area newsletter OCTOBER 2017 • LOS ANGELES
20 17
Community News Westside art museum is reborn in Downtown LA
If you’re planning to visit the Santa Monica Museum of Art, don’t bother going to Santa Monica. The art space has moved about 15 miles east to the Arts District in downtown LA, taking the new name of Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The former SMMoA was founded in 1984 and was housed at Bergamot Station from 1998 to 2015 where it grew a devoted following among artists and patrons alike. When the museum became estranged from its westside landlords, its organizers took the opportunity to relocate to the burgeoning art scene downtown, taking over a 12,700 square foot space that was previously a garment manufacturing facility. ICA LA is open Wednesday - Friday, 11:00 am - 7:00pm, and Saturday - Sunday, 11:00am – 6:00pm. Admission is free.
Commercial development planned for Silver Lake
Locally-based developer CIM Group is planning a pair of commercial projects for the Sunset Junction area of Silver Lake. The first building would be located at 4121 Santa Monica Blvd. and would include 14,600 square feet of retail and restaurant space, effectively extending the commercial district of Sunset Blvd. southwest towards Hoover St. CIM’s second building would be a restaurant and office building at 3921 Sunset Blvd., across the street from Intelligentsia Coffee and Sunset Junction Coffee Shop. CIM Group has a wide range of properties in their portfolio, but is known locally for several high rises in Hollywood, including the Sunset Gordon and the Sunset Vine Tower.
Braille Institute receives record donation
The Braille Institute in East Hollywood reports that they have received their largest donation to date, a $5 million contribution from AS&F Foundation of South Pasadena. The donation is earmarked for the Braille Institute’s Low Vision Program, which offers free consultations to people suffering vision loss caused by cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Funds will also be used for community classes that foster independence in the visually impaired. The AS&F Foundation was created in 1951 by Hubert Eaton, a founder of Forrest Lawn Memorial Park. The trustees of the foundation have voted to dissolve the organization and distribute its assets in the coming months.
Community News In-N-Out sues Smashburger over trademarks
If you thought there were an abundance of construction cranes on the horizon lately, you were right. A recent survey has concluded that Los Angeles has the second busiest city in the U.S. for commercial construction, with 36 projects underway, as of July 2017. However, L.A.’s standing near the top of the leaderboard is a bit misleading, as Seattle is far-and-away the busiest city with 58 crane projects, and Toronto is tops on the continent with 81 projects. Other top U.S. cities include Denver (35 cranes), Chicago (34) and Portland, Oregon (32).
Regional hamburger stalwart In-N-Out is flexing its litigious muscles, filing a lawsuit against its fast casual competitor Smashburger. In-NOut claims that the upstart chain is infringing upon its trademarks with its own “ Triple Double” burger. In-N-Out has registered trademarks for its “Double-Double” and “ Triple Triple” sandwiches and claims that the Smashburger product’s name is too similar. Though In-N-Out has a devoted following, Smashburger is a rising power in the restaurant world, having grown to 373 locations in just 10 years of existence. In-N-Out was founded in Baldwin Park in 1948 and is currently based in Irvine. They have 326 restaurants in the western and southwestern United States.
New law would eliminate many jaywalking tickets
LA second busiest city for commercial construction
A bill pending in Sacramento would clarify the law regarding crossing signals, eliminating citations for pedestrians who cross after a countdown signal has begun. Under current law, police officers can cite citizens for jaywalking even when countdown signals indicate there is still plenty of time to cross the street, creating a “gotcha” situations for citizens who believe they are acting responsibly. The current law governing crossing signals was written in 1981, when signals only indicated “Walk” and “Don’t Walk,” and was not updated when signals became more advanced. With jaywalking tickets coming with a $197 fine, critics have accused police departments of enforcing the law only to raise revenue.
Restaurant
Spotlight
PBJ.LA
Wow Bao
Jane Q and Ever Bar
317 South Broadway Downtown LA
1842 W Washington Blvd Los Angeles
1800 Argyle Avenue Hollywood
Founder of Umami Burger is now making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at Grand Central Market. PBJ.LA is taking something that is already great and making it better with surprising mash-ups of flavors and organic, healthy ingredients. All items at the sandwich shop are housemade from scratch and are crustless. Thinking about trying a sandwich? The Indian, merges curry cashew butter and mango chutney with arugula and radish, white the Italian’s got roasted pine nut butter and tomato jam with EVOO and balsamic. PBJ.LA is open Monday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Friday – Sunday from 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
This Chicago-based restaurant wants to bring great potstickers, dumplings, bao, and much more to your LA doorsteps. The fast-casual chain is in the West Coast for the first time, but exclusively as a delivery-only concept. Wow Bao’s menu includes savory bao filled with teriyaki chicken, whole-wheat edamame, BBQ pork, and spicy Mongolian beef. Meat eaters and vegetarians can also enjoy rice and noodle bowls full of ingredients. The restaurant is operating from a kitchen near the campus of the University of Southern California and can deliver citywide via UberEats, DoorDash, GrubHub, Caviar, Eat24, Postmates, Amazon Prime, or Topingo anytime from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.
This Venice newcomer has an appeal¬ing back patio and is located at the far end of Abbot Kinney. The casual eatery has a lively bar that mixes up freshin¬gredient cocktails that are within the $15 range, with wines by the glass prices similarly and craft beers at half that price. The former Willie Jane lo¬cation has a seasonal, vegeta¬ble-for¬ward menu. Dishes featured on the menu, the diver scallop with sweet corn, chili, and tarragon; the Dungeness crab with buttermilk, dill and juniper; lamb saddle with fairytale eggplant; and local apricots comple¬mented by Amaretti cream—for dessert. Neighbor currently has dinner hours only, which start from 5 p.m. – 12 a.m.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS in LOS ANGELES
J. Paul Getty Museum
LACMA
1200 Getty Center Drive Los Angeles, CA 90049
5905 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
CURRENT EXHIBITION:
Happy Birthday, Mr. Hockney July 18 - November 26, 2017
Chagall: Fantasies for the Stage July 31, 2017 - January 7, 2018
In honor of David Hockney’s 80th birthday, the Getty is exhibiting a two-part retrospective of his career, focusing on self-portrait paintings than span 65 years of his life, as well as photographs and Polaroid photocollages from the 1980’s.
This exhibition focuses on the work Marc Chagall created for the stage, as well as iconic paintings depicting musicians and lyrical scenes. Of particular note are Chagall’s set and costume designs that haven’t been exhibited since they were originally seen on stage. The exhibition also includes the screening of documentary footage of the original performances.
Annenberg Space for Photography 2000 Avenue of the Stars #10, Los Angeles, CA 90067 CURRENT EXHIBITION: Cuba Is September 9, 2017 – March 4, 2018 Cuba has long held the fascination of many Americans, and even as travel restrictions have decreased in recent years, few have seen what life is actually like on the island. This exhibit features over 120 photos depicting a wide range of Cuban subjects, as well as an original film documenting how the photographers captured the images.
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