07-27-09 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS Checking out the Jim Wood Apartments.

Train fans ride the Downtown rails.

7-16

Budget cut fights, Pershing Square lights, and other happenings Around Town.

New proposals could change the look of Chinatown’s squares.

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

July 27, 2009

Volume 38, Number 30

INSIDE

Downtown Living

Lawsuit Ruling Puts Housing Plan in Question Victory by Geoff Palmer Could Deal Precedent-Setting Blow to Villaraigosa’s Mixed-Income Ordinance by Anna Scott staff writer

ne of Downtown’s biggest developers last week won a court case challenging the city’s affordable housing law. It could deliver a damaging and, some attorneys say, precedent-setting blow to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s efforts to increase the city’s low-income rental housing stock. Geoff Palmer, who has created thousands of Italian villa-inspired apartments in several projects in City West, sued the city in February 2007 to avoid having to include below-market rate rents in his upcoming 350-unit Piero II project. An 18-year-

old guideline for the area, the Central City West Specific Plan, requires developers of large projects in the community either to replace any low-income units that were demolished on the development site after 1988 or, if no units were razed, price 15% of the residences in each project for low-income workers. Developers can also pay for the city to build the units elsewhere. Some low-income units have been constructed in the area, though many of the large developments never materialized. A Superior Court judge ruled in Palmer’s favor in December 2007. The city appealed the ruling. see Lawsuit, page 17

photo by Gary Leonard

An Appeals Court judge last week ruled that the city was wrong in requiring developer Geoff Palmer to include affordable housing in a City West project.

In With the Indie Crowd Scenes from the Best Of Downtown party.

Cupcakes, trucks and other Restaurant Buzz.

Historic Downtown Gets a Starring Role in ‘500 Days of Summer’ by Anna Scott staff writer

owntown Los Angeles has appeared in hundreds of films, if not more. Sometimes it’s a stand-in for New York City, Washington, D.C. or other metropolitan areas. Other times, the community is depicted as a futuristic or post-apocalyptic wasteland, or even just as a place where a lot of things blow up. In the new film 500 Days of Summer, however, the Central City steps out of the background and takes a rare starring role — as itself. The film, which opened in wide release on Friday, July 24, was shot

almost entirely in Downtown and goes so far as to treat the area as an actual character. The plot revolves around an aspiring architect, Tom (played by Joseph GordonLevitt), who finds inspiration in Downtown’s historic buildings. The script references many real structures and places as it provides an out-of-sequence look at the 500-day relationship of Tom and his love interest, Summer (Zooey Deschanel). “We did some research into the history of Downtown and decided to localize it and shoot it all in Downtown Los Angeles,” said director Marc Webb, who makes his see 500 Days, page 28

The Taxman Cometh

New works take the REDCAT stage.

City Tries Public Shaming for Top Scofflaws, Though Some Downtown Firms Allege Unfair Practices by Richard Guzmán

The dogs run Cathedral plaza.

city editor

23 CALENDAR LISTINGS 25 MAP 26 CLASSIFIEDS

photo by Chuck Zlotnick

Tom (Jason Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel) spend time at Bunker Hill’s Angels Knoll park in the film 500 Days of Summer. The film that opened in wide release last week was shot last year in Downtown.

City Controller Wendy Greuel hopes to embarrass tax scofflaws into settling their debt with the city. Last week, she noted that 16 businesses have recently paid a total of nearly $3 million in delinquent taxes.

he city of Los Angeles has launched a new tool in the effort to recoup more than $100 million in delinquent taxes — public shaming. Whether it will work remains to be seen, but a handful of companies that do business in Downtown have found themselves on a new city Office of Finance list of the biggest scofflaws. City Controller Wendy Greuel drew more attention to the

matter last week, and even noted some success. At a July 22 press conference in front of City Hall, she showed off an oversized check for nearly $3 million, the amount of money recovered from 16 delinquent taxpayers since the list was launched in February. “We have a $500 million budget deficit in the city of Los Angeles. We have $107 million that is owed to us by debtors and sometimes embarrassment works,” said Greuel. see Taxes, page 17

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2 Downtown News

ayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Community Redevelopment Agency officials and various stakeholder organizations last week protested the California State Legislature’s proposal to take $1.7 billion from redevelopment agencies statewide. City officials estimate that the cuts, part of the state’s effort to make up a $26 billion shortfall, would take $72 million from the CRA over the next two years. “What this means is our work program and the money we would get out on the street for programs would be dramatically reduced,” said CRA CEO Cecilia Estolano in a separate interview. “Downtown is one of the strongest project areas and would get hit pretty hard by this.” Downtown initiatives that could be threatened, she said, include several business assistance programs, a plan to create a new park and the ongoing effort to open a green technology corridor in the Industrial District. Estolano said she expects the cuts to result in the loss of about 2,300 construction jobs citywide, which could also impact Downtown. The CRA successfully sued the state last year over proposed funding cuts, Estolano said, and might take legal action to challenge the new proposal. “Given the magnitude of the cuts proposed, we really wouldn’t have a choice,” she said.

Film Production Continues to Fall

n-location film production throughout Los Angeles continued its decline in the second quarter, and Downtown did not buck the trend. According to FilmL.A., which coor-

El Pueblo Merchants Respond to Audit

s the city prepares to begin negotiating leases for tenants at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument in hopes of bringing rents up to market rate, merchants at Olvera Street are asking for “long term” leases and to be recognized as “preservationists” of the area. The requests came last week in the form of a written response by the Olvera Street Merchants Association to a June 24 audit by the City Controller that harshly criticized El Pueblo for charging rents far below market rate. The merchants pay an average of $1.35 per square foot at an attraction that draws 2 million visitors a year, said the audit, which went on to recommended rents of $2.65-$6.75 per square foot, as well as raising area maintenance fees. Prepared by Steven Jimenez, the response to the audit was sent to the Controller’s office and El Pueblo officials. The response also

Rated X

ky-high tricks will return to Downtown on Thursday-Friday, July 30-31. That is when X Games 15 sets up at Staples Center. Featuring 200 extreme sports athletes, the X Games will highlight the daredevil sports of BMX Freestyle, Moto X (on dirt bikes) and skateboarding (other X Games events take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson, among other locales). The athletes will compete for medals, prize money and, of course, the right to brag about their skills and crazy bravery. Tickets at (877) 234-8425, info at staplescenter.com.

Festival to Light Up Pershing Square

ershing Square park will be transformed into a light-filled wonderland for one night this fall. On Sept. 19 from 7 p.m.-1 a.m., the park will be the site of the Autumn Lights Festival, a light/art exhibition curated by Downtown artist Lilli Muller. It will feature artwork and light projections onto structures in and around Pershing Square. “It’s going to be modeled after the Berlin Lights Festival,” said local artist Heidi Hutchinson, a sales assistant for the event. “What we’ll

FREE

be doing is art projections with about 20 artists… onto the surrounding buildings, the fountains, the walls in Pershing Square.” Muller staged a similar event, also titled Autumn Lights, at the Caltrans building on Main Street in 2006.

Man Commits Suicide Off SB Lofts

27-year-old man was found dead in the alley behind the SB Lofts at 548 S. Spring St. early Monday morning, after jumping from his 10th floor apartment. Police have classified the July 20 incident, which according to law enforcement officials on the scene happened at about 4 a.m., as a suicide. “There were prescription medications recovered there that probably, if not taken, or taken in excess, would contribute to something like this,” LAPD Lt. Al Pasos said. “There was no struggle, no nothing.” The incident marked the fourth “jumper” suicide in the past four months in Downtown.

If You’ve Got Game…

top bragging to your co-workers about that mean crossover you’ve been breaking out at the gym; if you think you’ve got game, here’s your chance to prove it. This week is the deadline to register for the inaugural Lakers Three-on-Three Basketball Tournament, which will take place Aug. 1416 on 50 courts that will be set up around the L.A. Live campus. Each team will play a minimum of three games, and there will be more than $100,000 in prizes. The three-day event also features celebrity games, autograph sessions, a slam dunk contest and musical performances. Registration, which costs $40 a person for a team of four, ends July 31. Information at (877) 234-8425 or lakers3on3.com.

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dinates film permits in the city, total production Downtown declined 32% in the second quarter compared to the previous year, with 2,153 production days in 2008 and 1,464 this year. “We are deeply concerned by our longterm loss of commercial and feature film production,” FilmL.A. President Paul Audley said in a statement. “The advertising sector has been hard hit by the economy, and feature films are consistently shot in incentive-generous locales outside California.” The number of production days for commercials Downtown fell 28%, from 537 to 384, and feature films dropped 33.1%, from 305 to 204. The biggest losses came in television, which plummeted 42.7%, from 643 production days in the second quarter of 2008 to 368 this year.

asked the city to remain in compliance with Proposition H, a 1992 voter-approved initiative that the merchants say enables them to negotiate long-term leases with the city. Currently 17 tenants operate under 55-year leases, a length that has been criticized by some real estate experts as not in the best interests of the city — instead they recommend terms of three to five years. Lease negotiations are scheduled to begin in August after El Pueblo officials complete a study to determine what the new rents should be.

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AROUNDTOWN Officials Say Budget Cuts Could Harm Downtown Projects

July 27, 2009

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July 27, 2009

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A Permanent Place SRO Housing Corp. Opens $15 Million James M. Wood Apartments in Skid Row by Richard Guzmán city editor

hen Carol Johnson saw her new apartment for the first time, the little things jumped out. Never mind that the studio unit has an openloft feel with a modern design, or that it comes furnished with a dark wood bed and dresser. Or that there’s a peaceful patio and a welcoming community room in the building. “It has a microwave and a bathroom. That’s a big deal,” said the 44-year-old Skid Row resident. “It may not be a big deal to most people, but to me it is.” Johnson is one of the tenants who recently moved in to the $15 million permanent supportive housing project by the SRO Housing Corp. The five-story building at 506 S. San Julian St. is the latest development from the nonprofit organization that runs almost two dozen properties in the Skid Row area. The James M. Wood Apartments, named after the organization’s late founder, has 53 studio apartments, including 31 for residents with mental disorders. Units in the 49,000-square-foot building average 300 square feet and include private bathrooms and kitchenettes. Most of the residents, like Johnson, are moving from the organization’s 61-unit Golden West, a transitional housing building at 417 E. Fifth St. where they shared bathrooms. Tenants will pay 30% of their income toward rent and receive on-site case management, a staple of permanent supportive housing. Services include counseling, employment assistance, help with social security and medical benefits, and aid with their diet. “These are skills that help maintain independent living,” said Lashell Waters, service coordinator for the building. Transforming a Neighborhood The project was paid for with funds from the city Housing Department’s permanent supportive housing program, the county’s Housing Authority and $8 million in tax credits, said Joseph Corcoran, director of planning and housing development for SRO Housing Corp. “It’s our best project to date,” Corcoran said. The two-year effort transformed a dangerous and blighted section of San Julian Street, turning an empty lot filled with vacant cars, where drugs were sold and prostitution took place, into a slick building with bright red, blue and yellow highlights mixed with a contemporary brown fence and beige walls. Inside there is a community room with a 52-inch flat screen TV, dark leather couches and computers. A glass door opens to a 2,500-square-foot patio lined with potted plants. Although the patio is just a few feet from the often noisy San Julian Park, which is run by SRO Housing Corp., the space is quiet, thanks in part to a ramp that faces the outdoor area and leads to the building’s underground parking. The ramp sets the patio back about 10 feet from the street, providing an oasis for residents, said Anita Nelson, executive director of SRO Housing Corp. “It’s very quiet,” she said. “You would never know you’re in the heart of Skid Row and that’s what we wanted.” Although tenants may temporarily forget that they are in the heart of Skid Row, it will be difficult for them to overlook the fact that they are also in the middle of SRO Housing Corp. territory. With the Angelus Inn to the south, the Southern Hotel to the east, the Panama Hotel to the north and the park across the street, as well as the adjacent James M. Wood Community Center, SRO Housing Corp. properties literally surround the new apartments. Organization officials hope this will help residents get back on track. “This is our vision of community development and community revitalization,” Nelson said. “We have permanent supportive housing, emergency and transitional housing and San Julian Park over here. We have everything right here for our residents.” Honoring the Founder The apartments, along with the community center, carry the name of SRO founder Jim Wood. Wood, also a former labor leader and chair of the board of the Community Redevelopment Agency, died in 1998 of cancer. As a proponent of sports and convention facilities as well as museums and homes for the needy, Wood is credited with helping to create the Downtown of today. He founded SRO Housing Corp. in 1984 and was known for giving his own money to homeless families or inviting them into his home. He believed that any plan to fully revitalize Downtown must include Skid Row, organization officials said. “This to us is our community,” Corcoran said. “The project

was perfect for us and perfect to name after James Wood.” For the new tenants, the building is much more than the continuation of a legacy begun by Wood. It is the beginning of a new life. “I haven’t been in a permanent housing situation for years,” said Hugh Moon, a 60-year-old musician who moved into the apartment complex. “To come over here, my first impression was, is this really here on San Julian Street?” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

photo by Gary Leonard

Carol Johnson checks out her new home in the James M. Wood Apartments. The 53-unit project opened late last month.

4 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

DowntownNews.com

EDITORIALS

LAPD Needs to Monitor Itself After Lifting of Consent Decree

os Angeles officials last week gathered to pat themselves on the back following the announcement that after eight years the federal consent decree had been lifted from the Los Angeles Police Department. These kind of rah rah spectacles often employ too much self-congratulations and too little analysis. While some of that was in effect at the July 20 event, the occasion was momentous and worth noting. For more than eight years, the LAPD had operated under the shadow of federal oversight. While this made many within the department uncomfortable in recent years, it is difficult to object to the conditions that necessitated it. The consent decree followed the 1992 Rodney King riots and the fall-

out from the Rampart Division corruption scandal later that decade, and the city agreed to it in order to avoid a federal lawsuit. While the intent has always been to reform the department, the consent decree mandated that a federal monitor would ensure that numerous conditions were met. The monitor reported to U.S. District Court Judge Gary A. Feess. Feess was, by all accounts, tough to please — and considering the gravity of the situation, this was a good thing. An initial aim to end oversight in 2006 was extended when it became clear that some conditions had not been satisfied. Feess moved cautiously, even in the past month, when the proposal to lift the decree generated wide and varied support

(though organizations such as the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union continue to oppose it). Obviously, he needed to be certain that the department was ready for this kind of “independence.” Much has changed in the LAPD in the past eight years, with a significant amount of progress driven by Police Chief William Bratton, who arrived after the decree went into effect. Although it is a little early to start discussing his legacy — the former head cop in Boston and New York City still has more than three years left in his second and final term as chief in Los Angeles — he has used the federal oversight as a guideline to improve the department. He has helped raise morale among officers and restore public

Keep Ring Festival Focus on Wagner

ounty Supervisor Mike Antonovich ruffled some feathers this month when he proposed that Ring Festival L.A., a $32 million event set to draw international attention to the city in April-June 2010, change its focus. It’s a bad idea. The Ring Festival should continue as planned and already prepared for, with a focus on German composer Richard Wagner, warts and all. Antonovich raised his objections to focusing on Wagner two weeks ago. Last week, he proposed that his fellow Supervisors write a letter to L.A. Opera, a key producer of the festival, asking to expand the focus and include other composers. In making his pitch, Antonovich described Wagner as “a racist whose anti-Semitic writings were the inspiration for Hitler and the holocaust.” We trust that Antonovich has the best of intentions here, that he is thinking about community sensitivities and avoiding causing unnecessary suffering to those whose families were devastated by Hitler. We’re hoping this will not verge into any kind of government censorship regarding an artist whom an elected official finds reprehensible. The first question concerns Antonovich’s timing. Ring Festival L.A. was unveiled last November, and for more than eight months officials have been raising funds and working

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

on the gathering that will draw large crowds to Downtown for performances of the four operas that make up Wagner’s Ring cycle. The festival will also include dozens of panels and cultural activities at venues across Los Angeles. The time to raise objections to the festival was last November. Perhaps Antonovich did not want a public spat at the time with Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who has championed the festival. The more important issue is whether Antonovich’s idea has merit, whether the legacy of the composer who died in 1883 is so offensive that staging a festival errantly celebrates him and harms Jews and others who suffered under the Nazis. We disagree with Antonovich on this point. We think the festival should continue as planned. So do the rest of the supervisors, who last week wisely voted in favor of an alternative motion by Yaroslavsky urging that Ring Festival L.A. go on precisely as intended. No one involved with Ring Festival L.A. pretends that Wagner was a model of humanity. In fact, some accompanying events will specifically address his relationship with Jews. A schedule distributed at the announcement of the festival noted that the participating groups include the American Jewish University, which will host a seminar titled “Richard Wagner and the Jews: The Use of Wagner by the Nazis.”

confidence in the police force, all while crime has fallen. Of course, reaching this point does not mean that the LAPD should operate without questioning. A July 13 Los Angeles Downtown News story about a falsified document submitted in a department personnel case raised some disconcerting issues. Feess’ decision moves the proceedings to a transitional agreement (worked out by lawyers for the city and the federal Department of Justice) in which the civilian Police Commission will be charged with keeping an eye on department operations. The Commission cannot be cowed by those who hold power in the city. If the department stumbles, there is room for Feess to step in again. Still, the most important work must continue within the department, and Bratton and others cannot rest on their success. In recent years the LAPD has striven to prove that it is a changed force. Lifting the consent decree was the right decision, but progress cannot stop.

It is also important to note one of the key L.A. Opera people involved with the festival, Music Director James Conlon. For the past several years Conlon has helmed L.A. Opera’s Recovered Voices series, a groundbreaking effort in the classical music world which preserves the works of composers who were persecuted by the Nazis. Clearly he is well-informed on the issue. History is littered with artists and others who have made important achievements despite having personal views that we today consider abominable. But we must be able to separate art from the artist. Ring Festival L.A. should go on as planned, complete with multiple examinations of the life and personal views of Richard Wagner. Do not change the nature of the festival simply because we do not like who he was or how his compositions were used. Antonovich’s idea was misguided — fortunately, the other supervisors recognized that we can celebrate the music without glorifying the man who made it.

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

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Trains of Thought Rail Fanatics From Across the Country Try Out Los Angeles’ System by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

s a Metro Red Line train eased to a stop at its northern terminus in North Hollywood on a recent Monday morning, a group of about 20 tourists got out and mingled quietly about the platform. The moment marked a milestone for the group: On their third day in Los Angeles, they had just traveled the last inch of the entire Metro rail system after leaving from Union Station in Downtown. Unlike most other riders, however, the primarily male contingent didn’t head for the escalators to exit the station: Instead, they waited a few minutes, then got right back on the train for the return journey to Downtown. The group is part of On-Track-On-Line. com, an Internet forum for train fanatics across the country. The most avid members meet in different cities every summer to explore the local train systems. “People always ask why I don’t arrange for sightseeing, because some of us are visiting a city for the first time,” said Kevin Korell, a New Jersey resident who helps administer OTOL and organized the trip to Los Angeles. “But we didn’t come here to sightsee. We came to ride trains. That’s the whole point.” Just ask Korell’s son, Michael. When OTOL members visited San Francisco for its 2008 “Train Fest,” he spent about one week riding the Bay Area’s rail system.

“And never once did he lay eyes on the Golden Gate Bridge,” Korell said about his son. That’s because the group doesn’t explore cities by train: They just explore the trains. When riding a new subway system, they only come up for air when necessary, like to grab lunch. The site has approximately 1,000 registered users. About 20 were on hand to ride the Red Line (while in Los Angeles, they also rode the Gold, Blue, Green and Purple lines, as well as some Metrolink routes). Most had started their trip a week prior in Philadelphia, taking the train to Southern California with a pit stop in New Orleans. But if a tourist visits a city and sees its landscape, its attractions and its people only through the moving window of a light rail car or commuter train, did they really even visit? “Of course,” Korell said. “We rode every last inch of its train system.” Train Bug Members of OTOL came to Los Angeles from across the country, literally: One journeyed from Hawaii and a handful hailed from New York and New Jersey. Each member has his or her own history with trains. Some are obsessed with rail history and lore and can recite the name of just about every major regional line in the country, historic and contemporary. Some don’t bother with such details — something about having tracks under their feet

photo by Gary Leonard

Members of On-Track-On-Line tour the Metro Red Line. During a recent visit to Los Angeles they rode every inch of the Metro subway system, and also sampled some Metrolink routes.

just lends comfort. For Eric Minton, the group’s self-appointed cinematographer, the obsession began at age 6. “I was standing on the platform and the GG1 on the Pennsylvania Railroad scared the pants off of me,” Minton said (the GG1 ran the Northeast corridor from 1937 to ’83, he added). “It blew me back and then nearly sucked me in as it passed. There was a fence, I was safe, but I guess it just left an impression.” Other riders, like Patrick Gallagan from Ventura, preach the mass transit gospel: rail, they say, is the most practical and safest way to move a lot of people across long distances. “I’ve been car free since ’93,” Gallagan said proudly. “I guess I’ve got the train bug.” But Gallagan and others aren’t so lovestruck that they can’t find fault in the rail systems they visit. Gallagan and a few other members

were quick to gripe about the long wait times for making a transfer in Los Angeles, like when jumping from the Blue Line to the Red Line at Seventh Street Metro Center. Most OTOL riders, however, weren’t eager to talk transit policy. In fact, beyond casual chit-chat amongst each other, most preferred not to talk at all. Instead they gazed out the window, even when there was seemingly nothing to see underground, and took in the sounds of the moving machine. “Everyone has that thing that they like,” said Alan Burden, from New York City, who at all times listened through an earpiece to conductors and technicians chatter on a train scanner radio. “My mom goes around the world to hear Andrea Bocelli. That’s what she loves. For us it’s trains.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Input Sought for Chinatown Upgrade Proposed Improvements to Central and West Plazas Draw Concern by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

ith its souvenir shops full of paper fans and jade, Asian restaurants, pagoda architecture and men playing Chinese board games, Central Plaza is the iconic heart of Chinatown. Its unique sense of place spills across Hill Street into the pedestrian-only Chung King Road, which winds through the gallery-rich West Plaza. Together, the two plazas have all the makings of a charming tourist destination. However, one key ingredient is missing, say local property owners and other stakeholders: the tourists. “It’s pretty quiet,” said Richard Lu, who owns three buildings in Central Plaza, including the one that houses his design firm. Lu is among a group of property owners pressing for basic amenity improvements. If Chinatown is to compete with other Los Angeles destinations for regional and worldwide visitors — a goal of the local business community — Central and West Plazas need some physical and programming enhancements, said George Yu, executive director of the Chinatown Business Improvement District. The Community Redevelopment Agency agrees: Working with the New York Citybased nonprofit Project for Public Spaces, the agency is seeking public input on how to improve the two plazas, and is looking at possibilities such as more lighting, new benches and landscaping. They will turn to the community for suggestions at a public workshop on July 29 at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Central Plaza. “People come in and they eat and then

they leave, so we’re trying to figure out what we can do to keep them there a little bit longer,” said Lillian Burkenheim, CRA project manager for Chinatown and Downtown. Public Project on Private Property The effort to improve Chinatown’s historic center has all the makings of a basic public improvement project, except for one potentially crucial wrinkle: While Central and West plazas have the distinct feel of open-air public spaces, both are privately owned. “Central Plaza’s not really a public space,” said Tony Quon, property manager for the Los Angeles Chinatown Corporation, which owns all the streets and walkways in Central Plaza. “It’s private property.” While most of the commercial real estate in the plaza is privately owned by various entities, L.A. Chinatown Corporation controls the open spaces used widely by the public that the CRA and other stakeholders hope to augment with tourist-friendly amenities. The CRA and Project for Public Spaces have made it a point not to make many specific suggestions for the spaces yet, opting instead to let the public drive the project. But potential changes include more lantern lights, street furniture and better signage. If such changes seem basic and non-controversial, Quon is nevertheless skeptical. “My concern is mostly, if we do all this fixing up for everybody else, there’s definitely some care factor involved in the long run and, are they going to share in this care, like asphalting the streets?” Quon said. “So far, we’ve got no help.” In addition to the streets and alleys in the plaza, the L.A. Chinatown Corporation owns

Go ahead, climb on up there.

a nearby parking lot and some apartment buildings. It also receives revenue from film production in the plaza. Quon said the Corporation would likely quash any additions to the plaza that would present obstacles to film productions, such as permanent furniture. Quon said the group is not entirely opposed to plaza improvements, and that he intends to attend the workshop. But ultimately, he said, any changes would require approval from the L.A. Chinatown Corporation board. Middle Ground Unlike Central Plaza, West Plaza’s photo by Gary Leonard streets are not run by a single entity. Richard Lu, a property owner in Chinatown, is hoping Instead, individual property owners improvements to Central and West plazas will spur also own half of the street that fronts economic development in the neighborhood. their building, said Sherwood Lee, a West Plaza property owner and member of the West Plaza Association. scribes as, “creating a great place that serves The plaza has cost and maintenance-relat- as a gathering place for communities, brings ed concerns similar to those at Central Plaza, economic and social engagement benefits but Lee said members of his group are largely and accomplishes a lot in one space.” open to improving the area. At the Wednesday workshop, Espiau said, On most days, West Plaza is less busy than participants will be divided into groups and Central Plaza, due in part to its concentration instructed to canvass different parts of the of art galleries that have irregular hours. Any two plazas and rate them based on criteria improvements that bring more pedestrians such as access and linkages, comfort and imto West Plaza restaurants and souvenir shops age and sociability. would be welcomed, Lee said. Espiau is conscious of the potential hurdles Still, long-term maintenance costs and re- to upgrading the plazas, but said she believes sponsibilities remain an obstacle. Lee pointed that the potential economic benefit to all to an example of a past CRA-funded project stakeholders should convince property ownthat brought large potted plants to Chung ers to sign on, and even invest in, the project. King Road. Watering the plants fell to the Following the July 29 workshop, the CRA property owners; some kept the greenery and PPS will conduct meetings with stakealive, while others turned the pots into big holders and present a preliminary design conashtrays, Lee said. cept by September. The project does not yet “The reason why this kind of project hasn’t have a set budget, though the CRA has spent been done for so long is because both sides, $35,000 for PPS consulting work. Any imthe owners and the CRA, are skeptical,” said provements would likely come from a $1.5 Bibiana Yung, CRA assistant project manag- million-$2 million CRA fund already set aside er. “If we pour in a lot of money, we ask what for Chinatown enhancements, Yung said. if they don’t maintain it? And they think “Obviously, managing this kind of space we’re trying to control their property.” is more complicated and it really elevates Still, Yung said the CRA is confident that the importance of partnerships and collaboit now has better relationships with the local ration among them,” Espiau said. “But no stakeholders, and that in working with build- matter who owns it, it could be the lynchpin ing owners, shop owners and other interests, of the entire district… so I commend them the agency will be able to devise a project that for tackling something that could be jurisdicsatisfies all parties. tionally challenging.” A Gathering Place The community workshop is Wednesday, The CRA is largely turning to the New July 29, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Chinese York-based Project for Public Spaces to lead Consolidated Benevolent Association, 925 N. the plaza improvement project. The non- Broadway, (213) 977-1616. profit was contracted to train CRA staff on Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at what PPS Senior Associate Renee Espiau de- ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Downtown News 7

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DOWNTOWN LIVING

TheClassOf’09 A Look at Some of the Downtown Buildings That Have Opened This Year

hen it comes to new residential projects, 2009 may not be as heated as the last few years. Yet, people continue to stream into the condominium and apartment buildings in Downtown Los Angeles, and several projects that began construction before the economy tanked have debuted this year.

In the following pages, Los Angeles Downtown News looks at six of the newest buildings to arrive on the scene, what might be called the Class of ’09. From the Rowan Lofts, a condo project that got a kick-start after an auction, to Sakura Crossing, the second Little Tokyo rental development from the Related Cos., the residential movement is seeing some new additions.

Row Row Rowan Your Building Historic Core Structure Fills Up Following Groundbreaking Auction photo courtesy of Downtown Properties

Project: Rowan Lofts Address: 460 S. Spring St. Developer: Downtown Properties Opened: April Total Units: 206 Units Still Available: 30 units Size of Units: 550-1,500 Price Range: $200,000-$800,000

photo by Gary Leonard

Building Amenities: Outdoor Jacuzzi, grill, garden area and resident lounge. Parking: In adjacent garage. One spot per bathroom.

After initial slow sales, the Rowan Lofts in the Historic Core is filling up.

Details: After a two-year, $50 million restoration, the 1912 Rowan Lofts entered the market with high hopes. However, it arrived amidst a tough economic climate. Initially, sales were slow. That forced the developer to try a novel approach, and in February 79 units were put on the auction block, with starting prices for some condos as much as 45% below the original asking price. The tactic worked, resulting in the sale of 63 units and raising $21.8 mil-

lion for developer Downtown Properties. Although that was far less than officials initially envisioned, it allowed the building to open. Progress continues, and according to a Downtown Properties official, the Rowan now averages more than 10 sales per month. Homeowners association fees are about $400-$500 a month. Located in the Historic Core, the project refurbished the Beaux Art structure’s original terra cotta facade and marble-clad lobby, hallways and stairways. Inside the 12-story building, units are modern, and the structure’s more-than 2,000 windows are framed by Honduran mahogany. A one-inch thick material under each residence’s hardwood floors reduces noise between building levels. The Rowan Lofts is a historic monument that was designed by John Parkinson, who also worked on structures including Los Angeles City Hall and the Pacific Stock Exchange. The project includes 10,000 square feet of retail space. Although the space is not yet filled, a Downtown Properties official said some leases are in the works, including one for a barbershop. The developer is also looking at bringing in an art gallery or a market. —Richard Guzmán, richard@downtownnews.com.

8 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

Downtown Living

Cherry Picking an Apartment Sakura Crossing Takes a Landscaping Cue From Little Tokyo Project: Sakura Crossing Address: 235 S. San Pedro St. Developer: Related Cos. Opened: June Total Units: 230 Units Still Available: 159 Size of Units: 550-1,200 square feet Price Range: $1,500-$3,000 (46 units are reserved for lowincome tenants and have lower prices) Parking: One space included for one-bedroom units at projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s onsite underground parking facility; two spaces for two bedroom units. Building Amenities: Business center, pool, Jacuzzi, screening room, two roof decks with barbecue areas and fire pits, a fitness center and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;club roomâ&#x20AC;? that residents can rent for private parties. Details: The Related Cos.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; $78 million Sakura Crossing apartment complexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opening last month came on the heels of the developerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other Little Tokyo project, the 128unit Hikari, which debuted in late 2006. Related strived to tie the complex into the neighborhood, both literally and figuratively: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sakuraâ&#x20AC;? refers to cherry blossoms, which are revered in Japanese culture. The 230 units in the six-story, U-shaped building are a mix of studio, one- and two- bedroom residences. Unlike

many similar complexes, where apartments come in a small variety of shapes and sizes, the apartments at Sakura Crossing utilize 34 layouts. There are also nine groundfloor units, which have individual security systems and storefront windows. Little Tokyo neighborhood leaders have praised Related for keeping the community at the forefront in designing the project, especially with Toyo Miyatake Lane, a narrow, landscaped road that cuts through the development site to connect San Pedro and Los Angeles streets. The street, named for a celebrated local photographer, is open to the public and was constructed partly to help accommodate Little Tokyo events such as Nisei Week, which are usually centered on San Pedro Street. Sakura Crossing is the first of four new developments slated to rise on the block bounded by Second, San Pedro and Los Angeles streets and north of the existing Casa Heiwa and Teramachi projects. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Ryan Vaillancourt, ryan@downtownnews.com.

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10 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

Downtown Living

Modern Love in a Historic Building SB Main Marries a 1926 Edifice With 21st Century Units Project: Shybarry Main (also known as SB Main) Address: 111 W. Seventh St. Developer: Barry Shy Opened: January Total Units: 214 Units Still Available: 80 Size of Units: 600-1,500 square feet Price Range: $1,200-$2,800 per month Building Amenities: Rooftop pool, spa, gym, recreation room.

when the housing market faltered. He has said that he hopes eventually to return to for-sale status. The building boasts 18 two-story penthouses, a private rooftop patio and mezzanines in third- and 10th-floor residences. There is also 24-hour building security, trash chutes on each floor, individual washer-dryer units and built-in dishwashers. Most units have at least 1.5 bathrooms. Water costs are included in the rents, but tenants pay for their own electricity (which powers all stoves and other appliances; there is no gas in the units). There are seven ground-floor retail spaces at the property, totaling approximately 7,000 square feet; all are currently vacant. The building’s management team is pursuing several commercial tenants, according to the leasing office, including vintage boutiques and at least one cafe. But there are no deals in place yet. —Anna Scott, anna@downtownnews.com.

Parking: Available for tenants in a two-level, onsite lot for $150 per space per month or in an offsite, adjacent parking lot for $120 per space per month. Each unit may lease up to two spaces. The Details: This 12-story, adaptive reuse project stands at the corner of Main and Seventh streets in Downtown’s Historic Core. Though the original interior of the 1926 former office building was almost completely gutted during the renovation process, the property does feature a few historic touches, such as exposed original brick in some units. The project was initially intended to be condominiums, though developer Shy switched tracks

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Units in the SB Main, a restored 1926 building at 111 W. Seventh St., feature a sleek, modern look and plenty of windows.

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July 27, 2009

Downtown Living

Downtown News 11

photo by Gary Leonard

Spring Fling Developer Barry Shy Brings Another 178 Units to the Historic Core Project: Shybarry Spring (also known as SB Spring) Address: 650 S. Spring St.

photo courtesy of SB Properties

Kitchens in the SB Spring lofts feature lacquered cabinets and built-in dishwashers.

Developer: Barry Shy Opened: May

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Total Units: 178 Units Still Available: 128 Size of Units: 600-1,800 square feet Price Range: $1,200-$3,000 per month Building Amenities: Rooftop pool, spa, gym. Parking: Available in an adjacent lot for $120 per month. The Details: This 12-story, adaptive reuse project in the Historic Core is close to numerous neighborhood amenities, including new restaurants and retail. Also within easy walking distance is the tiny, upscale coffee shop Spring for Coffee (the winner of the Best Caffeine award in Los Angeles Downtown News’ recent Best Of Downtown issue), on the ground floor of Shy’s nearby SB Lofts project. The residences in SB Spring boast ample windows (Shy has said that he only purchases corner properties in order to maximize exposure to natural light), individual washer-dryers and dishwashers, stainless steel kitchen appliances and blue pearl granite kitchen countertops. Other property perks include balconies in some units, air conditioning, 24-hour security and trash chutes on each floor. Water costs are included in the rent, but residents pay for their own electricity. The building’s 22,000-square-foot ground-floor commercial space is currently empty. Shy says that he hopes eventually to use the space as an event venue, which would be rented out to local organizations, nonprofits and individuals for parties, fundraisers and other gatherings. Plans are also underway to bring in an operator for a basement bar and lounge, which Shy hopes to open in approximately six months. —Anna Scott, anna@downtownnews.com.

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12 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

Downtown Living

Haas Building Is No Haas Been Project Has 68 Units and a Massive Party Space Project: Haas Building Address: 219 W. Seventh St. Developer: Zuri Barnes Opened: May 1 Total Units: 68 Units Still Available: 18 Size of Units: 575-1,200 square feet Price Range: $1,299-$2,600 per month Parking: One spot included in 24-hour secured, covered lot across the street at St. Vincent Court lot. Building Amenities: A “community floor” includes a screening room, gym, pool table, poker table and a bar (for tenants to stock and use themselves). Details: Perhaps the most unique aspect of this $10 million Jewelry District conversion is its top-floor penthouse. The 16,000-square-foot loft is used by developer Zuri Barnes as a private residence when he’s in town. When Barnes isn’t using the unit, the space becomes Loft Seven and is accessible to the public and building residents for events, parties, etc. Since opening in May, Loft Seven has hosted ’80s movie

photos by Gary Leonard

The Jewelry District’s Haas Building underwent a $10 million upgrade that turned it into 68 apartments. Since opening in May, 50 units have been leased.

nights (think films like Goonies and Labyrinth on the first or second Wednesday of the month) for residents, their guests and, space permitting, the public. Every second Sunday of the month from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., the space hosts a sample sale of discounted designer fashions. It’s open to the public, but residents get first dibs starting at 10 a.m. Barnes has also donated a 1,300-square-foot, secondfloor space to the Jewish Community Center Chabad of Downtown L.A., the area’s first new full-time synagogue in 60 years. There are also two retail deals in the works for the ground floor, including a high-end cafe and produce market expected to open within two months, and a beer, wine and

hookah bar, which is not slated to debut until November or December, said project spokesman Josh Gray-Emmer. According to Gray-Emmer, the building has filled at a rapid rate. Since opening in May, 50 units have been leased, he said. One unique aspect about the building is that Barnes is willing to pay for some apartment improvements: Existing tenants have had new walls or bar areas built, Gray-Emmer said. That flexibility is allowed, at least in part, because the project was financed directly by Barnes and is not tied to any bank debt, Gray-Emmer said. —Ryan Vaillancourt, ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Downtown News 13

Downtown Living

A Regal Republic Building Switches to Rentals, Gains Historic Status Project: Great Republic Lofts Address: 756 S. Spring St. Developer: Spring Main Development Opened: March Total Units: 72

The 100,000-square-foot Great Republic Lofts features 72 relatively compact units, from 655-1,101 square feet. The lack of adjacent buildings means clear views for all residents.

photo courtesy of Great Republic Lofts

Units Still Available: 17 Size of Units: 655-1,011 square feet Price Range: $1,295-2,100 Building Amenities: Rooftop garden with a glassencased gym and a Jacuzzi that seats 12. Free wi-fi on the roof. Parking: Located at an adjacent lot for an additional $150 per space. Details: The Great Republic Lofts was the first Downtown project for developer Main Street Development LLC, which is made up of New Yorkbased partners Abington Properties and Convermat Capital Group. The project, designed by architect David Gray, broke ground in February 2007. The 1927 structure, which was once the headquarters for the Great Republic Insurance Company, sits on the southern edge of the Historic Core. Like many other adaptive reuse projects in Downtown, the building maintained some original exterior features. Also preserved in the upgrade was about 90% of the original white Italian marble in the lobby and the wroughtiron detail on one elevator door (a previous owner had stripped the work from the other doors). The interiors of the units are modern, with exposed brick walls, new hardwood floors, Bosch appliances and glass tiles in the kitchens and bathrooms. In June the building received Historic-Cultural Monument status from the city. The developer renovated the 12-story Great Republic building with the intention of selling the 72 units as condominiums. Prices were slated to run from the low $300,000s to the mid $500,000s. However, like many new housing efforts in Downtown, they had to switch to rentals due to the economy. Since then, more than three-quarters of the units have been leased. Unlike most other buildings in Downtown, the Great Republic Lofts is a “stand alone” structure. No buildings abut it, meaning that residents have clear views and won’t feel hemmed in. —Richard Guzmán, richard@downtownnews.com.

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14 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

Downtown Living

What’s in My Loft? photos by Gary Leonard

Nancy Uyemura, 800 Traction Ave. by AnnA Scott StAff writer

There are live-work lofts, and then there are super duper live-work lofts. Nancy Uyemura’s 3,200-square-foot space in a 92-year-old building at 800 Traction Ave. in the Arts District is definitely in the second category. Uyemura, an artist, is a true neighborhood pioneer who has lived in the formerly industrial building for nearly 30 years. Her unit encompasses a huge work space. It is crammed with her abstract paintings, a cozy living area and even a big fish tank housing two nameless koi. Here are four of her favorite things about her loft. 1) The space. This space was nothing when we got here. We had to put everything in. I do painting, mixed media and collage, acrylics and some public art. I did some paintings in the Little Tokyo Library and a painting in the entryway at Casa Heiwa. I’ve been working lately in this long vertical or horizontal format. 2) This side of the building, the north side, has all the windows. If you are a visual artist, especially a painter, the light always influences your work. You always look for the north light, the constant light. Now, if you’re a collector, the light’s not so good for the artwork. 3) The bronze butterflies on the pillar were made around 2003. They go back to my story about Mrs. Gooch. Sandy Gooch is a really close friend of mine, and she’s the one who started Mrs. Gooch’s [Natural Foods] Market, which became Whole Foods. I used to work for Mrs. Gooch’s Market doing visual merchandising. Sandy’s husband, Harry Lederman, had a small bronze casting business in Thailand. He would do bronze casting of art pieces. So they had taken some sketches of mine to be bronzed and cast in Thailand, of butterflies and sea urchins. And those are the butterflies. 4) That painting is called “Water Into Wine.” It was sort of inspired by the story about how Jesus turned water into wine for the wedding. It related back to that moment when the water becomes the wine. It’s that in-between part, what happens in that moment when it changes. The blue is the water and the purple is the wine. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

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Downtown News 15

Downtown Living

The DownTown Living guiDe Where to Get Your Pet Fed, Your Clothes Cleaned and Your Cravings Filled By Kristin Friedrich contriButing writer

here is a lot, repeat, a lot, of stuff in Downtown Los Angeles. It’s a vastly different landscape than it was just a few years ago, and those who live and work in the community are finding less and less reason to venture outside for their services. In the effort to detail just how much stuff there is, we’ve put together the Downtown Living Guide. The purveyors of everything from pizza to pet supplies listed herein are helpful, but there are also a few lifesavers: A little shop that will deliver wine for five bucks, and hair stylists that can take last-minute appointments. Not every Downtown entity or business is on the list here. Think of this as a good starting point. GROCERIES Bunker Hill Market & Deli 800 W. First St., (213) 624-1245 Open Sun.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-midnight. All the basics, plus beer, wine and spirits, and no attitude. They’ll deliver Downtown for $5. Famima Cal Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., Suite R-2B,(213) 628-4000 Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 7 a.m.-6 p.m. City National Plaza, 505 S. Flower St., B-level, Suite 520, (213) 623-3236 Open Mon.-Fri. 5 a.m.-9 p.m. 800 S. Figueroa St., Suite 101, (213) 624-7700 Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat. 6 a.m.-1 a.m.; Sun. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. 700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite A, (213) 622-2006 Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat. 7 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. 525 W. Sixth St., (213) 629-5100 Open Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat.-Sun. 7 a.m.-12 a.m. 727 W. Seventh St., (213) 627-7334 Open Mon.-Fri. 5 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat. 6 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. You don’t always assign the word “cute” to convenience stores, but at Famima you do. Sandwiches, salads, hot buns, Japanese savories and an impressive magazine selection. Visit famima-usa.com. Grand Central Market 317 S. Broadway, (213) 624-2378 or grandcentralsquare.com Open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fresh produce, meat and prepared food stalls. One hour free parking with $10 purchase. They also have a liquor store. Joe’s Downtown Market (Toy Factory Lofts)

1855 Industrial St., (213) 612-0248 Open daily 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Snacks, drinks, gourmet items, soy cheese, milk, beer and other sundries. LAX-C 1100 N. Main St., (323) 343-9000 or lax-c.com Open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Like a “Thai Costco,” it sells everything from bulk produce to fresh seafood to kitchen supplies. Old Bank District Market 409 S. Main St., (213) 680-9000 Open daily 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Basic groceries, milk, wine, gourmet items, a deli, a coffee bar and the irrepressible Ray. Ralphs Fresh Fare 645 W. Ninth St., (213) 452-0840 or ralphs.com Open daily 5 a.m.-2 a.m. All hail the Downtown grocery king. Wine, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, a deli, fresh sushi, dry cleaning and a guy who can talk to you about cheese. Validated parking accessible from Hope and Flower streets. DRUG STORES/PHARMACIES CVS Pharmacy 1050 W. Sunset Blvd., (213) 975-1200 or cvs.com Open 24 hours This well-stocked store offers a pharmacy, cosmetics and spirits. It also has that rare L.A. occurrence — a parking lot. Rite-Aid 500 S. Broadway, (213) 623-5820 or riteaid.com Open Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. 600 W. Seventh St., (213) 896-0083 or riteaid.com Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Drug store necessities and toiletries, plus good deals on wine. Uptown Drug & Gift Shop 444 S. Flower St. #100, (213) 612-4300 or uptowndrugandgiftshop.com Open weekdays 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Traditional pharmacy with personal attention, screenings and prescription delivery. HOSPITALS California Hospital Medical Center 1401 S. Grand Ave., (213) 748-2411 or chmcla.org Good Samaritan Hospital Los Angeles 1225 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 977-2121 or goodsam.org Healthcare Partners

1025 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 623-2225 or healthcarepartners.com St. Vincent Medical Center 2131 W. Third Street, (213) 484-7111 or stvincentmedicalcenter.com Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital 2400 S. Flower St. (213) 742-1000 or orthohospital.org PIZZA DELIVERY Domino’s 545 S. Olive St., (213) 623-2424 or dominos.com Open daily 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Free delivery and basic pies. Los Angeles Pizza Company 712 N. Figueroa St., (213) 626-5272 or losangelespizzacompany.com Open Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-12 a.m. Free delivery and several gourmet options. Pitfire Pizza 108 W. Second St., (213) 808-1200 or pitfirepizza.com Open daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Free delivery and individual gourmet pizzas, pasta, salads and sandwiches. Purgatory Pizza 1326 E. First St., (323) 262-5310 or eatpurgatorypizza.com Open daily 6-11 p.m. Rustic, handmade style from a quirky crew. Rocket Pizza 122 W. Fourth St., (213) 687-4992 or rocketpizzalounge.com Open Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. 11:30 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sat. noon-12 a.m.; and Sun. noon-10 p.m. Free delivery with $10 minimum purchase. MOVIE RENTALS/THEATERS Angel City Drive-In 240 W. Fourth St., second floor, angelcitydrivein.com They’ll roll out the Astroturf and the car hops, but the screenings are BYOB. Walk-ins and bike-ins welcome. Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com A new film and event facility in the former Imaginasian Center. It offers indie flicks, readings, talks and film series. Laemmle Grande 4-Plex 345 S. Figueroa St., (213) 617-0268 or laemmle.com Downtown’s only multiplex hosts the occasional festival. More frequently, it screens art house films and current releases. Old Bank DVD 400 S. Main St., (213) 613-9654 or oldbankdvd.com Open Sun.-Thurs. noon-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. noon-midnight Art house, classics, foreign, independent and new releases are on the shelves. Plus, lots of yummy candy and really cool owners who will, if asked nicely, bring your movie out to the car if parking is a no-go. PET SERVICES Bark Avenue 545 S. Main St., (213) 748-7485 or barkavela.com

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3016 S. Hill St., (213) 748-7485 or barkavela.com Open weekdays 7 a.m-7 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m-7 p.m. Training, grooming, boarding, daycare, pick-up/drop-off and retail, plus a fenced-in area for play time. Lofty Dog 525 S. Hewitt St., (213) 617-2275 or loftydog.beepeez.com Retail and park open Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. noon-5 p.m. Daycare open Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Grooming, doggie daycare, indoor dog park and a boutique in 7,000 square feet. Muttropolitan 408 E. Second St., (213) 626-8887 or muttropolitanla.com Open Tues.-Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. This Little Tokyo salon for pets includes self-service pet wash stations and drop offs. Pet Project 400 S. Main St., #7B, (213) 595-4225 or petproject1@aol.com Low-priced home and office pet supply delivery service. Pussy & Pooch 564 S. Main St., (213) 438-0900 or pussyandpooch.com Upscale pet boutique with grooming services, unique products and pet furniture, plus the Pawbar for pet meals. DRY CLEANING Bunker Hill Cleaners 801 W. First St., Suite 102, (213) 680-0973 Open Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Located in the Bunker Hill Towers complex, it’s quick and convenient. Monte Carlo Cleaners 225 W. Eighth St., (213) 489-9400 Open Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun. noon-4 p.m. Organic dry cleaning, fluff and fold with lifesaving delivery options and housekeeping services. Sloan’s Dry Cleaners 300 S. Grand Ave., (213) 620-0205 330 S. Hope St., (213) 620-1622 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 627-5123 Call for hours. This omnipresent cleaners does it all. SHOE REPAIR Shoe Care & Dry Cleaners 543B S. Olive St., (213) 624-3440 Open weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Across from Pershing Square, two services in one. Shoe Wiz Instant Shoe Repair 514 W. Sixth St., (213) 688-9699 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 689-0050 Repairs on heels and boots, plus dye jobs, polishing and overnight work. SALONS/SERVICES Candolyn’s 350 S. Grand Ave., D-9, (213) 625-7895 or candolyn.com Continued on next page

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16 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

Downtown Living

Guide Continued from page 15

Open Mon.-Wed. 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Thurs.-Fri. 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday by appointment. Hair, nails and massage facing the California Plaza Watercourt. Jacqueline’s Salon 108 W. Second St., (213) 617-7911 or jacquelinessalon.com Open Tues.-Sat. 9 a.m.-close (also by appointment) A full-service salon in business Downtown for 17 years. Nail Service 244 E. First St., (213) 626-0315 Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nail and spa services, face treatments, lash extensions and 3D nail art in both gel and acrylic. Validated parking in garage on Second Street. Neihule 607 S. Olive St., (213) 623-4383 or neihule.com Open Mon. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tues. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.;

Wed.-Fri. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. A high-end, full-service salon across from Pershing Square decked out in mod white. Internet service. Early morning appointments starting at 6 a.m. Rudy’s Barber Shop 550 S. Flower St., (213) 439-3058 or rudysbarbershop.com Open Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Cuts and color on the cheap and trendy, in the Downtown Standard hotel. Salon Eleven 420 W. 11th St., (213) 744-9944 or salon-eleven.com Open Wed.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; most other days 9 a.m.-8 p.m. A hip, upbeat salon in South Park. Salon on 6 548 S. Spring St., Suite 111, (213) 623-5033 or salonon6.com Open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Salon and day spa in the Historic Core. Salon Pure 117 E. Sixth St., (213) 624-7873 or salonpurela.com Open weekdays 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; weekends 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

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Cuts, color, nails and waxing at the Santa Fe Lofts. Yolanda Aguilar Beauty Institute & Spa 735 S. Figueroa St. (7+Fig), Suite 100, (213) 687-6683 or yabeauty.com Open weekdays 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. More than 40 years in the biz, they do everything from facials to massages to body wraps. FURNITURE/HOME GOODS Cleveland Art 523 S. Hewitt St., (310) 940-4134 or clevelandart.com Open Mon.-Tues. by appt.; Wed.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Industrial machinery and surplus recycled as cool design for office, home and retail. Loft Appeal 903 S. Hill St., (213) 629-9105 or loftappeal.com Open Mon. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Modern, retro and unique film-set furnishings at reasonable prices. Loft Appeal East/Reel Appeal 521 S. Hewitt St., (213) 625-1725 or loftappeal.com Open Fri., Mon., Tues. noon-7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. This popular Downtown furniture store also has an Arts District location featuring contemporary home furnishings. Next door is the spectacular warehouse dubbed Reel Appeal, where you’ll find everything from cool movie props to furniture to antiques. Sweet Smiling Home 1317 Palmetto St., (213) 687-9630 or sweetsmilinghome.com Open to the public for special sales and events. Register at sweetsmilinghome.com. Home furnishings and accessories from Indonesia and China.

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard 255 E. Temple St., (213) 628-9230 or roybal-allard.house.gov Downtown’s voice in the U.S. House of Representatives is also a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Neighborhood Prosecutor 312 S. Hill St., second floor, (213) 847-8045 This responsive office deals with quality of life crimes including drug dealing, littering, panhandling and transient issues, among others. Email neighborhood@atty.lacity.org. FILMING FilmL.A. Inc. 1201 W. Fifth St., Suite T-800, (213) 977-8600 (after hours call main line and press option #2) or filmlainc.com Open weekdays 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and 24-hour on-call staff. Bright lights in your loft or helicopters overhead? Call them with complaints or concerns or visit the website to read Downtown filming rules. NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Meetings held in various locations, (213) 473-6451 or dlanc.org Neighborhood advocacy group advises city leaders on local issues. They always need people to get involved. Historic Cultural Neighborhood Council 305 E. First St., (213) 847-5026, hcncla.org Covers the northern tip of Downtown, including Chinatown, El Pueblo and Elysian Park, as well as Little Tokyo, the Industrial and Arts districts.

FITNESS Bally’s (Macy’s Plaza) 700 S. Flower St., (213) 624-3933 or ballyfitness.com POLICE/BID CONTACTS Open Mon.-Thurs. 5 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri. 5 a.m.-10 p.m.; Central Division weekends 8 a.m.-8 p.m. 251 E. Sixth St., (213) 485-3294; Personal trainers, tons of equipment, classes and a juice bar. call (877) 275-5273 to report non-emergency crimes. EducoGym This LAPD division, helmed by Capt. Blake Chow, covers 633 W. Fifth St., Suite 5750, (213) 617-8229 Downtown. By appointment only Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Central City East Association The highest gym in America, located on the 57th floor of the U.S. 725 S. Crocker St., (213) 228-8484 or centralcityeast.org Bank Tower with a 20-minute workout system. This BID covers the Toy and Industrial districts. It also organizes Bikram Yoga Downtown L.A. monthly community walks on Skid Row. 700 W. First St., (310) 405-1114 or bikramyogadowntownla.com Chinatown BID A series of 26 poses in a heated room. Call for class schedule. Red Patrol (213) 629-0466, press 7; BID office (213) 680-0243 or Gold’s Gym chinatownla.org 725 S. Figueroa St. #2, (213) 688-1441 or goldsgym.com The BID’s Red Patrol keeps Chinatown’s streets safe and clean. Open Mon.-Thurs. 5 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri. 5 a.m.-9 p.m.; Downtown Center BID weekends 7 a.m.-9 p.m. 626 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 624-2146; after hours (213) 624-2425 or You’ll find every class imaginable, from boot camp to cycling to downtownla.com Pilates. This is Downtown’s largest BID covering 65 blocks of the Central Ketchum-Downtown YMCA Business District. Its purple-clad officers will help with security, clean- 401 S. Hope St., (213) 624-2348 or ymcala.org. up and any other questions when you don’t know who to call. Open Mon.-Thurs. 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fri. 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fashion District BID Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 110 E. Ninth St., A-1175, (213) 741-2661 for 24-hour public safety Lap pool, basketball/volleyball, aerobics, indoor track and FitLinxx assistance or fashiondistrict.org program. The yellow-garbed Clean and Safe Team patrols the bustling Los Angeles Athletic Club Fashion District on bike and via cruisers. 431 W. Seventh St., (213) 625-2211 or laac.com Figueroa Corridor Partnership BID Open weekdays 5 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; 3982 S. Figueroa St., (213) 746-9577; and Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. service hotline (213) 746-3444 or figueroacorridor.org This private club features an Olympic-sized pool, personal training, This organization covers the area just south of Downtown, includ- classes and social events. ing Exposition Park and USC. The Nine SPOTLIGHT ON 1335 S. Flower St., (213) 746-9021 or theninemma.com DOWNTOWN REPRESENTATIVES Open Mon.-Sat. Ninth Council District, Councilwoman Jan Perry A sprawling mixed martial arts center in South Park. Pros or rookies 200 N. Spring St., Room 420, (213) 473-7009 or just looking for a good workout welcome. lacity.org/council/cd9 The Yard Represents the majority of Downtown, including the Central Business 1335 Willow St. (at Santa Fe), (213) 706-6827 or )HMXSVMEP JSV EHZIVXMWIVW MW District, South Park, parts of the Historic Core and Skid Row. EZEMPEFPI MR XLMW WTIGMEP WIGXMSR theyardmuaythai.com First Council District, Councilman Ed Reyes Open Mon.-Thurs. 3-9 p.m.; Fri. 3-7 p.m.; and Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 200 N. Spring St., Room 410, (213) 473-7001 or Learn the art of Muay Thai and kickboxing at this serious Arts lacity.org/council/cd1 District gym. FIND OUT WHAT TO EAT Represents Chinatown, City West, L.A. River issues. AND WHERE TO EAT @ 1264 W. 1st St., CA 90026 Fourteenth Council District, Councilman JoséLA,Huizar KEYS (213) 481-1448 200 N. Spring St., Room 465, (213) 473-7014 or • FAX (213) 250-4617 Roy Hopp and Company LADowntownNews.com 510 W. Sixth St., (213) 622-5153 LADOWNTOWNNEWS.COM lacity.org/council/cd14 Covers Broadway, part of the Historic Core and the Arts District. Open Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thirty-Fourth Congressional District of California, A family run, shop in the basement of a Jewelry District edifice.

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Continued from page 1 In a decision filed Wednesday, July 22, state Court of Appeal Judge Steven C. Suzukawa also ruled in favor of Palmer. While the December ruling applied only to Palmer’s specific case, the appellate court ruling is precedent-setting, according to Palmer’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lee Costell of Costell & Cornelius Law, and other attorneys. That means that Palmer’s victory could open the door to further affordable housing challenges, they say. It is unknown yet what developers, if any, would also take the matter to court. Palmer, in an email after the decision, called his victory a “landmark case” that “should end the Mayor’s wrong headed affordable initiative and help reverse mandatory inclusionary housing ordinances wrongly adopted state wide.” Villaraigosa’s office, in a statement to Los Angeles Downtown News, said, “In this time of economic uncertainty for L.A.’s families and workers, it is incumbent upon City government to ensure the production of affordable housing units; a single lawsuit for one project does not change this urgent need.” Backstory The Specific Plan was created in anticipation of intense commercial high-rise development in the area west of the Harbor Freeway, according to city planning officials — at the time, many expected the building boom in the Financial District and on Bunker Hill to spread west. One of the plan’s goals was to curb the displacement of existing low-income housing in the area. In exchange for building or paying for affordable housing, the Specific Plan lets developers build denser projects in City West than are typically allowed. Piero II, it is noted

in the Appeal Court ruling, does not take advantage of the incentive, Palmer, who has long argued that the Specific Plan is archaic because the heavy investment it envisioned never came to fruition, has taken the city to court before over the affordable housing requirement. In 2001, Palmer sued the city on largely the same grounds in a case involving his Visconti apartment project. That case was settled in 2004, and Palmer was allowed to build the Visconti without the affordable units. Under the Specific Plan, Palmer would have had to include 60 affordable units in Piero II, which is not slated to open until 2015, or pay $5.7 million to fund the housing elsewhere. That requirement comes from a 60-unit residential hotel that was demolished on the property in 1990, even though Palmer did not acquire the site until years later. Costell says that Palmer, who has built about 1,000 low-income apartments throughout the county, primarily objects to imposing affordable housing quotas on privately funded projects. “Those kinds of economic burdens have a chilling effect on development,” he said. Palmer’s legal argument in the Piero case contended that the City West affordable housing mandate violates the 1995 statewide rent-decontrol measure known as the Costa-Hawkins Act. The law entitles owners of apartment buildings constructed in the past 14 years to set the rents for new or vacated units. The 19-page judgment ruling in favor of Palmer notes that while similar cases have used the Costa-Hawkins argument, Palmer’s is apparently the first to challenge this type of areaspecific affordability requirement. Ramifications Palmer’s victory last week could ultimately have an impact well beyond City West. Last September, Villaraigosa announced

Taxes Continued from page 1 “We’re going to continue to pursue [tax scofflaws] to get people to pay those taxes so that law-abiding residents and businesses in Los Angeles who are paying their taxes will know that everyone is contributing their fair share.” Tops on the list is Prestige Parking Inc., which operates about 30 parking lots throughout the city and is headquartered in Downtown. The list said Prestige owes $65.1 million in parking occupancy taxes, though company representatives strongly dispute that. Second on the list, with a debt of $3.7 million, is Parking Spaces Inc., whose business address the city lists at 860 S. Los Angeles St. Unified Parking Services, which operates 14 lots in Downtown, is ninth on the list, owing $1.6 million. The proprietor of United Parking also protested his place on the list. Heavy Debtors The Office of Finance is the local equivalent of the IRS when it comes to city taxes. The new list targets debtors who owe more than $100,000. Companies or individuals on the list have accumulated the debt over anywhere from one to several years, said Antoinette Christovale, director of the Office of Finance, in an email interview with Los Angeles Downtown News. Names do not go up just because of a late bill. Christovale said delinquent taxpayers are sent a certified letter advising them that they have 30 days to settle or pay their debt. Those who do not respond or begin to negotiate a settlement are then posted on the list. Consequences for nonpayers can include added penalties, interest and the loss of their business license, Christovale said. The Downtown parking businesses on the list owe the parking occupancy tax, a 10% charge imposed on cars that park in lots. The lot owner is then responsible for paying those taxes to the Office of Finance. Audit teams visit parking lots throughout the city to ensure that they are paying the right amount of taxes, Greuel said. She said issues with Prestige Parking are not new. “Prestige Parking has not been paying that 10% over the years,” she said. Roger Jon Diamond, an attorney for Prestige Parking

photo by Gary Leonard

Lawsuit

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In 2001, Palmer sued the city over a requirement to include low-income units in his Visconti project. The case was settled and Palmer was allowed to proceed without the affordable residences.

an ambitious $5 billion plan to create more affordable housing throughout Los Angeles. Though only a fraction of the necessary funds are in place, one key element of the proposal is already in the works: the Mixed Income Ordinance. The measure, which follows a previous, failed proposal known as the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, would be similar to the City West system, but would apply to housing projects citywide. Attorney Barbara Kautz of the Oaklandbased Goldfarb & Lipman, who is consulting with the city on the Mixed Income Ordinance, said during a May hearing at City Hall that Palmer’s case, if successful, could prevent the city from applying the measure to rental housing. “It could affect a lot how the Mixed Income Ordinance gets structured,” she said at the time.

owner Sam Sahab, disputed those claims. He blasted the list as an attempt to taint his client, which is engaged in litigation with the city. He said the company has paid its taxes and that the list is an attempt to influence possible jurors. “We’re in the middle of a criminal jury trial right now,” Diamond said. “This document is designed to prejudice the jury against Prestige. The document is false, it’s ludicrous.” He went on to say that the company does not owe any back taxes. Parking Spaces Inc., meanwhile, is listed by the city as

‘We understand these are tough times, but there are payment plans, all kinds of things we can work out. We want to be reasonable, but for those who shut the door and say we’re not going to pay, we’ll be coming after them.’ —Controller Wendy Greuel

operating at 860 S. Los Angeles St., which is the address for the Cooper Building, which houses fashion and other businesses. Parking Spaces Inc. is not listed as a tenant, however, and a call to the company was answered by a man who refused to give his name but identified the company as Hollywood Parking, located at 6381 Hollywood Blvd., which runs the lot at the Cooper Building. He said the company was not Parking Spaces Inc. However, the Secretary of State’s office lists both Parking Spaces Inc. and Hollywood Parking as active companies at the same Hollywood address. Calls to attorney John Perlstein, who is listed by the Secretary of State as a repre-

Kautz was not available for comment last week. Her colleague, Thomas Webber, said he could not discuss the case until he had time to further study the Court of Appeal ruling. The statement from Villaraigosa’s office says that the mayor will take Costa-Hawkins and the Palmer ruling into consideration as work continues on the Mixed Income Ordinance, but did not provide any details about how the decision might affect the proposed measure. City planning officials have said that they expect to present a few possible versions of the Mixed Income Ordinance to the City Council’s Housing and Planning committees in September. An actual ordinance might not come until more than a year after that, said Planning Director Gail Goldberg. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

sentative for Parking Spaces Inc., were not returned. Point of Dispute Mike Sabet, the owner of Unified Parking Services, which operates 14 lots in Downtown, also said he is current on his taxes. However, he said he is willing to work out a settlement just to put an end to his tax issues and get off the list. Although he said he was recently contacted by the city, he said he has had a hard time reaching the Office of Finance. “It’s an embarrassment,” Sabet said during an interview in his office in Pasadena. “It’s bad for my business and I don’t know what to do.” Sabet showed Downtown News copies of certified letters he had sent to the Office of Finance claiming that he paid his taxes. He said he pays the city about $100,000 a year in parking occupancy taxes and that he turns in a Parking Occupancy Tax Reporting Form on a monthly basis. “It’s a big mess. Nobody gets back to me,” he said. “I could lose everything. In this country you’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. But there is this list that makes me guilty and nobody even looked at what I have.” Christovale of the Office of Finance said that Sabet’s outstanding tax liabilities are the result of both audits of his business operations and estimated assessments for all of his parking facilities. “It should be noted that many of these liabilities have been referred to the City Attorney’s Office and are currently the subject of litigation,” she wrote in an email. Patrick McGinnis, a former IRS tax attorney who is now in private practice, agreed that being on the list is bad news for a company. Still, he said he expects even more debtors in the future as the recession continues and the city seeks to get funds. “A lot of these companies may not have the financial ability to pay them, so more business will be running into trouble,” he said. “Money is short. Everybody is in the same position.” Greuel said that while some businesses might be in financial straits, taxes must be paid and debtors will be pursued. “We’re looking at all the tools in our toolbox to be able to go after people who are not paying their taxes,” she said. “We understand these are tough times, but there are payment plans, all kinds of things we can work out. We want to be reasonable, but for those who shut the door and say we’re not going to pay, we’ll be coming after them.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

18 Downtown News

DowntownNews.com

Bring Out The Best Photos by Gary Leonard

n Tuesday, July 21, approximately 400 Downtowners came out to celebrate the Best of Downtown. The party at the Figueroa Hotel in

South Park honored the 77 people, places and things that won prizes in the Los Angeles Downtown Newsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 21st annual Best of Downtown issue. Attendees included Downtown workers, business owners and residents. Also in the crowd were new City Controller Wendy Greuel, new City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, and Council members Jan Perry, JosĂŠ Huizar, Tom LaBonge, Dennis Zine and Paul Koretz.

July 27, 2009

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20 Downtown News

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RESTAURANTS Restaurant Buzz More Cupcakes, More Trucks, More Tastes by Richard Guzmán city editor

n My Cupcake Runneth Over: Cupcakes are like rainbows, kittens and bunnies — they all taste great. No, wait, they’re all so adorable that there’s just no way you can’t like them. That’s a good thing, because lately it seems like you won’t be able to avoid them (cupcakes, that is) around Downtown. Blue Cupcake, which has gained a following at farmers markets and online, has found a brick and mortar home in Downtown. The company, run by Julie Desmeules, held a grand opening party last week at Lot 44 Coffee, which will be selling the cupcakes. Flavors include red velvet, chocolate, coconut and vanilla and will go for about $2.75. They’re baked at a separate location, but are brought in to Lot 44 daily. Blue is not alone. Coming in about three weeks is proof that cupcakes are made for, and by, anyone. At six-feet fiveinches and 270 pounds, William “Chip” Brown is used to outgrowing things, but even he was surprised by how quickly he outgrew the temporary home for his cupcake spot Bigman Bakes at the Old Bank District Market on Main Street. “We’re in the process of relocating to our own space a couple of stores down,” said Brown, whose voice sounds as big as he is. “We had an overwhelming response. We sold out so we need our own space.” The big man bakes the cupcakes himself, and when he re-opens Downtowners will be able to enjoy flavors including red velvet, carrot cake, German chocolate, coconut and Old School, which is yellow cake with chocolate butter cream frosting. The cupcakes, by the way, come in the XL size for $3.25 or mini bites for $1. Blue Cupcake is at Lot 44 Coffee, 257 S. Spring St., (213) 6264646 or bluecupcake.com. Bigman Bakes will be at 413 S. Main St., (213) 500-4351 or bigmanbakes.com.

its Remedy lounge, Maria’s Italian Kitchen, Urth Caffe, Daily Grill, Takami, Rock’n Fish and Wokcano. They will all set up at the 7,000-square-foot Brunswick Studio in the Fashion District. Tickets for the 6-9 p.m. tasting are $30 in advance and $40 at the door. A 10:30 p.m.-2 a.m. after-party will follow for another $30 pre-sale and $40 at the door. The event will mark the launch of dtownla.com, an online magazine that covers fashion, lifestyle and dining in the area. At 843 S. Los Angeles St., ticket information at dtownla.com. n Keep on Trucking: It seems like there’s a trendy new food truck in every corner of Los Angeles now. First it was Kogi with the Korean taco craze, and Coolhaus, an ice cream truck for hip grown-ups. There is even a cupcake truck. Now the Two Hot Tamales ladies, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, who are known in Downtown for Ciudad restaurant, are jumping on the mobile cuisine bandwagon. Named BeeGee (for their Border Grill restaurant in Santa Monica), the truck first hit Downtown July 9 for the Art Walk. It features gourmet tacos, quesadillas, ceviches, churro bites and iced Mexican coffee. “Our most favorite foods in all of Mexico have always been the tacos that you get in the markets and late night on the streets,” said Feniger in a statement. “So it makes sense for us to come full circle and bring what we learned from the streets back to the streets.” Like Kogi, they’ll be updating locations on Twitter, and they are also networking via Facebook. The truck will stop at bars and clubs to feed the late night crowd while also having standard destinations such as the monthly Downtown Art Walk. Additionally, those behind the truck are looking for Downtown office buildings that want to be regular mid-day spots, so if you have a mass of hungry people in your office, let them know. At (213) 542-1102, bordergrill.com or twitter.com/bordergrill.

n Great Tastes, Lots of Filling: Some of Downtown’s newest and best-known restaurants are joining forces for a one-day food festival. On Friday, July 31, the Taste of Dtown LA will pull together restaurants including Magnolia, Provecho and

n Viva Tamales: The fifth annual Los Angeles International Tamale Festival has found a new home, and it’s right in Downtown. Formerly held near MacArthur Park on Seventh Street, the free festival is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to Los Angeles State Historic Park Nov. 13-15. It’s a ways off, but Restaurant Buzz loves tamales and is preparing early for an event that will cover just about everything there is to cover when it comes to tamales. There will be a tamale cook-off, a best commercial and best homemade tamale contest, a tamale making demo, and of course, a tamale eating contest, which Restaurant Buzz promises not to enter so that others can have a chance to win. When you’ve had way too many tamales, there will be entertainphoto courtesy of Border Grill and Ciudad ment like arts and crafts booths, a kid’s area with games, and to make The Border Grill taco truck will be roaming Downtown and making appearances at the Downtown Art Walk. you feel less guilty after consuming Grub With Guzmán

There Once Was a Guy Named Tommy, Who Sold a Sweet Pastrami City Editor ’m a sucker for sweet talk. It’s especially effective when a restaurant tells me those beautiful words I long to hear, like “It’s all about the meat” and “Home of the overstuffed sandwiches.” Those messages, printed on the Tommy Pastrami menu, are things no carnivore can resist. Thus, I gave in to temptation last week and tried this new restaurant on Sixth Street.

mounds of masa (the tamale dough), there will be a canned food drive to benefit the House of Ruth Food Pantry and the River Food Pantry. At eastlosangeles.net/tamalefestival/. n Silver Anniversary: Quick, how much did a penne gratinati cost 25 years ago? How much was a plate of carpaccio cipriani (a thinly sliced filet mignon appetizer) in 1984? You don’t know or can’t remember? Well, for Cardini’s 25th anniversary, the restaurant inside the Wilshire Grand Hotel is having a special — “traditional Italian food with prices from 25 years ago,” according to their menu. But the truth is, no one at Cardini could really remember what meals cost back in 1984, so they decided just to take a chance and lower the prices for dinner between 5:30 and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and hope they come close. So who knows if a plate of penne gratinati really was $11.75 back then, or if carpaccio cipriani would have set you back $6.95? But that’s what Cardini is charging for some of their dinner specials, which are ongoing. They’re also offering a $10.95 all-you-can-eat pasta lunch special from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. as part of the anniversary celebration. The meal includes fettuccini Alfredo, angel hair pasta with grilled vegetables, veal cannelloni, and spaghetti and meatballs. At 930 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 896-3822 or wilshiregrand.com. n Oh Tapas!: You may have heard of Happy Hour, but O Bar & Kitchen in South Park is trying to coin a new term: Tapas Hour. From 4-7 p.m. on weekdays during the summer, O Bar is offering $4 tapas and $12 carafes of sangria. The tapas choices include bacon-wrapped dates, jalapeno poppers and grilled artichoke hearts. O Bar is also offering $9 lunch specials Monday through Friday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Choices includes pasta and panini. At 819 S. Flower St., inside the O Hotel, (213) 623-9904 or ohotelgroup.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

♦♦♦

All About the Meat by Richard Guzmán

photo by Gary Leonard

Blue Cupcakes has found a home in Downtown. The baked goods are being sold at the Lot 44 coffee shop on Spring Street.

Tommy Pastrami is a chain with nearly a dozen locations in Southern California. The Downtown Los Angeles locale, however, is the only one in the city. The restaurant models itself after a New York deli with overstuffed sandwiches and bread baked on site, minus the Big Apple attitude. Los Angeles, of course, has its own pastrami sandwich tradition, in particular at Langer’s Deli just west of Downtown. To be honest, Tommy Pastrami doesn’t get

anywhere near Langer’s when it comes to the signature sandwich, but like many people will point out, nothing really does. But if you’re looking for a place to get a quick bite right in the Financial District, with short lines and quality meats, Tommy Pastrami is a good option. Like any proper pastrami sandwich, the Tommy’s version ($8.95) is stacked high and requires some squeezing to fit in your mouth. The meat is fresh, tender and juicy, although it could have been just a little juicier for my taste. The rye bread is fresh and the half-pickle that comes with the sandwich is perfectly crunchy. Sides ($2.25) include potato salad, cole slaw, French fries and homemade chili. Go with the cole slaw, and put it in the sandwich with some extra mustard — that’s the way I

do my pastrami. Also popular at Tommy’s is the corned beef sandwich ($8.95), the roast beef ($8.95) and the kosher style salami ($8.95). Of course, remember the name — the place isn’t called Tommy Corned Beef. In case you want to make the sandwiches yourself they also sell meat by the pound for $12.99. Interestingly, they sell the rye bread by weight as well, for $4.75 a pound. Also worth noting is that Tommy sells Nathan’s hot dogs ($2), which are some of the best dogs around. Okay Tommy Pastrami, you may not be marriage material like Langer’s, but you still talked your way into my stomach. I’m easy like that. At 516 W. Sixth St., (213) 362-3354 or tommypastraminydeli.com.

July 27, 2009

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NOW on Stage

REDCAT Festival for Adventurous Work Returns for Its Sixth Year by Richard Guzmán

encompasses her latest self-exploration piece, titled Off, has not been difficult for Weedman. Surprisingly, another thing hen Lauren Weedman felt the urge to adopt has also been fairly easy: Uncovering a reputable venue that an at-risk child, she spent some time with a les- will welcome a piece about these personal experiences, and bian couple in Pittsburgh who had done it. That allow room for some improvisation. frank discussion led her to quickly change her mind. Weedman and Off will appear at REDCAT Aug. 6-8 as part Later, when she walked into a tattoo parlor to get a design of the New Original Works, or NOW, Festival. It will be one of a symbol that meant “trust your instincts,” she sat with an of eight pieces staged over three weekends (the festival began artist who admitted she was nervous and had trouble draw- July 23). Sharing the bill on Weedman’s weekend are Meg ing circles. Weedman’s instincts screamed at her not to go Wolfe’s Watch Her, a solo dance piece, and Pig, a humorthrough with it. ous look at transgender politics and civil rights by Zackary She got the tattoo anyway. Drucker, Mariana Marroquin and Wu Ingrid Tsang. Finding the personal and often humorous material that Weedman realizes she is fortunate to find a home for Off at the stage in the back of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. “I’m not comedy and not completely performance art, so I’ve never really fit in anywhere else, but I do there,” said Weedman. Innovation The performances at the NOW Festival often cross genres. They push boundaries and touch on different art forms to find new ways of expressing ideas and telling stories. Works range from video installations to dance, music, theater and performance art. The festival is in its sixth year. As always, said Mark Murphy, executive director photo courtesy of Carole Kim Dancer and choreographer Oguri’s image is projected on a screen as he dances in Carole of REDCAT, the aim is to Kim’s N1. It plays July 30-Aug. 1. highlight the creativity of up-and-coming performers as well as veterans looking to stay fresh and innovative. “It’s a program for local artists to create the most inventive work they can,” said Murphy. Over the years, the NOW Festival has become quite a draw, and not just for audiences. Murphy said this year there were more than 100 applicants. Murphy had several criteria for selecting participants. It included not only the vitality and quality of work, but also the performer’s ability to fully realize the project at the festival, as photo by Jeff Swenson well as the importance of Lauren Weedman takes her life experiences and presents them in a self-explorative piece the work to the artist. titled Off. She appears at REDCAT Aug. 6-8 as part of the New Original Works Festival. With an event like the NOW Festival, Murphy noted, the performers have

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a chance to bring their work to a wider audience than they might otherwise find. “We try to eliminate as many obstacles to creativity as possible by giving the artist full access to the resources of our theater, our technical expertise, and remove the obligations of self producing, so that they can focus just on the work,” he said. Reflecting on Video Carole Kim is another of the lucky eight chosen for this year’s festival. She is teaming with celebrated dancer and choreographer Oguri, percussionist-composer Alex Cline and multi-instrumentalist Dan Clucas for a piece that runs Thursday-Saturday, July 30-Aug. 1. Titled N1, it mixes live video and projections on a screen. The subject is the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus, who falls in love with his reflection and dies after not being able to leave his own image. “This piece is an investigation of what would happen if his reflection lived on after the original is gone, what that might mean,” Kim said. To explore that, Kim is using layers of video that will be projected onto translucent material to create a dreamlike state. Oguri, who plays Narcissus, dances on stage as his image is projected back from different points of view on the video. “It’s not your traditional piece,” said Kim. “It requires a more active viewing.” This marks Kim’s first time at the NOW Festival (also on the schedule this weekend is performance art group Jennifer the Leopard and their piece Leop Year). She sees the Downtown Los Angeles show as a chance to take her work from unconventional venues to a bigger stage while still having the freedom to experiment. “My whole thing is to take the moving image on the screen and make it special and live,” she said. “Everything is delivered live — the music, the dance and the visuals, so that each performance is entirely unique.” For the audience, it is a way to understand artists who cross genres, and even discover new disciplines. Kim notes that people who come for dance, experimental music or the moving image can be exposed to new things, even if they can’t put those things into words. “When you start mixing, all those people in the audience people start getting a sense that there are so many performers who are un-categorizable,” said Kim. “So experiencing is the only way to get it.” While Kim is reflecting on the audience, Weedman is still working on connecting the various scenes in her performance. She also may inject some personal elements into Off — she is six months pregnant, and is considering how carrying a child could fit in to the work. “I usually look at different aspects of life and tie them together in one performance piece, then I try to float above it a little bit and sort of turn it into a play, but I don’t know exactly how I’ll tie them all together yet,” she said. Then again, she just may improvise while on stage. “It’s the NOW Festival,” she said, “the one area in my entire creative life where I truly get to do whatever it is my heart wants to do.” The New Original Works Festival runs through Aug. 8 at REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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Speak Boy, Speak Downtown Canines Get Ready For Dog Day Afternoon by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

he dog days of summer are back, and Downtown’s furriest residents couldn’t be happier. Tails are wagging and tongues are hanging out in anticipation of Dog Day Afternoon, which returns to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Tuesday, July 28, from 6-9 p.m. The third annual event is expected to attract more than 270 dogs and 500 of their human friends, said Hal Bastian, senior vice president and director of economic development for the Downtown Center Business Improvement District. Bastian and his dog Scooter are co-hosting the event with Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik, the pastor at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, and his dog Joaquin. Held on the cathedral’s 2.5-acre plaza, it will include treats and pet booths with the latest in dog gear and products. There will also be a space for Furtographs, which specializes in pet portraits. For people, it’s a chance to meet other pet owners and make a new pack of friends. “One of the reasons we started this is so that people could interact and meet one another, and what greater way to encounter one another than by bringing your pets,” said Kostelnik. It’s obvious that people love Dog Day Afternoon. But what about the canines? To find out, Los Angeles Downtown News asked a group of Downtown dog owners to channel their four-legged friend for their thoughts and plans. Scooter: Bastian’s dog Scooter had some big paws to fill. He arrived after Buddy, a Downtown dog pioneer and original host of the event, passed away. When it comes to Dog Day Afternoon, Scooter, an 18-month-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever mix (really), takes his responsibilities seriously. He has been busy

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July 27, 2009

with Bastian passing out flyers and letting everyone know about the event. “I’m very excited about this event and community building in Downtown,” Scooter said via Bastian. “My daddy has been working very hard. But I’m very concerned about giving proper attention to all my guests. “One of the problems when you get a party of this magnitude is that you cannot spend good quality doggie time with any particular human or dog, and so you just have to make your nods and your sniffs and wag your tail and hope nobody will be too offended that you can’t spend quality time with them.” Olive: Downtown resident Kim Henderson’s dog Olive, a 2-year-old miniature pinscher mix, is a rescue. Olive and Henderson have been together since April and this will be their first Dog Day Afternoon together. Olive is a bit of a nervous nelly who generally likes to sit behind a window watching everything. “I’m worried that maybe other dogs won’t like me, and how will I act?” she admitted to Downtown News. “I want to meet other dogs, but I’m worried that it might not go so well. But I’m so excited.” Luna: Marc Loge spends his days as the spokesman for the Wilshire Grand Hotel. He spends his free time with Luna, a tiny 2-year-old Chihuahua he rescued. Luna is a veteran of Dog Day Afternoon and knows what to expect and how to get ready for the big day. In fact, she’ll be wearing a new sundress to the party. “Once a year I get the chance to put together the smell with the dogs they come from,” she said with a little help from Loge. The flirtatious little lady added, “I’m getting ready to meet all the dogs, and they should be a little nervous about meeting me.” Joaquin: As the veteran host of the event, Joaquin, a 6-yearold Labrador retriever, is cool and collected. He was businesslike and to the point in his Dog Day prep. “I’m looking forward to meeting all the neighbor pets,” he said. “My favorite part is to be able to walk around and mingle.” Kori: The 10-year-old Dalmatian-collie mix is also a regular at Dog Day Afternoon. Since her human Lee Marshall works

photo by Gary Leonard

Dog Day Afternoon has become the go-to event for Downtown canines. More than 200 dogs are expected at the event on Tuesday, July 28.

at the popular Pussy and Pooch pet store in the Historic Core, Kori always keeps an eye open for new products. “I love the free food samples given out there. I love to socialize with other dogs there and pee,” she said. Since she’s there to work as well as socialize, Kori likes to treat herself before Dog Day Afternoon. “I like to take a nice long spa day, getting my hair done and getting a full pedicure,” she said. That’s all 20 nails. Dog Day Afternoon is Tuesday, July 28, 6-9 p.m. at 555 W. Temple St., at the plaza of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, (213) 624-2146 or downtownla.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

July 27, 2009

Downtown News 23

DowntownNews.com

EVENTS SPONSORED LISTINGS Locals Night Café Pinot, 700 W. Fifth St., (213) 239-6500 or patinagroup.com/locals. 5:30-7:30 p.m., July 30: The Patina Group’s Locals Night series continues at Café Pinot. The night for locals to meet and mingle will offer $10 wine flights, $5 “French Master Chef” appetizers, inspired by the cookbook collection at the Central Library, $7 summer cocktails, $5 beer and champagne and complimentary pomme frites with assorted dipping sauces. The series continues August 6 at Zucca Ristorante. Summer on the Plaza Jazz 7+Fig and Bank of America Plaza, artsbrookfieldproperties.com. Brookfield Properties brings Summer on the Plaza jazz, world, blues and pop music to 7+FIG and Bank of America Plaza featuring jazz maestro Red Holloway and his quartet (July 29, 7+Fig), the California dream pop sounds of West Indian Girl (July 30, Bank of America Plaza), and Patrice Rushen and Friends with special guest Karen Briggs (Aug. 5, 7+Fig). Tuesday, July 28 Dog Day Afternoon Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels, 555 W. Temple St., (213) 624-2146 or downtownla.com. 6-9 p.m.: Downtown’s third annual doggie social returns to the Cathedral. Bring Fido to mingle with other Downtown dogs and their two-legged masters. Dodger Dogs will be on hand, but please, people only. Fashion Show Stanford Wholesale Mart, 807 E. 12th St., lookbookla.com. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: This wholesale showroom fashion complex opens its doors to the general public for a free, two-day fashion show (it continues on July 29). Models will strut an 80-foot runway wearing new fashions from more than 50 vendors. Live music by Nylon Pink. Wednesday, July 29 Zocalo Public Square California Endowment, 1000 N. Alameda St., zocalopublicsquare.org. 7:30 p.m.: The forum hosts Carlos R. Moreno, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court. The court’s only Democrat, Moreno issued the lone dissent in the court’s decision to uphold Proposition 8. He will discuss his work on the court, and his rise from the Solano Avenue neighborhood to the highest court in the state. SCI-Arc Lecture Series 960 E. Third St., (213) 356-5328 or sciarc.edu. In the W. M. Keck Lecture Hall. 7 pm: A discussion between Eric Owen Moss and Jeffrey Kipnis. The former directs SCI-Arc. Kipnis, a professor of architectural design and theory at the Knowlton School of Architecture, is also the curator of architecture/design for the Wexner Center for the Arts. Thursday, July 30 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Writer Ruben Martinez, accompanied by his longtime musical partner Joe Garcia, presents an evening of stories and songs called “Visions in the Desert: Searching for Home in the West,” which will explore some of the oldest American symbols and a new motley cast of characters to confront them. An Evening with Tom Julian FIDM Museum & Galleries, 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1201 or fidm.edu. 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Meet noted fashion authority Tom Julian at an evening devoted to men’s style. His acclaimed Nordstrom Guide to Men’s Style is considered by many to be the definitive handbook for dressing well. Friday, July 31 Farmlab Public Salons 1745 N. Spring St. #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. Noon: The arts collective Finishing School will discuss their most recent project M.O.L.D., a performance-oriented installation that investigates critical issues related to the science, politics and culture of food through the lens of decomposition. The audience will also participate in a workshop where they will build their own amateur bioindicators to assess food quality and safety.

Continued on page 24

LISTINGS Law and Order, Art and Music,

The

‘Don’t Miss’ list

one

And a Murder Mystery by AnnA Scott, StAff writer

California Supreme Court Associate Justice Carlos R. Moreno, whose name was recently heard among the cognoscenti predicting potential Supreme Court nominees, has won admiration from the left and the right during his eight-year tenure. Moreno will discuss his work, and his rise from the Solano Avenue neighborhood to the state’s highest court, at the Zocalo Public Square forum at the California Endowment in Downtown on Wednesday, July 29, at 7:30 p.m. Moreno’s track record includes being the lone dissenter in the court’s recent decision to uphold the gay marriage ban Proposition 8, upholding the right of counties to ban gun shows on county property and the right of consumers to sue corporations, and confirming sentences in most death penalty appeals. 1000 N. Alameda St., zocalopublicsquare.org.

photo courtesy of Zocalo

xplore the spooky side of Los Angeles history on Saturday, Aug. 1, when the eclectic bus tour company Esotouric offers its most popular ride, the Downtown-based Real Black Dahlia tour. The unsolved 1947 murder of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia, has inspired dozens of books, films and websites over the years. The four-hour tour, which explores who Short really was and provides a glimpse into Downtown’s lively postwar scene, starts at noon at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel at 506 S. Grand Ave. — contrary to popular belief, the secondto-last place Short was seen alive, according to Esotouric. Other Downtown stops include the Olive Street bar where Short may have met her murderer, the former Herald-Examiner newspaper offices on Broadway and the Figueroa Hotel. The tour will also feature a special presentation from cosmetics historian Joan Renner exploring Short’s unusual makeup style and what it said about her psychology. (323) 223-2767 or esotouric.com. photo by Greg Smokler

hether you want to remain on the cutting edge of L.A.’s performing arts scene or just up your cool quotient, plan a visit to REDCAT this weekend. From Thursday, July 30, through Saturday, Aug. 1, the Music Center theater hosts the second installment of its three-part New Original Works Festival 2009. This weekend’s program features two pieces. First, the myth of Narcissus is reinvented through an amalgamation of artist Carole Kim’s live-feed video and layered projections, plus live performances by dancerchoreographer Oguri, percussionist-composer Alex Cline and multi-instrumentalist Dan Clucas. Then, performance art-punk collective Jennifer the Leopard stages a multimedia event that features songs about celebrity sightings and knife fights and pits an onstage “audience” against the real one. Performances are at 8:30 p.m. 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.

photo courtesy of Esotouric

urn the stalwarts It’s time to “T ifornia ska-punk al C rn he ut So n , July 31, Radio Off,” whe A. Live’s Club Nokia on Friday L. ay m the band Reel Big Fish pl happier vibe fro ts about a ar he to ct at 8:30 p.m. Expe hit “Sell Out” and other lamen dio produced known for the ra . The band’s self- r Free, ry st du in ic us m e the Chimps fo the pitfalls of th for Nothin’ and ys ke on M rmer label, e, as le new re ce leaving its fo sin m bu al t en nd ction of is its first indepe through the colle Fish es in sh n io at er lib songs. Reel Big and a feeling of s and drinking ng so te ha at (known s, ng love so The English Be rs ee on pi a sk e it for will be joined by irror in the Bathroom” and “Sav nd “M e ska ba for 1980s hits lik u guessed it — yo — e ec pi efiv 5-7000 or Later”) and the c Blvd., (213) 76 pi m ly O . W 0 80 . the Supervillains . m co a. ki clubno

4 photo courtesy of Goldenvoice

The Colburn School on Friday, July 31, at 2 p.m., hosts the culmination of Summer Encounter 2009 — no, not an alien spaceship party, but almost as exciting. Summer Encounter is the Colburn School’s 8-year-old, two-weeklong performing arts immersion program, which this year included nearly 60 students from 14 public elementary schools in L.A. On Friday the students showcase art inspired by work in the Museum of Contemporary Art and participate in a concert at the Colburn School’s Zipper Concert Hall. The event is free. 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

5. photo by Gary Leonard

24 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

DowntownNews.com

We Got Games Once Again, X Marks the Spot Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com. The Manny Ramirez-fueled Dodgers are road-tripping all week, first going into Albert Pujols’ house in St. Louis (July 27-30), then paying a visit to old friend Derrick Lowe when they take on the Atlanta Braves (July 31Aug. 2). The Blue Crew remains in possession of the best record in Major League Baseball. How good are things this year? Good enough that even Juan Pierre continues to get standing ovations. The biggest news this week is the coming trade deadline, with questions swirling (at press time) over whether the Dodgers will acquire star Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay. Los Angeles Sparks Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St.,

(213) 929-1300 or wnba.com/sparks. The Sparks close out their long road trip this week with games against the Minnesota Lynx (July 28), Chicago Sky (July 29) and Sacramento Monarchs (Aug. 1). It’s been a rocky first half of the season so far for the 4-9 Sparks. Lisa Leslie is still sidelined with a strained knee and sophomore Candace Parker has played limited minutes since having a baby in the spring. X Games Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or staplescenter.com. July 30-31, 4-8 p.m.: The X Games returns to Staples Center for the extreme sports extravaganza’s 15th instalment. Thursday brings the Skateboard Big Air competition, which has skaters rocketing off a monster launch ramp, and the Motocross Step Up, which is sort of like pole-vaulting on a dirt bike. Friday brings a new Skateboarding event, the Big Air Rail Jam, as well as the Motocross Best Trick and the BMX Freestyle Big Air competition. Gnarly. —Ryan Vaillancourt

1-3 p.m.: The panel discussion “Who Is In, Who Is Out?” will feature a lively dialogue among African American intuitive artists from the community.

Listings Continued from page 23 Colburn School 200 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2200 or colburnschool.edu. 2 p.m.: Summer Encounter 2009 is a two-week, hands-on immersion in the performing arts involving nearly 60 students from 14 public elementary schools in Los Angeles. Now in its eighth year, the program is designed to introduce children to the performing arts and expose them to the many cultural resources in Downtown. Free. Saturday, auguSt 1 California African American Museum 600 State Drive, (213) 744-2024 or caamuseum.org.

Sunday, auguSt 2 MOCA Grand Avenue 250 S. Grand Ave., visit moca.org. 1 p.m.: A First Sundays are For Families workshop, with a tour of “Collecting History: Highlighting Recent Acquisitions,” an exhibition showcasing artworks recently acquired by MOCA for its permanent collection. Families will explore the purpose and meaning of art collections. After the tour, artist Sue Huang will introduce a hands-on project that explores the idea of collecting. Teens can drop in any time from 1-3:30 p.m., take a guided tour, and participate in artist-led workshops with their friends.

photo by Gary Leonard

The X Games returns to Staples Center this week, bringing its brand of high-flying, radical, gnarly extreme sports to Downtown.

See Complete Listings on the Web at downtownnews.com/calendar.

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TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

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

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

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26 Downtown News

July 27, 2009

DowntownNews.com

CLASSIFIED

pLACE youR Ad onLinE At www.LAdowntownnEws.CoM

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

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L.A. Downtown News is an award winning 38-year-old independent newspaper with over 150,000 readers every week in Downtown Los Angeles. Downtown’s revitalization is in full swing and we need enthusiastic sales people to grow with us. We are looking for a self-starter who is well-organized and has the ability to sell advertising over the phone or in person, with 3+ years in sales experience, preferably in advertising/media with a proven track record in prospecting and closing new business. The ideal candidate will have exceptional communication and selling skills, a strong work ethic and a great attitude. Compensation includes a base salary plus commissions and bonuses. This is a full-time position with benefits, including health insurance, disability, vacation, private health club, and a 401(K) retirement plan. Candidate must possess own vehicle and valid driver’s license. If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your cover letter, resume, and salary requirements via e-mail to: jobs@downtownnews.com. Use subject line: Advertising Executive 2009 Responsibilities: • Achieve and surpass revenue targets • Utilize your experience in cold calling and prospecting to generate new business opportunities • Identify strategic leads to grow and develop your client relationships • Use a consultative approach to selling and providing solutions • Use your strong communication and presentation skills • Consistently build a client base and retain customers • Network with the local community to further penetrate the market

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Available Immediately 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

the alexandria 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

$775/month july move in special: ½ Off 1st & 2nd Month’s Rent income & other restrictions apply.

Call 213.626.1743 or stop by for a tour

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Restrictions: Offer good on private party ads only. Ads must be pre-paid by cash, check or credit card. Certain classifications excluded. Deadline: Thursday at noon for next issue.

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

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

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Do you have something to sell?

July 27, 2009

Downtown News 27

DowntownNews.com

Financial ServiceS

tailor

AMERICAN TAX RELIEF. * Settle IRS Back Taxes * Do You Owe Over $15,000? If So... Call us Now! * Free Consultation*. For Less Than What You Owe! Stop Wage Garnishments! Remove Bank Levies Tax Levies & Property Seizures! Stop Payment Plans That Get you Nowhere! Settle State and Business Payroll Tax Problems Eliminate Penalties, Interest Charges & Tax Liens! * Settle IRS Back Taxes * No Obligation! Confidential! Call American Tax Relief 1-800-496-9891 * Free Consultation * (Cal-SCAN) 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 CHILDREN’S PERFORMING Group! Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up! See SunshineGenerationLA.com or call 909861-4433.

EDDIES TAILOR SHOP Take your wardrobe to the next level! Same Day Service! Open 7 days a week! 115 e. 8th St. L.A. 90014 (213) 399-1177

eddiestailorshop.com attorneyS

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

Star Holistic Spa Massage/Acupressure $40 (1 Hour) 2551 W. Beverly Blvd. LA, CA, 90057 (Beverly Rampart)

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

EMPLOYMENT coMputerS/it

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Sell your items under $300… 12 words, 2 weeks it’s FREE!

323-229-3320 (C) 323-722-1646 (B)

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) NUTRITIONAL COMPANY Needs Experienced Salespeople. Make Great Money. Training and leads provided. Work from office or home. FT/PT. Car/ computer required. Small investment. Jim 661-259-0790. (CalSCAN)

ITEMS FOR SALE FirewooD

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! California Army National Guard. No Experience. Paid training. High School Jr/ Sr & Grads/ GED. May qualify for $15,000 Bonus. www.NationalGuard.com/Careers or 1-800-Go-Guard. (CalSCAN)

hoMe iMproveMent

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY BuSineSS opportunitieS

general

Tel: 213-383-7676

SLT - IMMEDIATE Openings for CDLA teams, solo drivers willing to team. $1,000 Sign-on bonus. $1100/wk minimum pay. Hazmat & 1 yr experience. Background check required. 1-800-835-9471. (Cal-SCAN)

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

cleaning

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MiSc. iteMS REFRIGERATOR DOLLY $69. 310-638-1699

AUTOS & RECREATIONAL

DriverS

get your green carD or citiZenShip

ATTENTION: International Wellness Company Expanding Online Computer Work! Work from anywhere 24/7. Great pay. Will train. Request info online: www. KTPGlobal.com or 1-800-3308446. (Cal-SCAN)

MaSSage therapy

OP RESCH ENG’G Analyst: use computer & optimizing methods to devlp intrpt DVD production operatn data etc. Must: Master degree & skills. F/T job: El Segundo, CA. Scope Seven. Fax: 310-220-3958.

FIREWOOD for the beach; half cord $25. 310-638-1699 Furniture BIG OAK DESK $15. 310-6381699.

vanS & BuSeS CHEVROLET 2008 EXPRESS 3500 extd wb passenger van6,573 miles. 15-Passenger, excellent condition, all power this is a like-new Chevrolet Express Passenger Van with 15-passenger seating capacity! Still under warranty, 5 year /100,000 mile powertrain limited warranty with 24 hour roadside assistance. 4-Door, loaded with power steering, power windows, power locks, tinted windows, security alarm, tilt wheel, air conditioning. ABS brakes, deluxe console, remote keyless entry, van is loaded with an 6.0 Liter vortec v8 engine that delivers plenty of power. Transmission automatic 4 speed. Passkey III theft deterrent, child seat latch system, am/fm stereo CD player w/mp3 format. Exterior color- white /interior color- gray. $22,000. (323) 721-3947 Virginia or (323) 3144360 Fernando. autoS wanteD DONATE YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (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)

BIG WOODEN CABINET lights up $69. 310-638-1699.

DoMeStic autoS

BOOKCASE white and 6’ high $19. 310-638-1699.

1993 FORD PROBE. Rebuilt transmission, engine not running. $300 firm. 626-277-8828.

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

LEGAL aDoption/terM oF parental rightS IN THe CIRCUIT COURT OF THe STATe OF OReGON FOR MARION COUNTY JUveNILe DepARTMeNT IN THe MATTeR OF LILIANA pINTOR-veRMILYeA A CHILD. CASe NO. 08J0567 TO: RUBeN pINTOR INOCeNCIO IN THe NAMe OF THe STATe OF OReGON: A petition has been filed asking the court to establish permanent guardianship for the above-named child. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PERSONALLY APPEAR BEFORE the Marion County Juvenile Department, 3030 Center Street NE, Salem, OR 97301, on the 31st day of August, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. to admit or deny the allegations of the petition and to personally appear at any subsequent court-ordered hearing. YOU MUST APPEAR PERSONALLY IN THE COURTROOM ON THE DATE AND AT THE TIME LISTED ABOVE. AN ATTORNEY MAY NOT ATTEND THE HEARING IN YOUR PLACE. THEREFORE, YOU MUST APPEAR EVEN IF YOUR ATTORNEY ALSO APPEARS. This summons is published pursuant to the order of the circuit court judge of the above-entitled court, dated July 16, 2009. The order directs that this summons be published once each week for three consecutive weeks, making three publications in all, in a published newspaper of general circulation

OF YOUR WHEREABOUTS. (2) If you contest the petition, the court will schedule a hearing on the allegations of the petition and order you to appear personally and may schedule other hearings related to the petition and order you to appear personally. IF YOU ARE ORDERED TO APPEAR, YOU MUST APPEAR PERSONALLY IN THE COURTROOM, UNLESS THE COURT HAS GRANTED YOU AN EXCEPTION IN ADVANCE UNDER ORS 419B.918 TO APPEAR BY OTHER MEANS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, TELEPHONIC OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS. AN ATTORNEY MAY NOT ATTEND THE HEARING(S) IN YOUR PLACE. PETITIONER’S ATTORNEY Kristen Palladino Farnworth Assistant Attorney General Department of Justice 162 Court Street NE Salem, OR 97301-4096 Phone: (503) 934-4400 ISSUED this 20th day of July, 2009. Issued by:Kristen Palladino Farnworth #00344 Assistant Attorney General PUB. 7/27, 8/3, 8/10/09 police perMit NOTICe OF AppLICATION FOR pOLICe peRMIT Notice is hereby given that application has been made to the Board of Police Commissioners for a permit to conduct a MASSAGE BUSINESS NAME OF APPLICANT: WI SPA, LLC DOING BUSINESS AS: WI SPA LOCATED AT: 2700 WILSHIRE BLVD LOS ANGELES, CA 90057 Any person desiring to protest the issuance of this permit shall make a written protest before August 27, 2009 to the: LOS ANGELES POLICE COMMISSION 150 North Los Angeles Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Upon receipt of written protests, protesting persons will be notified of date, time and place for hearing. BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS Pub. 7/27, 8/3/09.

Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices

affordable. fRom 725/mo /mo. $

in Marion County, Salem, Oregon. Date of first publication: July 27, 2009 Date of last publication: August 10, 2009 NOTICE READ THESE PAPERS CAREFULLY IF YOU DO NOT APPEAR PERSONALLY BEFORE THE COURT OR DO NOT APPEAR AT ANY SUBSEQUENT COURT-ORDERED HEARING, the court may proceed in your absence without further notice and ESTABLISH PERMANENT GUARDIANSHIP for the abovenamed child either ON THE DATE SPECIFIED IN THIS SUMMONS OR ON A FUTURE DATE, and may make such orders and take such action as authorized by law. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS (1)YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY IN THIS MATTER. If you are currently represented by an attorney, CONTACT YOUR ATTORNEY IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIVING THIS NOTICE. Your previous attorney may not be representing you in this matter. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY, and you meet the state’s financial guidelines, you are entitled to have an attorney appointed for you at state expense. TO REQUEST APPOINTMENT OF AN ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT YOU AT STATE EXPENSE, YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY CONTACT the Marion Juvenile Department at Marion County Juvenile Department, 3030 Center Street NE, Salem, OR 97301, phone number 503-588-5291, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for further information. IF YOU WISH TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY, please retain one as soon as possible and have the attorney present at the above hearing. If you need help finding an attorney, you may call the Oregon State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service at (503) 684-3763 or toll free in Oregon at (800) 452-7636. IF YOU ARE REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH YOUR ATTORNEY AND TO KEEP YOUR ATTORNEY ADVISED

(UTILITIES & INTERNET INCLUDED)

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

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WWW . .NET *our micro-loft residences start at $725 per month, including utilities & internet access. income restrictions apply. offer may change without notice.

City Lofts: Daily Departures

Downtown News 2 x 3.indd 2

$99 Round Trip Between Downtown LA and Las Vegas

7/1/09 11:42:49 AM

BUNKER HILL TOWERS $349,000 800 W. 1st St./Hope Unit 2606

For Sale/Must See! 1 bedroom, 1 bath, completely remodeled high fl., skyline views. 24 guards, underground parking. All amenities, low HOA. Shown by appointment only.

760-880-4526 Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

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

ANNOUNCEMENT Downtown Value School (Charter K-8 school) is currently accepting bids from appropriate vendors for its school nutrition program. Bidders may request IFBs by calling 213-748-8868, or faxing request to 213-748-8062. All bids are due August 3, 2009, by 12:00 p.m.

Sun.-Thur. $119 PP DBL OCC 2 Days/1 Night Downtown LA to Las Vegas Bus + Hotel Package

820 sqft, 13 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 www.cityloftsquare.com

For information and reservations,

call (310) 225-5760

Los Angeles-Near LA Convention Center & Staple Center

Children’s Performing Group

Large House, 2 Bedrooms, I bathroom, $1,795.00/Mo. 1664 W. 12th Pl., 90015

National Charter Lines

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

SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

Call Suba Management Solutions • 626-318-3799

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

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

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

Luxury Rooms in Downtown 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

28 Downtown News

500 Days Continued from page 1 feature debut with 500 Days. “Because Downtown L.A. is an afterthought to a lot of people, Tom finding beauty in it is original. It fits in with his romantic sensibility.” Local landmarks showcased in 500 Days include the 1902 Continental Building on Spring Street, the 1893 Bradbury Building on Broadway and the 1927 Fine Arts Building on Seventh Street. Even though the script was not originally set in L.A., Webb said Downtown’s historic landscape ended up being a key element in creating the fairy-tale tone. “We tried to shoot only buildings that were built before 1950,” he said. “There’s a severity to some modern architecture, a slickness or just a sheen that doesn’t feel very warm, and we wanted the world to feel welcoming and lived-in.”

DowntownNews.com While Downtown’s historic architecture gave 500 Days its unique look, the spotlight is mutually beneficial, say those focused on the city’s historic treasures. “It gets people thinking about these places, people who live in Los Angeles and people who don’t,” said Linda Dishman, executive director of preservation organization the Los Angeles Conservancy. “People really do go see a building, or go see a park, as it becomes part of popular culture. I think it’s a good way for people to be inspired.” Setting a Scene Webb originally planned to shoot 500 Days in San Francisco. Filming in Downtown L.A. instead, he said, was motivated to meet the film’s approximately $8 million budget. The decision, he noted, was not finalized until about two or three months before shooting began. Webb and writers Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber spent those months boning up on Downtown history with the help of online encyclopedia Wikipedia, and took a walk-

July 27, 2009

photo by Chuck Zlotnick

Crew members transformed Old Bank DVD at Fourth and Main streets into a record shop for a scene in the film.

ing tour of the area to help tailor the script to its new setting. The film was shot over 29 days last summer. The final product utilizes many locations Downtowners will recognize. Angels Knoll park on Bunker Hill, for example, provides Tom’s favorite spot for taking in the Downtown skyline. During one scene there, he points out the Continental Building to Summer and notes that it was the city’s first skyscraper. Then they joke about the parking structures that mar the view. The Bradbury Building, known to many for its appearance in another film, Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi work Blade Runner, provides the setting for 500 Days’ final, pivotal scene. The camera moves lovingly over the building’s dramatic Victorian court, ornate marble stairs and iron railings. “It’s extraordinary,” Webb said of the Bradbury. “Just the design of that building is so impressive, you feel like [Tom]’s found his home in some way.” Even interior scenes that could have presumably been filmed anywhere were shot in Downtown. The crew transformed Old Bank DVD at Fourth and Main streets into a record shop for one scene. The Redwood Bar & Grill on Second Street doubled as Tom and his colleagues’ regular karaoke bar. Webb says he was drawn to the Redwood’s “sense of place,” but also stayed within the Downtown grid out of necessity. “The truth is we couldn’t move our base camp, and had to find locations within our restricted radius,” Webb said. “It was, in retrospect, a very appealing corner that we backed ourselves into.” Downtown’s Many Faces Webb’s 500 Days of Summer is not the only recent film to embrace Downtown. In Search of a Midnight Kiss, which screened at the inaugural Downtown Film Festival last August, follows a couple as they spend a day wandering Downtown and takes a similarly romantic view of the area. Downtown Film Festival Co-Director Greg Ptacek said he sees that film and 500 Days as part of what could be a trend. “I think Hollywood has treated Downtown L.A. as an extension of a back lot,” said Ptacek. “More often than not, it was a nameless big city or New York or Chicago. Now, with the renaissance of Downtown, if you will, it’s become a real place in people’s minds as opposed to an extension of someone’s imagination.” Community stakeholders seem pleased by the attention. “There’s no movie I can think of, of a recent vintage, that shines a spotlight on the revitalization that we’ve been experiencing,” said Carol Schatz, president of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District. “I think people will get a very different perception about Downtown than the usual fare.” Fine Arts Building owner and attorney Mark Geragos agreed. “It’s a psychic benefit. Anything that promotes Downtown is great,” he said. Another recent film, The Soloist, based on Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez’s columns about his friendship with a homeless musician, delivered another view of Downtown by focusing on the harsh realities of Skid Row. That film utilized the actual Times newsroom and shot some scenes in Skid Row, and employed Skid Row denizens as extras. Like The Soloist, 500 Days of Summer will be partly judged by how realistically it portrays Downtown. That, however, seems subject to interpretation — Webb said he was surprised by a Dallas Morning News review which said 500 Days is set in L.A. but doesn’t feel like it. More important was his overall approach to filming in Downtown. “It was about looking up,” he said. “I think Tom even says that in the movie: On the surface, on the ground floor, it looks not so appealing, but if you look up you can see someone had a lot of hope when they were building this place. There’s a lot of optimism in Downtown.” Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.