05-25-09

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS

10-17

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City West homicide, a bankruptcy, and other happenings Around Town.

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The controversial Mixed-Income Ordinance gets another heated airing.

W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M

May 25, 2009

Volume 38, Number 21

INSIDE

Healthcare

Barry Shy Just Keeps Building Controversial Developer Is Speeding Ahead, With Three Downtown Projects Opening This Year

Finding ‘Talent’ in Downtown.

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Urban Scrawl on the budget crisis.

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by Anna Scott staff writer

B

arry Shy is one of Downtown’s most controversial developers. He is also one of its most prolific. With two recently completed residential buildings and another under construction in the Historic Core, he will add 628 units to the Downtown market in less than a year.

This is in the midst of the most severe recession in decades, one in which several Downtown Los Angeles developers have seen their profit margins shrink or, worse, have filed for bankruptcy.

Shy’s Shybarry Main, a 214-apartment

former office building at 111 W. Seventh St., opened three months ago. SB Spring, at 650 S. Spring St., debuted this month and contains 174 apartments. A third residential conversion, the SB Tower at 600 S. Spring St., holds 240 apartments and is approximately six months from completion, Shy said.

The three projects were originally planned as condominiums. While shifting from for-sale to rental status has been difficult if not disastrous for many Downtown developers, Shy said a business model built on long-term planning see Barry Shy, page 9

Grape Expectations How to spend $40 billion in transit funds.

5

Downtown Suddenly Finds Itself Awash in Wine Bars

photo by Gary Leonard

Barry Shy has created approximately 1,100 Downtown housing units. While some people criticize him, his projects fill up thanks in part to low prices.

What They Meant Was… In the City Budget Battle, Words Can Be Misleading

by Jon Regardie executive editor

I

n City Hall, the end of April marks the start of what is known as budget season. In most years it’s a fairly placid affair, with just a bit of kvetching as the

Shopping secrets from Downtown chefs.

18

THE REGARDIE REPORT

photo by Gary Leonard

A play on the banks of the L.A. River.

Corkbar opened in March on the ground floor of the Evo building. The establishment, one of five wine bars in Downtown, specializes in selections from California.

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by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

F

Return of the Last Remaining Seats.

21

22 CALENDAR LISTINGS 23 MAP 25 CLASSIFIEDS

ive years ago, when Monica May opened Banquette, a cafe and wine bar in the Old Bank District, it was to cater to a small but growing residential community.

Banquette and its neighbor, Pete’s Bar and Grill, were the pioneers in bringing restaurant and bar life to the area.

May, who now also co-owns the nearby Nickel Diner, had no illusions about satisfying wine connoisseurs. She envisioned Banquette as a quaint joint, reminiscent of European rail depot cafes, where you could grab a quick bite or nurse a glass of house red.

Now, there are two more wine bars, the kinds with sprawling lists

boasting bottles from all over the globe, in walking distance from Banquette, as well as two recently opened establishments in South Park. Suddenly Downtown has a critical mass of wine bars.

“The amazing thing to me is that when I started Banquette in 2004, my best seller was cups of ice to crackheads for 50 cents and when I raised it from 25 cents to 50, I was accused of gentrifying the neighborhood,” May said. “I feel like I’ve made the way safe for people who can come in and charge $14 for a glass of wine.”

But as Downtown residents cozy up to sip Cabernets and Syrahs, it’s uncertain whether there’s room enough for all. Recently 626 Reserve, see Wine Bars, page 8

City Council tweaks about 1% of the spending plan that the mayor puts forth.

This year, however, has been tumultuous, sort of like if Hurricane Katrina, the Northridge earthquake and an inebriated Paula Abdul all hit City Hall at the exact same moment. With Los Angeles facing a $530 million deficit in the fiscal year that starts July 1, elected officials are

struggling to slice fat while also protecting their pet projects.

The situation is both deadly serious and decidedly uncertain, with estimates on the number of layoffs the city will have to endure bizarrely ranging from 400 to 5,000, depending on whose spin, threats and number crunching you believe.

Recently, it erupted into a bitter public safety battle, as the team of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton got all uppity when the City Council’s Budget & Finance Committee voted 3-2 to freeze police hiring as a way to lessen layoffs and furloughs.

Last week a cork was plugged into the top of that volcano, with see What They Meant, page 7

photo by Gary Leonard

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton found themselves in the middle of a battle after the City Council’s Budget & Finance Committee voted to halt police hiring. The situation prompted a boatload of public posturing.

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

2 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

AROUNDTOWN Bankruptcy for City West Complex

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he owners of the City West apartment complex The Flat, at 750 S. Garland Ave., have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The property is owned by 750 Garland LLC and is headed by Bret Mosher. Mosher also heads MKT Community Development Corp., which developed and manages the 205-apartment complex, formerly a Holiday Inn. The project debuted in 2005 and gained attention not just for the apartments, but also for the Blue Velvet restaurant on the ground floor. The bankruptcy will give the owners time to restructure their $23 million construction loan from China Trust Bank, said attorney Helen Frazer of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, who represents 750 Garland. In the meantime, “They’re operating normally and leasing space,” she said. “They’ll be proposing a plan within the next 60 days and… will pay in accordance with their Chapter 11 plan.”

Rail Company Could Come to Manufacturing Site

C

ity officials are moving forward with a plan for a controversial Italian rail car manufacturer to set up a facility in Downtown. On Thursday, May 21, the Community Redevelopment Agency approved a deal that would give AnsaldoBreda Inc. 60 days to work out a development agreement with the city to build a new plant at the proposed Clean Tech Manufacturing Center. The company has proposed creating a 240,000-square-foot light rail car manufacturing facility on a 14.3-acre portion of the 20-acre site at 2425 E. Washington Blvd. The city envisions AnsaldoBreda as the anchor tenant of a green industrial park that will eventually house other clean technology companies. The project has been pushed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The deal would require the company to establish a jobs program that would give priority to local residents. AnsaldoBreda currently manufactures light rail cars in Italy and assembles them at a plant in Pittsburgh. The company has come under fire for a previous deal with Metro in which it was late on deliver-

ing rail cars. The negotiation rights deal would require City Council approval.

Man Killed in Vista Hermosa Park

O

n Tuesday, May 19, a man was killed at Vista Hermosa Natural Park in City West. Jose Mario Soto, 49, was at one of the benches in the northwest corner and upper level of the park shortly before 6 p.m. when he was shot once in the chest, said LAPD Det. Jeff Cortina. A male suspect, who is estimated to be about 5’8” with a thin build and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, fled the scene. Rampart Division detectives are asking for the public’s help in their investigation. “At 5:50 p.m., there should have been a lot of people at the park and I understand that there is fear and trepidation but there are people who saw more,” Cortina said. Anyone with information about the incident can call Rampart homicide detectives at (213) 484-3650. To leave anonymous tips, call (877) LAPD-247 or go to lapdonline.org. photo by Gary Leonard

Project 50 Could Become Project 500

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n effort to get some of Skid Row’s most at-risk people off the street could grow tenfold. On Tuesday, May 26, the County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on a motion that could lead to an expansion of Project 50, a $5.6 million effort to find the 50 people most at risk of dying on the streets of Skid Row and move them into permanent supportive housing. If approved, the county would move forward with recommendations in a feasibility report commissioned by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky in February. The goal would be to expand the program to 500 people by June 2010. Recommendations in the report include establishing the Street to Home strategy, the basis for Project 50, as the county’s method to assist the most vulnerable homeless people, and to adopt the Vulnerability Index, which has helped Project 50 officials determine who the most needy are. The report also recommends identifying more nonprofit housing providers to participate in the program.

The 1926 Orpheum Theatre, which has hosted artists including a young Judy Garland and Aretha Franklin, went another direction last week, as the site of tryouts for the NBC show “America’s Got Talent.” From May 18-21 the reality/game show utilized the Broadway theater.

Wolfgang Puck Opens at L.A. Live

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elebrity chef Wolfgang Puck has opened a nearly 8,000-square-foot restaurant at L.A. Live. The menu at the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill features modern American cuisine, with offerings including salads, pastas, pizzas and cocktails. Executive Chef John Lechleidner helms the eatery.

The company’s catering arm already handles events for most activities at any part of L.A. Live. The 140-seat restaurant follows tiki-themed Trader Vic’s, which debuted at L.A. Live on May 2. Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill is currently open for dinner only, Monday-Thursday from 5-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m.-midnight. Reservations and information at (213) 748-9700 or wolfgangpuck.com.

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

University of Southern California

Basquiat, the Musical Snatch a sneak peek of Prodigy, the new rock musical.

Thursday and Friday, May 28 and 29, 8 p.m.

Ramo Recital Hall Admission: $20 (213) 740-2167

Enter the graffiti-splashed, hiphopped-up world of the impossibly gifted 1980s phenomenon Jean-Michel Basquiat. From homeless drug addict to pampered darling of the New York cultural elite, the Haitian-American iconoclast lived a fast and furious existence, drawing into his orbit the likes of Andy Warhol and Madonna before his star supernovaed in a “speedballing” accident at age 28. Don’t miss this professional staged reading of what may be next year’s Broadway sensation, with book and lyrics by USC Thornton Opera director Ken Cazan and a rap-Latin-alternative rock score by composer Billy Pace.

USC your cultural connection

A L S O AT U S C :

Under Construction Tuesday, May 26, through Saturday, May 30.

Performed in repertory. Curtain times vary.

The School of Theatre showcases work by three up-and-coming playwrights – this year’s graduates of the MFA in dramatic writing program.

Choose from About Harvest, describing a forbid-

Find out at the landmark location near Downtown. Home of the original Chili-burger.

Quality and value since 1946:

Chili Hamburger .............. $2.00 Chili Cheeseburger ........... $2.40

den love between an American farm girl and a German POW working her family’s fields in the 1940s; Daughters of Lot, a retelling of the biblical story of the fiery flight from Sodom; and Tether, which relates the strange tale of twin sisters Lach and Lam – one black, the other white.

McClintock Building Admission: Free (213) 740-2167

For more information visit www.usc.edu

LA Downtown News

Many Imitate, But None Compare!

tax included

May 25, 2009

Downtown News 3

DowntownNews.com

WE’RE IN A DROUGHT MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION STARTS JUNE 1

ST

Reduce Your Water Use

Know the Law

Southern California’s current water shortage has created the need for serious conservation now. Beginning June 1, LADWP will apply shortage year water rates to customers as a means of encouraging conservation. Under shortage year rates, the amount of water allotted to single family residential customers at the lowest price - called Tier 1 will be reduced by 15%. Commercial, apartment and condo customers also must reduce their water use but are subject to a different conservation formula.

Customers who stay within the new allotment will not be affected while customers who exceed their Tier 1 allotment will pay more for each gallon they use over their limit.

On June 1 watering with sprinklers will be restricted to Mondays and Thursdays before 9:00 a.m. and after 4:00 p.m. - only. Violators are subject to fines. The City has other prohibited uses of water which are also being enforced. Are you obeying the law?

To learn more visit www.ladwp.com or call 1-800-DIAL DWP. Start conserving water now.

4 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

EDITORIALS Reasons for Optimism in Downtown Market

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ust as it has for the past decade, the Downtown Los Angeles development scene continues to be the subject of scrutiny and speculation. If activity is nothing close to the feverish pace that existed before the economy tumbled, neither is it dead, as some naysayers would have you believe.

Instead, the community is simultaneously at both extremes and somewhere in the middle. Right now a handful of developers are going broke while others are discovering a market for their just-opened projects. As this occurs, additional players are taking the baby steps toward new deals.

Los Angeles Downtown News last week published its Development issue. It provided the latest information on 112 projects in various states across the community. It revealed a neighborhood with much to like and some to fear.

Clearly, Downtown is caught in the painful recession that is hammering businesses and economies around the globe. The community has seen bankruptcies, from projects not yet out of the ground to the latest, the Chapter 7 filing from the developer of Seventh Street’s Brockman Building.

The fate of the long-awaited project is unknown. It is a disturbing situation for the strategically located edifice, as a bank takeover could lead to the property sitting empty for an extended period (banks are not known for working aggressively to fill residential units).

On the bright side, the building’s recently opened upscale restaurant and grocer, Bottega Louie, is apparently safe from the tumult affecting the developer. In fact, the new business has found a large and eager clientele.

As the Brockman suffers, other housing developments are coming online, and some

developers are aggressively pricing their condominiums. This may be difficult for them to stomach, but it could prove beneficial for the neighborhood — prices had risen too high too fast, and as the auction of units at the Rowan Lofts a few months back revealed, there is still quite an appetite for condos when the price is right. Housing developers may not make the killing they anticipated when they broke ground, but if they are willing to lower prices they can live to develop another day, which in this market can be considered a success.

As all this occurs, there is also an intriguing flurry of proposed new deals. In the last three months, at least nine new projects have gained attention, including four market-rate residential developments (three of them high-rises).

They are coming mostly from experienced business people who understand that if they

Move L.A. Marathon Back to March

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n Monday, May 25, thousands of runners will congregate on Figueroa between Fifth and Sixth streets for the start of the 26.2-mile trek that is the Los Angeles Marathon. Just over two hours later, the first racers, having traversed a vast swath of the city, will re-enter Downtown and will cross the finish line near the Central Library.

Hopefully this is the last time the race will be run on this schedule.

The Marathon is a fun and even creative event, one that helps give the scattered city a sense of connection. We like that this year it again starts and ends in Downtown Los Angeles — this was the traditional route, though in recent years the starting line was moved elsewhere, with the course still concluding in the Financial District. Downtown is the right place for the race to begin and end.

The problem is that the end of May is too late for a marathon in Los Angeles. It is a time when temperatures can soar, and running 26.2 miles in very warm weather can be dehydrating and dangerous.

In fact, the impact has already been felt: Registrations for the Los Angeles Marathon have been way down compared to

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

previous years, and many of the world’s elite runners are skipping the race — these athletes plan their schedules months or more in advance and won’t ponder running in searing heat.

This will mark the L.A. Marathon’s 24th installment, and most of that time it took place on a Sunday in March. That schedule, however, drew criticism from clergy across the city, who complained that the street closures for the race make it difficult for churchgoers to reach their places of worship.

That pressure, along with a change in the ownership of the race, prompted the move to Memorial Day. There is nothing wrong with trying to satisfy those inconvenienced by the race, but the late May solution does not work in Los Angeles — this is the second-largest city in the country and we deserve a race and racers of the highest caliber. We will never get that with this schedule.

The issue has been noted by city officials including Council members Tom LaBonge, Janice Hahn and Bill Rosendahl, who have called for the L.A. Marathon to shift back to March.

A motion that would require the race to change its date has already been approved by one Council committee, and will go to another committee before reaching the full Council. It

begin work on securing city approvals today, they will be in a good position in 12 or 18 months or whenever the market turns and banks again start to make loans. It is worth noting that longtime Downtown developer Jim Thomas is in this pool; his $1 billion plan, with partner Korean Air, to replace the Wilshire Grand is in an early stage.

Downtown is not as hot as it was a few years ago, but neither is it frozen in place (and truthfully, nowhere is hot right now).

While it is best to refrain from falling back into “irrational exuberance,” to use former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s term, there are still legitimate reasons to be optimistic about the area’s future. The low condo prices and the increasing number of apartments will mean more new residents in the short term. The recently unveiled projects will mean more activity in the long term.

deserves support.

Reverting to March could also help the race brass regain the momentum that had been building. Marathon organizers created an attention-getter a few years ago with “The Challenge,” in which the top women start the race before the elite male runners and the first person to cross the finish line gets a bonus (this year $100,000). It’s a gimmick, but the battle of the sexes is exciting and gets people watching.

The L.A. Marathon has become a fixture in the city’s sports and events scene, and those who watch the race on TV get a glimpse of some of the many communities they otherwise never see. The race should continue and it should always seek improvement. Part of being better is moving out of May. Consider this a well-intended but failed experiment and make the move before the 2010 race.

How to reach us Main office: (213) 481-1448 MAIL your Letter Letters to the Editor • L.A. Downtown News 1264 W. First Street • Los Angeles, CA 90026 Email your Letter realpeople@downtownnews.com FAX your Letter (213) 250-4617 Read Us on the Web DowntownNews.com

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

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May 25, 2009

Downtown News 5

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Rating R Experts Find That $40 Billion Transit Tax May Not Pay for All They Hoped

by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

W

hen Los Angeles County voters passed Measure R last November, approving a half-cent sales tax to raise $40 billion for transportation projects, many saw it as a sign that the public was desperate to ease congestion.

The tax hike required approval from 66.67% of voters. It got 67.22%. “It’s very difficult to get two-thirds approval of anything and particularly in a bad economy, which I think speaks to how dire the perception of this problem was,� said Phil Recht, chair of the Central City Association, which hosted a panel on Measure R on Tuesday, May 13, before a crowd of business and transportation leaders.

Recht, who moderated the panel at the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, pointed to projections that the county’s population will swell from 9.8 million to 12 million by 2030, slowing the average freeway speed to about 20 miles per hour.

If voters expected Measure R to reduce traffic immediately, that won’t happen. The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority faces some major economic potholes on its road to easing congestion and improving the reach of mass transit, concluded the panel of experts, including new MTA Executive Director Art Leahy.

Measure R, which follows a $38.9 billion state transportation bond approved in 2006 known as Proposition 1B, puts a half-cent sales tax in place for 30 years. With the first funds

becoming available July 1, the measure is expected to fund 33 transit projects — including the proposed Downtown Regional Connector and an extension of the Metro Gold Line — as well as a portion of regional street repairs and other projects.

As unemployment continues to rise and the economy continues to struggle, however, the revenue stream of sales tax dollars that was supposed to feed Measure R is suddenly thinner than anticipated, said panelist Richard Katz, a member of the MTA board. “The $40 billion that you voted for, based on this economy, is now about $32 billion, and if it doesn’t turn around quick, it’ll be $25 billion before too long,� Katz said.

Reason to Move, Now If Katz lamented the recession’s toll on Measure R’s ability to raise money, he said a silver lining is that lower construction costs and competition among contractors make now a good time to jumpstart infrastructure projects. As an example, he noted that a recently started expansion of the San Diego (405) Freeway high-occupancy vehicle lane came in 10% below the MTA’s anticipated cost, saving the agency $100 million. “With three or four more projects like that, you can build another project just based on the savings,� he said.

Still, new projects will likely be difficult without further financial contributions from the state and federal governments, said panelist Dario Frommer, a former state Assembly majority leader and one of two current California Transportation Commissioners

photo by Gary Leonard

(l to r) California Transportation Commissioner Dario Frommer, MTA board member Richard Katz and new MTA Executive Director Art Leahy participated in a May 13 panel discussion on Measure R. Katz warned that the anticipated $40 billion could turn out to be as little as $25 billion.

from Los Angeles County.

For Measure R to be successful, elected officials will have to leverage the county funds to obtain more dollars from the state and federal governments, Frommer said.

Recht agreed. “Forty billion dollars sounds like an awful lot of money, but it’s still not nearly enough to fund even the 33 projects that are designated in this measure,� Recht said.

A New Leader As the MTA attempts to implement its transportation projects amid the global economic woes, it’ll do so under the reins of Leahy, who most recently served as executive director of the Orange County Transportation Authority.

Leahy, a Los Angeles native who started his career in transportation as an MTA bus driver, still resides in and commutes from Orange County. He and the other panelists agreed that in addition to financial challenges, future transportation projects face a significant obstacle in community opposition. Leahy said he hopes to counterbalance that during his tenure with earlier and more

proactive community engagement during the planning process.

For Downtown residents and workers, the benefits of Measure R may be felt most in the Downtown Regional Connector, a proposed two-mile transit route that would link four light-rail lines. The project, expected to cost at least $800 million, is in the environmental review stage and completion is likely seven to 10 years away.

If the Regional Connector is the only Measure R funded project in Downtown proper, area commuters and residents alike may have more at stake in the 32 other projects if they can divert traffic from the Pasadena (110), Hollywood (101) and Santa Monica (10) freeways, said Carol Schatz, executive director of the Central City Association. “Downtown residents have to go other places,� Schatz said. “Any time they go some place else they’re faced with this reality. Not to mention those who don’t live Downtown who want to get here for a sporting event or a concert.�

Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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DowntownNews.com

More Debate for Affordable Housing Measure Proposed Mixed-Income Ordinance Still Fails to Gain Consensus

by Anna Scott staff writer

A

controversial proposal to bring more affordable housing to Los Angeles had another City Hall airing last week. But whether lawmakers can hammer out a measure that satisfies affordable housing advocates and the business community, a challenge that has left similar past measures to die in stalemate, remains to be seen.

The Mixed-Income Ordinance, proposed by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in September, would require developers of market-rate residential projects citywide to include some

level of affordable housing in their projects or pay for it to be built offsite. A similar effort, known as the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, died amid heavy debate five years ago before reaching the full Council.

During a packed May 19 hearing at City Hall, where city planning officials and consultants outlined their latest progress on the ordinance before the City Council’s Planning and Housing committees, both sides turned up to make their case. Those speaking in favor of the ordinance outnumbered the critics in the crowd, and included representatives from the community and labor coalition Housing L.A., the com-

EAST MEETS WEST

munity organization Acorn and the American Civil Liberties Union, among others.

Activist and author Barbara Ehrenreich, author of the bestseller Nickel and Dimed, a firsthand account of surviving on minimum wage, also appeared. She said she was “shocked to learn that Los Angeles, considered a progressive example to the rest of the country, does not have an ordinance like this.”

Meanwhile, representatives from the Central City Association and the Building Industry Association urged caution before moving forward. Business groups have said they would support a measure if it includes incentives to avoid hamstringing market-rate development.

“A sound proposal must be economically feasible in any kind of market, and this can only occur with the right incentives,” said CCA Vice President of Legislative Affairs Veronica

‘It’s a delicate balance.

We want to get it done quickly, but have it be meaningful.’

—Planning Director Gail Goldberg

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Perez Becker. Those incentives, said Holly Schroeder of the BIA, might include density bonuses, reduced parking requirements or reduced permitting fees.

Deputy Mayor of Housing and Economic Development Policy Helmi Hisserich took the middle ground, saying that Villaraigosa believes the ordinance should target those who make less than $60,000 a year and apply to buildings with 10 or more units. She did not say what percentage of each project should be deemed affordable.

Low-income housing advocates, said Housing L.A. spokeswoman Beth Steckler, hope to see at least 25% of the units in any project designated as affordable.

No action was taken at the May 19 meeting. Instead, it was officially a status update, and a Planning Department report noted that a 19-member task force including for- and nonprofit developers, finance experts and city officials have completed a financial analysis of the proposed MIO, though with mixed results. The Housing Department is expected to review the analysis and come up with its own recommendations within two weeks.

Meanwhile, attorneys Barbara Kautz and Tom Webber of Goldfarb & Lipman LLP have completed an analysis of the MIO’s potential legal pitfalls. Kautz spoke at Tuesday’s hearing.

One wild card, she said, is a lawsuit from Downtown developer Geoff Palmer. Palmer, who has built thousands of apartments in Italian-inspired projects, is suing the city over whether he must include affordable units in his upcoming Piero II apartment building. If successful, the case, now before a state appellate court, would prevent the city from applying the MIO to rental housing.

“We need to see what happens with that,” Kautz said, noting that “it could affect a lot how the Mixed-Income Ordinance gets structured.”

Planning Director Gail Goldberg said she expects to give a status update on the MIO to the full Council this week.

In September, she said, her staff will return to the Housing and Planning committees with a few possible versions of the MIO. When and if an actual ordinance goes to the Council for a vote will depend on how aggressive council members decide to make the measure. That will determine the type of environmental review it is subject to, a process that could take anywhere from a few weeks to a year, said Goldberg. The review would examine issues such as traffic impacts, for example, if developers utilized density bonuses to offset the cost of the affordable units.

“It’s a delicate balance,” said Goldberg. “We want to get it done quickly, but have it be meaningful.”

Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

May 25, 2009

Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com

What They Meant Continued from page 1 an uneasy compromise that will keep LAPD staffing fairly consistent, though it will prevent the department from reaching the fabled 10,000-officer level any time soon. It also probably means 1,200 layoffs of city employees. That figure does not include Jack Weiss.

While the budget battle has focused on finances (at the same time, Villaraigosa is still trying to persuade his old union buddies to budge in negotiations), it has also involved significant public posturing, with city officials striving to deliver the message that they have the public’s pocketbook in mind, and that it’s the other bozos who are wasting taxpayer dollars in a recession. As a public service, and with absolutely no concern for how it will impact taxpayer dollars, I’ve picked out a few of the messages and statements and have translated what they’re really trying to say.

What He Said: Villaraigosa, May 12, in an address at a Town Hall Los Angeles luncheon, regarding potential layoffs: “I do not want to travel down this path. These cuts are unacceptable to me as your mayor and as your fellow public servant. There is a better way forward and a better way out of this crisis.”

What He Meant: Do it my way. These cuts are unacceptable to me as your mayor and as your next governor.

Seriously, this could hurt my gubernatorial bid.

What He Said: Councilman José Huizar, a Villaraigosa ally, in a May 13 statement after the Budget & Finance Committee vote, where he was in the minority: “I cannot in good conscience look into the eyes of a crime victim’s family knowing that I didn’t do everything in my power to fight for improved public safety.”

What He Meant: I’m tough on crime and am voting with Antonio. By the way, I have a Master’s from Princeton.

‘His comments smacked of political retribution, and you deserve better than that from your chief of police.’

—Councilman Bill Rosendahl What He Said: Bratton, May 13, in a statement responding to the Budget & Finance Committee vote: “While I appreciate the severity of the city’s financial situation and the difficult decisions City Council members will be forced to make, it is shortsighted to consider stopping all police hiring, including hiring to replace retiring LAPD officers. Public safety should never be sacrificed.”

What He Meant: Do these City Council guys not get it? Do they have any idea what it is like on the streets? Are they from Planet Clueless?

What She Said: Councilwoman Jan Perry, May 14, in a statement responding to the Budget & Finance Committee vote: “I cannot support an expansion of the LAPD at a time when we must institute a citywide hiring freeze, potentially mandate extensive work furloughs, and initiate lay-offs.”

What She Meant: Do these guys not realize how many folks are about to be canned? Do they not understand that other people besides cops work here? Do they really not get it?

What He Said: Los Angeles Police Protective League President Paul Weber, May 14, in a statement responding to the Budget & Finance Committee vote: “Los Angeles police officers understand the severity of the situation and the LAPPL is working diligently to identify ways to close the budget gap without diminishing public safety. We look forward to working in partnership with the mayor, Chief Bratton and the entire city government to set the right priorities in these difficult times.”

What He Meant: Los Angeles police officers understand the severity of the situation but we’ll raise holy hell if you even think of cutting staff or hours. We look forward to working in partnership with the mayor, Chief Bratton and the entire city government to get our way. And if there’s any money saved, ain’t none of it going back to the general fund.

What He Said: Bratton, May 15, in a statement as the issue escalated: “It’s simple math; if we don’t hire the 560 officers, which includes replacing those lost to attrition, each of our 21 station areas could lose 26 officers.”

What He Meant: If you vote against this, I’ll have no choice

but to take some of my officers out of your district. And you’ll have to explain that to the voters. How do you like them apples?

What He Said: Councilman Bill Rosendahl, a Budget & Finance Committee member who voted in favor of the hiring freeze, in a May 14 statement: “I was disheartened to hear Chief William Bratton’s comments that he would soon begin to pull dozens of officers out of the Westside in response to the committee’s action. His comments smacked of political retribution, and you deserve better than that from your chief of police.”

What He Meant: Oh, it’s like that! Are you talkin’ to me?

Are you talkin’ to me?

What He Said: Councilman Greig Smith, a Budget & Finance Committee member who voted in favor of the hiring freeze, in a May 16 Daily News article responding to Bratton: “(Bratton) should shut up and be a police chief.”

What He Meant: Uh oh, did I just tell Bratton to shut up?

What He Said: Villaraigosa, May 18, in a statement after the full Council voted to continue police hiring but not to increase the force: “Today the City Council voted to keep our promise to the people of Los Angeles and restore funding to hire police officers…. I thank the Council for keeping our commitment to Angelenos.”

What He Meant: Today the Council voted to torpedo my 10,000-officer gubernatorial platform . I hate the Council.

What He Said: Huizar, May 18, in a statement after the compromise: “We created a new paradigm and are telling the residents of Los Angeles that public safety is indeed our number one priority.”

What He Meant: I can use the word paradigm in a sentence. Did you know I have a Master’s from Princeton?

Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.

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Voting will be open from May 11 through June 5, 2009.

8 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

Wine Bars Continued from page 1 a wine bar at 626 S. Spring St., folded after almost three years. The owners are selling the business to a new operator who does not plan to keep the wine bar concept, said Eric Shomof of landlord Pacific Investments.

“They basically weren’t doing well,” Shomof said.

The proprietors of Downtown’s new wine bars, however, are convinced that 626 Reserve’s failure is not indicative of a lack of demand. Indeed, each say they are carving a unique niche, from South Park establishments Corkbar and BottleRock to the wine bar closest to Banquette, The Must, to Little Tokyo’s Tapas and Wine Bar C. “People warned us about [626 Reserve] and were like, ‘Be careful,’” said Rachel Thomas, who owns The Must with Coly DenHaan. “So we did check them out, but we’re different. We feel the more the merrier,

really, but we’re apples and oranges from them, and Banquette.”

Be Thirsty The most unusual of the new brigade is probably Tapas and Wine Bar C, which occupies a space in a strip mall at Second and Central where sultry waitresses strut in French maid outfits and the interior is decked out in faux fur and black lace curtains. The list of strictly California and Bordeaux wines is not cheap, however; glasses start at $15.

The decor is worlds removed from The Must, which opened at 118 W. Fifth St. in January after taking over the lease (and beer and wine license) of the failed Lime Café.

The bar’s name is both a play on words — the menu insists “You Must be Thirsty,” etc.

— and a reference to “must,” the term for grape juice when it’s freshly pressed and still contains stems, seeds and skins.

The Must is akin to a neighborhood-style pub, with thick leather booths wrapped around tall tables. It’s a place where regulars play Connect 4 and other games on Sunday “game nights.”

photo by Gary Leonard

Although it looks like a neighborhood pub, The Must is a wine bar with offerings from around the world. The Historic Core establishment includes selections from Mexico, Bosnia and the Republic of Georgia.

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South Park’s BottleRock launched this month. Glasses range from $7 to more than $100.

If visitors didn’t know it was a wine bar, they could be forgiven for ordering a Jack and Coke. But DenHaan, a trained sommelier and bartender, has no intention to pour hard booze.

“The concept is the must and it’s built on wine, so the focus is the wine,” DenHaan said.

The Must’s list dabbles in varieties from around the world, including wines from Mexico, Bosnia and the Republic of Georgia.

Glasses are $5-$22 and bottles go for $17$76.

DenHaan and Thomas have gone out of their way to create a space that operates outside of stereotypical wine world norms.

In addition to the wines and artisanal beers on tap, they serve Colt 45. Individuals get their bottle of malt liquor in a brown paper bag; couples get it in an ice bucket with two champagne flutes.

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Thomas said.

Model Bottles Perhaps the most anticipated Downtown wine bar is BottleRock, which Fred Hakim and a team of partners opened this month after a long gestation period.

The establishment on the ground floor of the Met Lofts at Eleventh and Hope streets is a more traditional wine bar, with green furnishings and a main bar fashioned from broken bottles. The shelves hold wines from around the world. The bar, which follows a BottleRock in Culver City, also functions as a wine shop.

The bar offers a selection of artisanal beers and a food menu devised by Jared Levy, who has cooked at Blue Velvet and Providence.

But Hakim said food is not the focus.

“The restaurant is secondary,” Hakim said.

Glasses range from $7 to more than $100, while bottles go for $8-$1,000, he said.

When Downtown resident Justine Langston, who lives in the Historic Core

and has worked as a sommelier, learned that BottleRock had opened, she immediately went to check it out. She was impressed.

“When you see these labels you can tell that someone is handpicking these and knows what they’re doing,” she said.

California Love A short walk from BottleRock is Corkbar.

The business at 403 W. 12th St. is the first for co-owner Caleb Wines (yes, his real last name) and four investors.

Their concept has a narrower focus than BottleRock’s, with only California wines and a simple, seasonal menu built on farmer’s market-driven foods. The Golden State focus also applies to the beer list, which features 12 brews on tap, 10 from local breweries.

The idea for Corkbar was born out of frustration that “there was nothing in L.A. that really captured the easygoing nature of the California wine world,” Wines said.

The space on the ground floor of the Evo building boasts 24-foot ceilings and is outfitted in blond wood panels separated by corkstudded seams, and rustic tables decorated with mini candles. Corkbar also sells bottles to-go for 50% off the wine list price.

They opened in March, only to deal with growing pains. Prices have since been lowered; the list is now $8-$22 per glass and $30$142 for a bottle.

“At first people said we were too pricey, so we’ve added more in the value-conscious range, but it’s harder to find a good, quality wine for the lower price and we really want to stick to our guns about offering only really great wines,” Wines said.

As for competing with Downtown’s wine bars, Wines echoed the stance voiced by the other proprietors.

“We’re taking the position that more boats will raise the tide,” he said. “I think we all offer a different bent on the wine bar scene.”

Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

Barry Shy Continued from page 1 has allowed him to switch to apartments relatively unscathed.

“Before I purchase property, I make sure it’s going to pencil out for me even as apartments,” Shy said last week, seated at the dining room table in a model loft at his SB Grand building at Fifth Street and Broadway. “I’m not making a lot of money right now, but definitely I’m not losing money. One day, when I sell the project, I’ll get the full value.”

Though few in Downtown deny that Shy is a shrewd businessman, many question at what cost. He has a reputation for litigiousness, and according to the Los Angeles Superior Court’s online database, has been involved in more than 170 civil cases.

In interviews with Los Angeles Downtown News, local real estate agents, brokers and residents have accused Shy of everything from overcharging for parking to shoddy construction work. Shy acknowledges the critiques, though he maintains that his current projects are high quality.

What is indisputable is that despite the economy, Barry Shy just keeps building, and his projects attract residents.

The 3-month-old SB Main is nearly half full, with 100 units leased, said Shy, and while the weeks-old SB Spring only has four tenants so far, Shy said it is garnering interest.

The key, not surprisingly, is price. Downtown rents currently average $2.19 per square foot, said Dolores Conway, director of USC’s Casden Real Estate Economics Forecast.

Shy’s new buildings run about $1.33-$2 per square foot.

‘I’m not making a lot of money right now, but definitely I’m not losing money.’

—Barry Shy

“I lot of people don’t like Barry, but he’s built affordable units that met the market,” said Michael Ross, senior vice president of the Investment Properties Division for real estate firm Grubb & Ellis. “He built smaller, affordable units and he’s still in business, and the other guys are not.”

Building by Building The Israeli-born Shy began his development career working on subdivisions in the early 1980s. He turned to Downtown after the 1999 passage of the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, which paved the way for residential conversions of the Central City’s languishing office buildings.

Shy’s Downtown projects include the 135-condominium Higgins Building at 108 W. Second St., the 140-condo A.G. Bartlett Building at 215 W. Seventh St. and the 280-condo SB Grand at 312 W. Fifth St., among others. Altogether, he has developed approximately 1,100 Downtown units.

Shy purchased the three former office buildings that now house SB Main, SB Spring and the upcoming SB Tower, along with a parking lot on Main Street where he hopes to construct a new residential high-rise, for $75 million in 2006. Ross worked on the deal at his previous firm, Colliers International. Shy covered much of the cost upfront, Ross said, rather than rely on leverage.

“He put in a substantial amount of cash to buy the property,” said Ross. Because of that, “He’s in a pretty good position as the market goes down. Because he had a low basis in the property, he can afford to make them apartments.”

Construction for the three new adaptive reuse projects are approximately $30 million each, Shy said. The conversions were financed by a variety of sources including Shy himself, bank loans and private investors, he said, though he would not elaborate on the specifics. Still, he implied that his low leverage approach carries over from acquisition to construction.

“Many [condominium] developers, because of the construction loan, they have to sell right away,” he said. “I’m not in this position. I can wait as long as I want.”

The key to his business, Shy said, is thinking long term and funneling revenue from one project to the next.

“A lot of developers develop a project, complete it, sell it, then look for another project,” he said. “I was never like that.”

Shy often enters long-term deals when acquiring new development sites, he said, allowing up to two years to close as he waits on income from completed projects.

“I put my money to work all the time,” he said. “As soon as I get the money from one project, either selling or refinance, I invest in other projects that I already bought a year or two years ahead of time. That’s the way I could roll many projects at the same time.”

Leasing Up Right now, the Downtown rental market seems to be on

Shy’s side.

The area’s vacancy rate in the first quarter of this year was approximately 10%, according to preliminary figures, said Conway, down from 14.5% in December. “There was a lot of new supply that came on last year, so they’re probably leasing them up slowly,” she said.

Shy is likely to benefit because of his low price points; for example, a 600-square-foot unit is his SB Spring is renting for $1,200, while a 1,500-square-foot loft goes for $2,000.

Additionally, he is offering incentives such as low security deposits and two months of free rent.

“It is the price point,” said Downtown real estate agent Bill Cooper of The Loft Expert Group, explaining how Shy fills his buildings. However, Cooper added, “I steer my clients clear of him. In my personal opinion, I think it’s known around town that his units are an inferior product. They’re as inexpensive as he can make them, and it’s reflected in the prices.”

Multiple local real estate brokers and agents echoed

Downtown News 9

Cooper’s sentiment, and said they advise their clients not to live in Shy’s buildings.

Shy acknowledges the criticism. “In the first and second buildings, I didn’t put in top-quality materials because the market didn’t justify that,” he said. However, he added, his latest projects “are a higher quality than the average loft building.”

In general, Shy attributes his reputation to his being the face of his own brand.

“I have a big company,” he said. “If anybody has a problem with Microsoft, and every time they complain they blame Bill Gates personally, then he would probably have 1 million lawsuits.”

Still, some of Shy’s detractors might be relieved to know that the developer does not have any immediate plans to expand his Downtown holdings. As for his current properties, Shy said he plans to hold them for at least five to 10 years.

“And who knows,” he added, “I might hold them forever.”

Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

10 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

HEALTHCARE

Stress Takes a Bite Out of Dental Health Dr. Silvia Kasparian Advises How to Safeguard Your Teeth Against Damage

T

he state of the economy is not just sinking your 401K, but your health too. And we can tell by your teeth.

That may be extreme, but without the proper dental care and attention, it could become a reality. According to Dr. Silvia

Medical Acupuncture Offered at The Doctors of USC-Downtown

by Cheryl Bruyninckx

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edical acupuncture is now available at The Doctors of USC - Downtown, the University of Southern California’s faculty practice serving the needs of the Downtown com-

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

Kasparian, there are warning signs everyone should be aware of that stress is taking a toll on our oral health.

A red flag recently prompted Kasparian to share her concerns after treating three new patients in the same week with fractured teeth, which is an unprecedented occurrence. Stress sometimes manifests itself in the form of bruxism, or the grinding and clenching of teeth.

Internalizing stress can cause you pain and money, but being aware of the symptoms is the first step to diverting dental problems.

Sleeping at night should be a restful process.

However, waking up tired with muscle aches, especially in your neck, shoulders, temples, and jaw, and a heightened sensitivity to hot and cold foods, are indications of impending trouble.

Although noise is associated with grinding, clenching is generally silent. Kasparian recommends paying close attention to any prolonged facial aches and tightness in the jaw and to seek a dental evaluation as early as possible.

Without proper diagnosis, extended bruxism could result in a cracked filling or even the tooth itself. Treatment could range from a filling to inserting a crown or worse yet, the loss of the tooth. Properly identified, your dentist can address any immediate difficulty and recommend treatment to alleviate permanent damage.

“A dentist’s ultimate goal is to prevent

An Alternative Approach

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

something serious before it happens, and that is through awareness and periodic examinations,” advises Kasparian.

There’s an inherent fear of dentists causing some to procrastinate when it comes to regular check-ups and cleanings. She suggests getting referrals before choosing a dentist and weighing the benefits and risks of any treatment, especially cosmetic. “The right dentist has a conscientious approach to their patient’s needs and concerns. As healthcare professionals, we must consider the overall health and long-term viability of the teeth, and should always prescribe necessary treatments,” Kasparian says. “Patients should be cautious as some forms of cosmetic dentistry have short-lived beauty effects that may weaken a tooth’s natural structure.”

A USC graduate, Kasparian has practiced in Downtown for nearly 20 years. More than 90% of her patients have been acquired through word-of-mouth referrals.

To schedule a complimentary consultation, call (213) 892-8172. The office is located across from the Central Library at 601 W. Fifth St., Suite 1110.

munity. Dr. Paulette Saddler, clinical assistant professor of family medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, offers acupuncture services for the treatment of stress, jet lag, menopausal symptoms, headaches and back pain.

“Acupuncture is a great treatment option for people who don’t like to be on medications,” says Saddler. “It is an alternative approach to help improve painful physical conditions.”

As Saddler explains, she advises her patients to incorporate healthful activities into their day-to-day lives. Specifically, she helps them reduce their stress with a combination of acupuncture, diet and exercise. Saddler also works closely with other physicians in the clinic to make sure the patients’ needs are met.

“At The Doctors of USC-Downtown, we practice a collaborative approach to patient care,” says Saddler. “We coordinate care with each other in order to make sure all of the patients’ concerns are well taken care of.”

The Doctors of USC-Downtown is a multidisciplinary health care clinic for busy professionals living and working in Downtown Los Angeles. Located in the heart of the Downtown area, the clinic offers general and specialty medical care

from USC’s renowned faculty physicians.

The center offers easy access to health care services including internal medicine, women’s health (gynecology and mammography), medical acupuncture, endocrinology, and cosmetic and therapeutic dermatology. Same-day appointments are often available. The center also features an Executive Health Program with highly personalized disease detection and prevention exams.

The Doctors of USC-Downtown has a booth at the Downtown Los Angeles Farmers Market every Friday in the Bank of America Plaza. Visit the booth for additional information, receive a free gift and have your blood pressure checked by the staff.

The Doctors of USC-Downtown is located in the Bank of America Plaza at 333 S. Hope St., Suite C-145. Call (213) 437-1000 for more information or to book an appointment.

May 25, 2009

Downtown News 11

Healthcare

Landfill or Life?

Downtown Hospital Refurbishes Used Equipment for Rural Ethiopian Hospitals

I

n an effort to live up to its values and mission, California Hospital is going green and reaching beyond its United States borders to donate medical supplies, equipment and other first aid resources to Ethiopia.

Much of the equipment, while still funcFROM OUR ADVERTISERS

tioning and certified for safety, is no longer in use in the United States. Baby warmers, mattresses, ventilators, weighing scales and surgical supplies are among the donations.

“Hospital equipment in the United States has a higher rate of obsolescence, which is often not the case in other countries,” says Mark Muniz, facilities director for California Hospital. “Instead of ending up in landfills, we worked with our physicians as well as our biomedical and engineering teams for ways to refurbish this equipment and find another chance at saving lives.”

The hospital is working with Ethiopia Health Aid, a U.S.-based medical charity that establishes hospitals, community health centers and schools in rural Ethiopia, where foreign aid and resources are scarce. Many of the group’s members are physicians and nurses who practice at California Hospital Medical Center. “We appreciate the philanthropic leadership our physicians and employees provide,” says CHMC Foundation President Cliff Hoffman. “Thanks to their vision and efforts, we are able to help those whose suffering is unparalleled.”

In addition, the group embarks on Medical Missions to provide health services to remote African villages. “Access to quality health care is a fundamental human right,” says Dr. Gudata Hinika, founder of Ethiopia Health Aid and a physician at California Hospital.

“Such resources as these help ease the suffering of families, as well as encourage earlier and more frequent visits to a health care provider. By helping struggling communities help themselves, we ensure not just their survival, but their progress.”

Ethiopia is a nation in distress. A “green famine” hit the country recently when severe drought and then floods devastated the nation’s agriculture. Of 82 million people, 6.4 million are in need of emergency assistance, and approximately 84,000 children require therapeutic feeding.

More than 85% of the population lives in outlying rural areas where there is a severe lack of health care facilities, clean water and other amenities.

With a ratio of one doctor for every 100,000 patients, access to medical care is a matter of survival. For 2.3 million people, this means walking for an average of four days to reach a medical facility.

Pregnant women suffer complications while walking in labor only to discover that the baby died in the womb. Mothers with sick children walk to health centers, arriving too late to save the infant’s life.

The mortality rates of women and children are among the highest in the world.

Fourteen mothers die for every 1,000 babies born. One in every five children dies before the age of 5.

For those who live in these communities, acquiring the basic necessities such as food, water, health and sanitation is often a matter of life and death. “Stewardship comes in many ways,” says Jerry Clute, California Hospital’s president. “We hope that by refurbishing our used equipment, we are able to help the environment and save lives. We are grateful to our colleagues who continue to extend our mission beyond our hospital walls.”

California Hospital’s focus has long been the care of mothers, children and families in need. Established in 1887, the hospital has a rich history of community service and medical care in Downtown Los Angeles and surrounding communities. It is also the area’s only Level II Trauma Center. California

Hospital Medical Center has established a foundation to provide financial support for capital projects, equipment, programs and services to the poor and underserved.

Ethiopia Health Aid (EHA) is a non-profit, tax-exempt health care and education provider that helps rural Ethiopian communities to improve their quality of life, health and environment by encouraging self-reliance through education, health care and community action. The organization is composed of accomplished health care professionals and educators brought together by their passion to serve and the belief that sustainable change is achievable when communities and their residents are self-sufficient, empowered and informed.

To learn more about California Hospital and the Foundation, visit chmcla.org. To learn more about EHA, visit ethiopiahealthaid.org.

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Healthcare

May 25, 2009

The Bottom Line Educogym Helps Save Money, Boost Productivity and Build a Healthy Workforce

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ccording to President Barack Obama, the cost of health care now causes a bankruptcy in America every 30 seconds. The problems we face today are a direct consequence of actions we failed to take yesterday.

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

“We’ve made the largest investment ever in preventative care because that’s one of the best ways to keep our people healthy and our costs under control,” Obama notes.

Companies are affected by the reduced productivity and increased costs caused by chronic disease amongst workforces. A conservative estimate of the benefits from improving the general wellness of a workforce indicates a likely annual return of three to one or more. However, the biggest problem facing companies to implement an effective wellness program is evaluation and monitoring.

Help may be at hand with the recent opening of Educogym, a new Downtown Los Angeles gym that squarely focuses on the corporate market. Educogym has a unique approach offering measurable results and accountability by tracking

If you’re Looking for a Female Physician . . .

‘With less than 20 minutes of exercise necessary three times a week and the necessary nutrition, motivation and supervision, Educogym is set to lead the way to a new era in health and fitness.’

—Thurston Pym, CEO, Educogym

. . . Look no Further! i Good Samaritan Medical Practice Association has 80 highly qualified female

physicians practicing as Internists, Family Practitioners, Specialists and Hospitalists, all in convenient locations throughout the downtown area. With so many female physicians accepting new patients right now, you are sure to find just the right personal physician for you.

i GSMPA physicians accept all major health insurance plans. Just call the mem-

ber services phone number on your insurance card and choose a doctor from the long list of Board Certified physicians. Many languages and ethnicities are available and scheduling an appointment during your work day will be easy and convenient.

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attendance, fat loss, muscle gain and effects on health and energy. The detailed reports can be customized for your needs.

What’s amazing about their solution is that they are willing to work with a company purely based on performance — if you don’t get the results, you don’t pay. They will also include education, workshops and advice to improve the work environment and canteen.

In an 8,500-square-foot state-of-the art gym situated on the 57th floor of the landmark U.S. Bank Tower, CEO Thurston Pym explains: “We are changing the industry’s focus from facilities to real results, for the first time offering a scientific solution to the overweight epidemic. With less than 20 minutes of exercise necessary three times a week and the necessary nutrition, motivation and supervision, Educogym is set to lead the way to a new era in health and fitness.”

Already CEOs and executives are seeing the benefits in the new Downtown L.A. location: n The CEO of Capital Source Bank lost 17.4 pounds of fat and gained 7 pounds of muscle in seven weeks. n John Axt of Corporate Trust Services lost 17.7 pounds of fat and gained 2.5 pounds of muscle in eight weeks. n Carmen Sifrig, vice president of Foreign Exchange at US Bank, lost 10.5 pounds of fat in four weeks.

By focusing on the results, it was necessary to develop a new model. The common “warehouse” gym fails to achieve the necessary results for many reasons: attendance can be as low as 10% after a few months, there is a lack of motivation and the training program typically does not address the need to maintain or increase muscle.

At Educogym, clients receive the advantages of personal training plus the benefits of the group dynamic for a fraction of the price. This allows the average person to benefit from the correct scientific approach. Appointment-based scheduling, personalized nutrition and exercise programs, and closely supervised training are some of the necessary and unique features to ensure results are achieved.

For more information, visit educogym.com or contact Manager Wayne Dunne at (310) 755-5098 or wayne.dunne@ educogym.com.

May 25, 2009

Downtown News 13

Healthcare

Look No Further!

Good Samaritan Medical Practice Association Offers 10 Female Primary Care Physicians

I

f you are looking for a female physician near the Downtown area, you know that they are hard to find.

If you are looking for a board certified female physician who practices at a world-class hospital and specializes in family practice, internal medicine or pediatrics, or perhaps who speaks a special language, the task becomes even more difficult.

FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

And if you are looking for such a physician who also happens to be listed in your health plan directory so that you can choose her as your own personal or family doctor, then she may seem almost impossible to find. Well, get ready for some good news.

GSMPA has more than 100 primary care physicians and over 1,500 specialists throughout Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. GSMPA has attracted thousands of patients who work or live in the Downtown area because its physician offices are so convenient and plentiful.

“We are fortunate to have such a panel of well qualified physicians in GSMPA. Ninety percent of our specialists are board certified and some are renowned pioneers in their field,” says Dr. Glen L. Hollinger, medical director and chairman of the board of GSMPA. “There are hundreds of individual physician offices in the GSMPA network and each office is independently owned and operated by the

physicians listed on the door. Patients simply choose an office that is near their work or home from their health plan directory and instantly they have a personal physician that is literally just around the corner. It’s hard to find that kind of quality and convenience in the typical suburban medical group.”

GSMPA primary care physicians can help you understand your health risks, interpret your family history and help you plan for a healthy future. If that’s what you have been looking for, look no further than Good Samaritan Medical Practice Association.

For more information visit gsmpa.net.

OrthOpaedic hOspital U shering in a n ew e ra

n F

If you work or live near Downtown Los Angeles, all you have to do is look for Good Samaritan Medical Practice Association (GSMPA) in your health plan physician directory. This large doctor group has 10 female primary care physicians with offices located on Wilshire Boulevard, Sixth Street, Alvarado Street, Olympic Boulevard, Sunset Boulevard and Western Avenue, all of which are convenient to the Downtown community.

In addition, GSMPA also has a dozen more female physicians in locations a little farther from Downtown but still close by. GSMPA is a prestigious group of physicians around

‘We are fortunate to have such a panel of well qualified physicians in GSMPA. Ninety percent of our specialists are board certified and some are renowned pioneers in their field.’

e w

a c e s

Anthony Scaduto, M.D.

Richard Bowen, M.D.

Lowman Professor Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics

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specialty care

at

• Scoliosis and spine deformities • Cerebral palsy • Spina bifida • Muscular dystrophy • Congenital clubfoot • Bone dysplasia

OrthOpaedic hOspital • • • • • •

Bone and soft tissue tumors Limb deformity and deficiency Fractures (up to age 18) Hand, hip and foot disorders Pediatric neurology and urology Hemophilia disorders

MOre lOcatiOns

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the campus of Good Samaritan Hospital, which is one of the landmark medical centers in Los Angeles. Some of its physicians were instrumental in developing the hospital’s cardiac, neonatal and neuroscience centers of excellence.

GSMPA is affiliated with all of the major health plans, so you can easily choose one of their physicians by simply calling the member services phone number on your insurance card.

If you have been looking for a female primary care physician near Downtown, there are five internal medicine doctors: Karen Kim, Carol Richardson-Te, Joanna Davies, Dong Sun Chung and Eun Yoon. The three family practitioners include doctors Maria Espinoza, Nupur Kumar and Magdi Gindi, while pediatrics is covered by doctors Erlinda Velasco and Bong Chang.

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14 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

Healthcare

A Vision for Care Orthopaedic Hospital Continues to Expand Children’s Services

E

stablished in 1911, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Program at Orthopaedic Hospital is one of the oldest and most comprehensive specialty orthopaedic centers for children with crippling birth defects and musculoskeletal disorders in the United States. The Children’s Clinic on the

provide the finest orthopaedic care for children, without regard for their ability to pay, Orthopaedic Hospital now has extended its services to West Los Angeles. The Renee and Meyer Luskin Children’s Clinic of Orthopaedic Hospital is now open in Santa Monica for the convenience and benefit of families living on the Westside.

Along with the Orthopaedic Hospital Outpatient Medical Center in Downtown Los Angeles, the Luskin Children’s Clinic treats youngsters with all types of orthopaedic conditions. This comfortable and convenient state-of-the-art outpatient facility is in close proximity to the Santa Monica-

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Lowman professor and chief of pediatric orthopaedics at Orthopaedic Hospital and UCLA. “We continue to be committed to expanding our treatment and research facilities, so more children can benefit from easier access to the very best orthopaedic care.”

As one of the preeminent comprehensive pediatric orthopaedic care centers in the U.S., Orthopaedic Hospital offers the full spectrum of children’s care for conditions such as cerebral palsy, clubfoot, fractures, hemophilia, scoliosis, spina bifida, hip disorders and other musculoskeletal disorders.

More than 2 million patient visits later, the insight and dedication of Dr. Lowman continues with the growth of a visionary leadership team and their commitment to excellence in patient care and education.

Orthopaedic Hospital is located in Downtown Los Angeles at 2400 S. Flower St., at the corner of 23rd Street. The new Renee and Meyer Luskin Children’s Clinic of Orthopaedic Hospital is located at 1530 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica.

Additional information regarding the Orthopaedic Hospital Children’s Clinic in Santa Monica is online at orthohospital. org/smclinic.

Orthopaedic Hospital’s patient services information is available on the Hospital website at orthohospital.org or by calling the Physician Referral Service at (213) 742-6509. The Urgent Care Center can be reached at (213) 742-1162.

May 25, 2009

Downtown News 15

Healthcare

Seattle Sutton’s Is Ideal for Many Medical Conditions Healthy, Portion-Controlled Meals Make Healthy Eating Convenient Sutton established the company in 1985. She saw the need for healthy prepared meals while working as her husband’s registered nurse. Seattle realized patients would eat properly if

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eattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating (SSHE) is ideal for many medical conditions since the freshly prepared meal plan follows the guidelines of health and nutrition experts, and is portion and calorie controlled, low fat, low cholesterol and sodium restricted.

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Diabetics, cardiac patients, those suffering from high blood pressure and blood cholesterol, as well as pregnant and nursing mothers do quite well on the meal program. The healthy meal plan makes healthy eating convenient because all the work is done for clients. No planning, shopping or cooking is necessary with SSHE. “I’m thrilled as a registered nurse to be helping people from coast-to-coast change their eating habits for good through my portion- and calorie-controlled meals. On a daily basis I hear from clients who’ve lost weight and

regained their health in the process, thanks to my meals.

Type II diabetics and heart patients do especially well on this program,” said Seattle Sutton, RN, BSN, founder and president of Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating.

Sutton continues, “My meals are healthy through and through and include fresh fruit, vegetables and salads. They do not contain artificial sweeteners, food dyes, harmful additives or preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils (trans fat) and hormones or antibiotics in poultry products.”

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‘I’m thrilled as a registered nurse to be helping people from coastto-coast change their eating habits for good through my portion- and calorie-controlled meals. On a daily basis I hear from clients who’ve lost weight and regained their health in the process, thanks to my meals.’

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someone would provide them the meals.

Seattle’s dedication to healthy eating is her mission. All the SSHE menus are analyzed on an ongoing basis and adhere to recommended dietary guidelines. SSHE prepares thousands of healthy, fresh meals weekly from its Illinois headquarters and its innovative approach has helped thousands of people nationwide achieve and maintain weight loss. Many more people have enjoyed the convenience of healthy, freshly prepared meals that help them juggle the demands of their busy lives.

Interested in eating healthy without all the work? Call (800) 442-DIET (3438) or visit seattlesutton.com and be on your way to healthy eating.

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16 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

Healthcare

Maintaining Your Health During Stressful Times Downtown Dental Offers Free TMJ Consultations for a Limited Time

D

uring these hard economic times, are you waking up with painful headaches that radiate from your temples, ears or jaw? Do you get migraines? If so you may be suffering from a problem called TMJ Disorder.

Studies have shown that one type of headache, the tension headache, is by far the most common — estimated FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

by some to be the cause of as much as 90% of all headaches and often misdiagnosed as true migraines. These are headaches that often originate in, or pain is referred to, the muscles of your forehead and temples. Rather than treating these with strong, addicting prescription medications, these headaches could be controlled by a non-invasive dental procedure using something similar to a dental retainer.

Because of the stress, TMJ Disorder is common in the Downtown population: On average, the Downtown worker works more than 40 hours per week and shoulders most of the responsibilities in the household. In addition, the increased stress of the current economic climate can aggravate the condition. In fact, there has been an increase in phone calls for TMJ-related complaints the

past six months.

TMJ Disorder is an often misunderstood, misdiagnosed and improperly treated condition. There is no doubt that stress is a major factor and can worsen the symptoms of TMJ, but contrary to what most people believe, stress is not the primary cause. There have been numerous studies that show that TMJ Disorder is a result of a malocclusion (an improper bite), which triggers harmful reflexes that cause spasms of the numerous muscles of the jaw, temples and face.

Downtown Dental has been successfully treating thousands of patients for TMJ Disorder by simply relieving the malocclusion with oral dental appliances.

Downtown Dental is here to help. New and current patients are welcome to come in for a free TMJ consultation with TMJ specialist Dr. Don Mungcal. With just a single visit to the dentist, it is possible to reduce the symptoms of headaches and migraines. The first consultation is free, and this offer is available for a limited time only.

Call today to schedule an appointment at (213) 620-5777.

Downtown Dental is located at 255 S. Grand Ave., #204. The office is one block away from the Disney Concert Hall and directly across from MOCA.

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May 25, 2009

Downtown News 17

Healthcare

Building on a Legacy USC Hospitals Provide Quality Care Near Downtown

C

omprehensive, innovative medical care is only minutes away for those living and working in the Downtown Los Angeles area.

The University of Southern California’s recent purchase of the USC University Hospital FROM OUR ADVERTISERS

and the USC Norris Cancer Hospital has created a specialized academic medical center setting for cancer care and an array of surgical expertise. Together with the Doctors of USC-Downtown office, unparalleled care is available in and around Downtown and its major freeway arteries.

“I am privileged to have the opportunity to carry the USC tradition of quality and

excellence to these two hospitals,” says hospital CEO Mitch Creem. “Together with our faculty physicians, nurses and hospital staff, we will lead the USC University Hospital and the USC Norris Cancer Hospital into a new era of excellence in academic medicine as we serve the people of Los Angeles.”

The USC University Hospital is a 411bed facility providing a comfortable setting in which patients receive personal care and access to such advanced services as neurointerventional radiology and interventional cardiology. Surgical specialties include organ transplantation and neurosurgery, as well as cardiothoracic, bariatric, esophageal, orthopaedic, and plastic and reconstructive surgeries, among others.

The USC Norris Cancer Hospital is a 60bed hospital with adjacent outpatient facilities. Outpatients seeking diagnostic testing, chemotherapy, radiation treatment and second opinions are treated on site. The hospital also has a radiation oncology department equipped with a CyberKnife and a Varian Trilogy Linear Accelerator, providing the latest state-of-the-art technology, such as stereotactic radiosurgery, intensity modulated radiation therapy and image guided radiation therapy.

The Doctors of USC-Downtown is an important satellite of the two hospitals.

Designed for busy professionals living and working in Downtown Los Angeles, the clinic provides general and specialty care from USC’s renowned faculty physicians. Services include: internal medicine services, women’s

health, including gynecology and mammography, and cosmetic and therapeutic dermatology. The Doctors of USC-Downtown features an Executive Health Program with personalized disease detection and prevention exams. Acupuncture services are available to treat stress, jet lag, menopausal symptoms, headaches and back pain. Same-day appointments are often available.

The Doctors of USC-Downtown is located in the Bank of America Plaza at 333 S. Hope St., Suite C-145. The USC University Hospital and the USC Norris Cancer Hospital are conveniently located on the USC Health Sciences Campus just northeast of Downtown Los Angeles near the intersections of the 10, 101 and 5 freeways.

To find a doctor or learn more, visit doctorsofusc.com or call 800-USC-CARE (872-2273).

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18 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

RESTAURANTS

Where Top Chefs Shop

Three Downtown Kitchen Wizards Reveal Where They Get Their Produce, Meat, Spices and More

by RichaRd Guzmán

While Diaz uses a private distributor for his meats, he also likes to go to a store that many Angelenos are familiar with: Trader Joes.

“I especially like it for fresh poultry. They have free-range poultry, which tastes very good,” he said. “They also have a large selection of organic items, like wheat bread, oatmeal and eggs.”

city editoR

I

n addition to the talent and skill of a great chef, there is another reason the best restaurants prepare memorable meals.

It goes back to the very basics of a dish — the ingredients.

Because it is their livelihood, chefs know where to shop for the best, finest and freshest ingredients. From the top produce to the choicest cuts of meat, from still-wriggling seafood to exotic spices, they seek to grab the best before their competition gets there. Recently, three Downtown Los Angeles chefs shared a few tips with Los Angeles Downtown News about what to look for and where to find it. One pleasant revelation: Much of it can be purchased right in Downtown.

Secret and Mainstream Spaces: With an unlikely AsianMexican menu and a picky corporate crowd, Manny Diaz, executive chef at Pacific Grille at 601 S. Figueroa St., has to be selective when it comes to his food shopping.

The day begins at about 5 or 6 a.m. as Diaz shops for seasonal produce and Asian foods at Canton Food Co. The celebrated spot at 750 S. Alameda St. in the Industrial District is often referred to as the Asian Costco.

With its warehouse façade, it mixes well with the neighborhood, and can easily be overlooked as just another factory.

But once inside, it is clear this is a foodie’s paradise.

“You can get just about any Asian food there,” Diaz said. “I buy a lot of fresh noodles.”

Canton Food Co. stocks everything from Thai chili to soy sauce. They also sell sesame oil, scallops, wasabi and fresh fruits and vegetables.

“They have the best produce,” Diaz said. Like most chefs

photo by Gary Leonard

Checkers Downtown chef Todd Allison spices things up with a trip to Grand Central Market.

worth their toque, Diaz focuses on what is in season. Right now, he recommends buying tomatoes, baby vegetables, zucchini and, in particular, dragon fruit, which is a cactus fruit high in vitamin C. “It has a nice purple color, it comes from Mexico,” said Diaz. “I use it for sauces or desserts.”

Location: File Name: Rep: Date: Creator: Changes:

12 LOCATIONS in Downtown Los Angeles

Farmers and Fish: Fred Eric’s Tiara Café focuses on healthy, light meals with a Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian flair. So it is no surprise that the chef/owner of the space at 127 E. Ninth St. in the Fashion District goes to farmer’s markets twice a week to pick out the freshest produce.

“Farmer’s markets are always the best place to go, in particular the Sunday Hollywood farmer’s market. It has the best variety,” he said.

Eric’s advice when it comes to picking the best produce is to go directly to the experts. “Go up to the farmer and ask what is the most seasonable product; it’ll usually cost less money too,” he notes. When double-checking their suggestions, look for brightness, a sense of richness, firmness and freshness, he said. “Citruses are in season right now, oranges, tomatoes too, and hearty greens.”

For those who want to stay closer to home, Eric recommends the Wednesday afternoon farmer’s market, which was formerly held in front of the Central Library but now takes place in Pershing Square. “You can also find a lot of good stuff there.”

With a menu that includes several seafood items, Eric is a frequent shopper at Namhoa Seafood Market, at 656 N. Continued on next page

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May 25, 2009

Downtown News 19

Restaurants

Continued from previous page Broadway in Chinatown, a spot known for its exotic collection of live seafood. Expect not just fish and crabs, but rarities like frogs and turtles.

“They’ll have really good live fish,” Eric said. “You can’t go wrong if you get a live fish or crab and you throw it in the steamer. It will taste great.”

popular lunch spot with dozens of restaurants that cater to the takeout crowd, it also has healthy sections for produce, dried goods and spices. At the market, Allison searches for exotic spices and chiles that are hard to find elsewhere.

“They have a lot of Mexican peppers, ancho chili, peppers and chili pepper paste that you cab rub on steaks. You salt it and throw it on the grill,” he said.

Allison also has a favorite shopping space that might surprise many — the Ralphs Fresh Fare in South Park, where he looks for chipotle adobe sauce, which can add a kick to any meal. He also recommends Wolfgang Puck’s chicken or beef stock, which can be a base ingredient and can be used in gravy, sauces and soups.

No one said it has to be exotic to be good.

Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

Grand Fresh Fare: Downtown newcomer Todd Allison is quickly realizing that he doesn’t need to go far for top ingredients. The executive chef at the Hilton Checkers Downtown, who started at the space at 535 S. Grand Ave. in November, serves American cuisine with a hint of French and California flavors. So it’s no surprise that he shops at one of the oldest markets in town, Grand Central Market, at 317 S. Broadway.

While the open-air market in the Historic Core is a

photo by Gary Leonard

Chef Manny Diaz of Pacific Grille likes to shop at the Canton Food Co., an Industrial District warehouse filled with Asian treasures.

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20 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

CALENDAR

A River Runs Through Here

Cornerstone Theater Company Makes Bedraggled Waterway the Subject of a New Play

by Richard Guzmán city editor

I

t is safe to say that most people would never want to get anywhere near the water in the Los Angeles River.

Lined with concrete and clogged in many places by garbage bags, shopping carts and other debris, the river is viewed by many as an industrial flood channel that washes waste out of the city. Most people know it more for its appearances in films than for being part of nature.

But it was not always a city-long drain. The river was once a wild body of water, rich in wildlife and prone to flooding. It was also the lifeblood for early settlers of the area.

Although it has been paved for more than 50 years, Downtown’s Cornerstone Theater Company is inviting people to bathe in the history of the river, figuratively, with Touch the Water. The original play is part of the company’s four-year series called the Justice Cycle.

“Most people see the river as concrete, as a channel, and

don’t even know it has a life. This play brings attention to the nature that does exist in L.A., to the mythic qualities of the river,” said Juliette Carrillo, who is directing the play.

Touch the Water, which runs May 28 to June 21, is not just meant to get people thinking about the river. It will also bring the audience physically closer to the river than most Angelenos ever get.

The play will be performed along the banks of the Glendale Narrows at the Bowtie Parcel in the Rio de Los Angeles State Park, part of Taylor Yard just north of Downtown. It is one of the few parts of the river that is not paved and is abundant with wetlands and wildlife, a much closer representation of what the river once looked like.

“It gives a consciousness that the L.A. River is a real river and it exists,” Carrillo said.

Founded in 1986, the Arts-District-based Cornerstone does both original work and adaptations of classic plays.

All are performed by a combination of professional theater

photo by Gary Leonard

Juliette Carillo is the director and river activist Joe Linton plays a hardheaded biologist in Cornerstone Theater Company’s Touch the Water.

It runs May 28-June 21.

personnel and members of a community involved with the subject of a particular play. For Cornerstone, “community” is a loose term. Past productions have utilized everyone from members of a certain religion to a group of bus drivers to people who share a birthday.

Touch the Water centers on the theme of the environment.

It follows previous Justice Cycle plays about immigration, reproductive rights and criminal justice.

“The idea is to explore how laws shape and disrupt communities, and there are many issues involving the river,” Carrillo said. “It’s a controversial issue with different views about where the river is going next.”

Flowing Story According to the nonprofit advocacy group Friends of the Los Angeles River, the history of the waterway stretches back almost 3,000 years, to when the Gabrielino-Tongva tribe settled along the river in 800 B.C. In more modern times it had different uses. It served as the main source of drinking water for the city from 1781 to 1913, when the L.A. Aqueduct was built and began importing water from the Owens River. After a series of floods in the mid-1930s killed 85 people and caused $23 million worth of damage, a large portion of the 51-mile river was paved over by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Playwright Julie Hébert spent 18 months interviewing people connected to the river. Some live along its path, while others are enthusiasts who want to see a return to a more natural waterway. She also spoke with city officials working on a $2 billion revitalization plan that aims to clean and green 32 miles of the river, add bike paths and restore some of the ecosystem.

The play tells the story of the paved river through the lives of people who live along its banks, as well as the animals and greenery that have struggled along its shoreline. The plot centers around a character named Luis Otcho-o Authemont, who has just been released from prison for killing a teen at the river (inspired by an actual killing at the river years ago, Hébert said).

Authemont’s mother’s house is being razed by the greening of the river, which involves placing filters underground to clean the rainwater before it is released into the river.

“The bigger story is, he represents the river, he’s wounded, he’s scared, he’s sinned,” Hebert said. “Metaphorically that character represents the river which has flooded and killed people. The river has been put in jail essentially by being paved and now we’re talking about letting the river out of jail and the river is still dangerous, so how do we figure that out?”

Along the way there are stories about animals, a wayward sea turtle, a hardheaded biologist and the ghost of a girl who drowned at the river.

Experts and Actors Along with the professional actors, community members in the play include Lewis MacAdams, founder of Friends of the Los Angeles River, and Joe Linton, a river activist and author of the guidebook Down by the Los Angeles River.

Linton was originally a consultant on the project, but was invited by Hébert to join the cast. He plays Joe Swift, an idealist and hardheaded Army Corps of Engineers biologist.

Linton said the play, although mostly fictional, captures the personalities of many of the people involved with the river.

“People who live in the river-adjacent community will see their lives and issues in the play. They’re intertwined in the storyline,” he said. “Hopefully this will give people a little more understanding of the river and hopefully also identify with stories of what happens in neighborhoods, since the river runs through a lot of underserved neighborhoods that are neglected.”

Although passionate about the river, acting was a whole new experience for Linton. But with the river itself as the background and the enthusiasm of the performers, the play is sure to connect with the audience, Carrillo said.

“It’s a delightful cast and they’re really committed to the work, and with their commitment to the river, and the river behind them, it’s very powerful.”

Touch the Water runs May 28-June 21 at the Bowtie Parcel in the Rio de Los Angeles State Park, 2800 Casitas Ave. Tickets at (213) 613-1700 ext. 37 or cornerstonetheater.org. Tickets are pay what you can.

Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

May 25, 2009

Downtown News 21

DowntownNews.com

First Facts About the Last Seats Los Angeles Conservancy Brings Back Its Lineup of Classic Films in Downtown Theaters

by Anna Scott

he Last Remaining Seats, the Los Angeles Conservancy’s extremely popular annual classic film series (most events sell out), takes over Broadway’s historic movie houses this week. Now in its 23rd year, the sixweek showcase starts Wednesday, May 27, with a screening of 1973’s The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, at the Orpheum Theatre.

Here, Conservancy Executive Director Linda Dishman discusses how the organization keeps the series exciting after more than two decades, some of this year’s highlights, and how to get in even if the show is sold out.

have seen the film with an audience in 35 years, and they’re excited about that. I sat behind Cloris Leachman for Young Frankenstein last year, and she loved that because it’s a whole different experience to see a film with an audience.

Q: What are some other highlights of this year’s series?

A: For Buck Privates, an Abbott and Costello film about two guys who inadvertently join the army, we’re going to be showing a newsreel called News of the Day: Cavalcade of 1941, so that will add a little wartime feel. On stage, we’re going to have a salute to the USO and an “Old Time Radio” broadcast and the Satin Dollz pin-up dancers. It just brings a little bit more fun to the evening.

Los Angeles Downtown News: How do you pick the films?

Linda Dishman: We have a volunteer committee, our Last Remaining Seats Committee, that puts it together. It really started with volunteers of the Conservancy; a group of aficionados of the historic theaters were meeting, trying to think of ways to get more recognition of the theaters, and someone said, “Why don’t we show movies?” That’s how it started. Of course, there’s a lot of staff involved also, but the volunteer committee actually chooses the films. We typically have a silent film, a noir, a comedy night. They go through a fairly elaborate process where they nominate films for the slots and narrow it down by availability.

Q: How does holding the screenings in these historic theaters enhance the experience?

A: What I find fascinating, and it happens every year is… I like to stand by the front and watch people come in, because their jaws just drop. People have no idea this kind of opulence and grandeur exist on Broadway. A lot of people who have come to Last Remaining Seats over the years take great joy in bringing friends who have never been, because they can be the proselytizers. Our belief is that once you’ve come into one of the theaters and seen the glory of them you will then become an advocate for their preservation. That, to me, is the great value of the series.

Q: How do you keep the series fresh?

A: We do not duplicate our films. I also think one of the things people enjoy is the fact that we have a little extra something special with the screenings. We show newsreels, cartoons, trailers that are classic. Once, if not twice in the series, we’ll have an interview on stage. This opening night we’ll have [producers] Tony Bill and Michael Phillips talk about the making of The Sting; that’s really special. It’s interesting because it turns out neither of the two producers

Q: How many people do you expect this year?

A: Two thousand a night. The very first year, and that predates me, it was a sellout because it was novel and new. I got here in 1992, when the riots happened, and that really made people very wary of Downtown. But we hadn’t been selling out for the prior couple of years before that anyway. It’s about the last 12 years that we’ve been selling out or coming close to selling out on most nights. The theaters were such a critical component of the conservancy’s work in bringing more

staff writer

T

Join Us In Celebrating...

photo by Larry Underhill

At the L.A. Conservancy’s Last Remaining Seats series, the historic Broadway theaters (the Los Angeles Theatre is shown here) are as much of an attraction as the films. The six-week showcase starts May 27.

awareness. They’re pretty on the outside but magnificent on the inside, so getting people inside is very important.

Q: Most of the events are already sold out. Do you offer standby tickets?

A: There are standby tickets. We have typically been able to accommodate people that come on standby.

Last Remaining Seats runs May 27, June 3, 10, 17 and 24 and July 1 at various Broadway theaters. Individual tickets are $20. Information and tickets at (213) 623-2489 or laconservancy.org.

Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

Join Us In Celebrating...

Join Us In Celebrating...

Our 60th AnniversAry! Our 60th AnniversAry! Saturday, June 20, 2009

Saturday, June 20, 2009Wells Fargo Theater

Autry National Center of the American West

Wells Fargo Theater 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, California 90027 We welcome our special guests, internationally acclaimed opera stars Autry National Center of the American West

Marilyn Horne • Mary Costa • Heinz Blankenburg

4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, California 90027

Featuring Two Performances of “The Treasure of California”

We welcome our special guests, internationally acclaimed opera stars 2:00pm and 4:30pm

Marilyn Horne • Mary Costa • Heinz Blankenburg Reception & Silent Auction 3:00pm

Tickets are $60.00

Featuring Two Performances of “The Treasure of California”

GUILD OPERA COMPANY

1636 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Suite 204, Hollywood, CA 90028 Phone: (323) 463-6593 Fax: (323) 463-2926 E-mail: GuildOperaCo@aol.com

www.GuildOpera.org Check out Guild Opera on LAArtsEd.org – a searchable online catalogue.

2:00pm and 4:30pm

PARtIALLY fUNDED bY LA COUNtY ARts COMMIssION

For ordetails detailscall: call:Jeanette JeanetteFloyd Floyd(323) 323-463-6593 For tickets tickets or 876-7735

Reception & Silent Auction 3:00pm

22 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

LISTINGS EVENTS

Wednesday, May 27 Can L.A. Solve Homelessness?

The California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda St., zocalopublicsquare.org.

7:30 p.m.: What can Los Angeles, the nation’s capital of homelessness, learn from cities like New York and Washington D.C., which have both reduced homelessness by emphasizing housing and providing comprehensive care to address root causes?

Zócalo hosts a panel of experts, including Elise Buik, president of United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Becky Kanis, director of innovations for Common Ground in New York, and Chet Grey, homeless services director of the Washington D.C. Business Improvement District, on how Los Angeles can get its homeless population off the streets.

Thursday, May 28 Arts in Education Inner-City Arts, 720 Kohler St., (213) 627-9621 or inner-cityarts.org.

4-7 p.m.: The nonprofit Skid Row arts school Inner City Arts hosts James Catterall, a UCLA professor of education who studies the impact of the arts on education. He will discuss his most recent data and findings on the subject. Valet parking provided.

RSVP to Garmen Shiu, (213) 627-9621.

ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org.

Noon: NBC News special correspondent Tom Brokaw, one of the best-known names in news, is in conversation with Geneva Overholser, director of the Annenburg School of Journalism at USC. Continued on page 24

Architecture, Literature, Discussion And Dance Fill Downtown

by AnnA Scott, StAff writer

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Author Raymond Chandler’s Los Angeles, a city of mysterious blondes and shadowy corners, is still alive and well in Downtown, at least when it comes to architecture. See for yourself on Saturday, May 30, when Tailing Philip Marlowe authors Brian and Bonnie Olson lead a walk highlighting Downtown buildings referenced in Chandler’s fiction.

Meet at Caravan Books at 10 a.m. to join the free, two-and-a-half hour tour, which will take you past the Bradbury Building, City Hall and the Oviatt Building, among others. 550 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-9944.

photo courtesy of Eric Owen Moss Architects

photo by Gary Leonard

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Monday, May 25 L.A. Marathon Third and Flower Streets, lamarathon.com.

All day: As the runners race through city streets for the Los Angeles Marathon, you can party, listen to a live race broadcast and greet athletes at the finish line festival at Third and Flower streets. Several bands and food vendors will be on hand for the festival, which is expected to draw more than 100,000 attendees.

The ‘Don’t Miss’ List

3

Los Angeles County is the homelessness capital of the nation, with 73,000 men, women and children living on the streets on any given night, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and as many as a couple thousand of them Downtown. That situation will be the focus of a Zocalo discussion on Wednesday, May 27, at 7:30 p.m. In the talk titled “Can L.A. Solve Homelessness?” the panelists will include Elise Buik, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Los Angeles; Becky Kanis, director of innovations for the New York-based organization Common Ground; and Chet Gray, homeless services director of the Washington D.C. Business Improvement District.

The event takes place at the California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda St. zocalopublicsquare.org.

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Investigate the architecture, history and culture of the Historic Core and the Old Bank District on Saturday, May 30, during a local scavenger hunt.

The event, to benefit Downtown’s nonprofit Pharmaka gallery and the Los Angeles Conservancy, begins at 2 p.m. at Pharmaka. Participants in groups of two to six will be given maps and a list of clues. Tickets are $35. 101 W. Fifth St., (213) 689-7799 or pharmaka-art.org.

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SPONSORED LISTINGS: Dip Into Summer at Cole’s 118 E. Sixth St., (213) 622-4090 or colesfrenchdip.com 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Starting on May 24, Cole’s, the self-proclaimed Originators of the French Dip, debuts its Down Home Downtown Sunday Brunch. The menu includes Eggs BeneDip, $8.24; Harry Cole’s French Toast featuring Cole’s own sourdough bread dusted with powered sugar and served with warm maple syrup, $6.41; Fluffy P.E. Pancakes, $5.49; Mickey Cohen’s Favorite Corned Beef Hash, $8.24; Biscuits and Country Gravy, a fresh-baked trio of buttermilk biscuits topped with caramelized onion marmalade and served with sausage gravy, $5.49; and a 213 Locals Breakfast, two eggs any style, home fries, Old Fitzgerald bourbonsoaked bacon, $9.16. Sparkling Wine, Mimosas, Irish Coffee and Bloody Marys are all $5, as is the new Bloody Bull, a Cole’s-crafted cocktail spiced with a shot of Beef Au Jus. Late night locals’ Memorial Day weekend spirits special includes $2 off all drinks on Sunday, from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. DJ Humberto (Goldroom) and DJ El Reyes spin at 10 p.m.

Cole’s Historic Bar Saloon Specials 118 E. Sixth St., (213) 622-4090 or colesfrenchdip.com.

3-7 p.m.: Cole’s new daily happy hour beer, wine and food specials include $2 off all spirits, tap beer and wine. Half French Dip sandwiches are $4, or $5 with fries. And every Tuesday, it’s the same drink specials all day, all night. Cole’s is closed on Monday for filming and private events.

Lakers Playoff Pints Special at Casey’s Irish Pub 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353, caseysirishpub.com or visit Casey’s on facebook.com.

Watch the Lakers playoff action on eight screens. The bar offers 20-oz Budweisers on tap for $5. Test your wits and win cash prizes at Casey’s Team Trivia every Wednesday at 6 p.m.

There’s no entry fee. Also check out the UEFA Finals on May 27 between FC Barcelona and Manchester United. At 7 p.m. on May 29, hear whiskey-soaked blues with 50 Cent Haircut.

Enjoy Cuban ballet, a blend (as you might have guessed) of classical ballet and Cuban dance influences, on Saturday, May 30, when the Blankenship Ballet Company debuts at Vibiana. The company, previously based in Venice, features several world-class dancers. Its performance in the former cathedral begins at 7:30 p.m. 210 S. Main St. (866) 922-5538 or brownpapertickets.com/event/64004.

Contact Anna Scott at anna@downntownnews.com. photo courtesy of Blankenship Ballet Company

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

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24 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

But Wait, There’s More!

Additional Event Information on the Web

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM/CALENDAR : EVENTS | ROCK, POP & JAZZ | CLASSICAL MUSIC | THEATER, OPERA & DANCE ART SPACES | FILM | BARS & CLUBS | MUSEUMS | FARMERS MARKETS | TOURS

Bar 107 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382 or myspace.com/bar107.

Inside the keyhole-shaped door, tough-as-nails Derby Dolls vie for elbowroom with crusty old bar Continued from page 22 guys and a steady stream of Old Bank District inhabitants. Velvet señoritas, deer heads with sunglasses, a Saturday, May 30 wooden Indian and Schlitz paraphernalia plaster the Downtown Scavenger Hunt red walls. There’s no shortage of entertainment, with Pharmaka, 101 W. Fifth St., (213) 689-7799 or the funky dance room, great DJs and the occasional pharmaka-art.org.

2 p.m.: Explore the Historic Core and the Old rock band. In the photo booth, you can capture your Bank District as you help raise money for the art mug in old-fashioned black and white. Located just gallery Pharmaka and the Los Angeles Conservan- two blocks east of the Pershing Square Metro stop, Bar cy. The hunt promises that participants will learn 107 is open from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week. more about the architecture, culture and history of Blue Velvet 750 S. Garland St., (213) 239-0061 or Downtown. Tickets are $35. bluevelvetrestaurant.com.

Raymond Chandler Walking Tour Located off a small side street, look for the blue Caravan Books, 550 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-9944.

10 a.m.: Brian and Bonnie Olson, authors of neon sign that says The Flat. This stylish poolside Tailing Philip Marlowe, will guide a free tour of his- restaurant and lounge in the former Holiday Inn toric Downtown buildings mentioned by Raymond (now a residential building) features sparkling views Chandler in his mystery novels. Included will be of Staples Center, a dining room with a 17-foot landmarks such as the Bradbury Building, City Hall, sunken granite table, and a sleek bar with white stools where you can saddle up cowboy style. and the Oviatt Building.

Bonaventure Brewing Company Westin Bonaventure, 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 2360802 bbc2go.com.

The Association Where can you get a drink, order some decent bar 610 S. Main St. food, sit outdoors and still feel like you’re Downtown?

Carved out of the back area that used to belong to It’s a tall order to fill, but this bar in the Bonaventure Cole’s, the bar in front, the Association is a dimly- Hotel does it admirably. Sure, the hotel is vaguely lit, swank little alcove with some serious mixologists ’80s, and you’ll probably encounter some convention behind the bar. goers tying a few on, but it only adds to the fun. Pub Banquette Quiz Trivia Night every Wednesday at 8:15 p.m.

400 S. Main St., (213) 626-2768 or banquette-cafe.com. Bona Vista Lounge This petite cafe and wine bar with its red and 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-1000 or white striped awning has become a popular hang- starwoodhotels.com. out for casual evenings of drinking wine and meet- Located in the heart of the Financial District in the ing up with friends. During monthly Art Walks landmark Westin Bonaventure Hotel, this revolving on the second Thursday of the month, Banquette cocktail lounge offers a 360-degree view of the city. buzzes with almost every kind of Downtown den- Bordello izen you could imagine. They have a small but 901 E. First St., (213) 687-3766 bordellobar.com. lovely selection of wines by the glass as well as If the name doesn’t clue you in, a sultry voiced beers. “madam” on the answering machine lets you know Barbara’s at the Brewery Bordello isn’t exactly for the buttoned-up crowd. This 620 Moulton Ave., No. 110, (323) 221-9204 or onetime house of ill repute has shed its most recent barbarasatthebrewery.com. life as Little Pedro’s with a gussied up interior oozing On the grounds of the Brewery, this bar and res- sex appeal — lush scarlet velvet, ornate black chandetaurant in an unfinished warehouse is where local liers and heart-shaped chairs in hidden alcoves. residents find their artistic sustenance. Beer on tap, Bottlerock We’ve got the solution. Juggling too many projects, deadlines and vendors? Let wine list and full bar.

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Situated on the groundfloor of the Met Lofts in Edison South Park, this wine bar features a vast range of 108 W. Second St., (213) 613-0000, e bottles from around the world and a price range disondowntown.com. equally as wide. Wines by the glass start at around Downtown history has come full circle in this for$8, but if you’re feeling overcome by oenophilia mer power plant turned stunning cocktail bar. The (or just deep-pocketed) there are some first growth Edison is perhaps Downtown’s hottest hotspot and Bordeauxs for more than $1,000 for the bottle. And draws an eclectic crowd, including jaded Hollywood if you don’t get your fill while at the bar, which also types who can’t help but gawk at the preserved bits features a rotating crop of artisanal beers and a full of machinery, the huge generator and the coal box dinner menu, the bar also sells bottles at retail. that now houses the jukebox.

Broadway Bar Far Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or 347 E. First St., (behind the Chop Suey Café), (213) thebroadwaybar.net.

617-9990 or chopsueycafe.com.

Located next to the Orpheum Theatre in the Platt Tucked behind the Chop Suey Café is the Far Bar, Building, the Broadway Bar’s blue neon sign beckons where intimacy and a sense of noir L.A. collide. If you patrons inside to its 50-foot circular bar. The casual- can find the place, which you enter through the back chic spot is based on Jack Dempsey’s New York bar, of the café or via a skinny alley a few doors down, you with low lighting and a dose of ’40s glam. There’s a can throw them back in the same spot author Raypatio upstairs with nice views, and a jukebox. mond Chandler is rumored to have done the same.

Casey’s Irish Bar & Grille Figueroa Hotel 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com.

939 S. Figueroa St., (213) 627-8971 or With its worn brick staircase, tin ceilings and dark figueroahotel.com. wood decor, it’s easy to see how this neighborhood The Moroccan-inspired Figueroa Hotel just a bar and grill still works its Irish charm. Regulars block north of Staples Center manages the unique cozy up to the 60-foot mahogany bar with a pint of feat of making you feel like you’re in the heart of the Guinness and a plate of bangers and mash. Casey’s city and removed from it at the same time. The lighthas a full menu with six beers on tap and a selection filled Veranda Bar is just steps from the clear, glittery of Belgian ales and microbrews. pool, and it’s common to see suit-clad DowntownCicada ers a few feet from swimsuit-wearing Euro-tourists.

617 S. Olive St., (213) 488-9488 or Gallery Bar cicadarestaurant.com.

Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles, 506 S. Grand Every Sunday, the restaurant is transformed into Ave., (213) 624-1011 or millenniumhotels.com. a vintage, old Hollywood-style dance club, with a This elegant lounge in the Millennium Biltmore big band, swank costumes, dinner and cocktails Hotel is known for its martinis, wines and vintage (visit cicadaclub.com). ports.

Ciudad Genji Bar 445 S. Figueroa St., (213) 486-5171 or ciudad-la.com.

Kyoto Grand Hotel and Gardens, 120 Los Angeles St., Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s (213) 253-9255 or kyotograndhotel.com.

Downtown restaurant serves up Latin recipes from The Genji Bar offers a hip, private karaoke room Spain and South America. The modern space also that you and a dozen or so of your friends can rent hosts a thriving happy hour with live music on the for about $10 a piece. It’s got new songs, old songs, outdoor patio several nights a week. Don’t miss the odd songs and songs that you wish no one would mojitos. sing. It also means you can warble “Sweet Home Club 740 Alabama” all you want without the agonizing wait.

740 S. Broadway, (213) 225-5934 or 740la.com.

Golden Gopher This 1920s theater has been transformed into a 417 W. Eighth St., (213) 614-8001 or three-level party playground sprawling over 40,000 goldengopherbar.com. square feet. Club 740 is a spectacle with ornate gold This stylish, dimly lit space with exposed brick balconies, go-go dancers and private skybox loung- walls, chandeliers and golden gopher lamps has a es. Music includes hip-hop, Latin vibe, Top 40 and rockin’ jukebox, cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon and an indie rock. outdoor lounge for smokers. Best of all, it also has Cole’s Ms. Pac Man and Galaga. The bar also has a rare 118 E. Sixth St., colesfrenchdip.com. take-out liquor counter.

This beloved restaurant saloon has been renovat- Grand Star Jazz Club ed under new ownership. The great leather booths 943 Sun Mun Way, (213) 626-2285. and dark wood bar of the old spot remain, but now Firecracker club heats things up every other Frithe glasses are clean. Draft beer, historic cocktails, day atop the Quon Brothers’ Grand Star. Start the and a short wine list. evening at the latter, where the lapu lapus are wicked Corkbar strong. There’s usually alternating karaoke and a 403 W. 12th St., corkbar.com. good jazz trio. Upstairs you’ll find the hip-hop ha If the name didn’t give it away, this South Park ven known as Firecracker, a longtime dance club establishment is all about the wine, specifically, Cali- with good music and an eclectic, lively crowd. fornia wine. Situated on the groundfloor of the Evo condominium building, Corkbar serves up a seasonal food menu of farmer’s market-driven driven creations to go with your Golden State pinots, cabernets and syrahs.

SPOTLIGHT ON Eastside Luv 1835 E. First St., (323) 262-7442 or eastsideluv.com.

A stone’s throw from Mariachi Plaza and all that Metro Line construction,)HMXSVMEP JSV EHZIVXMWIVW MW this tucked-away spot features Mexican movie posters on the wall, good EZEMPEFPI MR XLMW WTIGMEP WIGXMSR beer on tap, regular sangria, live bands, and different 4 WEB: www.DowntownNews.com from anything to its west, no attitude.

4 EMAIL: Calendar@DowntownNews.com e3rd FIND OUT WHAT TO EAT 734 E. Third St., (213) 680-3003 or eastthird.com.

Email: Send a brief description, street address public AND WHERE TOand EAT @ 1264 W. 1st St., LA, CA 90026 This Asian-style steakhouse with an artsy flavor phone number. Submissions must be received 10 days (213) 481-1448 • FAX (213) 250-4617 prior to publication date to be considered for print. features a sleek lounge with low, circular tables and a LADowntownNews.com LADOWNTOWNNEWS.COM long psychedelic bar that changes colors like a mood ring. There’s a full bar, inventive cocktails (including soju) and a reasonable wine list. DJs spin.

HEALTHCARE

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FREE

Read Monday’s News on Friday Night!

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

ESTIMATES

Available on-line @

LADowntownNews.com

Full Computer Service Center Serving Downtown Los Angles Since 1993 12000 sf. Computer Sales and Service Facility • PC Repair / Upgrades • Laptop Repair / Upgrades • MAC Repair / Upgrades • Virus & Spam Removal • Computer Networking • Data Recovery • Printer Repair

Authorized Sales & Service: Sony • Lenovo • Toshiba • Asus • Cisco www.californiacomputer.com

3930 Broadway Place, Los Angeles, CA 90037

323-233-5300

RESTAURANTS Easy ways to submit Your

Event Info

Read Monday’s News on Friday Night!

Available on-line @ LADowntownNews.com

May 25, 2009

Downtown News 25

DowntownNews.com

CLASSIFIED

pLACe your Ad onLine At www.LAdowntownnews.Com

l.a. Downtown News classifieds Call: 213-481-1448 Classified Display & Line ad Deadlines: thursday 12 pm

“Be wary of out of area companies.

Check with the local Better Business Bureau before you send any money for fees or services. Read and understand any contracts before you sign.

Shop around for rates.”

REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL lofts for sale

Homes for sale

LA County 2 & 3 bd homes starting at $83,000 up to $137,000.

Call now 24/7

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Call us today!

Bill Cooper 213.598.7555

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Buying, Leasing or Selling a Loft?

TheLoftGuys.net LA’s #1 Loft Site

Call 213-625-1313

OVER 150 FORECLOSED Southern CA homes selling by auction June 10-14 valued from $24k to $625k. Get all the details at www.LAHouseAuction.com or call 1-866-823-6626. (Cal-SCAN) out of state BUYER’S MARKET. New Mexico. Ranch Dispersal. 140 acres $89,900. River Access. Northern New Mexico. Cool 6,000’ elevation with stunning views. Great tree cover including Ponderosa, rolling grassland and rock outcroppings. Abundant wildlife, great hunting. EZ terms. Call NML&R, Inc. 1-866-360-5263.

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20 ACRE RANCHES!! $0 down!!

Near Booming El Paso, Texas. $15,900, $159 /month! (10%/209 months) Beautiful Views. Money Back Guarantee. Owner Financing. Free Maps/Pictures. 800343-9444. (Cal-SCAN) BANK FORECLOSURE Colorado Ranch 40 acres $29,900 Clean Title, Warranty Deed. Enjoy 300 days of sunshine. Rocky Mtn. views, utilities. Excellent Financing! Call Today! 1-866-6965263 x4938. www.ColoradoLandBargains.com. (Cal-SCAN) LAND FORECLOSURES in New Mexico! From as low as $19,995 for 10+/- acre, phone, electric close, views. Guaranteed financing, low down! Going Fast!

888-812-5830. www.SWProperties.com. (Cal-SCAN)

REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL office space lease/sale

DOWNTOWN L.A. OVIATT BUILDING

2 offices for rent, all hook-ups, partly furnished. 530 sqft. $1,000 month, flex lease.

ALA 99¢/Sq. Ft. High Rise Office Space

South Park Furnished

Walking distance to Metro Station, Social Security Office, Immigration Office, and Jewelry District.

Close to 110 &101 Fwy. On site security guard.

10-12 Workstations Great views

213-892-0088

Office Sublet

THE ANSWER to LAst weeK’s puZZLe

Professional service firm preferred

Contact Erin 213.553.1100

Continued on next page

LOFT LIVING

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

LAdowntownnews.com

Last week we forgot the answers to the puzzle in the May 11 issue, so here they are.

You never know what you’ll find in the…

Downtown News

Classified

213.623.7008 or 213.280.5452

DowntownNews.com Place your classified ad online, its safe and secure at DowntownNews.com/classified. Or call 213.481.1448

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

26 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com

Continued from previous page

FOR RENT ApArtments/UnfUrnished

MILANO LOFTS Now LeasiNg!

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

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FREE RENT SPECIALS Los Angeles Studio $1688/ month Luxury at it’s finest! Granite counters, W & D 888-262-9761.

SAN GABRIEL LARGE bright 2 br, 1 ba, lower, new paint, hardwood, blinds, enclosed garage, stove, refrig. $1195. 626-8238053

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Loft/UnfUrnished APARTMENT FOR RENT: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, balcony.

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High speed internet/T1 & direct T.V. Pets no charge. call 213-253-4777 LAloft.com

REAL ARTIST LOFTS 12002000 Sq. Ft., $1600-$2200/Mo. High ceilings, hardwood floors, fireplace, pool/spa, gated parking, laundry, sorry no dogs, Open House Sundays 12-3pm @ 1250 Long Beach Ave., L.A. 866-4257259, LAartistlofts.com.

dUpLexes

drivers

1 BEDROOM, 1 bathroom duplex. $750.00 monthly. 4 minutes to downtown. Older retired couple or single professional preferred. Excellent credit required. 323-466-6666 http://losangeles.craigslist.org/ lac/apa/1169910617.html

DRIVER - REGIONAL RUNS West Coast. Professional Equipment. Great Pay. Reasonable Hometime. Run the Western 11 States. On site - Full Service Maintenance Shop. BCBS Insurance. Western Express - 22 yrs. old. Good MVR, EOE, CDLA, 1 yr. OTR. Call Edna Today!

1-866-863-4112. (Cal-SCAN)

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

mAnAgement LAUndry service

Operations Manager

rooms

(F/T):

Seamless Land, Inc. is a garment mfgr. 2 yrs. exp. is req’d.

Mail resume: 1025 S. Greenwood Ave., Montebello, CA 90640

BAcheLor rooms 1 Month FREE

Little Tokyo/Arts District Clean shared baths and kitchen.

Free Wireless

Let us do the dirty work!

Beverly's Laundromat Drop Off

20% OFF 1st time customers only. Minimum 25lb

$575/Month

213-784-4421

generAL

town hoUses MONTEREy HILLS 3 bdrm, 3 story townhouse. 1800 sq. ft. 7 miles to Civic Center. Many extras. $1750/Mo. 626-799-3104.

JOBS. JOBS, JOBS! No experience. Get paid to train. The California Army National Guard.

High School JR/SR & Grads/ GED. Up to $15,000 bonus.

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FrEE Pick-up & Delivery

Spring Tower Lofts:

Open floor plan, 2000 sqft $2200/mo. • Live/work space • 14 story bldg. • Rooftop garden terrace w/city view • Pet friendly

Premiere Towers:

2 bdrms/2 bath, $1600/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking

City Lofts:

850 sqft, 16 ft ceilings, $1500/mo. • Granite marble top • Stainless steel appliances/ refrigerator etc. • Pet friendly We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C

Please call 213.627.6913

Locations Nationwide Beautiful Offices For As Little As $400 Fully Furnished/Corporate ID Programs Flexible Terms/All New Suites Services Include: • Reception • Mail • T-1 • State-of-the-Art Voice Mail & Telephone • Westlaw • Fax • Photocopy • More Additional Features: Kitchen Facilities, All Support Services, Great Views, Free Conference Room Hours, Fully Trained Staff, Cost Effective.

Jenny Ahn (213) 996-8301 jahn@regentBC.com www.regentbc.com

Monthly Rents Start at $780 1 & 2 Rooms Available • Fully Furnished • 100% Utilities Paid • • Refrigerator, Microwave & TV In Each Room • • Wireless Access Throughout Bldg. • Gym • • Close to USC & Loyola Law School • • Presidential Suite with Kitchen • Parking Available Onsite

Special STUDeNT RaTe! $690 1 person

50 Channels Direct TV

Mayfair Hotel 1256 West 7th street

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

NO WORRY LEASE IF YOU LOSE YOUR JOB, YOU CAN CANCEL YOUR LEASE

NO PENALTY Ask for details.

now LeAsing

from $1,300’s/mo. free parking ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE • GRAND LOBBY FITNESS CENTER • SPA • MODERN KITCHEN WITH CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET • DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY DRAMATIC VIEWS • WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET STAINLESS APPLIANCES INCLUDING REFRIGERATOR GATEWAY TO FASHION DISTRICT GROUND FLOOR DRY CLEANERS • KELLY’S COFFEE

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

REnt

Low Move-in SPECIAL Single rooms starting from $550/mo.

Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site, street parking, 1 yr lease.

208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown L.A.

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

heLp wAnted

Dancers Make Big Money Now! 18 and over at Downtown LA’s most upscale Gentlemen’s Club Call 213-747-3701

(213) 399-1177

eddiestailorshop.com Advertising CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $450. Reach 6 million Californians!. Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SCAN.com.

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CREDIT CARD RELIEF. * Free Consultation * Save Thousands of Dollars. Out of Debt in Months! Avoid Bankruptcy!

Credit Card Relief. Not A High Priced Consolidation Company or A Consumer Credit Counseling Program. Call Credit Card Relief 1-866-479-5353. * Free Consultation * (Cal-SCAN)

mUsic Lessons

get your green cArd or citiZenship

CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants.

Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183.

CHILDREN’S PERFORMING Group! Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up! See SunshineGenerationLA.com or call 909861-4433.

Available Immediately

the Alexandria

Children’s Performing Group

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

Family, Criminal, P.I. for more than 20 yrs!

Familiar o Amigo Arrestado?

Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español

Top floor of 11 story (18,000 SF) historic building available now!

Perfect for corporate hqtrs. Features separate executive suite(s).

Stunning views of LA two blocks away from Staples Center and across the street from the new LA Live complex. The building also has approx 4,000 sq ft of beautiful contiguous space and some small offices available. These spaces can be viewed by appointment.

Information available to qualified prospective tenants.

Email request to mdavis@shammasgroup.com or call (213) 746-6300

LOSE UP TO 30 pounds in 30 days with Shapeworks Health/ Nutrition products designed for weight loss results along with free coaching. (888) 223-0457 or www.DietHelper4u.com. (CalSCAN)

at 501 S. Spring St.

is Now Leasing!

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

$832/month

Sunshine Generation Singing, dancing, performing and fun!

For boys & girls ages 3 and up!

income & other restrictions apply.

call 213.626.1743 or stop by for a tour

SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

Do you have something to sell?

www.cityloftsquare.com

Luxury Rooms in Downtown

115 E. 8th St. L.A. 90014

cLeAning

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

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

On Spring St.

Take your wardrobe to the next level!

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heALth & fitness

ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION!

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EDDIES TAILOR SHOP

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with minimum 35lb

Attorneys

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finAnciAL services

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May 25, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Volunteer opportunities Helping kids heal. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk children and their families. Today is the day to get involved! Contact Annie at volunteers@freearts.org or 310-3134278 for more information.

ITEMS FOR SALE

Business opportunities 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)

AUTOS & RECREATIONAL Autos WAnted

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CA@Beststungun.com 1-800-793-0617. (Cal-sCAn)

puBlic notice

Downtown News 27

DowntownNews.com

dOnATe YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help save A Child’s life Through Research & support! Free Vacation package. Fast, easy & Tax deductible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (CalsCAn)

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)

LEGAL Fictitious Business nAMe Fictitious Business name statement File no. 20090576138 The following persons doing business as: (1) THe CORVARYs gROUp, (2) VAn pARYs TeAM, 645 W. 9th street, #416, los Angeles, CA 90015. , is hereby registered by the following registrants: (1) MiCHAel VAn pARYs, (2) ROsA

CORneJO, 645 W. 9th street, #416, los Angeles, CA 90015. This business is conducted by Husband and Wife. Registrants began to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on April 1, 2009.

This statement was filed with the County Clerk of los Angeles on April 21, 2009.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see section 14411 et. seq. Business and professions Code). pub. 5/11, 5/18, 5/25, 6/01/09

voted downtown's best residential living six years in a row

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Orsini

IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY! studios from $1,685* • 1 bedroom from $1,818* • 2 bedroom from $2,212* *Availability and prices are subject to change at any time.

• Lavish Fountains and Sculptures • Free Tanning Rooms • Concierge Service • 24 Hour Doorman • 24/7 On-site Management • Free DSL Computer Use Available • Free Wi-Fi • Magnificent City Views • On-Site Private Resident Park with Sand Volleyball Court, Workout Stations, BBQ’s and Jogging Track

• Brunswick Four Lane Virtual Bowling • Full Swing Virtual Golf • 3100 Square Foot Cybex Fitness Facility • Massage Room, Sauna and Steam Room • Rooftop Pools with Dressing Room • Free Abundant Gated and Garage Parking • Business Center, Conference Room • Directors Screening Room

UNITS FEATURE: Private Washer and Dryer • Fully Equipped Gourmet Kitchens Maple European Style Cabinetry • Granite Counter Tops Natural Stone Marble Counter Baths

PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) TO PROVIDE GRANTS CONSULTING SERVICES RFQ NO. NP 9676 The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, California (“CRA/ LA”) plans to issue Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No. NP 9676 to firms, organizations, or consultants with qualifications to provide various Grants Consulting services on as-needed basis. Interested and qualified firms, organizations, or consultants are directed to download RFQ No. NP 9676 from the CRA/LA web site at www.crala. org, which will be available ON or AFTER May 25, 2009. Copies will be mailed only upon request.

Interested parties are requested to submit a Letter of Interest referencing “RFQ No. NP 9676” to Ms. Janet Walters, Administrative Assistant, by e-mail at jwalters@cra.lacity. org or by facsimile at (213) 626-0090, with complete address and contact information. Respondents interested in the RFQ will be officially placed on the “Registered List” for this RFQ. For all other inquiries about the RFQ No. NP 9676 please contact Ms. Janet Walters, Administrative Assistant, by e-mail at jwalters@cra.lacity.org.

5/25/09 cns-1596824# DoWntoWn neWs

Exclusively Downtown Since 2001,

www.loFtliVinGlA.com Thinking about Leasing or Selling?

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Orsini

• • • • •

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• • • • • • • • • • • • •

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

Professional Golf Instructor

Looking for a new house, a car, a job, an antique? Take a closer look at the classifieds.

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Or if you’re looking for a way to make extra cash, sell it quickly in the Classifieds.

CALL: 213.481.1448

818.618.2099

Catering to Intermediate/Advanced Players

GET THE SCOOP Read Monday Morning’s News On Friday Night! w w w. L A D o w n t o w n N e w s . c o m

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For further information, please contact Joe Dieringer at 213-629-2512 ext. 110

DRE #01706351

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•Daily, $25.00 •Weekly, $99.00 •Monthly, $295.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.

Steve Andelich

725 Bixel St., Los Angeles, CA 90017

Keller Williams Realty 877-452-5638

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

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888.886.3731 •TheMedici.com

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madison hotel

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close to l.a. live and nokia theater

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WWW.THEORSINI.COM

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FREE RENT SPECIALS! • • • • • • •

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(213) 612-0348

Bunker Hill real estate Co, inC.

EstablishEd 1984

For sale: bunker Hill Tower ❏ 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath. Elegant. Ready To Move In. South City Lights View. Recently Refurbished. Offered At $329,999.

For renT: ❏ Prom. West. 2 Bed. 2 Bath. 7th Flr. Elegant Upgrades.

Green House. Pride Of Ownership. $3,000 Furn. $2,800 Unfurn. ❏ Prom. West-1 Bed. 1 Bath Penthuse. Overlooks Pool

& Gardens. Greenhouse Windows And Balcony.

Stunning! $1995 Month. ❏ Prom. West-2 Bed. 2 Bath. 5th Floor. Move In Now. $2,200 Month. ❏ 1 Bed. 1 Bath. Lafayette Park Place. Move In Now. 1100 Month.

Foreclosures: ❏ 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath Pasadena. Upgrades. Large Deck. $477,800.

Promenade West Condo

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Asking $599,900

Mirza alli

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

Call us for other condos for sale or lease Dwntwn & surrounding areas!!

www.Bunkerhillrealestate.com

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(213) 627-1151

28 Downtown News

May 25, 2009

DowntownNews.com photo by Gary Leonard

We Got Games Lakers and Dodgers Lean on Tough ‘D’ Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or nba.com/lakers.

Wednesday, May 27, 6 p.m.; Sunday, May 31, 5:30 p.m. (both if necessary): Dee-fense. Clap Clap.

Dee-fense. Clap Clap. Trevor Ariza can hear you, as he showed in game one of the series against the Denver Nuggets with his tenacious D. It’s what the Lakers used to beat the Rockets in game seven of their harder-than-expected playoff series, and it’s what the team will need to focus on to keep Carmelo Anthony and the rest of the Nuggets from lighting up the scoreboard during the rest of the Western Conference Finals. Sure, Kobe needs to score, but everyone will have to crack down on the other end, including young center Andrew Bynum, who was a bust for most of the Houston series. The Lakers stay put in the Mile High City for game four

on May 25 and will return to Staples Center on May 27 if necessary. If the series is still not over, the teams would play game six in Denver on May 29 and close it out on May 31 in Downtown.

Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com.

The Dodgers continue to run away with the NL West, thanks in part to pitcher Chad Billingsley, who jumped out to a 6-1 record and one of the best ERAs in the league. After big wins against the New York Mets last week, the Blue Crew hits the road for series against the Colorado Rockies (May 25-28) and the Chicago Cubs (May 29-31).

The success is almost enough to make you forget Manny. Almost.

—Ryan Vaillancourt

After being largely ineffective in the playoff series against Denver, the Lakers need young Andrew Bynum to play some tough defense against the Denver Nuggets.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

G r a n d To w e r 255 South Grand Avenue

Promenade To w e r s 123 South Figueroa Street LEASING INFORMATION

LEASING I N F O R M AT I O N

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(213) 229-9777

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(213) 617-3777

(213) 626-1500

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