12-27-10

Goodbye 2010!

NEWS LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN Volume 39, Number 52

December 27, 2010

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

INSIDE

Flea and Stevie Wonder meet Downtown.

2

Standouts from Urban Scrawl.

4

PICK THE

PROS Pick football game winners, win prizes.

6

Restaurants came, restaurants left.

8

Hot happenings on New Year’s Eve.

12

Cultural highs, lows and surprises.

14

16 CALENDAR LISTINGS 18 CLASSIFIEDS The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles

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AROUNDTOWN CRA Veteran Don Spivack Retires

Royal Clayton’s Closing and Moving

T

A

he Community Redevelopment Agency said goodbye to Deputy Chief of Operations and Policy Don Spivack and 43 other employees recently. The move comes as part of the city’s cost-cutting retirement package and will save the agency about $6.4 million a year in salary, said Jim Dantona, chief deputy to agency CEO Christine Essel. Spivack, who joined the CRA in 1982, was known across Downtown for his work on projects that impacted the community, including the renovation and expansion of the Central Library, the initiation of loft conversions in the Old Bank District and the revitalization of residential hotels in the Skid Row area. His last day was Dec. 16. “It’s bittersweet. I very much enjoy what I do and I had the opportunity to do a lot of great things,” Spivack said. The cuts leave the CRA with 220 employees. Dantona said the reductions will not mean a decrease in service, and other jobs in the agency will be reorganized to cover the vacated positions.

A Penny for Your Ride

A

penny will actually take you places on Dec. 31. To celebrate Angels Flight’s 109th birthday, rides on the funicular that connects the Historic Core to Bunker Hill will be just one cent — the same as when Angels Flight originally opened. Those looking for a souvenir can buy a $1 commemorative ticket; sales start Monday, Dec. 27. Also on hand that day will be Jim Dawson, author of the book Los Angeles’s Angels Flight. He’ll appear from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. to sign the work.

rts District British pub Royal Clayton’s closed on Monday, Dec. 20, though it will re-open in a new location in Downtown this year, said Elizabeth Peterson-Gower, who owns the establishment with her husband.

Peterson-Gower said that after five years on the ground floor of the Toy Factory Lofts, they will head to a more centrally located spot and re-open in six to eight months. “This is our home. We’re staying in Downtown,” she said.

Royal Clayton’s was a pioneer when it debuted in 2006 at 1855 Industrial St., though PetersonGower said business has slowed. Although new housing projects and French bistro Church and State have come online in the area, she said the community is still too isolated from the Downtown core. “We’re a locals bar, and with the amount of people living here it was getting hard to sustain,” she said. Peterson-Gower added that the new location, to be announced in early 2011, will be a bigger space with the same gritty but stylish 19th century decor.

LAPD Searching for Jewelry Store Robbers

L

APD detectives are searching for a man and a woman who robbed a Downtown jewelry store at gunpoint. On Dec. 14, the suspects entered the small jewelry store on the fifth floor of the Mitaa Jewelry Center at 404 W. Seventh St. The man pulled a gun and forced the store employees to kneel down while his accomplice shouted orders. Images of the suspects are at downtownnews.com.

“The man with the gun seems to be the brawn in the case, while the woman seems to be the

photo by Gary Leonard

Flea and students from his Silver Lake Conservatory of Music got a surprise when Stevie Wonder dropped by their performance at Nokia Plaza on Saturday, Dec. 18.

brains,” said Det. Alfredo Rasch. The employees gave up the cash and no one was injured.

“We’ve had a number so-called ‘smash and grab’ robberies recently in the Jewelry District, and we’ve made a number of arrests, but this kind of armed robbery is a different M.O. and the man-woman pairing is unusual,” Rasch said. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Lisa Schueller at (213) 972-1248.

First Lady Recognizes JANM

2010, was one of 10 institutions to receive the medal. “We are very humbled as a National Medal recipient,” Kikumura Yano said in a statement. “Our many supporters should feel proud that their contributions have made this possible.”

New Year’s Celebration In Little Tokyo

W

O

fficials with the Japanese American National Museum got a high honor recently when First Lady Michelle Obama presented them with the 2010 Institute of Museums and Library Services’ National Medal award, the nation’s highest honor for museums. On hand for the Dec. 17 ceremony at the White House were museum President and CEO Akemi Kikumura Yano, Board Chairman Emeritus Ernest Doizaki and community member Paul Takemoto. The Little Tokyo museum, which celebrated its 25th year in

hile many people across the country will spend New Year’s day watching college football, there will be another tradition in Little Tokyo: the crowning of Miss Kimono L.A. The event is part of a celebration that runs from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza. The pageant takes place at 11:30 a.m. on Onizuka Street near Second Street, with contestants wearing the traditional Japanese garment; they will be scored on walking manner, style and how closely they stick to traditional wear. Other events during the day include lion dancers, samurai demonstrations and drum performances. More information is at jccsc.com.

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4 Downtown News

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A Year of Urban Scrawl In 2010, Our Editorial Cartoonist Had Plenty to Say

D

owntown Los Angeles was never dull in 2010. That was good not only for the community, but also for editorial cartoonist Doug Davis. In his Urban Scrawl cartoons, he found fodder in everything from the Convention Center hotel to the city’s beleaguered budget to the crackdown on jaywalking. Here are six of the year’s standout cartoons.

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

January 18

April 5

April 19

May 10

July 19

December 6

December 27, 2010

Downtown News 5

DowntownNews.com

All the News That Shaped Downtown Big Developments, Fascinating Crimes and Art Attacks Dominated 2010

by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

S

aying that 2010 was a busy year for Downtown is an understatement — from January through December the community was replete with new developments, oddball crime stories, trouble for cherished neighborhood institutions and triumphs for others.

Through the highs and the lows, one thing was for sure — it wasn’t boring in 2010.

Check In, Check it Out: It started in 2007 with the golden shovel groundbreaking ceremony, complete with a chandelier hanging from a crane. Then the $1 billion, 54-story Ritz-Carlton/J.W. Marriott hotel and condo tower grew from the ground for three years. The ice blue skyscraper that flares out at the top like the neck of a cobra (though some compare it to a cell phone and others say it’s coffin-shaped) redefined Downtown’s skyline. The Feb. 15 opening of the 878 Marriott rooms (the 123 Ritz rooms debuted in April) was an immediate shot in the arm to the city’s convention industry — by the end of the year Anschutz Entertainment Group President and CEO Tim Leiweke said L.A. had gone from 26th (behind Omaha!) to 15th on the nation’s convention rankings because of the new building. The project, which anchors L.A. Live, also contains 224 condominiums (though they have yet to open) and a chichi Wolfgang Puck restaurant. The building at 900 W. Olympic Blvd. was designed by Gensler.

Dickinson. In the floor of his penthouse apartment was a handmade mosaic of the CIA emblem. He was on the lam for six weeks before authorities traced him to the American Hotel in the Arts District. Now, Alexik is representing himself in a case that could put him behind bars for 15 years.

This Is Art?: The Downtown Art Walk’s growth from a small 2004 community event to a veritable street festival exploded in conflict and controversy this year. The crowds of more than 10,000 art enthusiasts and scenesters overwhelmed the Historic Core the second Thursday of every month, and on Sept. 24, event director Jay Lopez suddenly announced that

the Art Walk was folding. People panicked. There were questions of whether there would be one, two or no Art Walks.

Eventually, area property owners infused the nonprofit with $200,000 to keep the event alive. Lopez got canned, and the Art Walk board is looking for a new director. The hullaballo led to a quieter October event, but the crowds (and food trucks, and street performers, and all around revelry) returned to peak levels the following month.

Death, Taxes and an El Pueblo Rental Hubbub: In 2010, the sun rose and set 365 times. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa see News, page 11

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The 54-story J.W. Marriott/Ritz-Carlton hotel at L.A. Live opened on Feb. 15. Developer Anschutz Entertainment Group spent $1 billion on the project.

The Curious Case of Brian Alexik: When cops broke down the door of unit 701 in the Reserve Lofts on April 19 to investigate a gas smell, Brian Alexik was already gone. Police found guns, drugs and counterfeit cash in his apartment, and Los Angeles Downtown News obtained photos of the suspect partying with U2 frontman Bono and TV personality Janice

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Downtown News 7

DowntownNews.com

The Year When Delayed Projects Opened Even in a Slow Economy, Downtown Developments Moved Forward in 2010

by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

J

ust about every major Downtown project that debuted in 2010 had to scratch and claw its way toward opening. But open they did.

The area saw more than 600 new apartments come online in 2010. There were also some key community infrastructure upgrades, and even a salvo for Arts District dogs.

Watery Comeback: The tallest purely residential building in Downtown was built by beleaguered developer Meruelo Maddux, who sold it to Watermarke Properties in April. The Corona-based firm acquired the 214-unit South Park tower for $110 million and has since marketed the project as luxury apartments. The 35-story edifice at Ninth and Flower streets see Development, page 10

photo by Gary Leonard

A 6,000-square-foot dog park opened Sept. 11 in the Arts District at Fourth and Molino streets.

photo by Gary Leonard

After some high-profile delays, the Medallion debuted in the fall. The project by Saeed Farkhondehpour contains 96 apartments and more than 200 retail spaces.

Shine Is on the Medallion: It wasn’t without mishaps and delays, but Saeed Farkhondehpour’s $125 million mixed-use project the Medallion finally debuted this year. The Old Bank District development at Fourth and Main streets has 85,000 square feet of retail space that opened in August. The 96 apartments, which range from 620-1,030 square feet and rent for $1,350-$2,400, opened in October. There are also more than 200 retail spaces, some for Toy District merchants, and others meant to appeal to the loft crowd. Most are still empty.

The Road to El Dorado: Downtown Properties breathed a sigh of relief when it finally finished and began selling units in the $40 million El Dorado at 416 S. Spring St. in August. For five years, there seemed no remedy for the string of hiccups the developer encountered — from seismic issues to a faulty water main, the project’s budget ballooned and an opening was delayed by more than two years. After canceling an auction planed for the summer, the company has been handling traditional sales at the 65-unit, 75,000-square-foot building.

They got it open, but company officials claimed that they will only break even on the conversion of the 1914 building.

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Developer Downtown Properties encountered a string of hurdles on the El Dorado. They said they will only break even on the 65-condo Historic Core project.

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Downtown on the Menu A Batch of New Restaurants and Innovative Chefs Made Foodies Flock to the Central City in 2010

I

n recent years, Downtown has become one of the hottest restaurant neighborhoods in Los Angeles. With celebrated chefs, daring menus and stylish surroundings, crowds flock to the Central City.

The trend continued in 2010, with some reality TV chefs jumping on the bandwagon and a “restaurant row” coming into focus.

However, along with the arrivals, there were some departures and hurdles.

Here is where and what Downtown ate in 2010.

Delicious Row: Downtowners didn’t need a map to find great places to eat in 2010. All they needed was to walk on Seventh Street and open their eyes. The stretch between Figueroa and Olive streets has seen 10 new restaurants open in the past two years, many of them following the debut of mammoth and massively popular Bottega Louie (which, in possibly the food line of the year, one observer labeled “the Downtown Cheesecake Factory”). Sushi spot Sugarfish joined the line-up in October, while work continued throughout the year on eagerly anticipated Mexican joint Mas Malo (an early 2011 opening is scheduled). Then there were old favorites like Original Texas Barbecue King and Pasta Primavera. Plenty of people were excited when Dublin’s opened in the old Ciao spot, though it closed shortly thereafter due to permitting problems.

Jazz and Class: Despite its easy-to-miss location, walking into the 6,000-square-foot First and Hope is like stepping back into the 1940s. It boasts an Art Deco look and hostesses in amazing silver lamé gowns — think food as theater. It has a back room, called the Fedora, which features live jazz and cabaret-style performances. It brought a

little old-school class when the 174-seat spot opened at 710 W. First St. in April. The menu is filled with Southern comfort food such as mac ’n cheese, flank steak and grits. The only downside was the departure of opening chef Shelley Cooper, who created the menu.

Three’s a Charm: Restaurateur Jason Ha continued adding his flavor to the Arts District with the April opening of K-Town BBQ. Located snuggly between his two other restaurants, Zip Fusion and e3rd Steakhouse and Lounge, the 80-seat joint at 738 E. Third St. opened with an all-you can eat $14.95 special. The menu focuses on food from the entirety of Korea, which means pork dishes from the north and beef dishes from the south. Put it on the border and the nations might come together.

photo by Gary Leonard

Downtown found a vegan bakery favorite in Babycakes, which opened in January.

The Trojan Table: USC isn’t only a place for higher education: It’s now a place to eat.

USC Hospitality, which operates more than 40 restaurants, quietly built a respectable list of eateries that redefine school food. In conjunction with the fall opening of the Ronald Tutor Campus Center, the university added Moreton Fig, an 8,000-square-foot venue, Lemonade, the lemonade and sandwich shop, and Seeds Marketplace, which sells salads, sandwiches and desserts. It almost makes you overlook the Lane Kiffin debacle.

Say Cheese: Childhood memories rose up like the comforting aroma of mom’s cooking in February, when Larkin Mackey and Joshua McBride (owners of the Eagle Rock favorite Larkin’s Joint) opened the 400-squarefoot Mac & Cheeza at 223 W. Eighth St. They turned the simple-to-prepare American classic on its head by mixing the noodles and cheese with options including collard greens, black olives, peas, ground beef, BBQ chicken, hot links, tuna and veggie sausage. It hit the spot with

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Ludovic Lefebvre and his wife Krissy took over Gram & Papa’s twice this year for his pop-up LudoBites.

Reservations were hard to get.

many foodies and, just as importantly, with plenty of bar hoppers seeking a late-night meal.

Ludo Rules: Like a rock star on tour, Ludovic Lefebvre stormed through Downtown twice this year with his wildly popular “pop-up” restaurant LudoBites. Instead of opening his

own spot, the French-born chef has spent the last three years running temporary restaurants and causing foodies to crash websites trying to get reservations. In Downtown, Lefebvre opened in April-May, and again from July through September, at the 40-seat Gram & Papas, a hole-in-the-wall in the Fashion

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DowntownNews.com

photo by Gary Leonard

Downtown News 9

photo by Gary Leonard

A February electrical fire closed Georges Laguerre’s City West chicken restaurant. After a long delay, TiGeorges Chicken reopened in December.

Larkin Mackey (right) and Joshua McBride sated Downtown foodies and late-night bar hoppers alike with Mac & Cheeza.

District. The place was filled every night, and even when Lefebvre wasn’t cooking during the lunch hour, business for Gram & Papa’s rose 30%. Dishes that kept foodies salivating included grilled octopus with oregano and the steamed duck lemon verbena with crispy skin puree. Rock on.

root and tricked out with green leaves to add more color. Looks good. Tastes better.

Laguerre jumped into action. His TiGeorges Chicken, at 309 N. Glendale Blvd., became a center of the expatriate Haitian community; a fundraiser there raised $14,000.

A month later, tragedy struck when a fire burned through the roof of the establishment. Repairs dragged and Georges worried it was the end of the rotisserie road. Then work kicked in and, in December, TiGeorges finally reopened. People were filling tables before Georges even had a chance to fire up his famous grill.

The Border City Switch: Pioneering Downtown Latin restaurant Ciudad closed its doors in October, though not for long — it reopened a few weeks later as the casual spot Border Grill. The move was orchestrated by chefs/owners Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. They were responding to customers’ changing tastes, and although they now serve mainly Mexican dishes, they maintained some Ciudad favorites including the Peruvian ceviche and the Argentine empanadas.

Looks That Fill: When Ken Park prepares a meal, he doesn’t just want to fill your stomach, he also wants to feed your eyes. That’s the philosophy behind Arashi Sushi, which he opened in South Park in April. The dishes served at the 50-seat restaurant at 1111 S. Hope St. include plump pink chunks of buttery fish served with actual gold flakes. It is then placed in a bowl atop a bed of ginger

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Closing Blues: How fast they fall: When it opened four years ago under chef Kris Morningstar, Blue Velvet was one of the most praised restaurants in Los Angeles.

Morningstar departed in 2008, the management never recovered the momentum, and in September the restaurant that served Asian-fusion and American cuisine closed.

For some people that was a good thing: Residents of the apartment complex above Blue Velvet regularly complained about the noise.

Big Baby: Desserts often come with guilt, especially if you’re a vegan and feel guilty about consuming innocent little ingredients like white sugar, wheat flour, butter, cream and eggs. Downtown vegans rejoiced in January when Babycakes, the offshoot of the popu-

lar New York bakery, opened in the Pacific Electric Building at Sixth and Los Angeles streets. They found a willing audience for their muffins, cupcakes, doughnuts and cookies, all prepared with ingredients like rice flour, applesauce, coconut oil and a garbanzo and fava bean mix for flour.

Real Reality Chefs: You didn’t need to turn on the TV to see your favorite reality TV chefs in Downtown. All you had to do was go to a Downtown eating establishment.

Amanda Baumgarten, who finished in sixth place on the 2010 season of the hit Bravo show “Top Chef,” works at upscale seafood restaurant Water Grill (the restaurant would host viewing parties during the season).

Previous show winner Ilan Hall runs The Gorbals, the Jewish/Scottish restaurant in the Alexandria Hotel.

Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownews.com.

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Village Plaza was unveiled on Aug. 14, just in time for Little Tokyo’s Nisei Festival. Mall owner American Commercial Equities gave the plaza new walkways, lighting, refurbished roofs, a new fountain and a stage for community events. But the highlight was the replacement of the 30-year-old fire tower fronting First Street. The original tower was made of wood and had become infested by termites.

The new structure is metal and painted red to resemble the original.

Development Continued from page 7 was originally conceived as condos. The developer paused construction in 2008 until snagging an $84 million loan to finish work.

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Eat This, Termites: The three-year renovation of the outdoor shopping center Japanese

ladowntownnews.com/news unit student housing complex University Gateway opened in June, and by late August was 75% occupied. Urban Partners’ $200 million development at 3335 S. Figueroa St. was announced in 2005, but was delayed for years due to legal battles with another area developer. The project includes 81,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, half of which will be taken up by the university for office space.

The rest will hold restaurants, a bank and a CVS pharmacy. They will likely find plenty of customers in the 1,600 students living in the ladowntownnews.com/gallery state-of-the-art project.

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Barry Shy in the lobby of his 270-unit SB Tower. The lions represent his eight Downtown projects.

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Luis Obispo For LOSSAN North San Rail Improvements

Time:

January 10, 2011

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Woof, Here It Is: For years, Arts District residents had taken note of a small, trianDouble Play: The company Downtown gular slice of undeveloped land at Fourth Management has been on the Historic Core and Molino streets. It had been tagged and scene as a landowner for more than a decade. overrun with litter. This year, thanks to a Helmed by Australian commercial real estate deal with the Honda family negotiated by tycoon Joseph Hellen, the company finally the Los Angeles River Artists and Business opened two apartment projects in 2010. The Association, it became a 6,000-square-foot 143-unit Broadway-Spring Arcade building dog park. LARABA, working with LAPD at 541 S. Spring St. and the 63-unit Jewelry Officer Jack Richter, opened the space in Trades building at 220 W. Fifth St., which September. The park is covered in decomhouses a Rite Aid at street level, both came posed granite and features a new coral tree. ladowntownnews.com/gallery online in June. Downtown Management There are benches (for humans), and the ladowntownnews.com/calendar and more at spent $34 million on the two projects. park is off-leash, so Fido really at get tuckandcanmore ered out.

LADowntownNews.com Tech Gains: In January, Los Angeles TradeContact Ryan Vaillancourt at Technical College, at 400 W. Washington ryan@downtownnews.com.

Pu b l i c I n f o rma t ion M e e t ing/Open H ouse LADowntownNews.com Public For LOSSAN North Notice Rail Improvements

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Date: Monday WHERE AND 10, WHEN? January 2011

Blvd., finished the first major chunk of a $613 million upgrade. The college opened its $140 million, two-building South Campus ladowntownnews.com/calendar project, which fronts Grand Avenue between Washington Boulevard and 23rd Street.

Designed by the firm MDA Johnson Favarro, the brick, steel and stone buildings feature a decidedly progressive design, with wavy facades and plenty of acute and obtuse angles.

Later they added a bright-colored sculpture of a Pegasus.

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Watermarke Properties director of acquisitions Peter DiLello oversaw the company’s $110 million purchase of the 35-story South Park tower built by Meruelo Maddux. The project at Ninth and Flower streets holds 214 apartments.

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Hey Ladies: On Dec. 10, the pioneering Downtown Women’s Center opened its new headquarters at 434 S. San Pedro St., where it will continue to serve homeless women. The organization spent $26 million to convert a formerly industrial building into 71 permanent supportive housing units, with a commercial kitchen and cafeteria, administrative offices and space for medical services. The DWC will renovate and re-open its longtime Los Angeles Street home next year.

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Roar Baby, Roar: Downtown developer Barry Shy let out a major roar in April with SB Tower, his 270-unit apartment complex at 600 S. Spring St. The project gained notoriety not only for continuing the residential momentum in the Historic Core, but also for the massive mural in the lobby depicting eight lions lolling amid a Downtown landscape (representing SB Properties’ eight Downtown adaptive reuse projects). It has waterfalls too! The $58 million, 20-story structure repositioned a building originally ladowntownnews.com/news constructed in 1966.

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December 27, 2010

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Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617 web: DowntownNews.com • email: realpeople@downtownnews.com

THIS PUBLIC NOTICE? rail WHY corridor.

Editor & PublishEr: Sue Laris GENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Division of Rail and the TheThe California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Division Environmental of Rail and the Federal Railroad Administration propose to prepare a program-level Federal Railroad Administration propose to Impact prepareReport a program-level Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental (EIR) for passenger rail improvements the 222-mile Los Angeles Impact to San Luis Obispo North) rail Impact Statementto(EIS) and Environmental Report (EIR)(LOSSAN for passenger rail corridor. improvements to the 222-mile Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN North) Four scoping meetings will be held, one in each county (Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa WHY THIS PUBLIC NOTICE? Barbara, and San Luis Obispo) to solicit public and agency input into the

development of the environmental scope of the EIR/EIS and to advise the public that Four scopingactivities meetings will be held, oneDepartment in each county Angeles, Ventura, Santa outreach conducted by the and (Los its representatives will be Barbara, andin San Luis Obispo) to solicit public and agency input into the considered the preparation of the Program EIR/EIS. development of the environmental scope of the EIR/EIS and to advise the public that WHAT'S AVAILABLE ? outreach activities conducted by the Department and its representatives will be The LOSSAN CorridorofStrategic Plan (October considered in theNorth preparation the Program EIR/EIS.2007) describes the purpose and need for the proposed projects, the proposed projects themselves, and the

funding strategy for the proposed projects. The plan can be found on-line at: WHAT'S AVAILABLE ? http://149.136.20.80/rail/dor/assets/File/LOSSAN_North_Strategic.pdf

TheWHERE LOSSAN North Corridor DO YOU COME IN? Strategic Plan (October 2007) describes the purpose andThis need for the proposed projects, the proposed projects themselves, and the is your opportunity to provide input into the types of environmental impacts funding proposed projects.

The developmental plan can be found on-line of at: the that strategy should for be the considered during the process Program-level EIR/EIS. Your comments will be part of the public record. http://149.136.20.80/rail/dor/assets/File/LOSSAN_North_Strategic.pdf CONTACT WHERE DO YOU COME IN?

For more information, or if you cannot attend the meeting but have comments, or concerns to regarding program EIR/EIS, submit themimpacts in Thisquestions, is your opportunity providethe input into the types please of environmental

by February 15, 2011, toduring Matt Fowler, Environmental Planner,of 50 the thatwriting should be considered the Senior developmental process Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, by phone at (805) 542-4603, or by Program-level EIR/EIS. Your comments will be part of the public record. e-mail at matt_c_fowler@dot.ca.gov. For all other Railroad information, please contact Joe Valdez at (916) 654-7188 or by email at joe@dot.ca.gov.

CONTACT

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

ForIndividuals more information, or if you cannot attend the meeting but have comments, who require special accommodations (Spanish Interpreter, questions, or Sign concerns regarding the program EIR/EIS, please submit theminin American Language interpreter, accessible seating, documentation alternate formats, 15, etc.) are to required to contact the Environmental District 5 Public Affairs 50 writing

by February 2011, Matt Fowler, Senior Planner, OfficeStreet, at (805) at CA least 3 days before atthe Public Hearing.

Higuera San 549-3318 Luis Obispo, 93401, by phone (805) 542-4603, or by Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact the e-mail at matt_c_fowler@dot.ca.gov.

Foratall1-800-735-2922 other Railroad information, please California Relay Service TDD line or Voice Line at contact Joe Valdez at (916) 654-7188 or by email at joe@dot.ca.gov.

1-800-735-2922.

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS Individuals who require special accommodations (Spanish Interpreter, American Sign Language interpreter, accessible seating, documentation in

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ExEcutivE Editor: Jon Regardie citY Editor: Richard Guzmán stAFF writEr: Ryan Vaillancourt coNtributiNG Editors: David Friedman, Kathryn Maese coNtributiNG writErs: Pamela Albanese, Jay Berman, Jim Farber,Jeff Favre, Michael X. Ferraro, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada Art dirEctor: Brian Allison AssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi Kanegawa ProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis Rawlins PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve Nakutin sAlEs AssistANt: Annette Cruz clAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine Holloway AccouNt ExEcutivEs: Catherine Holloway, Brenda Stevens, Billy Wright, Lon Wahlberg circulAtioN: Norma Rodas distributioN MANAGEr: Salvador Ingles distributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

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Continued from page 5 shook thousands of hands. And tenants on Olvera Street locked horns with the city over rents. After a three-month mediation process, members of the Olvera Street Merchants Association in November rejected the latest rental agreement offered by the city. Only seven of the more than 50 tenants without leases have accepted the terms. The proposal called for 20-year leases at rates that are, in some cases, double or even more what tenants had been paying. Experts say current leases and the increased figures are below market rate.

The Return of Angels Flight: You know things aren’t going well when you win the Downtown Breakfast Club’s “lemon” anti-award; Angels Flight got the sour treatment in 2009. This past March, however, the mini-railway connecting Bunker Hill and the Historic Core suddenly re-opened, putting an end to nine years of inactivity caused by a fatal 2001 accident. The return came after years of missed re-opening deadlines. These days, the two cars Olivet and Sinai run every day and even have Twitter accounts, which they use to “talk” to each other about fares.

How cute.

image by Gensler

Iron Fist in Skid Row: As soon as he became City Attorney, Carmen Trutanich took an interest in Skid Row and began examining how his office could crack down on drug dealers. In April, he launched his plan: An injunction barring convicted dealers from even stepping foot within the neighborhood. The plan targets 80 people with multiple drug-related convictions in Skid Row, and the entire Grape Street Crips gang, the most prominent dealer group in the area. On Nov. 30, a judge approved the previously untried policy, setting the stage for enforcement. Defendants named in the injunction must be served with notice of the order before police can enforce the new rule.

Regional Connector Proceeds, Stumbles: The $1.3 billion Regional Connector, a twomile transit link poised to connect Metro’s light rail system through Downtown, was approved in October. But it was not without controversy: Metro’s board approved an allunderground option that was favored by the community, especially Little Tokyo stakeholders. The more expensive underground route came at the cost of eliminating a station at Fifth and Flower streets. Business leaders and transit experts plan to fight to preserve the station in the new year.

photo by Gary Leonard

Angels Flight re-opened in March, nine years after a passenger died in an accident.

Football (Stadium) Fever: At first, chatter of bringing the NFL to South Park sounded like another pipedream. But Anschutz Entertainment Group’s plan to build a $1 billion stadium and convention facility near Staples Center quickly gained traction, and in December AEG unveiled three finalists for the proposed 1.725 million-square-foot, 72,000-seat facility. Under the proposal, AEG would tear down the current West Hall of the Convention Center and build a new convention wing (and back the $350 million in city bonds needed for the new facility). AEG wants to name an architect in early 2011, begin construction on the stadium in late 2012 and open for the 2015 season. There are several hurdles, but the most glaring hole in the plan is that AEG doesn’t have a team for the stadium. Yet. Broad Museum Goes Forward: The longdelayed Grand Avenue plan got a small but colorful boost this year when billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad negotiated a deal to build a $100 million contemporary art museum on part of the site. The Broad Collection will house Broad’s own collection of about 2,000 contemporary artworks by the likes of Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol. After a secretive design competition, Broad tapped Diller Scofidio + Renfro to design the museum. The New York architects will unveil their vision on Jan. 5. Broad plans to open the museum by the end of 2012.

Goodbye Jack Kyser: It was a sad day in December when prominent economist Jack Kyser passed away at 76. Kyser, who worked at the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. for 19 years before moving to the Southern California Association of Governments, was known for his astute economic analysis as well as his ability to break it down for journalists and laymen around the globe. Friends noted his fun and playful side, highlighted by an office filled with toys and stuffed animals. He died from complications related to a kidney condition. A memorial is planned for Jan. 12 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

Gensler’s design for a South Park NFL stadium looks out on the Convention Center hotel the firm also designed. It was one of three finalists selected by AEG in December.

photo by Gary Leonard

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich filed an injunction against Skid Row drug dealers in April. The sweeping plan became law in November. photo by Gary Leonard

News

Park of the Future Begins: Obscured by some concrete parking ramps, the park between the County Hall of Administration and the Stanley Mosk Civil Courthouse had long been mostly hidden from view and was largely underused. That is slated to change with the $56 million Grand Avenue Civic Park, which broke ground in July. Workers expect to finish the design by Rios Clementi Hale Studios by March 2012. Ironically, the park may be the only part of the Grand Avenue plan that ever materializes: Developer Related Cos. was required to pay for the park up front, and the rest of the project is stalled amid the tight lending market. The park will stretch from Grand Avenue to City Hall.

In November, Target’s Carmen Moch and Brookfield Properties’ Bert Dezzutti signed a lease that will bring the Minneapolis-based retailer to 7+Fig.

tody battle for the team. Meanwhile, as Frank and Jamie tussled in a Downtown courtroom (Jamie won), the Dodgers faltered and missed the playoffs. The worst part? The Giants won the World Series. It hasn’t been a friendly offseason either, with nary a meaningful local signing. Meanwhile, longtime Dodger catcher Russell Martin joined the Yankees. Sigh.

Homeboy Gets Knocked Down, Gets Up Again, You’re Never Gonna Keep Them Down: The recession dug its talons into one of Downtown’s most revered nonprofits in May, forcing Chinatown-based Homeboy Industries to lay off 300 people, or 75% of its workforce. The gang intervention organization founded by Father Gregory Boyle failed to raise $5 million needed to keep operating.

Supporters of the organization rallied to save it. In September, the county approved a $1.3 million contract to provide tattoo removal, job training and other services. Private donors added $3.5 million. All told, the nonprofit was able to hire back about 100 people.

photo by Gary Leonard

Economist extraordinaire Jack Kyser died in December at the age of 76.

Dodger Divorce: This was not a good year for fans of the Blue Crew. It was not a good year for the Dodger players. And it was an especially lousy year for Dodger owners Frank and Jamie McCourt, who spent the better part of the bitter summer in a protracted cus-

Finally Hitting the Target: Minneapolisbased Target and landowner Brookfield Properties put more than a year of rumors to rest on Nov. 4 when they announced a deal to bring a 104,000-square-foot store to the 7+Fig shopping mall. The announcement came a year after Downtown News reported negotiations were underway to secure the marquee retailer. The move coincides with a $40 million retooling of Brookfield’s shopping center, plans for which were unveiled in

early December. The store is slated to open in fall 2012 on the middle level of the mall at Seventh and Figueroa streets.

Development Reform Is Dead, Long Live Development Reform: “Twelve-to-two” was the city’s plan to speed up development in Los Angeles by shrinking the number of departments projects need to deal with. Marred by unwilling general managers, the plan once heralded by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa died a quiet death over the summer. A new effort got underway with First Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner riding herd, and this month the city contracted with the firms KH Consulting Group and Woolpert to overhaul the infamously slow and costly entitlement process. The business community is hoping that things finally change.

The Mess at the Must: The plot was out of a tragic comedy: The popular wine bar The Must gets ransacked by its de facto business partner in the early morning, the locks get changed, and a new tenant begins moving into the space. The dispute went to arbitration, and now the Must is planning to reopen nearby in 2011, but not before $50,000 in wine and beer was moved to a storage locker and a lot of bad blood was spilled between The Must owners and former Weeneez proprietor Julie Rico. Rico claimed the owners threatened her personally, a claim the Must denied.

Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

12 Downtown News

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December 27, 2010

NEW YEAR’S Eats, Parties, Shows There Are Many Ways To Say Happy New Year in Downtown

by Richard Guzmán city editor

T

here are countless ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve. You can party hard, have a festive dinner, drink like a college kid or catch a show.

To help make a decision, Los Angeles Downtown News has compiled a list of things to do on Dec. 31, which are broken down into categories. Pick one or, if you’ve got the stamina, all three. After all, the night only happens once a year.

Eat Up Party for Two: Morton’s The Restaurant will celebrate New Year’s Eve by staying open until midnight and offering customers noisemakers, hats and other party favors. Guests can order from the regular dinner menu or choose the Steak and Seafood for Two, a three-course meal priced at $109.99. To join in the festivities, you must have reservations.

At 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 553-4566 or mortons.com.

Flavor Explosion: Working under the theme of “Culinary Fireworks,” Nick + Stef’s Steakhouse Executive Chef Megan Logan will offer a three-course meal for $59. It starts with lobster and truffle ravioli and main

courses options include a venison loin dish.

For many, the real fireworks will be the dessert, which will be a berry ladyfinger made with mascarpone cream, lychee, raspberry, berry syrup and lychee sorbet.

At 330 S. Hope St., (213) 680-0330 or patinagroup.com

Party at the Border: One of Downtown’s newest restaurants is ready to party. Border Grill is offering a $45 four-course dinner and $5 wine pairings to celebrate the new year. Menu highlights include chicken poblano enchiladas, seafood paella and Oaxacan strip steak. If you want to eat there and party somewhere else, the restaurant is also offering a free shuttle to anywhere you want to go in Downtown. Arriba!

At 445 S. Figueroa St., (213) 486-5171 or bordergrill.com.

seatings: The 5-8 p.m. dinner is $60 per person and includes three courses; the second seating is from 8-10:30 p.m. and is $90 for a five-course meal. A live band will play in the lounge.

At 251 S. Olive St., (213) 356-4100 or noerestaurant.com.

Feed the Vice: New Year’s Eve is a time to let go of your inhibitions. So when it comes to food, throw that diet out the window and eat like you really want to eat. Noé Restaurant and Bar in the Omni Los Angeles hotel is offering an “Indulge Your Vices” night. The menu is full of “no-no” items made with butter, cream and carbs. There will be two

Dine With Lions: You won’t have to fight for your meal along with the pride, but you will get to enjoy lion dancers and a midnight toast at Chaya Downtown’s “Shanghai Nights.” The $75 dinner is a four-course prix-fixe meal that includes a dim sum bonsai box with hama hama oyster and sea urchin; seared wagyu beef and

photo by Hilary Hulteen

The Yard Dog Road Show will bring a traveling vaudeville saloon act to the Edison on Dec. 31.

braised Kobe short rib.

At 525 S. Flower St., (213) 236-9577 or thechaya.com.

Catch a Show Traveling Saloon: If you want to see some sword swallowers, fire eaters and song and dance numbers, you won’t have to get your friends drunk and dare them to do all that stuff. Instead, head over to The Edison where the 13-member cabaret act known as Yard Dog Road Show takes over. The group blends vaudeville with rock and roll, and their “hobo cabaret” follows the tradition of vaudeville troupes that toured the West in the 1800s.

Tickets are $75 per person and $300 and up per table.

December 27, 2010

Downtown News 13

photo courtesy of La India

photo courtesy of Kristin Chernoweth

New Year’s

Kristin Chenoweth (right) packs a big voice, and will unleash it at two New Year’s Eve shows at Walt Disney Concert Hall. La India performs at the Conga Room.

At 108 W. Second St., (213) 613-0000 or edisondowntown.com.

A Voice to Enjoy: For a night of beautiful and popular tunes, head to Walt Disney Concert Hall and enjoy the voice of Emmy and Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth. She’ll perform at 7 and 10:30 p.m. In case you’re not familiar with who she is, Chenoweth originated the role of Glinda in Broadway’s Wicked and won a Best Supporting Actress Emmy for her role on ABC’s “Pushing Daisies.” The Downtown show will include holiday classics, Broadway tunes, a couple numbers from her “Glee” appearance and hits from her albums.

At 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 850-2000 or laphil.com.

Get in the Act: OK, this show requires a bit of effort on your part: When the princess of salsa hits the stage at the Conga Room, you will be expected to dance. The show by Grammy-nominated singer La India is for 21 and older crowds and is expected to sell out. Don’t worry if you don’t think you have the right moves to get on the dance floor — just take a drink, smile and shake your hips.

Tickets are $65-$125.

At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 745-0162 or congaroom.com.

Party Hard Bar Hop: The nightlife gurus at 213 Inc. will make it easy to hop from bar to bar and drink to drink in Downtown. A $119 ticket buys access to eight Downtown watering holes: Broadway Bar, Caña, Casey’s, Cole’s, Golden Gopher, Las Perlas, Seven Grand and Tony’s Saloon. It includes open bar at every venue. Each bar will post a list of what’s free; it’ll mostly be well drinks and some cocktails, so don’t expect the Patron to be flowing out of the water hose.

At 213nightlife.com.

The Party Lounge: It may be called a lounge, but chances are with two dance floors, six bars and DJs spinning tunes, you won’t be lounging around at J Restaurant & Lounge. The South Park establishment’s New Year’s Eve bash features DJ Ravidrums and is $40 per person, but you can also buy the dinner package for $75, which includes a three-course meal and party access. If you really want to party, bring a few more Benjamins and shell out $750 for the Diamond VIP Package, which features a table for six, a bottle of Grey Goose and Ace of Spades champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Or go all out with the $10,000 Rock Star Package. It includes 20 admissions, three bottles of Grey Goose, a VIP table, a ho-

The Man on Top of Together DJ Wolfgang Gartner Gets Ready to Headline on New Year’s Eve

I

t’s safe to say that 2010 has been a good year for DJ Wolfgang Gartner. He performed at some of the DJ/dance world’s biggest events, Coachella and the Electric Daisy Carnival, and notched a Grammy nomination in the Best Remixed Recording category. So it’s only fitting that he goes out with a bang, headlining the 13th annual Together As One New Year’s Eve celebration at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Exposition Park.

“I think it’s going to be amazing,” said Gartner recently by phone. “I’ve been aware of its presence since it started and the fact that I’m playing the main stage and I’m playing at 12:30, right after midnight, I really couldn’t be happier about it.”

The dance party that runs from 6 p.m.2 a.m. is decidedly high-profile. The expected 50,000 attendees will have their choice of DJs at three stages, among them prominent electronic music artists such as Laidback Luke and Markus Schulz.

Together As One, presented by Go Ventures and Insomniac, boasts a midnight countdown with synchronized multimedia and fireworks displays. The event is for ages 18 and up.

tel room for two and two personal flat-screen TVs to watch the countdown. You better not just lounge around if you spend that much.

At 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746 or jpresents.com.

Just Dance: If you feel the need to move your body all night long, the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is the place for you. The venue

photo by Rony Alwin

Grammy-nominated DJ Wolfgang Gartner takes the stage just after midnight at the Together As One festival at the Sports Arena.

Gartner grew up in California but has never attended Together As One. He’s looking forward to the opportunity to break in 2011 on a big stage with crowds of revelers.

“I’m probably more excited about this show than I have been about anything in a long time,” he said.

Together As One is Dec. 31, 6 p.m.-2 a.m. at 3939 S. Figueroa St. Tickets and information at newyearsevela.com.

—Alex Andersen will be home to the 13th annual Together as One rave, which starts at 6 p.m. DJs include Markus Schulz, Laidback Luke, Wolfgang Gartner and Dada Life. Tickets are $60-$150 and the event is for those 18 and up.

At 3939 S. Figueroa St., tickets at newyearsevela.com.

Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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CALENDAR The Culture Ride The Entertainment Scene in 2010 Saw Some Exciting Events, and a Few Unexpected Downers

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

W

hen it comes to entertainment, 2010 was a year of high highs and some disappointing lows.

Downtown soared with a mammoth film festival and a major museum expansion. On the other hand, a tradition of free summer Shakespeare ended, and a huge operatic event earned mixed reviews and was a financial disappointment to boot.

Here are 13 of the biggest entertainment and cultural stories of 2010.

DEC 6

! s w e N E r o ✔ Sign Up f

photo by Jeff Vespa

Pee-wee Herman came back from never-never land with a stage show at Club Nokia in January.

Best Fest Leaves the West(side): Downtown is no stranger to the movies — everyone films Starts ews.com or here, much to the community’s chagrin.

In DowntownN at er rn co nd December 10 per right ha maillist the upon com/forms/ June, the symbol ingot WS neighborhood ews.other E-NEthe Look for this downtownn .la w w w P camera as the new home of the N Uthe SIGof side Los Angeles Film Festival. The 11-day event ditched the Westside and brought its 200 features, shorts, documentaries and music videos to venues including the Regal Cinemas 14 at L.A. Live, REDCAT, the Downtown photo by Craig Schwartz Independent and the Orpheum Theatre. One of the year’s theatrical highlights was Bengal Our Website for Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com About 85,000 people flocked to the neighbor- Tiger at the BaghdadCheck Zoo, with Kevin Tighe as the hood for the films and parties, and Downtown cat prone to dropping the f-bomb. The show was got the first glimpse of movies including docu- named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. mentaries like Waiting for Superman and indie hit The Kids Are All Right.

MOCA vs. the Streets: The idea made sense Loss of the Ring: The biggest cultural hap- at the time: In advance of MOCA’s 2011 pening of the year was Ring Festival L.A., a show Art in the Streets, hire a prominent Starts 10-week celebration centered around Los street artist to gussy up a wall of the Geffen photo by Gary Leonard Angeles Opera’s first-ever staging of Richard ewContemporary.

The December concept exDecember 17 s N Ecosystems, an exhibition wing at the California Science Center, opened in March as part of a $165 million n w to n Wagner’s Der Ringcedes Nibelungen, om/L.A.Dow aka ploded when Italian artist Blu created a mu- expansion of the Exposition Park facility. It is expected to boost attendance at the museum by 25%.

Fa book.c the Ring Cycle. The much-hyped festival ral depicting wooden caskets draped in dollar included four Downtown operas, directed bills — the comment on the country and its

by German weirdo Achim Freyer, and more war pursuits was within view of the Go For for the summer show. There is no word on if of a $165 million expansion of the Exposition than 100 events taking place throughout the Broke Monument, a memorial to Japanese the summer presentation will return in 2011. Park facility. The show explores the plancounty. However, L.A. Opera’s decision to Americans who fought in World War II, and et through eight “zones” that focus on life stage the four operas over nine days rather a Veterans Administration building. MOCA Shaking It Up: For 45 years, East West in deserts, rocky shores, deep-sea vents and than the traditional six seriously reduced the Director Jeffrey Deitch found it insensitive to Players has been known for producing most- more. Museum brass expect the new wing to Check Our Website for Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com number of Ringheads who travel the world the community and ordered it whitewashed ly tame musicals and plays about the Asian- boost attendance by 25%. for the festival — it’s expensive to spend nine within hours of its completion, sparking an American experience. In September, comdays in L.A. The mixed reviews didn’t help, uproar and calls of censorship. It was a big pany producing artistic director Tim Dang Say Amen, Brother: Reverend Billy, née and the $31 million Ring Cycle ended with fumble for the museum’s rookie leader. threw audiences a curve by launching a sea- Bill Talen, has been in these parts before. a $5.9 million deficit. That resulted in L.A. son with the show Mysterious Skin, which in- But the performance artist who is part Opera cutting back its 2010-11 season.

The Play Is Not the Thing: Shakespeare cluded, egad, frontal nudity. The Full Monty Elvis, part Jimmy Swaggert and full-on enCenter, formerly Shakespeare Festival/ approach was part of a season with the theme tertaining went big in October when he com or a free play by the Bard in Starts nNews.staged Pee-wee’s Big Comeback: Paul Reubens’cosigLA, “Shake it Up,” part of Dang’s strategy to at- brought his environmentally aware, antiwntowhad Do at er rn nd ha ht t rig r llis ai pe m up s/ e th rm nature character had been out of Downtown for 24 summers.

That came to a tract new, young audiences.

It will continue consumerism tent revival to Downtown. /fo l inpretty much m bo Dec.17/Dec.22 co m S s. sy W ew is E th E-N wntownn Look for www.lado UP of mind for nearly sight, two decades. In screeching halt this year, when the event most next year with a play about a septuagenarian The 75-minute performance was like an SIGNout January, he reappeared, launching his come- recently held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of porn star. old-fashioned gospel church service, with a back in Downtown Los Angeles with the the Angels was cancelled, with no reason three-man band and an 18-member robe90-minute The Pee-wee Herman Show. From given by the organization. The abrupt and In the Zone: The 3,500-gallon flash flood wearing choir that pumped up the crowd.

Jan. 12-Feb. 7, it packed nostalgic audiences disappointing move came after Shakespeare has been a hit. So has the 24-foot long He asked the audience to protect the planet, into Club Nokia, mixing the raunchy roots of Center completed a $500,000 renovation that see-through tunnel at the bottom of a oppose banks that loan to corporations that the man-child created in 1981 with elements included the opening of a 299-seat theater in 188,000-gallon tank, complete with more destroy mountains in their coal-mining Check Our Full1,500 Movie of the family-friendly “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” its City West headquarters.

TheyWebsite also orga-forthan fish. Listings Yep, it’s safeLADowntownNews.com to call Ecosystems, pursuits, and one of his songs even featured TV series that sparked two movies. Was it a nized a spring festival, though company head the new exhibition wing at the California the lyric “Don’t want no slavery in my cofsuccess? Jambi the genie would say yes, as the Ben Donenberg said at the time that staging Science Center that opened in March, a win- fee.” Halleleujah amen. continued on next page show opened on Broadway last month. that event required taking $100,000 allocated ner. The 45,000-square-foot exhibit was part

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Downtown News 15

photo by Gary Leonard

photo by Alvaro Corzo V

Performance artist Reverend Billy wowed REDCAT in October with a revival featuring gospel singers and an anti-consumerism sermon.

photo by Monika Rittershaus

Los Angeles Opera drew crowds with its first-ever Ring Cycle, which climaxed with Götterdämmerung. The $31 million happening generated mixed reviews and lost money.

Continued from previous page String Theory: Bob Baker started playing with puppets at the age of 5 — that was in 1930. The puppet master this year celebrated the 50th birthday of his City West-based Bob Baker Marionette Theater. To mark the golden anniversary, he revived his most popular productions, a couple of which debuted more than 40 years ago. There was a Halloween show (Bob Baker’s Halloween Hoop-De-Do) and a Christmas show (Bob Baker’s Nutcracker). Per tradition, after every performance kids got to go into the party room and eat ice cream.

Even the big kids.

It’s Chinatown Nights, Jake: Chinatown is not known as a nightlife destination. That changed for four Saturdays in August when local stakeholders worked with the Community Redevelopment Agency for the Chinatown Summer Nights series. Thousands of people showed up each evening for the al fresco dining, art displays, music, food trucks and a crafts fair. KCRW DJs spun, cooking demonstrations were held and everyone from families pushing strollers to hipsters came to check out the neighborhood.

Dance Hall: Politicians weren’t the only ones making moves at City Hall this year. Collage Dance Theatre, the site-specific company, took over the venue for a few nights in November, and they enacted some moves people actually liked. The performances from the 25-year-old company were gritty and aggressive (think finger pointing and paper-ripping, in a dancey way, in City Council chambers). The work, called Governing Bodies, took more than a year of planning and rehearsals.

A Grrrreat Tiger: What do you get when you mix a cranky old tiger who likes to drop the f-bomb, a tormented Iraqi

MOCA sparked a controversy on Dec. 9 when museum Director Jeffrey Deitch ordered a whitewashing of a mural it had commissioned from an Italian street artist.

translator, a gold gun, the ghost of Uday Hussein and two American soldiers? Actually, a pretty entertaining and thought-provoking time. Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo ran at the Mark Taper Forum in April and May to rave reviews. It also shocked everyone by being named a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Kevin Tighe gave a powerhouse performance as the cursing cat, though he’ll be out of luck when the show moves to Broadway in 2011 — Robin Williams will take the role.

Woo-Woo: Lauded New York company the Wooster Group has turned REDCAT into its West Coast base in recent years, with a slew of envelop-pushing shows. That continued in 2010 with not one but two genre-busting presentations. In February they staged North Atlantic, a tale of power, sex and Cold War-era communications. It included high-profile actress Frances McDormand. The Woosters returned in December with their version of Tennessee Williams’ Vieux Carré, set in a New Orleans boarding house where the writer once stayed. The Wooster Group’s version was a multi-media presentation and included video projections inspired by the films of Paul Morrissey.

Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownews.com.

16 Downtown News

December 27, 2010

Twitter/DowntownNews

LISTINGS EVENTS

The ‘Don’t Miss’ List

SPONSORED LISTINGS Live Church LA Club Nokia, 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 4934329 or livechurchla.com.

10 a.m.: Every Sunday, Live Church L.A. takes over the VIP Lounge at Club Nokia, bringing great music, people and inspiring messages.

Japanese New Year, Viennese New Year, and Some Science

IMAX Theater California Science Center, 700 State Drive, (213) 7442019 or californiasciencecenter.org.

Through Jan. 27: Featuring nine-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D will immerse audiences in the story of an ocean wave and the lives it impacts and transforms. Hubble 3D takes movie-goers on a journey through distant galaxies to explore the grandeur and mysteries of our celestial surroundings and accompany space-walking astronauts as they attempt the most difficult and important tasks in NASA’s history.

Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com.

Through Dec. 30: Gulliver’s Travels 3D (10:10 a.m. and 12:30, 2:50, 5, 7:10 and 9:20 p.m.). See website for full schedule.

2

S

tart the New Year with a taste of Vienna — and we don’t mean weiner schnitzel — when the Strauss Symphony of America returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall with its 10th annual Salute to Vienna on Sunday, Jan. 2, at 2:30 p.m. The Austrian capital’s traditional “Neujahrskonzert” has been pairing favorite son/composer Johann Strauss Jr. with a New Year’s Day concert since 1939. Here, his waltzes, polkas and operetta excerpts will be performed by 75 musicians, European singers and dancers. In a sort of harmonic convergence, the Salute is being produced almost simultaneously in 20 cities across the United States and Canada. It’s better than eating strudel and watching nine hours of football. At 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org.

T

photo by Craig Schwartz

ROCK, POP & JAZZ Casey’s Irish Pub 613 S. Grand Ave., (213) 629-2353 or bigcaseys.com.

Jan. 1, 10 p.m.: Rob Campanella from the Brian Jonestown Massacre kicks off a January residency with side project The Quarter After.

Redwood Bar & Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com.

Dec. 28, 10 p.m.: Black Beverly Heels kicks it up with Million Kids and Dirty Santas.

Dec. 31, 9 p.m.: Happy New Year with The Gene Taylor Blues Band featuring Dave Alvin, Johnny Bazz and Bill Bateman, with special guest and host Phil Alvin, plus Frank Fairfield.

Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., sevengrand.la.

Dec. 27, 10 p.m.: Robby Marshall Group offers some whiskey-filled blues.

Dec. 28, 10 p.m.: The Makers, straight up.

Dec. 29, 10 p.m.: Sista Sherry sings the blues.

Dec. 31, 10 p.m.: Celebrate New Years’ with the Deacon Jones Blues Review featuring Lady GG. The Smell 247 S. Main St., alley between Spring and Main streets, thesmell.org.

Dec. 27, 9 p.m.: Feel Free with Run-On Sunshine, Devon Williams and Black Elephant.

Dec. 29, 9 p.m.: MKNG FRNDZ with Ghost Mom, Cold Showers and Dance Troupe MGM Grand.

Dec. 30, 9 p.m.: Eight bands and two DJs lock horns in The Battle Show III benefit for Holding Hands Music Therapy.

Dec. 31, 9 p.m.: Bobby’s Psychedelic Death Rock New Year’s Eve with The Warlocks, The Meek, Black Flamingo, Chelsea Wolfe and LANTVRN. The Varnish 118 E. Sixth St., (213) 622-9999 or thevarnishbar.com Dec. 27, 9 p.m.: Jamie Elman tinkles the keys jazzstyle.

Dec. 28, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.: Jazzman Mark Bosserman entertains on the house piano every Tuesday.

Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., (213) 972-4396 or laphil.com.

Dec. 31, 7 and 10:30 p.m.: New Year’s Eve with

K

ids home from school? Have some time off from work? Get interactive (and smarter) at the Ecosystems exhibit at the California Science Center. It opened this year and is probably the only place in Southern California where: the crashing of a 3,500-gallon wave mimics a flood every 10 minutes; wind machines demonstrate the power of water and currents; 1,500 fish surround you as you walk through a transparent tunnel; and you can see how rot and decomposition release nutrients that nourish life. The wing explores the varied ecosystems of land and sea, how the world “works,” and how all species are connected and influence each other. Get blinded by science daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed Jan. 1). At 700 State Dr., (323) 724-3623 or californiasciencecenter.org. photo courtesy Salute to Vienna

FILM

O

4

K, Christmas is in the rear-view mirror and the celebrating and eating and opening of presents is done. What to do? Put the holiday sentiment away with the reindeer sweater because the author of autobiography Why You Crying is coming to town. Actor and comedian George Lopez brings his R-rated standup routine — largely examining race, ethnic relations and Mexican American culture — to the Nokia Theatre on Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 26-27, at 8 p.m. (he also appeared Dec. 26).

His “Lopez Tonight” on TBS will be taking a few nights off. It got caught in the late night talk show war of 2010, getting bumped from 11 p.m. to midnight to accommodate Conan. But he’s not crying. At 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6000 or nokiatheatrelalive.com.

his is your last chance to see the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning musical Next to Normal at the Ahmanson Theatre. With a contemporary rock score, the show is a rollercoaster ride through a suburban mother’s bipolar disorder and its effects on her family. It closes on Jan. 2, but there are eight performances throughout the week. Original Broadway star Alice Ripley reprises the role that won her a Tony. Breaking new ground in the musical theater genre, the show deals with such issues as suicide, drug abuse and psychiatric ethics.

Cats this ain’t. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

5

photo courtesy AEG Live

sunday, Jan. 2 Salute to Vienna Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., musiccenter.org.

2:30 p.m.: Inspired by Vienna’s Neujahrskonzert, this New Year’s concert tradition features the Strauss Symphony of America and a cast of European singers and dancers performing Strauss waltzes, polkas and operetta excerpts.

Three

Wednesday, dec. 29 Rock Around The Rink Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare/.

8-10 p.m.: Rockabilly 1980s style with Slim Jim Phantom (of the Stray Cats) in an outdoor holiday concert. Free and open to the public.

One

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he rabbit is on the tiger’s tail as it hippity hops toward the Japanese New Year. Kids can celebrate the Year of the Rabbit (bye-bye Tiger) at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center on Tuesday, Dec. 28, in an Oshogatsu Workshop designed for ages 7-12. There will be hands-on craft activities, workshops and demonstrations from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in which children will learn about the symbols and traditions surrounding Oshogatsu (New Year). The fun continues on Sunday, Jan. 2, at 1 p.m., with Kotohajime, a performance of music and dance that incorporates the traditional and contemporary, Japanese and Western cultures, as well as the ritual shooting of the arrow — a purification ceremony.

If you were born in a rabbit year, you are articulate, talented, virtuous, ambitious, a little jumpy and you love celery and carrots. Oops, the last one is if you are a rabbit. At 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 680-3700 or jaccc.org.

photo courtesy JACCC

by Lauren CampedeLLi, Listings editor | calendar@downtownnews.com

Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.

December 27, 2010

Downtown News 17

DowntownNews.com

Kristin Chenoweth and her back-up singers, band and dancers, as she performs music from “Glee,” Wicked and more.

THEATER, OPERA & DANCE Bob Baker’s Nutcracker The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, 1345 W. First St., (213) 250-9995 or bobbakermarionettes.com.

Dec. 27-31, 10:30 a.m.; Jan. 2, 2:30 p.m.: The marionette version of the holiday ballet classic returns featuring every style of puppetry from marionettes to shadow puppets, from Sugarplum Fairies to the Mouse King. Through Jan. 16.

Next to Normal Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Dec. 27-29, 8 p.m.; Dec. 30, 2 and 8 p.m.; Dec. 31, 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 2, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m.: With a contemporary rock score, “Next to Normal” is an emotional powerhouse of a musical about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other. The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical features original Broadway star Alice Ripley, who won the Tony for her performance. Through Jan. 2.

MUSEUMS African American Firefighter Museum 1401 S. Central Ave., (213) 744-1730 or aaffmuseum.org.

Ongoing: An array of firefighting relics dating to 1924, including a

1940 Pirsch ladder truck, an 1890 hose wagon, uniforms from New York, L.A. County and City of L.A. firefighters, badges, helmets, photographs and other artifacts.

Annette Green Perfume Museum FIDM, second floor, 919 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1200 or fidm.edu.

Ongoing: One of a kind, the museum is dedicated to enhancing our understanding the art, culture and science of the olfactory. Originally opened in New York City in 1999, the collection — 2,000 bottles, perfume presentations and documentary ephemera dating from the late 1800s to the present — was donated to FIDM in 2005. Also, “High Style: Perfume and the Haute Couture” features a selection of fragrance bottles and packaging that reflect the many ways that fame inspires design.

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BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY BUsiness opportUnities ALL CASH VENDING Route! Be Your Own Boss! 25 Machines + Candy All for $9995. Vend3. 1877-915-8222. All major credit cards accepted! (Cal-SCAN) BE YOUR OWN Boss - Start Today! Own a Red Hot - Dollar, Dollar Plus, Mailbox or Discount Party Store from $51,900 worldwide! 100% Turnkey. 1-800-5183064. www.DRSS4.com. (CalSCAN)

hollYWood Nails & Spa

Professional Nail Care & Waxing for Ladies & Gentlemen 323.662.2718 • 4335 W. Sunset Blvd.

Email request to ghollis@shammasgroup.com or call (213) 746-6300 x1455

Call now 213-746-6300 x1455

REGIONAL CDL Drivers Needed! Gordon Trucking, Inc. Sign on bonus in some areas! Current Openings on our NCA Fleet.

Home weekly available! Consistent Miles & Time off! Full Benefits, 401k. We have lots of Freight! www.TeamGTI.com 1-888-8326484 EOE. (Cal-SCAN)

Walk-in Welcome • GIft Certificate Available

6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900

M.-F. 9:30am - 7:30pm Sat. 9am - 7:30pm • Sun. 10am - 7pm

Do you have something to sell?

Ad Copy: _________________________________________

Ad Prices

________________________________________________

(Marketplace and Automotive Categories ONLY) • Items under $300 • Items $301 to $500 • Items $501 to $1200 • Items $1201 to $2000 • Items $2001+…

Name: Address: City Phone: Cash $ Credit card #: Exp. Date:

FREE! $11.50 $14.00 $16.50 $19.00

12 words, 2 weeks 15 words 15 words 15 words 15 words

All ads run for 2 weeks.

Ads may be renewed after two weeks for 50% off the original price of the ad.

With a circulation of State Check $

Zip Credit Card $

47,000,

our classifieds get results!

________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

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

December 27, 2010

Downtown News 19

DowntownNews.com

SERVICES

ADVERTISE YOUR JOB Opening in 240 California newspapers.

Reach over 6 million readers for only $550! Call this newspaper or visit: www.Cal-SCAN.com.

(Cal-SCAN)

Attorneys

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

Child Support / Custody Necesita Permiso de trabajo? Tagalog / Español / Korean

get your green CArd or CitiZensHiP Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710

ATTORNEY JOHN BENSON Your Local Downtown Attorney Wills Trusts Estates Bankruptcy and Divorce best rates in town www.attorneyjohnrbenson.com (213) 905-9364 CleAning CAL CLEANING SERVICES Cleaning Office & Apartment/Loft buildings. Single apartments/ Lofts. Monthly/Weekly/Daily services. Painting & light repairs as well. (323) 708-1189 CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, offices and restaurants.

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

HeAltH NOT FEELING any joy? Overwhelmed by stress and emotional overload? Professional counseling helps! www.drannewarman. vpweb.com, Downtown Wilshire Office, reasonable rates, insurance accepted, 310-281-9797.

Business serviCes ADVERTISE YOUR HOME, property or business for sale in 240 California newspapers.

Reach over 6 million readers for only $550! Call this newspaper or visit: www.CAL-SCAN.com.

(Cal-SCAN)

DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SDAN.com.

(CalSCAN) seCurity SWITCH NOW! OLD Alarm Clunkers API SECURITY SERVICE www.apisecurityservices.com 310-492-5457 eduCAtion HIGH SCHOOL Diploma! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure.

Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext.

60 www.SouthEasternHS.com.

(Cal-SCAN)

AUTOS Pre-oWned

doWntoWn l.A. Auto grouP Porsche Volkswagen audi Mercedes-Benz nissan cheVrolet cadillac

2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 Pewter/Black, 3.5 Liter, leather, $28,999 4JGBB86E77A260898 Call 888-319-8762.

2007 VOLKSWAGEN EOS Certified. Manager special. #ZV986 vin 007390 $20,464 Call 888781-8102.

2008 PORSCHE 911 TARGA 4 Tiptronic, Bose, Navigation, only 27K miles, certified, #745077. $72,988. Call 888-685-5426.

2009 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S Certified, air with power pkg # NI3609 / 9N487053 $14,999, call 888-838-5089.

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. (Cal-SCAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS notiCes WANTED DIABETIC Test Strips.

Cash Paid. Unopened, Unexpired Boxes Only. All Brands Considered. Help others, don’t throw boxes away. For more information, Call 888-491-1168.

(Cal-SCAN)

lowing registrant: STEPHANIE BADEN, 600 W. Ninth Street, Suite #1102, Los Angeles CA 90015. This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein on November 15, 2010.

This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on November 19, 2010.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years

LEGAL FiCtitious Business nAme Fictitious Business name statement File no. 20101677916 The following person is doing business as: SAVIOR WINES, 600 W. Ninth Street, Suite #1102, Los Angeles CA 90015, are hereby registered by the fol-

The Downtown Renaissance Collection

volunteer oPPortunities

For a complete list of our pre-owned inventory, go to www.DTLAMOTORS.com

Autos WAnted 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)

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.

Be Inspired...

Best Downtown Locations!

CHurCHes THE BRIDGE / Little Tokyo: Contemporary worship, 4:00pm Sundays, 401 E Third St. www. thebridgewired.org.

2005 BMW 330CIC Convertible, Low Mileage, White/Black stk # uc459-1/PL52952 $17,887 Call 888-879-9608.

Elegant World Class Resort Apartment Homes

Orsini

2007 AUDI A6 Low miles. Loaded! Manager special. # 151076 vin ZA9770 $28,830 Call 888583-0981

550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.

877-231-9362

WWW.THEORSINI.COM

Medici

2007 MERCEDES BENZ C230 Stock CU0298P vin 926270 Extra clean! $20,883 call 888-2032967.

725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.

877-239-8256

WWW.THEMEDICI.COM

On Spring St.

Premiere Towers:

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

City Lofts:

I c o n I c B e au t y S e e k S S t y l i S h M at e

1000 sqft, 16ft ceilings, $1950/mo. w/2nd level bedroom • 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

$1,400’s/mo. Free Parking ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET

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

THAI MASSAGE SPECIALIST VIP Room Available. The Best Way For Business Meetings & Entertainment

HealtH Dept. rank a for 7 ConseCutive Years

MASSAGEH

First Professionally Licensed Massage Shop in L.A. County.

3386766 0119

HBODY

madison hotel

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

sAKurA HeAltH gym & sAunA, inC. 111 N. Atlantic Blvd. Ste #231-233 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (626) 458-1919 [Corner of Garvey Ave.]

Monthly from $550 utilities paid.

(213) 612-0348

Clean furnished single rooms. 24-hour desk clerk service.

•Daily, $30.00 •Weekly, $109.00 •Monthly, $310.00 (213) 622-1508 423 East 7th St.

Professional massage for men & women. Services include Thai Massage, Shiatsu Massage, Swedish Oil Massage, Foot Massage, Sauna, Steam, and more. Lounge area.

Piero 616 ST. PAUL AVE.

877-235-6012

WWW.THEPIERO.COM

Visconti 1221 WEST THIRD ST.

866-690-2888

WWW.THEVISCONTI.COM

FREE Rent Specials On Select Floor Plans • Free Resident/Guest Parking in Gated Garage • Private Library, Business Center & Conference Rooms • Free Wi-Fi & DSL Computer Use • Resident Karaoke Lounge • Directors Screening Room • Lavish Fountains & Sculptures • On-Site Private Resident Park with Sand Volleyball, BBQ’s and Jogging Track • Night Light Tennis Courts • Indoor Basketball

• Brunswick Four-Lane Virtual Bowling • Full Swing Virtual Golf • 3100 Square Foot Cybex Fitness Facility • Free Tanning Rooms • Massage Room, Sauna & Steam Room • Rooftop Pools with Dressing Rooms • Concierge Service • 24-Hour Doorman • 24/7 On-Site Management • Magnificent City Views *Amenities vary among communities

Version Casaloma2 L.A. Apartments

noW leAsing

Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom.

Excellent location.

Downtown LA. Weekly rate $275 inc.

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. 12/6, 12/13, 12/20, 12/27/10

Starting Jan. 1, 2011

downtownnews.com

Downtown Los Angeles Brentwood y Century City Woodland Hills Downtown Los Angeles Brentwood y Century City Woodland Hills

Beautiful Fully Furnished Offices Starting at $500 y Flexible Terms y Corporate ID Programs Beautiful Fully FurnishedAvailable Offices

Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo.

Client: with private bath at $695/mo.

G.H. Palmer Associates support Publication:Adolescent LADT News utilities, basic cable group now forming laundry room Size/Color: on site.

4.3125” x 8” 4C Ages 13-17

sec. deposit special @$100 Includes channels, Gated building in a good area.

208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA

Starting at $500 y Flexible Terms y Corporate ID Programs Available Services Include:

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

Telephone & Voice Mail y West Law y Photocopy & Fax y Video Conferencing

Children’s Performing Group

Reception y Mail y Fiber Optic Internet y TelephoneServices & Voice Include: Mail y West Law y Reception y& Mail Optic Internet y Photocopy FaxyyFiber Video Conferencing Additional Features: Kitchen Additional Facilities, Mail/Copy Features: Room, Conference Rooms, Mail/Copy Spectacular Views, Kitchen Facilities, Room, Fully Trained Staff Views, Conference Rooms, Spectacular Fully Trained Staff

JENNY AHN JENNY AHN (213) 996-8301

(213) 996-8301

Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator.

Full bathroom.

Excellent location.

Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

laleads@regentbc.com

laleads@regentbc.com

www.regentbc.com

www.regentbc.com

Monthly from $595 utilities paid.

(213) 627-1151

is your teen experiencing:

• School problems?

• Conflict at home or with friends?

Sunshine Generation Singing, dancing, performing and fun!

For boys & girls ages 3 and up!

SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

low fee

Call marney stofflet, lCsW

by: apluscreative@yahoo.com (323) 662-9797 Ph: 323.474.4668 4344 Fountain Ave. (at sunset), suite A los Angeles, CA 90029

Real Estate Specialist of San Gabriel Valley Proudly serving the communities of San Gabriel, Alhambra, Monterey Park, Montebello and El Monte.

Cal Best Realty

Emi Terauchi Realtor / Notary • Lic.No.00810238

English/Japanes/Chinese speaking emiterauchi@yahoo.com • (626) 786-9086

20 Downtown News

December 27, 2010

Twitter/DowntownNews

We Got Games Suggested New Year’s Resolutions for the Clippers Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers.

Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 2, 6:30 p.m.: The Lakers head off to play the best team in the NBA. No, silly, they’re not playing against themselves. Or Miami. Or Boston. They’re visiting San Antonio to face the ageless Spurs (Dec. 28) and Manu Ginobili, who is having an MVP-esque year. Then it’s on to the Big Easy to take on Chris Paul and the Hornets (Dec. 29) before coming home to host the Philadelphia 76ers and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St.,

(213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers.

Dec. 29, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 2, 12:30 p.m.: Once again it’s time for the Clippers’ annual New Year’s resolutions: Coach Vinny Del Negro should vow to do whatever it takes to collect more wins this year than Mike Dunleavy did last year, even if it means taking a page out of the New York Jets playbook and tripping an opposing player as he runs down the court.

Baron Davis should swear off donuts and resolve to work hard (every game, not just when he feels like it). Blake Griffin should resolve to not change a darn thing. Donald Sterling should pledge to sell the team to somebody who, you know, knows basketball. The Clips test

their resolutions on the road against the Sacramento Kings (Dec. 27), then at home against the Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks.

Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com.

Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 26, 6 p.m.: Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and the Kings have come down to Earth after their torrid start.

They head into the new year with hopes of not slumping back to mediocrity. They’re off to San Jose (Dec. 27) and Phoenix (Dec. 29) before returning home to host the Flyers and Sharks.

—Ryan Vaillancourt

photo by Gary Leonard

Baron Davis and the Clippers hope to start the new year right.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

Grand Tower 255 south Grand avenue Leasing Information 213 229 9777

Promenade Towers 123 south Figueroa street Leasing Information 213 617 3777

Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Pool / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Covered Parking

Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dishwasher (most units) ~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)

On-site: ~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants

Now For Call n Specials Move-I

8 7 7 - 2 65 - 714 6

museum Tower 225 south olive street Leasing Information 213 626 1500

Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Solariums and/or Balconies

On Site: ~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon

Community Amenities: ~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby ~ Concierge ~ Pool / Spa / Saunas ~ Fitness Center ~ Gas BBQ Grills ~ Recreation Room

Apartment Amenities: ~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units) ~ Central Air & Heating ~ Balconies (most units)

It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Contemporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.

TOWERS T H E

A PA RT M E N T S

www.TowersApartmentsLA.com

MAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKING RESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM