12-28-09 by Los Angeles Downtown News

LOS ANGELES

DOWNTOWN

NEWS Volume 38, Number 52

INSIDE

Restaurant Highlights 13

A new cigar bar, crime falls, and other happenings Around Town.

Checking out some businesses that couldn’t cut it in 2009.

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

December 28, 2009

A Most Entertaining Town Dudamel Dominated, But There Was Plenty More Music, Theater, Film, Puppets, etc. in Downtown in 2009

Standouts from Urban Scrawl.

A good year for local housing (really).

The sports scene’s wins, losses and divorces.

Play 4th and Long Football and win prizes.

city editoR

hose looking to be entertained in Downtown had no shortage of options in 2009. There was no shortage of highlights either. The community drew the focus of the classical music world with the debut of Gustavo Dudamel atop the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Film fans flocked to the area for a new cineplex and the return of a festival. Art lovers embraced a museum attempting to come back from the brink. Here are 10 of the entertainment standouts of 2009. Entertainment Story of the Year: Dudamel Mania: New Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Gustavo Dudamel took the city by storm when he replaced Esa-Pekka Salonen, who had led the world-renowned orchestra for 17 years. The Phil was not shy about marketing its young star, splattering his enthusiastic smile and dark, curly locks on the sides of buses and on banners draped over Walk Disney Concert Hall. The fever culminated on Oct. 8, when the 28-year-old Venezuelan made his Downtown debut leading the orchestra, conducting a new piece commissioned from composer John Adams called “City Noir.” Dudamel closed the night with Gustav Mahler’s First Symphony. After the performance, the crowd spilled onto Grand Avenue for a gala celebration. For that night and ever since, the city has swooned over the young conductor.

A Ring Thing: In 2009 the Los Angeles Opera launched its presentation of Richard Wagner’s four Ring cycle works. The first of the pieces by the anti-Semitic, 17th century composer was Das Rheingold in February. Die Walküre followed in April and the five hours of Siegfried was mounted in September (the final work, Götterdämmerung, opens in April 2010). The shows directed and designed by Achim Freyer filled the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. They also won raves, though they came with a cost — the $32 million price tag for the new works helped send L.A. Opera to the County late in the year, where they negotiated a $14 million loan. The hoopla will hit a crescendo next year, when the city comes together for Ring Festival L.A., which will include all four operas and hundreds of associated events. A Contemporary Return: The future of the Museum of Contemporary Art was in question a little more than a year ago following a financial crisis brought on by rising spending and a plunging endowment. MOCA Director Jeremy Strick resigned in December 2008, several planned exhibits were canceled, and in January the museum slashed its budget and reduced its staff by 20%. Additionally, the Geffen Contemporary annex in Little Tokyo remained closed most of the year. Now, a financial belt tightening led by new CEO Charles Young seems to be working, as tens of millions of dollars worth of gifts and pledges have been announced. On Nov. 15, the museum launched

photo by Gary Leonard

Gustavo Dudamel was the center of attention when he took over the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His Oct. 8 debut at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (followed by a gala celebration on Grand Avenue) drew worldwide press.

Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years. Filling approximately 50,000 square feet of exhibit space in both the Grand Avenue and Little Tokyo venues, it features approximately 500 paintings, sculptures, photographs and more from Ed Ruscha, Chris Burden, Alberto Giacometti and about 200 others. A gala dinner the night before

The Good, the Bad And the Broke Downtown in 2009 Saw New Landmarks, Bitter Battles and Plenty of Bankruptcy

Five great entertainment options.

14 CALENDAR LISTINGS 16 MAP 17 CLASSIFIEDS

by anna Scott Staff wRiteR

say the past 12 months were boring. Here are some of the year’s highlights.

or Downtown Los Angeles, 2009 was a year of extremes. Longanticipated landmarks opened to major fanfare, while some longstanding conflicts reached a boiling point. Then there was the economy, which impacted just about everyone who lives or works in the Central City. There was no shortage of headlines Downtown in 2009, and no one can

Everyone Goes Bankrupt: At least eight Downtown residential projects filed for bankruptcy in the past year, throwing a wrench in plans to bring thousands of new housing units on the market (not that it was a dead year, as more than 10 residential projects opened; see story on page 3). Some of those developments, see Year in News, page 10

The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles

the opening raised $4 million for the museum. Red Carpet: On Oct. 26, Downtown went to the movies, with the opening of the Regal Cinemas Stadium 14. The 14,000-square-foot multiplex at L.A. Live debuted with the see Entertainment, page 12 rendering courtesy of AC Martin Partners

by RichaRd Guzmán

The year in policing.

In April, officials with Korean Air and Thomas Properties Group announced plans for a $1 billion development to replace the Wilshire Grand hotel. It was the most bullish sign of the future in a year dominated by the down economy.

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AROUNDTOWN Downtown Crime Drop Hits 10%

he LAPD’s Central Division announced another drop in crime last week, lowering the overall crime level in Downtown 10% compared to last year. The decrease includes all violent and property crimes. Departing Central Capt. Blake Chow, who cedes the job of Central’s top cop to Todd Chamberlain on Jan. 3, reported the numbers in his latest community newsletter. The decline comes after Central saw a 2% uptick in 2008 (following a 30% decrease in 2007, the first full year with the Safer Cities Initiative in effect). Chow said that the 2009 statistics are significant not because they bested last year’s numbers, but because the 10% reduction puts Central’s crime below 2007 levels. “That to me was a testament to the work [the division and its community partners] have done with each other,” Chow said. “In a division like Central where we still have issues in Skid Row, and have even more people coming into the division and visiting the establishments, that is pretty significant.”

Move-ins Begin at Concerto

esidents have begun moving in to the first phase of the Concerto project at Ninth and Figueroa streets, developer Sonny Astani said. All 77 units in the seven-story building sold during a one-day August auction, but escrows were delayed after Concerto’s lender, Corus Bank, was taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Astani filed for bankruptcy protection for the project in an attempt to close the sales in September. A judge subsequently ruled that Astani could proceed with closings, and residents are now occupying the structure, Astani said. Concerto also includes a nearly completed 30-story tower, which Astani said will resume construction after the new year. He said he hopes to open the high-rise, which contains 271 units, in 2010.

Councilman, CRA Eye New Park in Chinatown irst District City Councilman Ed Reyes has begun working with the Community Redevelopment Agency on

Law Firm, Nonprofit Book Downtown Space

pair of leases valued at more than $3 million were recently finalized by two Downtown organizations. One Bunker Hill Law, LLC renewed its lease at 601 W. Fifth St. for five years. Colliers International, which directed the renewal of the 15,874-square-foot lease, said the deal is valued at $1.7 million. The lease, signed Nov. 1, extends the firm’s occupancy of the eighth floor of the One Bunker Hill building. Colliers also represented Peace Over Violence, a nonprofit group, in their move from 605 W. Olympic Blvd. to a 6,294-square-foot space at 1015 Wilshire Blvd. The 10-year lease was signed Oct. 15 and is valued at $1.5 million.

Cigar Bar Coming to Rosslyn Lofts

anging out at the Rosslyn Lofts could soon be more fun. Plans to build a 6,277-square-foot cigar bar and billiards lounge in the mixed-income rental property were approval Dec. 16 by the City Planning department, said Veronica Becerra, a project representative. Tentatively called the Loft Bar, the second floor space would include 230 seats. It would serve food and alcohol and be open from 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily. Completion is expected in about six months, Becerra said. The Rosslyn Lofts, at 451 S. Main St., are owned by the Amerland Group, which purchased the 190-room building in 2007. Amerland completed a $15 million renovation of the 1913 building this summer.

Why does this little burger stand attract over a million people a year?

photo by Gary Leonard

On Wednesday, Dec. 23, city employees lined up to get their photos taken with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Controller Wendy Gruel and her son Thomas took part in the annual holiday tradition.

Skate City Results

hen it comes to ice skating in Downtown Los Angeles, people are picking their rink, and few are crossing lines. In a recent online survey, Los Angeles Downtown News asked readers whether they are more likely to skate at Pershing Square, which has hosted the Downtown On Ice rink for more than a decade, or the Kings Holiday Ice facility at L.A. Live, which began this year. The results, where absolutely no science was applied, show that 37% opted for Pershing Square, while 33% will get their glide on at L.A. Live. Only 11% of respondents said they would utilize both rinks, while 19% said they will not ice skate at all. This week, Downtown News asks how you think 2010 will be for you — personally. To vote, go to downtownnews.com, scroll down and look on the left side of the page.

metro.net

Metro Briefs Go Metro to The Roses

Celebrate the New Year on Metro. The Metro Gold Line can get you to the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl Game, viewing the ?oats after the parade and even the BCS game on January 7. Memorial Park, Lake and Allen stations are all just a short walk from the parade route. Shuttles can take you to the games and ?oat viewing area. Find out more at metro.net.

Holiday Eve Free Fares To help you enjoy the holidays safely, all Metro bus and rail will o=er free service on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Speci>cally, no fare will be charged from 9pm on Thursday, December 24 until 2am Friday, December 25 and from 9pm Thursday, December 31 until 2am on Friday, January 1. Have a safe holiday. Go Metro.

Find out at the landmark location near Downtown. Home of the original Chili-burger. Quality and value since 1946:

Chili Hamburger .............. $1.85 Chili Cheeseburger ........... $2.25

Discover The Taste of The Eastside From sushi in Little Tokyo/Arts District to tamales in East LA, the opening of the Edward R. Roybal Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension also opened up a new dining adventure. Metro has put together a listing of just some of the o=erings in its Eastside Dining Guide – more than 70 choices shown by nearest station location. Check it out at metro.net.

New Silver Line Freeway Service tax included

Metro has introduced new high-frequency, high-capacity bus service on the freeway carpool lanes between the South Bay and the San Gabriel Valley. The new Metro Silver Line travels the carpool lanes on the I-10 and I-110 freeways, and also serves key destinations in Downtown LA. Find out more at metro.net.

$9.5 Million in Measure R Funds Distributed The >rst installment of $9.5 million in Measure R sales tax monies have gone out to 38 cities in LA County for transportation improvements. Track the progress of Measure R funded projects in your area online. Just go to metro.net and search for “Progress Tracker.”

Many Imitate, But None Compare!

If you’d like to know more, please call us at 1.800.464.2111, or visit metro.net.

an effort to create a new pocket park in Chinatown, said Reyes’ planning deputy, Susan Wong. The plan is still in the very early stages. Reyes has identified a small parcel at Ord and Yale streets near Los Angeles State Historic Park as a potential site, and plans to apply for up to $5 million in state Proposition 84 funds in March. The property is currently owned by a couple of private individuals, Wong said. Reyes and the CRA hosted two recent public workshops, including one in Chinatown on Dec. 15, to gather information about what features locals would like to see at the park. They plan to host three more sessions. The timeline for the park will depend on how quickly funding is secured, Wong said.

December 28, 2009

DowntownNews.com

Downtown News 3

A Building Rises, Crime Falls Downtown’s Busy Year in Policing by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

or the Los Angeles Police Department, 2009 was a milestone year: On the department-wide front, the LAPD finished its $440 million new headquarters in the Civic Center. Additionally, a popular chief left and was replaced by another popular figure. It was also a noteworthy year for policing in Downtown. Crime fell in Central Division, and the area saw the naming of not one, but two new leaders. A Change at the Top, Part 1: In February, Central Division got a new Captain in Blake Chow, who came to Downtown from Hollenbeck Division. Chow, who had walked a Downtown foot beat as a rookie cop, replaced Capt. Jodi Wakefield. Wakefield led the division for a year and a half before she was transferred to lead an audit unit in the Civil Rights Integrity Division. During 2008 — the bulk of her tenure as Central Captain — Wakefield was essentially battling the division’s own strong crime numbers of the previous year. Her challenge was to reduce crime further after it dropped 30% in 2007. Instead it ticked up slightly, by about 2%, by the end of 2008. Shiny New Digs: After being beset by multiple delays and budget increases, the 10-story Police Administrative Building opened on Oct. 24. The $440 million, 500,000-square-foot building is heavy on the glass, offering pedestrians views of some of its hallways and interiors. Pedestrians can also utilize the small park that fronts Second Street between Spring and Main streets. The project designed by AECOM Design and Roth + Sheppard Architects, with landscape design by Melendrez, is a replacement for the earthquake-damaged Parker Center. The old police headquarters is still partly in operation. Opened in 1955, the building is awaiting an environmental analysis as the City Council mulls multiple future options for the site. Nothing is expected to happen to the building for years. Bratton to Manhattan: The widely lauded era of LAPD Chief William Bratton reached its (arguable) apex this summer when he oversaw the lifting of the federal consent decree. Then, he hit the city with a bombshell, announcing he would step down from his post, despite the three years remaining in his second term. Bratton left the department Oct. 31 for a private-sector job with a security consulting firm in New York City. He left deep marks in Downtown, specifically in Skid Row. Bratton was a chief architect of the Safer Cities Initiative, which deployed 50 extra cops to the community to crack down on low-level crimes as a means to deter more serious offenses. Although the effort that began in September 2006 provoked some controversy, it led to a 30% crime drop in Downtown. Bratton’s replacement, Chief Charlie Beck, took over in late November. The 32-year LAPD veteran comes from a family with deep roots in the department. His father, George, was a deputy chief, his sister was a detective and he has two children on the force. Beck also served as captain of Central from January 2002 through May 2003. Skid Row Shootings: While the one-square-mile area of Skid Row is home to most of the violent crime Downtown, the neighborhood has not in recent years seen many shooting deaths. This year, however, three people were killed by gunfire. The District Attorney’s office has filed murder charges against two men and one woman suspected in a double homicide that rocked Skid Row on Easter Sunday. The suspects allegedly shot and killed Tommie Hayes, 33, and Kevin Cohen, 49. Police believe Cohen was an unintended victim of a murder for hire on Hayes. Cohen was a beloved community figure whose reputation was magnified by his participation as an extra in the film The Soloist. Cohen, who was known as KK, also helped the film’s directors and production team understand and accurately portray the poverty-stricken neighborhood. On Nov. 23, Sheila Zaldana, 46, was allegedly shot in broad daylight on San Julian Street by Michelle Cato, 26. The shooting had the neighborhood on lockdown for more than six hours. A Change at the Top, Part 2: Chow quickly earned accolades from across the Downtown community. He gained a reputation for his focus on outreach, communication and access — he published his email address on Facebook and sent out weekly email updates to hundreds of area stakeholders. He also led efforts such as a police station open house during the November Art Walk.

During his tenure, Downtown crime dropped 10% (yearto-date, as of press time), a trend he attributed largely to the division’s improved coordination with the security arms of Downtown’s various business improvement districts. The work paid off: In November, Chow was promoted to Commander, and as of Jan. 3, will be working in Operations at Central Bureau, assisting Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz. In December, Beck appointed Todd Chamberlain, who most recently served as a captain with the Emergency Operations Division, to replace Chow. Chamberlain, 47, is a 25-year LAPD veteran. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

photo by Gary Leonard

The Civic Center has a new gem in the $440 million police headquarters building on First between Main and Spring streets.

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A Year of Urban Scrawl In 2009, Our Editorial Cartoonist Had Plenty to Say

owntown Los Angeles was full of activity throughout 2009, and that was a good thing for editorial cartoonist Doug Davis. In his Urban Scrawl cartoons, he pointed his pen at (and had fun with) everything from the City Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vacation during a time of fiscal crisis to the battle over medicinal marijuana to the arrival of new L.A. Phil Music Director Gustavo Dudamel. Here are six of the yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standout cartoons.

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

June 15, 2009

August 24, 2009

September 7, 2009

October 5, 2009

October 12, 2009

November 23, 2009

December 28, 2009

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Know When to Fold ’Em The Economy Proved Too Tough For Some Businesses in 2009 by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR

n 2009, Downtown Los Angeles saw plenty of new businesses, many hoping to serve the community’s growing residential base. However, it was also the year that other shops called it quits. Some owners closed for personal reasons, but in almost every instance, it boiled down to a tough economy. Some of the businesses that closed were short-lived experiments in the Downtown revitalization process. Others represented the final chapters for companies that had immersed themselves deep in the fabric of the neighborhood. Here are some of the businesses that rang up their last sales in 2009. Roll the Credits: Just shy of its 60th anniversary, Academy Award Clothes, one of the original Los Angeles Street suit purveyors, called it quits. The men’s shop had been hurting for years, something owner Peter Kaplan, the son of store founder Jules Kaplan, attributed to a stylistic shift toward casual wear. Most men, Kaplan said around the November closing, don’t wear suits these days unless they work in an office tower, or are going to a wedding or a funeral. Though Los Angeles Street remains a hub for men’s suits, Academy Award was one of the last on the block to descend from a handful of original stores that opened in the 1950s. Casa De Bye Bye: On Oct. 1, Sheriff’s deputies evicted Casa De Sousa for non-payment

of rent. The Olvera Street coffee and novelty shop, which had been operating for 60 years, became only the second business to be evicted from El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument in the attraction’s almost 80-year history. Casa De Sousa’s owners were six months behind on their $1,900 rent, and after failing to comply with a repayment agreement, owed about $13,000 (that was the latest of several rental slips). The store was known for its eclectic vegetarian menu, with items like vegan tamales, tequila-infused dark chocolates and authentic Mexican hot chocolate. Last Pour: In 2009, Downtown saw a sudden flourishing of wine bars, with The Must, Bottlerock, Corkbar, and Tapas and Wine Bar C all opening (more are scheduled to debut next year). But it seems the quaint Spring Street wine bar 626 Reserve was a bit early for the party. Though it had a few neighborhood regulars, the bar folded in the spring. It had been popping corks and pouring glasses for nearly three years. Punched Out: Industrial Street, that small road in the Arts District that divides Linear City’s Toy Factory and Biscuit Company lofts, has attracted a lot of physical fitness facilities. Not all have succeeded. At the end of 2008, Physique, a small gym, packed up its weights. This year, Counter Violence Academy vacated its spot in the Biscuit Company Lofts for the Westside. The school was one of the few in the country teaching martial arts moves derived directly from

Make over your

photo by Gary Leonard

The shelves at Mitsuwa were picked clean after the Little Tokyo grocery store’s closing sale in January.

Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do style. Apparently Downtowners had little desire to learn the kind of rapid assault tactics employed by the Navy Seals. Final Bloom: The longtime Arts District pit stop Bloom’s General Store closed in February after 15 years. The eclectic shop at 303 S. Hewitt St. opened in 1994 and was the first spot where locals could stock up on groceries, laundry detergent, magazines and other sundries. The place was as much a neighborhood cultural institution and beloved hangout as it was a convenience store, but it struggled to stay afloat after founder Joel Bloom died in July 2007. Though Bloom’s son, Randy, tried to keep the store going, he had his own career, and the shop couldn’t keep up with a 50% rent increase implemented the previous September. Sayonara Mitsuwa: After a group of Korean-American investors purchased the Little Tokyo Shopping Center in late 2008,

time was up for Japanese grocer Mitsuwa. The store, a longtime go-to for Little Tokyo and Arts District residents stocking up on Japanese specialties, produce and staples, closed in January with a weeklong sale that brought lines of more than 100 people snaking out its doors. The space re-emerged in the spring as Little Tokyo Market, an independently owned, Asian-themed grocery store. Move Over Macy: In January, Macy’s announced that it would shutter 11 underperforming locations nationwide, among them its outpost in the 7+Fig shopping center. The move left landlord Brookfield Properties with 125,000 square feet of prime, but vacant, retail space. The loss of Macy’s was a blow to the plaza, but this could turn out to work in Brookfield’s favor, as the landowner is holding negotiations with Minneapolis-based retailer Target about filling the three-level space. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Home Runs and Empty Homes Downtown Saw More Than 1,000 New Market-Rate Units in 2009, Along With Some Development Trouble by Anna Scott staff writer

n most communities, the opening of seven new marketrate housing complexes with a total of 1,041 units would be a good thing. So would the debut of three other lowor mixed-income projects. It is only in comparison to 2008, when more than a dozen Downtown market-rate housing complexes came online, that 2009 seems slow. Most neighborhoods would kill for such an ample development slate. Certainly there were some difficulties, as a handful of anticipated projects instead tumbled into bankruptcy. Still, it was a year with plenty of action. Here are the new additions, as well as a few almosts. Concerto: While some Downtown projects announced grand openings this year, only to languish empty for many months, developer Sonny Astani achieved almost the reverse. The first phase of his Concerto project — a seven-story, 77-unit condominium building at Figueroa and Ninth streets — finished construction. It even sold out during a one-day August auction. However, legal issues prevented residents from moving in until the final weeks of 2009. Astani has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the entire project, which includes a 30-story tower adjacent to the small building, in September. He is still sorting through the legal issues. Rowan Lofts: A Feb. 8 auction sold 63 units in the Historic Core conversion, and residents began moving in soon after. The 206-unit condominium project at 460 S. Spring St. did not arrive easily: After numerous delays, developer Downtown Properties had to work out a deal with its lender to begin move-ins before half the units were sold (in contrast to the industry norm), and prices in the 13-story project dropped from $300,000-$1 million down to $200,000-$800,000 for 500- to 1,400-square foot resi-

photo by Gary Leonard

The New Carver Apartments on 17th Street raised the bar for design for low-income housing projects. Architect Michael Maltzan worked on the project for Skid Row Housing Trust.

photo by Gary Leonard

The Related Companies’ luxury rental building Sakura Crossing opened in Little Tokyo in May. The 230-unit project is the developer’s second apartment complex in the district.

dences. A small park is slated to open next to the building in 2010. Sakura Crossing: The Related Companies’ $3 billion Grand Avenue project is on hold, but the New York-based developer opened a 230-unit luxury apartment complex in Little Tokyo in June. The $78 million effort at Second and San Pedro streets boasts an unusually large selection of floor plans — 34 in all. Rents at Sakura, Related’s second Little Tokyo venture (rental building Hikari opened in 2006) range mostly from $1,500$3,000. Forty-six units are reserved for low-income tenants.

Great Republic Lofts: Like many for-sale projects that got caught in the economic tidal wave of recent years, the 13-story adaptive reuse project at 756 S. Spring St. switched from condominiums to rentals in February. Spring Main Development LLC opened the 100,000-square-foot, 72-unit building shortly thereafter. The 1923 structure, originally designed by architects Albert Walker and Percy Eisen and converted by David Gray, was designated a city Historic-Cultural Monument in May. Haas Building: There are many unique, even odd things about the $10 million adaptive reuse project in the Jewelry District which opened in May. For one, it features the 16,000-squarefoot, two-level penthouse known as Loft Seven, which has hosted parties and charity events, and serves as a part-time residence for developer Zuri Barnes. For another, it houses Downtown’s first new full-time synagogue in 60 years in a donated second-floor space. Barnes owned the 12-story building at 219 W. Seventh St. long before turning it into 68 apartments. He privately funded the conversion, which gave him flexibility in the design and other elements. The 575-1,200-square-foot see Housing, page 7

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Lakers Get Rings, McCourts Ditch Theirs In 2009, Downtown Sports Fans Saw One Championship and a Lot of L.A. Drama by Ryan Vaillancourt staff writer

or Los Angeles basketball fans, 2009 was the year the world returned to its axis. The U.S. Bank Tower lit its crown in purple and gold as the Lakers made quick work of the Orlando Magic in June, taking their 15th championship and capturing a 10th ring for coach Phil Jackson. This being Los Angeles, it wouldn’t be a year in sports without some off-the-field drama. That was provided largely by the Dodgers, first with a steroid scandal, then the start of a nasty public divorce between team owners (or should that be singular?) Frank and Jamie McCourt. It was also the year that a local sporting legend played her last game, a perennially mediocre team became a force to reckon with (go Kings!), and a perennial force to reckon with became a mediocre team (sorry Trojans). Here are the Downtown Los Angeles sports highlights of 2009.

Manny Juice: Manny Ramirez was embraced when he was traded to the Dodgers in 2008, and he promptly became the Chavez Ravine home run machine. In 2009, his long ball prowess proved too good to be true. Either that, or Manny, who was suspended for 50 games for violating baseball’s drug policy after testing positive for female fertility drugs (commonly used to balance out exaggerated testosterone), was looking to get in touch with his feminine side. ManRam eventually returned to the lineup, but he didn’t bring his bat with him. The Dodgers still managed to capture the National League West title behind the late game heroics of Andre Ethier and some solid pitching, and swept

the Cardinals in round one of the playoffs. Then they were thumped by the Philadelphia Phillies in five games — for the second year in a row. The Wrong Kind of Split Squad: In the age of athletes on Twitter and $100 million-plus payrolls, the media usually finds all of its drama with the players on the field. During the playoffs, the press mob instead looked to the owner’s box at Dodger Stadium, where the McCourts had stopped sitting together. The couple has since separated and the legal wrangling for an upcoming divorce and battle for control of the club is see Sports, page 9

Housing Continued from page 6 residences range from $1,299-$2,600. New Carver Apartments: The eye-catching project from Skid Row Housing Trust steps outside the box in terms of typical affordable housing design. The Michael Maltzandesigned edifice at 325 W. 17th St., adjacent to the 110 Freeway, cuts a startling figure with its circular, paneled white exterior. The $34 million permanent supportive housing project, which opened in September, includes 97 efficiency units for homeless individuals with mental or physical disabilities. Like other SRHT projects, the New Carver filled up quickly and has a long waiting list. James M. Wood Apartments: A $15 million, five-story building at 506 S. San Julian St. from developer Single Room Occupancy Housing Corporation opened in July. The project contains 53 studio apartments for formerly homeless individuals. The building includes on-site case management, employment assistance and even nutritional counseling for its tenants. Rosslyn Lofts: For-profit, San Diego-based affordable housing developer the Amerland Group opened the 12-story, mixed-income apartment project in the Historic Core in July. The $15 million conversion of the 1913 Frontier Hotel at 111 W. Fifth St. created 259 low- to moderate-income units from 300-325 square feet for $500-$796 a month. It also includes 38 market-rate units from 600-1,300 square feet, with rents starting at $995. The no-frills building comes with laundry facilities and subterranean parking. SB Main: Barry Shy is one of Downtown’s most controversial developers. He is also one of its most prolific. His 214-apartment SB Main opened in February — it is one of three Shy projects debuting in a one-year period. The 12-story former office building at 111 W. Seventh St. lured residents with rents running less than $2 a square foot; it was half leased within three months of opening. SB Spring: The most recent addition to Barry Shy’s collection of Historic Core buildings opened in May at 650 S. Spring St. The 174-unit project was originally planned as condominiums, but opened as rentals instead, with prices in the same range as the SB Main. The building fits the mold of Shy’s nearby projects: an adaptive reuse development on a corner property, with amenities that include a fitness center and rooftop deck. The Waiting Game: Several projects that the community has been waiting for for a long time ran into trouble in 2009, with their developers declaring bankruptcy even though the buildings were near or past completion. The list includes the Brockman Building, an 80-unit development at 530 W. Seventh St.; 705 W. Ninth, developer Meruelo Maddux’s glitzy 214-condo complex at (naturally) 705 W. Ninth St. in South Park; and one of the four condominium buildings at the Fashion District’s Santee Village complex. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

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Continued from page 7 already nasty. Meanwhile, the team, whose finances are in question because of the dispute, did nothing of note during the recent baseball winter meetings.

The Lakers celebrated their 15th NBA championship in June with a huge parade and a ceremony at the Coliseum.

Manny Ramirez did a little experimenting with female fertility drugs in 2009. But that hullabaloo was little league compared to the feud that erupted between team owners Frank and Jamie McCourt during the playoffs.

Paint the City in Purple and Gold: Once again, the Lakers made the playoffs, and suddenly the freeways were twitching with those golden car window flags. After falling short in 2008, Kobe seized on his second chance to win a ring without Shaq, and with some help from Pau Gasol, the juggernaut Lakers ran over Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic in five games. In the off-season, the team opted to part ways with versatile sixth man Trevor Ariza in exchange for the mercurial (a nice way to say crazy) Ron Artest. So far, the Ron Ron experiment seems to be working, as the Lakers are the cream of the league heading into 2010. Oh Those Clippers: It wasn’t much of a news flash when the Clippers finished the 2008/2009 season with an abysmal 1963 record. The biggest surprise was that big budget acquisition Baron Davis battled injury and the “effort bug.” Then the lottery and the first pick in the draft came, and with it, Blake Griffin fell into L.A.’s lap. Suddenly, the Clippers were proud owners of the NBA’s most electric rookie, who was bouncing out of the gym during preseason, with sledgehammer dunks and vicious blocks. Then he fractured his patella in the final preseason game. Clipper curse? Even without Griffin, the Clippers have started the season better than last year, approaching a .500 record in late December. Puck Amid the Palms: Some assume that hockey, with all the ice, and Los Angeles, with all the sun, don’t go together. Despite that, Staples Center boasts some diehard fans who never stop cheering — even if their team has struggled mightily in the past decade and hasn’t ever won a Stanley Cup. The 2008/2009 season was another disappointment, but suddenly in the new season, the team led by Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown is a force to reckon with in the NHL. Heading into the new year, they’re jostling for first place in the division with San Jose. Lost Their Spark: For Los Angeles Sparks fans, 2009 will be recalled with plenty of nostalgia. It marked the 13th and final year of WNBA icon Lisa Leslie’s career, which she spent entirely in a Sparks uniform. Leslie was the face of the league in its early days, a role she has partially left for teammate Candace Parker. It was a milestone year for Parker too, as she sat out the first third of the season after having a baby. For the team, it was a rollicking and mostly disappointing year, highlighted by a late-season run that landed them in the playoffs. In what would also be coach Michael Cooper’s last year with the team, the Sparks lost in the conference finals to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury. Sports Museum Shutters: After an attention-generating grand opening in late 2008, the Sports Museum of Los Angeles closed to the general public in March. Owner Gary Cypres, whose massive personal collection of artifacts and memorabilia makes up the museum, shut it down when not enough customers showed up. Housed in a two-story warehouse on Main Street near Washington Boulevard, the museum remains open to groups of 15 or more by appointment, and Cypres continues to rent the space for private events. Trojan Pony: Surprise! College football teams that matriculate just about every starter on their club to the NFL might not be able to dominate every year. So it went with USC in 2009, as freshman quarterback Matt Barkley struggled and the young defense got run over by teams like Stanford. The team finished a pedestrian 8-4, finishing the year with a loss to Arizona and a trip to the… Emerald Bowl. Nuts! Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.

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Twitter/DowntownNews Arts on Grand Avenue, it was unclear who would control the facility or who its principal would be. Los Angeles Unified School District officials were locked in a power struggle with philanthropist Eli Broad and his allies, who wanted to open Central High School No. 9 as a charter school. District Supt. Ramon Cortines finally won out and the school — which also garnered gasps over its price tag and edgy design by Austrian architect Wolf Prix — welcomed students in the fall with specialized programs in dance, music, theater and visual art. Former Van Nuys middle school administrator Suzanne Blake was appointed principal in May.

Year in News Continued from page 1 like the fully occupied City West apartment building The Flat (which was ultimately sold out of foreclosure), have continued with business as usual. Others, like the Brockman Building at Seventh Street and Grand Avenue, and the Meruelo Maddux project 705 W. Ninth, remain empty and in limbo going into 2010. In some cases the banks have taken over, while in others the original developers are still clinging to their buildings. While bankruptcy cases play out differently with each filing, experts say that the trend likely means a major construction slowdown in Downtown for the foreseeable future.

Grand Expectations: It was a year with a lot of rhetoric, though no physical progress, for the $3 billion Grand Avenue project, which would transform Bunker Hill with condominiums and retail. Developer the Related Companies missed a Feb. 15 groundbreaking deadline set by the Grand Avenue Authority (the city-county panel overseeing the project), but the Authority deferred the $250,000 monthly penalty for lack of construction. Two months later the County Board of Supervisors approved designs for a 16-acre Civic Park that Related says will break ground in 2010. Yet with credit markets frozen and Related unable to secure the $700 million construction loan it needs, a twist occurred in December: Ninth District Councilwoman Jan Perry said a new, smaller development is being planned for part of the Grand Avenue site. She would not give details on the project, but said it could be built relatively quickly.

Another Mega Project: Downtown-based developer Thomas Properties Group and Wilshire Grand hotel owner Korean Air made a splash in April by announcing plans to tear down the 57-year-old, 900-room hotel and replace it with a $1 billion luxury hotel, office and residential complex. The 1.7 million-square-foot development would dramatically change the Downtown skyline with a 40-story hotel-residential tower and a 60-floor office tower at Figueroa and Seventh streets. Officials with the airline said the project would break ground in 2011, though financing was not yet in place. High School Drama: Just five months before the September opening of the $232 million High School for the Visual and Performing

NYE 2010 at new

Rent Battle: The decades-long push to get tenants at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument to pay market-rate rents simmered all year. Monument brass called for a rate hike while a group of politically connected Olvera Street merchants fought the proposal. A June audit by the City Controller’s office blasted the department for charging merchants in some cases less than $1 per square foot, even though El Pueblo needs nearly $1 million a year from the city’s general fund to balance its budget. Meanwhile, connected player and restaurateur Andy Camacho was embroiled in a lawsuit with the city over a building on the site. Late in the year, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said the city will not do any more “bum deals” at El Pueblo. Mixed-Income Mess: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in September photo by Gary Leonard 2008 announced a $5 billion The Brockman Building on Seventh Street was one of at plan to increase the city’s afford- least eight Downtown residential projects that filed for able housing stock. Putting aside bankruptcy in 2009. In some cases the developers are trying the fact that the city had secured to hang on. only $1.7 billion in funding, another challenge surfaced this year, when Downtown developer Geoff Palmer has cleaned area sidewalks for the past 10 won a legal ruling that torpedoed the cen- years expires on Dec. 31. In recent weeks, terpiece of Villaraigosa’s plan. The proposed the 12-block district has been overrun with Mixed-Income Ordinance would have re- refuse, and there is no easy solution in sight. quired some affordable units in residen- While the Central City East Association, tial developments throughout the city. But which oversaw the Toy District BID, conPalmer fought an existing mandate in City tinues to try to reach out to local property West; he won, and the state Supreme Court owners, Ninth District Councilwoman Jan in October upheld a Court of Appeals deci- Perry has said that she will look into sending sion in Palmer’s favor. Experts say that the sanitation inspectors to the neighborhood to decision not only prevents Villaraigosa from cite businesses that dump trash in the streets. applying an ordinance to any rental housing, but also affects similar measures statewide. Troubled Walk: The Downtown Art Walk found huge success in 2009, regularly drawing Toys and Trash: Trash pileups have plagued 10,000 people to galleries in the Historic Core. the Toy District on and off for decades, due But with that success came growing pains. to densely packed shops that receive large In the fall, some gallery owners, fearing that shipments in cardboard boxes loaded with the atmosphere had become too party-like at packaging materials. The latest refuse-related the detriment of art sales, broke ties with the crisis erupted toward the end of the year, nonprofit that runs the event and formed their as the business improvement district that own group. In November Art Walk Executive

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Downtown News 11

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Movin’ Out: On Dec. 17, the Community Redevelopment Agency Board of Commissioners approved a plan for the CRA to vacate its Historic Core headquarters. That would mark the end of an era, as the city agency charged with revitalizing blighted neighborhoods has occupied the Banco

Fashion Fallout: With its fabric suppliers, clothing designers and wholesalers, Downtown has long been a fashion hub. The billion-dollar industry experienced a shakeup this year with financial troubles at New York-based financing giant the CIT Group, Inc. CIT, which filed for bankruptcy protection in November, provides loans for small and midsize apparel businesses to fill orders from retailers. The CIT fallout hit many of Downtown’s small clothing-related companies.

Ordinance, a 47-year-old measure governing the protection of city-designated historic landmarks. Owners of historic Downtown buildings objected to new restrictions on what they could do to the interior of their properties, among other provisions. In September, the City Planning Commission approved a compromise that gives some protections to interior spaces, but without allowing the Cultural Heritage Commission to deny renovations. It also makes it harder to tear down historic structures. The updated ordinance is expected to go before the City Council early next year.

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Gold Standard: The Nov. 15 debut of the $898 million Gold Line Eastside Extension provided a long-awaited link between Downtown and East Los Angeles. The six-mile light rail line runs between Union Station and Atlantic Boulevard in East L.A., with eight stops along the way. Metro officials estimate the project will eventually carry up to 13,000 riders a day, helping to reduce traffic. The first phase of the Gold Line runs between Downtown and Pasadena and opened in 2003.

Popular Center at 354 S. Spring St. for nearly 30 years. After dealing with safety and maintenance problems at the property under current landlord Jamison Services, CRA officials worked out a deal to move to the Garland Center in City West. They expect to head to the building at 1200 W. Seventh St. next fall (though the move must be approved by the City Council). While some expressed dismay that the CRA will no longer reside in a Downtown redevelopment area, others see it as a sign of how far the neighborhood has come.

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Director Richard Schave stepped down from his post just five months after succeeding founder Bert Green — Schave had clashed with some area stakeholders. Event producer Jay Lopez was appointed as Schave’s replacement this month. Despite the upheaval, Art Walk continues to bring huge crowds to the Historic Core on the second Thursday of every month.

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California Electroplating, Inc. emite Cromo Hexavalente (un químico conocido como causante de cáncer por el Estado de California). Las personas dentro la area de la línea gruesa marcada en el mapa presentado arriba están expuestas al cromo hexavalente a un nivel sobre el cual es requerido por el Estado se publique un advertencia.

Get vaccinated. Visit FluShotLA.com or call 211 This project was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U90/CCU917012-06 from CDC. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC.

12 Downtown News

Twitter/DowntownNews

December 28, 2009

photo by Gary Leonard

CALENDAR Entertainment Continued from page 1 Michael Jackson documentary This Is It and gave Downtowners their first opportunity in decades to see first-run films in state-of-theart theaters. The complex is tricked out with high-end technology such as digital projection and 3D capabilities in four theaters. The Regal is also expected to attract Hollywood’s elite to Downtown, since it was designed to host film debuts at its premiere house. Located on the ground floor, it offers 800 seats, a balcony and a 75-by-38-foot screen.

Downtown on Film: Downtown Los Angeles, often a backdrop in films, got a starring role in two 2009 movies. In April The Soloist, about Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez’s friendship with homeless, mentally ill musician Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, featured many members of the Skid Row community. Director Joe Wright employed area denizens in the film, and several Downtown service agencies helped the crew learn the history and politics of the area. In July Downtown’s buildings got their closeup in 500 Days of Summer. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an aspiring architect who finds inspiration in Downtown’s old structures and Zooey Deschanel as his love interest, the film follows their 500-day relationship and local landmarks. It was shot almost entirely in Downtown and showcased properties such as the 1893 Bradbury Building and the 1927 Fine Arts Building. Off to the Races: On a sunny Saturday in September, approximately 110,000 spectators flooded Downtown to watch dozens of soapbox teams race down Grand Avenue. In the Red Bull Soap Box Race, teams went all out, creating outlandish cars and equally crazy outfits. Entries included a Spaceballs

In September, a soapbox derby on Grand Avenue lured 110,000 spectators.

car based on the 1987 Mel Brooks movie spoof, a Wizard of Oz team and a Baywatch tribute team; the latter car even held a lifeguard tower and racers dressed in the famous red trunks. The fastest car reached 46.1 mph going down the hill.

In the opening scene Arias was strapped to a rotating wheel and surrounded by alien puppets. That set the tone for a spectacle built on a series of surreal and sometimes funny scenes splashed with Arias’ performances of pop, rock and jazz standards.

Film Fest: The second Downtown Film Festival took place in August, with 200 screenings in 11 days. The line-up featured premieres, experimental works, low-budget indies and Hollywood classics, and unfolded at venues including the AT&T Center in South Park, the Grammy Museum and the Downtown Independent theater. Highlights included a screening of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which was part of a tribute to Paul Newman. Also drawing crowds was Spike Lee’s documentary on the Broadway musical Passing Strange, and the lifetime achievement award presented to prolific character actor Seymour Cassel, who appeared in the festival’s Centerpiece Gala film, Reach for Me.

Everyone Loves This Parade: A musical about a lynching may not sound like fun, but the Mark Taper Forum took a chance on Parade, which had received mixed reviews when it debuted on Broadway in 1998. A

Performance Art and Puppets: REDCAT added to its reputation for bringing edgy, unconventional pieces to the stage with Arias With a Twist. The show, which premiered in November and ran through Dec. 13, was a collaboration between cross-dressing, singerperformance artist Joey Arias and puppeteer Basil Twist. It combined a concert performance, musical theater and puppetry to tell a winding, cabaret singer-in-wonderland story.

downsized and retooled version of the Jason Robert Brown work became a hit in London, and opened at the Taper Oct. 4. It delivered a punch and was a hit, and crowds were wowed by the tale of Leo Frank, the superintendent of a Georgia pencil factory who in 1913 was convicted of the rape and murder of Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old employee. Audiences may not have walked out humming, but they didn’t forget Parade. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com. photo by Gary Leonard

Clash of the Rinks: The Los Angeles Kings were involved in a heated brawl on the ice this year, but it had nothing to do with the NHL. After a decade-long partnership with Pershing Square, the Kings dropped their sponsorship of the park’s Downtown On Ice rink and instead got behind a new rink at L.A. Live. Located across from Staples Center, the 70-by-50-foot rink called Kings Holiday Ice opened Dec. 3 for a one-month run. Although losing the Kings cost the city about $100,000, Pershing Square went ahead with its plans anyway, opening their skating venue on Nov. 19 for a two-month stint. The rink has been augmented by a packed lineup of concerts, festivals and other events.

Red carpet premieres are a possibility Downtown after the October opening of Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live. The 14-screen multiplex is chocked with state-of-the-art technology.

photo by Monika Rittershaus

In February, Achim Freyer directed a dynamic version of Das Rheingold, the first installment in Los Angeles Opera’s presentation of the Ring cycle. Late in the year, the $32 million cost of the series helped send the company to the County Board of Supervisors for financial help. A $14 million loan was worked out.

photo by Gary Leonard

The Mark Taper Forum hosted one of the most powerful theater performances of the year, with Parade. Somehow, the story of a 1913 lynching was turned into a musical.

December 28, 2009

Downtown News 13

DowntownNews.com

Still Cooking The Restaurant Scene in 2009 Saw Plenty of New Additions by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

he country may be in the midst of a recession, but that did not have much impact on new eating establishments in Downtown Los Angeles in 2009. The community saw the arrival of a trio of high-end establishments, a batch of old-fashioned burger joints, and the completion of the L.A. Live restaurant offerings. Then there were all those meals on wheels, as the food trucks rolled in to Downtown. Here is some of what the community was eating. Bottega, Baby: Few places have had as much of an impact on a neighborhood as Bottega Louie Restaurant and Gourmet Market did on the Financial District. The 10,000-square-foot upscale market and restaurant opened on the ground floor of the Brockman Building at 530 W. Seventh St. in April. It has been a neighborhood favorite from day one, thanks to a smartly priced menu with choices including pork chops, salmon in parchment paper and the very shareable pizzas. The high-ceilinged and noisy-as-heck room is packed with the corporate crowd during the weekday lunch hour and the loft dwellers and Downtown visitors during the weekends. With its wall of windows that allows diners to check out the street scene while they eat, and vice-versa, the 185-seat eatery is helping revive the Seventh Street corridor. Social Cuisine: South Park this year saw the return of an innovator of fusion cuisine. In January, John Rivera Sedlar debuted Rivera, a Latin food restaurant on the ground floor of the Met Lofts. Rivera, who made his name decades ago, created a menu with a modern blend of traditional dishes from Latin America. He drew crowds and effusive reviews by putting mole atop a kurobuta pork chop and offering a duck enfrijolada. Along with a bar staffed by “mixologists” (as opposed to pour-and-serve bartenders) there is Sedlar’s “spiceology”; certain dishes are served with messages fashioned from mixtures of spices. The chile relleno, for example, comes with an image that duplicates the highway

caution sign of undocumented immigrants running across a freeway. Trya Chaya: Financial District workers got another place to power lunch when an outpost of the popular Chaya chain opened at City National Plaza in March. The spot at 525 S. Flower St. is an attractive 156-seat establishment. With a menu featuring choices such as the pan-roasted salmon and the escargot and chopped mushrooms, Chaya gave its neighbor, Drago Centro, a run for its money. The restaurant also boasts a patio, lounge, sushi bar and a private room for special events. Burger Time: Lovers of All-American meals were not disappointed in 2009, thanks to the addition of several places that know how to cook a good, hearty burger. Mother Road, which opened in the Hotel Stillwell on Grand Avenue, focused on meals one might find on a journey through Route 66, such as burgers and steaks. D-Town Burger Bar, at 216 W. Sixth St., in the Historic Core, is a straight-up burger joint, with a simple menu of burgers, single or double hot dogs, fries and milkshakes, with a sandwich thrown in here and there. Magnolia, at 825 W. Ninth St. in South Park, also has a standout burger, though the establishment with the white marble bar, lounge and patio serves other classic dishes, from BLTs to pork chops. The Wheels World: 2009 was the year of the food truck, and plenty of the upscale mobile restaurants hit Downtown. The gourmet truck craze was actually launched in 2008 by the Kogi truck, which lured computer-friendly foodies to its Korean BBQ tacos via Twitter. In Downtown this year, the trucks congregated at places including the Art Walk and bars like the Golden Gopher. Downtown had another tie, too: Many of the trucks were outfitted by local company Road Stoves, which leases the $120,000 vehicles and helps with design and marketing. Restaurants Go Live: The L.A. Live entertainment complex continued to expand its menu in 2009. Rock ’n Fish opened

photo by Gary Leonard

Rivera, opened by John Rivera Sedlar in South Park in January, drew praise for its food, drinks and decor.

in February, followed by Trader Vic’s and the Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill in May. The trendy Katsuya began serving in June, and the lineup was completed with the August opening of Rosa Mexicano. All told, the campus adjacent to Staples Center has 12 restaurants. Last Meals: It wasn’t all fun and games for the Downtown restaurant scene in 2009, as several high-profile spots closed their kitchens this year. Things got a little too quiet at Tranquility Base in South Park, which closed in January, less than a year after opening. The lunar-themed establishment blamed the “slump in the economic climate” for its demise. The closing “bookend” was Pacific Grille. The Financial District lunch spot served its last meal Dec. 22, finishing a 10year run as a favorite for the corporate crowd. Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.

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14 Downtown News

LISTINGS

The ‘Don’t Miss’ List

SponSored LiSting New Year’s Eve Party ESPN Zone, 1011 S. Figueroa St., newyearseve. myviprsvp.com Dec. 31, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.: Ring in the new year at the mega sports bar ESPN Zone. The night includes live performances, a DJ and an exclusive VIP lounge. Pre-sale tickets are $25 for individuals, and VIP packages, which include a buffet and open bar access among other extras, start at $100 per couple.

Happenings for the End of 2009 And the Start of 2010 by AnnA Scott, StAff writer

Before you enjoy a champagne toast on New Year’s Eve, take the whole family to a child-friendly New Year’s celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 29, at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. The JACCC hosts a workshop for 7- to 12year olds celebrating oshogatsu, the Japanese New Year. The handson program runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and includes a taiko drumming workshop, a traditional Japanese fine arts workshop and games. Reservations are required. At 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 628-2725, ext. 133 or jaccc.org.

Wednesday, dec. 30 The Urban Comedy Experience Bolt Barbers, 460 S. Spring St., (310) 594-3150 or boltbarbers.com. 8 p.m.: This Historic Core barber shop hosts a weekly, free standup comedy event. The old-school shop will also pour $2 root beers and orange sodas. sunday, Jan. 3 Kotohajime and Japanese New Year Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 628-2725 or jaccc.org. 1 p.m.: Literally meaning “the beginning of things,” Kotohajime is JACCC’s signature New Year celebration. This year’s program includes the traditional performance of Hatsu Egao (First Smile). The program combines Western, Japanese and Korean dance traditions with live music and awardwinning set design.

ROCK, POP & JAZZ 2nd Street Jazz 366 E. Second St., (213) 680-0047, 2ndstjazz.com or myspace.com/2ndstreetlivejazz. Tuesdays: Jazz jam session. Music usually starts at 9 or 10 p.m. Blue Velvet 750 S. Garland Ave., (213) 239-0061. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 p.m.: Live music and DJs. 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 of the restored landmark. Cicada Cicada Restaurant, 617 S. Olive St., (213) 488-9488 or cicadarestaurant.com. Thursdays, 8-11 p.m.: The velvet-voiced Max Vontaine recreates the sounds and styles of rat packers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. His smoking jackets and tunes are vintage; his bawdy repartee is less so. Keep a close eye on the unlit cigarette. Sundays, 6-11 p.m.: The restaurant is transformed into a vintage, old Hollywood-style dance club every Sunday. Come out to appreciate the big band, swank costumes, dinner and cocktails. Visit cicadaclub.com. Club Nokia Corner of Olympic Blvd. and Figueroa St., clubnokia.com. Dec. 30, 8:30 p.m.: The singer-songwriter, sometimes rapper and prolific producer Ne-Yo. Dec. 31, 9:30 p.m.: A New Year’s Eve funky dance party with Chromeo, Peanut Butter Wolf, Vega, Gaslamp Killer and (thee) Mike B.

Two

Downtown has endless options for partying a path into 2010. Get started at the Conga Room, which hosts a New Year’s Eve-eve concert by Mexican sensation Kinky on Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 8 p.m. The five-member band blends traditional Latin music with rock, dance and techno for an alternative fusion sound. The Coachella music festival veterans sing mostly in Spanish with some English, and might rock the roof off the intimate Conga Room. At L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (866) 952-6642 or congaroom.com.

Tuesday, dec. 29 Oshogatsu Workshop for Children Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 628-2725 ext. 133 or jaccc.org. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: The JACCC presents a one-day workshop for children to learn about the symbols and festivities surrounding Oshogatsu, the Japanese New Year. The fun, hands-on educational program will include craft activities, games and demonstrations by local artists. For children ages 7-12. Limited to 30 participants, reservations required.

image courtesy of the Conga Room

Monday, dec. 28 Downtown On Ice Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., laparks.org/ pershingsquare. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.: For the holiday season, Downtown On Ice at Pershing Square is extending its hours. Through Jan. 18, the rink will stay open until 10 p.m. Free lunchtime concerts are from noon-2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mommy and Me “Stroller Skating” sessions are on Tuesdays from 10-11 a.m.

photo courtesy of JACCC

EVENTS

December 28, 2009

DowntownNews.com

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ake advantage of extra time off this week to visit MOCA’s 30-year retrospective, on display at both its headquarters on Grand Avenue and its Little Tokyo annex through May. The exhaustive Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years includes more than 500 artworks from the museum’s permanent collection by more than 200 artists, dating back to 1940. You’ll find big names like Jackson Pollock and Jean-Michel Basquiat alongside relative unknowns, and a variety of paintings, sculptures, photographs and installations for a comprehensive view of the many movements of contemporary art. The museum is open this week on Monday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; and on the weekend from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. At MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., and the Geffen Contemporary, 152 N. Central Ave. (213) 626-6222 or moca.org. Vienna sausages, Vienna fingers… Vienna salute. This week brings a different kind of treat named for the Austrian capital to Walt Disney Concert Hall. Salute to Vienna, a concert featuring more than 75 performers, will fill the stage on Sunday, Jan. 3, at 2:30 p.m. The show is inspired by Vienna’s Neujahrskonzert new year’s concert, which has been helmed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for more than 70 years. The L.A. cast includes musicians, singers and dancers from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria and the Ukraine. Expect operetta excerpts, waltzes, polkas, marches and more. At 111 S. Grand Ave., (800) 545-7807 or salutetovienna.com. Contact Anna Scott at anna@downtownnews.com.

Five

With the holidays behind you, and New Year’s Day written off for hangover recovery, start 2010 on a healthy note. Join the Los Angeles Conservancy on Saturday, Jan. 2, for its Evolving Skyline walking tour of Downtown’s Financial District. The two-and-a-half hour exploration will take you to skyscrapers, plazas and public art installations, and will address how the current skyline relates to the city’s past and future. Highlights include the Biltmore Hotel, the Central Library, the Standard hotel and the Westin Bonaventure. Meet in the center of Pershing Square just before the 10 a.m. start time. At 532 S. Olive St., (213) 623-2489 or laconservancy.org.

December 28, 2009

Downtown News 15

DowntownNews.com

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/calendar for full information, including time and location, for all the happenings in Downtown.

Additional Event Information on the Web

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM/CALENDAR : EVENTS | ROCK, POP & JAZZ | CLASSICAL MUSIC | THEATER, OPERA & DANCE ART SPACES | FILM | BARS & CLUBS | MUSEUMS | FARMERS MARKETS | TOURS Conga Room L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic, (213) 749-0445 or congaroom.com. Dec. 30, 8 p.m.: Mexican dance rockers Kinky are the life of a preNew Year’s party. Dec. 31, 8 p.m.: Sheila E. and the Family (that’s the Escovedo family), get you moving into 2010. J Restaurant and Lounge 1119 S. Olive St., (213) 746-7746 or jloungela.com. Tuesdays: Live acoustic performances in the lounge. Wednesdays: Salsa in the City features complimentary salsa lessons at 8 p.m. At 9 p.m., a batch of live musicians takes over for a jam session. Redwood Bar & Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600 or theredwoodbar.com. Dec. 28, 9 p.m.: The Blind Boy Paxton & Frank Fairfield Show transport you back to the ’20s and ’30s. Dec. 29, 10 p.m.: Stab City is a fiery trio from L.A. that rocks dirty, sludgy riffs with a bit of the garage rock blues. They’re joined by Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss, and Champagne Velvet. Dec. 31, 10 p.m.: Ring in 2010 with The M Zeros, Champagne Velvet and Barrio Tiger. Jan. 1, 10 p.m.: The M Zeros are back, this time with The Defendants and A Pretty Mess. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., sevengrand.la. Dec. 28, 10 p.m.: Fuzz Control. Dec. 29, 10 p.m.: House band the Makers. Dec. 30, 10 p.m.: Richard Stekol and the Black Plums. Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.com Dec. 31, 7 and 10:30 p.m.: Break out your zoot suits and flapper dresses for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

FILM Downtown Independent 251 S. Main St., downtownindependent.com for showtimes. Through Dec. 31: The Horse Boy follows one Texas couple and their autistic son as they trek on horseback through Outer Mongolia in an attempt to find healing for the child. Flagship Theatres 3323 S. Hoover St., (213) 748-6321. Through Dec. 31: Avatar 2D (noon, 3:20, 6:40 and 10 p.m. — no 10 p.m. show on Dec. 24). For other showtimes, visit flagshipmovies.com. Regal Cinema L.A. Live 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com. Through Dec. 31: It’s Complicated (11:10 a.m. and 1:50, 4:30, 7:20 and 10:10 p.m.); Nine (11:10 a.m. and 1:50, 4:40, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.); Sherlock Holmes (11 a.m. and 1:30, 2, 4:50, 7:20, 8, 10:20 and 11:10 p.m.); Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (11 a.m. and noon, 1:20, 2:20, 3:30, 4:40, 7 and 9:30 p.m.); Avatar in 3D (11:20 and 11:50 a.m. and 12:20, 2:50, 3:20, 4, 5:50, 6:20, 7:10, 7:50, 9:20, 10 and 11 p.m.); Did You Hear About the Morgans (11:30 a.m. and 2, 4:30, 7 and 9:30 p.m.); Invictus (12:50, 3:50, 6:50 and 9:50 p.m.); The Princess and the Frog (11:20 a.m. and 1:40, 4:10, 6:30 and 9 p.m.); Armored (4:20 and 9:50 p.m.); Brothers (4:50 p.m.); Up In The Air (11:40 a.m. and 2:10, 5, 7:40 and 10:40 p.m.); The Blind Side (1 and 6:50 p.m).

BARS & CLUBS 8Hill 801 S. Hill St., (213) 489-4342. This new watering hole is dark and loud, perfect for dancing away your troubles. The Association 610 S. Main St., (213) 627-7385.

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circular bar. The casual-chic spot is based on Jack Dempsey’s New York bar, with low lighting and a dose of ’40s glam. There’s a patio upstairs with nice views, and a jukebox. Casa 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2249 or casadowntown.com. There’s a classy bar inside, from whence you can check out the action in the open kitchen. But the place to be is outside, under the stars and high-rises, nestled in one of the patio’s pod “casitas.”

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Carved out of the area that used to belong to Cole’s, the bar in front, the Association is a dimly-lit, swank little alcove with some serious mixologists behind the bar. Look for a heavy door, a brass knocker, and a long line. Banquette 400 S. Main St., (213) 626-2768 or banquette-cafe.com. This petite cafe and wine bar with its red and white striped awning has become a popular hangout for casual evenings of drinking wine and meeting up with friends. During monthly Art Walks on the second Thursday of the month, Banquette buzzes with almost every kind of Downtown denizen you could imagine. They have a small but lovely selection of wines by the glass as well as beers. Barbara’s at the Brewery 620 Moulton Ave., No. 110, (323) 221-9204 or barbarasatthebrewery.com. On the grounds of the Brewery, this bar and restaurant in an unfinished warehouse is where local residents find their artistic sustenance. Beer on tap, wine list and full bar. Bar 107 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382 or myspace.com/bar107. Inside the keyhole-shaped door, tough-as-nails Derby Dolls vie for elbowroom with crusty old bar guys and a steady stream of Old Bank District inhabitants. Velvet señoritas, deer heads with sunglasses, a wooden Indian and Schlitz paraphernalia plaster the red walls. There’s no shortage of entertainment, with the funky dance room, great DJs and the occasional rock band. In the photo booth, you can capture your mug in old-fashioned black and white. Blue Velvet 750 S. Garland St., (213) 239-0061 or bluevelvetrestaurant.com. Located off a small side street, look for the blue neon sign that says The Flat. This stylish poolside restaurant and lounge features sparkling views of Staples Center, a dining room with a 17-foot sunken granite table, and a sleek bar with white stools where you can saddle up cowboy style. Bonaventure Brewing Company Westin Bonaventure, 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 236-0802 bbc2go.com. Where can you get a drink, order some decent bar food, sit outdoors and still feel like you’re Downtown? It’s a tall order to fill, but this bar in the Bonaventure Hotel does it admirably. Sure, the hotel is vaguely ’80s, and you’ll probably encounter some convention goers tying a few on, but it only adds to the fun. Bona Vista Lounge 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 624-1000 or starwoodhotels.com. Located in the heart of the Financial District in the landmark Westin Bonaventure Hotel, this revolving cocktail lounge offers a 360-degree view of the city. Bordello 901 E. First St., (213) 687-3766 bordellobar.com. If the name doesn’t clue you in, a sultry voiced “madam” on the answering machine lets you know Bordello isn’t exactly for the buttonedup crowd. This onetime house of ill repute has a gussied up interior oozing sex appeal — lush scarlet velvet, ornate black chandeliers and heart-shaped chairs in hidden alcoves. Bottlerock 1150 S. Flower St., (213) 747-1100 or bottlerock.net Situated on the ground floor of the Met Lofts in South Park, this wine bar features a vast range of bottles from around the world and a price range equally as wide. Wines by the glass start at around $8, but if you’re feeling overcome by oenophilia (or just deep-pocketed) there are some first growth Bordeauxs for more than $1,000 for the bottle. If you don’t get your fill at the bar, which also features a rotating crop of artisanal beers and a full dinner menu, the bar also sells bottles at retail. Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or thebroadwaybar.net. Located next to the Orpheum Theatre in the Platt Building, the Broadway Bar’s blue neon sign beckons patrons inside to its 50-foot

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11TH ST

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PICO UNION

CHERRY

110

BLVD

NORTH UNIVERSITY PARK

MAYAN THEATER

STAPLES CENTER ARENA

12TH ST

ADAMS

SOUTH PARK

WEST EXHIBIT HALL

WEST ADAMS

OLYMPIC BLVD

FASHION DISTRICT

ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITAL

MOUNT ST. MARY’S COLLEGE

NOKIA THEATRE H ICK CH

11TH ST

ORPHEUM THEATER

PRODUCE MARKETS

South Figueroa Corridor District

WEST GARAGE

NOKIA PLAZA

7 INNER CITY ARTS

Y SANTEE ALLE

REGAL CINEPLEX

BLVD

SPRING ST

OLYMPIC

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

CALIFORNIA MARKET CENTER

FIGUEROA HOTEL

HOLIDAY INN

L PA

FLOWER MARKET BROADWAY

8TH ST

RALPHS

L.A. LIVE

GLADYS PARK

CENTRAL CITY EAST

GRAND HOPE FIDM PARK

MARRIOTT & RITZ CARLTON

7TH ST

HILL ST

OLIVE ST

GRAND AVE

HOPE ST

FLOWER ST

FIGUEROA ST

D AVE

FRANCISCO ST

GARLAN

LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL

PARA LOS NINOS

MACY'S PLAZA

777

LAPD

6TH ST

JEWELRY DISTRICT

MERCANTILE ARCADE

SHERATON HOTEL

7 + FIG

AVE

LUCAS

JAMES

PED

HISTORIC CORE

WHOLESALE SEAFOOD DISTRICT

SAN JULIAN PARK

6TH ST

LAAC

4TH ST

5TH ST

NEW LATC

9TH ST

4TH ST

OLD BANK DISTRICT & GALLERY ROW

5TH ST

PERSHING SQUARE

LITTLE TOKYO GALLERIA SHOPPING CENTER

SAN

BILTMORE HOTEL

LOS ANGELES ST

L L S PS

MAIN ST

GAS CO TOWER

TOY DISTRICT

ART SHARE 4TH PL

ARATANI NOGUCHI THEATER PLAZA JACCC

7TH ST

725

LVD WOOD B

SPRING ST

I BUNKER H

US BANK TOWER

TRACTION AVE

3RD ST

MUSEUM OF NEON ART

PERSHING SQUARE STATION

7TH ST / METRO CENTER STATION

WILSHIRE GRAND HOTEL

BRADBURY BLDG. RONALD REAGAN BIDDY STATE MASON BLDG. PARK

BROADWAY

MELLON BANK

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

WILSHIRE BLVD

WIL

GRAND CENTRAL MARKET

THE STANDARD

FIGUEROA AT WILSHIRE

VD SHIRE BL

7TH ST

HOPE ST

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL

WATER ANGELS COURT CALIFORNIA FLIGHT PLAZA

WELLS FARGO CENTER

MAGUIRE CITY GDNS NATIONAL PLAZA CALIF. CLUB

JONATHAN CLUB

3RD ST

4TH ST

WESTIN YMCA UNION BONAVENTURE HOTEL BANK CITIGROUP PLAZA CENTER

CITY WEST

FLOWER ST

FIGUEROA ST

BEAUDRY AVE

LOS ANGELES CENTER STUDIOS

MARRIOTT HOTEL

OMNI HOTEL

3RD ST TUNNEL

LITTLE TOKYO LIBRARY

PLAZA

MOCA

BA PLAZA

ST VIBIANA

ARTS DISTRICT

2ND ST

OLIVE ST

CROWN HILL LAUSD HQ

2ND ST

2ND STREET TUNNEL COLBURN SCHOOL OF PERF. ARTS

LITTLE TOKYO

BUNKER HILL

KYOTO CALTRANS GRAND HQ HOTEL

1ST

I-A

TIMES MIRROR SQUARE

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

1ST ST

2ND S

3RD ST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE T 4TH S

UNION CENTER FOR THE ARTS

LAPD PARKER CENTER

SHAKESPEARE LA

CIVIC CENTER STATION

L. A. COUNTY COURTHOUSE

LITTLE TOKYO/ ARTS DISTRICT STATION

MOCA AT GEFFEN

1ST ST

L.A. DOWNTOWN NEWS

DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION

HARBOR FWY

EDWARD R. ROYBALL LEARNING CENTER

VISTA HERMOSA PARK

CENTRAL AVE ART PARK

LOS ANGELES CITY HALL

VE EA

CIVIC CENTER

DWP

EOC-POC-LFD

AF NT

HALL OF CRIMINAL RECORDS COURTHOUSE

110

TEMPLE ST

HALL OF ADMINISTRATION

AHMANSON THEATER MARK TAPER FORUM

FEDERAL LOS BLDG ROYBAL ANGELES FEDERAL MALL BLDG

CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS

MAIN S

TEMPLE BEAUDRY

FUTURE PICO / ALISO STATION

MWD

FRA SERRA PARK

DE LA PLAZA

HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

BUSINESS MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL

UNION STATION

101

C. EDWIN PIPER TECHNICAL CENTER

LE ST

OLVERA ST

TEMP

4-LEVEL INTERCHANGE

SAN BERNARDINO SPLIT

101

CHINATOWN GATEWAY

EZ AVE CESAR E. CHAV

H O L LY W O O D F W Y

www.cartifact.com

AVE

HIGH

CHINATOWN LIBRARY

OA ST

EVANS ADULT SCHOOL

Gas Stations

S NE VIG

ORD

FIGUER

Metro Red & Purple Lines

AVEZ

ALPINE HILL

HIST

Free Parking with validation

E. CH

R CESA

CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT HQ

ING SPR

ANGELINO HEIGHTS

Metro Blue Line

CHINATOWN BL VD

Metro Rail Station Entrances

ALPIN

Metro Gold Line

EGE S

COLL

DYNASTY CENTER

NEW

WAY

EGE S

COLL

D BROA

PACIFIC ALLIANCE MEDICAL CTR.

CHINATOWN STATION

HILL

KAISER MENTAL HEALTH CENTER

FIGUEROA TERRACE

CENTRAL PLAZA

G RD

G KIN

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

BAMBOO PLAZA

STADIU

Los Angeles

N CHU

R PA

Downtown ST

CASA ITALIANA

LOS ANGELES STATE HISTORIC PARK (CORNFIELD)

AIN

N F

110

ELYSIAN PARK

BROAD WAY

YS EL

W STADIUM

DODGER STADIUM

NORTH

ELYSIAN PARK

NOR TH M

NORT H SPR ING S T

December 28, 2009

Downtown News 17

DowntownNews.com

CLASSIFIED

place your ad online at www.ladowntownnews.com

FOR RENT

L.A. Downtown News Classifieds Call: 213-481-1448 Classified Display & Line ads Deadlines: Thursday 12 pm REAL ESTATE RESIDENTIAL lofts for sale

Buying, Leasing or Selling a Loft?

TheLoftGuys.net

condos/townhouses

HATE COMMUTING HATE YARD WORK K Town (Mid-Wilshire) Condo, 3 bd, 2.5 ba, 1745 sq ft, walk to subway.

$499,000 tony.toscano.dilbeck.com

LA’s #1 Loft Site

Call 213-625-1313

Downtown since 2002

Bill Cooper

213.598.7555

REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL retail space lease/sale

Retail Store Front $1000 gross rent Downtown LA 1240 sq.ft., 20ft ceiling, water included, central AC w/private restroom. Call Pierre or Terri at 818-212-8333 or 213-744-9911

FOR RENT

Homes for Sale

TheLoftExpertGroup.com

“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.”

FORECLOSED HOME AUCTION. Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside & more. 100+ Homes / Auction 1/16/2010. Open House: January 3, 9, 10. REDC / View Full Listings. www.Auction.com RE 01093886. (Cal-SCAN)

LOFT LIVING Your number 1 source for Loft sales, rentals and development! LADowntownNews.com

Condominiums/Unfurnished

Savoy studio end unit $1,300 per mo 6mo.; longer possible Rob Nesbitt, Heritage Realty

(213) 617-8225

All submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Apartments/Unfurnished

Milano Lofts Now Leasing! • Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings • Fitness Center • Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge • Amazing Views 6th + Grand Ave. • 213.627.1900 milanoloftsla.com

DOWNTOWN SOUTH PARK Affordable Program. Luxury Living. Studios: $863. 1 Bdrms $986. 2 Bdrms $1,233. Income and Program Guidelines Apply. Call for Details. High Rise Apartment, Pool, Fitness Center, Subterranean Parking (Additional), Great Location, 2 blocks to Staples Center. Call Toll Free 1-888-810-9608. FREE RENT SPECIALS (O.A.C.) New downtown luxury apartments with granite kitchens, marble baths, pool, spa, saunas & free parking. 888-736-7471. FREE RENT SPECIALS Los Angeles Studio $1688/ month Luxury at it’s finest! Granite counters, W & D 888-262-9761.

FREE RENT SPECIALS (O.A.C.) Brand New Resort Apartments. Granite kitchens, washer/dryers, pools, spas, saunas, fitness ctr, free tanning beds & much more! 866-690-2894. Free ReNT SPECIALS @ the Medici. Penthouse 1 & 2 bdrm apts. Granite kitchens, washer/ dryers, business center, 2 pools, spa! Visit TheMedici.com for a full list of amenities. Call 888886-3731. FREE RENT SPECIALS Panoramic downtown views. 1 bed/1 bath starting at $1398. Washer dryer in unit, gated,Pool, spa and sauna. 888-265-1707.

Loft/Unfurnished

Old Bank District The original Live/Work Lofts from $1,100 Cafes, Bars, Shops, Galleries, Parking adjacent. Pets no charge Call 213.253.4777 LAloft.com

REAL ARTIST LOFTS 13251700 Sq. Ft., $1750-$1850/mo. High ceilings, hardwood floors, fireplace, pool/spa, gated parking, laundry, sorry no dogs, Open House Sundays 12-3pm @ 1250 Long Beach Ave. 213629-5539.

EMPLOYMENT Drivers

FOR RENT South Park studio loft, top floor above Ralphs market 645 West 9th St., covered parking, gym, rec room, washer, dryer. $1,900 per mo. Contact John (310) 505-4024.

CDL A TEAM DRIVERS with Hazmat. Split $.68 for all miles. O/OP teams paid $1.40 for all miles. Up to $1500 Bonus. 1-800-835-9471. (Cal-SCAN) Continued on next page

THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE

LARGE STUDIO in renovated 1905 building, just west of Downtown. High Ceilings, $720 213-389-0753 2 BEDROOM 1930's Art deco duplex, 1447 Carroll Ave. Historic Angelino Heights. Hardwood floors, new washer / dryer. Large garden. $2200. 323-9571936.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

18 Downtown News

December 28, 2009

Twitters/DowntownNews

Continued from previous page

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

General ABLE TO TRAVEL. National Company Hiring Sharp People. Able to start Today. Transportation & Lodging Furnished. No Experience Necessary. Paid Training. Over 18+. 1-866-734-5216. www. GreenStreetSolutions.com. (Cal-SCAN)

Drivers ANDRUS TRANSPORTATION Seeking Team Drivers for fast turning freight lanes! Also Hiring Solo OTR drivers - West states exp/hazmat end, great miles/ hometime. Stable Family owned 35 yrs+ 1-800-888-5838, 1-866806-5119 x1402. (Cal-SCAN)

DowntownNews.com

崔Roof

2551 W. Beverly Blvd. LA, CA, 90057 (Beverly Rampart)

Michael Choi Roofing

Since 1972 • Free Estimate

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

ABOGADO DE IMMIGRACION!

Construction

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

$98

Get your GREEN CARD or CITIZENSHIP Law Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq., (213) 689-1710

s.f.

Architectural Plans + Permit Included GC# 308729 Established 1975

details 323-960-5792

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

Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices

Advertising 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) CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach 6 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SCAN.com. (CalSCAN) NEWS RELEASE? Costefficient service. The California Press Release Service has 500 current daily, weekly and college newspaper contacts in California. Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6010. www.CaliforniaPressReleaseService.com. (Cal-SCAN)

Business Services

ComputerS/IT

JUDGEMENT($) NOT PAID? Auto, small claims, evictions etc. Judgement Enforcement Agency 213-627-1762

COMPUTER HEADACHES? Free In-Home Diagnosis, VirusSpyware Removal, Computer Setup, Repair, Wireless Networking, Training, Troubleshooting, Software. We are Microsoft Certified. 310.927.9233 FRUSTRATED BY computers? For services or solutions for home or business, call 213458-6873.

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

the loft expert! group

Locations Nationwide Beautiful Offices For As Little As $400 Fully Furnished/Corporate ID Programs Flexible Terms/All New Suites

DowntownNews.com

AUTOS & RECREATIONAL

PETS/ANIMALS Adopt A Pet

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. (Cal-SCAN) DONATE YOUR VEHICLE! Receive Free Vacation Voucher. United Breast Cancer Foundation. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf. info Free Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners Accepted, 1-888468-5964. (Cal-SCAN)

ANNOUNCEMENTS Musical Instruments WORLD GUITAR SHOW, Buy, Sell, Trade. Marin Civic/San Rafael, January 9-10, OC Fair/ Event/Costa Mesa, January 1617. Saturdays 10-5, Sundays 10-4. www.TXShows.com Clip this ad! (Cal-SCAN) 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 310313-4278 for more information.

ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@BarkAvewLA. com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

ITEMS FOR SALE Misc. Items Get DISH WITH FREE Installation – $19.99/mo. HBO & Showtime FREE - Over 50 HD Channels Free! Lowest Prices – No Equipment to Buy! Call for Details 1-877-887-6146. (CalSCAN)

LEGAL Fictitious Business Name Fictitious Business Name Statement File No. 20091754156 The following persons doing business as: RUNAWAY CART, 617 E. 9th Street #2, Los Angeles, CA 90015, is hereby registered by the following registrant: Edward Patrick Ferry, 617 E. 9th Street #2, Los Angeles CA 90015. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrants began to transact business un-

Downtown since 2002

Don't settle for anyone less experienced! Call us today!

Services Include: • Reception • Mail • T-1 • State-of-the-Art Voice Mail & Telephone • Westlaw • Fax • Photocopy • More

Bill Cooper • 213.598.7555 • TheLoftExpertGroup.com

Additional Features: Kitchen Facilities, All Support Services, Great Views, Free Conference Room Hours, Fully Trained Staff, Cost Effective.

Jenny Ahn (213) 996-8301 jahn@regentBC.com www.regentbc.com

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

Massage/Acupressure $40 (1 Hour)

attorneys

ALL CASH VENDING! Be Your Own Boss! Your Own Local Vending Route. Includes 25 Machines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405. (Cal-SCAN)

ACUPUNCTURIST: MS in Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine. Mail resume to KT Worldwide, 758 S Kingsley Dr, L.A. CA 90005.

Star Holistic Spa

home improvement

Reroof, Repairs • Lic. #C-39-588045

Business Opportunities

employment services

Massage therapy

Tel: 213-383-7676

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

TRUCK DRIVERS: CDL training. Part-time driving job. Full- time benefits. Get paid to train in the California Army National Guard. May qualify for bonus. www. NationalGuard.com/Truck or 1-800-GO-GUARD.(Cal-SCAN)

TRASH/JUNK 323-216-1740, all events, cleanup’s. Garages, homes, commercial, hauling, handyman, holiday moving special move - u - $80.

Rooms Available

Low Move in Special

✓ Private Bathroom ✓ Cable TV w/HBO ✓ 24 hr. Front Desk

Unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo. with private bath $695/mo.

Weekly $175 1-2 people Daily $45 1-2 people

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

Stuart Hotel 718 S. Union Ave. (Union & 7th St.)

213.413.8100

Includes utilities, basic cable channels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area. 208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA

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

Luxury Rooms in Downtown Monthly Rents Start at $780 1 & 2 Rooms Available • Fully Furnished • 100% Utilities Paid • • Refrigerator, Microwave & TV In Each Room • • Wireless Access Throughout Bldg. • Gym • • Close to USC & Loyola Law School • • Presidential Suite with Kitchen • Parking Available Onsite

Special STUDENT RATE! $690 1 Person

50 Channels Direct TV

Mayfair Hotel 1256 West 7th Street

Simin (213) 484-9789 Ext. 555 or (213) 632-1111

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

(2 blocks west of San Pedro St.)

LOFT LIVING

Your number 1 source for Loft sales, rentals and development! DowntownNews.com

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

State Check $

Zip Credit Card $

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 49,000 , 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 28, 2009

Downtown News 19

DowntownNews.com

der the fictitious business name or names listed herein on November 19, 2009. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles on November 19, 2009. 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. 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28/09 Fictitious Business name statement File no. 20091822667 The following person is doing business as: NORTH BRONSON SOFTWARE, 1545 N. Bronson Ave. #111, Los Angeles CA 90028, are hereby registered by the following registrant: FREDERIK VAN VOORDEN,

1545 N. Bronson Ave. #111, Los Angeles CA 90028. This business is conducted by an individual. Registrants has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on December 2, 2009. 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. 12/21/09, 12/28/09, 1/04/10, 1/11/10

800 Traction Avenue, #3, Los Angeles, CA 90013, are hereby registered by the following registrant: RUSSELL G. TAKAKI, 800 Traction Ave., #3 Los Angeles CA 90013. This business is conducted by an individual. The registrant has not commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above. This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on December 17, 2009.

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. 12/28, 1/4, 1/11, 1/18/09

Free Rent! ELEGANT WORLD CLASS RESORT BRAND NEW APARTMENT HOMES

Orsini

IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY! studios from $1,685* • 1 bedroom from $1,818* • 2 bedroom from $2,212* *Availability and prices are subject to change at any time.

Fictitious Business name statement File no. 20091924877 The following person is doing business as: REEL TASTE,

• Lavish Fountains and Sculptures • Free Tanning Rooms • Concierge Service • 24 Hour Doorman • 24/7 On-site Management • Free DSL Computer Use Available • Free Wi-Fi • Magnificent City Views • On-Site Private Resident Park with Sand Volleyball Court, Workout Stations, BBQ’s and Jogging Track

• Brunswick Four Lane Virtual Bowling • Full Swing Virtual Golf • 3100 Square Foot Cybex Fitness Facility • Massage Room, Sauna and Steam Room • Rooftop Pools with Dressing Room • Free Abundant Gated and Garage Parking • Business Center, Conference Room • Directors Screening Room

On Spring St.

Premiere Towers:

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

UNITS FEATURE: Private Washer and Dryer • Fully Equipped Gourmet Kitchens Maple European Style Cabinetry • Granite Counter Tops Natural Stone Marble Counter Baths

City Lofts:

900 sqft, 13 ft ceilings, $1500/mo. • Granite marble top • Stainless steel appliances/refrigerator etc. • Pet friendly

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

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

Pricing subject to change without notice.

• Gorgeous Layouts • 10-15’ Ceilings RENTING • BUYING • Fitness Center • LIVING Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has • Wi-Fi Rooftop been helping people live inLounge Downtown’s best loftsViews & apartments! • condos, Amazing

8 7 7 - 4 L A- LO F TS Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

Guess where Drew prefers to eat Mexican food and WIN!

6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900 For rent Single Family Home For Sale ❚ 1 Bed. 1 Bath. Lafayette Park Place. Move In ❚ East Pasadena. 3+2 W/Pool. Bank Has Now. $1200 Month Foreclosed. Price Tbd. ❚ Prom. West-2 Bed. 2 Bath PenthouseBunker Hill real estate Co, inC. Sophisticated, Spectacular One Of A Kind Condo. EstablishEd 1984 Top Of The Line Upgrades & Décor. Georgeous Leasing-SalesMirza alli Loans-Refinance Furnishings Adorn This Pride Of Ownership Home. Broker/Realtor (213) 680-1720 Corporate Lease Welcome. Furnished $3500 Per e-mail us: Info@bunkerhillrealestate.com Month. Un-Furnished $3200 Per Month. www.Bunkerhillrealestate.com

700 to 1500 Sq. Ft. Lofts. High ceilings, skylights, cable, kitchen, bath+shower, laundry room, elevator, controlled access, sub. parking. Sorry no dogs. Call George: 818-634-7916 or 310-826-8810 x24

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.

HealtH Dept. rank a for 7 ConseCutive Years

SAKURA HEALTH GYM & SAUNA, INC. 111 N. Atlantic Blvd. Ste #231-233 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (626) 458-1919 [Corner of Garvey Ave.]

HBODY

MASSAGEH

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

FictitiOus Business name statements:

Only $85. FOr 4 insertiOns

Call (213) 481-1448 for details. (Note: The Downtown News does not perform filing services)

3386766 0119

ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASE Live/Work in Downtown Fashion District

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

Information available to qualified prospective tenants. 8 7 7Email - 4 Lrequest A- LO to F T S Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com mdavis@shammasgroup.com or Guess where Nicole loves to call eat(213) sushi746-6300 and WIN!

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

Living Outrageously For Today!®

877-267-5911

WWW.THEORSINI.COM

en’ Childr s Performing Group

Sunshine Generation DRE #01706351

DRE #01706351

MILANO LOFTS Now Leasing!

Orsini

550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST. LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 OPEN DAILY

DRE #01706351

756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles 213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com

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. We have approximately 7,800 square feet of space open with offices along the exterior. Full kitchen with dishwasher, high exposed ceilings and stained floors. The building also has approx 4,000 sq ft of beautiful contiguous space and some small offices available. These spaces RENTING • LIVING can be viewed•byBUYING appointment.

DRE #01706351

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

Living Outrageously For Today!®

Today!® FROM $1,250’s/Mo. Free For Parking

DRE #01706351

Available Immediately

Living Outrageously NOW LEASING

RENTING • BUYING • LIVING

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

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RENTING • BUYING • LIVING

Since 2001, LoftLivingLA.com has been helping people live in Downtown’s best condos, lofts & apartments!

Visit us online at www.LoftLivingLA.com

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Guess One of Elicia’s Favorite Cafe Hang-Outs and WIN!

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Monthly from $550 utilities paid. (213) 612-0348

Legal Notice Request foR PRoPosaLs PRe-solicitation notice DeVeloP a Business stRateGY FoR tHe los anGeles Business cleantecH incuBatoR RFP no. nP-11752 The Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, California (CRA/LA) intends to issue Request for Proposals (RFP) No. NP-11752 to qualified individuals and consulting firms with experience in creating successful sector-focused business incubator programs to develop a business strategy for the Los Angeles Business Cleantech Incubator. Responses for this RFP no. nP-11752 will be due by 2:00 P.m., February 1, 2010. Qualified and interested firms and individuals are requested to submit a Letter of Interest (LOI) referencing RFP No. NP-11752, including complete company name, contact name and title, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail. LOI’s should be addressed to CRA/LA, Contracts & Purchasing Dept., 354 South Spring Street, Suite 500, Los Angeles, CA 90013, Attention: Ms. Margie De La Rosa, Contracts Specialist; RFP No. NP-11752, or by FAX to 213/626-0090, or e-mail to mdelarosa@cra.lacity.org. Respondents interested in this RFP will be officially placed on the “Registered List” for RFP No. NP-11752. RFP No. NP-11752 will be available for downloading on the CRA/ LA Web Site at www.crala.org on/after December 17, 2009 or the Los Angeles Business Area Virtual Network (BAVN) http://www. labavn.org (Los Angeles Business Cleantech Incubator) RFP No. NP-11752). All inquires should be directed to Ms. De La Rosa preferably by e-mail to mdelarosa@cra.lacity.org. Ms. De La Rosa can also be reached at (213) 977-1840. 12/28/09 cns-1761003# DoWntoWn neWs

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aDoPt (oR FosteR) your forever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email Dawn@BarkAvewLA.com or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

SunshineGenerationLA.com 909-861-4433

20 Downtown News

December 28, 2009

Twitter/DowntownNews

photo by Gary Leonard

We Got Games The Home Teams Are Back in Town Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers. Dec. 29, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 3, 6:30 p.m.: After a road trip to Phoenix (Dec. 28), the Lakers come back home and get comfortable for a four-game home stand starting with the Golden State Warriors, which shouldn’t be much of a contest. Then the Sacramento Kings come to town, riding the hot hand of their surprising rookie Tyreke Evans. The toughest test of the week will be the Dallas Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki, the man with the pure jump shot who in a freak accident recently ended up with chunks of a defender’s teeth in his elbow. Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/clippers. Dec. 31, 6:30 p.m.: The Clippers end 2009 by visiting the

Trailblazers in Portland (Dec. 30), then hosting a New Year’s Eve showdown against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Clips beat the Sixers in Philly two weeks ago, and Chris Kaman and friends will go for the season sweep. The squad is struggling mightily to get back to a .500 record. Los Angeles Kings Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., 1 (888) KINGS-LA or kings.nhl.com. Dec. 28, 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 2, 1 p.m.: The Kings host the Minnesota Wild, before going on a two-game road trip to take on the Calgary Flames (Dec. 30) and, again, the Wild, this time in Minnesota (Dec. 31). They return for a marquee matinee matchup against the Washington Capitals that hockey fans have circled on their calendar, if for no other reason than to watch Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin is used to skating around the Kings at will, but he’ll face a stronger, more motivated squad this year. —Ryan Vaillancourt

Chris Kaman and the Clippers end 2009 with a 6:30 p.m. game against Elton Brand and the Philadelphia 76ers.

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

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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