LOS ANGELES
DOWNTOWN
NEWS Volume 37, Number 50
INSIDE
Holiday Shopping
December 15, 2008
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Mixed-Income Ordinance gets a nod, and other happenings Around Town.
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LAUSD looks at a new charter school on Contreras Learning Complex campus.
W W W. D O W N T O W N N E W S . C O M
The Downtown Diamond Caper The Jewelry District Reels Over a Case Involving One Man, 19 Victims and Millions in Missing Gems by AnnA Scott
L.A. Live tower gets ‘topped off.’
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Saying goodbye to Supt. Brewer.
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Taxis, from the cabbies’ POV.
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Chinese American Museum photos.
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Holiday concerts at Disney Hall.
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StAff writer
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ziz Noghreian can barely hold back his tears when he talks about Oren Shachar. “He destroyed me,” Noghreian, 70, says, referring to the man he once considered a kind of honorary son. “We are penniless.” It’s a Wednesday afternoon in November and Noghreian, tall and lean with neatly parted white hair, is sitting with his wife Floria in the office of their Century City attorney. She appears as shaken as he is as they recount how Noghreian’s Downtown Los Angeles business, which he started after coming to this country from Iran, was victimized. For more than a decade Noghreian owned a diamond wholesale business, called Gemco, on Hill Street in the Downtown Jewelry District. In the spring of 2006, Noghreian said, he gave some gems to Shachar, a salesman and a familiar face from the industry who was then in his late 30s, who in turn sold the merchandise. Shachar then paid Noghreian — in the Downtown jewelry business, money often changes hands not after the product is turned over, but when it is subsequently sold — and soon Noghreian gave Shachar more gems. The relationship continued over roughly the next year and a half, with greater quantities of diamonds in each deal. At the same time, Noghreian said, the two forged a close friendship, rooted in their shared Jewish faith. Floria took to packing her husband double lunches, which he shared and often prayed over with Shachar. But after several months, Noghreian realized something was wrong. Shachar’s payments became unreliable. The checks he gave Noghreian in return for merchandise — written from Shachar’s own bank accounts, or sometimes his mother’s or purported clients’ — regularly bounced or were otherwise returned. Still, Noghreian continued to trust Shachar, who was always able to give
photo by Gary Leonard
Aziz Noghreian outside the building that housed his former business, Gemco. Noghreian closed Gemco late last year, after allegedly losing $3 million in diamonds to Oren Shachar.
what sounded like a plausible excuse. Ultimately, Noghreian said, he gave Shachar approximately $3 million in diamonds that were never paid for or returned. That began a downward spiral in which Noghreian lost credibility with his own diamond suppliers and fell into debt. After 14 years in Downtown, Noghreian shuttered Gemco in the fall of 2007. Now, at an age when he
Dear Santonio Claus Getting to the Bottom of the City Hall Holiday Mailbag by Jon regArdie
Claus’ staff goes through them to see which are likely to inspire television coverage, he grants some of the results, then ignores the rest. Here is a collection of this year’s correspondence.
Dear Timmy, Instead of a talking Elmo, I have a better gift for you: I’m giving you, and the rest of the citizens of the city of the 21st century, 10,000 police officers! I know you thought that was coming last year or the year before, but Santonio Claus can’t do everything when he has so many cities to visit and press openings to attend. If you want a talking Elmo next year, make sure your mommy and daddy contribute $1,000 to my election campaign. (Hint: There may be more than one.) And thank mommy and daddy for sending in those trash tax fees. Ho ho ha ha ha!
Dear Santonio Claus, I’ve been very good this year. Can you please bring me a talking Elmo? Timmy, Silver Lake
Dear Santonio Claus, Some people think I’ve been naughty this year, but with my vertically integrated charts and leadership see Santonio, page 12
executive editor
Five great entertainment options.
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18 CALENDAR LISTINGS 20 MAP 21 CLASSIFIEDS
expected to be retired, Noghreian is looking for pharmacy work, which he did in Iran more than 25 years ago. Noghreian is not alone. Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley’s office has charged Shachar with defrauding 19 people or businesses, most of them Downtown-based diamond and see Diamonds, page 8
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very year around this time, thousands of letters are sent to the Downtown Los Angeles office of Santonio Claus, with children, and those who act like children, expressing their holiday gift wishes. After Santonio THE REGARDIE REPORT
Since 1972, an independent, locally owned and edited newspaper, go figure.
2 Downtown News
December 15, 2008
DowntownNews.com
AROUNDTOWN Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance Moves Forward
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he City Council last week took the first step toward creating the citywide Mixed-Income Housing Ordinance, a controversial proposal that would require nearly every new housing project in Los Angeles, including privately financed developments, to contain some affordable units. On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the Council voted unanimously to have the City Planning Department, the Housing Department and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo begin preparing a draft of the ordinance. They also asked the Planning and Housing departments and the Community Redevelopment Agency to prepare a strategy for enacting the ordinance within 90 days. Also within that time period, a task force — to include Downtown developers such as Bill Witte of Grand Avenue project developer Related of California and Urban Partners principal Dan Rosenfeld, as well as representatives from city departments and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office — will analyze the ordinance’s potential impacts on the cost and supply of housing. The proposal, launched by Villaraigosa in September, has already generated controversy from affordable housing advocates, who say it would not create enough low-income units, and some in the business community, who charge the policy could hamper the already lagging housing market.
a few remarks before the final three steel beams, decorated with an American flag, were hoisted to the 54th floor of the tower. When complete in spring 2010, the building will include 1,001 JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel rooms, plus 224 RitzCarlton Residences.
USC Group Unveils Pico Boulevard Strategy
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s South Park continues to look for ways to capitalize on the revitalization brought on by projects such as L.A. Live, Staples Center and several luxury residential developments, area leaders are looking at the future of Pico Boulevard between Figueroa Street and Broadway. A study by graduate students from the USC School of Urban and Regional Planning, which outlines the possibilities for that area, will be released Monday, Dec. 15. The report includes policy recommendations, strategies and solutions to attract retail, commercial and residential development. The 6:30 p.m. presentation is in the AT&T Center auditorium at 1150 S. Olive St. The meeting is free and open to the public but RSVPs are required. Email mail@southpark.la.
L.A. Live Hotel ‘Topped Off’
Weingart Center Gets Holiday Help
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n Wednesday, Dec. 10, city and Anschutz Entertainment Group officials celebrated the culmination of vertical construction on the $900 million Convention Center hotel, the centerpiece of the $2.5 billion L.A. Live project. During the “topping off� ceremony, held on the roof of a parking structure across the street from the tower, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry and Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of project developer AEG, each thanked the more than 1,000 union construction workers who helped bring the hotel to fruition. “We need to invest in the effort to revitalize Downtown,� said Villaraigosa, who predicted that L.A. Live will be “a magnet for tourism.� After construction safety awards were handed out to 10 workers, Leiweke offered
owntown-based consulting firm Mozaic Media + Communications, in association with the O Hotel and the Weingart Partners of Downtown Los Angeles, will present “Benevolence: A Cosmopolitan Holiday Gathering,� on Wednesday, Dec. 17, to benefit the Weingart Center Association. The Weingart Center, which provides services to the homeless, is celebrating its 25th anniversary, but the celebration nearly didn’t happen. The organization cancelled its annual winter fundraiser because too many sponsors dropped out amid the current economic crisis, said Ramona Wright, a principal at Mozaic. The consulting firm subsequently helped find new sponsors like the Los Angeles Dodgers for the benefit, she said. The group will use the
photo by Gary Leonard
Politicians and officials from Anschutz Entertainment Group celebrated the end of vertical construction on the 54-story Convention Center hotel on Dec. 10. See story this page.
event to simultaneously celebrate its birthday. “We thought what better way to celebrate our one-year anniversary as Downtowners wanting to support the community, but turn the spotlight over to this great nonprofit and build awareness about what they’re trying to do in breaking the cycle of homelessness and also bring awareness to their need for funds,� Wright said. The event, which will be held at the O Hotel at 819 S. Flower St. from 6-9 p.m., is open to the public and will feature appetizers, cocktails and music. More information is at (213) 559-9200. RSVP to rsvp@mozaicmc.com.
Morton’s Turns 30 With Free Food
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s Morton’s The Steakhouse winds down its 30th anniversary celebration, it leaves Downtown with a special gift — make that lots of little gifts. On Sunday Dec. 21, from 5-6 p.m., the steakhouse will offer free mini prime cheeseburgers. Three burgers come on each plate, so a single order may be enough to fill you up. Morton’s is at 735 S. Figueroa St., Suite 207.
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December 15, 2008
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School District Eyes New Downtown Charter A 500-Seat Facility Would Sit On Miguel Contreras Learning Complex Campus by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
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bout five years ago, as the Los Angeles Unified School District devised a major Downtown construction effort to relieve overcrowding at Belmont High School, it completed plans for four new high schools. Only three were built, but the fourth may soon have its day. The first piece of the puzzle, the $160 million Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, opened at 322 Lucas Ave. in the fall of 2006, adding 1,713 new seats. This past September, the $350 million, 2,500-seat Edward R. Roybal Learning Center opened at First Street and Beaudry Avenue. Next fall, the $232 million, 1,700-seat High School for the Visual and Performing Arts will debut at 450 N. Grand Ave., completing the Downtown school construction effort. When it became clear that those schools would be enough to relieve overcrowding, the final piece of the puzzle — a 500seat facility pegged for a narrow strip of land on the eastern edge of the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex campus — was shelved. “Based on the formula of overcrowding that we have seen and declining enrollment district-wide, we didn’t see a need, even though the plans were all set,” said Richard Alonzo, superintendent of Local District 4. “It never went out for bid, so it’s been kind of sitting on the shelf. The district owns the property and we own the plans.” But with mounting pressure from charter schools and the courts to honor Prop 39, passed by voters in 2000 and requiring California school districts to provide space to charters, LAUSD officials are now dusting off the plans for the 500seat school, said John Creer, director of planning and development for the LAUSD’s Facilities Division. Under a new proposal, the school — known as Central Region High School No. 12 — would be built according to the original plans, then turned over to a charter. An operator has not been selected and an opening date has not been announced. Charter schools are independently run public schools that are free from most district rules, state curriculum requirements and are not bound by union contracts. They are often praised by supporters for their inherent flexibility and opportunities for education innovation, and opposed by many who consider charters to be district interlopers. The Board of Education has not approved the Contreras school plan, and while a vote is not yet scheduled, it should come within three months, Creer said. If approved, the district would issue a request for proposals to find a charter organization to run the 500-seat school. To build the school, the district would tap some of the $450 million earmarked for charters in Measure Q, the $7.2 billion bond approved by voters in November. In 2003, it was estimated that the 500-seat school would cost $45 million to build. “The goal here that I have with charters is to find them long-term solutions so they don’t have uncertainty,” Creer said. “If a charter can land in this facility, they won’t be coming back to the district regarding Prop 39.” Legal Pressure The district has come under fire from prominent charter organizations such as Green Dot Public Schools, PUC Schools and the California Charter Schools Association. In April it settled two suits filed by those groups, agreeing to help find space for charters. The district lost a separate legal battle in October when a judge ruled that it violated Prop 39 in denying space to a charter in West Los Angeles. The proposed 500-seat school was originally intended as a high school, but depending on demand, it could be turned into a middle or elementary school, Alonzo said. With the addition of Miguel Contreras, Roybal and, next year, the High School for the Visual and Performing Arts, secondary schools in the so-called Belmont Zone of Choice have been able to operate on traditional, single-track schedules, as opposed to year-round. Middle schools in the Downtown area, however, are tighter, he said. “If it were still part of the plan to relieve overcrowding in the Belmont area and I had a choice, it’d probably be a middle school,” he said. Charter advocates will welcome the plan either way, said Gary Larson, spokesman for the California Charter Schools Assn.
“This whole notion of L.A. Unified and charters being able to partner, there’s been a lot of talk,” Larson said. “But in terms of actual offers being made and getting kids into quality seats, it has been a challenge and the law is the law.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
photo by Gary Leonard
LAUSD officials hope to build a 500-seat charter school on a narrow strip of land at the eastern edge of the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex playing fields.
THIS WEEK AT L.A. LIVE Music. Dining. Sports. Living. Monday, December 15, 2008
LA Music Academy – Nokia Plaza – 12PM, 1PM Silverlake Conservatory of Music – Nokia Plaza – 5:15PM, 6:15PM Light of the Angels w/Playing for Change – Nokia Plaza – Nightly on the Hour Kings vs. San Jose – STAPLES Center – 7:30PM
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Colburn School for the Performing Arts – Nokia Plaza – 12PM, 1PM Defenders vs. Idaho – STAPLES Center – 3:30PM Silverlake Conservatory of Music – Nokia Plaza – 5:15PM, 6:15PM Light of the Angels w/Playing for Change – Nokia Plaza – Nightly on the Hour Lakers vs. New York – STAPLES Center – 7:30PM
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
DISNEY ON ICE – STAPLES Center – 11AM & 7:30PM Agape International Children’s Choir – Nokia Plaza – 12PM, 1PM Silverlake Conservatory of Music – Nokia Plaza – 5:15PM, 6:15PM Light of the Angels w/Playing for Change – Nokia Plaza – Nightly on the Hour George Lopez – NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE – 8PM Brian Culbertson’s “A Soulful Christmas” – Conga Room – 7PM
Saturday, December 20, 2008
DISNEY ON ICE – STAPLES Center – 12PM, 3:30PM & 7:30PM Light of the Angels w/Playing for Change – Nokia Plaza – Nightly on the Hour X with New York Dolls – Club Nokia – 7:30PM George Lopez – NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE – 8PM
Colburn School for the Performing Arts – Nokia Plaza – 12PM, 1PM Sunday, December 21, 2008 Silverlake Conservatory of Music – Nokia Plaza – 5:15PM, 6:15PM DISNEY ON ICE – STAPLES Center – 12PM, 3:30PM & 7:30PM Light of the Angels w/Playing for Change – Nokia Plaza – Light of the Angels w/Playing for Change – Nokia Plaza – Nightly on the Hour Nightly on the Hour Kings vs. New York – STAPLES Center – 7:30PM * FREE
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Agape International Children’s Choir – Nokia Plaza – 12PM, 1PM Silverlake Conservatory of Music – Nokia Plaza – 5:15PM, 6:15PM Light of the Angels w/Playing for Change – Nokia Plaza – Nightly on the Hour DISNEY ON ICE – STAPLES Center – 7:30PM Jose Alberto “El Canario” – Conga Room – 8PM
L.A. LIVE is owned and operated by
Across from STAPLES Center between Olympic and Figueroa – lalive.com
4 Downtown News
December 15, 2008
DowntownNews.com
EDITORIALS Huizar Congressional Run Would Betray Voters
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ourteenth District City Councilman José Huizar, who has been in the seat that represents part of the eastern side of Downtown Los Angeles for three years, is considering giving up his post to run for a congressional seat. Doing so would be a disservice to his constituents. In fact, given the area’s unsettled councilmanic history, which Huizar himself has articulated, it would feel like a knife thrust between the shoulder blades of the community. The information was broken last week by Rick Orlov in the Daily News, and at this stage nothing has been decided by Huizar or any other potential candidate. That said, no matter what, Huizar should not run for Congress. He should continue to do what the voters elected him to do, which is serve as their representative to the city of Los Angeles. There is too much that needs doing and too much he has promised but not had the time to deliver. Huizar should serve at least until the end of his current term, about three years from now, before he jumps to greener pastures. The seat in question currently belongs to Xavier Becerra, who has represented the
31st congressional district of California since 1992. Becerra is in talks with President-elect Barack Obama about becoming the next U.S. trade representative. It would open up a plum position: There are relatively few opportunities to become a member of the exclusive club of the United States Congress. We understand the appeal for the ambitious Huizar. He has risen from humble beginnings, born in Zacatecas, Mexico, and raised in East L.A. He attended Berkeley, Princeton and UCLA and, in 2001, cut his political teeth by joining the LAUSD board, eventually becoming its president. The 14th District has undergone an immense amount of turnover in the past decade, and the lack of consistency has frustrated area residents and stakeholders. After a long career, an embattled Richard Alatorre left the post in 1999 and was replaced by Nick Pacheco. Although Pacheco hoped to continue to serve, four years later he was ousted by Antonio Villaraigosa, at the time a former Assembly Speaker. Villaraigosa, who promised to stay in office a full term, instead jumped ship at the first opportunity, running
for and beating Mayor Jim Hahn in 2005. In a 2005 special election between Huizar and Pacheco (and other marginal candidates) consistency was a huge issue. Many in the community felt used and abused by Villaraigosa. Numerous voters called for the next council rep to serve at least one full term, preferably more, so that the area could finally enjoy the benefits other districts routinely receive. Huizar received a majority of the vote. He won the seat again less than 18 months later, in March 2007, in the regularly scheduled election. Under current rules, he could serve until 2019. Now comes the news that Huizar is already thinking of his next job. He has not committed yet and may not do so — others including Council President Eric Garcetti and state Sen. Gil Cedillo are also reportedly considering running. Huizar could run and lose and probably not suffer politically, but with respect to the councilman, even competing would be a great disservice to the community, and it would demonstrate insensitivity to those who elected him. Huizar came here aware of the district’s
unsettled past, knowing that voters were trusting him to learn the system and secure the benefits the 14th lost in its carousel years. Specifically in Downtown, there are projects Huizar has yet to fulfill his promises on. Chief among these is Bringing Back Broadway, his effort to turn around the historic corridor, and perhaps even get a streetcar that would connect Broadway with L.A. Live and Bunker Hill. The effort has gotten traction, much to Huizar’s credit, but if he skips out, or even if his time is diverted by running and raising money for a congressional campaign, the nascent Broadway rebound would suffer. It needs his active leadership to come to fruition. There are other Downtown issues on which Huizar’s attention is required. Although quiet recently, nothing has been settled on whether more housing will be allowed in the Industrial District. Additionally, his community borders Skid Row. Huizar should resist the temptation to run for Congress. There may be an opportunity in the future, but right now, he owes it to the 14th District to do the job the voters trusted him to do.
Brewer Ouster: Right Move, Unfortunate Price
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t is with mixed feelings that we say goodbye to David Brewer, the LAUSD Superintendent who last week asked for, and received, a buyout from the school board. The feelings are not mixed about the departure — that had to happen, for the good of the district — but rather with the way everything ended. This was uglier and more expensive than necessary. Last Monday, Brewer called the media to the LAUSD headquarters in Downtown Los Angeles. He listed a litany of what he claimed were his accomplishments (others questioned how much of the improvements, such as rising test scores at district schools, came from him and how much was already in play by the time he arrived). Then, citing his battles, he asked for a buyout from the school board. This, he said, was because he wanted to do what is best for students and because he did not want the matter to become “an ethnic issue.” The board complied, closing an experiment that clearly failed. Not that it was all Brewer’s fault — he was hired two
Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis
years ago by a school board (with some different members than currently serve) that was battling with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The decision to install the former Navy admiral was a deliberate thumb in the eye to Villaraigosa. While Brewer’s heart may have been in the right place, he lacked the skills and experience to run the LAUSD. He scored points by bringing in Ramon Cortines to oversee the district’s education efforts while Brewer focused on matters such as lobbying, but this basically meant two highly paid figures atop the district. The city and most of its leaders had lost confidence in Brewer. So Brewer is gone, and everyone can move forward. Still, we’re displeased with the money it cost to get rid of him — reportedly more than $500,000. It’s hard to take seriously Brewer’s concerns about the state of the district and the needs of students when those funds could go to teacher salaries or campus amenities.
We’re also uncomfortable with Brewer’s intimations of discrimination. No one pretends ethnic issues in the country or this city are gone, but this was an instance where decisions were made and agendas were pushed because of a record, not skin color. Hopefully this is the beginning of a brighter future for the LAUSD.
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Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writErs: Anna Scott, Ryan Vaillancourt coNtributiNG Editors: David Friedman, Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jeff Favre, Michael X. Ferraro, Kristin Friedrich, Andrew Haas-Roche, Sam Hall Kaplan, Howard Leff, Lisa Napoli, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins ProductioN AssistANt / EvENt coordiNAtor: Claudia Hernandez PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Vandervort sAlEs MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin AssistANt sAlEs MANAGEr: George Caston sAlEs AssistANt: Annette Cruz clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Vanessa Acuña, Robert Dutcher, Catherine Holloway, Kelley Smith circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles. It is also distributed to the extended urban communities of Glendale, Hollywood, Wilshire Center, Los Feliz, Silver Lake & Larchmont Village.
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Follow That Cab Taxi Drivers Willing to Cruise if Riders Can Be Found by RichaRd Guzmán
could hail a cab, so we’re trying to educate them,” he said. The average cost of a trip Downtown is about $10, he said, and with recently lowered gas prices, driving around and picking up a handful of fares can mean more money than a long ride to the airport. “It’s better than sitting in line. I’m not a sitter, I’m a cruiser,” he said. Hail Yeah?: Shahbazian said cabbies’ jobs would be easier if people in L.A. learned how to hail cabs the way they do in New York. “In the daytime, raise a hand. At night, a whistle will do,” he said.
city editoR
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hey were treated like VIPs on Monday, Dec. 8. At the kickoff of Taxicab Appreciation Week, some 400 cab drivers showed up for a free lunch organized by L.A. Live at Nokia Plaza. Councilwomen Jan Perry and Wendy Greuel helped hand out the meals in the effort to jump-start the Hail-A-Taxi program. They sought to convince Downtowners to hail cabs, and to persuade drivers to leave the taxi lines behind and cruise the streets in search of fares. “You all are going to promise me right here and now, you’re going to let people hail a cab, right? You’re going to cruise,” Carol Schatz, president of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District, which organized the weeklong promotion, said to the drivers before lunch was handed out. In July, the Council approved the six-month pilot program, which loosens restrictions on where drivers may pick up fares in Downtown and Hollywood. Taxi drivers had been limited to loading zones, taxi stands and parking areas. The program comes up for review in January, but it is rare to see many cabs cruising Downtown Los Angeles streets. Instead, the majority of cabs still park in taxi zones, in front of hotels and other businesses for hours, shunning short fares in hopes of catching longer and more lucrative rides out of the area. Los Angeles Downtown News spoke to five taxi drivers at the lunch event who said they are willing to cruise, as long as the customers are there.
Behind the Wheel: Jano Youssefi Drive Time: 10 years, now with Yellow Cab Cruise Control: Youssefi said the program is a good idea, but without people willing to hail cabs, waiting in a taxi line is still a better option. “Most cabbies are looking forward to it, but we’re not seeing many people yet,” he said. Although the pilot program makes it legal to stop in areas where drivers would have been fined before, cab drivers are still afraid of being ticketed when stopping for a fare, he said, especially since they don’t know they’ve been nabbed until they receive the citation in the mail. For now, his preferred method, besides waiting in lines, is answering phone calls for pick-ups. Hail Yeah?: Hailing cabs should be easy to learn, he said. “If we know we can stop without getting ticketed, all they have to do is raise their hands. It’s that easy.” Behind the Wheel: Ramon Barrios Drive Time: Two years; asked that his employer not be identified Cruise Control: Barrios said he is not sure the program will work. “It’s not what drivers are used to doing.” He said waiting at a taxi line can be less stressful than dealing with Downtown traffic. “You get stuck in traffic and that’s time you could be losing a customer.”
Behind the Wheel: Zarik Shahbazian Drive Time: 11 years, currently with Beverly Hills Taxi Cruise Control: Although Shahbazian said he has been cruising regularly since the program started, he believes most people still don’t know they can hail a cab in Downtown, and that’s part of the reason why most cabbies don’t cruise much. “I’ve been talking to people in my cab who didn’t know they
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photo by Gary Leonard
Councilwoman Wendy Greuel helped hand out more than 400 lunches to taxi drivers on Dec. 8 in hopes of encouraging cabbies to cruise Downtown streets as part of the Hail-A-Taxi pilot program.
Hail Yeah?: Customers in Downtown are used to finding cabs in designated spots, he said. “People here already know where the cabs are and they go there. I think it’s only going to work if there are a lot of people on corners hailing cabs, but this is not like New York.” Behind the Wheel: Levon Mantsakanyan Drive Time: Eight years, Yellow Cab Cruise Control: Mantsakanyan said if cabs can roam in almost all other major cities, eventually Downtown Los Angeles will catch up. “It’s good for us, we need it. It can work here. see Taxi, page 10
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Diamonds Continued from page 1 jewelry wholesalers. Court transcripts detail losses of more than $5.5 million worth of merchandise. Numerous interviews and court documents paint a picture of Shachar as a figure who would slowly build up credit with a merchant until he could obtain a large amount of merchandise at once, which he would then claim he sold and pay for with bad checks. “What Mr. Shachar did, it is a very classic [Ponzi] game that I see played all the time,” Noghreian’s attorney, David Youssefyeh, testified during a June 25 Superior Court hearing. “First bill you pay on time; second bill you pay on time; third bill you pay half the bill, you get some credit; fourth bill you get a little more credit.” As simple as that sounds, there are unusual elements to Shachar’s case. His story also provides a rare window into the business dealings of Downtown’s difficult-to-penetrate jewelry industry. Shachar was, by many accounts, an industry insider, married to the niece of a prominent local diamond and jewelry wholesaler. Part of what sets his story apart is that, after he was arrested last year on charges including grand theft, he got out on bail and allegedly continued to do business and commit more crimes. “You see bust-outs where someone takes a whole bunch of people and then disappears, gets arrested, goes away,” said Dione Kenyon, president of the Rhode Island-based Jewelers Board of Trade, which provides credit reporting and other services to more than 70,000 jewelry-related businesses, including several Downtown. “It’s rare that they come back and get credit again.” Then there is perhaps the biggest mystery of all. As Shachar sits in Castaic’s Pitchess Detention Center, everyone wants to know what happened to millions of dollars worth of diamonds and jewelry that have not been recovered. The Honor System The Downtown Jewelry District, a sprawling, fast-paced
bazaar of ground-floor malls and high-security skyscrapers, has been estimated to generate more than $2.5 billion in revenue each year. There are literally thousands of businesses in the area. Sellers of numerous nationalities fill ground-floor spaces, while manufacturers and other businesses are often on upper levels in the district bordered by Hill Street, Broadway, Fifth and Eighth streets. Business flows fast and loose in the area, and is largely reliant on trust and word of mouth. Merchants regularly take diamonds and jewelry worth tens of thousands of dollars from wholesalers for no more than a memo in return, promising payment when the goods are sold. If the merchandise
‘He would confuse you with checks. He’ll come, he’ll get a check, and it won’t be for the date you want, it will be for another week. I was fooled. Afterwards, you see the real picture.’ —Neil Nelkin, alleged victim
does not sell within a certain amount of time, typically anywhere from a few days to a month, it is returned. References, whereby wholesalers call one another to check on potential clients, are tantamount to gold. This informal credit system, local business owners and observers say, attracts scam artists from time to time. “It’s inherent in the industry,” said Ramin Kohanarieh, an attorney who represents several jewelry-related busi-
photo courtesy of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
David Oren Shachar was active in the Downtown Jewelry District for more than a decade. He has been repeatedly accused of not paying for diamonds and jewelry that he said he in turn sold.
nesses including Downtown’s Kraiko Diamonds, owned by Kohanarieh’s brother, which claims to have lost $157,904 in merchandise to Shachar. “And rarely do people get prosecuted. Usually, the knee-jerk reaction from the police department is, ‘This is a civil matter, take him to court yourself.’ The D.A. rarely pursues litigation on these types of cases.” It was in this environment that Shachar appeared in the late 1990s. Shachar (also sometimes known as David Oren or David Oren Shachar), a 6-foot-tall man with dark hair and eyes, started working in 1998 as an independent salesman, peddling merchandise for Kattan Diamonds & Jewelry on Hill Street, one of the area’s largest wholesale diamond brokers. Shachar’s relationship with Kattan would prove key in the years to come. Kattan Diamonds Vice President Hezi Kattan said that between 1998 and 2000, Shachar moved large amounts of merchandise for him, though many of the checks Shachar would provide from ostensible customers bounced.
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SearchDowntownLA.com Kraiem, owner of the established wholesaler MK Diamonds & Jewelry on Olive Street. Kraiem did not respond to messages left at his office both by phone and in person. That relationship impressed Maurice Douek, owner of gold jewelry importer and wholesaler IMD Trading on Hill Street. He began selling small amounts of merchandise to Shachar in 1997. “He was quite a familiar face in the industry and he started purchasing from us in very small amounts, and payment was accurate and fine,” said Douek, 65, who remembers Shachar as “a very decent, very quiet, religious man” who he sometimes saw at his Sephardic Jewish synagogue in Beverly Hills. “That’s how we dealt with him for a few years,” Douek continued, “until he got married with a very prominent family and he got more [credit].” In the fall of 2003, Douek said, Shachar offered to take a collection of diamond rings and gold chains worth roughly $50,000 on the road to sell before the holiday season. “The
Downtown News 9
only thing that convinced me to give him that credit was the connection with his family,” said Douek. “Since then he started paying with checks and the checks bounced.” The merchandise, Douek said, was never returned or paid for. According to court documents filed by Hanrahan, MK Diamonds was also a victim, ultimately losing $848,400 in merchandise that Shachar paid for with returned checks from four bank accounts. Shachar’s wife, who could not be reached for comment, filed for divorce on Aug. 23 of this year, according to documents in the L.A. County Superior Court’s online database. Shachar’s court history began years before that, however. On Oct. 15, 2003, he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, using Kattan’s attorney. The case was dismissed the following October, with the debts remaining intact, according to Hanrahan’s memo from May 2007. Shachar see Diamonds, page 10
photo by Gary Leonard
Ramin Yosiian of Downtown’s K.C. Jewelry claims Shachar owes him for $49,485 worth of merchandise. The district attorney has charged Shachar in cases involving 19 individuals or businesses.
“He was very smart,” said Kattan, seated in his sparse, 10thfloor office on a recent morning, when asked why he continued to trust Shachar with valuable merchandise even after the first troubles surfaced. “He’d give you the impression that everything is good. We were stupid to believe him.” Shortly after 2000, Shachar left Kattan and started his own operation, David Oren Inc. Kattan claims that Shachar never paid for or returned approximately $4 million in merchandise. Kattan’s role in what happened next is the subject of some debate. According to a May 2, 2007, court memorandum filed by Deputy District Attorney Eugene Hanrahan of the Major Fraud Division, who is prosecuting Shachar’s cases, Kattan initially recommended Shachar to at least three other local business owners in 2001 and 2002. Kattan denies that he ever recommended Shachar to any other business, and said he is currently suing three of Shachar’s family members to recover a negotiated sum of $2.6 million. In a letter to some of Shachar’s alleged victims dated April 23, 2008, Hanrahan specified that Kattan is not considered a victim. He could not elaborate, he said, because an investigation is ongoing. Neil Nelkin, owner of jewelry and diamond wholesaler Fancy Diamonds, agrees with Hanrahan’s account. Nelkin said he started doing business with Shachar in May 2002 based on Kattan’s recommendation. At first, Nelkin said, Shachar took small amounts of merchandise to sell, which he mostly paid for, though not always on time. “He never paid consistently, but it was a small problem,” said Nelkin. “It wasn’t big business.” In September 2002, Nelkin entrusted Shachar with 12 princess-cut diamonds priced at $49,669, according to the original invoice Nelkin keeps in a thick folder in his Hill Street office. Between that and smaller, unpaid previous sums, Shachar obtained $56,727 worth of merchandise from Fancy Diamonds. All he got from Shachar were seven worthless checks, Nelkin said. “He would confuse you with checks,” said Nelkin. “He’ll come, he’ll get a check, and it won’t be for the date you want, it will be for another week. I was fooled. Afterwards, you see the real picture.” Prominent Marriage Shachar’s attorney, Alex Kessel, declined to comment for this story, both in person and by telephone. He also denied permission to interview his client; the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department requires an attorney’s approval before facilitating contact between inmates and the media. While personal information about Shachar beyond his alleged crimes is scant, a few details can be culled from court documents, interviews with alleged victims and court testimony. According to court documents and information held by the Sheriff’s Department, Shachar was born in Israel in April 1967. Several of those who did business with him say Shachar lived in France before coming to the United States more than a decade ago, and that he is the father of four young children. Frequently described as extremely intelligent and charismatic, Shachar speaks several languages, including English, French and some Arabic, according to one alleged victim. He also speaks Hebrew, said Kattan. While the language capability may have benefited Shachar, one factor that definitely helped him gain local credibility was his marriage, at least five years ago, to the niece of Moshe
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Diamonds Continued from page 9 went on to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection on Nov. 15, 2004, with a different lawyer. In court documents related to Shachar’s second bankruptcy, 45 jewelry businesses in Los Angeles and New York are listed as creditors. Some of those creditors went on to contact the D.A.’s office and pursue criminal charges. On May 2, 2007, Hanrahan filed a 29-page, 27-count felony complaint against Shachar, identifying 13 victims and charging him with multiple counts of grand theft and providing checks with insufficient funds. (That was later amended to include three additional victims and nine more counts.) The complaint also charged Shachar with one count of assault, for allegedly grabbing a client’s hair and twisting her neck when she tried to collect her money after Shachar sold her jewelry she said is counterfeit. New Evidence Shachar was arrested near his father-in-law’s house on May 10, 2007. Family members bailed him out the next day. While out on bail, Shachar allegedly continued to do business and write bad checks in the Jewelry District and elsewhere. Daniel Kenner, owner of the Minnesota-based retailer L & D Jewelry, claims that in January and February of this year, Shachar altered the amounts of several checks Kenner wrote him in exchange for merchandise, increasing the sums by a total of $23,500. Until then, Kenner recently testified in court, he had done business with Shachar for more than 10 years with no problems. Shachar was arrested again on Feb. 26, 2008. On April 23, he struck a deal with the D.A. for the case filed last May, pleading guilty to three counts of grand theft and one count of assault. He was sentenced to five years probation, during which he is barred from operating in the diamond and jewelry business, and one year in county jail. As part of the deal, Shachar was also ordered to pay full restitution to all 16 victims. Half a million dollars, to be divided between the victims in proportion to their recorded losses, is due before Shachar’s sentence expires next February. If the money is not paid by then, the original
charges could be re-filed, said Hanrahan. Shachar could also face additional jail time depending on the outcome of a second case. After the first case was filed last May, three additional victims came forward, including Kenner and Zouher Abdel-Hak, owner of Michigan-based retailer N.J. Jewelry, who says Shachar sold him several partly cubic zirconium rings in 2005 and 2006 that he passed off as all diamond. Another alleged victim, Ramin Yosiian of Downtown’s K.C. Jewelry, claims Shachar owes him for $49,485 worth of merchandise. On Sept. 11, Hanrahan filed a second, five-count felony complaint against Shachar based on the three new claims, charging him with grand theft, forgery and writing checks with insufficient funds. A preliminary hearing began on Dec. 4 and concluded the next day, and the case is scheduled for arraignment on Dec. 19. Sitting Quietly During the preliminary hearing this month, Shachar for the most part sat quietly beside his attorney. Heavyset and dressed in a light green prison jumpsuit, with cropped, graying hair and a 5 o’clock shadow, Shachar occasionally showed signs of frustration. During Yosiian’s testimony, he shook his head several times, fidgeted irritably and whispered urgently to Kessel. As for what happened to the jewelry that was allegedly stolen as part of the first case, Shachar and another man pawned more than $300,000 worth of merchandise from Gemco between March 2006 and October 2007, according to court documents filed by the D.A’s office. In a motion filed last May, Hanrahan said at least $2 million was unaccounted for. Asked recently what happened to it, he would only say that the investigation is ongoing. The closest thing to a direct statement from Shachar comes from a partial transcript of an interview conducted by D.A. Supervising Investigator Walter Kline, attached to Hanrahan’s May 2 memo stored in Shachar’s case file. According to the report, Shachar mostly denied any intention to defraud anyone. It goes on to state that he claimed, “I give postdated check under pressure of people and to keep everybody off my back. To give me month to breathe. To get a plan and restructure my business.” He said, “I run into problems and I panicked.” Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.
Taxi Continued from page 6 It’s a big city and there are a lot of people that need a cab.” Mantsakanyan said he began cruising when gas prices started to decrease. “We spend less that way, so one or two rides can help us.” Hail Yeah?: Like other cabbies, Mantsakanyan said he has seen few people hailing taxis. “There are not many there yet, but it can change,” he said. “Hopefully people will start to hail. Right now it’s hard to find them.” Behind the Wheel: Hector Curioso Drive Time: 10 years, with United Independent Cruise Control: Curioso said if the program works, it will be very helpful to taxi drivers. “It’s better for us to be able to drive around than stay in one place, but I haven’t seen many people hailing yet and cabs are still not cruising as much,” he said. Curioso said it is up to both drivers and riders to make the pilot program a success. It’s a situation city leaders have described as a Catch-22: The cabs will come if people are there, but people won’t know to hail unless they see lots of cabs driving around. Hail Yeah?: Curioso’s recommendations for hailing a cab are simple: “Raise your hand, wave, and a smile won’t hurt.” Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
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Santonio Continued from page 1 manuals, I know I’ve been nice. This year I’d like a six-figure buyout/consulting contract. Caring about the kids, David B., Beaudry Street Dear Admiral Dave, Ho ho ha! I can make that happen, but of course, if anyone asks, this didn’t come from me, but the “independent” school board that is not affiliated with Santonio’s workshop. But I have another gift for you too: I’m sending you on a long, long journey far away from Los Angeles. Don’t worry about turning in the “report” you’ll be “contracted” to write. And don’t call us, we’ll call you. Seriously, don’t call us. Dear Santonio Claus, This year I’d like a race car and a puppy. Especially a puppy. Sergio, Boyle Heights Dear Serginator, I see you like animals. So I’m going to bring you an autographed picture of Santonio Claus’ traffic Tiger Team, which helps fight gridlock across Los Angeles, a city that, by the way, I love, and will continue to love at
least through 2009. Maybe longer! I know your friends will be jealous when they see your Tiger Team picture. You and the rest of them can refer to yourselves as li’l tigers, and please do all you can to stop gridlock — start by having a lemonade stand to raise funds for Santonio Claus’ future elections. Ho ho ha!
sell, but the art of being the safest big city in America? As a present, I’m bringing you a signed photo of me standing next to Police Chief William Bratton. Make sure to share this good news with your parents before they go to the polls next year. I’ll also make you an honorary li’l tiger.
Dear Santonio Claus, I’ve been a big supporter of yours since long before almost everyone else. I know you know this, but I wanted to remind you. This year, I’d like a crystal sliding board that goes from my office straight to the City Attorney’s office. Can you make that happen? Jack W., CD 5
Dear Santonio Claus, My family has been a supporter of the city for a long time. Can you magically make the need for thousands of permits for our tall, attractive pieces of outdoor advertising go away? I promise there’s something in it for you! Bill Board, everywhere in L.A.
Dear Mr. Next City Attorney, Done! And don’t worry about the “opposition.” We’ll make sure to send out a lot of nice mailers in the weeks before the next election showing pictures of us smiling together. Dear Santonio Claus, I study hard in school and I always listen to my parents. Can I have an art set? Abby, North Hollywood Dear Abby, Did you know Santonio Claus is making sure Los Angeles has 10,000 police officers, and that the best art is not the kind MOCA may
LEGAL NOTICE: PROPOSED SETTLEMENT
If you paid bills for the use of telephone, electricity or gas in the Unincorporated Areas of Los Angeles County at any time since February 16, 2004, this notice may affect your rights.
Dear Bill, Ho ho ha! Santonio Claus suggests you speak with the 15 Council elves on this matter. They’ve always given you what you want before, and you didn’t even have to wait for the holidays. No reason to expect anything different now. Dear Santonio Claus, This year I have done all my chores and helped others. I volunteer at our local library and I want to be mayor when I grow up. Can I have a bicycle this year? Jenny, West L.A. Dear Jenny, A bicycle? That’s green technology, something the city of the 21st century needs every Angeleno to work together on. Santonio Claus will bring you a picture of him signing loads of green legislation this year. Sorry, we
You May Qualify For A Refund If You Paid the Utility User Tax
Who’s Included? You are a Class Member and could receive a refund if you paid bills for the use of telephone, electricity or gas in Los Angeles County at any time between February 16, 2004 and November 4, 2008 that included a UUT charge. How Do You Ask For A Payment? A detailed notice and claim form package will include everything you need. Just call or visit the website below to get one. If you qualify for a refund, you must send in a completed claim form. Claim forms will be due by April 14, 2009.
What Are Your Other Options? If you don’t want to be legally bound by the settlement, you must exclude yourself by February 20, 2009, or you won’t be able to sue, or continue to sue, the County of Los Angeles about the legal claims in this case. If you exclude yourself, you can’t get money from this settlement. If you stay in the settlement, you may still object to the exact settlement terms by February 20, 2009. The detailed notice explains how to exclude yourself or object. A hearing will be held in this case (Oronoz v.County of Los Angeles), in Department 308 of the Los Angeles Superior Court, located at 600 South Commonwealth Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90005, on March 13, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. At the hearing, the Court will determine whether the proposed Settlement should be approved by the Court as fair, reasonable and adequate, and will consider the application of Plaintiffs’ Counsel for attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses. You may ask to appear at the hearing, but you don’t have to. THIS IS ONLY A SUMMARY. Additional information, including information about how to obtain a refund, how to exclude yourself from this settlement, object to the settlement, and/ or appear and speak at the hearing, and about the legal claims you will be giving up if you do not exclude yourself, is available by calling toll free 1-866-783-5877, visiting the website www. utilitysettlement.com, or writing to Oronoz v. County of Los Angeles Claims Administrator, P.O. Box 9426, Minneapolis, MN 55440-9426.
1-866-783-5877 www.utilitysettlement.com Please Do Not Telephone The Court Regarding This Notice.
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Dear Santonio Claus, I won’t mess around: I want a train set, I want it delivered and I want it set up, with all the batteries and remote controls and extras. I don’t want to see any loopholes. Don’t mess with me on this. Oliver, Bel Air Dear Oliver, Please tell your lobbyist parents that your train set will be set up under the tree by one of Santonio’s special assistants. And thank them for helping arrange that fundraiser. Tell them I look forward to seeing them in 2010 in Sacramento. Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.
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Dear Bankrupt Sam, Be sure to speak to me at my next fundraiser in Chicago. If you can’t make it there, there may be ones in New York, Florida, San Francisco and many other cities. In the meantime I’ll be reading your autobiography. Especially chapter 11.
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Dear Santonio Claus, All I want this year is a bailout. Can you help? Remember, by cutting my reporting staff I’ve helped you! You’re not getting as many prying questions from reporters these days, right? That’s because there’s almost no City Hall staff left! Sam Z., Chicago
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What Is The Settlement About? A settlement has been proposed in Oronoz v. County of Los Angeles, LASC Case No. BC334027, a class action lawsuit about the Los Angeles County Utility User Tax, the “UUT.” The UUT is paid by persons and businesses who use telephone, electricity and gas services in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County – those areas not located within the boundaries of any City. By way of example, residents of the Cities of Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica are not residents of the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. For further information about what is included in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, please see the map and locations described at www.utilitysettlement.com. The settlement will allow persons who paid the UUT to claim a refund of prior UUT paid. The settlement also will establish a fund of at least $10 million to address education, medical needs, homelessness, and/or police and fire protection in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Superior Court authorized this notice of proposed settlement. Before any money is paid, the Court will have a final hearing to decide whether to approve the settlement.
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December 15, 2008
Downtown News 13
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HOLIDAY SHOPPING
Electronic Gifts a Hot Commodity in Downtown by RichaRd Guzmán
in-dash gadgets like GPS and DVD players with touch-screen monitors. The Kenwood GPS retails for $999, but at Powertronics it’s $650. This device has pretty much everything you need in a car — a touch-screen DVD player with a built-in GPS, and it’s Bluetooth and iPod ready. Also popular are drop-down monitors, which entertain the backseat passengers. A 15-inch version from Performance Technique is $300 at Powertronics; other stores charge up to $600. At 1120 E. 11th St., (213) 623-9999 or powertronicsaudio.com.
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ome of the hottest items under any holiday wish list this year are electronics. Whether flat-screen TVs, digital music players or car accessories, if it can be plugged in and turned on, it’s surely on someone’s list. Here are some of the Downtown Los Angeles places where you can find great holiday deals on some hot items. 1) Just Plain Crazy: No respectable list could overlook Crazy Gideon’s, the famed Arts District electronics store owned by the madman of bargains who hurls TVs into the parking lot in his commercials. He slashes prices with the same kind of reckless abandon, especially during the holidays. If you’re taking part in one of those secret Santa deals at work, you can blow all other gifts out of the water with a Magnavox or Sanyo DVD player for $24.99. A 32-inch LCD HDTV flat screen from Protron goes for $399, while a 65-inch Hitachi HDTV is $799. You really don’t need something that huge in your living room, but it’s Crazy Gideon’s, so go nuts. At 830 Traction Ave., (213) 625-5775 or crazygideons.com.
an underwater digital camera for $99. At 406 S. Broadway, (213) 624-3998. 5) Flat Is Phat: Electroline Electronics specializes in flat-screen TVs. A 47-inch LG with 1080p, which basically means it’s the sharpest, clearest picture available, is $1,099; other stores charge about $1,700 for this system. A 32-inch LCD TV is $399 and Blu-ray DVD players with the LG Netflix, which means you can download movies to your DVD player, are $299. At 1322 W. 12th St., (800) 449-8889 or electronicsworldwide.stores.yahoo.net. 6) Photo Moment: For those who take their photography seriously, Kimura Photomart
in Little Tokyo is the place to go. It’s been in business since 1955 and offers both highend cameras and professional-quality pointand-shoots, along with great personal service. Although prices are not rock bottom, the staff is known for taking the time to recommend the right gear and equipment. They offer hardto-find items such as the Leica line of pointand-shoot digitals (known for their crisp and clean color quality) for $499. Another camera the store recommends is the Sony Alpha 900 for $2,999. It’s a professional quality camera with 24.6 megapixels and image stabilization. At 316 E. Second St., (213) 622-3968. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com. photo by Gary Leonard
Plug In, Turn On, Buy This
3) Take it Easy: Make things easy on your wallet this year by heading over to Easy Source. The electronics wholesale store is only open to the public on the weekends, but some great deals will be about 5% over wholesale. Mp3 players are $20-$30 for 1-gig models. The V-Touch, an Mp4 player with video, music and camera, is $60 at Easy Source. Blu-ray high-definition DVD players are $200. At 921 E. 11th St., (213) 622-7950.
Crazy Gideon’s, the Arts District electronics emporium, has an array of deals on TVs, DVD players and more.
4) Broadway Star: With all of the holiday deals it’s easy to feel like you’re getting the VIP treatment at Star Electronics. The Broadway store offers just about everything that can be turned on with a battery or plugged in. The iTouch, the newest version of the iPod, is $199 (it was about $230 at other stores last week). LCD flat-screen TVs, like a 20-inch Emerson or Magnavox with built-in DVD player, are $269. They also sell
2) Cars That Go Boom: Most people spend so much time in their cars, so why not help them accessorize? Powertronics, a wholesale store also open to the public, has a wealth of hot items. Popular gifts for the holidays include
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Dinner Open New Year’s Day Kimura Photomart, which has been in Downtown since 1955, is known for having hard-tofind items and a helpful staff.
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or most of us, striving to eat a healthy, balanced diet is the ever-elusive quest. We’re all guilty of being too busy with our daily lives and all of a sudden, weight creeps on due to lack of healthy food choices and/or no physical activity. FROM OUR ADVeRtISeRS
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Thought provoking news deserves thoughts. Give us yours. DowntownNews.com Now with reader comments.
Seattle Sutton has a solution to your healthy eating challenges with her meal plan, Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating (SSHE). You’ll get freshly prepared meals that include fresh fruit and vegetables, and the best part is there’s no work for you — no planning, shopping or cooking. And, delivery is available to home or office. What could be simpler? Twenty-one meals a week without lifting a finger other than dialing a phone or clicking your mouse. Now there’s no excuse not to eat healthy. The SSHE Meal Plan follows the Guidelines of Health and Nutrition Experts: portion and calorie controlled; low in fat
and saturated fat; low cholesterol; sodium restricted; and no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils (zero trans fat or high fructose corn syrup). How SSHE Works: n Twenty-one freshly prepared meals (seven breakfasts, lunches and dinners) n Portion sizes of 1,200 or 2,000 calories per day* n Five-week menu cycle with no repeat of meals n No contracts or enrollment fees n No counseling or meetings to attend n National Home Delivery clients receive two deliveries of meals each week to total entire week’s worth of 21 total meals — meals do not come frozen or dried and contain fresh fruit and salads. *Averages per day based on the complete five-week menu cycle, including recommended fat-free skim milk.
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Community For Change Please join us as we help a local food bank feed the hungry in the community. We have placed a five-gallon water jug in our store to collect change for this purpose. We challenge you to contribute. We will add 10% to all that is collected.
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Downtown News 15
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for Better HealtH Seattle Sutton, RN, BSN, founded Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating in 1985 as a nurse seeking to help people eat healthy and improve their overall health. After being told by patients that they’d eat healthy if she did the work for them, she decided to do just that. So, with merely a great idea, lots of determination and $1,000, she set out to make America healthier through providing freshly prepared, well-balanced, nutritious and delicious meals. That was 23 years ago, and since then thousands of people have transformed their lives, bodies and health because of her meals. Here’s what a few of the thankful clients who’ve improved their health because of Sutton have said: n “Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating has really changed my life. With SSHE’s balanced, nutritious meals, I’ve been able to lose 25 pounds, my blood pressure has dropped and I no longer have to treat my diabetes with medication.” M.P. n “It’s so convenient, it’s easy and it’s good food and it’s good for me!
This is the best and easiest diet I’ve ever been on!” A.B. n “SSHE was an answer to my prayers. I began the program at 324 pounds. After eight months, I’m down to 209 pounds. I’m still losing weight, and my blood pressure has dropped from 154/94 to a healthy 120/70. Now that’s a miracle!” S.S. n “I’ve lost over 100 pounds on SSHE. Unlike other diets, SSHE was very easy to stick with. There was no calorie counting. Everything is done for me. The meals tasted great and there was a good variety.” W.E. n “I enjoy having delicious meals without trying to find a lot of preparation time in my busy schedule.” S.H. SSHE has thousands of success stories from satisfied customers. SSHE offers convenient, healthy and delicious meals, and people from all walks of life enjoy them, including: busy people on the go, senior citizens, new and nursing mothers, diabetics, hypertensives, cardiac patients and recently discharged hospital patients. Seattle believes in serving people
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what they should eat for the rest of their lives. She treasures health above all else and believes we should put value on it rather than material possessions. Seattle’s dedication to healthy eating is her mission and continues today, since all the SSHE menus are analyzed on an ongoing basis and adhere to recommended dietary guidelines. SSHE prepares thousands of healthy, fresh meals weekly from its Ottawa, Ill., headquarters and its innovative approach has helped thousands of people nationwide achieve and maintain weight loss without any planning, shopping or cooking. Many more people have enjoyed the convenience of healthy, freshly prepared meals that help them juggle the demands of their busy lives. Interested in eating healthy without all the work? Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating makes healthy eating simple with delivery to the home or office. What are you waiting for? Call (800) 442-DIET (3438) or visit seattlesutton.com and be on your way to healthy eating.
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16 Downtown News
December 15, 2008
CALENDAR From the Streets to the Gallery photo by Corky Lee
Chinese American Museum Taps News Photographer Corky Lee for Anniversary Show by Jeff favre contributing writer
F
or photojournalist Corky Lee, being in the right place at the right time has rarely been a matter of luck. In 1975, during a New York City protest against police brutality in Chinatown, Lee spotted a man being clubbed by police officers and taken away. Lee, camera in hand, captured the action head on, and despite being a relatively unknown photographer, the image was splashed across the front page of the New York Post. Whether it’s key moments of the protests in Detroit over the killing of Chinese American Vincent Chin, Muhammad Ali’s casual visit to New York’s Chinatown or Connie Chung speaking to other Asian-American journalists, Lee always seems to be close. He is unafraid to pick unusual angles, even if it means jumping on a table or laying on the ground. Lee’s doggedness to cover all aspects of pan-Asian culture put him on the radar several years ago of Pauline Wong, the executive director of the Chinese American Museum in Downtown Los Angeles. Wong selected Asian Roots/American Reality: Photographs by Corky Lee as the signature exhibition for the museum’s fifth anniversary. The exhibit at the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument museum contains nearly 100 photographs from Lee’s 35-year career. It is paired with a second photo show, Picture This! My Life, Your Life, Our Lives: Photographs by Youths from the San Gabriel Valley. Both shows opened last month and run through May 31, 2009. Lee’s work represents the museum’s first exhibition to move beyond showcasing only the Chinese-American experience. “Corky’s work in many ways parallels what we are trying to do at the museum by documenting the Asian-Pacific American community,” Wong said. “There is a scarcity of this kind of work, just as there are few institutions dedicated to talking about the ChineseAmerican experience.” Lee, speaking by phone from his New York office, said he began with a borrowed camera in the early 1970s. The self-taught photographer said he wanted to cover stories and people that the mainstream media were ignoring.
The work of longtime news photographer Corky Lee is on exhibit in the Chinese American Museum. His 1975 shot of a victim of police brutality made the cover of the New York Post.
“It was hard to get the images into the papers sometimes, and I would have to explain why these events and these people were important,” Lee said. Through persistence and sheer volume, Lee became one of New York’s most notable freelance newspaper photographers, virtually cornering the market on covering AsianAmerican events. He ultimately dubbed himself the “Unofficial, Undisputed Asian American Photographer Laureate.” Organizing the mid-career retrospective with thousands of possible images fell to artist Steven Wong and photography instructor Joanne Kim. “I’ve known Corky’s work well for 10 years,” said Steven Wong, whose work was part of the museum’s inaugural show. “We worked with Corky on selecting the photographs, and then worked on the logistics of getting them framed and how to hang them. His work is diverse and we wanted a full representation of what he has done, from covering activism to intimate portraits and still-life work.” Spread across two galleries, the work is primarily in chronological order. The police brutality photo from 1975 is near a portrait
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of activist Goldie Chu at an Equal Rights Amendment Rally in 1977. Lee is closely associated with the civil rights protests surrounding the case of Vincent Chin, who was beaten to death with a baseball bat by two men in Detroit in 1982. The men were given probation, sparking many protests that Lee attended. Lee said he has an ability to sense news, which often puts him at the epicenter of action. For example, his photograph from the 1991 demonstration surrounding the casting of a non-Asian in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon is packed from top to bottom with determined protestors carrying picket signs. Most of Lee’s work is from New York and is in black and white. The exhibit’s second gallery contains a few color images from Los Angeles’ Chinatown, including a portrait of Marvin Lee, owner of Hong Sang Lung Grocery. Wong also included one of his favorite photographs, an image of Connie King, a woman from Locke, Calif., a small city that once was home to many Chinese railroad workers. King, who was born in 1923, is one of the few remaining Chinese Americans in the town. She created a garden using toilet
bowls, which has become a local landmark. “Wherever or whatever it is, Corky has published so many images of the Asian and Pacific Islander American community that it’s interesting to wonder in what ways he has helped define what that community is with his camera,” Steven Wong said. The Kids Take Over Lee hopes his legacy will continue with younger generations following his path. To that end, and to add a local component to the Lee retrospective, the museum created a project featuring the work of a dozen San Gabriel High School students. The students participated in a 12-week program to learn the art of black-and-white photography. Lee met with the students at the beginning and end of the program, providing insight about using an image to tell a story. “Many of the students had never used the kind of professional cameras we loaned them,” Pauline Wong said. “But what they created is amazing.” Lee agreed, commenting, “It was wonderful to see young people inspired by what I had done.” Steven Wong placed the youths’ shots in between the two galleries of Lee photographs, allowing the exhibits to comment on each other. As the Chinese American Museum begins its sixth year, Pauline Wong already is looking ahead. Next up is an exhibition on Hollywood, as seen from an Asian-American perspective. “We hope for the museum to continue evolving to tell stories from all types of Chinese-American experiences,” she said. “As immigration increases, we want to share the stories of those who have come recently from Hong Kong, Taiwan, from the 1970s and ’80s from Cambodia, as well as those whose grandfathers came out here for the Gold Rush. And having Corky Lee’s photographs here is a good way to move in that direction.” Asian Roots/American Reality: Photographs by Corky Lee and Picture This! My Life, Your Life, Our Lives: Photographs by Youths from the San Gabriel Valley run through May 31, 2009, at the Chinese American Museum, 425 N. Los Angeles St., (213) 485-8567 or camla.org.
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Deck the Disney Hall by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
A
nyone seen Jack Frost? He seems to have missed his date with Los Angeles, again. Squint hard enough at Walt Disney Concert Hall though, and you might see the structure’s metallic shapes as icy slopes. Better yet, head inside, where — winter sunshine be damned — it’s unequivocally the holiday season. For the sixth consecutive year since moving into its new digs, the Los Angeles Philharmonic is presenting Deck the Hall, a 10-concert series featuring a wide array of holiday-themed performances. From 15th Century Gregorian chants rooted in Biblical themes to big band jazz takes on modern Christmas classics to a Jingle Bells-type singalong, there’s something for everyone, said Brian Grohl, the L.A. Philharmonic program manager for pops concerts. “We’ve tried to present a broad spectrum of musical genres and give the community a chance to come to the hall to enjoy the season,” Grohl said. The series kicks off on Tuesday, Dec. 16, with a performance by the Grammy-winning a cappella male choral group Chanticleer, the only act that has remained part of the series every year since 2003. Their staying power is owed in part to a fervent fan base; Chanticleer sells out its Disney Hall show every year. Like the three-week concert series, Chanticleer’s musical program utilizes a variety of material, from popular carols to 800-yearold choral pieces, said singer Matt Oltman,
photo courtesy of Los Angeles Philharmonic
L.A. Phil Celebrates the Holidays, From Tchaikovsky to Rudolph
Dave Prather leads two performances of the annual Holiday Sing-along on Sunday, Dec. 21.
who is also the group’s music director. “There’ll be something unfamiliar and familiar, but we hope people find a great deal of beauty in all of it,” he said. “Especially now when everyone’s running around like crazy, they’re probably rushing to get to this concert, so we try to start it as peacefully as possible with a candlelit procession and I think that pervades the concert.” On Dec. 17, organist David Higgs leads a concert of holiday-themed organ music with help from soprano Lisa Vroman and harpist Mindy Ball. “It’s a program for everyone and a good one to come to if you’ve never heard the Disney Hall organ — everyone’s seen it, but not everyone’s heard it,” said Higgs, who chairs the organ department at the Eastern School of Music in Rochester, New York. In addition to Christmas music written by Mendelssohn and Bach, Higgs will perform contemporary
Downtown News 17
Chanticleer, a 12-member Grammywinning a cappella group, kicks off the holiday concert series at Disney Hall with a performance on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
spirituals and carols during which he’ll invite the audience to sing along. “The audience for some of the show are also the performers, so people get to make their Disney Hall debut,” Higgs said. Focus on the Family On Saturday, Dec. 20, the series continues with ’Twas the Week Before Christmas, the only holiday concert featuring the L.A. Phil. Conductor Lisa Hicks will lead the orchestra in a program that, perhaps more than most of the holiday concerts, is geared toward the traditional classical music fan. It features a selection of orchestral works from the likes of Prokofiev, but it also includes a narration of “The Night Before Christmas” by host David Prather, known for his role as Cap’n Dave leading youth concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. The second half of the program features excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, with live dancing by the Westside Ballet. On Sunday afternoon, Prather will return to lead two performances of the annual Holiday Sing-along, a program that tends to feature more pomp than peace. “It’s geared specifically toward families;
they’re matinees and done without intermission and it’s a jam-packed 90 minutes of quieter carols, the Jingle Bells and Rudolph, so I think it’s well-paced,” Prather said. “There are a few moments where the chorale will sing some stuff a cappella, but for the most part it’s a rollicking good time.” While this year’s program aims for a breadth of material, in previous years the slate has included perhaps more musical diversity, such as Latin-themed concerts with the Escovedo Family and Ozomatli and a solo performance by Arlo Guthrie. But over the years, the Phil realized that, during the holidays, audiences look for the well-known songs and carols more than big names, Grohl said. “People want the familiar and the family-oriented,” he said. “That’s why we have programmed it in recent years to feature the typical family holiday fare and to bring it to them in the adventurous, Walt Disney Concert Hall kind of way.” Deck the Halls continues through New Year’s Eve, when Pink Martini plays two shows. For a full lineup, visit laphil.org. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
18 Downtown News
December 15, 2008
DowntownNews.com
LISTINGS EVENTS
Tuesday, dec. 16 Ice Skating at Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., laparks.org. Noon-2 p.m.: The Hard Miles Band plays good old-fashioned rock and roll for the ice-skating masses. Live Figure Drawing Downtown Art Gallery, 1611 S. Hope St., (213) 2552067 or downtownag.com. 7:30-10:30 p.m.: Downtown Art Gallery hosts a live figure drawing session for $12 every Tuesday. Contact gallery prior to attending and bring your own materials. Mutt Mingle Pussy and Pooch, 564 S. Main St., (213) 438-0900 or pussyandpooch.com. 6-9 p.m.: Mutt Mingle is a holiday mixer for pets and their owners with a festive menu of treats for both. The event is part of the shop’s two weeks of holiday events — the 12 Days of Twinkle — which include a variety of promotions and in-store events to help people find the holiday gift that would make anyone purr. Los Posadas on Olvera Street El Pueblo Historical Monument, 200 N. Main St., (213) 625-7074 or elpueblo.lacity.org. 5:30 p.m.: The Olvera Street Merchants kick off their annual Las Posadas festivities, which commemorate the Biblical journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem and their search for shelter, with the traditional candlelight procession starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Avila Adobe. The nightly procession winds through Olvera Street with merchants leading the group in traditional hymns and holiday songs in English and Spanish. Free champurrado and pan dulce are served each night following the procession. There will also be a nightly piñata breaking for children. Wednesday, dec. 17 Weingart Partners Holiday Benefit O Hotel, 819 S. Flower St., (213) 559-9200 or RSVP to rsvp@mozaicmc.com. 6-9 p.m.: Downtown-based Mozaic Media + Communications in association with the O Hotel and the Weingart Partners of Downtown Los Angeles present “Benevolence: A Cosmopolitan Holiday Gathering,” to benefit the Weingart Center Association. The Weingart Center provides services for the homeless. The charity event is open to the public and features appetizers, cocktails and music from DJ Garth Trinidad.
photo courtesy of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument
by AnnA Scott, StAff writer
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The promise of hot chocolate and candy is enough to lure this sugar fiend just about anywhere, but this week Olvera Street offers all that and more. On Tuesday, Dec. 16, merchants on Olvera Street kick off the annual Las Posadas celebration, nine evenings of free entertainment. Each day’s festivities start at 5:30 p.m. and finish with a candlelight procession at 7:30. The procession includes a sing-along of hymns and holiday songs in English and Spanish. At the end, you’ll be rewarded with chamupurrado, a Mexican version of hot chocolate, and pan dulce, or sweet bread. There is also a nightly piñata breaking for children (or aggressive adults). Olvera Street is part of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. More information at (213) 625-7074 or elpueblo.lacity.org.
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The Nutcracker © The Kirov Ballet and Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre.
Monday, dec. 15 Light of the Angels L.A. Live, Nokia Plaza, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 763-5483 or lalive.com. 7-10 p.m.: This specially commissioned production combines more than 1 million lights, holiday music, 11 giant video screens, live performances and special guests. The show is free with four nightly performances taking place on the hour beginning at 7 p.m. Through Dec. 31. Check lalive.com for free concerts all week in Nokia Plaza. New Play Reading at Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., Mark Yaper Auditorium, (213) 2287241 or lapl.org. 7:30-9 p.m.: The award-winning Ensemble Studio Theatre-LA presents a reading of “Tree,” a new play by Julie Hebert. Reading lists provided so you can further explore the themes of the play, in which a white Southern father sends Didi Marcantel in search of a black half-brother she never knew. Free.
List
Downtown Gets Into the Holiday Spirit
Who would’ve thought a story involving a young girl battling a Mouse King with seven heads could be so beautiful to watch? But after 74 years, The Nutcracker is still a holiday classic. On Wednesday, Dec. 17, the renowned, 200-year-old Kirov Ballet kicks off a limited engagement of The Nutcracker at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. For six performances, follow Clara Stahlbaum to the Land of Snow and beyond. On Thursday, Dec. 18, children can enjoy a pre-matinee cookie-decorating party in the Music Center Plaza from noon-1:30 p.m. The Nutcracker runs Dec. 17-20 at 7:30 p.m. nightly, with additional 2 p.m. shows Dec. 18 and 20. The Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 365-3500.
4 t tertainmen ivendi En rtesy of V u co o ot ph
SponSored LiSting FIDM Museum Shop FIDM Museum Shop, 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1200 or fidm.edu. December, Mon.-Sat.: Tired of the same stores for your holiday shopping? With holiday gift seekers in mind, the FIDM Museum Shop is open every Saturday in December from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., in addition to being open during regular hours of 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. The shop offers an array of gifts, including fashions and jewelry made by school alumni.
The
3 The West Coast branch of the awardwinning, New York-based Ensemble Studio Theatre comes to the Central Library this week to present a free reading of the new play Tree, by Julie Hebert. The story revolves around a woman who discovers a trove of letters left by her white Southern father, which in turn leads her to a black half-brother she never knew. The reunion, however, goes sour when the two halfsiblings fall into a “quintessentially American race war.” The artists will be available after the play. The reading is Monday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mark Taper Auditorium of the Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7333 or ensemblestudiotheatrela.org.
German director Uwe Boll is perhaps best known for his film adaptations of video games, and for challenging critics who panned his 2006 movie BloodRayne to a boxing match. But that may change after this week’s Boll Film Festival at the Downtown Independent theater (formerly the ImaginAsian Center). On Tuesday and Wednesday Dec. 17 and 18, the theater hosts a retrospective of Boll’s work. Screenings begin at noon on Dec. 17 and 1 p.m. on Dec. 18, with the last screening of each day starting at 9 p.m. The festival culminates with Boll’s new film, 1968: Tunnel Rats, which is not based on a video game, but revolves around a U.S. combat unit trapped in underground tunnels during the Vietnam War. Boll will participate in a question-and-answer session at 7 p.m., in case anyone wants to challenge him to a fight. The Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., down downtownindependent.com. Tickets must be purchased at the theater.
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This week, Little Tokyo-based theater company East West Players is offering one more opportunity to laugh and cry at the same time. Well, not exactly, but the company closes its production of The Joy Luck Club, which is said to have that kind of effect, on Dec. 21. Based on the best-selling novel by Amy Tan, the play follows four young Chinese-American women as they struggle to understand their Chinese-born mothers, and viceversa. The play runs Wednesday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. No performance Dec. 17. The David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 N. Judge John Aiso St., (213) 625-7000 or eastwestplayers.org.
Thursday, dec. 18 Ice Skating at Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., laparks.org. Noon-2 p.m.: With thumping bass lines and a rock energy, Hank Deluxe and the Elbow Benders perform their signature rockabilly tunes. Thursdays at Central Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room A, Continued on page 19
Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com. photo by Michael Lamont
December 15, 2008
Downtown News 19
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But Wait, There’s More!
Listings for additional concerts, exhibits and more in Downtown Los Angeles can be found on our website. Go to downtownnews.com/listings for full information, including time and location, for all the happenings in Downtown.
Additional Event Information on the Web
DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM/LISTINGS : EVENTS | ROCK, POP & JAZZ | CLASSICAL MUSIC | THEATER, OPERA & DANCE ART SPACES | FILM | BARS & CLUBS | MUSEUMS | FARMERS MARKETS | TOURS
Listings Continued from page 18 (213) 228-7241 or lapl.org. 12:15-1 p.m.: A lunch-hour forum address Los Angeles Christmas traditions. Town Hall Los Angeles Town Hall Clubhouse, 515 S. Flower St., (213) 6288141 or townhall-la.org. Noon: Richard J. Schmierer, the deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, will speak about Iraq and what challenges lie ahead for President-elect Barack Obama. Preregistration required. Friday, dec. 19 Ice Skating at Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., laparks.org. 8-10 p.m.: They couldn’t book Eddie Vedder, but the Pearl Jam tribute band Vitology will certainly do. Have fun by asking people in the crowd if their name is Jeremy. Beer Tasting at Ralphs Ralphs, 645 W. Ninth St., (213) 452-0840. 5-8 p.m.: Ralphs switches wine for beer, with a Samuel Adams brew tasting, along with Boars Head meats and cheeses. Saturday, dec. 20 Weekend Recess for Grown-Ups Tolberman Recreation Center, 1725 Tolberman St., (213) 610-3233 or extremebootcamp.com. 10 a.m.-noon: Remember how much fun you had at recess in elementary school? Regain that feeling at this weekend adult recess in bouts of dodgeball, kickball, freeze-tag and handball. Hosted by
Thursdays, 6 p.m.: More live sounds, this time with Jessie Torrez. Bar 107 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382 or myspace.com/ bar107. Tuesdays: A classic island mix of reggae with attitude. Downtown says “Jah!” Wednesdays: Tap the spirit of Chuck Barris with the Bar 107 Karaoke Gong Show. The audience gets to help the judges vote for the best act of the evening. Sundays: DJ’s choice with 107’s Matt Dwyer, the comic-actor genius who plays music while serving the meanest drinks (in the nicest way) Downtown. Blue Velvet 750 S. Garland Ave., (213) 239-0061. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 p.m.: Live music and DJs. Casey’s Irish Bar and Grill 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com. Fridays: Live Irish music. It’ll be like Dublin your pleasure. Chop Suey Café 347 E. First St., (213) 617-9990 or chopsueycafe.com. Thursdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m.: Live jazz on the patio
Extreme Boot Camp, Downtown L.A. Natural History Museum 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-3466 or nhm.org. 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.: Dinosaur Encounters gets you closer to a dinosaur than you ever thought possible, thanks to the life-size juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops prowling the museum. These creatures, which rely on high-tech puppetry, help viewers understand dinosaur behavior, anatomy and survival tactics. Dinosaur Encounter presentations last one hour. Also on Sunday, Dec. 21. Ice Skating at Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., laparks.org. 1-3 p.m.: It’s an afternoon program for youth with Jim Gamble’s Santa’s Workshop and the Limpopo Holiday Show. Storytime for Kids Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7000 or lapl.org. 2-3 p.m.: It may be warm here in Los Angeles, but the Central Library is in the mood for wintery stories, songs, poems and a puppet show for kids. Sunday, dec. 21 Ice Skating at Pershing Square 532 S. Olive St., laparks.org. 2-4 p.m.: Kid and Nic play swing tunes, the perfect soundtrack for practicing that triple axel.
Please email Your event info To submit events for this section, please email a brief description, street address and a public phone number to calendar@downtownnews.com. Web addresses are welcome. Listings are due 10 days before publication date. Because of time constraints, submissions without full information cannot be considered for publication. Inclusion in the listings is at the discretion of the L.A. Downtown News. Sorry, we cannot accept follow-up calls about event listings.
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A HAndy MAP RefeRence To food, ATTRAcTions & enTeRTAinMenT F
Where to Eat
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Grand Tower • 255 S. Grand Ave. Museum Tower • 225 S. Olive St. Promenade Towers • 123 S. Figueroa St.
229-9777 626-1500 617-3777
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489-3300
7+FIG • 7th & Figueroa Sts.
955-7150
Ernst & Young • 725 S. Figueroa St.
955-7100
EF m C6
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel • 506 S. Grand Ave.
624-1011
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California Plaza II • 4th St. & Grand Ave. • Watercourt • 4th St. & Grand Ave.
687-2001 687-2190
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• Angels Flight Railway • 4th St. & Hill St. Wilshire Grand Hotel • 930 Wilshire Blvd. • Cardini Ristorante • Seoul Jung • Kyoto
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Kyoto Grand Hotel & Garden • 120 S. Los Angeles St.
629-1200
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Frying Fish Restaurant • 120 Japanese Village Plaza Mall
680-0567
F C5
Uptown Drug & Gift Shop • 444 S. Flower St.
612-4300
The Los Angeles Athletic Club • 431 W. 7th St.
630-5200
Bunker Hill Real Estate • 800 W. 1st St., #401
680-1720
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A7
Glo • 1050 Wilshire Blvd.
866-216-2101
A7
Medici • 725 S. Bixel St.
888-886-3731
Cecil Hotel • 640 South Main St.
800-896-5294
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CBS Seafood Restaurant • 700 N. Spring St.
617-2323
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Clifton’s Brookdale Restaurant • 648 S. Broadway
627-1673
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Far East Plaza/Wing Hop Fung • 727 N. Broadway
626-7200
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Tommy’s • 2575 W. Beverly Blvd.
389-9060
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620-5777
Dr. Silvia Kasparian DDS • 601 W. 5th St., Suite 1110
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E Entertainment
Downtown Dental Office • 255 S. Grand Ave., Suite 204
F C2
626-1901 688-7777 896-3822 688-7880 896-3812
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624-1200
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels • 555 W. Temple St.
680-5200
El Pollo Loco • 260 S. Broadway
626-7975
Orsini Apartments • 505 N. Figueroa St. Gus’s Drive-In • 1657 W. 3rd St.
877-267-5911 483-8885
Carl’s Jr. • 254 S. Broadway
625-1357
PIP Printing • 700 Wilshire Blvd.
489-2333
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Contact Cartifact for the full-color, every-building version of this map and others. Available as a poster and in print, web, and mobile media.
700 S. Flower St, Ste. 1940 Los Angeles, CA 90017 213.327.0200 maps�cartifact.com
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SearchDowntownLA.com
December 15, 2008
Downtown News 21
CLASSIFIED
place your ad online at www.ladowntownnews.com
L.A. Downtown News Classifieds Call: 213-481-1448 Classified Display & Line ads Deadlines: Thursday 12 pm for rent 959 WHITE KNOLL DRIVE: Downtown duplex with view: 3 br, 1.5 ba, fresh paint, carpet, stove, secured parking, include water. $1,700/Mo. Call Bob 213321-5818. HIGHLAND PARK - 2 bed, 2 bath, fireplace, washer-dryer, garage, gated community, pool, sauna, $1,700. Call 323-8049007, lourdes974@sbcglobal. net. STOP RENTING! Own A Home. 100% Financing. Zero Down. No Closing Costs. Federally Insured. 1st Time Buyer OK. Call 866-903-8051. Green Planet Mtg. DOC LIC#4130948. (CalSCAN) The Medici 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 for Specials!
TWO MONTHS FREE! (O.A.C.) Brand New Resort Apartments. Granite kitchens, washer/dryers, pools, spas, saunas, fitness ctr, free tanning beds & much more! 866-690-2894. Up to 1 month free! (O.A.C.) New downtown luxury apartments with granite kitchens, marble baths, pool, spa, saunas & free parking. 888-736-7471 OFFICE WITH VIEW of city in three office suite w/reception area in newly remodeled building for rent. Walking distance to all downtown courts; freeway close. Option to use experienced bilingual secretary & all office amenities. Rent negotiable depending on needs. Great opportunity. Call 213-626-3100.
real estate FORECLOSED HOME auction! Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside & More. 1000+ Homes Must Be Sold! Free Brochure: 1-800-2690782. www.USHomeAuction. com REDC. (Cal-SCAN)
“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.”
2 bd Skyline end unit North facing with great skyline view Upper floor; cove molding $599,000 Rob Nesbitt, Broker Wilshire Metro Realty, Inc. 213.629.2530 (office) 213.617.8225 (direct)
20 ACRE RANCHES, Near Booming El Paso, Texas. (#1 Growth State!) $15,900. $200/ down, $159/month. Roads, Views. Owner Financing. Free Maps/Pictures. No Credit Checks. 1-800-343-9444. (10%/209 mths). (Cal-SCAN) MORTGAGE ALERT!! Loan Modifications, FHA Programs May save your home. Get the facts now. Free 24-hour recorded information. 1-800-715-6117 x17. (Cal-SCAN)
The keys to your new home.
Find them here In classified!
Lofts
OFFICE LOFTS
LAND/ACREAGE
Buying, Leasing or Selling a Loft?
1,250 Sq. ft
BUILD YOUR DREAM RANCH: Why buy “Out of State” land you will never use! 90 min. from Downtown L.A. gorgeous 40 ac. Ranch sites from $175K Terms. Deer, quail, some snow, 1 mi from golf, 9 mi from ski lodge. 310-505-0352 edpeters01@sbcglobal.net.
TheLoftGuys.net
Loft For Rent.
Call 213-625-1313
LA’s #1 Loft Site
High ceilings, wooden floor, kitchen, shower, big window. Free utilities. $1,275.00/Mo. 213-327-0105.
Old Bank District
real estate for sale
Lofts from $1,100. High ceilings. A/C. Parking available. High speed internet/T1 & direct T.V. Pets no charge. Call 213-253-4777
COLORADO FORECLOSURE40 acres $29,900. Outstanding Views. Access to BLM Canyon Rec Land. Financing. Call 1-866696-5263 x4843. (Cal-SCAN)
MONTANA LAND New Acreage Available -20 Acres near Round Up w/ Road & Utilities -$69,900. -40 Acres w/ New Cabin near Winnett -$89,900. Approved by TV hunter Celebrity TRED BARTA! Excellent area for horses, hunting and ranching. Financing available. Western Skies Land Co. 877-229-7840 www.WesternSkiesLand.com. (Cal-SCAN) Continued on next page
Selling Land?
For exposure to serious buyers, contact L.A. Downtown News TODAY! Call 213-481-1448
LAloft.com
OFFICE SPACE Prime Office Spaces As Low As 99¢/sqf. High-Rise Building on Olive St. Near Metro (train), Surveillance Video Camera, New Elevator System. Air Condition.
213.892.0088
Downtown since 2002 Don’t settle for anyone less experienced!
THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
Call us today!
Bill Cooper 213.598.7555
TheLoftExpertGroup.com
Under New Management
Single Building (5000 SF) or 2nd floor (2500 SF) 1227 W. Temple St. (Close to 101 & 110 Fwy) Ample Parking, Security Gate 3 year lease min.
310-293-7455
ONE OF A KIND 1BD/1BA! Bunker Hill. Highly upgraded. High floor. Great view. Marble floors. In-room Jacuzzi & Sauna. $499,000. 213-210-9943. We've got what you're searching for! DowntownNews.com
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
22 Downtown News
December 15, 2008
DowntownNews.com
Continued from previous page
real estate apartments
help WanteD
DRIVER - CDL Training: $0 down, financing by Central Refrigerated. Company Drivers earn average of $40k/year. Owner Operators average $60k/ Year. 1-800-587-0029 x4779. www.CentralDrivingJobs.net. (Cal-SCAN)
Teams earn Top dollar
MILANO LOFTS
plus great benefits.
Now LeasiNg!
Solo drivers also needed for Western Regional
■ Gorgeous Layouts ■ 10-15’ Ceilings ■ Fitness Center ■ Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge ■ Amazing Views
Werner enterprises
1 (800) 346-2818 x123
6th + Grand Ave. www.milanoloftsla.com
213.627.1900 We've got what you're searching for! DowntownNews.com
ACUPUNCTURIST MS in Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine required.. Fax resume: Nazareth Clinic 213-368-0066 Los Angeles. DRIVERS-ASAP! Sign-On Bonus. 35-41 cpm. Earn over $1000 weekly. Excellent Benefits. Need CDL-A & 3 months recent OTR. 1-877-258-8782. www.MeltonTruck.com. (Cal-SCAN)
GRAPHIC DESIGNER BA in Graphic Arts and 5 yrs industry experience with AutoCad, Quark and 3DstudioMax required. Fax cover letter and resume to Nick at 323-733-2662 citing reference GraphicA. OVER 18? AVAILABLE to travel? Earn Above Average $$$ with Fun Successful Business Group! No Experience Necessary. 2wks Paid Training. Lodging, Transportation Provided. 1-877-646-5050. (Cal-SCAN)
BRAND NEW 3 Miles from downtown
DRIVER- $5K SIGN-ON Bonus for Experienced Teams with HazMat. Dry Van & Temp Control available. O/Os welcome. Call Covenant 1-866-684-2519 EOE. (Cal-SCAN)
business services A BEST-KEPT CLASSIFIED Advertising secret! A 25-word ad costs $550, is placed in 240 community newspapers and reaches over 6 million Californians. Call for more information (916) 2886010; (916) 288-6019 www.CalSCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) ADVERTISE EFFECTIVELY! Reach over 3 million Californians in 140 community newspapers. Cost $1,550 for a 3.75”x2” display ad. Super value! Call (916) 288-6010; (916) 288-6019. www. Cal-SDAN.com. (Cal-SCAN) LOOKING FOR a cost efficient way to get out a news release? The California Press Release Service is the only service with 500 current daily, weekly and college newspaper contacts in California. Questions call (916) 288-6010. www.CaliforniaPressReleaseService.com. (Cal-SCAN)
business OppOrtunitY 100% RECESSION PROOF! Do You Earn $800 in a Day? Your Own Local Vending Route Includes 25 Machines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405. (Cal-SCAN) EARN UP TO $500 DAILY providing a simple service every home and business needs. Dry Tech code CL13003. www. drytechsystems.com. OWN YOUR OWN Professional business...Not a franchise or mlm! New, improved method in high demand! Only $98 down. 1-800-927-9594 24 hrs. www. DrytechSystems.com/LesSaffil. (Cal-SCAN)
autOs WanteD DONATE YOUR CAR: Children’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Package. Fast, Easy & Tax Deductible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (CalSCAN)
1-bedroom apartments starting at $1900 2-bedroom apartments starting at $2685
• Elegant Courtyards Pool/spa Putting greens Zen Garden • Clubhouse Lounge Pool Table Large Flat Screen TV Snacks
massage
launDrY services
Star Holistic Spa
Let us do the dirty work!
Massage/Acupressure 2551 W. Beverly Blvd. LA, CA, 90057 (Beverly Rampart)
Tel: 213-383-7676
EZ SHIATSU & MASSAGE 60 min. massage (Reg. $60) $20 OFF w/this ad
Mon.-Fri. 10am-6pm Sat. 10am-3pm (Honda Plaza Mall) 1st Visit Only.
213-680-4970
Beverly's Laundromat Drop Off
25% OFF 1st time customers only. Minimum 25lb
FREE Pick-up & Delivery with minimum 35lb
610 S. Rampart Blvd. @ 6th St (213)804-0069 Open Daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m. • Free Parking
KiDs perfOrming schOOls
miscellaneOus IN AN ACCIDENT? Send for free Ultimate Car Accident Handbook. Experienced Attorney tells All. Call Recorded line Today. 1-800-882-3866. (Cal-SCAN)
CHILDREN’S PERFORmING Group! Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up! See SunshineGenerationLA.com or call 909861-4433.
Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices
• Exclusive Business Center fax and copy machines, computers, and private conference rooms • Exclusive fitness center State of the art LIFE FITNESS equipment • Luxurious Lobby 24-hour Attendant
PREGNANT? Considering adoption? Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families nationwide. Living Expenses Paid. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions. 1-866-459-3369. (Cal-SCAN)
400 e. 2nd st., #205 la ca 90012
Ask About Our Move-In Specials!
ImmedIate move -Ins!
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)
On Spring St.
213 . 381. 50 0 0 918 South Oxford Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90006
Ve r s a i l l e s L i v i n g . c o m
Take Your Game to the Next Level Learn Course Management
3 Learn while you play 3 Shot visualization 3 Mastering club selection
3 Driving strategies 3 Mid/long iron techniques 3 Short game fundamentals
In golf, its you versus the course. Learn to manage the entire game, not just the mechanics of your swing. Learn course management and improve your game.
Steve Andelich Professional Golf Instructor
818.618.2099
Catering to Intermediate/Advanced Players
Do you have something to sell? All ads run for 2 weeks. Ads may be renewed ds get results! after two weeks for 50% off the original With a circulation of 49,000, our classifie price of the ad.
Ad prices
Name: (Marketplace and Automotive Categories ONLY): Address: • Items under $300…12 words, 2 weeks FREE! City • Items $301 to $500…15 words, only $11.50 • Items $501 to $1200…15 words, only $14.00 Phone: • Items $1201 to $2000…15 words, only $16.50 Cash $ • Items $2001+…15 words, only $19.00 Credit card #: Restrictions: Offer good on private party ads only. Exp. Date:
State Check $
Zip Credit Card $
Ads must be pre-paid by cash, check or credit card. Certain classifications excluded. Deadline: Thursday at noon for next issue.
Ad Copy: _________________________________________
________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
Burbank • Brentwood Century City • Downtown L.A. Woodland Hills
Spring Tower Lofts:
2bdrm/2bath, 2300 sqft, $3000/mo. • Live/Creative work space • 14 story bldg. • Rooftop garden terrace w/city view • Pet friendly
Premiere Towers:
2 bdrms/2 bath, $1750/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking
City Lofts:
880 sqft, 13 ft ceilings, $1650 • 680 sqft, 16 ft ceilings, $1550 • Granite marble top • Stainless steel appliances/ refrigerator etc. • Pet friendly We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C
Please call 213.627.6913 www.cityloftsquare.com
Locations Nationwide Beautiful Offices For As Little As $400 Fully Furnished/Corporate ID Programs Flexible Terms/All New Suites Services Include: • Reception • Mail • T-1 • State-of-the-Art Voice Mail & Telephone • Westlaw • Fax • Photocopy • More Additional Features: Kitchen Facilities, All Support Services, Great Views, Free Conference Room Hours, Fully Trained Staff, Cost Effective.
Jenny Ahn jahn@regentBC.com
(213) 996-8301 www.regentbc.com
MOVe-In SPeCIAL REAL Lofts REAL ARtist foR LEAsE foR LEAsE
Open Open House House Sunday Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm 12:00pm-3:00pm 1250 Ave. L.A. L.A. 1250 Long Long Beach Beach Ave. (Friendly (Friendly Fun Fun Community) Community)
Wood fireplace, Wood floors, floors, New kitchen, fireplace, high room, pool. pool. high ceilings, ceilings, jacuzzi, jacuzzi, laundry room, Gated Downtown. Gated Parking. Parking. View of Downtown.
Sorry Sorry No Dogs 1100 Ft 2000 Ft. Prices from$1750–$2500 $1600-$2300 1100 Sq Sq Prices from $1750–$2500 1100Sq Sq Ft Ft ––– 2000 2000 Sq Sq Ft. Includes Includes 1 Pkg space. Call Emily Emily (866) 425-7259 Call
Luxury Rooms in Downtown Monthly Rents Start at $880 1 & 2 Bedrooms Available • Fully Furnished • 100% Utilities Paid • • Refrigerator, Microwave & TV In Each Room • • Wireless Access Throughout Bldg. • Gym • • Close to USC & Loyola Law School • • Presidential Suite with Kitchen • Parking Available Onsite
Special STUDeNT RaTe! $780 1 person
Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service. Rent
Move-in Special 1/2 Month Free Single rooms starting from $550/mo.
$100 OFF
Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site, street parking, 1 yr lease.
Exp. Dec. 31st, 08
208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown L.A.
on 1st months Rent
Mayfair Hotel 1256 West 7th street
Simin (213) 484-9789 Ext. 555 or (213) 632-1111
For English Call Terri or Pierre 213.744.9911 For Spanish call Susana 213.749.0306
Monthly from $695 utilities paid. (213) 627-1151 Children’s Performing Group
Sunshine Generation Singing, dancing, performing and fun! For boys & girls ages 3 and up! SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433
December 15, 2008
Parking
For sale
Monthly Parking Available
sOnsini original drawing from 1983 for $250. Roger 323-6667892.
ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION! Family, Criminal, P.I. for more than 20 yrs! Familiar o Amigo Arrestado? Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español
get your green carD or ciTiZensHiP Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710
volunTeer oPPorTuniTies Helping kids heal. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk children and their families. Today is the day to get involved! Contact Annie at volunteers@freearts. org or 310-313-4278 for more information.
Available Immediately Top floor of 11 story (18,000 SF) historic building available now! Perfect for corporate hqtrs. Features separate executive suite(s). Stunning views of LA two blocks away from Staples Center and across the street from the new LA Live complex. The building also has approx 4,000 sq ft of beautiful contiguous space and some small offices available. These spaces can be viewed by appointment. Information available to qualified prospective tenants. Email request to mdavis@shammasgroup.com or call (213) 746-6300
pUBliC nOTiCe BY THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, IN CONFORMANCE WITH SECTION 33490 OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA’S HEALTH & SAFETY CODE, REGARDING THE ADOPTION OF THE MID TERM REPORT FOR THE FIVE-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (FY2005FY2009) OF THE PICO UNION No. 1 AND PICO UNION No. 2 REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREAS OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 1. NOTICE is hereby given that the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, California (CRA/ LA) will hold a public hearing on the Mid Term Report of the Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2005-FY2009) for the Pico Union No. 1 and Pico Union No. 2 Redevelopment Project Areas of Council District 1, Hollywood and Central Region on Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at the Community Redevelopment Agency office located
Driven to
save?
(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)
TWO MONTHS FREE! ™
Ramon Pantoja, Agent Insurance Lic. #: 0F70474 712 W 1st Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Bus: 213-225-0655
P080090 05/08
Promenade West Condo
2 Story Townhouse. West Facing With Downtown City View. Upgrades. Large Patio. Very Elegant. Asking $599,900
Now open. Santee Court lofts. At home in the Fashion District.
*Average annual household savings based on national 2007 survey of new policyholders who reported savings by switching to State Farm. Daily average based on 1.5 million drivers switching to State Farm in 2007. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL
Mirza alli
Broker/Realtor Leasing-SalesLoans-Refinance
(213) 680-1720 Call us for other condos for sale or lease Dwntwn & surrounding areas!! e-mail us: Info@bunkerhillrealestate.com
www.Bunkerhillrealestate.com
Visconti
ONE MONTH FREE! 2 Bedroom/2 Bath, Starting at $2113 Walk to Downtown! Must M/I by 12/31 (877) 644-2623
vP - Product Dev. & Merchandising (F/T): Sam Bo, Inc. is a knitting manufacturer in Los Angeles, CA. MA degree in Textiles and Clothing is req’d. Bachelor's degree in Textiles & Clothing plus 5 years of progressive post-bachelor experience in closely related job will substitute for said MA degree. Mail resume: Sam Bo, Inc., 1370 E. 18th St., Los Angeles, CA 90021.
Santee (866) 894-5154 www.santeecourt.com Court Lofts from $1,450
746 S. Los Angeles Street, 8th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90014
716 los angeles street, los angeles, ca 90014
(213) 623-8101 • www.santeecourt.com Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly rate $275 inc. For Sale
Wine Bar/Restaurant Award-Winning
Call George: 818-634-7916 or 310-275-9831 x24
FiCTiTiOUs BUsiness name sTaTemenT File nO. 20082181808 The following persons doing business as: (1)MANNY SOPRANO, (2) MANNY SOPRANO WEB GROUP, (3) LOS ANGELES LATINA, (4) LOS ANGELES
NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code). Pub. 12/15, 12/22, 12/29/08, 1/02/2009
CALL MY OFFICE FOr A quOtE 24/7.
FOR REnT: EstablishEd 1984 ❏ Prom. West-2 Bed. 2 Bath. 7th Floor. Elegant Upgrades. Green House. Pride of Ownership. $3,200 Furn. $3,000 Unfurn. ❏ Prom. West-2 Bed. 2 Bath. 5th Floor. $2,200 Month ❏ Bunker Hill Tower-2 Bed. 2 Bath. N/W View. $2,200 Month ❏ LA Fayette PK. PL.-2 Bed. 2 Bath. 3rd Floor. $1,750 Month FOREcLOSuRES-LOS AngELES ❏ 4 Bed, 2 Bath. Pasadena. Semi Circular Driveway. Price $411,900. ❏ 3 Bed, 2 Bath. Pasadena. Great For Growing Family. $409,900 ❏ 3 Bed. 2 Bath. Pasadena. Upgrades. 3 Car Gar. Big Lot. $594,900 ❏ 3 Bed. 3. Bath. Lawndale. Tri-Level Townhouse. Large $329,900 ❏ 2 Bed. 2. Bath. Altadena. 18,500 sq.ft. Lot Needs Some TLC. $412,000
700 to 1500 Sq. Ft. Lofts. High ceilings, skylights, cable, kitchen, bath+shower, laundry room, elevator, controlled access, sub. parking. Sorry no dogs.
FicTiTious Business naMes
LATINA TV, 256 S. Robertson Blvd., Suite #7061, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, are hereby registered by the following registrant: MANUEL ESPINOZA, 256 S. Robertson Blvd., #766, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. This business is conducted by an Individual. Registrant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on December 11, 2008. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on December 11, 2008.
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ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASE Live/Work in Downtown Fashion District
12/15, 12/22, 12/29, 1/5/09 CNS-1484365#
I’M THERE
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.
3055 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 520 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 977-1925 (213) 977-2633 Office of Council District 1 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 200 N. Spring Street, Room # 410 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 368-7545 Pico Union Public Library 1030 S. Alvarado Street Los Angeles, CA. 90006 (213) 473-7001 Any and all persons having any objections to the proposed Mid Term Report, or who deny the regularity of this proceeding or wish to speak on any issue raised by the proposed Mid Term Report, may appear at the public hearing and will be afforded an opportunity to state their objections. If any person desires to challenge in court the adoption of the proposed Mid Term report or any proceedings in connection therewith, they may be limited to raising only those issues that they or someone else raised a the hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the CRA/LA, or prior to, the hearing. Written correspondence on this matter may be addressed to the CRA/LA at the above noted addresses. The public hearing is being held pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 33490 and is open to the public.
626 reserve
in the Heart of Downtown l.a.’s Historic Core
Dozens of customers book the bar for private parties, corporate events and film shoots. For more information, please contact: Tom Pratt
(415) 262-0077
Monthly from $595 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348
THAI MASSAGE SPECIALIST VIP Room Available. The Best Way For Business Meetings & Entertainment
Professional massage for men & women. Services include Thai Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Swedish Oil Massage, Foot Massage, Sauna, Steam, and more. Lounge area.
Public Notice eXpOsiTiOn meTRO line COnsTRUCTiOn aUTHORiTY ReQUesT FOR pROpOsal The Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority invites proposals from qualified firms for RFP No. XP8901-813 for professional engineering, claims support services and technical forensic cost analysis associated with the Exposition Light Rail Transit Project. This procurement is being conducted as qualifications-based competitive proposal procurement (i.e., Brooks Act procedures) as described in FTA Circular 4220.1.E and Government Code Section 4525-4529.5. Proposals must be submitted no later than February 5, 2009, 3:00 p.m., Pacific Time to Mr. Richard Thorpe, CEO, Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, C/O Board Secretary, 707 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 3400, Los Angeles, CA 90017. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on January 14, 2009, at. 2:00 p.m., Pacific Time, at Expo headquarters, located at 707 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 3400, Los Angeles, California 90017. Attendance by interested parties is not mandatory, though encouraged. Request for Proposal documents will only be available in electronic format (via CD) and may be obtained from the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority Contracting Officer, 707 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 3400, Los Angeles, CA 90017, Phone Number 213-243-5571, Fax number 213-243-5553.
HealtH Dept. rank a for 7 ConseCutive Years
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at 354 South Spring Street, 6th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90013. A map showing the location of the Project Area is attached to this notice. The public hearing is being conducted to hear testimony of all interested parties regarding the Mid Term Report of the Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2005-FY2009) for the Pico Union No. 1 and Pico Union No. 2 Redevelopment Project Areas of Council District 1. Any person desiring the opportunity to be heard in the Implementation Plan will be afforded an opportunity to do so. At the above stated time and place, any and all persons having any testimony regarding the proposed Mid Term Report of the Five-Year Implementation Plan (FY2005-FY2009) for the Pico Union No. 1 and Pico Union No. 2 Redevelopment Project Areas of Council District 1 may appear before the CRA/LA Board of Commissioners and be heard. The hearing may be cancelled or set for another time in the future at any time until the scheduled hearing-time. Copies of the Implementation Plans are available for public review at the following locations: CRA/LA Offices 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 354 South Spring Street, 5th Fl. Los Angeles, CA 90013 CRA/LA Hollywood Regional Office 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
$125. group Discounts. 727 W. 7th Street Call (310) 693-0362
Downtown News 23
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24 Downtown News
December 15, 2008
DowntownNews.com
We Got Games The Ballers Hit the Road, the Kings Have Tough Match-ups at Home Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or nba.com/lakers. Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m.: The Lakers finish their homestand with a match-up against a feisty, free-shooting New York Knicks squad. While still boasting the best record in the NBA’s Western Conference, the Lakers’ dominant early-season defense has softened a bit and the highly touted bench, supposedly led by forward Lamar Odom, has had some trouble holding leads. But with Phil and Kobe driving the team, it’s too early to worry. After hosting the Knicks, the Lakers go to Florida where they face Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat (Dec. 19) and the Orlando Magic (Dec. 20). Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or nba.com/clippers. The injury-riddled Clippers (Chris Kaman and Ricky Davis are both out, likely until after Christmas) are on the road all week,
with games against Oklahoma City (Dec. 16), Chicago (Dec. 17), Indiana (Dec. 19) and Milwaukee (Dec. 20). Four road games in five days is a tough itinerary for any team, let alone the struggling Clippers. But it’s also an opportunity to catch a few opponents by surprise, and Mike Dunleavy’s squad seems to have gotten a bounce from the arrival of Zach Randolph. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7340 or kings.nhl.com. Monday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m.: Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and the Kings look to avenge an early season loss to the San Jose Sharks, then gear up for a battle with the powerhouse New York Rangers. Later in the week, the Kings head out of town to play the Buffalo Sabres (Dec. 19) and the Detroit Red Wings (Dec. 20). —Ryan Vaillancourt
photo by Gary Leonard
Lamar Odom will try to inject some life into the Lakers’ suddenly wimpy second unit.
Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!
G r a n d To w e r 255 South Grand Avenue
Promenade To w e r s 123 South Figueroa Street LEASING INFORMATION
LEASING I N F O R M AT I O N
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