03-12-12 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS

16-18 W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M

March 12, 2012

Volume 41, Number 11

INSIDE

Downtown Goes Green For St. Patrick’s Day

Building a Better Block Veteran Developer Izek Shomof Faces His Biggest Challenge Yet, Buying Three Aged Hotels on the Edge of Skid Row

Making sense of the mayor’s media blitz.

Get ready for a 32-story building.

Cool vintage finds in Little Tokyo.

photo by Gary Leonard

Developer Izek Shomof is behind plans to upgrade the King Edward, Baltimore and Leland hotels at Fifth and Los Angeles streets. It follows his renovation last year of the Bristol Hotel and his work on Spring Street a decade ago. by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

Just weight for this new health trend.

n a recent weekday morning inside the lobby of the Hotel Baltimore, Rusty Lugo slumped in an unforgiving chair and stared blankly out the window. His view was of Fifth and Los Angeles streets, a busy gateway between Skid Row and the Historic Core. The intersection crawled with Toy District shoppers. Weary morning patrons of the King Eddy Saloon wandered in and out of the dark wa-

tering hole. A stream of people rushed to and from a nearby bus stop. Lugo, who has rented rooms in several singleroom occupancy hotels in the area, now lives at the Baltimore, a faded 102-year-old edifice that he described only as “livable.” Asked how the Baltimore compares to other cheap Skid Row hotels, he offered no distinction. “Same,” he said. “Livable.” By next year, however, the Baltimore may prove better than just livable. Last month, a group of

investors led by developer Izek Shomof acquired the 265-unit complex as part of a $9.8 million deal that includes the 150-room King Edward Hotel and the Leland Hotel, which was built separately but later adjoined to the Baltimore. The Israel-born Shomof may be best known for developing four buildings on the once gritty 600 block of South Spring Street — Premier Towers, Spring Tower Lofts, City Lofts and the Hotel Hayward. By offering inexpensive rents, he see Hotels, page 12

Less Red Tape for Restaurant Permits ‘American Idiot’ at the Ahmanson.

19 CALENDAR LISTINGS 21 MAP 22 CLASSIFIEDS

Two Years in, Streamlining Experiment Is Helping, Even if Those Involved Say It’s Not Perfect by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

ario Del Pero, who is best known in Downtown for the two outposts of the gourmet sandwich outfit Mendocino Farms, has opened nine eateries in Los Angeles. So it came as little surprise to him when, in his latest trip through the notoriously disjointed city permitting process, he ran into a bureaucratic brick wall. Del Pero had opened Casa, a Bunker Hill Mexican restaurant, in 2008, and last year he initiated a plan

to replace it with Blue Cow, a sandwich-focused establishment. When city inspectors first reviewed the Blue Cow plans, they told Del Pero that the space was not actually permitted for a restaurant. Even though Casa had operated with city approvals for about three years, and the space held a restaurant long before that, officials told the entrepreneur that he would have to start from scratch. It was a major blow. Acquiring approvals to build a new restaurant is far more time intensive, not to mention expensive, than getting sign-offs

for a tenant improvement in an existing eatery. This is the point where many restaurateurs would turn to a high-priced private consultant, or expediter, to shepherd their application through the labyrinth of city departments. But for Del Pero, who opened Blue Cow in the old Casa space in January, salvation came in the form of one of the very bureaucrats that he had long been accustomed to seeing as little more than a roadblock in a suit. Del Pero is one of approximately 300 people see Restaurants, page 10

The Art and Science of Beauty... It comes down to two things: experience and expertise. When considering Botox®, Juvederm® or any cosmetic procedure, make sure you are in the hands of an experienced, certified expert. At the Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health, our highly trained team of specialists perform a wide range of cosmetic, surgical and reconstructive procedures that make a beautiful difference in your life.

www.lacwh.org www.facebook.com/lacwh DWNT_BOTOX_10.25x1.5.indd 1

TGI Botox® Fridays! $50 Discount! 213.742.6400

It’s happening downtown.

Schedule an appointment and receive a $50 discount. You’ll also receive an additional gift certificate if you join the Brilliant Distinctions® program. You’ll receive a total value of $100 off your first Friday session. FOR LIMITED TIME ONLY.

3/6/12 12:13 PM

2 Downtown News

AROUNDTOWN Perry, Parks Threaten Lawsuit Over Redistricting

he ongoing battle over City Council redistricting has prompted anger citywide, with many charging that decisions have been made behind closed doors and that politics has taken precedent over public input. Now, with the process close to a formal end, two City Council members have turned their criticism of the process into legalese. Last week, an attorney writing to City Attorney Carmen Trutanich on behalf of Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry and Eighth District Councilman Bernard Parks said the redrawn borders are illegal. “Should the City Council adopt the Redistricting Commission’s plan, or one that is substantially similar to it, the end result will almost certainly be needless litigation,” wrote attorney Nathan Lowenstein in the March 5 letter. Lowenstein alleges that the commission’s plan was “to segregate voters into districts based on race,” which would violate the Equal Protection Clause in the U.S. Constitution. The new districts, which are up for final consideration before the full council on Friday, March 16, would significantly alter Perry and Parks’ districts, with Perry losing all of Downtown except for L.A. Live and the Convention Center. The rest of Downtown would be in the 14th

March 12, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

District, which extends into Boyle Heights and Northeast L.A. Fourteenth District rep José Huizar supports the current proposal.

New Design Team For State Park

he $18 million upgrades for the Los Angeles State Historic Park project are moving forward with a new design team. San Francisco-based Hargreaves Associates is no longer working on the 32-acre facility on the edge of Chinatown. Instead, the project has been handed to state-employed designers. Sean Woods, a California State Parks superintendent, said Hargreaves was hired to create the conceptual designs, but its contract was not renewed due to budget constraints. “It made economic sense for the State Parks designers to finish out the design process ourselves,” Woods said. He said the state team will work on fine-tuning the Hargreaves designs. Upgrades will include a welcome pavilion, a promenade for a farmers market, an amphitheater, some wetland areas and infrastructure improvements such as permanent restrooms. The draft environmental impact report for phase one of the project is in the public review period. Construction is slated to begin in 2013 with completion approximately 18 months later.

50 Years of Service

Taix Restaurant on Sunset

Angels Flight Doubles Its Price

ride on Angels Flight will get twice as expensive this week. On Monday, March 12, it will cost 50 cents to ride the funicular that connects the Historic Core with Bunker Hill. The price hike will help cover operation and maintenance costs, said John Welborne, president of the Angels Flight

February 29, 2012

Railway Foundation. When the railway first opened in 1901 a ride was a penny. It went to 25 cents in 1996, when the railway reopened after being closed for more than three decades. Angels Flight then closed again for nine years after a fatal accident on Feb. 1, 2001. It reopened in March 2010, though it has been temporarily shuttered several times for maintenance. see Around Town, page 11

Please Join Us for the 12th Annual

Cesar Chavez Legacy Awards Dinner April 5th, 2012 - 6:00pm General Reception/VIP Reception, 7:00pm Dinner Los Angeles Millenium Biltmore Hotel - Bowl Room 506 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90071 Attire: Business/Formal

www.cesarchavezlegacyawards.org | lalegacyawards@chavezfoundation.org

New Location in Downtown!

5-NIGHT HAWAIIAN ESCAPES FROM $600* (land only)

SBIC Premier CDs Get Compounded Interest on Premier CDs Premier CD’s available for more than 1 year.

INTEREST RATE APY*

TERM

5-nights from $600 land only | Travel: Select dates April 16 - June 14, 2012 Includes: Accommodations; all hotel taxes; kids 17 & younger stay FREE

6 MONTHS to less than 1 YEAR 1 YEAR to less than 24 MONTHS

0.50% 0.90%

2 YEARS to less than 36 MONTHS

1.10%

1.11%

3 YEARS to less than 60 MONTHS

1.30%

1.31%

5 YEARS

1.90%

1.91%

Minimum balance to open and maintain APY: $1,000.00. This CD is available for consumer accounts only. * APY refers to Annual Percentage Yield. The interest rate and APY will not change for the term of the CD. Penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Interest rates and annual percentage yields are current and effective as of 02/08/2012 and are subject to change without notice. Please contact our branch for further details.

CALL: 213.741.3686 CLICK: AAA.com/travel VISIT: Your local AAA branch

STATE BANK OF INDIA (CALIFORNIA)

Easy On-Site Validated PARKING!

523 W. 6th Street, R501, Los Angeles 90014 Tel. 213-627-7350 • Fax- 213-622-8612 Hours: Monday - Friday 9am to 4pm Toll Free: 877-505-INDIA www.sbical.com

March 12, 2012

Downtown News 3

DowntownNews.com

G N I V SER

955 1 E C N I S N W O DOWNT

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

7 DEALERSHIPS TO CHOOSE FROM 2012 VW JETTA S

129

VOLKSWAGEN OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 1900 S. Figueroa St. vwdowntownla.com 888-781-8102

plus tax per month for 36 months

$1999 due at signing (excluding title, taxes, options and Dealer fees) On Approved Tier 1 Credit with VCI. 2012 Jetta S with manual transmission MSRP $17,415. Purchase option at lease end $9,752.40 $.20/mile over 30,000 miles. VIN 369170, 373099,377510,377527, 377571.

2012 CHEVY CRUZE LS

159

FELIX CHEVROLET 3330 S. Figueroa St. felixchevrolet.com 888-879-9608

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

plus tax per month for 24 months

Plus tax 24 month closed end lease on approved credit. $1,560 due at signing excluding title, taxes, options, acquisition fees, dealer fees and first payment. Zero Security Deposit. 12,000 Miles per year. 2 at this offer, #C7127857, C7134798.

2012 NISSAN SENTRA

CARSON NISSAN 1505 E. 223rd St., Carson carsonnnissan.com 888-845-2267

AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 1900 S. Figueroa St. audidtla.com 888-583-0981

DOWNTOWN L.A. MOTORS 1801 S. Figueroa St. mbzla.com 888-319-8762

NISSAN OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 635 W. Washington Blvd. downtownnissan.com 888-838-5089

PORSCHE OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 1900 S. Figueroa St. porschedowntownla.com 888-685-5426

185

OWN $ IT FOR

per month for 72 months

Own A New 2012 Nissan Sentra For $999 Down and Just $185 Per Month!

2012 Nissan Sentra 2.0 model 12012 (Stock #C120762/Serial 688590), All sale prices and finance payments presented are net of Carson Nissan discounts and Nissan Factory Rebates including Customer Cash Rebate, NMAC Captive Cash Rebate, and College Graduate Cash Rebate and any Bonus Cash Rebates if applicable. Factory Rebates cannot be combined with Nissan Special Financing Rates and/or Lease Programs. Finance payments calculated with $999 cash/equity down payment plus fees, taxes, documentation charge and emissions testing charge for 72 months with above average tier credit approval All vehicles subject to prior sale. All offers expire at the close of business day on February 29, 2012.

2012 AUDI A3 2.0T

299

plus tax per month for 42 months

AUDI A3 for $299 a month. $350 Security Deposit / $299 First Month Payment / $695 Acquisition Fee / $1999 Down Payment / $3343 Due at Signing (Excludes taxes, title, other options and dealer fees). 42-month closed-end lease, 10,000 miles per year, Excess Mileage is $0.25 per mile . Must take delivery by January 31, 2012. Rate based on MSRP $30,045 of 2012 Audi A3 2.0T FWD Premium with Manual Transmission, open sky sunroof and Blue Tooth Package Purchase option at lease end for $15,392.55.

2012 MERCEDES C250

369

plus tax per month for 33 months

Plus tax 33 month closed end lease on approved credit. $2865 due at signing excluding title, taxes, options, acquisition fees, dealer fees and first payment. Zero Security Deposit. Purchase option at lease end $25,196. .25cents/mile over 10,000 miles per year. All with MSRP of $38,175.

2011 NISSAN LEAF SL

385

plus tax per month for 39 months

100% ELECTRIC

On approved credit, 39 month closed end lease, $2999 due at signing plus tax, 1st month payment, acquisition fee, license, doc fee. $0 security deposit. Residual $15,593. .15 cents per mile over 12,000 miles per year. MSRP $35,440, Stock #N111549/ VIN #BT00841

2012 PORSCHE BOXSTER

499

plus tax per month for 24 months

1 available at this payment (CS710404) On approved credit, 24 Month Closed End Lease. $5,999 plus tax,1st month payment, acquis acquisition fee, lic, doc fee. Zero Security deposit. Residual $37,429.05. 5k miles peryear. 0.30 cents per excess mileage charge.

888-I-LOVE-LA â&#x20AC;˘ DTLAMOTORS.COM

4 Downtown News

Twitter/DowntownNews

March 12, 2012

EDITORIALS No McCourt Parking Lot Trap

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

ere Los Angeles was, celebrating the end of the McCourt family’s reign of terrors and errors. After eight years of Dodgers ownership, including a beastly two-and-a-half dominated by nasty and public divorce proceedings, longtime fans were euphoric that Frank had agreed to pay off Jamie and sell the team by April 30. The settlement agreement was announced last November, and the Dodger faithful immediately looked forward to a brighter future, one in which an owner would invest in the team, rather than use the team as a means to invest in him or herself. We anticipated a return to something almost mythically known as the Dodger Way. Well, not so fast. Frank is still in line to sell the squad and pay off Jamie by the specified date, but unless the potential buyers play financial hardball, that McCourt character could still be in the lineup. What a terrible, dispiriting thought. The buyers, and anyone else who can exert influence on the matter, should do whatever it takes to ensure that Frank McCourt is fully removed from Chavez Ravine. Given his track record, we can only expect future trouble from having him involved. It would be best for everyone if McCourt sells everything, pockets his money and moves on to other pastures. The snafu is a process in which McCourt could sell the franchise and the stadium, but keep the acres of surrounding parking. While prospective owners can offer bids that include the lots, there are serious indications that McCourt might hold onto them and require the new buyer to lease back the parking. The L.A. Times report that the partnership of Rick Caruso and Joe Torre dropped out of the bidding because McCourt intends to keep the parking is a strong hint of the potential for trouble. The problem is that no one knows what this would mean for the future of the stadium and the land around it. Though McCourt has not indicated a desire to develop the property, he could pursue this option in the future. What effect would massive housing complexes have on those attending games? How would an NFL stadium in the parking lot, something that has long been speculated about, impact the team, the stadium and the fans? Maybe this is gamesmanship. Perhaps McCourt hopes to drive up the price and egg bidders into making an offer he can’t refuse. Or maybe he really wants to own the parking lots and then sell them a few years down the line when their value would rise even higher. Whatever the case, it’s another mistake by baseball commissioner Bud Selig — his deal with McCourt should have required him to sell the land too. Selling would benefit McCourt on more than the monetary front. Angelenos simply don’t like him. If he stays involved, he’ll continue to be treated like a villain. This is a frustrating turn of events. Anyone who has his ear should try to convince Frank McCourt to do what’s best for the team and this city — that means sell.

Supermarket Sweep

n the past few weeks, the announcement of a major Downtown project has drawn a very mixed reaction. The confirmation of long-running rumors that Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart will open a 33,000-square-foot supermarket near Chinatown is steaming up the local business and labor communities. That’s not surprising. Wal-Mart has experienced similar eruptions before, both across the nation and in Los Angeles. It comes down to some basic issues: Labor, certain community groups and many small business owners decry the company’s pay scale and say that its extremely low prices, which come from buying in massive quantities, often force mom-and-pop shops out of business. Additionally, unions charge that underpaid workers with few benefits are a burden on taxpayers who end up paying for their gaps in coverage one way or another. Others in the business sector counter that it is foolish to thwart a project that will create hundreds of permanent jobs and generate desperately needed sales-tax revenue. Wal-Mart supporters say shoppers win because the store allows them to save money. It’s been nearly a decade since Wal-Mart was willing to wage a battle in Los Angeles. It pretty much lost the last one: In 2004, after intense lobbying on both sides of the issue, the City Council passed legislation that makes it difficult for any retailer to open a store larger than 100,000 square feet. Since Wal-Mart, which generally requires about 150,000 square feet for its superstores, is one of the few businesses able to go that big, it felt the most impact. There are only five Wal-Mart superstores in the city, and four of them came before the legislation. The store slated for 701 W. Cesar Chavez Ave. represents a different tack. Wal-Mart, cognizant of a niche in Downtown, plans a business that focuses on groceries and also contains a pharmacy. They have signed a lease for space in a 1991 building that was always intended for a supermarket. Company officials believe no further city approvals are required. Protests are being raised: Advocacy group the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy says a decades-old agreement with the city requires a supermarket operator to create 190 jobs, while Wal-Mart intends to have 65 employees at the store. At this point it remains unclear whether there will be any serious political opposition to the project. Rest assured plenty of closed-door meetings are occurring. Of almost as much interest is that Wal-Mart is beating some other retailers to the Downtown supermarket punch. In announc-

ing the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, which is expected to open in 2013, they could capture customers that traditional grocery operators have been slow to understand. That subject has many scratching their heads. Although Downtown Los Angeles has long supported several ethnic supermarkets in communities such as Little Tokyo and Chinatown, for decades it lacked mainstream options. The opening of a Ralphs Fresh Fare (the “Fresh Fare” denotes the company’s upscale brand) in South Park in 2007 was the first new name-brand grocery store in the Central City in half a century. Ralphs was an immediate hit, and the parent company soon reported that it was one of the most profitable in the Fresh Fare line. Many expected the grocery floodgates to open. They didn’t. Even as the Downtown residential population continued to climb, desired retailers such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have stayed away. Local boosters claimed they were leaving money on the table. That wasn’t enough to propel action from players in an industry with razor-thin profit margins. Now things are changing, though there’s suddenly a question of whether Downtown will hit a short-term saturation point. Mainstream grocery option number two is expected to arrive this fall, when Target opens in the outdoor mall at Seventh and Figueroa streets. Although the store will contain many traditional Target big box elements, it will also have a sizable grocery component. The company is smartly aiming for both residents of Downtown and workers who could hit the store before driving home. There are also several projects underway where the developers are planning, or at least hoping, to have a supermarket. The Arts District’s One Santa Fe will set aside 15,000 square feet for a store (a size more commonly occupied by Trader Joe’s or Fresh and Easy, as opposed to a Ralphs, Vons or Gelson’s, etc.). A supermarket has long been considered for part of the Grand Avenue plan (though the project remains stalled). There is occasional chatter of another supermarket in South Park. What is clear is that, within a couple years, Downtowners will have no shortage of options. Relatively soon, those needing groceries will be able to choose between Ralphs, Target, Wal-Mart, Little Tokyo’s Woori Market, Chinatown’s LAX-C (usually likened to a Thai Costco), and various Rite-Aids, CVS and other convenience stores. That makes this an interesting time for grocery shoppers. Will Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods miss their opportunity? They just might.

March 12, 2012

The Readers Have Their Say

LETTERS Don’t Forget the CRA and the Arts Dear Editor, n addition to the Community Redevelopment Agency’s many positive accomplishments that were chronicled in your series of articles about its closing (by Ryan Vaillancourt), there was its impact on the cultural life of Los Angeles and its programs that helped people of all means gain access to the arts. As the director of Grand Performances, one of the shining examples of a CRA-conceived, public/private partnership, I know that its role with the developers and owners of California Plaza and with our program ensured a stability that has produced more than two decades of summers (2012 will be the 26th season) with free programming. This has given Angelenos opportunities to see such luminaries as Hugh Masakela, the Kronos Quartet and Bon Jovi (appearing alongside Al Gore prior to a screening of An Inconvenient Truth); attend U.S. performance premieres of

Downtown News 5

Opinion

ensembles such as the Beijing Modern Dance Company and New Zealand’s Indian Ink Theater Company; become familiar with local stars before they were stars such as Ozomatli and Diavolo Dance Theater; and dance to such international world music phenomena as Senegal’s Baaba Maal and Algeria’s Khaled. Grand Performances was not the only cultural project the CRA aided. Throughout the city it helped theater companies serve their neighborhoods, brought public art to many outdoor public spaces, and supported the construction and/or purchase of such important cultural venues as the Valley’s El Portal Theater, San Pedro’s Warner Grand Theater, Mid-City’s Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, and Downtown’s MOCA and Grammy Museum. —Michael Alexander, executive director, Grand Performances

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

Website Comments on the Regional Connector, Clifton’s Cafeteria 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. Regarding the story “Metro Punts on Regional Connector Hearing,” which notes that tunnel boring machines would be used for some portions of the project, published Jan. 24, by Ryan Vaillancourt

he situation in the Financial District is totally different from the situation in Little Tokyo. Flower Street is a lot wider than Second, so there’s more room for cutand-cover construction. The Financial District is almost all skyscrapers, except for the California Club. Tunnelboring machines will go down part of Flower, but they can’t use TBMs between Fifth Street and the 7th/Metro Center station. If people want a station at Fourth or Fifth streets, they will need to do cut-and-cover there. —James Fujita, Feb. 26, 4:14 p.m. Regarding the editorial “Don’t Hike Campaign Contribution Limits,” published Feb. 13

have moved from Los Angeles to Ventura County and still find some of the political campaign ideas of L.A. totally idiotic. The Ethics Commission should be encouraging smaller contributions, not larger ones. Sophisticated websites with Pay Pal make raising small amounts from the public an easy chore. Successful campaigns would rather receive smaller contributions from many sources than one large donation. Make the candidates reach out and encourage a smaller multiple donor base. Make democracy work. —Jack McGrath, Feb. 13, 11:07 a.m. Regarding the story “Original Face of Clifton’s

The PenThouses aT sanTee Village. Two Stories. Dramatic vaulted ceilings

Cafeteria Revealed,” about the project by developer Andrew Meieran, published online Feb. 8, by Richard Guzmán

live in the Valley and frequently pass a former Clifton’s Cafeteria location on Victory west of Laurel Canyon. It always brings back sweet memories of family time spent there during my childhood. I’m very grateful that someone has chosen to resurrect the Downtown building and preserve this wonderful moment in time. Thank you Mr. Meieran. —Sandy Hubbard, Feb. 8, 1:57 p.m.

ack in the ’50s Clifton’s was the swankest of hotspots, or at least that’s the way the little girl in me remembers it. Everyone dressed in their finery and a photographer came around to each table to document the occasion. I have a picture somewhere of my beautiful mother, handsome father, stoic grandparents and cleaned-up, maybe 6 or 7-year-old me staring solemnly into the camera. We looked like royalty. What I remember most is we were a black family in a sea of white folks enjoying ourselves — we felt accepted, not always the case back in those days. —Estellaleigh Franenberg, Feb. 8, 1:57 p.m. Regarding the story “Business Group Imagines Downtown in 2020,” published Jan. 23, by Ryan Vaillancourt

f Farmers Field is built by 2020, Downtown Los Angeles will change drastically and it will be the place to be days and nights. By that time, The Broad will be finished, the Marriott on Francisco Street will be done, etc. I will be happy to see so many people with jobs as the area is transformed. —Florent Mbesse, Jan. 24, 9:28 a.m.

HUGE PRICE REDUCTION PLUS $10,000 INCENTIvE

with wide-open floorplans. Rooftop retreat with expansive deck, unobstructed

views and extraordinary design details. A unique lifestyle opportunity reserved for the most discerning buyers. sTarTing aT $639K.

View By aPPoinTmenT only. maTT udell: 562.209.2370 sales@sanTeeVillagelofTs.com 716 S. LOS ANGELES STREET LOS ANGELES, CA 90014 www.SANTEEvILLAGELOfTS.COm The Seller reserves the right to change prices and incentives without prior notice or obligation. Square footage is approximate. All photography shown is representational only and does not depict actual unit available. Photography is of model homes and are not intended to reflect any unit condition, finishes or views. All units are subject to prior sale or reservation. Kennedy Wilson, A California Real Estate Broker. License #00746768

UrbanCouture

The PenT PenThouses Pen Thouses houses a aTT sanTee sanT anTee an Tee ee Village

6 Downtown News

March 12, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

Is the Mayor Who They Think He Is? Making Sense of Antonio Villaraigosa’s Sudden Media Blitz by Jon RegaRdie executive editoR

hen opportunity knocks, some people stand ready to answer the door. Then there’s Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: When he senses that opportunity is down the block, or maybe even in someone else’s neighborhood, he flings open the door, pulls out a megaphone and yells, “Look at me! Look at me!” until opportunity saunters over. On a personal level, good for him. As Harvey Weinstein, who has a clutch of Best Picture Oscars, has proved, good THE REGARDIE REPORT

things come to those who lobby effectively for them. The world won’t give you a golden bauble unless you put in the work and convince everyone that you deserve it. But has Villaraigosa’s self-marketing actually resulted in any good for Los Angeles? As Hamlet said in that famous soliloquy, “Aye, there’s the rub.” Those are some of the things I’ve been pondering recently as Villaraigosa, who a few years ago was seen by critics as having just a slightly brighter future than Sean Penn’s character in Dead Man Walking, has been receiving some generous national press. In recent weeks the New York Times and Time magazine both spilled serious ink reporting on his “comeback.” A few months before that, some editors at Rolling Stone gobbled huge handfuls of peyote and named him one of the nation’s up-and-coming leaders (note, the peyote line is either a suspicion or a joke). Then there’s the point du election that propelled the coverage from Time and the Times. Last month came the announcement that AnVil will serve as chairman of the Democratic National Convention taking place in September in Charlotte, NC. These are interesting times and they prompt two particularly interesting questions. One can be copped from a famous football press conference. The other may be impossible to answer.

photo by Gary Leonard

After being slammed for years by critics, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has recently received some generous national press.

Query 1) Is Villaraigosa the person who these Washington, D.C. and New York officials think he is? Query 2) Who is using whom more? Paging Dennis Green In October 2006, Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green gained instant fame and added a new phrase to the lexicon. He was fuming to reporters moments after his team blew a 20-point lead and lost to the Chicago Bears despite never surrendering an offensive touchdown. Green focused on how the Cardinals had prepared for the game, how they knew their opponent possessed an overpowering defense and little else.

“The Bears are who we thought they were!” Green harrumphed on his way to blowing a gasket in front of a national TV audience. “They are who we thought they were!” That’s what comes to mind now: Do the East Coast folks know who Villaraigosa is, or are they being swayed by some of the best media management since Shakespeare in Love trumped Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture? By now, most of Los Angeles knows that AnVil isn’t who we thought he was during the 2005 election, when he avenged his defeat to Jim Hahn four years earlier. Villaraigosa’s campaign built a feel-good story, convincing voters that the candidate had overcome a troubled youth and a tough family situation. He’d gone to college, worked for labor, got elected and became Speaker of the Assembly. L.A.’s first Latino mayor in forever had star wattage, and after being elected he enjoyed a long honeymoon. Then reality set in. Villaraigosa lost his battle to take over the LAUSD. His senior staff turned over again and again. He was slow to act when the recession loomed, and Los Angeles appeared unprepared for a series of nine-figure budget deficits. He flirted with dumping L.A. and running for governor. He split from his wife and dated not one but two TV news reporters. Los Angeles learned who Villaraigosa was. Yes, he is a charismatic and energetic leader with a compelling personal tale. However, he is also a supremely flawed politician, a man whose personal ambition overwhelms his civic potential. He has never truly grasped the power of the bully pulpit and often lacks follow through. Even his latest foray is a gamble: Villaraigosa is pushing America Fast Forward, his dream to get Congress to loan money to L.A. so we can use Metro Project R funds to build three decades worth of transit projects in 10 years. It would be a huge victory, but the Republican power structure in D.C. makes it an iffy proposition at best. The region only wins if everything falls into place — it’s not like a 5-year-old’s soccer see Villaraigosa, page 9

metro.net

We can’t go anywhere without you. With over one million boardings a day, Metro moves a lot of people, including Derinalvia Lindaur. Originally from Brazil, Derinalvia has used public transportation her entire life. A Metro customer since 2004, Derinalvia commutes everyday to get to a popular Brazilian restaurant where she is a chef. She enjoys Metro’s convenient service and says she will always Go Metro. Metro bus operator Diane Wren, who nominated Derinalvia for recognition, said, “Derinalvia’s energy is like a beam of light. She is always very helpful to other customers and brings smiles to their faces.”

“I ride Metro everyday. I enjoy the convenient, comfortable rides to work, and nights out with friends.” – Derinalvia Lindaur

Metro salutes Derinalvia and all of our valued customers.

March 12, 2012

Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com

rendering courtesy Onni

South Park to Get 32-Story Tower Canadian Developer Eyes Summer Start for $100 Million Project by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

nni Group, a Vancouver-based developer that last year bought two Downtown properties, is quietly finalizing plans to build a 32-story apartment tower at Ninth and Olive streets. The proposed $100 million development at 888 S. Olive St. would rise on a plot entitled in 2009 by LaeRoc Funds. Onni bought the site along with the adjacent Coast Savings Building from LaeRoc last year for $16.5 million. The so-far-unnamed 283-unit tower is currently in the plan check phase of the permitting process and is on pace to break ground by August, said Chris Evans, Onni’s executive vice president. He said financing is in place to start construction, but would not specify how the firm will fund the project. Onni last year opened a five-person office in the Coast Savings Building, which will remain an office complex. The company also has offices in Chicago and Phoenix. The bulk of Onni’s business is in Canada, where between greater Vancouver and Toronto the company has nearly 4,000 condominiums currently under construction, Evans said. It also owns and manages about 4,000 rental units between Canada, Phoenix and Chicago. Most of Onni’s under-construction developments are highrises in urban areas. The company builds both apartment and condominium projects, but plans rentals for the Olive Street site. It also owns and manages about 4.5 million square feet of commercial space, including office, retail and industrial properties. The firm has been eyeing the Downtown Los Angeles market since about 2004, Evans said. The company finally made its move last year when it also bought a 70,000-squarefoot mid-rise office building at 1212 S. Flower St. That site includes an adjacent parking lot that Onni plans to develop with a residential building in the future. “From looking at the Downtown market outside-in, we saw the market change significantly in 2008 and it basically

stopped,” Evans said. “Obviously if that market would have lived another three or four years, Downtown would look significantly different than it does today, but we believe in that transformation and that it’s going to continue to happen.” The proposed building, which is a slight variation on LaeRoc’s project, includes about 11,000 square feet of ground floor retail and a 663-space garage. Cranes Hovering? If all goes as planned, Onni’s project would open in 2015. It would also mark the first start on a Downtown high-rise since 2007, when Meruelo Maddux Properties (last week renamed Evoq) broke ground on the 35-story tower known today as the Watermarke. Onni is not the only player aiming to bring the cranes back to Downtown. Related Cos., developer of the proposed Grand Avenue project, continues to look for financing and hopes to break ground by October on a 19-story apartment tower, said Bill Witte, president of Related California. Developer Sonny Astani said he plans to break ground this year on the 240-unit first phase of Angelena, an apartment complex at Eighth Street and Grand Avenue. A pair of seven-story rental buildings has been announced for 1340 S. Figueroa St.; construction is underway on a 210-unit housing complex at 1111 Wilshire Blvd. in City West; and work began this year on One Santa Fe, which will deliver more than 400 apartments to the Arts District. Chinatown Gateway will bring 280 apartments to that neighborhood in 2013. “What this activity shows you is that the market fear that occurred in 2009 and 2010 has dissipated and the growth prospects for Downtown are very healthy,” said broker Mark Tarczynski, senior vice president at real estate services firm Colliers. The return of high-rise development would mark the latest churn in a real estate cycle that hit doomsday in 2008 and saw seeds of recovery in 2010 as institutional investors increasingly looked to purchase multi-family housing projects. Now, the rental market in Downtown appears strong: Dallas-based

Downtown News Readers Save 15%! Promo Code: DTNEWS

Vancouverbased developer the Onni Group plans to break ground by August on a 32-story tower at 888 S. Olive St. It would create 283 apartments and open in 2015.

MPF Research found that occupancy in Downtown apartments (including buildings in City West and other neighborhoods on the outskirts of the Central City) stands at 96.8%. “There was a trend over 2010 of decreasing vacancy and increasing rents in Downtown and we’ve seen concessions disappearing and overall higher demand for apartment units,” said Tracey Seslen, a senior research associate with USC’s Casden Real Estate Forecast. Prices are going up too. According to Colliers, Downtown rents jumped about 8% in 2011 over the previous year. There is some more supply in the pipeline: ST Residential’s 271-unit Apex (formerly Concerto) is due to open as apartments this year. So are the 88-residence Chester Williams Building and the 43-apartment Winston building. Despite the current and planned activity, Tarczynski said the projects that are currently under construction — Colliers estimates that the market will add about 300 units per year for the next three years — represent a modest supply that won’t see Tower, page 11

YOUR DOWNTOWN TOYOTA DEALER! “2012 CAMRY WINS NHTSA 5-STAR SAFETY RATING!”

BaCh: ST. JohN PaSSioN Sat, Mar 31 at 8 pm Sun, Apr 1 at 7 pm Walt Disney Concert Hall Grant Gershon, conductor

35MPG

HWY!

EPA ESTIMATE

PRESENTING THE ALL-NEW

with Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra

2012 TOYOTA CAMRY! CAM LEASE A NEW 2012 CAMRY SE FOR JUST

229/mo!

plus tax on approved above average credit Photo: Lee Salem

Lease a new 2012 Camr y SE for $229 plus tax, 36 months on approved above average credit. $1999 plus tax and licesnse due at lease signing. No security deposit required. 12,000 miles per year, 15¢ per mile for excess miles. See dealer for complete details. Offer ends 4/2/12.

TiCkETS goiNg faST! lamc.org 213-972-7282 M-F 10-5

Artists, programs, dates and prices subject to change.

Call or visit today!

1-800-574-4891

• toyotacentral.com

1600 S. Figueroa (at Venice), LA — 2 blocks south of the Staples Center

8 Downtown News

March 12, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews photo by Gary Leonard

WHAT’S IN STORE

Heirloom Little Tokyo Shop Sells Pieces of Americana

Masahiko Ono opened Heirloom in Little Tokyo three months ago. Everything he sells was made before 1970.

by Richard Guzmán city editor

store selling vintage Americana goods might seem out of place in Little Tokyo. However, Masahiko Ono, who opened Heirloom three months ago, said it makes perfect sense. Many Japanese, he said, have a love of older gear such as leather jackets, Harley Davidson T-shirts and biker boots. The 500-square-foot space on the northeast corner of First and San Pedro streets focuses on vintage clothing items made and worn mostly before 1970. Ono opened the store to sell pieces he’s been collecting since he was a college student in Japan. As part of a series highlighting local retail, Los Angeles Downtown News takes a look at what’s in store. Big in Japan: Dressed in a 1960s leather motorcycle jacket, with his tight jeans rolled up at the bottom above brown boots, 28-yearold Ono looks like he could have been an extra in the Marlon Brando film The Wild One. It’s a common look in Japan, he said. Ono has been crazy about the style since he was 8, and while in college he began traveling to the United States to search for clothing to take back home and sell. The searches led him to estate sales, collectors and pickers who go through yard sales for rare finds. Ono, who settled in the U.S. after college, decided to open a store in Little Tokyo to be close to the Fashion District and his Asian roots. He now finds himself going back to Japan and exporting the things he used to

photo by Gary Leonard

A pair of 80-year-old riding boots is $1,200 at Heirloom.

import. One of the items for sale at Heirloom is a beige sweater Ono bought from a collector in Japan. “God Bless the Flathead” is written on the front of the 1950s garment over an airbrushed picture of a car. The flathead was a motor made by Ford. The sweater is $400. Harley Power: While the Japanese may have a passion for American items, the love hasn’t always been returned. Ono sells a shirt that challenges the rising popularity of Japanese motorcycles four decades ago. The worn black 1970 Harley Davidson T-shirt bears the legend “We Don’t Care How the Hell They Do It in Japan.” It is $350. Go Team!: Items from the 1930s and ’40s are particularly sought after, and at $1,200, a 1930 letterman’s sweater is one of Heirloom’s

most expensive items. Ono isn’t sure what school it came from, though the wool garment has a red collar and cuffs, and the letter P is printed in red on the front. Ono bought it from a picker in New York. So far only one person has tried it on, but it didn’t fit, Ono said. He expects to sell it to another collector. Walk This Way: Ono sometimes finds his items by chance and luck. He points to a pair of brown riding boots from the mid-1930s. They’re not comfortable, he admits, but they look cool. “I got these from a 90-year-old man whose family made the boots,” he said. Ono met the man at a swap meet and the two began talking about old clothes. “He invited me to his house and I cleaned out all the stuff he didn’t want.” The boots go for $1,200. Keep Warm, Stay Cool: Jackets are popular for fans of Americana. Heirloom has a 1920s light brown hunting jacket with leather rifle pads on the shoulders. It’s worn and a bit dirty, likely due to a few hunting trips, Ono noted. He got the jacket from a friend who is a picker. It is $600. Hey Slim: Another thing that stands out at

photo by Gary Leonard

A letterman’s sweater from 1930 has been tried on by one person. It didn’t fit and remains on sale at Heirloom for $1,200.

Heirloom is the size of the clothes. There are no XL items here, and any man with a waist north of 32 inches probably won’t find anything to wear. “Most of our customers are skinny. I guess people were smaller back in the day,” Ono said. Heirloom is at 301 E. First St., (213) 617-8485. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

Meet your Wells Fargo team in Downtown LA We don’t just work in Downtown LA — we’re a part of it We’re your local Wells Fargo bankers, and building relationships in our community is one of the things that matter most to us. We’re committed to helping the families and businesses that sustain Downtown LA to succeed financially. From saving for the future to offering a wide array of personal or business loans* and more, we can meet your banking needs right here in Downtown LA. Visit us at the Downtown LA location below to learn about all we offer.

Front row, left to right: Maria Valdivieso, Bridgette Franco (NMLSR ID 622499), Axel B. Del Cid (NMLSR ID 540133), Melissa Nelson, Randy Reyes (NMLSR ID 633811), Joy Quiza (NMLSR ID 642535), Keisha Wilcox (NMLSR ID 611863), Russell Matura Back row, left to right: Juan Trinidad (NMLSR ID 854752), Alex Munoz, Wayling Leung (NMLSR ID 656960), Tom Ferenczi (NMLSR ID 604511), German Alarcon (NMLSR ID 561076), Brenda Lemus, Mario Leos (NMLSR ID 465571)

Wells Fargo LA Main 333 S. Grand Ave., 1st Floor 213-253-6600 Store Manager: Axel B. Del Cid Customer Service Manager: Melissa Nelson

706409 LA Main ad FIN.indd 1

3/5/12 3:42 PM

March 12, 2012

Downtown News 9

DowntownNews.com

Villaraigosa Continued from page 6 league, where everyone gets a trophy for trying. So after almost seven years, Villaraigosa still lacks a single defining victory. We know who he is. Golden Child Machine The sudden media swarm has many locals bemused. We see the East Coasters making the same assumptions we made circa 2004. Sure, they reference AnVil’s missteps, but in painting a “comeback,” they buy into the golden child machine. Consider, the New York Times story used the quote “I was persistent and dogged in what I tried to do.” The Time article printed the comment “I’m dogged and persistent, man.” If anyone thinks those two lines weren’t practiced by the speaker, then I’ve got a million trees I’d like them to plant. Villaraigosa’s machine is extremely savvy. He got himself

elected president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and although that may be no great shakes (the previous president was Elizabeth Kautz, the mayor of, uh, Burnsville, Minn.), he’s used it well. He seems always to be flying to D.C. and gets himself on national broadcast and cable news shows. He continues to issue press releases about, well, everything. I doubt the New York Times was waiting for his thoughts on the death of Whitney Houston before printing its obituary, but Villaraigosa wasn’t leaving that to chance. He offered a statement and we now know the mayor believed that, “Her music inspired millions and the power of her voice was hard to match in its depth and crystalline beauty.” Then there’s the DNC gig, which comes with a bit of history. Villaraigosa backed Hillary Clinton in her run against Barack Obama, and as a result was frozen out of prime time during the 2008 convention in Denver. I think he ended up speaking at 4 a.m. to a crowd of dozens at a Shakey’s. This time, of course, Obama is in trouble. While a lot will happen between now and Election Day, many observers ex-

pect the race to come down to a few battleground states, and in some of these, such as Florida and Nevada, the Latino vote could prove crucial. So, one school of thought is that Villaraigosa is less an important leader and more a tool to be utilized. If he gets Latinos to the polls on Nov. 6 and that helps make a difference for the Democrats, then who cares about the past, about who he really is? The related speculation is that Villaraigosa desperately wants a high-profile job after he is termed out in 2013. Is there a wink-wink deal that if he does good and Obama fares well, then Mr. Villaraigosa gets to go to Washington? If so, who’s really using whom? Then there’s the question that impacts 4 million people: How does our D.C. travelling, DNC-helming mayor pay off for Los Angeles, a city with a still hefty budget deficit and a weak economy? I have no idea. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.

YOUR OPINION COUNTS What do you love about the Downtown L.A. Arts District? What would make it even better?

A Commercial Finance Lender

NEED A LOAN TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS?

Arts District residents, business owners, property owners, students, and visitors… WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

■ MicroCreditAccess Loans to $75,000 ■ MaxCreditAccess Loans to $350,000

Please go to www.artsdistrictla.com and click on the “Survey” link on the home page to take the survey. The deadline for completion is March 19, 2012.

Loans are made under a License from the ca department of corporations

Small BuSineSS SpecialiSt

You can opt-in for a chance to win a gift certificate for food, beverages or classes at one of many Arts District venues.

For more details contact: Michael Banner (213) 362-9111 www.losangelesldc.com

THE PETROLEUM BUILDING Commercial Office Space for Lease

We Appreciate and THANK YOU for your participation! 725 S. Crocker Street • Los Angeles, CA 90021 213.228.8484 • artsdistrictla.com

BUILDING HIGHLIGHTS Beautiful 236,900 sq. ft. 11 Story Office Building. Parking Available on Premises Conference Room 24 Hour Security

MPG 53CITY! EPA ESTIMATE

$1.55 Interior $1.65 Exterior Per

– RY

S CE

IN AS

S FA

Rentable Sq. Ft.

2 SUITES AVAILABLE Suite 1000 - 7,400 approximate rentable square feet. 8 offices, 1 executive office and large creative space. Access directly off elevators. Suite 1011 - 7,812 approximate rentable square feet. Large, open creative space with one office.

Suite 1011

Suite 1000

Will consider division and space build-outs.

The

Petroleum Building 714 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015 Phone: 213.746.6300 Ext. 1455 Fax: 213.765.1910 ghollis@shammasgroup.com

PRESENTING THE ALL-NEW

2012 TOYOTA PRIUS c! Available now from MSRP

19,935

THE 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS c ONE

TWO IN STOCK WITH THIS MSRP: 002189, 500523 All adver tised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. See dealer for complete details.

Call or visit today!

1-800-574-4891

• toyotacentral.com

1600 S. Figueroa (at Venice), LA — 2 blocks south of the Staples Center

10 Downtown News

Twitter/DowntownNews

Restaurants Continued from page 1 in the past two years to participate in a new city initiative to quicken the permitting process for bars and restaurants. The program hinges on one key change — each project is assigned a case manager who stays involved at every step and helps facilitate meetings and inspections with officials who have to sign off on the work. “Had my case manager not been there, this would have been a tragedy,” Del Pero said. “Blue Cow never would have opened.” Lobbied by Downtown business advocacy group the Central City Association, and with leadership from then-First Deputy Mayor (and current 2013 mayoral candidate) Austin Beutner, the Department of Building and Safety formed a

new case management unit in January 2010. The Restaurant and Hospitality Express program was implemented on a trial basis for six months, and after working with a few dozen establishments, including several in Downtown, it was publicly rolled out six months later. When the program was announced, officials said it routinely took restaurateurs 12 to 18 months to open a business (many people in the industry have cited longer time frames). The primary goal of Restaurant and Hospitality Express was to cut that in half, to six to nine months. Now, more than two years after the experiment started, restaurateurs and land-use experts say some change has occurred. While it has not been a silver bullet for the permitting process, Building and Safety records indicate the time frame is averaging less than 12 months. “It is working to some extent,” said Elizabeth Peterson Gower, whose land-use firm the Elizabeth Peterson Group has walked several businesses through the program. “For the

(An Equal Opportunity Employer) seeks sub-trade bids from all qualified Subcontractors and Suppliers and requires Community Business, Disabled Veteran, Disadvantaged, Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises participation for:

HALL OF JUSTICE REPAIR AND REUSE – MULTIPLE TRADES Los Angeles, California Bid Date: April 10, 2012 at 3PM Subcontract Notification of Award Date: April 17, 2012 at 5PM

1. DRYWALL/PLASTER 2. STRUCTURAL STEEL/MISC METALS 3. PRECAST ARCHITECTURAL CONCRETE 4. DOORS AND HARDWARE (CORE & SHELL AND GARAGE)

HALL OF JUSTICE REPAIR AND REUSE – MULTIPLE TRADES Los Angeles, California Bid Date: April 10, 2012 at 3PM Subcontract Notification of Award Date: April 24, 2012 at 5PM

1. CONCRETE MASONRY UNITS/BRICK RESTORATION 2. FIREPROOFING 3. OVERHEAD COILING DOORS 4. FIBROUS REINFORCEMENT 5. EXTERIOR GRILLES, SCREENS & LOUVERS 6. FLASHING & SHEET METAL 7. ROOFING 8. CURTAINWALL 9. THERMAL INSULATION 10. PARKING CONTROL EQUIPMENT Qualification packages, including plans and specs are available for review and may be downloaded for FREE at Davis Blueprint at: http://www.biddox.com/PNOnline/viewdetails.asp?prid=970&a=details&ppwd=90 Davis Blueprint can also be reached at (323) 225-7483 for additional assistance on the Hall of Justice Repair and Reuse Project. Additional project information is available at Clark’s Hall of Justice website: http://www.clarkhallofjustice.com/ Clark Construction Group, California-LP requires all qualified subcontractors to be prepared to furnish a bondability letter issued by an admitted “A Listed” surety in the amount of their bid. Clark Construction Group, California-LP intends to seriously negotiate with all qualified subcontractors, and requires each selected to execute the Clark Master Subcontract. Copy of the Master Subcontract is available for review at our office. Clark Construction Group, California-LP 575 Anton Blvd, Suite 100 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 License No. 839892 Contact for Drywall/Plaster, Doors/Hardware, Coiling Doors, CMU/Brick, Roofing, Flashing/Sheet Metal, Thermal Insulation, Curtainwall:

Hope Hall, Phone: 714-486-4107, Email: hope.hall@clarkconstruction.com Contact for Structural Steel/Misc Metals, Precast, Fireproofing, Fibrous Reinforcement, Exterior Grilles/Screen/Louvers:

Brad McDermott, Phone: 202-369-3679, Email: brad.mcdermott@clarkconstruction.com Contact for Parking Control Equipment:

Kirstin Harper-Smith, Phone: 714-830-6188, Email: kirstin.harper-smith@clarkconstruction.com

March 12, 2012

photo by Gary Leonard

Larry Galstian, the manager of the city’s Restaurant and Hospitality Express program, in his Downtown office. The unit has three case managers who help those trying to open bars and restaurants.

first time, you’re talking to someone at Building and Safety that actually understands what’s going on, they understand the problems between the different public agencies.” Carol Schatz, president and CEO of the CCA, acknowledges that some operators have complained that the program has been ineffective. However, she said, most believe the effort has been a marked improvement to a process that has long resisted change. “I think this is the first real example of a significant improvement in processing time we can point to in the last several years,” Schatz said. A Cultural Thing Before the implementation of Restaurant and Hospitality Express, those in the food business complained of a system that made it difficult and frustrating to open, especially for first-time operators. To many it was counterintuitive, because city-spurred delays hinder job creation and the generation of new sales tax revenues. Not only is the entitlement and permitting process inherently complex — it requires sign-offs from up to 12 different departments, located in separate buildings, and not connected via a single online tracking system — but veterans of the industry say different agencies often gave conflicting advice. For example, while one inspector would demand a ventilation system installation, another might say that equipment would amount to a code violation. The other enemy of efficiency was a seemingly cultural reality: city officials didn’t communicate with their county brethren in the Health Department, a key arbiter of restaurant approvals. “Before I got involved in creating this program, I had never talked with the Health Department or the Bureau of Sanitation,” said Larry Galstian, who manages the Restaurant and Hospitality Express unit at Building and Safety. “Before I didn’t even know who was working at the Health Department.” Galstian said that since its inception the program has seen 105 businesses open. Another 84 are under construction, 48 are in plan-check and 76 are in the design and planning stage. Eddie Navarette, an expediter who has helped eateries such as Downtown’s Lazy Ox and Bäco Mercat get their permits, said the program “has definitely helped.” The primary beneficiaries, he said, are those new to the process. “For someone like myself who is already familiar with these interpretations, it doesn’t really provide that much help,” Navarette said. “But it can be very helpful to, say, a New York architect who’s maybe not familiar with the local policies here.” While some say the program has worked, the process is not perfect. Even with the case manager, Del Pero said that getting OKs for Blue Cow was confusing and difficult. Lest people expect the case manager to function as a sort of everpresent teammate, Del Pero said the official is more like a referee, explaining the rules along the way. The special Building and Safety unit, with its three dedicated case managers, is also understaffed, said Peterson. Galstian said the unit is managing the caseload now, but any increase in demand could prove a strain. “We see a success in this program and it will get crazier, and then we may need to hire more case managers,” Galstian said. After years of permit horror stories, however, some restaurateurs remain skeptical, even with evidence that the new program has apparently made strides. Brian Traynam, owner of The Escondite, a burger joint that recently opened in the old 410 Boyd space in the Toy District, said his business went through the permitting process without a hitch. He attributed the quick turnaround to the fact that, like Del Pero, he was only renovating an existing restaurant. Now, Traynam said, he is trying to get a permit that will allow live, unamplified music. He submitted the application in November and is still navigating the approval system. With or without the streamlining program, the process is always going to be challenging. “There’s a reason the city has all these restrictions in place — it’s to protect the city — but it just takes time and perseverance to get through it,” Traynam said. “All you can do is stay the course.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com

March 12, 2012

Downtown News 11

DowntownNews.com

Around Town Continued from page 2

Party for the Lights

he Escondite, the burger spot that filled the former Toy District destination 410 Boyd, this week will go all out to light it up, literally. On March 17, the bar and restaurant will host its St. Patrick’s Day Backyard Blowout from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. The party is a fundraiser for Autumn Lights L.A., an illumination festival set to take place at Pershing Square Sept. 22. The $5 entry provides access to eight bands, including headliner Stephen Pearcy, the lead singer of the 1980s hair metal act Ratt. The event will also have five food trucks, including the Korean barbecue Kogi Truck, the Grilled Cheese truck and the ice cream serving Coolhaus truck. The fall event will mark the seventh incarnation of Autumn Lights, a free happening in which numerous artists create lighted installations and performances. The Escondite is at 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com.

New Top Toque at Lazy Ox

elebrated chef Josef Centeno has left Little Tokyo’s Lazy Ox Canteen. Centeno departed the establishment at 241 S. San Pedro St. in late February to concentrate on Bäco Mercat, which he opened in the Historic Core in November. The move was first reported by the website L.A. Eater. “Baco is my place and needs my full attention,” Centeno said in an email to Los

Angeles Downtown News. Centeno opened Lazy Ox with restaurateur Michael Cardenas in 2009. It was an instant hit, with customers and critics raving about the menu of seasonal small plates. Cardenas said some of Centeno’s most popular dishes will continue to be served, among them the seven-ounce Ox burger, the roasted cauliflower and the pig ear chicharron. Spanish Chef Perfecto Rocher took over as executive chef last week, and will eventually put his own creations on the menu, Cardenas said. “He’s a third generation paella maker and I think he’s going to be the next Josef,” Cardenas said. “He’s got that potential.”

Life After the CRA

sk six people what the end of the Community Redevelopment Agency means, and you’ll probably get six different answers. On Thursday, March 15, the Los Angeles Headquarters Association will do just that. The organization is holding a panel discussion on the impacts of Gov. Jerry Brown’s move that has resulted in the elimination of more than 400 redevelopment agencies statewide. The 7 p.m. event at the California Club will feature attorney Shiraz Tangri, city planner Kevin Keller, CIM Group developer John Given, economist David Bergman and CRA regional administrator Jenny Scanlin. Architect Nate Cherry will moderate the discussion. Reservations are required. Information at laheadquarters.com.

Correction The March 5 article “Standout on the Stage” had an incorrect contact number for the March 23-25 performance of the ballet Swan Lake. The correct number is (213) 972-0711.

Tower Continued from page 7 satisfy rising demand. Still, even if demand appears to be mounting, Onni’s proposal is not an obvious slam-dunk. Related’s Witte said that, for most developers, high-rise construction is generally too costly compared to rental returns. “The only way that makes sense, potentially, is if you’re really designing condos and the exit is that you convert to condos and sell them,” said Witte. “There are developers who are playing the cycles and will build condos now, rent them and look to sell them as condos when the market improves.” The Related project is different because it includes a 20% affordable housing component, which gives the developer access to less expensive bond financing. Onni’s Evans declined to comment on the company’s financing model, but he said the firm will leave a future door open to a condo conversion. “Today we’re certainly looking from a rental point of view to make the project make sense and we’ll see what happens in the future,” Evans said. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

Voted Best Dentist 2011!

Open 24 Hours

Pho Noodle Soup

Dumplings • Skewers • Charbroiled Boba • Desserts and more phociti.com • 200 S. Hill St. (2nd and Hill) • 213.625.7888

cosmetic, tmj, & sedation dentistry

255 Grand Ave., Suite 204, Los Angeles, CA 90012

213-620-5777 | Find us on Facebook @ www.downtowndentalla.com

PROTECT YOUR TOYOTA with service designed by the people who made it.

FREE shuttle service drop-off & pick-up

EVERYDAY LOW PRICES! • Prices competitive with local garages! • $39.95 OIL CHANGE*

• Includes 27-point safety inspection

• Includes CHECK ENGINE LIGHT scan

• Service: M- F 6AM -6PM, Sat 6AM-5PM * And up. Includes up to 5 quarts of oil. Tax and hazardous disposal fees extra. Synthetic oil additional. Toyota vehicles only. Expires 3/31/2012. 55029

Make an appointment today!

1-800-716-1345

• toyotacentral.com

1600 S. Figueroa (at Venice), LA — 2 blocks south of the Staples Center

12 Downtown News

March 12, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

Hotels Continued from page 1 filled the retail spaces of those buildings with bars, cafes and shops. They played a key role in transforming the block into a thriving residential and commercial hub that helped spawn further growth in the Historic Core. Shomof, 52, plans to apply the same formula to the Fifth Street hotels, while maintaining city-mandated affordability levels for the properties. Already, Shomof’s management company has added security guards to the Baltimore and Kind Edward. Under the previous owners, who had been navigating Chapter 11 bankruptcy since 2010, the hotels staffed only a desk clerk. Soon, musty old carpets will be ripped up. Apartments, unpainted for years, will get fresh new coats. The Baltimore’s thick layers of seal gray paint will be removed to reveal the once stately property’s original façade. Plywood that has long covered derelict storefronts is already being removed. “Our goal is to open them up and revive them, light up the street, put in nice storefronts and enhance the lifestyle of the residents,” Shomof said. Renovations are expected to take about a year. Shomof said the cost of the upgrades are not clear because the plans are not yet final. Lessons From the Hayward In the early years, the King Edward and Baltimore hotels were destinations. The King Edward, built in 1906, was designed and developed by prominent Los Angeles architect John Parkinson (whose work includes City Hall and Union Station). The Baltimore opened in 1910, soon after the hotel sold its former location at Seventh and Olive streets to the Los Angeles Athletic Club. In recent decades, the hotels deteriorated.

photo by Gary Leonard

The King Edward Hotel caters to low-income residents on fixed incomes, but its stately lobby with marble columns is a reflection of a bygone era.

Along with an array of fixed-income residents who came simply for affordable rent, they attracted drug dealers and prostitutes. The criminal element is still present, but much of the residential population is comprised of peaceful retirees, said Baltimore resident Rodney Cortez. “Many of these decent people didn’t plan for retirement, so Miami is out and they have had to settle for this,” Cortez said. Shomof said he is intent on improving conditions and making life better for those residents. Upgrades to modern loft specs are out of the question — due to a 55-year moratorium on market rate conversions of residential hotels, the Baltimore, Edward and Leland must remain as affordable housing at least through 2063. Other city housing laws would forbid a renovation to, say, shrink the number of units to make them larger. Affordable housing is not foreign territory for Shomof. Last year, he completed a renovation of the formerly blighted Bristol Hotel at 423 W. Eighth St. The building remains reserved for low-income tenants, and now includes a brightly lit D-Town Burger Bar

L.A.’S MOST UNIQUE URBAN BICYCLE ADVENTURE IS BACK!

photo by Gary Leonard

Inside the smoking area of the King Eddy Saloon, whose past customers included Charles Bukowski and John Fante.

restaurant in the ground-floor retail spot that had been long vacant. “We’re not going to force anyone out of the Bristol and King Edward,” Shomof said. “The only ones we’ll force out are the ones selling drugs. The criminal ones.” Shomof faced the same task of rooting out nuisance tenants with his first affordable housing investment when he bought the Hotel Hayward in 2002. At the time it was a crime magnet, and he viewed its acquisition primarily as protection for his two market rate buildings. He added security cameras to crack down on drug dealing, brought in ground floor retail and focused on keeping the property clean. “We’re going to do the same thing here,” he said of the Fifth Street buildings. Today, anyone can walk freely into the lobby of the Baltimore and King Edward. Soon, residents will need a key card for access. About the Bar As the new owners set out to spruce up the block, they face a question that could burn hot in the gullets of dedicated barflies and cultural history devotees: What will happen to the King Eddy Saloon? The pre-Prohibition bar, on the ground floor of the hotel at the northwest corner of Fifth and Los Angeles streets, is a breathing relic of the area’s history as a working class haunt. It’s a place where laborers came via rail in search of a day’s work, cheap lodging and a reliable night-

cap, said Richard Schave, whose tour company Esotouric highlights the King Eddy when schooling visitors on old Downtown. Charles Bukowski is known to have occupied a barstool at the King Eddy, decades after one of his literary heroes, John Fante, featured the saloon in his novel Ask the Dust. When Shomof took over the Hayward, one of his first moves was to evict a ground floor liquor store that was attracting boozehounds, addicts and crime. At the Bristol, he plans to replace El Gaucho, a hostess bar that occupies a basement commercial space, when its lease expires later this year. The King Eddy, Shomof said, doesn’t have a lease. If Shomof’s recent business model seems like a threat to the King Eddy, the developer said there is no plan to do away with the bar — as long as management partners in the effort to emphasize neighborhood security. So far, the bar seems safe. King Eddy owner Dustin Croick said he supports any changes that would improve safety and bring more customers to the bar. “I’ve taken this whole thing as a complete positive thing, a way to clean up the area ourselves,” Croick said. “I’ve been wanting to make some changes to the area as well, and I’ve kind of needed a fresh face and help to do that. I think I’ve got that now.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

20% Off

C onvenient Parking

1 888 711 9622 1901 W. 8th St. •

M-Sat. 8am-7pm, Sun 8am-5pm

Anything in the Store Must present coupon.1 coupon per person. 1 item per coupon. Expires 4/1/12

March 12, 2012

Downtown News 13

DowntownNews.com

HEALTH For Whom the Kettlebell Tolls Increasingly Popular Weights Workout Can Help Improve Strength and Endurance by Sharon naylor

itness enthusiasts are getting a grip on a new way to get in shape: kettlebells. If you haven’t seen a kettlebell, imagine a small cannonball with an arched handle on top. It’s quite different from the sidewaysI-shaped hand weights many people are familiar with. Exercising with a kettlebell delivers various muscle-toning and balance results because the kettlebell allows for safe and comfortable positioning of the weight directly above your center of mass; dumbbells or barbells, by contrast, must be held in front of the body. As you move the kettlebell up and down, the motion activates different muscles than traditional hand weights. When you hold a kettlebell aloft or direct it through ranges of motion in each exercise, your hands and wrists remain in neutral alignment. This means a sustained workout and greater comfort, especially for those who have wrist issues. According to the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation, there are numerous benefits to be realized by working out with the devices. These include improved strength and endurance, and enhanced flexibility, coordination and balance. Among the other potential positives are weight loss, creating lean and functional muscle mass, strengthening the entire posterior chain and enhancing core strength. Kettlebell training originated as a Russian workout and has been used by elite military units, sports teams and law enforcement. Over the past decade, kettlebell training has entered the fitness mainstream for the everyday workout enthusiast. Physical therapists have encouraged their patients to work with kettleRESTAURANTS bells to increase strength and range of motion. According to Colin Cooley, an American Kettlebell Club Coach and kettlebell instructor, the devices combine many different planes of motion simultaneously to stabilize the core. It works, he said, because almost all movements are done in a standing sequence FIND OUT WHAT and emphasize rangeTOofEAT motion in the joints. AND WHERE TO EAT @ “Kettlebell training develops strength in all planes of movement,” Cooley says. “We live LADplay OWNTOWN NEWS.COM and in a three-dimensional world and we should train accordingly. Since the kettlebell lines up with the body’s center of gravity,

the athlete must work harder to balance and stabilize the weight.” This not only leads to strength in different large and small muscle groups, he said, but also engages both the upper and lower body. Taking Classes Experts say that because this particular fitness tool requires proper form and works muscles you may not be used to working, it’s wisest to locate a kettlebell gym, find a kettlebell class at a fitness center or hire a personal trainer certified in kettlebell fitness. Under

Kettlebell training originated as a Russian workout and has been used by elite military units, sports teams and law enforcement. the watchful eye of an instructor, rookies learn how to safely lift and lower the correct weight of kettlebells for each individual’s fitness and endurance level. You’ll be instructed and spotted in your positioning and range of motion, maximizing the benefits of your workout and helping to avoid injury. Find kettlebell gyms at liftkettlebells.com, which provides listings of accredited facilities by state. In some instances, word is spreading quickly. “When I called to ask if my gym offered a kettlebell class, the manager said that he’d received so many calls that they were establishing one to start in a few weeks,” said fitness buff Kellie Coolidge. After receiving kettlebell training courtesy of an expert, some may wish to continue with workouts at home. There are plenty of kettlebell DVDs, with workouts designed for beginners, arthritis sufferers, athletes, bodybuilders and more. When shopping for kettlebells, seek the advice of a trainer to help choose the correct

Read Monday’s News on Friday Night!

Creators.com photo courtesy of leisurefitness.com

Kettlebells come in various weights and can be utilized for numerous forms of exercise.

weight for your abilities. It can be smart to purchase a lower weight than you think you need, since a too-heavy weight can cause injury. A range of weights, perhaps in a set of three kettlebells, could be ideal for some doing home exercises. The website gaiam.com has expert-reviewed kettlebell DVDs and equipment; there are also product reviews on well-known fitness magazine websites. Keep in mind that YouTube and personal blogs might not provide the authority needed on the quality and safety of workout DVDs. Experts also advise people to wear com-

fortable sports shoes when working out. Additionally, there are some common sense no-nos, such as don’t use kettlebells while barefoot — dropping the kettlebell onto your toes or foot could cause serious injury. Also, beware of sweaty hands. Wearing weightlifting gloves can aid in securing your grip. With perseverance and preparation, one can see greater muscle development in the arms, core, legs and buttocks, and according to Cooley, cardiovascular gains are a top benefit to kettlebell training, as well. Article copyright 2012 creators.com.

Comprehensive Family Health Care

C C

Redeem this offer at your initial examination and cleaning appointment and receive a FREE whitening kit

Available on-line @ LADowntownNews.com

Offer expires: 3/31/2012

• Digital x-rays • Oral Cancer and Periodontal screening • Flexible financial options

MAKING QUALITY DENTISTRY COMFORTABLE ANDAND GENTLE MAKING QUALITY DENTISTRY COMFORTABLE GENTLE MAKING QUALITY COMFORTABLE for over 18 years in Downtown LA LA AND GENTLE for DENTISTRY over 18 years in Downtown for over 18 years in Downtown LA Complimentary Whitening WEAND CARE! Complimentary Teeth Whitening WE GENTLE CARE! MAKING QUALITYTeeth DENTISTRY COMFORTABLE Complimentary Teeth Whitening WE CARE! for over 18 years in Downtown LA x State the of artthe sterilization center,center, x of State art sterilization

x |State ofequipment theGraduate art sterilization Silvia Kasparian, D.D.S. USC | A.D.A., C.D.A. Member with equipment tested weekly tocenter, with tested weekly to WE CARE! with equipment tested weekly to ensure your safety. ensure your safety. 601x W.State 5th St. , #1110 | (213) 892-8172 ensure your safety. of the art sterilization center,

Complimentary Teeth Whitening

Digital x-raysx-rays for minimal expo- expox Digital for minimal

x equipment Digital x-rays for minimal MAKING QUALITY COMFORTABLE AND GENTLE withDENTISTRY tested weekly to exposure and feedback. sureimmediate and immediate feedback. sure and immediate feedback. LA ensure safety. x over Oral Cancer and Periodontal x your Oral Cancer andDowntown Periodontal for 18 years in x x-rays Oral Cancer Periodontal Digital for minimal exposcreening at each examination ap- apscreening atand each examination atfeedback. each sure pointment and screening immediate at no extra charge. pointment at no examination extra charge.appointment at no extra charge. x Oral Cancer Periodontal x We your time, we seewe see x respect Weand respect your and time, and x We respect yourpromptly. time, and screening at each examination ap- we see that you are treated that you are treated promptly. that are treated promptly. pointment at you no extra charge. x Flexible financial options, includ-includx Flexible financial options, x Flexible financialinterest-free options, includx We respect your time, we see ing uping to 12 up months to 12 and months interest-free up to 12promptly. months interest-free that financing. you ing are treated financing. financing. x Flexible financial options, includ-

Offer expires: 7/31/2009 Offer expires: 7/31/2009 Offer expires: 7/31/2009

Silvia Kasparian, D.D.S. Silvia Kasparian, D.D.S. ing up to 12 months interest-free Silvia Kasparian, D.D.S. Graduate USC School of Dentistry financing. Graduate USC School of Dentistry Graduate USC School of Dentistry Member: American DentalDental Association Member: American Association Member: American Dental Association SilviaCalifornia Kasparian, D.D.S. DentalDental Association California Association California Dental Association Graduate USC School of Dentistry Los Angeles Dental Society Los Angeles Dental Society Los Angeles Dental Society Member: American Dental Association 601 W. 5th St. Suite 1110 601 W. 5th St.Suite Suite1110 1110 601 W. 5th St. California Los Dental Association Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Dental Society CALL: 213-892-8172 CALL: 213-892-8172 CALL: 213-892-8172 601 W. 5th St. Suite 1110 Los Angeles, CA Offer expires: 7/31/2009

20% OFF

New SPA LocAtioN Shiatsu & Swedish Aromatherapy CALL: 213-892-8172 Now oPeN! & Deep Tissue

www.relaken.com

Expires June 30, 2012

Miyako Hotel, Los Angeles (Downtown), 328 E. 1st St. | 213.617.0004

L Fil

Grand Medical associates • Complete Prenatal Care • Comprehensive Gynecological Care • Family Medicine • Well Pediatric/Adult Care Dr. Thomas Cachur Jr. & Dr. David Steinberg

center for Maternal fetal Medicine of l.a. • Comprehensive Obstetric Ultrasound (AIUM accredited) • CA Perinatal Diagnostic Center including Genetic Counseling • Nuchal Translucency Screening Dr. Kevin Justus & Dr. Lori Silver

We gladly accept most insurance plans. 1513 S. Grand Ave., Suite 320 (Venice & Grand) Los Angeles • 213.747.7307

March 12, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

CALENDAR

The musical American Idiot, based on songs from the band Green Day, aims for a younger audience than traditional Ahmanson Theatre fare. It plays at the Downtown venue March 14-April 22.

The

Punks Take

the

Stage

Music of Green Day Lands at the Ahmanson in ‘American Idiot’ by Ryan E. Smith

hen Jake Epstein was 12, he convinced his parents to let him see a Green Day concert with his best friend. His life was never the same. “It was our first time seeing a live band perform like that in front of that many people, first time smelling marijuana, all the things that go along with going to a rock concert,” recalled Epstein, now 25. “It really opened up my eyes to performing rock music in front of people and the effect that it can have.” Epstein was amazed at the freedom of the band, the energy and expression the songs unleashed in the audience. Now, he’s trying to deliver the same feel, even if the people watching are sitting in plush seats and the scent of weed is nowhere near the room. Epstein plays one of the lead roles in American Idiot, the musical based on the songs of Green Day. The Tony-winning show, based on the Grammy-winning album, arrives at the Ahmanson Theatre on March 14 for a nearly six-week run. There are presumably two audiences for this production. Most local fans of Green Day and their songwriting leader, Billie Joe Armstrong, probably already have their tickets. However, those unfamiliar with the act shouldn’t think that just because the musical features tunes by a punk band that once released an album ews.com or DowntownN issues. called Dookie, that it doesn’thatake on significant nd corner at aillist ht rig r pe m l in the up named com/forms/ plays symabocharacter E-NEWSEpstein ntownnews. Will, one of three boyLook for this www.ladow SIGN UPhood friends who all want to escape suburbia and find meaning in the modern world. “The show is sort of saying how messed up it is to be growing up in America today in a post-9/11 world,” he said. “You have a character that joins the Army and ends up losing a leg. You have a character that spirals in a world of drugs. And you have my character, who doesn’t want to get up off his couch and do anything. “There is an overall sadness to the message and to the story of American Idiot,” Epstein continued. “But at

MAR 5

! s w e N E r o ✔ Sign Up f

the same time it does resolve itself in a hopeful way.” strip it down and allow the character Johnny to have a The show comes with serious bona fides, includ- small, naked, emotional moment,” he said. ing being directed by Michael Mayer, the man behind Collaborating with a punk band was certainly a new the Tony Award-winning Spring Awakening, another experience for Kitt, whose resume includes work on musical with a young adult appeal. The source mate- musicals involving everything from cheerleading (Bring rial is Green Day’s 2004 record American Idiot. Like It On) to mental illness (Next to Normal, for which he The Who’s Tommy, the songs form a concept album, won two Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize). That was in this case telling the story of a man called Jesus of part of the attraction, though he said there was a perSuburbia. These tracks are featured in the musical, as sonal appeal too. are some from the band’s 2009 follow-up 21st Century “I kind of felt like I grew up with them to an extent,” Breakdown. the 38-year-old said. “I just was so aware of the music “I think that the band, when they wrote the album, and just how original, how visceral their writing and in the back of their minds, they saw this as a film or a performing is. So when I had a chance to actually work stage musical,” explained Tom Kitt, who arranged the with them, it was quite an honor for me.” music for the show. Kitt also maintains that, although American Idiot capUnexpected Twists tured two Tonys (both in design categories), the mainIn many ways, American Idiot could be seen as an stream success in no way compromises the band’s work. unexpected hit. Few would have guessed that Green When adapting the record to the stage he knew that, “If Day — a band formed in the Bay Area in the late ’80s there was anything the band didn’t approve of or didn’t that spent its early years playing small punk clubs — think was right, I would change it or leave it alone.” would ever make it to Broadway. Although Dookie, reEpstein, who came first from the fan perspective, said leased in 1994, was a commercial breakthrough, it was the results don’t disappoint. The show he labels a “punk not seen as an overly thoughtful work. Green Day was opera, not a rock opera” includes hits such as “Boulevard lumped in with other popular “fun” punk bands like of Broken Dreams,” “21 Guns,” “Wake Me Up When The Offspring. September Ends,” “Holiday” and “American Idiot.” Then, after three other albums, came American Idiot, “In no way has it become musical-theaterized,” which drew instant accolades for its depth and creativ- promised Jared Stein, music director and conductor ity. Taking the album to the stage (it debuted in 2009 in for the production. “It’s 90 minutes of non-stop rockBerkeley and opened on Broadway the following year) ing out. No intermission.” prompted more new elements. It’s not without a point, however. That’s especially Starts &people 9 “We had a cast of 19 that we were working with, so Mar. true 2for like Stein, 31, who came of age when of course there were going to be new vocal arrange- Green Day was honing its sound. ments,” Kitt said. “There were going to be new keys for “They really have a way to express that young teen songs because we’re incorporating female voices.” angst,” he said. “They’re the band that kind of gave a Additional tinkering was done in places where the voice to my generation, a generation that didn’t parmusic could help the storytelling. An example is the ticularly have a strong voice.” Check Our Website forKitt Fullaltered Movie Listings song “Whatsername,” which to begin with LADowntownNews.com American Idiot opens March 14 and runs through a cello and piano. April 22 at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., “I felt like at that point in the show I really wanted to (213) 972-4400 or centertheatregroup.org.

MAR 12

n! a F a e m o c Be ntownNews om/L.A.Dow Facebook.c

Fan Downtown News on Facebook & Be Entered to Win Movie Tickets!

Starts Mar. 9 & 16

Check Our Website for Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com

photos by Doug Hamilton

14 Downtown News

March 12, 2012

Downtown News 15

DowntownNews.com

The Challenging Mr. Kelley MOCA Show Examines the Output and the Influences of the Late Prolific Artist images courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art

by Kirk Silsbee

ll art is personal to the people who make it. Some artists have an accessible vision — their work invites the audience in. Conversely, others investigate such outré provinces or work so obtusely that viewers have to work for any degree of familiarity and comprehension. Mike Kelley’s art was a chip on his shoulder. He dared you to look and he dared you to like it. One of the most influential Los Angeles artists of the past 30 years, Kelley was 57 when he took his own life at his South Pasadena home on Jan. 31. The Museum of Contemporary Art, which owns 34 Kelley holdings, has assembled the modest A Tribute to Mike Kelley from that trove at its Grand Avenue mother ship. That amounts to a sliver of the prolific Kelley’s output. Twentythree pieces from the permanent MOCA collection are on view through April 2. Kelley worked in tremendously diverse media: sound, drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, performance art and video. He had a personal iconography that accessed childhood memory and adolescent sexuality, and he jousted at religion and social convention. Kelley used imagery, both kitschy and repellent, along with prosaic objects, irritating noise and his own drawings. The latter group veered between boring, graph-like charts, often with a twist (say, in mercurochrome rather than ink), and expressionistic paint images. “Face of Man” (1984) is two large acrylic paintings of almost identical mounds; one has facial features, the other doesn’t. Though a Michigan native, Kelley’s tenure

Kelley had an obsession with stuffed animals and infant blankets, as exemplified in his 1990 piece “Mooner.”

at CalArts beginning in 1978 had a profound impact. John Baldessari’s conceptual teachings were particularly important to him. A casual tableaux of a couple of pet rugs, litter boxes, scattered toys and empty food dishes figures into Kelley’s obsession with stuffed animals and infant blankets. It is typified by his “More Love Than Can Ever Be Repaid” (’87). A founding member of noise/ punk bands Destroy All Monsters and The Poetics, Kelley incorporated audio into his work. “Silver Ball” (’94) looks like a tinfoil asteroid. Its four boom boxes set on a Mylar blanket suggest an intergalactic picnic with Pee Wee Herman. The adjacent “Two and Three Dimensions” (’94) sends out continuous high, impendent sound. The museum guards at this station deserve combat pay. A large grouping of black ink drawings plays with words and images, exploring shape, size and space relationships, just as a teenage boy might. Amidst a series of elementary illustrations worthy of Children’s

The late Mike Kelley was not afraid to mix sound into his art. His 1994 “Silver Ball” utilized aluminum foil and four boomboxes.

Highlights, one bell aims its clacker up the skirt of another. An attendant part of the show is a group of works by artists whom Kelley thought enough of to collect. On the whole, they form a clearer lens on his vision than his own pieces. There is an uncharacteristically controlled full-length pastel drawing by bad boy John Altoon of two callow young women — nude of course. Johanna Went’s ornate, psychedelic caftan touches on Kelley’s taste for thrift store knits and fabric dolls. A large canvas with Cody Choi’s ink on mesh is a digital break-up in lipstick red, hot lime and tobacco brown. Marnie Weber’s life-size bear

stands dejected in circus cape, cane and pinwheel cap. Filmmaker John Waters, a fierce Kelley collector, contends the artist birthed the “plushies” subset, those individuals sexually attracted to people dressed in furry animal suits. That puts an interesting spin on the taxidermied figure. A far more comprehensive Kelley retrospective will open in Europe and land at MOCA in 2014. In the interim, this show is a little taste of Kelley’s far-reaching, if frequently confounding output. A Tribute to Mike Kelley runs through April 2 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-6222 or moca.org.

Los Angeles, CA · www.singlestone.com | t 213.892.0772 San Marino, CA · www.singlestonemissionstreet.com | t 626.799.3109

16 Downtown News

March 12, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

St. Patrick’s Day Whiskey Business

Get Your Green On

Seven Questions for Seven Grand’s Spirit Expert photo by Gary Leonard

by Richard Guzmán city editor

n St. Patrick’s Day, many revelers will indulge in a glass or four of Irish whiskey. In order to celebrate properly, we went to Pedro Shanahan, the “spirit guide” and cocurator of the Seven Grand Whiskey Society. He details how best to enjoy the adult beverage.

by Kat Mabry

Pedro Shanahan of Seven Grand knows a thing or two about choosing and drinking whiskey.

Los Angeles Downtown News: How do you choose a good Irish whiskey? Pedro Shanahan: You can do a whiskey tasting flight and compare. First smell the bottle, and if doesn’t smell good to you you’re not going to like it. Try a tasting portion of Jameson, a portion of Bushmills, of Tullamore Dew and Redbreast. See what you gravitate toward personally. There’s no right or wrong. Q: What do you recommend for St. Patrick’s Day? A: I love Redbreast 12. The Black Bush made by Bushmills is a great new addition to the market. There’s also the wonderful Knappogue Castle, a 12-year single malt. Q: How should you drink it? On the rocks? Neat? As a shot? A: Shots are always fun, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. But I think we should always try whiskey first as a sipper, neat — that’s the way the master distiller would like you to try it. Q: What’s the best Irish whiskey to use in a boilermaker? A: We’ve got a great boilermaker menu here. The Working Class Hero is Miller High Life with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey. I would also recommend Black Bush alongside a Craftsman on tap. Q: Does the word “whiskey” really mean “water of life?”

How to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Downtown

A: Yes, it’s Gaelic for “water of life.” Q: Then how much should one drink in order to stay alive? A: I suggest at least one nice glass of whiskey per day as long as you’re feeling healthy. If you’re not feeling healthy then you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself. Q: What should you never do with a good whiskey? A: I wouldn’t put Coke on top of a good whiskey. High fructose corn syrup is going to nullify anything that the distiller has worked so hard to bring you. Someone who is very good at what they do has handcrafted it for you. You should appreciate that work and try it as it is. Seven Grand is at 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or 213nightlife.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

hether you believe in leprechauns or truly are from the island that brought the world Colin Farrell, being Irish often has little to do with celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Much like Cinco de Mayo or Memorial Day, there are no specific requirements to get your green on. Here are five options for fun and drinks on Saturday, March 17. Live Celebration: The third annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival takes place at L.A. Live from 3-8 p.m. The Nokia Plaza celebration will include music from Ken O’Malley and the Twilight Lords at 3 p.m. and Hollywood U2, a U2 tribute band, at 5 p.m. There will also be a beer garden at the plaza and green beer served at Trader Vic’s. Yard House will get in on the celebration too. Its St. Patrick’s Day menu will feature shepherd’s pie, corned beef brisket and drinks such as the Lucky Leprechaun and the Celtic Mojito, both made with Jameson whiskey. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd,, (213) 763-5483 or lalive.com. All Day Party: If a few hours isn’t quite enough time to celebrate, then you’ll love the folks at Casey’s Irish Pub. Their St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival, which fills see Events, page 24

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

STREET FESTIVAL SATURDAY, MARCH 17TH 2012

613 SOUTH GRAND AVE DOWNTOWN LA 6AM-2AM

The biggest St. Patrick's Day celebration in Los Angeles takes over two city blocks! Free admission + food, drinks, games & giveaways! Featuring live performances from Young Dubliners, Hollywood U2 (tribute to U2), TNT (tribute to AC/DC), and Led Zepplica (tribute to Led Zeppelin)! St. Patrick’s Day Specials at 213 Bars Broadway Bar

Open at 7PM DJ HM Soundsystem spins Irish Electro and Celtic Beats $5 Bushmills Shots

Caña Rum Bar Open at 7PM Green Daiquiris

Casey’s Irish Pub

Open All Day from 6AM-2AM $5 Bushmills Shots Green Beer

Tony’s Saloon

Open Early at 5PM Guinness and Green PBR $5 Bushmills Punch $5 Bushmills Shots

Cole’s Red Car Bar Open at 11:30AM Corned Beef French Dip $5 Bushmills Shots Irish Car Bomb Irish Old Fashioned Lucky Charm Shots Green Beer Paddy's Punch Irish Mule

Golden Gopher

Open Early at 5PM $5 Bushmills Shots Happy hour pricing from 5-8pm with $5 well drinks and $2 off of everything else, including Guinness, Jameson, Bushmills and Car Bombs

Seven Grand

Open Early at 3PM $5 Bushmills Shots Boilermaker Bar with Bushmills Shots and Beers Live Music

March 12, 2012

St. Patrick’s Day

Downtown News 17

Emerald Sounds LAPD Bagpipes Player to Be Honored As Irishman of the Year by Richard Guzmán city editor

he Downtown-based Los Angeles Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums band is often heard playing penetrating, heartfelt music at local memorials and tributes to law enforcement officers, firefighters and others who fall in the line of duty. This week, they get to appear in a much happier realm. On Friday, March 16, the group will be on hand at City Hall to honor one of its founders, Scott Walton, as he receives the city’s Irishman of the Year award. It will be part of Los Angeles’ 137th annual Irish Day ceremonies. “I am thrilled,” said Walton, the band’s pipe major and an LAPD detective. “For about 10 years I’ve played the bagpipes at the ceremony, and to be the honoree this year is beyond an honor.” In 2000, Walton, along with fellow LAPD detective Steve Kirby, founded the band while the two were members of the Los Angeles Police Emerald Society, an organization comprised of all levels of law enforcement officers of Irish descent. Walton was nominated for the award by Michael Apodaca, president of the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums. Walton is the first member of Pipes and Drums to receive this prize, which is given to those who contribute to Irish culture in Los Angeles and are a positive influence and role model. Walton was an accomplished tuba player before picking up the bagpipes in 1992. He has taught several members of the 25-person band how to play the instrument. He performs at nearly 100 events a year with the group.

The Green Screen Stay in on St. Patrick’s Day With a Few Irish Films by Richard Guzmán city editor

hose who want to get a taste of Irish culture on St. Patrick’s Day, but who can’t bear braving the bar scene, need not worry. After a self-cooked meal of corned beef and cabbage, there are plenty of Irish-oriented films. These just might make one think of the Emerald Isle. Or killer leprechauns.

One Step Forward: If there’s any doubt that the Irish are a resilient people, check out Daniel Day-Lewis in 1989’s My Left Foot. Directed by Jim Sheridan, it’s the true story of Christy Brown, an Irish quadriplegic who is regarded as a vegetable until he learns to communicate using the only thing he can — his left foot. The inspirational tale won Day-Lewis an Oscar. Big Surprise: When The Crying Game came out in 1992, the movie’s marketing gurus placed ads asking those who had seen it not to reveal the big secret. The savvy move helped make Neil Jordan’s film a hit in the U.S. The story follows an IRA fighter who becomes involved with the girlfriend of a former hostage, only to discover things are not as they appear. Say Hello to My Little Friends: A year before she became famous for her hairstyle and her role as Rachel on “Friends,” Jennifer Aniston was dealing with a not-so-friendly leprechaun in search of his stolen pot of gold. In 1993’s Leprechaun, Aniston plays young Tory Reding, a spoiled teen who moves into a house which happens to have a leprechaun trapped in the basement. He escapes and begins slashing humans in search of his gold. It is not a documentary, though it did inspire Leprechaun in the Hood, staring Ice T and set in Compton. An Immigrant’s Tale: It’s possible to pay homage to the immigrant roots of this nation and honor the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day with a double feature. Check out Far and Away, which is set in the late 1800s and is about Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) who leaves Ireland with his landlord’s daughter (Nicole Kidman) to follow their dreams of owning land in America. After it ends, fire up In America, also directed by Sheridan. It’s a somber look that concerns a family that moves illegally from Ireland to New York and lives in a rundown building while the father pursues his acting dreams. Contact Richard Guzman at richard@downtownnews.com.

“It allows us to spread our culture in many, many areas,” Walton said. To be clear, on March 16 the band, as it does at all its events, will be playing only Irish tunes. These include “Shenandoah” and “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.” Don’t expect anything from another part of Great Britain. “We play the songs that no Scotsman would ever play,” Apodaca said. The LAPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums can be found at lapespipesanddrums.org.

photo courtesy of LAPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums

LAPD Detective Scott Walton will receive the Irishman of the Year award on March 16 at City Hall.

18 Downtown News

March 12, 2012

St. Patrick’s Day

When Irish Eyes Are Cooking Prepping for St. Pat’s With McCormick & Schmick’s Chef by Kat Mabry

lmost every restaurant trots out some Irish food tricks on St Patrick’s Day, but few in Downtown have more experience, and more authenticity, than McCormick and Schmick’s. The Financial District establishment’s executive chef, Kina Deth, talked about her holiday menu, green food and things that shouldn’t be green. Los Angeles Downtown News: What do you have going on for St. Patrick’s Day? Kina Deth: We have two days to celebrate.

On Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17, we’ll be running happy hour with green beer, corned beef sliders and Guinness black mussels. We have corned beef and cabbage of course. We will also be having Irish stew as well as salmon with a whiskey glaze. Additionally, there will be a patio party with a live band. Q: What’s your favorite Irish Dish? A: I really like Irish stew. It’s my favorite with chunks of beef, vegetables and potato. Q: What’s the most popular Irish dish?

HAnk’S BAr

A: Corned beef and cabbage, by far. Q: What makes your version stand out from others? A: We accompany it with a whole grain mustard sauce. It goes perfectly with the tenderness of the corned beef, cabbage and the boiled potatoes. It’s delicious. I will be having that for dinner that night. Q: Can you turn any food green, and how do you do it? A: I can, but that’s my secret and it’s not something I can give you. Well maybe not everything, but 95% of stuff I can definitely make green. Q: What food can’t go green?

photo by Gary Leonard

Kina Deth of McCormick and Schmick’s will oversee the kitchen as the restaurant holds a twoday St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

A: Black pudding. McCormick & Schmick’s is at Fourth and Hope streets, (213) 629-1929 or mccormickandschmicks.com.

An Old FAshiOned bAr

Come and Celebrate with us

St. Patrick’s Day! Doors Open at 12pm on Saturday, March 17th

Weiland BreWery little tokyo Announces Their Annual Party Celebrating

213-623-7718 • 840 South Grand Avenue

ST. PATRICK’S DAY Join us Thursday, March 15th Friday, March 16th & Saturday, March 17th

• Beer Garden Open From 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. • Drink and Shot Specials All Day • Traditional Irish Food Specials All Day

Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with us! THURSDAY, MARCH 15 - SATURDAY, MARCH 17

• Free Giveaways and Special Guests

Weiland BreWery restaurant 400 E. First Street • (213) 680-2881

PinTS o’iRiSH beeR | PUb fAvoRiTeS MenU iRiSH WHiSkeY & CoCkTAilS $5 beer and drink specials on Saturday, March 17 Los Angeles Downtown News + Stef’s Steakhouse 1264 W.Nick First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 | 330 S. Hope St. | 213 680 0330 phone:Pinot 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 Grill | Music Center | 135 N. Grand Ave. | 213 972 3190 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News

twitter: DowntownNews

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

for more info, visit

Art dirEctor: Brian Allison www.patinagroup.com AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt

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

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt Sponsored by: coNtributiNG Editors: Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jim Farber, Jeff Favre, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

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

Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News twitter: DowntownNews The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

One copy per person.

March 12, 2012

Downtown News 19

DowntownNews.com

LISTINGS

SPONSORED LISTINGS St. Patrick’s Day and More at Bar 107 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382 or facebook. com/bar107. Mondays, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.: Every Monday is cheap beer and Jameson night. Ten beers are available for $2, Jameson shots are $4, well drinks are $5. March 15: GhettoBlaster is DJing so the dance floor will be packed. Well drinks for $5, pints for $4 and $3 PBR and Busch. March 17: The bar opens at 6 a.m. to celebrate the one who banished snakes from Ireland. Bushmills, Guiness and Jameson will be on special. Free corned beef and cabbage. Leave the pythons at home.

THE DON’T MISS LIST SHoTguN Willie, FolDeD PAPer, er, THe lioN’S DeN AN D More DoWNToWN CulTure

ax Day’s right around the corner and what better way to remind yourself of your yearly debt to Uncle Sam than seeing country music’s resident king of garnished wages, Willie Nelson,, live at the Walt Disney Concert Hall? For close to four decades the mighty Texan has trudged back and forth across this country singing songs and spreading cheer despite Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and numerous brushes with the law. The 8 p.m. show on Tuesday, March 13, will be a study in contrasts as Shotgun Willie takes his elevated down-home feel to one of the most exclusive concert venues in the country. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

Tuesday, March 13 Politics in Poetry at Aloud Mark Taper Auditorium, Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org. March 13, 7 p.m.: This is a year dominated by worldwide public demonstrations, Congressional stagecraft and conflicting narratives. Poet-performer Douglas Kearney and artist-activist Edgar Arceneaux of the Watts House Project try to make sense of it all. Wednesday, March 14 SCI-Arc Lecture Series 960 E. Third St., (213) 613-2200 or sciarc.edu. All lectures at 7 p.m. March 14: Thom Mayne, a Pritzker Prize winner and architect of Downtown’s Caltrans building, comes to speak.

Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com. March 13: Jam session hosted by the Gary Fukushima Trio. March 14: Brent Canter Group. March 15: Kneebody I. March 16: Kneebody II. March 17: Kneebody III. Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org. March 12, 8 p.m.: The Janks are grooving at the Bootleg once again with The Wind, neo-Beatles quartet King Washington and Royal Canoe. March 14, 8 p.m.: No man is an island, except Islands, which are in their very own sea of downtempo pop for the broken hearted. March 15, 8 p.m.: Bluesy and a little heavy, Mojo Stone is like John Lee Hooker pumped full of magic and caffeine and split five ways. March 16, 8:30 p.m.: Subdued and reverent, the kids in Memoryhouse signed with Sub Pop to make that good rainy day music for a little bit of nostalgia. March 18, 6 p.m.: The new duke of rockin’ ivories, Doran Danoff invites you to attend his album release party, where he will prove that he is an excellent entertainer, like a less unnerving Little Richard. Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or broadwaybar.la. March 15, 10 p.m.: Broader Than Broadway presents Saltwater Gypsy, Civil Clothing and Hysteric Haus.

Continued on next page

For both the clumsy fingered laymen and those folding experts capable of creating 1,000 paper cranes comes a new exhibit on the origins and applications of origami. The Japanese American National Museum just opened Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami. Through Aug. 26, guests of the Little Tokyo facility can explore the angular intricacies and cultural processes through which the cherished art of paper folding has thrived. From contemporary origami to paper folding principles applied in modern design, the exhibit covers every possible avenue of origami interest. At 369 E. First St., (213) 625-0414 or janm.org.

Four

3 photo by Robert Millard

ROCK, POP & JAZZ

T Wo

The los Angeles opera and the Cathedral of our lady of the Angels team up to present an adaptation of the story of Daniel on Friday-Saturday, March 16-17. A talented crop of operatic minds and Bible scholars re-create the story of the prophet Daniel and his fateful night in the lion’s den. The best thing in addition to the beautiful music and unlikely venue is that tickets are free to all. Log on to the Opera’s website and reserve a space for either of the 7:30 p.m. performances and prepare to bask in the glory of James Conlon’s conducting and divine providence. At 555 W. Temple St., (213) 680-5200 or laopera.com.

In an era of pallid punditry and desperately asinine rhetoric, the marriage between politics and poetry is at times irreconcilable. Come Angelenos, let us harken back to the age of the orator. Where are our William Jennings Bryans and our Abraham Lincolns? The Library Foundation’s Aloud program proudly presents a program titled “The Rocket’s Red Glare: Politics in Art and Poetry.” On Tuesday, March 13, at 7 p.m., the venue hosts Edgar Arceneaux, director of the Watts House Project, and poet Douglas Kearney in a discussion of the implications of U.S. politics and the nation’s art. At 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.

photo by Paul Kawabori

Friday, March 16 AIA Mayoral Candidate Forum with Eric Garcetti Ronald F. Deaton Civic Auditorium, 100 W. First St., (213) 639-0764 or aialosangeles.org. March 16, 7 p.m.: Councilman Eric Garcetti talks about his vision for city planning with L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne and Planning Commission Chair Bill Roschen.

by Dan Johnson, listings eDitor calendar@downtownnews.com

photo © Herbert Bungartz

Thursday, March 15 Live Talks Business Forum The City Club on Bunker Hill, 333 S. Grand Avenue, 54th Floor, business.livetalksla.org. 7:45 a.m.: David Rothkopf talks on “Big Business vs. Big Government,” the battle that he argues will define the future of America and capitalism. Writers Panel at Aloud Mark Taper Auditorium, Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org. March 15, 7 p.m.: “From the Outside Looking In: Writers Finding Their Place in Los Angeles” is a panel discussion with Bernard Cooper, Joyce Farmer, Lynell George, Marisela Norte and Michael Tolkin.

oNe

EVENTS

ome one, come all to a special St. Patrick’s Day chorale celebration of England’s most renowned playwright and Erin’s Celtic roots. The 40-some singers from Vox Femina Los Angeles will regale the audience with their Gaelic siren song and some of Bill Shakespeare’s own iambic pentameter, all presented in rich harmony. The concert takes place, fittingly, on St. Patrick’s Day (Saturday, March 17) at Zipper Hall in the Colburn School. The 8 p.m. start means there is plenty of time to wander through the debauchery down Grand Avenue at Casey’s Irish Pub and still arrive for the first notes. At 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu. Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.

Scared

Continued from previous page ways spunky Blacklight Revelation. eadlines and vendors? Let togetherand all the resources eadlines vendors? your business communiCasey’s Irish Let Pub March 15: Lost Marauders. your business communitogether all the resources • Signs, posters banners 613 S. and Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com. March 16: Best Western, Boyscott Jamboree and together all the resources • Digital printing We’vecomes got thestraight solution. Juggling too many projects, deadlines and vendors? Let March 16, 10 p.m.: C-horse from Moon Chaser. •• Signs, posters and banners Online ordering manage creation and re-ordering all of yourrockers business Digital posters printing • Signs, and underground banners the L.A. to PIP bump their the straight-up March 17:ofLongtime thecommuniLords of AltaOnline printing ordering • Digital cations. In one location, your mont, PIP consultants togetherGreen all theLady resources indie jams. with The bring Blackerby’s, Killers and • Online ordering you need, including:

The Smell 247 S. Main St., alley between Spring and Main streets, thesmell.org. March 12: DJ David Scott Stone and DJ Dane Josiah. March 16: Low Places, Indian Giver and Pulsating Cyst. The Varnish 118 E. Sixth St., (213) 622-9999 or thevarnishbar.com. March 13, 9 p.m.: Jamie Elman tickles the keys. March 14, 8:30 p.m.: Somewhere deep in a Downtown back room Mark Bosserman will play you a song. Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com. March 13, 8 p.m.: American legend and music superstar Willie Nelson makes his first-ever appearance at Walt Disney Concert Hall. It’s an evening of pure songwriting magic and a celebration of the musical roots of the USA.

of missing sales opportunities?

March 17, 6 a.m.: The Mo-Odds bring straight- Dirty•Eyes. Printing • Signs, posters and banners • Copying • DigitalSurf. printing up rock delivered with love directly to your face. March 18: Charlie Don’t Did someone see • Graphic design • Online ordering March 17, 6 a.m.-10:30 p.m.: The wildest St. PatApocalypse Now? 700 Wilshire Blvd. ty’s party in Downtown features two shut-down Seven Grand ph: 213-489-2333 fax:city 213-489-2897 blocks and copious rock from the piparco@sbcglobal.net Young Dubliners, 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la. Hollywood U2, TNT and Led Zepplica. March 12: Jazz + Kenny G hair + whiskey = your Nokia Theater Monday night with the John Daversa Small Band. 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6020 or March 13: The Makers’ improvisational jazz will nokiatheatrelalive.com. put the squeeze on you like that time Nicky Santoro March 16 and 17, 8 p.m.: Ricardo Arjona. put Tony Dog’s head in a vise. Redwood Bar and Grill March 14: The Vibrometers return with their 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or   double guitar and sax assault on jazz that demands one customer or appealing theredwoodbar.com. your rapt attention while also asking important ales opportunities. In one one customer or appealing March 13: Cobra Venom, Sassafras and the alquestions about Seven Grand’s seismic retrofitting. the resources you need,

B n’t notice you?

n’t notice you? n’t notice you?

your customers won’t notice you?

We’ve got the solution. Whether going after just one customer or appealing •• Signs, Online posters orderingand banners to a mass market, we’ll help you capture those sales opportunities. In one Digital posters printing and banners • Signs, Online printing ordering • Digital location, your PIP consultants bring together all the resources you need, Authentic Chinese Cuisine in Chinatown • Online ordering including: • Printing • Signs, posters and banners • Copying • Digital printing • Graphic design • Online ordering ✤ Delivery, Minimum Order $15

Regent China Inn

Why Cook? 10 PieCe sPeCiAL

700 Wilshire Blvd.

✤ Party Tray Available ph: 213-489-2333 fax: 213-489-2897 piparco@sbcglobal.net ✤ Lunch Special $4.95 M-F 11-5, Sat.-Sun. 11-3

Now Accepting Credit Cards

muchC to do much to do o little time? much to do o little time? ull-on marketing blitz, we’ll o little time? ants bring together all the ull-on marketing blitz, we’ll

horrified

ull-onbring marketing blitz,allwe’ll ants together the • Signs, posters and banners ants bring together all the • Digital printing •• Signs, Online posters orderingand banners Digital posters printing and banners • Signs, Online printing ordering • Digital • Online ordering

We Deliver

with Tortillas & Salsa

Party Paks Available

$9.99

With minimum order of $10. Only when available. Limited area & hours.

739-747 N. Main St., Los Angeles, 90012 213.680.3333 • Regentchinainn.com FREE PARKING

thighs & Legs

by too much to do and too little time?

We’ve got the solution. From simple POS materials to a full-on marketing blitz, we’ll help you get noticed. In one location, your PIP consultants bring together all the resources you need, including:

700 Wilshire Blvd.

• Printing • Copying • Graphic design

ph: 213-489-2333 fax: 213-489-2897 piparco@sbcglobal.net

• Signs, posters and banners • Digital printing • Online ordering

onLy

+ TAX

2 Downtown Locations Corner of BroADWAy & 3rd 260 S. Broadway

L.A., CA 90012 (213) 626-7975 • (213) 626-8235

Tel/Fx:

(213) 626-4572

FAshion DistriCt 226 E. 9th St.

at corner 9th/Santee (213) 623-5091 • (213) 327-0645

Tel/Fx:

(213) 623-9405

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

2 Your Event Info

Easy ways to submit

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

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



afraid

one or appealing alescustomer opportunities. In one ales opportunities. Inneed, one resources youbanners •the Signs, posters and resources •the Digital printing you need,

March 12, 2012

Twitter/DowntownNews

 Suim nner m i D ch and D Lun 

A20 Downtown News pportunities? pportunities? eadlines and vendors? Let pportunities? your business communi-

An Extensive Seafood Menu including Dim Sum at Moderate Prices Relaxed Dining in an Elegant Ambiance Live Lobster Tank

Free Parking Next to Restaurant

700 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Tel: 213.617.2323



Gourmet LA Bakery Bringing you our best from Guanajuato... to Downtown Los Angeles Bread • Cakes • Sandwiches • Coffee • Ice Cream 213.623.4244 • 548 S. Broadway Ave. LA, CA 90013 • 6:30am - 8pm, M. - Sat. • 7am -7pm, Sun.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers to last week’s puzzle on page 23

M WAY

DE SA PA

NS T MAI

AY ADW BRO

www.cartifact.com

VE EZ A

SIO MIS D

AN LE S RI VE

ST H 4T

ST TH 5

PARA LOS NINOS

WEINGART CLINIC 6TH ST

MIDNIGHT MISSION

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT SKID ROW HOUSING TRUST

MAPLE AVE

SANTEE

GELE S LOS A N

ST MAIN

INNER CITY ARTS

South Figueroa Corridor District ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITAL

MOUNT ST. MARY’S COLLEGE

BLV ADAMS

T HILL S

VE LA

AS ED

AAA HQ

ANNENBERG RESEARCH PARK

FIGUEROA CORRIDOR

E OV HO ST

BOR

PED

HAR

GRAND AVE

R ST

10 D

SCIENCE CENTER

E X P O S I T I O N PA R K MEMORIAL COLISEUM

L.A. SPORTS ARENA LK

SAN PEDRO STATION

LV GTON B WASHIN

ON NATURAL HISTORY E JESSE MUSEUM BREWER PARK TI

O XP

AIR & SPACE MUSEUM AFRICAN AMERICAN CALIFORNIA MUSEUM

ROSE GARDEN

VD BL

15TH ST

UNIVERSITY EXPO PARK WEST

R FWY

FLOWE

PATRIOTIC HALL

110

SCIENCE CENTER SCHOOL

VE TA

MAPLE AVE

SANTEE ST

MAIN ST

BROADWAY

HILL ST

AVE

OLIVE ST

GRAND

HOPE S

R ST

FLOWE

OA ST

17TH ST

LOS ANGELES ST

14TH ST

HARBO

14TH ST

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

14TH PL

VENICE BLVD FRIEDMAN OCCUPATIONAL CENTER

GALEN CENTER

SON BLV

JEFFER

PICO BLVD

CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER

SHRINE AUDITORIUM

UNIVERSITY VILLAGE

OA ST FIGUER

HEBREW UNION COLLEGE

EY SANTEE ALL

THE MAYAN BELASCO THEATRE

11TH ST

PICO STATION

L PA

SEAFOOD DISTRICT

FASHION DISTRICT

AT&T CENTER 12TH ST

FIGUER

110

18TH ST

NORTH UNIVERSITY PARK

SOUTH PARK

CA FWY S A N TA M O N I

SAN

LOS ANGELES ST

Y ST

4TH ST

CALIFORNIA MARKET CENTER

LUXE CITY CENTER

PICO UNION

ORPHEUM THEATER

UNITED ARTISTS THEATRE

STAY HOTEL

OLYMPIC BLVD

PICO BLV

SOUTH EXHIBIT HALL

CENTRAL CITY EAST

SPRING ST

STILLWELL HOTEL 9TH ST

GILBERT LINDSAY PLAZA

4TH ST

FLOWER MARKET BROADWAY

CHERR

CONVENTION CENTER

SPRING ST

BROADWAY

HILL ST

8TH ST

OLIVE ST

GRAND AVE

HOPE ST RALPHS

ART SHARE 4TH PL

7TH ST

FIGUEROA HOTEL

WEST EXHIBIT HALL

12TH S

FIDM ANNEX

SCI-ARC

LITTLE TOKYO GALLERIA MALL

UNION RESCUE MISSION

6TH ST

STAPLES CENTER ARENA

110

FLOWER ST

T 11TH S

MERCANTILE ARCADE

MACY'S PLAZA RITZ MILNER O HOTEL

5TH ST

LAPD CENTRAL DIVISION

VERIZON SHERATON HOTEL

FIGUEROA ST

D AVE

FRANCISCO ST

N GARLA

BLVD

GRAND AVE

AVE LUCAS OLYMPIC

LA MISSION

HISTORIC CORE

JEWELRY LAAC DISTRICT

D 2N TRACTION AVE

DOWNTOWN WOMEN’S CENTER

NEW LATC

BILTMORE HOTEL PERSHING SQUARE

GRAND HOPE FIDM PARK

JW MARRIOTT & RITZ L.A. LIVE CARLTON REGAL NOKIA CINEPLEX PLAZA NOKIA THEATRE WEST RN EA GARAGE KH CHIC

TOY DISTRICT

OLD BANK DISTRICT & GALLERY ROW

5TH ST

ARATANI NOGUCHI THEATER PLAZA JACCC

7TH ST

777

GARLAND BUILDING

GAS CO TOWER

WILSHIRE BLVD

FIG at 7TH

LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL

US BANK TOWER

MUSEUM OF NEON ART

PERSHING SQUARE STATION

JAPANESE VILLAGE PLAZA 2ND ST

3RD ST

BRADBURY RONALD BLDG. REAGAN BIDDY STATE MASON BLDG PARK

4TH ST

ARTS DISTRICT

LITTLE TOKYO

LITTLE VIBIANA TOKYO LIBRARY

DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT THEATER

WATER COURT ANGELS GRAND CENTRAL CALIFORNIA FLIGHT MARKET PLAZA

7TH ST / METRO CENTER STATION

725

JAM

HOPE ST

WILSHIR

2ND ST

3RD ST

MELLON BANK

LAPD HQ

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

WILSHIRE GRAND HOTEL

E BLVD

FLOWER ST

FIGUEROA AT WILSHIRE

D OOD BLV ES M W

WELLS FARGO CENTER

MAGUIRE CITY GDNS NATIONAL JONATHAN PLAZA CALIF. CLUB CLUB THE STANDARD

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL

7TH ST

BA PLAZA

WESTIN YMCA UNION BONAVENTURE HOTEL BANK CITIGROUP PLAZA CENTER

CITY WEST

FIGUEROA ST

LOS ANGELES CENTER STUDIOS

MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN

MOCA OMNI 3RD ST TUNNEL HOTEL

OLIVE ST

2ND STREET TUNNEL COLBURN SCHOOL OF PERF. ARTS

KYOTO CALTRANS GRAND HQ HOTEL

WALL ST

FWY HARBOR

BUNKER HILL

BEAUDRY AVE

T 3RD S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE T 4TH S

LOS ANGELES TIMES

CROWN HILL

MIGUEL CONTRERAS LEARNING COMPLEX

CITY HALL SOUTH

1ST ST

LAUSD HQ

CIVIC CENTER STATION

L. A. COUNTY COURTHOUSE

LITTLE TOKYO/ ARTS DISTRICT STATION

GEFFEN CONTEMPORARY @ MOCA UNION JAPANESE CENTER AMERICAN FOR THE NATIONAL ARTS MUSEUM

LOS ANGELES CITY HALL

E AV

2ND S

DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION

CITY HALL EAST

CIVIC CENTER

CIVIC CENTER PARK

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

SHAKESPEARE LA

TEMPLE ST HALL OF CRIMINAL RECORDS COURTHOUSE

HALL OF ADMINISTRATION

FEDERAL BLDG ROYBAL FEDERAL BLDG

LOS ANGELES MALL

A NT

1ST ST

L.A. DOWNTOWN NEWS

DEPT. OF WATER & POWER

DEPT. OF BUILDING & SAFETY

FEDERAL COURTHOUSE

EDWARD R. ROYBAL LEARNING CENTER

VISTA HERMOSA PARK

AHMANSON THEATER MARK TAPER FORUM

110

BOYLE HEIGHTS

CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS

TEMPLE BEAUDRY

101

A NT

DOWNTOWN SLO

C. ERWIN PIPER TECHNICAL CENTER

T SS

MWD

SAN BERNARDINO SPLIT

. CH

UNION STATION

DE LA SERRA PLAZA PARK

RAMON C. CORTINES SCHOOL OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

BUSINESS MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL

Gas Stations

VIG

LE ST

OLVERA ST

101

TEMP

EZ AVE CESAR E. CHAV

4-LEVEL INTERCHANGE

Metro Red & Purple Lines

H O L LY W O O D F W Y

CHINATOWN GATEWAY

CHINATOWN LIBRARY

Free Parking w/validation

CES

ST ING

EVANS ADULT SCHOOL

HIGH

NEW

ORD

ROA FIGUE

HIST

Metro Blue Line

AR E

CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT HQ

SPR

ALPINE HILL

ANGELINO HEIGHTS

Metro Rail Station Access

AS ED AM

CHINATOWN BL VD

Metro Gold Line

E ST

HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES

ALPIN

CHINATOWN STATION

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

COLL

EGE

COLL

HILL

VICTOR HEIGHTS

KAISER MENTAL HEALTH CENTER E ST

CENTRAL PLAZA

PACIFIC ALLIANCE MEDICAL CENTER

Los Angeles

MISSION JUNCTION

BAMBOO PLAZA

WEST PLAZA

ANN STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CHINESE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ST ARD BERN

LAFD TRAINING CENTER

STADIU

Downtown

CHAVEZ RAVINE

LOS ANGELES STATE HISTORIC PARK

HIST

RD ING NG K

CHU

CASA ITALIANA

R PA

ELYSIAN PARK

CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL

N OR

B A

N F

110

NOR TH

M C

YS EL

STADIUM

DODGER STADIUM

NORT HB

ELYSIAN PARK

TH S PRIN G

ROAD WAY

VD BL

22 Downtown News

March 12, 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

FOR RENT

Homes/Unfurnished RESERVE IT IT’S YOURS! $1,200/MO 433 Cottage Home St. in Chinatown. 2BR/1BA New Paint, New Carpet, Laundry On-Site. One Parking 818-5939060.

Lofts for Sale

TheLoftExpertGroup.com Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper

213.598.7555

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

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. (CalSCAN)

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.

Apartments/Unfurnished

SERVICES attorneys

ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION! Immigraiton, Criminal, Accidents. Child Support/ Custody over 25 years’ experience. Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español / Korean / Mandarin Chinese

Get your GREEN CARD or CITIZENSHIP

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.

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

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

Business Services 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)

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. (CalSCAN)

ATTEND COLLEGE Online from Home. *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice, *Hospitality. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call 888-210-5162 www.CenturaOnline.com (Cal-SCAN)

ATTENTION JOINT & Muscle Pain Sufferers: Clinically proven all-natural supplement helps reduce pain and enhance mobility. Call 877-217-7698 to try Hydraflexin RISK-FREE for 90 days. (Cal-SCAN)

SAVE ON CABLE TV-InternetDigital Phone. Packages start at $89.99/mo (for 12 months.) Options from all major service providers. Call Acceller today to learn more! CALL 1-888-8977650. (Cal-SCAN)

DIABETES/CHOLESTEROL / Weight Loss. Bergamonte, a Natural Product for Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and weight. Physician recommended, backed by Human Clinical Studies with amazing results. Call today and save 15% off your first bottle! 888-392-8780 (Cal-SCAN)

Psychic

Home Improvement

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)

Financial Services EVER CONSIDER a Reverse Mortgage? At least 62 years old? Stay in your home & increase cash flow! Safe & Effective! Call Now for your Free DVD! Call Now 888-698-3165. (Cal-SCAN)

Cleaning

Health & Fitness

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

FEELING OLDER? Men lose the ability to produce testosterone as they age. Call 888-904-2372 for a free trial of Progene- All Natural Testosterone Supplement. (Cal-SCAN)

Education

VIAGRA 100MG and CIALIS 20mg!! 40 Pills 4 free for only $99. #1 Male Enhancement, Discreet Shipping. Only $2.70/ pill. Buy the Blue Pill Now! 1-888904-6658. (Cal-SCAN)

HIGH SCHOOL diploma! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com (Cal-SCAN)

the LOFT expert!

WE CUSTOMIZE and Organize Your Home For Less! Home Closets, Pantries, Home Offices and More! Now 35% Off! 310343-1977

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) Misc. Services ATTENTION DIABETICS with Medicare. Get a free Talking Meter and diabetic testing supplies at No Cost, plus free home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking! Call 888-781-9376. (Cal-SCAN)

MEET SINGLES right now! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now: 888962-3056. (Cal-SCAN)

Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper 213.598.7555

Tax Services TAX Preparation From $49+ We can do your Taxes: On-Line, Mail, In-Office www.ABTTEAM. com 888-808-0344 2500 Broadway 90404 888-808-0344

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Legal

ATTENTION SLEEP APNEA Sufferers with Medicare. Get free CPAP Replacement Supplies at No Cost, plus free home delivery! Best of all, prevent red skin sores and bacterial infection! Call 888-699-7660. (CalSCAN)

PSYCHIC ADVISOR Got problems. Need answers. 323-4939494. Confidential. Tarot $20 and Palm $10.

Help Wanted INTERNATIONAL Cultural Exchange Representative: Earn supplemental income placing and supervising high school exchange students. Volunteer host families also needed. Promote world peace! 1-866-GO-AFICE or www.afice. org (Cal-SCAN)

EMPLOYMENT Sales LIVE, WORK, Party, play! Hang in LA, Jet to New York! Hiring 18-24 gals/guys. $400-$800 wkly. Paid expenses. Signing Bonus. Energetic & Fun! 877259-6983. (Cal-SCAN) Computers/IT Network and Computer Systems Administrator in all major environments (e.g. O/S UNIX, Windows, RDBMS & MSSQL) for property mgmt co. in Los Angeles. Email CV to Elat Properties at hr@elatproperties.com or fax to (213) 927-5200.

TheLoftExpertGroup.com RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE

DRE # 01309009

Voted BEST Downtown Residential Real Estate Agent!

620

S. MAIN STREET, DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES

855.240.7518

TWO HISTORIC PROPERTIES – ONE DOWNTOWN LIFESTYLE Mercantile lofts is a modern boutique condo quality 35-unit live/work community offering stunning floor to ceiling picturesque windows, bamboo flooring and amazing 18’ ceilings to name a few. Just next door is PE Lofts, a cool/hip traditional historic 314-unit community offering over 100 floor plans of true loft living with no walls to inhibit your imagination. At PE Lofts you can relax at the rooftop pool and spa, get in shape at the 24 hour fitness center, or attend one of the exciting resident functions. Whichever property you choose you can expect superb quality and a great place to call home. Within walking distance of either property you will find unique dining venues and the epicenter of nightlife which includes local favorites such as The Varnish, The Association, Coles Sandwiches, Mignon Wine & Cheese, BabyCakes NYC, and PE’s newest establishment Artisan House, featuring a posh, full service bar/restaurant and marketplace. Whether your preference is a boutique or traditional loft experience, our leasing staff will assist in helping you select the ideal space to create the most amazing downtown living experience.

610 S. MAIN STREET, DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES 866.561.0275

For Lease

Rosslyn Hotel

6 Story Parking structure near Staples Center

Studio 280 sqft. Full Bathroom Apartment $600 mo. to mo. $580 on 6 mo. Lease 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 Premiere Towers

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

Call For PRice

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

FORD APARTMENTS 1000 E. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Located in Central City East

• 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)

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

213.627.6913 | cityloftsquare.com

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

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

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

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

INCOME & PROGRAM RESTRICTIONS APPLY Rents from $560 to $672 per month Please apply by calling (213) 229-9365

madison hotel 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.

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

LOFT LIVING

Your number 1 source for Loft sales, rentals and development! DowntownNews.com

March 12, 2012

EMPLOYMENT Computers/It Senior BuSineSS Analyst JDedwards -Manufacturing (Pharmavite LLC - northridge, CA). reqs bach (or foreign equiv) in Comp Sci, info Tech, Bus Admin or rela field & 5 yrs exp in ERP info sys implementation initiatives for client companies that are large multinational manufacturing & distribution company/ companies. 2 yrs of stated exp must incl sales/presales & postimplementation support of multiple modules, such as JDedwards Manufacturing, Product Costing, Accounting, Shop Floor Control, Inventory, & Capacity & Requirement Planning modules. 2 yrs of stated or other exp must also incl working on multiple complex ERP projects simultaneously. Stated or other exp must incl each of the following: multiple versions of JDedwards enterprise one, One world Xe; data collection & reporting; use of query & reporting tools & SQL to build queries & reports for data validation & support; writing use cases & test cases to test & validate configured JDedwards enterprise one applications; SDLC structured analysis & design techniques; & the use of PC-based interview & data collection techniques in connection w/dvlpmt and/or support, testing, & conversion of production sys. Lead the initiation & mgmt of complex ERP info systems implementation initiatives. Send resume to C. remmers, Pharmavite LLC, 8510 Balboa Blvd., Ste. 100, Northridge, CA 91325. AA/EOE. No third party resumes.

DoWnToWn HoTeL needs maid. Minimum 4 yrs experience, Spanish speaking. Please only experienced apply. 213623-9090. DrIvers A FeW Pro Drivers needed. Top Pay & 401K. 2 Months CDL Class A Driving Experience. 1-877-258-8782. www.MeltonTruck.com/drive (Cal-SCAN) DRIVER - $0 Tuition CDL (A) Training & a Job! Top Industry Pay, Quality Training, Stability & Miles. *Short employment commitment required. 1-800326-2778. www.JoinCRST.com (Cal-SCAn) DriVerS - FLeXiBLe Hometime! Up to $.42/mile plus $.02/ mile quarterly safety bonus - Daily pay - new trucks - CDLA, 3 months recent experience required. 800-414-9569. www. driveknight.com (Cal-SCAn) DriVerS: no Experience? Class A Driver Training. We train and employ! New pay increases coming soon. Experienced Drivers also Needed! Central Refrigerated. 1-877-369-7091. www. CentralTruckDrivingJobs.com (Cal-SCAn)

AUTOS pre-oWneD

DoWntoWn l.a. auto Group

Job location Los Angeles, CA.

POrSchE VOLKSWAgEn AUdi MErcEdES-BEnZ niSSAn chEVrOLET cAdiLLAc

Send resume w/this ad, to Code 02129-RM, H. Uba, Kula Sushi USA, Inc., 17801 Main Street, Suite A, Irvine, CA 92614

2007 NISSAN FRONTIER Certified, 21k miles, NI2053/129626 $9,499 call 888-838-5089

restaurant/hotel

Restaurant Managers

Downtown News 23

DowntownNews.com 2008 AUDI A4 2.0T Certified, Low Miles, ZA10095/8A164278 $17,810 Call 888-583-0981 2008 VW BEETLE CONVERTiBLe Certified, Low Miles ZV1420/8M412815 $16,378 Call 888-781-8102. 2009 CHEVY IMPALA Certified, Low Miles, #CH1041-1 $9,995Call 888-879-9608 2009 NISSAN VERSA Certified, Must See CU0547P-1/497708 $12,995 call 888-845-2267

2010 MERCEDES C300W Certified, 3.0L, 34k miles, Blk/Blk 112182-1/R090076 $27,711,Call 888-319-8762.

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

CASH FOR CARS GET MORE $$$

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.

ITEMS FOR SALE Books BOOK - THE Complete Works of Shakespeare 980 pages. $111.00. 323-962-1012 FurnIture HiGH enD LoFT Furn. for sale, iron qn bed, 2 contemp. armless chairs w/ottoman, lamps, artwork, 60in T.V. console entertainment cntr. $300 don’t wait. will deliver. 323-266-3747 mIsC. Items

ALL CARS WANTED, NEW OR OLD. WE COME TO YOU. FREE PICK UP/TOW. LOCAL 800-531-6510 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)

Sell Your Car!

Expose your auto to Downtown Los Angeles. With one of the fastest growing residential areas Los Angeles Downtown News gets results.

Call 213-481-1448

100 PERCENT Guaranteed Omaha Steaks - SAVE 65 percent on the Family Value Collection. NOW ONLY $49.99 Plus 3 Free gifts & right-to-the-door delivery in a reusable cooler. Order Today at 1-888-525-4620 or www.OmahaSteaks.com/ family16, use code 45069TVH. (Cal-SCAn) MAnTiS DeLuXe Tiller. New! FastStart engine. Ships Free. One-Year Money-Back Guarantee when you buy direct. Call for the DVD and Free Good Soil book! 888-815-5176. (CalSCAn)

$8,999

Auto, AC, PW, PL, CD, Alloys.

$15,999 2011 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab ....................... $20,999 Certified, 4.0L V6, ABS, Only 12k miles. N13955 / 404179 2008 Nissan 350 Z Coupe ................................. $22,999 Certified, Silver, 3.5L V6, CD, Alloys. N13984 / 704355 2009 Nissan Rogue S ......................................... Certified, 4 Dr, AWD, 4 Wh ABS, Traction Control. N120765-1 / 442022

AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

ANNOUNCEMENTS auCtIon 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)

$17,810

$27,878 2008 Audi A6 ...................................................... $29,838 Certified, Auto, Nav, Low Miles. ZA10079/N077967 2010 Audi A5 Cab .............................................. $43,788 Certified, Auto. ZA10094/AN022822 2009 Audi A4 Cab .............................................. Certified, Auto Low Miles. ZA10101/9K001417

Fictitious Business name statement File no. 2012027754 The following persons doing business as: 1) VILLA COLDeW ProPerTieS, 2) JAMAiCA FARMER’S MARKET, 3) JAMAiCA FArMerS, 4) JAMAiCA HOT, 5) OCHO RIOS NICE, 6) JAMAICAN FARMERS, 7) JAMAICA HUB, 8) KINGSTON NICE, 9) NO LINGA, 10) NUH LINGA, 633 W. 5th Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles CA 90071, are hereby registered by the following registrant: JAMAiCA SCOPE CORPORATION, 633 W. 5th Street, 28th Floor, Los Angeles CA 90071. This business is conducted by a corporation. registrant(s) has not begun to transact business under the fic-

ST. PATRICKS DAY BLOWOUT!

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, One owner, Low Miles.

2009 VW Jetta SE ............................................... Certified, One Owner. 9M050757

2009 VW Routan ........................................... Certified, One Owner. 9R579564

2008 VW Passat .............................................. Certified,Lux Pkg, Nav System One Owner. 9P035921

$15,890 $16,890 $17,890

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

FELIX CHEVROLET

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

2010 CHEVY COBALT UC872R / 7162202

$11,995 37 MPG, 4 Dr, AC, Low Miles

2010 Chevy Aveo .............................................. 35 MPG, 4 Dr, 16 valve, spoiler. UC994R / B108496

2011 Chevy Malibu .......................................... 6 speed auto. 4 Dr, AC, CD, ABS. UC995R / 149809

2010 Chevy Equinox ........................................

6 speed auto, Silver, 32 MPG, CD, ABS. UC954R / 6216893

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

2010 MERCEDES C300W

Certified, Black/Black, 34K miles, 3.0 Liter

$27,991 2009 Mercedes E350W ..................................... $31,991 Certified, Blk/Blk, 44k Miles. 111852-1/ B396329 2008 Mercedes SL550R .................................... $47,991 Certified, Silver/Black, 39k miles, 5.5 Liter. 5350C/ F136283 2008 Mercedes CLK350C .................................

CARSON NISSAN

Certified, White/Black, 31k Miles, 3.5 Liter. 5602C/F254750

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

$13,995 Certified, Auto, 4 Dr, AC, 30 MPG, CD, ABS. CU0621P / 130822

2006 Pontiac Grand Prix ............. Certified. CU0603P/217429

$11,995 $16,995 $19,995

$27,711

112182-1/R090076

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

8M524033

THE ANSWER

FICtItIous BusIness name

2009 NISSAN CUBE

$13,890

Board of Police Commissioners for a permit to conduct a DAnCe HALL & CAFE/ ENTERTAINMenT SHoW. nAMe oF APPLiCAnT: Bruno, inC. DoinG BuSineSS AS: PREMIERE EVENTS/ LOT 613 LoCATeD AT: 613-617 S. IMPERIAL STREET & 614 S. MATEO, LA CA 90021 Any person desiring to protest the issuance of this permit shall make a written protest before MARCH 21, 2012 to the: LoS AnGeLeS PoLiCe CoMMiSSion 100 W. First Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 upon receipt of written protests, protesting persons will be notified of date, time and place for hearing. BoArD oF PoLiCe CoMMiSSionerS Pub. 3/5, 3/12/12

TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

LEGAL

L.A. AUTO GROUP

VOLKSWAGEN OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 2008 VW BEETLE

notice oF aPPlication FoR Police PeRmit notice is hereby given that application has been made to the

DoWnToWn reSiDenT Falsely Accused - Please visit website www.angelaccused. com for story of innocence. Please leave comments. 213625-2021

Certified, Low miles..

ZA100095/8A164278

polICe permIt

notICes

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

2008 AUDI A4 2.0T

titious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on February 17, 2012. NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code). Pub. 2/27, 3/05, 3/12, 3/19/12

READERS & MUSIC Lovers. 100 Greatest Novels (audio books) ONLY $99.00 (plus s h.) Includes MP3 Player & Accessories. Bonus: 50 Classical Music Works & Money Back Guarantee. Call Today! 1-866979-4428. (Cal-SCAN)

DOWNTOWN

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

N120586-1/373714

aDopt a pet

2009 PORSCHE CAYMAN Certified, Silver/Black, Only 18k Miles, 9LA04712 $44,891. Call 888-685-5426.

NISSAN OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

2006 NISSAN ALTIMA SEDAN

PETS/ANIMALS

$8,995

PORSCHE OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

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

2010 PORSCHE CAYENNE

$59,891

ZP1446/A53439

Certified, 4 Dr, 4.8L V8, Preferred Pkg, Comfort Pkg, Only 16K Miles.

$43,892 $61,898 Grey/Grey 18k miles, 6 spd, Xenon, Bose, CPO. 8S765354 2010 Nissan Sentra ................. $12,995 2010 Panamera 4s ............................................. Certified, Black/Tan, 4 Dr, Auto, AC, 34 MPG, CD Carbon Grey/Beige, 20” wheels, Bose, Spt Exhaust, Chrono Pkg, CPO. AL060255 $83,893 CU0607R / 660053 2009 Honda Fit .......................... Certified. C120276-1/025079

$9,995

2009 Porsche Cayenne ..................................... Silver/Black, Nav, Park Assist, Bluetooth, CPO, 24k miles. 9LA08534

2008 911 Carrera Cabriolet .............................

24 Downtown News

March 12, 2012

St. Patrick’s Day

Events Continued from page 16 the restaurant and the road in front of it, begins at, egads, 6 a.m. Lucky Charms, fish and chips and Reuben sandwiches are on the all-day menu, along with whiskeys, green beer and pickle back shots. The Young Dubliners, Hollywood U2, Ollin Band and TNT will perform live. Be careful and pace yourself. At 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or caseysirishpub.com Double Trouble: If you’re seeing double, it may not be the result of too much drinking. Instead, it could be the two-for-one celebration of Villains Tavern and OneEyed Gypsy. Villains’ Irish Barbeque begins at 11 a.m., and options include flank steak, garlic mashed potatoes and cabbage, traditional Reuben sandwich and barbequed chicken or ribs. Wash it down with Guinness and a shot of Irish whiskey. Since driving is not recommended, a free shuttle bus will transport patrons to One-Eyed Gypsy. It will open at 1 p.m. and feature music by JT Ross

and Speedway, LA Hootenanny and more. Food and drink choices include corned beef and cabbage sliders, and cans of beer with shots of whiskey Villains Tavern is at 1356 Palmetto St., (213) 613-0766 or villainstavern.com. One-Eyed Gypsy is at 901 E. First St., one-eyedgypsy.com Clippers Go Green: Blake FitzGriffin, Chris O’Paul and the rest of the County Cork Clippers commemorate March 17 with a celebration of Irish Heritage Day. It’s a special branding for the 12:30 p.m. game at Staples Center against the Houston Rockets. Attendees will get a special mug, and those who save their ticket stub can use it later for drink specials at Casey’s Street Festival. At 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or clippers.com. Let’s Hear it For the Girls: In celebration of their 15th anniversary and the holiday, Vox Femina Los Angeles will pair authentic Irish music in Gaelic with Shakespearean sonnets. The Shakespeare to Shamrocks concert gets going at 8 p.m. at Zipper Hall in the Colburn School. At 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-4514, voxfeminala.org or colburnschool.edu

photo by Gary Leonard

The March 17 celebration spills out of Casey’s Irish Bar and onto the road in front of it during the St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

Grand Tower 255 south Grand avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777

Promenade Towers 123 south Figueroa street Leasing Information 213 617 3777

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

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

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

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

Now For Call n Specials Move-I

8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6

museum Tower 225 south olive street Leasing Information 213 626 1500

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

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

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

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

It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.

TOWERS T H E

A PA RT M E N T S

www.TowersApartmentsLA.com

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