05-02-11 by Los Angeles Downtown News

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May 2, 2011

Volume 40, Number 18

INSIDE

Mother’s Day

CRACKING THE CODE Development Reform Effort Tries to Overcome Hurdles, Including Past Failures and the Departure of a Key Advocate

Urban Scrawl on the budget crisis.

Rent resolution at El Pueblo?

Check out Downtown’s shining Treasures.

City officials are four months into a new effort to streamline Los Angeles’ Byzantine permitting process. Numerous previous development reform efforts have failed to gain traction.

by Ryan vaillancouRt staff wRiteR

The story of Skid Row’s top cop.

The kids put on a secret show.

veryone knows that getting a construction project approved in Los Angeles is a difficult and often maddening task. Land-use professionals even have a name for the expensive, time consuming trip as they tote blueprints and other materials from counter to counter at the departments of Building and Safety, Planning, Water and Power and others: They call it the Suitcase Tour of Los Angeles. The hurdles are legion: too many departments have a say in the process; there’s a “culture of no” inside the Department of Building and Safety, critics say; one entity will approve a certain proposal,

A Mini-Play About Frank and Jamie, Before the $100 Million Crash by Jon RegaRdie

21 CALENDAR LISTINGS 24 MAP 25 CLASSIFIEDS

it as the “most exciting change” he has seen at City Hall in the four and a half years since he had arrived in Los Angeles. Six months later, followers of the effort to fix the system see pros and cons. On the one hand, a consultant hired by the city has begun tackling the issues and is orchestrating a plan with actual implementation points. On the other hand, there are cost concerns, and some worry that Beutner’s impending departure to run for mayor will leave the effort without the City Hall champion any major upgrade needs. Quick Fixes The key step in the current attempt at developsee Development, page 16

Theater of the McCourts executive editoR

Downtown celebrates Cinco de Mayo.

only to have another disallow it. There is also a history of failed efforts to repair the system. The most recent came in 2008, when Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council President Eric Garcetti proposed a plan called “12-to-2,” because it would have consolidated the dozen departments involved in the entitlement and permitting processes down to two. It went nowhere. It was against this background that First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner last fall announced a plan to hire a team of expert consultants to fix the problem once and for all. The enthusiasm was immediate. After watching a November presentation, President and CEO Gary Toebben, the CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, hailed

Setting: A chic Downtown Los Angeles restaurant. Time: An evening in October 2008 after the Dodgers swept the Chicago Cubs in the ThE rEgarDiE rEpOrT

National League Division Series, the team’s first playoff series victory in 20 years. Act I: Frank and Jamie McCourt are escorted to the finest table in the restaurant. Before sitting, Frank hands the maitre d’ a $100 bill. Frank: Thank you garkon. Jamie: Frank, it’s one of those French c’s

with the little wiggly thing on its bottom. It’s pronounced gar-sohn. Frank: I own the Dodgers! It’s whatever I say it is! I brought Manny Ramirez to Los Angeles. The people working the concession stands worked hard to make the money for that tip. Jamie: I love it when you’re forceful. It seems like just yesterday we bought the Dodgers for $430 million. I think I’ll love you forever. Frank: Me too. The only ones who love me more than you are the citizens of Los Angeles. We just gave them a playoff victory. Do you know what that means? Jamie: No darling, what? see McCourts, page 15

The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles

photo by Gary Leonard

Frank and Jamie McCourt in happier times.

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May 2, 2011

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AROUNDTOWN Lindsay Lohan to Serve At Women’s Center

he Downtown Women’s Center gets more than 1,800 volunteers every year who help the group provide services to homeless women in Skid Row. Soon, the roster will include Lindsay Lohan. The troubled celebrity has been ordered to serve 360 hours of community service at the center as part of her punishment for allegedly stealing a $2,500 necklace from a Venice jewelry shop. Lohan is reportedly appealing the ruling, but will go forward with the stint at the DWC (she will also work at the L.A. County Coroner’s office). Her start date has not yet been set, said DWC spokesman Patrick Shandrick. “DWC is a life changing experience for all that walk through our doors,” said DWC Executive Director Lisa Watson in a statement. “We are a community that fosters dignity and respect. DWC hopes that Miss Lohan is inspired by her experience here.” The DWC, at 442 S. San Pedro St., houses 71 women permanently and serves 200 lunches per day. It also runs Made by DWC, a new store selling goods created by DWC women.

Ruling Protects Homeless’ Property recently granted temporary restraining order prohibits city entities from seizing property from the homeless in Skid Row. The order, granted April 22 by U.S. District Court Judge Philip S. Gutierrez, bars the LAPD, the Department of Public Works and other city agencies from taking property in the area unless it is clearly abandoned, is a threat to public health or safety or is evidence in a crime. Additionally, any property seized must

photo by Gary Leonard

Rates Rise 33% at Natural History Museum

t’s going to get more expensive to learn about dinosaurs in Downtown. The County Board of Supervisors last week approved a $3 hike in admission fees at the Natural History Museum. On Sunday, May 1, tickets for adults increased from $9 to $12, a 33% hike. Additionally, student rates rose from $6.50 to $9, kids 5-12 are paying $5 rather than $2, and children 13-17 went from $6.50 to $8. Entrance for members and children under 5 will remain free. “The price of admission at the Natural History Museum has remained virtually the same for 17 years,” said Cynthia Wornham, vice president of Marketing and Communications for the museum, noting that there was a $1 increase eight years ago. She said the hike is necessary to cover the growing number of offerings at the museum. On July 16, the NHM will mark the halfway point of a seven-year, $135 million transformation of the Exposition Park attraction with the opening of the 14,000-square-foot Dinosaur Hall. A new exhibition exploring the natural and cultural history of Los Angeles and Southern California is scheduled to debut the following year. The entrance and the area in front of the museum are also being upgraded. Along with

Why does this little burger stand attract over a million people a year?

Here comes the museum: Work began last week on the future home of Eli Broad’s $100 million art museum. The Grand Avenue facility is slated to open in 2014.

the entrance fee increases, the supervisors on Tuesday, April 26, approved an $8 parking charge for a 220-space lot opening this month. Museum parking had been $5.

Connector Tests Might Get Loud

County Approves Homelessness Plan

Home For Good… is supported by a number of dramatic and welcome administrative shifts which the Board approved as well.”

he County Board of Supervisors recently approved a plan to use its homeless services resources in a way that prioritizes permanent supportive housing. The move formally aligns the county with a plan to end chronic homelessness launched last year by a group of business leaders from the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce working in partnership with the United Way of Greater L.A. The so-called Business Leaders Task Force, whose plan is called Home for Good, looks to align federal, state, county and city resources to prioritize housing that combines on-site social services with apartments for the most vulnerable people living on the streets. “The county’s new policy represents a sea change in their approach to homelessness,” said Jerry Neuman, co-chair of the task force, in a statement. “The vote to adopt the most essential priority of

f it gets noisy or bumpy in Downtown this week, don’t worry. It’s probably just Metro doing tests for the coming Regional Connector. The transit agency announced last week that it is conducting geotechnical tests at multiple locations along the planned route through May 6. The work will involve traffic controls and lane closures, soil borings and noise and vibration tests. The tests will provide information on conditions to evaluate optimum excavation and construction methods. Most of the testing will occur during the day. The project will provide a 1.9mile underground connection for the Metro Gold, Blue and Exposition light rail lines. Metro is working on the final environmental impact report for the project and construction is estimated to begin in 2014. For daily testing location updates follow Metro on Twitter at twitter.com/metroconnector.

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be kept for 90 days. The order was secured by attorney Carol Sobel, with support from the Los Angeles Community Action Network and the Los Angeles Catholic Worker. The suit named eight plaintiffs, all homeless individuals, who alleged that the LAPD took their property while they, among other things, visited a mission for a shower or used a public restroom. A hearing to determine whether to issue the order is set for June 20.

May 2, 2011

Downtown News 3

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May 2, 2011

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EDITORIALS Raves and the Convention Center

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

ocal politicians have been rightly concerned since the turmoil of the Electric Daisy Carnival last summer. Although most of the 185,000 people who attended the two-day rave in the Coliseum caused no trouble, the event was dominated by numerous arrests, more than 100 hospitalizations and the drugrelated death of a 15-year-old girl. In response, some local officials moved to make future raves unwelcome, and Electric Daisy is off to Las Vegas this summer. Now, one City Council member is looking at a similar proposal, with a particular focus on Downtown’s Convention Center. We agree with 15th District Councilwoman Janice Hahn’s goal of ensuring that events held on municipal property are safe and do not put an undue strain on Los Angeles hospitals and public safety workers. However, raves and similar youth-oriented events should not be banned from the Convention Center and other public properties. Do them right and lay down appropriate restrictions and safety measures, but don’t eliminate them because they are tied to a style of music and its related culture. As Los Angeles Downtown News reported last week, Hahn on April 20 introduced a motion at a meeting of the Council’s Trade, Commerce and Tourism Committee directing Convention Center officials, in conjunction with the police and fire departments, “to report with recommendations for banning raves at the Los Angeles Convention Center.” At a Downtown luncheon the next day, she took a slightly different tack, calling for a policy rather than a ban, and urging that there be a checklist before events are booked to determine what city resources would be required. It is unclear if this will move forward long term. Hahn is running for Congress, and with the primary in two months her attention may soon focus fully on the race. It is unknown if anyone else will pick up the mantle if she moves on. There is an ironic element here in that, by Hahn’s own admission, raves don’t currently take place at the Convention Center. Perhaps this is a move to prepare for a future in which Downtown has a new $1 billion football stadium/events center — electronic music festivals pay a lot to rent space, and one can envision huge crowds coming for raves in the proposed South Park venue. Maybe the city doesn’t want the legal headaches if it still owns the land. As this page has stated before, raves should not be demonized for a few unfortunate acts perpetrated by a minority of attendees. Bad things can happen in any big crowd — just look at the recent, horrifying beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium, and the numerous police encounters and arrests that followed with drunk and belligerent fans. No one has called for Dodger games to be outlawed. No one would be foolish enough to do so. People will attend raves whether they take place in mainstream venues or underground warehouses. In the former, there is at least the chance of city officials working with responsible individuals to promote safety and crack down on the kind of drug use common at these events. That should be the goal here. Run the events responsibly, and consider steps such as limiting crowd sizes, increased private security patrols and strict age ID checks. There is no need to outlaw the events and the music from the Convention Center or other city buildings.

The Anchor of the Arts District

n one hand, the recent announcement that the Southern California Institute of Architecture is purchasing the building it has rented for a decade is small stuff. There is nothing groundbreaking about a tenant buying where it formerly leased, and the $23 million paid for the 90,000-square-foot space pales in comparison to other acquisitions. In fact, the transaction was dwarfed the same week by Equity Residential’s $100 million purchase of the Financial District apartment complex the Pegasus. On the other hand, SCI-Arc’s acquisition of a quarter-mile long former rail depot is great news. The deal marks a coming of age for the architectural school and leads to an exciting future for both the 39-year-old institution and the greater community. Downtown should recognize the importance of SCI-Arc anchoring itself in the Arts District. At the same time, the school that still has a rebellious streak needs to think differently going forward, at least in a financial sense. To understand what this means for the present and the future, one first has to consider the past. For decades before the Downtown residential revolution, the Arts District really was a district of artists. Painters, sculptors and other creative types often resided in large, roughshod live-work spaces, sometimes legally, sometimes not. The community was the site of punk venue Al’s Bar, Bloom’s General Store and the occasional speakeasy. In the 1990s, the building that would become SCI-Arc’s home hosted sporadic arts events and concerts. One time Beck played on a stage erected on a dusty patch of dirt next to the building. Then, in 2000, SCI-Arc began renovating the 1907 building for a surprising move from Marina Del Rey. The first classes were held in the fall of 2001, just as the Historic Core was beginning to welcome residents in new market-rate apartment complexes. The effect of bringing 500 architecture students and about 80 forwardthinking faculty members to the Arts District was instant — the area gained energy first, followed by investment. It is doubtful whether all the modern housing that now exists in

and around the community would have arrived without SCI-Arc leading the way. After all, plopping nearly 600 students and faculty members into a barren portion of Downtown instantly meant potential residents for housing complexes and customers for restaurants and bars. The fit of the school into a one-of-a-kind building in a creative community was a sort of perfect arts-business storm. Without SCI-Arc, the property could have easily gone to an industrial or manufacturing use. That would have put the area adjacent to Little Tokyo on a completely different path. SCI-Arc’s acquisition also marks a turnaround from a few years ago, when the school was unable to purchase its home when it became available. With the institution unable to jump, the developer and landlord Meruelo Maddux swooped in. Soon there was conflict, the fencing off of a parking lot utilized by the school, and bizarrely, the developer’s threat to build two Miami Beach style high-rises. SCI-Arc pondered leaving Downtown. Ironically, the financial troubles Meruelo Maddux endured (the company is now mired in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings) paved the way for SCI-Arc to get another crack at the building. This time, the school had some new, financially proficient executive staffers and a stronger, well-connected board of trustees. Second chances are rare in business, but in this case the opportunity arose and the school was ready. Already one can glimpse the greater community benefits of the purchase. Recently, a developer began moving forward again with One Santa Fe, a long-stalled mixed-use project that will rise across from SCI-Arc. The Arts District probably would not get a $150 million effort with 438 apartments and 78,000 square feet of retail without the certainty of a nearby student customer base. As SCI-Arc enjoys the perks of ownership, it will also face new challenges, and school officials should not overlook the tax and other financial issues. Ownership can come with unexpected expenditures. That said, this acquisition is great for Downtown. This is the right place for SCI-Arc. We look forward to the school being an even more important player in the community for years to come.

May 2, 2011

Downtown News 5

Opinion

The Readers Have Their Say Website Comments on the WPA Guide, El Pueblo Rents and More

very week Los Angeles Downtown News gets online comments to the stories we publish. These are some of the most interesting responses. Additional comments are welcome at ladowntownnews.com. Regarding the article “Lost on Purpose in Old Downtown,” about the reissue of the book Los Angeles in the 1930s: The WPA Guide to the City of Angels, published April 25, by Ryan Vaillancourt

Regarding the article “Metro Mix,” about Michael Fallas’ conversion of the Metropolitan Building into housing, published online April 15, by Richard Guzmán

he upper floors look great, so congrats for a job welldone. Now, what about the ground floor and the “food court”? Any remodeling plans there? —Mark B, April 16, 10:20 a.m.

y husband and I stumbled upon the book a couple of weeks ago while looking for another L.A. book. I had hoped for years that someone would reprint the WPA guide to L.A. and so was thrilled to see it. I spent a good chunk of Easter Sunday just reading it and marveling at how different things are now in Los Angeles. But you’re right — a lot is still surprisingly intact, which is one of the reasons we love L.A. My husband and I are both native Angeleno baby boomers. The WPA guide is like a trip down memory lane. —Cindy Med, April 26, 11:27 a.m.

Regarding the article “Rave Ban at the Convention Center?” about a motion by Janice Hahn, published online April 21, by Jon Regardie

y grandfather had the original; I remember finding it as a teenager and reading it, fascinated. Unfortunately, I don’t know where it wound up after his passing, but knowing that it has been reprinted is sending me on a buying trip. —Ray Mullins, April 25, 9:20 a.m.

think Janice Hahn should stick to campaigning for green jobs. I’m all for that. There’s no need to create a ban on raves at the Convention Center before one ever occurs. What “taxes resources” are people creating policies for things that haven’t happened yet. We need less policy and more freedom in Los Angeles so that small business can grow and people can live their lives the way they like. —Captain Common Sense, April 21, 9:16 p.m.

agree with Mark B. The building looks great, except for the first floor. Fallas Parades and that cafeteria not only ruin the look of the building, they bring down the whole intersection. Discount retail doesn’t really work in a high-end building. Let’s hope Michael Fallas has the good sense to get other tenants in there. —Chris L, April 18, 3:19 p.m.

he family history of the business is pretty amazing; the fact that Michael worked there when he was 5 and has brought the company up to a nationwide powerhouse is commendable. He’s currently in talks with some pretty amazing people to take over the ground floor food space. However, these things take time and tenants. —Josh Gray-Emmer, April 19, 3:28 p.m. Regarding the editorial “City’s Latest Thickheaded Olvera Street Rent Offer,” published April 4 he City’s calculation of what “market rents” should be at El Pueblo and Olvera Street is suspect. Look at the surrounding area, especially the south end of the Plaza. There is a huge amount of retail vacancy and large tracts of undeveloped land surrounding the area. To come up with an arbitrary rent amount which far exceeds most of the rest of Downtown is destructive to the merchants and threatens to destroy the vital retail part of El Pueblo. —Bert Green, April 4, 12:19 p.m.

n 1975, my company was retained by the management of El Pueblo to conduct a detailed study of each tenant and

recommend a rental rate for each tenant. To complete this study, I evaluated the income of every tenant and their rent relative to their income. In addition, I studied every tenant located in other State of California historical parks, including Old Town in San Diego and Columbia, for example. In addition, I studied specialty retail centers around the country, like Faneuil Hall in Boston, Inner Harbor in Boston, etc. Our recommended rents were fair and supported by this extensive research. Unfortunately, the politicians did not have the courage to do what was right. Since our recommendations in 1975, there have been numerous other studies, with the same recommendations and, unfortunately, with the same results. Based upon the comments of the mayor and Councilman Huizar, we are headed for the same result. The politicians needed to be taken to task then and now. In these challenging budget times, we will see if the press has the courage to take the politicians to task for not doing what is right. The “hardship” proposal is wrong and an embarrassment. This is the politicians’ way to dodge their responsibility and leave it to someone else to do what is right and raise the rents to fair levels for each and every tenant at Olvera Street. —Michael P. Russell, April 6, 12:27 p.m. Regarding the article “Walgreens, Take Two,” published online April 14, by Richard Guzmán

o we really need another? Four Rite Aids and now two Walgreens? And a Target? What happened to Bringing Back Broadway? Downtown isn’t that big. Anyone needs to just walk a few blocks and, if you’re worried about parking, then drive to the CVS on Cesar Chavez. —Count Von B, April 14, 1:51 p.m.

ood that we are having more competitor stores in the Downtown area. We also need Albertson’s, Vons, Ralph’s, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s to cater to the burgeoning residential population. —Michael Tagupa, April 14, 7:26 p.m.

f a Whole Foods came to Downtown L.A. I would be a very happy person. I don’t understand why grocers refuse to move where there’s a demand. —Lauren Oliver, April 16, 5:52 a.m. FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

Felix Goes Green Felix Chevrolet Launches $1.8 Million Plan to Bring its Energy Costs Down

fficials with Felix Chevrolet, a 90-year-old facility announced plans yesterday to go the green route with a $1.8 million three-year project to cut energy costs. w“Our electrical bills are very high,” said Darryl Holter, the dealership’s CEO, during a recent press conference. “Like all business people, we can look at a realistic strategy for the long term.” wFelix Chevrolet spends more than $200,000 a year on energy-related costs for the 64,000-square-foot dealership. The company employed Alpine Green Solutions to give it its energy efficient makeover. Robert Orfino, founder of Alpine, said that by installing cost-effective measures around Felix’s premises, the car lot’s energy bills could be reduced by as much as 70%. Felix aims to become the first auto dealership in California to earn Zero Net Energy status, in which its on-site renewable energy equals the amount of energy used in the building. Orfino hopes to eventually switch the company’s energy supply to solar energy in two years’ time. wOrfino projects that Felix will save a total of up to $1.5 million over a decade. wFelix Chevrolet is also helping the environment by selling Chevrolet’s first all electric vehicle, The Volt. The Volt was recently named Motor Trend magazine’s the “2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year®. Visit Felix Chevrolet for a test drive of the 2011 Chevy Volt.

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May 2, 2011

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At Long Last, an Olvera Street Agreement? City and Merchants This Week Could End Simmering Rent Dispute by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

his City Council this week could vote in favor of increasing rents for dozens of restaurant and shop owners on Olvera Street. If they agree to the plan that a council committee approved last week, it could signal the end of a decades-long battle between city officials and tenants of the historic, pedestrian-only path. The City Council on Tuesday, May 3, is slated to vote on a deal, technically known as a concession agreement, that would raise the below-market rates paid by many merchants and allow them to continue doing business on the street for

up to 40 years. The proposal, which calls for market-rate rents to be phased in five years from now, follows a late amendment by City Councilman José Huizar, whose 14th District includes the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. The last-minute sticking points concerned past-due rent dating to last November and a requirement that merchants come up with a two months security deposit. Huizar’s amendment would give merchants five years to pay that money, instead of the two years that had been proposed. Leaders of the Olvera Street Merchants Association (OSMA), which represents more than 45 tenants currently operating without long-term deals, said they will sign the

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City officials and merchants along Olvera Street are close to signing new concession agreements that would keep tenants in their spaces for up to 40 years.

agreement if the amendment goes through. However, they noted that there are still several points of contention. At this point, after years of rhetoric, start-stop negotiations and failed attempts at resolution, only one thing is certain, said First District County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who on Monday, April 25, took the unusual step of sitting in the audience during a meeting of the council’s Budget and Finance and Arts, Parks Health and Aging committees.

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“It is a compromise. It doesn’t make everybody happy,” Molina said. “There are still merchants that are not happy, the city attorney is still not happy, there are council members that would like to see it different, so it doesn’t make everyone happy, but it is a compromise.” Last week’s packed hearing lasted almost two hours, during which about 20 merchants testified that they will face hardships, and could go out of business, if their rents rise too quickly and if they face the additional burden of paying back fees and security deposits. Huizar echoed Molina’s comment of reaching an agreement that will leave some displeased. “After about 14 years or so, the city is finally owning up to its responsibility as landlords,” Huizar said during the hearing. “It’s not perfect. Not everyone will be happy. But I think it’s the best we can come up with.” Dueling Studies The battle over rents on Olvera Street has lasted for decades. Partial resolution came in 1999, when 17 merchants signed 55-year leases. In recent years, other tenants pushed for similar deals. Various city and private-sector individuals have criticized the rents paid by many merchants as below what other retail businesses in Downtown pay. Some large Olvera Street tenants pay less than $1 per square foot. That helped prompt the El Pueblo Commission, the mayoral-appointed citizens panel that oversees the street, to conduct a January 2010 rent study. The report recommended rents of $2-$6.50 per square foot and said tenants of the puestos, the small kiosks that occupy the center of Olvera Street, should pay $950-$1,350 a month. Rates hewing to the low end of that spectrum were approved by the commission and went into effect on April 1, see Olvera Street, page 17

May 2, 2011

DowntownNews.com

Downtown News 7

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May 2, 2011

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STREET TALK

by Richard Guzmán and Gary Leonard, asked at Grand Hope Park

Do you think Frank McCourt should be given another chance to run the Dodgers? I think he needs to be out of there. He should not be the exception to the rule. When you are somebody who is not doing what you should be doing and there is someone out there who can run things a little bit better and also keep their [stuff] in line, let that person be the one that runs it.

From what I’ve heard, it sounds like he should be out of there. I don’t know who should run it. A native Angeleno would make the most sense to me, someone familiar with how things here should be run.

—Katie Schildmeyer, student

—David Ireland, Echo Park resident

I go back and forth. He owns the team but the people of L.A. should also have a voice and I think the majority want him out. There are people interested in running the team and I think it should be someone local. I think Magic Johnson is interested.

—Jenny Park, student

He needs to be out of there. I don’t think he’s run the team well. They should let Major League Baseball run it.

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Downtown News 9

Their Moment to Shine Photos by Gary Leonard

At the 17th annual Treasures of Los Angeles luncheon, some of the most prominent people in Downtown showed up to honor, well, some of the most prominent people in Downtown. The event hosted by the Central City Association on Thursday, April 28, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel feted business leaders, a nightlife guru and even a Skid Row cop. All were greeted with enthusiastic applause.

Treasures recipient Cedd Moses (left), of nightlife company 213 Inc., and his father, artist Ed Moses.

CCA President and CEO Carol Schatz and Treasures recipient Dominic Ng of East West Bank.

Longtime Downtown real estate player and Treasures winner John C. Cushman.

(l to r) Police Chief Charlie Beck, Treasures recipient and LAPD Officer Deon Joseph and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. For more on Joseph, see page 10.

Mistress of ceremonies and Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry and Treasures recipient and First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner.

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May 2, 2011

‘I Don’t Feel Like I’m Finished Here’ In His Own Words, LAPD Officer Deon Joseph Talks About Life on Skid Row, and Getting Honored as an L.A. ‘Treasure’ as told to Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

“

hen my probation period working Venice Beach was up, they wheeled me here to Central Division. You don’t have a choice. Central was one of my choices but I didn’t want to work Skid Row. I wanted to work maybe the business area, or Chinatown. “I started on a desk, then went to Chinatown, but because of all the crime, Skid Row has a way of sucking you in. It was complete culture shock. I had heard the legend of Skid Row

but I didn’t really believe that it existed. “It’s real, all too real, and it was daunting. I didn’t know how I was going to make any difference in a place where people were sadly thrown away by society. “As a kid, my mom and father raised 41 foster children. My father employed ex-cons, gave them a second chance, and my mom fed the homeless for 10 years. It was a shock to see it in a concentrated state, but I already knew these people. Some of them were people I went to school with. I even had family down here. I became comfortable with them very quickly.

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LAPD Officer Deon Joseph last week was honored by the Central City Association with a Treasures of Los Angeles award. “When I got the call from the CCA, my first reaction was shock,” he said. “Police officers aren’t commonly recognized in this way for a lot of reasons.”

“In the early days, I couldn’t get down the street without seeing victims of a crime, with black eyes, bloody noses, being flagged down by people being robbed but who didn’t want to make a report because they were fearful. The smell of urine was so potent and strong. There were tents with half naked women running around, gang members gambling in the street. It was Mad Max Thunderdome. They would smoke crack right next to your patrol car. It was a nightmare. “Now, it’s a whole lot better. You can walk down the street and see fewer victims. The smells and odors are there, but to a much lesser degree — it’s bearable. People are more or less beginning to utilize the services in the area. People are actually reporting crimes to me in broad daylight. They’ve lost fear to a degree. The Safer Cities Initiative broke the culture of lawlessness. We’re separating the wolves from the sheep, so the sheep will come forward. That’s pretty much what it’s about. “Most LAPD cops move from division to division and promote up the ranks. I’m staying here. I love it. It’s that simple. I feel like there’s a connection here. I want to be in a place where I can help somebody where it’s tangible when I help. I feel if I’m promoted at this juncture I wouldn’t be connected to the people here that I’m helping. I don’t feel like I’m finished here. I like the fact that years ago they were terrified of me and now I’m getting hugs and thank yous. I want to make that more prevalent where they trust us all, not just me, but department-wide. “People come back to me, people I remember who were walking down the streets with needles hanging out of their arms. They come back and say, ‘You put me in housing or jail but you had a word for me that changed my life.’ That has an indelible impact on me. It’s a joy that can’t be replaced by me becoming a sergeant right now. “Nationwide, you can say homelessness is about the economy, sure, and not dealing with mental illness. In this 50-block radius, the sad truth driving people to the area is crime and narcotics. That’s what’s keeping them here and from moving on to other things. It attracts people who need help and those who prey on them. “When I got the call from the CCA about the Treasures award, my first reaction was shock. I was humbled immediately. Police officers aren’t commonly recognized in this way for a lot of reasons. For me to look at the company that I’m in, it’s really humbling and I’m thankful people recognize what we do. “It’s very important to care about and educate yourself on Skid Row. There are two schools of thought on Skid Row. One, the extreme right, is with the NIMBYism: Let’s just shove mental illness in a box so we don’t have to deal with it. Then there’s the extreme left, where people think because they’re poor and disenfranchised we should look the other way. “It’s important for me to educate both sides. That’s why I’m so adamant about doing tours of Skid Row, so they can have a truth-based foundation to help somebody, if that’s their desire.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

May 2, 2011

Downtown News 11

DowntownNews.com

MOTHER’S DAY Notes From the Mom Zone Three Mothers Talk About the Joys of Bringing Up Children in Downtown

A Mom for All Seasons For One Family, Downtown Is All About a Bicycle And an Endless Supply of Cultural Options by Anne MArie ruff

ive years ago, just after my husband and I moved Downtown with our eight-week old son, I walked out on the sidewalk only to witness a homeless man shoot up across the street. I held my new baby tighter and wondered if perhaps I was reckless to think I could raise a child in the supposedly revitalized urban core. Downtown has come a long way in five years. At first glance, the community may look like a dismal place for children (a Palisades acquaintance recently questioned our location with a combination of bewilderment and pity), but I contend that Downtown is a wonderland for kids. The magic ingredients are the diverse transportation options and an unbelievable wealth of free cultural offerings. The result is that we enjoy more life than our freeway frequenting suburban counterparts because we are so close to so much. Our life Downtown is anchored around three locations: our open plan loft at the border of the Jewelry and Financial districts; the children’s

preschool a dozen blocks away at a Japanese Buddhist temple in Little Tokyo; and my office at a global law firm four blocks from our loft. When our first baby was tiny, we did a lot of walking. In those days it was hard to find a restaurant open after sunset, so we often headed up Fifth Street to the top of the steps at the US Bank Tower. Amidst the sparkling Downtown lights and deserted streets, we felt like we owned the place. As the baby grew, we hit the sidewalk with a stroller. When the second baby arrived a year later (born at home in the aforementioned loft) we upgraded to a double stroller. As the babies started walking, we availed ourselves of the Dash and Metro and the long-awaited Angels Flight funicular. For shorter jaunts we progressed through a series of multi-wheeled objects: a red wagon, a secondhand tricycle, a bicycle with training wheels, and a couple of high quality skateboards. At the moment, our vehicle see Bicycle, page 12

photo by Gary Leonard

Anne Marie Ruff and her two sons, William and Josh Grewal, get around Downtown on a bicycle that holds three people.

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May 2, 2011

Mother’s Day

Life With the Little Caliph A Family Has a Curb’s Eye View Of a Community’s Evolution group. There’s a play date in Grand Hope Park every Saturday and I see people pushing baby strollers down Spring Street every day. It blows my mind. It’s so... normal. Of course, raising kids Downtown has its own special flavor. There’s a man on Broadway and Sixth Street who gives out handwritten sheets detailing the connection between Allah and Frankenstein (seriously), and he always makes a point of handing one to Nathan. My son loves it because, at age four, he thinks getting stuff, any kind of stuff, is awesome. The man loves it because there aren’t too many people who grab his handouts with a big grin on their faces. He calls Nathan the Little Caliph. So yeah, raising your kid Downtown means putting up with a bit of weirdness. But in a strange way, Caliph Man illustrates what I love most about living Downtown: the sense of community. When we eat at the Nickel, owner Monica May sits at our table and calls Nathan her mascot because he’s grown up along with her restaurant. Shane, our favorite barber at Bolt, knows exactly how to cut Nathan’s hair and calls him the best kid he’s ever worked on. At Christmas last year, both the owner of an electronics store and our parking garage attendant gave Nathan presents out of the blue. Walking down Spring Street or Broadway with Nathan can sometimes feel like the Copa sequence in Goodfellas, with people calling out his name and waving or stopping to shake his hand. The other amazing aspect of raising a

afield (though still within biking distance), the Vista Hermosa Park hosts autumn bonfires and nature talks and even Halloween s’mores. Continued from page 11 The winter holidays ring in the singof choice, an Xtracycle, allows me to pedal along at the Music Center Plaza and the with both of my boys atop a little platform marathon Christmas Eve musical proover the extended back wheel base. gram. We get dressed up and feel imporAround the Globe tant clutching our free tickets. While our modes of transportation have Then there is the Central Library, which evolved, we have consistently used them year-round has served as both our bookladowntownnews.com/news to transport us around the globe through case and our backyard. We often have the a series of seasonal free Downtown cul- run of the place, and more books than we tural offerings. have been able to read in five years. In the spring, we eagerly await the lineup Also year round, on Thursday eveladowntownnews.com/gallery for the weekend night Grand Performances nings, we take in MOCA for free (my at California Plaza. The boys have danced older son counted “sculpture” among ecstatically to every possible combination of his first words, and my then not-yetAfro-reggae-mariachi-French/Moroccan- weaned younger son went crazy for a regatone-Zydeco-marimba-experimental Louise Bourgoise sculpture featuring jazz-orchestral hip-hop music you can no fewer than 13 voluptuous breasts). imagine. They also sat stock still once, ab- Now our MOCA evenings afford us the solutely enchanted by Balinese dancers. ladowntownnews.com/calendar added pleasure of whizzing down Grand Summer brings concerts and Friday night Avenue on our bicycle built for three. movies at Pershing Square. Occasionally Art Walk punctuates our months with this means a bittersweet Downtown co- interesting sights and sounds. A couple of nundrum, choosing between the Pershing years ago, I realized, to my chagrin, that Square or Grand Performances event. my multi-culti, global musical exposure Luckily, the summer concerts at the campaign had been excessively successful. Japanese American National Museum are An indie rock band commanded the sideusually on Thursdays, where we once took walk between galleries, spurring my older in a double feature of classical Persian music son to ask, “What kind of music is it? Is it followed by the mesmerizing, complex beats jazz, Mommy?” How could I have forgotof a group from Niger. The boys refused to ten the rock and roll? leave until the musicians had played the last On second thought, we rock and roll all note of their second encore. the time. Downtown rocks on a regular ladowntownnews.com/calendar Just as the summerladowntownnews.com/gallery series wind down, basis, and we hop on whatever wheels suit and more at and at World City at Disney Hall kicks in. us to roll on out and join the more happening. Every six weeks or so we are treated to Anne Marie RuffLADowntownNews.com is a business development some of the best dancers and musicians manager with Paul Hastings. Her recently the world has to offer, from the Tuvan published first novel, Through These Veins, throat singers of Mongolia to the acro- chronicles the development of a fictional cure batic scissors dancers of Ecuador. My for AIDS. All profits benefit Doctors Without childhood was never like this. Borders and the Ethiopian Institute for the Around Halloween, a little further Conservation of Biodiversity.

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kid there that night, and he and the other children ran around and gaped in wonder at the sculptures as bands played and parents strolled hand-in-hand under the stars. As Downtown continues to evolve, there will be more and more kids like Nathan, moving into the neighborhood along with their parents or born here (because, as my husband says, when young, attractive people move into lofts together, reproduction happens). They’ll experience a childhood that’s unique in Los Angeles, one that isn’t limited to seeing the world passing by through a car window. We love it and we wouldn’t want anything else for our son.

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kid in Downtown is the culture. My husband and I grew up in New York visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, taking in Broadway shows and hearing free symphony concerts in Central Park. Living in Downtown Los Angeles, our son is having similar experiences. Nathan gets to gallery hop at Art Walk, and attend children’s opera at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and free concerts at Disney Hall. This summer Nathan will be taking music lessons at the Colburn School on Bunker Hill (and riding Angels Flight to get there). I remember one amazing event in particular when Pershing Square was taken over for a nighttime art show. Nathan wasn’t the only

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Alisa Rivera, her husband James Hightower and their son Nathan have been in Downtown since before many of the new businesses arrived. They know people in every community.

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ur family moved Downtown three years ago, when our son, Nathan, was just a year old. We were refugees from Silver Lake, escaping not only the crazy high rents but the insularity as well. My husband, James, and I were looking for a place that was big enough to accommodate his computer business while also being a short commute to my job in City West. As regulars at the Art Walk, we could see the neighborhood was evolving into something exciting, and as native New Yorkers who’d grown up playing street games like hopscotch, stickball and Ringalevio, we liked the idea of raising our kid in the city core. There is now a whole litany of places that didn’t exist when we first moved here: the Nickel Diner, D-town Burger Bar, Bliss, Spring for Coffee, Crack Gallery, Syrup Desserts, Flea, Bark Avenue, Bolt Barbers, the Gorbals and all of the bars on Spring Street. There were also, when we arrived, almost no families. I personally knew almost everyone with kids Downtown and could count them all on my fingers (no toes needed). I’d push Nathan in his stroller down deserted streets on Sunday afternoons wondering if we’d made a terrible mistake by moving into the neighborhood. Things have changed. A lot. There’s a newborn in my building whose daddy takes her out for walks in the Baby Bjorn, along with the family dog. More than 150 people belong to the Downtown L.A. Parents Facebook

ents

by Alisa Rivera

Designs on Downtown

Downtown News 13

Mother’s Day photo courtesy Chinmaya Misra

May 2, 2011

An Architect Builds a Sense of Community on Walks With Her Daughter by Chinmaya misra

became a Downtown resident five years ago. My husband and I moved to the Gas Company Lofts after selling our “firstborn,” the house that we designed and built in Culver City. After selling our house, we weren’t in a hurry to buy anymore, yet the thought of living in a generic, low popcorn ceiling slapdash stucco-vinyl windowed condo rendered most of our nights sleepless. That is when we decided it had to be Downtown, the epicenter of an urban and cultural renaissance. We moved to the Mandel Lofts shortly before our daughter Anvaya was born. When Anvaya was only two weeks old, I would carry her in my sling to the weekly farmers market on Fifth Street by the Central Library. At two months, she had been with us to concerts, attended Downtown Art Walks and gallery openings, taken the subway to Chinatown and Pasadena, rolled about on the waterbeds at The Standard and had breakfast with us at Angelique while sitting in her stroller. Since my husband and I run our own architectural studio (CHA:COL, Chinmaya Apurva Collaborative), it was easy to take six months off and dedicate big chunks of our day to plain parenting. After six months, my husband went back to the office, while I remained at home with Anvaya. In India, where I was born and brought up, we always had extended family, grandparents and cousins to hang out with, so the need to go outside one’s immediate community never arose. This is where Downtown inadvertently came to my rescue. It wasn’t easy spending hours cooped up in a loft with only an infant for intellectual company, but knowing that I could step outside with her, head to the Central Library and on my way see familiar faces at the Armenian kebab cafe or the lovely manager Blanca at Bottega Louie, made it palatable. I’d bump into other parents and we all exchanged casual glances of local familiarity. I found it interesting as an architect that we’d know each other from the loft buildings we each lived in, even if we didn’t know names or backgrounds. This easy, effortless access to friendly people in an otherwise solitary confinement is something I came to love about life in Downtown. I love seeing Downtown through my daughter’s eyes. She is an extremely opinionated and observant 3 year old. She attends a lovely preschool in Downtown and spends the better part of her weekends playing in the FIDM park with friends from the neighborhood, enjoying readings at the Central Library and taking rides in shopping carts at Ralphs, where she knows everyone by name and greets them with a big, toothy smile. She cherishes the balloon that she gets at the end of every Ralphs trip (courtesy of their wonderful manager and employees). She asks for one each time we shop. It’s quite unusual for architects to step out and make friends with people outside of their world. We’re a largely incestuous group that keeps within a community of fellow designers and architects. Having Anvaya in our lives has changed that completely. Most of our friends now are local residents, parents of her friends from varied and diverse backgrounds both culturally and professionally. We all meet at the park for a Saturday play date, head out to a leisurely brunch together and meet again in the evening (sans kids) for a night out in Little Tokyo, on Spring Street or at L.A. Live. Or one of the tens of little bars Downtown now has sprouting up on every corner. My husband and I have our architectural studio in the Spring Arts Tower. I leave early to pick up our daughter from school. Our walk to work and to school and back is a neat little triangulation. It’s great fun stopping for coffee at Spring for Coffee in the morning, stepping out to lunch in the Old Bank District, heading to Hope Street to pick up Anvaya and finally heading back home via the “Spanish Steps” at US Bank Tower, then cutting across to Grand Avenue and finally home. It’s a luxury to experience urban living without needing to use our car. Walking just makes my daughter and I observe so much more, and there are always interesting things to point out to her on our walks. What I see her experiencing is the essence of a community, with people and personal connections that expand her exposure. As a result, she’s turning out to be a very gregarious and confident little human being, subconsciously aware of what it means to share and become part of a community. As a mother of such an independent little soul, I feel lucky to be living in Downtown, a metropolis that allows everyone their breathing space without compromising personal connections.

Chinmaya Misra and her 3-year-old daughter Anvaya regularly hit the streets of Downtown.

14 Downtown News

May 2, 2011

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May 2, 2011

McCourts Continued from page 1 Frank: Next year we can charge even more for parking, nachos and beer. Jamie: Let’s celebrate this victory by buying another house. Just a little one, like $8 million. I need one where I can do laundry. Frank: Anything for you, my sweet queen of the luxury suites. We’ll draw nearly 4 million fans this year. For the love of Sandy Koufax, nothing can ever go wrong. Act II: Minutes later. The waiter finishes taking their order. Waiter: Very good sir. That’s a six-pound lobster for you, four eight-pound lobsters to go for your sons in a doggy bag with the words “Frankly Fantastic!” written on the side, and for the lady, a protein shake, an order of organic peas handpicked by British dandies in white suits and two-and-a-half pounds of money on an “I’ll be mayor someday” plate. Frank: Well done garkon! Give yourself a $100 tip. The waiter walks away. Jamie: Frank, you told me you had something special to say this evening. Can you tell me now, my hunk of home run goodness? Oooh, I don’t think we’ll ever get divorced! Frank: OK, my little bunting bunny. Here it is: We’ve worked really hard since I bought the team with almost no money down and using some Boston parking lots as collateral. We’ve given the little people who come to the stadium three playoff appearances in five years, and I’ll bet we can do it again next year. They love us even more than they love Jerry Buss. So I’ve come up with a plan that means we’ll never have to worry about money again.

An alarmed look crosses Jamie’s face. Jamie: We don’t have to sell a Bentley, do we? I just finished collecting one in each color. Frank: No, my diamond of the baseball diamond. Russell Martin has brought so many people to the stadium that we’ll never have to do that. I’m sure he’ll be a Dodger for life, or at least as long as he stays healthy. Jamie: We don’t have to cut our personal staff, do we? I need my own driver. Frank: No darling. On Matt Kemp bobblehead night attendance was 13,000 higher than the same night last season, and fans paid an average of $27 a ticket. The tchotchkes only cost $1.45 to make in China. We’re fine. Jamie: Then what is it? Will you sell advertising on Vin Scully’s forehead? Frank: A great idea, and one to consider in the future, but that’s not it. Jamie: Please don’t tell me I have to actually work as CEO of the Dodgers? Frank: Don’t say such ugly words! For the sake of Fernandomania, a McCourt never works! We let parking lots and other people work for us. Jamie: Then what’s the secret, my Don Juan of the dugout? Frank: It’s simple. We just use the Dodgers like an ATM machine. Jamie: You mean— Frank: That’s right. We just think of Dodger money as McCourt money, pull out a million here and 5 million there, and enjoy a lavish lifestyle. In fact, we’ve been doing it for years. Joe Torre and those 25 guys in uniform work for us, and the formula is simple: Every Jonathan Broxton strikeout is worth $100,000 for you and me, based on future TV rights and T-shirt sales. Every Manny homer is worth $500,000. Over time it’ll mean $100 million for us. Jamie: Oh Frank, my main man on the mound, how did you come up with this plan?

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Frank: Actually, it wasn’t me. The idea came from the psychic healer you hired. Jamie: Vladimir Shpunt? You mean the old guy in Massachusetts we pay to watch games on TV and think good thoughts about the Dodgers? Frank: That very one. A gleeful look passes over Jamie’s face. Jamie: This is going just like we planned. Remember how, when we bought the team, we smiled pretty and got all those reporters to write that silly story we made up about how we’re so competitive that our family has milk-drinking contests? They ate it up! If we only had $100 for every time a reporter wrote that. Frank laughs loudly. Frank: We don’t have $100 for every time a reporter repeated that story. We have $1,000. Jamie: This is a wonderful night. After 29 years of marriage, there’s only one thing I love more than you. Frank: What’s that, my babe of the bullpen? Jamie: Money! Act III: The meal is coming to a close. Frank finishes speaking to the waiter as he takes back his credit card. Frank: —that’s why I’m giving you this $400 tip. How do you live on just $80,000 a year? No wait, don’t answer that. I don’t care. But $80,000? That’s what Manny Ramirez makes for a strikeout. It’s too bad your future isn’t as bright as his. Frank turns his attention back to Jamie. Jamie: This evening has been dreamy. I haven’t been in such a nice restaurant in three days. I haven’t been this happy since we signed our marital property agreement in 2004. Is there any downside to our future? Frank: Well, my buttercup of the backstop, there’s a tiny chance that baseball Commissioner Bud Selig won’t like our ATM plan. Then again, he brought us into

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the league in the first place, and it’s not like anything bad could happen that would turn public sentiment against us. Jamie: And if something does happen, you’ll just use the famous McCourt charm. What’s he going to do? Take the team away from us? Yeah, right. Frank: Or put the kibosh on us getting a loan from Fox? Suuuuure. Jamie: Or call in a trustee to run things? Ooooh, big scary baseball commissioner. They laugh uproariously. Jamie continues in a more serious manner. Jamie: Maybe we should save a little money though. It’s possible that in the future people will forget how much we’ve given to the city, and we might need to hire a big-shot developer who also ran for mayor to carry our water and say nice things about us. Should we stock away some money? Frank: Good idea, but a McCourt never uses his own cash. I’ll just fire the Dodger Stadium head of security in a year or so. After all, the ballpark that I bought is the safest place in Los Angeles. And I’ll raise parking to $15 a car. That’s reasonable. Jamie: Let’s give the mayor some free tickets too so he can sit with us in our box. Angelenos love this mayor, especially when he hands out pretty certificates. Frank: I knew there’s a reason I married you. You’re smarter than all the general managers and coaches I’ve fired put together. Jamie: Frank, our love will go into eternal extra innings. This reminds me of what we always say to each other. They look deeply into each other’s eyes and speak slowly, in unison. Frank and Jamie: Dodger blue means McCourt green. They stand and walk out of the restaurant, throwing hundred dollar bills into the air. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.

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“This will only succeed if the departments and enough of the management staff believe we’re building a better world and this is a world they want to be a part of,” she said. “If they see it as an imposition, or this is going to take away from my job, it’s not going to happen.” There are other challenges, among them the city’s precarious financial situation. The consultants’ plan will hinge in part on the city developing a new website that allows users to submit plans and track projects online. But technology is expensive and it is unclear whether the city has the funds to develop a comprehensive new web platform. Leadership Question One of the biggest concerns over the reform plan has nothing to do with the actual changes proposed. Instead, it involves the man who proposed it — Beutner will soon step down to run for mayor in 2013. “One of the questions being asked in the business community is how the report will be implemented once Austin leaves City Hall,” said Toebben of the chamber. “He had authority over 13 departments. It’s unclear how much authority his successor will have.” As Beutner prepares to depart, Villaraigosa’s office has Matthew Karetz running point on development reform. A former developer who worked for KB Home and Caruso Affiliated, he was hired around the same time as Beutner. Karetz said that Beutner’s departure won’t slow the effort because the momentum has already shifted to the department heads, who will be the ones charged with implementing the consultants’ plan anyway. What differentiates this effort from previous attempts

Ev en ts

Continued from page 1 ment reform came in December, when the city awarded a $600,000 contract to the firms KH Consulting Group and Woolpert. The contract, comprised of $500,000 in city money and another $100,000 that Beutner raised from the private sector, runs through July 1. One of the first things Gayla Kraetsch Hartsough, president of KH Consulting, encountered were the mounds of old city studies, audits and memos explaining workflows, code discrepancies and all kinds of flaws in the system. There were 100 such documents. They included a tome of municipal-ese known as the Garcia Report, commissioned in 1995 by former Mayor Richard Riordan. It had some good ideas, she said, but like the efforts before and after, it never stuck. Sixteen years later, Kraetsch Hartsough says there are some fixes in plain sight. For example, there should be a committee of managers that can decide how to immediately resolve conflicts that arise when planning

among a group of business leaders that convened in January to meet the consultant team and offer early feedback. He felt like he had been there before — almost 40 years earlier. “I can remember going to one of these meetings in 1974 and the issue was then called one-stop permitting,” Martin said. “If you map it out over history, it looks like a sine wave. The problem gets so bad and they try to fix it, and it goes away for a little while and then they try and fix it again.” Meaningful Change If one refers to the KH-Woolpert effort as a study, Kraetsch Hartsough corrects them. “It’s not a study,” she said. “It’s a strategic plan.” The difference, she added, is that a strategic plan focuses on implementation. Come July 1, the group will deliver a report with quarterly implementation goals spread over a three-year period. “The idea behind this is we facilitate, we challenge, we show best practices, but we help them develop what they can do in a three-year period to bring about meaningful change,” she said. When the KH-Woolpert contract expires, the work will be carried out by nine teams. There’s a communications team, for example, and another group focused on organization, staffing and facilities. The teams include department heads and lower level staffers who have been identified as potential leaders. Involving a cross-section of city workers is part of an effort to change the culture of the bureaucracy. The city could be armed with the best report and have transparent and sound ideas for improvement, but that’s not enough, Kraetsch Hartsough said.

ily a D d e r ve i l ail e m D rE

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guidelines clash with zoning rules. Today, when the policies of two different city agencies clash, it can tie up a project indefinitely. The Department of Transportation, for instance, may insist that a developer allow space for an extra street lane because a project will generate additional traffic. A city planner considering the same application may point out that the development is in an area tagged for pedestrian friendly streetscapes, and insist that the sidewalk be widened. In the long term, the zoning code — largely untouched since 1946 — and community plans need to be overhauled and harmonized, she said. In the short term, a committee of department managers can address these conflicts as soon as they arise, Kraetsch Hartsough said. But if potential solutions are in sight, devising these fixes may not be the consultants’ biggest challenge. Past efforts have shown that the real hurdle is implementation: How to ensure that the plan doesn’t get a bureaucratic burial in a filing cabinet grave. Chris Martin, of the Downtown-based architecture firm AC Martin Partners, was

ou Y to

May 2, 2011

Downtown News 17

DowntownNews.com

like 12-to-2, he and others said, is that those department heads, including relatively new additions such as Bud Ovrom at Building and Safety and Michael LoGrande at Planning, are on board with the vision. Joel Miller, a principal with Psomas, a Downtown-based engineering and consulting firm, said that Beutner’s impending departure could be detrimental to the reform effort. But he agreed that leadership is also coming from Ovrom and LoGrande. “They’re relatively new GMs and they really want to see the implementation photo by Gary Leonard of these changes,” Miller Some in the business community worry that the effort could flounder without the leadership of Austin Beutner. The mayoral said. So does the Central City deputy who introduced the effort last fall is stepping down to run for mayor. Association, the Downtown business advocacy group that is one of the loudest proponents of under one roof, Karetz said. The suitcase development reform. Carol Schatz, the or- tour of Los Angeles will soon have three ganization’s president and CEO, said the fewer stops. CCA will take an active role in pushing the Still, success won’t be immediate, nor initiative. will it be perfect, Karetz said. “It is not go“We’re going to be all over the city ing to be one finished product that we’re about this and I don’t think the city can going to place in a gift bag and handafford to let this drop again,” said Schatz. deliver it one day at a press conference,” “Because it’s going to be a real black eye Karetz said. “It’s an ongoing process with for the mayor again if it does.” lots of pieces.” City officials say that some progress has The consultant team expects to presalready occurred. Early next month, staff- ent a draft to the City Council’s Planning ers from the departments of Water and and Land Use Management Committee Power and Planning and the Bureau of in early June. The final study is due for Engineering will move into the Building completion by July 1. and Safety building at Figueroa Plaza, so Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at applicants can access those four agencies ryan@downtownnews.com.

Olvera Street Continued from page 6 2010. However, the merchants claimed the increases were onerous, and more than 40 tenants continued just to pay their old rate. The merchants, who have long maintained that the city has not provided promised amenities such as new parking, last year commissioned their own study. It found that tenants should pay $1.20-$2 per square foot, and puesto rates should be $265 to about $300. That led to a compromise offer from the city, and in December, seven tenants signed a deal. However, the unpaid back rents for dozens of merchants — which average $1.35 per square foot — gave the city a $72,000 shortfall each month. Those ongoing issues, and a failed mediation attempt last summer, prompted another offer from the city, the one that was considered last week. Molina told the committee she had been approached by tenants for help and urged the city to reach an agreement while protecting the legacy of the tenants. “I think that if we can get the leases signed, that is a major part of getting this park back in order,” she said after the hearing. The new agreement would give the tenants a 20-year term with another 20-year option. Most tenants would pay rents that start at 25% below the April 2010 offer by the city. In six months those rents would increase slightly. Occupants of puestos that are 75 square feet or less would start at 30% below market rate. Tenants who claim financial distress would receive further discounts. Their rents would rise over three years until they are 25% below the April offer. Those who choose this option

V se Igo 20 ss r Io ou ns s !

6Week

must fill out a form saying they would not be profitable, but do not have to show financial proof of hardship. Those who agree to open their books to an audit by the City Controller and can prove financial distress could get rates 50% below last year’s offer. All rents would rise to market rate in five years. Sticking Points The agreement also sets restrictions on the selling or transfer of businesses along Olvera Street and the number of hours business owners must spend at the premises. The latter may be a sticking point for OSMA. The day before the hearing, Vivien Bonzo, president of OSMA, and their attorney, Paul Hamilton, sent a letter to several city officials highlighting outstanding issues in the negotiations. Those included a re-evaluation of what qualifies as retail and storage space in some of the larger businesses, which would affect rents, and the elimination of a requirement for owners to be at their place of business 80 hours per month. “We have asked for the 80-hour requirement to be reviewed for legitimacy. It’s not common that the city will tell a business person how to run their business,” Bonzo said after the hearing. Huizar said he would bring the 80-hour issue to the council this week. If that matter is resolved, if the extended payment period for back rates is approved, and if new measurements are taken for business owners who believe their space has not been tallied properly, Bonzo said they are prepared to sign the deal. “It’s been a long haul, so we are all very, very hopeful that this is going to be it and that we will finally have a lease,” she said. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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photo by Gary Leonard

CALENDAR

Hey Kids, Let’s Put on a secret sHow A Downtown-Specific Version of ‘Rent’ Opens, But You Won’t Find Out Where Until You Buy a Ticket

by Roselle Chen

n a recent Saturday evening, 14 motley city dwellers sang together in a high-ceilinged church. As their harmonizing voices soared, an angel cried. The crying was unintentional, and to be fair it wasn’t an angel, but a character named Angel. It was also unlikely, considering that it came in a rehearsal for a new “secret” Downtown run of the rock musical Rent. The loud sniffling emanated from a drag queen dressed in a lime green midriff and black patent leather platform heels. Angel’s scarlet lips were painted a shade too red, and eye shadow ran down his/her cheeks. “It was overwhelming,” said actor Michael Montiel after the rehearsal, explaining what moved him to tears. “I’ve wanted to do this part since I was 6 years old, and just watching it come to life connected with something inside of me.” Montiel’s Angel is a central character in the Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning musical by the late Jonathan Larson. Although the 15-year-old show has legions of hardcore fans, the version that debuts this week in a Downtown Los Angeles warehouse has a few important things that separate it from the original New York production. For one, the audience is enmeshed in the staging, actually sitting amidst parts of the set while watching the action unfold. For another, you don’t find out where Rent: Downtown L.A. is actually being staged until after you buy a ticket. Producer and co-director Kate Sullivan freely admits that the “secret” aspect, including the use of the word in the production’s

MAY 2

website (rentsecretshow.com) is a gimmick to create mystery and hype up press and ticket sales. So far, it appears to be working — three performances were sold out two weeks before the May 5 debut. Never Fade Away Rent became the stuff of legend even before the curtain rose for the first time. Based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme, the show was written by Larson, and debuted at the Off-Broadway New York Theatre Workshop on Jan. 24, 1996. The night before the show opened, Larson died of an aortic aneurysm. Still, or perhaps partially because of the untimely death, the show struck a chord. Audiences rushed to see the story of a group of poverty-stricken artists and musicians in New York City’s Lower East Side during the 1990s, some of them struggling with HIV/AIDS. The show won a Pulitzer and moved to Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre on April 29, 1996. Although Rent closed on Broadway in 2008, it hasn’t disappeared. There continues to be numerous domestic and international performances. An Off-Broadway revival, helmed by original Rent director Michael Greif, will begin in July. The show’s voice and message long ago touched Sullivan. She first saw the Broadway production when she was 15, and said she felt “alive” after watching it. “I felt connected to New York City and to things that I had never experienced before,” said the woman who grew up in an affluent Boston neighborhood. “I’d never met colorful people like Angel, and it was magical be-

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

cause I felt like I knew him and the cast at the end of it.” The feeling never fully diminished, and when Sullivan first saw the Downtown warehouse where the show will run through May 28, she felt like the musical had to be there. She met with Rent’s original producer, Jeffrey Seller, and told him her idea of bringing the audience into the experience, rather than watching the performance from a stage. She recalled that he replied, “You can’t not do that.” Still, it was no easy jump from idea to execution. She needed to buy the rights to the show (which cost “thousands and thousands of dollars,” according to co-director Caitlin Hart) and pay for costumes, sets and rent on both the venue and a rehearsal space. Ultimately she turned to Kickstarter, a fundraising website for creative projects. She ended up securing $22,000 over two months from 347 backers. People who gave donations of at least $10 were given email updates of Rent: Downtown L.A.’s rehearsals, pictures of the cast and crew, silk-screened posters and free tickets to opening night. A backer who donated $1,000 also got a dinner with the cast and crew. Local Flavor The deal with Seller prohibits Sullivan from changing any of the dialogue, lyrics or musical numbers and altering or editing any of the scenes. Even though it’s set in a Downtown Los Angeles landscape, the show remains New York-centric. “To protect their art, we’re not allowed to change it,” Sullivan said. That, however, doesn’t prevent her from

bringing some neighborhood touches to the show: Downtown artists will create the sets and local musicians will perform the score. “Parts of Downtown L.A. are very industrial and remind me of New York’s Alphabet City in the mid-1990s,” Sullivan said. “It’s un-gentrified and at the same time still feels like a strong community.” The original show’s youthful energy continues here with a young cast. Montiel is 20 and actresses Emily Goglia and Amber Stevens, who play Maureen (a bisexual performance artist) and Mimi (a stripper and HIV-positive drug addict), respectively, are 23 and 24. “It’s going to be cool because people will walk in and be in Rent rather than watching it on a stage,” said Goglia. “You’ll feel our world.” Stevens, who appeared on the ABC Family show Greek, said Rent: Downtown L.A. is her first theater production. “There’s a character for everyone,” she said. “People may not know someone like Angel, but they’ll see the show and find an understanding of humanity.” Goglia has been in countless theater productions and graduated from USC last May. She explained that Rent’s message is one of tolerance. The point was echoed by Hart, who referenced how far the show has come since the death of Larson. “It’s more about peace and community and perseverance than the tragedy of the situation,” she said. Rent: Downtown L.A. runs May 5-28 at an undisclosed location. Tickets and information at rentsecretshow.com.

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The Nuevo Cinco In Downtown, There’s No Shortage of Ways to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Here Are Nine of Them.

Fifth to Temple streets for Fiesta Broadway on Sunday, May 8. The gathering has been going on for 22 years, and while it regularly rankles areas businesses and residents (forget about driving anywhere near the event that day), there are plenty of cultural opportunities: This year’s line-up features L.A. favorites Ozomatli, the lauded and original Mexican Institute of Sound and traditional regional artists Diana Reyes and Carmen Jara. The 11 a.m.-6 p.m. event is free and includes traditional dancers, food and vendor booths. The street is usually packed shoulder to shoulder with people, so get there early. On Broadway between Temple and Fifth streets, fiestabroadway.la. Cinco Is a-Live: Since it opened a few years ago, L.A. Live has gotten into the holiday

spirit, with a gigantic metal Christmas tree and a large St. Patrick’s Day concert and celebration. Now, the South Park space programmed by Anschutz Entertainment Group gets in on the Cinco de Mayo action, with a free May 5 fiesta that is open to the public. The festivities start on Nokia Plaza at 5:30 p.m. and feature salsa dancers, live music, a beer and margarita garden and, best of all, a battle of the mariachi bands. Later in the evening, the action moves to the Conga Room, where Maria Daniela performs. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., lalive.com. Center for Cinco: The city’s newest cultural center is all about the contributions Mexicans and Mexican Americans have made to Los Angeles. So it makes sense to spend at least see Cinco de Mayo, page 20

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photo by Gary Leonard

The streets of Downtown will fill with hundreds of thousands of people on May 8 for the 22nd annual Fiesta Broadway. Performers include Ozomatli. by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

veryone knows that there are numerous ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. What a lot of people tend to forget is that not all of them involve drinking way too much tequila. Many people think the holiday is Mexico’s Independence Day. It’s not. Rather, it commemorates the unlikely Mexican victory against the French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. In that fight, 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated a better-armed, 8,000-strong French army. If you didn’t know the reason behind the holiday, there are several ways to learn a little more about the culture in Downtown Los Angeles. Below is a list of things to do and places to visit on and around Thursday, May 5. There are plenty of opportunities to get a cultural education and eat some good food. Of course, the area also has a few places to grab a shot of tequila. Cultured Party: One of the best places to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Southern California is the place where Los Angeles was born. El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical

Monument is producing two Cinco de Mayo events this year. On May 5, from noon-8 p.m., the plaza at the top of Olvera Street, just off Main Street, will host a party with live music from Mexican regional bands and traditional folklorico dancers. Then on Sunday, May 8, from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. you’ll get to experience the Battle of Puebla without any of the dangers of an actual war, with reenactments taking place in the monument’s South Plaza. There will also be mariachi music, folklorico dancers, food booths and artisans on hand for the free celebration. While there, be sure to stroll down Olvera Street, which houses more than 70 merchants who sell Mexican-themed souvenirs. There are also museums at the site, among them the Sepulveda House, built in 1887, and the Avila Adobe, the city’s oldest building, erected in 1818. At 125 Paseo del la Plaza, (213) 485-8372 or elpueblo.lacity.org. Party for the People: It’s being billed as the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world: Hundreds of thousands of people (yes, hundreds of thousands) are expected to pack a 12-block area on and around Broadway from

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Thursday, May 5th Lunch & Drink Specials

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(213) 250-4256 u 1538 W. Sunset Blvd. u 5 min. from Downtown ALSO VISIT OUR OTHER 2 LOCATIONS

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Cinco de Mayo Continued from page 19 part of Cinco de Mayo by learning a little bit more about the culture at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Inside the 2.2-acre facility you’ll see exhibits about the founding of the city, as well as displays on more contemporary subjects. A highlight of the $27 million attraction is a re-creation of Main Street in the 1920s, complete with some serious old-school shops. Of course, the facility adjacent to El Pueblo offers information about the contributions of Mexican Americans such as Cesar Chavez, Lalo Guerrero and Anthony Quinn. At 501 N. Main St., (888) 488-8033 or lapca.org. Find the Pearl: Why not take an extended lunch hour on Thursday and have a few drinks at Las Perlas. The tequila

May 2, 2011

and mescal bar in the Historic Core is not just offering fine liquor for Cinco de Mayo, it is also throwing in some cold brews, mixed drinks and Southern Mexican cuisine. The Sixth Street spot is offering drink specials from noon-8 p.m. on May 5. They include $3 Tecates, $5 Herradura shots and $5 margaritas. They will also offer Oaxacan food, a region in Southern Mexico known for excellent cuisine. DJs will be spinning tunes all day. At 107 E. Sixth St., (213) 988-8355 or lasperlas.la. Mas Bueno: Located in a cavernous 1920s space that once housed a jewelry store, Mas Malo, Downtown’s newest Mexican restaurant, opened in January with an emphasis on East L.A. food. Since Cinco de Mayo is a bigger holiday here than it is in Mexico, this is a fitting spot in which to mark the occasion. Try the Ensenada bacon-wrapped shrimp or the hard shell ground beef and pickle taco for a unique twist on Mexican food. Of course, if you want to celebrate properly, photo by Gary Leonard

Get some culture with your Cinco celebration at the recently opened LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. The Main Street attraction features a re-creation of Main Street in the 1920s.

you’ll sample the vast drink menu that includes tequila, mescal and house mixes like the Rooster, with Gusano Mezcal, bourbon and lime juice, and the Backyard Wedding, with Corralejo Blanco, Kahlua and horchata. Then again, you won’t go wrong with a simple house margarita. At 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 985-4332 or masmalorestaurant.com. Cinco de Mayan: In this corner, the most authentic Mexican wrestling in town! In the other corner, Ciiiiiiiiiiinco de Mayooooooooooo! Watch what happens when Lucha VaVoom, the Mexican masked wrestling/burlesque/comedy extravaganza takes on the party-friendly holiday at this year’s celebration, appropriately dubbed Cinco de Mayan. The action overwhelms the gorgeous Mayan Theatre on, you guessed it, May 5. Wrestlers will tear each other up in dramatic acrobatic battles, and there will be roaming mariachis, Aztec dancers, tamale and tequila specials. Best of all, the $45 event features a donkey photo booth where you can get your picture with a donkey. Everyone loves donkeys! At 1038 S. Hill St. or luchavavoom.com.

NOKIA PLAZA L.A. LIVE

Margarita Party: You can get a little taste of Mexico with a few margaritas at El Cholo for Cinco de Mayo. The South Park restaurant is the latest in the small family-owned chain to open; it arrived Downtown last June in the old Liberty Grill spot. Yeah, the place can be a bit gimmicky, with the waitresses in colorful Mexican outfits and the waiters clad in traditional guayaberas, but the margaritas are nothing to laugh at. If you want to make it a high-end celebration try the 24 karat margarita. There’s no actual gold in it, but it does have upscale ingredients and is priced like gold, at $24 a glass. Or go a more traditional route and celebrate with the Julio’s Cosmopolitan for $9.95. At 1037 S. Flower St., (213) 746-7750 or elcholo.com.

May 5th • 5:30PM Free to the public Battle of the Mariachis

Salsa Dancers

Live Performances by Genesis Codina & Maria Daniela

Villains Party: Outlaws always have more fun, and on Cinco de Mayo, Downtown’s best known villains will get into an even more celebratory mood. Villains Tavern in the Arts District will offer some tequila-based cocktail specials for the occasion. Look for adult beverages such as the Tijuana Trick, La Barbie and Iñigo Montoya. Cans of Tecate go for $2 on May 5. At 1356 Palmetto St., (213) 613-0766 or villainstavern.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

Beer & Margarita Garden and Mexican Food Post-Fiesta at The Conga Room with special guests, Maria Daniela, Las Cafeteras & Cosmopolitan! Tickets available at congaroom.com

photo by Gary Leonard

Mas Malo celebrates its first Cinco de Mayo in Downtown with East L.A. food and plenty of specialty drinks. 5890_LA_Cinco de Mayo Flyer_RD3.indd 1

4/28/11 9:41 AM

May 2, 2011

Downtown News 21

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LISTINGS

Thursday, May 5 Thursdays @ Central Meeting Room A, Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or lapl.org. 12:15-1 p.m.: Hey you, budding investors! Learn the basics about Standard & Poor’s NetAdvantage — a comprehensive source of business and investment information including industry surveys, stock and fund reports and more. MOCA Grand Avenue 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org. 7-10 p.m.: Neighborhood Public Radio is back for its second “Engagement Party,” and its theme is “In Your Car.” Friday, May 6 Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-DINO or visit nhm.org. 5:30-10 p.m.: First Fridays, the Exposition Park museum’s monthly party where art, science and dancing collide, is back with Dr. Elizabeth Hadly. She’ll talk about how environmental change impacts mammals. The bands, DJs and drinks come later. saTurday, May 7 International Fitness Challenge Club Nokia, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com. 8:30 a.m.: Attention muscle heads and beach body seekers: Five top trainers will pack Club Nokia with kettle balls, BOSU balls and other fitness gear for a three-hour circuit training event. Tennis Clinic Ketchum Downtown YMCA, 350 S. Figueroa St., (213) 617-1803 or email chrisrobb@mindspring.com. 9:30 a.m.-noon: It’s time to channel your inner Agassi or Graf. The “Y” is offering a free tennis clinic and round robin tournament as part of National Tennis Day celebrations. All levels welcome. Japanese American National Museum 369 E. First St., (213) 625-0414 or janm.org. 10 a.m.: 8+1: A Symposium: Voices from The Asian

Continued on next page

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It’s Cinco de Mayo. Do you know where your favorite masked Mexican wrestler is? Try the Mayan Theater, where Lucha VaVoom is staging its Cinco de Mayan cocktail of wrestling, burlesque and comedy. It takes place on, naturally, Thursday, May 5, at 8 p.m. Cheer on Li’l Chicken, get teased by Kitten Deville, then check out the donkey photo booth. The evening will include plenty of tequila, tamales, a lowrider parade, Aztec dancers, bandita folkloricos and strolling mariachis. At 1038 S. Hill St., luchavavoom.com.

photo by Alex Pitt

photo by Michael Weintrob

by Lauren CampedeLLi, Listings editor calendar@downtownnews.com

Quintessential funk-master Bootsy Collins drops by the Grammy Museum for a discussion and solo performance on Tuesday, May 3, at 8 p.m. The legendary bassist of the bling sunglasses, colorful tailcoats and top hats, and starshaped bass earned his look with driving grooves and juicy sounds. In addition to his work with James Brown in the ’60s and George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic in the ’70s, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and singer/ songwriter fronted Bootsy’s Rubber Band up through the ’90s. He’s got a new album, The Funk Capitol of the World. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

Active Arts at the Music Center kicks off its 2011 Dance Downtown series on Friday, May 6, on the Music Center Plaza from 6:30-10 p.m. Shake it under the stars with live music, DJs and fellow revelers. If you don’t know cumbia — the evening’s featured music/dance — never fear, for there are beginner dance lessons throughout the night. For the true beginners, cumbia is a Latin American musical style that originated in Colombia’s Caribbean region with African roots, adding new world native and European influences as it evolved. Come one, come all, all ages are welcome, no experience is necessary, and it’s free. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-3660 or musiccenter.org.

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Dust is everywhere. It’s inescapable. It’s allergy inducing and whiteglove resistant. But what does it all mean? OK, that’s probably overthinking it, but filmmaker Hartmut Bitomsky explores the tiniest matter observable to the naked eye in his documentary Dust (the 2007 film is definitely not to be confused with John Waters’ 1985 amusing goofball Lust in the Dust). From aesthetics to illness, from banal dust bunnies to depleted uranium dust, housewives, scientists and an airfilter salesman recount their encounters with the omnipresent particles in this work. The German cine-essayist will be present at the REDCAT screening on Monday, May 2, at 8:30 p.m. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800, redcat.org.

photo courtesy The Living Sisters

Wednesday, May 4 Town Hall Los Angeles Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 628-8141 or townhall-la.org. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: John C. Williams, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, speaks on “Maintaining Price Stability in a Global Economy.” Translation, how does the Fed curb inflation, when rising oil prices make all kinds of goods more expensive?

Bring the Funk, Do the Dance And Ask About the Dust

photo courtesy Hartmut Bitomsky

SPONSORED LISTINGS Live Church LA Club Nokia, 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 4934329 or livechurchla.com. 10 a.m.: Every Sunday, Live Church L.A. takes over the VIP Lounge at Club Nokia, bringing great music, people and inspiring messages. Spring Green Expo Metropolitan Water District, 700 N. Alameda Ave., mwdh2o.com. May 4, 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m.: This unique oneday educational event has something for everyone. Listen to noted speakers on various sustainability topics and see eco-innovative concept projects created by local college students. Vendors will showcase green products and services. Free. For more details or to register for seminars, visit mwdh2o.com and click Spring Green Expo. Seis de Mayo at Bar 107 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382. May 6, 9 p.m.: Cinco de Mayo is a made up holiday, say the folks at Bar 107, so they made up their own: Seis De Mayo “Lose Your Pantalones Fiesta!” Here’s how it works. You show up to the bar in a pair of pants you don’t want anymore. You take them off and give them to us. We donate the pants to the homeless. In return for your pants Bar 107 gives you a sombrero and 50% of all drinks for the night. Everyone is in their underwear and it gets down right insane. It’s the bar’s best time of the year. LA Motor Expo Bank of America Plaza, 333 S. Hope St., motorexpo.com. May 6-13, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: In partnership with Brookfield Properties, the L.A. Motor Expo presents the latest vehicles from the likes of Audi, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Jaguar, Land Rover, Saab and Volvo.

photo courtesy Lucha VaVoom

The‘Don’T Miss’ LisT

EVENTS

Contemporary songbirds The Living Sisters celebrate the songs of Patsy Cline in all their soulful, melodic country glory as part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Songbook series at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Saturday, May 7, at 8 p.m. The non-related, harmonizing sisters include Inara George, Becky Stark, Eleni Mandell and Alex Lilly. They’ll be joined by guests Zooey Deschanel, John Doe, Shirley Manson, John C. Reilly and Charlie Wadhams to perform Cline classics such as “Crazy” and “Fall to Pieces.” At 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 8502000 or laphil.com.

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

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May 2, 2011

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Mark Morris Goes to the Opera

Listings Continued from previous page

Sunday, May 8 The Nesona Play Reading Series The Exchange, 114 W. Fifth St., (323) 850-4436 or dramastage-qumran.org. 4 p.m.: Earlean Anthony’s Our Mother’s Daughters details a mother’s search for her daughter which leads her to Skid Row. With guest speaker Patricia Avarette of the Downtown Women’s Center, followed by Q&A. Free; donations accepted.

FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com. May 6, 7 p.m.: The documentary Beautiful Darling pays tribute to the short but influential life of the actress Candy Darling, born James Slattery in a Long Island suburb in 1944. May 7, 6:30-9 p.m.: In the season finale to the comedy series Dealership, a terrible illness descends on the town, and the boys of Barkley Auto will do anything to protect themselves from the virus and each other. Also screening is John Carpenter’s 1982 version of the horror classic The Thing. Flagship Theatres University Village 3323 S. Hoover St., (213) 748-6321 or flagshipmovies.com. Through May 5: Rio 2D (12, 2:20, 4:40, 7 and 9:20 p.m.); Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family (11:30 a.m. and 2, 5, 7:30 and 10 p.m.); Fast Five (1:05, 4, 7 and 9:50 p.m.).

photo by Ken Friedman

American Literary Review is a daylong celebration of Asian literature featuring readings and Q&A sessions by established and emerging authors. Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or lapl.org. 1-2 p.m.: Create your own miniature flower arrangement just in time for Mother’s Day. In the Art Department. 1-3 p.m.: “Tricks of the Trade: Outsmarting Investment Fraud” is a free workshop on common investment issues and scams. More information at (213) 228-7110.

he Mark Morris Dance Group has been pleasing audiences for 30 years, and its “L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato” has been presented in 18 cities on three continents. In short, it’s not a new work. This week, however, there is a new element to the oft-praised piece. On May 5-8, the company bounds into Downtown Los Angeles where it unites with L.A. Opera for the first time. During the four perfor-

May 6 (partial list): Thor 3D (showtimes TBA). IMAX Theater California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 7442019 or californiasciencecenter.org. Through May 26: Born to be Wild 3D is a story of love, dedication and the remarkable bond between humans and animals that documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the people who rescue and raise them. A Rainforest Adventure: Bugs! in 3D explores the dramatic lives of an Old World praying mantis and a beautiful butterfly. Hubble 3D takes movie-goers on a journey through distant galaxies to explore the grandeur and mysteries of our celestial surroundings and accompany spacewalking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult

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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mances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 24 dancers will take the stage to music by Handel while the L.A. Opera Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Grant Gershon, plays. There will also be a quartet of singers: sopranos Hei-Kyung Hong and Sarah Coburn, tenor Barry Banks and bass-baritone John Relyea. May 5-8 at 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-0711 or musiccenter.org.

and important tasks in NASA’s history. REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800, redcat.org. May 2, 8:30 p.m.: Through a web of interviews, poetic ruminations and cinematic investigations, Hartmut Bitomsky’s Dust examines the smallest objects that can be perceived: particles that permeate every aspect of life. May 4-6, 8 p.m.; May 7, 7 p.m.: The CalArts Film/ Video Showcase presents a selection of new student work. Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through May 5: Fast Five (1:10, 4:20, 7:40 and 11 p.m.); Prom (1:50, 4:30, 7:10 and 9:40 p.m.); African Cats (3, 5:20, 7:40 and 10 p.m.). May 3 (partial list): Memphis Broadway (7:30 p.m.). May 6 (partial list): Jumping the Broom (1:30, Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris 4:20, 7:10 and 9:50 p.m.), Something Borrowed GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin (11:10 a.m. and 1:50, 4:30, 7:20 and 10 p.m.); Thor ExEcutivE Editor: Regardie 3D (11 a.m. and 2, 5,Jon 8 and 11 p.m.).

May 8, 6-11 p.m.: Adam Tunney’s Mother’s Day Show. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dining and dancing to recorded music; live big band music at 8:30 p.m. until closing. Patrons are required to dress up. Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com. May 6, 8 p.m.: The MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert with a bunch of big names, among them Jane’s Addiction, Chester Bennington, Paramore, Ozomatli and Dave Gahan. May 7, 9 p.m.: First he was Puff Daddy (well, first he was Sean Combs), then P. Diddy, then just Diddy and now he’s Diddy-Dirty Money. Did his wallet fall in a mud puddle? Come find out. May 8, 9 p.m.: Giant dance party with two-person noisemakers Ghostland Observatory. Conga Room L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 749-0445 or congaroom.com. May 2, 8 p.m.: The Foxxhole Live, hosted by Mark Curry, has live stand-up comedy and R&B citY Editor: Richard Guzmán music. stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt May 5, 8 p.m.: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with coNtributiNG Editors: Kathryn Maese Maria Daniela, Las Cafeteras and Cosmopolitan. coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jim Farber, Jeff Favre, Downtown News 2ndKristin StreetFriedrich, Jazz Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter ZasadaMay Los 6, 9Angeles p.m.: Soundcheck Lounge and Dance1264live W. music, First Street, Angeles,Top CA 90026 366 E. Second St., (213) 680-0047 or 2ndstjazz.com. hall offers DJsLos spinning 40 hits, Art AllisonNight. phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 MaydirEctor: 5, 9 p.m.:Brian Live Rock house and hip-hop. AssistANt web: DowntownNews.com Blue Whale Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa Grammy Museum ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins email: 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka St. Suite 301, 213-620800 W. Olympicrealpeople@downtownnews.com Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or 0908 or bluewhalemusic.com. PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard grammymuseum.org.facebook: May 3, 8 p.m.: Jazz jam session hosted by the May 3, 8 p.m.: An L.A. evening with funkmaster BootDowntown News AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt Kevin Kanner quintet. sy Collins, he of the thickest bass lines this side of AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin Casey’s Irish Pub Rick James. twitter: AssistANt: Annette Cruz or 613sAlEs S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 Nokia Theatre DowntownNews clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6030 or caseysirishpub.com. AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Iedia Hess, Catherine Holloway, May 7, 10 p.m.: The Stevenson Ranch Davidians nokiatheatrelalive.com. The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read Bill McBee, Brenda Stevens Downtown Los Angeles and isbon dis- for and guests. May newspaper 6 and 7, for 8 p.m.: Shake your bon tributed every Monday throughout the offices and circulAtioN: Norma Rodas Cicada Ricky Martin. residences of Downtown Los Angeles. MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles 617distributioN S. Olive St., (877) 463-7773 or clubcicada.com. May 8, 8 p.m.: Yahoo for Yanni.

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

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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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May 2, 2011

Tuesday, May 3 Colburn School 200 S. Grand Ave., colburschool.edu. 7-8:30 p.m.: The Colburn Academy’s Spring Celebration Recital. Thursday, May 5 Los Angeles Philharmonic Disney Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org. 8 p.m.; May 6, 8 p.m.; May 8, 2 p.m.: May is Brahms month, and it kicks off, fittingly, with his Symphony No. 1. Gustavo Dudamel conducts. Also on the program is a world premiere of a violin concerto by Golijov, with Leonida Kavakos on violin. saTurday, May 7 Colburn School 200 S. Grand Ave., colburschool.edu. 7:30 p.m.: The Colburn Chamber Orchestra gives a free concert.

God of Carnage Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 6282772 or centertheatregroup.org. May 3-6, 8 p.m.; May 7, 2 and 8 p.m.; May 8, 1 and 6:30 p.m.: Jeff Bridges, James Gandolfini, Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden star in the Tony Award-winning comedy set in a gentrified section of Brooklyn where two married couples meet to sort out a playground fight between their sons. The meeting devolves into a rough and tumble alcoholfueled free-for-all. Through May 29. The Good Boy Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., (866) 811-4111 or thelatc.org. May 5-7, 8 p.m.; May 8, 2 p.m.: Michael Bonnabel’s solo performance piece, set in Pasadena in the 1960s, tells the story of his struggle to gain independence from his large and complicated family, led by a pair of deaf parents. Told in sign, speech and song. Through May 22. L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-0711 or musiccenter.org. May 5-7, 7:30 p.m.; May 8, 2 p.m.: Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Mark Morris Dance Group performs with the LA Opera orchestra and chorus as well as a quartet of singers. Handel’s pastoral ode is the musical landscape, while poetry by John Milton and William Blake serves as the libretto. La Razón Blindada 24th Street Theatre, 1117 West 24th St., 213-745-6516 or 24thstreet.org. May 7, 8 p.m.: Argentine playwright/director Aristides Vargas infuses Cervantes’ classic novel El Quijote with Franz Kafka’s The Truth About Sancho Panza and testimonies by Chicho Vargas and other political prisoners held in the 1970s during Argentina’s dictatorship. Through June 25. Magic Strings The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 250-9995 or bobbakermarionettes.com. May 3-6, 10:30 a.m.; May 7-8, 2:30 p.m.: Meet more than 100 of Bob Baker’s fantastical marionettes in an hour-long variety revue. They include puppet horses frolicking on an old-fashioned merrygo-round and a marionette “Day at the Circus.” After the performance, guests are invited to have refreshments in the Party Room. Open-ended run.

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lone silhouette of a long-haired man is at center stage, in front of a pastiche of neon lights. A gentle stream of smoke hazes the air, like smog does an L.A. sunset. When the first sound hits, a solitary bass drum pulse, the crowd goes silent in anticipation. A string orchestra, previously unseen, starts up with their in-unison chords. Then the solo violin checks in, and an ascending stroke from a concert harp, and the spotlight reveals the man in the middle: It’s Yanni, the Greek God of epic ’90s rock-meets-world-music stage shows! The man who inspired a generation to wear big hair and sliver mustaches hits the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live on Saturday, May 8. From his center stage perch between stacks of keyboards and synthesizers, Yanni leads his band through songs that borrow sounds from all corners of the globe. The spectacle goes down at 8 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.) at 777 Chick Hearn Ct., lalive.com.

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CLASSICAL MUSIC

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE

photo courtesy Nokia Theatre

REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. May 8, 4 p.m.: The young virtuosi of the Idyllwild Arts Academy Orchestra perform a program spanning traditions and crossing genres and featuring world-premiere works by Rufus Reid, Peter Askim, Pierre Jalbert and Jan Radzynski. Redwood Bar & Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com. May 2, 10 p.m.: Lanie Lane. May 3, 10 p.m.: The Livingstons, Black Mambas and Dirty Eyes. May 4, 10 p.m.: Reverend Deadeye, Jason and the Punknets and Lightnin’ Woodcock. May 5, 10 p.m.: Thee Headliners, The Bugs and Death Hymn Number 9. May 6, 10 p.m.: Woolly Bandits, Green Lady Killers and Bloody Brains. May 7, 10 p.m.: Eddie and the Hot Rods, Prima Donna, Crazy Squeeze and The Perverts. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la. May 2, 10 p.m.: Jazz Butchers, composed of Ron Blake on trumpet and Chris Mitchell on guitar. May 3, 10 p.m.: The Makers. May 4, 10 p.m.: Deacon Jones Blues Review featuring Lady GG. The Smell 247 S. Main St., alley between Spring and Main streets, thesmell.org. May 5, 9 p.m.: Vex Ruffin, Master Blazter, Sun Araw and Matthewdavid. May 6, 9 p.m.: NAR, Black Elephant, Forever Baby and Raaats. May 7, 9 p.m.: Foot Village, The Tleilaxu Music Machine and Batwings Catwings. Varnish 118 E. 6th St., (213) 622-9999 or thevarnishbar.com. May 2, 9 p.m.: Live jazz piano with Jamie Elman. May 3, 8 p.m.: Marc Bosserman tinkles the house ivories. Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 972-4396 or laphil.com. May 7, 8 p.m.: The Living Sisters and special guests perform the songs of Patsy Cline.

Now Accepting Credit Cards

Downtown News 23

DowntownNews.com

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

Free Parking Next to Restaurant

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

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

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

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May 2, 2011

Downtown News 25

DowntownNews.com

CLASSIFIED

place your ad online at www.ladowntownnews.com

FOR RENT

L.A. Downtown News Classifieds Call: 213-481-1448 Classified Display & Line ad Deadlines: Thursday 12 pm REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL

SACRIFICE SALE - Nevada’s 3rd Largest Lake 1.5 hours South of Tahoe on California border, 1 acre Panoramic Lake View/Access $24,900 (was $49,900). 1 acre Bold Lake Front $89,800 (was $149,900). Very rare gorgeous homesites, central water, paved roads. Awe inspiring views. Owner says sell! 1-888-705-3808. (Cal-SCAN)

lofts for sale

TheLoftExpertGroup.com Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper

Homes for Sale

213.598.7555

Fantastic Creative 2+stories 13,592 sq.ft bldg. Former Knights of Pythias Lodge 124 N. Townsend Ave., LA

100+ BANK- Owned Homes Selling by Auction from May 16th – May 19th. Don’t miss this sale! Get all the details at www. BidNowCalifornia.com or call 866-539-1088. (Cal-SCAN) CHARMING SECLUDED Turnkey house/ nice Lincoln Hts. area - 3br 2ba $399,800. Agt. Paxton -626-201-3464.

$1,195,000 - Sale or $6,250/mo. - Lease Broker (213) 687-9600 x13

Real Estate Services

Acreage/Lots QUALITY LAND Investments Adirondacks & Upstate NY 5 acres starting at $12,995. 5 acres of land w/cabin for $29,995. Large tracts on gorgeous flowing, canoe-able rivers -$39,995. Tired of the break even CD’s & risky markets? Retirement accounts dropping? We have over 100 inexpensive, quality properties including timberland, lakes & ponds, farmland, and beautiful clear rivers all fully guaranteed, approved, surveyed, insured, and buildable. Beautiful country side, one of a kind year round, recreational paradise. See a large selection at www.LandandCamps.com. Let us help you by calling 1-800-229-7843. Ask about buying land in your IRA!! (Cal-SCAN)

CONSIDERING FORECLOSURE? Are you late in payments? A short sale may be your solution. Call Lady Rodriguez, Realtor 310-600-7534. Represent both buyers and sellers. PROBATE SOLUTIONS Need an heir cash advance on estate before it even closes? Call Richard for all the details 1-800-2565018 ext. 101. Timeshare/Resorts SELL/RENT Your Timeshare For Cash!!! Our Guaranteed Services will Sell/ Rent Your Unused Timeshare for Cash! Over $95 Million Dollars offered in 2010! www.SellaTimeshare. com (877) 554-2098. (CalSCAN)

THAI MASSAGE SPECIALIST

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.

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

REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL

2 BED/2 BATH luxury condo, $2100/month. Little Tokyo. Newly remodeled. Hardwood floors. Appliances included. 2 parking spaces. 909-576-8435

Real Estate for Sale

Call for specials @ The Visconti. Free parking, free tanning, free wi-fi + biz center avail. Cardio Salon, pool, Spa, steamroom, sauna. Call us today. 866742-0992.

WINE COUNTRY Estates only $6000 / Acre. Own your own vineyard or just enjoy the prestige of living in wine country. Call Now Eagle Realty 1-800-4486568. (Cal-SCAN)

TOWNHOUSE STYLE 2 bdrm. 2 bath. $1100. 15 minutes from Downtown. Near South Pasadena 323-254-0763.

FOR RENT

Loft/Unfurnished

Old Bank District The original Live/Work Lofts

Apartments/Unfurnished

Milano Lofts

from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge

Now Leasing! • Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings • Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views 6th + Grand Ave. • 213.627.1900 milanoloftsla.com

Call 213.253.4777 LAloft.com

EMPLOYMENT

BRAND NEW Luxury Apartments Homes. Orsini III. Now open for immediate Occupancy. Call for Specials. Never Lived in, Free Parking, Karaoke Room, Free Wi-Fi, Indoor Basketball, Uncomparable Amenity Package. Call today to schedule a tour - 866-479-1764.

DRIVERS - No Experience - No Problem. 100% Paid CDL Training. Immediate Benefits. 20/10 program. Trainers Earn up to 49c per mile. Crst Van Expedited. 1-800-326-2778. www. JoinCRST.com. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS - Reefer Solo Lessee. Average $1.12/mile (+ fuel surcharge). Paid CDL Training Available & Benefits! Call Prime Today! 1-800-277-0212. www. PrimeInc.com. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS - Teams or solos Looking to Team. $2,000 sign on bonus for OTR teams, pet program, 1,500+ Avg. Length of Haul, and much more! 1-866232-7399. www.SoCalDrivers. com. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS/CDL Training - Career Central. No Money Down. CDL Training. Work for us or let us work for you! Unbeatable Career Opportunities. *Trainee *Company Driver *Lease Operator Earn up to $51k *Lease Trainers Earn up to $80k 1-877-3697091. www.CentralDrivingJobs. net. (Cal-SCAN)

Sales LOAN OFFICERS- Tired of working for a broker- Work with a Mortgage Banker FHA, VA, Jumbo, Reverse- excellent commissions- Ray-800-429-5000 visit www.OakTreeFunding.com click Virtual LO. (Cal-SCAN)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Business Opportunities ALL CASH Candy Vending Route! Be Your Own Boss! Investment as low as $9995. Vend3, 880 Grand Blvd., Deer Park, NY. 1- 877-915-8222. Major CC accepted! (Cal-SCAN) Help Wanted 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 1-888-304-2847. (Cal-SCAN) 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)

TECHNICIANS for Satellite TV Installation. Work as Independent Contractor. Knowledge of low voltage electronics. Reliable truck, ladder, hand tools. Lift 50+ lbs. $600-$1200wkly. 602-7696472. (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

Business Services ADVERTISING- Best kept secret. A business card sized display ad 140 California community newspapers. Reach 3 million+ Californians. Cost $1,550.$1.33 cost per thousand. Free brochure (916)288-6019; www.CalSDAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING. 240 California community newspapers reaching over 6 million Californians. 25-words $550 works out to 18 cents cost per thousand! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.CalSCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) Continued on next page

Drivers CALL NOW. Top 5% Pay! Excellent Benefits. 300 New T660’s. Need 2 months CDL-A driving experience. 1-877-258-8782. www.MeltonTruck.com. (CalSCAN)

The Downtown Renaissance Collection

COMPANY SOLOS & Teams Western US! $250 Immediate Sign-On Bonus. National Pay for Regional Work! 1-year OTR or recent grad. Hazmat required. 1-888-905-9879 or www.AndrusTrans.com. (Cal-SCAN)

Call for specials @ the Medici. Penthouse 1 & 2 bdrm apts. Granite kitchens, washer/ dryers, business center, 2 pools, spa! Visit TheMedici.com for a full list of amenities. Call 888886-3731.

Be Inspired... Best Downtown Locations!

CALL NOW

FOR may MOVE-IN SPECIALS

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

213.749.9300

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

WWW.PACKARDLOFTSLOFTSLA.COM

Health Dept. rank A for 7 Consecutive Years

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

HBODY

MASSAGEH

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

3386766 0119

SAKURA HEALTH GYM & SAUNA, INC.

Orsini 550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.

877-231-9362

WWW.THEORSINI.COM

madison hotel

Medici

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

725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.

877-239-8256

WWW.THEMEDICI.COM

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

Elegant World Class Resort Apartment Homes

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

Starting Jan. 1, 2011

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

the loft expert! group

Downtown since 2002

Voted Best Downtown Residential Real Estate Agent Call us today! 6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900

Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com

• 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

Version 2

• 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 *Amenities vary among communities

26 Downtown News

May 2, 2011

Twitters/DowntownNews

Continued from previous page

HealtH & Fitness DIABETES/ Cholesterol/Weight Loss. Natural Product for Cholesterol, Blood Sugar and Weight. Physician recommended, backed by Human Clinical Studies with amazing results. Call to find out how to get a free bottle of Bergamonte! 888-6159598. (Cal-SCAN)

ATTENTION Joint & Muscle Pain Sufferers: Clinically proven all-natural supplement helps reduce pain and enhance mobility. Call 888-589-0439 to try Hydraflexin Risk-Free for 90 days. (Cal-SCAN) VIAGRA 100MG and CIALIS 20mg!! 40 Pills - 4 Free for only $99. #1 Male Enhancement, Discreet Shipping. Only $2.70/ pill. The Blue Pill Now! 1-888904-6658. (Cal-SCAN)

Beautiful EstD 1912

Cleaning

Home improvement

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

E&R REASONABLE Prices. Plumbing, Heating, Electrical, Drain Cleaning Services starting at $35 323-228-4500.

eduCation

pre-oWned

ATTEND COLLEGE Online from Home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call 888-210-5162 www.Centura.us.com. (Cal-SCAN) HIGH SCHOOL Diploma! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com. (Cal-SCAN)

Historic beauty. Modern refinement. Eclectic elegance.

HealtH

noW leasing

$1,400’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

LIFE Circumstances often hurt us. Emotional pain overwhelms you? Call Laurie Mendiones MFT Psychotherapist 213-3943464. (Downtown office) www. Lauriemendionesmft.com

AUTOS

doWntoWn l.a. auto group Porsche Volkswagen audi Mercedes-Benz nissan cheVrolet cadillac

2001 PORSCHE CARRERA CABRIOLET 3.4L V6, Polar Silver/Grey, Crest Wheel Caps, 56K miles #1S651787 $32,988. Call 888-685-5426. 2006 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S Certified, 1 owner, Auto, AC and more NI3744-1 / 6N374063 $11,999 call 888-838-5089 2007 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER Black Exterior, Auto, 6 Cyl, 44,190 Miles #UC721/72202215 $14,900 Call 888-879-9608.

2007 MERCEDES CLK350A CABRIOLET Certified, 3.5L V6, Indium Silver, Auto, Only 45K Miles #5160/F223491 $29,994 Call 888-319-8762. 2008 AUDI A4 Certified, Premium package, turbo, power moonroof ZA9000 / 8A167897 $21,789 Call 888-583-0981 2008 NISSAN TITAN KING CAB Certified, Auto, AC, 8 cyl NIIQ0025-1 / 8N317410 $14,999, call 888-838-5089 2008 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT 2.5L, White/Grey, Auto, 38,318 Miles ZV1072/8W149660 $13,788 Call 888-781-8102.

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

autos Wanted 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)

Elevate Your Lifestyle @ PE Lofts Today!

756 S. Broadway, Los Angeles 213-892-9100 | chapmanf lats.com

DONATE YOUR car, truck or boat to Heritage for The Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. 888-9026851. (Cal-SCAN) 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) WANTED / Cash paid!!! Any Pre ‘73 Mercedes SL’s, Porsche 356/911/912, Jaguar XK/XKE or other Interesting sports cars. Any Condition!!! Call Bob 714390-2425. (Cal-SCAN) motorCyles 2003 ATLANTIS DERBI European Scooter. 303 total miles. Autoshift, 1 cylinder 2 stroke, 49cc. Garaged, rarely ridden; excellent condition. GREAT mileage, perfect for Downtown! 1,300. 805-644-3248

ANNOUNCEMENTS speCial events TREYBLING... its’ a ring thing Defeat the ‘Peat - Say No to Pat! Talkin’ ‘bout my Lakers.

7000 sqft. Basement Space - $3900/mo. set up for Gallery/Office space • w/Gallery Lights • Wide Private (Spring St.) Entrance • Ideal for Art Gallery, SPA, Office Space • Wired for internet service/telephone outlets • Prime Location in Downtown (Gallery row, residential area, wine bar, café, market)

213.627.6913 | cityloftsquare.com

■ Heated Pool and Spa ■ Rooftop Lounge with Cabanas, Fireplace and BBQs (866) 561-0275 • PELOFTS.COM • 610 S. Main, Downtown LA

volunteer opportunities Helping kids heal. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk children and their families. Today is the day to get involved! Contact Annie at volunteers@freearts. org or 310-313-4278 for more information.

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.

Large Studio - 363 sqft. Full Bathroom Apartment

$700 mo. to mo. (No Contract) $680 on 6 mo. Lease $623 on 12 mo. Lease

■ 24 Hr. State of the Art Fitness Center

PreMiere tower

WANTED - COMIC Books, sports & bubble gum cards. Mags, toys, movies & music, rock and roll stuff anything pre 1975. Please call Mike: 800-7235572 $ Paid. (Cal-SCAN)

rosslyn Hotel

■ Covered On-Site Parking

Pricing subject to change without notice.

notiCes

No Application Fee! - Sec. Dep. $175 Free Utilities, 24 hr. laundry, Around the Clock Security 112 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 213.503.7449 ask for Lafoe • rosslynstudios.com

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

May 2, 2011

Downtown News 27

DowntownNews.com Present name: ADOLFO XAVIER QUINTERO Proposed name: XAVIER IZQUIERDO THE COURT ORDERS that all persons interested in this matter shall appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. NOTICE OF HEARING Date: JUNE 24, 2011 Time: 9:00 AM Dept.: 1A Room: 548 The address of the court is 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles CA 90012. A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once each week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN NEWS, 1246 West 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA of general circulation. Dated: 4/21/2011 Hon. Matthew C. St. George, Commissioner PUB. 5/02, 5/09, 5/16, 5/23/11

ITEMS FOR SALE TickeTs DODGER TICKETS behind the Dodger Dugout! Season ticket holder with Field Level seats for less than facevalue: Dosxx222@ yahoo.com 626-926-3298

LEGAL Name chaNge SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES CENTRAL DISTRICT ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME NO. BS131591 TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: ADOLFO XAVIER QUINTERO by his mother ALEXANDRA IZQUIERDO filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:

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Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms Cooperating Brokers Welcome >showroom open: m-F 10-6, s-sCooperating 11-5 with shared bath at $550/mo. Brokers Welcome Singing, 727 W. Seventh St., Downtown Los Angeles with private bath at $695/mo. Valet parking. Fitness Center. Rooftop pool. dancing, Sec. Deposit Special @$100 Metro station. Resident’s Lounge.Valet Zen garden. parking. Fitness Center. Rooftop pool. performing Includes utilities, basic cable 727 W. Seventh St. Resident’s Metro station. Lounge. Zen garden. and fun! channels, laundry room on site. call> 213.623.3100 Downtown Los Angeles For boys & Gated building in a good area. visit> www.rsvlt.com girls ages 3 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA andSeventh up! 727 W. St., Downtown Los Angeles

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28 Downtown News

May 2, 2011

Twitter/DowntownNews

We Got Games Dodgers Keep Their Focus on the Field, and Phil Eyes Another Ring Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com. May 2-3, 7:10 p.m.; May 4, 12:10 p.m.: Here come the Cubbies. The Dodgers keep their focus on the field (while owner Frank McCourt deals with the “un-American” Bud Selig and his decision to take control of the team). In Don Mattingly’s first year as skipper, the Dodgers are off to a perfectly mediocre start. Not bad. Not good. As of press time, with a weekend set looming against the less than mediocre Padres, the Dodgers were a perfect .500 at 13-13. The best news of the season so far is

the apparent return of Matt Kemp. After a dismal 2010, Kemp is leading the team in RBIs (with 18 as of press time) and sharing the lead in home runs with Rod Barajas. After hosting the Chicago Northsiders, the Dodgers head to the East Coast to take on the other MLB team in severe financial trouble, the New York Mets (May 6-8). Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. May 2, 4, 7:30 p.m.: As the great Jay-Z once said, on to the next one. The Lakers disposed of a New

Orleans team that remembered it had Chris Paul and forgot that it was a hopeless seven seed, allowing the Hornets to give the Lake Show a first round fight. But now Kobe (what foot injury?) and company get ready for a tough round two matchup against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. If round one was any indication, these playoffs are not going to be easy for Phil Jackson, who says he’s on the bench for the last time. The Lakers have home court advantage, so games one and two go down at Staples Center, with games three and four in Texas (May 6, 8). —Ryan Vaillancourt

photo by Gary Leonard

The real Matt Kemp appears to be standing up.

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