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CONTENTS

Features: 16: SIDEWALK STORIES

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. Oh, wait. This is the tale of homelessness you haven’t heard. And it’s at REDCAT

23: HARD IN THE YARD In Highland Park, many dogs do double duty as a “poor man’s” alarm system. Some folks have a problem with this

24: CUTE. CHEAP. WRONG? Forever 21 keeps the ladies decked out in knockoff threads, but you’ll never guess who gets short-changed in the transaction

27: A FORCE OF ONE Fidel Rodriguez has toiled mightily to bring L.A. hip-hop that’s not mere party music

28: YOUR SHIT, TOGETHER The first installment of an occasional feature about you and your possessions

Columns: 7: YOUNGEST IN CHARGE

Our gift of gangster rap, impeccably wrapped

8: SNAPSHOTS Scenes from a striking writer’s life

10: WARES Danny’s Dance Warehouse saves lives

12: FOODSTUFF Hamjipark’s pork forecast? Deliciousness!

14: INNERVIEW Hotter than eight scantily-clad models and a goodie bag

33: CALENDAR Selected events for December

Maura C. Lanahan‘s third New Angeles cover (and inside photography) showcases John Malpedes, the charismatic firebrand behind the innovative homeless theater troupe LAPD. The companion article by Contributing Editor Pamela Miller-Macias depicts LAPD as ultimate proof of theater’s redemptive powers.

Shingo Shimizu illustrated Contributing Editor Neille Ilel’s look at Forever 21 and its impact on the business of fashion.

Shimizu, a freelancer based inToronto, studied design at Ontario College of Art and Design.

His take on Forever 21 reflects the fast, ultra-modern processes happening downtown and in the broader industry. You can see more of the artist’s work at www.shingo.ca

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER CHARLES N. GERENCSER ★ EDITOR DONNELL ALEXANDER Art Director Matt Ansoorian ★ Advertising Director Joe Cloninger Advertising Art Director Sandy Wachs ★ Production Manager Meghan Quinn Contributing Editors Perry Crowe, Neille Ilel, Pamela Miller-Macais ★ Calendar Editor Julie Rasmussen ★ Copy Editor Joshua Sindell ★ Contributing Writers Johnny Angel, Kamren Curiel, Maxwell Harwitt, Millicent Jefferson, Leah Lehmbeck, Joshua Lurie, Bobbi Murray, Gary Phillips, Abel Salas, Mike Sonksen, Kirk Silsbee, John Stephens, Jervey Tervalon, Marco Villalobos ★ Photographers Jack Gould, Maura Lanahan, Gary Leonard, Noé Montes, Evans Vestal Ward ★ Account Executives John Bogris, Jon Bookatz, Michael DéFillipo Todd Nagelvoort, Nick Phelps, Dina Takouris, Susan Uhrlass ★ Accounting Christie Lee ★ Circulation Manager Andrew Jackson SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING, INC. Group Publisher David Comden ★ Vice President, Sales Charles N. Gerencser Controller Michael Nagami ★ Human Resources Manager Andrea Baker Accounting Manager ★ Angela Wang CONTACT US Advertising: charlesg@newangelesmonthly.com • Editorial: editor@newangelesmonthly.com P: 323-938-1700 F: 323-938-1771 • 5209 Wilshire Boulevard ★ Los Angeles , CA 90036 www.NewAngelesMonthly.com ©Copyright 2007, Southland Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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YOUNGESTINCHARGE

The ‘Why’ in ‘Y.I.C.’ >> I’m not gonna lie to y’all: I cut Pamela Miller-Macias’s piece on the L.A. Poverty Department, Abel Salas’s Fidel Rodriguez profile, and this month’s Innerview on an afternoon spent riding a southbound Blue Line train and a westbound 33. Sure ’nuff, cut that hard copy with a half-pencil copped from the South Pasadena Public Library.

(Back on the Gold Line, I’d called this one cool chef, and he hooked me up with some of those good cookies.

Happy Holidays, no doubt!)

Why should I have to lie though?

There’s no shame in being on the motherfuckin’ run, like Kool G. Rap back in the day. Shit happens. And although the hip crowd will insist that the advent of Flexcar now leaves you just a bit more damnable for getting stuck on MTA, there’s nothing purely wrong about forking over five bucks for unlimited lifts on any given day. (Never mind editing hard copy, I can hardly text while driving a Flexcar.)

Ah, but the city is a funny place, something like a circus or a sewer. And sometimes that which is magical about L.A. is also profoundly grimy. I’ve been stuck on this take for the better part of a month, since downloading local rap godfather Ice Cube’s “Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It.” Now, I don’t like what the street-crime ethos has done for T.I. or Sean Taylor, but I love what the music of the streets – music if not born in, then certainly raised by our town – has done for my kind: borderline good boys who without it might have suffered through the indignities of a normal nine-to-five. N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton came out when I was in college. By the second verse of “Express Yourself,” I’d basically decided against

ever again wearing a tie to work and strengthened my mental grip on the word “nigga” – a couple of syllables that I’d been letting slip from my vocabulary.

(The producers of KPCC’s OffRamp let me use the word on air last month. That still blows me away.)

Because Ice Cube happens to have transformed himself into a bankable family films franchise, “Gangster Rap Made Me Do It” is especially interesting. On this single, Cube lists all the plights for which gangsta rap has been blamed, from ho-callin’ to gun shootin’ – everything but the pit bull. If he said these words, did those deeds, Cube rhymes, blame it on the music. Then, at the end of the chorus: “If I robbed you of knowledge, ain’t nothin’ to it, gangster rap made me do it.”

Here’s that thing that’s worth celebrating. Cube made his first songs about the things he saw coming up in Compton – folks remain unaware that the MC was a mere 10th-grader when he suggested Dr. Dre get Eazy to rap Cube’s poem called “Boyz-N-theHood.” Talking about the sickness around him propelled this teen writer’s life in an unpredictable, enriching way.

Bottom to the top.

I’ve been asked why this column is called Youngest in Charge. After all, I’m not even the least aged boss within Southland Publishing. The easy answer is that the title pays homage to one of the great forgotten albums of my youth, Special Ed’s Youngest in Charge (Profile, 1989); hit single: “I Got it Made.”

But there’s a deeper answer, one less literal and more spiritual: The youthful energy of West Coast hip-hop has fueled me, made me speak my piece, however transgressive. I say “nigga” on public radio. When a source casually says “bitch,” I don’t edit it from my magazine’s text. Because sometimes meaningful expression has “bitch” or “nigga” in it, and I don’t believe in waste.

There’s too little that’s good to be excising due to certain readers’ ever-delicate sensibilities. I tell the whole fuckin’ truth, and gangsta rap made me do it.

Youngest in charge, see?

Happy December, everyone. We appreciate your apparent readership.

And let’s have a big shout-out to Art Director Matt Ansoorian for digging way deep and delivering this baby to your crib (or thereabouts). He deserves props for staying above the grime.

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–dEA 7 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

SNAPSHOTS

>> An unintended upside of a walkout is the freedom to wear exercise clothes through all parts of the workday. In November, Writers Guild member Dave Gould, a scribe on HBO’s criticallyacclaimed series Tell Me You Love Me and brother of New Angeles contributor

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 8

Jack Gould, let us peek at his newly-reconfigured routine. Aside from the parts that feature a fiercelyprotesting Incredible Hulk, Gould’s new life seems not so crazy.

Sure, the writing’s a bit more personal now, as finishing scripts in progress is ver-

SCENES FROM ★ THE LIFE OF A STRIKING SCRIBE

boten these days. But who among parents who put it all down on paper doesn’t try to squeeze in the feeding and hauling of our offspring?

(Gould is up to three dropoffs per weekday, but that’s not not doable.) Whooping it up, smack-dab in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard?

Yup, seems completely regular. And haven’t we all coveted a photo op with Jerry Stahl, this magazine’s July coverboy and author of I, Fatty? One day we’ll look back on pictures such as these and understand exactly how our bank accounts got so low. NA

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9 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

INCASE OF LITURGICAL DANCE EMERGENCY..

That life-saving gear you didn’t know you needed is sitting, cheap, at Danny’s Warehouse

BY ERIKA SCHIKEL ★ Ericka Schikel is author of You’re Not the Boss of Me ★ Photograph by Noé Montes

>> So, you’re not one of the 22 million dweebs hooked on Dancing with the Stars. And you’ve never needed a stretchy and/or sparkly item of apparel in your life. I’m just saying, if an NFL superhero like Emmitt Smith could be inspired to slip on pair of 24 carat shoes and some rhinestones to get his freestyle groove on, you just never know for sure there’s no dancewear in your future.

Perhaps one day, you’ll be looking to outfit a young gymnast, ballerina or figure skater.

Or, come next October, you might find yourself inspired to put together a slutty nurse/ witch/devil Halloween costume? (Only the sluttiness is certain.) When that moment arrives, are you going to let yourself be wallet-raped by Capezio when you could hit Danny’s Warehouse and get that tutu for ten bucks?

Located on a sleepy stretch of West Adams Boulevard, Danny’s Warehouse is 5,400 square feet of leotards, jazz pants, warm-up wear, gymnastics gear, character shoes, ballet slippers and anything else a person might need to stretch, twirl, swing (or even lap-dance) in.

Danny Kessler, a compact ex-gymnast, sports a pair of Woody Allen glasses and a broad smile. His family has been in the discount shmatte business for four generations, and he grew up helping in his dad’s downtown discount store cutting labels out of garments and working the register. After graduating with a degree in anthropology, he saw he’d need to adapt to a changing discount

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 10

clothing environment. He bought his first lot, 5,000 skating dresses from a manufacturer on a hunch, and hit paydirt. Nobody else was buying dancewear overstock at the time.

Today, he may be the largest discount retailer of dance/skating/gymnastic wear in the country.

“This is a whole room of jazz pants.

There’s probably 3,000 pairs,” Danny says, gesturing to a small room

crammed with shelves groaning with overstuffed brown boxes. He leads me into an adjacent room with more shelves and boxes. “Praise dance or Liturgical dance is very popular in L.A.,” he says, pulling out a long, black Martha Graham-esque dress, normally $70 dollars elsewhere, Danny sells it for just 20 bucks.

Another room is packed with rolling racks of colorful, sparkly costumes pur-

chased from a company that was going out of business. My eldest daughter found a stunning black-and-white tutu here last fall for her “Dead Ballerina” Halloween costume. That, and a pair of satin ballet flats and some three-dollar tights that we ripped and stained with fake blood came to $23, and won her her school’s costume contest. This is the magic of Danny’s.

Next, Danny leads me into the main warehouse space. A long, floor-to-ceiling central shelving unit houses many more boxes exploding with INFØ: merch.

Organized in Danny’s Warehouse 5701 W. Adams Blvd., L.A. broad strokes, (800) 552-5385 this is shopping www.dannyswarehouse.com for people who like the thrill of the hunt. On a hanger, who’s going to look twice at a $10 pink sequined skating dress with chiffon bat wings? But if you’ve got to dig it out from under a heap of random garments, suddenly it seems like the find of the century. Danny sells to schools, community theaters and church groups, but the bulk of his sales are to moms and daughters. He also does a brisk online business. When his oldschool father questioned Danny’s newfangled Internet plan, he told his dad, “Next time you fly over this country, look down, because every six, seven or eight year-old girl has a black leotard.”

We stop to admire a rack of fluorescent-colored fishnets ($3), and I ask who might buy those. “Well, we do get a lot of ‘dancers,’” which I assume from his raised eyebrow means the topless variety. He says he keeps his stock PG out of respect for his younger customers.

Still, exotic dancers like to come here and pay cash. “I don’t know what they do with the stuff they buy here, but we love them because we can always use the ones.” NA

11 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

FOODSTUFF

BY JOSHUA LURIE ★ Joshua Lurie’s insightful photo-included restaurant reviews can be found at www.foodgps.com ★ Photos by Noé Montes

HAMJIPARK: PORK PROUD AND SIZZLIN’

Koreatown’s top purveyor of pig offers sizable portions and lively environs

>> Hwa Shin Kim opened the original Hamjipark in 1993 on the southwestern fringe of Koreatown, naming her restaurant for a traditional carved wooden vessel used to hold food. Customers quickly decided on barbecued pork

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 12

spare ribs as her signature dish. Porkdriven profits allowed Kim and daughter Eunji to open a second branch in 2003, in central Koreatown. The newer model, which I recently visited, offers similar food in more stylish confines with a

younger and more fashionable crowd. seeds and chopped scallions. They were served with scissors to cut the flaps of To honor the secret to her success, tender hog meat that jutted from the Hwa Shin populated her newer restauribs like butterfly wings. The sticky ribs rant with numerous pig figurines, hightasted so good that I soon abandoned lighted by a smiling swine in a yellow the scissors, tearing into coat and top hat with goldthem and gnawing the ribs en angel wings. Twin dining to the bone. The flavor built rooms are divided by a glass INFØ: with each bite until I was in wall and feature colorful Hamjipark pork ecstasy. When the ribs contemporary paintings.

3407 W. 6th St., were gone, I unearthed Expect hubcap-shaped Los Angeles, caramelized onions, supertabletop grills and stainless (213) 365-8773. charged by residual sauce. steel hoods that vacuum the Hamjipark is no onepungent smoke. A sidewalk dish wonder. Marinated sirloin was nearpatio is bracketed by a metal railing ly as satisfying. We were presented with carved with curly-tailed pig designs. a plate of raw beef medallions that had No Korean meal would be combeen marinated in an addictive mix of plete without bottomless dishes of panoyster sauce, sesame oil and garlic. We chan, complimentary appetizers. cooked the meat to our liking on the Hamjipark offers six per meal, highlighttabletop grill, then dipped the meat in a ed by chile-soaked turnip strands, sliced dish of sesame oil, salt and pepper. Our cucumbers with salted shrimp sauce, waiter brought a three-compartment and pungent sheets of kimchi, the spicy dish of fermented bean paste, jalapeños fermented cabbage that is practically its and sliced garlic cloves, not that the own food group in Korea. meat needed anything extra. With the On the way to our seats, I had spotentrée, we received a crisp iceberg letted pork spare ribs on practically every tuce salad dressed with sesame vinaitable. I wasn’t about to buck the trend. grette and chile flakes.

The flame-red ribs were served on a sizHamjipark’s menu identified the zling platter, sprinkled with sesame

A

lot of Angelenos mistook Downtown Los Angeles as a lost cause, but the cranes have camped, luxury lofts are rising, and the city’s historic core is speeding toward revitalization.

A steady stream of businesspeople, Times reporters, gentrifiers and government workers have made 2nd & Main one of the area’s most fully realized corners to date.

The 1910 Beaux-Arts Higgins Building currently contains all of the corner’s action, both above and below ground. Lili and Cecil Kim’s stylish Liliya China Bistro partners Chinese and Korean food with a red, orange and gold color scheme. Expect dishes like black bean noodles with pork and squash, sizzling short ribs, and flounder with soy ginger sauce.

Paul Hibler and David Sanfield imported Pitfire Pizza Company from North Hollywood in August 2005.

The contemporary offshoot offers thin-crust pizzas topped with marketfresh ingredients, hearty pasta dishes and seasonal panini.

No stranger to Downtown, thirdgeneration Angeleno Richard Karno succeeded with Groundwork Coffee in the Arts District before opening a branch at 2nd & Main in January 2007.

Karno said, “I was always embarrassed about our Downtown, but I’ve been very excited about this revitalization.” His two-story coffeehouse introduced Los Angeles to the deluxe Clover coffee-making machine, and offers up to pan-broiled squid with noodle as >> 30 varieties of organic an “appetizer.” I’d call it a meal. The beans and blends per >> t massive bowl featured four piles of 2nd SintreSetreet day. In the basement, springy vermicelli over a chileand Ma Andrew Meieran and partsoaked stir-fry of tender tentacles ner Marc Smith have transand abdomen, sheets of tail meat, sweet onions, mushrooms, zucchini formed the Higgins Building’s and red pepper strips. original power plant into a truly distincA sizzling stone bowl was deceptively tive bar and lounge. Their simple to the naked eye: a heap of steamed signature cocktail features lavender-honeywhite rice tossed with black sesame seeds, infused liquor, pear liqueur and fresh pear diced scallions and a single raw egg. I used a nectar. A bar menu is available large spoon to excavate a base of pungent kimWednesday to Saturday, and includes chi, then stirred, spreading red spice. The rice a lobster corn dog and both deviled and formed a nice crust on the hot stone pot. angel eggs (with Osetra caviar).

For beverages, every table receives a tall –Joshua Lurie pitcher of iced barley tea, the perfect tonic for spicy food. Plenty of diners were downing oversized bottles of OB and Hite beer, both popular in South Korea. We opted for plum The Edison 108, W. 2nd St. #101, wine. The sweet amber was another nice Los Angeles, (213) 613-0000. balm for the food’s chile heat. Black raspberry and pomegranate wine were also available.

Groundwork Coffee, 108 W. 2nd St. Hamjipark doesn’t offer dessert, but Ice #107, Los Angeles, (213) 620-9668.

Kiss is next door, serving fully loaded shaved ice and frozen yogurt. Still, Hamjipark was Liliya China Bistro, 108 W. 2nd St. sensational, serving beyond-generous portions #102-103, Los Angeles, (213) 620-1717. of flavorful food in a lively setting.

Pork spare ribs $16.99; Kimchi rice in Pitfire Pizza Company, 108 W. 2nd St. sizzling stone bowl $9.99. NA #105, Los Angeles, (213) 808-1200.

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13 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

INNERVIEW

★★★★

dEA edits New Angeles Monthly and blogs at House of Diehl partner MOLi.com, which brutalizes his credibility here. ★ Illustration by Antony Hare, siteway.com

MJ Diehl and Roman Milisic – the New York husband-and-wife team known as House of Diehl – had planned one version or another of their instant culture-creativity-platformed-fashion-MC-battleinformed whatsit called Style Wars since September 13, 2001, when the inaugural installment was driven into the underground’s oddly popular outer limits, due to events much bigger than fashion.

On the last Tuesday of November, they brought Style Wars to Cinespace, where the hands-on, fiveminute fashion competition played more tamely than it did in weeks earlier in Miami. The resulting local creations seemed more accomplished and thoughtful. We talked to House of Diehl a few days before the couple checked in at the Roosevelt Hotel.

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 14

DIEHL

INTERVIEW BY DONNELL ALEXANDER ★

HOUSE OF

We first saw your thing in Miami, after hearing a description. But words somehow failed to prepare us for what we saw. Roman: It’s interesting. Sometimes we’re referencing MC battling, or we’re referencing haute couture, or Project Runway, or 8 Mile, just because we’re trying to create a language for what we’re doing.

But we’ve been doing it since 2001. It came from going out to kind of lame events, from wanting something more than a goodie bag to go home with – wanting to have an experience that was fresh and cool. MJ: The goodie bags were full, but the parties were empty. Roman: Free bar and a goodie bag, and out of that kind of jadedness, we thought that there’s got to be better things to do. Fashion has always felt like a competitive sport. But rather than stare at some bitch on the other side of the room and say, “Damn, she looks terrible in that Marc Jacobs,” let’s take it a step further than that and compete.

MJ: That’s what people do, anyway. Every day when you get your look on, it’s openly a competition. Roman: When we would go out, we would be making something really quick.

A brand-new, fresh outfit. Look at lastnightsparty or Cobrasnake – you’ll see that kids still make stuff up at the last minute so that they’ll look cool for their friends. In the bedroom is where fashion goes down.

Is part of what’s innovative about the competition its speed?

MJ: I would say it’s the difference between a sketch and a finished product. The exciting thing is seeing that flash of inspiration.

Everything else is boring. To just sit there and see someone there with needles for six hours … .

Roman: Or fix a hemline. Or work on a double seam or the linings. This is all about that inspiration that happens in 30 seconds. MJ: That’s the most exciting moment as an artist.

But what’s different about this is

you never get to see the artist.

Think about it: They’ve had that moment. That’s what’s exciting about platforming creativity in this way. We actually get to see these artists think about, then create it – live on this spot.

Roman: It ends up being very much like an Olympic sport.

That’s what makes it compelling to watch. MJ: What’s also cool is that it’s a total risk. You could fail. You could get up there and make a piece of shit. We’ve done it, too. Roman: Yeah, it’s great to find the kind of artist who’s willin’ to step up and, say, in five minutes try to make something that they can stand behind. It doesn’t matter if it’s perfect. It just matters that somewhere in there is an interesting idea. MJ: If you’re seeing an MC battle or listening to jazz, you’re seeing people get up on stage and riff live. It doesn’t always get to the right place, but it’s sorta like, how did he get there? Seeing how they get from A to B, that’s what’s interesting.

It’s like a style lab. NA

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NEW ANGELES

★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 16

Suffering people.

W e re nottalking about homeless people, addicts,refugees.

Notreduciblelike that.

They re all normal people.

Universes.

Li keeverybody else.

And here in Americaright now Normal often means disenfranchised.

-John Malpede If community seems a st range word to describe this notorious desperateopolis, you haven t met enough ofthe folks there who call it home: Actors , activists, mothers, musicians, and orators with thatnatural charisma which Barack rehearsed years to achieve.

Thereare women and men whom

actors her ChrisRockImpression.★ Photographs by Maura Lanahan

*Not the cops.

tangled atall.He wanted to use theater togiveaudiences the realityoflife on the st reets(itscurrentwork,UTOPIA/ dystopia,dramatizes the downsides of gentrification). And he wanted to create a community on skid row.

BY PAMELA MILLER-MACIAS ★ Pamela Miler-Macias spared the

>>Afew yearsback, a guy named John, agraying guy with a wide-open Muppetmouth smile,stood alone on a stagein Santa Monica, tellingastory.It was the storyof an arti stliving in the East Village in the Eighties, an actor disillusioned by the art world get tingtoo removed from the real world. Hesplitfor L.A.,hurled himself into the real. Landed on skid row.

JohnsL.A.arrival coincided with a turning pointfor Downtown, the Reagan era with itsRonald ethos that ifyou weren trich,it was because you didn t deserve to be. That actor-presidentspull-your-own-damn-self-up policies forced a slew of mental health facility closings, and required disabled people to recert i fy to keep their SSI benefits — though most didnt,orrather, couldnt. Then came crack. Thousands of people burned their bridges in whatever neighborhood they were f rom, saysJohn, and ended up coming downtown to skid row.

In the decades since,John Malpedesstory has been the story oftheL.A.Poverty Department, LAPD*;atheatergroup for people living on skid row.Looking back,hes calledit harebrained, but Johns vision wasnt

O t h e r

L A P D

you ve mostlikely only encountered before as nuisances, stereotypes or stats,those whoselives John has touched, and who have touched his, over the years. Many he has found, then lost.

There was sliver of a guy who called himselfJim Beam. W e tolerated Jim because we have a policy oftolerating the intolerable,John says.Incorrigible,verbally abusive, Jim suffered from schizophrenia, losthisSSI benefits, got kicked out of nearly all the shelters, and ended up living with John for the better partoftwoyears, minus the time Jim disappeared to the Catskills, hesays, to wash dishes for the summer. Eventually Jim disappeared and never came back. There was self-described singer/act ress/dancer/ model Lyn Tars, who was often harassed in the notorious skid row hotel where she lived, until she was found dead in her room. Sonya M ims, who, after landing an apartmentofher own in Highland Park, was in line for a kidney t ransplant. Sonya made it to age 40,but never neared the head of the line. >> There are case managers, there are hotel managers, there are businessowners, there

are security guards throughoutthis community who are surviving one day ata time.Helping other addicts. My recovery counselor,his name isRedd.Redd,hes been sober about 10 years.Pr iorto that,helived for about20 years in a cardboard condo on 5th and Crocker.Redd knows everybody.

Everybody knows him asaclean and sober member ofthis community.And I watched him and I fol lowedinhisfoot steps and Redd has helped hundreds ofpeople.Every day.

Hes a living example ofrecovery in this community.And hes notalone.There are mult itudesofpeoplelike that.Andit dont cost anything.

Kevin Michael Keyisstanding in a small room on the second floor of the James W ood Community Center,rehearsing his UTOPIA/dystopia lines.(Performances run at REDCATfrom December 6 through 9. ) O ne ofthoserare individuals who can alternately pull off dapper and st reet,Kevin M ichael is attractive, a middle-aged dude with a penchantfor caps. Theresusually a Bluetooth blinking atop his right ear and a Palm Pilot clipped to a hip.He was a lawyer untilhegot tight with crack, a homeless

response to newspaper journalist Gary W ebbsinvestigative series alleging thatthe CIA stoked an L.A. drug ring to light the crack epidemic. What was really important about this show, saysJohn, is thatitgives an opportunity to people living in the middle of this drug-infested city to say,What a minute!

Time out! How did this happen!? Workslike Agents and Assets allow denizens, saysJohn, to pointfingersright back at the people who have been pointingfinger after finger after fingerat them!

OUR REALEST THEATER YET REVEALS SKID ROW S HUMANITY IN UTOPIA/DYSTOPIA AT REDCAT

addict untilhefound God, activism and acting.Not in thatorder.

These days,Kevin Michael is living in a room at the Ballington with his own private bathroom and a garden courtyard out back.

Hesgot a job,acar,achurch, three kids, nine grandkids, fivegreat-grandkids and a girl hes sweet on in Compton.

I tried getting sober in other places, says Kevin Michael. It didn twork. I was in and out oftherecovery rooms for 17 years , and I was active in my addictionfor over 40 years.I ve been down on skid row, clean and sober for overfiveyears.It wasn tuntil Igot here that I was able to get sober. For Kevin Michael, you can be clean according to the dictates spelled out on paper in the recovery programs, but youre not truly clean untilyou can be clean in 3-D. Treatment happens in the treatment rooms, he likes to say. Recovery happens on the st reets.

Tony Parker is a bass player with env iable dreads. Another UTOPIA/dystopia cast member,Tonyfound himself on the st reets more than a decade ago, deep into depression over the breakup of his mar-

riage. I was mentally shot, dest royed. I had a breakdown. I was 34 years old. For three years,Tony spent his days on the st reets and nightsrotating the Missions. There was a period in mylife when I was through. I didn t wanttolive. I tried in all manner of ways to dest roy myself. This group saved me.

Itbrought me back to me. Tony dexterously playsthree roles in this show — Mayor V., Chief B., and BIDs Hal Bastian, too.Hes recording with another guitarist,working with other theater companies, and he just found a gospel group thats coaxed him to sing. I m a ham, he says, beaming.A hot dog without the mustard.

Another LAPD long-timer is Charles Jackson, whosesweet smile and sunnyat t itude belie more than a few bad years. Over than a decade ago, Chas, unemployed, came acrossaflyer and the word actor caughthis eye.Hes been one ever since.

Likeallof LAPDs work, in one way or another,UTOPIA/dystopia dramatizes the disparity between the perception and reality oflife on the st reets. A 2000 production, Agents and Assets,re-enacted a House of Representatives Committee hearing held in

>> So mythic is skid row that the media likes to drop by.Reporters parachute in from time to time to meet their lurid-moments quota.

Typical is a recentfeaturein Good magazine that hits the traditional shock-optimism beats. After the Good reporterlavishes a few words of description on a skeletal woman examining the area around an abscess on her ankle,presumably checking for a working vein, he recites some establishmentpropaganda, like crime is down 30 percent — the claim of a police commander who goes on to brag thathisarea once had ,85 1 0 people living in boxes, while its now down to 750.

To people who live on these st reets, the decrease isn t an answer so much as a question: Where did theygo?

Heres what Mayor V. and Chief B. don t tell the day-trippers who don task.

The heroically-named Safer CitiesInitiative, cooked up to reassure downtown developers, spent about $6 million over the past year on a task force of 50 officers to cover just those blocks between 4th and 7th, Spring and San Pedro.

In that time,the force busied itself writing more than 12,000 citations, mostlyfor pedestrian violations, knowing full well that fining brokefolks gets you nothing more than an excuse to break out the cuffs.

M eanwhile,theforce seems suspiciously unwilling to shut down known dealers operations at the Lorraine, a hotel thatsitsdirectly across the st reetfrom Cent ral Division, and unconcerned about its reputationfor brutality in the community;arep that doesn tget helped much when word gets around about Faith Hernandez dying after being manhandled during an arrest.

Roughly half ofthe1,300 arrests on skid row in the pastyear were drug related, but thatproblem too has a different spin in City Hall than on the st reets.

Seven yearsago,California voters passed Prop. 36 so that nonviolent possession gets you treatment, not a cell. Addictionis,afterall, a disease.But if the Force says someone with arock intended to sell, they can slap him with afelony,subvertProp.36, and maybe get him offthest reets — and out oftheirhair—for good. Writepressrelease: Praise selvesfor reducing homelessness, fighting crime.

Hollywood goes to Utah.Skidrow goestojail. >>Afew years back,John collaborated on a documentary about The Real Deal LAPD.At one pointinthefilm,ayoung man, seemingly

randomly roaming the st reets,stepsinfront of the camera.He looks st raightinto the lens, eyes wide, pleading, Im32yearsold,and...I have nothing. I made a lot of bad mistakes in my l i fe.Please...ifyou have a problem, get some help.Don t come to Los Angeles. Dont.Cause youwillgetswallowed up and thrown away. >>Afew weeks later, after a Saturday afternoon rehearsal,John and the actors walk out oftheJames Wood Center, wherethefree weekend movieisbarely visible on the screen reaming in. A tall, dark because ofthesunlightst familiar dude named David, mostlikely homeless,rollsupfrom out ofnowhere,andstands more than close, challenging, for no apparent reason. Ever sof t-spoken,John is unfazed. The exchangegoes something likethis: David: Whats this about? Whatare you trying to do? John: You see things changing around here? Were talking about how to change things in a way that benefits the people here.David: This has been in the works for a long time. The people with money have been planning this for a long time.

What do you think you can do? John: W e can say something.David: But whats thatgoing to do?

David sgot a point.

The Wood Center can fire up the free movies, and protestgroupslike L.A. Community Action Network can stage marches, and LAPD can actitsassof f, and blah and blah and blah is all it is, because ultimately Villaraigosa, Bernard Parks, Jan Perry and Rocky Delgadillo have all the power while EliBroad and Tom Gilmore and thelike have the all the bread, and together they will build what they want where they wantto, when and how they wantto. And if the path ofleastresistance is to lock up some junkies, then call the PD, because whosreally going to give a fuck? Who that matters,thatis.

But picturethis.Just minutes before, in a small room on the second floor, Ibrahim Saba was rehearsing his role as a drug counselor, whose lines golike this: Remember when you were a kid and you d spin in circles, to makeyourself dizzy?Itshuman nature.

Ibrahims speech turns to addiction, equates developers greed with the cravings ofa junkie, picks up momentum. and you want more! And more! And more! He spreads his arms and starts spinning. And then something happens.

O ne by one, the other men in the room stand up,spreading their arms, spinning, chanting More, more, more! Riccarlo: More, more, more! Kevin Michael: More, more, more! Ibrahim. And John. And Chas.

Theyare spinning and chanting.No inhibitions. Caught up in the moment.

Spontaneous. Men. Little boys.Actors .

Artists. Beaming, chanting, dancing and, at last,dizzy, falling down. Giddy. Gleeful. Pure.

And in that moment,i t s utterly clear whatJohn and LAPD can do. N A

17 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 18

Holiday 2007 Gift Guide

A Special Advertising Supplement

Clogmaster High-Quality Custom Clogs 440 1/2 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood 310-657-8083 www.clogmaster.com If you’re looking for the "in" thing this holiday season you might take note that in the last month, L.A.’s very own Clogmaster has been featured in Elle magazine, Los Angeles magazine, The New York Times, and the New York Observer. While clogs may be in style now, in the 30 years that Clogmaster has been in business, one thing has remained constant: Cecilia Tidlund’s commitment to the health of her clients and the practical benefits of clogs.

She and her staff at Clogmaster have made it their mission to provide people with custom-fitted clogs that have been proven to help a variety of foot, knee and back problems. Custom clogs can align a person’s walking pattern, relieve ten-

donitis, prevent varicose veins, and provide overall relief from muscle aches and pains.

Clogmaster’s most frequent customers are professionals who are on their feet all day: chefs, doctors, nurses, teachers, etc. Custom clogs are also great for pregnant women and even children.

Everyone can benefit from the comfort, style and durability of a Clogmaster clog.

Create your own style and be comfortable and healthy at the same time. Clogmaster offers a variety of styles and colors to suit any mood. Choose from smooth leather, waterproof, nubuck, suede, metallic and more. They even have special options like hand-painted designs. Every pair of clogs is uniquely fashioned for each customer, so no two pairs are exactly alike.

Pick up Clogmaster gift certificates and treat your loved ones to the comfort of a custom-fitted clog. They will be thanking you all year round.

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Island Packers Channel Island Cruises & Whale-Watching Ventura and Oxnard Harbors 805-642-1393 www.islandpackers.com Come aboard this holiday season! As an authorized concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, Island Packers offers holiday cruises and day trips for the entire family.

Island Packers has whale-watching trips everyone will enjoy. Choose from half day nonlanding whale watch or an all-day trip landing on Anacapa or Santa Cruz Island.

The Pacific Gray Whale migration begins in late December, so this is the time of year to schedule a trip.

In addition to whales, the Channel Islands are home to many marine animals, including dolphins, seals, sea lions, fish and sea birds. Island Packers offers so many ways to view this wildlife.

They offer cruises and trips for hiking and camping, snorkeling, kayaking, sightseeing and even school field trips.

If you are looking for the perfect romantic gift, try a dinner cruise with Island Packers. Or charter one of their boats for a private holiday party or special event. Island Packers also offers gift certificates at both its Oxnard and Ventura locations.

For schedules, prices and cruise times, visit the Island Packers website and give them a call today.

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LA Body Points Premium Touch Catered to You 310-941-8464 www.labodypoints.com Wouldn’t life be awesome if you could pause it at any moment and get a full-on professional massage? Well, in a way, you can. Words can do no justice to the exquisite touch of LA Body Points’ experts. It has to be felt.

19 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

Premier Shopping & Dining Just East of Hollywood www.silverlakechamber.com 323-665-1281

Mesh & Lace 3208 W. Sunset Blvd.

323-667-1732 www.meshandlacela.com

Studio 1617 1617 Silver Lake Blvd.

323-660-7991 www.studio1617.com

The White Lotus 1924 Hillhurst Ave. 323-665-7322 www.thewhitelotusinc.com

"Shop, Dine and Celebrate" this holiday season in Silver Lake, one of the most interesting and diverse neighborhoods in L.A. Whether you are looking for a one-of-a-kind gift or want to romance that special someone at a fine restaurant, Silver Lake has everything you need.

Here is just as a sampling of the many locally-owned businesses you’ll find:

Sumi’s 3204 Sunset Blvd.

323-660-0869 www.sumisinsilverlake.com

Juvie 2395-C Glendale Blvd.

323-667-0344 www.juvieshop.com

Vamp 2841 Hyperion Ave. 323-662-1150 www.vampshoes.blogspot.com

Catts & Doggs Pet Supplies & Grooming 2833 Hyperion Ave. 323-953-8383 cattsdoggs@sbcglobal.net

Living Room 3531 Sunset Blvd.

323-665-7056 www.livingroomhome.com

Rescue 1639 Silver Lake Blvd.

323-664-7377 www.rescue-la.com

MORE THAN JUST GIFTSby!

Real Art made Real Artists Folk Art, Crafts, Hand Knits, Jewelry and more at

Silver Lake's Newest & Hippest Clothing Boutique for Men & Women.

Ksubi + Earnest Sewn + Cheap Monday Corpus + Habitual + Morphine Generation Munich + In God We Trust + Klurk + M. Carter Common Projects + Rogues Gallery Posso the Spat + Denim & Thread AND MORE...

1 .799 .660 urs 3 2 3 • er Ho lvd. ake B for Summ 17.com L r e Silv Call tudio16 1617 .s www

photo Courtesy of Alan Chapman

1639 Sliver Lake Blvd. L.A. Ca. 90026 www.rescue-la.com + 323.664.7377

Vamp Shoes & Accessories

Catts & Doggs Pet Supplies & Grooming Not your ordinary Pet Store • • • • •

Full Grooming Salon All Natural Pet Foods with a Full Range of Holistic Remedies Wonderful Gift Items Knowledgeable Staff with Excellent Service We Deliver!

$5 OFF grooming with this ad. exp. 12/31/07

2841 Hyperion Ave. L.A. 90027 323-662-1 150 • www.vampshoeshop.com • Mon-Sat 1 1am-7pm • Sun 1 1am-6pm NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 20

2833 Hyperion Ave. Silver Lake • 323.953.8383

Gifts • Books • Apothecary • Workshops • Readings

Finally, a store for your Clothes and Gifts for Older Kids.

OLDER

BOYS & GIRLS...

Modern Fashion

with a sense of STYLE and whimsy in sizes 7-14, plus unique gifts and gear that kids adore.

Juvie 2395-C Glendale Blvd.

Los Angeles 90039 323.667.0344 www.juvieshop.com

Manifest Your Destiny!

1924 Hillhurst Ave. L.A. • 323.665.7322 www.TheWhiteLotusInc.com Sun - Thurs: 11am - 7pm • Fri & Sat: 11am - 9pm

Furniture for Furniture Lovers

New Hours: Weekdays:11am-7pm Saturday: 10am-7pm Sunday: 11am-5pm

3531 Sunset Blvd.

Los Angeles • (323) 665-5070 Please visit us at our website www.livingroomhome.com 21 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

A Special Advertising Supplement LA Body Points allows you to move as little as humanly possible in those moments of need. All you have to do is schedule an appointment and the masseuse comes to you! As the expert fingers cross your spine and dance down to your feet, kneading away all those collected aches and worries, it truly becomes an ethereal experience. It’s easy to forget that this massage is happening right in your office on a Thursday morning. Imagine one right in your home!

LA Body Points gives the full and complete service for the entire booked time, unlike some other services that take off running when the hour is up. And yet, somehow, all their appointments are always met with perfect punctuality.

This is a truly recommended experience. Get that premium touch without having to go anywhere.

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Pot-ted Gifts for the Garden 3158 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles 323-665-3801 www.pot-ted.com Pot-ted is a garden boutique located in the Los Feliz/Atwater neighborhood. Whether you're a designer looking for that special fountain or urn for your client’s garden or a weekend warrior, The Garden Tarts have many offerings to excite and inspire. For the holidays, stop by and pick up one of their take-away Pot-ted plantings. No muss, no fuss, with many sizes and price ranges to choose from. They’re great for the office party or as a hostess gift. They’re perfect for your gardener friends.

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 22

Looking for outdoor furniture for your patio?

Pot-ted has an eclectic and unique mix of new and vintage furniture as well as original tile table designs. Check out their website to see their other offerings or better yet, go into the store to be inspired. Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sundays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

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Retropia/Jononamor Decor Special, but not ’Spensive 1443 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood 323-871-4000 www.retropia.net Almost a decade into the 2000s, true style is still a child of the mid-20th century. That’s exactly why demand for Retropia’s divinely eclectic mix of ’40s to ’70s vintage décor abounds. Featuring all sorts of home goods still cruising way in the future (now, that is) from the rock ’n’ roll era, this chic shack has jimmied the lock on the high-end of America’s finest cultural moment and distributes it at amazingly reasonable prices. Designers, set decorators, collectors, and those with an affinity for things with classic character all go to Retropia to get quality digs on the cheap. Dig that.

From vintage telephones, china, linens, lighting and artwork, to finds from elite designers of the era like Paul Macabre and Monteverde, there’s enough good stuff here to stuff a vintage stocking past its bursting point. So, you might consider trying to fit it all under the vintage Christmas tree instead. Yes, they have them.

Retropia’s owners bring their style to home design as well, with Jononamor Interior Design, an all-new project dedicated to the creation of "exquisite, astonishing and tasteful personal and public environments." So, stop by Retropia, because quality will never die.

WHO LOCKED THE DOGS UP? The facts and fictions of animal alarm systems in Highland Park

BY KAMREN CURIEL ★

animal attempts to attack me before the owner nearly yanks his head off with the leash, thank God. I pass Sycamore Grove Park, a 15-acre site once a haven for bandits who victimized travelers through the area, but now an irresistible patch of land that promotes health and fitness with an outdoor gym. The park is now vastly equipped with bright red and yellow workout machines, like those I’d typically ignore at Bally’s. Here, I jump off my bike and give them a go. I pump iron, my ears open for barking dogs, and a stray German Shepherd with ribs exposed roams the park desperately in search of food. Could food be me? I don’t waste time before jumping back on my bike and continuing my mission.

Throughout the avenues west of Figueroa Street, front yard-caged dogs and wrought-iron-fenced windows are equally distributed; it reminds me of growing up in South San Gabriel. No more intimidating “Beware of Dog” signs posted on gates than usual in this working-class neighborhood.

But restrained and cage dogs are an issue. Inside the Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library, just south of Figueroa and York, there’s a workshop going on. Its organizers, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, have titled the event Pet Care & Dog Bite Avoidance! Overactive seven- and eight-year-olds wiggle in their seats as their parents listen intently to SPCA representative Alma Vera-Lima.

Coincidentally, I am seated next to a hardcore animal activist named Dianne Lawrence. For years she fought to pass LAMC 53.70, a.k.a. the Anti-Tethering Law. LAMC 53.70 makes it illegal to tether, fasten, chain, tie or restrain a dog to a doghousee tree, fence or any other stationary object for more than three hours in a 24hour period. Lawrence also tells me that it’s illegal to allow a dog to bark uncontrollably.

She doesn’t buy that an untrained dog can take the place of an alarm system.

“A dog in the yard barks at everything, and you stop listening after a while,”

Johnny Angel (Wendell) is a freelance writer/actor and talk show host. ★ Illustration by Doug Boehm

>> Moving through our city on a bike is dangerous enough, but pedaling around a neighborhood to find out if residents really use vicious guard dogs – in place of alarm systems – can feel just plain suicidal.

I head northeast from Chinatown – coming close to death twice – through Lincoln Heights, clipping the edge of Mount Washington, and somewhat miraculously arrive safe and sound in Highland Park; a historic district newly touched by gentrification.

A ’hood where yuppies and cholos ride the Metro Gold Line downtown, singer Jackson Browne and Zack de la Rocha live, and a large portion of Reservoir Dogs was filmed.

And H.P. is a place where canines back up the residential fences like bodyguards do superstars on the Sunset Strip.

Is my pepper spray still in tow, in case a dog breaks free from its cell, er, front yard?

Yes, it’s at the ready. I notice a group of guys gambling underneath a tree; one of them grips the leash of a large Rottweiler that sports a spiked black leather collar – an apparent fashion must for this breed. The

Lawrence insists. “If somebody really wants to break into your house, a dog is the easiest obstacle to deal with; all it takes is a good steak or an unlocked gate.

You open the gate, let the dog out and close the door behind you.” The activist tells me she’s seen it before in the neighborhood.

Before I make my way back from Highland Park, Vera-Lima will agree that education has a lot to do with the way a person treats an animal. In areas where the socio-economic level is low, people tend to have a false sense of security toward their dogs guarding the front yard, she says. By law, your pet cannot be identified as a guard dog. That title is reserved for dogs protecting industrial or commercial property.

Lima’s workshops educate pet owners on how to properly care for animals.

She leads a bilingual lesson, summing things up with the acronym ABSC: Ask the owner if the dog is nice; Bend down to the dog’s level when petting it; let the dog Sniff you out; and pet the dog on its Chin (or chest), not its head.

“All species of dogs were bred by humans to fulfill certain jobs, like hunting, sheep herding, and guarding,” Lawrence says. “It’s only during this century that their functions have been taken away from them and they’ve been reduced to living on the ends of chains in the yard.”

Damn. That seems pretty harsh for the mere tethering of a dog in the front yard, and allowing it to bark and bark. If you ask me, ratting out your neighbor for tying up their pooch for a couple of hours is tackier than wrought-iron fencing But I guess it’s up for the cops to decide. Although one officer at LA’s Department of Animal Services tells me that on average, two calls per day come into the station from H.P. residents reporting neighbors for tying up their dogs, by law they’re still not able to fine dog owners. In time though, violation of the Anti-Tethering Law can result in an infraction or misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per dog and a six-month stint behind bars.

I just wonder how many H.P. dog owners are up on game. Maybe that’s what all the barking’s about; dogs speaking out against their unjust living conditions. Could this be the makings of a yard dog revolution? NA

23 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

UNDER CONTROL

The rise ofForever 21 and Downtown s wholesale economy >>Its hardtokeep countofthelawsuits piling up against cheap chic retailer Forever21.The casesnumbered more than 20 in October, when menswear label Trovata joined Anna Sui, Harajuku Lovers— G wen Stefani s line — and Diane von FurstenbergStudio in filing an intellectual property suit against the Downtown Los Angelescompany.Forever 21, they claim, stole their prints,logos,pat terns, favorite colors and lunch moneyto boot. OK, not the lunch money.Forever 21 then sells the knock-of fsatpricessolow,they befuddle even the mostthrifty chain store shopper.

Some of the argumentsare pretty convincing. The yellow,printed von NEW ANGELES

★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 24

Furstenberg smock dress, an item in question under the Manhattan-based clothier s l awsuit, looks identical to the one sold for less than a tenth of the price atForever21.

Less convincing is that Anthropologie and Bebe, who themselves copy high-end designers as a matter of course, also have l awsuits pending against the chain.

Butitsarguably the small, independent designers who have the mosttolose f rom Forever21 sbrand of quick copying and cheap manufacturing.Tracy Wilkinson, designer of the Los Angeles-based line mon petit oiseau, only had the cash fora cease and desist letter when she found out the chain was selling a shirt with her trade-

marked bird on it. Iwasvery small and I couldn tafford to sue, she explained. Her topsretailed for around $60.Forever21 s were $16.

W ilkinson never knew if they pulled the shirtsorjust sold out whatthey had and didntreorder.

Visit the head offices of Forever 21 on Alameda Street and W ashington Boulevard and you d never know about all the lega l wrangling.Thislarge warehouses drab,grayexterior has no doors facing the st reet. The only wayto getin,asiftoextol the companys new-world carbon-emitting ideals, is

BY NEILLE ILEL ★ NeilleIlelis a writer and editor in Los Angeles, publ icradio and beyond. More of her workisatwww.neille.com ★ Illustrat ion by Shingo Shimizu

FAST, CHEAP AND

to drive a car through massiverolling gates. But once youre in, the place is fabulous: all alabaster-white walls and concrete floors. Well-dressed fashion people scurry to and fro under 20-foot ceilings.

Three mannequins, likely dressed in Forever 21 clothing — but who can be sure?—provide the only color in the places lobby.

Ilove that white staircase, cooed a former managerat the company.It was a greatenvironment. They also provided lunch, free of charge. She asked to remain anonymous forthisstory.Nobody on the inside wanted to talk on the record about Forever21,evenifallthey had to say about the company was positive.

Itsreally not a single process, she said about the companys meteoric success. The only thing growing faster than the number oflawsuits against the company is the number ofForever21stores opening up every day in malls across America, and Canada too.Its input from alotof designers,product developers and buyers.Allofthose people can bring productin.Itsreally the multi-channel approach. People justproducing in-house themselves can miss trends.

Otherssay their secretisgood-old fashioned stealing. The owners[of Forever 21] used to come to D&A and take the line sheets, Wilkinson said, pretending they were coming to buy.

Designers and Agents, or D&A,isabiannual marketplace where local designers show their collections and line sheets are hand-drawn sketches ofallthestylesin the collection. Do and Jin Change, Forever21 sowners,were since banned f rom the show, Wilkinson said. The producersof D&A declined to comment.

Non-designers the buyers and product developers gobble up clothes and accessories from manufacturersoverseas, and from wholesalers, the bulk of whom arejust 10 minutes away on San Pedro Street,north and south of11th.Hundreds, maybe thousands, of wholesalers havelittle shops where theyselltoretailers .

Some retailersare small boutiques buying asix-pack; often two smalls, two mediums, twolarges, in one style. Some arelike Forever 21, buying in quantitiesofhundreds and then asking the wholesalersto take thatstyle out ofrotation. >> Wholesalersare middlemen. The lines have names like April, Gather,Encore, M ink.Names thatwilllikely never be seen by the consumer. The label staken off and the storesown label is sewn in its place.

They design, or hire out designers,have clothing manufactured in Asia, mostly China, and then sell it to the retailers. The quality variesfrom store to store.Dealing expertly with these people is what has given Forever 21 its edge,says a friend of the Changs. This friend declined to speak on the record.

Like the Changs, the wholesalersin the San Pedro districtare nearly all Korean, and thatbitofcultural insiderness has made the difference, said the friend. This claim is hard to verify, but easy

to believe.Notallowners speak English, and few are welcoming. With miles of wholesalers selling nearly identicalproducts, the competition is fierce. Getting the perfectstyleat the right price could takea lotof finesse.

Designers in-house, the friend continued, make the styles thatgo to marketa season or two,butforstyles the company wantsinstores immediately, buyersgo to wholesalers, snap up cheap pre-made clothes and ship them off immediately.

If they want to wait a few weeks, they can make small changes to the garment and get a new batch manufactured in China.

O ne vendor proudly held up a short, brown, wool-blend A-line jacket.

It was the companysfirst sale to the giant.Avisitto Forever21 s location in the Grovefound severaljacketsinastylejustlikeitwithdifferentpatterns. The wholesale price was $23.50.

Itretailed for $49.80,asteal. A similarjacketfrom Juicy Couture or Marc, Marc Jacobs lessexpensiveline,would be at least $400. A similar jacketat the Gap might run about $100.

Its not only Forever 21 thats buying f rom the San Pedro Mart. The area has expanded from one complex on 11th Street tofive or six blocks in all directions. Cheap Chinese labor may have decimated the Los Angeles manufacturing industry, but the marketfor middlemen who bring thatproduct to points in the Western Hemisphereis exploding.

Several more complexes are in the process of being built in the area. Kent Smith, executivedirector of the areas Business ImprovementDi strict,saysLos Angeles is quickly becoming the locationfor wholesaling garments in the U.S. The area generates $4.8 billion in that business alone.

The only thing growing as fast as the wholesale garment market in Downtown Los Angeles may be residentialreal estate. And theres been no mention ofa cheap clothes bubble.

O ne knitwear manufacturer,Tua,sells almostexclusively to stores in Mexico and Venezuela. And theyre nicely made.Im afraid to ask what the price is, a local designer winced as she felt a new fabric they called Hatchi.It was the same fabric her company was using in a shirtthat wholesaled at $40.Tua was selling the topsat$11.

W ith so much ofitsproduct being outsourced, Forever 21 can tberesponsible for every contactor s design, say their defenders,likeIlse Metchek,executivedirector of the California Fashion Association,atrade associationfor Los Angeles apparel and textile companies. If an exactreplica ofvon Furstenbergsshiftdress ends up on San Pedro Street,would the buyer need to comb through the ent i re catalogofevery U.S. designers past lines to see if it was a copy?

Infact, mon petit oiseau designer Tracy W ilkinson wasn tsureifhertrademarked bird that appeared on a Forever 21 top came from them or from a wholesaler.A friend ofhers had seen it in other shops .

Its happening all the time, shesaid, and you vegot no money to chase them. I dont

think most people can even do the ceaseand-desistletter.

M etchek, on the other hand, called the high-end lawsuits outrageous, for those who understand the business. Its a pile-on, she said. The only reason itsForever21 being sued and not H&M or Zara, other known copycats, she continued, is that Forever 21 is an American company that can be sued in American courts, while H&M is Swedish and Zara is Spanish. U.S. copyrightlaws don thaveinternational reach. >> The other reason may be thatForever21 has managed to do something pretty remarkable in their stores. The large spaces are packed end to end with hundreds of differentstyles. You don tlike that black mini dress with a sequined collar?Trythis one with a sequined hem instead. Notinto 80s revival? Hereare some ski knits you mightlike better. Willitfall apartinsix months? Probably,butat$12for a top,the stakes aren tthat high. Mallstores have been copying other designersfor decades; but Forever21isfaster, cheaper and copies f rom better people than the others .

Faran Krentcilhaslikely written the mostwords about the Forever 21 maelst rom on the blog Fashionista.com, and shes firmly invon Furstenberg and Co.s corner.

Everyone is used to mall and mid-market stores copyingtrends, but those places have always made something their own, changing colors or patterns or cuts. The factthat the dresses are copied inch for inchfrom, say,Dior,crosses a line when it comes to intellectual property.Ifyoure copying someones term paper wordfor word,its the same thing.

LastAugust, a consortium of Senators , including New Yorks Chuck Schumer and HillaryClinton,int roduced the Design Pi racy Prohibition Act, which would amend copyrightlawsby adding fashion design as something that can be protectedlikealogo or a book.Krentcilisconvinced it will pass and end the type of copying thatForever21 engagesin.Ilse Metchek, on the other hand, says thatifthelaw were to pass it would be impossible to enforce, and the only people thatwould benefit would be lawyers .

No designer has been hurtby a lack of copyright, Metchek continued. Thereisa value to the MarcJacobs label. Thereisa value to the high-end label. And they can be resold for much of their original price.

Its not the von Furstenbergs and the Anna Suis who sufferat the hands of Forever21 s merchandise machine.

Consumerswillpay morefor a name like theirs.But will they payjust a bit morefor an independent, local design?

Its the small houses that risk being undersold byprofessional copycats who can manufacture in China in three weeks.

O perationslike mon petit oiseau, and countless other small lines, aren t big enough to manufacture overseas, so they paythree and four times more to have clothes made inLos Angeles.

They don thave a brand name that consumerswillroutinely pay morefor. And they don thavelawyers .N A

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photograph by Oscar Zagal

recollection of the incident when he woke up in a San Bernardino County cell. He had to pay restitution to the victims and perform community service. The teen understood that he was lucky not to be doing more serious time. A lawyer and family friend who had watched him grow up had helped to get all the serious charged reduced.

Rodriguez’s lawyer steered him toward a program to help curb his drinking. It was there that he mulled over his options. He realized he could best help himself by getting himself back into school. For the first time, Rodriguez devoted serious evaluation to the forces behind his behavior.

“Growing up Mexican, Native American, and poor amongst rich people ,psychologically has an affect on

BY ABEL SALAS ★

>> It’s 10 p.m. on Friday night, and Cahuenga Boulevard is hopping. Studio City buzzes with wannabe starlets and club-bound party hounds. A weekly rite that seems to suggest how much a newly face-lifted Hollywood is bringing trendy back, trendy in this part of town never left. About half a block north of Miceli’s, the classic Italian bistro where singing waiters belt out musical-theater show tunes when they’re not dishing up pasta or pizza, KPFK (90.7 FM) and divine forces radio (dfr) crew is busy telling trendy to bite it and take a hike.

Led by Fidel Rodriguez, the dfr team that includes DJs Icy Ice, Counterstryke, Breeze and Orator is on a mission to save hip-hop through a process Rodriguez calls “decolonizing the mind” – one listener at a time. His lab is the studio at KPFK, where he spins conscious hip-hop and rap – politically-minded music that refuses to become funky dance-floor wallpaper – and his unique technique reveals Rodriguez to be a radio head from way back.

“Fidel has a very good way of connecting. His revolutionary outlook is balanced with spiritual insight,” says Luis Rodriguez, the novelist and poet whose Always Running may well be the quintessential East L.A. memoir, “divine forces radio is very vital. It’s a really good example of meaningful alternative media, especially for young people.”

Born and raised into a Santa Barbara single-parent household, the DJ/activist traces his heritage to Mexican and Chumash ancestors. According to family lore, his forebears once hid the legendary Joaquin Murrieta, a 19th-century Robin Hood figure who fought the Anglo settlers that pillaged the native populations in their Manifest Destiny drive. “Back in the 1800s,” before Montecito became the calling card for some of Greater Los Angeles’ wealthiest families, Rodriguez reminds, “Montecito was known as a place where the Mexican bandits lived.” His family also ran a dance hall in that town.

It’s the latter fact that crucially informed the youngster. Staring at inaccessible wealth and wearing the shame of being born into poverty, he says, put him on a collision course with the law.

“I sold drugs to the rich white kids.

Thankfully, I got out before anything serious happened.” Rodriguez says. Not so thankfully, he was also out of school. His story took a turn when, in an alcoholfueled fight, he knocked three people unconscious. Rodriguez claims he had no

human beings,” Rodriguez explains. “So, when I really talk about decolonizing the mind, I talk about it from a very subjective point of view. And I didn’t really get that perspective until I read The Autobiography of Malcolm X.” For a time, he even opted to drop his surname in a statement of protest of the Spanish colonial enslavement of indigenous people, and the imposition of Western culture and language, becoming Fidel X. He began pursuing a program of Chicano and African American studies at USC. Rodriguez applied for an internship at KKBT “The Beat” (92.3 FM), then Clear Channel’s top-rated hip-hop station.

Listening to the interactive community radio-talk show “Street Science with Dominique DiPrima,” he responded

to a call-out for an intern, and learned to build a résumé and faxed it to the station.

After two attempts failed to garner even a phone call, says Rodriguez, he cornered DiPrima at a live remote and scored an interview.

With the gamut of radio production skills firmly in his grasp, Rodriguez took himself to Zimbabwe on a student exchange program, and came back to The Beat where he was hired on as an associate producer with “Street Science.”

“It was a life-changing experience.”

Back at The Beat, Rodriguez pitched a conscious hip-hop show and was resolutely turned down by the station’s Latino program director time and time again. When a new PD was brought on in 1998, he got the green light, and on February 21st of that year, “Seditious Beats” was born.

“We went from #14 to #1 in three months,” he says of the show’s Arbitron ratings improvement. In the process, he created gang intervention programs, and worked with at-risk youth both in and out of the probation camp and juvenile justice system, eventually developing an accredited curriculum called “Breaking the Cycle with Dignity: Overcoming Insurmountable Obstacles.”

In spite of the show’s widely recognized success and popularity, says Rodriguez, the return of the previous program director nine months later meant its eventual demise as part of the 92.3 FM programming grid.

“I walked in that office and he said …

‘We don’t understand the purpose of your show.” Rodriguez says. “I said, ‘Well, here’s the Arbitron ratings. Isn’t the purpose of commercial radio to be #1?’ And he said, ‘Sometimes ratings don’t matter.’”

After the cancellation of his show, Rodriguez hung on at The Beat for another year and then moved on to organizing at Communities for a Better Environment.

Roughly a year after that, management at KPFK asked if he’d be willing to revive “Seditious Beats” at a new home on 90.7 FM. Rodriguez consented and the show became “divine forces radio” in September of 2001.

“When 9/11 happened, I made a conscious decision to change the show from ‘Seditious Beats’ to ‘divine forces radio,’” the father of three says, “because in my own life experience I believe that it’s the spiritual connections to our tradition that are going to take us in the right direction, not the hardcore political one.” NA

27 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

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Consisting of photographs and accompanying text, the People and Things Project is an investigation and meditation into the relationship between people and the objects and/or things that we have. It asks why we have them. I, like most people, have objects that hold great significance for me.

At the very same time, I find myself oppressed by the clutter that results when too many things accumulate around my house (a more frequent occurrence than I would like to admit). Conversely, there have been a couple of times in my life where dire circumstances resulted in my losing nearly all of my physical possessions. While those events and losses hurt, I also found myself experiencing an odd sense of liberation. With this project, I wanted to explore this seeming paradox of the intense desire to possess things vs. the tyranny of possessions. >>

~ by Jack Gould ~

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DAN: BUNNY HAT: My girlfriend at the time gave me the bunny hat for my 34th birthday. My first reaction was, “Fuck yeah!” It’s easily the best birthday present I’ve ever gotten. Ultimately, I really want to get a full bunny suit, but in a weird way the hat is better, ’cause how often am I going to wear a whole bunny suit? It’s totally awesome. I really need to start wearing it out and I’m totally psyched. When I put it on I just go, “ahhhh,” it feels like everything is going to be OK. >> JUDAH: SOCCER TROPHY: I like playing soccer. Last year my team was the Astronauts. This year I played for the Cheetahs. I really like my trophy. I am going to play soccer again next year. >> ANDROID ANN: MICROPHONE: My microphone is both my tool and my vehicle. The former receives my voice and the latter gets me as quickly as possible to the 86th dimension. While most people think of musical improvisation as strictly a jazz thing, my ideas about improv are a little wilder. Improv gets me off. The continually intensifying rushes of pure adrenaline take me to places I can’t even put into words.>> HENRY: LIZARDS: I have been “Henry Lizard lover” since 1985, but I really got started with the lizards back in ’81. I had become so enamored with a couple of them that I actually went and had my middle and last names legally changed. It’s on my driver’s license, credit cards, bank accounts, checks, etc. In the last 21 years, my journey with the lizards has included writing two books about iguanas. That has had the effect of getting worldwide media exposure and wide recognition of their innate intelligence and special talents. I believe that as a result of my work with them I am truly the world’s foremost iguana advocate. An interesting bonus has been my meeting and romancing a substantial number of amazing women from all over the globe whom I never would have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

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CALENDAR

DECEMBER [07] ★

Listings Compiled by Julie Rasmussen Send listings to

calendar@newangelesmonthly.com

‘IMPERFECT UNION’ — WORKS BY SHEPARD FAIREY Merry Karnowsky Gallery is proud to present Imperfect Union, a solo exhibition of new works by Shepard Fairey. This show displays a provocative collection of politically-charged paintings, screen prints, stencils, album covers and mixedmedia pieces rich with metaphor, humor and seductive decorative elements.

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Imperfect Union is derived from the first line of the U.S. Constitution, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…"

For Shepard Fairey, critiquing the imperfect union, far from disparaging the United States, is a patriotic step toward shaping a more perfect union.

This exhibition runs from Dec. 1 through Jan. 14 and an opening reception will take place on Dec. 1 from 8 to 11 p.m. Merry Karnowsky Gallery, 170 South La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. 323-933-4408 or www.mkgallery.com

ART DEC. 1: CREATE:FIXATE Large one-night group art show with music, installations, sculptures and more. Admission $15, 7 p.m.-2 a.m. 613 Imperial St., Downtown. www.create fixate.com

DEC. 1-31: MY DEMANDS ARE UNENDING Solo show of work by Patrick Haemmerlein.

Opening reception Dec. 1, 7-10 p.m. Chango Coffee House and Gallery, 1559 Echo Park Ave., Echo Park. www.myspace.com/ changocoffeehouse

DEC. 6 THROUGH JAN. 5: ART SLAVES Solo show of work by artist Pamela Jaeger.

Opening reception Dec. 8, 7 p.m.-midnight. Art Slave Gallery, 216 S. Spring St., Downtown.

213-598-3155 or www.myspace. com/gallerynoir

DEC. 7-30: JASON HOUCHEN AND JORDIN ISIP Two concurrent solo shows presenting new work from both artists. Opening 33 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

HIGHLIGHT

BOB CLARK’S ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’ This nostalgic cult Christmas comedy, told from the perspective of Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), focuses on his overwhelming desire to get “an official Red Ryder, carbine-action, 200 shot range model air rifle,” despite the fact that all the adults around him tell him that it will “put his eye out!” He sets out to convince everyone, especially his parents (Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon) that this is the perfect Christmas gift. Not surprisingly, he runs into opposition…

A Christmas Story will screen on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. and admission is free. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

323-466-3456 or www.egyptian theatre.com

323-877-5542 or www.jferrarigallery.com

DEC. 8: XX/XY Group art show/performance with work by artists Jeremy Cross, K. Jenkins, Ricardo Garcia, Katrina Bea, Sara Zahn and more. $5, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Hangar 1018, 1018 S. Santa Fe St., Downtown. 213-239-9060 or www.hangar1018.com

DEC. 16: BARNSDALL ARTS MARKET Nearly 40 artists will show and sell their creations. Family art activities and refreshments are also included in the day. Free, 11 a.m.5 p.m. Barnsdall Art Park, Lower Lot, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

213-622-0915 or www.myspace.com/ barnsdallartsmarket

THROUGH DEC. 8: DER WICHER Exhibition of Gerald Davis’ large, monochromatic drawings. Black Dragon Society, 961 & 971 Chung King Rd., Downtown. 213-620-0030 or www.black-dragon-society.com

BOOKS/LITERATURE /SPOKEN WORD reception Dec. 7, 8-11 p.m.

La Luz de Jesus Gallery, 4633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz. 323-6667667 or www.laluzdejesus.com

DEC. 8: HOLIDAY PARTY Art show and holiday party with artwork from Nico Macciocca & The Rare Birds. 6-10 p.m. jFerrari Gallery, 3015 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village.

DEC. 5: POETS, LIVE-PLAYERS, WORDSAYERS Mike “The Poet” Sonksen hosts a night of spekenword poetry and live music from Blackbird, Phillharmonic, Megan Jacobs, Stella Moon, AK Toney and others. Free, 8TK pm. Stella Adler Academy Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood. 323-465-4446 or www.stellaadler-la.com

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 34

DEC. 6: THE LATE STYLE: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ARTIST AND THE ARCHITECT A panel of distinguished artists, including Robert Graham, Frank O. Gehry, Ed Moses and Tony Berlant, will discuss what the idea of a “late style” means in their work. Free, 6 p.m. Andrus Gerontology Center – Leonard Davis Auditorium, University of Southern California-University Park Campus, 3715 McClintock Ave., Los Angeles.

213-740-4561 or www.fishergallery.org dents with ID. Bing Theater, LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile. 323 857-6010 or www.lacma.org

FAMILY ACTIVITIES DEC. 24: 48TH ANNUAL L.A. COUNTY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION L.A.’s biggest holiday show with more than 40 performing groups representing the many cultures of Los Angeles celebrating the season in a six-hour extravaganza.

Free, 3-9 p.m. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown.

213-972-3099 or www.holiday celebration.org

THROUGH JAN. 1: REINDEER ROMP Santa’s reindeer take a break from their busy schedules to show themselves off to visitors at the Los Angeles Zoo (reindeer, if you hadn’t noticed, are not usually seen at the Zoo; Belle, Jingle, Noel, and Velvet make the journey from

Oregon for a brief vacation in Tinsel Town every year at this time).

Reindeer exhibit staff answers questions and offers informative talks about the reindeer. Free, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Los Angeles Zoo, 5333 Zoo Dr., Griffith Park. 323-644-4200 or www.lazoo.org

FILMS DEC. 8: SUSTAINABLE L.A. A celebration of Angelenos engaged in the Green Revolution, with short films from the Echo Park Film Center Youth Filmmaking Class, Edible Estates, Ross Guidici, Farmlab, Fallen Fruit, Elon Schoenholz, TreePeople, Matrushka Construction, TreehuggerTV, Survive LA, Greenmeme, Surfrider Foundation and Donny Digital. All programs are free to the public and the screenings begin at 7:30 p.m.

Farmlab + Under Spring, 1745 N. Spring St. #4, Los Angeles. 323-2261158 or www.farmlab.org

DEC. 11: ‘THE PIXAR STORY’ In this new documentary film, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks takes viewers on a dramatic journey filled with personal sacrifice and fueled by passionate belief in the possibilities of a new medium illustrating how Pixar Animation Studios was born. $10, $7 for Cinematheque members. 7:30 p.m.

Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 323-466-3456 or

www.egyptiantheatre.com

MUSIC DEC. 3: PLAYING THROUGH TIME Pasadena Symphony performs their new program with Xoloitzcuintli, Jarocho Conjunto; Luis Villegas; MEXIKA, with Martin Espino and Christopher Garcia; and television and film personality Sal Lopez as host. Free, 6-8 p.m. Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. 626-793-7172 or www.pasadenasymphony.org

DEC. 8: CLUB ULTRALUXX WITH GUEST DJ LARRY OF UNDERGROUND A night of electro, indie and booty-shakin’ beats. Resident DJs Lexx and Los. Also includes an indie art show and light installations

by BuffLaser 2000. Free, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Ages 21-up. Mountain Bar, 473 Gin Ling Way, Chinatown. 213-6220915 or www.myspace.com/ultraluxx

DEC. 10: TOOL A night of alternative metal music from this American rock band. $45$75, 7:15 p.m. Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, 777 Chick Hearn Ct., Downtown.

213-763-6030 or www.nokiatheatrelalive.com www.giantclub.com

NEW YEAR’S EVE DEC. 31: THE FUTURE IS NOW This Green celebration will transfer the venue into a futuristic landscape, with giant HD video screens

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that will carry futuristic imagery, and stage design that takes club-goers into another world. Performance artists will mingle with the crowd while go-go dancers don eye-catching outfits as they party the present into the future. The night’s music will be provided by Gabriel and Dresden. $50, 10 p.m.-10 a.m. Avalon Hollywood, 1735 Vine St., Hollywood.

323-462-8900 or www.avalonhollywood.com

DEC. 31: GIANT MAXIMUS Giant’s New Year’s Eve celebrations have always featured the world’s top DJs, artists and producers.

2007 will be no exception: Tiesto, Roger Sanchez, MSTRKRFT, Robbie Rivera, Kaskade, Z-Trip, Lazaro

Casanova, L.A. Riots, Franki Chan and more will perform. $80, 8 p.m.

Ages 21+. 801 Francisco St., Downtown L.A. www.giantclub.com

DEC. 31: PARIS À GO-GO: NEW YEAR’S EVE IN PARIS Bringing an evening in Paris to L.A.’s dazzling Walt Disney Concert Hall, Belinda Carlisle and Rufus Wainwright sing classic French cabaret songs, and are joined by a cool Parisian band and sassy French dancers for a cosmopolitan extravaganza. $53-$150, 710:30 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Downtown. 323850-2000 or www.laphil.com

NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 36

THEATRE/LIVE PERFORMANCE DEC. 1-9: ‘TURBULENCE’ AND ‘DUMB WHITE CRACKERS’ The Silverlake Children’s Theatre Group presents two one-act performances playing back to back.

Turbulance is a psychological drama about a woman coming to terms with her survival of a major catastrophe. Dumb White Crackers is a madcap farce about intolerance, conformity and a deadly garden gnome. $10, Fri.-Sat. at 7 p.m.; Sun. 2 p.m. The Knightsbridge Theatre, 1944 Riverside Dr., Silver Lake. For showtimes and more information call 323-634-2595. www.silverlakechildrenstheatre.org

DEC. 13: ‘THE COLOR PURPLE’ Musical based on the Pulitzer Prizewinning novel by Alice Walker. Cast includes Jeanette Bayardelle, Felicia P. Fields, Michelle Williams and LaToya London. Through March 9, 2008. Call 213-972-4400 for info.

Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown L.A. www.colorpurple.com or www.ahmansontheatre.org

DEC. 18: ‘CARTOON DUMP!’ Frank Conniff (Frank from Mystery Science Theater 3000) created this mock kids’ cartoon show featuring the Worst. Cartoons. EVER! Guests include Dana Gould and Joel Hodgson (creator of MST3K). $10, 8 p.m. Steve Allen Theater, 4773

Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

323-666-9797 or www.steveallen theater.com

DEC. 28: ‘RE-GIFTED’ The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre presents the improvised comedy show ReGifted!; a chance for audience members to trade unwanted gifts for needed laughs.

Top improvisers will facilitate gift swaps between audience members, getting the story behind the presents to make up scenes about them on the spot. (The audience is requested to bring unwanted holiday gifts to trade). $8, 8 p.m. Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, 5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood. 323-9088702 or www.ucbtheatre.com NA

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37 ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ NEW ANGELES

DECEMBER 11, 2007

holiday estates two-session auction

Facials Injections Laser

1.

Models

SPECIALS 2.

TITAN

$1000*

One hour non-surgical facelift

3.

SILK PEEL EXPRESS

$60*

w/package

Acne scars/fine lines

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

Upper Lip Full Face Bikini/Underarm

$25/side* $49* $25/side*

BOTOX

$8/unit*

RESTYLANE

$399

First Syringe (after rebate)

4.

5.

JUVEDERM

$449/syringe

RADIESSE

$575/syringe

IPL PHOTOFACIAL

$99 w/package

LASER GENESIS

$99 w/package

Reduction of pores, fine lines and skin texture

This Two-Session Sale Features the 19th Century; Fine Jewelry from the R.S.H. Trust, Pasadena, California; plus Furniture, Decorative Arts, Silver & Paintings from other Local Estates.

Preview opens 1:00 pm No Reserve Discovery Sale at 4:00 pm Catalogued Evening Sale at 6:30 pm The Pasadena Convention Center 300 East Green Street Pasadena California

6.

WEIGHT LOSS CHEMICAL SKIN PEEL

1. Spanish Colonial processional cross, 18th c., est: $5000$7000; 2. Louis XVI-style cabinet on stand, “’Mombro Aine,” late 19th c., est: $30,000-$50,000; 3. Regency sterling repousse charger, est: $4500-$6500 4. Louis XVI-style cylinder bureau, est: $5000-$8000; 5. Pair of German silver mounted cut glass ewers, late 19th c., est: $1200-$1800; 6.

Platinum and diamond flower pin, attributed to Oscar Heyman, approx 10 cts, c. 1950s, est: $5000-$7000.

Inquiries Welcome: 626 793 1833 info@johnmoran.com 735 West Woodbury Road Altadena California 91001 View our online catalogue @ www.johnmoran.com NEW ANGELES ★ DECEMBER 2007 ★ 38

$30/wk Call for details Starting at

LIPODISSOLVE ENDERMOLOGY

$75

50% OFF $49

per treatment

w/package

Westlake Cosmetic and Medical Group, Inc. Los Angeles 3171 Los Feliz Blvd., #300B 323.669.9888 Tues - Fri 10am - 7pm • Sat 10am - 2pm *First time clients only. Titan treatment is regularly $1500. Laser hair removal is for one treatment. Limit one per client.

Results vary and are not guaranteed. Models pictured are not of actual clients.

Take a closer look

at your community hospital

Our Specialized Programs: • California Digestive Diseases Institute • Center for Geriatric Health • East-West Pain Management Institute • Emergency Department: Door to doctor in 30 minutes, guaranteed • Los Angeles Center for Spine Care and Research • The Memory Institute • Southern California Sports Medicine Institute

Treating people well.

5900 W. Olympic Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

310-657-5900 www.olympiamedicalcenter.com

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䡲 2007 Specialty Excellence

Award recipient and ranked among top 10% of all hospitals nationally for Pulmonary Care and Gastrointestinal Care TM

䡲 2007 HealthGrades five-star

rating for clinical excellence in Treatment of Community Acquired Pneumonia, GI Surgery and Procedures, and Treatment of Pancreatitis

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I

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f you haven’t been to Olympia Medical Center lately, come take a closer look at your community hospital. You already know us for our 24-hour emergency services, acute medical treatment, quality care and convenient access. But step inside our newly renovated facility and you’ll find one of LA’s best-kept secrets: a 2007 HealthGrades five-star rated hospital with renowned physicians, highly specialized programs and groundbreaking research. We offer services you’d find at much larger facilities, but delivered with the attention and care you only get at a community hospital.

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