LOS ANGELES
DOWNTOWN
NEWS Volume 39, Number 48
INSIDE
A New Supermarket 7
2
Condos sell out, Staples Center tragedy, and other happenings Around Town.
5
Laying out the next steps in development reform in Los Angeles.
W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M
November 29, 2010
An American Tale Little Tokyo Museum Marks 25 Years of Telling the Japanese American Story
Celebrating Thanksgiving.
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Change of ownership for the Huntington.
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photo by Gary Leonard
Japanese American National Museum President and CEO Akemi Kikumura Yano (left) stands in front of the Little Tokyo facility. She is with board member and museum founding president Bruce Kaji, and Nancy Araki, the first employee.
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by Richard Guzmán city editor
I
n 1982, when Little Tokyo businessman Bruce Kaji first broached the idea for a Los Angeles museum dedicated to the Japanese American experience, one of his main goals was to set the re-
cord straight. Kaji, who was born and raised in Boyle Heights, was one of the thousands of Japanese Americans forced to reside in an interment camp during World War II. He lived at the Manzanar camp in Owens Valley, Calif., until he turned 18 and got
LAPD Plans Holiday Crackdown on Jaywalking and Other Offenses staff writer
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Japanese Americans remained loyal to the United States. He also wanted to fight the bigotry that led to the interment by highlighting the diversity of the country through the stories of Japanese Americans. He found many people who see Museum, page 12
Tis the Season for Tickets by Ryan Vaillancourt
REDCAT reinvents Tennessee Williams.
a notice to report for duty in San Pedro to join the battle in the Pacific. In the decades after returning from duty, Kaji built a business as an accountant. Yet he was forever changed, and he wanted to make sure that others realized that despite their treatment by the government,
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hoppers cruising the Historic Core for gifts this holiday season, be warned: If you cross the street against the blinking red light, or forego a crosswalk altogether, the LAPD will stick its special brand of coal in your stocking. It comes in the form of a ticket, and it’ll cost you $190. In anticipation of busy sidewalks and busier streets, Central Area police officials plan to ramp up enforcement of pedestrian infractions to tide off accidents and keep traffic flowing. The crackdown was slated to start the day after Thanksgiving in the Historic Core and the Jewelry and Fashion Districts (after Los Angeles Downtown News went to press).
“It’s a double-edged sword because a lot of people want a high police presence and enforcement, but they don’t want a jaywalking ticket,” said Central Area Capt. Todd Chamberlain. “But we feel it’s imperative.” Last year, between Nov. 25 and Dec. 31, there were three accidents involving a vehicle and a pedestrian. Two resulted in serious injury to the pedestrian and were the walker’s fault, said Lt. Paul Vernon. A third accident that resulted in a pedestrian’s death was blamed on a speeding driver, he said. During the rest of the year, an average of less than one person a month is hit by a car on Downtown streets. Senior Lead Officer Stephen Nichols, who patrols the Historic Core, said he’ll be taking a see Jaywalking, page 14
The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles
photo by Gary Leonard
Officer Stephen Nichols, who patrols the Historic Core, will employ a zero tolerance policy for jaywalking. Drivers whose cars are stuck in intersections at red lights will also be cited.
2 Downtown News
November 29, 2010
Twitter/DowntownNews
AROUNDTOWN Little Tokyo Lofts Sells Out
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ontinuing the ride on the Downtown auction wave, the Little Tokyo Lofts recently sold all 22 of its remaining units. Auction firm Sheldon Good and Company coordinated the Nov. 21 event that drew 200 people. The 161-unit project was a victim of poor timing in the housing bust, and it may not have helped that the developer was looking for premium prices in a building adjacent to Skid Row. “They sold 85% of the building and then they got hit with the headwinds of the economic crisis last year,” said Mark Troen, Sheldon Good’s chief operating officer. Units in the building sold for $200-$261 per square foot, and a sixth-floor, two-level, 1,507-square-foot loft originally listed at $1.2 million went for $393,750, Troen said. An 864-square-foot unit on the third floor sold for $173,250. The one-day sale also saw buyers snatch up seven extra parking spaces for $5,000 apiece, Troen said.
Toddler Suffers Fatal Fall Inside Staples Center
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2-year-old boy died last week from injuries sustained in a fall from a luxury suite inside Staples Center. The LAPD’s Juvenile Division is investigating the incident, which took place after the Lakers game on Nov. 21 when the boy, family members and others in the group were taking pictures while still in the suite. At about 9:15 p.m., the boy, Lucas Anthony Tang, fell over the barrier of the suite to the seating area below. He was transported to a local hospital by paramedics where he was pronounced dead due to head injuries.
Convention Center Notches Higher Green Rating
I
n September of 2008, the Los Angeles Convention Center was recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for its efforts to increase energy efficiencies. The council stamped the building with its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification at the silver level. Two years later, the 4.1 million-square-foot facility is even greener, or perhaps, more golden. The USGBC last week announced that additional improvements and sustainability efforts at the site qualified it for the higher LEED Gold designation. The Convention Center, built in 1971 and expanded in 1993, is now the largest American convention center to achieve LEED Gold status. LACC General Manager and CEO Pouria Abbassi said the facility increased its energy efficiency largely by installing variable frequency drives within the air conditioning system, which allows chillers to run at different strengths according to usage of the space and time of day. In going for a re-certification, Abbassi said he expected only to hold on to the silver designation. “We believe that the LACC is a presentation of Los Angeles and that we need to be able to send out this message of environmental stewardship loud and clear, especially when we deal with clients from across the nation and around the world,” he said.
La Plaza on the Web
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n preparation of its opening next April, La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, a 2.2-acre facility that will focus on the Mexican American
photo by Gary Leonard
Actor Kirk Douglas and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa last week continued the Downtown pre-Thanksgiving tradition of feeding the homeless at the Los Angeles Mission. At the event on Wednesday, Nov. 24, they also sampled the food.
experience in Los Angeles and Southern California, last week announced the launch of its new website. Information on the $20 million facility in the newly renovated Vickrey-Brunswig Building and Plaza House on Main Street is available at lapca.org. When it opens in the spring, the attraction near Olvera Street will feature 30,000 square feet of public gardens with an outdoor stage and a performance space for up to 1,500 people. There will also be an outdoor kitchen, classrooms and an olive grove to honor the city’s first inhabitants.
Lighting the Tree
T
he Millennium Biltmore Hotel isn’t wasting any time in welcoming the holidays, and will light its Christmas tree on Wednesday, Dec. 1. The ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m. in the lobby of the historic hotel and is open to the public. It will include live music
from the Azusa Pacific University Handbell Choir along with cookies, apple cider and eggnog. The Biltmore is at 506 S. Grand Ave.
New Women’s Home
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Dec. 10 Mardi Gras-inspired procession is scheduled for the grand opening of the new home of the Downtown Women’s Center. Dancers and drummers from musical group Viver Brasil will accompany the center’s staff and residents from their existing home at 325 S. Los Angeles St. to their new facility at 442 S. San Pedro St. The event begins at 10 a.m. and a festival will run throughout the day with performances including the DWC DIVAS (Dames Investing in Very Authentic Storytelling), an all-female mariachi band and a zydeco band. There will also be tours of the new building, a public mural painting and food. The center provides housing and services for homeless women.
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EDITORIALS A Long Road to Development Reform
L
ast week, many members of the Los Angeles business and real estate development community breathed a sigh of relief. A natural reaction, considering that after decades of false starts and running into brick walls, a plan began to emerge to reform the city’s Byzantine and frustrating development process. This could be key in helping Los Angeles recover from a severe economic slump. First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner, along with others including Building and Safety General Manager Bud Ovrom and new city Planning Department head Michael LoGrande, deserve recognition for the work to date, and for realizing that the previous attempt at development reform, known as “12-to-2” (it aimed to reduce from 12 to two the number of departments developers must deal with), was broken and can’t be fixed. They understand that what exists now doesn’t work very well either, and that the system needs to be reinvented in a way that is easier to follow for all involved. While the positive strides are worth noting, this is nothing close to a done deal. A huge amount still needs to be determined and accomplished. Policies must change, but so must processes and the practices of City Hall bureaucrats for whom saying no, with words or inaction, has long been the easiest response. Perhaps most importantly, any development reform must help not only those paying for the projects, but also neighborhood councils and other community stakeholders. If reform creates a market for growth, it must also nurture growth that fits with and benefits the community in which it occurs. To understand why bureaucratic reinvention is important, one must first understand Los Angeles’ difficult development past. This is a city where, at least from the business point of view, growth has often occurred not with the cooperation of city government, but in spite of it. There are legions of horror stories about how difficult and time consuming it is for developers to secure the permits and entitlements to build anything, even a home remodel, but especially major projects. Developers have had to navigate as many as 17 city departments, few of which work in concert with the others. The result, more often than not, is time delays and cost increases. It is actually counterproductive to the city’s interests, because delays in opening a new building or business push back the collection of tax revenue. When the hurdles prevent projects from being built, they eliminate the construction and other jobs that would be created. An asterisk to these problems has been the experts that solving them requires. With navigating City Hall so difficult, there has evolved a group of high-paid land-use attorneys, lobbyists and other fixers. For hundreds of dollars an hour,
these individuals will shepherd developers through the permitting and entitlements phase. The result is a situation where it is excessively expensive to build in Los Angeles. The rise of the fixers has led many to believe, and rightfully so, that often only the big budget developers can get things done, and that the little guy is at a disadvantage. In one infamous case, a developer hired a separate lobbyist for each of the 15 council members. That was bad for everyone except the fixers because all such costs are passed along to the customers. In this case, the developer got the council votes, but the project was never built, no jobs were created and no tax revenue came to the city — at least in part because of the delays. In the end the only people who benefited were the fixers. These and other problems have propelled Beutner and his team to reinvent the development wheel. The multi-tiered
Making it easier to build as the economy heals will mean more jobs and more revenue and, for neighborhoods like Downtown, more vitality and life. fix, detailed last week in Los Angeles Downtown News, involves addressing the ways that city departments interact with developers and each other. It looks to reduce rampant redundancy, in part by hiring an outside consultant to streamline the current development pipeline. Another element involves getting around the city’s many disparate websites by creating a single online “portal” that allows developers to track where their project is in the process. That is just the start. The Department of Planning intends to assign a case manager to each development to arrange everything from getting permits to coordinating environmental analysis. An even bigger load could fall on Building and Safety, which already has announced efforts such as looking at permitting during the design phase; currently, designs must be completed before moving to what is known as “plan check.” Doing these simultaneously and making fixes along the way, say those involved, could save months.
In the big picture, these improvements are no-brainers, and many are responses to problems that have festered for years. The plan to address them as a group is what has the development community so excited. That is also where the caution comes in, precisely because the travails are not new, and previous well-intentioned efforts to fix the problems all mostly failed. For example, one of the things that killed 12-to-2 was general managers of city departments who were not on board with the change. That is troubling considering that the new reform effort has the same leader as 12-to-2 did: The buck starts and stops with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. More than one person has suggested that if Villaraigosa had been more forceful — after all, he has the power to hire and fire general managers, and the ability to use the bully pulpit — then the plan would have come to fruition. There is certainly, to use a phrase, a new sheriff in town with Beutner in a senior position (appointed by the mayor), but without focused top-down leadership, this vision will go the way of past efforts. Talking is not doing. Then there is the community aspect. Last week, City Councilman Ed Reyes, the chair of the council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee, said of the new effort: “What needs to be highlighted is that more efficient doesn’t mean being exclusionary.” He’s right, and this is a case where the devil truly will be in the details. Development reform will be successful if it speeds up the permitting, entitlements and building process, but not if it leads to projects moving forward in a stealth manner or without proper environmental review. Developers need to be able to track where their project is in the pipeline, but community groups need to know early on what is being proposed for their neighborhood, and they must have the opportunity to make their concerns known. This can’t be City Hall lip service either: There has to be a clear system for opposition to be registered and for projects to be developed that work for the neighborhood as a whole and in a timely fashion. This should be a time of excitement. There are several new general managers and a heightened awareness of acting during economic hard times. If people are willing to embrace change, and can accept that things and processes they oversee are a current hindrance, then all of Los Angeles will benefit. Making it easier to build as the economy heals will mean more jobs and more revenue and, for neighborhoods like Downtown, more vitality and life. The new reforms have a lot of people pleased, but it’s worth not getting too excited just yet. This is the starting point, not the endgame.
Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com facebook: L.A. Downtown News
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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt coNtributiNG Editors: David Friedman, Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Pamela Albanese, Jay Berman, Jim Farber, Jeff Favre, Michael X. Ferraro, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin sAlEs AssistANt: Annette Cruz clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, Billy Wright, Lon Wahlberg circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.
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Trying to Save Fifth and Flower
Development Reform Effort Introduced by Ryan VaillancouRt
by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
A
group of Financial District stakeholders led by the Central City Association is mobilizing to challenge the recent Metro board decision to eliminate the Fifth and Flower streets station from the Downtown Regional Connector. The station, one of four originally proposed in the fully underground Regional Connector route that the Metro board approved at its Oct. 28 meeting, was nixed from the agency’s upcoming final environmental study to cut costs. The Metro board did offer to keep the station in the study if the private sector picks up the estimated $2 million tab to pay for the analysis. They have until Dec. 9 to come up with the money. Agency staff is expected to report back to the board in December on whether there is interest from local business interests to fund the study. That proposal, said CCA President and CEO Carol Schatz, “is ridiculous, unacceptable — they haven’t asked anybody else to pay for their station.” The CCA is in the midst of reaching out to its membership to plot its next move, but the group plans to meet with Metro to challenge the $2 million price tag and the December deadline to come up with the funds. The $1.3 billion connector, which
has been described as a lynchpin of the light-rail system, is about $200 million over budget, according to Metro staffers. Eliminating the Fifth and Flower stop would save an estimated $185 million. Critics of the decision to cut Fifth and Flower say that in doing so, Metro would lose access to the densest employment hub in the city. “The bottom line is the stations need to be where the jobs are and where the people live,” Schatz said. The overall project cost was elevated last year after the Little Tokyo community, led by a well-organized coalition of local business and cultural interests, vehemently protested initial connector routes that involved less costly at-grade tracks. Stakeholders complained that it would pose dangers to public safety and local businesses would suffer amid construction. Bart Reed, executive director of the Transit Coalition, said that to date, the business community hasn’t been very vocal or well organized in support of keeping the Fifth and Flower station, largely because it has long been assumed that it would remain part of the route. In Little Tokyo, stakeholders rallied against a “perceived negative,” Reed said. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
staff wRiteR
F
irst District City Councilman Ed Reyes’ ears prick up when he hears people in City Hall cast doubt on the latest plan to reform the city’s development process. As chair of the council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee, he has had an upclose seat to past efforts that failed. That’s why Reyes’ main question for the consultants tapped to overhaul the permitting and entitlement system remains, “What’s different this time?” The question was posed last week at a PLUM committee meeting that served as the first introduction to the consulting team that won a competitive bidding process to help overhaul Los Angeles’ infamously labyrinthine permitting system. Gayla Kraetsch Hartsough, president of KH Consulting Group, which is one half of the winning team, said that previous attempts have largely revolved around audits. Over the next seven months, KH and its partner in the reform effort, the management consulting firm Woolpert, will focus on solutions. The problems, Hartsough said, are well-known. How the consultants plan to revolutionize the system is unclear. Last week’s meeting was a rollout of the team’s methodology going forward. A key aspect of that hinges on a plan to engage department staffers below the executive level. Hartsough said her team and city officials are already mining the departments involved in the permitting and entitlement process in search of mid- to upper-level staffers with an inclination for change and interdepartmental cooperation. One of the first steps will be to assemble a group
of non-executive workers who will be charged with implementing the consultant’s changes once their contract ends in about seven months. “We’ve found that if you only engage the top leadership, you have a high probability that in five years they have retired,” Hartsough said. Spearheaded by First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner, the new tack on development reform comes after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s 12to-2 reform initiative failed, in part because of opposition from department heads. The city tapped $500,000 in funds set aside for innovation projects to pay for the contract, and Beutner’s office raised $100,000 from the private sector. In addition to cherry picking successful planning and permitting programs from other cities, Beutner recently told a group of business leaders that the consultant will look to streamline redundancies. The consultants will develop a blueprint for a new online platform used to track permits as projects move among different departments. Implementing such a system will take years and cost millions of dollars, said Bud Ovrom, general manager of the Department of Building and Safety. The consultant team is slated to report back to PLUM about two months after its contract is formally inked in early December. The reform effort prompted Reyes to reflect on previous attempts that ended up as little more than expensive reports. “Hopefully that’s not what happens here, and we’re going to push really hard to see some results,” Reyes said. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
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New Supermarket Coming to Downtown Rio Ranch to Open Chinatown Area Grocery Store in 2011 by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
D
owntown Los Angeles grocery shoppers will see their choices expand next year, when a new supermarket comes online. To the first question on everyone’s lips: No, it won’t be a Trader Joe’s. Rio Ranch Market, a Riverside-based grocery chain, plans to open a 35,000-square-foot store on the ground floor of the Grand Plaza building at 701 W. Cesar Chavez Ave. The loca-
ket to offer an international mix of goods to appeal to more Downtown residents. However, he said Rio Ranch would likely still be successful even if it focused on Latino-oriented products. “Members of the Chinese community like to eat Mexican food as much as Mexicans like to eat Chinese food, and the same with other cultures,” he said. “In this market right now there really are no borders and I think they will be very successful, and it’s going to be very convenient for everyone.” McCormack said the target customer base will be within a mile and a half radius of the store. This extends about as far south as Seventh Street and Grand Avenue, and also reaches
portions of Echo Park and the heart of Chinatown. George Yu, executive director of the Chinatown Business Improvement District, predicted the market would be a boon to the area. “There are small markets of various sizes in the area but not a supermarket, so it’s something we are really looking forward to,” he said. “It’s a well-known supermarket and will appeal to those looking to save.” Built-in Audience Grand Plaza has about 69,000 square feet of commercial space, Yung said. In addition to the residents, who are mostly see Market, page 14
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photo by Richard Guzmán
The ground floor of Grand Plaza, a senior housing complex that opened in 1993, will be the new home of a Rio Ranch Market.
tion is just east of the Orsini apartment complex, and a short walk from Chinatown. While he did not offer details on the lease, company CEO Jay McCormack said plans call for the market to be open 24 hours a day, seven day a week. The market on the northwest corner of Grand and Cesar Chavez avenues is slated to open by the second quarter of 2011. The market would be the company’s ninth store and its first in Los Angeles. Although existing Rio Ranch Markets focus on Latino customers, McCormack said the Downtown store’s offerings will extend beyond that audience. “It’s going to be an international marketplace serving all ethnic groups,” McCormack said. “We think we’ll be able do it better than most chain stores. McCormack appeared before the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Chinatown Community Advisory Committee recently to offer details of the plan. While the store will not technically be in Chinatown, it falls within the CRA’s Chinatown redevelopment area and will be eligible for a $125,000 grant and a loan for façade improvements, said Bibiana Yung, an assistant project manager with the agency. The market will include a cafe and other fresh food options similar to those at the Ralphs Fresh Fare in South Park, Yung said. It will sit on the ground floor of Grand Plaza, a 302-unit senior housing project that the CRA helped open in 1991. The corner space was originally built to accommodate a grocery store, and includes infrastructure such as loading docks and utilities and 140 parking spaces. “It was always supposed to be a market, but that never developed. We think it’s the right time,” Yung said. Following Ralphs Rio Ranch Market was founded in 1983 and has locations mainly in the Inland Empire. It will be the second large supermarket in Downtown to appeal to the new base of residents. It will follow the Ralphs Fresh Fare, which debuted in 2007, and will arrive before the recently announced Target at 7+Fig. Company officials this month said the 104,000-square-foot Target will open in the fall of 2012 and will have an emphasis on food items. There are other grocery options in Downtown, though the larger ones appeal to more specific ethnic audiences. Just east of Chinatown on Main Street is LAX-C, a sprawling facility which has been likened to a Thai Costco. Woori Market, a Korean chain, opened last month in the Little Tokyo Shopping Center, replacing the Little Tokyo Market Place. While McCormack said the company is aware of the success of grocers like Ralphs when deciding to come Downtown, it wasn’t the sole factor that propelled the move. “We believe there is a need for fresh food options in Downtown,” McCormack said. Ruben Guerra, chairman and CEO of the Downtownbased Latin Business Association, said it is smart for the mar-
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November 29, 2010
Huntington Hotel Has New Owner Investors Resolve to Clean Up Troubled Residential Property by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
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he Huntington Hotel, a troubled low-income residential hotel that has been a magnet for drug sales and gang activity for years, has been purchased by a group of private investors who are pledging to untangle the property from a web of city code violations. Already, the situation at the building is improving, according to police officials. Buyers operating under the name 752 South Main LLC bought the 196-unit Huntington in September for $4.2 mil-
lion in an all cash deal, said broker Brent Hogan. The new owners’ first order of business is to resolve 314 code violations that currently require the landlord to deposit all rent revenues into a city-controlled escrow account, said Rod Goldberg, one of the buyers. “There is a long list of violations and a lot of departments and a lot of red tape involved in fixing it,” said Goldberg. “We’re working with them and everything is progressing.” The timeline for resolving those violations, which range from faulty smoke detectors and missing heaters to broken windows and torn-up flooring materials, is uncertain. photo by Gary Leonard
A group of private investors has purchased the Huntington Hotel at 752 S. Main St. Security has been increased at the building, a move the LAPD says is making the property safer.
Goldberg said the new owners intend to make the property a viable affordable housing complex. For now, there are no plans for any major renovation beyond what is needed to comply with city codes. Goldberg said the group of investors he belongs to owns other residential properties in Los Angeles, though he declined to identify them or name specific buildings. “The intention is to hold the property for the long term,” said Goldberg, who is also president of Dadson Washer Service, a provider of coin-operated washing machines. The four-story 1910 hotel, which sits at the northeast corner of Main and Eighth streets, was enrolled in the city Housing Department’s Rent Escrow Account Program due to poor living conditions in 2005. REAP allows tenants to pay just half of their rent, with the money going into an account controlled by the department until the owner brings the building up to code. In 2006, then-City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo filed a civil suit against former owner Landmark Equity Management, which owned the building until last year, when it sold the property to a contractor it had previously hired to do work at the building. The city attorney’s suit accused Landmark of trying to force low-income tenants out of more than 800 apartments in dozens of buildings throughout the city. Landmark was ultimately ordered to pay $9 million in tenant restitution, was barred from buying new rental properties in Los Angeles for four and a half years, and was ordered to sell all of its L.A. buildings. The company’s president, Darren Stern, was also sentenced to 210 days in jail (he served 30) for more than 30 criminal code violations, such as vermin infestation and sewage leaks, at three Los Angeles buildings, including the Huntington. Before selling the building, Landmark had to pay $2 million in additional civil penalties to clear a lien placed on the Huntington by the city attorney’s office. The company paid in full in September, clearing the lien, said Deputy City Attorney Janet Karkanen. Security Trouble tied to the Huntington has spilled outside the purple-painted building’s doors. The Los Angeles Police Department suspects that residents or visitors to the property were involved in three shootings that occurred near Eighth and Main streets this year. Goldberg said the new owners are familiar with the building’s recent crime troubles and immediately hired a new security company. That move is already making a difference, said LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon. “They’ve been very cooperative and very helpful in trying to stabilize things over there in terms of the people who live in the building, the tenants, and people who really don’t belong there,” said Vernon. One of the new owners’ first moves was to more tightly control access to the property through a rear, often-unchecked entrance, Vernon said. As far as physical repairs, the city Housing Department said the new owners were a bit too proactive. They began physical upgrades without an approved tenant habitability plan, according to a department spokesperson. The department issued a stop work order, which has repairs on hold until the plan is submitted and approved. The purchase of the building comes after multiple nonprofit housing providers had expressed interest in buying the structure. Downtown-based Communities Actively Living and Free had been eyeing the Huntington for more than a year. The organization partnered in the spring with affordable housing developer Clifford Beers Housing and discussed plans to convert the hotel into permanent supportive housing. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
November 29, 2010
Downtown News 9
DowntownNews.com
WHAT’S IN STORE
I Squared Furniture Shop Specializes in Budget-Friendly Modern Wares by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
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he lights are on seven days a week inside the sleek showroom of I Squared, an upscale-modern-for-less furniture shop tucked in the Great Republic Lofts building at 758 S. Spring St. An offshoot of the high-end Interior Illusions furniture outpost in West Hollywood (with locations in Palm Springs and Santa Monica, too), I Squared, which opened in February, caters to the Downtown dweller with a taste for pricey Modern wares, but without the wallet to furnish their loft in Eames. As part of a recurring series on Downtown retail, Los Angeles Downtown News checks out what’s in store.
photo by Gary Leonard photo by Gary Leonard
Mike Valles opened I Squared as a budget-conscious offshoot of his West Hollywood-based furniture store Interior Illusions.
The store features a range of Modern wares at affordable prices, including replicas of Eames chairs and Noguchi coffee tables. There is also a diverse collection of accessories like the Moooi hanging orb light.
is built around what Valles sees as an urban lifestyle, which usually involves small spaces and the need for flexibility with home decor. Thus, large sofas give way to options like the Toronto-based Gus Modern’s “Jane” bisectional ($2,500), which is designed to be ambidextrous and accommodate multiple arrangements. The Jane comes in six colors (the one featured in the store is ash gray). “We wanted to incorporate the design classics, but then also have our own exclusive offerings from lines like Gus Modern that are very much like start-up companies,” Valles said. “They’re not real big or massdistributed, so it gives it a little exclusivity for the neighborhood store.”
Not the Same Eames: Window shoppers peering into I Squared could easily mistake it for a high-end boutique. The iconic cloud-white, Eames Lounge Chair and ottoman are an apparent dead giveaway (the Modernist classic retails for around $4,800). If that doesn’t shoo away the budget conscious buyer, surely the glass-top Noguchi coffee table by Herman Miller will (it retails normally for about $1,300). But look closer, and there’s a clear sign — the price tag — that these are replicas. “The main focus is price driven,” said I Squared owner Mike Valles. “A lot of customers would come down to our West Hollywood store and say ‘I love the items but they’re either too big or too expensive.’” The Eames replica sells for $1,500. The Noguchi look-alike is $548. Ommmm: The bulk of I Squared’s inventory is in traditional furniture: sofas, coffee tables, lighting and storage units. Valles adds to that with a healthy selection of accessories — good for housewarming gifts, he points out — like a candleholder fashioned from a green Buddha head. The candle goes on top, so the flame is like a Zen version of the old light bulb thought-bubble cartoons. When it’s not lit, it’s just a funky accessory on the shelf or table. It sells for $36. Size Matters: The inventory at I Squared
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Holy Moooi: One of the most eye-catching accessories in I Squared is a four-foot-wide hanging black orb. Fashioned from myriad circular fiberglass rings, it is a light fixture by the Dutch firm Moooi. Known as the Random Light, it casts gentle yet ample illumination. It comes in three sizes (the fourfoot one is the medium option) and ranges from $700-$1,100.
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Dog Chic: No Downtown furniture shop would be complete without something for the pets. Instead of feeding Fido out of that rusted metal dish that he pushes all around the floor at mealtime, try I Squared’s double pet bowl (for two pets? One bowl for food, the other for water? You decide). Two square bowls are set in a sleek modern tray and are elevated slightly off the ground. It sells for $55. Meow. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
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10 Downtown News
November 29, 2010
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A Lot More Than Number Crunching New Deloitte Managing Partner Michelle Kerrick Lays Out Her Plans for the Accounting Giant’s Downtown Office by Ryan VaillancouRt
L.A. office, and all those assumptions about accountants.
staff wRiteR
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s a child, Michelle Kerrick never dreamed of being an accountant. But the 25-year veteran of accounting giant Deloitte joined the firm right out of school and never left. Now she has her highest profile position yet. After heading up Deloitte’s Phoenix operations, Kerrick, 48, was recently named managing partner of the firm’s Los Angeles office, replacing Tony Buzzelli. Based in Downtown at California Plaza, she oversees 1,512 employees. The single mother of a 3-year-old daughter recently spoke with Los Angeles Downtown News about her job, the strengths of the
Los Angeles Downtown News: What the heck does the L.A. managing partner of the country’s biggest accounting firm actually do? Michelle Kerrick: First of all, it’s working very closely with the colleagues in L.A. There are four primary functions: traditional accounting, the tax function, the financial advisory group, and then one of the differentiators about Deloitte is we’re the only one of the big four that retained our consulting group after the [firm Arthur] Andersen’s meltdown and the [federal] Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Retaining that function
has been phenomenal and sets us apart. I work with these four functions and make sure we maximize the value of our firm and deliver the best possible solutions to our clients. I’m also very focused on growth; getting out in the marketplace, face time with clients, with potential clients, other professional service providers, and then also I’m going to be very engaged in the community. Q: What are your near-term goals for the L.A. office, and what’s the local employment picture look like? A: First and foremost, Tony Buzzelli is the managing partner who is retiring and he’s done an outstanding job growing our
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DowntownNews.com engagement with the United Way, but it’s very early. I’m still transitioning between Phoenix and L.A. so I’m really focused on our clients and our people to start with, and plan to get engaged in the community probably in January. Q: If a large client, say a bank or financial institution, gets audited, how many Deloitte employees work on preparation for the audit? A: It really varies. L.A. is a perfect example: You’ve got a middle market-focused economy here but you have some very big players, so your audit engagements could run from 400 hours up to probably 10,000-plus hours. Q: Does the firm ever discover intentionally misleading information in clients’ statements? What’s the protocol when this happens? A: There’s very important protocol that is engaged and it’s a process. If it’s a public company, their board of directors’ au-
dit committee is really who is in charge of hiring the accounting firms. So, we’d reach out to the audit committee and alert them, but carefully. You would want to go to the independent board members, someone other than the individuals who might be involved in what might be considered a fraudulent act. I’m happy to report that I don’t have a personal experience with anything big. Q: Accountants have a reputation for being dry and boring. Why do you prolific number crunchers get such a bad rap? A: Well, the best compliment sometimes is when people say, “Oh my gosh, I would have never known you were an accountant!” So whether that’s good or bad I don’t know. But it’s like attorneys, right? Everybody says they’re terrible people but we all know wonderful attorneys. So I can tell you that I work with, believe it or not, a lot of funny people, creative people. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
photo by Gary Leonard
Michelle Kerrick was recently named managing partner of accounting firm Deloitte’s Downtown office. She oversees 1,512 local employees.
practice. My hope would be to continue that momentum. Los Angeles is a middle-market city. Fifty percent of our portfolio comes from very large clients and 50% comes from the middle market — any entity with revenues in the $50 million-$750 million range. The balance is currently nice but I do think in a market like Los Angeles we’ll continue to focus on that middle market piece and continue to expand that. As far as employment, we are currently expanding our workforce. There are certain areas that we are hiring in, within the audit practice and the consulting practice. There’s been an increase in demand particularly in the consulting side. I also think we’re starting to see the merger and acquisitions activity return. When bringing companies together, there’s all kinds of strategic and operational needs and there’s postmerger integration services. Q: Since no 9-year-old ever proclaimed, “I want to be an accountant when I grow up,” how do you go from, say, astronaut or Olympic gymnast to accountant? A: Hey, I dreamed about being an auditor from the time I was 2. No, I’m kidding. I just think it’s a solid business platform and the opportunities coming out of college were really just outstanding. I’ve been with the firm 25 years, my entire career. I came up through the audit ranks. Q: How has the recession affected the accounting industry? A: With regard to the downturn, you can imagine it has presented its own challenges to the firm, but certainly provided opportunities. Working with our clients to help navigate this environment has been critically important. Certainly we felt the fee pressure — clients trying to save costs — but particularly on the tax side there are a lot of opportunities, for example, for people to carry their losses back, and we’re looking at incentives and credits that certain states offer. Unfortunately businesses are going through some challenging times, and we’re helping them restructure. We also have a group focused specifically on cost reduction — that has been an important and highly sought-after group. Q: Deloitte is a worldwide firm, with offices in 140 countries. What is the specialty of the Downtown Los Angeles office? A: We try to organize ourselves around industry, so in L.A., certainly it’s retail, consumer products, technology, manufacturing, and media and entertainment. Los Angeles is a very diverse and geographically broad marketplace and it covers a lot of different sectors. We have a prominent position in each of those sectors. Media and entertainment is much more focused here than elsewhere and up and down the West Coast technology is very important. Q: How do you plan to engage the local community? A: In Phoenix there were some organizations and charities I was involved with, like the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, which is focused on driving economic progress and bringing companies to Arizona. I was on the host committee for the Super Bowl, so I worked on the bid process for that, organizing and fundraising, and then certain nonprofit things I’ve been passionate about include the United Way and Fresh Start Women’s Foundation. I anticipate I’ll have some level of
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November 29, 2010
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Museum Continued from page 1 shared a common vision. Like Kaji, they wanted those stories told in their own voices. “We needed a place for people to come and see what happened to us,” said Kaji, who at 84 still sits on the museum board. “We served the country above and beyond what most people do and we wanted to show that we were discriminated against and we still held true to our country. We served in spite of what they did to us.” In 1985, Kaji and a group of Japanese American WWII veterans and other members of the Little Tokyo community incorporated the Japanese American National Museum. Although they lacked a home, they began preparing exhibits and securing artifacts. In 1992, they opened in a building on First Street in Little Tokyo. Seven years later, the museum came of age when it moved into a sparkling, $22 million facility at 369 E. First St. Since then there have been highs and lows, with large crowds and, in recent years, budget cutbacks that have resulted in less expensive shows and reduced operating hours. Still, officials are trying to put the best face forward. They are also marking the silver anniversary of their incorporation with the exhibit American Tapestry: 25 Stories From the Collection. It runs through April 17, 2011. The shows reveals Japanese American history through the stories behind common objects like bicycles, marbles and
diaries. There are also pop culture touchstones such as the Star Trek uniform worn by actor and longtime Little Tokyo supporter George Takei. “I’m hoping as people walk through it they find personal connections to these stories,” said Akemi Kikumura Yano, the museum president and CEO. “These are not the stories of other cultures or foreign stories. These are stories of American history seen through the lens of a particular experience, and I think people will find that there are so many connections, so many things we all share.” First Home The museum has been striving to achieve this goal since before it had doors to open. Yano, who joined the museum shortly after 1985 as a consultant, recalled that in the years before finding a home, museum officials organized traveling exhibits like Issei (firstgeneration Japanese Americans) and Nisei (second-generation Japanese Americans) photographs. These were displayed at places such as the Fresno Art Museum and even a Little Tokyo bank. However, most of the time and energy was spent collecting items and promoting the museum by meeting with community groups and government officials. In 1985, the California legislature appropriated $750,000 toward the museum. The next year, the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency announced a $1 million grant along with a proposal to lease the former 35,000-squarefoot Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple building on First Street (today the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy).
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The museum opened on April 30, 1992, and was immediately overshadowed: It was the day a Simi Valley jury found four LAPD officers not guilty of beating motorist Rodney King. It sparked the Los Angeles riots. Though the riots diverted attention, museum staffers saw a symbolic message in the date. “Opening at that time really gave us the sense that we are needed here,” said Nancy Araki, JANM’s first employee, who at 73 continues to work as director of community affairs. “I think it’s a place where we can all share, discover and dialogue together.” Growth and Trouble Today, JANM’s collection holds more than 80,000 photographs, documents, artworks, films and other artifacts. It has an annual budget of $6.9 million and a staff of 39 full-time and 10 part-time employees. Its exhibits have run the gamut. In the 1990s JANM recreated an internment camp barracks. Shows have looked at the Issei pioneers in Hawaii and the mainland. The exhibit Fighting for Democracy: Who Is the ‘We’ in ‘We, the People?’ opened at the museum in 2005 and traveled to places like the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn. There has been a fine art bent too, with exhibits dedicated to Isamu Noguchi. Other times, JANM has reached out to younger audiences by partnering with the creators of the magazine Giant Robot. A popular attraction at the museum is the ongoing exhibition Common Ground: The Heart of the Community. It incorporates hundreds of objects collected by the museum to chronicle 130 years of Japanese American history. This
yet?
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Metro Briefs Don’t Let Tra;c Stress Your Holiday
Here’s a cheery idea for getting through stressful holiday tra;c: Let Metro shuttle your out-of-town guests, get you around town for shopping or ease your daily commute. Try a Metro Day Pass and ride all day for only $6. For happier holidays, Go Metro.
Go Metro To The Rose Parade To really enjoy Pasadena’s Annual Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day, use the Metro Gold Line and skip the tra;c and parking hassles. Or ride the Gold Line to see the parade floats at Victory Park following the parade. Plan your trip at metro.net.
New Metro Bus Schedules December 12 Starting December 12, Metro is making changes in its bus service to improve e;ciency and e=ectiveness through better use of resources. For complete details, look for revised timetables on metro.net or on buses during December.
See Something? Say Something. Your security is Metro’s top priority. Report any suspicious behavior, persons in unauthorized areas or unattended packages immediately to Metro or Sheri=’s personnel. Security intercoms are located aboard the rail cars and in rail stations or call 888.950.SAFE or 323.563.5000.
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Downtown News 13
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month, the museum received the 2010 Institute of Museum and Library Service National Medal, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries. Despite the highlight shows, there have been tough times, and the museum has suffered due to the economic downturn. Four years ago, JANM’s budget was as high as $8 million and it had a staff of about 80 people. In January 2009, the museum announced that it would cut back its days and hours due to the economy. Instead of being open six days a week for a total of 36 hours, JANM is now open Thursdays from noon-8 p.m., and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., for a total of 26 hours a week. “Like everyone else we are impacted by the economy, but we’re doing well, we’re very sound and our supporters are still with us,” Yano said. “We’re not doing as many exhibits, and the ones we’re doing are in a different way. We’re largely basing them on our own collection. We’re looking at shows
that are not going to cost an arm and a leg.” American Tapestry fits that bill. It not only tells the American story through the Japanese perspective, but is comprised solely of objects in the museum’s permanent collection. One of the most notable items in the exhibit is a Schwinn bicycle that stands on a platform. It belonged to Yoshino Uyemura, who was forced to leave it when her family was moved to an internment camp in WWII. She left the bicycle with her friend Alice Blueian, who planed to give it back once Uyemura came home. Although the friends lost touch, Blueian refused to abandon the bicycle. In 2003, Blueian finally reached Uyemura and returned the bike. A picture from a newspaper article that chronicled the story is displayed near the bike. It shows a smiling Uyemura in her 70s, riding the bicycle. Blueian stands behind her. The image brought one recent museumgoer to tears.
“It helps us appreciate what our parents and grandparents went through,” said Robin Maeda, a third-generation Japanese American, who choked up a bit while looking at the picture of Uyemura riding her bike. She was there with her friend Brian Sakata. They both grew up in Los Angeles, and the museum has always been an important part of their lives. “Most people don’t realize what the Japanese American community went through during this time and that we are as American as everyone else,” Maeda said. “It’s one of the only places where our story is told,” Sakata added. In telling those stories, JANM does exactly what Kaji and others dreamed of a quarter century ago. American Tapestry runs through April 17, 2011. The Japanese American National Museum is at 369 E. First St., (213) 625-0414 or janm.org. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
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Twitter/DowntownNews college students. But there are professionals and families with kids that would be good customers for the market,” she said. Indeed, some Orsini residents who were having lunch at Subway on a recent weekday afternoon said they were thrilled to hear about a new supermarket within walking distance of their homes. “I eat out a lot because there aren’t that many grocery stores nearby,” said Randy Cardona, an Orsini resident. “Ralphs is not walking distance for me and you have to deal with Downtown traffic if you drive. So this would be perfect.” His friend Mike Larson, who lives in the Historic Core, said he would consider shopping at Rio Ranch if the price is right and they carry what he needs. “It has to be a place where you can find everything I would find at a Ralphs or Vons,” he said. “I hope they take into account everyone’s needs.” Yung said that is exactly what Rio Ranch representatives have been telling the community they will offer. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
Market Continued from page 7 Asian senior citizens, there is commercial space occupied by the Los Angeles Unified School District, a credit union, an adult day health care center and an outpost for the University of the Pacific. Commercial space fronts Cesar Chavez Avenue, but the only tenant is a Subway sandwich shop. There is an ample population within walking distance of the school. It is diagonally across the street from the High School for the Visual and Performing Arts, which claims 1,700 students. In addition to the seniors in Grand Plaza and the rest of Chinatown, the supermarket will be about a block away from the three-phase Orsini apartments — the third building in the complex came online this year. Together, they offer about 1,000 residential units. Yung expects that Orsini residents will be some of the primary customers at the market. “A lot of people think Orsini is just for
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Jaywalking Continued from page 1 zero tolerance approach not just on jaywalking, but on all moving violations he sees, including those committed by vehicles. For example, Nichols said he’ll ticket drivers who inch into an intersection while the light is green, but remain there after it turns red because traffic is backed up in front of them. The scenario results in gridlock because it blocks traffic in the other direction, and it endangers pedestrians who often cross the street before letting the stuck car pass, he said. “It’s not to punish as much as it is to enforce and to educate, to remind them that even though they’re aware of vehicle traffic, vehicle traffic may not be aware of them,” Nichols said. Russell Brown, executive director of the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District, welcomes the crackdown on drivers who block intersections, but questions the zero tolerance policy on jaywalking. If, for example, someone crosses in the crosswalk, and hustles across the street while the red light is flashing and the countdown has several seconds to go before hitting zero, a ticket seems like overkill, he said. “For folks who are going through the crosswalks and they’re not super familiar with the neighborhood, and they’re using some degree of common sense but the police are zero tolerance, it’s not the most welcoming thing for patrons down here,” Brown said. “If you can accomplish the same goals by helping to educate people but not punish them, especially if it’s not life-threatening, I think it’s a better tactic.” Annual Rituals Across the city, as families gather for Thanksgiving feasts and prepare for giftgiving holidays, police districts with shopping hubs face their own year-end ritual. They must strategize on how to nip in the bud the crimes that coincide with high foot traffic and shopping.
“It’s simple,” Vernon said. “There’s more people with things worth stealing.” In Downtown, the holidays traditionally coincide with a spike in car break-ins and stolen vehicles. Shoppers too frequently leave their bags and merchandise in their locked cars in plain view, said Vernon. That said, last year defied the norm, as overall crime during the final 45 days of 2009 did not spike. In fact, several categories of serious crime, including robberies and aggravated assaults, fell in that timeframe compared to the average 45-day period for the year. Additionally, Vernon said, crimes involving cars increased only slightly. There were 108 burglaries or thefts from vehicles, or 8.3% more than the 45-day average of 99 (burglaries in general were up 14%). There were 41 car thefts, or two more than the average of 39. Vernon attributed the minimal increase to police strategizing in advance of the expected crime surge. They plan to do the same this year. In the Fashion District, that will mean heightened enforcement on illegal street vendors, who might try to take advantage of larger pedestrian crowds, Chamberlain said. Other times, the vendors are the targets themselves of gang members engaged in extortion efforts. The Fashion and Jewelry districts, along with the Historic Core, can also expect an increase in uniformed officers on the street, on foot or on bike. The heightened patrols will draw on existing budget resources, not overtime, Chamberlain said. The area’s top cop knows that the pedestrian crackdown will be scorned by some, specifically those who receive a ticket for the holidays. “It’s not the most heinous crime that’s out there that the Central officers deal with by any means,” said Chamberlain. Indeed, jaywalking isn’t really even a crime. It’s an infraction. But that will be of little solace to those who still have to pay the ticket. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
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Downtown News 15
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RESTAURANTS Grub With Guzmán
♦♦♦
Taking a Look at Vista Hermosa Mercado La Paloma Taqueria Holds Its Own Amongst Respected Neighbors by RichaRd Guzmán
city EditoR ’ve spent a lot of time playing the field at Mercado La Paloma, the sort of ethnic food court and market near USC. That’s the kind of guy I am. Yet I’ve always been interested in Vista Hermosa Restaurant and Taqueria. Until recently, all we had shared were a few stolen glances. Instead, I’ve spent my time with places such as Chichen Itza, which serves great Yucatan dishes, and
I
Mo-Chica, the outstanding Peruvian place. Occasionally I stray to Oaxacalifornia, which produces some of the best fresh-squeezed juice in town. The other week, however, I finally decided to let my wandering eye, and wandering stomach, guide me to Vista Hermosa. I wasn’t disappointed. The tacos here are delicious, with the al pastor ($6.99) being a standout. It’s the house specialty and is served on a plate with beans and rice. The al pastor is made from pork that’s marinated
and cooked on a rotisserie. Vista Hermosa uses a secret recipe that results in super juicy and tender meat with a hint of pineapple. Another good choice is the huarache ($5.99), a homemade tortilla stuffed with beans and topped with a choice of meat and nopal (grilled cactus). Go with the carnitas, which is the most complementary to the nopal. If you really like cactus, they also serve a cactus salad ($4.50), although I’ve yet to try it. Pork is popular here, and another item on my to-try list is the chicharron con chile ($5.99). It’s dried pork skin cooked in green or red chili sauce. It sounds like pig-out heaven to me. Their seafood is also good, and as I munched away I had visions of eating on the sand in a Mexican resort. The tostada de ceviche ($2.75) is a simple dish with fish cooked in lime over a tostada. It’s very tasty, although it
Restaurant Buzz
ner entree for $10. As a bonus, Corkbar co-owner Caleb Wines will showcase select bottles from his personal collection, which you can get by the glass. At 403 W. 12th St., (213) 746-0050 or corkbar.com.
Morning Meals, Big Deals, Wine Time and More by RichaRd Guzmán
A Novel Addition: There are now more ways to feed your cravings at The Novel Café. The Arts District spot, which began life as the first Downtown outpost of Groundwork, has recently added new menu items and expanded its breakfast hours. The most important meal of the day is now being served until noon every day. The restaurant has also added quesadillas and burgers to its menu of sandwiches and salads, with options including a BBQ chicken quesadilla ($6.95), a patty melt ($7.25) and a bacon avocado burger ($7.95). There’s a veggie burger for those who really love animals. At 811 Traction Ave., (213) 621-2240 or novelcafe.com More Morning Meals: Speaking of breakfast, one old-school Downtown food purveyor is getting into the early feeding game. Engine Company No. 28, which has been serving meatloaf, crab cakes, chili, short ribs and other forms of comfort food to a power lunch crowd for 20 years, is rolling out breakfast service. It began in October, and is only served on weekdays from 7:30-10:30 a.m. The menu features options such as huevos rancheros, omelettes and grilled salmon and New York steak, each with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Prices range from around $8-$24. At 644 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-6996 or engineco.com. Triple Discount: Restaurateur Jason Ha is scoring some major points with Restaurant Buzz because his three Arts
District restaurants, K-Town BBQ, Zip Fusion and E3rd Steakhouse, are all offering discount combos or all-you-caneat specials through the end of the year. Zip Fusion, which opened eight years ago, is delivering all-you-can-eat sushi for $14.95. K-Town BBQ, which debuted this year, has an all-you-can-eat menu for $9.95. However, you must purchase a beer or cocktail to take advantage of either offer. E3rd, meanwhile, has a $10 appetizer and drink combo. E3rd is at 734 E. Third St, eastthird. com; K-Town BBQ is at 738 E. Third St., k-townbbq.com; Zip Fusion is at 744 E. Third St., zipfusion.com. Tastes Like Mexico: The culinary and cultural history of Mexico will be celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 4, in Downtown at Vibiana, with more than 35 traditional dishes from various regions of the country. La Monarca Bakery, Frida Mexican Cuisine, Guelaguetza and La Casita Mexicana will be among the restaurants participating in the event in the former Main Street cathedral. For $75 presale or $100 at the door, attendees will have an all-you-can-eat menu prepared by the restaurants, which are the founding members of the Taste of Mexico Association, which works to promote authentic Mexican cuisine in Los Angeles. If that seems like too much for a buffet, take comfort in knowing that a portion of the proceeds will benefit Heal the Bay. Tickets are at thetasteofmexico.org.
doesn’t compare with the ceviche options at Mo-Chica. For some odd reason, they also serve a plate of hamburger and French fries ($3.99), which needless to say feels out of place. I’m not sure if I’ll go back to Vista Hermosa next time I return to Mercado La Paloma, or if my usual flings will beckon me over to their irresistible food. I’m having a hard time committing to any single establishment. But maybe now, when I do eat at those other places and I glance over at Vista Hermosa, I’ll add a little wink in memory of the time we spent together. And who knows? If the mood strikes, I just might go back. As I said, it’s the kind of guy I am. Vista Hermosa is at 3655 S. Grand Ave. C-5, (213) 7411251 or taqueriavistahermosa.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
photo by Gary Leonard
Restaurateur Jason Ha is offering food and drink deals at his Arts District spots K-Town BBQ, Zip Fusion and E3rd Steakhouse.
less you drink a little too much. Corkbar is giving you a license to fly on Sunday nights by letting you choose your own wine flights (OK, the flight thing was a stretch) as part of the recently launched Sunday Cellar Nights. The events takes place each Sunday from 5 p.m. to close. For $12 per four pours, you can create a personalized flight from a selected list of wines. There is also an off-the-menu din-
Master a Meal: Is the family coming over for the holidays? Are they expecting some great food? Are you a lousy cook? If you answered yes to any of these questions, or even if you didn’t, you’re qualified to attend a holiday cooking class on Saturday, Dec. 4. Organized by chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, owners of the Downtown Border Grill (which recently replaced their previous longtime restaurant at the site, Ciudad), the $75 cooking class will show you how to impress the family with dishes such as smoky tomato soup, grilled pear and endive salad and chicken poblano enchiladas. They’ll even teach you how to brew the perfect cup of coffee. The class will run from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. At 445 S. Figueroa St. or bordergrill.com. Reservations at (213) 486-5171. Katie Schaufelberger contributed to this report. Got any juice food news or hot deals? Contact Restaurant Buzz at richard@ downtownnews.com.
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November 29, 2010
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New York’s Wooster group returns to REDCAT Dec. 1-12 with the U.S. premiere of Vieux Carré, a rarely performed Tennessee Williams play.
It’s a concurrence, says Ari Fliakos, who plays the Writer, that’s not lost on Vieux Carré. “We watched a lot of the Warhol films because that was Check Our Website for Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com the same period when the play was written,” said Fliakos. “I think Williams was actually yearning to make movies the way Warhol and Morrissey were.” Fliakos notes that Sylvia Miles, who starred in Morrissey’s 1972 film Heat, once played the role of Mrs. Wire on Broadway. In an interview with Miles following the premiere of the Wooster partnership with the Wooster Group that allows them to be Group’s Vieux Carré at the Edinburgh Festival, Murphy said, a bicoastal company.” the actress commented that she was sorry she hadn’t been apVieux Carré ’s portrait of the artist as a young man may proached to reprise her performance. Starts seem familiar to those who caught The Glass Menagerie. In The look of films like Morrissey’s Trash and Heat, and November 19 the Taper staging, the character of Tom was initially intro- Warhol’s Chelsea Girls, with their tawdry sense of realism and duced as Williams, pounding away on his typewriter in a bizarre menagerie of characters, also appealed to LeCompte. The mix seemed a perfect fit for a company that has, since its shabby New Orleans apartment. According to longtime Wooster Group member Kate founding in 1980, worked diligently to integrate elements of Valk, who plays the role of the brittle landlady, Mrs. Wire, film, audio and video with live theater. “For somebody who is not familiar with the Wooster “We’ve taken the same idea as the Long Wharf production and gone much further with it. But the play itself goes fur- Group,” says Valk, “Liz is a visionary artist who has always ther. In Vieux Carré Williams is looking back on his life with been interested in integrating technology with performance. Check Our Website for Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com a very different level of honesty that is a product of the time We don’t make a distinction between the technical artists he’s writing in, the 1970s.” and the performing artists. Instead of a dramaturge, we have Inspired by Warhol a ‘cineturge.’ The video gives us a broader palette to create About the only thing consistent in the Wooster Group’s from. It’s an aesthetic that we’ve honed for years.” REDCAT productions is the players’ breaking all the theatriSurprisingly, says Fliakos, the idea to create a new procal rules. In 2008, the company brought Downtown its ver- duction of Vieux Carré stemmed from an audience survey. sion of Hamlet, which involved cast members taking on the They sent out a letter to their subscribers inviting them to play alongside flickering video footage of Richard Burton’s suggest what to do next. They weren’t quite prepared for the 1964 film of the same name. response, though the cineturge, Dennis Dermody, helped Last year, REDCAT and the Wooster Group launched an of- them shape it. ficial four-year residency, thanks to a $1 million grant from the Starts“A number of people suggested Tennessee Williams, and Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. That led to a production of it was24 our cineturge that suggested Vieux Carré,” said Fliakos. November the sci-fi space opera La Didone, complete with metallic jump- “None of us had ever heard of it.” suit-clad space travelers singing arias. The script was inspired by That opened the door for a company used to opening a 1965 low-budget horror film, Planet of the Vampires. doors for its audiences. From there, the momentum was unThe New Yorkers returned to REDCAT this past February stoppable with the sex-fueled and Cold War set North Atlantic. That piece, “The first time we read through it,” said Valk, “we had a written in theOur 1980s, also featured Frances McDormand. ball and really wanted to do it. I think people who are familCheck Website foractress Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com This time, the focus is on the ’70s, an era, Valk points out, iar with Williams’ plays, particularly The Glass Menagerie, are of liberation, with people experimenting with drugs and sex. It going to be fascinated by Vieux Carré.” Vieux Carré runs Dec. 1-12 at REDCAT, 631 W. Second St., was also the time of Andy Warhol, Paul Morrissey, the Factory, (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org. and the superstar denizens of the Chelsea Hotel.
Reinventing Tennessee Williams Wooster Group Continues Its REDCAT Residency With a15Hallucinatory Vieux Carré NOV by Jim Farber
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know the sound of loneliness,” observes Nightingale, the tubercular quick-sketch-artist in Tennessee Williams’ Carré. rarely produced 1977 “memory play” Vieux nNews .A.Downtow Nightingale is /Lhomosexual, A decidedly out-of-the-closet m o .c k o o b Face just one of the disparate (and desperate) habitués who occupy a rundown boarding house at 722 Rue Toulouse in the Vieux Carré quarter of New Orleans during the winter of 1938. The lonely character Nightingale is referring to is none other than Williams himself, denoted simply in the script as “the Writer.” Williams is suddenly something of a hot name in Downtown Los Angeles. The Long Wharf Theatre’s production of The Glass Menagerie opened at the Mark Taper Forum in September. It is followed up Dec. 1-12 with a new, multimedia production of Vieux Carré at REDCAT. Both have ties to the Crescent City. “Vieux Carré is a play that Williams started writing as a young man while he was living in that New Orleans boarding house,” explains Mark Murphy, executive director of REDCAT. “He set it aside, revisiting it and completing it 40 years later.” m or ews.coof As Williams told writer William Burroughs on thenNday at Downtow hand corner maillist ht rig r pe up the play’s 1977 opening, “The house did actus/ l in the eventsewin m/form cothat E-NEWS Look for this symbo ntownn s. www.ladow P allySIG take N Uplace.” Real or not, the play was not a success. As a New Orleans critic observed, “It’s like the other Tennessee Williams plays set in the Quarter. Da chicory’s on the stove, da cockroaches are on da walls, and all the characters are on da de-cline.” In other words, it’s a work that, 33 years later, could use a reinvention. It’s getting that, and more, from director Elizabeth LeCompte and the New York-based ensemble the Wooster Group. The hallucinatory production continues a relationship that REDCAT has built with the East Coast theater company. The Downtown stop marks the show’s U.S. premiere. As explained by Murphy, “We are now three years into a
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photo by Craig Schwartz
Newman’s Own Taper Production of Unique Songwriter Is Well-Executed But Easily Forgotten by Jeff Favre contributing writer
H
arps and Angels could be renamed The Randy Newman Revue: Part Three. That’s because the production at the Mark Taper Forum is the third time plotless vignettes have been formed with songs from the extensive Newman catalogue, following 1983’s Maybe I’m Doing it Wrong and The Education of Randy Newman, which premiered in 2000 (there was also a musical, Randy Newman’s Faust, in 1995). This time around, the creator is Jack Viertel, the director is Broadway veteran Jerry Zaks, and the cast contains six distinct voices, but the same question remains: Should the highly regarded Center Theatre Group use a coveted season slot for a show that’s neither truly original, nor a groundbreaking revival? Putting aside that philosophical debate, which can be argued on either side — it’s probably a commerce versus art discussion — Harps and Angels is a well-crafted, expertly performed revue of songs, with about half of them familiar to non-Newman fans, and almost all showing off the composer’s love of Louisiana-influenced music, and somber, sarcastic and sad lyrics. It continues through Dec. 22. Backed by a seven-piece band (located on the upper level of Stephan Olson’s barebones set), the cast sings solo, in pairs or as a chorus. Hand props or pieces of furniture — along with a changing backdrop projected onto five video screens — set the scene. Newman’s even present, in a way, through three brief videos of him at the piano. It’s Newman who introduces the first song, “Dixie Flyer,” which he calls one of the few that have mostly autobiographical lyrics. Led by Michael McKean (still best known from his Spinal Tap days), the “Dixie Flyer” lyrics include, “Didn’t know a soul in L.A./ So we went down to the Union Station and made our getaway/ Got on the Dixie Flyer bound for New Orleans/ Across the state of Texas to the land of dreams.” Efforts are made to bridge two or three songs together. For example, “Dixie Flyer” transitions to “Down in New Orleans,” from the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog. “I’ve Got to Be Your Man,” sung lustfully by Ryder Bach to Storm Large (a onetime contestant on the singing reality show “Rockstar”), is reciprocated by Large’s steamy rendition of “You Can Leave Your Hat On.” Another creative pairing is the bittersweet love song “Marie,” sung by Matthew Saldivar, which is answered by Katey Sagal (of “Married With Children” fame) with the pessimistic “Gainesville.” But there’s no cohesion to the 100-minute show, other than the general themes of life and politics. The projections and costumes, designed by Marc I. Rosenthal and Stephanie Kerley Schwartz respectively, provide additional context, but without a more complete narrative, it’s difficult to elicit any sympathy or deeper emotions. In fact, the two most effective numbers, both sung by powerhouse Adriane Lenox, are already poignant, thanks to external factors. “Louisiana 1927,” first recorded in 1974, became associated with Hurricane Katrina, and “When She Loved Me” is played during a tear-jerking scene in Toy Story 2. A clear fan favorite, probably due to its commercial success and its theme, is “I Love L.A.,” which ends the first act and is reprised (with Newman on video accompanying the singers) for the curtain call. The first rendition has the ensemble at stand-up microphones play-acting like rock stars. It’s pure schmaltz, but likely will receive the best audience reaction thanks to the recognition factor. There are no dance numbers, but Warren Carlyle’s musical staging keeps the action from becoming static. The musical arrangements and orchestrations (the work of Michael Roth, David O and Nadia DiGiallonardo) find common musical ground so that only a few of the songs feel out of place. Zaks’ casting is spot-on for Newman’s music. There’s a voice to fit every personality type, from McKean’s country music showman for “Big Hat, No Cattle,” to the heavenly strains from Lenox in “God’s Song.” Also, the fact that these performers, except for Large, are veteran actors, means they are able to add a variety of facial expressions, gestures and vocal inflections, to the point that they are almost playing defined characters. But they aren’t, which is always a shortcoming with a revue. Without any depth beyond Newman’s clever and sardonic lyrics, Harps and Angels is easy to digest, and equally easy to forget. Considering that the songs included are not all hits, the show probably won’t become a long-term community theater hit such as Forever Plaid or The Marvelous Wonderettes.
Community theater is where most revues belong, because they are low-risk creatively, even one this well executed. Compared to the last several productions at the Mark Taper Forum, Harps and Angels looks like an afterthought. Harps and Angels runs through Dec. 22 at the Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.
The six distinct voices in Harps and Angels are suited to the different styles and sensibilities Randy Newman employs in his songs.
November 30
QUARTETTO FANTASTICO Nick Mancini December 7
HELEN SUNG TRIO Gary Fukushima Trio
7+FIG at Ernst & Young Plaza 725 Figueroa Street Downtown Los Angeles
Sponsored by
December 14
ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ Thelonious Monk Institute/ LACHSA Ensemble ALL SHOWS ARE FREE NO TICKETS REQUIRED
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November 29, 2010
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LISTINGS EVENTS
THE ‘DON’T MISS’ LIST
photo by Joan Marcus
The New Normal, Speak With Salman And a Play With a Price
ONE
Big words, big prizes, big mental illness — they all come together in Next to Normal, which launched its North American tour at the Ahmanson Theatre for a five-week engagement on Nov. 28. Alice Ripley stars in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about a suburban mother’s worsening bipolar disorder and its effects on her family. Breaking out of the mainstream musical fare, the show deals with such issues as grieving, suicide, drug abuse and psychiatric ethics. Ripley reprises the vocal and emotional rollercoaster role that won her a Tony. Performances this week are Nov. 30-Dec. 3, 8 p.m.; Dec. 4, 2 and 8 p.m.; Dec. 5, 1 and 6:30 p.m. The show runs through Jan. 2 at 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.
Wednesday, dec. 1 Millennium Biltmore Annual Tree Lighting 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1011 or millenniumhotels.com. 5:30-6:30 p.m.: An hour of music, sweets and holiday cheer includes the sounds of the Azusa Pacific University Handbell Choir. Come one, how often do you get down to a handbell choir? Celebrate as the hotel lights up its gigantic live fir tree in the main lobby. Free. SCI-Arc Lecture Series W. M. Keck Lecture Hall, 960 E. Third St., (213) 3565328 or sciarc.edu. 7 p.m.: Vienna-based architect Hans Hollein presents a talk titled “Alles ist Architektur (Everything is Architecture).” Thursday, dec. 2 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Aloud has a new series on faith. This program, “Finding God in the City of Angels,” features film excerpts from the documentary of the same title and a discussion with the filmmakers and representatives of various devotional communities in Los Angeles. Live Talks Los Angeles Zipper Hall, Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., (323) 791-2584 or livetalksla.org. 8 p.m.: Spend an evening with Sandra Cisneros, the writer of novels, short stories and poetry.
TWO
photo by Albert Conti
Scintillating Salman Rushdie holds many titles: celebrated author, award winner, Knight Bachelor of England, and Commandeur in the Order de Arts et des Lettres of France, to name a few. But the role of father takes center stage in his recently released novel Luka and the Fire of Life, written for his youngest son, which explores the relationships between fathers and sons, life and death, the real and the imagined, freedom and authority. As part of the Aloud series, Rushdie comes to town on Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m., and he’ll be in conversation with Reza Aslan. Unlike most Aloud events, this one is not free ($25 general admission), and it is not in the Central Library — it takes place at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre at 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org.
FOUR
photo by Anette Daugardt
Friday, dec. 3 SCI-Arc Lecture Series W. M. Keck Lecture Hall, 960 E. Third St., (213) 3565328 or sciarc.edu. 7 p.m.: In conjunction with the book release of SCI-Arc Gallery 2002-10, a discussion with gallery exhibitors and school Director Eric Owen Moss. It is followed by a book signing and reception. saTurday, dec. 4 Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-DINO or visit nhm.org. 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Designed for kids ages 6-9, this Junior Scientist event will investigate the vast terrestrial biodiversity of the Earth, discovering the connections between land and animals. FIDM Museum and Galleries 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1200 or fidm.edu. 11 a.m.: The “Re-Designing History” Speakers Series presents Art: The Compelling Force Behind Fashion. Highlights include the exoticism of Asian imports to the West in the late 1800s, Egyptian art influences of the 1920s, and the appropriation of consumer imagery in the Pop Art movement and the fashions of the 1960s. Free, including a guided tour of the current exhibit, and tea and cookies. Everyone loves tea and cookies.
THREE
Monday, nov. 29 ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: In her new book, Hazel Rowley describes the courage and lack of convention, private and public, that kept FDR and Eleanor together. Awwwww. She talks about Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage with KUSC’s Gail Eichenthal. Tuesday, nov. 30 ALOUD at The Aratani/Japan America Theatre 244 South San Pedro Street, (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Spend an evening with eminent author and scholar Salman Rushdie in conversation with Reza Aslan. The winner of every literary prize imaginable is pushing his new tome, Luka and the Fire of Life.
by Lauren CampedeLLi Listings editor calendar@downtownnews.com
photo courtesy Hollywood Classics USA
SPONSORED LISTINGS Live Church LA Club Nokia, 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 4934329 or livechurchla.com. 10 a.m.: Every Sunday, Live Church L.A. takes over the VIP Lounge at Club Nokia, bringing great music, people and inspiring messages. Jazz for the Holidays 7+Fig, 725 S. Figueroa St., artsbrookfield.com. Tuesdays at noon. Nov. 30: Quartetto Fantastico and Nick Mancini. Dec. 7: Helen Sung Trio and the Gary Fukushima Trio. Dec. 14: Alfredo Rodriguez, Thelonious Monk Institute/LACHSA Ensemble.
Who wants to see a classic holiday movie in a classic movie palace? Even if you just said “Bah humbug,” you’ll still want to watch Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge and Alec Guinness as Jacob Marley’s ghost in Scrooge, the 1970 film version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The Los Angeles Conservancy presents the holiday matinee screening on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 2 p.m. at the Million Dollar Theatre. Now that’s a venue no one scrimped on, Ebenezer. Show your ticket at Clifton’s Cafeteria afterwards and get a positively un-Scroogely 10% discount. Screening at 648 S. Broadway, (213) 623-2489 or laconservancy.org.
FIVE Who’s the next big name in classical music? It could be Mizuka Kano. OK, you just said who, but consider: She has captured the Rachmaninoff Piano Competition and Germany’s Schuman Competition. Check out her talents when RachFest International presents Kano in concert at the Colburn School’s Zipper Hall on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. The Tokyo-born pianist began playing at the age of 4 and is noted for her technique and control as well as her expressiveness and style. Appearing with her is Los Angeles’ own up-and-comer Urfa Zakarian, a 22-year-old lyric coloratura soprano with a fouroctave range, thank you very much. You can say “I saw them when…” At 200 S. Grand Ave., (310) 356-8060 or rachfest.org.
It’s not the “same ole, same ole” in Ken Roht’s Same-O, A 99¢ Only Electric Ballad. The seventh annual edition of the holiday extravaganza of surrealistic bedazzlement and whimsy opens at the Bootleg Theater on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. The theme/ catch is that the costumes, sets and moving sculptures in the progressive multimedia musical event are constructed with hundreds of items purchased from the 99¢ Only Store. The result is priceless, as this year the show has added recycled and sustainable materials to the plastic-fantastic, singing and dancing adventure, which follows the heroic journey of two very different young men. Bonus: If you live in zip code 90057 you can purchase a ticket for a mere 99¢ (with proof of address). There is also a performance this week on Dec. 5 at 8 p.m., and the show runs through Dec. 19 at 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.com.
November 29, 2010
DowntownNews.com
California African American Museum 600 State Drive, (213) 744-2024 or caamuseum.org. 1 p.m.: The CAAM film series continues with On the Grind, James Cheeks’ skateboard documentary, telling the story of kids from Long Beach grappling with gang violence and using skating as a tool of survival. Japanese American Cultural & Community Center Aratani/Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 628-3700 or jaccc.org. 7:30 p.m.: The band Hiroshima celebrates its 30th anniversary at the ninth annual “Spirit of the Season” community concert. Guest artists include Terry Steele and harmonica virtuoso Tetsuya Nakamura (former member of War). Sunday, Dec. 5 California African American Museum 600 State Drive, (213) 744-2024 or caamuseum.org. 1 p.m.: CAAM celebrates Kwanzaa. Join the candle lighting ceremony and experience the wide variety of special gifts at the expanded CAAM marketplace. Nokia Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6000 or nokiatheatrelalive.com. 5 p.m.: KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2010.
FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com. Nov. 29, 7-11 p.m.: Film Courage Interactive presents Paradise Recovered. Shot entirely on location in Southern Indiana and Austin, Tx., the film attempts a modern-day retelling of the parable of the Good Samaritan while addressing hard questions involving faith, tolerance and spiritual abuse in modern culture. Dec. 5, 7-9 p.m.: Justice on Trial: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal explores the court case of the journalist, author and former member of the Black Panther Party currently on death row. IMAX Theater California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 744-2019 or californiasciencecenter.org. Through Jan. 27: Featuring nine-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D will immerse audiences in the story of an ocean wave and the lives it impacts and transforms. Hubble 3D takes movie-goers on a journey through distant galaxies to explore the grandeur and mysteries of our celestial surroundings and accompany space-walking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history. Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through Dec. 2: Burlesque (11:10 a.m. and 1:30, 2:10, 4:20, 5, 7:10, 7:50, 10 and 10:40 p.m.); Faster (11:50 a.m. and 2:30, 5, 7:40, 9:30 and 10:10 p.m.); Love and Other Drugs (11 a.m. and 1:50, 4:40, 7:20 and 10 p.m.); Tangled (1:30, 4:10 and 6:40 p.m.); Tangled 3D (11:30 a.m. and 2, 4:40, 7:10 and 9:40 p.m.); Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (11 and 11:30 a.m., 1:20, 2:40, 3:20, 4:30, 7, 8, 9:40 and 10:40 p.m.); The Next Three Days (1:20, 4:30, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.); Skyline (12:30, 2:50, 5:20, 7:50 and 10:20 p.m.); Unstoppable (11:10 a.m. and 1:40, 4:20, 6:50 and 9:20 p.m.); Due Date (11:20 a.m. and 1:40, 4:10, 6:50 and 9:20 p.m.); Megamind 3D (12, 2:40, 5:10, 7:40 and 10:10 p.m.).
ROCK, POP & JAZZ Café Metropol 923 E. Third St., (213) 613-1537 or cafemetropol.com. Dec. 3, 8-10 p.m.: The Helen Sung Band. Dec. 4, 8-10 p.m.: The Kathleen Grace Band. Club Nokia Corner of Olympic Blvd. and Figueroa St., clubnokia.com. Dec. 3, 8 p.m.: The Posies and Brendan Benson — pal of Jack White — with Aqueduct. Dec. 5, 8 p.m.: The revolutionary rap of Wu-Tang Clan is in the house. Get ready for original members Rza, Gza, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God and Masta Killa. Dolla dolla bills, y’all. And RIP Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Colburn School Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., colburnschool.edu. Dec. 5, 3 p.m.: A student jazz concert. Free, no ticket required. Conga Room L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic, (213) 749-0445 or congaroom.com. Dec. 2-3, 8 p.m.: Cuban style salsa, or “songo,” with Los Van Van dance band. Grammy Museum L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Dec. 3, 8 p.m.: TV, film and Broadway star Dick Van Dyke in conversation about his career and his a cappella group, The Vantastix, who will also perform selections from their most recent release, Put on a Happy Face. Nokia Theatre 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6000 or nokiatheatrelalive.com. Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m.: Dutch violinist and waltz-master Andre Rieu. Redwood Bar & Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com. Nov. 29, 10 p.m.: Phil Alvin and friends. Nov. 30, 10 p.m.: Dirty Ed/Bob Cantu(esdays) with Symbol Six, Soul Trash, Million Kids and Aargh. Dec. 1, 10 p.m.: Love Sick Elephant, Julie Caine and Mark Lane. Dec. 2, 10 p.m.: Tora Tora, Vice 5 and Del Rottens. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., sevengrand.la. Nov. 29, 10 p.m.: Robby Marshall Group. Nov. 30, 10 p.m.: House band The Makers. The Smell 247 S. Main St., alley between Spring and Main streets, thesmell.org. Dec. 4, 9 p.m.: Jason Forrest (aka DJ Donna Summer), Captain Ahab, Nero’s Day at Disneyland and Christopher Cichocki. Staples Center 1201 S. Figueroa St., staplescenter.com. Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 5, 8 p.m.: Roger Waters stops in to place another brick in the wall.
The Varnish 118 E. Sixth St., (213) 622-9999 or thevarnishbar.com Nov. 30, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.: Jazzman Mark Bosserman entertains on the house piano every Tuesday.
CLASSICAL MUSIC Tuesday, Nov. 30
The Colburn School 200 S. Grand Ave., colburnschool.edu. 8 p.m.: Piano Spheres presents Vicki Ray with the Eclipse Quartet performing Morton Feldman’s Piano and String Quartet. Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org. 8 p.m.: The Chamber Music Society performs Nielsen’s “Wind Quintet” and Dvorak’s Piano Trio in F Minor. Wednesday, Dec. 1 Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org. 8 p.m.: Pierre-Laurent Aimard gives a piano recital.
Downtown News 19
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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CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Answer to Last Week’s Crossword on Page 22
November 29, 2010
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700 S. Flower St, Ste. 1940 Los Angeles, CA 90017 213.327.0200 maps�cartifact.com
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22 Downtown News
November 29, 2010
Twitters/DowntownNews
CLASSIFIED
place your ad online at www.ladowntownnews.com
FOR RENT
L.A. Downtown News Classifieds Call: 213-481-1448 Classified Display & Line ads Deadlines: Thursday 12 pm REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL lofts for sale
Buying, Leasing or Selling a Loft?
Out of State
Timeshare/Resorts
20 ACRE RANCHES Only $99/ month. $0 Down, $12,900. Great Deal! Near El Paso, Texas. Owner financing, No Credit Checks. Money Back Guarantee. Map/ Pictures. 1-800-343-9444. (CalSCAN)
SELL/RENT Your Timeshare for cash!!! Our Guaranteed Services will Sell/ Rent Your Unused Timeshare for cash Over $78 Million Dollars offered in 2009! www.SellaTimeshare.com (877) 554-2098. (Cal-SCAN)
Real Estate Services
TheLoftGuys.net
Buy Sell Lease
LA’s #1 Loft Site
Call 213-625-1313
BestLARealEstate.com
TheLoftExpertGroup.com
323.298.0100
Downtown since 2002
CONSIDERING FORECLOSURE? Are you late in payments? A short sale may be your solution. Call Lady Rodriguez, Realtor 310-600-7534. Represent both buyers and sellers.
Bill Cooper
213.598.7555
“Be wary of out of area companies. Check with the local Better Business Bureau before you send any money for fees or services. Read and understand any contracts before you sign. Shop around for rates.”
FOR RENT
Apartments/Unfurnished
Milano Lofts Now Leasing! • Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings • Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views 6th + Grand Ave. • 213.627.1900 milanoloftsla.com
All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.
$675/LARGE Single, 1435 S. Union Ave. High Ceiling, New Paint, New Blinds, Close to Convention Center, USC & 110 Fwy. 818-716-7297 or 818-593-9060 cell. FREE RENT SPECIALS Up to $3500 off select apartment homes! Additional Look + Lease specials may apply. Free parking, free tanning, free wi-fi + biz center avail. Cardio Salon, pool, Spa, steamroom, sauna. Call us today. 866-742-0992. LITTLE TOKYO Big 1br/1bath, 840 sq. ft. 2 parking 213-8044153 $1485/mo.
Free ReNT SPECIALS @ the Medici. Penthouse 1 & 2 bdrm apts. Granite kitchens, washer/ dryers, business center, 2 pools, spa! Visit TheMedici.com for a full list of amenities. Call 888886-3731. ORSINI III - Now open for immediate Occupancy. Never Lived in, Brand New Luxury Apartment Homes, Free Parking, Karaoke Room, Free Wi-Fi, Indoor Basketball, Uncomparable Amenity Package. Call today to schedule a tour - 866-479-1764. lofts unfurnished
MOVE IN Special. Spacious 1 bdrm. + 1 bath. Covered parking. New decor. 131 South Caronelet. $775/mo. 310-922-5437.
Old Bank District The original Live/Work Lofts
MOVE IN Special. Totally remodeled. Spacious 2 bdrms + 1 bath. 5451 Blackwelder St. Gated parking. $950 per month. 310-922-5437.
Call 213.253.4777 LAloft.com
from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge
JOBS WANTED Jobs Wanted
the loft expert! group
CENTRALLY LOCATED
TM
Downtown since 2002
Voted Best Downtown Residential Real Estate Agent Call us today! Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com
• Secured prime development site • Ideal for office or retail • 3,420 sq. ft. office building with ample parking • 1 blk from USC and Harbor Freeway • Immediate access to use 3111 S. Flower Street, Los Angeles
Call now 213-746-6300 x1455
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
NETWORK SYSTEMS LEAD: Monitor, alert & escalations for all existing & new infrastructure components, applications & processes; ensure network systems improvement. Requires Bachelor’s degree in IT field or its foreign equi. + 5 yrs progressive post-bach. IT work exp. Resumes: Tiffany Chelsvig, Green Dot Corp., 605 E. Huntington Dr., #205, Monrovia, CA 91016.
SENIOR QUALITY ASSURANCE ENGINEER [SPANISH DIV.]: Analyze product software requirements, website & IVR testing in Spanish. Requires Bachelor in CS, CIS, Computer Applications or its foreign equi. + 5 yrs postbach. progressive IT work exp. & MS .NET Framework, VB Script, SQL Server, Web Svcs & IVR in Spanish. Resumes: Tiffany Chelsvig, Green Dot Corp., 605 E. Huntington Dr., #205, Monrovia, CA 91016.
SENIOR TECHNICAL LEAD: Create high & detail design & technical design documents; construct software & code review. Requires Bachelor in CS or Computer Engineering or its foreign equi. + 5 yrs of progressive post-bach. IT work exp. & MS SQL Server. Resumes: Tiffany Chelsvig, Green Dot Corp., 605 E. Huntington Dr., #205, Monrovia, CA 91016.
Casaloma L.A. Apartments
MANAGER Purchases truck parts; prepares shipment; locates vendors. $65,541/yr 9-6pm MF, United SKD, 1900 Fullerton, #109, Rowland Hts 91748 (626) 810-9945 MANAGER-AUTO Repair/ Detailing. Supervises daily operations/production; oversees supplies;assigns tasks. $56,202/ yr, 7-3:30pm MF, Staffease, Inc. 420 Apollo St., Brea 92821 (714) 256-6780
Sec. Deposit Special @$100 Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area. 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA
Ad Prices
________________________________________________
Name: Address: City Phone: Cash $ Credit card #: Exp. Date:
FREE! $11.50 $14.00 $16.50 $19.00
12 words, 2 weeks 15 words 15 words 15 words 15 words
All ads run for 2 weeks. Ads may be renewed after two weeks for 50% off the original price of the ad.
With a circulation of State Check $
Zip Credit Card $
47,000,
our classifieds get results!
COMPANY DRIVERS (Solos & Hazmat Teams) *Great Pay *Great Miles *CDL-A Required. We also have dedicated & regional positions available. Call: 866-448-1055 SWIFT. (CalSCAN) DRIVERS - 100% Tuition paid CDL Training. Start your New Career. No Credit Check. No Experience required! Call: 888417-7564. Crst Expedited www. JoinCRST.com. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS EARN up to 49c/mile! 1 year minimum OTR experience qualifies you to be a trainer for our fleet. Call: 888-417-7564. Crst Expedited www.JoinCRST. com. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS NEEDED Western Us! We Pay for Experience. Out 7-10 days max. HazMat and 1-year OTR Required! 1-888905-9879 or www.AndrusTrans. com. (Cal-SCAN) DRIVERS/CDL Training - Career Central. We Train and Employ You. Company Drivers up to 40K First Year. New Team Pay! Up to 48c/mile Class A CDL Training Regional Locations! 1-877-3697091 www.CentralDrivingJobs. net. (Cal-SCAN) REGIONAL CDL Drivers Needed! Gordon Trucking, Inc. Sign on bonus in some areas! Current Openings on our NCA Fleet. Home weekly available! Consistent Miles & Time off! Full Benefits, 401k. We have lots of Freight! www.TeamGTI.com 1-888-8326484 EOE. (Cal-SCAN)
6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900
Do you have something to sell? • Items under $300 • Items $301 to $500 • Items $501 to $1200 • Items $1201 to $2000 • Items $2001+…
COMPANY DRIVERS (Solos & Hazmat Teams) * Great Pay * Great Miles * CDL-A Required. We also have dedicated & regional positions available. Call 866-789-8947. Swift. (CalSCAN)
• Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings • Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views
Ad Copy: _________________________________________
(Marketplace and Automotive Categories ONLY)
Drivers
MILANO LOFTS Now Leasing!
Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo. with private bath at $695/mo.
For English Call Pierre or Terri 213.744.9911 For Spanish Call Susana 213.749.0306
EMPLOYMENT
________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
Restrictions: Offer good on private party ads only. Ads must be pre-paid by cash, check or credit card. Certain classifications excluded. Deadline: Thursday at noon for next issue.
UP TO $0.36 Per Mile! Regional West Coast. Limited Opportunities. Outstanding Compensation and Benefits. Class A CDL. 1 year OTR required. Apply 1.888.619.6845 or www.NationalCarriers.com. (Cal-SCAN) Office/Clerical JOBS NATIONWIDE! Admin., HR, Clerical, Accounting, Mgmt., Tech., etc. - www.Jobs444.com and www.JobsBloom.com. Sales AVAILABLE to Travel? Earn Above Average $$$ Selling with Fun Successful Business Group. No Experience Necessary. Paid Training. Lodging, Transportation Provided. 1-877-646-5050. (Cal-SCAN) ROCKSTAR JOB! Now Hiring Sharp Enthusiastic Motivated Guys and Gals Free to Travel USA Representing 150+ Leading Publications. $500 2 Weeks Paid Training, Transportation Provided. Return Trip Guaranteed. Call (800)642-6147 Jim x2, Alan x4. (Cal-SCAN) TRAVEL, WORK, Party, Play! Now hiring 18-24 guys/gals for exciting travel job. 2 wk pd. training. Hotel/Transportation provided. Return guaranteed. Call today/start today. 877-259-6983. (Cal-SCAN)
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Business Opportunities ALL CASH VENDING Route! Be Your Own Boss! 25 Machines + Candy All for $9995. Vend3 877915-8222. All major credit cards accepted. (Cal-SCAN) Help Wanted ABLE TO TRAVEL. Hiring 8 people. No experience necessary. Transportation & lodging furnished. Paid training. Work and travel entire USA. Start today. www.ProtekChemical.com 1-208-598-1879. (Cal-SCAN)
madison hotel Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service. •Daily, $25.00 •Weekly, $99.00 •Monthly, $295.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.
(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)
THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
November 29, 2010
Downtown News 23
DowntownNews.com
CAN’T FIND A Job? Do you need to go back to school? Education Advisors can help you find a school. Call 888-235-9813 or visit www.online-edu-help. com. (Cal-SCAN)
ADVERTISE YOUR Job Opening in 240 California newspapers. Reach over 6 million readers for only $550! Call this newspaper or visit: www.Cal-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)
SERVICES
DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SDAN.com. (CalSCAN)
Cleaning CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants. Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183. attorneys
ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION! Family, Criminal, P.I. for more than 20 yrs! Child Support / Custody Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español / Korean
get your green Card or CitiZensHiP Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710
FinanCial serviCes CASH NOW! Cash for your structured settlement or annuity payments. Call J.G. Wentworth. 1-866-SETTLEMENT (1-866738-8536). Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. (CalSCAN) DO YOU RECEIVE Payments On A Note? Need Cash Full & Partial Buy-Outs. Call Safeway Capital Toll-Free 866-241-9922. (Cal-SCAN) HealtH
Business serviCes
Start Your Own Business just
99
$
(323) 829-2434 Aromaticbliss.Scentsy.us ADVERTISE YOUR Home, property or business for sale in 240 California newspapers. Reach over 6 million readers for ONLY $550! Call this newspaper or visit: www.CAL-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)
NOT FEELING any joy? Overwhelmed by stress and emotional overload? Professional counseling helps! www.drannwarman. vpweb.com, Downtown Wilshire Office, reasonable rates, insurance accepted, 310-281-9797.
eduCation HIGH SCHOOL Diploma! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEasternHS.com. (Cal-SCAN) ATTEND COLLEGE Online from Home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call 888-210-5162 www.Centura.us.com. (Cal-SCAN)
AUTOS Pre-oWned
2007 AUDI A6 Low miles. Loaded! Manager special. # 151076 vin ZA9770 $28,830 Call 888583-0981 2007 MERCEDES BENZ C230 Stock CU0298P vin 926270 Extra clean! $20,883 call 888-2032967. 2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 Pewter/Black, 3.5 Liter, leather, $28,999 4JGBB86E77A260898 Call 888-319-8762. 2007 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Certified low miles. One owner. Manager special Stk # ZV952 vin # 512012 $13,983 call 888781-8102. 2009 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S Certified, air with power pkg # NI3609 / 9N487053 $14,999, call 888-838-5089.
doWntoWn l.a. auto grouP Porsche Volkswagen audi Mercedes-Benz nissan cheVrolet cadillac
2005 BMW 330CIC Convertible, Low Mileage, White/Black stk # uc459-1/PL52952 $19,887 Call 888-879-9608.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
autos Wanted DONATE YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-252-0615. DONATE YOUR VEHICLE! Receive Free Vacation Voucher. United Breast Cancer Foundation. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf.info Free Towing, Tax Deductible, NonRunners Accepted, 1-888-4685964. (Cal-SCAN)
downtownnews.com
2009 PORSCHE 911 TURBO CABRIOLET Basalt, Blk/ Blk, Certified, Only 6k miles, Tiptronic, Loaded vin773136, $115,988 Call 888-685-5426.
For a complete list of our pre-owned inventory, go to www.DTLAMOTORS.com
877-231-9362
WWW.THEORSINI.COM
On Spring St.
Premiere Towers:
2 bdrm/2 bath, $1600/mo • Rooftop garden terrace/ GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • Free (1) parking
We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C
Please call 213.627.6913 www.cityloftsquare.com
$1,400’s/mo. Free Parking ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET
756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles 213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com Pricing subject to change without notice.
Sunshine Generation Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up!
Top floor of 11 story historical building available now! We have approximately 2,868 square feet of contiguous exterior space facing Olympic Blvd. Stunning views of L.A. Two blocks away from the Staples Center and adjacent to the new L.A. Live Complex. The building also has other beautiful contiguous space & some small offices available. This space can be viewed by appointment. Information available to qualified prospective tenants.
SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433 Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.
Email request to ghollis@shammasgroup.com or call (213) 746-6300 x1455
Monthly from $595 utilities paid. (213) 627-1151
725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.
Downtown Los Angeles Brentwood y Century City Woodland Hills Downtown Los Angeles Brentwood y Century City Woodland Hills
Beautiful Fully Furnished Offices Starting at $500 y Flexible Terms y Corporate ID Programs Beautiful Fully FurnishedAvailable Offices Starting at $500 y Flexible Terms y Corporate ID Programs Available Services Include:
Reception y Mail y Fiber Optic Internet y TelephoneServices & Voice Include: Mail y West Law y Reception y& Mail Optic Internet y Photocopy FaxyyFiber Video Conferencing Telephone & Voice Mail y West Law y Photocopy & Fax y Video Conferencing
Additional Features: Kitchen Additional Facilities, Mail/Copy Features: Room, Conference Rooms, Mail/Copy Spectacular Views, Kitchen Facilities, Room, Fully Trained Staff Views, Conference Rooms, Spectacular
WWW.THEMEDICI.COM
NEW NORWOOD SawmillsLumberMate-Pro handles logs 34” diameter, mills boards 28” wide. Automated quick-cyclesawing increases efficiency up to 40%! www.NorwoodSawmills. com/300N 1-800-661-7746 ext. 300N. (Cal-SCAN)
CHurCHes THE BRIDGE / Little Tokyo: Contemporary worship, 4:00pm Sundays, 401 E Third St. www. thebridgewired.org.
Sell your items under $300… 12 words, 2 weeks it’s FREE!
Elegant World Class Resort Apartment Homes
Piero 616 ST. PAUL AVE.
877-235-6012
WWW.THEPIERO.COM
Visconti 1221 WEST THIRD ST.
866-690-2888
WWW.THEVISCONTI.COM
FREE Rent Specials On Select Floor Plans • Free Resident/Guest Parking in Gated Garage • Private Library, Business Center & Conference Rooms • Free Wi-Fi & DSL Computer Use • Resident Karaoke Lounge • Directors Screening Room • Lavish Fountains & Sculptures • On-Site Private Resident Park with Sand Volleyball, BBQ’s and Jogging Track • Night Light Tennis Courts • Indoor Basketball
• Brunswick Four-Lane Virtual Bowling • Full Swing Virtual Golf • 3100 Square Foot Cybex Fitness Facility • Free Tanning Rooms • Massage Room, Sauna & Steam Room • Rooftop Pools with Dressing Rooms • Concierge Service • 24-Hour Doorman • 24/7 On-Site Management • Magnificent City Views *Amenities vary among communities
Version 3
THAI MASSAGE SPECIALIST VIP Room Available. The Best Way For Business Meetings & Entertainment
is your teen experiencing:
• School problems? Professional massage for men • ConflictG.H. at home or with friends?Associates & women. Services include Client: Palmer Thai Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Swedish Oil Massage, Publication: Foot adolescent support LADT News Massage, Sauna, Steam, and group now forming more. Lounge area.
Size/Color: ages 13-17 4.3125” x 8” 4C
HealtH Dept. rank a for 7 ConseCutive Years
low fee
saKura HealtH gym & sauna, inC.
Call marney stofflet, lCsW Design by: apluscreative@yahoo.com Ph: 323.474.4668 (323) 662-9797
111 N. Atlantic Blvd. Ste #231-233 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (626) 458-1919 [Corner of Garvey Ave.]
HBODY
MASSAGEH
First Professionally Licensed Massage Shop in L.A. County.
3386766 0119
1000 sqft, 16ft ceilings, $1950/mo. w/2nd level bedroom • Stainless steel appliances/refrigerator etc. • Pet friendly
Available Immediately
Medici 877-239-8256
City Lofts:
n Childre ’s Performing Group
HELPING KIDS heal. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk children and their families. Contact Annie at volunteers@freearts. org or 310-313-4278 for more information.
Best Downtown Locations!
550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.
noW leasing
laWn & garden/Farm equiP
Be Inspired...
Orsini
S e e k S S t y l i S h M at e
volunteer oPPortunities
The Downtown Renaissance Collection
HERNIA REPAIR? Did You Receive A Composix Kugel Mesh Patch Between 19992007? If patch was removed due to complications of bowel perforation, abdominal wall tears, puncture of abdominal organs or intestinal fistulae, you may be entitled to compensation. Attorney Charles Johnson 1-800-535-5727. (Cal-SCAN)
I c o n I c B e au t y
ITEMS FOR SALE
4344 Fountain ave. (at sunset), suite a los angeles, Ca 90029
Fully Trained Staff
JENNY AHN JENNY AHN (213) 996-8301
(213) 996-8301
Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly rate $275 inc.
laleads@regentbc.com
laleads@regentbc.com
www.regentbc.com
Beautiful West Torrance 2 Story
20403 Madison St., Torrance, CA 90503 • Offer at: $729,000
www.regentbc.com
Monthly from $550 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348
2 Story, 4 Bdrms, 2 1/2 Baths • 2,108 sqft. Living Space, 6,000 sqft. Lot Size • Beautiful Spacious Open Flr. Plan • Totally Renovated in 2005 w/All Permits • Formal Dining Rm & Breakfast Nook • Private Backyard w/Large Covered Patio • Elegant Drought Resistant Landscaping w/ Fish Pond
Cal Best Realty • Emi Terauchi • Realtor / Notary • Lic.No.00810238 • emiterauchi@yahoo.com • (626) 786-9086
24 Downtown News
November 29, 2010
Twitter/DowntownNews
We Got Games Blake Griffin, Basketball Pile-Driver Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m.: The Lake Show hits the road this week, heading to Memphis (Nov. 30) where Pau Gasol will again look to dominate the sibling rivalry with his little (but still big) brother Marc. Then it’s on to Houston before returning to host the Sacramento Que… ahem… Kings (Dec. 1), a hard-to-figure-out young team led by reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, and bolstered by a ROY candidate this year in hard-headed big man DeMarcus Cousins.
Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers. Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m.: The Clippers proved last week when they beat the Hornets that, when everything is clicking, they can tangle with the top teams. By “everything is clicking,” We Got Games means when Blake Griffin is pile-driving basketballs through the rim every other possession and vacuuming rebounds off the glass. This week, Griffin and the Clips try to prove the Hornets victory wasn’t a fluke as they host the ageless San Antonio Spurs, then head to Denver (Nov. 3) and Portland (Nov. 5).
Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com. Dec. 2 and 4, 7:30 p.m.: After a short freeway jaunt down to Anaheim (Nov. 29), the Kings come home to host the Panthers and then the Red Wings. Although Thanksgiving was last week, Kings fans still have much to be grateful for, namely a lineup that has the team at the top of the Western Conference. USC Trojans Football L.A. Coliseum, 3911 S Figueroa St., (213) 747-7111 or usctrojans.com. Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m.: The Trojans finish the year playing crosstown rival UCLA at the Rose Bowl. It’s one of those games that’s played for pride. Isn’t that what they say when neither team is up for a big bowl game? —Ryan Vaillancourt
photo by Gary Leonard
The Kings have surprised everyone this season by being one of the top teams in the Western conference. But there is a long time to go in the NHL campaign.
Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!
Grand Tower 255 south Grand avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777
Promenade Towers 123 south Figueroa street Leasing Information 213 617 3777
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dishwasher (most units) ~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
On-site: ~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants
Now For Call n Specials Move-I
8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6
museum Tower 225 south olive street Leasing Information 213 626 1500
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Solariums and/or Balconies
On Site: ~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon
Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room
Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units) ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)
It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.
TOWERS T H E
A PA RT M E N T S
www.TowersApartmentsLA.com
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