaceland show in 1995, when he called on a few friends to play at the Silver Lake space. Those friends included Beck, who performed along with Possum Dixon and the Foo Fighters.

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Despite the well-known acts on opening night, it took plenty of work for the club to take off. “I changed the night, changed the name of the club,” said Frank. “I was into indie rock before it was popular. It was slow going at first.” Once steam picked up, the venue became known as a place to catch the next big act before anyone else, except for the other 259 people in the room. A consistent draw was the free nights, usually Mondays, when a band would get a month-long residency. “People expect us to show them the next great band,” said Garo. After having several homes in Echo Park and Silver Lake, Spaceland Productions moved to Downtown about a year ago so that Frank could be close to another project he’s working on, one separate from the music company. This summer, Frank and his partners are opening a second location of Malo, a popular Silver Lake taqueria known for its impressive tequila menu. It will open close to Spaceland’s office on Seventh Street. Teaming Up But in Downtown, people are more familiar with Spaceland concerts than Frank’s food. Five years ago, the company teamed up with Pershing Square to launch Spaceland on Ice, a free weekly winter concert series that has local rock bands play while people skate. The final show of the season is Wednesday, Jan. 13, with indie pop groups Le Switch and The World Returns. Spaceland was approached by Louise Capone, senior recreation director for the park. A year after Spaceland on Ice premiered, Pershing Square strengthened the partnership with Spaceland Under the Stars, a weekly summer concert series to promote

L.A.’s alternative music scene. “It’s a great partnership; we like the attitude and the trip they are on and we want to be part of that,” Capone said. “We do a variety of bands and this was a chance for us to get in touch with that alternative community.” Spaceland Productions also works with the Natural History Museum for its First Fridays series, which take place the first Friday of the month from January through June. The events combine science lectures with live music and other activity in the effort to draw a young crowd to the museum in Exposition Park. “I was always into indie music and I understood what Spaceland did, so I think it’s a perfect partnership,” said Su Oh, director of programs for the Natural History Museum. “I like that they are a homegrown community. They’re local promoters and they’ve broken a lot of really great acts. We’re the local museum so I think keeping it close to home like that is really cool.” Spaceland and the museum work together to find bands that fit both the museum environment and the scientific lectures that are part of the series. For Spaceland Productions, the future of music is a driving force that will keep adding momentum to their musical lineup. “There’s a lot of amazing stuff out there,” said Frank. “Because radio is dying and record companies are dying, the playing field has been leveled and good music just kind of pops out.” But he still has to worry about a few things. “It’s hard to get up there every morning and say how do I find the next Silversun Pickups?” Whoever the act is, they may be playing, for free, on a Downtown stage. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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Downtown News 15

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Thursday, Jan. 14 Downtown L.A. Art Walk Info and map at downtownartwalk.com. Noon-11 p.m.: The Downtown Art Walk is a selfguided tour that showcases the many art exhibition venues in the Historic Core — art galleries, museums and nonprofit art spaces. Expanding Lifespan Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org. Noon: John C. Lechleiter, chairman, president and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, delivers the address “Lifespans and Livelihoods: The Human Dimensions of Medical Innovation,” which will articulate how medical innovation has helped to add 10 years to American lifespans in the past 50 years, with more breakthroughs on the horizon. Thursdays at Central Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room A, (213) 228-7000 or lapl.org. 12:15-1 p.m.: The Kadampa Meditation Center California leads a presentation on the benefits of meditation on concentration, relaxation and wellbeing. It will include some basic meditation instruction. Aloud at Central 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Atul Gawande’s resume is well, let it speak for itself: bestselling author, surgeon, staff writer at The New Yorker, Harvard Medical School professor and a MacArthur Fellow. In conversation with USC’s Dana Goldman, Gawande will discuss his “Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right.”

FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., downtownindependent.com for showtimes. Through Jan. 12: The theater hosts a 10 p.m. screening of the Bruce Lee martial arts classic Enter the Dragon (35mm, color). Free PBR. Jan. 15-21: The Messenger, directed by Oren Moverman, stars Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton and Jena Malone. Jan. 16, 8 p.m.: Where does a third grade teacher have to go to meet Mr. Right? What is it that keeps punk rock singer Sabrina from meeting a decent man? Find out in Love Songs of a Third Grade Teacher. Flagship Theatres 3323 S. Hoover St., (213) 748-6321. Through Jan. 14: Youth in Revolt and Daybreakers For other showtimes, visit flagshipmovies. com. REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. 8:30 p.m.: Filmmaker James Benning’s first foray

Dance, Music, Medical Talk and Pharmaceutical Fun by AnnA Scott, StAff writer

Bring together three innovative choreographers, 73 low-income youth with a passion for dance and an experimental arts venue and you get The Wooden Floor at REDCAT. The Wooden Floor, a nonprofit arts organization for financially disadvantaged young people, will present three original, contemporary dance works at the Music Center venue on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15 and 16. Fulbright Senior Specialist Mark Haim, New York University graduate Nami Yamamoto and Wooden Floor Artistic Director Melanie Rios Glaser choreographed the performances. The program will start at 8 p.m. both days. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

Los Angeles photo courtesy of

ciety Theatre Organ So

hter, ngs his daug ri b er p ep P d to be hen Colonel to Hollywoo ia rg eo G ty Peggy, from red and hilari e gets discove w sh ho s, S es y tr ed ac m an silent co 28 19 e th of a rare opthe plot ensues. That’s , Jan. 15, take advantage of Vidor and day People. On Fri the film, directed by King nate, see screen. The or ig b e portunity to th on n Davies, ening, prestarring Mario Theatre will host the scre ty, at m Organ Socie e tr ea 1926 Orpheu h T s le e live Los Ange ed will provid or re B sented by the g re G t is y, organ (877) 677-4386 8 p.m. Fittingl S. Broadway, 2 84 t A t. en accompanim . laorpheum.com

FOUR

saTurday, Jan. 16 Used Book Sale Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or lapl.org. 10 a.m.-noon: This sale features materials from four Central Library support groups including hundreds of bargain books, LPs, videos and more. The Panorama-kan The Velaslavasay Panorama , 1122 West 24th St., panaramaonview.org. 8 p.m.: Media art scholar Machiko Kusahara gives an illustrated lecture and presentation about the Japanese panorama exhibition halls known as panorama-kan and related art and entertainments scenes in Japan at the end of the 19th century. Little information on this era of the panorama’s history has been published in English.



The ‘Don’T Miss’ LisT T

Singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson made a splash with several acclaimed songs on the soundtrack to the 2007 teen pregnancy comedy Juno. The no-frills acoustic melodies, delivered in Dawson’s girlish voice, include titles like “My Rollercoaster,” “Tire Swing” and “So Nice So Smart.” Dawson might play some of the tunes when she performs at The Smell on Thursday, Jan. 14. Dawson, who is also half of the indie duo the Moldy Peaches, is one of the higher-profile performers booked in the coming months at the tiny all-ages venue in the Historic Core. Doors open at 8 p.m. At 247 S. Main St., (213) 625-4325 or thesmell.org.

Three The Checklist Manifesto is not the title of an obsessive-compulsive’s angry memoir, but the latest book by bestselling author, surgeon and New Yorker writer Atul Gawande. In the book, Gawande taps his own experiences as a doctor and speaks with pilots and other professionals to conclude that written checklists are key to avoiding errors in routine but complex tasks. Gawande, a surgeon at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, will discuss his findings with USC medical professor Dana Goldman at the Central Library on Thursday, Jan. 14, at 7 p.m. The free event, presented by the Aloud lecture forum, is already full. While standby spaces are usually available just before show time, Aloud staff warns that this one is particularly overbooked, so go early. At 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 2287500 or lfla.org.

P harmaceuti cal giant Eli Lilly has made ple nty of news o ve r the years, from being one of the first comp anie produce penic s to mass illin slapped last ye to being ar with the largest crimin al fine for a single corpora tion in U.S. history (for inappropriately marketin g an antipsych otic drug). The compan y’s storied p ast should provide plenty of fodder for questions on Thursday, Jan. 14, whe n Eli Lilly CEO John C . Lechleiter giv lunchtime lect ure at the Mill es a ennium Biltmore Hote l titled “Lifesp an Livelihoods: T he Human Dim s and ensions of Medical Inno vation.” The p rogram, hosted by To wn Hall Los Angeles, starts at noo n and includ es a luncheon and Q& A session. Reg istration is $60. At 50 6 S. Grand A ve., (213) 628-8141 or to wnhhall-la.org . Contact Anna Sc ott at

anna@downtow nnews.com.

photo by Kevin P. Casey

Tuesday, Jan. 12 Aloud at Central 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Author and animal lover Temple Grandin discusses the intersection of autism, science and animal behavior. Grandin, who wrote “Animals Make Us Human,” is one of the country’s most recognized voices on autism and Aspergers. Using Media to Revive the Arts National Center for the preservation of Democracy, 111 N. Central Ave., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org. Noon: Town Hall L.A. presents Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, who will address how new technologies make the classic arts — ballet, opera, theater and paintings — available to the masses.

photo by Rose Lincoln/Harvard University News

EVENTS

LISTINGS

16 Downtown News

January 11, 2009

DowntownNews.com

But Wait, There’s More!

Additional Event Information on the Web

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM/CALENDAR : EVENTS | ROCK, POP & JAZZ | CLASSICAL MUSIC | THEATER, OPERA & DANCE ART SPACES | FILM | BARS & CLUBS | MUSEUMS | FARMERS MARKETS | TOURS into the digital realm is Ruhr, a meditation on the notion of terra incognita. Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through Jan. 14: It’s Complicated (1:30, 4:20, 7:20 and 10:10 p.m.); Nine (1, 3:50, 6:40 and 9:50 p.m.); Sherlock Holmes (11 a.m. and 1:50, 4:40, 7:30 and 10:40 p.m.); Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (12:10, 2:20, 4:40, 6:50 and 9:20 p.m.); Daybreakers (11:30 a.m. and 12:20, 2, 2:50, 4:30, 5:20, 7, 7:50, 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.); Leap Year (noon, 2:30, 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m.); The Princess and the Frog (11:10 a.m. and 1:40, 4, 6:30 and 9:10 p.m.); Youth in Revolt (12:30 and 3, 5:10, 7:40 and 10:10 p.m.); The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (1:10, 4:10, 7:20 and 10:20 p.m.); Up in the Air (1:20, 4, 6:50 and 9:40 p.m.). Jan. 16, 10 a.m.: The Metropolitan Opera: Carmen.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ 2nd Street Jazz 366 E. Second St., (213) 680-0047, 2ndstjazz.com or myspace.com/2ndstreetlivejazz.

THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

Tuesdays: Jazz jam session. Music usually starts at 9 or 10 p.m. Blue Velvet 750 S. Garland Ave., (213) 239-0061. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 p.m.: Live music and DJs. Café Metropol 923 E. Third St., (213) 613-1537 or cafemetropol.com. Jan. 15, 8-10 p.m.: Pianist Eli Brueggemann. Jan. 16, 7-10 p.m.: Michael Konik and Friends present L.A. jazz appreciation night with special guests (free, but reservations required). Chop Suey Café 347 E. First St., (213) 617-9990 or chopsueycafe.com. Thursdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m.: Live jazz on the patio of the restored landmark. Cicada Cicada Restaurant, 617 S. Olive St., (213) 488-9488 or c icadarestaurant.com. Thursdays, 8-11 p.m.: The velvet-voiced Max Vontaine recreates the sounds and styles of rat packers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. His smoking jackets and tunes are vintage; his bawdy repartee is less so. Keep a close eye on the unlit cigarette. Sundays, 6-11 p.m.: The restaurant is transformed into a vintage, old Hollywood-style dance club every Sunday. Come out to appreciate the big band, swank costumes, dinner and cocktails. Visit cicadaclub.com. Conga Room L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic, (213) 749-0445 or congaroom.com. Jan. 14, 9 p.m.: Azucar Thursday with Teddy Paz. Grammy Museum LA Live, corner of Olympic Blvd and Figueroa St., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Jan. 11, 7 p.m.: The museum presents “Soundtrack for a Revolution,” a new documentary about the American civil rights movement, told through its music — the freedom songs protestors sang on picket lines, in mass meetings, in paddy wagons and in jail cells. It features new performances of freedom songs by John Legend, Joss Stone, Wyclef Jean and The Roots. J Restaurant and Lounge 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746 or jloungela.com. Tuesdays: Live acoustic performances in the lounge. Wednesdays: Salsa in the City features complimentary salsa lessons

Listings for additional concerts, exhibits and more in Downtown Los Angeles can be found on our website. Go to downtownnews.com/calendar for full information, including time and location, for all the happenings in Downtown.

at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m., a batch of live musicians takes over for a jam session. Nokia Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6000 or nokiatheatrelalive.com. Jan. 16, 8 p.m.: Soul band Maze with the one and only Kenny G. Redwood Bar & Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com. Jan. 15, 10 p.m.: Benefit show for Roy Morgan with the Black Widows, The Neurotics and The Crazy Squeez. Jan. 16, 10 p.m.: Mike Watt and his Second Men. Jan. 17, 10 p.m.: The Eye presents Des Roar.

Easy ways to submit Your

Event Info

4 WEB: www.DowntownNews.com 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.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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Contact Cartifact for the full-color, every-building version of this map and others. Available as a poster and in print, web, and mobile media.

700 S. Flower St, Ste. 1940 Los Angeles, CA 90017 213.327.0200 maps�cartifact.com

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18 Downtown News

January 11, 2010

Twitters/DowntownNews

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place your ad online at www.ladowntownnews.com

FOR RENT

L.A. Downtown News Classifieds Call: 213-481-1448

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computers/it

Star Holistic Spa

FRUSTRATED BY COMPUTERS? For services or solutions for home or business, call 213458-6873.

Massage/acupressure $40 (1 Hour) 2551 W. Beverly Blvd. LA, CA, 90057 (Beverly Rampart)

HERNIA REPAIR? Did You Receive A Composix Kugel Mesh Patch Between January 2001 And Present? If the Kugel patch was removed due to complications of bowel perforation, abdominal wall tears, puncture of abdominal organs or intestinal fistulae, you may be entitled to compensation. Attorney Charles Johnson 1-800-535-5727. (CalSCAN)

Fictitious Business name statement File no. 20091822667 The following person is doing business as: NORTH BRONSON SOFTWARE, 1545 N. Bronson Ave. #111, Los Angeles CA 90028, are hereby registered by the following registrant: FREDERIK VAN VOORDEN,

*Availability and prices are subject to change at any time.

Premiere Towers:

City Lofts:

900 sqft, 13 ft ceilings, $1500/mo. • Granite marble top • Stainless steel appliances/refrigerator etc. • Pet friendly We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C

volunteer opportunities

www.cityloftsquare.com

Available Immediately

8 7 7 - 4 L A- LO F TS Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

Guess One of Elicia’s Favorite Cafe Hang-Outs and WIN!

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From $1,250’s/mo. Free parking ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET

756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles 213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com Pricing subject to change without notice.

MILANO LOFTS Now Leasing! • Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings • Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views

6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

Information available to qualified prospective tenants. 8Visit7us7online - Email 4atLwww.LoftLivingLA.com Arequest - L O FtoT S mdavis@shammasgroup.com or Guess Ted’s Favorite Frozen call (213) 746-6300 Yogurt Hang-Out and WIN!

Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly rate $275 inc.

DRE #01706351

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

Top floor of 11 story (18,000 SF) historic building available now! Perfect for corporate hqtrs. Features separate executive suite(s). Stunning views of LA two blocks away from Staples Center and across the street from the new LA Live complex. We have approximately 7,800 square feet of space open with offices along the exterior. Full kitchen with dishwasher, high exposed ceilings and stained floors. The building also has approx 4,000 sq ft of beautiful contiguous space and some small offices available. These spaces RENTING • BUYING • LIVING can be viewed by appointment.

Living Outrageously For Today!®

DRE #01706351

• BUYING S t y RENTING liSh M at e • LIVING

Living Outrageously For Today!®

DRE #01706351

I c o n I c B e au t y

UNITS FEATURE: Private Washer and Dryer • Fully Equipped Gourmet Kitchens Maple European Style Cabinetry • Granite Counter Tops Natural Stone Marble Counter Baths

Please call 213.627.6913

Helping kids heal. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk children and their families. Today is the dayOutrageously to get involved! Contact Living Annie at volunteers@freearts. For Today!® org or 310-313-4278 for more information.

• Lavish Fountains and Sculptures • Free Tanning Rooms • Concierge Service • 24 Hour Doorman • 24/7 On-site Management • Free DSL Computer Use Available • Free Wi-Fi • Magnificent City Views • On-Site Private Resident Park with Sand Volleyball Court, Workout Stations, BBQ’s and Jogging Track

• Brunswick Four Lane Virtual Bowling • Full Swing Virtual Golf • 3100 Square Foot Cybex Fitness Facility • Massage Room, Sauna and Steam Room • Rooftop Pools with Dressing Room • Free Abundant Gated and Garage Parking • Business Center, Conference Room • Directors Screening Room

2 bdrm/2 bath, $1600/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DRE #01706351

DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Outrageously Californians! Free email Living brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. For Today!® www.Cal-SDAN.com. (CalSCAN)

Fictitious Business name statement File no. 20091924877 The following person is doing business as: REEL TASTE, 800 Traction Avenue, #3, Los Angeles, CA 90013, are hereby registered by the following registrant: RUSSELL G. TAKAKI, 800 Traction Ave., #3 Los Angeles CA 90013. This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant has not

IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY! studios from $1,685* • 1 bedroom from $1,818* • 2 bedroom from $2,212*

ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@BarkAvewLA. com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

advertising

legal notice

commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above. This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on December 17, 2009. 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. 12/28/09, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/10

ELEGANT WORLD CLASS RESORT BRAND NEW APARTMENT HOMES

Orsini On Spring St.

JUDGEMENT($) NOT PAID? Auto, small claims, evictions etc. Judgement Enforcement Agency 213-627-1762.

rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code). Pub. 12/21/09, 12/28/09, 1/04/10, 1/11/10

Free Rent!

adopt a pet

Business services

Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

Fictitious Business name

PETS/ANIMALS

THE RAW EXPRESS Raw Food Meal Delivery Service. Living, organic, and fresh! Lose weight and feel great in 2010! Only $100 week! www. PJsRawCuisine.com 831-4445565. (Cal-SCAN)

8 7 7 - 4 L A- LO F TS

LEGAL

NO CASH to start a business? Use your 401K without incurring penalties or taxes! Call Todd tollfree at 1-888-967-4554 to learn more! Completely free consultation! (Cal-SCAN)

health & Fitness

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

IBM LAPTOP 1.6. Works fine. XT, Wi-Fi. $149. 323-302-8959.

1545 N. Bronson Ave. #111, Los Angeles CA 90028. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrants has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on December 2, 2009. 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

Financial services

Tel: 213-383-7676

RENTING • BUYING S • LIVING eekS

ITEMS FOR SALE

AUTOS & RECREATIONAL

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach over 6 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 2886019. www.Cal-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)

home improvement

Guess where Nicole loves to eat sushi and WIN!

Downtown News 19

DowntownNews.com

TRASH/JUNK 323-216-1740, all events, cleanup’s. Garages, homes, commercial, hauling, handyman, holiday moving special move - u - $80.

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s s

January 11, 2010

RENTING • BUYING • LIVING

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

8 7 7 - 4 L A- LO F TS Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

Guess where Lance Buys $2 Books in Downtown and WIN!

Monthly from $550 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348

For rent Single Family Home For Sale ❚ 1 Bed. 1 Bath. Lafayette Park Place. Move In ❚ East Pasadena. 3+2 W/Pool. Bank Has Now. $1200 Month Foreclosed. Price Tbd. ❚ Prom. West-2 Bed. 2 Bath PenthouseBunker Hill real estate Co, inC. Sophisticated, Spectacular One Of A Kind Condo. EsTaBlisHED 1984 Top Of The Line Upgrades & Décor. Georgeous leasing-salesM irza a lli loans-refinance Furnishings Adorn This Pride Of Ownership Home. Broker/Realtor (213) 680-1720 Corporate Lease Welcome. Furnished $3500 Per e-mail us: info@bunkerhillrealestate.com Month. Un-Furnished $3200 Per Month. www.Bunkerhillrealestate.com

Orsini

RENTING • BUYING • LIVING

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

8 7 7 - 4 L A- LO F TS

550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST. LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 OPEN DAILY

877-267-5911

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Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

Guess where Candy bought six Red Velvet Cupcakes for $5.

Rooms AvAilAble

Low Move in Special

✓ Private Bathroom ✓ Cable TV w/HBO ✓ 24 hr. Front Desk

Unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo. with private bath $695/mo.

Weekly $175 1-2 people Daily $45 1-2 people stuart Hotel 718 S. Union Ave. (Union & 7th St.)

213.413.8100

Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area. 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA

For English Call Pierre or Terri 213.744.9911 For Spanish Call Susana 213.749.0306

ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASE Live/Work in Downtown Fashion District 700 to 1500 Sq. Ft. Lofts. High ceilings, skylights, cable, kitchen, bath+shower, laundry room, elevator, controlled access, sub. parking. Sorry no dogs. Call George: 818-634-7916 or 310-826-8810 x24

Children’s Performing Group

Sunshine Generation

Take us home aDoPt (or Foster) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@BarkAvewLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up!

SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

20 Downtown News

January 11, 2010

Twitter/DowntownNews

We Got Games The King (and the Kings) Will Be in the Building Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m.: The Lakers head into the Lone Star State to take on two parts of the Texas Triangle: the San Antonio Spurs (Jan. 12) and Dallas Mavericks (Jan. 13). Ron Artest is back from his fall-down-the-stairs injury, but the Lakers were doing just fine without him. Still, he’ll provide a boost as the team hits the road, and then later in the week at home as they seek revenge against the Clippers. Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers. Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.: Still on the hunt for .500, the Clippers have been impressive lately. Baron Davis, seemingly with the faintest taste of victory on his tongue, is playing some of his best ball as a Clipper. This week is a big challenge for the Baron Bunch, however, as they head out on a three-game

road swing to Memphis (Jan. 12), New Orleans (Jan. 13) and, wait a minute, Los Angeles? Yep, the Clips have an “away” game at Staples Center against the Lakers (Jan. 15). Still, the biggest game of the week is Saturday’s home contest against Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. All hail the king of the court. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com. Jan. 11 and 14, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 16, 1 p.m.: The Kings continue one of their longest home stretches of the year, with three big games. First they tangle with the sizzling, division leading San Jose Sharks. Next up are the barely quacking Anaheim Ducks, and finally, the chowda slurpin’ Bawston Bruins. After a tough finish to 2009, with four consecutive losses, the Kings got back on track with a New Year’s Eve win, followed by two more Ws to start 2010. —Ryan Vaillancourt

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

Grand Tower 255 south Grand avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777

Promenade Towers 123 south Figueroa street Leasing Information 213 617 3777

Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking

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

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

Now For Call n Specials Move-I

8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6

museum Tower 225 south olive street Leasing Information 213 626 1500

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

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

Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

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

It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one 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 with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses 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.

TOWERS T H E

A PA RT M E N T S

www.TowersApartmentsLA.com

MAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKING RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM