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April 12, 2010
Volume 39, Number 15
AUCTION
City Cracks Down on Skid Row Drug Trade
INSIDE
Injunction, Which Would Keep 80 Alleged Dealers Out of the Area, Is Seen as Biggest Move Since Safer Cities Initiative by Ryan VaillancouRt
L.A.’s financial meltdown continues.
Staff WRiteR ity Attorney Carmen Trutanich last week launched a major crackdown on the Skid Row drug trade, identifying 80 suspected dealers whom he aims to exile from the povertystricken neighborhood. On Wednesday, April 7, Trutanich’s office filed an injunction naming 80 individuals, all with multiple drug-related convictions, who law enforcement officials believe are involved with selling mostly crack cocaine, but also marijuana, heroin and meth, in Skid Row. Fifty-three of the men and women are believed to be gang members. Staff from Trutanich’s office spent six months laying the foundation for what police officials say could be the most significant law enforcement effort in Skid Row since the 2006 launch of the Safer Cities Initiative. The City Attorney’s office has collected more than 100 declarations from police officers and narcotics experts detailing how the drug trade works in the area, said Bruce Riordan, who as chief of the office’s gang division was tapped to orchestrate the injunction. Riordan said the directive came from Trutanich, who after attending the Central City East Association’s monthly Skid Row walks became intent on developing a tool to protect the people who flock to the area for its recovery services. “I have learned that the single biggest criminal threat faced by the residents of this area is the open and notorious drug dealing and violence committed by hardcore gang members and career criminals who actually commute to Skid Row to do their dastardly deeds,” Trutanich said.
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A replacement for Mahony.
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Understanding the condo auctions.
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See the city’s living ‘Treasures.’
photo by Gary Leonard
City Attorney Carmen Trutanich speaking to a crowd in front of the Midnight Mission before last week’s Skid Row walk. The scenes he witnessed during previous walks prompted him to begin work on the new injunction.
The injunction, which will require approval from a judge before implementation, establishes the so-called Central City Recovery Zone. Bounded by Broadway, Central Avenue, Third and Ninth streets, the area loosely traces the roughly square mile that Central Division police officers also call the “box.” Like with gang injunctions, the targeted individuals would be prohibited from entering the defined area.
City officials and police crowded Gladys Park in Skid Row on Wednesday to unveil the initiative, bringing along a poster covered with mug shots of all 80 people named and another poster showing still surveillance images of what appear to be drug deals in action. In addition to the 80 individuals named in the filing, the injunction would give the City Attorney see Injunction, page 14
10
It’s time for the Ring Festival.
photo by Gary Leonard
Wherefore Art Thou, Shakespeare Festival? Longtime Cultural Purveyor Changes Its Name and Opens a Downtown Stage
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22 CALENDAR LISTINGS 25 MAP 26 CLASSIFIEDS
by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
W
hen Juliet says, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” she is telling Romeo that names don’t matter, that they are meaningless and artificial. That may have been the way William Shakespeare saw it, but for a City Westbased purveyor of the Bard’s work, that’s not the case at all.
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For a quarter century, the organization long known as Shakespeare Festival/LA has gained a following by staging annual free summer Shakespeare shows in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. But as it turns 25, it has altered the moniker to the Shakespeare Center to reflect a number of changes that have occurred over the years, a wider focus in programming, and perhaps most importantly, a new performing arts facility. “We’ve changed our name to really resee Shakespeare, page 13
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Ben Donenberg, founder of the recently renamed Shakespeare Center, at the organization’s new stage in City West.
2 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
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AROUNDTOWN Los Angeles Film Festival Ditches Westside for Downtown
A
fter 16 years in Westwood, the Los Angeles Film Festival is moving to Downtown. Festival organizer Film Independent is still finalizing the schedule and details of the event slated for June 1727, but said venues will include California Plaza, the Downtown Independent, Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live, the Grammy Museum, the Nokia Theatre, the Orpheum Theatre and REDCAT. The festival showcases new American and international cinema. Past festivals have included more than 70 feature and documentary films, along with galas, panels, seminars and free outdoor screenings. In recent years attendance has hit 85,000. “The festival’s move to Downtown Los Angeles allows us a unique opportunity to celebrate the history and future of our city,” said festival Director Rebecca Yeldham in a statement. “Our new location will continue to pave the way for LAFF to realize its potential as an international destination event, and unites our filmmakers and audiences with the diverse arts community that exists Downtown.”
Police Looking for Brazen Bike Thief
L
os Angeles police are looking for help finding a man believed to be a prolific bicycle thief; he was caught on surveillance footage stealing three bicycles over a fourday period from the vicinity of US Bank Tower and the Central Library. The suspect, who police believe is a Hispanic man in his
30s, has a mustache and was last seen wearing a white baseball or painter’s cap, a dark jacket and white tennis shoes. He carries an oversized bag in which detectives believe he carries tools. Images of the suspect are at downtownnews.com. “This guy stole one bike from the US Bank Tower garage, then returned 40 minutes later and took another one,” said Lt. Paul Vernon in a release. “He’s bold, brazen and determined and we want to catch him.” Four days later, on March 30, security cameras recorded what detectives believe to be the same man cutting the lock on a bicycle at the City National Plaza bike rack on Flower Street. “He worked on this bike for an hour, cutting a little, then leaving, then returning again several times,” Vernon said. “The man rode off on each of the stolen bikes.” Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to call Det. Mike Mazzacano at (213) 972-1231.
Art Pilgrims
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rt by big names is not just the province of museums anymore. The Pilgrim School, located just west of Downtown, will celebrate the opening of its new Fine Arts Center with a show April 17-18 titled “Contemporary California Art From the Collection of Joan and Jack Quinn.” The show is open to the public and includes pieces by prominent figures such as Frank Gehry, Ed Moses and Ed Ruscha. The recently completed art space, the first new building at the school since 1964, holds two studios in about 4,000 square feet. The center includes space for exhibits, theater, music and dance productions and lectures. The school is at 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., (213) 385-7351 or pilgrim-school.org.
Door Business Slides Into South Park
Community Helps Injured Artist
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D
oft dwellers may not put a lot of thought into doors, but if the subject comes up, there’s a new Downtown specialist. The Sliding Door Co., which focuses on the design and installation of interior sliding glass doors, opened a location in South Park in early March, said design director Maayan Aharon. The company specializes in tempered safety glass installations used to divide open spaces. In residential buildings, “We install room dividers to give you that privacy, but keep the loft look,” Aharon said. The store also works with commercial clients in need of custom cubicles or office dividers, she said. The Downtown location is at 1111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 744-0244 or slidingdoorco.com.
owntown artist Richard Godfrey is getting a little help from his friends after falling 16 feet while working on a sculpture. Gallery 1018, at 1018 S. Santa Fe Ave., will hold a silent auction from April 26-30; proceeds from the more than 100 pieces of art will help Godfrey with debts acquired during his recovery. In March, the Arts District-based sculptor was working on scaffolding on a piece in Long Beach when he fell. He sustained a head injury, a punctured lung and broken hip. The fundraiser will culminate with an April 30 cocktail reception at the gallery. Request additional information by emailing julierico@yahoo. com.
Car Chase Delays Historic Core Traffic
LAHQ to Honor MOCA, Others
T
he Los Angeles Headquarters Association is gearing up for its major annual event — the 49th awards luncheon will take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on April 27. This year’s recipients include Arthur C. Batner, winner of the Spirit of Los Angeles Award; Mattel for Outstanding Corporation Headquartered in Los Angeles; L.A. Universal Preschool for the Education Award; and the Museum of Contemporary Art will receive the Community Award. The LAHQ was founded in 1965 with the goal of helping businesses open their headquarters in the Los Angeles area. Tickets start at $175 per person or $1,500 per table. Information is at laheadquarters.com.
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istoric Core traffic was slowed briefly last Monday as police embarked on a brief pursuit of a stolen car. On April 5 officers ran the plate of a suspicious vehicle, a late 1980s Honda, and it came up as stolen, said Lt. Paul Vernon. The driver, a 17-yearold alleged Fifth and Hill gang member, tried to evade the officers; the incident ended around 3:30 p.m. when he pulled over at Sixth and Spring streets. Vernon said the teen will likely face tougher penalties, beyond the suspected grand theft auto charge, because he is a known gang member, and also because the arrest took place within the borders of an injunction against the Fifth and Hill gang. It is not yet clear where the car was originally stolen, Vernon said.
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Holter says that it’s common, in committee meetings like these, for stakeholders to make lists of what the community lacks — from sit-down restaurants to supermarkets to jobs — and then express a desire to talk to elected officials to see if they can help. “But then I raise my hand and say, ‘Look, politicians don’t create jobs.’” For instance, in the 2000 community plan for South L.A., Holter contends that there was a conspicuous lack of one crucial word — “investment.” Instead the 2000 plan criticized businesses for having an incorrect perception that South L.A. was not a good area in which to invest, because of crime, poverty and unemployment. “You can Darryl Holter. call it a misperception, but we’re sitting around a table talking about the community’s problems, and we’re recognizing that the problems are very real. Unless you can do something to organize and make the area clean and safe, why would there be any investment?” Holter is also skeptical about some “affordable” housing projects. “Affordable for whom? Some say affordable is 50 percent of the poverty level. Some say it’s lower. The whole question of what’s affordable depends on how much money you have. What you’re really talking about is subsidized housing. Why is it that South L.A. seems to be the only place where affordable housing is being built? Why can’t we have market rate housing? Why can’t middle class people live in South L.A.? Why can’t upper class people live there? The affordable housing advocates are doing something that’s important. They’re speaking up and they’re the loudest. But we need a more balanced approach and that’s one of the things that I will try to bring to the community plan.”
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EDITORIALS Live, Work, Eat
F
or a long while now, the Downtown restaurant scene has been expanding. The seeds of a food renaissance actually began to sprout about a decade ago, when Staples Center opened, luring up to 20,000 people a couple hundred nights a year. Those on the forefront of food service realized that they could cater to crowds going to games and concerts, which was a big boost up from the evening traffic of previous decades — that more or less consisted of Music Center attendees and the then handful of Downtown residents. Things slowly changed once the residential revolution began in 2000; independent eateries such as Pete’s were the first to take a risk on feeding the loft dwellers during dinner and on weekends. Then came the (non-fast food) small chains; it said something about Downtown’s viability to outsiders and investors when establishments such as Roy’s and Daily Grill set up large dining rooms in the area. That led to an opening of the restaurant floodgates, as the chefs and their financial partners began competing for the thousands of new inhabitants as well as the crowds cascading into the area for shows and bars. The situation reached its apex in late 2008, when L.A. Live opened, bringing with it more than
a dozen restaurants. Meanwhile, plenty of other places had debuted all across the area serving almost every kind of cuisine imaginable. Suddenly visitors had a surfeit of choices, whether they wanted to go budget or white tablecloth. Now, however, something unexpected is coming into focus. While much attention has been placed on the quantity of restaurants landing in Downtown in recent years, these days there is a bright flash of inventive quality. The area is the hottest dining scene in the region, with a group of forward-thinking chefs offering menus that are generating praise. Their collective gastronomy is creating a new food scene. Los Angeles Downtown News is not the only one saying so. When Los Angeles Magazine recently rolled out its list of the 10 best new restaurants, four of them were in Downtown. Local establishments have been lauded in the L.A. Times, the L.A. Weekly and in national publications. Last week, Los Angeles Downtown News reported on the evolution of the Downtown restaurant scene. The story “Cutting Edge Kitchens” detailed how establishments such as Rivera in South Park, Little Tokyo’s Lazy Ox Canteen and the Historic Core’s The Gorbals are all succeeding with something new.
They are not the only ones, as Downtown establishments pushing the culinary envelope include the mammoth Bottega Louie on Seventh Street, the Arts District’s French bistro Church & State and the Third Street sausage joint Wurstküche. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of the growth is that it has been organic. While many have sought to stimulate business in Downtown Los Angeles, there has been no “big vision” attempt to secure a collection of cutting edge restaurants. Rather, this is a situation where a number of acclaimed and up-and-coming chefs have, independently, made the decision to locate in the Central City, realizing that the atmosphere and the loft-dwelling crowd are ready to try new things and are willing to be guided toward some unusual eating options. Each one that succeeds helps persuade others to take a chance on the area — after all, if they see that this community will support new strides in Latin cuisine (such as is served at Rivera), then maybe it can also hold a restaurant offering gefilte fish and chips (The Gorbals). This is an exciting time for people opening restaurants in Downtown Los Angeles. It is even more exciting for people who like to eat at them.
Take an Activist Role on Brockman Building
T
here is good news and bad news on Seventh Street. Unfortunately, the bad will predominate for a long time. How long? Only the bankers know. The good news is that construction crews will soon begin to put the finishing touches on the Brockman Building, a long-awaited residential structure. These days, the property at 530 W. Seventh St. is primarily known for its ground-floor restaurant, the immensely popular Bottega Louie. The bad news is that once construction finishes — and that is anticipated by July, as the former office building has already been mostly converted into housing — it will sit empty. Bank of America will likely foreclose on the 80-unit project after that point, and then is expected to wait for the market to turn around before it attempts to fill the units or, more likely, sell the edifice. This means a strategically located Downtown property will in all likelihood remain empty, possibly for years. The nearterm foot traffic that would be generated by residents won’t come, and the stakeholders who would continue the area’s current momentum won’t arrive. None of this is surprising. As Los Angeles Downtown News
reported last week, the Brockman Building has long been mired in difficulties. The transformation of the 12-floor edifice was slow almost from the start, and its budget surpassed initial expectations. Last year, developer West Millennium Group defaulted on its $35 million loan for the property and then filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which essentially means giving up and liquidating. The scenario became even more complicated considering Countrywide made the initial loan — the lender itself was acquired by Bank of America. There is an argument for why Bank of America would choose to sit on the building, but there is a countervailing argument as well. Pro: If they finish the structure, then they have a property that they hope to seal and maintain indefinitely with a skeleton crew and minor expenditures. Con: Any property will begin to deteriorate if it’s not occupied and cared for. If they sell later rather than sooner, the quality will be less than it will be when they seal it. The more likely scenario is that the bank waits out the economic malaise and the attendant soft real estate market, something that could be two or three years away, if not longer. Perhaps the best situation for the lender would be to
hold off until the condominium market rebounds and they can sell units at a high price point. Then again, they could make some money back now by going the auction route that is currently popular and that has succeeded at other Downtown buildings. In either scenario, Seventh Street continues to be a corridor at a crossroads. The Roosevelt Lofts and 655 Hope, two other long-awaited properties that front the street, also continue to sit empty (an auction for the latter is scheduled for April 18). Although the street is becoming a popular place for restaurants, it needs the residential activity to complete its transformation. What is definitely best for Downtown and possibly best for Bank of America is if a buyer can be found now. It is urgent that the “seal and wait” scenario not be the bank’s only plan. We urge them to reach out to the investment community sooner rather than later. Money is starting to flow here and there and some investors are looking to acquire large properties. An activist push could get this important building into the first wave of returning health for Downtown. That would benefit the bank, Seventh Street and the community as a whole.
Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News
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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: 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 Schmidt AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin sAlEs AssistANt: Annette Cruz clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway, Tam Nguyen, Kelley Smith circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.
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April 12, 2010
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WHAT’S IN STORE
The Last Bookstore photo by Gary Leonard
Historic Core Shop Keeps the Pages Turning With a Wide Variety of Used Titles
Josh Spencer opened The Last Bookstore on the ground floor of the San Fernando Building in December. The shop sells used books in a variety of genres, plus DVDs and some CDs. Most titles are less than $10. by AnnA Scott
D
owntown Los Angeles has plenty of stores selling new goods. So it makes sense that it has a new store selling old material. The Last Bookstore opened in December on the ground floor of the Old Bank District’s San Fernando Building. The shop founded by Josh Spencer, 34, grew out of an online bookselling business and is chock full of all kinds of tomes, from cookbooks to literary fiction to scientific textbooks. To sweeten the pot, nearly every item costs between $1 and $10, with just a few titles exceeding $20. Spencer’s outlet fulfills a longtime dream of his, and adds another spot — along with Metropolis and Caravan — for Downtown book lovers to bolster their collections. As part of a series highlighting local retail, Los Angeles Downtown News takes a look at what’s in store. Look and Listen: One of the first things visitors to The Last Bookstore notice is not books, but a prominently placed shelf filled with DVDs and CDs. For just $3 each, a shopper could build an eclectic audio-visual library by loading up on 1980s pop music from INXS or Billy Joel (who did start the fire anyway?), take a classical turn with the Greatest Hits of 1721, or choose from the random assortment of movies, like the 2007 thriller Breach or Steven Spielberg’s 1993 hit Jurassic Park. At these prices, it’s cheaper than on-demand. Delicious: Aspiring chefs will find a broad selection of cookbooks, with foci on everything from salads to burgers to sushi, along with kitchen classics like Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. The hefty collection of recipes from the legendary Ithaca, New York vegetarian restaurant retails here for $8.
499
Blinding You With Science: Goods at The Last Bookstore mostly come from individuals who donate, sell or trade, said Spencer. The criteria for acceptance are fairly loose, though all books must be in good condition. That results
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in a very eclectic inventory, which is evident in the science section. Offerings lean toward the educational and include the 700-page, hardcover New York Public Library Science Desk Reference (“The only one-volume collection of the most frequently sought information in every field of science”). It is $8. Not Pop: “We don’t carry a lot of pop books or mass paperbacks,” Spencer said. Even the store’s contemporary fiction veers toward works by acclaimed authors such as David Foster Wallace. The 1999 edition of the Best American Short Stories, edited by John Updike, goes for $5. Get an Education: Reference books are another well-covered niche at The Last Bookstore. Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus goes for $5, and there are other dictionaries, books of quotations and even The Idiot’s Guide to Slam Poetry, all for single-digit prices. Artistic Aspirations: The shop stocks all manner of artrelated books, from oversized photography hard covers (featuring everything from portraits of Elizabeth Taylor to images from National Geographic magazine) for approximately $20, to $5 biographies of musicians like Eric Clapton and Louis Armstrong. It also offers screenplays for films including Pulp Fiction and Sling Blade. The magic words of Quentin Tarantino and Billy Bob Thornton, among others, will set you back $3-$5. The Last Bookstore is at 400 S. Main St, (213) 617-0308 or lastbookstorela.com.
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6 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
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The Great Melting City How Did a Carbon Surcharge Turn L.A. to Mush? by Jon RegaRdie
back off her bungled carbon surcharge initiative and instead try to convince the Department of Water and Power to live up to their $73 million obligation to the city’s general fund. Killer videos hate carbon surcharge initiatives. No wait, I’m confusing two completely fictional characters, the heroic Watts, and a Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa who focuses on solutions instead of headlines. I realize the latter reference may mean I don’t get invited on the next trade mis sion to an exotic and distant land with fivestar hotels, but considering the downward spiral of the city’s finances, it’s not inaccurate. At a time when we need salvation, we’re instead getting 4,000 layoffs and the threat of closing city agencies
executive editoR
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n a column two weeks ago, I noted how every time City Controller Wendy Greuel releases a report about Los Angeles’ fiscal crisis, it is sort of like the movie The Ring, when after the killer videocassette gets played, the phone THE REGARDIE REPORT
rings and a voice warns “Seven days.” The next day it’s dinga ling and “Six days,” then “Five days” and so on. Meanwhile, Naomi Watts’ character bounces along and tries to figure out the mystery, never realizing that the best course of action is to
photo by Gary Leonard
The man who once said that the DWP carbon surcharge was all about a green future is facing a flood of criticism.
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two days a week, though after his Konglike chestthumping, AnVil found out he can’t even do that on his own. Actually, The Ring, downward spirals, giant gorillas and people who can jettison more loyal employees than Sam Zell may be the wrong reference points. Given what has trans pired, what with tumbling bond ratings and Greuel warning that our 228yearold city will run out of money in three weeks, this is more like The Wizard of Oz, when a bucket of water gets dumped on the Wicked Witch of the West. “I’m melting,” the green (and not in an environmentally friendly way) woman famously groan/screamed, and now Los Angeles is melting too. And I swear that when I started this train of thought I didn’t realize how water is the killer in all instances. What would William Mulholland do? Public Anger Figuring out how things have gotten so wet so fast is a little off base. Because before the situation went bad quickly, it went bad slowly. A year ago Los Angeles was trying to plug a budget short fall with union persuasion attempts and early layoffs. Greuel has been releasing her budget warnings since last fall. In February, when the deficit was getting, you know, really serious, the City Council began meeting every day to discuss the budget. Given the events of last week, I now have no clue what everyone did during those powwows. And for the love of Aquarius, if they actually achieved something positive at any point, then how messed up would we be without whatever grand steps have already been taken? Right now, there is an immense amount of public anger and confusion. Most of the populace, who just want to do their jobs and have fire engines arrive within six minutes of being called, can’t fathom how one day’s supposedly slight tax to pull the city off coal became the straw that snapped the power and waterbearing camel’s back. When the news that the DWP’s decision not to give $73 million to the general fund means that thousands of city workers end up in a politi cal tugofwar, well, this isn’t what was dangled months ago. This isn’t just bait and switch, it’s bait, switch, get hooked in the mouth, get punched in the face, get spun from here to Reseda and then get taxed 28% for the privilege. What makes matters worse is that once the whole thing see Melting City, page 12
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April 12, 2010
New Archbishop Introduced in Downtown Community Meets Jose Gomez, The Replacement for Cardinal Roger Mahony by RichaRd Guzmán
Downtown News 7
DowntownNews.com Perry said Mahony always struck a fine balance between his spiritual duties and the comings and goings of the secular community around him. She hopes Gomez will follow that path. “I hope I have the opportunity to take him on a tour [of Downtown] and show him not only Central City East, but all parts of the area. I think it’s going to be very exciting,” she said. While Gomez was reading from a prepared statement during his introduction, he became emotional when speaking about his time in San Antonio. His voice cracked and he paused as he talked about the people he will leave behind. “I will never forget them,” he said, “and I will never stop thanking God for the privilege of having served them. But the life of a priest is not his own. The only real home we have is in the love of our people.” Meanwhile, Mahony told reporters that with retirement approaching, he already has some plans for his future. “I got my fishing license yesterday,” he said. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownews.com.
Archbishop Jose Gomez last week stood with Cardinal Roger Mahony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels after being introduced as coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles. Mahony will retire in February.
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ast week, Los Angeles met the man who will succeed the popular and powerful leader of the region’s Catholic community. Now, the faithful, along with religion experts and political figures, are trying to figure out what Mexican-born archbishop Jose Gomez will bring to an area with 5 million followers. The 58-year-old Gomez, who holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology and an accounting degree and a B.A. in Philosophy, was introduced as coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles during an at-times emotional press conference at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Tuesday, April 6. Gomez will train under Cardinal Roger Mahony until the latter figure retires next February at the churchmandated age of 75. “I’m very grateful to the Holy Father for giving me this opportunity to serve the church with a mentor and leader like Cardinal Roger Mahony,” Gomez said as the man who has led the Los Angeles Archdiocese for a quarter century stood by his side. The appointment by Pope Benedict XVI was announced earlier that day by Archbishop Pietro Sambi in Washington, D.C. Mahony said the appointment of a Latino to the position signifies the Vatican’s acknowledgement of the importance of the rising population — Latinos make up 70% of the region’s Catholics. “This sends a message to the community recognizing the Latino influence in the U.S.,” Mahony said. Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Gomez, who was appointed as archbishop of San Antonio in 2004, began as an ordained priest of the Opus Dei Prelature in 1975, a conservative organization sometimes criticized for its secretiveness, strict rules and far-right leanings. It is perhaps best known by the general public for its fictionalized depiction in The Da Vinci Code book and film. Gomez defended his role with the organization, saying that it has helped him grow and is not affiliated with any single political thought. “We are not conservative or liberal. We are faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ,” he said. New to L.A. While Gomez was short on details about how he intends to lead, he did address questions regarding the church’s sex abuse scandals. The issue has tainted the latter years of Mahony’s tenure, especially since the Archdiocese agreed to pay $660 million to settle lawsuits filed by those who said they were abused by priests. Gomez said he has never been lenient with priests accused of abuse, and vowed to be vigilant in protecting churchgoers from abuse. He also said he would continue Mahony’s stance on advocating for the region’s large immigrant population. Gomez acknowledged that he currently knows little about Los Angeles. “I’ve been here four or five times, just visiting. I haven’t been to Disneyland yet,” he said. “But I haven’t spent any considerable time in L.A.” In following Mahony, Gomez will try to fill the shoes of someone who is not only a religious leader, but a power player familiar with political, business and union interests as well. In the 1990s, Mahony led the Archdiocese as it battled preservationists over what would happen with the former mother church, St. Vibiana’s Cathedral at Second and Main streets. Ultimately, Mahony directed the creation of the new Bunker Hill cathedral. Councilwoman Jan Perry, whose Ninth District covers the Cathedral and frequently dealt with Mahony on a variety of issues, said Gomez is an excellent choice to lead the archdiocese. “I think the fact that they are co-administering to make the transition smooth is extraordinary,” she said. “It’s very considerate of the diocese and the church and the people who are members of the community, because for them it’ll make a seamless transition and their needs will continue to be met.”
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8 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
Twitter/DowntownNews
Understanding the Auction Action How Upcoming Sales Events Work, And What Those Low Starting Prices Really Mean by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
A
mid the recession, it can be a challenge for aspiring homebuyers to know how much condominiums or houses are really worth. But a handful of Downtown developers who are seeking to unload units by auction are making things easier — they’re essentially letting buyers decide the prices themselves. On Sunday, April 18, 45 residences in developer Seck Group’s 80-unit 655 Hope will go up for bid. The following Sunday, 47 of the 65 condos at Downtown Properties’ El Dorado Lofts will go on the block. A third auction, at the Roosevelt Lofts, is in the works for late May. The events follow 2009 auctions at the Market Lofts, Concerto and Downtown Properties’ Rowan Lofts. In all three instances, the auction helped the developer open buildings that had encountered difficulties during the housing market’s slowdown. In most instances, say those familiar with the process, developers are having auctions for a few key reasons: First, lenders are enforcing requirements that buildings be 51% sold before closing mortgages for individual buyers. Auctions
allow developers to generate excitement around the property in otherwise moribund times, and sell large chunks of inventory in one day. Then there’s the timing, with developers looking to capitalize on low interest rates, a federal homebuyer’s tax credit that expires April 30, and a recently extended state tax credit that goes back into effect on May 1. The Downtown auctions have come with plenty of buzz: Each event has been trotted out with extensive marketing campaigns, and the advertised starting bids are often low enough to raise the eyebrows of anyone with a basic familiarity with local market values. “What happens is they’re able to fill a room and create excitement and get people to bid up thinking it’s a hot property,” said Michael Ferguson, president of the Loft Exchange, Inc., a Downtown residential brokerage. “But you also get a lot of people walking away, disappointed that there weren’t any closing bids remotely close to the starting bids that they advertise.” At 655 Hope, starting bids for 600- to 700-square-foot units are $165,000. At the El Dorado, the opening bid for an 856-square-foot space will start at $245,000.
photo by Gary Leonard
Bill Stevenson and Goodwin Gaw of Downtown Properties at a 2009 auction for the Rowan Lofts. The developer’s El Dorado Lofts will go on the auction block on April 25.
Bill Stevenson, a partner in Downtown Properties, which raised $21.8 million auctioning 63 of the 79 units offered at the Rowan Lofts in February 2009, is banking that the starting bids will lead to sales at a far higher price. “I think all the minimum bids at the El Dorado are way below the market,” said Stevenson, whose own auction company, Intelligent Marketing Systems, will handle the April 25 event. “Now, I might be wrong and the seller is exposed to accepting those low numbers if that’s the way it goes…. But see Auctions, page 11
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10 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
Twitter/DowntownNews
Gleaming Treasures Photos by Gary Leonard
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Auctions Continued from page 8 we’re taking that risk.” To Publish or Not to Publish Past auctions are convincing evidence that Stevenson’s risk is calculated. Sale prices at the Rowan were higher than the starting bids by an average of 10%. When auction firm Kennedy Wilson, which is handling the 655 Hope event and is in talks to run the Roosevelt auction, coordinated the Market Lofts sale, all 55 units on the block sold in less than two hours. Additionally, each went for well above its starting bid, with some doubling in price, according to data compiled by the Loft Exchange. The whole point of advertising low starting bids, said Chris Longly, deputy executive director of the National Auctioneers Association, is to get buyers in the door. Although that tactic is in play at both the El Dorado and the 655 Hope events, the two properties will utilize sharply different sales methods. Kennedy Wilson, which is handling the 655 Hope auction and was co-founded by Stevenson (he left the firm in 1996), employs a more traditional auction format, holding true to the basic vision of the fast-talking auctioneer working to bid up the price on units one at a time. Those who lose out on a condo can try again later. At the El Dorado, Downtown Properties will use Intelligent Marketing Systems to put all the units up for bid at once. Buyers watch a screen in real time as bids increase. If a buyer’s desired price is topped, they can see what else is still available in their price range. The most significant difference between the auctions is 655 Hope’s use of what is known in the auction world as an unpublished reserve. Each unit has a minimum, unpublished price that the developer needs to close a sale. That price is higher than the advertised starting bids. At the El Dorado, the advertised starting bid represents the developer’s reserve price, Stevenson said. So while Downtown Properties anticipates having multiple bidders on every condo, if any unit gets only one bidder, that buyer can walk away with the property for the advertised opening price. That’s in part why the El Dorado starting bids are notably higher than those advertised at 655 Hope. Flexible Reserve A wrinkle at the 655 Hope event is that the auctioneer can bid the price of a unit up to the developer’s unpublished reserve level. Additionally, any offer is subject to the final approval of the seller, the Seck Group, which can also counter or cancel any high bid within five days of the auction. (At the El Dorado, the high bid is guaranteed to secure the unit, Stevenson said.) If the unpublished reserve method sounds secretive, Longly of the National Auctioneers Association says the practice is fundamental to most auctions. In fact, he argues that publishing the reserve price is counterintuitive to the logic of an auction, as it sends the message that the seller would part with the unit for close to that price, thereby dissuading bidders from offering much more. “You’re going to have far more bidders at $165,000 because they’re going to go in thinking that I can get it for $165,000 but bidding is going to go from $165,000 to $220,000 real quick and then you’re going to find who’s the serious buyer,” Longly said. “At $245,000 you’re going to dwindle out your buyer pool.” Kennedy Wilson President Rhett Winchell said that under the firm’s system, depending on how an auction is playing out, the developer can also lower the unpublished reserve price. Most sellers, he said, don’t typically focus intently on individual unit prices — they are more concerned with the aggregate value. So if some high-demand condos go well beyond their reserve levels, other units with lower demand may be released for less than their reserve prices, Winchell said. “What we’ve learned is some of the units will perform, and they’ll be bid up, and some of them will have less competition,” he said. “That’s really determined by what the buyers perceive as what they’re worth.” But from Kennedy Wilson’s perspective, the most impor-
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tant factor in their method is its success: The fact that their auctions tend to sell every unit offered, as occurred at the Market Lofts, indicates that buyers get what they bargain for, and that sellers may not be countering or canceling offers, even if they reserve that right. “Sellers are highly motivated to sell, and that’s one of the reasons they’re doing an auction,” Winchell said. “They need to kick off this building and get through a majority of the units. They need to sell 51%, so that’s a motivation. That’s pretty powerful.” From a buyer’s standpoint, the Loft Exchange’s Ferguson, who has helped clients navigate auctions at the Market Lofts and Concerto and is following the two upcoming events, said that it is important not to get fixated on the opening bids. “What the potential bidder should really be concerned about is the ceiling price they’re willing to pay,” Ferguson said. “No matter what auction it is.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
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12 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
Twitter/DowntownNews
Melting City Continued from page 6 collapsed, everyone started playing for themselves. It was like a Clippers game, where all five people on the floor go in the direction they personally deem best, one-for-all-and-all-forone be darned. You have a) AnVil saying this is about a green future, b) the City Council trying to offer a compromise rate hike to get the flack off them, c) the DWP Commission freestyling and deciding that the city charter somehow gives it the right to set policy, d) the general public angry and feeling ignored because annual water and power bills already cost more than some small cars, and e) union leader Brian D’Arcy saying he thought the DWP should have gone for the Council’s compromise. D’Arcy is the guy, after all, whose DWP employees splashed into a money-filled pool a few months back when they got
raises. Now he’s chucking the mayor under the bus? The only thing whackier than this is that during crunch time DWP leader David Freeman was actually on vacation. How he could not have been on the job at the time of the agency’s biggest financial crisis ever I have no idea. Maybe he had a timeshare and didn’t want to risk losing his down payment. On Whose Shoulders? I don’t want to single out Villaraigosa in this. No wait, I do. He’s the guy who wanted to be mayor then governor then president then whatever comes after that (guy who gets to date all the TV ladies around the world?). If Toyota President Akio Toyoda ultimately gets the blame for all those sticky gas pedals, then L.A.’s sticky deficit ends up the responsibility of the man elected to lead the city, the man who appoints the DWP Commission and pulls their strings. One wonders whether the situation arose partly from who AnVil surrounds himself with, whether there is anyone who can tell him no. Greening L.A. and stopping the reliance on coal and prepping DWP for a most awesome future are
worthy aims. But you have to pick the right moment to go big, and for whatever reason, those around him either didn’t recognize the mushroom cloud that would result, or were too scared to tell him and assumed his charisma and favor trading would allow him to pull a rabbit out of the city’s wallet. Perhaps he just had the audacity to hope that the public wasn’t paying close attention. It’s a case of right idea, totally wrong time, and not having anyone to tell him to check himself, which also is on him. Now, not only has this blown up, but an emboldened Council is making moves to seize control over the DWP, while Greuel is launching an audit of the agency’s finances. The result is a mess for Los Angeles, and especially those about to be canned and those who worry that their paychecks could plummet by 40% — even if it was torpedoed once, the idea could surface again. Right now, everyone’s freaked, trying to figure out how to survive in a city with a $222 million deficit. By the way, next year’s shortfall is $485 million. Good times. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.
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Downtown News 13
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Shakespeare Continued from page 1 flect what we’ve grown into,” said company founder Ben Donenberg. “The organization has really changed and grown and taken on a lot more responsibilities and is offering the community a lot more than when we started.” The most significant change takes place this month, with Shakespeare’s classic tale of forbidden love, Romeo & Juliet, being performed at the inaugural Spring Mainstage, an indoor theatrical festival that began April 5. It takes place in the Center’s new 299-seat theater. For the next two weeks, students will be ferried to the facility across the street from the Vista Hermosa Natural Park. The play is also being performed for general audiences on two Saturday evenings, April 17 and 24. “Before all we could do was have rehearsals here,” Donenberg said. “We’re now going to be looking at a yearround schedule. We’re not just going to be summer based.” But while the Center is looking at a longer schedule, the new programming could also have an effect on the popular free summer theater presentation, the reason the group was created in the first place. Square Roots Shakespeare Festival/LA was launched in 1986 with the purpose of enlivening Pershing Square by offering a few free plays. It quickly gained a following, as admission to the shows under the stars was only a can of food, which was donated to charitable organizations. Over the years other locales were utilized,
stage the inaugural festival, Donenberg said the group had to dip into funds acquired for the outdoor summer event, which costs about $350,000. The Center re-allocated $100,000 for the spring shows, and hopes to raise additional funds during an April 12 fundraiser in Santa Monica. The annual event will feature performances by Tom Hanks and his wife, actress Rita Wilson. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed,” Donenberg said. They also have ambitious plans for another $1 million in renovations; those would literally raise the roof of the building, creating better lighting and scenery. Plans include redoing the lobby and offering opportunities for students to take classes to meet college art requirements. There is no timeline yet for that project. Meanwhile, about 3,000 kids are signed up to attend the school matinees, which run until April 23. Like other Shakespeare Center productions, the play uses the classic Shakespeare stories and language, but with a bit of modernization. This time, Romeo and Juliet are Roosevelt High School
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including Grand Hope Park and the steps of City Hall. The organization also expanded to include outreach programs such as Will Power to Youth, which combines handson artistic experience with paid job training for high school students. In 2005, city budget cuts forced the summer show from Pershing Square. At that point, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles stepped up, offering the plaza at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for the outdoor performances. The free summer show has taken place there every year since. For years, the group’s shows have been created and rehearsals have taken place inside a 13,000-square-foot headquarters on First Street in City West. Now, the building also houses the 7,000-square-foot Studio at The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles. The venue, complete with lighting and sound systems, has raised seats surrounding a 40- by 30-foot stage. The stage is part of a $500,000 renovation that was completed in January. The six-month project also added new bathrooms and air conditioning. The doors were changed in order to obtain the safety permits necessary to hold shows. A deal with the neighboring Department of Water and Power will allow Shakespeare Center valets to park audience members’ cars in their lot during evening performances. Donenberg said the expansion was powered by “a very large contribution” from Larry Silverton, a Los Angeles real estate developer and attorney. “He loves Shakespeare and he loves our organization and he wanted to see us be able to use our building for performances,” Donenberg said. “He thought it was ridiculous that all we did was rehearse here.” Donenberg said he hopes eventually to add more youth programs and theatrical productions at the Center. But the spring performances don’t come cheap. In order to
students in the 1930s. “We were inspired by the neighborhood of Boyle Heights and Downtown L.A.,” said Chris Anthony, the play’s director and associate artistic director of the Center’s company. “We wanted to examine multicultural L.A. from the perspective of a different time.” During the first show last week, a group of high school students sat around the stage, attentively watching the tragic romance unfold. During the pivotal balcony scene, some girls could be heard oohing and ahhing as Romeo and Juliet threw kisses at each other. “It’s wonderful having buses come up and having kids here,” Anthony said. “Everybody is very close to the action and they have a real intimate experience with the whole play.” Public performances of Romeo and Juliet are April 17 and 24 at 1238 W. First St. Information at (213) 481-2273 or shakespearecenter.org. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
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14 Downtown News
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Injunction Continued from page 1 the authority to add up to 300 additional people if there is ample evidence, including multiple narcotics convictions, that they are dealing drugs in the recovery zone. “Our purpose in the proposed recovery zone is to get drug dealers and gang members out of Skid Row and allow service providers to fulfill the very original intended purpose, and that is to provide recovery [services],” Trutanich said. Business Practices For years, the drug trade in Skid Row has been plied mostly by men and women from outside the area — usually South Los Angeles and often on behalf of various gangs — who go there after dark and leave during the day, said Riordan. Members of rival gangs who might battle over turf in other
April 12, 2010
parts of town generally remain nonviolent in Skid Row, knowing there are enough profits to go around, and that gang fighting would bring too much police attention and jeopardize what may be the most reliable, small-portion drug market in the city. Trutanich’s office is treating the drug trade as a business operation, if illegitimate: The legal lynchpin of the injunction is section 17200 of the California Business and Professions Code, the Unfair Business Practices Act. The law, which regulates an array of fraudulent business activities including misleading advertising, is considered a broad, flexible and powerful tool for prosecutors, Riordan said. The same code was used in 2008 to obtain an injunction against the Fifth and Hill gang, notorious for its role in the heroin trade around Pershing Square. But the Fifth and Hill injunction was small in scope compared to the Skid Row initiative, as it only named 15 individuals. In devising the new injunction, Trutanich’s office sought photo by Gary Leonard
Trutanich with Central Division officer Deon Joseph, who patrols Skid Row.
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MAY 26 HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING
(1967) LOS ANGELES THEATRE
Host Matthew Weiner, creator of Mad Men; guests Michele Lee and Robert Morse (schedule permitting) Presented in conjunction with
laconservancy.org/sixties
JUNE 2 STRANGERS ON A TRAIN
(1951) MILLION DOLLAR THEATRE
Hitchcock thriller co-written by Raymond Chandler with cinematography by Robert Burks
JUNE 9 AMERICAN GRAFFITI
(1973) ORPHEUM THEATRE
“Where were you in ’62?” Host Charles Phoenix, author and pop culture enthusiast
JUNE 16 THE GRADUATE
(1967) LOS ANGELES THEATRE
One word: Plastics
JUNE 23 FLOR SILVESTRE
(MEXICO, 1943) MILLION DOLLAR THEATRE — Co-presented with
Love amid the Mexican Revolution; starring Dolores del Río and Pedro Armendáriz; directed by Emilio Fernandez
JUNE 30 PETER PAN
(1924) ORPHEUM THEATRE
Leonard Maltin hosts this silent version of the timeless classic; live accompaniment by Robert Israel on the Mighty Wurlitzer organ
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advice from social service providers, who echoed the concern that easy access to drugs is the biggest hurdle to many peoples’ recovery, Riordan said. “What they’re doing that’s particularly insidious is they’re dealing right outside the missions and the clinics,” he said. LAPD Commander Blake Chow said the narcotics trade remains the division’s principal problem, even if the area is not quite the open-air drug bazaar it was as recently as four years ago. “As long as it’s a recovery zone we’re going to have people addicted to narcotics going there for help,” Chow said. “When you have that you’re going to have these vultures circling and coming in to take advantage of those peoples’ status in life…. But this injunction is such a powerful tool. It’s going to have a big impact upon a big population of predators.” Hardship The Wednesday filing initiates a legal process that the City Attorney hopes will ultimately result in a judge issuing an enforcement order. Those named will have an opportunity to contest their inclusion on the list and seek exemption by demonstrating that they live in the area or are accessing recovery services, said Peter Shutan, deputy director of the gang division. Those who gain exemption and are allowed to stay in the Recovery Zone, however, would still be subject to other conditions listed in the injunction, including its bans on firearms, ammunition and narcotics possession, or acting as a “hook” by connecting drug buyers with sellers and alerting dealers to incoming law enforcement with whistles and other signals, Shutan said. “Hardship will allow them to go to and from any of the services they’re legitimately involved with,” Shutan said. “But they need to understand that that’s not a carte blanche.” Officials expect an initial hearing within weeks, after which the LAPD will have 45 days to notify the 80 named individuals, Riordan said. It is uncertain how long it will take for the judge to approve, alter or deny the injunction. If approved, and if the judge issues an order enforcing the injunction, any named individuals found in the Recovery Zone would be arrested and charged with contempt of court, which comes with a maximum six month sentence, Shutan said. Answers and Questions The Wednesday press conference was swarmed by protestors who characterized the effort, which had not yet been detailed to the public, as a continuation of an unprecedented concentration of law enforcement resources in Skid Row, without commensurate public investments in social services and affordable housing. Trutanich at first tried to co-opt the group’s chant of “Housing not jails,” asserting that the injunction is aimed at protecting area denizens from predatory dealers. When the chanting continued, he wondered aloud whether the critics were “in cahoots” with the drug dealers, inciting louder boos. The theatrics of the event were a reminder that while many area social service providers and some Skid Row residents have lauded the drops in crime that accompanied a bolstered police presence, others remain deeply distrustful of the police. That sentiment stems from the early days of the Safer Cities Initiative, when cops used a heavy hand to enforce low-level offenses, said Adam Murray, executive director of the nonprofit Inner City Law Center “No one in this community wants to have drug dealers preying on people here,” Murray said. “I think that’s a universal sentiment. But there’s a lot of suspicion that this is going to be used in a way that harasses people. Do you stop someone on the street because they look like someone on the list?” Unless they are already on parole, individuals currently named in the injunction will maintain their Fourth Amendment rights, protecting them from unlawful searches and seizure, Shutan said. But if the judge ultimately issues the
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order, the injunction would give officers probable cause to arrest individuals they believe to be on the list in instances IC when the suspect declines to provide identification, said Riordan. Every officer serving and later enforcing the injunction will be specially trained, and will carry books that include information and mug shots of the targeted individuals, Chow said. “The officers enforcing the injunction will be intimately familiar with everybody on the injunction so you don’t have people getting stopped because they just look like somebody on the list,” Chow said. In making an arrest, officers would have to first call the City Attorney’s office to get approval, or be able to BL VD show “urgency” to make an arrest without pre-clearance. In all cases, the City Attorney’s office could choose not to file charges if it deems the arrest inappropriate, Riordan said. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com. 110
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HEALTH A Matter of Insurance There Are Many Issues to Consider When It Comes to Picking the Right Plan by Chelle Cordero
P
icking the right health insurance plan is confusing. What should you look for? And where do you begin? Paying for insurance can be a gamble. If you are fortunate enough never to have had serious health issues, you may find yourself grumbling over “wasted money.” However, if a serious health issue arises and you need intensive medical treatment and hospitalization, you will wish you had insurance. Sadly, there is no way to know about an unexpected illness, and sometimes when you realize you need the coverage, you may find that your pre-existing condition cannot be covered. If you are lucky, you have a decent health insurance plan through your place of employment. The homework — most of it, at least — has been done for you already, and you have some choice, although it may limited. Unfortunately, that is not the case for a growing number of Americans. Many do not have positions that include insurance. Often, the insurance that is provided cannot meet the needs of a growing family. There are also young graduates who no longer qualify on their parents’ insurance plans but have not found jobs that include benefits. With the high unemployment rate, more Americans
have lost or are losing their employer-provided benefits as well. While changes are coming due to federal healthcare changes, many will not be implemented for years. Today, the majority of Americans who are insured are enrolled in managed care plans. Managed care was designed to keep medical costs and insurance payments lower; patients often require pre-certification and medical care within a network. Health maintenance organization, or HMO, plans generally allow for little decision-making on the part of the patient and medical provider and are often the least expensive options. Traditional indemnity plans allow a patient and doctor the most freedom in treatment decision-making. In between are point of service, or POS, plans and preferred provider organization, or PPO, plans. Whether you have a choice to make or are shopping for a plan for which you will selfpay, Kate Prout of the Aetna communications department offers the following suggestion. “Review the ‘four C’s,” she says. “Changes to current plan options; cost of premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance; coverage information, such as whether your doctor is still in the insurer’s network; and choices of benefits. Find out what kinds of
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options are available.” Premiums are what you pay periodically for the insurance plan; the deductible is what you pay out of pocket before the insurance plan pays anything; copays are your portion of the bills; and coinsurance is the amount of coverage that you and your insurance company share responsibility for. Prout suggests making a list of your benefit priorities based on what your health (and if you are not single, your family’s health) has been like over the past year or so. If you have a chronic condition and require regular prescriptions, you might want to verify that both services for your ailment and a pharmacy plan are included. Verify that the doctor who has been treating you and any necessary specialists are included in the network of providers. Most employer-insured participants who lose coverage are entitled to pay for temporary insurance under COBRA. The plan mirrors the previous insurance, but the employer no longer pays into it, so the cost may seem exorbitant, though it is still generally less than a self-paid individual plan. Many states offer reasonably priced (for the market) options
USC Gets $10 Million Scholarship Gift Annenberg Foundation Donation Funds Grants of up to $35,000 a Year
T
he Annenberg Foundation has donated $10 million to establish the Wallis Annenberg Endowed Scholarship Fund to support students at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. The grant will be divided evenly between the schools. The Wallis Annenberg Endowed Scholarship Fund will cover a substantial portion of the tuition costs for recipients, awarding up to $35,000 per year to recipients at the Keck School and $25,000 per year to recipients at the Annenberg School. By its third year of existence, the fund will help support the educational costs for as many as 17 Annenberg Scholars. “The ability to provide scholarship support is a vital component of USC’s quest to attract the most talented students,” said USC President-elect and Provost C. L. Max Nikias. “This generous gift will not only provide a strong incentive for those students to come to USC, but will also help ensure both schools’ legacy of educating and training world leaders in their respective fields.” Wallis Annenberg, chairman of the board of the Annenberg Foundation and
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the longest serving trustee on USC’s Board of Trustees, views scholarship funding as an essential investment in human capital. “Scholarships ease the burden of students who might not have the money to attend college or graduate school,” she said. “They are crucial to leveling the playing field and offering access to higher education to a broader range of people, regardless of any one person or family’s financial circumstances.” The establishment of the fund comes at a pivotal time for the Annenberg School and for the Keck School of Medicine. The latter is facing transformative challenges, according to Dean Carmen A. Puliafito. “We are on the forefront of medical education, with a recently designed curriculum that is integrated and hands-on,” he said. “We have accomplished faculty, and we offer real-world experience in patient care from the very start of each student’s medical school career. With the generosity of the Annenberg Foundation, we will ensure that generations of Keck students receive the financial assistance they need to continue their academic pursuits.” Article courtesy of USC HSC Weekly.
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Downtown News 17
DowntownNews.com
ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS WEEK The Heroes of 9 to 5 Administrative Professionals Week Is a Chance to Say Thanks to Those Who Make Businesses Run the Right Way by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
B
ehind every great executive is someone the public almost never sees. A hard working jackof-all-trades, and sometimes more than one hard working jack-of-all-trades, do whatever it takes to make the boss look good. These people, gatekeepers you can call them, don’t get the glamour. While the executives hit the fancy lunch spots, the administrative professionals are often chained to the desk, performing the critical support duties that help the business run smoothly. They keep the appointment calendar up to date, field all the calls (the important and non-important ones) and, when necessary, make sure the bigwig doesn’t get mired in the muck. And it takes a lot of them to make sure that businesses nationwide can thrive. According to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States. A total of 8.9 million people work in various administrative support roles. Of course, given the concentration of businesses in Downtown Los Angeles, plenty of them labor in the
Central City. That’s why Administrative Professionals Week (formerly Secretaries Day) is one of the most important “holidays” on the calendar. It falls April 18-24. Los Angeles Downtown News has some ideas on how to thank these important employees. Keep them happy, and they’ll keep running things behind the scenes while the boss takes all the glory. The Gift of Grub: Everyone, repeat everyone, appreciates a good meal, and smart managers realize that a well-fed employee is a happy and productive employee. Fortunately, Downtown has no shortage of spots that combine a cool and relaxed atmosphere. So a great way to say thank you is to take the gatekeeper out for a nice, and long, lunch outside the office. The Palm in South Park is always a smart choice. It not only serves fine food, but it attracts Downtown’s who’s who, with the faces of various business, political and entertainment leaders on the walls. The Palm’s Business Lunch menu is a good way to go for the special week. For $23.95, the three-course meal includes a choice of salad or soup for starters; entrees such as twin tenderloin filets, chicken parmigiana, see Gifts, page 18
APRIL 19 -23 , 2010
Administrative Professionals Week Looking for the perfect way to say thank you?
C e L e b R At e w I t h u s !
CafÉ Pinot 700 W. Fifth St. | 213 239 6500 Kendall’s Brasserie Music Center of Los Angeles 135 N. Grand Ave. | 213 972 7322 ZuCCa ristorante 801 S. Figueroa | 213 614 7800 niCK & stef’s steaKhouse Wells Fargo Center 330 S. Hope St. | 213 680 0330
To view our menus and make your reservation today, please visit www.patinagroup.com
WILSHIRE GRAND LOS ANGELES • LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF 7TH & FIGUEROA
18 Downtown News
A Note About Our Customers
Gifts Continued from page 17 blackened steak salad or the fresh fish of the day; a side dish; and a choice of New York cheesecake or key lime pie. But with all the other high power execs eating close by, just be careful your administrative assistant doesn’t network too much and snag a better gig from a rival CEO. If you want a more lounge-oriented experience, then take your administrative assistant to J Restaurant and Lounge, also in South Park. The restaurant is offering a special all week, for both lunch and dinner, for administrative professionals. A bouquet of flowers will be provided with all reservations that week. There will also be wine pairings offered by sommelier Frederic Hemon to go along with the entrees. Menu items include Italian classics such as Sicilian lasagna and risotto al scampi. Other filling options are braised pork ribs ($26) and sea scallops fettuccini ($24). The Palm is at 1100 S. Flower St., (213) 763-4600 or thepalm.com. J Restaurant and Lounge is at 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746 or jloungela.com. Instructional Film: Going to the movies is a great escape. And while you want your assistant to return to work, sending them to a special film will certainly be appreciated. You can always snag a gift card for the Regal Cinemas Stadium 14 at L.A. Live, which offers all the latest blockbusters, including the explosive 3D options. Or, send your gatekeeper to catch a classic film in a historic location. Tickets for the Los Angeles Conservancy’s 2010 season of Last Remaining Seats go on sale April 14 (every year several events sell out, so don’t dally).
April 12, 2010
Administrative Professionals Week
Focusing on Administrative Professionals Week
T
he Los Angeles Downtown News wishes to thank the following advertisers in this week’s special section, Administrative Professionals Week. As always, we encourage readers to patronize our advertisers, keeping in mind that each of these businesses is making an investment in Downtown Los Angeles. In alphabetical order, they are:
Café Pinot • (213) 239-6500 • 700 W. Fifth St. • Contemporary California Cuisine
• 317 S. Broadway • Los Angeles’ oldest and largest open-air market
photo courtesy of J Restaurant & Lounge
J Restaurant & Lounge will honor administrative assistants all week with a special menu. Gatekeepers also get a bouquet of flowers.
The season kicks off May 26 with a perfect film for those in the corporate world, the 1967 hit How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at the Los Angeles Theater. The story follows window cleaner J. Pierpont Finch as he tries the advice in a book about making it in business, and eventually engineers a sneaky rise to vice president. If anything, it’ll show your staff you have a sense of humor about the corporate world. Or that you’re wise to their ways. If you want to start the celebration early and treat your assistant to some straightup laughs, get tickets to the Downtown Independent’s L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival. It runs April 15-18, and features screenings, parties and red carpet events. So go all out and buy some tickets to the festi-
Cardini at the Wilshire Grand • (213) 688-7777 • Located at the corner of 7th & Figueroa • All new menu, salads, sandwiches and pasta City Grill at the Wilshire Grand • (213) 688-7777 • Located at the corner of 7th & Figueroa • Lunch buffet and carving station Edible Arrangements • (213) 489-0900 • 868 W. Seventh St. • Fresh fruit bouquets
O Bar & Kitchen • (213) 623-9904 • 819 S. Flower St. • New American cuisine with a Mediterranean flair
Zucca • (213) 614-7800 • 801 S. Figueroa • Rustic, seasonal Italian fare
val’s special happenings — after dealing with you, your gatekeeper can use the laughs. Regal Cinemas is at 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Last Remaining Seats tickets and information are at (213) 4304219 or laconservancy.org. The Downtown Independent is at 251 S. Main St. Tickets for the L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival are at lacomedyshorts.com.
photo by Gary Leonard
Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse • (213) 680-0330 • 330 S. Hope St. • Signature steaks dry-aged on site
San Antonio Winery • (888) 223-1401 • 737 Lamar St. • Special menu and free winery tours
Grand Café at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel • (213) 356-4155 • 251 S. Olive St. • Contemporary California cuisine Grand Central Market • (213) 624-2378
You’ll have to arrange the flowers yourself, but the Flower Mart offers a huge selection of plants at great prices.
Kendall’s Brasserie • (213) 972-7322 • 135 N. Grand Ave. • Fresh seafood and French fare
It’s Time: If your secretary has saved your executive behind more than once (and you know he or she has), don’t wait until they retire to give them that gold watch. Go over to the Downtown Macy’s and pick out a classic timepiece that tick tocks thank you. If you’re really, really, really thankful for their hard work, go a little on the high end and purchase the $160 Armani Exchange goldstone
crystal accented bracelet watch. Or opt for the less flashy but just as dandy Skagen women’s silverton mesh bracelet watch ($130). If your administrative assistant is a man, you could opt for the classy and business-looking Diesel DZ7071. It’s got a thin leather bracelet and digital time and date readings. If you want a less expensive gift, there’s the all black Guess men’s leather strap watch ($95). It’s got diamond accents at 12 and six and is water resistant. Macy’s is at 750 W. Seventh St., (213) 6289311 or macys.com. Edible Gift: That old standby, the fruitcake, has finally been replaced with an edible gift that people will actually enjoy eating. So if you want to reward your staff with an officewide gift of food (assuming your gatekeeper is
BAR + KITCHEN New American Cuisine a Mediterranean Flair BARwith + KITCHEN
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Administrative Professionals Week vious item but with a “Thank You” balloon to make sure your point gets across. Then there is the Berry Much Appreciated (also $56), which is basically a mountain of chocolate covered strawberries with the “Thank You” balloon in a coffee mug. It’s hard to go wrong with chocolate Edible Arrangements is at 868 W. Seventh St., (213) 489-0900 or ediblearrangements. com.
the sharing type), try Edible Arrangements on Seventh Street. The store offers some deliciously clever combinations of fruits and sweets made to look like a bouquet of roses. To make your choice even easier, the store has a special section of arrangements tailored specifically for Administrative Professionals Week. There’s the Delicious Daisy ($54), which includes strawberries, pineapples, honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes and banana slices dipped in white and dark chocolate. For $2 more you can order the Thanks Bunch, which comes with the same fruits as the pre-
Relax: Unless you’re a hammock tester,
photo courtesy of Miyako Hotel Spa
An administrative assistant can get a relaxing massage at the spa in Little Tokyo’s Miyako Hotel.
your job probably stresses you out. One of the best ways to decompress is a day at a spa. So help your employees unwind with a visit to the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo. The ample spa offers a sauna for soothing those tired pores, a Jacuzzi for relaxing those exhausted bones, and a Shiatsu Asian massage treatment to help alleviate everything else. Spa admission is $25, while the shiatsu massage ranges from $60-$110. The spa opens at 3 p.m. on the weekdays, so to make it extra special, why not pair it with an afternoon off? Your office may be shorthanded for a few hours, but this will pay long-term dividends. Go ahead, make that executive decision. If you’re near the western edge of Downtown Los Angeles, the Pho-Siam Thai Spa is a reliable option. Services including regular massage, a foot massage, skin care and waxing (though the latter could be a little
too personal for gatekeepers week). A traditional massage starts at $30 for 30 minutes, and they stay open until 10:30 p.m. Miyako Hotel is at 328 E. First St., (213) 6172000 or miyakoinn.com. Pho-Siam is at 1525 Pizarro St., (213) 484-8484 or phosiam.com. Steeerike: Bowling isn’t just for frumpy old guys anymore. It’s cool, it’s fun, and it’s a good way to blow off steam after work. So organize a gatekeepers bowling party at Lucky Strikes Lanes and Lounge. The L.A. Live fixture has a club-like vibe to make rolling a ball a lot more fun. There’s a full kitchen and bar and even private rooms. Just be sure to let the administrative professional win. Lucky Strikes Lanes and Lounge is at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 542-4880 or lalive.com/ entertainment/lucky_strike Contact Richard Guzmán at Richard@downtownnews.com.
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Flower Power: Flowers never go out of style. But in the corporate world, it’s crucial that a gift of fresh blooms is not interpreted in the wrong way. Basic Flowers is on hand to help you make the right choice for Administrative Professionals Week. Their website offers tips on the right flower for the occasion. For secretaries it’s suggested you avoid the “Romantic Flowers” section, and maybe choose from the “Everyday Flowers and Plants” or the “Elegant Exotics.” You’ll get plenty of choices, everything from red roses to a sunflower arrangement to purple orchids. Another reliable standby is the Downtown Flower District. There are dozens upon dozens of merchants offering every shape and hue of flower you can fathom. You’ll have to do the arranging yourself, and you’ll need to pick up your own vase, but you get a massive quantity of flowers for a relatively low price. During Administrative Professionals Week, the Flower Mart at 766 Wall St. opens at 8 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and at 6 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Basic Flowers is at 828 W. Seventh St., (213) 995-3333 or basicflowersla.com. The Flower District is at 766 Wall St., laflowerdistrict.com.
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20 Downtown News
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April 12, 2010
CALENDAR Ring Around Los Angeles
photo courtesy of Grand Performances
Geoff Gallegos of the Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra will debut a new piece called “Gangsta Wagner.” It will be staged at the Cal Plaza Watercourt on June 19.
photo by Gary Leonard
Festival Goes Beyond Wagner’s Epic And Explores the Music and The Man, Warts and All
L.A. Opera Music Director James Conlon presides over the company’s performance of Wagner’s Ring cycle. On April 20 at USC, he will lead a discussion about Wagner, the artist and the man. by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
photo by Gary Leonard
T
his week, a dead composer will begin his 10-week takeover of Los Angeles. His spirit will be headquartered at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, but he’ll be making day trips and drop-ins at the Cal Plaza Watercourt, the Central Library, and more than a hundred other cultural and educational venues in Los Angeles. The man is Richard Wagner, the hailed creative genius, and oft-reviled person, whose cycle of four operas Der Ring Des Nibelungen, will be on the menu for the first time in L.A. Opera’s 24-year history from May 28-June 26. During that period, the works will be performed in order three times, each over nine days. Of course, many won’t want to commit to 15 hours of opera. But those people will still have a chance to taste a little Wagner since the powerbrokers of the city’s cultural scene decided it was important to reach a wider audience than the some 10,000 who will buy tickets to the actual performances. Enter Ring Festival L.A., a countywide series of concerts, lectures, theatrical performances and more, most of them free, all centered around Wagner, the artist and the man. “This is the main event of any opera company,” said Barry Sanders, an L.A. Opera board member who is leading the festival. “In view of the enormity of this for the opera company and also for the city, it made sense to explore other ways to involve more than just our performance audience in this event. You want to take the importance of this from outside under the chandeliers to the people of Los Angeles.” Given that the upcoming Ring will mark the first time L.A. Opera has performed the four works in sequence (the company started staging each part individually in 2008), many in Los Angeles may be largely unfamiliar with Wagner. James Conlon, the company’s music director, wants to ensure that the festival brings in the uninitiated. “I believe absolutely that opera, classical musical in general, is not an elitist art form and it should never have the notion that it is limited to anybody
L.A. Opera board member Barry Sanders was tapped to head Ring Festival L.A., a collaboration of more than 100 local arts and educational institutions.
or that you have to know about it to love it,” said Conlon. “I believe every human being is born with an empty slate and it’s a question of exposure, and so this particular great event is about exposing the Ring and the music of Richard Wagner.” That is borne out in numerous and sometimes unexpected ways, such as comparing the Ring to Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and other characters and settings from George Lucas’ famous film series. That comes into play April 15 at MOCA Grand Avenue with the panel discussion “From Nietzche to ‘Star Wars’: The Wagnerian Power of the Ring.” On April 20, Conlon will lead a discussion at USC focusing on Wagner the man, whose widely known anti-Semitism has sparked controversy for more than a century. “What I think needs to be emphasized is that we are looking at the music and the art,” Conlon said. “We are not celebrating the person. We are studying the person, but in the end it’s always about the art. And in fact, we have a curious notion, a very nice idea, perhaps a little naïve, that only nice people can make nice music.” Hip Hop Ring The Ring Festival schedule is all over the geographic and cultural map, but many of the events are in Downtown. Conlon leads a discussion on April 19, as part of the Aloud series at the Central Library, on the “Eros, Mythos and Ethos” of the Ring. The L.A. Conservancy throws its hat in the festival with a free, self-guided tour of historic sites related to German émigrés such as Bertolt Brecht, Thomas Mann and Alfred Döblin who came to Los Angeles seeking refuge during the rise of National Socialism in Europe. Those who want to experience the music don’t have to go to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. There is a performance on April 12 by the Colburn School Orchestra of Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll,” and works by Zemlinsky and Ullman, with Conlon conducting. On April 21, 23 and 25, the USC Thornton School of Music presents Wagner’s seldom performed opera Das Liebesverbot. On June 19, Grand Performances will present one of the festival’s more unique offerings in “Gangsta Wagner,” a new composition by Geoff Gallegos of the Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra. Though the piece is not yet finished, the event description promises the work will be “adrenaline-pumping, fearinducing and gut-wrenching. If Wagner was alive and writing a score for our city’s brand of warfare, this is how it would sound.” Michael Alexander, executive director of Grand Performances, said he jumped at the chance to collaborate with L.A. Opera in presenting some Wagner-themed programming on the outdoor Watercourt. “Their production of the Ring seemed to create a lot of conversation, and if we could be part of a festival it gave us a chance to be introducing the artists that we support and our own program to a broader audience,” Alexander said. The “Gangsta Wagner” event seems to fall perfectly in line with the festival’s goal of spreading Wagner’s artistry beyond the bifocals crowd. “The mission,” said Sanders, “is to take this out away from the sense that it’s up on some hill and show people who otherwise are not yet introduced to this that it is accessible, it’s understandable and it’s important.” Ring Festival L.A. runs from April 15-June 30, ringfestivalla.com. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
April 12, 2010
Apocalypse Wow L.A. Opera’s Ring Cycle Climaxes With Götterdämmerung by Marc Porter Zasada contributing writer
L
os Angeles Opera’s epic journey down the Rhine climaxes over the next two months with three performances of Richard Wagner’s complete four-opera Ring of the Nibelungen and a citywide arts festival (see story p. 20). The final, apocalyptic installment, Götterdämmerung, or “Twilight of the Gods,” debuted April 3 under the steady baton of James Conlon and the high-risk vision of avantgarde German director Achim Freyer. Musically, this Götterdämmerung, which continues through April 25 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, is a triumph. The opera lives or dies on the performance of Brünnhilde, the once-immortal Valkyrie now doomed to love a mortal and bring an end to the age of Norse gods. Soprano Linda Watson has not just the force of voice, but the force of personality to cut through a large Wagnerian orchestra, along with whatever shenanigans a Wagnerian director tosses around the stage. Watson slices through with magnificent, clean and terrifying emotion, effortless throughout the range. Her force is sustained right through the immolation scene, which ends not just the 15-odd hours of Ring Cycle music, but a whole epoch of civilization. Even when she tears out bits of her two-foot high fright wig, she maintains her artistic focus. Equally thrilling is Eric Halfvarson as the evil Hagen, who dupes Brunnhilde’s lover, Siegfried, into betraying her. Halfvarson’s baritone is smooth, piercing and laced with a fey nuance that makes him almost tragic. He may be the finest Hagen performing today, and even though Freyer limits his movements practically to zero, he manages to dominate the stage. Conlon continues his somewhat restrained but carefully inflected interpretation of Wagner. It’s a restraint which will bring joy to some, but may disappoint those who like the Rhine to wash over them like a tsunami. Artistically, this Ring is a difficult but exciting journey,
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DowntownNews.com with Freyer systematically stripping away the fairy-tale world normally conjured by Wagner’s Norse legends, and replacing it with his own dreamlike, music-hall dance of abstract symbology. There are no swords, only floating neon tubes; no winged helmets, only a gold-painted top hat; no flying horses, only stationary bicycles. It’s a consistent and fully realized vision, shot through with genuine theatrical genius. Often, especially in Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, Freyer tore open the Ring in an entirely new way. Unfortunately, somewhere in the middle of Siegfried, and through the first two acts of Götterdämmerung, Freyer seemed to begin running out of ideas. As a result, much of this final opera is maddeningly static, with the four lead singers stationed primly behind podiums constructed of painted plywood cutouts of their costumes. Yes, the cutouts represent “stasis,” but at times it feels more like an oratorio than a drama, and simply does not work over five-and-a-quarter hours. Götterdämmerung is the most human of the four works, which start in Valhalla and end with this very messy love triangle down on earth. The “Twilight” depends, more than any of the other operas, on complex emotional interactions and the development of genuine tragedy. Freyer was a student of Bertolt Brecht, who believed that theater should make an audience think rather than feel. Hence Freyer deliberately makes the characters look ridiculous, and often places them in full-face masks to prevent as much emotional connection as possible. He attempts to duplicate Wagner’s use of leitmotifs, or repeated themes, by looping scrim projections or illuminating symbolic elements of the set. While this proved clever back in Rheingold, by Götterdämmerung the symbology grows increasingly minimalist and often seems merely repetitious. The director’s imagination is roused magnificently, however, in the grand finale, in which he disassembles his vision, and the stage itself, lifting characters into the air and creating a kind of maelstrom of symbology. If this apocalypse lacks the full emotional satisfaction of a traditional performance, in which the Rhinemaidens reclaim the evil golden ring of the Nibelungen for the river itself, we almost forgive Freyer. Almost. John Treleaven turns in a strong, if not musically exciting performance as the foolish “hero” Siegfried, here reduced by Freyer to a true clown. Treleaven’s voice tends to weaken toward the end of the marathon Wagner op-
photo by Monika Rittershaus
Eric Halfvarson plays the evil Hagen in Götterdämmerung, the final installment of Wagner’s Ring cycle. The L.A. Opera production runs through April 25.
eras, and one worries how he will fare when forced to perform Götterdämmerung within three days of the exhausting Siegfried. Despite being confined to expressionless white masks by Freyer, Alan Held and Jennifer Wilson offer world-class interpretations of Gunther and Gutrune, the weak-willed and perhaps weak-minded brother and sister manipulated by Hagen. The supporting players are all superb, including the Norns, Rheinmaidens, dancers and the L.A. Opera Chorus under Grant Gershon — forced to stand through nearly the whole opera as a kind of dark backdrop to the non-action. Is this Ring perfect? No. Is it absorbing, enlightening and world-class? Yes. Is it sometimes touched by greatness? Absolutely. Götterdämmerung plays through April 25, then the entire Ring cycle repeats three times in May and June. At the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8001 or laopera.com.
The Shakespeare Center of LosAngeles (formerly Shakespeare Festival/LA) presents
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22 Downtown News
Butterflies Flutter By, and so Does Ian McEwan pring takes wing at the Natural History Museum’s annual Pavilion of Wings. More than 40 species of butterflies and supersized moths flutter freely through the newly re-landscaped pavilion on the Museum’s south lawn. The exhibit, which opened April 11 and runs through Sept. 6, offers a constantly changing ecosystem in which the delicate flying creatures interact with plant life and with each other — and even with you (though really, you’re asked not to touch the little creatures). More than half are native to California. So check out the monarch, the mourning cloak, the California dogface, the Cynthia moth, the sphinx moth and more. At 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763–3466 or nhm.org.
Monday, april 12 ALOUD at the Aratani/Japan American Theatre 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 8 p.m.: In his new novel Solar, the best-selling author of Atonement Ian McEwan explores the quest of one overweight and philandering Nobel prize-winning physicist to save the world from environmental disaster. He’s in conversation with David Kipen. photo © Natural History Museum of LA County
Tuesday, april 13 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Poets Chris Abani, Percival Everett and Peggy Shumaker read selections from their work.
To do: See the Hollywood 2010: The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising museum space before it closes on Saturday, April 17. The 18th annual (free) show offers an up-close look at more than 100 cos costumes from more than two dozen of last year’s movies. Check out duds from The Young Victoria (which nabbed the Oscar for Best Costume Design), Star Trek, Julie & Julia, An Education, Nine and many other films. Bonus cool factor: The exhibit features work by two FIDM grads: Aliens in the Attic, designed by Mona May, and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, designed by Marlene Stewart. Yay for the home team! At 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1200 or fidm.edu.
Wednesday, april 14 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Amy Tolan moderates a conversation with Amy Wilentz and Saree Makdisi entitled “An Imperfect Balance: New Thinking in the Middle East Conflict.” All three panelists are longtime observers and writers on the Middle East, who will discuss the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Friday, april 16 Coro Cross Talk Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., 4th Floor Media Room, (213) 346-3221 or coro.org. 8:30-10:30 a.m.: Panelists explore the economics, implementation and political implications of the newly passed health care bill in “Healthcare: What Happens Next?” Farmlab Public Salons 1745 N. Spring St. #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. Noon: Sue Bell Yank, assistant director of Academic Programs at the Hammer Museum, discusses social practice in “From Sculpture to Practice: Tracing the Development of the Social through Joseph Beuys.” saTurday, april 17 Used Book Sale Central Library Rotunda, 630 W. Fifth St., 213-2287241 or lapl.org. 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Featuring hundreds of bargain books, LPs, videos and more. Spring Brewery Artwalk 2100 N. Main St., (213) 223-6089 or breweraartwalk.com.
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Can a pudgy, philandering, Nobel prize-winning physicist save the world from environmental disaster? Multiple award-winning author Ian McEwan unravels the tale of said physicist in his new novel Solar, one of the many topics he’ll discuss at a special Aloud event at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre (most Aloud readings are in the Central Library). London-based McEwan has written 13 books, including the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Atonement, which was adapted into, you guessed it, an award-winning 2007 film of the same name. Absorb some of that winner juju on Monday, April 12, at 8 p.m. as David Kipen, literature director of the National Endowment for the Arts, leads the conversation. At 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org.
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Thursday, april 15 Thursdays at Central 630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room A, (213) 228-7272 or lapl.org. 12:15 p.m.-1 p.m.: “What Could You Do With An Extra Quarter? An Equal Pay Workshop” explores why there is still a wage gap between men and women. Play the “Guess the Wage Gap” game, discover Lily Ledbetter and her role in winning the Fair Pay Act, and take action to protect and expand the rights of women. Presented by Cathy Deppe of 9to5. MOCA Grand Avenue 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org. 7-9 p.m.: “From Nietzsche to Star Wars: The Wagnerian Power of The Ring” features a panel of experts taking on themes and symbols of Wagner’s monumental opera series. Moderated by USC’s James R. Kincaid. Free.
by Lauren CampedeLLi, Listings editor
photo by Samuel Jang
SPONSORED LISTINGS Kids 4 Kids Run/Walk L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (310) 2075330 or ccrf-kids.org. April 25, 10 a.m.: Toyota and AEG host the “All-Star” carnival and finish line entertainment for the Kids 4 Kids 5k Run/Walk 2010. A host of celebrities and professional athletes have been invited to attend, including Jordan Farmar, Rafael Furcal, Luc Robitaille, Landon Donovan, Michael Cooper, Noelle Quin and Emma Roberts. The event is a benefit for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund. Griffith Observatory’s 75th Birthday Party 2800 E. Observatory Rd., (213) 473-0807 or FriendsOfTheObservatory.com. May 15, 5:30-10:00 p.m.: Celebrate Griffith Observatory’s 75th birthday and support science education at the same time. See the Observatory bathed in shimmering northern lights. Attend the premiere of Light of the Valkyries, a live planetarium show with celebrity performers. Dine on gourmet cuisine by Wolfgang Puck. Proceeds fund field trips for thousands of students. For ticket and sponsorship information, see contact information above.
LISTINGS photo courtesy of the author
EVENTS
April 12, 2010
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Dragons are cool. Vietnamese dragons are especially cool. And musical Vietnamese dragons? Check it out for yourself, with the Ascending Dragon Music Festival and Cultural Exchange. The happening took the Southwest Chamber Music ensemble to Vietnam in March and now welcomes 19 Vietnamese composers and musicians to Los Angeles. The first of four concerts at the Colburn School takes place Saturday, April 17, at 8 p.m., and features the works of composers Vu Nhat Tan, Toru Takemitsu and Nguyen Thien Dao, along with Debussy and Alexandra du Bois. A crosscultural evening indeed! At 200 S. Grand Ave., (800) 726-7147 or swmusic.org.
April 12, 2010
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Additional Event Information on the Web
LADOWNTOWNNEWS.COM/CALENDAR : EVENTS | ROCK, POP & JAZZ | CLASSICAL MUSIC THEATER, OPERA & DANCE | ART SPACES | FILM | BARS & CLUBS | MUSEUMS | FARMERS MARKETS | TOURS 11 a.m.-6 p.m.: Explore the mammoth art colony near Chinatown. Also on April 18. Cashing in on Great Green Ideas Workshop Central Library, Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7110 or lapl.org. 1-3 p.m.: This workshop is all about environmental entrepreneurship, innovation and the green economy. Eco-inventors and entrepreneurs present examples and resources to assist you in entering the sustainable economy. Sunday, april 18 Run for Water Los Angeles 3825 S. Figueroa St., (213) 926-2184 or runforwaterlosangeles.com. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.: The Dow Live Earth Run for Water series of run/walk events raise awareness about the shortage of safe drinking water in both developed and undeveloped countries. There’s a 6K run/walk, and at the finish line, a Water Village with interactive water education activities, exhibits, vendors and a concert by Melissa Etheridge.
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. Café Metropol 923 E. Third St., (213) 613-1537 or cafemetropol.com. April 16-17, 8-10 p.m.: Gabriel Alegria’s AfroPeruvian Sextet. 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. Sundays, 6-11 p.m.: The restaurant is transformed into a vintage, old Hollywood-style dance club every Sunday. Come out to appreciate the big band, swank costumes, dinner and cocktails. Visit cicadaclub.com. Conga Room L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic, (213) 749-0445 or congaroom.com. April 18, 8 p.m.: Afro-Peruvian World singer Susana Baca in an intimate concert. Club Nokia Corner of Olympic Blvd. and Figueroa St., clubnokia.com. April 13, 9 p.m.: Britain’s Public Image Limited (PiL) brings its fusion of rock, dance, folk, pop and dub. April 14, 8:30 p.m.: Them Crooked Vultures with Middle Class Rut. April 15, 8:30 p.m.: The Specials. April 16, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.: “Funny Bidness” with Mike Epps. Grammy Museum L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. These shows take place in the museum’s Sound Stage theater. April 14, 8 p.m.: Legendary blues rocker George
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Monday, april 12 Colburn School Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., colburnschool.edu. 8 p.m.: Colburn Chamber Music Society with guest conductor James Conlon, violinist Movses Pogossian and soprano Erica Brookhyser performing Wagner, Ullman and Zemlinsky. TueSday, april 13 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org. 8 p.m.: In this Green Umbrella concert, Walt Disney Hall plays host to Louis Andriessen’s “La Commedia.” WedneSday, april 14 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org. 8 p.m.: Conductor David Robertson and violinist Gil Shaham lead the St. Louis Symphony in a program of Stravinsky and Mozart, including a violin concerto by each composer.
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Friday, april 16 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org. 8 p.m.: Pianist Simon Trpeski plays Rachmanioff’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Jaap van Zweden conducts. Also at 8 p.m. on April 17 and 2 p.m. on April 18. SaTurday, april 17 Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels 555 W. Temple St., (213) 680-5200 or olacathedral.org. 7:30 p.m.: Reaching into a repertoire from the baroque age to 20th century Argentine compositions, flutist-in-residence Zachary Valenzuela performs with harpist Andrea Thiel. Colburn School 200 S. Grand Ave., colburnschool.edu. 8 p.m.: Southwest Chamber Music presents a concert of works by visiting Vietnamese composers as part of the group’s “Ascending Dragon” festival. The program features two U.S. premieres. Sunday, april 18 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org. 7:30 p.m.: Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin gives a wide-ranging organ recital, with works by Franck, Rachmaninoff and Bedard.
THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Above The Line Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.com. April 15-17, 8 p.m.: “Above The Line” plays with sex, lies and videotape in a farce about the making of a Hollywood movie. Through May 1. Ballad of Sad Young Men Company of Angels Theatre, 501 S. Spring St., companyofangels.org. April 13-15, 8 p.m.: A soldier revisits a childhood haunt on the eve of his return to war. Through April 22. Götterdämmerung Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8001 or laopera.com. April 17, 1 p.m.: Los Angeles Opera continues the Ring saga with the final chapter of Wagner’s epic music drama. “The Twilight of the Gods” begins with the rapturous love shared by Brünnhilde (Linda Watson) and Siegfried (John Treleaven). But the evil Hagen (Eric Halfvarson), son of the dwarf
Alberich (Gordon Hawkins), plots against Siegfried. Through April 25. Hamlet, Prince of Puddles Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.com. April 17-18, 11 a.m.: “Hamlet, Prince of Puddles” is an all-ages adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic and the debut of theater group L’Enfant Terrible. Through May 9. LA Views 3: Hunger and the City Company of Angels Theatre, 501 S. Spring St., companyofangels.org. April 16-17, 8 p.m.; April 18, 2 p.m.: Written by CoA Playwrights Group and directed by CoA company members, this short-play festival explores the concept of wanting more. Through April 25. Romeo and Juliet The Studio at The Shakespeare Center, 1238 W. First St., (213) 481-2273 or shakespearecenter.org. April 17, 8 p.m.: A unique and spirited adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” is set in 1930s Boyle Heights. Through April 24. The Stigmatized Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8001 or laopera.com. April 18, 2 p.m.: Conductor James Conlon continues the critically lauded, groundbreaking “Recovered Voices” series with the first-ever production in the Western hemisphere of Franz Schreker’s The Stigmatized. Through April 24.
FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., downtownindependent.com for showtimes. April 9-14: Terribly Unhappy tells the tale of a Copenhagen police officer who, following a nervous breakdown, is transferred to a small provincial town to take on the mysteriously vacated marshall position. He gets mixed up with a married femme fatale. April 15-18, 8 p.m.: “The L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival” is a four-day celebration of comedic short films and the people who make them. Flagship Theatres University Village 3323 S. Hoover St., (213) 748-6321 or flagshipmovies.com. Through April 15: Date Night (1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45 and 10 p.m.); Clash of the Titans 2D (12:30, 3, 5:30, 8 and 10:30 p.m.); Hot Tub Time Machine (noon,
Continued on next page
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Thorogood in conversation about his guitar work, career and newest projects. He gives a short performance with his hard-hitting band The Destroyers. 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. Nokia Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6000 or nokiatheatrelalive.com. April 17, 8 p.m.: Guitarist Jeff Beck, joined by a 22-piece orchestra and special guest Zappa Plays Zappa 2010. Redwood Bar & Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com. April 12, 10 p.m.: Phil Alvin (every Monday in April). April 13, 10 p.m.: Brigitte Handley and the Dark Shadows, Champagne Velvet and Neon Kross. April 14, 10 p.m.: The EYE presents Adam Mackintosh. April 15, 10 p.m.: Dead Rock West with Johnny and the Wasted Knights and 1921 A’s. April 16, 10 p.m.: Petunia and the Vipers. April 17, 10 p.m.: Petunia and the Vipers, with Deke Dickerson, The Eccofonics and Tumbledown. April 18, 10 p.m.: Petunia and the Vipers. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., sevengrand.la. April 12, 10 p.m.: Katisse Buckingham Quartet. April 13, 10 p.m.: House band The Makers tear it up. April 14, 10 p.m.: Bluesman Artwork Jamal. Staples Center 1201 S. Figueroa St., staplescenter.com. April 15 and 16, 7 p.m.: The young country songstress, a.k.a. Kanye’s nemesis, Taylor Swift.
Listings for additional concerts, exhibits and more in Downtown Los Angeles can be found on our website. Go to ladowntownnews.com/calendar for full information, including time and location, for all the happenings in Downtown.
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24 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
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Listings Continued from previous page 2:30, 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m.). Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through April 15: Alice in Wonderland 3D (11:30 a.m. and 2:10, 4:40, 7:10 and 10 p.m.); Clash of the Titans 3D (11 a.m. and 1:50, 4:50, 7:50 and 10:50 p.m.); Clash of the Titans (12:30, 1:10, 3:30, 4:10, 6:20, 7, 9 and 9:50 p.m.); Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too? (12:50, 1:30, 3:50, 4:30, 6:50, 7:30, 9:50 and 10:30 p.m.); The Last Song (11:30 a.m. and 2:10, 4:40, 7:10 and 10 p.m.); Hot Tub Time Machine (12:40, 3, 5:30, 8:10 and 10:40 p.m.); How to Train Your Dragon 3D (11:20 a.m. and 12:10, 2, 2:50, 4:30, 5:20, 6:50, 7:40, 9:20 and 10:10 p.m.); The Bounty Hunter (12:50, 3:40, 6:30 and 9:10 p.m.). April 16 (partial listing): Kick-Ass (11:20 a.m. and 2:10, 5, 7:50 and 10:40 p.m.).
BARS & CLUBS The Association 610 S. Main St., (213) 627-7385. Carved out of the area that used to belong to Cole’s, the Association is a dimly-lit, swank little alcove with some serious mixologists behind the bar. Look for a heavy door, a brass knocker, and a long line. Banquette 400 S. Main St., (213) 626-2768 or banquette-cafe.com. This petite cafe and wine bar with its red and white striped awning has become a popular hangout for casual evenings of drinking wine and meeting up with friends. During monthly Art Walks on the second Thursday of the month, Banquette buzzes with almost every kind of Downtown denizen you could imagine. They have a small but lovely selection of wines by the glass as well as beers. Bar 107 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382 or myspace.com/bar107. Inside the keyhole-shaped door, tough-as-nails Derby Dolls vie for elbowroom with crusty old bar guys
and a steady stream of Old Bank District inhabitants. Velvet señoritas, deer heads with sunglasses, a wooden Indian and Schlitz paraphernalia plaster the red walls. There’s no shortage of entertainment, with the funky dance room, great DJs and the occasional rock band. Big Wang’s 801 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2449 or bigwangs.com. Wings, beer and sports: That’s the winning recipe at this sports bar. Caña Rum Bar at the Doheny 714 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 745-7090 or canarumbar.com. In the Caribbean, “caña” is slang for sugarcane. Rum is made from sugarcane. Therefore, Caña Rum Bar at the Doheny serves premium handcrafted rum cocktails in an intimate, elegant environment featuring live Caribbean and tropical Latin music. Cicada 617 S. Olive St., (213) 488-9488 or cicadarestaurant.com. Every Sunday, the restaurant is transformed into a vintage, old Hollywood-style dance club, with a big band, swank costumes, dinner and cocktails (visit cicadaclub.com). Corkbar 403 W. 12th St., corkbar.com. If the name didn’t give it away, this South Park establishment is all about the wine, specifically, California wine. Situated on the ground floor of the Evo condominium building, Corkbar serves up a seasonal food menu of farmer’s market-driven driven creations to go with your Golden State pinots, cabernets and syrahs. The Down and Out 501 S. Spring St. The 3,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of the Alexandria Hotel features mug shots of celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Hugh Grant, Steve McQueen and Andy Dick. The owners describe it as a sports bar for local residents who don’t want to mingle with tourists. Eastside Luv 1835 E. First St., (323) 262-7442 or eastsideluv.com. A stone’s throw from Mariachi Plaza and all that Metro Line construction, this tucked-away spot features Mexican movie posters on the wall, good beer on tap, regular sangria, live bands, and different
from anything to its west, no attitude. Edison 108 W. Second St., (213) 613-0000 or edisondowntown.com. Downtown history has come full circle in this former power plant turned stunning cocktail bar. The Edison is perhaps Downtown’s hottest hotspot and draws an eclectic crowd, including jaded Hollywood types who can’t help but gawk at the preserved bits of machinery, the huge generator and the coal box that now houses the jukebox. Far Bar 347 E. First St., (behind the Chop Suey Café), (213) 617-9990 or chopsueycafe.com. Tucked behind the Chop Suey Café is the Far Bar, where intimacy and a sense of noir L.A. collide. If you can find the place, which you enter through the back of the café or via a skinny alley a few doors down, you can throw them back in the same spot author Raymond Chandler is rumored to have done the same. Figueroa Hotel 939 S. Figueroa St., (213) 627-8971 or figueroahotel.com. The Moroccan-inspired Figueroa Hotel just a block north of Staples Center manages the unique feat of making you feel like you’re in the heart of the city and removed from it at the same time. The light-filled Veranda Bar is just steps from the clear, glittery pool. Gallery Bar Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1011 or millenniumhotels.com. This elegant lounge in the Millennium Biltmore Hotel is known for its martinis, wines and vintage ports. Genji Bar Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens, 120 Los Angeles St., (213) 253-9255 or kyotograndhotel.com. The Genji Bar offers a hip, private karaoke room that you and a dozen or so of your friends can rent. It’s got new songs, old songs, odd songs and songs that you wish no one would sing. It also means you can warble “Sweet Home Alabama” all you want without the agonizing wait. Hop Louie 950 Mei Ling Way (Central Plaza), (213) 628-4244. This is old school Chinatown, on the ground floor of the Hop Louie Restaurant, with slightly indifferent bartenders and décor — it’s actually a relief.
J Restaurant & Lounge 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746 or jloungela.com. This South Park lounge a stone’s throw from Staples Center offers signature cocktails, cigars, beer and about 20 wines by the glass. The sprawling space is highlighted by a 10,000-square-foot outdoor patio featuring cozy cabanas, a glowing fire pit and a 30-foot granite bar. Happy hour is from 5 p.m. until sunset all summer long.
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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.
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26 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
Twitters/DowntownNews
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Homes for Sale FORECLOSED HOME Auction. 95+ Homes / Auction: May 1st. Open House: April 17, 24 & 25, 2010. REDC / View Full Listings. www.Auction.com RE Brkr 01093886. (Cal-SCAN)
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Condos/unfurnished Apartments/Unfurnished Large one bedroom in renovated classic 1905 building. West downtown/MacArthur Park, High ceilings, clawfoot tub, walk to Metro-rail, $1,075. 2133890753
Savoy
1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, New Paint/New Carpet, Clubhouse Amenities, Gym, Pool/Spa, All Appliances, Was./Dryr., 1 Park/Space, Secure & Gated.
$1500 (310) 215-0788
Rosslyn Hotel the loft expert! group
Duplexes HIGHLAND PARK DUPLEX Upper Charming 20’s townhouse; 2Bedrm; 1Bath, View,5minute stroll to Gold-line, 15min drive to downtown. Paint, hardwood, new appliances. Private roofdeck & balcony. $1,375 per month. Ask Mindy (323) 258-6000
EMPLOYMENT
REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL
Acreage/Lots
lofts for sale
All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.
Commercial Space TWO GREAT ARTIST’S work studios. Sunny, 16’ ceilings, gated parking, wi-fi. Close to downtown and freeways. 240sf for $350/mo, 300sf for $465/mo. Work Only/Not Live-in. 213-5094403
Computers/IT ATTN: COMPUTER WORK. Work from anywhere 24/7. Up to $1,500 Part Time to $7,500/ mo. Full Time. Training provided. www.KTPGlobal.com or call 1-800-330-8446. (Cal-SCAN)
Loft/Unfurnished
Old Bank District The original Live/Work Lofts from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge Call 213.253.4777 LAloft.com
REAL ARTIST LOFTS 11501650 Sq. Ft., $1700-$1985/mo. High ceilings, hardwood floors, kitchen/bath, fireplace, pool/spa, gated parking, laundry, sorry no dogs, Open House Sundays 12-3pm @ 1250 Long Beach Ave. 213-629-5539. Exquisite Top Floor 1br Loft. All amenities included. Pets OK. Hardwood Flrs. W/D in Unit. Pool, Gym, Rec Room, 1-Car Parking. (310) 890-2442 REAL ARTIST LOFTS 11501650 Sq. Ft., $1700-$1985/mo. High ceilings, hardwood floors, kitchen/bath, fireplace, pool/spa, gated parking, laundry, sorry no dogs, Open House Sundays 123pm @ 1250 Long Beach Ave. 213-629-5539
Drivers DRIVER- Currently Hiring Experienced Teams with HazMat. Dry Van & Temp Control available. O/Os welcome. Call Covenant 1-866-684-2519 or apply at www.CovenantDrivers.com Equal Opportunity Employer. (Cal-SCAN) REGIONAL DRIVERS Needed! More Hometime! Top Pay! Up to $.41/mile company drivers! 12 months OTR required. Heartland Express 1-800-441-4953. www.HeartlandExpress.com. (Cal-SCAN) SLT NEEDS Class A Team Drivers with Hazmat. $2,000 Bonus. Split $0.68 for all miles. Regional contractor positions available. 1-800-835-9471. (Cal-SCAN) General HELP WANTED, Movie Extras. Earn up to $150/day. People needed for background in a major film production. Exp. not required. 888-366-0843
AUTOMOTIVE Great jobs in downtown LA! Full time or part time. Two blocks south of the Staples Center at Figueroa & Venice. Toyota Central is growing! Sales Associates - all levels. Internet Associates. Service Technicians. Service Consultants. Drivers. Cashiers. Receptionists. Bilingual Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern and women encouraged to apply. Great compensation package and employee benefits. Please call 800-597-5516 or send resume to autosuccess@ aol.com. EOE. INTERNATIONAL Cultural Exchange Representative: Earn supplemental income placing and supervising high school exchange students. Volunteer host families also needed. Promote world peace! 1-866-GO-AFICE or www.afice.org. (Cal-SCAN) JOBS. JOBS, JOBS! Get paid to train in the California Army National Guard. Up to 100% tuition assistance. Part-time work. Fulltime benefits. May qualify for bonus. www.NationalGuard.com/ Careers or 1-800-GO-GUARD. (Cal-SCAN) School/Instruction H.S. Teacher: Jobsite: Los Angeles. HR Dept, Soledad Enrichment Action, 222 N. Virgil Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004 accounting/banking
Accountant: Whose exp includes automotive dealerships. Worksite downtown LA. Send resumes to Paul Takeda, Paul S. Takeda CPA, 340 E. Second St, #402, LA, CA 90012-4246.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Business Opportunities EARN $500 DAILY Providing a simple service for Home and Business - Dry Tech #CL28547. 8920 Quartz Ave. Northridge, CA 91324. 1-800-507-7222.
1 month*
FREE
TM
*Limited time offer: when you sign 6 month lease.
Downtown since 2002
Don't settle for anyone less experienced! Call us today!
Unfurnished rooms starting at $480 a month Laundry on site. All utilities included. 112 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 213.503.7449 • www.rosslynstudios.com
Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com
Take us home ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@BarkAveLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.
madison hotel Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service. •Daily, $25.00 •Weekly, $99.00 •Monthly, $295.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.
(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)
Do you have something to sell?
Ad Copy: _________________________________________
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(Marketplace and Automotive Categories ONLY) • Items under $300 • Items $301 to $500 • Items $501 to $1200 • Items $1201 to $2000 • Items $2001+…
Name: Address: City Phone: Cash $ Credit card #: Exp. Date:
FREE! $11.50 $14.00 $16.50 $19.00
12 words, 2 weeks 15 words 15 words 15 words 15 words
All ads run for 2 weeks. Ads may be renewed after two weeks for 50% off the original price of the ad.
With a circulation of State Check $
Zip Credit Card $
47,000,
our classifieds get results!
________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
Restrictions: Offer good on private party ads only. Ads must be pre-paid by cash, check or credit card. Certain classifications excluded. Deadline: Thursday at noon for next issue.
April 12 , 2010
Downtown News 27
DowntownNews.com
ALL CASH VENDING! Be Your Own Boss! Your Own Local Vending Route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405. (Cal-SCAN)
SERVICES attorneys
ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION! Family, Criminal, P.I. for more than 20 yrs! Child Support / Custody Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español / Korean
get your green Card or CItIZensHIP Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710
HealtH IS YOUR TEEN Experiencing: School Problems - Conflicts at home or w/friends? Adolescent support group ages 13-17. low fee. Marney Stofflet, LCSW 323662-9797.
ADVERTISE ONLINE in a network of 50-plus newspaper websites. Border to Border with one order! $7 cost per thousand impressions statewide. Minimum $5,000 order. Call for details: (916) 288-6010. www. CaliforniaBannerAdNetwork. com. (Cal-SCAN) CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach over 6 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 2886019. www.Cal-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) FInanCIal servICes CASH NOW! Get cash for your structured settlement or annuity payments. High payouts. Call J.G. Wentworth. 1-866-SETTLEMENT (1-866-738-8536). Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. (Cal-SCAN)
seCUrIty
CleanIng
IF YOU NEED help or a body guard/security guard, call Rik Martino: 323-850-8580 youtube. com. Fluent in English & Italian Physically fit.
CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants. Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183.
advertIsIng DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.CalSDAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)
edUCatIon HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-5623650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com. (Cal-SCAN)
downtownnews.com
AUTOS Pre-oWned
doWntoWn l.a. aUto groUP POrSChE VOLkSwAgEN AudI MErCEdES-BENz NISSAN ChEVrOLEt CAdILLAC
2002 LEXUS SC CONVERTIBLE only 51K miles with navi system, perfect condition, VIN 20032180, $20,999. 888-8385089. 2007 AUDI A4 premium pkg., leather, moonroof, certified VIN #7A149635. $19,888. 888-5830981 2007 MERCEDES SLK280 3.0L. Black/black, 4538C/139699, $31,996. 888-319-8762. 2008 911 TURBO CABRIOLET black/black, 6-spd, deviated stitching, 9K miles CPO 789471, $115,988. 888-685-5426. 08 MALIBU. $14,985. VIN 282897. Very low miles. 888879-9608. 2010 VOLKSWAGEN CC 2,369 miles, white, carfax 1 owner, VIN 528667, $26,888. 888-7818102.
For a complete list of our pre-owned inventory, go to www.DTLAMOTORS.com
aUtos Wanted
laWn & garden/Farm eqUIP
DONATE YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (CalSCAN)
NEW NORWOOD SawmillsLumberMate-Pro handles logs 34” diameter, mills boards 28” wide. Automated quick-cyclesawing increases efficiency up to 40%! www.NorwoodSawmills. com/300N 1-800-661-7746 ext. 300N. (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, NonRunners Accepted, 1-888-4685964. (Cal-SCAN) PICkUP trUCks
LEGAL FICtItIoUs BUsIness name Fictitious Business name statement File no. 20100474380 The following person is doing business as: BLOCK ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, 8306 Wilshire Blvd., #1047, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, are hereby registered by the following registrant: MARILYN MEDIA GROUP, INC., 8306 Wilshire Blvd., #1047, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. This business is conducted by a corporation. Registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious
ANNOUNCEMENTS sPeCIal events GAY & LESBIAN SPEED DATING in Downtown LA! Visit LA Lords Presents at www.lalords. com for events & details! 213683-8387
1997 NISSAN XE PICK UP TRUCK white, single cab. Automatic, power brake/steering. 213-384-0086 $3,500
business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on April 7, 2010 NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code). Pub. 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/03/1008
The Downtown Renaissance Collection
PETS/ANIMALS adoPt a Pet ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@ BarkAveLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.
Be Inspired... Best Downtown Locations!
ITEMS FOR SALE FUrnItUre DREXEL SOLID OAK Dining room table. 2 leaves. 6 chairs. $275 obo. 323-668-0926.
Elegant World Class Resort Apartment Homes
Orsini 550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.
877-231-9362
WWW.THEORSINI.COM
I c o n I c B e au t y
Medici
S e e k S S t y l i S h M at e
725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.
877-239-8256
WWW.THEMEDICI.COM
Piero 616 ST. PAUL AVE.
877-235-6012
WWW.THEPIERO.COM
Visconti 1221 WEST THIRD ST.
866-690-2888
WWW.THEVISCONTI.COM
FREE Rent Specials On Select Floor Plans On Spring St.
Spring Tower Lofts: noW leasIng
From $1,250’s/mo. Free Parking ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET
756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles 213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com Pricing subject to change without notice.
1900 sqft, open LOFT w/views $2850/mo. • 17 ft ceilings • Live/Work space • 14 story Bldg. • Rooftop garden terrace w/city view • Pet friendly
Premiere Towers:
3 bdrms/2 bath, $2100/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C
Please call 213.627.6913 Do you live or work around Downtown? Join your local Adult Kickball League! Individuals, groups and corporate teams welcomed! Season starts April 22 At Shatto Recreation Center, 3191 W. 4th St. Located right off the METRO Red Line station
visit kickball.com/CAjunction
ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASE Live/Work in Downtown Fashion District
Version Casaloma1L.A. Apartments
Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices
Monthly from $695 utilities paid. (213) 627-1151
Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly rate $275 inc.
Monthly from $550 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348
*Amenities vary among communities
MILANO LOFTS Now Leasing!
Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo. with private bath $695/mo. Client: Includes utilities, basic cable chanPublication: nels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area. Size/Color:
Burbank • Brentwood Century City • Downtown L.A. Woodland Hills Locations Nationwide
Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.
• Brunswick Four-Lane Virtual Bowling • Full Swing Virtual Golf • 3100 Square Foot Cybex Fitness Facility • Free Tanning Rooms • Massage Room, Sauna & Steam Room • Rooftop Pools with Dressing Rooms • Concierge Service • 24-Hour Doorman • 24/7 On-Site Management • Magnificent City Views
www.cityloftsquare.com
700 to 1500 Sq. Ft. Lofts. High ceilings, skylights, cable, kitchen, bath+shower, laundry room, elevator, controlled access, sub. parking. Sorry no dogs. Call George: 818-634-7916 or 310-826-8810 x24
• Free Resident/Guest Parking in Gated Garage • Private Library, Business Center & Conference Rooms • Free Wi-Fi & DSL Computer Use • Resident Karaoke Lounge • Directors Screening Room • Lavish Fountains & Sculptures • On-Site Private Resident Park with Sand Volleyball, BBQ’s and Jogging Track • Night Light Tennis Courts • Indoor Basketball
Beautiful Offices For As Little As $400 Fully Furnished/Corporate ID Programs Flexible Terms/All New Suites Services Include: • Reception • Mail • T-1 • State-of-the-Art Voice Mail & Telephone • Westlaw • Fax • Photocopy • More Additional Features: Kitchen Facilities, All Support Services, Great Views, Free Conference Room Hours, Fully Trained Staff, Cost Effective.
Jenny Ahn (213) 996-8301 jahn@regentBC.com www.regentbc.com
208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA
For English Call Pierre or Terri Design 213.744.9911 For Spanish Call Susana 213.749.0306
Children’s Performing Group
Sunshine Generation Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up!
SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433
• Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings Associates• Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views
G.H. Palmer LADT News 4.3125” x 8” 4C
by: apluscreative@yahoo.com
Ph: 323.474.4668
6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900
LOFTS • RENT • LOFTS • RENT
SPECIAL MOVE IN -
TWO WEEKS FREE RENT AND LOW DEPOSIT. Real Artist Lofts available in original 18 unit Downtown Artist Loft bldg. close to Southern Cal. School of Architecture. Starting at approximately 1200 to 2100 Sq. ft. large open space with new kit and bath. Laundry, gated parking and intercom entry from $1200.
1427 E. 4th St. Contact Julie at (323) 261-1099
28 Downtown News
April 12, 2010
We Got Games
photo by Gary Leonard
Twitter/DowntownNews p.m.: Chavez Ravine will be crawling with blue again, as the Dodgers host their home opener series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (April 13-15). Manny Ramirez caused a stir during preseason when he suggested this would be his last year as a Dodger, but we’ve got a whole season (perhaps) with that dreadlocked mercurial baseball assassin. Let’s just enjoy him while he’s here. The hated San Francisco Giants come into town over the weekend.
Lakers Head to the Playoffs, And the Ravine Returns Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. April 13, 7:30 p.m.: The playoffs are coming, the playoffs are coming! But not yet. The Lakers have two final tuneup games before the post-season begins on April 17. Phil Jackson will have to decide whether to rest Kobe and the other veterans, or give them serious minutes to get into postseason shape, in a home game against Sacramento. The season finale is technically an away game, but they play the Clippers at Staples Center (April 14). Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com. April 13, 1:10 p.m.; April 14-16, 7:10 p.m.; April 17-18, 1:10
Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com. The schedule was not set by press time, but the Kings are likely to kick off their playoff run against the San Jose Sharks or the Phoenix Coyotes. At this point though, it doesn’t really matter who they play — the point is that it’s mid-April and they’re still skating. Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers. April 12 and 14, 7:30 p.m.: The Clippers close another painful season with two home dates, first against the Dallas Mavericks. The game coincides with a Clipper promotion,
Heeeee’s baaaaaack. Manny Ramirez starts what he says will be his last season with the Dodgers.
with upper level tickets going for $10 and 200-level seats set at $32. The last game is against the Lakers. Good luck. —Ryan Vaillancourt
Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!
Grand Tower 255 south Grand avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777
Promenade Towers 123 south Figueroa street Leasing Information 213 617 3777
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dishwasher (most units) ~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
On-site: ~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants
Now For Call n Specials Move-I
8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6
museum Tower 225 south olive street Leasing Information 213 626 1500
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Solariums and/or Balconies
On Site: ~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units) ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.
TOWERS T H E
A PA RT M E N T S
www.TowersApartmentsLA.com
MAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKING RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM