01-30-12 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS Volume 41, Number 5

A Taper Winner

January 30, 2012

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The Battle for Downtown

INSIDE

New Maps Would Put Most of Central City in Huizar’s District, Perry Plans to Fight Urban Scrawl on the LATC’s troubles.

Low-income housing after the CRA.

A site gets a tenant after 22 years.

photo by Gary Leonard

At a press conference Thursday at the events venue Vibiana, Councilwoman Jan Perry vigorously opposed redistricting maps that would take most of Downtown out of the Ninth District. Councilman José Huizar thinks the maps are fair and represent current demographics.

by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

he panel in charge of redrawing the boundaries of the city’s 15 council districts has proposed drastically altering the dividing lines in Downtown Los Angeles. The move sets the stage for a potentially vicious political tug of war between City Council members

Some big Downtown food news.

Jan Perry and José Huizar. The draft maps, which were revealed on Wednesday, Jan. 25, give most of Downtown to Huizar’s 14th District. The Ninth District, which for decades has covered most of Downtown and has been helmed by Perry since 2001, would cede all of the land north of Olympic Boulevard — the Financial District, Historic Core, Little Tokyo, the

Civic Center, the Arts District and Skid Row — to the 14th District. The Ninth would retain L.A. Live, the Los Angeles Convention Center, South Park and most of the Fashion District. The city’s Redistricting Commission is slated to weigh public opinion on the plan before finalizing the maps on March 1. see Maps, page 10

For Downtown Women, a Healthy Future Targeted $8 Million Medical Services Facility Delivers Consolidated Options

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hen officials at the California Hospital Medical Center opened the $8.1 million Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health this month, a host of politicians and local business leaders turned out to celebrate a facility that aims to be the future of women’s health in Downtown. The eye to what lies ahead, however, belied what has already occurred: The Jan. 20 debut marked the culmination of a project that was first discussed nearly a decade ago. It all began, recalled Kirsten Hopper, the senior director of the facility, back in 2003 when

Katherine Loker, the heiress of the Starkist Tuna fortune, and Cliff Hoffman, president of the CHMC Foundation, began discussing the need for a health center for women in Downtown Los Angeles. Loker and her family already had a strong bond with the hospital. She and her late husband, philanthropist Donald Loker, were longtime contributors to the institution — the Loker Medical Arts Pavilion on the building’s ground floor, constructed in 2009, is named for her, while the cancer center at CHMC is named for Donald Loker. Still, Loker and Hoffman felt that working

women in the Central City needed a medical center where information could be consolidated and patients could have all their needs met in a single visit. “They wanted everything in one place,” said Hopper, “[a facility] that caters to working women and offers flexible appointment schedules.” Loker donated $5 million in seed money. About $1.5 million went to establishing a neonatal intensive care unit at the hospital, and the rest was the base of a fundraising campaign. Ultimately the $8.1 million for the new facility was secured, with see Health Center, page 12

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AROUNDTOWN A Cemented Tree Grows Again in Downtown

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

United Artists Theater To Become Ace Hotel

n Jan. 13, Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council board member Valerie Watson, who chairs the group’s Parks committee, happened upon a maintenance worker smoothing fresh concrete over a tree well in front of the SB Lofts at 548 S. Spring St. The laborer, who Watson observed walking in and out of the building’s lobby, spread the concrete right up to the edge of a perfectly healthy ficus tree growing out in the well. “It made me have a sinking feeling because I’ve done a lot of work in the neighborhood on improving the public realm and the street trees on Spring are some of the Historic Core’s most wonderful assets,” Watson said. “I definitely felt like I needed to do something about it.” Watson photographed the curious cementing, posted it on Facebook and called the city’s Bureau of Street Services. The city responded four days later and ordered building owner SB Properties, run by Barry Shy, to remove the hardened concrete. The company complied immediately, said Ron Lorenzen, the bureau’s assistant chief forester. “Concrete has chemicals in it that could possibly damage the root system, but more likely the damage would be in the future when the concrete would constrict the growing of the trunk,” Lorenzen said. With the concrete removed so quickly, Lorenzen said the chance of lasting damage to the tree is “very, very slim.” SB Properties did not respond to requests for comment.

photo by Gary Leonard

regon-based Ace Hotel last week confirmed long-simmering rumors that it will turn the United Artists Theater on Broadway into a boutique lodging establishment. The announcement follows the October purchase of the theater at 933 S. Broadway by Connecticut-based Greenfield Partners. Plans call for the 13-floor building to hold 180 rooms. There will also be a 1,600-seat entertainment venue in the structure’s namesake theater, and a pool, restaurant and bar, according to the office of 14th District Councilman José Huizar. Huizar’s office worked with the Ace/ Greenfield team for several months on the plan. “Ace Hotel and Councilmember José Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway initiative have the same goals — to create a rich neighborhood destination that serves as a center for activity, tourism, and entertainment in

Maintenance & Repair

Downtown L.A.,” said Ace Hotel co-founder Alex Calderwood in a prepared statement. The Broadway landmark had long been owned by University Cathedral, the congregation made famous by the late pastor Dr. Gene Scott. The edifice was built in 1927 by United Artists founders D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford.

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400%. It’s a major change, as customers of the famed Downtown restaurant had been paying 9 cents a cup since 1977. Starting Thursday, the price will jump to 45 cents. Philippe’s blamed the hike on the cost of coffee, which has doubled to more than $6 per pound since last year, according to restaurant officials. The last time the price of coffee was raised at Philippe’s was 35 years ago, when it jumped from 5 to 9 cents. Other offerings at the restaurant founded in 1908, including its French dip sandwiches, have risen in price regularly over the years. To make the hike easier to handle, Philippe’s will include a cup of coffee with the purchase of a full breakfast.

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EDITORIALS Which Way in L.A., Nuch?

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

he job of Los Angeles City Attorney is among the best of its kind in the nation. The occupant of the post is in the spotlight and wields a lot of power. An effective City Attorney can do a great deal of good. So, does the current officeholder, Carmen Trutanich, want to keep one of the best jobs in L.A. for four more years? He probably knows, but the rest of the city doesn’t. He could tell us, but he won’t. He could take steps that serve the citizenry, but instead he’s focusing on his own agenda. This is not only bothersome from a political standpoint, it’s also a smack in the face to the voters who elected Trutanich three years ago. This was someone, after all, who came in touting himself as something different. He wasn’t, he told voters time and again, a career politician. It is time for Trutanich to publicly declare whether he’ll run again for City Attorney in 2013, or if he will choose to step down in order to pursue the job of L.A. County District Attorney. That race is in November. Trutanich has been waffling for a long time now. Last April he formed an exploratory bid for the D.A.’s race. By July, his campaign had raised more than $500,000. However, he was not officially a candidate, and when asked about the race he wouldn’t commit. When queried in October about which election he’d enter, he responded, “I don’t know.” He seemed to indicate he’d make a decision soon, but here we are three months later with no public statement. The general belief is that Trutanich is ready to kick the city to the curb, that he wants the even more powerful D.A.’s job that is opening up because three-term incumbent Steve Cooley is stepping down. Several prominent prosecutors have already launched campaigns for the post. We expect that Trutanich has not publicly announced because he knows the minute he declares, he’ll be the target of negative campaigning from the other candidates. He’s right — those contenders will have smaller war chests and will attack. If he announces after Los Angeles Downtown News goes to press this week (and he might), they’ll bash him for waiting so long. If Trutanich was not in elected office, this would not be a big deal — the public isn’t impacted by whether a private sector individual runs. However, by waffling over his future, Trutanich automatically injects a level of instability into the department he heads. People get nervous and distracted when they don’t know who their boss is going to be. Not to mention that any good candidate that could handle the City Attorney job needs to be ginning up for the arduous election demands. This makes it almost irresponsible that Trutanich is not declaring. Declining to state his intentions is not leadership. This is what we expect from career politicians eager to ensure that they have a highpaying civic job. We’re not saying that Nuch is obligated to, or even should remain as City Attorney. We don’t expect him to keep the job for eight years if something better is available. Politicians climb the ladder. We get it. The problem is that his behavior impacts many other people. His indecision is bad for the city attorney’s office. His indecision is bad for the residents of Los Angeles. Which way Nuch? Which way?

A Courthouse Success, Finally

ometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. That’s the situation right now in Downtown Los Angeles, and specifically on the southwest corner of First Street and Broadway. Hopefully the luck won’t run out. Hopefully not only will it continue, but it will serve as a spur to address other big spots of blight in the Civic Center. Downtowners were shocked and thrilled recently when representatives of the federal General Services Administration announced that a long-stalled effort to build a federal courthouse is moving forward. The surprise announcement on Jan. 18 said that a $400 million development will create a 600,000-squarefoot edifice with 24 courtrooms and 32 judges’ chambers. It is slated to open by 2016. The response from the Central City was effusive, and rightly so. Improving the property had long ceased to be on anybody’s radar. Stakeholders had given up on hoping the federal government would make good on its promise to build a courthouse there. It is a particular eyesore, an empty, fenced-off lot highlighted (make that lowlighted) by a huge pit. The bottom becomes a pond of muddy water every time it rains. As we say, nobody on the Downtown scene was feverishly working to activate it (Ninth District City Councilwoman Jan Perry had explored swapping the site with the feds for the vacant Parker Center a couple blocks east, but the concept had not gained much traction). Instead, people had more or less assumed that the federal government was content to do nothing with the land, just as it had during the Bush Administration. The price of building the courthouse had skyrocketed from $400 million to $1.1 billion a few years back, and there seemed to be little appetite in Washington, D.C., to steer money to a massive project in Blue State California. In a strange way, many people had become inured to this scar on the face of the Civic Center, just as they had come to accept the area’s other unsightly abrasions: The northeast corner of the same intersection holds the graffiti pit that was a state office building until the 1971 Sylmar earthquake (it was damaged and then torn down). Although Downtown gained a gem in 2009 with the opening a few blocks away of the Police Administration Building, the new edifice also made Parker Center empty and, from a foot-traffic perspective, dead. The news of the courthouse moving forward is momentous for several reasons. First there is the economic activity, the in-

vestment and the creation of thousands of construction and other jobs. Then there is the modernization aspect. Federal courthouse operations in Downtown have for years been divided between two facilities that do not meet its needs. A Temple Street property has some configuration issues, though it will remain in use. The big problem is a 1938 building at 312 N. Spring St. where some courtrooms are too small for current federal judiciary standards. There are also security shortcomings, including the lack of a separate entry for inmates — they currently use the same hallways as members of the public. The biggest plus for Downtown is, as referenced above, the activation of a piece of land that has been a frustrating spot of urban blight. The property once held another state office building (not the graffiti pit), though that was torn down in 2007. Downtown expected something beautiful. Instead, it got nothing. This is an interesting time for the Civic Center, and in an ideal world, the courthouse project and two other developments would lead to additional good. Late last year, the County Board of Supervisors approved restarting renovations of the 1925 Hall of Justice. A $231 million upgrade of the elegant edifice at 211 W. Temple St. is now underway, and the building is slated to reopen in 2014. Also moving forward is the $56 million Grand Avenue Civic Park. The project that will modernize a 12-acre stretch between the Music Center and City Hall is scheduled to be completed this summer. As Downtowners look forward to activating this corner of First and Broadway, community leaders should not take the project for granted. As the recession taught us, no project is definite until it actually opens. Elected officials need to work with Washington and ensure that the money flows on a timely basis. That’s just a note of caution. We actually think it will happen this time. Additionally, there are design concerns. Drawings have not been revealed, and we need to have a building that fits with the look and feel of the Civic Center. It is, well, an odd neighborhood, with the classic lines of City Hall and Times Mirror Square, and the modern elements of the police and the Caltrans headquarters. The public should be involved in efforts to make sure that the look of the new building fits with the community.

January 30, 2012

The Readers Have Their Say Website Comments on the City Hall Lawn, Cleaning Up After Your Dog, and More

very week Los Angeles Downtown News gets online comments to the stories we publish. These are some of the most interesting responses. Additional comments are welcome at ladowntownnews.com.

Downtown News 5

Opinion

LETTERS About Those City Hall Plants Dear Editor, our editorial in the Dec. 19 issue raised a good point about re-landscaping the environs of City Hall with drought tolerant plants instead of sod (“Grass, Green Thinking and City Hall”). Unfortunately, you suggested re-landscaping with cactus and succulents. Why cactus and succulents? There are thousands of drought-tolerant plants, especially natives, that would be appropriate, and more appropriate than plants that we have imported from our deserts or from other countries. Additionally, a quick glance at the landscaping for the new Police Administrative Building shows how bad a landscape plan can be when the

designer tries to include foreign and invasive plants, rather than plants that are native to this area. It’s time that our fashionable designers get over their infatuation with cacti and succulents, which they don’t know how to design with anyway, and use plants that that are more appropriate. —Michael O’Brien, Los Angeles Los Angeles Downtown News encourages letters. They become the property of Los Angeles Downtown News and may be edited. All letters should be typewritten and include an address and telephone number for verification. Please send them to: Letter to the Editor 1264 W. First St., Los Angeles, CA 90026 Fax to: (213) 250-4617 Email to: realpeople@downtownnews.com

Regarding the story “Dead City Hall Lawn Brings Questions of Grassy Returns,” which cited a replacement cost of up to $400,000, published online Dec. 9, by Ryan Vaillancourt

s someone with a landscaping company I can tell you this number for repairs is complete bull. Debris: To dispose of one ton of waste is $48 per ton. At 25 tons you’re looking at $1,200. Amend: They’ll have to remove existing leftover sod, turn the soil and grade the soil. This will cost $3,000. Grass: An acre is roughly 43,000 square feet. Let’s say you went with the most expensive sod (St. Augustine) at 85 cents per square foot; you’d still be looking at only $36,000. Sprinkler Heads: There are no “high tech” sprinkler heads. The most high tech thing you can have is low flow heads that reduce water usage. The most expensive heads would run you $15 each. On the high end let’s say they need $3,000 in irrigation repairs. Labor: This job would take 500 man hours. Figure in union wages and you’re looking at $12,500 in labor. Equipment: Some basic sod cutters, tillers, backhoe. That’ll run you $5,000 on the high end. Total: $60,700. —Dan Goshin, Dec. 10, 9:28 a.m.

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’m a dog owner. I resent the owners who let their dogs go on buildings, on fire hydrants, in the middle of the sidewalk, and don’t clean up after them. Not only is it helping to wear out our welcome — it’s often the No. 1 topic of conversation in the Historic Core — but it leads to very costly vet bills when your dog gets sick or gets a paw infection. The laziness is hurting everyone. —Rich Alossi, Dec. 13, 2:52 p.m.

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am also a dog owner and I am always amazed how dogs bring out some interesting responses from the public. I love the people who love dogs no matter their size or breed. I love the parents who aren’t afraid of dogs and try to encourage their children to be brave and learn how to act around dogs. I also absolutely hate when owners do not pick up after their dogs. I lived in Brussels, Belgium, and I didn’t care where my dog did her business, but I always picked up after her. You never know where someone may decide to walk. —Loni Pfanenstiel, Dec. 13, 2:19 p.m. Regarding the article “Two Seven Story Towers Coming to South Park,” published online Dec. 6, by Richard Guzmán

can’t believe all these great high-rise proposals have been let go for some reason. I don’t like this design at all. It looks like a design for Pomona or something. Pomona is a great city and I lived there before, but Downtown L.A. is supposed to be the up-and-coming city. I know the economy is not the best, but I think it’s time that Los Angeles takes some risks. —Xanenzo, Dec. 7, 12:06 p.m.

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really appreciate Dan’s perspective. I am tired of government officials bloating the costs of these types of things for political reasons. As a business owner, I realize there are always hidden costs that most folks just don’t think about. I can imagine that there are random costs like barriers/fencing, security, whatever, that Dan might not have considered in his entry, but still the number looks pretty padded. I wonder what the padding is for? —Chad Peterson, Dec. 12, 3:25 p.m. Regarding the column “Enter the Little Dragon,” about how life changes when you get a dog, and about how some people don’t clean up after their pet, published Dec. 12, by Ryan Vaillancourt

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Adapting the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance City Looks at Updating Measure That Led to Downtown Residential Boom by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

n 1999, the city approved the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance. The measure, which made it easier and less expensive for developers to turn dilapidated office structures into housing, was a game-changer in Downtown Los Angeles, leading to the creation of thousands of apartments and condominiums. Now, a group of officials are looking at changes to the ordinance. The goal, they say, is to spur another round of development, including on the upper floors of derelict buildings on Broadway. According to a motion approved by the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Committee on Jan. 10, the changes are necessary to avoid conflicts and discrepancies between city and state code that can lead to project delays. The motion directed the City Planning Department to prepare an update to the ordinance. “The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance is now more than 12 years old and parts of it have become outdated,” said 14th District Councilman José Huizar, who presented the motion with Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry. Alan Bell, the deputy director of city planning, said the city will assemble a group of architects, community members and developers to help determine what modifications are required to resolve code conflicts. The process will include community meetings. Although no timeline has been set for the sessions, Bell said they hope to have recommendations ready for the council in about eight months.

photo by Gary Leonard

“We want to make changes that are going to encourage reuse and development and we want to hear what the community has to say,” Bell said. Landmark Measure The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance was first fully tested by developer Tom Gilmore. After his Old Bank District project at Fourth and Main streets succeeded, investment poured into the Historic Core. Dozens of faded buildings benefitted from the measure. According to the Downtown Los Angeles Demographic Study 2011, compiled by the Downtown Center Business Improvement District (Los Angeles Downtown News was a partner in the report), the community now has 29,429 apartments and condominiums and 46,400 residents. In 1999, before the ordinance, there were about 18,000 inhabitants and 11,626 residential units in Downtown, according to the DCBID. “The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance was the

Tom Gilmore’s Old Bank District was the first project to test the city’s Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, which was approved in 1999. City officials are looking at making some changes to the ordinance to benefit more projects.

catalyst for the Downtown Los Angeles residential boom,” Huizar said. “We need to make sure our policies continue to invite investments necessary to activate underutilized upper floor commercial spaces with residential, live/work and hotel space now and in the future.” While the ordinance facilitated the conversion of older buildings by not requiring all the zoning and code requirements that would be mandated for new construction, some code conflicts have materialized over the past decade, city officials said. The conflicts highlighted by Huizar’s motion include the city’s commercial zoning code, which places a limit of five employees for a live/work unit while the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance allows just one. Changing this, Bell said, could expand opportunities for creative office space use in Downtown. It could have a particular impact in buildings on Broadway, where there is

nearly 1 million square feet of vacant space above street level. Activating this space has long been a goal for Huizar. “That’s one of the driving opportunities we’re seeing with this,” Bell said. “We see the opportunity to create more employment, more small- and home-based businesses.” Another conflict concerns the mezzanines in adaptive reuse projects. Current building code allows a mezzanine to be 50% of the size of the floor below, while the ordinance limits in to 33%. The ordinance also addresses converting underutilized buildings and commercial space into hotels while the current building code does not. Additionally, there needs to be clarification between square footage requirements for adaptive reuse units and the city’s regulations, according to the motion. “The program has been working, but it has been [12] years and this will give us an opportunity to make something that has worked so well work even better,” Bell said. Hamid Behdad, co-president of the Central City Development Group and the city’s former adaptive reuse czar, said he does not expect to see any sweeping changes to the ordinance. Given his prior experience, he said he hopes to have a role in any upcoming alterations. “I want to make sure some of us involved with this will be kept in the loop,” he said. “I want to make sure they do not change the language in a way that limits the new generation of adaptive reuse projects, but I don’t think that will happen.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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CRA Demise Paints Bleak Future for Affordable Housing Funding for Low-Income Downtown Projects Could Become Difficult photo by Gary Leonard

by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

he pending dissolution of redevelopment agencies statewide has local affordable housing developers scrambling to plan for a future without the state’s top driver of low and moderate-income residential projects. The loss of the agency is an especially pronounced blow to Downtown providers and builders of subsidized housing in and around Skid Row, where rising homelessness has only increased the demand for shelter. Redevelopment agencies are required to spend 20% of their revenue on affordable housing. The Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency allocates slightly more of its annual budget, about 25%, to affordable housing. It planned to spend to spend $162 million this year alone on such projects. The law killing redevelopment agencies calls for the state to repurpose those funds, and all other unobligated redevelopment dollars, for core government services such as schools and law enforcement. Local affordable housing developers had come to rely on the CRA for crucial, earlystage funding that would allow them to go to other financing sources with some leverage, said Paul Zimmerman, executive director of the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing. “With the elimination of the agency, no-

The CRA contributed $4.5 million to SRO Housing Corporation’s 150-unit Ford Apartments. The $28 million complex opened on Seventh Street late last year. Similar projects may have a difficult time acquiring funding without the agency.

body’s going to be doing that early investment, and that’s a tragedy,” Zimmerman said. “We’re looking at much less local money available to build affordable housing and the housing crisis hasn’t gone away. It is probably worse.” The agency generally spends between $1 million and $4 million per affordable housing project. Typically, $1 dollar spent by the CRA on an affordable housing effort has yielded nine additional dollars from other public and private investors, said agency spokesman David Bloom. There is some hope in Sacramento for

preserving the revenues already collected and allocated for housing by agencies. A bill by State Sen. Darrell Steinberg would allow local city housing authorities to retain redevelopment agencies’ on-hand affordable housing dollars. The bill, SB654, was slated for a hearing after Los Angeles Downtown News went to press. If the bill is passed by the Senate and Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown — who led the charge to kill redevelopment agencies in the first place — it would preserve the CRA’s $162 million for affordable housing projects citywide.

Steinberg’s bill does not, however, include a mechanism for generating new funds going forward, and it’s the long-term picture that some housing organizations say is most disconcerting. The CRA dissolution hits harder considering that the federal government this year slashed by 38% the budget for its Home program, which replenishes the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. “If it were just the CRA, it would be one thing, but it’s in the context of every source for affordable housing taking hits,” said Molly Rysman, director of external affairs for permanent supportive housing developer Skid Row Housing Trust. The nonprofit relied on a $2.1 million CRA contribution to fund its under-construction New Genesis mixed-income apartment project on the 400 block of South Main Street. “The CRA is one of the tools in a tool box of about 10 tools, and most of them are gone, so it’s pretty troubling as an industry,” Rysman said. Funding Gap In Downtown, the CRA has helped developers construct nearly 5,000 units of workforce and permanent supportive housing, said Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry. Its money has gone to a long list of projects including the Downtown Women’s Center, the Ford Hotel and the Renato Apartments. The agency also played a key role in several projects that redevelopment backers say had a ripple effect of economic development. For example, the CRA helped propel the Market Lofts, the mixed-use effort that brought Ralphs to South Park and gave Downtown its first full-service grocery store in 50 years. The agency spent $7.3 million in 2001 to buy a portion of the land at Ninth and Flower streets for developer CIM Group. The CRA gave another $4.3 million to CIM in exchange for the firm agreeing to create 50 affordable see Low-Income Housing, page 13

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At Long Last, a Lease Bank of India Fills High-Traffic Space That Had Been Vacant for 22 Years by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

n the past 22 years, Downtown Los Angeles has seen hundreds if not thousands of additions. Housing projects have opened, restaurants have come (and in many instances gone), and the community has welcomed a new home for the L.A. Philharmonic, a new arena, a new cathedral and a headquarters hotel for the Convention Center. However, until earlier this month, at least one thing was just like it was back in 1990: A seemingly prime street-front commercial space in the Financial District went vacant that year. Decades passed, but no one filled it. That changed, finally, on Monday, Jan. 23, as the State Bank of India opened a branch in the 4,500-square-foot-space at 523 W. Sixth St. in the Pacific Center. The property on the northwest corner of Sixth and Olive streets is directly west of Pershing Square, and immediately south of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. “This is a great location,” said Rimjhim Chhabra, vice president and branch manager for the 200-year-old bank. “We are very visible on two sides so I think it was a good choice.” Bank officials and a few customers celebrated the opening of the branch on a rainy Monday morning. It marked the first time the space had been the center of any activity since gas was $1.16 a gallon and Milli Vanilli’s Best New Artist Grammy was recalled after it was discovered that the German duo were lip-syncing. “It was nice to see it finally get leased, particularly since this will activate the east end of

this [block],” said Derrick Moore, vice president of brokerage services at CB Richard Ellis, who had the listing for the last four years. The new branch was originally part of an approximately 10,000-square-foot space once occupied by the Bank of Credit and Commerce International. Although no one keeps specific records on the subject, Moore believes the space has been vacant longer than any other actively marketed retail property in Downtown. There was no single reason why the property stayed empty so long. Moore believes it was a combination of the size of the space and, in more recent years, the weak economy. The economy was also terrible Downtown in the early 1990s. Things began to change after the 1908 building was sold for $65 million to Alliance Commercial Partners in 2005. The retail space was divided into smaller units and the new owner launched a more aggressive marketing campaign. An approximately 2,000-square-foot spot was leased in April to Verizon Wireless. The larger space was more difficult to fill. “We visited a lot of different retailer trade shows, got the word out through the broker community, extended those personal invitations for people to come see the space,” Moore said. That generated interest from several businesses and a few nibbles. There was even a letter of intent from an Asian restaurant, though that fell through. Chhabra noticed the space about a year ago. The bank had plans to expand from its Downtown headquarters in a 19th floor of-

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fice at 707 Wilshire Blvd. They wanted to be more visible to their customers, she said. Chhabra admits she was nervous about moving into a space that had been vacant for so long, especially when she saw what more than two decades of inactivity can do. “When I first saw it I was kind of scared,” she said. “It needed a lot of work, the ceiling was falling apart, the floors were bad.” The building owner convinced her the space could be resurrected. Ultimately, State Bank of India signed a 10-year lease. It took more than three months of construction to make the space look like a typical

bank branch. Now there are offices behind glass walls, a counter for the teller and several desks and chairs for the office’s 13 employees. However, the challenges have not stopped. Although the building houses several-ground floor businesses such as the Verizon store, a Famima and a Starbucks, a 2,700-square-foot space is still available. A portion of that was vacated in the ’90s. “Our work is still not done,” Moore said. “But we’ll get it leased, even if I have to spin a sign and dress up in a clown suit.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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A coalition of Ninth District stakeholders from Little Tokyo, the Historic Core and South Los Angeles assembled on Thursday at a Perry-organized press conference to urge the commission to preserve the current borders. Perry, who has long been critical of the redistricting process — she resigned her position as council president pro tempore because she said maps were being drawn before the process began — again took aim at the panel for squeezing the Ninth out of Downtown. “The maps as currently drafted for Council District Nine do not reflect the wishes of our

The current (left) makeup of Downtown Los Angeles60 via city council district, and the one that was proposed5last week. In the new map, most of Downtown, except for L.A. Live, South Park and the Fashion District, would be in José Huizar’s 14th District.

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Continued from page 1 Perry, who lives on Bunker Hill and would be displaced from her own district, pledged to fight the initial maps and lobby for the preservation of the Ninth’s significant presence in Downtown. Huizar on the other hand is vying to cement the commission’s draft map, which would insert him into several marquee developments, including the Wilshire Grand hotel and the Grand Avenue project.

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community, nor do they support communities of interest in this district,” Perry said. Redistricting occurs once every decade in order to maintain equitable population shares in the city’s 15 districts. The latest demographic data demands that the 14th District add 20,267 residents. The Ninth, conversely, needs to shed 8,629 people. Huizar said the demographic dynamic and “historic ties” between neighborhoods such as Boyle Heights and Little Tokyo make Downtown the most logical place for the 14th District to expand. Whereas Perry’s constituents lobbied the commission to keep the

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Ninth as it is, many Huizar supporters urged the commission to grow the 14th District into the Historic Core and beyond. “My approach to redistricting has been one where I attempt to keep areas of interest whole and Downtown, from what I heard in public testimony, has become a community of interest,” Huizar said. Perry said the draft maps would strip South Los Angeles of its key economic engine and jobs generator, resulting in a sort of “economic apartheid.” Huizar countered that argument, saying Downtown is surrounded by impoverished neighborhoods.

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Downtown News 11

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“You could make that argument for Pico Union, Boyle Heights and South L.A.,” he said. “To say it’s attached to this one area going south doesn’t make sense to me.” Power Play By law, redistricting is supposed to preserve and enrich so-called communities of interest so neighborhoods with economic, racial and other similarities have a dedicated, unified representative voice in local government. In practice, however, many politicians have historically used the process as a means to draw districts that strengthen their future reelection prospects and rope in attractive fundraising bases. “Generally, communities of interest take a back seat to incumbent protection and politics,” said Bob Stern, the former president

of the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies. Downtown, with its approximately 45,000 residents, is not a major voter base. The Financial District, however, is potentially a lucrative source of political donations. For Perry, who is running for mayor in 2013, Downtown has already proved a key fundraising engine. Unlike the state legislature, which now employs an independent citizens commission to oversee the redistricting process, the city commission is comprised of members appointed by city council members and the offices of the mayor, city attorney and city controller. The city council has final say on the maps. Downtown stakeholders have long said the area should be a single district, a goal

that the new maps more closely achieve than the current borders. Some residents have lamented the bureaucratic hurdles that arise when a civic issue is handled on one street by Perry and on an adjacent one by Huizar. Backers of a proposed park near the Eastern Columbia Building, for example, proposed a map much like the one offered by the commission to streamline the handling of community issues. Others say the draft maps do more to divide Downtown by separating Bunker Hill, the Historic Core and other areas from South Park and L.A. Live. “You cannot fix or help any district by cutting it in half,” said developer Tom Gilmore, who hosted Perry’s press conference at his Vibiana event venue. “The idea that they

would come and break this up for pure political pageantry absolutely astounds me and is madness at its core.” Gilmore believes the new borders would relegate Downtown to a satellite of the 14th District, which would remain anchored by Boyle Heights and several Northeast L.A. communities. Those neighborhoods, Gilmore said, have little shared interest with Downtown, but their larger voting base would continue to dictate the district’s legislative agenda. The Redistricting Commission is holding several upcoming hearings for the public to weigh in on the maps, including one at City Hall on Feb. 8. View the full hearing schedule at redistricting2011.lacity.org. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Health Center Continued from page 1 funds coming from charities and government grants. The donations came full circle during the opening, when Deborah Hicks, Loker’s daughter, gave $150,000 to outfit a women’s education center in the new project. The Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health is housed on the fourth floor of the CHMC building at 1513 South Grand Ave. Upon exiting the elevator, visitors enter an ornate waiting room, the work of Los Angeles firm HMC Architects. Designed in a bright and welcoming Modern motif, the lobby features oversized felt chairs, drapes, chandeliers and a series of floral-inspired paintings by Mayee Futterman. The 16,000 square feet of office space is complete with cutting-edge medical equipment, including a state-of-the-art cardiology suite. Services the center will provide include screenings, diagnosis and treatment of breast and gynecological cancers, heart disease, menopause, age management and other issues women may encounter. One of the key advances the center offers is the ability to use intraoperative radiotherapy. The innovative procedure allows breast cancer patients to receive radiation directly to a tumor site while simultaneously undergoing lumpectomy treatment. Normally the radiation does not take place until chemotherapy has started, which can be up to six weeks after the surgery. That effort is helmed by Dr. Dennis Holmes, the center’s medical director and lead breast surgeon. “It’s a safe and convenient single-course treatment that replaces a 30-treatment process,” says Holmes. “With this process we are able to minimize radiation exposure on

photo by Xander Davies

The lobby of the $8.1 million Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health. The facility opened this month in the California Hospital Medical Center building on Grand Avenue.

the vital organs, reducing its corrosive effects, and concentrate only where it is needed.” Focus Groups The opening drew a broad swath of Downtown Los Angeles notables. Politicians in attendance included Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. The planning began in earnest about five years ago. Hopper explained that the committee working on the health center conducted focus groups with Downtown working women, asking them what they wanted in terms of medical care. Their answers were clear, said Hopper. In addition to the cutting-edge treatment, there are other amenities. The center will provide concierge services, including free shuttles within Downtown. There will also be a flexible office schedule, including appointments during lunch and after traditional work hours. Designs were completed in late 2010 and construction began on the facility last May. Future additions are in store. A conference room is slated to open in March and a spa

photo by Xander Davies

Physicians at the hospital stop at the center’s spa during an opening day tour. The facility will mostly be utilized by women who live and work in or near Downtown.

will begin offering services in April. Holmes said another 5,000 square feet of space currently used as storage could be utilized for medical services in about two years. While the physical facilities draw immediate attention, center officials know that quality medical staff is what will lure new patients and keep them coming back. Thus, organizers went on an aggressive recruiting drive, assembling a team of 10 nationally recognized women’s health specialists. One of their targets was Holmes, a wellrespected breast surgeon working at USC Medical Center. Dr. Ari Babknia, the chair of the center’s Medical Advisory Committee, said Holmes was both knowledgeable and in demand. “Dr. Holmes was a rising star at USC,” says Babknia, “I knew he was our guy.” The courting process lasted more than a year, and the impassioned advances ultimate-

ly paid off. Holmes, 46, said he was swayed to jump by the promise of what he could do in the new Downtown facility. “Ari wanted me to be what he called a ‘physician champion,’ someone who people would rally around with the common goal of bettering women’s health,” said Holmes. While officials will have to wait and see how the market develops, the center expects to serve nearly 15,000 patients annually. The majority, hospital staff expect, will live or work in Downtown. Organizers have gone so far in identifying their target audience as to create an acronym. “The Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health is a center for HER: healing, education and research,” said Babaknia. “It was a long time coming.” The Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health is at 1513 S. Grand Ave. Information and appointments at (213) 742-6400 or lachw.org.

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Low-Income Housing Continued from page 7 units in its adjacent Gas Company Lofts. The Los Angeles CRA is one of the 400plus state redevelopment agencies set to dissolve on Feb. 1. Legislators are considering a proposal to extend the date to allow cities and other potential successor agencies more time to plan for the post-redevelopment era. Even with an extension, however, there seems little near-term help for local nonprofits that have come to rely on CRA financing. SRO Housing Corporation, a major provider of emergency, transitional and permanent housing in Skid Row, stands to be particularly hard hit. The nonprofit has leaned on annual CRA funding commitments of about $500,000 to meet its budget. SRO Housing Corp. is currently weighing its options, but without an alternative funding source, a cutback in services may be nec-

essary, said Anita Nelson, the organization’s chief executive officer. For years, SRO has managed the CRAowned San Julian Park in Skid Row, paying for maintenance and security. The nonprofit also manages the city-owned Gladys Park at Sixth and Gladys streets. The CRA’s annual commitment to SRO is tied to emergency and supportive housing. Without those funds, Nelson said the nonprofit may no longer be able to afford managing the Skid Row parks, both of which serve as key gathering and recreation places. “That would be devastating because the parks are such vital resources to the community,” Nelson said. “In the long run, hurting the community hurts us. If that park isn’t open guess where those 70 people are going to be?”

photo by Gary Leonard

The CRA paid the developer of the Market Lofts to convert units in a neighboring building into affordable apartments.

CRA housing projects that were approved and contracted before the legislature voted to eliminate redevelopment agencies are protected. The L.A. Housing Department will take over the CRA’s former task of

making sure that property owners meet their obligations to maintain affordable residences. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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14 Downtown News

January 30, 2012

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HEALTH Row, Row, Row Your Workout Exercise Can Help Strengthen the Whole Body, Not Just the Shoulders and Arms by Sharon naylor

ardiovascular exercise builds endurance, strengthens muscles and can help you lose weight. Although many people may not realize it, rowing is one of the most effective options. In addition to the aerobic workout, a rowing session builds muscle in low-impact form, making the rowing machine one of the most popular stations at the gym. It is an increasingly common purchase for the home exercise studio. Those not used to rowing might think that it is an exercise meant to tone just the upper body, including the shoulders and arms. However, proper form in rowing actually works the quadriceps, hamstrings, back and abdominal muscles as well. While some gym machines work just the upper or lower body, the rowing machine works both at the same time, creating a more complete workout in less time. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 160-pound person who spends an hour rowing (and working within their target heart rate) can burn 511 calories. An hour of rowing burns about 637 calories for those who weigh 200 pounds, and 763 calories for individuals who weigh 240 pounds. Rowing machines allow users to adjust the level of resistance. This increases the aerobic and muscular benefits depending

on the fitness level. Expert Advice Before hopping onto a rowing machine at the gym, always seek the guidance of a gym’s personal trainer, who can assess your fitness level, advise you on your target heart rate and help you choose the best type of machine for you. Some are manual with hydraulic resistance and some are electronic — much like elliptical machines — with programmable or programmed workouts, timers and other indicators. Your fitness professional will also help you adjust the machine to your height and reach, and show you how to change the resistance level. You’ll then learn how to position your back and engage your abs as you pull back smoothly and complete the range of motion. Elizabeth Quinn, the About.com guide to sports medicine, says, “Using the rower safely is an excellent workout, but using improper form can stress the lower back.” There are, in fact, common mistakes on rowing machines. They often occur from novice rowers who try the exercise without proper instruction and guidance. The most frequent mistakes include leaning too far forward at the start position, leaning too far back at the finish position, jerking the handle back with the arms, pulling using the back instead of the legs and starting without warming up. Other times problems can

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arise simply from rowing for too long. Quinn advises rowing no more than 10 minutes on your first day, and aiming for a mastery of proper form instead of breaking a big sweat. “Keep the movement fluid and controlled, rather than jerking through each motion,” she suggests. “Push with your legs, and avoid hunching forward to protect your back. Keep a slight bend in the elbows and knees, rather than locking the joints at full extension.” Technique matters more than strength, says Quinn, especially at the beginning of a rowing training regimen. As you practice more and build endurance, you might put together a schedule of rowing four times a week for up to 30 minutes. When at Home Once you master rowing form at the gym, you could decide to invest in a rowing machine at home. Some fitness enthusiasts buy new machines. Others purchase used ones from friends who don’t use the devices in their basements. One can even occasionally find free rowing machines through sites such as Freecycle.com. Without a fitness expert at home, it’s essential to maintain proper form. If you can position your rowing machine in front of a full-length mirror, that can help you see your own body position and remind yourself to maintain proper back and neck angles. Ed McNeely, the author of five books, including Training for Rowing and Skillful Rowing, recommends keeping track of your

new study in Nature Medicine describes how different types of immune system T-cells alternately discourage and encourage stem cells to regrow bone and tissue, bringing into sharp focus the importance of the transplant recipient’s immune system in stem cell-based regeneration. The study, conducted at the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC, examined how mice with bone defects responded to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMMSC)-mediated bone regeneration. Under normal conditions, the mice’s T-cells produced an inflammatory response and triggered the creation of cytokines interferon (INF)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. These attacked and killed the stem cells, preventing the production of new bone. “Normally, T-cells protect us from infection,” said Songtao Shi, associate pro-

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fessor of dentistry and corresponding author for the study, “but they can also block healthy regeneration from happening.” However, when the mice were given infusions of regulatory T-cells (Tregs), the levels of the interfering INF-gamma and TNF-alpha decreased, increasing the rate of bone regrowth and defect repair. Administering the anti-inflammatory drug aspirin at the site of the bone defect also increased the rate at which the BMMSCs were able to regrow bone. Postdoctoral research associate and lead author Yi Liu said the findings illustrate the previously unrecognized role of T-cells in tissue regeneration. They also highlight the need for scientists exploring the possibilities of stem cell-based regeneration to shift their focus to the immune system, she added. “Based on what we’ve found, this should be the direction of more research in the future,” Liu said. Article courtesy USC HSC Weekly.

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workout sessions in a fitness journal or chart. “Training without monitoring your progress is like driving with your eyes closed,” said McNeely, who is also a consultant to professional Canadian sports teams. “You’ll get somewhere, but you can’t be sure where or what shape you’ll be in when you arrive. Through daily monitoring, you will be able to make the fine adjustments to your training that allow you to continue to progress and recover at the fastest rate possible.” All kinds of rowing are not for everyone. Those who row at home but find it boring might try a group class. The ECA One Body One World 2011 fitness convention in New York City revealed that group rowing classes are growing in popularity. Called “indo-row” classes, these high-intensity workouts are much like spinning classes, except everyone is on rowing machines. Article copyright 2012 Creators.com.

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Rowing can help work the quadriceps, hamstrings, back and abdominal muscles as well as the upper body. Proper form is essential.

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January 30, 2012

Downtown News 15

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RESTAURANTS Restaurant Buzz

Water Grill Reopens, DineLA Is Back, and More Food News city editor

ot Off the Grill: After a $1.5 million renovation and a month-long closure, the Water Grill reopened last week with a new chef. The changes, revealed when service began on Tuesday, Jan. 24, include an upgraded bar area with a new dark oak surface, a marbletop oyster bar with new seats, TVs and a new beer and mixed drinks menu. There’s also more space in the dining room since the bar was moved back about five feet from the eating area. Those old Roman columns are now covered in white subway tile and antique mirrors, the carpet in the dining room has been replaced with oak floors and the mural that covered the dining room wall and gave the place a 1980s feel has been removed. Overall, the look is fresher, and so is the food. The day after opening, restaurant officials announced the selection of Damon Gordon as the new executive chef. He replaces Amanda Baumgarten, who left seven months after getting the job. Gordon previously ran his namesake Damon Gordon’s Quarter Kitchen at The Ivy Hotel and Ono at the Hotel Gansevoort. At Water Grill he’ll have access to the new wood-burning oven for dishes such as grilled whole fish, rib-eye steaks, shrimp and more. Water Grill is also serving lobsters from two newly installed tanks that are visible from the dining room. You can wave at your meal before you eat it. At 544 S. Grand Ave., (213) 891-0900 or watergrill.com. n Cheese Changes: After almost two years of serving not-so-classic macaroni and cheese in Downtown, Mac & Cheeza was set to close Jan. 29. An email sent by restaurant officials stated that the Eighth Street restaurant’s last day was Sunday due to issues with the landlord. The restaurant’s closure was also posted on Mac & Cheeza’s Facebook page. Although they are gone from Downtown, a quick-service version of the restaurant will open in a room inside Larkin’s Joint in Eagle Rock. Larkin Mackey and Joshua McBride, who opened Mac & Cheeza in February 2010, also own the Eagle Rock restaurant.

Side Dish Spitz

n Burrito Bowl: If you like football, and food shaped like a football, and you have five friends who also like these things, then log on to Chipotle.com on Super Bowl Sunday for a one-day only discount on the restaurant’s burritos. The Mexican food chain, which has a Downtown location on Seventh Street, is offering half-price burrito for those who buy six or more. Orders must be placed online on Feb. 5. They come in a box with handles, so you won’t have to worry about fumbling like San Francisco 49ers kick returner Kyle Williams. At 601 W. Seventh St., (213) 283-2058 or chipotle.com. n Dine Days: Whoa! What was that? Did you feel it? That was the first week of dineLA Restaurant Week just ending. Week two is underway now and runs through Friday, Feb. 3. The citywide restaurant discount deal is in its fifth year and, as usual, a hefty number of Downtown establishments are participating. The list of nearly 30 local restaurants taking part in the promotion include First & Hope, The Gorbals, Starry Kitchen, The Spice Table and Soi 7. During dineLA, restaurants serve a specially priced three-course meal for lunch and/or dinner. The prices vary depending on the class of the restaurant. Lunches are $16, $22 or $28 while dinners are $26, $34 or $44. At discoverlosangeles.com. n Spring Changes: Some changes are coming to Takami Sushi & Robata Restaurant and Elevate Lounge in the spring. Few details have been released, but Dan Cox, a spokesman for the venue, said Elevate will undergo a $1 million renovation with changes mostly coming to the sound and lighting systems. The DJ booth will also be moved to the middle of the lounge. A new menu will debut in the restaurant around the same time. Cox said it would contain lighter, more affordable options. The venue, on the 21st floor penthouse at 811 Wilshire Blvd., will remain open throughout the renovation. At 811 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 236-9600 or takamisushi.com. n Rise and Shine: Breakfast is said to be the most impor-

photo by Gary Leonard

After two years, Mac & Cheeza on Broadway is no more. The last day of service was Sunday, Jan. 29.

tant meal of the day, and Drago Centro is doing its part to get Downtowners going with a new breakfast menu that was launched last week. The meal is offered from 7:3010:30 a.m. and includes poached eggs, a scrambled egg panini, Italian yogurt and a smoked salmon on a toasted ciabatta. Hey, where’s the breakfast burrito, Celestino? At 525 S. Flower St., (213) 228-8998 or dragocentro.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

Night Toast

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This tiny Historic Core eatery isn’t just for the night owls.

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In fact, it’s open all day. Choices from the Mediterranean-

sauce. There are also a lot of soups with noodles.

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The Little Tokyo spot is the Downtown home of the döner

roast beef, American cheese and ranch sauce.

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At 653 S. Spring St., (213) 488-9944 or nighttoast.com.

it is served as a sandwich or a salad. At Spitz the classic döner

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is a good choice for lunch. The meat is half-lamb, half-beef

This restaurant on Fourth Street in the Old Bank District is

and can be served on focaccia bread or in a wrap. It is topped

a standout for lunch. One of the best choices is the pep-

with tzatziki and chili sauce. The french fries are tasty, and so

per beef noodles. The sliced meat is tender and just slightly

is the sweet potato version. Veggie lovers can try a sandwich

spicy. It is served with chunks of red and green bell peppers

with hummus, feta cheese, olives and vegetables.

over chow fun noodles and doused with a black bean sauce.

At 371 E. Second St., (213) 613-0101 or eatatspitz.com.

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16 Downtown News

January 30, 2012

photos courtesy of REDCAT

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ChurCh of the Mega-Media

Paul Abacus takes the stage in a one-hour monologue about data, society and the future. It runs Feb. 2-4 REDCAT

High-Tech REDCAT Show ‘Abacus’ Mines the Power of Data

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

EDCAT’s upcoming presentation Abacus may make some audience members feel like they’re at a megachurch, where a sleek preacher’s face towers overhead while he struts on the stage. That’s the intent, though as always at REDCAT, there’s a twist. The production by Los Angeles-based Early Morning Opera is all about the church of data, where visual information and its powers of persuasion are preached to the masses. The show runs Thurs.-Sat., Feb. 2-4. “Abacus is a one-hour monologue, which is surrounded by a baroque visual and sonic environment,” said Lars Jan, director of Early Morning Opera. “It’s a choreographed, abstract cinematic experience which is all cut, created and processed in real time with moving cameras and layered with visualizations.” First staged at REDCAT as part of the venue’s New Original Works Festival in 2010, the production features Paul Abacus, a lecturer and performer appearing as himself. He is on stage and two camera operators record his every move. His image is projected onto overhead screens and mixed with prerecorded videos of charts, numbers and other forms of data. In his monologue, Abacus calls for an end to borders as the next step in social evolution and talks about how contemporary persuasion works in what he calls the Screen Age.

The audience also becomes part of the show, turning into the flock for his “data cathedral.” It’s certainly different than what occurs a block away on the stages of the Ahmanson Theatre and the Mark Taper Forum, but for REDCAT Executive Director Mark Murphy, it all makes sense. “Paul Abacus is presented as a real-life figure who is a futurist who espouses various theories and predictions,” said Murphy. Since its debut performance two years ago, Abacus has been staged several times, including at this month’s Sundance Film Festival. The Downtown production, Jan said, will be more polished than the version staged in 2010. “The technology use has expanded,” he said. “It’s more multilayered and there are some quite spellbinding effects. It’s an all-encompassing multimedia environment.” Come on Feel the Data In addition to being influenced by mega-churches and their leaders’ powers of persuasion, the piece is Abacus’ interpretation of Buckminster Fuller’s Geoscope. The futurist perhaps best known for his geodesic dome also visualized a 200-foot globe that would display current and historical worldwide data. “Paul considers himself a disciple of Buckminster Fuller, and Fuller was really interested in the moment when data could be felt by viewers as opposed to intellectually perceived,” Jan said.

The REDCAT Season Six Standout Events to Check Out This Year by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

he REDCAT Winter/Spring 2012 season recently kicked off and includes nearly 40 performances, screenings and other events through September. The venue is known for encouraging experimental and edgy pieces. And with such a busy lineup, it will be difficult to see every event, so here are some of the standouts that should not be missed. Economic Revolution: Argentine writer and director Mariano Pensotti brings a fast-paced play based on four characters dealing with life during Argentina’s economic collapse titled The Past is a Grotesque Animal. The performance uses a revolving set that plays into the drama by placing key moments in

the foreground before they fade away. The show runs Feb. 23-25. Dark Humor: The Mexican drug wars and border conflicts provide the background for Timboctou, a play written by Alejandro Ricaño and directed by Martin Acosta. While the background is gritty, the story is humorous and follows the lives of a few strangers brought together by violence and corruption. It also highlights the fine line between who is a victim and who are the victimized. The production is an international collaboration between CalArts Center for New Performance and the University of Guadalajara. The show runs March 2-11. Dance History: Choreographer and Director Dayna Hanson blends rock music,

While Abacus is the only person on stage who speaks, the images projected on the screens also become a character, said Paul N. Molina, the video, scenic and software designer for Abacus. “It starts fairly conventional,” said Molina, who also teaches video design and media software programming at CalArts. “You see features, then it becomes more heightened as the piece progresses. The live documentation is intercut with data visualization that Paul uses to illustrate his point. It’s very beautiful data visualization.” The information presented on stage includes mostly numerical data, things like the growth of the green movement and the housing market. It is then visualized with graphs and charts. “The graphics themselves are works of art,” Molina said. “It’s like Powerpoint to the extreme.” The show fits perfectly, Molina said, at a time when people are connected through sites such as Facebook and the Internet is a primary source of information. However, Jan said viewers do not need to be technically savvy to understand the message behind the piece. “You can follow the logic,” he said. “It’s really relevant and about everybody consciously living in our culture right now.” Abacus runs Feb. 2-4 at 8:30 p.m. at REDCAT, 613 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com

dance and theatrics in her interpretation of key moments in history with Gloria’s Cause. The dance piece touches on the roots of America’s inequalities with a dark but comedic production. Sports and TV fans may see something familiar in this production, since the dancers incorporate gestures from professional sports and 1970s television. The show runs April 5-8. Wunderful Songs: The Dutch theater ensemble Wunderbaum merges with the rock trio Touki Delphine in an “absurdly fantastical” concert inspired by a documentary about Antarctica. Wearing oversized snowsuits and other memorable costumes, six performers recount daydreams they had as children. One wants to fly, the other wants to live with jellyfish under the sea in the piece titled Songs At The End Of The World. The show runs April 28-29. Kid Flicks: Downtown families will likely flock to REDCAT in May for the popular

International Children’s Film Festival. The two-week festival includes animated shorts and live action films from places like Brazil, Colombia, Israel and Japan. Some of the highlights for the seventh annual festival include films from Russian studio Shar and Aardman Animations. The festival runs May 5-13. The Right Position: Ugandan American artist Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine responds to the rampant homophobia in Uganda with a multimedia solo show titled A Missionary Position. The L.A. artist incorporates video footage and photography gathered during the African nation’s LGBT movement. This material is layered with portrayals of Ugandan gay prostitutes, gay priests and activists inspired by interviews. The show runs June 28-July 1. REDCAT is at 613 W. Second ST., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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January 30, 2012

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Downtown News 17

No Eracism Here Inventive Taper Play Bounds Boldly Into a Prickly Subject by Jeff favre contributing writer

acism, as examined in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, remains part of the American fabric 53 years after the show premiered, even if the topic’s guises are subtler, often hidden behind awkward attempts at political correctness. What better compliment to Hansberry’s play than to have it inspire Bruce Norris to write Clybourne Park. The show, which revisits the late playwright’s locale, takes a fresh, often uncomfortably funny and fearless look at how racism has been transformed over the past five decades. The Mark Taper Forum’s production of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama reunites the original cast and its director, opportunities? Pam MacKinnon, for a run through Feb. 26. Center Theatre Group also is currently stagopportunities? eadlines and vendors? Let opportunities? ing A communiRaisin in the Sun at the Kirk Douglas Dickinson) and her husband, Albert (Damon your business eadlines and vendors? Let geadlines togetherTheatre all the resources in Culver Gupton), both of whom are verbally dragged and vendors? Let City. your business communimissing sales opportunities? Park unfolds in two actsof sepainto an unpleasant discussion about the benbusiness communig your together allClybourne theand resources • Signs, posters banners g together all theby resources • Digital rated printing abanners half-century, although it feels closefits different races livingand apart. We’ve got the solution. Juggling tooofmany projects, deadlines vendors? Let •• Signs, posters and Online ordering PIP plays, manageeach the creation of allofof ayour business communiDigital er printing • Signs, posters banners to aandpair of companion with a and re-ordering The rare use curtain when the Taper Online printing ordering • Digital cations. In one location, your PIP consultants bring together all the resources distinct pace and emotional timbre. Alone, employs a thrust stage allows for a dramatic, • Online ordering you need, including: • Printing posters and banners they would be impressive. Combined, the surprise alteration in• Signs, Daniel Ostling’s func• Copying • Digital printing humor and tragedy of each half is magnified, tional• Graphic set during design intermission, • Online orderingas the quaint, 700 Wilshire thanks in large part to MacKinnon’s carefulBlvd. cozy home becomes a dilapidated, graffitiph: 213-489-2333 fax: 213-489-2897 direction and a versatile ensemble. marred wreck. piparco@sbcglobal.net Topping the long list of kudos is how the Now it’s 2009. The neighborhood, which first act would feel at home as an adden- had become all African American, is undergodum to A Raisin in the Sun. Norris even re- ing gentrification. This time it’s a white couple tains one character, Karl Lindner (Jeremy (Shamos and Parisse) that’s trying to build a Shamos), who in Hansberry’s play tries new home on the same site where the Youngers n’t notice you? unsuccessfully to keep the Youngers — an once lived, which is met with resistance by local n’t notice you? one customer or appealing African American family — from moving to residents (Gupton and Dickinson). n’t notice you? sales opportunities. In one his all-white neighborhood. MacKinnon’s deliberate pacing in the first one customer or appealing llone the resourcesor you need, appealing salescustomer opportunities. In one The story, as crafted by Norris, continues act, includingwon’t injecting moments of stillyour customers notice you? opportunities. Inneed, one llsales resources youbanners •the Signs, posters and with Karl visiting the family’s future home, ness and silence, allows Norris’ story to build ll •the resources you need, Digital printing We’ve got the solution. Whether going after just one customer or appealing •• Signs, posters and banners hope of convincing Russ and Bev slowly, from mundane conversations about Online with orderingthe to a mass market, we’ll help you capture those sales opportunities. In one Digital posters printing and banners • Signs, Kirk) your not PIP to sell semantics to explosions of angeryou that lie beOnline (Frank ordering Wood and Christina • Digital printing location, consultants bring together all the resources need, • Online — ordering including: at least not to the Youngers. neath• the surface of every character. Printing • Signs, posters and banners He arrives with his deaf wife Betsy (Annie There are several impressive performances, • Copying • Digital printing • Graphic design • Online ordering Parisse). His presence and purpose are not welbut the standout is Wood, who as Russ de700 Wilshire Blvd. comed by Russ, who hasph: emotionally checked livers his dialogue with a tone of dismissal, 213-489-2333 fax: 213-489-2897 out of his marriage since the death of his son, with an unspoken goal of being left alone. piparco@sbcglobal.net a Korean War veteran. Also present are the Also worth noting are Kirk and Dickinson, local minister, Jim (Brendan Griffin), and the who authentically convey an uneven and couple’s housekeeper, Francine (Crystal A. uncomfortable relationship between the two

photos by Craig Schwartz

The two acts in Clybourne Park are set in the same house five decades apart. The neighborhood and social mores have changed markedly.

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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt coNtributiNG Editors: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jim Farber, Jeff Favre, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Kim Brown, Catherine Holloway, Sol Ortasse, Brenda Stevens circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

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women. Bev calls Francine her friend, but she either ignores or condescends to her. Meanwhile, Francine thinks of Bev as nothing more than an employer. In stark contrast to the first hour, McKinnon sets a blazing speed in the second act, including loads of overlapping dialogue. Also, the female characters, who had little control over the conversation in 1959, share equal footing with the men. There is more emphasis on levity, but once the niceties are out of the way, racism again rears its head. Norris echoes snippets of dialogue from the first act, which provides cohesion. His lack of a learning moment, which allows characters to grow, speaks loudly to the idea that changes in behavior do not mean concrete lessons have been learned.

Given the subject matter it’s easy to label Clybourne Park as merely a race-issues play. That is shortsighted. Norris is examining the universal topic of how poorly humans communicate, leading to the breakdown of friendships and marriages, and to the rise of fear and distrust among people from different backgrounds. Likewise, A Raisin in the Sun remains relevant not simply because it concerns racism, but because it’s a complex family drama. Clybourne Park may not reach the ethereal status of the play that inspired it, but this production is strong evidence for labeling Norris’ work a modern classic. Clybourne Park runs through Feb. 26 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

18 Downtown News

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LISTINGS

January 30, 2012

EVENTS SPONSORED LISTINGS Super Bowl Party at Nick + Stef’s 330 S. Hope St., (213) 680-0330. Feb. 5, 2:30-8:30 p.m.: Watch the big game at Nick + Stef’s Steakhouse. Enjoy an endless buffet of wings, sliders and other tailgate favorites, big screen TVs, quarterly giveaways and drink specials. Prices are $39 for the endless buffet; $5 drink specials. $15 pitchers of beer. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m.

photo courtesy the Grammy Museum

saTurday, February 4 Putting It On The Wall CAAM, 600 State Dr., Exhibition Park, (213) 7447432 or caamuseum.org. 1-4 p.m.: A discussion with muralists Elliot Pinkney, Mark Greenfield, Joe Sims, Ulysses Jenkins and other artists tackles the importance of the mural movement and taking art to the streets of Los Angeles.

onday, Jan. 30, marks a return to the Colburn School of the troupe Piano Spheres. This time, the lovers of the 88 present Kathleen Supove. A virtuosic ivory tickler, Supove blends lush melodies with multimedia visuals and special guests in a collage of classical instrumentation and modern meaning. The result is a kaleidoscope of sights and sounds. Tickets are still available via Piano Spheres’ website for the 8 p.m. show, but they’re going quick so log on now… as in right this minute. At Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., (323) 692-8075 or pianospheres.org.

sunday, February 5 Art Talk with Irene Segalove MOCA Geffen Contemporary, 152 N. Central, (213) 621-1745 or moca.org 3 p.m.: Ilene Segalove will discuss her work in conjunction with Under the Big Black Sun: California Art from 1974-1981. MOCA Sunday Studio MOCA, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org. 1 p.m.: Gather inspiration from the current exhibitions — the campy, demented and glamorous style of Kenneth Anger’s films and the glitz and the distortion of Weegee’s celebrity mania photographs. Hosted by the Echo Park Film Center and artists Rick Bahto, Alee Peoples and Cosmo Segurson.

photo courtesy Chuck Dukowski

ROCK, POP & JAZZ Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com. Jan. 31: Ross Garren Blues Band. Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org. Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m.: It’s your last chance to experience a New Wave New Jersey January with the last night of Princeton’s residency. Jan. 31, 8 p.m.: Big bodied rock and Scott Stapp histrionics from Atomic Tom with The Dance Party and Polaris at Noon. Feb. 1, 8 p.m.: Amy Kuney + Piano = melodic magnificence. Feb. 2, 8 p.m.: The Features have the Kings of Leon’s blessing, so gauge accordingly. Feb. 3, 8 p.m.: The Honorary Title’s Jarrod Gorbal rides solo tonight. Feb. 4, 8 p.m.: The precocious Silverlake bloggers at Quit Mumbling present another night of highly touted music from Haim, Mini Mansions and Pratley. Feb. 5, 8 p.m.: Fork out two bucks to see The Weekend Pilots with Red Robot, Strings, Sophia Louise and Deux Son. Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or broadwaybar.la.

photo by John Carrico

ne of the primary rules of museums is look, don’t touch. Those who enter the hallowed halls are there for a passive experience. On Thursday, Feb. 2, the Museum of Contemporary Art messes with that stricture. It’s thanks to the museum’s monthly Engagement Party series, in which different arts collectives have three-month residencies. Now up is the cloth-loving duo CamLab. Get ready for a room-sized fabric infrastructure with wild patterns and a batch of varied conversation. OK, we admit we’re not quite sure what will happen, but color us intrigued. The event runs 7-10 p.m. at 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 633-8674 or moca.org.

it may be winter, but the sunlight of the soul will be shining bright this week at the Grammy Museum. radiant singer/songwriter Jackie DeShannon stops by the intimate space on monday, Jan. 30, to recount some of the inspiring and meaty moments from her illustrious, Grammy-winning career. if you’re lucky you’ll get a little performance from the writer of “Put a little love in your heart.” the following night, Ruthie Foster drops by in support of her new Big easy-inspired release Let It Burn. there will be gospel, soul, folk and copious smiles this week. At press time the deshannon event was full, but there are often a few standby tickets available at show time. Both events are at 8 p.m. at 800 W. olympic Blvd., (213) 765-8000 or grammymuseum.org.

n a country where music appreciation in youth is defined by an ever-burgeoning fascination with Justin Beiber, it’s hard to imagine a place where every child is expected to master a musical instrument. But such is the strange reality of Venezuela’s “El Sistema,” in which an educational process mandates practical musical consciousness. On Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m., Leni Boorstin, Tricia Tunstall and Brian Lauritzen meet at the Central Library to discuss “El Sistema” and its most famous product, L.A. Phil Music Director Gustavo Dudamel. It’s the latest from the standout Aloud series. At 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 2287500 or lfla.org.

photo by Stephanie Scherpf

photo courtesy CamLab

Thursday, February 2 MOCA Engagement Party MOCA Geffen Contemporary, 152 N. Central, (213) 621-1745 or moca.org 7 p.m.: In the tradition of the teach-in, arts collective CamLab will install an interactive fabric infrastructure. The room-sized cloth construction will operate between garment and architecture. See it to get it. Tricia Tunstall on El Sistema at Aloud Mart Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 2287500 or lfla.org. 7 p.m.: El Sistema, the music education program that nurtured Gustavo Dudamel’s musical talent, now reaches children in Los Angeles and cities around the world. Changing Lives author Tricia Tunstall talks about her tome with Leni Boorstin and Brian Lauritzen.

by Dan Johnson, listings eDitor | calendar@downtownnews.com

photo by Robin Howard

Tuesday, January 31 Pico Iyer at Aloud Mart Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 2287500 or lfla.org. 7 p.m.: In his new memoir, Pico Iyer chronicles his obsession with the writer Graham Greene, what it means to be an outsider and the place of a mysterious father in his own imagination. He discusses the book, The Man Within My Head, with Tom Curwen of the L.A. Times.

Artistic cloth, smelly sextets And mAndAtory music

ake a walk down memory lane as you stroll down the alley to Downtown’s heart of punk, The Smell. The Chuck Dukowski Sextet, featuring a former member of Black Flag, sets up on Friday, Feb. 3. Expect the bass to be mixed way up to honor the punk legend who graces the olfactory stimulating stage. Tickets are a reasonable $5, so don’t go harvesting your organs quite yet, but do get there early to ensure entry. At 247 S. Main St. (enter through alley) or thesmell.org.

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

January 30, 2012

DowntownNews.com

FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com. Jan. 30, 7 p.m.: In Santiago, eager and naive film student Billy (Wesam Keesh) trustingly takes on Miguel (Dan Lopecci) as a cameraman to follow a notorious pimp and drug dealer. Odds are 1:1 that something bad happens.. Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m.: Bug Radiohead Special featuring Adam Buxton. Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m.: Feast your eyes and ears on Bug, an evening of music videos, online nuggets and a unique brand of sit-down comedy with Adam Buxton, the British comedian, writer and YouTube comment wrangler. Feb. 3-9, show times vary: Innkeepers tells the tale of the Yankee Pedlar Inn, which after more than 100 years is shutting its doors. The last remaining employees are determined to uncover proof of what many believe to be one of New England’s most haunted hotels. IMAX Theater California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 7442019 or californiasciencecenter.org. Through Feb. 2: Soar over primordial earth in Flying Monsters 3D. Some 220 million years ago dinosaurs were beginning their domination of Earth. But another group of reptiles was about to make an extraordinary leap: pterosaurs were taking control of the skies. The story of how and why these mysterious creatures took to the air is more fantastical than

Chicano Art Pioneers image by Wayne Alaniz Healy, courtesy LAPCA

Feb. 2, 10 p.m.: The only thing with more girthy relevance than Downtown’s new redistricting proposal is HM Soundsystem’s Broader Than Broadway. Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com. Feb. 2, 9 p.m.: You’ve seen the massive ads on the light-up sign, now see the band whose pixelated image inspired them. Meet Mutemath with Canon Blue. Feb. 4, 7:30: Just like Homer Simpson’s terrible nightmare about a homely bartender, everything in the world can be reduced to one word: Moe. Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com. Feb. 3, 10 p.m.: Noah and The Man. Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Jan. 30, 8 p.m.: Put a little love in your heart with Jackie DeShannon. Jan. 31, 8 p.m.: Prepare to be crushed by the weight of Ruthie Foster’s new album. She’s in town for the big record drop. Nola’s 734 E. 3rd St., (213) 680-3003 or nolasla.com. Jan. 30, 8 p.m.: Jacques Lesure Jam Session. Jan. 31, 7 p.m.: Sharon Ridley on piano and vocals. Feb. 1, 7 p.m.: Curtis Parry sings and plays a jazzy six-string. Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. 2nd St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com. Jan. 30: Restavrant, The Mo-odds, Le Mutants, The King Cheetah. Jan. 31: Hopelessly Devoted, The Vampz, Deadbeat Vultures and Hellboung Trio with Eddie Wilson. Feb. 1: Guitars a Go Go. Feb. 2: The Golden Hour, Normandie Wilson and Sofa City Sweetheart. Feb. 3: The original Minute Man, Mike Watt. Also on the bill are Barrio Tiger, Sassafras and Revolution’s Pride. Feb. 4: Pat Todd and The Rankoutsiders, Adam Bones, Crazy Squeeze and Black Widows. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la. Jan. 30: You will listen to Ross Garren’s harmonica and you will enjoy it. Jan. 31: The Makers: Delightful improvisational jazz, no tetanus booster necessary. Feb. 1: Deacon Jones and his Blues Review are back with Lady GG in tow. The Smell 247 S. Main St., alley between Spring and Main streets, thesmell.org. Jan. 30: DJ David Scott Stone. Feb. 2: Fritz Sender, So Many Wizards, Grumble Grumble and Vinyl Williams. Feb. 3: The Chuck Dukowski Sextet, Guy Blakeslee and Jeffertitti’s Nile. Feb. 4: Dead Angle, Jeremy Jay, Sea Lions and Some Days. Feb. 5: Protectme, Magick Orchids, Scape Native and In Tents. The Varnish 118 E. Sixth St., (213) 622-9999 or thevarnishbar.com. Jan. 31, 9 p.m.: Jamie Elman tickles the keys. Feb. 1, 8:30 p.m.: Somewhere deep in a Downtown back room Mark Bosserman will play you a song.

Downtown News 19

n the 1960s and ’70s, the Chicano art movement was rooted in non-commercial and community-oriented movements. So if your idea of good art involves commercial-free imagery full of political aspiration, don’t miss Lasting Legacies: A Tribute to the Chicano Art Movement, which is on display at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Move quickly though, because the exhibit closes on Tuesday, Jan. 31. The exhibition includes work by Chicano greats such as Wayne Alaniz Healy, whose “Bolero Familiar” is seen above. At 501 N. Main St., (888) 488-8083 or lapca.org.

any fiction. Through Feb. 2: Experience a gripping story full of hope, crushing disappointment, dazzling ingenuity, bravery, and triumph in Hubble 3D, the seventh awe-inspiring film from the award-winning IMAX Space Team. Million Dollar Theatre 307 S. Broadway, (213) 617-3600 or milliondollartheater.com. Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m.: A Hal Needham double feature with Smokey and the Bandit and Stroker Ace. Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through Feb. 2: The Grey (11:30 a.m. and 2:20, 5:10, 8 and 11 p.m.); Man on a Ledge (12, 2:30, 5:20, 7:50 and 10:40 p.m.); One for the Money (11:50 a.m. and 2:10, 4:50, 7:20 and 9:50 p.m.); Haywire (12:20, 2:40, 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m.); Red Tails (12:40, 1:30, 3:50, 7 and 10:10 p.m.); Underworld Awakening (11:40 a.m. and 2, 4:30, 7 and 9:30 p.m.); Underworld Awakening 3D (12:30, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50 and 10:30 p.m.); Beauty and the Beast (11:40 a.m. and 2, 4:20, 6:50 and 9:20 p.m.); Contraband (1:20, 4:20, 7:10 and 10 p.m.); The Iron Lady (1:10, 4, 6:40 and 9:30 p.m.); Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (1, 4:10, 7:20 and 10:30 p.m.); The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (11:50 a.m. and 3:20, 6:50 and 10:20 p.m.); Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol (12:50, 4, 7:10 and 10:20 p.m.); Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (10:40 p.m.). Feb. 3 (Partial): Big Miracle (11:30 a.m. and 2, 4:40, 7:20 and 10:10 p.m.).

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Clybourne Park Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand, (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.com. Feb. 1-4, 8 p.m.; Feb. 5, 1 and 6:30 p.m.: Jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold as two generations of characters take on social politics and smash race against real estate 50 years apart in the same north Chicago house. Through Feb. 22. Fiesta The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 250-9995 or bobbakermarionettes.com. Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 10:30 a.m. and Feb. 4-5, 2:30 p.m.: “Fiesta” is a south of the border marionette extravaganza featuring everything from skating sombreros to dancing cacti. It was first presented at the theater in 1964 and the production still resonates today for the pre-school set.

CLASSICAL MUSIC Monday, January 30 Youth Concert Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., (213) 680-5217 or laphil.com.

7 p.m.: Experience musical mentorship in action as the young musicians of the LA Phil’s El Sistemainspired program YOLA join forces with members of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. It’s free! Tuesday, January 31 Los Angeles Philharmonic At Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com. 8 p.m.: Gustavo Dudamel conducts the Simon Bolivar Orchestra of Venezuela playing Mahler’s 7th Symphony. Yep, it’s another installment of the Mahler Project. Piano Spheres Zipper Hall, Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu. 8 p.m.: Kathleen Supove brings her virtuosic piano talent to Downtown. Thursday, February 2 Los Angeles Philharmonic At Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com. Feb. 2-3, 8 p.m. and Feb. 5, 2 p.m.: Mad for Mahler? Dudamel does Mahler’s 7th again, this time with the L.A. Philharmonic. saTurday, February 4 Symphony of a Thousand Shrine Auditorium, 665 W. Jefferson Blvd., (323) 8502000 or laphil.com. 8 p.m.: Gustavo Dudamel will lead the combined forces of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, joined by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and community choruses, in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. There’s a reason it’s known as the “Symphony of a Thousand.”

BARS & CLUBS Angel City Brewing Beer Garden 216 S. Alameda, (213) 622-1261 or angelcitybrewing.com. Massive vats of beer frame the industrial space of this former cable factory and attest to the completeness of the fermentation process that occurs within; hops, yeast and wheat become beer that for a mere $5 per draft you can pour into your mouth. There’s copious art, ample seating, laidback crowds and Fenway-esque Italian sausage. Open ThursdaySunday. The Association 610 S. Main St., (213) 627-7385. Carved out of the area that used to belong to Cole’s, the bar in front, the Association is a dimly-lit,

swank little alcove with some serious mixologists behind the bar. Look for a heavy door, a brass knocker and a long line. Barbara’s at the Brewery 620 Moulton Ave., No. 110, (323) 221-9204 or bwestcatering.com. On the grounds of the Brewery, this bar and restaurant in an unfinished warehouse is where local residents find their artistic sustenance. Fifteen craft beers 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 señoritas, deer heads with sunglasses, a wooden Indian and Schlitz paraphernalia plaster the red walls. There’s no shortage of entertainment, with the funky dance room, great DJs and the occasional rock band. In the photo booth, you can capture your mug in old-fashioned black and white. Open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week. Big Wang’s 801 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2449 or bigwangs.com. Wings, beer and sports: That’s the winning recipe at this sports bar. The Downtown outpost, the third for the Hollywood-based bar, has everything the other locations have, plus a comfortable patio with outdoor flat screens. Bonaventure Brewing Company 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 236-0802 or bonaventurebrewing.com. Where can you get a drink, order some decent bar food, sit outdoors and still feel like you’re Downtown? It’s a tall order to fill, but this bar in the Bonaventure Hotel does it admirably. Come by for a taster set of award-winning ales crafted by Head Brewer David Blackwell. Sure, the hotel is vaguely ’80s, and you’ll probably encounter some convention goers tying a few on, but it only adds to the fun. Bona Vista Lounge 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-1000 or thebonaventure.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. Bottlerock 1150 S. Flower St., (213) 747-1100 or bottlerock.net. Situated on the groundfloor 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 you’re feeling overcome by oenophilia (or just deep-pocketed) there are some first growth Bordeauxs for more than $1,000 for the bottle. And if you don’t get your fill while at the bar, which also

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20 Downtown News

January 30, 2012

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We Got Games Lakers and Clippers Get Ready for a Road Trip Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m.: The Lakers have one last tune-up game at home this week before embarking on a beastly road trip. Fortunately for them, they gained some momentum with last Wednesday’s victory over the Clippers. The home game is against the Charlotte Bobcats who, let’s face it, just aren’t very good. Look for Kobe (five rings) to show off in the contest against the team partly owned by Michael Jordan (six rings). The two-week road trek starts with visits to Denver (Feb. 3) and Utah (Feb. 4).

Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers. Jan. 30, Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m.: The Clippers, rearmed with a healthy Chris Paul, host the Western Conference leading Oklahoma City Thunder to start the week. It’s a big showdown for two powerhouse clubs anchored by young stars. Yep, we just called the Clips a powerhouse. The Blake Show heads to Utah to tackle the Jazz (Feb. 1) before returning home to host the Denver Nuggets, who despite having several key players stranded in Chinese leagues are one of the surprises of the still young

Continued from previous page features a rotating crop of artisanal beers and a full dinner menu, the bar also sells bottles at retail. Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or broadwaybar.la. Located next to the Orpheum Theatre in the Platt Building, the Broadway Bar’s blue neon sign beckons patrons inside to its 50-foot circular bar. The casualchic spot is based on Jack Dempsey’s New York bar, with low lighting and a dose of ’40s glam. There’s a patio upstairs with nice views, and a jukebox. Caña Rum Bar at the Doheny 714 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 745-7090 or canarumbar.com. In the Caribbean, “caña” is slang for sugarcane. Rum is made from sugarcane. Therefore, Caña Rum Bar at the Doheny serves premium handcrafted rum cocktails in an intimate, elegant environment featuring live Caribbean and tropical Latin music. Casey’s Irish Pub 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com.

season. Then it’s off for a long road trip, starting in Washington D.C. (Feb. 4), where the Wizards will try a new magic potion. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com. Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m.: The Kings host the Blue Jackets to kick off the second half of the season. Then they skate to St. Louis (Feb. 3) to play the Blues, but hopefully not sing them. They close out the week in Carolina when they try to storm the Hurricanes. —Ryan Vaillancourt

With its worn brick staircase, tin ceilings and dark wood decor, it’s easy to see how this neighborhood bar and grill still works its Irish charm. Regulars cozy up to the 60-foot mahogany bar with a pint of Guinness and a plate of bangers and mash. Casey’s has a full menu with six beers on tap and a selection of Belgian ales and microbrews. Cicada Club 617 S. Olive St., (213) 488-9488 or cicadarestaurant.com. Every Sunday, the restaurant is transformed into a vintage, old Hollywood-style dance club, with a big band, swank costumes, dinner and cocktails (visit cicadaclub.com). Ciudad 445 S. Figueroa St., (213) 486-5171 or ciudad-la.com. Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s Downtown restaurant serves up Latin recipes from Spain and South America. The modern space also hosts a thriving happy hour with live music on the outdoor patio several nights a week. Don’t miss

photo by Gary Leonard

Kobe Bryant will be in show-off mode this week when the Bobcats come to town, which is to say, Kobe will play like he always does. Zing!

the mojitos. Club 740 740 S. Broadway, (213) 225-5934 or 740la.com. This 1920s theater has been transformed into a three-level party playground sprawling over 40,000 square feet. Club 740 is a spectacle with ornate gold balconies, go-go dancers and private skybox lounges. Music includes hip-hop, Latin vibe, Top 40 and indie rock. Cole’s 118 E. Sixth St., colesfrenchdip.com. This beloved restaurant saloon has been renovated under new ownership. The great leather booths and dark wood bar of the old spot remain, but now the glasses are clean. Draft beer, historic cocktails, including what is probably the best Old Fashioned in town, and a short wine list.

MORE LISTINGS

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

Event Info

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Hundreds of listings of fun and interesting things

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers to last week’s puzzle on page 23

Easy ways to submit Your

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

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

DYNASTY CENTER

CASTELLAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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22 Downtown News

January 30, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

CLASSIFIED

plaCe your ad online aT www.ladownTownnews.Com FOR RENT

l.a. downtown news classifieds Call: 213-481-1448 Classified Display & Line ad Deadlines: Thursday 12 pm

“Be wary of out of area companies. Check with the local Better Business Bureau before you send any money for fees or services. Read and understand any contracts before you sign. Shop around for rates.”

REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL

TheLoftExpertGroup.com

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We've got what you're searching for! DowntownNews.com

arcHitect

BuSineSS SerViceS

ARCHITECT: Resume/Ad to: Ted Tokio Tanaka Architects: 11307 Hindry Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

ADVERTISE a display Business Card sized ad in 140 California newspapers for one low cost of $1,550. Your display 3.75x2” ad reaches over 3 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)288-6019. (CalSCAN)

SERVICES lOftS fOr Sale

Out Of State

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.

REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL

FOR RENT

213.598.7555 SILVERLAKE 2 Story Top Floor Loft for sale! Minutes to Dowtown! Only $599k! RickLeMasters/SilverLakeRealtor.com 323.632.3313 VacatiOn HOmeS ADVERTISE Your Vacation Property in 240 California newspapers for one low cost of $600. Your 25 word classified ad reaches over 6 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)288-6019. (Cal-SCAN)

Beautiful

attOrneyS

driVerS Office Space leaSe/Sale

Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper

EMPLOYMENT

One Of a Kind Office Space in tHe Heart Of dOWntOWn COME VISIT US NOW!! Fully furnished with kitchen 4,500 sq.ft., can be divided $4,700/mo. includes utilities

call 213-327-0105

lOftS/unfurniSHed

Old BanK District The original Live/Work Lofts from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge Call 213.253.4777 laloft.com

DOWNTOWN L.A. renovated commercial/office space in artist district. From 1200 to 4500 Sq. Ft. of space Starting from $1600/ Mo. Handicapped access, bathroom with shower, central A/C & heat. Elevator available. Ideal for photography studio and much more. 1026 S. Santa Fe. Indoor Parking Space. 310-591-9998.

apartmentS/unfurniSHed SENIOR APARTMENTS 62 + Studio $754 1 Bedroom $864 Balcony, Full Kitchen, A/C, Clubhouse, BBQ, Resource room, Laundry, SEC 8 O.K. Visit GSL SAN LUCAS.com 213-6232010.

ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION!

DRIVER - NEW Career For The New Year! No Experience Needed! No credit check! Top industry pay & quality training. 100% Paid CDL Training. 1-800326-2778. www.JoinCRST.com (Cal-SCAN)

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

get your green card or citiZenSHip Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710

DRIVER - START out the year with Daily Pay and Weekly Home Time! Single Source Dispatch. Van and Refrigerated. CDL-A, 3 months recent experience required. 1-800-414-9569. www. DriveKnight.com (Cal-SCAN)

legal AUTO ACCIDENT Attorney. Injured in an auto accident? Call Jacoby & Meyers for a free case evaluation. Never a cost to you. Don`t wait, call now, 888-6855721. (Cal-SCAN)

DRIVERS/CDL Training - Career Central. No Money Down. CDL Training. Work for us or let us work for you! Unbeatable Career Opportunities. *Trainee *Company Driver *Lease Operator Earn up to $51k *Lease Trainers Earn up to $80k 1-877-3697091. www.CentralDrivingJobs. net (Cal-SCAN)

CHILD MONITORING, Private Investigations and Executive Protection.. Reasonable Rates for all services 661-332-5362 SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Win or Pay Nothing! Start your Application In Under 60 Seconds. Call Today! Contact Disability Group, Inc. Licensed Attorneys & BBB Accredited. Call 877-490-6596. (Cal-SCAN)

LOFT LIVING Your number 1 source for Loft sales, rentals and development! ladowntownnews.com

EstD 1912

Historic beauty. Modern refinement. Eclectic elegance.

ADVERTISE Your Truck Driver Jobs in 240 California newspapers for one low cost of $600. Your 25 word classified ad reaches over 6 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)288-6019. (Cal-SCAN) REACH CALIFORNIANS With a Classified in almost every county! Experience the power of classifieds! Combo~California Daily and Weekly Networks. One order. One payment. Free Brochures. elizabeth@cnpa.com or (916)288-6019. (Cal-SCAN) cleaning CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants. Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183. educatiOn HIGH SCHOOL Diploma! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com (Cal-SCAN)

ToyoTa CenTral 41 Years in Downtown LA

Kick-off your new year with a great job!

35 Boutique Style “Live/Work” Residences starting at $1,450 Studio Lofts 600-1800 sq. ft.

nOW leaSing $1,400’s/mo.

ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS MARKET, KELLY’S COFFEE, DRY CLEANING, MAC AND CHEEZA and LA BREWERY on Ground Floor

We’re an enthusiastic group of dynamic Toyota sales & service people, and we’re looking for some new team members! Are you a self-starter? Are you motivated to do great things, for yourself and for others? Do you just love working with people (like customers!)? Then what are you waiting for? Call now!

We hAve openingS for: Sales Associates internet Sales Associates Sales Managers Business Development Managers Service Consultants Service Technicians Toyota experience a plus. Unaccented English & Spanish fluency a plus. Bilingual Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Farsi a plus. Women are definitely encourage to apply. Great compensation package and employee benefits! Bottom line, it’s a great place to work!

800-574-4891 or send resume to jobs@toyotacentral.com

855.240.7518 For lease

6 Story parking structure near Staples Center 756 S. Broadway, Los Angeles 213-892-9100 | chapmanf lats.com Pricing subject to change without notice.

forD ApArTMenTS 1000 E. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Located in Central City East 150 Efficiency Apartments includes microwave, refrigerator & full size bathroom Amenities Furnished, Energy Star Appliances, Laundry Facility, Community Room w/ Computers, Game Room, On-site Manager INCOME & PROGRAM RESTRICTIONS APPLY Rents from $560 to $672 per month Please apply by calling (213) 229-9365

Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

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

Monthly from $695 utilities paid. (213) 627-1151 Monthly from $550 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348

942 Parking Spaces Located on Union Ave between W. Olympic Blvd and James M. Wood Blvd (Approx. ½ mile from Staples Center)

Available: • Flexible Lease Terms • Additional Parking Lot Locations CALL for DeTAiL 310.388.3219

premiere Towers

7000 sqft. Basement Space ✦ set up for Gallery/Office space

madison hotel

the loft expert! group

Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service. •Daily, $30.00 •Weekly, $109.00 •Monthly, $310.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.

Downtown since 2002

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.) Starting Jan. 1, 2011

Voted Best Downtown Residential Real estate Agent Call us today! Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com

rOSSlyn HOtel

CALL For PrICE

Studio 280 sqft. Full Bathroom Apartment

213.627.6913 | cityloftsquare.com

$600 mo. to mo. $580 on 6 mo. Lease

• w/Gallery Lights • Wide Private (Spring St.) Entrance • Ideal for Art Gallery, SPA, Office Space • Wired for internet service/telephone outlets • Prime Location in Downtown (Gallery row, residential area, wine bar, café, market)

1 bdrm 1 bath cal Bungalow duplex Historic Property Gated Parking Fenced in. No Pets No Smoking 5 miles from Downtown $900 month to month phone (626) 590-9496

354970-1

No Application Fee! - Sec. Dep. $175 Free Utilities, 24 hr. laundry, Around the Clock Courtesy Patrol

112 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 213.624.3311 • Rosslyn@SROhousing.com Help wanTed

Cashier/Server wanted for fast paced restaurant.

Experience preferred. FT/PT. Shift flexible. Email resume to phocitifriends@gmail.com

triplex fOr rent Monterey Park 2 Bedrooms Upstair Unit LIVING, KITCHEN with Refrigerator STOVE Water and Trash included! Close to Atlantic Mall and convenient location Close to Fwy 60, 710, 10 $1195.00 per month. One Car Garage Parking Space 663 1/2 W. Riggin Street Monterey Park, CA 91754 (Near Atlantic Blvd. and East Los Angeles City College) For information please call : (626) 786-9086

January 30, 2012

Downtown News 23

DowntownNews.com

Education EARN COLLEGE Degree Online. *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call 888-210-5162 www.CenturaOnline.com (CalSCAN) HEaltH & FitnEss THINK AND Feel Like You’re 20 Again! Revolutionary Supplement Improves Mood, Memory and Cognition, Exercise Endurance, Energy and Sexual Function.Physician Developed. 1-800-747-1359 or www.thebrainvitamin.com (Cal-SCAN)

DISH NETWORK lowest nationwide price $19.99 a month. Free HBO/Cinemax/Starz Free Blockbuster Free HD-DVR and install. Next day install 1-800-336-7043 (Cal-SCAN) car/liMousinE Limousine/Sedan Downtown LA to/from all major airports/ hotels*Citywide Service Contact us at Rolling Energy Limousine* 24/7 310- 696-8921 or 888- 4866795

AUTOS

BE AN IMMIGRATION or BK Paralegal $395.00. Includes Certificate, Resume & 94% Placement! 626-918-3599 or 626-552-2885. Placement in all 58 counties. (Cal-SCAN)

2008 PORSCHE CAYMAN COUPE Certified, Black/Black, Only 18k Miles, 8U762547 $38,895 Call 888-685-5426.

POrSchE VOLKSWAgEn AUdi MErcEdES-BEnZ niSSAn chEVrOLET cAdiLLAc

2008 VW JETTA WOLF Certified, Auto, Low Miles ZV1443/8M197061 $14,966 Auto Call 888-781-8102.

$9,499

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@BarkAveLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation. org.

LEGAL Fictitious BusinEss naME Fictitious Business name statement File no. 2011151317 The following persons doing business as: A PURO TANGO, 234 S.

L.A. AUTO GROUP OVER 500

Certified, Low Miles..

$16,999 Certified, 21K Miles. N120652-1/N129626 2008 Nissan 350Z .............................................. $20,999 Certified only 27K Miles. NI3884/M704287 2009 Infiniti FX35 .............................................. $34,499 Only 18K Miles. Certified. NI3876/9M103735

PREOWNED CARS, TRUCKS, SUV’s & VANS IN STOCK!

2007 Nissan Quest 3.5S ....................................

AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

$21,688

$21,997 2009 Audi A4 Cab .............................................. $29,888 Certified, Low Miles, Must see. ZA10101/9K001417 2011 Audi A5 ...................................................... $39,980 Certified, Prem Pkg., Low Miles. A12335-1/ BA004425 2008 Audi A3 ...................................................... Certified, Prem Pkg., Low Miles, Auto. ZA10182/9A106374

888-I-LOVE-LA DTLAMOTORS.COM

DOWNTOWN L.A. AUTO GROUP 888-I-LOVE-LA (456-8352) W W W . D T L A M O T O R S . C O M

Certified, Low Miles, Auto.

$16,990 2009 VW EOS NAV ............................................. $23,980 Certified, Low Miles. ZV1458/9V002433 2010 VW CC Sport ............................................. $24,980 Certified, Low Miles. ZV1460/ AE513581 2008 VW Beetle Conv. ........................................... Certified, Low Miles. ZV1420/8M412815

is your teen experiencing:

adolescent support group now forming ages 13-17 low fee call Marney stofflet, lcsW

$12,995 Certified, Red. CU0584R/655453

2008 Nissan Pathfinder ........... Certified, Silver. CU0585P/642873

$27,991 Certified, White/Black, 31k miles, 3.0 Liter

$16,995

PORSCHE OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

888-685-5426 1900 S. Figueroa St. • porschedowntownla.com

$44,891

2009 PORSCHE CAYENNE 9LA04712

Certified, silver/black, Nav, Park Asst., Loaded!

$38,895 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet .............. $57,891 Certified, midnight blue. 7S765803 2009 Nissan Cube ..................... $15,995 2010 Porsche Panamera S ................................ Certified, Teal $79,982 Certified, Gray 34k Miles. AL062364 CU0580P/103512 2005 Nissan Titan ..................... Certified, Gray CU0574P/540992

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

(323) 662-9797

4344 Fountain ave. (at sunset), suite a los angeles, ca 90029

2010 MERCEDES C300W Certified, White/Black, 31k miles, 3.5 Liter. 5602C/ F254750

888-845-2267 1505 E. 223rd St., Carson carsonnissan.com

Children’s Performing Group • School problems? • Conflict at home or with friends?

888-319-8762 • 1801 S. Figueroa St. • mbzla.com

$27,991 2010 MB ML350W2 ........................................... $38,991 Certified White/Cashmere 3.5 Liter, 12k miles. 111695-1/A565942 2010 Mercedes E350W ..................................... $44,991 White/Almond, 3.5 Liter, Certified, 25k Miles. 112121-1/A074924

CARSON NISSAN

888-781-8102 1900 S. Figueroa St. • vwdowntownla.com

ZV1443/8M197061

$10,995 2012 Chevy Cruze ECO ..................................... $16,995 Loaded, Low Miles. F12014-1 2011 Cadillac Escalade ..................................... $49,995 Loaded, Navi and More. UC921R

2008 MB CLK350C .............................................

2010 NISSAN SENTRA

$14,996

Certified, Low Miles

5858C/R087445

VOLKSWAGEN OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2008 VW JETTA WOLF

$9,995

2009 CHEVY IMPALA CH1041-1 Loaded, Mint! UC863

Certified, Low miles..

ZA10067/A165712

FELIX CHEVROLET

888-879-9608 330 S. Figueroa St. • felixchevrolet.com

2007 Pontiac G6 Coupe ....................................

888-583-0981 1900 S. Figueroa St. • audidtla.com

2008 AUDI A4 2.0T

TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

ADVERTISE YOUR Auction in 240 California newspapers for one low cost of $600. Your 25 word classified ad reaches over 6 million+ Californians. Free brochure call Elizabeth (916)2886019. (Cal-SCAN)

adoPt a PEt

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 1/09/12, 1/16/12, 1/23/12, 1/30/12

THE ANSWER

DOWNTOWN

888-838-5089 635 W. Washington Blvd. • downtownnissan.com

N120553/ N129626

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PETS/ANIMALS

For a complete list of our pre-owned inventory, go to www.DTLAMOTORS.com

NISSAN OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

2007 NISSAN FRONTIER

HEAT YOUR Home for 5¢ an Hour! Portable infrared iHeater heats 1000 sq. ft. Slashes your heating bills by 50%. Free Shipping too! Use claim code 6239. Was $499 Now $279. Call 1-888-807-5741. (Cal-SCAN)

auction

2010 NISSAN SENTRA 4DR Certified, Red, Great Car, Must See CU0584R/655453 $12,995 call 888-845-2267

2007 NISSAN FRONTIER EXTENDED CAB Certified,Low Miles and much more!! N120553/N129626 $9,499 call 888-838-5089

Misc. itEMs

SELL YOUR Car, Truck or SUV Today! All 50 states, fast pickup and payment. Any condition, make or model. Call now 1-877818-8848. www.MyCarforCash. net (Cal-SCAN)

2010 MERCEDES C300W Certified, 3.0L, 31k miles, White/ Black 5858C/R087445 $27,991 Call 888-319-8762.

doWntoWn l.a. auto GrouP

Misc. sErvicEs

DONATE YOUR Car, truck or boat to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. 888-9026851. (Cal-SCAN)

2008 AUDI A4 2.0T Certified, Low Miles, ZA10067/A165712 $21,688 Call 888-583-0981

Orange Drive, Los Angeles CA 90036 are hereby registered by the following registrant: LINDA VALENTINO, 234 S. Orange Drive, Los Angeles CA 90036. This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on 6/01/2011. This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on December 20, 2011. NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five

ITEMS FOR SALE

autos WantEd

2009 CHEVY IMPALA Certified, Low Miles, #CH1041-1 $9,995 Call 888-879-9608

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2007 NISSAN QUEST Certified, 21k miles, NI20652-1/N129626 $16,999 call 888-838-5089

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$15,995

2008 Porsche Cayman Coupe .......................... Certified, Black/Black, 18k Miles. 8U762547

My Nails aNd spa • Crystal Nails • Acrylic Nails • Pink & White • Silk Wrap • Shellac Gel 323.662.2718 4335 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90029 (in front of McDonald’s)

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MR. CABINET FREE Estimate Specialize in

Kitchen Cabinet Entertainment Center Vanities Closet Bar

Crown Molding & Baseboard

Granite Top All Wood Jobs Custom Make Work

Residential and Commercial

Ask for Mario (909) 657-7671

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January 30, 2012