05-24-10 by Los Angeles Downtown News

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Editorial: The Dodgers should drop the seven-for-one Yankees ticket scheme.

Who Is Brian Alexik? Tracing the Past of the Reserve Lofts Counterfeiting Suspect, From Arrests to a Penchant for Tiling to Pictures With Bono by Ryan Vaillancourt

Staff Writer t 20, he went to jail for selling heroin and cocaine. Four years later, he caught another felony in his hometown of Edison, New Jersey, for “theft by deception.” Now, Brian Elliot Alexik, the man who on April 19 evaded police by scampering down a fire escape from his Reserve Lofts penthouse, is on the loose. He is wanted on weapons charges and likely faces additional federal charges for counterfeiting. As the LAPD investigates the case, it remains unclear whether Alexik, 34, is a focused, money-faking mastermind planning an attack on a key financial hub, or a troubled soul dabbling in drugs and an array of black-market schemes to pay for a high-rolling lifestyle. At this point, there are many more questions than answers: What was in the two duffel bags he escaped with? Why did he rent an apartment overlooking the Federal Reserve Bank? What inspired him to make a tile mosaic resembling the Central Intelligence Agency logo inlaid in the floor of his seventh floor loft? Why

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did he install tiles across a previous Downtown home? And, perhaps most interestingly, why did the man police warn should be considered armed and dangerous have numerous photos in his apartment of himself partying with Bono of U2 as well as model and reality TV star Janice Dickinson? There is one thing police are certain about: He’s dangerous. “I think he fancies himself as a super sleuth, as a spy,” said Lt. David Dolan, one of the investigators working the case under the Major Crimes Division. “Someone he went to high school with told us [Alexik] wanted to work for the CIA. But I think that that’s what this guy is — he likes to chase the game. And the guy’s just evaporated.” The man who has gone by several names, including Ken Shurin and Brian Alexia, and who left in his loft dozens of the plastic cards used to make fake IDs, appears to have led a sort of double life: On one hand, he lived luxuriously, renting expensive Downtown penthouses and driving a black Lexus. see Alexik, page 8

images courtesy of LAPD

The four faces of Brian Alexik: LAPD images show the different looks employed by the Reserve Lofts counterfeiting suspect. More than a month after he evaded police by escaping down a fire escape, he remains at large.

Snakes, ‘Star Trek’ and the City Budget Los Angeles Embraces $6.7 Billion Worth of Frustration by Jon Regardie

Return of the Last Remaining Seats.

19 CALENDAR LISTINGS 21 MAP 22 CLASSIFIEDS

executive editor

or the past couple years, dealing with the city of Los Angeles’ budget has been like playing in a snake pit. Everywhere you look, someone is slithering around, dropping revenue and layoff the regardie report

projections, then darting back into a hole at the slightest protest. Each time you think you have a grasp on the fiscal situation, a corn snake twists in an impossible direction and wriggles through your fingers. Just when you’ve finally taken a significant step, like throwing a net over the entire pit, the biggest, baddest viper rips a hole in the fabric, rears up and bites you in the eye. In other words, it’s business as usual in

City Hall. And so it was on Monday, May 17, when the City Council approved a $6.7 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Despite the vote, a few important things are still wiggly. There continues to be a divide as a) some politicians argue they should count on money that they 82% believe will materialize in a few months, b) others fret that any move to lay off city employees will prevent them from getting a single penny in union election support ever again, and c) a small faction says everyone else is living in Financial Fantasyland, and the only way to escape the mess is by actually cutting expenses and lopping off a lot of jobs. Meanwhile, amid all the hissing and fits, see Budget, page 10

R I C H A R D

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It’s not just current politicians who have spoken out about Los Angeles’ fiscal crisis. Richard Riordan, who was termed out in 2001, has blasted city leadership recently.

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AROUNDTOWN CRA Gives Final Approval to Civic Park

16-acre park in the heart of Downtown came one step closer to reality last week. On Thursday, May 20, the Community Redevelopment Agency board of commissioners approved the final construction documents for the park that is part of developer Related Cos.’ Grand Avenue plan. Although the mammoth housing and retail components of that project, formally titled The Grand, are on hold due to financing issues, groundbreaking for the park is expected by July. The $56 million amenity, completely paid for by Related, will stretch from the Music Center four blocks down to City Hall. It includes elements such as sun and shade gardens, and will upgrade the historic Arthur J. Will Fountain outside the County Hall of Administration. A rendering depicts a large “event lawn” outside City Hall. County officials are expected to vote on the final construction documents on June 1.

Shots Fired at Huntington Hotel

shooting incident at the Huntington Hotel last week has residents concerned and police on the lookout. LAPD officials are looking for a blue vehicle that pulled up to the Huntington, at 752 S. Main St., on Wednesday, May 19, at about 10:40 p.m. Several rounds hit the first-floor level of the low-income hotel, but no injuries were reported, said Lt. Paul Vernon. Police do not have a description of the vehicle beyond its color, and are unclear about the motive of the shooting. Multiple Downtown residents using Twitter reported hearing several shots

elements, including the crown molding, Art Deco chandeliers, the stained glass windows and 10-ton basement vault. near the hotel. Twitter user Tousledpigtails (@tousledpigtails) said: “Wow real gunfire is much louder than I thought. Another fun night in [Downtown L.A.].”

Two Law Firms Ink Downtown Deals

aw firms may have been slammed by the recession, but two of them recently signed deals for office space in Downtown Los Angeles, announced real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle. Murchison & Cumming, LLP, a civil litigation firm that specializes in the defense of domestic and international businesses, insurers and individuals, signed a 10-year renewal for 42,162 square feet of space in the building at 801 S. Grand Ave. Thomas McDonald of Jones Lang LaSalle represented the firm and Peter Best of Madison Partners represented the landlord, Brickman. Additionally, labor and employment firm Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart, P.C. inked a 10year, 26,924-square-foot lease at Mellon Bank Center at 400 S. Hope St.; the firm will relocate from its offices at 633 W. Fifth St. in June. Darren Eades and Thomas McDonald of Jones Lang LaSalle represented Ogletree Deakins while John Ollen and Jake Mota worked on behalf of landlord Tishman Speyer

Police Looking For ‘AT&T’ Burglars

olice are warning Chinatown and Elysian Park-area residents about two men posing as AT&T salesmen or repairmen who enter and burglarize homes. On May 10, the men came to the door of a 92-year-old woman’s

residence in the 400 block of Cottage Home Street, just north of Chinatown. They convinced the woman and her adult niece that they were with AT&T and had a work order for the home. Once inside, one suspect distracted the women, and after the men left, the women discovered $2,000 in cash missing from a drawer. One suspect is described as a white man who weighs about 200 pounds and speaks with an “East Coast accent.” The second suspect is described as a Hispanic man who weighs about 300 pounds. Both are about 6-feet tall. Police are urging residents to be leery of people calling on the phone or at their door, especially when the call is unsolicited. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Det. Mike Mazzacano at (213) 972-1231.

Another Stock Exchange Comeback

former hub of finance that later failed multiple times as a nightlife spot is coming back once again. Exchange L.A., a 250,000-square-foot, three-floor dance club and special events venue in the Los Angeles Stock Exchange building is set to open next month. The club at 618 S. Spring St. will focus on special events and nights hosted by various promoters with four bars and a private fourth floor area called “The Board Room.” The 1929 building was once a stocktrading locale, though in recent decades it has seen a parade of clubs; a nightclub called The Stock Exchange closed in 2006. It reopened as Versus in October 2008, but was forced to close less than a month later after city inspectors mandated construction changes. The Exchange L.A. operators say they have preserved many of the building’s historic

Downtown Street Named for Activist Priest

street at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument last week was named for a priest who was a longtime activist on AIDS and other issues. On Thursday, May 20, the road outside the La Placita church at 535 N. Main St. was named for Father Luis Olivares, who was the presiding pastor at the church near Olvera Street in the 1980s. Councilman José Huizar on Thursday unveiled a sign outside the church that reads “Paseo Luis Olivares.” Olivares was a respected activist who created a sanctuary for Salvadoran immigrants during El Salvador’s civil war that began in the 1980s. He was also an AIDS rights activist. He died in 1993.

County Helps Citizens Be Prepared

n the effort to help citizens of Los Angeles County be prepared for a fire, earthquake, terrorist attack or almost any other emergency, the County Board of Supervisors and the Office of Emergency Management last week published an online guide. The Emergency Survival Guide is now available at lacounty.gov in English and Spanish. It contains 100 pages of tips and information to prepare not just for the abovementioned disasters, but also for pandemic flu, extreme weather and other issues. The guide includes checklists for gathering emergency supplies, and additional information is at espfocus. org. People seeking emergency preparedness information can also call 211.

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EDITORIALS Dodgers Should Drop Yankees Games Ticket Scheme

he Dodgers’ recent winning streak has deflected some attention off the ugly divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt. With the pleasant appearance of strong rookie pitcher Joe Ely, and the heroics of a (now injured) Andre Ethier, fans are again paying more attention to the team on the field than the team in the front office. The streak also makes it easy to almost overlook one of the most disturbing things to come out of Dodger Stadium since Manny Ramirez’s 50-game drug suspension: the requirement that any fan who wants to see the Dodgers play the New York Yankees next month has to buy not one ticket, but tickets to seven different games. That means one Yankees game and six others. Being assured of tickets to two Yankees contests necessitates signing up for a 21-game package. If any fans of the team that has not captured a World Series in more than two decades feel like they just took a fastball to the head, we understand. This is, simply, disheartening, and it seems as if the Dodgers’ ownership is taking advantage of the fans. We cannot recall a similar situation for another local sports franchise — tickets for the Lakers’ playoff games against the Phoenix Suns were available on an individual basis, and there is probably a higher demand for those (they also disappeared fast). Even tickets for last year’s Dodgers playoffs games were available one game at a time. This sure doesn’t feel like the “Dodger way,” though then again, that guiding principle has been dissipating almost from the moment the McCourts took over in 2004. On May 11, the Dodgers issued a press release with the allcapital letters headline “TICKETS TO SEE THE YANKEES

AT DODGER STADIUM WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ON AN INDIVIDUAL GAME BASIS.” It went on to attribute the decision to the “velocity of sales of mini plans and season tickets” and “an overwhelming volume of requests from current season ticket holders.” Anyone who wants to see the defending world champions, a team whose owner actually chose to spend the money it takes to win, will have to drop at least $63; that gets top deck tickets to seven games at $9 a contest. Those looking for field level seats against the Yankees need to shell out at least $315, which works out to seven games at $45 apiece. The press release spins that fans can save 30% by buying a seven-game mini-plan, but sorry, we’re not swayed. If we were a baseball player, we’d spit out a big, stinky wad of tobacco juice. We understand that the Dodgers are a private enterprise, and we believe in business owners being allowed to operate their way. We also have a pretty good grasp of market economics and consumer demand. The Dodgers likely would not go this route unless they are fairly certain they can sell out. Yet, this doesn’t ring right. The team may be privately owned, but in many ways the Los Angeles Dodgers are a public resource. One expects the proprietor of such an enterprise to operate differently than, say, the owner of a car dealership or a restaurant. This could produce short-term profits but long-term dissatisfaction from the fan base. The seven game requirement means many fans won’t be able to afford tickets to see the Yankees, baseball’s most historic team. Families, a staple of Dodgers games for decades, will be particularly hard hit; while a working-class dad or

Homeboy, Layoffs and Philanthropy

he recent, severe troubles faced by Homeboy Industries raise some questions that jab at the heart of our society. The layoffs at the pioneering gang intervention enterprise force the rest of us in Los Angeles to question what is important when it comes to our charitable dollars. On Thursday, May 13, Father Gregory Boyle, who founded Homeboy in Boyle Heights in 1988, told a crowd at the Central Library that more than 300 of the 400 employees were being laid off due to a financial crisis. Speaking at a previously scheduled event to promote his new book, Boyle observed how Angelenos have stepped up to save a financially

strapped Museum of Contemporary Art and paid to preserve the Hollywood sign. However, in a tough recession, he noted that getting money to an organization that helps transform young toughs into productive members of society has proved exceedingly difficult. Perhaps Homeboy, its board and even Boyle share some culpability for the current financial situation. Boyle said they need $5 million, a huge amount. Times have been tough for years, and one does not know if previous belt tightening and better planning would have prevented laying off everyone except those who work in the Homeboy Bakery, the Homegirl Café and a store. But whatever played into Homeboy’s eco-

mom might be able to pull together the cash for a family of four to see one game — and buy the overpriced concessions and souvenirs that come with it — getting that same family to seven games may be cost prohibitive. It’s hard to figure why the McCourts can’t just be happy with the fact that the Yankees games on June 25-27 will almost surely sell out. That is three full houses in a 56,000-seat stadium, and they will certainly generate ample beer, hot dog and T-shirt sales. One wonders if this multi-game approach is the path to profit the franchise is taking now that the McCourts’ pending divorce has imperiled the $500 million plan to transform the exterior and the grounds of the stadium. There were other more palatable options the Dodgers could have chosen if they hoped to increase revenue. Why not simply charge higher prices for the three-game series? Raise the cheap seats a few bucks and boost field level or other seats $10 or more for the games. Other sports teams have taken this step when popular opponents come to town. We wouldn’t blame ownership for charging a bit more to see the Yankees than also-rans such as the Houston Astros. But this type of demand-based pricing is egregious. The Dodgers’ front office should instantly halt this ugly seven-for-one practice, and should refrain from doing so again. They should also apologize for treating the fan base this way. The Dodger faithful, meanwhile, should ask themselves a question: If the front office won’t spend what it takes to put a winner on the field, why should fans drop so much of their own money? Amazingly, the Dodgers are asking for extra cash to see the winning team someone else put together. nomic meltdown, it is no reason to abandon this powerful program in bad times. Fundraising has long been a chief component in Homeboy’s budget, the same as it is for many nonprofits. Now, only an epic windfall in private donations or grants will allow the facility on the edge of Chinatown to provide the full slate of vital services, such as job training and tattoo removal, that it has offered thousands of individuals for decades. It also forces the tough questions referenced above: What merits charitable funds? Is Homeboy “more” deserving than other efforts, groups or causes that need money? Certainly individuals and foundations have the right to direct their money where they deem appropriate and where they think it will have the most impact. But we think Homeboy Industries deserves a very serious look.

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photo by Gary Leonard

Hilton Checkers Changing Hands Maryland Company Buying Historic Building for $46 Million by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

owntown’s most historic boutique hotel is changing hands in a $46 million deal. It marks the second high-profile Downtown hotel transaction in two months. Last week, officials with Chesapeake Lodging Trust, an Annapolis, Md.-based lodging and real estate investment trust, said they are in escrow to buy the 188-room Hilton Checkers at 535 S. Grand Ave. Doug Vicari, the company’s chief financial officer, said the deal is expected to close by May 30 and the hotel will remain a Hilton. The company was drawn to Downtown Los Angeles by the lure of L.A. Live and signs of a turnaround in what has recently been a dismal hospitality industry market, said Vicari. “We think the combination of L.A. Live and the Marriott/Ritz Carlton is going to add value and draw demand into the marketplace,” Vicari said. The acquisition is the second for Chesapeake, which went public in January after launching in the middle of last year. The company purchased its first hotel, the 498-room Boston Hyatt Regency, in March, for approximately $113 million, according to SEC filings. The deal to acquire the Hilton Checkers

also entails Chesapeake buying the 153-room Courtyard Marriott at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. The Marriott sale price is about $25 million. Both establishments are owned by Tarsadia Hotels, an Orange County hotel owner and operator that controls 10 hotels, all in California. A representative for Tarsadia declined to comment. Chesapeake’s Vicari suspects that Tarsadia, like Chesapeake, is looking to capitalize on market timing. “The seller is a typical owner/operator that has been in hotels for a number of years and they see the same things we’re seeing, but they’re a private company and for them to raise capital they need to sell assets,” Vicari said. “It made sense for them to sell I think; they can put it in somewhere else for the next cycle. There’s really not a distress story here.” Recent Renovation The 12-story Hilton Checkers is one of a handful of smaller, boutique-style hotels in Downtown. Built in 1927, it underwent a renovation in late 2008. All of its rooms were overhauled as part of a $100 million effort that Hilton Hotel Corp. embarked on in Southern California. The hotel, which sits adjacent to the Central Library and across the street from the Millennium Biltmore, is known in part for its chic restaurant, Checkers Downtown, helmed by chef Todd Allison. It also mar-

the lincoln center theater production of

A Maryland based real estate investment trust has a deal to purchase the Hilton Checkers for $46 million. The company plans to maintain the Hilton brand.

kets itself as a filming location, with its website touting it as “a great location to capture the sophisticated yet hip Los Angeles atmosphere.” Since there is no imminent need for renovations, and Chesapeake plans to maintain the Hilton brand at the hotel, guests and restaurant patrons likely won’t notice much of a difference after the deal closes. However, the acquisition does seem to signal that change is afoot in the Downtown hospitality market. The sale would mark the second Downtown hotel purchase in two months, at a time when few hotel assets are changing hands, said Bruce Baltin, senior vice president of the hotel research firm PKF Consulting, which was hired to appraise the Hilton Checkers as part of the pending deal. “There is a limited amount of hotel product being sold all over the country, even though there are a lot of hotels in distress,” Baltin said. “I think the opening of the Marriott and the Ritz and everything else that’s going on in Downtown in the last several years is really indicating that there is a lot

of interest on a national scene in Downtown L.A. It used to be that Downtown was a submarket where investors just didn’t want to look. That’s not the case anymore.” In late March, Shenzhen New World Group Co., Ltd., an influential real estate developer in China, purchased the 469-room Los Angeles Marriott Downtown on Figueroa Street. Shenzhen is planning to spend up to $15 million to renovate the hotel. While Chesapeake is still a relatively new company, Vicari and Chesapeake CEO Jim Francis have worked together on several other real estate ventures, including Highland Hospitality, which they sold in 2007 after taking it public in 2003. “We were on the sidelines for a little while and we just see the lodging industry coming back very strongly as we enter 2010, so we went back to the markets and raised the capital to put a new platform together,” Vicari said. “We just think the cycle is in play and it just makes sense to raise capital and put it into value-added hotel locations.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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May 24, 2010

Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com photo by Gary Leonard

An Outside Perspective Urban Land Institute Takes Stock of the Cleantech Corridor by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

bout 20 times a year, the Urban Land Institute visits cities around the world to study a local land-use issue and make a set of recommendations. Last week, the group came to Los Angeles to analyze the city’s vision of a Cleantech Corridor running between Alameda Street and the L.A. River, from Chinatown to Washington Boulevard. On Friday, the ULI panel presented its recommendations to the host, the Community Redevelopment Agency, for how to spark a green-minded industrial revolution. ULI Vice President Tom Eitler was in town for the workshops, and took some time to discuss ULI’s model.

presentation and final report that comes out of it, which will come in 60 to 90 days. And it’s really a set of strategic recommendations. We have a number of district councils, and it’s expected that through either the national office or through ULI-LA, as pieces of this become more solidified and they’re able to dig deeper into the recommendations, that we’ll provide whatever we need to come back and help out. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

Urban Land Institute Vice President Tom Eitler was part of the group that took a close look at possibilities for the corridor running between Alameda Street and the L.A. River, from Chinatown to Washington Boulevard.

Los Angeles Downtown News: All the ULI panelists are from cities other than Los Angeles. Why is that important? Tom Eitler: We’ve been doing these studies since 1947 and the whole idea is to not have people from the local area. We have found over 60 years that it is the best way to get that third party point of view.

Q: What kinds of opportunities does the Cleantech Corridor present for river revitalization? A: There’s an intersection between the Cleantech Corridor and the city’s industrial development policy and I think there’s no question that the L.A River and L.A. River revitalization is one of the central organizing features of this whole geographic area. And also, “cleantech” as we’re finding is a pretty interesting and diverse genre and within it there are many segments. There are industrial segments, everything from nanotechnology to water resources to agriculture, and some of those industry segments you can cross out — we’re not going to be developing cornfields for bio-fuel development.

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May 24, 2010

Alexik

The Reserve Lofts at 409 W. Olympic Blvd. is next to the Los Angeles branch of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank. Alexik lived in a seventh floor unit that overlooked the bank.

Another curious piece of evidence was the handmade, circular tile mosaic, measuring about five feet in diameter, apparently crafted by Alexik to resemble the CIA seal. It had blue lettering and even depicted the eagle in the emblem. Above it was a large, framed photo of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. It wasn’t the first time that Alexik had trashed a Downtown apartment. David TASHMAN AD_Shh.pdf

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Continued from page 1 On the other hand, he frequently found himself sparring with the legal system over relatively minor violations — in April he contested a ticket for driving without a license by sending certified letters to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and an LAPD captain. Los Angeles Downtown News obtained access to a copy of the letters and documents acknowledging their receipt. Just weeks before police broke down his door at the Reserve Lofts, Alexik had tried unsuccessfully to defend himself in court against an eviction. When he went on the run, he was days from having sheriff’s deputies force him to leave, a spokesman for the Reserve Lofts said. Multiple sources who saw the apartment after the police broke down the door described it as wildly unkempt, with papers, computer equipment and drug paraphernalia strewn about the room. Yet his closet was stocked with designer clothes, mostly by Versace, according to one source familiar with the case who requested anonymity due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. Multiple Evictions After signing a 12-month lease for unit 701

last year, Alexik paid on time on a monthly basis in cash. Contrary to some media reports, he did not pay an entire year’s rent in cash up front, a spokesman for the building management said. But in March, he didn’t pay his rent. That prompted the landlord to initiate eviction proceedings, the building spokesman said. On April 19, police came to the building shortly after 6 p.m., responding to a neighbor’s report of a gas odor. Alexik refused to unlock the door. After opening the door with a key, police still found themselves blocked by a homemade contraption that functioned as a second lock. Alexik fled via the fire escape before police were able to break the door down with a battering ram. Once inside, police discovered counterfeit money and equipment used to make it, and automatic weapons including an AK-47 and a sawed-off shotgun. There was also a gaspowered generator. The police quickly took note of Alexik’s view: His apartment overlooked the local branch of the Federal Reserve Bank (the apartment complex itself was a former Federal Reserve Bank before it was converted to lofts in 2006). That led Deputy Chief Mike Downing for weeks to ponder whether Alexik was plotting some kind of attack on the building.

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expensive unit, a penthouse that is marketed separately from the other residences. It rents for more than $4,000 a month, Bramante said. Alexik left it in shambles. “He just went nuts in our loft just tiling everything,” Bramante said. “It cost us an insane amount of money ripping it off. I see he’s gotten better over time.” After paying for at least one year of rent, always with money orders, Alexik eventually stopped paying in 2007, Bramante said. The landlord had him evicted soon after, according to court records. Bramante said he had many one-on-one encounters with Alexik, who claimed to have made a living testing computer software. Bramante remembers Alexik as someone who didn’t leave the building often, but regularly had friends over to party in the penthouse. Inside the apartment, Alexik had a lot of vintage posters and memorabilia, including an homage to the film Scarface, along with what Bramante characterized as “anti-government stuff.” “I think he was just too smart for his own good and had too much time and spiraled downward,” Bramante said. Money to Order In addition to a small amount of crystal meth and marijuana, police and Secret Service officials found $15,000 in counterfeit currency and equipment used to make it in Alexik’s Reserve Lofts apartment. But they believe he had more. On the night he fled the apartment, detectives say that he threw two bags out the window, into some bushes below, and grabbed them after fleeing down the fire escape. Authorities suspect the bags contained more of the counterfeit bills. “We didn’t get it all,” said Dolan of the Major Crimes Division. During their investigation, detectives learned that Alexik and another man spent an unusual amount of time in the building’s laundry room, where Dolan suspects they were drying the counterfeit bills to make them look older. LAPD officials have characterized the currency as being of high quality. But Wayne Williams, the Los Angeles spokesman for the Secret Service, the agency that investigates counterfeiting cases, called the currency “average.” Williams said that there were a few high quality bills in Alexik’s loft, but that the bulk of the fake money was not exceptional. “It would be of average level of deception,” Williams said. “It’s still a federal crime because it was deceptive enough that under

some circumstances, people would accept that currency.” Also recovered from the Reserve Lofts unit were more than 100 customer receipts for money orders from the U.S. Post Office. It remains unclear how or why Alexik was using the money orders, but Dolan acknowledged that one theory is that he was paying for the orders with counterfeit cash, then depositing the funds elsewhere. “That’s one way of washing it and getting it back into the system,” Dolan said. “A lot of these liquor store type places that do money orders, they’ve been burned so many times they’re pretty good at detecting it now, but his paper looked good. But that’s kind of on the fringe of the investigation, because we’re trying to find him first.” Bono and Janice Alexik was born May 14, 1976. In 1996, he was convicted of distributing heroin and cocaine, said Jim O’Neil, a spokesman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor in New Jersey. He was placed on probation for five years. He ran into trouble again in 2001, when he was convicted of one count of “theft by deception”; although the details of the case could not be obtained by press time, O’Neil said that is a New Jersey law often applied to forgery suspects. In November of that year, Alexik was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years probation. It is unclear how much time he served. It is uncertain when Alexik relocated to Los Angeles. But at some point, Alexik appears to have enjoyed a high-rolling social life. Two photos to which Downtown News obtained access (but was not authorized to reproduce) show Alexik with U2 front man Bono. One of the images, a black and white print, shows the two men sitting on a couch, Alexik in a white bandana and both wearing sunglasses. Bono is flashing a peace sign. The name of a photography and film processing shop in Saint Tropez, France, is printed on the back of the image, along with the year 2003. The other shot shows Alexik and Bono standing at what appears to be a beachside bar. Alexik has one arm around the Irish rock star, as his other hand cradles a full glass of white wine. A cigarette dangles from his fingers. Representatives for Bono did not return requests for comment. Two other images show Alexik with the supermodel turned reality television star Janice Dickinson; in one shot, they sit next to each other on a couch, with Dickinson wearing a

Alexik is believed to have made this tile mosaic resembling the CIA seal, and inlaid it in the floor of his loft. It was not the first time he installed tiles in a Downtown apartment.

black cocktail dress and Alexik in a fur coat and sunglasses. In another, they are standing on a beach. Wearing a thin, white dress and sneakers, Dickinson leans against Alexik, who is in a white, nearly see-through button-down shirt and white pants with orange sneakers. Representatives for Dickinson did not respond to requests for comment. Whatever the celebrity ties may mean, authorities are more concerned with tracking Alexik down. He is still considered armed and dangerous, and investigators are not discounting the possibility that he was planning some kind of attack. “He had the wherewithal,” Dolan said. “He had it all there, the guns and everything. It was definitely there. He hadn’t pushed the button yet, but who knows.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Budget Continued from page 1 one wily veteran is watching from the edge of the pit, opining that those running the show are actually doing no more than rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. At the risk of throwing in another metaphor, and mixing them all up like one of those dangerous Slurpee concoctions that includes red cherry, blueberry and limeaid fructose flavors, it’s a warning that we’re missing the herd of elephants in the room. Ones with monkeys on their backs. And skeletons in their closets. And 800-pound gorillas pounding on the doors. Might as well use all your allusions here, because Los Angeles may soon be down to raising revenue by a City Hall kissing booth. Oh wait, that’s a terrible idea. We don’t even have Gavin Newsom. Dizzying Dance No one in City Hall has had fun wrestling with the budget Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proffered in April. The overall goal has been to figure out the least painful way to make up a more than $200 million deficit for the current fiscal year, and bridge a nearly $500 million shortfall in 2010/11. Considering the scope of the matter, the parties actually reached accord on a lot of issues. Parking citations are going up. Library hours and tree trimming are being sliced. Many city employees who don’t get canned will likely have their paychecks filleted via furlough. Cuts are coming to almost every department, though Villaraigosa was able to preserve his beloved LAPD staffing level. It may not hit the 10,000 officers he’s dreamed of, but neither will it dip below the current 9,963. Score a big win for AnVil. The most dizzying dance concerns layoffs. Months after 2,400 early retirements were approved, supposedly saving the ship, no one can agree how many bodies still need to be tossed overboard. It’s been like a David Blaine magic show, full of misdirection. First 1,000 job eliminations were men-

tioned, then poof, it was 2,000, then watch the birdie, it’s 4,000. Then splazam, the document gets pulled out of AnVil’s ear and last week the Council approved 761 layoffs. Oooooh. Ahhhhh. Then again, another 1,000 workers could be terminated, depending on what happens with a city effort to lease 10 Los Angeles parking garages to The Private Sector. The budget crunchers anticipate this will net $53 million, though people have stopped even trying to figure out if this makes sense long-term for the city, and no one is considering how people will react when a space that currently costs $4 an hour skyrockets to something like $9 an hour. The Pershing Square garage in Downtown is one of the facilities that will come to seem cheap now compared to the future. Villaraigosa and his allies wanted to count this $53 million in the budget. Some fiscal hawks protested, saying you can’t rely on cash you don’t actually have, and the money won’t arrive until October at the soonest. Ultimately, the 761 job chops were approved, and folks now have to hope they won’t get zapped with the type of lightning bolt that hit the Cleantech Manufacturing Center last October. In case you’ve forgotten, a lauded and supposedly done deal to bring in rail car manufacturer AnsaldoBreda died at the last minute when the Italians decided to take their choo-choo and head home. The site remains empty seven months later, creating exactly zero of the 2,200 full-time jobs that were anticipated. There’s another twist, too, as Villaraigosa and the Council hope to persuade union representatives to make concessions that would prevent layoffs and furloughs. This has sparked the four most eyebrow-raising words in the negotiating arena: our partners in labor. Trotting out this phrase is like calling an obese guy Slim. It’s political code for telling the unions to accept a sledgehammer to the face or else. Last week Villaraigosa said, “If our partners in labor commit to real, structural cost savings…” It’s not just an L.A. thing. A New York Times story from January had one of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s aides remarking, “The mayor is reaching out to our partners in labor so we can approach

these challenges together and find ways to share the sacrifice.” When you hear the phrase “our partners in labor,” it’s the equivalent of watching “Star Trek” and seeing a guy in a red shirt with Kirk, Spock and the other leads. The principal players will be okay. The unnamed partner in labor in the red shirt is guaranteed to get tagged by a phaser, eaten by a dinosaur or killed by a Klingon. About Those Pensions As everyone focuses on the short term, someone is looking to the future. Much to City Hall’s chagrin. In the past few months, former Mayor Richard Riordan has gone on a budget bashing blitzkrieg, blasting the city’s fiscal situation and a perceived inaction by Villaraigosa and the Council. He has spoken not only to local media outlets such as the L.A. Times, the Daily News and KCBS, but he has also gone national, co-penning a doom-saying Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal. The former mayor’s big blast is on pensions. The cost of paying for the retirement of public employees, he has been saying, will hit the city like a German U-boat’s torpedo, and Riordan has been predicting that L.A. will have to declare bankruptcy within four years. Which makes one wonder if the crop of officials who are termed out in 2013 will do whatever it takes to make sure this happens in 2014 or beyond. City budget analysts have done their best to say Riordan is wrong, though bizarrely, in the parts where they indicate he may be right, they’ve sought to blame him. Will the prediction come true? Who knows? Riordan is a mega-millionaire who made a fortune in law and finance, and he knows money. This is the same guy who in the early ’90s decided that he, a businessman with no elected office experience, should run the city. Once there, he famously operated under the principle that it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission. In other words, he’s done well by slamming the pols. The budget has been approved, but this thing ain’t over. Not by a long shot. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.

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May 24, 2010

Downtown News 11

DowntownNews.com

HEALTHCARE

A Dynamic Workout Pilates Plus Downtown L.A. Celebrates Two Years of Transforming Bodies and Minds

ilates Plus offers the SPX / Systeme Dynamique workout, an innovative full body conditioning method specifically designed to strengthen, tighten, and tone the body quickly and safely. This

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workout is based on the fundamental principles of Pilates (correct postural alignment, breathing practice, centering and engaging the core, concentration and precision of controlled movements and increased flexibility), blending them with the muscle dynamics of strength training and cardio-endurance training. Formed in a small group setting, students benefit from the energy of group exercise, while receiving the personal attention similar to a private training session as each student practices on their own Proformer — a modified Pilates reformer. Students quickly see the results of a long, lean and powerful body, combating the damaging effects of today’s stressful workday and the negative consequences of our modern sedentary lifestyle. In its second year, Pilates Plus Downtown LA has offered another “plus” with the addition of group REV (Indoor Cycling) classes. Indoor cycling is an aerobic cardio workout, using the Schwinn IC Revolution Indoor Cycling bicycles, spinning a weighted flywheel to simulate the effects of riding a real bicycle. Well-trained and high-energy instructors motivate the class with music and cues guiding the ride through a series of hills, sprints and jumps. Besides being a great form of aerobic activity (burning 400-600 calories

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in 45 minutes), indoor cycling is also beneficial in strengthening the muscles of the lower body — toning the quadriceps and hamstrings, while also engaging the core muscles. Appropriate for all fitness levels, anyone can take a REV class. Each student commands an individualized workout by controlling the pace and intensity of their own bicycle. Studio owners Joy Plas and Judy Hong reflect on the biggest “plus” as the studio celebrates its two-year anniversary in May. “Being a part of the Downtown L.A. community is such a special thing. Downtown used to be a place where people only worked; then, it became the place to live. We’re proud to be a part of a movement where Downtown is where L.A. now thrives. see Pilates Plus, page 13

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12 Downtown News

Healthcare

May 24, 2010

Straight Talk on Breast Cancer California Hospital Breast Surgeon Answers Questions About the Disease

r. Rebecca Alleyne, a board certified surgeon with a fellowship in breast surgery, shares her expertise about this prevalent disease. She received her training at the USC School of Medicine and

cause cancer “does not run in your family,” that you are off the hook. Studies by the American Cancer Society also show that 93% of cancer patients do not have a family history of cancer.

This increases risk. Lifestyle choices such as smoking and eating habits increase risk. Obese women (with a body mass index over 25) increase their risk for breast cancer as well. Excessive drinking, while not directly

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trained at the USC Norris Cancer Center. She is currently practicing at the Donald P. Loker Cancer Center at California Hospital in Downtown Los Angeles. Question: Who is at risk for breast cancer? Answer: In women, the presence of high levels of unopposed estrogen in the body is a contributing factor for the risk for cancer. Those at highest risk are women who have a family history of breast cancer. When doing genetic screening for this disease, it’s also important to take into consideration your father’s side of the equation. The gene that carries breast cancer is a dominant gene and may be passed on from a mother to her son (your grandmother to your father to you) and then on to his offspring. This is not to say, however, that just be-

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Just because cancer does not run in your family does not mean that you are off the hook. Studies by the American Cancer Society show that 93% of cancer patients do not have a family history of cancer. Q: So really, no one is completely safe? A: That’s why understanding risk factors are so important. Women who have had children later in life (34 years old and up) or older women who have no children, have higher exposure to unopposed estrogen throughout their lifetime.

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related to breast cancer, causes liver damage, which in turn makes it difficult to clear estrogen from the system. Q: What is unopposed estrogen? A: Unopposed estrogen is the amount of estrogen to which your body is exposed

without the balancing factor of progesterone (a hormone present during pregnancy). The length of uninterrupted time the body is exposed to unopposed estrogen, which begins in puberty and accumulates in the body without decrease or balance, heightens a woman’s risk for breast cancer. So the younger you are when you start your period increases your risk, as does late menopause (after age 52). Q: What can I do to improve the odds? A: Taking charge of your body and your health is the first step to ensuring that you can remain cancer-free. n Do a breast self-exam at least once a month. n If something feels abnormal, no matter how small or insignificant, have it checked. n Eating less animal fat, drinking in moderation, not smoking, and regular exercise are good ways to improve your odds. n Starting at age 40, get a mammogram and a breast exam. For more information about Cancer Care at California Hospital, call (213) 742 5634.

May 24, 2010

Downtown News 13

Healthcare

Transform Your Body Now Downtown’s Educo Gym Offers a Revolutionary Approach to Fat Loss

ant to turn your body into fat burning machine? Educo Gym has just the answer for you with their new six-week Transformation Package. For just $499, clients will receive 18 vigorous workout sessions with a trainer, full body analysis including weight, body fat, blood pressure, metabolism and more.

fire.” This is your metabolic rate. Less Is More. The best news is how easy it is to turn up your furnace. Here are five steps to success: n Train less. Yes, less. Instead of hours of mindless, boring pounding on the treadmill, 15 minutes of intensive weight resistance exercise activates the muscle cells and can keep them burning red hot for up to 48 hours (aerobics “after burn” effect may only last two hours). n Don’t starve. Instead of starving yourself, you can eat a natural, low-glycemic diet to fuel your fat burning cells. n Laser-like focus. The secret to results is to focus on muscle

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cells as you exercise. This increases the intensity of cells, enabling you to burn more fat. n Feedback. This is vital to make sure it is working. Test your metabolic rate using a “bodygem analyzer.” This is a machine that you breathe into for 10 minutes. At Educo Gym the average increase is an unprecedented 13% in just one month. That means you’re burning much more fat, even while you’re resting. n Change it up. Your body can adapt incredibly well. So, if you do the same exercise, over time it becomes less effective. Every six weeks have your trainer design a new program. At Educo Gym, the Six-Week Transformation Package uses all five steps to turn clients into red hot fat burning machines. What do you have to lose? Commit to six weeks and watch your body transform. Educo Gym is located at 633 W. Fifth St., Suite 5750. For information call (213) 617-8229, visit educogym.com or follow on Facebook at facebook.com/educogym.

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May 24, 2010

Healthcare

A Weekday Getaway Escape the Daily Grind With Pampering at Wi Spa

ife in the city means long work hours, bad traffic, the endless daily grind and, more often than not, a complicated social life. While we are busy living for others (boss, parents, kids, friends, etc.) and strugFROM OUR ADVERTISERS

gling to find the fine balance between work and life, the idea of a weekday getaway can seem remote and unrealistic. Nevertheless, we know we deserve more special “me” time — moments when we can escape from the noise, crowds and stress of the city to restore our inner peace, and indulge ourselves with something special but affordable. A 24-hour day spa within a 10-minute commute of Downtown L.A. brings back the possibility of the “weekday getaway.” Selected as “one of the best bargain day spas” by Los Angeles Magazine, Wi Spa is the biggest luxury day spa in Los Angeles. Boasting a 48,000-square-foot facility spanning three floors, the spa offers services including seven different types of sauna rooms. Wi Spa has all the requisite features to help guests relax and refresh from head to toe; plus affordable packages, everyday discounts and free yoga classes to ensure a luxurious experience without the VIP costs. Rather than being stuck in traffic after work, start planning a little trip for the daily getaway: On Monday, for example, spend $30 for the 35-minute body buff, which employs full body exfoliating techniques to lift impurities and dead skin while boosting blood circulation; Tuesday’s one-hour Shiatsu Acupressure will stimulate pressure

points and harmonize the body’s energy flow for only $60; on Wednesday, take the time to boost your skin’s natural tone and enhance overall appearance with a Basic Skin Care treatment for only $60; the following day, sit back while your hands and feet receive a soothing massage treatment as part of the manicure ($15) and pedicure ($25) services; on Friday, why not try the head spa or scalp nutrition care to cool down your mind for just $35. Guests can also sit in the exclusive sauna rooms with toxin-purging minerals (clay, salt, jade, ice) to sweat away body toxins and the day’s stress; then head to jimjibung (a common resting area) to go online, read a magazine, savor a Sikhye (a traditional sweet Korean rice beverage) or maybe even take a nap. If you fall asleep, don’t worry — Wi Spa is open 24 hours. If you are a parent, this kid-friendly spa will allow you to enjoy “me” time while the kids play in the game room or read in the comic book area. The men have a separate floor to themselves where they can try the hot tub, cold tub, dry sauna and steam sauna, among other specially tailored services. Come alone, with your significant other or with friends and enjoy a special “me” moment anytime at Wi Spa. There is a hot tub, cold tub, dry sauna and steam sauna on both the men’s and women’s floors. The women’s area also contains a luxurious powder room and 12 body treatment stations. There are separate sleeping areas for men and women to stay overnight. Wi Spa is the ultimate luxury getaway destination. The spa offers guests a unique expe-

rience combining traditional Asian methods with its modern techniques and 24/7 service. It features three levels of world-class spa services spanning more than 48,000 square feet. The jimjilbang (co-ed area) boasts five exclusive sauna rooms — Ice Sauna, Clay

Sauna, Salt Sauna, Jade Sauna and Bulgama Sauna to help sweat away body toxins, stress and frustration. Wi Spa is located at 2700 Wilshire Blvd., Koreatown, (213) 487-2700. For more information about Wi Spa, visit wispausa.com.

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May 24, 2010

Downtown News 15

DowntownNews.com

RESTAURANTS Restaurant Buzz

Mollusk Madness, Text Deal and More Downtown Food Happenings by RichaRd Guzmán

Church and State is at 1850 Industrial St., (213) 405-1434 or churchandstatebistro.com.

city editoR

eet the Mollusk: While escargot receives most of the glory when it comes to mollusks and the French, the snail’s underwater cousin is also getting some attention at Church & State. The French bistro in the Arts District last week began hosting oyster nights with Christophe Happillon. The chef has a passion for oysters and calls them the “fruit of the sea.” Happillon will bring that passion, and some of his favorite oysters, to the restaurant every Tuesday from 6-10 p.m. Prices are $19 for half a dozen and $38 for 12. Happillon will serve oysters from all over North America, including his favorite spots, the West Coast and British Columbia. On the menu are Carlsbad Luna, Totten Virginica, Malpeque and British Columbia Fanny Bay oysters. Be ready to talk oysters too, since the chef likes to go from table to table and discuss the texture and other details of his favorite mollusk. The restaurant’s sommelier, Jerimiah Henderson, also splashes into the fun by pairing the oysters with wines.

nothing in the fridge? how about fennel stuffed chicken breast with new potatoes, wilted spinach, salad, roll and a cookie?

OMG Pastry Deals: Hygge bakery is South Park has seized upon high technology to create a new “mobile bakery.” Rather than traipse to the Hope Street location, the Danish establishment is allowing customers to learn about their latest offers, special events and other in-store deals simply by texting the word “bakery” to 37398. Those who sign up for the free service will also receive a free pastry from Hygge. It’s like having your cake and eating it too, without having to get up to do either. Hygge is at 1106 S. Hope St., (213) 7462141 or hyggebakery.com. Run for the Border: No, the Arizona police aren’t anywhere near Downtown Los Angeles, fortunately. Instead, it’s another “border” hungry stakeholders are interested in. The Border Grill Stop made its debut last week at the Wilshire Boulevard kiosk at Figueroa Street and Wilshire Boulevard. The new spot is a small outpost of the Border

Grill restaurant in Santa Monica. It’s owned by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, who also operate the popular Ciudad restaurant in the Financial District. The new place is a fast and casual spot for the corporate crowd. There is no table service, but there is a nearby seating area for those who don’t want to go back to work to eat. It will be open Monday through Friday and photo courtesy of Church & State serve breakfast and lunch from Seafood specialist Christophe Happillon is bringing his 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Morning items oyster expertise to Church & State every Tuesday. include breakfast burritos, coffee and pastries while lunch holds tacos, ovations are complete in July. The cafe is quesadillas, sandwiches and salads. open Monday through Friday from 11 At 601 S. Figueroa St., bordergrill.com or a.m.-3 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m.twitter@bordergrillstop. 4 p.m. It serves prepackaged salads and sandwiches such as roast beef, smoked Dino-Dine: It may have ruled the Earth ham and cheese and even peanut butter millions of years ago, but now T-Rex and jelly. Will Restaurant Buzz be there? rules the kitchen at the Natural History You bet Jurassic. Museum. The T-Rex Express Café deThe Natural History Museum is at 900 buted this month at the Exposition Park Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-3466 or nhm. facility on the museum’s ground floor. It org. is positioned to help the facility serve the Contact Richard Guzmán at big crowds which will come when its ren- richard@downtownnews.com.

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16 Downtown News

May 24, 2010

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my 3-year-old daughter that daddy was going to eat some bugs. The Natural History Museum held its annual Bug Fair on May 15-16. Thousands showed up to see, touch, buy and learn all about insects. A few came to eat some crawling critters prepared by Zack Lemann, a New Orleans chef who doesn’t care how many legs his entrees have. Lemann used crickets, wax worms and grasshoppers as some of the ingredients. We started off with dessert, which was Lemann’s way of easing us in to the tough stuff. He passed around some cookies, which were basically the chocolate chip variety with crickets substituted for chocolate. Not surprisingly, he calls them chocolate chirp cookies. Since the crickets’ legs had been removed, they didn’t look all that bad; in fact, the cookies tasted pretty much like… cookies. This was followed by the actually tasty Cajun crickets. Prepared in a bit of oil with some Creole seasoning, they reminded me of roasted almonds. Again, the legs had been removed, making them easy to eat. The mango chutney wax worms and red beans and wax worms tasted fairly conventional, the chutney and bean flavors easily overwhelming the worms, which served mostly to add texture and crunch.

The grasshopper gumbo was a different story. The entire grasshopper body was on the plate: face, legs and all. I almost changed my mind when I grabbed a spoonful, but I couldn’t. A couple of people nearby were watching. My daughter was staring straight at me, with a mix of bewilderment, disgust, and I like to think a little pride as well. Before I could back out, I stuffed the grasshopper into my mouth and began to chew — it was worse than I expected. It was like forcing a piece of cold hay into my mouth. It was crunchy, tasteless and so rough that I thought the grasshopper was fighting back. It just wouldn’t go down my throat. I can still feel the head, legs and antenna as I type this. Somehow, I finally managed to get it down, then took a huge swig of water. I can’t say I’m now a fan of eating insects, but I may be able to turn my experience into a teaching tool. A few hours later my daughter asked why I ate bugs. “Because I didn’t listen to your mom,” I told her. “When you don’t listen, you have to eat bugs.” She behaved pretty well the rest of the weekend. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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Downtown News 17

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CALENDAR Love in 13 Scenes A Journey Across the Years at the LATC by Jeff favre contributing writer

o one is going to mistake Donald Freed as a mouthpiece for any mainstream group. Freed has said he doesn’t find conspiracies everywhere, but his plays and books questioning, among other major cases, who killed JFK, RFK, and Ron Goldman and Nicole Simpson, beg to differ. Whether or not you agree with Freed’s theories, he has earned a reputation as one of Los Angeles’ more intriguing writers. And by comparison to most of his work, 1951-2006, premiering at the Los Angeles Theater Center, can be considered an almost disarming love story. True, the entire backdrop to this two-hour drama, which Freed also directs, is littered with Big Brother sightings and seminal historical moments that are widely cited as examples of governmental abuse and cover-ups. But what tips the scales on this uneven piece toward the positive are its heart and a trio of impressive actors who make meaning out of scenes loaded with ramblings and doublespeak. What is also pleasant about 1951-2006 is its concept, which serves as a voyeuristic device, allowing the audience to check in on a pair of strangers throughout the decades and across 13 scenes.

The strangers — to us and to themselves — are David (Michael Matthys) and Meg (Debra De Liso). In 1951, Meg, a Catholic schoolteacher from Chicago, moves to the top floor of a four-story walk-up in Manhattan, where a paralyzed, Jewish, alcoholic World War II vet — also from Chicago — lives across the hall. David only leaves the fourth floor on Fridays, when he is carried downstairs and taken to a V.A. hospital. The entire action takes place on the landing between their apartments. Both liberals, and both fans of comedian Lenny Bruce, the pair over the years become friends, and lovers of a sort. But we also learn, with little explanation, that Meg has other relationships, including one with Tom (Christopher Fairbanks), a married man. A couple of peripheral characters — an F.B.I. agent, the building’s landlord and the landlord’s son — are all portrayed by Fairbanks. Reynaldo Pacheco appears as a young dance student in the last scene, which serves as a befuddling, unnecessary coda. Freed selects the time periods for the scenes (projected on the wall during blackouts) based on major events, which are noted through audio segments that serve as transitions. There are Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s hearings, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Vietnam

Mapping Saigon East West Players Show Scores With a Top-Notch Cast and a Compelling Story by Jeff favre contributing writer

he world premiere Road to Saigon is an embarrassment of riches, beginning with its trio of Joan Almedilla, Jennifer Paz and Jenni Selma — all of whom have portrayed the tragic heroine Kim in the mega-musical Miss Saigon. The three women, directed with a sense of intimacy by Jon Lawrence Rivera, relate stories of their journey to the show that made their careers. None of the songs from Miss Saigon are included in the show at East West Players in Little Tokyo, but don’t worry — there’s plenty of music, as each woman performs songs that either inspired her or enhance an anecdote. The concept, developed by Rivera, is simple enough. Have three of the most recognizable women ever to play Kim compose an autobiographical series of monologues, which are split into a series of categories, working backward from the first night they walked on stage as the lead in Miss Saigon. While the women were all cast as Kim at a young age, the steps that got them there vary greatly. The most fascinating, and funny, audition belongs to Paz, who had no professional experience before heading from Seattle to Toronto for tryouts. Without a headshot or resume, she sta

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War, the inauguration of Ronald Reagan and President George W. Bush’s explanation of his decision to invade Iraq. As the years progress, both David and Meg become increasingly liberal, though David’s antiestablishment leanings are much more radical than hers, including involvement with the Black Panthers, and even aiding a suspect in the murder of a police officer. What is both fascinating and frustrating is that no scene is long enough for true emotional explophoto by Brooks Wachtel ration, and the gaps in years means Michael Matthys and Debra De Liso play characters whose the viewer must fill in the blanks relationship evolves over decades. The show 1951-2006 runs with guesses. In one scene, Meg through June 13 at the LATC. and David appear to fall in love. In the next scene, she’s breaking up with Tom, whom we haven’t met until that more of a willing emotional supporter. moment. A scene later, Tom, now a widower, Fairbanks gives dimension to the minor returns. characters, in particular Tom, whose bareThe experience is similar to visiting a rela- ly mentioned offstage struggles with alcotive you see only every four or five years, and hol and family seem more compelling than who goes through changes, both small and what’s happening with David and Meg. dramatic, in the interim. Two inanimate but crucial characters Somehow Matthys and De Liso make this are the apartment building, an impressive, scattered style work. Despite David mostly detailed set designed by François-Pierre speaking in drunken tirades and self-involved Couture, and John Zalewski’s extensive monologues, Matthys finds his caring and sound design. They paint the picture of time vulnerable side, rendering the character al- passing, while life for David and Meg remains most sympathetic. De Liso, who as Meg fre- mostly static. quently serves as David’s sounding board, 1951-2006 runs through June 13 at the exudes strength and wisdom. She makes Meg LATC, 514 S. Spring St., (213) 489-0994, ext. appear less pathetically chained to David and 107 or thelatc.org.

pled a paper with two high school credits on the back of a school photo. When asked if she would consider leaving college to go to Broadway, she replied, “I’m going to have to ask my mom.” Almedilla’s break came thanks to her courage to face a tough audience on “Showtime at the Apollo.” Her televised appearance led to an audition for Les Misérables and then Saigon. Selma was a child performer. She recounts being on the TV show “Star Search” at age 12, losing, and then almost giving up singing. But she kept at it and eventually became part of the “Kim Farm,” what the performers jokingly label the group of young women in the Saigon cast vying for the coveted role. Many names from the Miss Saigon universe are mentioned, but none more than Lea Salonga, to whom an entire segment is devoted. Salonga, the first and most famous Kim, is a legend in the Philippines. Almedilla, Selma and Paz are all Filipino, and Salonga’s popularity and skill greatly influenced them. Interspersed through the 95-minute show are a variety of wonderful songs, spanning popular genres and show tunes. Selma, who has the biggest voice, belts “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from the musical Funny Girl and “Listen” from Dreamgirls. Almedilla, who sports a jazzier style, delivers a sassy rendition of Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.” The smooth-singing Paz provides the most emotional number with “Anytime,” by William Finn. Though these are skilled actresses, each seems less at home telling personal stories — in particular Almedilla, who stumbled a couple of times during her monologues. But Rivera elicits a laidback and conversational style, so a few miscues don’t feel jarring. There aren’t any full dances per se, but veteran choreographer Kay Cole, an original cast member of A Chorus Line, adds movement to the group numbers, which are visually interesting without becoming distracting. Musical director Nathan Wang retains the integrity of every song, but also

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In Road to Saigon, (l to r) Joan Almedilla, Jenni Selma and Jennifer Paz detail how they went from obscurity to a starring role in the mega-musical Miss Saigon. The show is at East West Players through June 13.

keeps them from sounding too familiar. With nothing but a bare stage, three stools and Jeremy Pivnick’s understated lighting, Almedilla, Selma and Paz flood the theater with vivid tales of young stars in the making, and a series of songs that evoke tears, laughter and every emotion in between. Given its autobiographical nature, Road to Saigon may never be repeated. It’s also unlikely that another show with three leading ladies of this caliber will appear on a Downtown stage anytime soon. Road to Saigon runs through June 13 at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts, 120 Judge John Aiso St., (213) 625-7000 or eastwestplayers.org.

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A Few Remaining Seats Series That Puts Classic Films in Classic Theaters Returns by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

owntown Los Angeles was once the place to go for the latest Hollywood films. Broadway’s 12 ornate movie palaces, including the Orpheum, the Million Dollar and the Los Angeles theaters, hosted red carpet premieres and attracted huge crowds. The Los Angeles Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats series, which pairs classic films with ornate theaters, recalls that heyday. The series, now in its 24th year, launches May 26 with the 1967 comedy How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. The series will run on Wednesdays through June 30, and four of the six events — which each include a pre-show — are already sold out. L.A. Conservancy Executive Director Linda Dishman talked to Los Angeles Downtown News about the series and shared her secrets for getting in to the sold-out shows. Los Angeles Downtown News: Once again, Last Remaining Seats is nearly sold out. Why is this so popular? Linda Dishman: Last Remaining Seats is popular because it’s different. It’s seeing great, classic films, and while you can see them on your TV at home, when you come to these fabulous movie palaces you share the experience with 2,000 people. Q: How do you choose the films? A: We have a volunteer committee that spends a lot of time seeing the films. There are always different genres; we try to have a silent film, and we try to have a balance between musicals, dramas and comedies. It’s, I would say, a very heated conversation when it comes to voting for a film. Q: How do you match the films with the theaters? A: It’s really about the technical needs of movies. For example, for the silent night, if we need to have the organ, then it is at the Orpheum Theatre, because they are the only ones with an organ. It’s a very case-by-case basis.

Q: How does the series help the theaters? A: The series builds awareness. About 10-11,000 people come to Last Remaining Seats, and those are people that are now advocates for these theaters. They talk about them to their friends, they care about them. There’s no better way to communicate how fabulous these theaters are than to have people come in and watch a movie. Q: If you had to pick one, and you do, which is your favorite theater to see a film? A: Aughh. You know I’ll make one friend and two enemies if I answer that question. Can I answer it a different way? Q: Umm, all right. A: We’re really lucky to have three theaters included in our series. And what’s great is that each theater is different. All three of them are absolutely ornate and dripping in detail, but they’re all different and they all have a different story to tell. Q: How close is the experience to what it was in the ’30s? A: It’s similar but not the same. We don’t have ushers in cute little outfits, we don’t have restroom attendants. None of the theaters sell popcorn, but it is very much the experience in terms of sitting in the theater, really getting to enjoy the space in the most dramatic way. You’re watching the lights go down and having the movie come on. There’s a lot of drama associated with coming to the movies at these theaters. Q: Why no popcorn? A: Most of the theaters are not operating on a regular basis and so they don’t do popcorn. It’s also an issue of cleaning up afterward. Q: Any special celebrity guests or performances this season? A: On opening night — and these are all schedule permitting, but we’ve had really good luck with schedule permitting — we’re lucky to have the stars of How to Succeed in Business

CLASSIC FILMS & LIVE ENTERTAINMENT IN HISTORIC THEATRES

photo courtesy of Televisa and Filmoteca de la UNAM

The 1943 film Flor Silvestre screens on June 23 as part of the Last Remaining Seats. The series created by the Los Angeles Conservancy launches May 26.

Without Really Trying. We’ll have Michelle Lee and Robert Morse. And Robert Morse is in “Mad Men” and the evening will be hosted by Mathew Weiner, who is the creator and executive producer of “Mad Men.” He’ll be there talking about how the ’60s have influenced TV and what he does with “Mad Men.” So that should be a really spectacular evening. Q: What’s your favorite film this season? A: I’m really excited about all of them. I’ve never seen Strangers on a Train, and I haven’t seen the silent version of Peter Pan, so I’m really looking forward to that. But the one that I’m familiar with and that I’m excited about seeing is The Graduate. Q: Will any tickets be released for sold-out films? A: We always encourage people to come down to the theater because a lot of our tickets are sold as season tickets and something can come up, and so if we have the seats we’ll sell them. I don’t think we’ve turned many, if any, people away who come down. So I would encourage you to try. The Los Angeles Conservancy is at (213) 623-2489. Tickets are at http://lac.laconservancy.org/lrs. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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THE 24 TH ANNUAL P RE S ENTS

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ORPHEUM THEATRE (1926)

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(1924) ORPHEUM THEATRE

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May 24, 2010

Downtown News 19

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LISTINGS The ‘don’T Miss’ lisT

SPONSORED LISTING Where’s the Money? Access to Capital Business Expo Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, 711 S. Hope St., (213) 488-3599 or vedc.org. June 12, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Join the VEDC for a day of education, resources and business growth. Discuss your financing needs in a oneon-one consultation. Obtain information from business resource providers. Attend workshops about unconventional financing, recovering from the recession, using online marketing, repairing credit and creating a financial plan. Sponsored by Cathay Bank.

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McDonald

One T

his marks the final week to put a cursing tiger in your think tank. Rajiv Joseph’s darkly comic and surreal Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, which was a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, closes Sunday, May 30. The play at the Mark Taper Forum explores the horrors of war through the lives of two American soldiers, a tormented Iraqi translator, the ghost of Saddam Hussein’s son Uday and a brooding — and expletivespewing — Bengal tiger. The play premiered at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2009 to critical acclaim and, though enhanced for the larger Taper, maintains its original cast and creative team. Performances are May 25-29 at 8 p.m.; May 29 at 2:30 p.m.; and May 30 at 1 and 6:30 p.m. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

photo by Craig Schwartz

Monday, May 24 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Author Hampton Sides discusses his latest work, “Hellhound on His Tail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin,” with journalist Lynell George. Zócalo Public Square Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., zocalopublicsquare.org. 7:30 p.m.: Born in Barcelona and living in Los Angeles, Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s influences range from the 19th century British, Russian, and French giants to great American crime fiction and Hollywood movies. The author of “The Shadow of the Wind,” and most recently of “The Angel’s Game,” visits Zócalo to discuss his work, fiction in a global age, and why great books transcend borders.

ou can have a heart while spending an evening with Heart on Monday, May 24, at the Grammy Museum. During an 8 p.m. event that will benefit the museum and the Grammy Awards’ Musicares program, museum executive director Robert Santelli will interview sister act Ann and Nancy Wilson about their decades-long career and their newest album, Red Velvet Car. Then it’s time for a Q&A with the rockers and an unplugged performance of some of their newest songs, as well as a few of their greatest hits. “Barracuda” perhaps? “Straight On?” “Crazy on You?” “Magic Man?” “What About Love?” So many chart-toppers, so little time, so much Heart. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org.

photo by Gary Leonard

Tuesday, May 25 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Thomas Levenson, a professor of science writing at MIT, discusses his latest work in which he chronicles a near-forgotten chapter of Isaac Newton’s extraordinary life: “Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World’s Greatest Scientist.” Zócalo Public Square National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, 111 N. Central Ave., zocalopublicsquare.org. 7:30 p.m. Zócalo and the Swiss Confederation host a panel of experts to discuss “Zurich vs. LA: Which is the Most Democratic City?” The panel will discuss the unique challenges each metropolis faces to its democratic system and how each can learn from the other.

Five

photo courtesy of REDCAT

Wednesday, May 26 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Sebastian Junger, author of “The Perfect Storm,” discusses his latest work, “War,” in which he follows a single platoon through a 15-month tour of duty in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley. He’s in conversation with writer/director John Sacret Young. Thursday, May 27 Thursdays@Central 630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room A, (213) 228-7272 or lapl.org. 12:15-1 p.m.: Jeff Fromberg presents “Creating a Life History,” a presentation about how to make a personal history, biography or memoir of a specific occasion or period in one’s life. 4th Annual US-Japan Green Conference: The Future of High Speed Rail in California The Omni Los Angeles Hotel, 251 South Olive St. (213) 627-6217 or jas-socal.org. 2-7 p.m.: With the passage of Proposition 1A in 2008, California voters approved funding for the nation’s first high-speed train system. Join the Japan America Society and Port of Los Angeles as they present an afternoon conference featuring a keynote address from Norman Y. Mineta, U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Friday, May 28 Farmlab Public Salon The Metabolic Studio, 1745 N. Spring Street #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. Noon: Educator Linda Duke explores the idea of museums, especially art museums, as places to have extraordinary experiences in “The Museum of Wonder” free salon. saTurday, May 29 Library of Congress Veterans History Project Central Library, Meeting Room B, 630 W. Fifth St.,

Continued on next page

Goodbye TiGer, baTTlinG Zurich and a casual concerTo

photo by Am ber

EVENTS

mm, how democratic is the City of Angels? And how does it stack up against mighty Zurich, Switzerland? It’s a showdown when Zócalo Public Square and the Swiss Confederation invite experts from both cities to make the call at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy on Tuesday, May 25, at 7:30 p.m. California and Switzerland are centers of democracy. Both use ballot initiatives and referendums more than any other place in the world. The panel will discuss the challenges each metropolis faces to its democratic system and how each can learn from the other. One thing we know: Zurich doesn’t have the Lakers. At 111 N. Central Ave., zocalopublicsquare.org.

GIF and TGI-Casual Fridays at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Friday, May 28, at 8 p.m. when Rachlin plays Sibelius under Bringuier. Translation: The charismatic violinist Julian Rachlin (shown here) performs 20th century Finnish composer Sibelius’ compelling Violin Concerto, conducted by wunderkind Lionel Bringuier. Also on the program is Stravinsky’s none-too-shabby Firebird Suite. Casual Fridays tender a special treat — TalkBack, a discussion with the conductor, musicians and guest artists, is held on stage after the performance. Additional concerts are May 29-30 at 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

photo courtesy of the artist

director, an artist and a neuroscientist walk into a bar. The “bar” is REDCAT and the patrons are renowned theater and opera director Peter Sellars (shown here), video artist Bill Viola (his show at LACMA a few years back still boggles the mind) and director of the USC Brain and Creativity Institute Antonio Damasio. The auspicious trio discusses Myth, Wagner and the Human Brain as part of the 10week Ring Festival, L.A. Opera’s presentation of Richard Wagner’s epic four-opera Ring Cycle. The artists and scientist will bring their visionary perspectives on human perspective to the conversation on Sunday, May 30, at 3 p.m. at 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.

20 Downtown News

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Listings Continued from previous page (213) 469-9774 or lapl.org Noon-3 p.m.: David Meyer-O’Shea will conduct oral history interviews with WWII veterans in a program co-sponsored by the History and Genealogy Department. Sunday, May 30 REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800, redcat.org. 3 p.m.: Theater and opera director Peter Sellars, video artist Bill Viola and Director of the USC Brain and Creativity Institute Antonio Damasio discuss “Myth, Wagner and the Human Brain,” as part of the 10-week Ring Festival L.A.

FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., downtownindependent.com for showtimes. May 24, 9 p.m.: The Los Angeles Music Video Festival kicks off with All Your Friends, a showcase of music videos from up-and-coming filmmakers and musicians in the Los Angeles community. May 28-June 3, Time TBD: Like a detective story, Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo untangles the web of influences behind Japan’s captivation with insects. The documentary travels through history and adventure, opening in modern-day Tokyo where a single beetle recently sold for $90,000 then slipping back to the early 1800s, to the first cricket-selling business and the development of haiku. Flagship Theatres University Village 3323 S. Hoover St., (213) 748-6321 or flagshipmovies.com. Visit website for current schedule. Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through May 27: Robin Hood in the Premiere Cinema (1:10, 4:20, 7:40 and 10:50 p.m.); A Nightmare on Elm Street (11:40 a.m. and 2:10, 4:30, 6:50 and 9:40 p.m.); Iron Man 2 (12:20, 1, 1:40, 3:20, 4, 4:40, 6:30, 7:10, 7:50, 9:30, 10:10 and 10:50 p.m.); Just Wright (11:20 a.m. and 12:10, 1:50, 2:40, 4:20, 5:10, 6:50, 7:40, 9:20 and 10:10 p.m.); Letters to Juliet (11:30

a.m. and 2, 4:30, 7:10 and 9:40 p.m.); Robin Hood (12:10, 12:50, 3:20, 4, 6:40, 7:20, 10 and 10:40 p.m.); MacGruber (12:20, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50 and 10:30 p.m.); Shrek Forever After (12:30, 3:10, 5:40, 8 and 10:50 p.m.); Shrek Forever After 3D (11 a.m. and 12, 1, 1:30, 2:30, 3:40, 4:10, 5, 6:20, 7, 7:30, 9, 9:50 and 10:20 p.m.). Beginning May 28 (partial listing): Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (11:20 a.m. and 2, 4:50, 7:40 and 10:30 p.m.); Sex and the City 2 (1:10, 4:20, 7:30 and 10:40 p.m.).

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THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

May 24, 2010

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22 Downtown News

May 24, 2010

Twitters/DowntownNews

CLASSIFIED

place your ad online at www.ladowntownnews.com

FOR RENT

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

BUY FORECLOSED Homes Phoenix AZ area 30-50 cents on the $1.00. Investment and retirement homes all price ranges even $1 million+ Fantastic buys! 1-480-970-3310. www.Bid4UProperties.com. (Cal-SCAN)

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Real Estate Services 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.

“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.”

loft for sale

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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.

20 ACRE RANCH Foreclosures Near Booming El Paso, Texas. Was $16,900 Now $12,900. $0 Down, assume payments, $99/ month. Owner financing. Free map/pictures 1-800-343-9444. (Cal-SCAN)

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

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EMPLOYMENT

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Drivers Company Drivers (Solos & Hazmat Teams) * Great Pay* Great Miles * CDL-A Required. We also have dedicated & regional positions available. Call 866-789-8947. Swift. (CalSCAN) DRIVERS IN DEMAND! 20 Positions Available. Solo OTR Drivers & Team Drivers West states exp/hazmat end, great miles/ hometime. Andrus Transportation 1-800-888-5838, 1-866-8065119 x1402. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS/CDL Training - Career Central. We Train and EMPLOY You. Company Drivers up to 40K First Year. New Team Pay! Up to 48c/mile Class A CDL Training Regional Locations! 1-877-3697092 www.CentralDrivingJobs. net. (Cal-SCAN) NATIONAL CARRIERS needs O/Os, Lease Purchase, Company Drivers for its expanding fleet. Offering Regional/OTR runs, Outstanding Pay Package, excellent benefits, generous hometime. 1-888-707-7729. www.NationalCarriers.com. (Cal-SCAN) REGIONAL DRIVERS NEEDED! More Hometime! Top Pay! Up to $.41/mile company drivers! 12 months OTR required. Heartland Express 1-800-4414953. www.HeartlandExpress. com. (Cal-SCAN)

obituary Raymond V. Zumwalt passed away Friday, March 12, 2010 at the age of 69 of leukemia. Raymond was born in Deming, New Mexico the son of Frederic and Lilia (Vasquez) Zumwalt. He graduated from Deming High School and received a Bachelors degree from the University of New Mexico where he majored in Latin American Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences. His extracurricular activities included Kappa Alpha Fraternity, which he represented in the Inter-fraternity Council, the Newman Club, the organist in the Aquinas Choir, and in 1963 was inducted into Who Is Who in American Colleges and Universities. After his graduation, Ray moved to California where he dedicated 37 years of service to the County of Los Angeles as a social worker for the Department of Children and Family Services until his retirement on March 21, 2005. At retirement he was a supervisor, who provided enthusiastic, diligent and invaluable leadership, who unselfishly contributed time and effort to the training, supervision and professional growth of those involved in the noble profession of social work. Respected and admired for his dedication, knowledge and wisdom by his colleagues, child advocates and others throughout the welfare community, Ray worked to support diverse populations of children and families. As a member of MSIA (Movement for Spiritual Inner Awareness) for decades, Ray was an ordained minister for the group and had earned a degree of Master of Spiritual Science. At the time of his passing, Ray was completing his Doctorate degree. He was a trusted volunteer who showed up at Prana Theological Seminary twice a week or more for decades to do their accounting work, direct their operations in Central and South America and in recent years worked on weekends as a docent for the main building, The Guasti Villa, which once served as the home of Busby Berkeley (http://www.pts.org/prana.html). In 2005 Ray was named “Minister of the Year” by MSIA, out of a field of thousands of ministers for his extraordinary service and support. He will be remembered for his love of the Arts, especially the Opera, vast interest in history, enthusiasm for travel to other countries to experience their culture and historic roots (Jerusalem, Egypt, Ireland, Britain, Italy, Turkey, Peru, Spain and Portugal, to name a few) and his pains-taking and much admired skills in cooking and baking. Most important to him were family, friends, colleagues and service to MSIA. Ray was a selfless and dedicated role model for all who knew him, giving kind and insightful advice and support, never asking anything in return. As a close family friend put it, “Ray was a quiet man full of knowledge, class and generosity, who always contributed on the highest and most personal of levels and love was felt in every gesture.” He was always fun and interesting to be around, and will be greatly missed. Ray is survived by brother James Zumwalt of Peoria, AZ, sister Marta Koopman and husband Parker Koopman of Cummaquid, MA, sister Yolanda Padilla of Peoria, AZ, nephews, cousins, endless friends and acquaintances. He was buried at the beautiful Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Hollywood, CA. Remembrances in his memory can be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at https://www. leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=69374 or by calling (888) 802-8680.

May 24, 2010

SLT NEEDS CDL A Team Drivers with Hazmat. $2,000 Bonus. Teams split $.68 for all miles. Solo flatbed owner operators needed for West Regional. 1-800-835-9471, 1-877-2532897. (Cal-SCAN) General AUTOMOTIVE Great jobs in downtown LA! Full time or part time. Two blocks south of the Staples Center at Figueroa & Venice. Toyota Central is growing! Sales Associates - all levels. Internet Associates. Service Technicians. Service Consultants. Drivers. Cashiers. Receptionists. Bilingual Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern and women encouraged to apply. Great compensation package and employee benefits. Please call 800-597-5516 or send resume to autosuccess@ aol.com. EOE. HELP WANTED Movie Extras. Earn up to $150/day. People needed for background in a major film production. Exp. not required. 888-366-0843 JOBS. JOBS, JOBS! Get paid to train in the California Army National Guard. Up to 100% tuition assistance. Parttime work. Full-time benefits. May qualify for bonus. www. NationalGuard.com/Careers or 1-800-GO-GUARD. (Cal-SCAN)

SERVICES

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

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HYBRID $15,488.

2008 INFINITI G37 Low Miles, Loaded, CO1055D1-1/122597. $31,887. 888-879-9608

ALL CASH VENDING! Be Your Own Boss! Your Own Local Vending Route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405. (Cal-SCAN)

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)

Orsini 550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.

WWW.THEORSINI.COM

Medici

1900 sqft, open LOFT w/views $2850/mo • 17 ft ceilings, Live/Work space • 14 story bldg. • Rooftop garden terrace w/city view • Pet friendly

FOR RENT? FOR LEASE? FOR SALE? People are looking here, shouldn’t your ad should be here?

(213) 481-1448 Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

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

756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles 213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com Pricing subject to change without notice.

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

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

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

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

Gets results!

Call 213-481-1448

Best Downtown Locations!

877-231-9362

Spring Tower Lofts:

www.cityloftsquare.com

los anGeles doWntoWn neWs

autos Wanted Business opportunities

On Spring St.

Please call 213.627.6913

Sell Your Car!

Expose your auto to Downtown Los Angeles, with a huge work force and one of the fastest growing residential areas

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

S e e k S S t y l i S h M at e

We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C

THE BRIDGE / Little Tokyo: Contemporary worship, 4:00pm Sundays, 401 EThird St. www. thebridgewired.org.

Be Inspired...

2010 VOLKSWAGON CC 2,369 miles, white, carfax 1 owner, VIN 528667, $25,888. Call 888781-8102

I c o n I c B e au t y

680 sqft, 16 ft ceilings, $1450/mo. • Granite marble top • Stainless steel appliances/refrigerator etc. • Pet friendly

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.

The Downtown Renaissance Collection

2007 MERCEDES BENZ E350 low mileage, certified, (4619c/7B000177) $30,994, call 888-319-8762.

877-239-8256

City Lofts:

cHurcHes

2007 AUDI A4 Certified, vin7a005605, $21,888. Call 888583-0981.

WWW.THEMEDICI.COM

2 bdrm/2 bath, $1,650/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/ GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking

ANNOUNCEMENTS

adopt a pet

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

725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.

Premiere Towers:

PETS/ANIMALS

6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900

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

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

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 • 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 1

HELP WANTED

• 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

ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASE Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms Live/Work in with shared bath at $550/mo. G.H. Palmer AssociatesDowntown with bath at $695/mo. Fashion District Casaloma L.A. Apartments

Employee Counselor: Provide counseling ser &conClient: structive advice to employees. Includes utilities, basic News cable chanPublication: LADT Analyze & evaluate employee's 700 to 1500 Sq. Ft. Lofts. nels, laundry room on site. Gated abilities. Research & devlp edSize/Color: 4.3125” x 8” 4C High ceilings, skylights, cable, building in a good area. kitchen, bath+shower, nal & infol materials. MA in 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. laundry room, elevator, General Sociology, Education Downtown LA controlled access, or HR req. Send your resume sub. parking. Sorry no dogs. Design by:Forapluscreative@yahoo.com Ph: 323.474.4668 English Call Pierre or Terri to DTI Services, Inc. at 601 S. 213.744.9911 Call George: Figueroa St, Ste 4300, LA, CA 818-634-7916 or For Spanish Call Susana 310-826-8810 x24 90017. 213.749.0306

Children’s Performing Group

HELP WANTED cHieF academic oFFicer and deans/dept. Heads needed for university about to start programs in Los Angeles. A PhD in Business or Education is required, experience preferred. Please send your CV by email to jselman@ preston.edu or fax to: 1-213384 4502.

Sunshine Generation Take us home ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@ BarkAveLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

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

SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

24 Downtown News

May 24, 2010

Twitter/DowntownNews

We Got Games The Lakers Roll With the Mercurial Ron Ron Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. May 27, 6 p.m. (if necessary): Remember, all that talk about the Phoenix Suns’ potent, run-and-gun offense capable of putting up loads of points? Well, the Lakers stole Phoenix’s mojo in games one and two (game three happened after press time), scoring 128 and 124 points, respectively. Kobe Bryant is leading the charge, but in this series, he’s getting all kinds of help from the mercurial Ron Artest, who is both hitting three-pointers and, like he told TNT’s Craig Sager, playing defense “like how I used to play in Queensbridge

projects.” Sure, Ron. Whatever it takes. Keep in mind, this is the same player who chose his jersey (#37) to honor the number of consecutive weeks that Michael Jackson’s Thriller topped the charts. Game 5, if necessary, would be in L.A., and game six would be in Phoenix (May 29). Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com. The Dodgers are away all week, first visiting the ivy-clad confines of Wrigley Field against the Cubbies (May 25-27). After a slow start, the Blue Crew seems to have found its

groove, thanks to some consistency from the starting pitching staff. Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Hiroki Kuroda and newcomer John Ely have all been solid, and the bullpen is throwing blanks. Of course, there’s a yin to this yang, as Andre Ethier is on the disabled list with a fractured finger. The team closes the week in Colorado against the Rockies (May 28-30). Los Angeles Sparks Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 929-1300 or wnba.com/sparks. May 28, 7:30 p.m.; May 30, 5 p.m.: As the Lakers inch closer to a trip to the NBA Finals, the Sparks are just beginning their season. The Candace Parker-led squad started off 0-2, but have their home opener against Washington, and then on Sunday they host Atlanta. —Ryan Vaillancourt

photo by Gary Leonard

Kooky Ron Artest has been solid on both ends of the floor recently, hitting threes and playing lockdown defense.

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