LOS ANGELES
DOWNTOWN
NEWS Volume 40, Number 46
Thanksgiving in Downtown 14-16
2
Ice skating and a French bistro, and other happenings Around Town.
7
A department store and more are part of the future of Broadway.
W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M
November 14, 2011
DRIVE TIME
INSIDE
The Los Angeles Auto Show Parks in Downtown. See story p. 17 Gary Leonard, he takes pictures.
2
Urban Scrawl on the NBA lockout.
4
Will the Dodgers move to South Park?
5
photo by Gary Leonard
Buy your own big Downtown lot.
9
A Sidewalk Scuffle in Skid Row A Judge’s Ruling Leads to Trash Pile-Ups and a Divided Community by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer
Reviewing a romance at L.A. Opera.
18
Five great entertainment options.
19
19 CALENDAR LISTINGS 21 CLASSIFIEDS
O
n a recent Tuesday afternoon, an abandoned, dirty baby stroller sat at Sixth and San Julian streets, resting against a fire hydrant in the heart of Skid Row. Although the surrounding sidewalks teemed with people, many of them homeless, nobody paid attention to the stroller. Anywhere else in Los Angeles, the stroller would have been an obvious candidate for pick up by the city’s Bureau of Sanitation. But in the wake of a June federal court ruling that prohibits the seizure of homeless people’s abandoned property in Skid Row, the ownership status of that stroller — and anything else left on sidewalks, from shopping carts to couches — is now in question. In the eyes of local civil liberties groups, the ruling marked a rare victory for the voiceless. Now, homeless individuals can access a shelter for a shower or a meal without fear that police will seize their belongings when they’re gone. The LAPD,
meanwhile, maintains that the ruling handcuffs the city them from keeping sidewalks free from detritus that invites bacteria and provides cover for drug dealers. Homeless advocate the Los Angeles Community Action Network, or LACAN, contends that the law does nothing to prohibit sidewalk cleaning. But authorities are proceeding cautiously. “A broken piece of furniture could be presumed trash before, but now we have to presume it’s property,” said Lt. Shannon Paulson, who runs the Los Angeles Police Department’s Safer Cities Initiative, a group of 50 officers assigned to Skid Row. “Even if we’re going to take it as property, we have to prove it’s abandoned or poses an immediate health or safety risk.” The situation began in April, when eight homeless individuals organized by LACAN filed a lawsuit in federal court, claiming that homeless people’s constitutional rights were being violated when police took and destroyed their unattended items.
photo by Ryan Vaillancourt
A judge has ordered police to stop seizing abandoned items from Skid Row sidewalks. To some, it’s a crucial victory for homeless rights. Others say it’s a stewing public health concern.
In June, U.S. District Court Judge Philip Gutierrez agreed and issued an injunction barring the city from taking abandoned property without giving potential owners the chance to
The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles
claim it, or to retrieve it from another location within 90 days (items posing an immediate public health or safety concern can still be seized.) City see Sidewalks, page 10
2 Downtown News
AROUNDTOWN French Bistro Coming to Broadway
T
he popular Los Feliz French bistro Figaro will soon have a presence in Downtown. On Wednesday, Nov. 9, the restaurant’s owner and 14th District City Councilman José Huizar announced that Figaro Broadway will take over the derelict space once occupied by Schaber Cafeteria. The restaurant at 618 S. Broadway is awaiting design approval from the city. Once that occurs, construction will begin to transform the 9,000-squarefoot ground floor space into a restaurant with a retail bakery and patio dining. A second phase would create an 8,600-square-foot mezzanine. “We love the history of Broadway and believe in its future,” said Jonathan Mgaieth, whose family opened Figaro in 2000, in a statement. The Schaber Cafeteria was designed by Charles F. Plummer in 1928 and became one of Broadway’s most popular eateries in the 1920s and ’30s. The building was severely damaged when it was set on fire during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Historic features of the building will be incorporated into the design. The move is the latest high-profile restaurant announcement for the street, which Huizar has made a priority through the 10-year Bringing Back Broadway initiative he launched in 2008. Also in devel-
November 14, 2011
Twitter/DowntownNews TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD
opment are Two Boots Pizza, slated for 828 S. Broadway, and Umamicatessen, from the creators of Umami Burger, which will operate at 852 S. Broadway.
Ice Rink Returns to Pershing Square
I
n 2009, the longtime Downtown ice skating rink at Pershing Square received some competition when Anschutz Entertainment Group opened its own rink at L.A. Live. While some observers speculated that Downtown isn’t big enough for two rinks, and that the facility in the park would be the one to close, that hasn’t been the case. To whit, the park’s Downtown on Ice rink returns on Thursday, Nov. 17. The operation will run through Jan. 16, during which time 350,000 people are expected to come Downtown and skate under sometimes sunny skies. The rink will be open daily at 532 S. Olive St. A one-hour session costs $6 plus $2 for skate rental. Hours are noon-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. on the weekends. Downtown on Ice is open on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day from noon10 p.m. There will also be special events and concerts throughout the run. More info at
Metro News Conference
Music Center Plaza
laparks.org/pershingsquare.
Huge Recycling Event At L.A. Live
A
nyone with an old computer, some dead batteries or a batch of burnt out light bulbs who doesn’t want them to wind up in a landfill has an opportunity to do some good this week. On Tuesday, Nov. 15, L.A.
November 7, 2011
Live will let people drop off a range of materials that can be recycled. The drive, part of the annual America Recycles Day, will run from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Acceptable items include light bulbs, batteries, printers, computers, fax machines, televisions, VCRs and microwave ovens. The list of items that won’t be accepted includes thermometers, smoke alarms and refrigerators. America Recycles Day was created in 1997 by the nonprofit organizasee Around Town, page 13
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4 Downtown News
November 14, 2011
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EDITORIALS For Dodgers, Money Trumps L.A. Ties
Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis
T
he celebration over Frank McCourt’s agreement to sell the Dodgers is finally dying down. The applause lasted a long time, and that says a lot about Los Angeles and its baseball team — after the difficulties of the past couple years, and the shrinking attendance at Dodger Stadium, it’s a nice reminder of how passionately people love this franchise. In the long term, the fans won’t punish the team and the players for Frank and Jamie’s many missteps. The attention now turns to who will buy the Dodgers, the stadium, the parking lots and the other team holdings. It’s a billiondollar acquisition, at least. It’s also a tricky subject with a lot of emotion. We think that local ownership would be nice, but it’s not a line-in-the-sand issue. While someone versed in the happenings, psychology and politics of Los Angeles would arrive on day one with advantages, it is more important that the new owner has the finances to improve the team and Dodger Stadium, the willingness to do so, and the temperament to engage with the city. The problems of limited capital were apparent under the McCourts. Although it is clearly more important to spend smart than just to spend, the Dodgers in the past eight years did not have the dollars to compete with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies for the game’s premier free agents. Under a highly leveraged ownership, the team in the nation’s secondbiggest city operated like a medium-market franchise. That didn’t fly with fans in the past, and it won’t in the future. That is why finances and a stellar business and community record are more important than just an L.A. address. While we get sentimental when we hear that Peter O’Malley wants back in, or that former star players such as Steve Garvey are considering forming ownership groups, sentiment doesn’t buy World Series titles. Warm feeling won’t pay for an upgraded roster and an extensive and necessary stadium renovation. If one of these figures with historic Dodger ties comes up with the cash to buy and improve the team and its holdings, then they deserve consideration along with other bidders. However, there should not be a hometown discount, no matter how deep the Dodger blue bloodline. Fans will quickly become displeased if the new operator lacks the capital or the willingness to make a real change from the past. As Major League Baseball goes about vetting those who will compete in the auction, we hope they will consider who has money and their track record of behaving responsibly and being responsive to communities. As fans weigh in on the proceedings, we hope they will note the numerous instances in which an outsider has purchased a franchise and helped improve the product on the field or court, and enhanced the stadium experience. Local ownership would be nice. It’s something to consider. But for the future of the Dodgers, it’s not the only thing.
Fix Barking Law: Fines Too Big, Plus They Can Take Your Dog
N
obody likes a yappy dog. A neighbor with a yappy dog is a scourge. One with an incessantly barking dog is justifiably reviled. Responding to constituents’ complaints and a six-month backlog of barking dog cases, the City Council decided to get more aggressive with noisy animals and the shortcomings of the existing dog law. This month, they voted unanimously to update the city’s barking ordinance. It’s clear that their hearts were in the right place. Much of the law focuses on what can be done to rein in aggressive dogs. The council’s actions on this part of the ordinance are absolutely correct. Moving against irresponsible owners seems like a motherhood and apple pie action, and it would be if the details were right. They are not. The specifics of the new law do not take into consideration the real world behavior of normal dogs who are not behaving badly and not barking inappropriately. The ordinance says that if a dog barks for 10 minutes or more, or intermittently for 30 minutes within a three-hour period, its owner gets a $250 fine. It jumps to $500 for a second offense and $1,000 for a third. Yes, there’s a hearing first and a warning, but the punishments for some kinds of barking remain ridiculously punitive, including their right to take your dog away. To be fair to the council, the enacted structure could work in a neighborhood with very large lots and big houses set well back from the street. Animals can be controlled pretty consistently in that environment. Think Holmby Hills, Hancock Park or Windsor Square. In any case, most people in the city don’t have the option that owners of grand houses on substantial lots do. They live in apartments or condominiums, or small houses on small lots. In most neighborhoods homes are quite close to the sidewalk. In an apartment or condominium building, a dog will often bark when a person walks by the front door. It’s the same in neighborhoods with small houses close to the sidewalk. Protective canines, which means most dogs, are just doing what’s in their DNA. It’s part of why their owners got them in the first place. The situation is heightened in urban neighborhoods: Dogs bark when kids walk to and from school, people move to and from the bus stop, children play ball on the street, visitors arrive at one house or another, people run errands or do many of the things that happen
in daily life on a typical city block or apartment building. In these busy communities a normal, well-behaved dog could be deemed an offender. Barking intermittently for 30 minutes is not unreasonable or unexpected in this scenario. If there’s a lot of action on the street at a particular time of day, that’s what’s going to happen. Actually, we’d venture to say that virtually every dog in dense neighborhoods has been guilty from time to time of being too noisy under the new description. Hundreds of thousands of dog owners could be paying $1,000 fines or have their dogs taken away by Animal Services if this gets signed into law. (Really. We’re not overstating. It’s clear. Read the ordinance carefully.) If they are serious about enforcement, in short order Animal Services cases could outnumber gang cases in local courtrooms. In no time at all, a couple of years, perhaps, almost no one in the city (except the 1%) could afford to own a dog. The ordinance needs to be fixed, and fast. Councilman Richard Alarcon has proposed a marketing strategy to tell people about the new ordinance. He doesn’t have it quite right. Yes, information should be dispersed, but it should be about how to train dogs not to bark inappropriately as well as other essential pet care such as the importance of spaying or neutering and vaccinations. As often happens with the law, this one concentrates on punishing offenders, without much attention to educating them to do better. Dog owners, however, don’t get carte blanche. In some situations, people don’t train their pets and don’t seek to curb bad behavior. Some owners coddle dogs as if they are children who can do no wrong. Of course, dogs are animals that need to be trained. Ownership involves more than playing with a cute puppy — it means responsibility, both to the dog and the neighborhood. One new part of the ordinance does show particular promise: Now unlicensed dogs will be judged as well as licensed dogs. Never mind how odd it is that this hasn’t been done sooner. It has been done now. We like that the council is trying to address too much barking. We also think the fines should be dramatically reduced in scope, maybe a six- or eight-hour barking limit for a first offense and a $50 penalty. That can all be discussed, but we urge the council to reconsider the specifics. Get the ordinance completely right. This is a dog-lovers’ town, and constituents will appreciate the effort.
November 14, 2011
DowntownNews.com
First a New Dodgers Owner, Then a New Downtown Stadium Why It’d Make Sense for AEG to Buy the Team And Move It Into Farmers Field by Jon Regardie executive editor
I
don’t know Phil Anschutz. That’s not my fault — no one in the media knows the Denver billionaire who bankrolled, among many other things, Staples Center, L.A. Live and the film The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. THE REGARDIE REPORT
I don’t know how Anschutz reacted when he heard the news on Nov. 1 that Frank McCourt and Major League Baseball had reached an agreement that will result in McCourt putting the team, Dodger Stadium and other holdings up for auction. I don’t know if he got all 1% and rubbed his hands together and cackled like Mr. Burns on “The Simpsons.” I don’t know if he dialed the red phone connecting him with photo by Gary Leonard Downtown-based Anschutz Entertainment Is it better for a new owner to pump hundreds of millions of dollars into an aged Dodger Stadium, or to Group President and CEO Tim Leiweke, and move the historic franchise to a new venue in Downtown? directed him to get auction bidding card number one. Downtown, one called Farmers Field? Could deal. It all spills from my head, which for the What I do know is that perhaps the big- it be partially financed by a massive Dodger record is the same head that thinks the return gest, most controversial real estate play in TV contract, a naming rights deal and selling of “Beavis & Butt-Head” to MTV is one of Downtown Los Angeles since Bunker Hill the land where Dodger Stadium now sits to the high entertainment points of 2011. was turned from some aging Victorian housing developers who agree to make a size- That said, here is how, and why, a new homes to a skyscraper hub is now possible. able portion of the units affordable, finally Downtown Dodgers ballpark could happen. It breaks down into three questions. righting a residential wrong that occurred Limited Pool Could AEG buy the Dodgers? Could more than a half-century ago? One important aspect about the Dodgers the company then move the historic fran- The answers are yes, yes and yes. sale is that there are only a few logical buyers. chise to a billion dollar baseball stadium in I admit I know nothing about any such Although names are being tossed around like
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fantasies at a ’70s key party (if you don’t get it, Netflix The Ice Storm), a limited pool of people have both the money and the desire to buy the franchise and then spend like crazy to fix it. The acquisition price is expected to be at least $1 billion, and the new owner will then have to improve the line-up and pump hundreds of millions of dollars into a stadium upgrade. Since Anschutz doesn’t talk to the press, media outlets asked Leiweke if AEG would bid. Leiweke wouldn’t say, which is usually code for, “We started working on that precise idea three months ago.” The keys to all this are Farmers Field and Dodger Stadium. Regarding Farmers, Anschutz has already demonstrated his willingness to drop the cash necessary to start a $1.35 billion project that would create a 68,000-seat NFL stadium and expand the Convention Center. The city and the labor unions love the idea because of the jobs. The additional convention business means tax revenue for government coffers and would be a vital shot for the restaurants and attractions at L.A. Live. The trouble, as is usually the case with professional football, is dealing with the NFL. Over the past 17 years the league has repeatedly sucker punched Angelenos trying to bring football back. Although many believe the San Diego Chargers may relocate to Downtown, Anschutz’s desire to acquire a minority ownership stake in a local team could doom the deal. There’s no guarantee anything gets done. If Anschutz buys the Dodgers at auction, he no longer has to battle a cumbersome NFL. He could drop the football pursuit and direct stadium architect Gensler to reconfigure the building into one hosting America’s national pastime. Negotiations with the city would begin see Stadium, page 24
6 Downtown News
November 14, 2011
Twitter/DowntownNews
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Back to the Future Event Looks at What’s Coming to Downtown, With a Focus on Broadway by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
I
n a way, there was an inherent irony in the event last week titled “The Future of Your Downtown.” That’s because the future presented to a crowd at the Orpheum Theatre looks, in some ways, a lot like the past. Much of the event focused not on the entirety of Downtown, but rather on Broadway, the historic corridor with a dozen faded former movie palaces. The vision laid out might have reminded people of what Broadway was like in the 1920s: Officials hope it will again be an entertainment hub, and have a streetcar. About 500 people attended the forum on Wednesday, Nov. 9, organized by 14th District City Councilman José Huizar. Although much of the evening was dedicated to reviewing the accomplishments of Huizar’s nearly 4-year-old Bringing Back Broadway initiative and the $125 million L.A. Streetcar project, there were indications of two large developments coming to the street. “One of them is a major department store,” Huizar told Los Angeles Downtown News after the session. The second, he said, has been seen in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter and some revitalized parts of New York City. “It’s a very unique use out of a lot of available space in the upper floors,” he said. Huizar would not provide more details about the possible department store or the use of space above street level. However, both could also rekindle the past. In the first half of the 20th century, Broadway housed several multi-floor shopping destinations. They included the Broadway Department Store, Bullocks, in the building which is now home to the Jewelry Mart, and May Company, which was at Hill and Eighth streets in the current home of the Broadway Trades Center. When asked if the nine-story Broadway Trades Center could once again house a department store, property owner Shahram Afshani said he had no comment, but added that he would be announcing a “very large deal” by the end of the year. Huizar’s office declined to comment about a store coming
to the Broadway Trades Center. The building at 801 S. Broadway was originally built to house the Hamburger Department Store in 1906 and was home to May Company in the 1920s. It now holds garment businesses on the upper floors and retail outlets in the street-front space. Despite the attention that has been focused on the street, Broadway is still challenged by the more than 1 million square feet of vacant or underutilized space on the upper floors of some aging buildings. Huizar’s office for several years has been trying to work with officials from several city departments to create more flexible codes that would allow additional uses on those floors. Huizar in the past has said that he hopes to get retail and restaurants in those spaces. Milestones Much of the evening was taken up by a 10-person panel discussion. In addition to Huizar, the speakers included Jessica Wethington McLean, the executive director of Bringing Back Broadway, Dennis Allen, head of Los Angeles Streetcar Inc., and Linda Dishman, executive director of preservation organization the Los Angeles Conservancy. The night started with a presentation by Huizar, Allen and McLean highlighting the milestones of Bringing Back Broadway and the streetcar. The achievements included the creation of The Broadway Theatre and Entertainment District Overlay Zone and Design Guide, which has been adopted by the city Planning Commission. It regulates the restoration of historic facades on the street. The group has also shepherded the creation of the Broadway Streetscape Master Plan, which calls for a reduction in lanes of traffic and widening of sidewalks. It is currently in the environmental review process. The nearly one dozen new businesses that have opened or are in the works on Broadway were also touted. They include upcoming restaurants such as Umamicatessen, at 852 S. Broadway, and the recently announced French eatery Figaro Broadway, at 618 S. Broadway. Discussion also concerned the Broadway theaters, which
photo by Gary Leonard
Fourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar helmed the event that focused on the progress of the Bringing Back Broadway initiative and the proposed Downtown streetcar.
in the early part of the 20th century were entertainment hubs with films and vaudeville shows. Although only a few have been restored (among them the Orpheum), McLean discussed a $1 million Palace Theater renovation and the recent purchase of the United Artists Theatre at 933 S. Broadway. While city officials have been tight-lipped about plans for the United Artists, which sold for $11 million, McLean said it will soon be reactivated and will include some entertainment programming. Paying for the Streetcar The project that has gotten the most attention on Broadway is the proposed streetcar. Allen said it will require financing from property owners along the route. In the past, officials have said area land holders could be asked to fund about half of the effort. The project, which officials hope to open in 2015, currently has $10 million from the Community Redevelopment Agency and $1 million in city funds. The remainder is slated to come from the federal government — streetcar organizers are seeking a $37 million allocation known as a TIGER grant — and a Community Facilities District, the formal name of the program that would tap area landowners. “We just applied for the TIGER grant,” Allen said. “If that see Broadway, page 8
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Broadway Continued from page 7 comes in it’s an additional source of funding that would lower down the portion that would come in from the private sector.” If the TIGER application is successful, Allen said, the amount area stakeholders would be asked to pay could shrink to 30%-40% of the project’s cost. A decision on the grant will be made by March, he said. About a dozen questions were submitted to the panel from the audience. Many focused on the streetcar, including how it will look and how it would connect to a proposed NFL stadium near L.A. Live. In response to a question that asked if the streetcar could have a design that doesn’t look like a “box on rails,” Allen said there is the possibility of changing things. “We would be remiss if we didn’t have one or two historic
cars as part of the system, and we could run them maybe on the weekends,” he said. Many of those in attendance said they were pleasantly surprised by how far both projects have come along. “With these sorts of things we’re talking years and years before anything gets done,” said Jason Radford, a new Downtown resident. “It seems like things are getting done and there are people focused on making this happen.” While most of the people in the audience were glad to receive the update, the optimism was clearly tempered. “For me it’s about wait and see,” said Amanda Turner, a Historic Core resident. “Changes like these take a lot of time and money and the willingness of more than just a few people.” Huizar said there is a long way to go and many challenges remain, but he was encouraged by the turnout. “There’s a lot happening on Broadway and with the streetcar,” he said. “We need to continue this momentum to im- 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90026 • 213.481.1448 photo by Gary Leonard prove Downtown.” About 500 people attended the Orpheum Theatre event titled “The Future of Your Downtown.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com. 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90026 • 213.481.1448
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Downtown News 9
DowntownNews.com
by Ryan VaillancouRt
Staff WRiteR n the column “What’s for Sale,” Los Angeles Downtown News looks at everything from condos to multi-family buildings to vacant lots now on the market. We hope that regular snapshots of individual properties will make for a wide-ranging survey of the overall state of Downtown real estate. This week, the focus is on an empty lot in City West that has been entitled for an 18-story residential tower.
I
The Property: The 23,692-square-foot lot at Eighth and Garland streets in City West, just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway, is entitled for an 18-story, 64-condominium tower. Flip This Lot: Seller American Eastern Group, an investment firm that goes by AEG, but is not to be confused with L.A. Live developer Anschutz Entertainment Group, secured city approvals for the project in July 2010. The firm bought the site, which is actually a collection of five lots, for about $2.6 million in 2008. Nearly four years later, AEG hopes to sell the property for $5.95 million. If the suggested value increase seems extreme, consider that the seller spent a few years navigating the city entitlement process and dropped about $700,000 on soft costs, including architect fees and consultant bills, said CB Richard Ellis broker Andrew Tashjian, who is representing AEG. Big Units: The city-approved plan calls for an octagonal glass and concrete tower that would rise on several levels of above-ground parking. Units would be on the large side:
rendering courtesy CB Richard Ellis
WHAT’S FOR SALE A Tower-Approved City West Lot Each floor is designed for four units, two two-bedrooms and two three-bedrooms, averaging 1,425 square feet. The design includes an outdoor swimming pool. Home Sweet Dome: It may appear to be just a plain old lot, but the land is semi-famous in Los Angeles. For 10 years, until 2006, the site was home to Dome Village, an assemblage of 19 igloo-like structures for the homeless, run by activist Ted Hayes. The village ended when the former owner opted to start charging Hayes and other tenants significantly more rent. Compared to What: The $5.95 million price tag reflects a purchase price of about $250 per square foot. There are few recent transactions in the area with which to compare it. In one deal, parking lot giant L&R Group bought a 2.7-acre parking lot at 12th and Figueroa streets — across from the Convention Center — for $31 million, or $263 per square foot. The site, which is set to remain a parking lot, was entitled for a 648unit residential complex. Location, Cubed: From one perspective, Eighth and Garland is close to one of the hottest markets for new development and real estate speculation in Los Angeles. It’s four blocks from L.A. Live, which to investors also means that it’s four blocks from a potential NFL stadium. From another perspective, Eighth and Garland is situated among lowrise commercial and industrial properties, on the wrong side of the freeway, “I think people said the same thing about the Medici, like what’s this guy doing, and it’s
An architect’s rendering imagines a 64-unit tower approved for a City West lot. It is on the market for $5.95 million.
on the wrong side of the freeway,” Tashjian said, referring to the apartment complex developed by Geoff Palmer. “But it’s been a smashing success.” Still, much of the investment value in a property like Eighth and Garland is speculative. The site is two blocks from the planned Metropolis project, which could add as much as 300,000 square feet of retail to the area. Metropolis, however, has been stalled for years. It would also be a quick walk to the proposed NFL stadium next to L.A. Live, if the still very much up-in-the-air proposal
comes to fruition. “We think that this site offers tremendous opportunity for a developer or an investor to stake a claim in the Downtown marketplace, in an area that we believe is going to see a significant level of development over the next few years,” Tashjian said. Contact: The listing agents are Andrew Tashjian at (213) 613-3024 and David Louie at (213) 613-3024. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
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Sidewalks Continued from page 1 Attorney Carmen Trutanich’s office has appealed the ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In the meantime, before authorities can remove a seemingly abandoned item, officers feel they need to keep a running log for several days, confirming that it remains untouched or unused, Paulson said. “In Skid Row that’s impossible,” she said. “Somebody is going to come along and sit on it.” Property vs. Garbage In Skid Row, the distinction between someone’s possessions and abandoned property can be unclear. But that’s no justification for city workers seizing possessions of those with so little, said Jeff Dietrich, a spokesman for the Catholic Worker of Los Angeles, which runs a soup kitchen at Sixth and Gladys streets and provides shopping carts to the homeless. In the process of clearing sidewalks of unwanted debris, the city has also snatched up shopping carts and other vessels containing precious family photos, identification and medication belonging to the homeless, Dietrich said. “We don’t have any difficulty with the city picking up trash, with people packing up their belongings in the morning, or with enforcing drug laws,” Dietrich said. “We have difficulty with police swooping down and, as people rush out and say ‘This is my property,’ police claim it’s abandoned and destroy it.” In the past several months, city crews have continued to clean streets, but a few sections of sidewalk have become essentially unusable for pedestrians because of the daytime encampments and other items piling up. The
November 14, 2011
most cluttered sidewalks are, as a result, unavailable for thorough cleaning. Last week, on Fifth Street near San Pedro Street, a dozen shopping carts were parked and crudely linked together by blankets and tarps. A man known by police to sell beer out of a cooler sat behind the carts, making his alleged street trade hard to see. Tucked amid the cart colony was a barbecue grill. On San Julian Street, one eight-foot stretch of sidewalk featured a couch and a side table with a lamp, a crude living room without walls or roof. The scenario has vexed city officials, including Ninth District City Councilwoman Jan Perry, who fears that the sidewalk clutter represents a stewing public health concern. “It’s not safe and it’s not healthy,” Perry said. Perry pointed to the potential for communicable disease, which would not be a new threat to Skid Row. In 2006, the area battled numerous cases of a treatment-resistant strain of staph infection, and vermin and cockroaches have thrived on these streets long before the injunction. Storage Option Daytime encampments pose other concerns. The increasingly crowded sidewalks are concentrated in areas that have long been the densest pockets of homelessness and drug activity. Drug dealers, who sometimes pose as or employ the homeless, stash narcotics among the sidewalk clutter. The dilemma is most pronounced on San Julian Street between Fifth and Seventh streets. The stretch is home to the area’s three largest missions — the Los Angeles, Union Rescue and Midnight — plus two drop-in treatment centers, and several supportive housing complexes for the formerly homeless. Despite these havens, San Julian Street, more than any other span in the neighbor-
November 14, 2011
Downtown News 11
DowntownNews.com
Skid Row’s Perfect Storm
F
ive years after the launch of the Safer Cities Initiative, Skid Row has seen reductions in crime, homelessness and nonviolent street deaths. By most measures, the community is cleaner and safer, with more housing. Today, that progress is in jeopardy. In a three-part series, Los Angeles Downtown News looks at the state of Skid Row as it faces a new set of challenges. Last week: A prisoner realignment program
photo by Gary Leonard
Estela Lopez’s Central City East Association manages a storage warehouse where the homeless can keep their possessions, instead of leaving them on the sidewalk. It is free, but usually full.
hood, is a teeming vice zone. Crack smoking and public drinking are commonplace. Most people just walk in the street. San Julian Street is one block west of the border of the Industrial District Business Improvement District, where property owners pay for street cleaning and security services beyond what the city provides. Even under Gutierrez’s injunction, sidewalks in the BID zone are relatively clear. That distinction, however, is of little solace to Estela Lopez, executive director of the Central City East Association, which manages the Industrial District BID.
1 ! E S LD A PH SO % 60
Lopez’s group also operates a 20,000square-foot warehouse on Seventh Street where the homeless can keep their belongings in converted recycling bins for free. In the past police took seized property there, then told street dwellers where to find it. It is regularly full. Allowing people to keep their belongings on the sidewalk, Lopez said, may have the consequence of giving them less incentive to get off the street and into a shelter or treatment program. “You give people a sidewalk and say you’ve helped this person,” Lopez said. “No you
haven’t. Giving someone a few inches of pavement is not the answer.” Worsening Conditions City law forbids sidewalk pile-ups that obstruct the public right of way. Historically, police have asked people to move their belongings against a wall to allow at least partial pedestrian access. When those items were unattended, the city simply seized them. Becky Dennison, co-director of LACAN, said that if authorities believe they can no longer clean sidewalks, remove trash or ask people to move their possessions so they don’t obstruct public passage, “that’s a complete misinterpretation of the injunction.” “The point of this was to stop people’s things from being picked up in skip loaders,” she said. “There’s a question of whether they can pick up trash — they absolutely can pick up abandoned property. They just have to give people the opportunity to claim it.” As Trutanich’s office waits for consideration of its appeal, which argues that the constitution does not allow people to use public sidewalks as storage, some area stakeholders say the focus on the current dilemma risks obscuring a more foreboding picture: Skid Row homelessness is on the rise, service providers are operating with diminished budgets
has some fearing that more drug offenders and felons will wind up on the street. This week: A recent court order that prohibits seizure of homeless peoples’ property on Skid Row sidewalks has had other consequences. Nov. 21: In April 2010, the City Attorney tried a new tactic to combat the Skid Row drug trade. As police prepare to enforce it, the drug game is alive and well. and a shift in state prison policy is poised to send more felons to Skid Row. “We’ve got really bad public policy right now and a really polarized community,” said Molly Rysman, director of external affairs for nonprofit housing developer Skid Row Housing Trust. “We have more people going into extreme poverty, and you add in prison reform and everything else going on, and we’re in bad shape.” The City Attorney’s office expects to have a ruling from the Court of Appeals early next year. In the meantime, some Skid Row residents are anxious for an immediate salvo that will cut back on the sidewalk pile-ups, said “General” Jeff Page, who represents Skid Row on the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. “Everybody’s sitting here complaining, but who’s doing something about it?” Page said. “When there was the accident at Art Walk there was an outcry,” he said, referring to a July traffic incident that resulted in an infant’s death. “They rushed to make a task force and they came up with instant solutions within 30 days. The injunction happened four months ago. Where are the solutions?” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
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Art Walk Goes On, But Payment Questions Remain Participants Vexed by Disjointed Permit Process by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
O
n Thursday, Nov. 10, the Downtown Art Walk again flooded the Historic Core with thousands of gallery goers, sidewalk performers and other revelers. By most measures, it was routine for the monthly event. But four months after city officials decided to retool public safety guidelines and make Art Walk stakeholders pay for city services, organizers are unsure how much they’re being billed. Confusion and frustration over permitting issues have prompted some businesses to break away from the Art Walk nonprofit, and one food truck lot operator did not participate in last week’s event. The changes began after a traffic accident during the July Art Walk resulted in the death of an infant. A task force created in the wake of the incident came up with new safety protocols, and last month established new permit rules. Art Walk Losrequired Angeles Downtown News was to secure a special event permit and pay $8,800 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 for city services in October. phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 TheDowntownNews.com November cost is• unclear, said Joe Moller, director of web: email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News
the Art Walk nonprofit. share in the cost of its special event permit. Warren declined Part of the confusion stems from the fact that a few Art Walk and didn’t host her event. participants have decided not to contribute to the nonprofit’s “I believe the changes the task force made are good and I’m permit costs. Instead, groups such as food truck and vendor willing to help pay for the services,” Warren said. “The frusorganizer Truckit Fest, and the Medallion apartments art event tration comes from the fact that we don’t know what to do, organizer I Art U DTLA, are securing their own permits. and don’t have answers the day before.” That led to several special permits being requested in the Questions over the permitting and rising costs also played same area, and the city struggled to determine how to allocate a role in the Southern California Mobile Food Vendors the costs, Moller said. With that formula unclear, Moller said Association’s decision not to set up its food truck lot for last that the city indicated that it will bill participants later. week’s event, said association spokesman Matt Geller. “They’re still trying to figure out who pays what, and how “We have to look at it from a cost standpoint,” Geller said. do we divide and share liability?” Moller said. “There are too “I think it might be more effective to say, ‘Look, we’re going many questions, but this consumption-based bill-later model to sit this one out and see what happens.’” is absolutely not sustainable.” While administrative questions linger, last week, Art Walk Renee Warren, who runs IEditor Art U DTLA, said that the was simply Art Walk, Moller said. The crowd seemed to be & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: permit questions prompted her to cancel her Dawn eventEastin for the larger than in October. October Art Walk. Before the task force was “All the galleries were crowded,” Moller said Friday mornExEcutivE Editor: Jonestablished, Regardie citY Editor: Richardfrom Guzmán Warren said she paid about $135 for permits the Fire ing. “There were people carrying art. Art Walk as an organistAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt and Building and Safety departments. For the October event, zation achieved its purpose last night.” coNtributiNG Editors: Kathryn Maese Los AngelesatDowntown News she was asked to pay $1,500 to the Art Walk nonprofit to Jim Farber, Contact Ryan Vaillancourt ryan@downtownnews.com. coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jeff Favre, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada
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Around Town Continued from page 2 tion Keep America Beautiful and materials are collected at drives across the country. The free Downtown event allows curbside donations at L.A. Live on the West Road between the Regal Cinemas and the West Garage. Cars can get there from Olympic Boulevard and Georgia Street or Pico Boulevard and L.A. Live Way.
Gruen Associates/Grimshaw Architects, IBI Group/Foster+Partners, Moore Rubell Yudell, and NBBJ/Ingenhoven Architects. The list still needs the OK of the Metro board of directors. Once approved, the finalists will get $10,000 stipends with which to create more extensive proposals for the site. Metro is slated to select an architect by March and have a master plan ready by August 2013.
Mercantile Lofts Goes Rental
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Metro Picks Architect Finalists for Union Station Plan
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he Metropolitan Transportation Authority has selected six finalists in its search for a company to design a master plan for Union Station. Metro bought the 72-year-old rail hub and about 38 acres of surrounding land for $75 million in April. The purchase put the agency in control of nearly 6 million square feet of mixed-use entitlements. The agency is looking for a firm to devise a master plan that considers commercial development, future parking demands, connectivity to nearby neighborhoods, pedestrian and bicycle access and how the station will accommodate the region’s growing transportation needs. The most prominent name on the list is Renzo Piano, whose many works include the new LACMA building. His firm is paired in its bid with Parsons Transportation Group Inc. The other finalists are Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut & Kuhn Architects,
n July, developer ICO Group was finishing renovations on Main Street’s Mercantile Lofts, a former apartment building. Sensing a shift in the market, the company was planning to sell the 700- to 2,000-square-foot units for $250,000 to $550,000. Now, there’s been another switch. In an email to Los Angeles Downtown News last week, Joseph Soleiman, director of acquisitions for ICO Group, said the building is going back to rentals. He said six of the 35 units have been leased and move-ins are underway. Rents range from $1,400-$3,400. ICO bought the property from Citibank last year after the bank foreclosed on the building. According to the County Assessor’s office, the structure at 620 S. Main St. was sold in 2010 for $4 million. In 2007, the building underwent an $8 million conversion by developer Oxford Street Properties. That turned the 75,060-square-foot, sixstory edifice into industrial-style lofts. It was nearly completely occupied by renters when ICO took over. Tenants were given up to 60 days to move.
Tracking System Helps Cops Recover Stolen Laptop
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entral Division police detectives recovered a laptop stolen in the Fashion District from a USC student’s car, and the computer itself was the star investigator. A camera and tracking system built into the Apple MacBook led police to 29-year-old Abimael Garcia, who confessed to buying the computer from a man at Fifth Street and Broadway, police said. “We want everyone to know, if you buy a $1,500 computer from a guy on the street for $150, it’s probably stolen,” said Lt. Paul Vernon in a statement. “Now, that computer may rat you out.” The computer was taken from a 21-year-old woman’s car on Oct. 22. Using the machine’s tracking system and its built-in camera, she snapped a photo of Garcia and brought it to the police. Detectives then traced the computer to an address in Pico Union. Garcia was arrested for knowingly buying stolen property. The man who sold it to him has not been identified. “Our victim pretty much
did our investigation for us,” Vernon said. “All we had to do was go to the address and speak to the resident whose picture we already had.”
Downtown Eateries Make ‘Essential’ List
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he “99 Essential Restaurants” list that Pulitzer Prize winning food writer Jonathan Gold pens for the L.A. Weekly each year has become a sort of foodies Bible in Los Angeles. Well, the new list came out last week, and a dozen Downtown restaurants made the cut. They range from upscale spots to hard-to-find destinations to a place that’s not even permanent. Along with white tablecloth eateries such as Rivera and Drago Centro, the roster includes spots in gritty locales such as The Nickel Diner and The Gorbals. Newcomer Spice Table made the list, and so did the pop-up restaurant LudoBites. Other recognized Downtown restaurants are Border Grill, Bottega Louie, Chichen Itza, Church & State, Lazy Ox Canteen and Mo-Chica. The full list is at laweekly.com.
Sunday, Dec 11 Jennifer & Laura Frautschi, violins Zipper Hall, 3 pm The Colburn School $10 ticket code: dtla10 www.colburnschool.edu/tickets 213.621.1050
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The Magic FluTe Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Brent McMunn, conductor | Marc Astafan, guest stage director The singing actors of the USC Thornton Opera program and the USC Thornton Symphony present Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte) in guest stage director Marc Astafan’s sparkling production where nothing is as it seems. Where evil and good mingle. Where past and present intertwine. Where earth and space, fire and water collide. Where the mighty fall and love transcends. And where the music swells and pulses through you! Did it really happen or was it all a dream? Enter a mystical world called Die Zauberflöte. With an extraordinarily gifted cast featuring USC Thornton Opera’s most talented singers, this musical evening is not to be missed. Thursday, Nov. 17, 8:00 pm | Friday, Nov. 18, 8:00 pm Saturday, Nov. 19, 8:00 pm | Sunday, Nov. 20, 2:00 pm Bing Theatre, USC University Park Campus $18 general admission; $12 seniors, alumni and non-USC students. Free for USC students, staff and faculty with valid USC ID. To purchase tickets, call (213) 740-4672 or visit www.usc.edu/tickets.
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November 14, 2011
Thanksgiving & Holiday Entertaining The Bird and Beyond Downtown Thanksgiving Choices for Those Who Don’t Want to Cook by Xander davies
A
s every American knows, Thanksgiving is about two things: football and food. And not necessarily in that order. Downtown Los Angeles can’t do much about the football — the city has been without an NFL franchise since after the 1994 season. When it comes to the food, however, the community has those seeking a traditional Thanksgiving dinner covered. Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 24, and fortunately, some of the best restaurants in the Central City will be staying open to serve those who either don’t want to or can’t cook. They’ll offer full dinners, starting with the turkey and adding mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberry sauce. Of course, it all ends with an assortment of pies and other sweets. Perhaps the best thing about the Downtown options is that you don’t have to do the dishes. But you probably should make reservations. Here are some of the choices for a Downtown Thanksgiving. Cafe Hooray: Nestled next to the Central Library in the lovely Maguire Gardens, Café Pinot is a cafe in name only. It’s not a space for coffee and a croissant, but rather a fine-dining spot. On Thanksgiving, chef Kevin Meehan puts together a three-course prix-fixe meal. Turkey, naturally, is the main dish, and Meehan’s birds will be slow-cooked and roasted in an array of fresh herbs and trimmed with a cranberry orange chutney. An impressive list of sides includes mashed potatoes, apple and sage brioche stuffing, candied yams and a green bean casserole with wild mushrooms. Dessert options include pumpkin, pecan or apple pie. Those looking for a turkey alternative can try yellow fin tuna, a wild mushroom risotto or striped bass. The dinner is $55 a person, and children under 12 eat for $19.95. If you like lying, you can order the restaurant’s take-out turkey dinner, which feeds six and includes a 14-pound turkey with all the trimmings, three sides and a pie. Claim it as your own, but hide the Café Pinot bags. At 700 W. Fifth St., (213) 239-6500 or patinagroup/cafepinot.
photo courtesy Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse
Nick and Stef’s is known for its steaks, and they will be available on Thanksgiving, but the restaurant also has a traditional turkey dinner.
In Train-ing: The Pacific Dining Car is the ultimate Downtown power lunch spot. On Thanksgiving, the restaurant fashioned from old rail cars will feature a three-course feast. It starts with a roasted butternut squash soup or a watercress mushroom salad. The main course is, you guessed it, turkey, with a choice of light or dark meat, as well as gravy and homemade stuffing. Sides include an assortment of yams, potatoes, fresh green beans and homemade cranberry sauce. It culminates with a fresh pumpkin pie or cheesecake. The meal is $64.95 per person and $34 for children 10 and under. Although PDC is open 24 hours a day, the Thanksgiving meal service starts at 11 a.m. It will continue until the restaurant runs out of turkey. At 1310 W. Sixth St., (213) 483-6000 or pacificdiningcar.com. Turkey all Day Long: Speaking of 24/7 restaurants, The Original Pantry Cafe is also paying heed to the Native Americans who helped out the Pilgrims way back in the 17th century. The establishment owned by former Mayor Richard Riordan will serve an old-fashioned Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings any time from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
(or whenever they run out). The Pantry’s meal is $15.95 per plate, but make sure to stop by the bank or ATM before you arrive — the hotspot just north of L.A. Live is a cash-only joint. At 877 S. Figueroa St., (213) 972-9279 or pantrycafe.com. An Alternative to Turkey: Checkers Restaurant, the ground-floor establishment in the upscale Hilton Checkers hotel, is also opening its doors on Nov. 24. Unlike most other places, however, they aren’t just angling for people seeking turkey. In fact, the restaurant’s menu is full of alternatives to the Thanksgiving favorite. Main course options include an herb-crusted salmon, a grilled 14-ounce rib-eye steak and a roasted Jidori chicken. Among the starters are a pear and fig salad and a sweet potato gnocchi. Those who save room for dessert will be rewarded with vanilla crème brulee and a double chocolate cheesecake. Actually, Checkers doesn’t totally kick Thanksgiving tradition to the curb — they do have a homemade pumpkin pie. At 535 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-0000 or checkersdowntown.com.
photo courtesy JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live
The LA Market restaurant in the JW Marriott Hotel will serve a three-course Thanksgiving meal created by chef Kerry Simon.
Grand Dame’s Grand Dinner: The Millennium Biltmore Hotel has long been called the grand dame of Downtown hotels. The venue proves why on Thanksgiving when it serves a traditional meal beneath the soaring wood-beamed ceiling of the Rendezvous Court. The hotel’s chefs have put together a home-style menu with organic seasonal ingredients and traditional items with an Italian twist. Main course options include free-range turkey with an organic barley apple stuffing and cranberry sauce, New York steak with caramelized vegetables and herb-roasted potatoes, and a Chilean sea bass. The dinner is $45, and $24 for kids 4-11. At 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 612-1562 or millenniumhotels.com. New Traditions: Anyone who wants to start a new Downtown Thanksgiving tradition might try LA Market in the J.W. Marriott hotel. The restaurant on the ground floor of the Convention Center skyscraper is featuring a three-course turkey feast cooked up by chef Kerry Simon. It starts with a red curry squash soup with fried rock shrimp and Fuji apples, or an arugula salad with dates, walnuts and manchego cheese. The main course is, surprise, turkey, with a choice of breast or leg meat (other options include prime rib). The sides are garnet yams, sausage sage stuffing and giblet gravy. It ends sweetly with a choice between a chocolate brioche bread pudding with caramel and vanilla bean ice cream, and a pumpkin flan with autumn fruit compote, hazelnut praline and spice crème anglaise. Meal service starts at 11 a.m. and continues until 10 p.m. The dinner is $52 a head. At 900 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765- 8630 or lalivemarriott.com. A Comfortable Meal: Turkey and mashed potatoes are perhaps the ultimate comfort food. So it makes sense that Downtown’s ultimate comfort food restaurant, Engine Co. No. 28, is dishing it out on Nov. 24. The establishment in the beautifully restored 1912 fire station has a dinner that starts with a choice of mixed greens or butternut squash soup. Roasted turkey with stuffing, accompanied by a green been casserole and mashed potatoes with gravy, is the entree. Dessert options include a sweet potato pecan pie or a slice of pumpkin cheesecake. The meal is $35, but Downtown residents who
photo courtesy of Petes Café and Bar
Pete’s Café and Bar will give Old Bank District denizens a place to go on Thanksgiving. The restaurant at Fourth and Main streets has a $40 three-course dinner.
provide proof of a Central City address can get a 20% discount. Additionally, anyone whose uses the password “giblets” gets another 10% off. The discounts are available all week. At 644 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-6996 or engineco.com. Meat the Turkey: The Bunker Hill restaurant Nick & Stef’s is known for its steaks, but on Thanksgiving, it’s all about tradition. The establishment’s prix-fixe dinner features handcarved turkey with brioche stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash, gravy and a cranberry and quince relish. Desserts may be the real star of the meal, however. They include apple pie with vanilla ice cream and crème fraiche, a pumpkin pie cake with hazelnut and butternut squash sauce and hazelnut ice cream, and pecan cake with Tahitian vanilla bean mascarpone ice cream. The dinner is $39 per person for adults and $19.95 for kids under 12. Of course, if you feel like deviating from the Thanksgiving norm of turkey, Nick and Stef’s is one of the best steakhouses in Downtown. Additionally, Wine Spectator recently gave the joint its 2011 Distinguished Restaurant Award, so you may want to take a gander at their wine list. At 330 S. Hope St., (213) 680-0330 or patinagroup/nickstef. Banking on Turkey: The Old Bank District was the first residential hub in the “new” Downtown, and Pete’s Café & Bar was its first destination restaurant. So it makes sense that Pete’s is offering a home-style feast. The $40 Thanksgiving meal is a three-course menu with a variety of options. Starters include a squash soup topped with crème fraiche and toasted pumpkin seeds, an asparagus salad with wild mushrooms, and a mixed baby green salad. Main course selections are organic free range turkey with mashed potatoes, wild mushroom stuffing and honey cranberry sauce, a Niman Ranch pork chop with an apple cider glaze, prime rib, and for the vegetarians in the house, butternut squash ravioli. Make sure you save room for dessert, as options include pumpkin pie with cream, chocolate bourbon pecan pie and brioche bread pudding. At 400 S. Main St., (213) 617-1000 or petescafe.com. A Thanksgiving Buffet: Are you the kind of person who just can’t get enough Turkey on Thanksgiving? Do you like tiki culture? If you answered yes to both, then Trader Vic’s at L.A. Live may be your natural Nov. 24 destination. The restaurant’s Thanksgiving Day Buffet is a luau-style meal featuring a traditional free-range roasted turkey dinner complete with all the fixings and sides, among them mashed potatoes with gravy, yams, cranberry sauce and an assortment of mixed greens and vegetables. The restaurant will open at noon and serve until 8 p.m. It’s $40 for adults and $20 for the 12-and-under set. At 900 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 785-3330 or tradervicsla.com.
photo courtesy Engine Co. No. 28
Figueroa Street’s Engine Co. No. 28, fashioned from an old firehouse, builds a Thanksgiving meal around the staple of turkey with stuffing.
November 14, 2011
Downtown News 15
Thanksgiving
Downtown Chefs Share Their Holiday Recipes by Richard Guzmán city editor
C
ooking a Thanksgiving dinner is a big responsibility. It’s also pressure-packed, as everyone wants to do something special. The problem is, many home chefs don’t know what to make. Fortunately, a trio of Downtown kitchen whizzes are willing to share their secrets. Here are an entree, some sides and desserts that you can prepare at home. But please, share the credit.
brown. Set aside until cool. 2. Add the flour to make a roux and slowly cook so that the flour cooks out, about five minutes. 3. Add the chicken stock and make sure you never stop whisking so that lumps don’t appear. Chop the giblets and add to the gravy along with the thyme and simmer for seven minutes or until the giblets are tender. 4. Season with salt and pepper, remove the thyme sprig, add roasted chestnuts and serve. THE SIDES Plum Tree Inn chef De Zhong Zhao’s offers up a trio of chinese side dishes to complement the main course.
1 tsp soy sauce 1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cornstarch 1 tbsp canola oil 1/2 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 cup chicken stock or water
photo by G ary Leo na rd
A Little Help In the Kitchen
Asparagus and Chinese Mushrooms Ingredients 10 Chinese black mushrooms (stems removed) 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and sliced
Directions 1. Bring six cups of water and salt to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for about two minutes. Asparagus should be crisp. Drain asparagus and set aside. 2. Boil mushrooms for two minutes. Drain and set aside. see Recipes, page 16
THE MAIN COURSE Perch Chef Benjamin Udave’s Deep Fried Maple Brined Turkey With Stone Fruit Chutney and Giblet Gravy Udave makes this for his family every Thanksgiving. The brine is similar to a honey ham with sweet and tangy notes. Deep-frying the turkey keeps it crisp on the outside while retaining the juice on the inside. But be careful. Deep frying turkeys requires a large vessel and extra caution.
Ingredients 1 13-14 lb. turkey 1 cup salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 1/2 gal water 5 lbs. ice 2 oranges quartered 2 lemons quartered 6 sprigs fresh thyme 2 tsp pink peppercorns 4- 4 1/2 gal peanut oil
photo by G ary Leo na rd
Deep Fried Maple Brined Turkey 1 0 2 0 N . S A N V I c e N T e b lV D
W e S T H O l lY W O O D , c A 9 0 0 6 9
T H e l O N D O N W e S T H O l lY W O O D . c O M
Directions 1. Bring water to a simmer and add the salt, brown sugar and maple syrup. 2. Remove from heat and add the ice and rest of ingredients. Once it’s cold place the turkey in brine and let sit for minimum of eight hours but no more than 24 hours. 3. Pull the turkey out of the brine, rinse well and completely pat dry. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. 4. Heat oil to 300 degrees, slowly drop the turkey and begin to raise the temperature to 350 and maintain. Cook for about 30 minutes. Once it has reached 151 degrees slowly pull it out and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Stone Fruit Chutney Ingredients 1 cup dried cranberry 1 cup dried cherries 1 cup dried prunes (chopped) 1 cup dried apricots (chopped) 1 cup apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar 1 cinnamon stick 1 vanilla bean 2 cups sugar Directions 1. In a pot add sugar and enough water to resemble wet sand. Add cinnamon and vanilla. 2. Bring to a boil and before it turns a caramel color add vinegar. 3. Cook for about three minutes and add the dry fruit. Don’t become alarmed if it seizes, just add hot water to help loosen up and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
THANKSGIVING AT G O R D O N R A M S AY IT’S TIMe TO celebRATe THe HOlIDAYS
e N J O Y A N A R R AY O F T R A D I T I O N A l A N D F e S T I V e D e l I G H T S W I T H G O R D O N R A M S AY ’ S U N I Q U e c U l I N A R Y T W I S T O N O U R T H A N K S G I V I N G D I N N e R M e N U. e A c H O F T H e T H R e e c O U R S e S I S S U R e TO D e l I G H T e V e RY S e N S e .
Giblet Gravy Ingredients 1 bag giblets 2 oz. butter 1 oz. Canola oil 2 sprigs thyme 5 tbls flour 4 cups chicken stock Salt and pepper to taste Chestnuts, roasted and peeled Directions 1. Heat butter and oil, add the giblets and sear until golden
b O O K N O W, T H e c l O c K I S T I c K I N G F O R R e S e R VAT I O N S, c O N TA c T 3 1 0 . 3 5 8 . 7 7 8 8 O R e M A I l G O R D O N R A M S AY W H @ l U X U RY R e S O RT S. c O M
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16 Downtown News
Thanksgiving
Continued from page 15 3. Combine chicken stock or water, oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce and canola oil in a wok on medium heat for about four minutes. Stir in cornstarch until sauce thickens evenly. Add the sesame oil. 4. Mix the mushrooms into the sauce and cook on medium heat for another four minutes. 5. Plate the asparagus first and add the mushroom and sauce on top. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with jasmine or brown rice. Serves 2-4 people.
Minced Chicken in Lettuce Cups
Crispy Beef The restaurant has served this as a side for Thanksgiving dinner.
This is a popular appetizer at Plum Tree Inn that can whet your appetite for the main bird. Ingredients For lettuce cup filling: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tsp cornstarch 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup minced water chestnuts 3 tbsp canola oil 3 tbsp minced onion 2/3 cup minced green and red bell peppers 1 1/2 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp soy sauce 1/4 tsp white pepper 4-5 leaves of iceberg lettuce
For plum sauce: 3/4 (16 ounce) jar plum jam 2 tbsp vinegar 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp dried minced onion 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Ingredients For crispy beef: 1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 tbsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 quart oil to deep fry 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp orange peel powder 2/3 cup sweet and sour sauce
For sweet and sour sauce: 3/4 cup white sugar 1/3 cup white vinegar 2/3 cup water 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tbsp ketchup 2 tbsp cornstarch Directions For sweet and sour sauce: Place the sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened.
Directions 1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine jam, vinegar, brown sugar, dried onion, red pepper, garlic and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat and set aside.
For crispy beef: 1. Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees. 2. Combine the cornstarch, salt and pepper. Toss steak into the mixture and coat well.
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3. Deep fry the steak slices until golden brown. Check to make sure it is cooked through. Remove from oil and set aside. 4. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sweet and sour sauce, and orange peel powder in a wok on high heat and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the fried steak and toss to heat until evenly coated with the sauce. THE DESSERTS Semi Sweet’s Sharlena Fong offers recipes for two sweet options for when the turkey’s gone. This is an easy-to-make pound cake that Fong likes to bring to potlucks. She recommends serving it with a dollop of fresh lightly sweetened whipped cream and a hot cup of tea. photo by G ary Leo na rd
Recipes
2. Combine cornstarch and salt evenly on the chicken breast and set aside. 3. Bring two tablespoons of oil to high heat in a wok and sauté chicken for about five minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken and set aside to cool and mince the chicken breast. 4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the same wok on high heat and stir fry the onions, green and red peppers, and water chestnuts for up to two minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the chicken, sugar, soy sauce, and white pepper with the vegetables and sauté for another three minutes. 5. Serve the stir-fried chicken mixture in the lettuce cups with some plum sauce.
Amaretto Pound Cake Ingredients For cake: 3 tbsp milk 3 large eggs 1 tsp almond extract 1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 13 tbsp butter, softened 1/2 cup of Amaretto
For amaretto glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tbsp Amaretto 2 tbsp milk 1/2 cup of sliced toasted almonds Directions 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pam spray a 9-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment. 2. In a mixing bowl, lightly whisk milk, eggs and vanilla. 3. In an electric mixer, combine dry ingredients and mix on low speed. 4. Add butter and continue to mix on low speed. Slowly add half of the egg mixture. 5. Stop the mixer and scrape down. 6. Add the rest of the egg mixture. Mix until combined. 7. Fill loaf pan. 8. Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown, about 1 hour. Use a skewer to test the cake; it should come out clean when pushed through
November 14, 2011
the center. 9. Remove cake from oven and use skewer to put about 15 holes throughout the cake. Slowly pour the Amaretto over the entire cake and allow it to soak in. 10. Once it has cooled, run a knife around the edge of the cake to release it and invert. 11. Make the Amaretto glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, amaretto and milk. Spread the glaze over the top of the pound cake and sprinkle the toasted almonds on top.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding Fong recommends serving this warm with a dollop of whipped creme fraiche and caramel sauce. If possible, roast and puree pumpkin instead of using canned pumpkin. Ingredients For bread pudding: 2 cups half and half 1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin 1 cup (packed) plus 2 tbsp dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread (10 oz.) 1/2 cup golden raisins
For caramel sauce: 1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 cup whipping cream Directions For bread pudding: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. 2. Fold in bread cubes. Stir in raisins. 3. Transfer the mixture to 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish and let stand for 15 minutes. 4. Bake pumpkin bread pudding until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
For caramel sauce: 1. Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. 2. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. 3. Sift powdered sugar over bread pudding. Serve warm with caramel sauce. Perch is at 448 S. Hill St., Suite 1312, (213) 802-1770 or perchla.com. Semi Sweet is at 105 E. Sixth St., (213) 2289975 or semisweetbakery.com. Plum Tree Inn is at 913 N. Broadway, (213) 613-1819 or plumtreeinn.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
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Downtown News 17
CALENDAR Green, Mean, SMart MachineS The 104th Los Angeles Auto Show opens Friday, Nov. 18. Nearly 1 million people are expected to attend the event that fills the entire Convention Center and runs through Nov. 27.
Eco-Friendly and High-Performance Vehicles Dominate This Week’s Los Angeles Auto Show by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
A
couple trends have dominated the auto industry in the past few years: a focus on fuel-efficient and alternative-fuel vehicles, and a rise in technologies that are turning science fiction into dashboard reality. Both of those will be on display this week when the 104th Los Angeles Auto Show opens at the Convention Center. About 900,000 people are expected to attend the event that runs Nov. 18-27. The show is open on Thanksgiving. Although no vehicles are sold during the show, car manufacturers from around the globe will be on hand to tout and answer questions about their products. Approximately 1,000 cars and more than 50 vehicle debuts are scheduled for the show, everything from SUVs to futuristic concept cars. Attendees will have the chance to check out the autos up close, sit inside, admire the gadgets and even test drive a few models. “The auto industry is feeling pretty optimistic,” said Brendan Flynn, director of communications for the Auto Show. “They’re remaining one of the bright spots in the economy and at the Auto Show we’re going to see this optimism come out in some really revolutionary new products.” The show arrives at a time when the automotive industry is expanding in Downtown Los Angeles. Early this year, a Fiat-Chrysler showroom opened at 2025 S. Figueroa St., featuring five brands under the Chrysler umbrella. Last month, Chinese electric carmaker BYD debuted its North American headquarters at 1800 S. Figueroa St., just a few blocks south of the Convention Center. The Downtown event includes some troubling and pleasant surprises. Swedish automaker Saab has pulled out of the show because of the sale of the company, which stemmed from financial troubles. Additionally, Suzuki is skipping the event. The company instead will concentrate on the Northeast United States, said Flynn. On the bright side, some Japanese automakers that had m or ownNews.co ntinventory been question marks are participating.coDespite rner at Dow nd ha ht t rig llis upper /forms/maiearthquake, l in thedevastating shortages followed March m symbothe E-NEWS that ownnews.co Look for this ww.ladownt w P U N IG Nissan and Toyota will both attend this week’s event and will S have cars on display. High-Tech Lane Among the products expected to attract attention this year are new in-vehicle technologies. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, sales of high-tech systems such as navigation, voice texting and hands-free audio are projected to reach $9.3 billion this year. That’s a 12% increase from 2009, when an overall slowdown led to the closure of dealerships across the country. The high-tech systems are so popular that they are becom-
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ing a deciding factor in the cars people buy, Flynn noted. “Some of this stuff is like science fiction,” Flynn said. “Lexus, for example, has a product that scans your eyes to see if you’re getting tired.” He’s referring to the company’s Driver Monitoring System, which aims to reduce accidents caused by distracted or drowsy drivers by using infrared sensors to track eye movement. Other high-tech safety products that will be showcased include Hyundai’s new Blue Link, a system triggered during an accident when the airbag deploys. It’s an automatic 911 call that alerts emergency responders and transmits the car’s location. It is available on new cars like the 2012 Veloste. Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, has a product that might remind some of the car David Hasselhoff drove in “Knight Rider.” The company’s Attention Assist product uses an algorithm to come
where you can make restaurant reservations, or Movietickets. com so you can check out what’s playing and buy tickets.” Ford will show off its Sync Applink, which gives drivers voice control access to the apps on their smart phones. Also at the show will be Cadillac’s new CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system. It integrates many of the features on smart phones such as navigation tools, music, instant messages and email. With an eight-inch LCD touch screen, the CUE’s homepage will be familiar to smart phone users thanks to its large colorful icons. To help keep a driver’s eyes on the road, the “buttons” on the screen pulse when touched. CUE will be available in the company’s XTS and ATS sedans and the SRX crossover “We designed it to be easy to use for the novice and the most tech-savvy driver,” said Mike Hichme, engineering manager for CUE. “This system is very much like all the iPad devices coming out today.” No Gas, No Problem A highlight of the show each year is the announcement of the Green Car Journal’s Green Car of the Year. This year’s finalists are the Ford Focus Electric, Honda Civic Natural Gas, Mitsubishi i, Toyota Prius V and Volkswagen Passat TDI. With enhanced gas and diesel engines, and all-electric options, automakers are redefining “green,” Flynn said. He noted that approximately 20 vehicles that use traditional fuel and get 40 miles per gallon or more will be on display at the show. There will be dozens of other cars touting their environmentally friendly credentials. “This year we’re showing that there’s no one solution for green cars,” Flynn said. “It’s really a variety of solutions.” Of course, not everyone likes cars for their cute gadgets and photo courtesy of General Motors The Chevy Camaro ZL1 will make its debut at the L.A. Auto Show. fuel-sipping ways. Some drivers want raw power and big enSome 50 vehicles are slated to premiere at the Downtown event. gines. Those will come into play with debuts like the Audi R8 GT Spyder, the Bentley Continental GTC convertible and the up with a profile that recognizes normal driving behavior. It Jaguar C-X16 sports car concept. then compares that to the way one drives to determine things BMW will introduce the fifth-generation M5 edition sports such as whether the person behind the wheel is tired. If the car sedan. The new model is powered by a 4.4-liter, turbocharged notices unintentional lane changes or slowed reaction times and V8 engine. Mercedes-Benz will bring the SLS AMG Roadster, over-corrective steering, it will sound an alarm. Starts Oct.28/Nov.4 with a 563-horsepower, 6.2-liter engine. Manufacturers such as Audi, Cadillac, Ford, Toyota and The Mercedes is not the baddest machine in terms of horseVolkswagen are also expected to unveil new technologies at power. That title goes to General Motors’ 2013 Chevrolet the show. Camaro ZL1, with 580 horsepower produced by a super“One of the biggest trends right now, and I think we’ll see charged 6.2-liter V8 engine. more of it at the show, is smart phone integration and apps,” “In L.A., you’re always going to have demands for luxury said Doug Newcomb, the technology editor for Edmunds.com. and performance cars,” Flynn said. “It goes hand in hand Toyota’s Entune system, which made its debut at the 2011 with green.” Check Electronics Our Website forfollows Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com Consumer Show, this trend. It will be The Los Angeles Auto Show runs Nov. 18-27 at the Los available in the 2012 Prius. Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St. More informa“You basically get in, connect your phone and you have access tion at laautoshow.com. to certain apps like Pandora,” Newcomb said. “Or Open Table Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
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Love Is Not in the Cards Cast Can’t Match Tenor’s Sizzle in L.A. Opera’s Roméo et Juliette contributing writer
T
here is one tremendous reason to see the recently opened Los Angeles Opera production of Roméo et Juliette, and his name is Vittorio Grigolo. As Romeo, the handsome 34-year-old from Italy projects a spectacular youth and musical energy, and commands the stage in a way that few contemporary tenors can. In the show that continues through Nov. 26, Grigolo captures the impetuous soul of Romeo, even in his swaggering bows after the curtain falls. His voice is pure but masculine, and he takes just the right amount of liberty with the line.
Unfortunately, the rest of the production directed by Ian Judge can’t match the tenor’s energy. Although soprano Nino Machaidze works hard to bring life to her Juliet and delivers some moments of musical passion, especially in the second half, she seems for the most part restrained and unable to rise to the fury of Grigolo’s performance. Her voice, dominated by a strong vibrato, seems not quite right for the young Juliet. At the opening matinee, a funereal rather than a tragic mood overhung the production, despite the best efforts of the lovers. Perhaps that was because the supporting players seemed to lack the force and conviction that would really bring the tale to life. Or perhaps it was because the orchestra
photo by Robert Millard
Nino Machaidze (left) and Vittorio Grigolo play the title roles in Los Angeles Opera’s production of Roméo et Juliette. It is at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion through Nov. 26.
seemed somehow held back. Part of the low energy may be the fault of Judge, who misses numerous opportunities for chemistry between the lovers, especially in the first act. Some of the lack is certainly the fault of Plácido Domingo, who in his role as conductor set a ponderous and uninteresting beat in the pit. It may be unfair to compare this incarnation of Roméo et Juliette with the astounding 2005 production featuring Rolando Villazón and Anna Netrebko, then opera’s “dream couple.” However, L.A. Opera itself has invited the comparison in its publicity material for the show. The production is the same, but somehow six years ago the heavy 19th century costumes and dim lighting only served as a backdrop to the vivid sparks passing between soprano and tenor. Sparks are necessary in this opera, because the structure of Charles Gounod’s 1867 work has always been problematic. It’s a curious mix of wonderful melodies, grim choruses and awkward adaptations of the Shakespearean plot. Strange choices were made by the librettists, among them limiting the roles of Mercutio and Tybalt, and playing up the part of Romeo’s Page. The death scene has one too many ironic reversals. Still, success or failure ultimately depends on how the lovers make it work. In this case, it’s only halfway there. The production has a familiar voice in Vitalij Kowaljow, who served as the potent Wotan in L.A. Opera’s 2009 Ring Cycle. Here, he plays a musically sonorous but dramatically stiff Friar Laurence. Vladimir Chernov offers a strangely likeable and lighthearted Lord Capulet — no threat to his daughter. Museop Kim lacks the power to play Mercutio at his best. Ronnita Nicole Miller is a fine Nurse and Alexey Sayapin is a fine Tybalt, but neither one’s performance is special. After Grigolo, perhaps the strongest performances come form those who set the stage. Designer John Gunter again delights with his ever-moving scaffolds and stairways. Stars and tree branches and cathedral altars appear and disappear to wonderful effect, lit beautifully by lighting designer Nigel Levings. The L.A. Opera chorus is, as always, precise and memorable. Choreography by Kitty McNamee adds to the proceedings. Roméo et Juliette runs through Nov. 26 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8000 or laopera.com.
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LISTINGS EVENTS
The
Cheerocracy, Water Music and No-Holds-Barred Comedy by Dan Johnson, listings eDitor
|
photo by Craig Schwartz
SPONSORED LISTINGS Downtown On Ice Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., (213) 8474970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare. Nov. 17-Jan. 16: Downtown on Ice returns, positing a patch of frozen water in an unlikely, but very welcome spot—Pershing Square. The seasonal facility has skates for rental for $2, with skate sessions costing $6. There will be an array of special events and programming at the rink for the next two months, including regular lunchtime concerts starting Dec. 19. Free Downtown Audio Walking Tours Various Locations, crala.org/art. Free audio walking tours and maps are available for download at crala.org/art. Explore Downtown’s Bunker Hill, Financial District, Historic Core and Little Tokyo neighborhoods by discovering public art and places developed through the CRA/LA Art Program.
The cheerleading film that spawned youthful idolatry and a gaggle of neglected sequels later became, can you believe it, a Broadway musical. Even better, now it’s a Broadway musical on tour. Bring It On opened at the Ahmanson Theatre last week, and through Dec. 10, crowds can take in the world of competitive high school cheerleading and the pressures of adolescence as they unfold through song and bouncy choreography. It may sound like bubblegum, but the show’s creative team includes the thoughtful folks who put together Avenue Q, In the Heights and Wicked. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 6282772 or centertheatregroup.org.
saturday, noveMber 19 Black Politics: Past, Present and Future California African American Museum, 600 Exposition Drive, (213) 744-7432 or caamuseum.org. 1 p.m.: Former Congress members Mervyn Dynally and Yvonne Burke, and ex-City Councilman David Cunningham, Jr., discuss their experiences. One Night, Two Members’ Openings at MOCA MOCA, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-6222 or moca.org. 7 p.m.: It’s a double bill of members’ openings with Kenneth Anger: ICONS and Naked Hollywood: Weegee in Los Angeles. Explore hundreds of images from the great tabloid photographer known as Weegee, and an exhibition of the films, books, and artworks of one of the most original filmmakers of American cinema. sunday, noveMber 20 American Music Awards Nokia Theatre, 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 7636020 or nokiatheatrelalive.com. 5 p.m.: It’s hard to believe it’s been a year already, but here we are again at this time honored celebration of the musical mainstream.
ROCK, POP & JAZZ Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org. Nov. 14, 8:30 p.m.: It would appear Little Hurricane’s got themselves a fancy shmancy residency
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Sometimes deviant, sometimes luminary and always brimming with an offensively hilarious brand of truth, comedian Jim Jefferies takes the stage of Club Nokia on Friday, Nov. 18. Nothing is sacred to this Australian: Religion, the wide, wonderful world of human reproduction and the joys of substance abuse form the backbone of his act. So if you’re looking for a shocking escape from your ordinary life, or if you’re just scratching your noggin as to what to do between the Phil’s performances of Handel, Jefferies’ show will be a delightful and perspective-widening respite. Ask him about the egg. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 7657000 or clubnokia.com.
It’s been almost 300 years since George Frideric Handel’s three suite Water Music premiered on royal barges floating down the Thames. Centuries have passed and pantaloons and the harpsichord have gone out of vogue, but Handel’s creation is still at the forefront of musical appreciation. On Nov. 17, 19 and 20, the L.A. Philharmonic, with guest conductor Emmanuelle Haim (shown here) and soprano Sonya Yoncheva, tackle Suite No. 1 and 3 from Water Music with special Handel program bookends Concerto Grosso in G, Op. 6 No. 1 and the composer’s cantata Il delierio amoroso. The concert premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday and Sunday. It all shakes down at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com. Mike Keneally is no stranger to the unorthodox. His rambling and often offbeat guitar projects have made him a cherished member of bands ranging from Frank Zappa to Dethklok. The Southern Californian has also accumulated a robust enough solo discography to fill your iPod. On Friday, Nov. 18, Keneally appears at REDCAT with the 52-piece CalArts Orchestra to perform the American debut of The Universe Will Provide . What’s the backstory, you ask? Well, in 2004, Keneally traveled to Holland to record a suite of progressive rock with the Metropole Orkest. The resulting blend of the symphonic and the psychedelic became The Universe Will Provide. Now you know. At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat. org. photo by Matt Urban
photo courtesy Dragonslayer
Friday, noveMber 18 Reading and Blues at the Last Bookstore 453 Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstore.com. 7-9 p.m.: Author Mike Edison’s new effort Dirty! Dirty! Dirty! gets its own birthday party with guests The Space Liberation Micro Arkestra playing their filthy, filthy blues. Los Angeles Auto Show L.A. Convention Center, 1202 S. Figueroa, (213) 7411151 or laautoshow.com. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.: The L.A. Auto Show is one of the biggest happenings of the fall, bringing nearly 1 million people to check out new vehicles. The expo presents the best in concept cars, the latest from luxury brands and rare vintage rides. Motorheads can’t miss it. It continues through Nov. 27.
photo by by Simon Fowler/Virgin Classics
Monday, noveMber 14 Panel Discussion on Philip K. Dick 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or lapl.org. 7 p.m.: The Aloud at the Central Library series holds a panel discussion on the late, prolific sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, whose books were the basis for movies such as Blade Runner and Minority Report. Among the panelists is novelist Jonathan Lethem. The event is followed by an 8:15 p.m. cocktail event. Wednesday, noveMber 16 Joan Didion at Aloud Vibiana, 214 S. Main St., (213) 228-7000 or lapl.org. 7 p.m.: Aloud goes to a larger venue as Didion, who just may be the greatest living American writer, discusses her new book, Blue Lights, about the tragic death of her daughter. Didion is in conversation with L.A. Times book critic David Ulin. SCI-Arc Lecture Series 960 E. Third St., (213) 613-2200 or sciarc.edu. 7 p.m.: Xu Weiguo stimulates the lobes of your brain that process information about architecture and design.
calendar@downtownnews.com
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The pillars of anti-authoritarianism, punk rock and skateboarding are the treasured trinity of empowered apathy behind Dragonslayer, a film screening at the Downtown Independent through Thursday, Nov. 17. The fine people at South by Southwest awarded the film this year’s Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary, so you know it’s good. There will be a lack of respect for father figures, there will be skating in empty swimming pools and, most importantly, there will be rock and roll. The film includes an all-star soundtrack from Best Coast, Bipolar Bear, Children and Dungen and The Germs. At 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.
Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.
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Continued from previous page going every Monday in November. You deserve it guys! Go easy on opening acts Terraplane Sun and Jack & White. Nov. 15, 8 p.m.: Y La Bamba and Death Songs present this revolutionary new concept called “live music.” Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or broadwaybar.la. Nov. 15, 10 p.m.: Galaktica Premium Space Music promises gold standard tunes from Uranus. Casey’s Irish Pub 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com. Nov. 18, 10 p.m.: New wave styled Cure enthusiasts Ovideo lash out against the status quo of modern music. Nov. 19, 10 p.m.: Pop punk from inchoate rock outfit Last In Class every Saturday in November. Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com. Nov. 18, 9 p.m.: The crude, rude and most de-
lightful Jim Jefferies. Nov. 20, 7 p.m.: The Devil Wears Prada with Whitechapel, Enter Shikari and For Today. Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Nov. 15, 8 p.m.: Garland Jeffreys embodies the composite sound of new Americana. His style blends roots music of all stripes under the banner of cool. He’s back on the scene with a new album The King of In and at the Grammy Museum. Nov. 17, 8 p.m.: Bill Withers has been around the block a couple times. In fact, you might call him an icon. Lean on him for a great night. Perch 448 S. Hill St., (213) 802-1770 or perchla.com. Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.: Live music on the roof patio with indie phenoms 28 Days of Joy and Oh Darling. Nov. 16, 7 p.m.: Nothing says Wednesday quite like French Gypsy Jazz and fresh oysters. Nov. 17, 9 p.m.: Join DJ Shaheh for a night of well spun Euro and French pop. There’ll be no Freedom
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Fries on the menu tonight. Nov. 18, 8 p.m.: The Nick Rosen Trio swings on the roof. REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. Nov. 18, 8:30 p.m.: Mike Keneally, a former “stunt guitarist” and keyboard virtuoso in Frank Zappa’s final touring band, gives the U.S. debut of The Universe Will Provide, a composition for guitar, electric piano, and a 52-piece CalArts orchestra. Nov. 19-20, 8:30 p.m.: “Studio” presents ambitiously offbeat performances by an interdisciplinary mix of experimental Los Angeles performing artists. Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com. Nov. 14: Bob Ricketts from Groovy Rednecks headlines Hot Club de L.A. Nov. 15: It’s cranky, it’s dingy, it’s dark, it’s Charm Machine and Harry & The Hendersons. Nov. 16: Wic Coleman & The Highway share the stage with The Far West. Nov. 17: It’s finger licking good south of Hollywood when Elway, The Bombpops, the Outside and Benzene stop in. Nov. 18: Bar That Sucks presents more deprecation with Black Tibetans’ CD release party. The Tinglery, Disguster and the ever ubiquitous Barrio Tiger play along for good measure. Nov. 19: Patt Todd & The Rankoutsiders host a night of feel good music with The Blackerbys, Simon Stokes and the Blessings. Nov. 20, 2 p.m.: Punk-styled country from the Cheatin’ Kind. Sounds like a misnomer or a terrible trick, like a cow branded with the anarchy sign. Seven Grand
515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la. Nov. 14: The Katisse Buckingham Quintet breeds a funky blend of jazz and world into a spicy cocktail of tunes for you and yours. Nov. 15: Before their perpetual residency at Seven Grand, the Makers were just a group of drinking buddies in ancient Egypt. But after they all passed out in a dark box and got sealed in the Lost Ark for thousands of years, they had a great opportunity to cut their teeth. Their improvisation skills got so sharp that when an expedition of Germans opened the ark in the early ’40s, the sound of jazz emanating from within was so radical it melted Nazi face. Nov. 16: Artwork Jamal and the Acid Blues Band.
MorE LIstInGs Hundreds of listings of fun and interesting things to do in Downtown Los Angeles can also be found online at ladowntownnews.com/calendar: Rock, Pop & Jazz; Bars & Clubs; Farmers Markets; Events; Film; Sports; Art Spaces; Theater, Dance and Opera; Classical Music; Museums; and Tours.
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35 Boutique Style “Live/Work” Residences starting at $1,450 Studio Lofts 600-1800 sq. ft.
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22 Downtown News
November 14, 2011
Twitter/DowntownNews Continued from previous page
FOR RENT
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Loft/Unfurnished
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November 14, 2011
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Downtown News 23
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OVER 500 PREOWNED CARS, TRUCKS, SUV’s & VANS IN STOCK!
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Fictitious Business name statement FILE NO. 2011117930 The following person is doing business as: BASICALLYCLOTHED. COM, 874 Hammond Street, #7 West Hollywood, CA 90069, is hereby registered by the following registrant(s): LISA S. TAHK, 874 Hammond Street, #7, West Hollywood CA 90069. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrant(s) has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on October 18, 2011. NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code). Pub. 11/14, 11/21, 11/28, 12/5/2011
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PETS/ANIMALS
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2008 CHEVY TAHOE 4 DOOR 5.3L, V8, Low Miles, Dual Zone AC, Rear Split Bench #UC782/ R160804 $26,995 Call 888-8799608
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888-838-5089 635 W. Washington Blvd. • downtownnissan.com
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
For a complete list of our pre-owned inventory, go to www.DTLAMOTORS.com
2008 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S Carfax, 1 owner, only 48K miles, Auto, CD, White N120068-1 / C155663 call 888-838-5089
Pre-oWned
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2007 NISSAN 350Z TOURING Certified, Carfax, 1 owner, multi-disc CD, leather, premium wheels, Black NI3822 / M552797 $20,499 call 888-838-5089
Red, 61k. CU0492R/L637110
2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser ............. Silver, 82k Miles. C120221-1/T269841
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$78,893
2009 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S COUPE
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Real Estate Specialist of San Gabriel Valley Proudly serving the communities of San Gabriel, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Montebello and El Monte.
Cal Best Realty
Emi Terauchi Realtor / Notary • Lic.No.00810238
English/Japanes/Chinese speaking emiterauchi@yahoo.com • (626) 786-9086
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4344 Fountain ave. (at sunset), suite a los angeles, ca 90029
24 Downtown News
November 14, 2011
Twitter/DowntownNews
Stadium Continued from page 5 again, but L.A. could still get its Convention Center expansion. AEG, meanwhile, could have Dodger fans course through L.A. Live for 81 regular season games a year, as opposed to an NFL team’s measly eight games. Would Farmers Insurance go for it? Probably. The number crunchers might or might not have to rework the company’s reported $700 million naming rights deal for the football stadium. In any case, they could still call the ballpark Farmers Field. They also get the 81 games benefit. Additionally, a new baseball stadium would likely land Los Angeles at least one All-Star game, something the city hasn’t hosted since, egads, 1980. That means huge money. Tradition Question That brings us to Dodger Stadium. Here’s the harsh truth: The venue is outdated and not always pleasant. Yes, Chavez Ravine holds gorgeous views, and there is nothing like sitting in Dodger Stadium on a summer night and watching a game. It is a majestic Los Angeles experience. However, the majestic part ends the moment you leave
your seat. Getting to and from the stadium is frustrating, the $15 parking fee is painful, people have died of old age while waiting for overpriced concessions, and the restrooms feel like leftover sets from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. No wonder McCourt’s plan several years ago to revamp the stadium checked in at $500 million. That raises the question: Is a new owner better served pumping that money into a half-century old venue, or does it make more sense to use that cash in a Downtown stadium with modern amenities and, more importantly, modern revenue streams? Many would slam the change, but nothing in sports is sacrosanct — in New York they razed the original Yankee Stadium. Losing the name Dodger Stadium would be a blow to tradition, but when it comes to entertainment and money, tradition is just a tune Tevye sang in Fiddler on the Roof. This proposal would not be cheap. That’s why AEG would sell off the Dodger Stadium land in chunks to housing and other developers. The views are great, and although you’d have to master plan the heck out of the sucker, projects like Geoff Palmer’s nearby Italian-inspired apartment complexes prove that folks want to live in the area. The preservation community would go ballistic at the suggestion of razing Dodger Stadium. That’s where AEG and the developers would have to convince the city that the project
ultimately does far more good than harm. They’d get support from the trade unions who, with a 40% unemployment rate in the construction industry, don’t care what sport a Downtown stadium holds, as long as it’s being built. The kicker, however, might be the chance to rewrite history. Before Dodger Stadium, Chavez Ravine was home to numerous low-income families, most of them Latino. They were forcibly removed to make way for the stadium, and promises to build new housing for them never materialized. For some, that wound still burns. The developers could garner support for the plan by reserving 20% of their units, and maybe more, for low-income residents and families. There would need to be ironclad agreements ensuring that the new Dodger Apartments and Chavez Condominiums make up for the mistakes of the past. The money from the land sales, the Farmers Field naming rights deal and a new Dodger broadcasting contract would lay the groundwork to make all this financially feasible. There would still be a lot to figure out. Financing is tight and parking and traffic studies would be required. Politicians would need to be convinced. Expect the biggest project labor agreement in the history of L.A. The list goes on and on. Still, it could happen. Whether we like it or not. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.
Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!
Grand Tower 255 south Grand avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777
Promenade Towers 123 south Figueroa street Leasing Information 213 617 3777
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dishwasher (most units) ~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
On-site: ~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants
Now For Call n Specials Move-I
8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6
museum Tower 225 south olive street Leasing Information 213 626 1500
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Solariums and/or Balconies
On Site: ~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units) ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.
TOWERS T H E
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www.TowersApartmentsLA.com
MAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKING RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM