03-23-09 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS March 23, 2009

Volume 38, Number 12

INSIDE

Downtown Living 11-21 W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M

A Seat at the Captain’s Table

Trouble at the Brockman Building.

President Obama’s Downtown visit.

Downtown goes green for St. Pat’s.

photo by Gary Leonard

Central Division Top Cop Blake Chow Puts Community Outreach At the Top of His Agenda by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

urious about Central Division’s new top cop, Area Captain Blake Chow? For starters, check out his profile on the social networking site Facebook. The 18-year Los Angeles Police Department veteran, whom Chief William Bratton tapped to replace Capt. Jodi Wakefield in February, has a “weakness” for Italian cars and a penchant for working out at 5 a.m. to the power chord-heavy Guns N’ Roses. While Chow uses the site like millions of others — posting pictures and video of his friends and family, listing his favorite bands and other interests — it’s also evidence of the new captain’s interest in being accessible to the community. His official email is listed on the site too, and he encourages people to use it. “The work that you do outreach-wise, it’s a lot of work but I think see Chow, page 10

Central Division’s new Area Capt. Blake Chow returns to lead Downtown’s police operations 18 years after walking its streets as a rookie.

Permanent Tatou

Ice Ice Baby

As It Marks a Milestone Anniversary, The Downtown Mega-Club Settles in for a Long Stay

The World Figure Skating Championship Takes Over Downtown by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

John Sedlar Rivera’s spicy social commentary.

Play time at Art Share L.A.

hen you’re in the business of nightlife, with its wild parties, loud music and sometimes-rowdy crowds, it’s not always the wildest, loudest or rowdiest places that thrive. This is particularly evident in Downtown Los Angeles, where lounges and novelty bars that cater to older and calmer crowds seem to do a better job of blending into the community. But not all venues fare the same. Recently a well-known dance club was shut down while the fate

of another mega-club remains in limbo due to nuisance issues that have frustrated police and neighbors. Amidst this delicate balance between an expanding residential population and Downtown’s continued growth as an entertainment center, a relatively new dance club hopes to shed the industry’s tarnished image and become a respected long-term member of the community. Tatou Supper Club, a sprawling 1,100-person capacity club in City West that employs a staff of 120, see Tatou, page 8

photo courtesy of U.S. Figure Skating

hat’s freezing cold, prone to spandex and worth an estimated $25 million to local businesses? It’s the International Skating Union World Figure Skating Championship, which takes place throughout this week at Staples Center. Only the Winter Olympics are considered a more important stage in the sport, and the World Championship takes on added significance this year as it will function as a qualifier for the 2010 winter games in Vancouver. During the competition that culminates on March 29, more than 225 skaters from 52 countries will converge on

Downtown Los Angeles. “The Olympics is always the pinnacle, but the World Championship is the biggest show in the world of figure skating in years when the Olympics are not happening,” said Bob Dunlop, director of events for U.S. Figure Skating, which is organizing the competition. “It signifies the best of the best for that particular year, and it’s the same athletes that will compete against each other in the Olympics.” For Staples Center and L.A. Live owner Anschutz Entertainment Group, hosting the contest is somewhat of a coup, since the 99-yearold event has never come to Los Angeles. It jumps continents every see Skating, page 9

Five great entertainment options.

26 CALENDAR LISTINGS 28 MAP 29 CLASSIFIEDS

photo by Gary Leonard

Tatou Supper Club managing partner Jason Iriarte plans a long stay in Downtown.

Since 1972, an independent, locally owned and edited newspaper, go figure.

Two-time World bronze medalist Evan Lysacek, a native of El Segundo, is one of the approximately 225 skaters from 52 countries who will compete in the Downtown event.

2 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

DowntownNews.com

AROUNDTOWN New York Group May Buy Rosslyn Hotel

ommon Ground, a New York-based nonprofit developer of low-income housing, is taking steps to purchase the Historic Core’s Rosslyn Hotel. The property at 112 W. Fifth St. has a troubled history. Rosslyn owner Zuma Corp., headed by Downtown landlord Rob Frontiera, has come under fire from City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, and was hit with a $1 million fine for illegally evicting people from the 264-room hotel and the nearby Frontier Hotel. (Frontiera still owns the Rosslyn, but sold the 190-room Frontier to the Amerland Group in 2007. Amerland is capping off a renovation of that building into an affordable rental project called the Rosslyn Lofts; it is not affiliated with the Rosslyn Hotel.) Common Ground is known to many in Downtown as the operator of Project 50, an effort to house the 50 neediest people on Skid Row. The Rosslyn purchase would be a completely separate endeavor, said Beth Sandor, Common Ground’s L.A. field director. “We would renovate the building and it would be a mixed-income property with supportive services,” she said. Though a deal is under contract, Sandor declined to estimate when it would close escrow. If the sale goes through, Common Ground would still need to raise funds to revamp the property. Sandor gave a presentation on her organization and its plans last week during a Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council meeting. Some DLANC members expressed concern about the concentration of low-income housing at Main and Fifth streets, said DLANC President Russell Brown.

Section 8 program. The entire renovation, he said, will be privately funded. The Bristol has been shuttered since 2003.

Downtown Dining Guide Coming Soon Roses and Lemon ext week, Downtown Los Angeles Nominees Announced

workers, residents and visitors will get the ultimate update to eating in the area. The 2009 Restaurant Guide will be available on March 30. The 48-page guide contains dining details on more than 70 Downtown restaurants, listing menu options, opening hours, price ranges and other information. Altogether, 80,000 copies of the Restaurant Guide will be printed; in addition to those distributed with the March 30 issue, Guides will be available at popular Downtown locations such as hotels, retailers and restaurants. The guide can also be accessed online at downtownladining.com.

Spring Street Developer Buys Bristol Hotel

eveloper Izek Shomof, known for his collection of market-rate loft projects on Spring Street, has purchased the Bristol Hotel from restaurateur Adolfo Suaya for an undisclosed price. The sale, which closed last week, was first reported by the website blogdowntown.com. Shomof and his son and business partner Eric Shomof hope to renovate the vacant Bristol and reopen it as affordable housing by the end of the year. They also plan to bring new ground-floor retail to the property, including a second Downtown outpost of the 1950s-inspired D-Town Burger Bar. The first D-Town opened on the ground floor of the Hayward Hotel on Sixth Street, which the Shomofs also own. Izek Shomof said last week that he hopes to enroll the Bristol in the federal

he Downtown Breakfast Club last week released the nominees for the 29th annual Roses and Lemon Awards, which will take place April 2 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. The awards highlight both the best and the worst of life in Downtown. Awards this year will be made in three categories: Live, Eat and Play. Rose award nominees for Live are: the Roosevelt Lofts, 717 Olympic and Evo; for Eat they are Drago Centro, Church and State and Provecho; and Play nominees are the Association, Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge and Remedy. The Lemon award candidates are not announced until the day of the event.

this year, when the state Department of Real Estate gave its okay. Another point of contention concerns the onsite parking facility; the former buyers allege that Milbank was supposed to own the parking, though it has since been shifted to the homeowners association, which would increase the cost to residents and violate state law, said attorney Bill Pham, who is representing the former buyers. “We tried to negotiate and outline all of the rights that the buyer has under the law and we believe that there’s been potential violations of various laws,” Pham said. Milbank General Counsel Homan Taghdiri said on March 19 that the company had yet to be served and declined to comment on the suit. Meanwhile, Milbank has reduced its condo prices by about 15% throughout the building and has sold 68 units, said sales director Randelle Green. No sales have closed yet, but Green said he expects the first escrows to be finished within two weeks. The building also recently sold a top-floor penthouse originally offered at $2.25 for about $2 million, he said.

Roosevelt Lofts Developer Facing Lawsuit Free Concert at ight former buyers at the Roosevelt L.A. Live

Lofts have filed suit against developer Milbank Real Estate, alleging that the company misrepresented its sales numbers to coax them into purchase agreements and failed to uphold several caveats in its contract. In the suit, which alleges 10 other charges, the former buyers argue that they are collectively owed $342,246 in deposits, plus unspecified damages. They allege that the developer misled them to believe that 50% of the building had been sold before they signed contracts. The 222-unit Roosevelt, at Flower at Seventh streets, was initially slated to open in November 2007. But due to multiple delays, residency was not possible until Feb. 24 of

avin Rossdale, frontman for the band Bush and hubby to Gwen Stefani, will perform a free concert at L.A. Live’s Nokia Plaza on Wednesday, March 25 at 8:30 a.m. The show is the first in what is expected to be a monthly series to raise awareness about the nonprofit Donate Life organization, which promotes organ donation. The event will be broadcast on 104.3 FM and KTLA Channel 5. “Our goal is to do something similar to ‘The Today Show,’” said L.A. Live Director of Marketing Tammy Billings, “and promote traffic at L.A. Live.” see Around Town, page 9

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March 23, 2009

Downtown News 3

DowntownNews.com

Brockman Faces Financial Crisis Bank Begins Foreclosure Proceedings on Long-Awaited Seventh Street Project by AnnA Scott StAff writer

ive months after the developer of Downtown Los Angeles’ Brockman Building said the project would open, the high-profile Seventh Street effort remains empty, and the building’s lender has warned that the property could be seized and sold. Countrywide Bank initiated foreclosure proceedings on the Brockman, one of Downtown’s longest-awaited adaptive reuse projects, in January, according to documents provided by a title company. Norman Salter, chairman and founder of Brockman developer West Millennium Group, did not return multiple phone calls last week. The restored 1921 Beaux Arts Brockman Building at Seventh Street and Grand Avenue has been in the works since the early part of the decade and was once expected to open as condominiums in 2005. Salter said in September that unforeseen issues related to converting and modernizing the onetime office building into housing caused multiple delays. The project’s budget also skyrocketed throughout the construction process, going from $16 million to more than $35 million. Still, Salter said in September that the project was “on a good path” and would open within a month. In December, with the property still not open, the developer announced that it would switch to rentals and said move-ins would begin immediately. The change, Salter said at the time, came after some prospective buyers were unable to secure loans due to the financial crisis. But the project never opened as rentals either, and as of last week the Brockman Building website had apparently been taken down. On Jan. 20, according to documents provided by Chicago Title, the developer was warned that because it defaulted on a $35.4 million construction loan from Countrywide, the property was in foreclosure and could be put up for sale after three months. Richard K. Green, director of USC’s Lusk Center for Real Estate, said that without selling units, West Millennium likely has few options for saving its property. “The only thing I can think of is if the lender is willing to let interest accrue until the market comes back, but lenders really don’t want to do that right now,” said Green. “I suppose a developer could also look for new equity partners, but that is also very hard right now. The only way they’re going to be able to get cash is by selling the units.” Growth Area The 12-story Brockman stands at 530 W. Seventh St., on the southeast corner of Seventh and Grand Avenue. With its original marble and brick façade and 80 units, the property, on the outside at least, appears to be in an opportune position. It is a short walk from the $2.5 billion L.A. Live entertainment complex and close to the Metro Red Line. It stands on a stretch of Seventh Street targeted by area boosters as a new “Restaurant Row.” Bottega Louie, a ground-floor gourmet market and restaurant, is set to open next month. Yet financial issues have impacted the Brockman since last fall, according to documents provided by Chicago Title. Twenty-three businesses, including pool installers and painting and tile companies have filed liens against the Brockman’s owner since September, claiming that work on the building went unpaid. The claims total more than $4 million. After the housing market took a dive, the company may have had difficulty switching to rentals. Green noted that condominium and rental project loans are structured differently. When developers go from condo to rental, he said, “they find another lender, that lender writes a check to the bank that made the construction loan. Then the new lender requires payments, and rents have to be high enough to cover them.” Though West Millennium announced its plans to go rental in December, its construction lender, Countrywide, had not recouped its costs as of January, when the foreclosure notice went out. If there had been any major financing changes since then, Chicago Title would have a record of it, said a customer service representative at the company. Mark Farzan, developer of the Chapman Flats on Broadway, which was converted from condos to rentals before opening last year, pointed out that based on the $35 million construction loan, each unit at the Brockman cost more than $400,000 to build. That could pose a challenge to opening as rentals, he said. “They’re highly, highly leveraged,” said Farzan. “It doesn’t

pencil out as a rental, and there is no market for condos.” The most likely scenario for the Brockman, said USC real estate law professor George Lefcoe, is that the developer will try to sell the property before the bank does. Considering that construction is complete and the building is ready for moveins, he said, it could be a great get for the right buyer. “There are a lot of people who raise funds to buy into these situations,” said Lefcoe. “Someone will take this over and they’ll rent it.” Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

photo by Gary Leonard

The Brockman Building at Seventh Street and Grand Avenue, expected to open months ago, sits empty. Its owners face foreclosure.

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GAVIN ROSSDALE Wednesday, March 25th at 9 AM on Nokia Plaza Part of the “Donate Life Concert Series at L.A. LIVE, check yes at the DMV” presented by 104.3MYfm

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4 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

DowntownNews.com

EDITORIALS Groceries in Flux

uying groceries in Downtown Los Angeles is a puzzle. Not in the sense of where should one go to get them, as there are plenty of options (more on that later), but rather in the way they all fit together. This is proving to be a time of flux for the Downtown supermarket and convenience store scene. About the only thing that is clear is that the old model of limited opportunities is dead. What exactly the future will be, we don’t know yet. The first important fact is that those who live and work in the area no longer have to drive to Silver Lake or another community for a full-scale shop. For many people, that situation ended in July 2007, when the Ralphs Fresh Fare opened, to booming business, at Ninth and Flower streets. The second important fact is that Ralphs is not the only game in Downtown, and although it is the largest market and boasts the most recognizable name, one can fill his or her shelves and keep the cupboards from going bare without ever entering the South Park store. The third important fact is that some niche players are arriving (while larger chains are

watching from the periphery), meaning Downtowners have even more options. As the residential population continues to increase, new grocers and convenience stores will take aim at the wallets. And rest assured, the population will grow, at least for a while. Even with the real estate slowdown, thousands of units have come online recently or will open soon in Downtown, and landlords will do whatever it takes to get bodies/revenue in them. Even before Ralphs changed the face of grocery shopping Downtown, one could mix and match to pull together a full shopping list. Grand Central Market has long been a spot for produce, spices and more, while the former Mitsuwa Marketplace in Little Tokyo had a wealth of staples, even if many of them were familiar primarily to those with Japanese backgrounds. A variety of drug stores and small neighborhood markets helped people put the grocery puzzle together. Now, some of the old puzzle pieces are changing. Mitsuwa closed after the building it occupies, the Little Tokyo Shopping Center, was purchased, and the new proprietors veered from the Japanese focus in the

tenant base to one with more international appeal. It has been replaced by a market with some similarities to the previous occupant, but with many other options. Then there is Bloom’s General Store. Founded on Hewitt Street in the Arts District in 1994 by the neighborhood activist Joel Bloom, it was both a spot for basics and a neighborhood hangout. It became a place of local lore, fueled largely by Bloom himself, though the shop struggled after he passed away in 2007. His son Randy Bloom sought to keep it alive, though it proved too difficult a task. Bloom’s closed on Feb. 28 — it was a great run. As the Downtown residential base grew over the past decade, small neighborhood stores arrived, and Bunker Hill, the Old Bank District and the Toy Factory Lofts in the Arts District all have small markets that cater to a batch of core customers. More recently, 7-Eleven and the Japanese convenience store chain Famima have arrived in Downtown, and each has ambitious expansion plans (Famima already has five Downtown outposts).

Another piece of the puzzle will come next month, when the Bottega Louie Restaurant and Market debuts on Seventh Street. It has been described as an upscale market, and will fill another niche. This is one many people are watching. Then there are those still on the sidelines. Many Downtowners pine for outlets including Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. As more people move into Downtown, if those stores do not open and capture the market, other operators will. The questions may become which stores survive and what kind of grocery shopping habits the Downtown audience develops amid the wealth of opportunities. Will Ralphs do as well as it has, or will the new convenience stores and Bottega Louie peel away some of the customers? Will worsening traffic mean that locals increasingly patronize the markets within walking distance of their home or work? The supermarket business has razor-thin profit margins and there are a lot of players going for the Downtown audience. It will be interesting to see what develops.

Another Only-in-Downtown Event

ecently, another one of those only-in-Downtown events took place. What made this happening stand out even more was that it was free and featured some of the most notable entities in Los Angeles. On Saturday, March 7, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels was home to two free Los Angeles Opera performances of Noah’s Flood. The performing arts company brought in a cast of literally hundreds of people — all of them, including L.A. Opera Music Director James Conlon, volunteering their time — who transformed the city’s most notable house of worship. The building was filled with singers, choirs and elaborate costumes. This marked the third year of the partnership between the

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

opera company and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. While the event has always been free, it may have meant a bit more to the audiences during the current recession. It was another nice effort by the Archdiocese to make the cathedral a destination not just for local Catholics, but for all of Los Angeles. Cardinal Roger Mahony promised that would be the case when the building opened in 2002. That has been demonstrated not just by free opera, but by other events such as Dog Day Afternoon, a summer meet-and-greet for Angelenos and their four-legged friends on the cathedral plaza. Downtown Los Angeles is frequently home to these and similar special events, many of them gratis. They range

from the free concerts at California Plaza in the summer to the Aloud speaker series, also free, all year round in the Central Library. Downtown has a slate of events that any other community would be hard-pressed to match.

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

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March 23, 2009

Downtown News 5

Opinion

Exploring Downtown’s New ‘Times Square’ It May Not Be a Neighborhood Hangout, But L.A. Live Delivers for a Night Out

ecently my husband agreed to babysit while I hit the town with two girlfriends. The idea of a few adult libations in a hip locale seemed a welcome break — no offense to my 10-month-old, whose idea of nightlife is a Baby Einstein DVD and a spin around our building on her giraffe bike. In search of some grownup playtime, we decided on Downtown’s newest amenity, the $2.5 billion mega-complex known as L.A. Live. After nearly a decade in the making, the second phase of this sports and entertainment district debuted in December with half a dozen restaurants, a bowling alley/lounge and a salsa nightclub (six more eateries are set to open soon). It had been a while since I passed the area around Figueroa and Olympic, and it took a moment to get my bearings. The landscape is vastly different than it was just a year ago, especially at Kathryn Maese night. Figueroa has become a well- RESIDENT lit promenade with pulsing lights, a D v I S o R flashing signs and rows of trees strewn with psychedelic melting icicles. The overall effect is eye-catching, a shiny new toy to complement the Staples Center, the under-construction Convention Center hotel and the handful of residential buildings surrounding the area. It was a bit chilly on this night, so we drove. But you could easily take the Blue Line and hop off two blocks away, or even hail a cab for the short ride. We pulled into the parking structure, which was about $10 for two hours. The cost goes up to $20 or more if you venture here later in the evening and stay longer. It was early, about 7:30, and since the Lakers were playing at Staples Center, the new Yard House was packed with sports fans sipping “beer by the yard” in 36-inch glasses. From what

I’ve heard, it’s a great place for happy hour and their macand-cheese is a must-try. Our destination on this night was the Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge on the upper level of the complex. At the top of the escalator we were carded by a burly but pleasant bouncer standing guard at a velvet rope. Be forewarned: The dress code is strictly enforced here, even if you are just coming to bowl. Downtown kids and families are welcome to bowl during the day and early evening, but at night Lucky Strike is a 21-and-over venue. There are about 20 lanes decked out with neon lights and big screens playing movies or flashing quirky images and some pool tables near the back. My friends and I headed to the main bar, which was already pretty crowded. To our dismay, the only tables that weren’t occupied had “reserved” signs on them. Luckily, a manager saw our annoyed looks and quickly sat us at a booth. We ordered a round of drinks and some appetizers — the coconut shrimp and mini burgers were great — and took in the ambience. With the low lighting, low lounge seating and funky decor, it’s a good bet for a group of friends or a date. We were in the mood for some bowling, so I inquired at the front desk. “How much is it to bowl?” “It’s $75 an hour.” “That’s funny. No, really. How much?” “Really, it’s $75. Shoes are extra.” We decided not to bowl. I could see how the price would make sense for a large group if everyone split the cost, but not tonight. We agreed to head back on a Sunday afternoon when the rate drops to about $7 a game. Still, we lingered a while and had an enjoyable time. Afterward, we strolled around the complex, checking out the various offerings. The ESPN Zone caters to fans who want to grab a beer, some fried snacks and an unobstructed view of their game of choice on several jumbo screens. There’s even an area with video games. There is also the new Conga Room,

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in a more intimate venue than its previous location — I plan to convince my husband to take me back to see Poncho Sanchez play later this month. Lawry’s Carvery, Flemings Steakhouse, The Farm of Beverly Hills, Starbucks and New Zealand Natural (an ice cream shop) round out the current lineup. Several big name restaurants will open in the coming months, including Trader Vic’s and the trendy Katsuya. I’m looking forward to the Saturday farmers market that is in the works. Despite the recession, the specter of shuttered businesses, news of halted residential projects and the fact that many of my neighbors are counting their pennies, L.A. Live looms like a seemingly unscathed hive of activity where visitors don’t seem to mind spending money for an enjoyable night out. When it comes down to it, that’s what entertainment is for, to escape reality for a bit. I remember back in the day when Downtown Los Angeles planners and leaders pegged their hopes on this single economic engine. The oft-cited mantra was, “When L.A. Live opens…. ” It felt like this one development would embody Downtown’s greatest hopes and dreams. While it may be hyperbole, it’s undeniable that the project has helped transform a fringe district intro a mainstream hub. I’m not yet sold on its aspirations of becoming the West Coast rival to Times Square, but I’ll reserve judgment until the next elements open (a 14-screen movieplex and the Convention Center hotel). While last month’s presidential inaugural viewing and the December holiday festivities created a sense of community, I wish the design was more open and welcoming. In a way it feels separate from the street, and in a way, from Downtown. L.A. Live is a nice addition to local nightlife, but as a resident, it’s a bit too pricey to make it a regular haunt. I look at it as yet another area amenity, like having a pool — a really big pool — in your backyard. You don’t always use it, but you’re glad you have it around. Contact Kathryn Maese at kathryn@downtownnews.com.

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6 Downtown News

DowntownNews.com

March 23, 2009

The President Comes Downtown P h o t o E s s ay

Gary LEonard

n the afternoon of Thursday, March 18, President Barack Obama held a town hall meeting at the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex in City West. It was part of his California tour to talk up his economic recovery plan. The Downtown Los Angeles venue was packed and security in and around the school site was intense. After the Downtown event, the president headed to Burbank, where he taped a segment for the “Tonight Show” with Jay Leno.

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Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com

A Green Decade Photo Essay by Gary Leonard

DOWNTOWN LA

owntown last week marked a decade of city-sanctioned St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. On Tuesday, March 17, the 10th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade would through the Central City. Actor Robert Patrick (Terminator 2) served as grand marshal of the event championed by City Councilman Tom LaBonge. The festivities culminated at Pershing Square, where the band the Young Dubliners performed for a festive, green-sporting crowd.

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Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension: Spring 2009 Project Update Stations As the finishing touches are placed on the project’s eight stations, the architectural vision of each one is coming to life before the community’s eyes. Each station has a di=erent theme encompassing the diversity of the communities being served. Train Testing The year 2009 began with much excitement for the project. After 4½ years of major construction, the first train was placed on the line to test clearances. It was pulled unpowered through the Little Tokyo/Arts District, past Boyle Heights and into East Los Angeles. It was received with cheers from residents and businesses in the community. Full fledged train testing will begin in March 2009 as electrical power is supplied to the line.

Safety Training As construction begins to wrap up, Metro continues to provide safety outreach to the community. In 2008, training sessions were conducted at various schools and organizations within a 1.5 mile radius of the alignment. This past January, 85,000 safety tip ﬂyers were distributed door - to - door to alert local residents of upcoming train testing. During the months of March and April, 10 additional safety training sessions will be provided at local libraries in the Little Tokyo/Arts District, Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles areas. Safety training at community centers, churches, hospitals and senior citizen centers will be ongoing. To request a group safety training session, please contact Carlos Valdez, Senior Community Relations O;cer at 213.922.7123.

Safety Record The project has set a national safety record, racking up an unprecedented 3.8 million construction work hours without a single lost - time injury. As construction nears completion, the project sta= is continuing to place the highest priority on safe practices and procedures to keep this remarkable record intact.

March 23, 2009

8 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

DowntownNews.com

Tatou Continued from page 1 marked its two-year anniversary last month in a historically troubled location. The site, which has housed a handful of clubs over the years, was known as a notorious spot for fights, gang activity and drunken conduct that police blamed on a string of irresponsible operators. Tatou, however, seems to be dancing to a different beat, earning unusual praise from police who cite a significant drop in clubrelated incidents in the area since Tatou opened. Neighbors also say they have had little reason to complain about the venue or its patrons. “A lot of it has to do with how the club is run,” said LAPD officer Michael Dickes, who is in charge of abatement issues for the Central Bureau and has worked closely with Tatou staff. “It’s the involvement [with the community] that makes a big difference. “It’s not a nightclub that looks to be one that just wants to make money and go about their business.” Tatou also houses Wokcano, an Asian fusion restaurant open Wednesday through Friday, and hosts comedy shows, local musicians and well-known artists such as Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas, who performed there on New Year’s Eve. The 35,000-square-foot venue holds two floors, a stage and an interior designed to pay homage to famed supper clubs like the Cocoanut Grove. The dance floor, which resembles a grand ballroom, is decked out with palm trees, plush couches and furniture

that was refurbished from the closed Century Club in Beverly Hills. The crowd is young and hip, with miniskirt wearing girls and guys dressed in a mix of slacks and coats and trendy designer wear. The club usually fills to capacity on the weekends as they dance to hip hop, Latin, Top 40 and salsa. The Long Haul “We’re not in it to make our money and get out,” said JD Iriarte, the club’s 36-yearold managing partner. Iriarte teamed up with well-known nightlife impresario Mark Fleischman, who previously ran Century Club, Studio 54 and Tatou in Beverly Hills and New York, to officially open Tatou in February 2007. The pair signed an 18-year lease on the club and plans are in the works for expanding the club on the rooftop with a open air restaurant and lounge aimed to cater to both the Downtown lunch crowd and the club goers looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. “Most clubs last about two years, but we’re not a flash in the pan, we’re in it for the long haul, we want to be responsible and a positive influence to the community,” Iriarte said as he sat in his sprawling office on the ground floor of the two-story club, where he keeps a close eye on just about every part of the venue, inside and out. Three flat screen monitors rest behind his desk with continuous views from more than 30 cameras placed in and around the club. It’s Iriate’s control room, where he makes sure nothing goes unnoticed. “Most clubs will have these cameras but they’ll be directed at staff, like over bars to

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make sure none of the employees are stealing. We do that, but we also have ours focused on other places to make sure everyone is safe,” he said. Iriarte said he worked directly with the LAPD to come up with a plan to help curtail illegal activity around the club, which is adjacent to the LAUSD headquarters on Beaudry. “We wanted to be proactive with the venue. Part of that was to make sure we had a great surveillance system and a great security and parking plan,” he said. “I can see everything from here, every liability point,” he said.

‘It’s not a nightclub that looks to be one that just wants to make money and go about their business.’ —LAPD Officer Michael Dickes

Cameras look over the parking lot, the entrance, the dance floor, patio, restaurant, kitchen and the streets around the club. “We wanted our neighbors, a well as our patrons to be safe,” he said. Good Neighbor Keeping the neighborhood and his clients safe may also play a big role in the club’s longevity. While Downtown dance venues like the Mayan have been around for decades, safety issues have dogged other establishments that have opened up since the Downtown renaissance began more than a decade ago. Club 740, a 40,000-square-foot club on Broadway that opened in May 2005, went before the Zoning Administration last month to determine if the nightspot should remain open following LAPD reports that it has been a hotspot for crime and violence. A decision on its future won’t be made until April. South Park nightclub Crash Mansion remains closed after its liquor license was suspended by the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in July. The club had been under police scrutiny since January 2008,

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when a 19-year-old patron was shot in the club’s parking lot. The site that houses Tatou has also had its share of problems, starting in the 1980s when it opened as a club called Vertigo, through its stint as Glam Slam, a club owned by Prince, and later Babyrocks, where fights and illegal activity were common. “You had various gang activity, public nuisance, loitering, noise complaints from the apartments nearby, lots of crime reports, criminal activity, you name it,” Dickes said. While he said it’s impossible to stop all fights and problems associated with nightclubs, Dickes said nuisance activity has decreased dramatically since Tatou opened. “I would say it’s gone down somewhere between 50 and 75 percent. For the most part, the criminal element has dropped,” he said. Moved In The club is about a block away from the Visconti, a $45 million 297-luxury apartment community by developer Geoff Palmer. To make sure his club wasn’t a nuisance to neighbors, Iriarte said he moved into the Visconti for a year and a half after the club opened. “I wanted to make sure there were no noise issues, that we were going to be good neighbors,” he said. That tactic may have paid off. A Visconti representative who asked that her name not be used because she was not allowed to talk to the media said there have been no complaints from residents about the club. Derrick Moore, director of urban retail for CB Richard Ellis and one of Downtown Los Angeles’ leading retail leasing agents, frequented the venue when it was Vertigo and Glam Slam. He said the changes in Downtown have made that area more inviting for a club, as long as the operators are involved in the community. “There’s more there now, more residential, it’s more pedestrian friendly, there are more eyes and ears on the street, and they have greater activity in the evening and it’s a more inviting, safer place,” he said. “It’s so very different then it was before. It was really tucked away, it was an island, so maybe for that reason it attracted a certain kind of element,” he added. But of course, only time will tell if Tatou will be able to carve a permanent niche in the Downtown nightlife scene. “In our new renaissance period of Downtown we haven’t seen any traditional clubs emerge with any longevity,” Moore said. “But now you’ve got new residents and a younger demographic so we’ll see.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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March 23, 2009

Continued from page 1 year and lands in the U.S. about every six years, most recently in Washington, D.C., in 2003. This will mark only the second time the event has touched down in California; in 1992, Oakland played host. The table was partially set for the event to come to Staples Center when the venue hosted the U.S. National Championship in 2002, which showed the skating community that the city and venue are a good fit for such an event, said David Simon, president of the Los Angeles Sports Council, which coordinated the 2002 competition. Ironically, perhaps the most important step in bringing the Worlds to Los Angeles was AEG’s failed attempt to host the 2008 event at its O2 arena in London. Lee Zeidman, general manager of Staples Center and L.A. Live, said that although the International Skating Union instead awarded the competition to Gottenburg, Sweden, AEG used the opportunity to build the relationships necessary to be successful in this bid. “When you talk about these kind of international competitions or events that have an impact not only nationally but worldwide, it’s always been a goal of ours to attract these high-profile events,” said Zeidman, who grouped the figure skating competition with other high-profile events at Staples Center such as the Grammys and the 2000 Democratic National Convention. When attendance, international audience and economic impact to Downtown and Los Angeles are taken into account, however, the figure skating Worlds may be more significant than the Grammys or the DNC. AEG

estimates that, over the course of the event, which begins March 24, sponsorship deals, ticket and vendor sales and hotel room stays will provide an estimated $25 million shot in the arm to the local economy. “From the facility standpoint, we believe there’s going to be a tremendous amount of upswing for merchandise, food and beverage, and we think it’s going to be a tremendous boost for our tenants at L.A. Live,” Zeidman said. Olympic Preview The annual World Figure Skating Championship brings in individuals, pairs and dance teams from around the globe. In addition to the skaters, who include top athletes like Americans Evan Lysacek and Rachel Flatt, Mao Asada of Japan and Brian Joubert of France, approximately 800 media representatives will be on hand. Because it is the year before the Olympics, the event will likely offer a preview to the top competitors in the Vancouver games, Dunlop said. But the Worlds is perhaps less important for individuals and more crucial on a team level, because a nation’s overall performance determines how many athletes it can send to the Olympics, he said. The event is so big that it actually exceeds Staples Center’s capabilities: Organizers have worked with the adjacent Los Angeles Convention Center, where a regulation-sized practice rink was built so skaters can finetune their axels, salchows and lutzes before performing for the judges. It will be dismantled after the competition. The 200-foot-long, 85-foot-wide temporary rink uses 28 miles of tubing to circulate 3,000 gallons of coolant and is supported by a 300ton chilling unit. It’s quite the operation, but from AEG’s perspective, bringing in practice ice was easy. Scheduling six consecutive days of

Around Town he Glorya Kaufman Dance Foundation last week announced a $20 million donation to the Music Center to support the organization’s dance programs. The donation was celebrated by center representatives and city and county officials on March 17. “It is really exciting and I think it really signals the strength of the program and how it’s been developing over the last six years,” said Michelle Clark, the Music

figure skating during the latter half of the NBA and NHL seasons for the Lakers, Clippers and Kings was the hard part, Zeidman said. With the level of competition as high as it gets in figure skating, the Worlds is also a major spectator event. Staples Center, which has a normal capacity of about 20,000, but will be pared down to 14,000 seats for the event to fit in extra media and “kiss and cry” areas, expects to sell out some of its 10 ticketed sessions, Zeidman said. Highlights include the Men’s Short Program finals on March 25 and the Ladies Short Program finals on March 27. On March 29, there will be an all-day exhibition. “Do I think we’ll completely sell out?” Zeidman asked. “No, but do I think we’ll sell out most? Yes. I’d say we’re at about 95% of

our sales goals.” While the event is somewhat standardized, in Los Angeles there will be a few twists, including an elaborate opening night celebration, to be broadcast on NBC, said former figure skating champion Randy Gardner. A Los Angeles native, Gardner won the World Championship for pairs in 1979. He is also directing the opening night event. “It used to be just 50 nations, 50 flags, a procession and the president of the ISU declares it open,” Gardner said, noting that the event usually has a more elaborate closing ceremony. “But I switched it, because in Los Angeles, you can’t open wimpy. You’ve got to open big.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project

Continued from page 2

Music Center Dance Gets $20 Million Gift

photo by Gary Leonard

Bob Dunlop, director of events for U.S. Figure Skating, at a 200-foot-long practice rink temporarily installed in the Convention Center. The World Figure Skating Championship, which runs through March 29 at Staples Center, is estimated to be worth $25 million to the local economy.

Center’s vice president for development. The gift quadruples the endowment for Dance at the Music Center, which will now be known as “Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center.” The program’s annual season costs about $5 million and $3.5 million is covered by ticket sales. The $20 million gift will allow the organization to continue a level of programming that the recession had put in jeopardy, Clark said. Kaufman, one of the dance world’s most prominent philanthropists, is the widow of Donald Bruce Kaufman, the co-founder with Eli Broad of the development company that would become KB Home.

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public scoping meetings

You are invited to a Metro Public Scoping Meeting for the Regional Connector Transit Corridor Project. This project will connect the Metro Gold Line with the Blue and Expo lines through Downtown Los Angeles. The scoping meetings start the Draft Environmental Impact Study/Environmental Impact Report process per the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of the Regional Connector. Moving forward for further environmental review are two Build alternatives – an at-grade emphasis alternative, and an underground emphasis alternative, as well as a No-Build and a Transportation Systems Management alternative. Content presented at the meetings will be identical, so make sure you attend at the time most convenient for you.

Please join us to provide your comments on this next phase of the project. Monday, March 30, 2009 4:30pm – 6pm Alumni Room, Davidson Conference Center University of Southern California (USC) 3415 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90007 Tuesday, March 31, 2009 6:30pm – 8pm Lake Avenue Church 393 N Lake Av, Pasadena, CA 91101 Wednesday, April 1, 2009 6:30pm – 8pm Japanese American National Museum (JANM) 369 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Thursday, April 2, 2009 Noon – 1:30pm Board Room, Los Angeles Central Library 630 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

For more information, visit metro.net/regional connector or call 213.922.7277.

Skating

Downtown News 9

DowntownNews.com

10 Downtown News

Chow Continued from page 1 it has tremendous benefits down the line,” said Chow in his new office, where the walls are decorated with old photographs including one of his 1990 graduating class at the police academy and his treasured 1984 cherry red Ferrari. A meeting table in his office was covered with folders of crime statistic documents, scrawled with Chow’s notes and observations. “I’m getting ready for COMPSTAT tomorrow,” he said on a recent Tuesday, referring to the monthly meeting when department brass convene to analyze the latest crime trends. On Wednesday morning, in case someone was looking for the captain, he had updated his Facebook status: “In COMPSTAT then doing a talk @ USC.”

DowntownNews.com Central Homecoming The 47-year-old Chinese-American, who lives in Orange County with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and three children, is no stranger to Downtown. He walked Downtown foot beats as a rookie officer in Central Division from 1991 to 1994. “I remember chasing drug dealers right through here,” he said outside the Spring Arcade Building on a recent walk around his old territory. Barely into his second year, Chow recalled the department being beset by the 1992 riots in the wake of the Rodney King scandal. The same period marked one of the darkest for Downtown, he said. “I think Downtown for the most part back then had probably really been given up on and kind of written off,” he said. “I’d say I saw Downtown at its worst.” Thanks largely to the rapid residential development of the area and the new sense of community it spawned,

March 23, 2009

Central Division is now a vastly different place compared to when he left in 1995 to take a desk job doing operationsrelated research. He didn’t stay at a desk for long, moving back to the streets as a training officer in Rampart Division in 1996. During a one-year stint in Rampart, Chow was selected as the division’s Officer of the Year and advanced to sergeant, marking the first step in what would prove a rapid ascent up the department hierarchy. By 1999, when Chow was leading a vice unit in Southeast Division, he made lieutenant and was then transferred in 2000 to be officer in charge of Venice Beach. In 2003, he made captain and was transferred back to Central Division to lead the Central Patrol Division. Chow’s frequent transfers reflect a common LAPD administrative strategy; turnover in the department, especially since Bratton became chief, is almost constant. It was in 2006, the year Bratton tapped Chow to create the Real-time Analysis and Critical Response, or RACR, division, when the fast-rising San Jose native most impressed the chief, Bratton said. The new division functions as an emergency operations center, located in the basement of City Hall, which utilizes technology including GPS to track crime trends and deploy resources more efficiently. “He built that from scratch in really about 90 days,” Bratton said. “Captain Chow is one of our most senior captains. He has had great success in his two most previous assignments.” Cubicle Dreams Police work is Chow’s passion. He knew it as early as high school, but pressure from his parents led him down a different career path after he graduated from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 1985, with a business degree. “I always had this interest in working in this industry and my parents always said it’s too dangerous,” Chow said. “When it was time to go to college, they said ‘You should probably major in something that’s real safe.’” So instead of putting on a police uniform and hitting the streets, Chow took a job as an internal auditor at Raytheon in Goleta, a small city west of Santa Barbara. “I remember sitting in my cubicle and having this list of audits and thinking there’s got to be more to life than just sitting here and looking at audits,” he said. The recent college graduate moved back to San Jose, where he took another business job but also joined his home city’s police reserves. It wasn’t long before the volunteer experience convinced him of his instincts to be a police officer, and he left San Jose to enroll in the Los Angeles Police Academy in April 1990. Crime by Numbers Now that he’s back in Central for the third tour, this time as the Area Captain, Chow knows he faces challenges. While the division has reduced crime dramatically even since his second tour Downtown, in 2008 violent crime crept up 2%. Last year’s violent crime statistics, which were buoyed by a 21% jump in robberies, came after Central Division dropped crime 30% from 2006 to 2007 in the first year of the Safer Cities Initiative. Given the major reductions the previous year, the department was fighting its own good numbers in 2008. But Chow said he is intent on lowering that number this year. As of March 7, Central has reduced year-to-date overall crime compared to last year by 15%, according to department statistics. But violent crime, a category that includes homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault, is up 6%. The year-to-date increase is again led by a 16% jump in robberies, from 77 last year to 89 this year. As Chow settles into his new role, his priority is to strengthen relationships with community groups and city agencies, from homeowners associations and service providers to the various business improvement districts that help with security Downtown. “I can’t stress enough the importance of being plugged into the community out in the streets so you can make decisions about how officers should be deployed to obtain maximum efficiencies,” he said. “You can’t arrest yourself out of any problem. Everybody’s got to be on the same page working together, and anyone, even the groups who disagree with the police department, has a place at my table.” It’s a goal that, to some extent, will be a continuation of what the division and its community partners have been striving to accomplish in the past few years, said Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry. “I think he’ll find more community structure in place, with better communication between the senior lead officers and people on the street,” Perry said. “The relationships between the senior lead officers are much enhanced and much improved and in that sense. I think he got in on the ground floor of that and can reap the fruit of his and many others’ labor.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

March 23, 2009

Downtown News 11

DowntownNews.com

DOWNTOWN LIVING What’s in My Loft? Downtowners Reveal How They Live, How They Decorate and What They Love About Their Homes by Kristin Friedrich contributing writer

photo by Gary Leonard

Jeremy Kasten, Eastern Columbia Building An Art Deco Homage and a Cat Named Squeak Horror filmmaker Jeremy Kasten was one of the first people to move into the Eastern Columbia Building after it was turned into a condominium complex. Within a couple of weeks, and on a modest budget and with the help of his designer friend Shannon Ggem, he transformed one of the structure’s smaller units into a spot-on ode to his favorite architectural era — Art Deco. The lush space features true-to-the-period wallpaper and mohair upholstery, and brims with taxidermy, mannequins and antique artifacts from the world of magic. “It’s slightly creepy, but comfortable,” Kasten says. The lord of the manor is a cat named Squeak who’s either oblivious to, or not threatened by, the stuffed members of the animal kingdom that surround him.

2. Nothing in my home is fancy. It’s all stuff that I collected from my salad days, living in crappy apartments in Hollywood and having no money to do anything but drive around to flea markets and find the old ladies who had jackalopes in their basements. 3. The couch and the two chairs that match it, they were maroon and all beat up. But I was watching an old Joan Crawford movie and she was draped against a couch that had the same shape, so I was inspired to save it. Chalos Upholstery, here Downtown, did it, and those guys are unbelievably good because it was the ugliest couch ever when I got it.

4. The other units feature a lot of concrete, but I 1. The Eastern Columbia opened in 1930, and put in hardwood floors and I pulled in other eleI really wanted to capture the essence of that ments from the lobby like hand-painted crown vibe. Because I’m in the mezzanine and the deco moldings and wall columns that are actubuilding had an arcade set-up, and because I’m ally made using baseboard. People come in and situated up front, I like to imagine that where I ask how me how I scored the loft that looks like sleep was where ladies shopped for lingerie in the lobby. That’s the best compliment I could the early ’30s. You have to pay homage to that. hope for.

photo by Gary Leonard

Dave Lefner, Brewery Art Colony A Live/Work Space Lit by the Freeway and the Moon Artist Dave Lefner has lived at the Brewery for a decade. His former place was slanted — as in, a marble could roll from one end to the other (a leftover from the time when the beer that was made at the facility would flow into huge vats). Seven years ago, Lefner upgraded, and now shares a loft with his girlfriend, actress and writer Shyla Marlin, and a Shiba named Mei Mei. In a space that feels very connected to the city, he works on a lost art: painstaking linoleum block prints that he draws, hand carves, inks and rolls in his own printing press.

ed a little separation, so I hung all these window panes on chains. It’s a wall you can see through. It’s the first thing people stop at when they walk in: “Oh, I love your kitchen.” I’m like, “I’m an artist too. My work’s over there.”

3. I have the Cal Oaks neon sign from the pharmacy in Pasadena. It didn’t have a home, and I wrote a proposal to get it, saying that thousands of people came through my space twice a year during the art walks so it would still be seen. I also have these metal doors, covered with magnets. You see all these beautiful images that someone takes so 1. I work through the night usually, so I see the lights of long to make cool, and then you close the magazine and the 5 Freeway — it’s like I can see the city’s lifeblood. they’re lost forever. I laminate them and make magnets. There are also these industrial yellow sheet metal walls This way, I have them out and I can be inspired. outside that I watch the shadows on. I see the moon rise, the telephone lines. You wouldn’t have this in a 4. The Brewery’s just a great community all around. You’ve regular apartment complex. got the energy of 300 artists, and it’s cool not to have to deal with the politics of the gallery world. You just open up 2. When I knocked down a half-wall by my kitchen, I want- your space to people who are interested in your work. see What’s in My Loft?, next page

12 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

Downtown Living

What’s in My Loft?

Continued from previous page

Daria Benedict and Emmett James, Douglas Building Daria Benedict is a digital content producer at NBC and her boyfriend, Emmett James, is an ad agency creative director. Their gadgets — the refrigerator embedded with a TV, for instance — and their modern art habit match the tech-savvy tenor of their jobs. But the antiques are a bit unexpected, and each one tells a story. James, it turns out, has a lifelong connection to the Titanic: He had a part in the James Cameron movie and has happened upon flea market treasures that, considering their White Star Line logos, may have once been on the ship. The decor in their Historic Core home reflects two primary themes: a love of the movie business and the idea of travel. Benedict detailed their home’s highlights.

2. We have closets for clothes, but nothing else, and we needed something for all our books and DVDs. We designed a bookcase with a library ladder that takes up our entire south wall and had it built. Our carpenter stained the wood to match our coffee table. It shows off all the antique cameras and typewriters and it hides all the stuff we didn’t want out. You can’t see it but at the top, we put colored gels over a fluorescent light. Right now, it glows neon pink.

1. There are three design features here that I love: The open floor plan — we opted for no walls; the picture window above our bed that perfectly frames City Hall — it’s the most beautiful view; and the balcony, which is our little sanctuary. I can even lay out towels and tan there.

4. In the kitchen, we have a 1950s neon diner clock. We have a lot of gatherings and I love to cook. When we’re having people over and all the prep is done, Emmett will always ask, “Shall I turn on the party clock?” That’s the cue for the night to begin.

photo by Gary Leonard

Where Influences Are Equal Parts Movies and History

3. In our office, there’s a vintage cigarette dispenser, two original seats from the Pantages Theatre, an original Andy Warhol “Electric Chair” and one of our favorites, a Peter Samuels oil painting of the Wicked Witch of the West, because we both love The Wizard of Oz.

see What’s in My Loft?, page 20

1546

CERT

Priced From Mid $400s - Low $500s

//1310 //2-3 STO //5 UNIQ BEDROO //HUGE 1 BALCO //10’ CEI //SOLAR //GREEN //STRAND FLOORI //SILESTO //2 CAR //HIGH E //BUILT IN //CENTRA

MODEL HOMES OPEN MARCH 2009 1546 YOSEMITE DRIVE EAGLE ROCK 90041 THE FIRST LEED + ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED GREEN HOME SUBDIVISION IN L.A.

Priced From Mid//WALK-IN $400s - Low $500s CLOSETS //1310 - 1610SQ.FT.

323.6

*Project features and pricing subject to change. Agent/Broker does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage or features. Project is being built to

//TANKLESS HOT WATER HEATER //2-3 STORIES //DUAL FLUSH TOILETS //5 UNIQUE LAYOUTS: 2-3 1546 YOSEMITE DRIVE EAGLE ROCKSPACE 90041 //PRIVATE OUTDOOR BEDROOMS/2-3 BATH //HUGE 100-400 SQ.FT. PRIVATE //GLASS GARAGE DOORS THE FIRST LEED + ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED GREEN HOME SUBDIVISION IN L.A. //CUSTOM ARCHITECTURAL SLIDING BALCONIES //ALUMINUM MOLDINGS WALK-IN CLOSETS //10’ CEILINGS // LOW FLOW PLUMBING FIXTURESREVEAL BASE // 1310 - 1610SQ.FT. TANKLESS HOT WATER//SOLAR HEATER PANELS // SOLAR PANELS//RECYCLED WOOD DECKING // 2-3 STORIES DUAL FLUSH TOILETS//GREEN ROOFS // GREEN ROOFS //BUILT-IN SHELVING // 5 UNIQUE LAYOUTS: 2-3 BDRMS/2-3 BATH //FIRE SPRINKLERS //STRAND WOVEN BAMBOO PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACE // SILESTONE COUNTERTOPS // HUGE 100-400 SQ.FT. PRIVATE BALCONIES GLASS GARAGE DOORS FLOORING THROUGHOUT // 2 CAR GARAGE//LOW FLOW PLUMBING//FIXTURES 10’ CEILINGS //ARTEMIDE //SILESTONE CUSTOM ARCHITECTURAL SLIDING COUNTERTOPS // HIGH EFFICIENCY WINDOWS LIGHT FIXTURES // ARTEMIDE LIGHT FIXTURES PAVING // GRASSCRETE PAVING //2 CAR GARAGE // BUILT IN AUDIO//GRASSCRETE ALUMINUM REVEAL BASE MOLDINGS SYSTEM //HIGH EFFICIENCY // WINDOWS RECYCLED WOOD DECKING CENTRAL A/C //LOW VOC PAINT // LOW VOC PAINT //PEBBLE STONE ENTRYWAYS BUILT-IN SHELVING //BUILT IN AUDIO SYSTEM // STRAND WOVEN // PEBBLE STONE ENTRYWAYS //DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPING FIRE SPRINKLERS //CENTRAL A/C BAMBOO FLOORING THROUGHOUT // DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPING

MODEL HOMES OPEN MARCH 2009

// // // // // // // // // //

FOR SALES INFORMATION CONTACT: FOR SALES INFORMATION CONTACT: Chris Furstenberg 323.660.6221 :: Chris@LeanGreenLivingMachine.com CHRIS FURSTENBERG *Project features and pricing subject to change. Agent/Broker does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage or features. Project is being built to LEED standards and certification will be determined upon completion. 323.660.6221 :: Chris@LeanGreenLivingMachine.com

*Project features and pricing subject to change. Agent/Broker does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage or features. Project is being built to LEED standards and certification will be determined upon completion.

LTL_Downtown March 23, 2009 News_032309:Layout 1

3/18/09

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Downtown News 13

Downtown Living

no doubt. now’s the best time. INTRODUCING 2009 VALUE PRICING. Prices have been reduced on 15 homes. These lofts feature a wide range of floor plans, sizes and locations. Right now, Little Tokyo Lofts has something for everyone's budget.

Unbeatable downtown LA prices Interest Rates are Near Historic Lows Your Dollar has Never had More Buying Power Great Buyer Incentives

authentic downtown LA loft living now in the

mid

$200’s 4% Co-op OPEN HOUS E Satur day, May 28th 10 am - 5 pm

420 S. San Pedro Downtown | 213.626.6400 | LittleTokyoLofts.com

14 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

Downtown Living

Downtown Residences You Can Move Into Today photo courtesy of the Mandeel

by AnnA Scott And RyAn VAillAncouRt StAff wRiteRS

s anyone who pays even a bit of attention to Downtown knows, the community has seen the arrival of dozens of housing complexes in the past decade. Many of the condominiums and apartments filled quickly, though with the recent economic slowdown and the crush of so many buildings opening in a short time period, the market has gotten softer. While some developers are pulling their hair out, this is good news for those looking for a place to rent or buy. Here is a (very small) sampling of some of what is on the market. All of these individual units were, at least as of late last week, unoccupied. CONVENIENT COINCIDENCE Place: The Mandel, 711 S. Olive St. Contact: Curt Truman, (310) 467-2453 or themandel.com. Unit #: 505 Rent: $3,699 per month Square Feet: 1,950 Time on Market: One month

photo by Gary Leonard

District complex, this unit is in a structure with a rooftop pool, a deck, a hot tub and a courtyard. The condo features original industrial details, high ceilings, stone countertops and stainless steel appliances. The surrounding neighborhood includes the popular organic eatery Urth Caffe; the Primo Cucina Italian restaurant and gourmet market is slated to open in the spring. photo courtesy of the Barker Block

Live Here Now!

Amenities: This adaptive reuse apartment building sits at the nexus of the Financial and Jewelry districts, at the corner of Seventh and Olive streets. At 55 total units, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smaller than most adaptive reuse projects in the area, but the apartments themselves arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t short on space. This two-bedroom, twoand-a-half bath, corner unit measures nearly 2,000 square feet and boasts 16-foot ceilings. It includes a laundry room with full-size washers and dryers, wood floors, exposed brick walls and concrete columns. The building, which is about 85% occupied, has a rooftop terrace open 24 hours. Underground parking is an additional $150 per car. The building is also home to a convenient coincidence; it has a 7-Eleven store on the ground floor. BLOCK BY BLOCK Place: Barker Block, 513 S. Hewitt St. Contact: Sales office, (213) 620-9650 or barkerblock.com. Unit #: 416 Price: $365,000 Square Feet: 912 Time on Market: One and a half months Amenities: Located in Building 4 of the $75 million Arts

photo by Gary Leonard

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March 23, 2009

Downtown News 15 photos courtesy of tBiscuit Company Lofts

Downtown Living

A BITE OF THE BISCUIT (right) Place: Biscuit Company Lofts, 1855 Industrial St. Contact: Brian Linder at Deasy Penner & Linder, (310) 5925417 or blinder@tvoa.net. Unit #: 115 Price: $695,000 Square Feet: 1,680 Time on Market: One month Amenities: Unit 115 is the only one in the building with direct access from the street through a private door. The residence features stainless steel appliances and cabinets, oversized windows, an antique copper entry door, 13-foot ceilings, original maple factory floors and a marble bathroom. The 1925 Biscuit Company building, once the West Coast headquarters of Nabisco, features a 75-foot lap pool, a 24-hour doorman and a gym. The French bistro Church & State is on the ground floor.

URBAN SEEN

photo by Gary Leonard

photo courtesy of Gas Company Lofts

GAS POWERED (below) Place: Gas Company Lofts, 810 S. Flower St. Contact: (323) 860-4829 or gascompanylofts.com Unit #: 1000 Price: $2,229 Square Feet: 1,093 Time on Market: One and a half months Amenities: One of the units available in the 13-story Renaissance Revival structure is on the 10th floor. Like other units in the building, this corner residence has wood floors, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, including a dishwasher. The Gas Company Lofts touts its location as one of its top amenities: At the corner of Eighth and Flower streets, the building is one block from the Seventh Street Metro Station and the Financial District, one block from Ralphs grocery store and two blocks from L.A. Live. One onsite parking spot comes free per unit and an additional space is available for $115 per month.

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16 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

Downtown Living

Walking in L.A. How a Downtown Dog Walker Helps Satisfy A Rising Pet-Owner Population by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

nyone who believes that nobody walks in L.A. hasn’t met Chip Latshaw. Latshaw is the founder of UP! dog, a Downtown Los Angeles dog walking service. It’s a field that is growing, with other local businesses such as Walk Fido and Furry Social Club. Their popularity should not come as a surprise in a community with tens of thousands of residents, many of whom have pets, work long hours, and don’t always have time to help pooches get their exercise or do their business. Latshaw spoke with Los Angeles Downtown News as he walked a group of dogs through the Historic Core. With about 20 canine clients (he walks no more than four at a time), Latshaw knows his way around a leash. He spoke about the services he offers — prices range from $15 for a 30-minute walk to $275 a month for multiple walks each day — and offered tips for those who, with their four-legged friends, do like to walk in Downtown L.A. Question: How did you become a professional dog walker? Answer: It was just one of those things. I was a freelance photo assistant and I also had a dog photography business, and what I found when I was doing photo shoots is that it was really hard to find somebody reliable that could get my dogs out enough times during the day because I had a lot of long days. So I

saw a need and started offering multiple daily walking packages. It really fit in well with a lot of people that have long, crazy hours. The business just grew and before I knew it, I wasn’t taking pictures anymore. Q: How much do you walk a day? A: Boy, a lot. My first client is about 8 a.m. and I’m usually on my feet walking until about 5 p.m. On a really busy day, 8 p.m. Q: What walking routes do you recommend? A: I walk a lot up Spring Street. There’s decent traffic but it’s not crazy traffic so far as people go. I go by the courthouse and all of those buildings because there’s grass. Anyplace there’s grass is someplace where I really try and get to so the dogs can feel some of that. The park near the top of Angels Flight is a real gem; that’s just a great little park and there are benches there. There’s a really nice dog community around there too. In South Park I walk by Staples Center; there’s a little patch of grass out by the Convention Center. If I see grass there’s a good chance I’m going to take a dog there. Q: You’re a bonded dog walker. Who bonds dog walkers? A: I’m insured through the Pet Sitters Association. It’s very important for any business to have insurance. Just to make sure that if there’s an incident with the dog, then that dog can be taken care of, or if the dog for whatever reason becomes aggressive

A taste of L.A. history and a 9¢ cup of coffee 1001 N. AlAmedA St. (213) 628-3781 • philippes.com OpeN 6 A.m. tO 10 p.m. dAily Adjacent to Chinatown & Historic Olvera Street. PLENTY OF FREE PARKING!

photo by Gary Leonard

Chip Latshaw, owner of UP! dog, takes his furry clients on a walking tour of Downtown.

toward someone, that person can be taken care of. It protects us and the person who owns the dog. Q: Did you have to take any tests to get bonded or when you became a professional dog walker? A: No, and that’s actually one of the faults of the industry — pretty much anybody with a leash and a box of dog poop bags can say, “I’m a dog walker.” That’s why when people are interviewing they need to really talk to the person. Our dogs are such a part of our families so you really need to make sure you trust that person and that they have the experience

to go along with it. Q: Any advice for picking up dog poop? Or are there any inventions that make it any less gross? A: The Downtown store Pussy and Pooch sells great dog bags. But it’s just one of the facts of it; if you’re walking dogs you’re picking up poop. There really are no two ways around it. There are different types of bags, but at the end of the day you’ve got a bag and you’re picking up poop. UP! dog is at (310) 750- 5327 or theupdog. com; Walk Fido is at (213) 479-2426 or walkfido. com; Furry Social Club is at furrysocialclub.com Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

March 23, 2009

Downtown News 17

Downtown Living

The Downtown Living Guide

Pitfire Pizza 108 W. Second St., (213) 808-1200 or pitfirepizza.com Open daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Free delivery and individual gourmet pizzas, pasta, salads and sandwiches.

Where to Get Your Pet Fed, Your Clothes Cleaned and Your Cravings Filled Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat. 7 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun. 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

by Kristin Friedrich contributing writer

here is a lot, repeat, a lot, of stuff in Downtown Los Angeles. It’s a vastly different landscape than it was just a few years ago, and those who live and work in the community are finding less and less reason to venture outside for their services. In the effort to detail just how much stuff there is, we’ve put together the Downtown Living Guide. The purveyors of everything from pizza to pet supplies listed herein are helpful, but there are also a few lifesavers: A little shop that will deliver wine for five bucks, and hair stylists that can take lastminute appointments. Not every Downtown entity or business is on the list here. Think of this as a good starting point.

525 W. Sixth St., (213) 629-5100 Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat.-Sun. 7 a.m.-12 a.m. You don’t always assign the word “cute” to convenience stores, but at Famima you do. Sandwiches, salads, hot buns, Japanese savories and an impressive magazine selection. Visit famima-usa.com.

GROCERIES Bunker Hill Market & Deli 800 W. First St., (213) 624-1245 Open Sun.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-midnight. All the basics, plus beer, wine and spirits, and no attitude. They’ll deliver Downtown for $5.

Old Bank District Market 409 S. Main St., (213) 680-9000 Open daily 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Basic groceries, milk, wine, gourmet items, a deli, a coffee bar and the irrepressible Ray.

Famima!! Cal Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., Suite R-2B, (213) 628-4000 or famima-usa.com Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 7 a.m.-6 p.m. City National Plaza, 505 S. Flower St., B-level, Suite 520, (213) 623-3236 Open Mon.-Fri. 5 a.m.-9 p.m. 800 S. Figueroa St., Suite 101, (213) 624-7700 Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat. 6 a.m.-1 a.m.; Sun. 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Grand Central Market 317 S. Broadway, (213) 624-2378 or grandcentralsquare.com Open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fresh produce, meat and prepared food stalls. One hour free parking with $10 purchase. They also have a liquor store. Joe’s Downtown Market (Toy Factory Lofts) 1855 Industrial St., (213) 612-0248 Open daily 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Snacks, drinks, gourmet items, soy cheese, milk, beer and other sundries.

Ralphs Fresh Fare 645 W. Ninth St., (213) 452-0840 or ralphs.com Open daily 5 a.m.-2 a.m. All hail the Downtown grocery king. Wine, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a deli, fresh sushi, dry cleaning and a guy who can talk to you about cheese. Validated parking accessible from Hope and Flower streets. DRUG STORES/PHARMACIES CVS Pharmacy 1050 W. Sunset Blvd., (213) 975-1200 or cvs.com Open 24 hours This well-stocked store offers a pharmacy, cosmetics and spirits. It also has that rare L.A. occurrence — a parking lot.

700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite A, (213) 622-2006

Rite-Aid 500 S. Broadway, (213) 623-5820 or riteaid.com Open Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. 600 W. Seventh St., (213) 896-0083 or riteaid.com Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Drug store necessities and toiletries, plus good deals on wine. Uptown Drug & Gift Shop 444 S. Flower St. #100, (213) 612-4300 or uptowndrugandgiftshop.com Open weekdays 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Traditional pharmacy with personal attention, screenings and prescription delivery. HOSPITALS California Hospital Medical Center 1401 S. Grand Ave., (213) 748-2411 or chmcla.org Good Samaritan Hospital Los Angeles 1225 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 977-2121 or goodsam.org Healthcare Partners 1025 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 623-2225 or healthcarepartners.com

Purgatory Pizza 1326 E. First St., (323) 262-5310 or eatpurgatorypizza.com Open daily 6-11 p.m. Rustic, handmade style from a quirky crew. Rocket Pizza 122 W. Fourth St., (213) 687-4992 or rocketpizzalounge.com Open Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m.midnight; Sat. noon-midnight; and Sun. noon-10 p.m. Free delivery with $10 minimum purchase. MOvIE REnTALS/THEATERS Angel City Drive-In 240 W. Fourth St., second floor, visit angelcitydrivein.com They’ll roll out the Astroturf and the car hops, but the screenings are BYOB. Walk-ins and bike-ins welcome. Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com A new film and event facility in the former Imaginasian Center. It offers indie flicks, readings, talks and film series. Laemmle Grande 4-Plex 345 S. Figueroa St., (213) 617-0268 or laemmle.com Downtown’s only multiplex hosts the occasional festival. More frequently, it screens art house films and current releases.

St. Vincent Medical Center 2131 W. Third Street, (213) 484-7111 or stvincentmedicalcenter.com Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital 2400 S. Flower St. (213) 742-1000 or orthohospital.org PIzzA DELIvERy Domino’s 545 S. Olive St., (213) 623-2424 or dominos.com Open daily 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Free delivery and basic pies.

Old Bank DVD 400 S. Main St., (213) 613-9654 or oldbankdvd.com Open Sun.-Thurs. noon-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. noon-midnight Art house, classics, foreign, independent and new releases are on the shelves. Plus, lots of yummy candy and really cool owners who will, if asked nicely, bring your movie out to the car if parking is a no-go. PET SERvICES Bark Avenue 545 S. Main St., (213) 748-7485 or barkavela.com 3016 S. Hill St., (213) 748-7485 or barkavela.com Open weekdays 7 a.m-7 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m-7 p.m. Training, grooming, boarding, daycare, pick-up/dropsee Living Guide, page 18

Los Angeles Pizza Company 712 N. Figueroa St., (213) 626-5272 or losangelespizzacompany.com Open Mon.-Thur. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Free delivery and several gourmet options.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore! 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’

Penthouse Available

lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible

G r a n d To w e r Promenade To w e r s 123 South Figueroa Street LEASING INFORMATION

(213) 617-3777

255 South Grand Avenue LEASING I N F O R M AT I O N

(213) 229-9777

back drop to complement your decor.

M u s e u m To w e r 225 South Olive Street LEASING I N F O R M AT I O N

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Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. Even the most demanding tastes are satisfied with gourmet dining, shops, theatres and the cultural events that make headlines. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.

SINGLES, STUDIO, ONE BEDROOM & TWO BEDROOM RESIDENCES MAID SERVICE FURNITURE HOUSEWARES CABLE UTILITIES PARKING WWW.GKIND.com

18 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

Downtown Living

Living Guide Continued from page 17 off and retail, plus a fenced-in area for play time. Lofty Dog 525 S. Hewitt St., (213) 617-2275 or loftydog.beepeez.com Retail and park open Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun noon-5 p.m. Daycare open Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Grooming, doggie daycare, indoor dog park and a boutique in 7,000 square feet. Muttropolitan 408 E. Second St., (213) 626-8887 or muttropolitanla.com Open Tues.-Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. This Little Tokyo salon for pets includes self-service pet wash stations and drop offs.

Pet Project 400 S. Main St., #7B, (213) 595-4225 or petproject1@aol.com Low-priced home and office pet supply delivery service. Pussy & Pooch 564 S. Main St., (213) 438-0900 or pussyandpooch.com Upscale pet boutique with grooming services, unique products and pet furniture, plus the Pawbar for pet meals. Dry Cleaning Bunker Hill Cleaners 801 W. First St. Suite 102, (213) 680-0973 Open weekdays 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Located in the Bunker Hill Towers complex, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quick and convenient. Monte Carlo Cleaners 225 W. Eighth St., (213) 489-9400 Open Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun. noon-4 p.m. Organic dry cleaning, fluff and fold with lifesaving delivery options and housekeeping services.

Starting at $1,400

Sloanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dry Cleaners 300 S. Grand Ave., (213) 620-0205 330 S. Hope St., (213) 620-1622 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 627-5123 Call for hours. This omnipresent cleaners does it all. Shoe repair Shoe Care & Dry Cleaners 543B S. Olive St., (213) 624-3440 Open weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Across from Pershing Square, two services in one. Shoe Wiz Instant Shoe Repair 514 W. Sixth St., (213) 688-9699 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 689-0050 Repairs on heels and boots, plus dye jobs, polishing and overnight work. SalonS/ServiCeS Candolynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 350 S. Grand Ave., D-9, (213) 625-7895 or candolyn.com Open Mon.-Wed. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri. 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday by appointment. Hair, nails and massage facing the California Plaza Watercourt.

MOnday-friday 9:00am-6:00pm SaTUrday & SUnday By appt. -JNJUFE UJNF PĂľFS $BMM GPS EFUBJMT

Salon Pure 117 E. Sixth St., (213) 624-7873 or salonpurela.com Open weekdays 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; weekends 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cuts, color, nails and waxing in a historic space at the Santa Fe Lofts. Yolanda Aguilar Beauty Institute & Spa 735 S. Figueroa St. (7+Fig), Suite 100, (213) 687-6683 or yabeauty.com Open weekdays 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. More than 40 years in the biz, they do everything from facials to massages to body wraps.

Jacquelineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Salon 108 W. Second St., (213) 617-7911 or jacquelinessalon.com Open Tues.-Sat. 9 a.m.-close (also by appointment) A full-service salon in business Downtown for 17 years. Nail Service 244 E. First St., (213) 626-0315 Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nail and spa services, face treatments, lash extensions and 3D nail art in both gel and acrylic. Validated parking in garage on Second Street.

Loft Appeal 903 S. Hill St., (213) 629-9105 or loftappeal.com Open Mon. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Modern, retro and unique film-set furnishings at reasonable prices.

Neihule 607 S. Olive St., (213) 623-4383 or neihule.com Open Mon. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tues. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wed.-Fri. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. A high-end, full-service salon across from Pershing Square decked out in mod white. Internet service. Early morning appointments starting at 6 a.m.

Loft Appeal East/Reel Appeal 521 S. Hewitt St., (213) 625-1725 or loftappeal.com Open Fri., Mon., Tues. noon-7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. This popular Downtown furniture store also has an Arts District location featuring contemporary home furnishings. Next door is the spectacular warehouse dubbed Reel Appeal, where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find everything from cool movie props to furniture to antiques.

Salon Eleven 420 W. 11th St., (213) 744-9944 or salon-eleven.com

Sweet Smiling Home 1317 Palmetto St., (213) 687-9630 or sweetsmilinghome.com Open to the public for special sales and events. Register at sweetsmilinghome.com. Home furnishings and accessories from Indonesia and China.

BIG

Loca File N

F R ee p

ick-up and deliver y

NOW LEASING 213-955-5700

Call to Schedule a Tour Today

Salon on 6 548 S. Spring St., Suite 111, (213) 623-5033 or salonon6.com Open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Salon and day spa in the Historic Core.

Furniture/home gooDS Cleveland Art 523 S. Hewitt St., (310) 940-4134 or clevelandart.com Open Mon.-Tues. by appt.; Wed.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Industrial machinery and surplus recycled as cool design for office, home and retail.

Rudyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Barber Shop 550 S. Flower St., (213) 439-3058 or rudysbarbershop.com Open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Cuts and color on the cheap and trendy, in the Downtown Standard hotel.

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Downtown News 19

Downtown Living

Police/BiD contacts Central Division 251 E. Sixth St., (213) 485-3294; call (877) 275-5273 to report non-emergency crimes. This LAPD division, helmed by Capt. Blake Chow, covers Downtown. Central City East Association 725 S. Crocker St., (213) 228-8484 or centralcityeast.org This BID covers the Toy and Industrial districts. It also organizes monthly community walks on Skid Row. Chinatown BID Red Patrol (213) 629-0466, press 7; BID office (213) 680-0243 or chinatownla.org The BID’s Red Patrol keeps Chinatown’s streets safe and clean. Downtown Center BID 626 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 624-2146; after hours (213) 624-2425 or downtownla.com This is Downtown’s largest BID covering 65 blocks of the Central Business District. Its purple-clad officers will help with security, cleanup and any other questions when you don’t know who to call.

The highest gym in America, located on the 57th floor of the U.S. Bank Tower with a 20-minute workout system. Bikram Yoga Downtown L.A. 700 W. First St., 310-405-1114 or bikramyogadowntownla.com A series of 26 postures in a heated room. Call for class schedule. Gold’s Gym 725 S. Figueroa St. #2, (213) 688-1441 or goldsgym.com Open Mon.-Thurs. 5 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri. 5 a.m.-9 p.m.; weekends 7 a.m.-9 p.m. You’ll find every class imaginable, from boot camp to cycling to Pilates. Ketchum-Downtown YMCA 401 S. Hope St., (213) 624-2348 or ymcala.org. Open Mon.-Thurs. 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri. 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Lap pool, basketball/volleyball, aerobics, indoor track and FitLinxx program. Los Angeles Athletic Club 431 W. Seventh St., (213) 625-2211 or laac.com Open weekdays 5 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; and Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. This private club features an Olympic-sized pool, personal training, classes and social events.

The Nine 1335 S. Flower St., (213) 746-9021 or theninemma.com Open Mon.-Sat. A sprawling mixed martial arts center in South Park. Pros or rookies just looking for a good workout welcome. Physique 1855 Industrial St., (310) 717-9824 or physiquedowntown.com. Open weekdays 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; and Sun. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Owner Eric Gillman’s boutique gym features state-of-the-art equipment and trainers for loft dwellers who want to shape up. The Yard 1335 Willow St. (at Santa Fe), (213) 706-6827 or theyardmuaythai.com Open Mon.-Thurs. 3-9 p.m.; Fri. 3-7 p.m.; and Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Learn the art of Muay Thai and kickboxing at this serious Arts District gym. Keys Roy Hopp and Company 510 W. Sixth St., (213) 622-5153 Open Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. A family run, old-school shop in the basement of a Jewelry District edifice.

Fashion District BID 110 E. Ninth St., A-1175, (213) 741-2661 for 24-hour public safety assistance or fashiondistrict.org The yellow-garbed Clean and Safe Team patrols the bustling Fashion District on bike and via cruisers. Figueroa Corridor Partnership BID 3982 S. Figueroa St., (213) 746-9577; service hotline (213) 746-3444 or figueroacorridor.org This organization covers the area just south of Downtown, including Exposition Park and USC. Downtown RePResentatives Ninth Council District, Councilwoman Jan Perry 200 N. Spring St., Room 420, (213) 473-7009 or lacity.org/council/cd9 Represents the majority of Downtown, including the Central Business District, South Park, parts of the Historic Core and Skid Row.

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First Council District, Councilman Ed Reyes 200 N. Spring St., Room 410, (213) 473-7001 or lacity.org/council/cd1 Represents Chinatown, City West, L.A. River issues. Fourteenth Council District, Councilman José Huizar 200 N. Spring St., Room 465, (213) 473-7014 or lacity.org/council/cd14 Covers Broadway, part of the Historic Core and the Arts District. Neighborhood Prosecutor 312 S. Hill St., second floor, (213) 847-8045 This responsive office deals with quality of life crimes including drug dealing, littering, panhandling and transient issues, among others. Email neighborhood@atty.lacity.org. Filming FilmL.A. Inc. 1201 W. Fifth St., Suite T-800, (213) 977-8600 (after hours call main line and press option #2) or filmlainc.com Open weekdays 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and 24-hour on-call staff. Bright lights in your loft or helicopters overhead? Call them with complaints or concerns or visit the website to read Downtown filming rules. neighBoRhooD gRouPs Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Meetings held in various locations, (213) 473-6451 or dlanc.org Neighborhood advocacy group advises city leaders on local issues. They always need people to get involved. Historic Cultural Neighborhood Council 305 E. First St., (213) 847-5026, hcncla.org Covers the northern tip of Downtown, including Chinatown, El Pueblo and Elysian Park, as well as Little Tokyo, the Industrial and Arts districts. local Blogs/BoaRDs Blogdowntown.com This blog, run by Eric Richardson, is a very good source for information and happenings around Downtown. Angelenic.com Keeping readers informed about development, planning, architecture and restaurants among other things. City Kids Los Angeles Groups.yahoo.com/group/CityKidsLA A forum dedicated to networking and organizing activities with Downtown parents and their children. Fitness Bally’s (Macy’s Plaza) 700 S. Flower St., (213) 624-3933 or ballyfitness.com Open Mon.-Thurs. 5 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri. 5 a.m.-10 p.m.; weekends 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Personal trainers, tons of equipment, classes and a juice bar. Educo Gym 633 W. Fifth St., Suite 5750, 213-617-8229 By appointment only Mon.-Fri 6 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

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20 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

Downtown Living

What’s in My Loft?

Continued from page 12

Kyle Schember, Met Lofts

Producer and filmmaker Kyle Schember moved into the Bauhausstyle Met Lofts three years ago. On the top floor of the building, he looks out onto L.A. Live. It’s not just the view he likes; it’s also the proximity to work. He made seven films for the new Grammy Museum’s permanent installation and experienced, for the first time in his life, the joy of walking to a job.

Eight Stories High, City Views and Warhol

photo by Gary Leonard

1. It’s a minimalist vibe here, so I purposely haven’t done any major modifications other than decorate, hang some art and install a flat screen TV. 2. The art collection includes a Robert Indiana “Love” and various Warhol pieces. My favorite piece is a 1960s Pace desk that belonged to a friend of mine who was rumored to have purchased it from Eli Broad. It’s burled olive wood and chrome, it’s massive and has matching Pace leather and chrome chairs. The oddest piece I own is Andy Warhol’s body brace — it’s signed — that he wore after he had been shot. 3. The building has a heated pool, gym, pool table and a 5.1 surround screening room. It’s an excellent place to watch movies. Another big plus of living in South Park is being able to walk to the grocery store, restaurants, bars and taking the subway to Hollywood; it is only a short ride away. 4. I would say the view and the balcony are the best part of the place. Everybody loves it, including the cat, but she’s not allowed on it anymore. She would go visit other people, and the neighbor’s dog, by squeezing through the railing. She’s not a wimp.

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March 23, 2009

Downtown News 21

Downtown Living

Jim Fittipaldi, Al’s Bar Space A Legendary Host Takes Over a Legendary Nightspot

photo by Gary Leonard

Jim Fittipaldi has lived in Downtown Los Angeles for 20 years. It seems that everyone either knows him or knows of him, and that everyone, at one point, has been ensconced, Vegas-style, in his art-laden lairs. For the uninitiated, they are places with few clocks and little light, and where closing time is also breakfast time, the day after you arrived. After stops on both Molino Street and Sixth Street, Fittipaldi has taken up residence in the hallowed halls of the former Al’s Bar on Hewitt Street, out of which he runs Bedlam Magazine. He is still a chronic host. “I have an open door policy,” he says, “and people are always wandering in.” 1. I’m a purveyor of historical Downtown junk. I also have the former bar from [Chinatown club] Yee Mee Loo’s, and the phone booth that used to be at Bloom’s. 2. I have one of the old Al’s pool tables. I got it 15 years ago, when [Al’s owner] Marc Kreisel was throwing it out after an inspector came in and wanted to know where the pool license was. I’ve been dragging it around for years and now it’s back. We re-exposed some brick and found some old graffiti from the Al’s days — you know, “Sally loves Mike, 1989.” I cherish that stuff. It’s like an archaeological dig. 3. I’m sort of a collector of old military WWII stuff: Zippo lighters and martini shakers and motorcycles and cars. I have a lot of stuff, but as I tell people, none of it’s that important to me. I’m really only borrowing the stuff I collect from other dead people, and when I’m gone, somebody else will have it. 4. I also collect people. Painters, writers, directors, curators, actors, theater people and musicians of all types. They are actually the pride of my collections and I love them all dearly. There is nothing better than to have a room full of all that creativity. It’s inspiring. It lingers even after everyone has gone.

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March 23, 2009

DowntownNews.com

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any things can spark conversation at Rivera, the recently opened Latin-food restaurant at 1050 S. Flower St. in South Park. There’s the location, at the base of the Met Lofts and across the street from Staples Center and L.A. Live. There’s the tequila wall, complete with private bottles engraved with the owner’s name kept under lock and key. There’s the famed chef and restaurant partner John Rivera Sedlar, a leader in the fusion food movement, who has spent more than two decades in some of the finest kitchens in the nation. In fact, Sedlar is on both figurative and literal display — the kitchen has large windows open to the dining room, meaning customers can watch him and his kitchen crew. Of course, most of the talk will concern the food, a modern blend of traditional dishes from Latin America. As a pioneer of fusion cuisine, which blends elements of different culinary traditions and techniques, it’s Rivera’s signature style. It’s also a style he pairs with a bit of culinary theater in the form of political messages sure to spark tasteful debates. Sedlar actually injects politics into the food, and he isn’t shy about it. “This restaurant is a statement,” he said on a recent Monday afternoon. “It’s a philosophy on how people today eat in Los Angeles. It’s about where the influences come from: the Spanish influence, the Portuguese influence, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. So this restaurant reflects contemporary and ancient food from those regions. “It’s also a place where I wanted to spark conversations,” he continued. “Restaurants should be places where people talk and have discussions.” Three Rooms The restaurant, which includes partners Bill Chait and Eddie Sotto, opened in January. The discreet space features three themed rooms. The first is Samba, a chic, bright, contemporary space with a bar, tequila tasting chairs and wood plank tables. The second room, Sangre, features a red chandelier and conquistador helmets lamps. The room is literally hot — the lights give off detectable heat. It also features a private tequila case along two walls. The tequila, which is Sedlar’s own signature brand of extra añejo, is available only to private members of the restaurant, whose names are engraved on the side of the glass bottles. The third room is the Playa Bar, an open area meant for

communal dining where people can watch tortillas being made from scratch. It also holds a raw bar where yellowtail and ahi tuna are topped with cilantro, Serrano chiles and jalapeños. Sedlar, who grew up in the Southwest, began his career in the 1980s and has been behind some of the city’s most celebrated restaurants. He has helmed the kitchens of St. Estephe, Bikini and Abiquiu. In Downtown, Sedlar saw a new frontier that fits perfectly with his fusion of historic cuisine. “Downtown is also the original fusion melting pot,” he said. “And the original California cuisine is Spanish food, Mexican food, tortilla, maize, chile, squashes. That’s the original California cuisine, so we thought it was appropriate to open in the historic heart of the city to serve this new and historic cuisine.” Spice-ology Sedlar is creating meals with a bit of social consciousness. In what he describes as “spice-ology,” Sedlar serves certain dishes with images and messages fashioned from mixtures of spices. For example, the poblano chile relleno salad is served with an image that duplicates the highway caution sign that depicts undocumented immigrants running across a freeway, a familiar sign along Interstate 5 south of San Diego. “Food has the tremendous power to communicate, and we do serve a dish here that actually communicates on the plate,” he said. It’s a surprising sight, but once the aroma of the spices becomes obvious, attention turns to the food. The chile relleno is stuffed with smoked chicken, corn and pimentón aioli, made with smoked paprika from Spain. Chile relleno is usually stuffed with cheese, a recipe Sedlar calls “a walking heart attack.” His version is served cold as a salad and blends nicely with the spices that make up the artwork, assuring a short lifespan for the social commentary on the plate. Other messages in Sedlar’s spice-ology include an image of a gas mask, an effort to raise awareness about the environment, and the message “Courtesy Is Not a Sign of Weakness.” They are not assigned to any single dish. If the social messages don’t get your attention, other items on the menu, which are bold and rich in flavor, color and texture, surely will. The xnipek is Sedlar’s answer to chips and salsa. The sauce is a Yucatan inspired, charred-habanero mix, which Sadler claims “isn’t too spicy.” Don’t believe him. In small bites it’s mild, but larger portions on a chip pack serious heat. Still, it leaves a pleasant, smoky aftertaste. The old-fashioned red chile chicken enchiladas are a popular choice. Rich in color, the enchiladas are made with two tortillas with the red chile and chicken in the middle. It’s a classic-tasting enchilada, although it might be a bit mild for those who prefer a kick. The cochinita pibil is one of the best examples of Sedlar’s fusion cuisine. The traditional Mexican dish is normally marinated with citrus juices, wrapped in a banana leaf and buried in a hot pit for hours. But since the Downtown Los Angeles restaurant does not have a pit, Sedlar employs a French technique where the pork is cooked in plastic bags. “We take these traditional ingredients and seasoning, but instead of putting it underground we wrap it all in plastic and all those flavors really seep into the flesh,” he said.

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Chef John Sedlar Rivera, a pioneer in fusion cuisine, has a new restaurant in South Park. Along with Latin-inspired dishes, he employs some social commentary, such as the image, fashioned from spices, of undocumented immigrants crossing a freeway.

A surprising dish is the duck “enfrijolada” served with poached egg, rioja wine and cascabel chile sauce. At first glance it looks like a plate of beans and eggs, a popular Latin breakfast. But it’s actually two blue corn tortillas over duck and beans. It has become a signature dish at the restaurant thanks to the tender duck meat and the unexpected marriage of flavors when the soft egg yolk mixes with the duck. Another standout is the braised kurobuta pork short ribs. Kurobuta, a porcine equivalent to Kobe beef, is a highly desirable Japanese pork which is darker and richer than most pork. Sedlar serves it in the tradition of Mexican carnitas. It’s a bit fatty, greasy and delicious. The sides, which Sedlar calls pinturas, or paintings, are indeed colorful, with mashed white beans, calabacitas (pumpkin), squashed corn and zanahorias, mashed carrots with orange zest. Although they are pretty to look at, compared to the rich flavors of his other dishes, the sides can seem bland and dull. Take a Shot Sedlar also offers seasonal tequila on tap, which he blends with citrus and juices. “I make a blend of tequila that I purchase, blancos and silvers, and we match them with citrus,” he said. There are other layers of flavor added to the mix, like caramel and licorice root. One of the most daring cocktails served at Rivera is the Donaji, named after a Oaxacan princess. It’s a mescal mix rimmed with salt and chapulines, which are crickets. Yes, crickets. “Because so many insects were eaten in Meso-American Oaxaca, we’ve taken the crispy crunchy chapulines, the crickets, and we chop them very fine and we mix them in with a very high quality salt for the rim of the glass. “They’re salty, they have a little bit of cayenne pepper and a squeeze of lime, and you’ll be set for the afternoon.” Rivera is at 1050 S Flower St., (213) 749-1460 or riverarestaurant.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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Restaurant Buzz

look for the big glass windows, the bright red chairs, Coca Cola logos, an old jukebox and Restaurant Buzz lying somewhere nearby in a burger coma. At 216 W. Sixth St., (213) 228-0022.

Downtown Gets Four, Count ’em Four, New Restaurants by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

n Chaya in the House: Although executive bonuses at financial and other firms are under intense scrutiny, many of those who work in the Downtown Los Angeles Financial District just got a perk that might make those who received bailout money salivate. The long-awaited Central City outpost of the popular Chaya restaurant opened its doors on the ground floor of City National Plaza on March 16. This is the fourth location for the popular French/ Japanese fusion restaurant, which has its headquarters in West Hollywood and restaurants in San Francisco and Venice. The 156-seat Chaya Downtown boasts a patio, lounge, sushi bar and a private room for special events where bonusless executives can pool their resources for a group dinner. The restaurant, known for dishes such as pan roasted salmon and escargot and chopped mushrooms, is open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner Monday through Saturday. The average check is $25 per person for lunch and $45 for dinner. It sits opposite from Drago Centro, the high-end Italian restaurant which opened in December. At 525 S. Flower St., (213) 236-9577 or thechaya.com. n Road Food: If you get late-night

Downtown News 23

Restaurants

cravings, you won’t need to travel very far for some old-fashioned American food. The Mother Road, which opened March 13 at the Hotel Stillwell on Grand Avenue, offers culinary travelers a mix of meals one might find on a long journey along Route 66 — think burgers, steaks and grilled sandwiches, along with a little bit of soul in the form of crispy pork spareribs and macaroni and cheese. But the road also takes a delicious detour south with tacos rancheros and fish tacos, which the restaurant owners rightly claim have become new American classics. And since it’s open daily until midnight, it’s giving Downtowners the green light to munch the night away. With most items around $10, it’s no highway robbery (man, the road puns just keep on trucking). At 836 S. Grand Ave., (213) 622-2410 or motherroaddowntown.com.

n Tasty Vibes: Ron Marino and Laurie Mulstay, owners of hip eateries in Hollywood and Santa Monica, are promising to bring some new flair to South Park with the newest Magnolia restaurant location. The establishment, which opened March 16, features the same decor found at the Hollywood Magnolia, with a white marble bar, leather banquettes, a lounge

and a patio. Chef Richard Crespin, who oversees the Hollywood outpost, is also leading the Downtown spot, meaning you can expect a menu of classic American fare. Magnolia is open every day and will serve food until midnight Monday through Friday and until 2 a.m. on the weekend. There’s also wireless Internet, in case you want to email your friends so they can also witness your coolness while you dine at a hip spot. At 825 W. Ninth St., (213) 362-0880 or magnoliala.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com

n More Burgers!: Restaurant Buzz is going out and buying a pair of sweats because, diets be damned, another burger joint just opened Downtown. D-Town Burger Bar, which offers a non-pretentious menu and a cool ’50s style, opened March 6 in the Historic Core on the ground floor of the Hayward Hotel. It has a classically simple menu with burgers, single or double hot dogs, fries and milkshakes. It’s easy to spot too — just

Be On The Lookout! On March 30th the Downtown News will publish its annual Restaurant Guide.

A comprehensive guide to restaurants in and around Downtown Los Angeles. An excellent reference for your office, car and home.

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March 23, 2009

DowntownNews.com

CALENDAR

photo by Stacey Bode

24 Downtown News

Downtown’s Padua Connection

Kali Quinn, Bill Celentano and Daniel A. Stein rehearse Clown Show for Bruno, one of two new plays by Murray Mednick that will debut at Art Share L.A. this week. The Mednick festival continues through April 19.

Art Share Presents Three Works by Influential Playwright Murray Mednick by AnnA Scott

and 30 residential lofts for low-income artists. “We wanted an interim place to begin to establish the kind of work we want to do,” said Padua Artistic Director Guy Zimmerman. “So we talked to Art Share and they were a natural partner for us, and we formed a partnership where we would be the resident theater company.” Destruction and Invention Destruction of the Fourth World, the first of the new works to take the Art Share stage, debuts this Thursday. It is the most challenging of the pieces to mount. The play is written in a style close to verse, with no stage directions or costume specifications. The surreal story revolves around a Native American mythological trickster known as Coyote and his accomplice, a 13-year-old boy from a dysfunctional Jewish family, as they prepare for the end of the world. “That play began as an exercise, really,” said Mednick.

photo courtesy of Zoo District

The production, Schultz noted, is a homecoming of sorts for Zoo District. The company was born 12 years ago in a nearby he organization Art Share L.A. made a splash in the loft and then moved to Art Share, where it produced a handful Downtown Los Angeles theater scene last summer of shows before shifting to Hollywood about nine years ago. with A Thousand Words. The production of nine Early last week, Mednick had not yet seen Zoo District’s short plays was based on works by nine visual artists, ranging version of Destruction in its entirety, but he caught a snippet from paintings to sculpture to even an urn. when he accidentally walked in on a rehearsal. This week, the Arts District-based organization is set to “It’s not what I would do,” he said of the company’s take, draw theatergoers to an unlikely venue again, as it partners “but it’s interesting.” with an acclaimed playwright for a trio of works. Audiences Stage and Screen may end up as surprised as the writer, who last week had Clown Show for Bruno, directed by Zimmerman, begins at not seen at least one of the pieces in its entirety. Art Share this Friday. The play premiered last year in workThe lineup, which continues through April 19, is called New shop form at an Atlanta theater, and the same actors who Works by Murray Mednick. It includes two new stage plays, performed there will also appear at Art Share. The Destruction of the Fourth World and Clown Show for Bruno, The play is Mednick’s tribute to Polish writer and artist Bruno and a film version of one of Mednick’s previously produced Schulz, who was murdered in 1941 in an act of revenge against a plays, Girl on a Bed. Nazi officer who had protected, or “owned,” Schulz. Padua Playwrights, Art Share’s resident theater “He died a very unusual death,” said company, plans for the Mednick fest to be the first Mednick. “When I wrote it, I was having a trein a series of annual tributes to playwrights associmendous amount of empathy toward him. I felt ated with Padua. like I was writing with his voice, in a way. There are Mednick founded Padua in 1978 and served as several levels to it, but it’s basically a biography, an its artistic director for years. For a time, the organihomage to Bruno Schulz.” zation was a major force in the local theater scene Clown Show and Destruction, Mednick and produced playwrights including Sam Shepard, said, deal with similar themes of Jewish life and loss David Henry Hwang and John Steppling. of memory. Mednick’s work has garnered two Rockefeller The final piece of the festival is a film version Foundation grants, a Guggenheim fellowship and of Mednick’s play Girl on a Bed, about a high school countless accolades. Though he no longer runs girl involved with pornography and drugs. The film, day-to-day operations for the company, Padua still also directed by Zimmerman, will open at Art Share produces his work. at 10 p.m. on Saturday. “Mednick and Padua are both major forces in “It was an experiment,” said Mednick. “If L.A. theater because they’re a major part of its hisyou’re going to see a movie, it’s not quite a movie, and Mike Lion, Kelly Van Kirk, Michael Shamus Wiles and Laura James in Destruction tory,” said former L.A. Weekly theater editor Steven if you’re going to see a play it’s not quite a play either.” of the Fourth World, Mednick’s play dealing with a Native American trickster and a 13-year-old boy readying for the end of the world. Leigh Morris. “Mednick’s Padua Hills Playwrights The playwright is looking forward to seeFestival, held every summer in the foothills above ing his works come alive as much as anyone else Claremont, drew critics and audiences from across who will be in the audience. He said Art Share prothe region from 1978 to 1995. The festival was a model of new “There were no characters. I was just writing voices and try- vides the ideal venue for the plays. play development that featured a kind of poeticism, creativity ing to keep it one line at a time, like metrical poetry, and it “I like the space,” he said. “It’s just the right size and has the and linguistic rigor that offered a direct challenge to traditional just blossomed and bloomed into this whole play.” right perspective; the actors are not too far away or too close. sensibilities and the plays they engendered.” The nonprofit theater ensemble Zoo District, known The space is perfect for those plays.” Padua came Downtown more than a year ago to partner for blending theater with music and dance, is producing New Works by Murray Mednick runs March 26-April 19. with another nonprofit entity, the Los Angeles Downtown Destruction and seems to be taking free reign with the material. The Destruction of the Fourth World opens Thursday, March Arts District Space. The organizations planned to set up a “It’s a difficult play because the way he wrote it was more 26, with performances Thursdays at 8 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m. community arts center as part of the One Santa Fe develop- poetic than linear,” said Zoo District’s Kristi Schultz, co- except March 27; Saturdays at 5 p.m.; and one Sunday performent, a proposed mixed-income project. director of Destruction. “Certain themes Murray has put in mance at 8 p.m. on March 29. Clown Show for Bruno opens With no recent movement on One Santa Fe due to the cur- the play, we take and say, ‘What can we do with that?’ We’ve Friday, March 27, at 8 p.m. with remaining performances rent recession, however, Padua reached out last year to Art put a lot of fun elements to counterbalance the heavy-duty Saturdays and Sundays at 8 p.m., except Sunday, March 29. Share. The organization, which operates out of a converted message of the text.” Girl on a Bed and Other Films opens Saturday, March 28, and two-story warehouse on Fourth Place, offers art classes for Those elements include a farcical physical comedy se- screens every Saturday night at 10 p.m. Art Share L.A., 801 E. children and teens in various mediums and houses a 99-seat quence, an additional actor to take on the mute role of a dead Fourth Pl., (213) 625-1766 or paduaplaywrights.net. theater, a gallery, a computer lab, an art studio, classrooms character and a lot of dance-like choreography. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com. StAff writer

March 23, 2009

Downtown News 25

DowntownNews.com

Love at First Note Da Camera Society Picks Unlikely Venues For Its Concerts, Like the Top of City Hall by Richard Guzmán city editor

perating under the concept that the venue is as much a part of the performance as the music, the Da Camera Society (named for a 17th century term for chamber music) has staged hundreds of chamber music concerts in rather unexpected places. For the Mount St. Mary’s College-based group, which organizes the Chamber Music in Historic Sites series, places like the Doheny Mansion, the Bradbury Building and City Hall’s Council Chambers are not just cultural landmarks, but appropriate concert venues and a crucial part of the musical experience. On March 22, the organization hosted the Amstel Quartet in the Bradbury Building. The next stop for the series is three performances on Sunday, March 28, by Ciaramella, an Ohio ensemble that plays medieval and early renaissance music. They will perform in one of the most unlikely venues of all — the Tom Bradley Tower atop City Hall. Kelly Garrison, general director of the Da Camera Society, spoke to Los Angeles Downtown News about the series and how the venues shape the performance. Question: Why does chamber music work so well in these venues? Answer: What we’re doing is returning chamber music to its original setting. Chamber music itself is a very intimate and social art form. It was conceived and originally performed in rooms or intimate chambers as opposed to theaters or concert halls… I always like to say it’s like the setting becomes the fifth member of the quartet, and it’s not just that we’re in this randomly chosen alternative setting. It’s not just that we’re not in a concert hall. I think the idea is that the setting is very much tied to the concept of the program. It’s very much tied to the concert experience. Q: What do you look for when searching for locations?

A: Several things. Sometimes I’m approaching the site already having an ensemble in mind. Sometimes the site itself serves to inspire me; the programming occurs in response from stimulus from the site. But what we look for is a place that has some significance either architecturally or historically, if it has had a role in the history of Southern California or a particular community. Or if it’s architecturally significant, which also includes contemporary sites. I’m also looking for something with acoustical properties, a site that’s resonant for a particular genre of music. For example, if you have medieval vocal music, you’re going to want a church setting which is highly resonant like the cathedrals of Europe. Q: How do you match the artists with the right settings? A: There’s not one answer to that. There are many variables going on as you put the season together, as you’re looking at sites, as you’re looking at ensembles. A lot of it is a result of years of doing it. Q: Do the musicians inspire the sites or do the sites inspire you to find the right musicians? A: It works both ways. As I’m planning the season I’m coming at it from both ends. It’s not like we have a list of ensembles and we match them up with sites, nor do we have a list of sites and match them up with ensembles. Sometimes you have a site that you’ve been looking for the right ensemble for several years. Other times you have an ensemble you want to present but you don’t have the appropriate site, and a couple of years later it comes along, and then you just hope the ensemble is still touring. Q: Why does Ciaramella fit into the City Hall space? A: I was very much interested in presenting a program of tower music, a whole genre of medieval music that was written for towers or inspired by towers. So I met [Ciaramella] and they tailored these programs for this setting. City Hall is

photo by Gary Leonard

Kelly Garrison (middle), general director of the Da Camera Society, in the Bradley Tower at the top of City Hall, with members of the renaissance ensemble Ciaramella. The group performs three concerts there on March 28.

pretty much the closest thing we have to a medieval tower, so it’s ideal for this type of program. The program in designed around the idea that the City Hall tower is a central place, a sign of strength and boldness, and if we had medieval and renaissance tower musicians, and we do with Ciaramella, this is where they would perform. Q: What other venues will you utilize this season? A: We’re doing a concert at the Los Angeles Zoo with an L.A.based ensemble, the E.A.R. Unit [May 9]. It’ll be in a small covered amphitheater that sits in front of animal enclosures, and they’ve designed a program around what they call the residents of the zoo, so all the works are inspired by animals. Ciaramella performs March 28 at noon, 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. For tickets call (213) 477-2929 or dacamera.org. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

Think YOU Can Do It? Climb California Greater LA is the Southern California stair climb event benefitting the American Lung Association in California. Join emcee Rick Dickert of Fox11’s Good Day LA for the climb of your life to support clean air and healthy lungs!

Saturday, April 18 at 9 a.m. Aon Center 707 Wilshire Blvd, LA Thank you to our sponsors:

26 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

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LISTINGS EVENTS

Wednesday, March 25 SCI-Arc Lecture Series 960 E. Third St., (213) 356-5328 or sciarc.edu. In the W. M. Keck Lecture Hall. 7 p.m.: Elena Manferdini appears. She is the principal of Atelier Manferdini, a design office that specializes in the cutting edge of computer-aided design of exotic forms. ALOUD at Central Library 630 W. 5th St., (213) 228-7241 or lapl.org. 7 p.m.: Jeffrey T. Richelson, a senior fellow with the National Security Archive and author of several books on intelligence including “Spying on the Bomb” talks with NPR correspondent Mike Shuster about America’s secret nuclear bomb squad. USC Real Estate Law and Business Forum Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 506 S. Grand Ave. (213) 743-1772 or orcle@law.usc.edu. 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.: More than 50 real estate and business experts lead a series of panels all day geared to teach people how to thrive in the worst of economic times. For a full schedule of events, visit law.usc.edu. Raymond Chandler, 50 Years Later USC University Club, 3551 Trousdale Pkwy, (213) 740-1349 or usc.edu/mls. 7:30 p.m.: Leading L.A. noir experts, including Judith Freeman, the author of “The Long Embrace: Raymond Chandler and the Woman He Loved,” gather to discuss the city’s unrivaled noir storyteller. Thursday, March 26 Japanese American Cultural & Community Center Aratani/Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 382-04886 or jaccc.org. 1-3 p.m.: Japanese Garden experts, landscape architect Shiro Nakane and professor Makoto Suzuki, will share their vast knowledge and research of Japanese landscape aesthetics and architecture. MOCA Grand Avenue 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org. 6:30 p.m.: MOCA Associate Curator and exhibition co-curator Bennett Simpson will discuss “Dan Graham: Beyond.” Thursdays at Central 630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room A, (213) 228-7241 or lapl.org. 12:15-1 p.m.: March 26, 12:15-1 p.m.: Craft Thursdays, with knitting and more. Town Hall Los Angeles Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St. (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org. Noon: Abraham F. Lowenthal, professor at the USC School of International Relations, appears. Ask him his opinion of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the appointment of Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State. Friday, March 27 Farmlab Public Salons 1745 N. Spring St. #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. Noon: For this salon, Farmlab promises the a firstever summit between the executive directors of two Southland organizations that help kids, via horses. Mayisha Akbar is the founder and executive director of the Compton Jr. Posee and Judith Hopkins is the co-founder of Taking the Reins, a nonprofit organization that teaches life skills to at-risk girls through a unique equine-based educational program. CalPERS Retirement Planning Fair L.A. Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., calpers.ca.gov. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.: The state’s retirement system offers a free planning fair for all state employees. The fair will also run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 28.

‘Don’t Miss’ List

Rock Music, Real Rocks and Beethoven Await

photo courtesy of the Grammy Museum

by AnnA Scott, StAff writer

One

Even if you are as dorky as this column and once referred to the band Ozomatli as “Oh So Motley,” hopefully you’ve wised up by now to the distinctly L.A.-bred, Latin hiphop rock sounds of the group (who take their name from the Aztec astrological monkey, FYI). On Wednesday, March 25, the Grammy winners discuss their activism and politics with USC professor Josh Kun at the Grammy Museum’s intimate, 200-seat sound stage. The event will include an audience Q&A session. Doors open at 7:30, program begins at 8 p.m. 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 200, (213) 480-3232 or grammymuseum.org.

Museum

Tuesday, March 24 Town Hall Los Angeles Omni Hotel, 251 S. Olive St., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org. March 24, noon: Steve Barr, founder of Green Dot Public Schools, is the guest. Green Dot is achieving its results while serving similar student populations as the lowest-performing schools in LAUSD and without fundraising to pay for ongoing school operations.

The

photo co urtesy of the Natu ral Histo ry

SPONSORED LISTING Specials at Bacaro LA Wine Bar 2308 S. Union St., (213) 748-7205 or bacarolosangeles.com. Bacaro LA Wine Bar is now hosting a Sunday brunch with $5 carafes of sangria and, every Monday, the bar offers $1 off all wines by the glass all day.

four

This week is your last chance to see the interactive, R&B-themed beauty pageant spoof Calendar Girl Competition at the Bootleg Theater. The show’s claim to fame is that all costumes and set pieces were purchased at a 99 Cent Only store. In the play, 12 girls compete, and the audience crowns a new winner each night. Shows are Friday and Saturday, March 27-28, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 29, at 2 p.m. 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.com.

Science can be as elegant and compelling as art, and art can be… oh, forget it. Let the Natural History Museum explain it in the series Art + Science, which explores how science influences art, and the art inherent in science. The series continues Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with an event focused on the natural beauty of gems and minerals. Participants will learn how to photograph museum gem exhibits and make personalized jewelry, and there will also be a treasure hunt. 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-DINO or nhm.org.

three

The charter school organization Green Dot Public Schools launched in 1999, aggressively challenging L.A.’s entrenched and underachieving public education system. Ten years and 18 schools later, it has become a major success and altered the way thousands of students in Los Angeles learn. On Tuesday, March 24, outspoken Green Dot founder Steve Barr will sit down for a Q&A session with the organization Town Hall Los Angeles. Doors open for an 11:30 reception, followed by the main event at noon. Omni Los Angeles Hotel, 251 S. Olive St., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org.

photo by Corbett Bar klie

Hungarian-born pianist Andras Schiff recently completed the musically Herculean task of recording all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas. He visits the Los Angeles Philharmonic stage on Wednesday evening, March 25, to play a concert of Metallica songs. Joking! It’s Beethoven sonatas. The show begins at 8 p.m. at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.org. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

photo by Dieter Mayr

March 23, 2009

Downtown News 27

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But Wait, There’s More!

Additional Event Information on the Web

We Got Games

find itself in the finals. There’s no better excuse to feast on a Dodger Dog before the blue crew inaugurates the season. Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or nba.com/lakers. The Lakers head into the meat of a nearly two-week road trip. After a warm-up game against Oklahoma City (March 24), the purple and gold head to Detroit (March 26), New Jersey (March 27) and Atlanta (March 29).

Two World Championships To Choose From ISU World Figure Skating Championship Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or staplescenter.com. March 24-29: Except for the Winter Olympics, no event in figure skating comes with a brighter spotlight than the World Figure Skating Championship. Competitions in ice dance, pairs and men’s and women’s short programs take place at Staples Center all week in a preview of the 2010 Vancouver winter games. Southern California’s Evan Lysacek is expected to go far in the men’s singles competition. A complete schedule is at isuworlds2009.com.

Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or nba.com/clippers. The Clippers are out of town all week, and it’s shaping up to be a tough one: The Clips head to Boston (March 23), where the defending champion Celtics will be looking for revenge for their Feb. 25 loss in Los Angeles. After facing the New York Knicks (March 25), they travel to Texas to take on the powerhouse San Antonio Spurs (March 27) and Houston Rockets (March 28).

World Baseball Classic Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., worldbaseballclassic.com. March 23, 6 p.m.: In the U.S., few baseball fans question our assumed right to host the annual “World Series.” Now in its second year, the World Baseball Classic is challenging the notion as it pits all-star rosters from 16 countries against each other in a true world competition. This year, the finals take place at Dodger Stadium. Though they’ll have to get past Japan, Team USA could SCI-Arc Lecture Series 960 E. Third St., (213) 356-5328 or sciarc.edu. In the W. M. Keck Lecture Hall. 1 p.m.: David A. Ross is the principal of Code-A, an exploratory architectural design studio based in Los Angeles, and teaches graduate design studios and seminars at SCI-Arc. Saturday, March 28 Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-DINO or nhm.org. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: The new series Art + Science explores how science influences art, and the art inherent in science. Today, see the natural beauty of gems and minerals by learning how to photograph museum gem exhibits, using color and sparkle to identify specimens and making personalized jewelry to take home. Dance to music by Herman Dune and get lost on a treasure hunt. Reading at Metropolis Books 440 S. Main St., (213) 612-0174 or metropolisbooksla.com. 4 p.m.: The shop hosts a trio of mystery writers — Melinda Wells, Joan Del Monte and Hannah Dennisen — who will read from their latest works and sign books. Sunday, March 29 Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-DINO or nhm.org. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: A Sustainable Sundays event, with Patricia Zurita, senior director of the conservation stewards program, on hand to discuss her work with local communities around the world to create Conservation Incentive Agreements, which enables local people to stop destroying their resources and instead harness nature to improve their ability to produce food, educate their children and develop

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

Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or kings.nhl.com. Their playoff hopes gone, the Kings are now in spoiler mode with away games against the St. Louis Blues (March 24), Dallas Stars (March 26) and the Nashville Predators (March 28). —Ryan Vaillancourt

economic opportunities. SCI-Arc Lecture Series 960 E. Third St., (213) 356-5328 or sciarc.edu. In the W. M. Keck Lecture Hall. 2-5 p.m.: The spring Mediascapes Symposium is called Immersive and Virtual Architecture. Invited speakers include Benjamin Bratton, Jean Michel Crettaz, Manuel DeLanda, Ed Keller, JoAnn, KucheraMorin, Eric Owen Moss and Marcos Novak.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ 2nd Street Jazz 366 E. Second St., (213) 680-0047, 2ndstjazz.com or myspace.com/2ndstreetlivejazz. Tuesdays: Jazz jam session. Music usually starts at 9 or 10 p.m. 626 Reserve 626 S. Spring St., (213) 627-9800 or 626reserve.com. Tuesdays, 6 p.m.: Live music with Goh Kurosawa. Thursdays, 6 p.m.: More live sounds, this time with Jessie Torrez. Café Metropol 923 E. Third St., (213) 613-1537 or cafemetropol.com. March 27: Trumpeter Josh Weltz leads the Neo Hard-Bop Quintet, with saxophone player Matt Otto. March 28: Guitarist Mike Scott plays jazz and blues originals and standards with his trio. Casey’s Irish Bar and Grill 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com. Fridays: Live Irish music. Chop Suey Café 347 E. First St., (213) 617-9990 or chopsueycafe.com. Thursdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m.: Live jazz on the patio of the restored landmark. Cicada Cicada Restaurant, 617 S. Olive St., (213) 488-9488 or cicadarestaurant.com.

photo courtesy of US Figure Skating

Five-time U.S. Champions Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto will compete for a spot atop the podium in ice dancing at this week’s ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Staples Center.

Thursdays, 8-11 p.m.: The velvet-voiced Max Vontaine recreates the sounds and styles of rat packers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. His smoking jackets and tunes are vintage; his bawdy repartee is less so. Keep a close eye on the unlit cigarette. Sundays, 6-11 p.m.: The restaurant is transformed into a vintage, old Hollywood-style dance club every Sunday. Come out to appreciate the big band, swank costumes, dinner and cocktails. Visit cicadaclub.com. Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., clubnokia.com. March 28, 8 p.m.: Madeleine Peyroux, who can sing Edith Piaf songs and totally get away with it, appears with William Fitzsimmons. March 28,11:59 p.m.: Prince completes a threevenue, one-night L.A. Live tour with a midnight show at Club Nokia. Conga Room L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic, (213) 749-0445 or congaroom.com. March 25: Rick Ortiz presents a night of Latin reggae and ska. March 27: KCRW presents Los Lobos. March 28, 9:30 p.m.: Prince stops in for his second of three shows at L.A. Live venues in the same night. Over at La Plata, the restaurant inside the Conga Room, Los Angeles salsa outfit Tabaco Y Ron plays. Thursdays: “Azucar” features tropical rhythms from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays: “The Beat Down” features global beats and dance groove starting at 9 p.m. Saturdays: “Plata” brings an upscale Latin flavor from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Grammy Museum LA Live, corner of Olympic Blvd and Figueroa St., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. March 25, 8 p.m.: In conjunction with its Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom exhibition, the mu-

seum hosts Los Angeles band Ozomatli. Josh Kun, a professor in the Annenberg School for Communication at USC, will interview the band about their activism, politics and the power of political song. During the interview, Ozomatli will also take questions from the audience and show film clips from their travels as U.S. State Department cultural ambassadors. March 27, 8 p.m.: Best known as the son of the legendary Bob Marley, Damian Marley has earned his spot as a contemporary reggae king. He’s teamed up with hip hop star Nas for a forthcoming album, and the two will get together for a conversation and short performance. J Restaurant and Lounge 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746 or jloungela.com. Tuesdays: Live acoustic performances in the lounge. Wednesdays: Salsa in the City features complimentary salsa lessons at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m., a batch of live musicians takes over for a jam session. Fridays: Live bands on select dates.

Easy ways to submit Your

Event Info

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A HAndy MAP RefeRence To food, ATTRAcTions & enTeRTAinMenT F

Where to Eat

Where to Shop

§ Where to Live

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Grand Tower • 255 S. Grand Ave. Museum Tower • 225 S. Olive St. Promenade Towers • 123 S. Figueroa St.

229-9777 626-1500 617-3777

The Metropolitan Apartments • 950 S. Flower St.

489-3300

EF m C6 FF_ C6 E# # F m B7 F F F

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The Millennium Biltmore Hotel • 506 S. Grand Ave. California Plaza II • 4th St. & Grand Ave. • Watercourt • 4th St. & Grand Ave. • Angels Flight Railway • 4th St. & Hill St.

624-1011 687-2001 687-2190 626-1901

Wilshire Grand Hotel • 930 Wilshire Blvd. • Cardini Ristorante • Seoul Jung • Kyoto

688-7777 896-3822 688-7880 896-3812

Downtown Dental Office • 255 S. Grand Ave., Suite 204

620-5777

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Points of Interest

Kyoto Grand Hotel & Garden • 120 S. Los Angeles St.

629-1200

Frying Fish Restaurant • 120 Japanese Village Plaza Mall

680-0567

The Los Angeles Athletic Club • 431 W. 7th St.

630-5200

Bunker Hill Real Estate • 800 W. 1st St., #401

680-1720

Dr. Silvia Kasparian DDS • 601 W. 5th St., Suite 1110

892-8172

CBS Seafood Restaurant • 700 N. Spring St.

617-2323

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Clifton’s Brookdale Restaurant • 648 S. Broadway

627-1673

FF_ C2

Far East Plaza/Wing Hop Fung • 727 N. Broadway

626-7200

The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM FIDM Museum Galleries & Shops • 919 S. Grand Ave.

624-1200

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels • 555 W. Temple St.

680-5200

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El Pollo Loco • 260 S. Broadway Orsini Apartments • 505 N. Figueroa St. Gus’s Drive-In • 1657 W. 3rd St. Medici • 725 S. Bixel St. Carl’s Jr. • 254 S. Broadway

626-7975 877-267-5911 483-8885 888-886-3731 625-1357

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PIP Printing • 700 Wilshire Blvd.

489-2333

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Tommy’s • 2575 W. Beverly Blvd.

389-9060

7+FIG • 7th & Figueroa Sts.

955-7150

Ernst & Young • 725 S. Figueroa St.

955-7100

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7TH ST

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MACY'S PLAZA

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7TH ST

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6TH ST

LITTLE TOKYO GALLERIA SHOPPING CENTER

5TH ST

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

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

BAMBOO PLAZA

R PA

Los Angeles

CHAVEZ RAVINE

Downtown

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FMarch 23, 2009

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28 Downtown News A

March 23, 2009

Downtown News 29

DowntownNews.com

CLASSIFIED

place your ad online at www.ladowntownnews.com

L.A. Downtown News Classifieds call: 213-481-1448 Classified Display & Line ads Deadlines: thursday 12 pm REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL LofTS foR SALE

Buying, Leasing or Selling a Loft?

TheLoftGuys.net LA’s #1 Loft Site

Call 213-625-1313 ACREAGE/LoTS

Bill Cooper 213.598.7555

ARIZONA LAND. BIg LOts. $0 Down, $0 Interest. Best Land, Best terms Nationwide. guaranteed Financing. starting $129/mth. total $14,995. www. sunsiteslandrush.com PreRecorded Message 1-800-6318164 mention code CALPREss. (Cal-sCAN)

Place your classified ad online, it’s safe and secure at DowntownNews.com

BUYER’s MARKEt. New Mexico. Ranch Dispersal. 140 acres $89,900. River Access. Northern New Mexico. Cool 6,000’ elevation with stunning views. great tree cover including Ponderosa, rolling grassland and rock outcroppings. Abundant wildlife, great hunting. EZ terms. Call NML&R, Inc. 1-866-360-5263. (Cal-sCAN)

Downtown since 2002 Don’t settle for anyone less experienced!

Call us today!

TheLoftExpertGroup.com

REAL ESTATE CoMMERCIAL

“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.”

ApARTMENTS/UNfURNISHED offICE SpACE LEASE/SALE

Prime Office Spaces As Low As 99¢/sqf.

High-Rise Building on Olive St.

HoMES foR SALE

Near Metro (train), Security, New Elevator System. Air Condition.

FORECLOsED HOME Auction. Las Vegas Auction: April 11 & 13. 500+ Homes Must Be sold! REDC / Free Brochure. 1-800-280-0750. www. UsHomeAuction.com. (CalsCAN) MONtECItO HEIgHts, Min. to Dwtn. Beautiful, custom 3 level home. 3 BRs, 4BA, family rm, office/gym. Over 3000 sg ft. of living space. Enchanting private backyard. Level with huge patio. Perfect for extended families. $699,900. Open sunday March 22. Phone Elsa Kim for showing 323-254-3966.

FOR RENT? FOR LEASE? FOR SALE?

foR RENT

213.892.0088

Management on site

MILANO LOFTS Now LeasiNg!

■ Gorgeous Layouts ■ 10-15’ Ceilings ■ Fitness Center ■ Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge ■ Amazing Views

6th + Grand Ave. LIvE/woRk LEASE/SALE

LIVE/WORK/ INCOME SFR+Restaurant+Store On Hoover,S/Melrose

(323) 270-0604

213.627.1900 DOWNtOWN Los Angeles 2 Month’s free rent! studio $1688/ month Luxury at it’s finest! granite counters, W & D 888262-9761.

Selling Land?

For exposure to serious buyers, contact L.A. Downtown News TODAY! Call 213-481-1448

LofT - UNfURNISHED LIVE/WORK 2 bed/2 bath. 1400 sqft. Hard loft. 1923 Bld. Pool, jacuzzis, b/ball crt. golf, gym. Fashion Dist. $2500 neg. Call 310-663-6314. Continued on next page

THE ANSWER to last weeK’s puZZle

APARtMENt FOR RENt: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, balcony. Downtown view, no pets. 562760-0101. tWO MONtHs FREE! (O.A.C.) Brand New Resort Apartments. granite kitchens, washer/dryers, pools, spas, saunas, fitness ctr, free tanning beds & much more! 866-690-2894.

Call a classified sales representative today

UP tO 2 MONtH FREE! (O.A.C.) New downtown luxury apartments with granite kitchens, marble baths, pool, spa, saunas & free parking. 888-736-7471.

213-481-1448

tHE MEDICI 1 & 2 Bdrm Apts. granite Kitchens, Washer/ Dryers, Business Center, 2 Pools, spa! Visit theMedici.com for a full List of Amenities. Call 888-886-3731 for specials!

2 MONtHs FREE! (O.A.C.). studio, 1 & 2 bdrms available. Upgraded interiors & washer/ dryer in every home. Pool & spa with a skyline view, gym, sauna. FREE ONsItE PARKINg. theVisconti.com (888)7367471.

www.milanoloftsla.com

APARTMENT, LOFT OR CONDO

People are looking here, shouldn’t your ad be here?

UP tO 2 MONtHs free! Panoramic downtown views. 1 bed/1bath starting at $1398. Washer dryer in unit, gated,Pool, spa and sauna. (888)265-1707.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

30 Downtown News

March 23, 2009

DowntownNews.com

Continued from previous page

for rent

home - unfurnished

5 minutes to downtown LA

loft - unfurnished

Silverlake roomS

old Bank district

Lofts from $1,100. High ceilings. A/C. Parking available. High speed internet/T1 & direct T.V. Pets no charge. call 213-253-4777 LAloft.com

food included, laundry, cable, internet, rooms start at $1500, large room $2000, suite w/bath jacuzzi tub & fireplace $3000

323-833-5869

emPloYment driVers

toWn houses Monterey Hills 3 bdrM, 3 story townhouse. 1800 sq. ft. 7 miles to Civic Center. Many extras. $1950/Mo. 626-799-3104.

driVer- CUrrently Hiring experienced teams and solos with HazMat. dry Van & temp Control available. o/os welcome. Call Covenant 1-866684-2519 eoe. (Cal-sCAn)

Why Chapman Flats are the fastest leasing lofts in Downtown?

Iconic Beauty

driVer - West CoAst regional neW HirinG AreA. newest equipment on the road. Competitive Pay. run the Western 11 states. on site - Full service Maintenance shop. reasonable Home time. Western express - 22 yrs. old. Good MVr, eoe, Cdl-A, 1 yr. otr. Call edna today! 1-866863-4112. (Cal-sCAn)

UP to $275K+ 1st year Potential income. We train. serious, Motivated & driven only. not MlM. don’t believe it, don’t Call. 1-800-821-9551. www.CashFlowPowerHouse. com. (Cal-sCAn)

Business oPPortunitY

statements:

100% reCession ProoF! be your own boss! your own local Vending route. includes 25 Machines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend llC, 1-888625-2405. (Cal-sCAn)

• Rooftop Garden • Pet Friendly • Stainless Steel Appliances • BBQ • Refrigerators • Hi-speed Internet • Spa • Fitness Center • Ground Floor Dry Cleaners and Kelly’s Coffee *subject to change without prior notice.

On Broadway at 8th St. • 213.892.9100 C h a p m a n f l at s . C o m

Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom. excellent location. downtown lA. Weekly rate $275 inc.

Monthly from $595 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348

Business

name

Only

$ 85.

fOr 4 insertiOns Call (213) 481-1448 for details.

(note: the downtown news does not perform filing services)

laundrY

Let us do the dirty work!

Beverly's Laundromat Drop Off

20% off

1st time customers only. Minimum 25lb

FrEE Pick-up & Delivery with minimum 35lb

610 S. Rampart Blvd. @ 6th St (213)804-0069

traVel/Vacation A VACAtion does not have to break your budget. Call or email us todAy for Cruise and resort Vacation special rates. 714-401-1053 or richard@whittingtontravel.com.

attorneYs

Luxury Rooms in Downtown

Top floor of 11 story (18,000 SF) historic building available now! Perfect for corporate hqtrs. Features separate executive suite(s). Stunning views of LA two blocks away from Staples Center and across the street from the new LA Live complex. The building also has approx 4,000 sq ft of beautiful contiguous space and some small offices available. These spaces can be viewed by appointment. Information available to qualified prospective tenants. Email request to mdavis@shammasgroup.com or call (213) 746-6300

Monthly Rents Start at $880 1 & 2 Rooms Available

AdMinistrAtiVe lAW attorney to handle your professional licensing case. represents physicians, nurses, laboratories, pharmacies and other professionals in disciplinary actions brought by state and federal agencies including license denials, suspensions and revocations and associated criminal matters. Please call John dratz, Jr. at (213) 221-7564. www. medicalfraudattorney.com

ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION! Family, Criminal, P.I. for more than 20 yrs! Familiar o Amigo Arrestado? Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español

Get your Green card or citiZenshiP law office of H. Douglas Daniel esq., (213) 689-1710

Open Daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m. • Free Parking

Available Immediately

Pet WalkinG “ACe VentUrA” private dog walker/pet sitter. los Felix, Hollywood. $25.00 hour. 323977-0035.

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

Special STUDeNT RaTe! $780 1 person

$100 OFF on 1st months Rent Exp. March 31, 2009

Mayfair Hotel 1256 West 7th street

now leasing

move-in specials $1395* - free parking

fictitiOus

serVices

Simin (213) 484-9789 Ext. 555 or (213) 632-1111

the alexandria

Fully furnished with tV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. excellent location. downtown lA. Weekly maid service.

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

madison hotel

Children’s Performing Group

at 501 S. Spring St.

is now Leasing!

Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service. •Daily, $25.00 •Weekly, $99.00 •Monthly, $295.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.

On-site laundry, free utilities, indiv. bathrooms, 24 hr. security & pet friendly. Close to metro, restaurants, farmers market & supermarket. Units starting at

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

$570/month

Get tHe

income & other restrictions apply.

SCOOP

call 213.626.1743 or stop by for a tour

downtownnews.com

Sunshine Generation Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up! SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

CliCk Here! t

ke r a m d a / m o c . s DowntownNew

It’s that easy to place your ad on DowntownNews.com and you don’t have to wait for the print edition. • Place ads 24 hours a day. • Ads can appear online and in print. • Online ads will appear the same day they are placed.

• Enhance your ad with pictures. • Add borders, highlighted text or borders to your ad. • Selling, leasing or renting property? Photo packages available.

March 23, 2009

computer FRUSTRATED BY computers? For services or solutions for home or business, call 213458-6873. entertainment WIN BIG AT VIDEO KENO. Win Big Jackpots on the now... Hottest...slot game in the casino. First 4 principles FREE. Download instantly at www. WinBigAtVideoKeno.com. (CalSCAN) music lessons CHIlDREN’S PERFORmING Group! Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up! See SunshineGenerationlA.com or call 909-861-4433. advertising ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach 6 million Californians!. FREE email brochure. Call (916) 2886019. www.Cal-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) DISPlAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! FREE email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www. Cal-SDAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)

NEWS RElEASE? Costefficient service. The California Press Release Service has 500 current daily, weekly and college newspaper contacts in California. FREE email brochure. Call (916) 288-6010. www. CaliforniaPressReleaseService. com. (Cal-SCAN)

tv/electronics/computers DEll COmPUTER used, great condition, P428, WindowsXP, only $275.00. 213-430-9100 Sheri.

announcements donations

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

items for sale lawn & garden/ farm equipment SAWmIllS FROm ONlY $2,990 - Convert your logs To Valuable lumber with your own Norwood portable band sawmill. log skidders also available. www.NorwoodIndustries. com/300N -FREE Information: 1-800-578-1363 x300-N. (CalSCAN) misc. items TRAmADOl 180 Tablets $112 with FREE overnight delivery! No prior prescription needed. No hidden fees! U.S. Pharmacy 1-888-738-3822 www. PegasusPills.com. (Cal-SCAN)

JUST $5 CAN mAKE you feel good. www.homelessinamerica. blogspot.com. make donations at www.servantsofthefather.org/ donation. volunteer opportunity HElPING KIDS HEAl. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk children and their families. Today is the day to get involved! Contact Annie at volunteers@freearts. org or 310-313-4278 for more information. notices BECOmE DIETARY mANAGER (average annual salary $40,374) in eight months in online program offered by Tennessee Technology Center, Elizabethton. Details www.TTCElizabethton. edu, 1-888-986-2368 or email patricia.roark@ttcelizabethton. edu. (Cal-SCAN)

REGlAN INJURY AlERT! The acid reflux medicine Reglan has been linked to TARDIVE DYSKINESIA, a serious condition causing continual involuntary movements of the mouth and other parts of the body. If you’ve taken REGlAN for more than 12 weeks and have developed Tardive Dyskinesia you may be eligible for money Damages. Call the attorneys at James Rolshouse & Associates at 1-800969-5633. licensed in minnesota. (Cal-SCAN)

autos & recreational autos wanted DONATE YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-2520615. (Cal-SCAN) DONATE YOUR VEHIClE! Receive Free Vacation Voucher. United Breast Cancer Foundation. Free mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf. info Free Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners Accepted, 1-888468-5964. (Cal-SCAN)

DowntownNews.com

Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices

Bunker Hill real estate Co, inC. EstablishEd 1984 FOR RENT: ❏ Prom. West-2 Bed. 2 Bath. 7th Floor. Elegant Upgrades. Green House. Pride of Ownership. $3,000 Furn. $2,800 Unfurn. ❏ Prom. West-1 Bed. 1 Bath. Penthouse. Overlooks Pool & Gardens. Greenhouse Windows and Balcony. Stunning! $1,995 Month ❏ Prom. West-2 Bed. 2 Bath. 5th Floor. Move In Now. $2,200 Month. ❏ Bunker Hill Tower-2 Bed. 2 Bath. N/W View. $2,200 Month ❏ Bunker Hill Tower-1 Bed. 1 Bath. South View. $1,600 Month FORECLOSuRES-LOS ANGELES ❏ Pasadena Home. Semi Circular Driveway. More. Price $379,900 ❏ 3 Bed. 2 Bath. Pasadena. Upgrades. 3 Car Gar. Big Lot. $547,800

Promenade West Condo

2 Story Townhouse. West Facing With Downtown City View. Upgrades. Large Patio. Very Elegant. Asking $599,900

Burbank • Brentwood Century City • Downtown L.A. Woodland Hills Locations Nationwide

Mirza alli

Broker/Realtor leasing-salesloans-refinance

Beautiful Offices For As Little As $400 Fully Furnished/Corporate ID Programs Flexible Terms/All New Suites

(213) 680-1720 e-mail us: info@bunkerhillrealestate.com

www.Bunkerhillrealestate.com

Call George: 818-634-7916 or 310-275-9831 x24

Rent

Move-in Special 1/2 Month Free Single rooms starting from $550/mo.

Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site, street parking, 1 yr lease. 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown L.A.

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

fictitiOus

Business

name

statements:

Only

$ 85.

fOr 4 insertiOns Call (213) 481-1448 for details.

(Note: The Downtown News does not perform filing services)

Services Include: • Reception • Mail • T-1 • State-of-the-Art Voice Mail & Telephone • Westlaw • Fax • Photocopy • More

THAI MASSAGE SPECIALIST VIP Room Available. The Best Way For Business Meetings & Entertainment

Additional Features: Kitchen Facilities, All Support Services, Great Views, Free Conference Room Hours, Fully Trained Staff, Cost Effective.

Professional massage for men & women. Services include Thai Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Swedish Oil Massage, Foot Massage, Sauna, Steam, and more. Lounge area.

Jenny Ahn (213) 996-8301

HealtH Dept. rank a for 7 ConseCutive Years

jahn@regentBC.com www.regentbc.com

sakura HealtH gym & sauna, inc. 111 N. Atlantic Blvd. Ste #231-233 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (626) 458-1919 [Corner of Garvey Ave.]

HBODY

MASSAGEH

First Professionally Licensed Massage Shop in L.A. County.

3386766 0119

700 to 1500 Sq. Ft. Lofts. High ceilings, skylights, cable, kitchen, bath+shower, laundry room, elevator, controlled access, sub. parking. Sorry no dogs.

pickup trucks 1959 FORD PICK-UP TRUCK. Needs repairs - excellent engine. los Angeles area. $3,000 OBO. 323-243-3505 Garfield.

legal civil summons LOS ANGELES COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT NO. SC096622 CROSS-COMPLAINANT: ULTIMATE WATER CREATIONS, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; DONALD GOLDSTONE, AN INDIVIDUAL VS DEFENDANT: MILES ENGINEERING, ROUX ELECTRICAL, HA POOLS, INC. AND DOES 1 TO 50, INCLUSIVE You have 30 CAlENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the

MOVe-In SPeCIAL REAL ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASE

Luxury Living in the heart of Downtown

Open House Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm 1250 Long Beach Ave., L.A. (Friendly Fun Community)

Modern Gourmet Kitchen (gas) • Rooftop spa/garden/BBQ • Fitness Room • Billiard/Media room • Secured access • Magnificient City views and much much more... STARTING FROm $1,350 Studio, 1 Bdrm, 2 Bdrm, Bi-Level Penthouses National City Tower Lofts 810 South Spring Street 213-623-3777 nctlofts.com

Wood floors, New kitchen, fireplace, high ceilings, jacuzzi, laundry room, pool. Gated Parking. View of Downtown.

Sorry No Dogs 1100 Sq Ft – 2000 Sq Ft. Prices from $1600-$2300 Includes 1 Pkg space.

Call Emily (866) 425-7259

Take Your Game to the Next Level Learn Course Management

3 Learn while you play 3 Shot visualization 3 Mastering club selection

3 Driving strategies 3 Mid/long iron techniques 3 Short game fundamentals

In golf, its you versus the course. Learn to manage the entire game, not just the mechanics of your swing. Learn course management and improve your game.

Steve Andelich Professional Golf Instructor

818.618.2099

Catering to Intermediate/Advanced Players

WWW.DOWNTOWNNEWS.COm

plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form, if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifor-

nia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www. courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. The name and address of the court is: los Angeles County Superior Court West District 1725 main Street Santa monica, CA 90401-3299 Case Number: SC096622 Dated: August 20, 2008 John A. Clarke, Executive Officer/Clerk By: D. mcKinney, Deputy The name, address, telephone number, and fax number of Plaintiff’s attorney is: Willis J. King, III, Esq. (State Bar No. 193828) Bullard, Brown, Beal, llP 234 E. Commonwealth Ave. Fullerton, CA 92832 Telephone: 714-578-4050 Fax: 714-578-4060 Notice to the person served: You are served on behalf of: H A Pools, Inc. under CCP 416.10 (corporation) Pub. 3/09, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30/09

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