01-18-10 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS Volume 39, Number 3

INSIDE

January 18, 2010

TIFFANY AUCTION

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

The Downtown Park Push Community Largely Devoid of Green Space Sees Four New Proposed Projects by AnnA Scott StAff writer

Athletic Club’s themed hotel rooms.

Get to know your local sports bar.

All the latest Restaurant Buzz.

owntown is giving new meaning to the word “grassroots” these days, with four largely community-driven park projects in the works. Proposals are moving forward to create small green spaces in Chinatown, South Park, the Historic Core and the Financial District. Taken as a whole, the moves, if successful, could vastly alter the look and feel of Downtown, creating significant new oases amid the urban landscape. The push for more Downtown parks has received ample attention from residents and local leaders during the past two years. But with the city facing a severe budget deficit that has hindered traditional park creation efforts, the current plans are distinguished by a high level of participation from community members and a focus on creative funding avenues: Three of the projects will see Parks, page 12

photo by Gary Leonard

(l to r) Rick Morris, Geralynne Krajeck and Bill Cooper are part of a community group that hopes to purchase an approximately one-acre parking lot at Ninth and Hill streets and turn it into a park.

Going to the Dogs

Ballroom Blitz

Arts District Program Employs Low-Income Men to Train and Socialize Canines

L.A. Live Debuts a Key Component of The $1 Billion Convention Center Hotel by AnnA Scott StAff writer

by ryAn VAillAncourt StAff writer

A huge art show comes Downtown.

Elvis, before he was the king.

Five events you don’t want to miss.

21 CALENDAR LISTINGS 24 MAP 25 CLASSIFIEDS

bout 10 years ago, Cliff Richardson was living under the Sixth Street bridge, scratching out the troubled life of a drug addict. There was a community of homeless people residing there, but Richardson’s closest companion may have been Bullet, a small mixed breed dog so smart it seemed she crossed streets only when the light turned green. One of the places Bullet would walk to was an alley off Seventh Place — a small side street just blocks from the bridge in the Arts District — where activist photo by Gary Leonard Lori Weise had a makeshift Henry Acosta (left) and Cliff Richardson (right) kennel and free kibble for are two of the first participants in Lori Weise’s homeless individuals to Jobs With Dogs program. Weise (middle) runs feed their canines. Downtown Dog Rescue in the Arts District. Fast forward to today, past Richardson’s repeated run-ins with the law and multiple Annenberg Foundation to support “state vacations” as he calls them, her program Jobs With Dogs. The and he still makes a habit of visit- project seeks to employ homeless, ing Weise and her dogs on Seventh low-income and under-employed Place. But now when Richardson individuals to walk and socialize stops by, instead of just grabbing the dogs, some of which are up for some dog food, he helps walk, so- adoption. cialize and train her pack of more The initiative is not new: Weise, than a dozen rescues. who houses the shelter at the Last year, Weise, who runs the Modernica furniture warehouse nonprofit Downtown Dog Rescue, where she’s the manager, has been secured a $20,000 grant from the see Dogs, page 10

t first glance, a hotel ballroom does not seem very glamorous. It brings to mind staid business meetings, rubber chicken and maybe a bar mitzvah or wedding celebration. At the new $1 billion Convention Center headquarters hotel, the ballrooms are anything but standard. The collection of party and meeting spaces are the largest, and by far the most expensive, in Los Angeles. The four-story Gallery Collection, as the center is called, holds three ballrooms: the 26,000-square-foot

Diamond Ballroom on the top floor; the 20,000-square-foot Platinum Ballroom on the third level; and the 17,000-square-foot Gold Ballroom on the second floor. The facility also holds nine meeting rooms and two boardrooms. The Gallery Collection accounts for $80 million of the overall budget for the 1,001-room Ritz CarltonJ.W. Marriott hotel tower, said Tim Leiweke, president of L.A. Live developer Anschutz Entertainment Group, during a recent tour. The ballrooms alone have the capacity to host 5,000 people simultaneously see Ballroom, page 8

photo by Gary Leonard

The Diamond Ballroom inside the new Convention Center hotel is the largest ballroom in the city. It is part of the building’s Gallery Collection, a meeting and events hub that alone cost $80 million.

The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles

2 Downtown News

AROUNDTOWN Restaurant Raises $14,000 For Haitian Relief Effort

edia outlets and members of Los Angeles’ Haitian community swarmed TiGeorges’ Haitian Chicken last week for a fundraiser to benefit earthquake relief efforts. The event on Thursday, Jan. 14, at the restaurant at 309 Glendale Blvd. pulled in $14,300, said owner Georges Laguerre. He said some money came from food sales, but the vast majority was the result of individual contributions. All proceeds will go to the Yele Haiti foundation, which is helping coordinate the delivery of emergency services and materials to aid in the earthquake relief. “Haitians in California truly supported TiGeorges last night and I was really impressed by the presence of the Haitians of Los Angeles,” Laguerre said Friday.

al and a resident at the hotel and charged him with murder. Li checked out on the day of the killing. “As a resident of the hotel, we had wanted to interview Mr. Li, but he had disappeared,” said Lt. Paul Vernon in a statement. “Detectives followed leads from Los Angeles to Camarillo, only to discover him walking on First Street, just east of the Los Angeles River.” Detectives found Li at about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday near First and Boyle streets in East Los Angeles. After taking him to the Central Area police station for questioning, detectives discovered forensic evidence confirming Li’s presence at the crime scene, Vernon said. Detectives believe robbery was the motive for the crime. Li’s bail was set at $1 million.

Audit Slams Department of Neighborhood Empowerment

City Dedicates Charles P. Williams Square

he LAPD and Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry last week dedicated the intersection of Sixth Street and Central Avenue as Officer Charles P. Williams Square. Williams was recently identified by police department personnel as the first African-American officer killed in the line of duty. Williams was killed in 1923, near Central Avenue and Sixth Street, while responding to a call at a local brothel. At the time, he was assigned to the Central Vice unit. After his death, he was misidentified in LAPD records as a white officer with the same name. Seventy-five years later, LAPD Sgt. John Thomas discovered the error while reading through old newspapers. The dedication on Wednesday, Jan. 13, was led by Perry, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck and Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger.

Arrest Made in Hotel Murder

January 18, 2010

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APD detectives made an arrest last week in connection with the Jan. 5 stabbing of Hideko Oyama, the 74-yearold manager of the Chetwood Hotel in the Toy District. Police on Jan. 12 arrested Jian Hong Li, 39, a Chinese nation-

ity Controller Wendy Greuel last week released an audit blasting the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment’s oversight of the city’s nearly 100 neighborhood councils. The Jan. 12 audit charges that there has been a “systematic failure of accounting and fiscal oversight” of the councils, and that DONE has never conducted a proper accounting of the councils’ financial status. The audit also accuses DONE of miscalculating the amount of money available to the city’s neighborhood councils by $5.6 million and found that the groups have made $880,000 in purchases without submitting the right paperwork.

Exposition Park Museum Gets Grant

he Natural History Museum in Exposition Park recently received a $1 million grant from the nonprofit James Irvine Foundation to develop a permanent exhibit titled Under the Sun: Los Angeles, California and the World. The exhibit, scheduled to open in 2012, will be presented in a 14,000-square-foot gallery and highlight the natural and human events that have shaped Los Angeles since prehistoric times. It will include items ranging from a 65 million-year-

old invertebrate fossil to Walt Disney’s first animation desk to a scale model of Downtown L.A. Under the Sun will be the final component of the museum’s ongoing, $91 million renovation, which will also bring a new exhibitition on mammals this summer.

Judge OKs Roosevelt Auction

oosevelt Lofts developer Milbank Real Estate is gearing up for a late winter auction, in which it hopes to sell up to 75 of the building’s 222 condominiums. The proposal was approved in bankruptcy court on Jan. 7, despite opposition from lender Bank of America. Milbank has not yet set a date for the auction, but auction firm Kennedy Wilson (which also coordinated the November auction at the Market Lofts in South Park) will handle the event. “I think we’ll have a date set for the auction by the middle of [this] week, but we’re targeting late February or early March,” said Roosevelt Sales Director Randelle Green. Milbank expects the auction to generate $30 million-$35 million, according to court documents. Judge Geraldine Mund’s decision approving the sale also orders Milbank to complete construction of the 12-story building’s ninth and 10th floors by March 31, and the remaining floors by June 30. Prior to requesting the auction, Milbank had been offering short-term leases in the building (about 28 have been signed, according to court filings). None of the leased units will be part of the auction. Milbank said in 2008 that it spent $150 million restoring the 12-story, 1921 Beaux Arts edifice at 727 W. Seventh St.

Businessman Appointed Deputy Mayor

ayor Antonio Villaraigosa last week named businessman Austin Beutner as his First Deputy Mayor and Chief Executive for Economic and Business Policy. The second title — a newly created position — allows Beutner to oversee the Department of Water and Power and the Port of Los Angeles. He will also be charged with revamping the city’s approach to economic development, business attraction and job creation. Beutner previously served as a founding partner of the private investment firm Evercore Partners, and was also a partner at the Blackstone Group,

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Public Hearings On Bus Service February 3-10 Proposed Metro bus service changes for this coming June will be discussed at public meetings being held February 3-10 in the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. For details about the proposed changes along with the time, date and location of the hearing nearest you, check online at metro.net.

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I-405 Sepulveda Pass Widening Underway

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January 18, 2010

Downtown News 3

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a financial services company. The Jan. 11 hiring of Beutner follows the resignation or reassignment of several high-level city officials in recent months, including the appointment of the mayor’s former top economic development advisor, Robert “Bud” Ovrum, to the top job at the Building and Safety Department.

Art Dealer Tapped to Head MOCA

ew York art dealer Jeffrey Deitch last week was named the new director of the Museum of Contemporary Art by the museum’s Board of Trustees. He will succeed Charles E. Young, who took over as MOCA’s chief executive officer in December 2008 after the resignation of previous director Jeremy Strick, following the museum’s financial crisis. Deitch, 57, specializes in modern and contemporary art. He has 30 years of experience as an independent curator, according to MOCA. Deitch will assume his new post on June 1. His appointment comes amid MOCA’s efforts to recover from a financial crisis brought on by overspending and a plunging endowment, though the museum saw significant improvements in 2009. Since Young was installed as CEO, MOCA has added 10 new trustees and received millions of dollars in gifts and pledges, and reopened the Grand Avenue museum’s

Geffen Contemporary annex in Little Tokyo, which was temporarily shuttered to save money.

Touchdown Kenneth Simmons!

ver the course of the NFL season, Los Angeles Downtown News asked readers to predict each week’s games. Weekly winners took home $100, $50 and $25 for first, second and third prize, respectively. After 16 weeks of pigskin though, the grand prize goes to Kenneth Simmons, who played all 17 weeks of the season, and successfully picked game winners 171 times (out of 256 chances). Simmons walks away with a Wii Sports & Entertainment package that includes the Wii console, two controllers, a Wii sports disc and a Wii Fit board with games, and a $150 gift certificate and game cards to ESPN Zone. He’s good at guessing NFL games, and pretty soon, he’s going to have extremely strong thumbs.

Correction

he Jan. 11 story “Trading Up” incorrectly reported the construction cost of two L.A. Trade-Tech College buildings as $85 million. The correct cost is $145 million.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

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January 18, 2010

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EDITORIALS Aspiring Politicians Should Remember Their Day Jobs

he year 2013 will not arrive for more than 1,000 days. Although this seems like a long time away, a handful of elected city officials have already begun planning what they will do that year, when the office of mayor of Los Angeles opens up (Antonio Villaraigosa will be termed out then). Other positions on the local and statewide political map could also be in play. In fact, one current city officeholder has already announced her next campaign. Fifteenth District Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who was sworn in to her third and final term on the Council last July, has launched a run for lieutenant governor of California (the Democratic primary is in June). In other instances, the next steps are being talked about seriously, if not yet formally announced. Expect several sitting council members to run for mayor. No one is surprised when those currently in office begin looking for their next jobs, especially with term limits in play. At the same time, this batch of local electeds needs to keep in mind that as they consider the future, the public is watching closer than ever. People expect those earning a healthy salary to represent their interests. They want office holders to do their jobs first, and run for another post second. The issue is critical right now, with Los Angeles facing a massive budget deficit and a shocking unemployment rate — if you consider the jobless, those no longer looking for work and the under-employed, you are talking about approximately 20% of the city’s labor pool, say local officials.

Addressing these problems demands the attention of our elected leaders. These and other matters require the full-time focus of the politicians, not just on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, when the City Council meets. It should go without saying that elected officials should concentrate foremost on what they are being paid to do. Unfortunately, it has not always worked that way in recent years. Ambition combined with term limits has forced furious bouts of political hopscotching, with figures jumping from city to state office and vice versa. Some folks are seemingly always in campaign mode. Some may question how closely the public is watching all this, and whether an elected official could shift into nearly full-time campaigning while giving lip service to their job. For the answer, consider a couple recent elections: Last year, Los Angeles voters rejected Jack Weiss, a councilman and at first the presumed shoe-in for City Attorney, and instead went for newcomer Carmen Trutanich. More recently, voters in the Second District elected Paul Krekorian to represent them on the City Council, despite the fact that the big money and the big endorsements were landing in the camp of his primary opponent, Christine Essel. Numerous factors were at play in both elections. But clearly voters had tired of being told who they should vote for, who the “machine” had picked. The blogosphere also played an important role in riling up politically active people to counter-attack the powers that be.

An Overlooked Addition

os Angeles Trade-Technical College has largely been overlooked by the Downtown population. An exciting new project could change that. Los Angeles Downtown News last week reported on a $145 million development at the campus at Grand Avenue and Washington Boulevard. The school, which has about 16,000 students a semester, is creating two new five-story structures. The design is striking, the sides of the building seeming to undulate. The result is something one might expect in a Frank Gehry cultural project rather than a community college. The hiring of the firm MDA Johnson seems an inspired choice. Along with creating instruction and administrative space, the project serves as a reminder that Trade-Tech should not be overlooked by those in South Park, the Financial District, Bunker Hill and other Downtown districts. The school is known for its vocational training, and the new buildings also symbolize the advancements in the curriculum — among the

skills now being taught is the installation of photovoltaic systems, a key aspect of “green” building, something that will be ever more important in future Downtown developments. There are numerous reasons why Trade-Tech is often forgotten by Downtown stakeholders. The first is the physical location south of South Park. Additionally, while some students from the college’s culinary or other programs have wound up working in Downtown, there have been relatively few psychological or professional ties to the campus. Downtown is not connected to Trade-Tech the way it is to USC, which is even further south. Now, all that could begin to change. The new buildings are part of an overall $600 million renovation coming to the campus, the first major upgrade there in more than three decades. Downtown has an important resource in Trade-Tech. Integrating the campus with the rest of the community could pay off both for the school and the community.

Thus, one can be assured that as the next election cycle approaches, people will be watching. They will consider who has effectively represented them, who has paid attention to civic matters and who has spent the time just eyeing the next step up the ladder. Elected officials need to know that the issues at stake are crucial to the voters. They must use their time and resources to address the problems of the populace. They can run for higher office, but they cannot forget what they are already earning good money to do.

Bakery Bonus

n the grand scheme of urban planning, a place that makes cupcakes cannot compare with, say, a glitzy billion-dollar development. But on the micro level, a new baked goods emporium, and other similar small businesses, can play a vital role in a neighborhood’s evolution. In the past, this page has repeatedly cited the importance of nurturing small restaurant and retail projects along with the mega-million dollar developments altering the look and fabric of Downtown. Another recently opened store, the vegan bakery Babycakes, profiled last week by Los Angeles Downtown News, demonstrates why that is important. Although many are unfamiliar with the name, Babycakes has a following. It has been a successful New York City business since 2006. When a Downtown outpost debuted on the ground floor of the Pacific Electric Lofts on a recent Sunday, a line of about 50 people snaked out the door. The street-level impact was immediate and obvious. The opening of Babycakes, as well as other small, independent eating and retail spaces, adds to the vibrancy of Downtown Los Angeles. When taken together — relatively new arrivals include the men’s salon Bolt Barbers and ’80s nostalgia emporium Kapsoul — they deliver the message that Downtown’s evolution is continuing despite the residential slowdown. A mass of these businesses does wonders for street life, and each successful new enterprise helps lure others. Of course, this is not to dismiss the $10 million, the $50 million and the $1 billion mega-developments — these big-picture projects are vital for Downtown’s ongoing transformation, creating jobs, tax revenues and destinations for visitors and locals. Rather, these small projects create a bit of organic growth in the community. A vegan bakery is a wonderful addition to Downtown, and an excellent complement to the megadevelopments.

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.

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Rooms With a Trojan (or Bruin) View Los Angeles Athletic Club’s $2 Million Renovation of Its Hotel Includes Themed Suites by AnnA Scott StAff writer

he Los Angeles Athletic Club’s newly remodeled hotel rooms offer something many competitors can’t match: school spirit. The members-only club just completed an approximately $2 million renovation of its 72 hotel rooms. As part of the upgrade, the facility’s nine one-bedroom suites each reflect different themes, including a “Trojan Club” design for USC fans and a “Bruin Club” arrangement for UCLA devotees. The units subtly reflect each school’s colors in the carpets and furnishings (cardinal and gold for USC, blue and gold for UCLA), and come decked out in memorabilia such as a framed illustration of the USC campus and a portrait of legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, respectively. “We have lots of members from both schools,” said LAAC Director of Sales and Marketing Cory Hathaway during a recent tour, “but we didn’t want it to be over the top.” The university-themed suites comprise one of the more

photo by Gary Leonard

Cory Hathaway, the Los Angeles Athletic Club’s sales and marketing director, in one of the club’s 72 remodeled hotel rooms.

unique elements of the LAAC’s first major hotel room renovation in more than a decade. The 97-year-old, John Parkinson-designed LAAC building stands at 431 W. Seventh St., at the corner of Olive Street. The private, 12-story club houses an 80,000-square-foot athletic complex along with a sports bar, dining facilities and event space. The hotel rooms, located on the property’s top three floors, are available to LAAC members; their friends, family and business associates; members of reciprocal private clubs in other cities; and enrollees in the Olive Club, a new rewards program for non-members. The makeover, officially unveiled last month, was partly spurred by the under-construction, 1,001-room RitzMarriott at L.A. Live, said Hathaway. That hotel, scheduled to open in February, has already increased bookings at the adjacent Convention Center, tourism officials have said. Experts say that other Downtown hotels can expect to capture the spillover, and the LAAC is not the only area establishment to upgrade in anticipation. The Westin Bonaventure, for example, is conducting a $35 million renovation of 700 guest rooms, while the Omni Los Angeles Hotel will undergo an approximately $12 million upgrade. “We think, with L.A. Live and the Convention Center hotel, and maybe eventually the Grand Avenue project, hotels will be a good market to be in,” said Hathaway. He added, “We want to go after that social traveler that’s starting to come to Downtown L.A. to go to Staples Center and other places.” A Niche The LAAC’s three-month hotel remodeling project, helmed by designer Tracy Beckmann, aims to blend a traditional, private club look with a contemporary boutique hotel aesthetic. The new rooms feature sleek, custom-made furniture, large canteen-style desks with foldout legs and flat screen TVs. The walls of the rooms hold original artwork recovered from the club’s vault, including sepia-toned photographs of former Olympian club members. Stately grandfather clocks keep the time on each floor.

In addition to the university-oriented rooms, the madeover, one-bedroom suites include a Yacht Club theme complete with a decorative model boat, a Polo Club design decorated in red tones and horse imagery, and a Beach Club room adorned with soft white furniture and starfish. Rates run from approximately $149 for a standard room with a queen-sized bed to $399 for a suite, though prices vary with membership levels and the time of year. Since the renovation was completed in October, occupancy has hovered around 60%, Hathaway said. That is in line with current occupancy rates across Los Angeles, said Jeff Lugosi, senior vice president of the Downtown-based firm PKF

Consulting, which tracks the hotel industry. While hotel rates across Los Angeles have been depressed during the past two years, the LAAC’s current occupancy level bodes well for its future, said Lugosi. He noted that before 2004, Downtown occupancy had been below 67% for two decades. “I’ve worked Downtown for 22 years and we have tracked occupancy and they have never gone over 72%,” he said. “So if this market operates in the 60s, then that’s great.” The LAAC could also follow in the footsteps of the Jonathan Club, a private club on Figueroa Street, Lugosi said. see LAAC, page 9

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Beers and a Game A Guide to Downtown’s Growing Sports Bar Lineup by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

ticky counters from spilled drafts, heart attack comfort food, loud friends, friendly strangers and a bevy of big screens blaring the big game: Love it or hate it, this is the recipe for the quintessential sports bar. Downtown Los Angeles has a list of watering holes with their own take on the recipe, from a dark Chinatown bar that offers Lakers die-hards wontons with eye-wateringly spicy mustard, to a place with more than 150 televisions and every sporting event imaginable. Whether it’s the NFL playoffs, or Lakers, Clippers or Kings games, there are plenty of options in Downtown. There are even good spots for non-

L.A. fans, but at most of these places, they shouldn’t plan on making too many new friends. The Sports Bar Godfather: Before the ESPN Zone arrived at L.A. Live this year, Downtown didn’t really have the kind of sports mecca where everyone wears their team’s colors, and televisions seem to be procreating like bunnies. The ESPN Zone offers more than 150 high-definition televisions throughout the bar and restaurant, and about 50 video games in its popular half-time retreat — the arcade. For non-L.A. locals who otherwise can’t watch their home teams, this is the place to come, since if a game is on TV, you can find it at the Zone. But be wary of crowds: On

photos by Gary Leonard

If a sporting event is being televised in the U.S., it’s probably on at the ESPN Zone. The L.A. Live bar and restaurant has more than 150 TVs.

F E I L E R C I TRAFF

RKS O W E H T IN

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

! s U n i Jo

Downtown & Mid-Corridor Project Status Update Open House

The Exposition Construction Authority cordially invites you to a

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.

Project Status Update Open House for the

Exposition p Light g Rail Line

$1 Billion I-405 Sepulveda Pass Widening Project Launches 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.

At this meeting we will cover the following topics:

$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.

Wednesday January 27, 2010 Holman United Methodist Church White Hall Room 3320 W. Adams Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90018 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (On-site free parking is available) For more information contact: Adrienne Gardner, FFP, 818-601-1941 Greg Starosky, Expo, 213-243-5534 or visit: BuildExpo.org

January 18, 2010

Downtown News 7

photo by Gary Leonard

DowntownNews.com

Fire and Ice O

n Thursday, Jan. 14, members of the Los Angeles Fire Department took on the L.A. Derby Dolls in a game of broom hockey at the Pershing Square ice rink. The firefighters won, but it wasn’t easy.

At the Down and Out, local sports fans can swallow cheap pints as down and out celebrities look on from their blown-up mug shots.

Staples Center game nights, a wait for a table can exceed one hour. Then again, Tim Whiteman, the bar’s marketing manager, says that free membership in the ESPN Zone’s MVP Club (you can register online) allows priority seating. Happy hour in the Z Bar, offset from the main restaurant and bar, is from 4-7 p.m., Monday-Friday, and includes access to the free appetizer buffet with a drink purchase. At 1011 S. Figueroa St., (213) 765-7070 or espnzone.com/ losangeles.

Make Your Reservation Today dline is February 1st, d on’t m Dea iss ou t!

The Home Team: The Down and Out, a new bar on the ground floor of the Alexandria Hotel at Fifth and Spring streets (in the former Charlie O’s spot), bills itself as a sort of anti-ESPN Zone. It’s intentionally less polished, and instead of signed sports memorabilia behind glass cases, the Down and Out features blown-up mug shots of celebrities. Hey, OJ was a football star, too. Everyone’s welcome, though management considers the Down and Out a bar “for Downtown locals and those who wish they were.” But no matter your zip code, it offers a comfortable spot to camp out and watch all the NFL games while enjoying the usual bar drink offerings, plus $3 pints of PBR and Tecate. At 501 S. Spring St.

he Los Angeles Downtown News is pleased to announce that our annual Los Angeles Restaurant Guide is now accepting reservations for advertising space. This section offers local restaurants the opportunity to reach hundreds of thousands of potential customers. Whether you are newly opened or a longtime favorite, readers of the Downtown News are hungry to learn more about their many dining choices. Whether you choose a traditional ad format or our popular review-style, your ad is guaranteed to get customers through your door and into your dining room.

Football and Football: More than anything else, Casey’s is an Irish pub that prides itself on its fish and chips and carefully poured Guinness. While football means something entirely different in Dublin, Casey’s shows all the games of the American variety. Truer to its Irish character, though, the bar shows as much soccer as possible, said chef Jeff Marino. A Boston area native, Marino also makes sure to get Celtics games on the television whenever possible (the bar has the NBA package, so it can play any game, not just those that are nationally televised), but admits he’s “usually overruled by customers.” With the college football season over, Marino said Casey’s plans to show more UFC fights and boxing. At 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com.

80,000 circulation! (Includes 30,000 copies distributed to hotels, convention organizers and meeting planners.) We offer either review-style or traditional display advertising formats. The Guide will be online for the year at DowntownLADining.com. the details of any event and can be reached at (213) 763-4610. Frequent diners can join the legend of The Palm by becoming a member of the 837 Club, a members-only dining reward program named for the address of the first Palm that opened on Manhattan’s Eastside in 1926. Members earn points for every dollar and are entitled to exclusive benefits and the ability to earn dining certificates, caricature parties, nights on the town, overnight trips and even a complimentary jumbo lobster birthday dinner. To join, visit any Palm restaurant or go online at thepalm. com/837club. The Palm has been passed on through four generations. The two families who opened the original chain have maintained co-ownership of the restaurant company and are still involved in the day-to-day operations. In addition to the Downtown location, The Palm also owns the West Hollywood eatery at 9001 Santa Monica Blvd., (310) 550-8811. The Palm operates 28 restaurants in 24 cities across the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico, with a recently opened restaurant in San Diego. At 1100 S. Flower St., (213) 763-4600 or thepalm.com. Open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Valet parking is available and reservations are recommended. Cuisine: Prime Steak, Jumbo Lobster and Traditional Italian • Visa, MC, Diners, Discover, Am Ex • $$$

olori Kitchen is a small neighborhood restaurant located in a petite storefront in Downtown L.A.’s historic district, where new architectural wonders coexist with historic landmarks to create the perfect balance between old and new. This balance is embodied in the restaurant’s soul. Inside, a long brick wall displays unique art finds opposite a brightly colored expanse that gives the room a European ambience reminiscent of an Italian trattoria. Casual wooden tables complete the countryside dining feel. The airy, open kitchen is sourrounded by a deli-style counter and ceiling lights that provide an opportunity to watch the chef in action. Colori Kitchen was founded by chef Luigi Barducci Contessi, his wife Paola, and his sisterin-law Elisa. Each of these owners had different ideas and dreams in mind but mixed them together like the colors on a painters’ palette: Thus Colori was born. The common inspiration for the trio of partners was to offer top quality food at extremely reasonable prices. The warmth, and of course a bit of the drama that only a real Italian family can offer, adds to the authentic and charming dining experience. The cuisine is culled from different regions of Italy, and mixes new and innovative recepies ranging from the pumpkin ravioli in a walnut sauce to the more traditional spaghetti alla Carbonara. Soul-satisfying daily specials tempt customers with offerings such as the cioppino (seafood chowder), the lamb shank with risotto or the delicious variety of fresh fish delivered daily. At 429 W. Eighth St., (213) 622-5950. Open for lunch Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner Wednesday and Thursday 6-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 6-10 p.m. Cuisine: Italian • Credit Cards: Visa, MC • Lunch $$ Dinner $$$

hen you need a good burger fix, there’s no shortage of fast food places competing for your dollars. But standing out from the pack is Farmer Boys Restaurant, which prides itself on the fact that nothing on the menu is warmed over, pre-made or frozen (except for the real ice cream milkshakes, of course) — despite being open 24 hours. The menu has a little bit of everything, from breakfast to dinner. Still, the restaurant’s raison d’être is its mouthwatering Signature Farmer’s Burger, which attracts everyone from police to fire personnel to those in

DATES Publication Date: March 29, 2010

Deadline: February 1, 2010 DOWNTOWNLADINING.COM 26 14 DOWNTOWNLADINING.COM

the garment and produce industries. Voted best burger by Channel 2 News and KFRG Radio, the Farmer’s Burger is huge, satisfying and always made to order. The Farmer Boys burger line offers nearly a dozen choices so diners can get theirs prepared exactly to taste. Even vegetarians can order a tasty gar-

photo courtesy of Colori Kitchen

alk into The Palm, and it’s like you are joining a party that’s been going strong for four generations. You are welcomed with a smile and before you know it, you’re raising a glass, swept away by the spirit of the place. For nearly eight decades, The Palm Restaurant has proudly served huge cuts of prime beef, jumbo Nova Scotia lobsters and authentic Italian dishes with smiles, service and an atmosphere like nowhere else. Known as the “place to see and be seen,” the famed walls of each Palm are adorned with the caricatures of celebrities, politicians and regulars who make up its customer base. The Downtown Palm is at the corner of 11th and Flower streets adjacent to the Staples Center and is the ideal place for a business lunch, romantic evening, social occasion, happy hour or either a pre-game or a pre-concert dinner. The Palm is known as the place in Los Angeles to host extraordinary parties and special events featuring private facilities for groups from 10 to 400. The Palm’s expert catering staff can handle birthdays, bridal showers, bachelor parties, rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, holiday gatherings, business meetings or any other affair. The restaurant features five private dining rooms including a boardroom and fully equipped screening room. Catering Sales Manager Leigh Whicker will help guests coordinate

DOWNTOWNLADINING.COM 26 14 DOWNTOWNLADINING.COM

Review Style

Farmer Boys

den burger. Try the standard burger or go wild with a double bacon burger or double cheeseburger. Chili lovers will love the double chiliburger with Farmer Boys’ homemade chili poured over freshly cooked patties. You can add fresh avocado to any burger or sandwich for an additional charge. Farmer Boys Restaurant is not just

add bacon, sausage or ham. Farmer Boys Restaurant also has its own version of the popular breakfast burrito, a secret recipe that allows you to choose from bacon, ham, sausage or

such as the fish and tuna sandwich, the restaurant also has a new line of chicken sandwiches that come on a honey oat wheat bun. The chicken club, chicken BBQ Ranch and the

about the burgers. Start your day with one of the signature breakfasts (you can order breakfast anytime). Order a stack of hotcakes, French toast, omelets or the three eggs plate. All omelets or three egg plates are served with hash browns, toast and jelly. If you like your eggs between bread, go for the egg sandwich and

chili meat. Farmer Boys also makes a pint-sized Kid’s Breakfast as well. It wouldn’t be fast food without a generous helping of fried items. French fries are popular but Farmer Boys’ other two signature items are the colossal onion rings and zucchini spears, which are both hand cut and breaded daily. Besides favorites

improved chicken sandwich are some of the new items added to the menu this year. Either of these sandwiches makes a great meal with a salad on the side. For those who are health conscious, Farmer Boys also offers several salad options. The Farmer’s chopped Cobb salad and the chicken BBQ Ranch salad are two of the most popular, as well as the classic chicken salad, chef’s salad and tuna salad. Farmer Boys proudly says, “Always farm fresh.” You can even call ahead to place phone orders for faster service. Farmer Boys Restaurant is one of Downtown’s best-kept secrets, especially when you are looking for a burger fix in the middle of the night. Two other notable pluses are free Wi-Fi (except Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.) as well as plenty of free parking. Farmer Boys is at 726 S. Alameda St. (1.5 miles south of Union Station), (213) 228-8999 or farmerboysla.com. Open 24 hours. Drive thru or dine in. Cuisine: American • Credit Cards: Visa, MC, Discover • $ DOWNTOWNLADINING.COM 27

2009 RESTAURANT GUIDE

Colori Kitchen

The Palm photos courtesy of The Downtown Palm

Colori Kitchen

the details of any event and can be reached at (213) 763-4610. Frequent diners can join the legend of The Palm by becoming a member of the 837 Club, a members-only dining reward program named for the address of the first Palm that opened on Manhattan’s Eastside in 1926. Club Nokia Members earn points for every dollar Conga Room and are entitled to exclusive benefits and the ability to earn dining certifESPN Zone icates, caricature parties, nights on Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Barovernight trips and even a the town, GRAMMY Museum complimentary jumbo lobster birthday dinner. To join, visit any Palm Lawry’s Carvery restaurant or go online at thepalm. Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge com/837club. The Palm has been passed on New Zealand Natural Ice Cream through four generations. The two Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVEfamilies who opened the original Starbucks Coffee chain have maintained co-ownership of the restaurant company and are The Farm of Beverly Hills still involved in the day-to-day operaYard House tions. In addition to the Downtown location, The Palm also owns the West Hollywood eatery at 9001 Santa alk into The Palm, and it’s like you are Monica Blvd., (310) 550-8811. The Palm operates joining a party that’s been going strong for 28 restaurants in 24 cities across the United States, four generations. You are welcomed with a Mexico and Puerto Rico, with a recently opened smile and before you know it, you’re raising a glass, restaurant in San Diego. At 1100 S. Flower St., (213) 763-4600 swept away by the spirit of the place. For nearly eight decades, The Palm Restaurant or thepalm.com. Open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. has proudly served huge cuts of prime beef, jumbo Monday-Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday Nova Scotia lobsters and authentic Italian dishes and 5 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Valet parking is availwith smiles, service and an atmosphere like nowhere able and reservations are recommended. else. Known as the “place to see and be seen,” the Cuisine: Prime Steak, Jumbo Lobster and Traditional Italian • famed walls of each Palm are adorned with the Visa, MC, Diners, Discover, Am Ex • $$$ caricatures of celebrities, politicians and regulars who make up its customer base. The Downtown Palm is at the corner of 11th and Flower streets adjacent to the Staples Center and is the ideal place for a business lunch, romantic evening, social occasion, happy hour or either a pre-game or a pre-concert dinner. The Palm is known as the place in Los Angeles to host extraordinary parties and special events featuring private facilities for groups from 10 to 400. The Palm’s expert catering staff An upscale-casual eatery known for its can handle birthdays, bridal showers, extensive menu of American fusion cuisine, bachelor parties, rehearsal dinners, classic rock music and world’s largest wedding receptions, holiday gatherselection of draft beer. ings, business meetings or any other affair. The restaurant features five priNOW OPEN AT L.A. LIVE OPEN DAILY FOR vate dining rooms including a board800 West Olympic Blvd • Los Angeles LUNCH • DINNER room and fully equipped screening 213.745.YARD • yardhouse.com LATE NIGHT DINING room. Catering Sales Manager Leigh Whicker will help guests coordinate

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Music. Dining. Sports. Living.

14 DOWNTOWNLADINING.COM

Traditional Ads

photos courtesy of Farmer Boys Restaurant

photos courtesy of The Downtown Palm

TRADITIONAL ADS

2009 RESTAURANT GUIDE

The Palm

add bacon, sausage or ham. Farmer Boys Restaurant also has its own version of the popular breakfast burrito, a secret recipe that allows you to choose from bacon, ham, sausage or

such as the fish and tuna sandwich, the restaurant also has a new line of chicken sandwiches that come on a honey oat wheat bun. The chicken club, chicken BBQ Ranch and the

For more information and to reserve your spot today call 213.481.1448

SAMPLE ADVERTISING 2009 RESTAURANT GUIDE 2009 RESTAURANT GUIDE

2009 RESTAURANT GUIDE

photos courtesy of Farmer Boys Restaurant

photos courtesy of The Downtown Palm

2009 RESTAURANT GUIDE 2009 RESTAURANT GUIDE

The Guide is heavily promoted in print and online W before and after its publication.

photo courtesy of Colori Kitchen

Draft Day: The Yardhouse at L.A. Live does not consider itself a sports bar, which is why customers don’t hear the volume of the games playing on TV. But don’t tell that to the sports nuts who flock to the noted beer emporium to watch the local pro teams, usually before seeing a live game at Staples Center, while enjoying one of more than 100 draft beer options and the hearty American cuisine. L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 745-9273 or yardhouse.com. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

Colori Kitchenlocations Farmer Boys in The Palm The Guide is delivered to more than 1,000 C W Downtown Los Angeles.

REVIEW STYLE

Chow Mein Touchdown: A Korean-owned Chinese restaurant in Little Tokyo, Green Bamboo has plenty of inherent contradictions. Unifying this unlikely eatery and bar are the sports constantly on TV, from college and professional football to basketball. If you like chow mein with your pigskin, Green Bamboo is for you. At 136 S. Central Ave., (213) 625-2228.

REVIEW STYLE

Lakers in Chinatown: Let’s get this out of the way: Hop Louie, a dark little dive bar in Chinatown’s Central Plaza, is not a sports bar. There are two televisions, but sometimes their signal is slightly off set, so one is ahead of the other by a second or two. But those who want to watch the Purple and Gold in a quiet, less fraternity-like setting would be at home at Hop Louie, where the Laker fans are dedicated, but not the types to wear a jersey (unless it’s from the late ’80s). The bar is on the ground floor of the building, and it serves limited appetizers like crab Rangoon and steamed chicken that comes in foil packets from the restaurant upstairs. Beware: the accompanying mustard is wasabi hot. At 950 Mei Ling Way, (213) 628-4244.

DOWNTOWNLADINING.COM 27

8 Downtown News

January 18, 2010

Twitter/DowntownNews

Ballroom Continued from page 1 for sit-down dinners. The facility debuted last week with a Jan. 13 gala for the City of Hope charity in the Diamond Ballroom. The event, attended by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and about 450 other dignitaries, also featured the first official lighting of the hotel tower, with the top 27 floors illuminating one by one. The day before the celebration, AEG crews bustled around the vast, windowless Diamond Ballroom, setting tables and handling other preparations. A shallow stage, decorated with a silver city skyline made from recyclable materials especially for the event, occupied one end of the carpeted room, and large theater-style, adjustable lights hung from the ceiling. While the Gallery Collection spaces will primarily be used for convention-related events such as keynote addresses, Lewieke said they are also expected to host standalone activities like last week’s celebration or film industry parties complementing the 800-seat “premiere house” at L.A. Live’s 14-screen Regal Cinemas. But the ballrooms are also

a draw for smaller conferences that will take place entirely within the hotel. “Having first-class meeting space is so important to our ability to attract large groups,” said Mark Liberman, president of L.A. Inc., the city’s convention and visitors’ bureau. “Every city looks to the larger hotels to have active, large ballroom space so that they are able to attract these self-contained meetings.” Banking on Sports The 54-story Ritz-Marriott tower (the project also contains 224 condominiums on its upper levels), which opens Feb. 15, has been a major boon to the Convention Center, just south of L.A. Live, since it broke ground in 2007. Liberman has said that within the first 18 months of the hotel breaking ground, L.A. Inc. booked 53 conventions and saw an 800% increase in room nights over 2005. Last week, he said that while there have been some cancellations since then, for the most part the numbers have held steady. The hotel and its conference center have also attracted some significant events apart from those tied to the Convention Center. The first major event to be based entirely within the hotel will be the two-day concert industry conference Pollstar Live, from Feb. 16-17. The event website advertises that the property “features the largest and most ef-

photo by Gary Leonard

The first event in the Diamond Ballroom took place Jan. 13. AEG President Tim Leiweke was honored at a 450-person City of Hope fundraiser that also featured the first official lighting of the 54-story tower.

ficient meeting space in Los Angeles.” That will be followed by the sports-entertainment-media company IMG’s two-day World Congress of Sports conference in

March. Events that utilize more of the L.A. Live campus and AEG’s Staples Center next door, such as the NBA All-Star Game planned Continued on next page

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LAAC Continued from page 5 That facility renovated its hotel rooms a few years ago and has seen a big response from the business crowd. “The concept is good, it’s been tested, it’s been proven,” said Lugosi. “For business people in the community who have associates coming to town, it makes it easy because their guests can stay there, they can meet there for dinner, they can use the athletic facilities. It all makes sense.” In the current economy, he added, the LAAC could capture a share of the Downtown boutique hotel market, as demand is likely to rise after the Ritz-Marriott opens but new hotel construction is unlikely any time soon. The Los Angeles Athletic Club is at 431 W. Seventh St., (213) 625-2211 or laac.com. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com. Continued from previous page for 2011, have helped pre-book about 40,000 room nights at the Ritz-Marriott over the next two years, Leiweke said. Aside from the hotel rooms and meeting facilities, Lewieke credits AEG’s status as a sports and entertainment giant with allowing the company to line up many of the events it has booked for the hotel — even at a time when, experts say, the convention and hotel industries have taken a dive due to businesses and trade groups cutting back amid the recession. AEG has aggressively capitalized on its relationships with sports companies and teams to lure events big and small, Leiweke said. “The uniqueness here is the people that own the hotel happen to own the campus,” he said, referring to AEG’s funding a significant portion of the hotel on its own (its primary partner is investment management firm MacFarlane

Partners). “We’re in the event business. We have a full-time staff of a dozen people; they do nothing but events. Not many hotels have that. We’re willing to go out and bid on everything and anything that’s out there.” Still, Leiweke said, he does not expect perfectly smooth sailing come Feb. 15. Hotel vacancy in Downtown Los Angeles, like elsewhere in the country, has been depressed in recent months. Lewieke last week acknowledged the dip and indicated that he does not expect the Convention Center hotel alone to reverse the trend. “Let’s not kid ourselves,” said Lewieke. “The hotel industry is going to struggle here, so I guess our choice was to board it up for a year and wait, but you don’t do that on a $1 billion project.” Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

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Dogs Continued from page 1 active in the field since 1989. Downtown Dog Rescue started as an entity that coaxed homeless dogs off Skid Row, socialized them, spayed and neutered them when possible, and found them homes. Along the way, Weise has always sought to build relationships with and sometimes employ people from Skid Row and beyond. That’s why she provided the free food to the men and women of Skid Row who kept dogs, a practice that she says is far less common today than it was in the 1990s. “When I was talking to Annenberg and asking for this grant, I basically said, I’m going to do this work whether you give me the grant or not,” Weise said. “It’s just that it’ll really help me to expand what I’m already doing.” Richardson, who has always had an affinity for dogs, was assigned one of Weise’s most timid rescues, a caramel-colored pitbull named Kylie. He and friend Tony Sperl, an animal activist who helped Richardson reconnect with Weise, would show up and walk a pack of Weise’s dogs

a few times a week. On Sundays, they would participate in Downtown Dog Rescue’s weekly dog training classes at the Coliseum, Richardson always pairing with Kylie. “Kylie is a dog that’s basically un-adoptable,” Weise said. “She’s not going to bite you, she loves other dogs, but you take her to an adoption [event] and she’s just going to cower and shake. “But Cliff was able to really connect with this dog. Not even the lady that rescued her could do that.” Just Like People The one-year Annenberg grant allows Weise to pay Jobs With Dogs participants about $10 per hour. The program extends beyond dog walking and training. Weise has also hooked up with the gang intervention organization Homeboy Industries, employing that group’s members to distribute anti-dog fighting fliers to stores around town. The fliers include a tipline to report dog fighting. Then there are cases like Henry Acosta, another Jobs With Dogs participant who has battled drugs and anger management issues since he was a teenager. The South Los Angeles resident has worked

on and off at Modernica doing maintenance tasks for about 10 years. He quit a few times, and Weise fired him a few times. “Lori always gave me a second chance,” Acosta said. Acosta helps with another Downtown Dog Rescue project, Operation Safety Net, which works mostly with older women in South Los Angeles who need yard work and maintenance in order to keep their dogs. Acosta is an apprentice in the program, learning skills such as fence building, all the while helping to ensure that another dog with a home doesn’t end up on the streets or at the pound. Though Acosta does not yet walk the dogs, he sees them and hears them every day when he’s working at Modernica. “One thing I’ve realized is that all these dogs have different personalities,” he said. “There’s the timid ones, the rowdy ones, the playful ones — they’re just like human beings.” More information about Downtown Dog Rescue, including volunteer opportunities and spay and neuter services, is at downtowndogrescue.com. photo by Gary Leonard Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at Weise has been working on Downtown Dog Rescue since 1989. ryan@downtownnews.com.

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12 Downtown News

Parks Continued from page 1 apply for newly available state park money. “People are realizing, we can’t rely on the city,” said Ashley Zarella, head of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council’s Sustainability Committee, which works on environmental issues in the area. A city Recreation and Parks officials said that the department supports the current efforts. Filling a Gap Downtown has large parks on its northern and western edges, in the form of, respectively, the Los Angeles State Historic Park and the Vista Hermosa Natural Park. However, the core of the community is largely devoid of green space. The issue has received heightened attention since 2007,

Twitter/DowntownNews when Recreation and Parks officials revealed that the department had accumulated more than $130 million in park funds for green-starved areas throughout the city but had yet to allocate more than half of the money. The sum included nearly $16 million designated for Downtown. The department subsequently teamed with landscape architecture firm Mia Lehrer and Associates to match the unspent money (known as Quimby fees) with outdoor improvements, but the project was halted amid the city budget crisis. Plans to purchase two parcels in or near the Arts District with the funds also fell through. Since then, residents and other city leaders have stepped in. Last June, at the urging of Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry and local activists, the city spent $5 million in Quimby fees to purchase a nearly one-acre parcel on Spring Street in the Historic Core from developer Downtown Properties. Community meetings to come up with a design for the park are ongoing, and the space is expected to open in

January 18, 2010

photo by Gary Leonard

The city last year spent $5 million to purchase a nearly one-acre parcel on Spring Street in the Historic Core. It is slated to open as a park next year.

2011, said a Perry spokeswoman. Meanwhile, in South Park, a group of about 20 residents is working on an effort to purchase an approximately one-acre parking lot at Ninth and Hill streets and turn it into green space. They hope to use funds created by the 2006 state bond measure Proposition 84 to help with the acquisition. To qualify for the Prop. 84 money, which became available late last year, proposals must target urban areas, have a clear design concept and have been the subject of at least five community meetings, among other criteria. Each applicant may apply for up to $5 million. Applications are due by March 1. The possibility of securing the money has helped rally interest in the project, said Rick Morris, head of the task force spearheading the effort (Morris has written past health stories for Los Angeles Downtown News). “We didn’t know if we could ever get this park,’” he said. “We found out about the Prop. 84 money, and we have all these different areas helping us out. I can’t believe the number of people that are coming to me, saying, ‘We want to put this together.’” Securing the land could be difficult. The property is owned by the Kor Group, developer of the nearby Eastern Columbia Building. Two years ago, Morris said, Kor’s asking price was $8 million. Prop. 84 funds cannot be used to purchase land for more than market-rate value. Though property values have tumbled in the past couple of years, the only comparable recent sale was the $5 million Spring Street parcel — the same amount of money as the maximum Prop. 84 grant. In the meantime, task force members are focused on the grant application and have met with a Recreation and Parks landscape architect to draw up initial concepts for a layout that would include a water feature, performance space and exercise equipment. Morris said more community meetings are coming. Small Spaces, Big Dreams Two Community Redevelopment Agency-led Downtown park projects are also in the works. One would turn a small site adjacent to the Chinatown Library at Ord and Hill streets into a park. The second would replace two lanes of traffic between Ninth Street and Olympic Boulevard on Grand Avenue in South Park with green space, totaling about half an acre. Officials also plan to apply for $5 million in Prop. 84 grants for each proposal. While Recreation and Parks officials have not “been at the table” during the early planning stages, according to CRA Project Manager Lillian Burkenheim, the department is aware of the projects and would operate the parks if they come to fruition. The Ord Street park evolved from a CRA plan to create a walkway between Yale and Hill streets, Burkenheim said. CRA officials decided to pursue a full park after the Prop 84 money was announced, she said. The first step, if the grant comes through, would be to purchase the approximately one-acre parcel from the two private individuals who own it. The price would be $750,000, said Burkenheim. The first two public meetings on the project last month attracted about 100 people to brainstorm on possible design elements, said organizers. The Grand Avenue park proposal, meanwhile, followed from the Downtown Street Standards, a new set of development guidelines for Downtown adopted by the city in April. The standards aim to make the neighborhood more pedestrian-oriented, with stipulations such as requiring developers to widen sidewalks instead of the streets around their projects. “Grand Avenue is much wider than it needs to be,” said Burkenheim, “and in this particular section it is wider than any other portion of Grand Avenue. We knew we had additional acreage on Grand Avenue that we could recapture and use for something.” So far, she said, much of the community feedback on the two proposals has called for interactive recreational space, such as a dog park or exercise areas. That comes as the community has gained tens of thousands of residents in the past decade. “What their everyday needs are for open space are very different than the open space needed for a business climate,” Burkenheim said. “I think that’s why you’re hearing the voice now a lot more than ever before.” Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

January 18, 2010

DowntownNews.com

Downtown News 13

LET'S DO LUNCH

The Downtown Lunch Challenge A Group of Reporters and Editors Finds Plenty of Midday Dining Options in Little Tokyo

Going to Market Supermarket Sushi in Little Tokyo by AnnA Scott StAff writer

he lunch options in Little Tokyo are mind-bogglingly bounteous. Just sticking to the establishments along First and Second streets, between San Pedro and Central avenues, I could eat sushi, teriyaki or noodles every day for months without revisiting the same place. It seems I’m not the only one who has caught on to this fact, because historic Little Tokyo on a recent lunch hour bustled with local workers out for their midday meals. As I set out to forage (well, more like stroll) for my own noon re-fueling, it was the crowds that deterred me from one of the first places I saw, the always-busy ramen noodle eatery Daikokuya, on First Street, which advertises itself as the place for the “original” noodle or rice bowls. I’m not sure what that means, but I do know it’s tasty. Next possibility: Café Take 5, also on First Street, next to the main entrance of the Miyako hotel. The panini sandwiches, Chinese chicken salad, mixed green salad and even clam chowder all looked pretty good. Yet it seemed like a rather bland choice to make in a neighborhood with so many interesting Japanese-themed restaurants.

It was a warm, sunny day, and as I approached the open-air mall Japanese Village Plaza, the frozen yogurt shop Pinkberry looked like a distinct possibility. A dish of the signature tart plain yogurt, topped with blueberries, and perhaps some almond slivers, appealed. With the light yogurt and healthy toppings, Pinkberry falls somewhere between being a dessert and a breakfast food, in my book. But I figured I would be hungry again a couple of hours later if I made a lunch out of it, and again, considering the neighborhood, it didn’t seem like a very inspired choice. Another possibility presented itself inside Japanese Village Plaza. The tiny, no-frills restaurant Las Galas, which offers an eclectic menu of items such as burgers, teriyaki bowls and chili cheese fries, was full. Any very small restaurant without much in the way of decor that still packs ’em in at lunchtime always gets my attention. Yet, I was out to avoid the crowds, so I moved on. Finally, I found my lunch spot in the deli case of the Nijiya Market inside the JVP mall. The small, Japanese-themed supermarket boasts an entire wall of pre-made, grab-and-go foods. Poring over the unusual selections kept me mesmerized. Well, at least for several minutes. There were sushi rolls; bowls of cooked eel on top of rice; plastic-wrapped triangles of seaweed stuffed with rice and fish; and sweet treats including green tea cake rolls. There was even some sort of sushi-like, Spam-on-rice item and a chow mein sandwich consisting of noodles stuffed into a small baguette. Big plastic containers of chopped watermelon and see Market, page 16

photo by Gary Leonard

o many places to eat. So little time. That’s the situation these days in numerous Downtown Los Angeles neighborhoods. The residential revolution of the last 10 years has led to a vast influx of restaurants. These days local denizens and workers have more choices than ever when it comes to eating lunch. In the effort to narrow down the options, a quartet of Los Angeles Downtown News editorial staffers took the Downtown Lunch Challenge. We headed to the corner of First and Alameda streets and then went off on our own. The rules were simple: We had 30 minutes and $15 to spend. The goal was to discover the best lunch possible and then meet up and present our finds. Here is what we uncovered.

14 Downtown News

January 18, 2010

Let’s Do Lunch

Make Room for Hibachi Korean Barbecue Spot Makes It Hard to Leave Hungry by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

t’s a good thing I was really hungry for the Downtown Lunch Challenge. While my colleagues got sensibly sized meals that fit nicely into cute little containers and bento boxes, I ordered a mountain of meat, and also healthy sides of salad, rice and kimchee. Unlike my skinny colleagues, I was the perfect man for the job, since I have the extra tummy space to fit it all in. With Little Tokyo as our target area, my first thought was Cuba Central on First Street and Central Avenue. They serve a mean ropa vieja, a shredded meat dish with potatoes and garbanzo beans. But I wasn’t really in the mood for Carib bean food, so I kept walking and strolled by Green Bamboo on Central just north of Second Street. The place is an odd combina tion of Chinese restaurant and sports bar. But since it was a working lunch, I didn’t want to risk the temptation of ordering a cold one while on duty. I also spotted an odd little place called Favorite Gift and Snack, on Azusa Street across from Japanese Village Plaza. It seemed to be a combination sandwich shop and gift store. I peeked inside but decided against it, since I was really hungry and somehow didn’t think any snack or gift I bought there

would be my favorite. Spitz on Second Street would have been a good choice, since they serve up the delicious doner kebab, a slowroasted dish similar to shawarma. They shave it into thin strips and offer it as a sandwich or a salad. It didn’t feel like a doner day afternoon though. For weeks I’ve had a craving for Korean food, and there’s a great Korean spot in Little Tokyo called Hibachi Korean Kitchen. But the last time I got a craving for Korean and headed there during the lunch hour the line was out the door. It’s been a while since I tried Hibachi, and this seemed like a good opportunity to give it another chance. Hibachi has been in business for more than 20 years. Luckily, the restaurant, run by the affable Bobby Suh, has managed to survive the recession. With no long lines to deal with, I was able to jump right in and order one of their sizzling lunch spe cials, which are served on actual sizzling hot plates. The specials all come with a radish and on ion soup — which has way more flavor than the oftenbland miso soup served at many Japanese restaurants. There was also a salad with a sweet homemade dressing, steamed rice, vegetables and a perfectly spicy kimchee. The lunch choices include beef short rib barbecue, shrimp barbecue and squid bar becue for $10.95. There is also a pork bar

photo by Gary Leonard

The lines may have gotten smaller, but the portions are as big as ever at Hibachi Korean Kitchen in Japanese Village Plaza. Bobby Suh has run the restaurant for more than 20 years.

becue choice for $9.95 and a salmon dish for $10.95. I chose the beef teriyaki and I got enough to hold my Korean craving over for months. The dish comes with an enormous amount of everything. The beef was tender, thick and had a smoky aftertaste to remind you it was made at a place that specializes in barbecue. The kimchee had the right amount of kick. It was neither heavy enough to overwhelm the plate, nor so light that it disappeared be

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January 18, 2010

Let’s Do Lunch

Downtown News 15

Augustus Gloop and Me Sometimes You Need to Learn To Be Happy With What’s in Front of You by Jon RegaRdie executive editoR

’m usually pretty good at restaurants. That may sound like an odd comment, but I have a track record of being able to pick out good eating establishments even when I’m in an unfamiliar locale and, once seated, ordering effectively. I credit the skill to my parents, who always enjoyed eating out. The joke was that mom and dad’s best meal was reservations. So it is with some dismay that I admit I botched the Downtown Lunch Challenge — at least half of it. I thought I was picking right, but instead of trusting my instincts and relying on an old favorite, I went in a new direction. I came. I saw. I ate some forgettable fish. I’m forced to think about what could have been, about the places I passed by. I hope to learn from my mistake. As my colleagues headed west from the corner of First and Alameda streets, I turned south. That was mistake number one, as it meant I was walking away from Señor Fish and their grilled shrimp burrito. I’ve been a fan of Señor Fish for years, and have come to rely on the plump, tasty sea creatures enmeshed in a flour tortilla with all the fixings. I passed by Honda Plaza, home to the stalwart Sushi Gen, a joint favored by area workers for the sashimi special. It’s basically a boatload of fish so fresh that it tastes like it slept in the sea last night. There are other intriguing options in Honda Plaza, among them Tapas and Wine

Bar C, and the interesting-looking Raku Plus, a joint specializing in izakaya (Japanese small plates). Instead, I walked on. I realized that there were countless delicious choices all around me. I felt like Augustus Gloop in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when he wanders into the room where everything is edible and sweet. I could head east a couple blocks and savor the sausages and Belgian fries of Würstküche or the prosciutto melt at Novel Café. I could go back to First Street and slurp up the fare at Mr. Ramen. I could try Second Street and consume the doner kebab and the sweet potato fries of Spitz. Instead, I did like Gloop when he tumbled into the chocolate river, unable to be happy with what I had. Oh, for the love of Oompa Loompas. I walked south and approached a nearly impenetrable fortress. The gray, Death Starlike building carried the bland name the Little Tokyo Shopping Center. The aged, hulking space makes the Glendale Galleria look like high design. I knew there were several viable options inside. Sushi Go 55, on the top level, has done me well many times, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about its neighbor, HondaYa. Still, I walked straight ahead, passing The Pho Shop, an attractive space featuring Vietnamese noodles, and entered the Little Tokyo Market Place, the replacement for Mitsuwa market. Immediately, I was reminded of how Downtowners in search of a grocery store do not always have to fall back on Ralphs.

photo by Gary Leonard

Man cannot live by cream puff alone, but Beard Papa’s pillowy delicacies are always worth trying.

The large space has an array of Japanese, American and other international items, along with all the sundries any grocery store should carry. The market offered plenty of lunch choices, and there was a small line in front of the ramen noodle set-up. But I didn’t bite. I headed to another popular part of the store, the case with the fresh sushi. There I found numerous well-priced options, including an unagi (freshwater eel) bowl for $6.45, and a spicy tuna bowl for $6.95. I opted for the 16-piece tuna roll for $4.15 and a sixpiece sushi platter with salmon, yellowtail and tuna for $7.30. They looked appetizing, yet when I dug in, I found both to be mediocre. The slabs of fish were too thin and the rice didn’t have the texture of even other store-bought sushi. For

once when eating sushi, I did not become a member of the clean-plate club. I’m disappointed in myself. But I didn’t completely bungle the day. Before leaving the mall, I stopped by Beard Papa and picked up four of their vanilla cream puffs ($1.75 apiece). While I briefly thought about eating all of them, I decided it would be better to share with the rest of the reporters and editors. Sure enough, when I opened the yellow box, everyone smiled, and when they bit into the pillowy sweets, the cream oozing onto fingers, it was like we were all back in Wonkaland. Augustus Gloop would have approved. Little Tokyo Market Place is at 333 S. Alameda St. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.

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January 18, 2010

Let’s Do Lunch photos by Gary Leonard

Oh, Snapper! Bring On the Bento Box at Sushi Teri by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

rdering lunch from any place of my choosing in Little Tokyo seemed a simple task. I was wrong. The community is seemingly designed so that competing sushi joints play tug of war with ramen houses and Korean barbecue spots. The result is that hungry patrons become the rope. I was initially pulled toward the Chado Tea Room, which is housed in a nook of the Japanese American National Museum on the northwest corner of Alameda and First streets. The promise of Chado’s mini half sandwiches like the Punjab (eggs marinated in a smoked tea, then combined with mayo and green onions) and the smoked chicken breast with cranberry lingonberry sauce was promising. Like all teahouses should be, Chado is charming, with walls of specialty teas and delicate china. It has a quiet patio with lots of

evergreen shrubbery, which is ironically why I opted to just say no to Chado — it looked like the kind of place best enjoyed in the venue, and I was taking lunch to go. After contemplating a quick liquid appetizer at Cosmos Saloon on First Street, I pressed west, and caved into another personal vice: sweets. After the shopkeeper at the historic Japanese confection shop Fugetsu-Do let me sample some rainbow colored mochi, I grabbed four of the sweet rice cakes for my colleagues and I to enjoy after lunch. My heart was tugging me to Daikokuya, also on First Street, for some ramen, but it was, as usual, packed. So I crossed the street and wandered into Japanese Village Plaza, where the real tug of war happens. Frying Fish, home of the famous conveyor belt sushi service, was another spot that got the axe because the food is best enjoyed in the restaurant. After scanning a few other places, I popped out the south end of the plaza and headed west. By this point I

Market Continued from page 13 cantaloupe, along with tiny servings of side dishes like black beans and edamame, rounded out the choices. I even had the option to wash it all down with a can of strawberry juice. I settled on a container of six assorted sushi roll pieces. Two were California rolls, and four were of a variety I have not seen before that contained spinach and some kind of spongy, tofu-like ingredient wrapped up in rice and seaweed. I also threw in a small container of something labeled “pumpkin salad”

Sushi Teri’s bento boxes can satisfy an unfocused appetite. In addition to a centerpiece of fish, beef or chicken, it offers teriyaki, California roll and fresh fruit.

had a real hankering for Japanese food, and finally settled on Sushi Teri (116 Japanese Village Plaza), which is essentially a budgetfriendly tasting platter of Little Tokyo. The bento combo ($9.90) comes with a hefty scoop of sticky white rice, a simple salad, four pieces of California roll, mixed tempura, two pieces of sushi (sashimi style) and a mixture of fresh fruit. But the focus of the plate is a piece of broiled fish, beef or chicken. I chose red snapper because it was featured in another lunch special at the restaurant that day and I reasoned it was the freshest (other fish options in the bento combo include mahi mahi, sole and salmon). Let’s start with the tempura, because that’s how I started: There was one piece of shrimp, but otherwise, it was a mixture of vegetables. The broccoli was a standout; it still had a little

because it looked like nothing I’ve seen before — sort of like a small mound of pureed pumpkin, dotted with some other sorts of vegetables. I’m adventurous like that. All that, plus a bottle of water, cost $7.32, and made for a tasty meal to boot. Well, OK, I might not go for the pumpkin salad again (I think it may have been canned pumpkin mixed with mayonnaise), but it was definitely interesting, like orange egg salad. That aside, I will definitely visit Nijiya again. It’s a rare place that offers an exotic, inexpensive and quick bite all in one. At 124 Japanese Village Plaza, (213) 6803280 or nijiya.com. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

photo by Gary Leonard

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snap even after being dunked in the vinegarbased side sauce. I also enjoyed the tempura sweet potato and another squash variety that I couldn’t quite identify. The California roll was standard. Nothing flashy, but are California rolls ever? I almost forgot about my small filet of snapper, which is too bad because it was the highlight of the platter. It was cooked perfectly, resulting in a soft texture with a buttery finish. It came with a side sauce akin to tartar, but subtler. When it was all over, the only missing component was a nice, cold Sapporo. I may just end up back at Cosmos, after work anyway. Sushi Teri is at 116 Japanese Village Plaza, (213) 687-8368. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Restaurant Buzz USC Food Options, Salad Central And More Food News by RichaRd Guzmán city EditoR

heer Up USC: They may have lost football coach Pete Carroll, but USC students, and their neighbors, gained a new Greek and a new sushi restaurant recently. OK, spicy tuna rolls and gyros won’t exactly make football fans feel any better about getting to a future BCS game, but good food can help any situation. The new restaurants, Daphne’s Greek Café and Wasabi Sushi, opened last week at Café 84, the on-campus food court that houses eight other eateries. Daphne’s options include gyros, grilled chicken and falafel pita sandwiches. Wasabi Sushi’s fare includes a traditional selection of Japanese items such as sushi and rolls, as well as vegetarian options. If that’s not enough to cheer up Trojan fans, then why not switch your attention to what’s going on in the NFL? The Lab (not part of Café 84), will be offering specials for the Jan. 24 playoff games and on Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 7. They include $5 wings, $5 spinach artichoke dip and, to make all your coaching worries go away, $5 Trojan Blonde beers. The brew is made at The Lab and served in a beaker, because everything taste better in a beaker.

Downtown News 17

Let’s Do Lunch

Café 84 is at 1025 W. 34th St., (213) 7409579. The Lab is at 3500 S. Figueroa Blvd., (213) 743-1843 or thelabusc.edu. Park and Grill: The Daily Grill is making lunch a more enjoyable experience for driving customers by bringing back its lunchtime valet service. Starting at 11 a.m. Monday-Friday, those hungry and in cars will no longer have to waste valuable eating time trying to find a parking spot. But there is a price — valet costs $7 with restaurant validation. The valet stand is at the green Daily Grill umbrella on Flower Street just south of Sixth Street. At 612 S. Flower St., (213) 622-4500 or dailygrill.com.

David Silverglide (we think those are actually their real names). Swallow has cooked at New York City’s Gramercy Tavern, and for the Downtown restaurant he brings a menu focusing on salads and sandwiches. Customers can pick from the menu or have the chefs prepare an original dish with ingredients available at the counter — just don’t ask for microwaved bacon to be added to your sandwich, although that’s the side item Restaurant Buzz loves the most at Subway. Salads are $7.95-$11.95 and sandwiches are $8.95. At Two California Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., mixtgreens.com. Feliz Anniversary: Some people say that an

anniversary should be celebrated with flowers, maybe some diamonds, or perhaps a romantic getaway. Nah. The best way to celebrate any anniversary is with some tacos and Tecates. The Mexican restaurant Provecho agrees with Restaurant Buzz and is celebrating its first anniversary the right way with $1 tacos and $2 Tecates, as well as $3 Sam Adams if you want to fancy it up. The special is available indefinitely during happy hour from 3-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5:30-7 p.m. Saturday. At 800 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 489-1406 or provechorestaurant.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

Mixt Master: What would happen if Subway were to hire a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and all of a sudden the sandwich “artists” became sandwich chefs instead? You would get something like Mixt Greens. The “eco-gourmet,” or environmentally responsible fine food restaurant, opened its first Downtown location Jan. 14 at Two California Plaza (two other Los Angeles locations are in the works). The San Francisco-based restaurant is run by chef Andrew Swallow, his sister Leslie Silverglide and her husband,

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18 Downtown News

January 18, 2010

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HEALTH Debunking the Myth

at “swine flu parties” in order to build immunity to H1N1, but the CDC recommends against this potentially dangerous practice. After vaccination, the best defense against infection is hand washing with warm water

What Can You Really Do to Avoid Swine Flu? by LesLey sauLs

wine flu is putting a huge dent in school attendance records and is keeping people home from work. Those who have not gotten the H1N1 virus are doing whatever they can to avoid being the next victim, but unfortunately, many of the suggestions about staying healthy are untested and sometimes untrue. Saltwater swabs of nasal and oral cavities might feel good and increase breathing capability, but representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Mayo Clinic claim they are not likely to prevent viral infections. Similarly, drinking hot beverages soothes sore throats and offers hydration, but hot liquids won’t wash the virus into your stomach to be destroyed. Mouthwash isn’t able to provide protection, either. “H1N1 lives mostly in the nasal area, so there is no way to gargle or wash it out,” said CDC spokeswoman Amanda Aldridge. Dr. William Marshall — an infectiousdisease specialist at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn. — agrees. He says the influenza virus is borne on droplets that are spread during coughs, sneezes and conversation. These can be transferred to the eyes, nose and mouth directly or by hands that have touched contaminated surfaces, whereas a virus can survive up to 48 hours. As soon as the virus comes into contact with the mucous membranes, it quickly is absorbed directly into the body’s cells. Researchers are testing the ability of green tea to inhibit influenza virus replication. The outlook is good, but so far, no large-scale tests have been performed that would prove

Some people have sought out infection at ‘swine flu parties’ in order to build immunity to H1N1, but the CDC recommends against this potentially dangerous practice.

Medical experts say simply washing hands can be a key step in cutting down flu transmission. Although washing does not destroy a virus, it removes it from the hands, thus preventing easy transfer to the eyes, nose and mouth.

its effectiveness. The same is true of garlic, apple juice and cranberry juice. “Those things don’t hurt if they make people feel better, but they are unlikely to increase chances that they will or won’t get influenza,” Marshall explained. He said the best way to prevent an H1N1 infection is by being vaccinated against it. The website flu.gov details vaccination availability. Some people have sought out infection

and soap. This does not destroy a virus, but removes it from the hands, thus preventing easy transfer to the eyes, nose and mouth. There is no need for a special antiseptic soap; the purpose of washing is simply to send the virus down the drain. Any soap works to break down the grease and grime that hide lurking viruses, and using soap adds to the amount of time spent at the

USC Breast Cancer Experts Oppose New Screening Guidelines by LesLie Ridgeway

f you’re thinking about canceling your mammogram after reading the guidelines announced last year by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, USC breast cancer experts urge you to keep the appointment. The guidelines, which state that most women under age 50 do not need routine mammograms, have left many women puzzled about what they should do to prevent breast cancer. If a woman doesn’t have a family history of breast cancer, should she stop scheduling an annual mammogram between ages 40-49? Should she only have one every two years after age 50? No, said Stephen Sener, chief of the division of surgical oncology at the USC Keck School of Medicine. Sener points

to mammography’s ability to find cancers when they’re smaller and more manageable — and survivable. “Size matters,” he said. “A person who has a smaller cancer detected has a better chance of survival. That’s not debatable.” With breast cancer death rates dropping 30% since 1990, the new guidelines could result in fewer women being screened and a reversal of a positive trend. “We will continue to recommend that women have an annual mammogram after age 40,” said Linda Hovanessian Larsen, director of women’s imaging in the Department of Radiology. “Seventy-five percent of breast cancers are found in women with no family history. The guidelines are a disservice to women.”

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Christy Russell, co-director of the Lee Breast Center at USC Norris Cancer Hospital and a member of the American Cancer Society’s Board of Directors, said the guidelines come at a critical moment in health care reform and legislation, when decisions are being made about which tests and procedures should be covered by health insurance. “I’m all for health care legislation and cost cutting, but to me, this is the wrong subject,” she said. “To do this when everyone agrees that there is a reduction in deaths is disturbing.” Russell noted that health care legislation currently under consideration by Congress could place screening tests and therapies on an A through F grading system, with tests and therapies rated A or B getting the nod for payment. “This recommendation specifically states that a mammogram for women ages 40-49 would get a C grade,” she said. She added that the American Cancer Society hopes the task force will change its conclusions. For more about breast cancer and mammography, visit the USC Norris Cancer Hospital Web site at uscnorriscancerhospital.org. Article courtesy of USC HSC Weekly.

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sink. Wash for at least 20 seconds, being sure to scrub fingernails and between fingers thoroughly. Then dry with a paper towel; reusable cloth towels can be havens for viruses. “We recommend soap and water,” Aldridge says, “but an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good alternative.” According to Marshall, most are alcoholbased antiseptics that denature proteins. They work against a wide range of microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, but need to have a minimum of 60 percent alcohol to be successful. Some hand sanitizers contain triclosan instead of alcohol, but the CDC says that the health effects of this compound are unknown and that more research is needed to determine whether it adversely affects human health. Aldridge said she has been told that avoiding triclosan might be a good idea until studies determine whether its antibacterial properties lead to antibiotic resistance. In addition to good hygiene, use general courtesy and healthy habits to prevent the H1N1 virus from spreading. Cough into your elbow or a tissue that can be thrown away, and head to the sink for another wash. Stay away from crowded places and sick people. Wipe household surfaces with antiseptic cleansers. If you are entertaining, consider plating food individually instead of offering a buffet, and set appetizers out in decorative cupcake papers so that people have individual servings and avoid sharing food touched by contaminated hands. “Follow general measures to remain healthy,” Marshall advised. “Don’t smoke; maintain a good body weight; get exercise; get plenty of sleep; have a healthy diet, with appropriate amounts of vitamins D and C. Those standard things seem to make a difference.” Article by Creators News Service.

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Downtown News 19

A World of Art

The 15th annual Los Angeles Art Show kicks off Jan. 20. Galleries will sell works ranging from a few hundred dollars to more than $1 million.

Convention Center Show Features Pieces From About 100 Galleries

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

he Los Angeles Convention Center will turn into a giant art space this week, as about 100 galleries take over 180,000 square feet of space for the 15th annual Los Angeles Art Show. It marks the event’s second time in Downtown Los Angeles “It’s a show that allows a person to come and see a lot of the history of the artwork and the most current things being done,” said Kim Martindale, producer of the L.A. Art Show, which began in 1995 at the Pasadena Convention Center. “They will be showing work that goes as far back as the 19th century, as well as all periods and many of the different schools leading up to cutting edge contemporary work including video installation.” In addition to domestic displays, galleries from countries including Korea, Japan and India will be showing and selling their pieces. Organized by the Fine Art Dealers Association and KR Martindale Show Management, the show is part art museum, part sales event and part art lesson. During its Jan. 20-24 run, it is expected to draw more than 35,000 people and generate $25 million in sales. The L.A. Convention Center space is nearly twice the size of their previous home at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The Downtown location, organizers said, allows for bigger crowds and more sales. International Spotlight A special focus this year is on art from Uruguay. The country is being highlighted as part of the show’s inaugural Guest

Country Program. is that there is plenty of “entry-level” work for sale. He will The Uruguay exhibit was curated under have pieces from $1,800-$2,500 in his booth. the direction of the country’s Ministry of Exposure to various forms of art is another thing that makes Education and Culture. It will include work the L.A. Art Show stand out, said Betina Tasende, board presifrom seven of the nation’s top artists. The dent of the Fine Art Dealers Association and the owner of galpieces range from paper collages to paintings leries in La Jolla and West Hollywood. She said the event can be to video installations. a good opportunity for those interested in starting collections “Many people have not seen the work from to cover a lot of ground in a relatively small space. Uruguay,” Martindale said. “It’s an eye and “If you want to start getting interested in looking at art and path into the great art that’s happening in that you were going to go visit galleries, you’re going to have to do country.” a lot of driving around Los Angeles,” she said. “But if you go The show will also shine a light on Middle to the L.A. Convention Center, you’re exposed to 100 gallerEastern art with Signs, an exhibit inspired by ies from throughout the world.” traditional Arab script and symbols. It inTasende has had success at past L.A. Art Shows, selling as cludes paintings, collage and ink on paper. much as $300,000 in one day. This year, she could top that There is more to the show than just art dis- figure, since she will be offering a $1.5 million painting by plays. A series of lectures will touch on subjects Colombian figurative artist Fernando Botero. such as collecting fine prints and art in the modBut if you buy it, don’t expect to walk out of the ernist home, with architects offering insight on Convention Center with it. design concepts that relate to artwork in the “For that we would do a wire transfer, since no one is gohome. There will also be art workshops for kids. ing to write out a check,” she said. “We would also have it Million Dollar Babies delivered, since you’re not going to be putting that in the Of course, the focus at the show, which costs $20 to enter, trunk of your car.” is on sales. Works will range from a couple hundred dollars The Los Angeles Art Show is Jan. 20-24 at the Los Angeles to more than $1 million. Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., (213) 741-1151 or “Except for curated exhibits, all of the artwork is for sale at lartshow.com. all the galleries,” Martindale said. “Their goal is to sell the artContact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com. work, but you can also come just to enjoy the art.” David Lawrence, owner of the West Hollywood-based David Lawrence Gallery, will be participating in the show for the first time. He said he hopes to establish more contacts with collectors and help introduce novice art fans to upscale work. “We want to make sales, we want to meet new collectors,” Lawrence said. “We’re there to work with people to give them what they want.” The gallery will be featuring a series of photographs taken in the 1960s by actor Dennis Hopper. The pieces, which have rarely been seen by the public, range from $60,000$75,000. “I’ve been sitting on these since the early ’80s,” Lawrence said. “They were in my personal collection.” Still, Lawrence pointed out that part The show offers options to serious collectors and novice art fans alike. of the attraction of the L.A. Art Show

photos by Jana Cruder

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20 Downtown News

January 18, 2010

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Viva Las Pictures Photos of a Young Elvis Are on Exhibit at Grammy Museum by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

n 1956, when 26-year-old Alfred Wertheimer was asked to shoot promotional images of an up-and-coming singer, his first question was, “Who’s Elvis?” Wertheimer was more a fan of classical and big band than rock ’n roll, though he was bit familiar with other types of music. Still, he had no idea who the King was — because there was no King yet. At the time Elvis Presley was a 21-year-old recently signed to RCA Victor Records. In the era before the massive fame, before his appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” before the leather suits and the movies, young Wertheimer captured images of the younger singer. “At that moment I found him to be basically a very quiet person, except when he was on stage in front of a camera,” Wertheimer said. “He was trying to tell the world, ‘I’m Elvis Presley, and I’m going to be famous.” Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer, a Smithsonian traveling exhibition of 56 photos, debuted at the Grammy Museum Jan. 8 and will run through March 28. It includes shots of the singer on the road, in concert, backstage, at a recording studio and back at his home in Memphis, Tenn. Also part of the exhibit are about two dozen pieces of Elvis memorabilia borrowed from Graceland and private collectors. They include Elvis’ first guitar, his famous white bucks (obviously before the blue suede shoes), letters he wrote back to fans and his family Bible. Concert footage from early TV performances is also part of the exhibit. “When you see these pictures you see a boyish innocence that you won’t see anytime thereafter,” said Bob Santelli, the museum’s executive director. “The most interesting thing about the photographs is that the photographer Al Wertheimer was allowed this really close access. He was up close and personal with Elvis. He was the only photographer ever to do that, and he took full advantage of that.” The Kiss The photos reveal intimate and candid moments in the

young singer’s life, as well as his charisma and his passionate presence on stage. One shot shows him on his hotel room couch, carefully reading fan letters. Another captures Elvis talking to a handful of fans who came to see him perform at a TV show. Then there was the kiss — one of the most famous photographs shows Elvis kissing a girl backstage before a show. “A lot of people have made a lot about this, but you know, Elvis was 21, and he met a girl,” Santelli said. Wertheimer first met Elvis when he was hired to take some promotional shots during his appearance on the Dorsey Brothers’ Stage Show in March 1956. They were introduced, and Elvis was told that Wertheimer would be taking a few pictures of him. “Elvis sort of grunted and mumbled, ‘Sure, why not,’” Wertheimer recalled. The photographer became a fly on the wall, disappearing into the background with his two black Nikons. Perhaps because it was so early in his career, Elvis allowed Wertheimer extremely close access. “He permitted closeness,” said Wertheimer. “Typically a photographer will operate from five to eight feet away from the subject or even further. But Elvis, and this was something I never experienced, would allow you to get within three feet of his face and not act stupid or act for you. He would be totally himself and to me this was a revelation.” The closeness allowed Wertheimer to snap candid shots that have become some of the most nostalgic images of Elvis. But as he was taking pictures, Wertheimer never imagined his photographs would have such an impact on pop culture. Now, at 80, Wertheimer still finds himself talking about his pictures and his time with Elvis. “This is the longest assignment I think anyone has ever had,” he said. Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer runs through March 28 at the Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6803 or grammymuseum.org. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

As Elvis left the Hudson Theater, his fans reached out for an autograph and to touch their idol.

Elvis, in deep concentration, sits on the floor of the recording studio listening to a playback of “Don’t Be Cruel.”

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Downtown News 21

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Tuesday, Jan. 19 Aloud at Central 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Kjerstin Erickson, founder of a nonprofit that works with displaced African communities, discusses “Far From Gone,” Barney Broomfield’s documentary about two Congolese who found themselves in a desolate refugee camp in Zambia after escaping their war-torn country. Wednesday, Jan. 20 Business Survival Skills Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 488-3599 or lapl.org. 6-8 p.m.: A free workshop offers tips for a more strategic approach to stabilizing and growing your business. Aloud at Central 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: L.A. Times business columnist David Lazarus talks with Raj Patel about his latest work, “The Value of Nothing: Markets and Democracy in a Time of Crisis.”

After the annual Kingdom Day Parade — which starts on Western Avenue near Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, ends in Leimert Park and marks what would have been the civil rights leader’s 81st birthday — continue the celebration at Exposition Park’s California African-American Museum.. The museum, which is normally closed Mondays, opens on Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. for an MLK Day party, complete with cake, speeches, screenings and exhibitions exploring subjects such as artists’ takes on the civil rights legacy and San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the 1940s-60s ershing skating at P d-off, f o y a d (aka “Harlem l a n fi of the sen n. 18, is the rink. As part of the West”). e Monday, Ja Ic n noon-2 O n w wnto perform from Day, ill w d a At 600 State Dr., re Square’s Do D Luther King band Urban Exposition Park, reggae/rock off for Martin ay rink is d e th e av n some. The e th d n a p.m. If you h (310) 537-4240 or rs u After that, ole two ho its final day. n o take the wh . caamuseum.org. .m p 0 in the 1 a.m.-1 year to skate . At le open from 1 o h w a it to wa ny afternoon you’ll have ark on a sun r laparks.org/ p t ic tr is D al 289 o Financi t., (213) 624-4 532 S. Olive S are/. pershingsqu

Two

Friday, Jan. 22 Farmlab Public Salons 1745 N. Spring St., Unit 4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. Noon: The Los Angeles history book by Eric Lynxwiler and Kevin Roderick, “Wilshire Boulevard: Grand Concourse of Los Angeles,” tells numerous stories from what has been called the backbone of the city. Lynxwiler shares stories of the boulevard and historic photos from public and private archives.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ 2nd Street Jazz 366 E. Second St., (213) 680-0047, 2ndstjazz.com or myspace.com/2ndstreetlivejazz. Tuesdays: Jazz jam session. Music usually starts at

Continued on next page

e e r t h

photo courtesy of Japanese Am erican Nationa l Museum

FoUr

sunday, Jan. 24 Soul Line Dancing California African American Museum, 600 State Dr., (213) 744-2024 or caammuseum.org. 2 p.m.: The museum hosts a workshop that will teach some of the most popular soul line dances with J&J Soulful Steps. Groove out and exercise. Reservations required. Sustainable Sundays at Natural History Museum 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-DINO or visit nhm.org. 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: The sustainability-minded educational series is back, this time with HumAnimals, which will detail learn how Southern California animals share their habitats with humans. Then join local artist Marissa Johnen in creating your own diorama with Trash for Teaching supplies.

by AnnA Scott, StAff writer

Gentle spring breezes, summer rains, fall harvest and a winter ice storm will all float through Walt Disney Concert Hall when the Los Angeles Philharmonic performs a special Saturday morning concert of Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons.” The quartet of violin concertos, at 11 a.m. on Jan. 23, is directed by 24th Street Theatre Artistic Director Debbie Devine and is geared toward young audiences, with theatrical elements performed by orchestra members. The performance is part of the Philharmonic’s Toyota Symphonies for Youth series, which features classical pieces paired with other artistic disciplines. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

Thursday, Jan. 21 MOCA Exhibition Walk-Through MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 6211745 or moca.org. 6:30 p.m.: MOCA Director of Publications Lisa Mark will explore the language-based works featured in “Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years” in a walk through of the show at MOCA Grand Avenue. Free.

saTurday, Jan. 23 L.A. Derby Dolls 1910 Temple St., derbydolls.com/la. 6 p.m.: The L.A. Derby Dolls open the season with a feisty match-up between the Varsity Brawlers and the Sirens. Echo Park’s Barrio Tiger will perform at halftime and Stiv Skator will DJ. Real Estate Financial Modeling Training USC, Davidson Conference Center, 3415 S. Figueroa St., (703) 577-4110 or realestatefinancialmodeling.com. 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: This interactive workshop teaches the skills needed to successfully model apartment building development transactions, including foreclosed development sites. It’s geared toward real estate professionals and students. Registration required.

Saturday Morning Symphony, MLK Day Celebration, and More Cultural Happenings photo by Matthew Imaging

Monday, Jan. 18 Cake for King California African American Museum, 600 State Dr., (310) 537-4240 or caammuseum.org. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Normally closed on Monday, CAAM opens for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. After the annual Kingdom Day Parade, grab a piece of birthday cake at CAAM.

his is your la c h e c k o u st full week to t Giant Robot B ie n n a le a t American N th e Ja p a n e s e ational Muse Little Tokyo. um in The exhibit, which close Sunday, Ja s n. 24, high lights artists associated with the ma gazine Gia nt

Robot. The p ub a stapled-a lication that began as nd-folded, photocopie digest in 1 d 994 has g rown into full-fledged a glossy focu sed on Asia and Asian n -American pop culture The JANM . show, cura ted by Gia Robot co-fo nt under and co-editor Eri c

The Aloud lecture series on Tuesday, Jan. 19, hosts a 7 p.m. documentary screening at the Central Library, followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Barney Broomfield. The film, Far From Gone, offers an

Nakamura, inc of photogra ludes a retrospective phs by ma gazine con tributor Ben Clark and custom videogames fe aturing visu als by som of Giant Ro e bot’s favori te 369 E. First artists. At St., (213) 6 25-0414 or janm.org.

intimate look at two Congolese who found themselves in a desolate refugee camp in Zambia after narrowly escaping their wartorn country. Afterwards, Broomfield, who has directed and shot documentaries for the BBC and Discovery, will speak with

Kjerstin Erickson, founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization FORGE, which has worked extensively with refugees. At 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or lfla.org.

EVENTS

LISTINGS

22 Downtown News

January 18, 2009

DowntownNews.com

We Got Games The Injury Bug Bites the Clippers and the Lakers Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.: The banged-up Lakers have a tough week, starting with a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s NBA finals with “Superman” Dwight Howard’s Orlando Magic. Pau Gasol is nursing a strained hamstring, and last week Kobe battled back spasms. One of the few consistently healthy players has been Lamar Odom, who keeps moving back and forth between the bench and the starting lineup. After the Magic, the Lakers embark on a nasty eight-game road swing. First stop? Cleveland (Jan. 21), then on to New York (Jan. 22) and Toronto (Jan. 24). Half the battle will be getting, and then staying, healthy.

Listings Continued from previous page 9 or 10 p.m. Café Metropol 923 E. Third St., (213) 613-1537 or cafemetropol.com. Jan. 22, 8-10 p.m.: Pianist Gaea Schell. Jan. 23, 8-10 p.m.: Drummer Abe Lagrimas. 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 cicadarestaurant.com. Thursdays, 8-11 p.m.: The velvet-voiced Max

Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers. Jan. 18, 12:30 p.m.: Blake Griffin, the Clipper’s number one draft pick, the supposed future cornerstone of the franchise, is out for the year. Why should no on in Clipper nation be surprised that the team has been dealt another blow? Still, the Clippers have been playing well without Griffin, and will have to keep the momentum going during a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day matinee against the New Jersey Nets, and two days later when they host the Chicago Bulls. After those games, they hit the road to take on Denver (Jan. 21) and Washington (Jan. 24). Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com. Jan. 19 and 21, 7:30 p.m.: The Kings get another crack at the division leading Sharks, as they look to rebound from a recent tough stretch, including a Jan. 11 2-1 loss to those damn carnivorous fish from San Jose. The Buffalo Sabres are in town after that and then the Kings head to Detroit (Jan. 23). —Ryan Vaillancourt

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. 23, 8 p.m.: Get a free salsa lesson, then groove to the sounds of Son Mayor. Redwood Bar & Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com. Jan. 19, 10 p.m.: Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss. Jan. 20, 10 p.m.: Huntsville. Jan. 21, 10 p.m.: Nothington, Crushed On You,

photo by Gary Leonard

With Kobe and Pau suffering from injuries, the Lakers may have to rely on Lamar Odom this week.

Western Front, Snakes Alive and Dave E. Nation. Jan. 22, 10 p.m.: Arrow Down, Beat Killers, Dante vs. Zombies and Gestapo Khazi. Jan. 24, 10 p.m.: Tom Armstrong. Rerax Fridays at Señor Fish 422 E. First St., (213) 625-0566 or senorfishla.com. Fridays, 9 p.m.-3 a.m.: Music, art, VJ performances, silk screening and photos. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., sevengrand.la. Jan. 18, 10 p.m.: The John Daversa Small Group. Jan. 19, 10 p.m.: The Makers 325. Jan. 20, 10 p.m.: The Deacon Jones Blues Review featuring Lady GG. The Smell 247 S. Main St., thesmell.org. Jan. 19, 9 p.m.: Moses Campbell, Penny Sledge, The Symbolick Jews and Tubby Boots. Jan. 21, 9 p.m.: Fantasica Bastidas, M31, The

THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

January 18, 2009

Downtown News 23

DowntownNews.com

Cigarette Bums and Peg Leg Love. Jan. 22, 9 p.m.: Robin Williams On Fire, Mincemeat Or Tenspeed, Realicide, Simo Soo and Tik Tik. Jan. 23, 9 p.m.: Lucky Dragons, Mi Ami, Foot Village, VNC and Missincinatti. Jan. 24, 9 p.m.: John Thill, Pizza, I.E., Musical Chairs and Aristides.

CLASSICAL MUSIC Tuesday, Jan. 19 Music Center Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or musiccenter.org. 8 p.m.: Pianist Richard Goode performs a slate of Haydn sonatas, Bachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prelude and fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier and Schumannâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kreisleriana. Thursday, Jan. 21 Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., 7 p.m.: Conductor Jeffrey Kahane leads the LACO (and plays the keyboard) in a program of Bach piano works, including the Concerto No. 2 and selections from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Los Angeles Philharmonic Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.org. 8 p.m.: Lorin Maazel conducts the Phil in a performance of Brucknerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Symphony No. 8. (Also on Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. and Jan. 24 at 2 p.m.). saTurday, Jan. 23 Los Angeles Philharmonic Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.org. 11 a.m.: As part of its Toyota Symphonies for Youth Series, the Phil presents Vivaldiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Four Seasons, conducted by Perry So. Tickets throughout the hall are $20.

FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., downtownindependent.com for showtimes. Through Jan. 21: The Messenger, directed by Oren Moverman, stars Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton and Jena Malone. Jan. 20-26: In Home, life for a French family in a rural town is upended when a major highway is constructed nearby. Flagship Theatres 3323 S. Hoover St., (213) 748-6321. Through Jan. 21: Daybreakers (12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30 and 9:50 p.m.); The Book of Eli (11:30 a.m. and 2:15, 5, 7:45 and 10:30 p.m.); The Spy Next Door (noon, 2:20, 4:40, 7 and 9:20 p.m.). Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com.

Through Jan. 21: The Book of Eli (11 and 11:50 a.m. and 1:40, 2:30, 4:20, 5:10, 7:10, 8, 10 and 10:50 p.m.); The Lovely Bones (1:20, 4:40, 7:40 and 10:40 p.m.); The Spy Next Door (12:10, 2:40, 5, 7:20 and 9:40 p.m.); Daybreakers (12:20, 3, 5:20, 7:50 and 10:20 p.m.); Leap Year (11:20 a.m. and 2, 4:30, 6:50 and 9:20 p.m.); Youth in Revolt (11:10 a.m. and 1:20, 3:40, 6, 8:10 and 10:40 p.m.); The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (11 a.m. and 1:50, 4:40, 7:30 and 10:20 p.m.); Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Complicated (1:10, 4, 6:50 and 9:50 p.m.); Sherlock Holmes (1:30, 4:30, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.); Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (11:30 a.m. and 2, 4:10, 6:40 and 9:10 p.m.); Avatar in 3D (11:10 and 11:40 a.m. and 2:40, 3:20, 6:20, 7, 10:10 and 11 p.m.); Up in the Air (11:30 a.m. and 2:10, 4:50, 7:50 and 10:30 p.m.).

BARS & CLUBS The Association 610 S. Main St., (213) 627-7385. Carved out of the area that used to belong to Coleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, the Association is a dimly-lit, swank little alcove with some serious mixologists behind the bar. Look for a heavy door and a brass knocker Banquette 400 S. Main St., (213) 626-2768 or banquette-cafe.com. This petite cafe and wine bar with its red and white striped awning has become a popular hangout for casual evenings of drinking wine and meeting up with friends. They have a small but lovely selection of wines by the glass as well as beers. Barbaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at the Brewery 620 Moulton Ave., No. 110, (323) 221-9204 or barbarasatthebrewery.com. On the grounds of the Brewery, this bar and restaurant in an unfinished warehouse is where local residents find their artistic sustenance. Beer on tap, wine list and full bar. Bar 107 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382 or myspace.com/bar107. Inside the keyhole-shaped door, tough-as-nails Derby Dolls vie for elbowroom with crusty old bar guys and a steady stream of Old Bank District inhabitants. Velvet seĂąoritas, deer heads with sunglasses, a wooden Indian and Schlitz paraphernalia plaster the red walls. Blue Velvet 750 S. Garland St., (213) 239-0061 or bluevelvetrestaurant.com. Located off a small side street, look for the blue neon sign that says The Flat. This stylish poolside restaurant and lounge features sparkling views of Staples Center, a dining room with a 17-foot sunken granite table, and a sleek bar with white stools where you can saddle up cowboy style. Bonaventure Brewing Company Westin Bonaventure, 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 236-

0802 bbc2go.com. Where can you get a drink, order some decent bar food, sit outdoors and still feel like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Downtown? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tall order to fill, but this bar in the Bonaventure Hotel does it admirably. Sure, the hotel is vaguely â&#x20AC;&#x2122;80s, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably encounter some convention goers tying a few on, but it only adds to the fun. Pub Quiz Trivia Night every Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. Bona Vista Lounge 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-1000 or starwoodhotels.com. Located in the heart of the Financial District in the landmark Westin Bonaventure Hotel, this revolving cocktail lounge offers a 360-degree view of the city. Bordello 901 E. First St., (213) 687-3766 bordellobar.com. If the name doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t clue you in, a sultry voiced â&#x20AC;&#x153;madamâ&#x20AC;? on the answering machine lets you know Bordello isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exactly for the buttoned-up crowd. This onetime house of ill repute has a gussied-up interior oozing sex appeal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; lush scarlet velvet, ornate black chandeliers and heart-shaped chairs in hidden alcoves. Bottlerock 1150 S. Flower St., bottlerock.net Situated on the ground floor of the Met Lofts in South Park, this wine bar features a vast range of bottles from around the world and a price range equally as wide. Wines by the glass start at around $8, but if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feeling overcome by oenophilia (or just deep-pocketed) there are some first growth Bordeauxs for more than $1,000 for the bottle. Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or thebroadwaybar.net.

Located next to the Orpheum Theatre in the Platt Building, the Broadway Barâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blue neon sign beckons patrons inside to its 50-foot circular bar. The casualchic spot is based on Jack Dempseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York bar, with low lighting and a dose of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;40s glam. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a patio upstairs with nice views, and a jukebox. Casa 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2249 or casadowntown.com. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a classy bar inside, from whence you can check out the action in the transparent kitchen and behind the bar, as the bartenders craft their freshjuiced margaritas. But the place to be is outside, under the stars and high-rises, nestled in one of the patioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pod â&#x20AC;&#x153;casitas.â&#x20AC;?

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January 18, 2010

Downtown News 25

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ALA 99¢/Sq. Ft. High Rise Office Space Walking distance to Metro Station, Social Security Office, Immigration Office, and Jewelry District. Close to 110 &101 Fwy. On site security guard.

FREE RENT SPECIALS (O.A.C.) New downtown luxury apartments with granite kitchens, marble baths, pool, spa, saunas & free parking. 888-736-7471.

213-892-0088

LARGE STUDIO in renovated 1905 building, just west of Downtown. High Ceilings, $720 213-389-0753.

the loft expert! group

Old Bank District The original Live/Work Lofts from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge

Computers/IT

IT Programmer in Los Angeles. Develop customized Oracle apps. Apply: Jane Taylor, Job ID# ITP3, AECOM USA, Inc., 2 Technology Park Dr., Westford, MA 01886 ATTN: COMPUTER WORK. Work from anywhere 24/7. Up to $1,500 Part Time to $7,500/ mo. Full Time. Training provided. www.KTPGlobal.com or call 1-800-330-8446. (Cal-SCAN)

Don't settle for anyone less experienced! Call us today! Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com

CDL A TEAM DRIVERS with Hazmat. Split $.68 for all miles. O/OP teams paid $1.40 for all miles. Up to $1500 Bonus. 1-800-835-9471. (Cal-SCAN)

DRIVERS - REGIONAL CDL-A, Experienced 11 Western States. Stable Family owned 35 yrs+ Andrus Transportation. Good Pay! Good Routes! Good People! 1-800-888-5838 or 1-866-8065119 x1402. (Cal-SCAN) REGIONAL DRIVERS Needed! More Hometime! Top Pay! Up to $.41/mile company drivers! 12 months OTR required. Heartland Express 1-800-441-4953. www.HeartlandExpress.com. (Cal-SCAN) General HAVE STRONG COMMUNITY Ties? EF Foundation seeks coordinators to find families for international exchange students. 20 hrs/mo. Cash & travel rewards. Must be 25+. 1-877-2161293. (Cal-SCAN) Continued on next page

DowntownNews.com

Call 213.253.4777 LAloft.com

LA Live Loft 1500 sq.ft., 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, Hardwood, Bar, AC, Sauna, Greenhouse, all appliances, Was./Dryr., Secure, Garage. $1795 • (213) 747-0523 REAL ARTIST LOFTS 14001700 Sq. Ft., $1800-$1875/mo. High ceilings, hardwood floors, fireplace, pool/spa, gated parking, laundry, sorry no dogs, Open House Sundays 12-3pm @ 1250 Long Beach Ave. 213629-5539.

Luxury Living Studios: $925 1 Bdrms $1,056 2 Bdrms $1,321

Downtown since 2002

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

Loft/Unfurnished

DOWNTOWN SOUTH PARK Affordable Program

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

HOUSE: LARGE 3 bdrm. 1bath, New kitchen, windows, carpet & paint $1300 Downtown, West 8th Street/Garland Ave. 213-383-9082.

EMPLOYMENT

Drivers

Apartments/Unfurnished

Office space lease/sale

20 ACRE RANCH FORECLOSURES Near Booming El Paso, Texas. Was $16,900 Now $12,856. $0 Down, take over payments, $159/month. Beautiful views, owner financing. Free map/pictures 1-800-343-9444. (Cal-SCAN)

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

Income and Program Guidelines Apply. Call for Details. High Rise Apartment, Pool, Fitness Center, Subterranean Parking (Additional), Great Location, 2 blocks to Staples Center. Call Toll Free 1-888-810-9608

On Spring St.

Premiere Towers:

2 bdrm/2 bath, $1650/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking

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

Please call 213.627.6913 www.cityloftsquare.com

Do you have something to sell?

Ad Copy: _________________________________________

Ad Prices

________________________________________________

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

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

FREE! $11.50 $14.00 $16.50 $19.00

12 words, 2 weeks 15 words 15 words 15 words 15 words

State Check $

Zip Credit Card $

All ads run for 2 weeks. Ads may be renewed after two weeks for 50% off the original price of the ad.

With a circulation of 49,000 , our classifieds get results!

________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

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

26 Downtown News

January 18, 2010

Twitters/DowntownNews

Continued from previous page

EMPLOYMENT General

SERVICES attorneys

HELP WANTED, Movie Extras. Earn up to $150/day. People needed for background in a major film production. Exp. not required. 888-366-0843.

ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION! Family, Criminal, P.I. for more than 20 yrs! Child Support / Custody Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español / Korean

Get your Green Card or CitiZenshiP

Professional

Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710

LAW CLERKS Perform legal research and case management. Send resume to: Global Immigration Law Group, 350 South Figueroa Street, Suite 760, Los Angeles, CA 90071. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MGR- Mail resume: Thibiant International Inc, Attn: HR, 20320 Prairie St, Chatsworth, CA 91311. (818)709-1345.

home imProvement

崔Roof Michael Choi Roofing

Since 1972 • FREE Estimate Reroof, Repairs • Lic. #C-39-588045

323-229-3320 (C) 323-722-1646 (B)

advertisinG

CleaninG

ComPuters/it

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. (CalSCAN)

CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants. Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183.

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

finanCial serviCes

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-5623650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com. (Cal-SCAN)

DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.CalSDAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) NEWS RELEASE? Cost-efficient service. The California Press Release Service has 500 current daily, weekly and college newspaper contacts in California. Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6010. www.CaliforniaPressReleaseService.com. (Cal-SCAN)

NO CASH TO SATRT a business? Use your 401K without incurring penalties or taxes! Call Todd toll-free at 1-888-967-4554 to learn more! Completely Free Consultation! (Cal-SCAN) misC. serviCes DISH NETWORK. $19.99/mo. Why Pay More for TV? 100+ Channels - Free! 4-Room Install - Free! HD-DVR Plus $600 Signup BONUS. Call Now! 1-866747-9773. (Cal-SCAN)

eduCation

massaGe

Star Holistic Spa Massage/Acupressure $40 (1 Hour) 2551 W. Beverly Blvd. LA, CA, 90057 (Beverly Rampart)

Tel: 213-383-7676

EZ SHIATSU & MASSAGE 30mins. (reg. $30) $10 off

PUBLIC NOTICE

1st customers only.

BY THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, IN CONFORMANCE WITH SECTION 33490 OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA’S HEALTH & SAFETY CODE, REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF THE FIVE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (FY2010-FY2014) OF THE PICO UNION No. 1 AND No. 2 REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 1.

400 e. 2nd st., #205 la Ca 90012

(Honda Plaza Mall)

213-680-4970

NOTICE is hereby given that the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, California (CRA/ LA) will hold a public hearing on the Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2010-FY2014) for the Pico Union No. 1 & 2 Redevelopment Project Area of Council District 1, Hollywood and Central Region on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Community Redevelopment Agency, of¿ce located at 354 South Spring Street, 6th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013. A map showing the location of the Project Area is attached to this notice. The public hearing being conducted to hear testimony of all interested parties regarding the Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2010-FY2014) for the Pico Union No. 1 & 2 Redevelopment Project Area of Council District 1. Any person desiring the opportunity to be heard at the meeting will be provided an opportunity to do so. At the above stated time and place, any person(s) having any testimony regarding the proposed reporting of the Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2010-FY2014) for the Pico Union No. 1 & 2 Redevelopment Project Area of Council District 1 may appear before the CRA/LA Board of Commissioners and be heard. The hearing may be cancelled or set for another time in the future at any time until the scheduled hearing-time. Copies of the Implementation Plans are available for public review at the following locations: CRA/LA Records Of¿ce 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 354 South Spring Street, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 977-1925

CRA/LA Hollywood Regional Of¿ce 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 3055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 520 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 977-2633

Of¿ce of Council District 1 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 200 N. Spring Street, Room #410 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 473-7001

Pico Union Public Library 1030 S. Alvarado Street Los Angeles, CA 90006 (213) 368-7545

Any and all persons having any objections to the proposed reporting, or who deny the regularity of this proceeding or wish to speak on any issue raised by the proposed report, may appear at the public hearing and will be provided an opportunity to state their objections. If any person desires to challenge in court the adoption of the proposed report or any proceedings in connection therewith, they may be limited to raising only those issues that they or someone else raised at the hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the CRA/LA, or prior to, the hearing. Written correspondence on this matter may be addressed to the CRA/LA at the above noted address.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

PETS/ANIMALS adoPt a Pet

Business oPPortunities ALL CASH VENDING! Be Your Own Boss! Your Own Local Vending Route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405. (Cal-SCAN)

AUTOS & RECREATIONAL autos Wanted DONATE YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (CalSCAN) DONATE YOUR VEHICLE! Receive Free Vacation Voucher. United Breast Cancer Foundation. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf. info Free Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners Accepted, 1-888468-5964. (Cal-SCAN)

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.

ITEMS FOR SALE ClothinG/JeWelry LIBERACE ‘50’S NECKTIE: Green Silk Crepe w/ Silkscreened Piano. Says Everything’s George-bottom only $75! 323-666-8688. misC. items TNT PUBLIC AUCTION January 30, 2010 9 AM. 421 Aqua Ln, Ramona, CA. Vehicles, Equipment, & More from San Diego County & Other Agencies. www. TNTAuction.com (801) 5190123. (Cal-SCAN)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IN ACCORDANCE WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 33490 ON THE ADOPTION OF THE FIVE (5) YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (FY2010-FY2014 FISCAL YEARS) FOR THE EAST HOLLYWOOD/ BEVERLY NORMANDIE EARTHQUAKE DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROJECT AREA. Notice is hereby given that on Thursday, February 18, 2010 beginning at the hour of 10:00 AM, the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (“Agency”) will conduct a public hearing at the offices of the CRA/LA, 354 South Spring Street, Suite 600, Los Angeles, California 90013, on the adoption of the Five (5) Year Implementation Plan (“Implementation Plan”) for the East Hollywood/ Beverly Normandie Earthquake Disaster Assistance Project Area. The hearing also may be cancelled or set for another time in the future at any time until the scheduled hearing time. Any person desiring the opportunity to be heard will be afforded an opportunity to do so. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to hear testimony of all interested parties for the purposes of reviewing the Implementation Plan for the Project Area. A copy of the Implementation Plan is available for public review at the following locations

The public hearing is being held pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 33490 and is open to the public.

CRA/LA Main Office, Records Center 354 S. Spring Street, Suite 500 Los Angeles, California 90013-1258 CRA/LA Hollywood Regional Office 6255 W Sunset Blvd., Suite 2206 Hollywood, CA 90028-7423 (323) 960-2660 Council President Eric Garcetti Council District 13 Field Office 5500 Hollywood Blvd. 4th Floor Hollywood, CA 90028 Council Member Tom LaBonge Council District 4 Field Office 6501 Fountain Avenue Hollywood, CA 90028 Any and all persons having any objections to the proposed Implementation Plan, or who deny the regularity of this proceeding or wish to speak on any issue raised by the Implementation Plan, may appear at the hearing and will be afforded an opportunity to state their objections. If any person desires to challenge in court the adoption of the proposed Implementation Plan or any proceedings in connection therewith, they may be limited to raising only those issues that they or someone else raised at the hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the CRA/LA at, or prior to, the hearing. Written correspondence on this matter may be addressed to the CRA/LA at either of the above noted addresses. The meeting is being held pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 33490 and is open the public. CNS#1768165

Children’s Performing Group

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

CNS#1771935

SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

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.

COLLECTABLES

Musical Instruments

Moscow Olympics (1980) Set 6 Souvenir Glasses W/Bear Mascot $135.00 (818) 268-7730

Fender Electric GuItar Tuner. Led Light Display. Only $14.00. 323 666-8688.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Volunteer Opportunities 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 day to get involved! Contact Annie at volunteers@freearts. org or 310-313-4278 for more information.

LEGAL

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, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/10

Legal Notice

I c o n i c B e au t y S e e k s S t y l i s h M at e

NOW LEASING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

FROM $1,250’s/Mo. Free Parking

BY THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ON THE FIVE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE LITTLE TOKYO REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT: (FY2010-FY2013)

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

CRA Main Office, Records Center th

354 South Spring Street , 5 •Floor RENTING • BUYING • LIVING RENTING BUYING • LIVING

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

2001, LoftLivingLA.com has Los Angeles , CASince 90013-1258 been helping people live in Downtown’s Mondays through best Fridays: condos, lofts & apartments! p.m. 8 7 7 - 4 L A - L O F T9Sa.m. – 4:30 87 7 - 4 L A- LO F TS Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

Japanese American Community Center Guess Ted’s Favorite Frozen Guess One of Elicia’s Favorite Cultural and YogurtFirst Hang-Out Cafe Hang-Outs WIN!San Pedro Street, 244and South Floorand WIN! (Reception Area) Los Angeles , CA 90012 Mondays through Fridays: 10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

1/18, 1/25, 2/1/10 CNS-1774669# DOWNTOWN NEWS

Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices

Burbank • Brentwood Century City • Downtown L.A. Woodland Hills Locations Nationwide Beautiful Offices For As Little As $400 Fully Furnished/Corporate ID Programs Flexible Terms/All New Suites Services Include: • Reception • Mail • T-1 • State-of-the-Art Voice Mail & Telephone • Westlaw • Fax • Photocopy • More Additional Features: Kitchen Facilities, All Support Services, Great Views, Free Conference Room Hours, Fully Trained Staff, Cost Effective.

Jenny Ahn (213) 996-8301 jahn@regentBC.com www.regentbc.com

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

Pricing subject to change without notice.

Available Immediately

Living Outrageously For Today!®

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 • BUYING • LIVING canRENTING be viewed by appointment.

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

Information available to qualified prospective tenants. 8 7 7Email - 4 Lrequest A - L to OFTS Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com mdavis@shammasgroup.com or Guess where Lance Buys $2 746-6300 Bookscall in (213) Downtown and WIN!

Orsini

DRE #01706351

Copies of the proposed Five-Year Implementation Plan and other pertinent documents are on file and are available for public inspection during business hours at the following locations:

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

DRE #01706351

At the above-stated time and place, any and all persons having any testimony regarding the proposed Five-Year Implementation Plan may appear before the Agency and be heard.

• 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

756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles 213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com

NOTICE

The public hearing is being conducted to hear testimony of all interested parties regarding the proposed Five-Year Implementation Plan for the Little Tokyo Redevelopment Project.

ELEGANT WORLD CLASS RESORT BRAND NEW APARTMENT HOMES

Orsini

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

Legal Notice

is hereby given that The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, California will hold a public hearing for the above-referenced redevelopment project on Thursday, February 18, 2010, at 10:00 a.m., or soon thereafter as the Living Outrageously Living Outrageously matter may be heard, at The Community Redevelopment For Today!® For Today!® Agency Offices, 354 South Spring Street, 6th Floor Board Room, Los Angeles, California 90013-1258.

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

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 commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above.

DRE #01706351

Downtown News 27

DowntownNews.com

SAL MINEO original 1957 film poster “Dino”. Mint. $275.00 (818) 268-7730.

DRE #01706351

s s

January 18, 2010

8 7 7 - 4 L A- LO F TS 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.

Luxury Rooms in Downtown Monthly Rents Start at $780 1 & 2 Rooms Available

Stuart Hotel

• Fully Furnished • 100% Utilities Paid • • Refrigerator, Microwave & TV In Each Room • • Wireless Access Throughout Bldg. • Gym • • Close to USC & Loyola Law School • • Presidential Suite with Kitchen • Parking Available Onsite

213.413.8100

$690 1 Person

50 Channels Direct TV

Mayfair Hotel 1256 West 7th Street

Simin (213) 484-9789 Ext. 555 or (213) 632-1111 Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

FOR RENT? FOR LEASE? FOR SALE? People are looking here, shouldn’t your ad should be here?

(213) 481-1448

877-267-5911

WWW.THEORSINI.COM

RENTING • BUYING • LIVING

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

Weekly $175 1-2 people Daily $45 1-2 people

Special STUDENT RATE!

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

Monthly from $695 utilities paid. (213) 627-1151 madison hotel Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service. •Daily, $25.00 •Weekly, $99.00 •Monthly, $295.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

DowntownNews.com

718 S. Union Ave. (Union & 7th St.)

Fictitious

Business

Name

Statements:

Only

$ 85.

for 4 insertions Call (213) 481-1448

(The Downtown News does not perform filing services)

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

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

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

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

The City of L.A., Dept. of General Services is accepting Request for Proposals from individuals interested in leasing retail space and operating a retail food business at 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., in Van Nuys. A proposal meeting will be held at the site on February 8, 2010. For more information call (213) 922-8524.

28 Downtown News

January 18, 2010

Twitter/DowntownNews

TIFFANY AUCTION Tiffany aucTion house anTiques

Preview

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

Auction

Jan. 24th at 11am

Crystals Furniture antiques Fine Jewelry Bronze Fine art Home Furniture modern & antique ntique Furniture

ThOUSANdS OF ITEMS AVAIlAblE! SAVE $$ OVEr rETAIl!

AMplE & EA SY pArkING!

WWW.TIFFANYAUCTIONS.COM | 213.746.1373 | 1201 S. Grand, Across from EVO at 12th & Grand