DOWNTOWN WEEKLY THE SPIRIT OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
WWW.DTLAWEEKLY.COM VOL 15. NO. 1
STAY Y H T L HEA
DTLA COCKTAILS FROM HOME
DEAD OF NIGHT DTLA's SMALLEST DISTILLERY
california restaurant association hot sauce of the rebellion
5 GREATEST
HEALTH TRENDS & THE HEALTHY B
OF 2021
EVERAGES
THAT GO WITH TH
EM
to be or not to be? I DOING THE MOST I behind the lenses MAP INSIDE
2 THE HEALTHY HEARTBEAT OF DOWNTOWN WEEKLY
ON THE COVER
VOL 15 NO1 - JANUARY 27TH - FEBRUARY 3 3RD / DTLAWEEKLY.COM
MODELS: DELANDO BANNISTER SERGINE GARRAUD & JORDAN LUKIN
COCODEALERS LOCATION:
PHOTOGRAPHY: ERIC EPPERSON
ARTS DISTRICT - DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
DT APPETITE: CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION ....... 3 FIND YOUR PARROT: COCODEALERS ...................................5 DETOX WITH BOKETTO COLD BREW..............................6 BOOST IMMUNITY WITH ROBEKS DTLA..........................7 WORK OUT REWARD OF HUBBLE ..................................8 COCKTAILS FROM HOME: DEAD OF NIGHT DISTILLERY ....14 peace of mind with ophora...15
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THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES & THE CITY OF LA ARTS DISTRICT CHINATOWN CIVIC DISTRICT Dan devon BUNKER HILL EXPO/USC KELLIE ALDRICH HISTORIC CORE CAROLYN PLATZMAN LITTLE TOKYO LUCY KARILO FASHION DISTRICT BRANDON TOPP FINANCIAL DISTRICT SKID ROW SOUTH PARK WAREHOUSE DISTRICT ERIC EPPERSON THEGRAWN ARTWALK NEWS COCODEALERS VIDEO MIGNON WINE BAR Robeks dtla @kerieatsdtla BOKETTO COLD BREW CALAjo catering design and layout ophora water hubble @kerieatsdtla dead of night distillery little jewel of new orleans KAPOOR’S AKBAR @kerieatsdtla & Loftway FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA #DTLAWEEKLY
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Downtown Appetite: California Restaurant Association by Adam Weiss
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Calfornia Restaurant association: hot sauce of the rebellion
W
hat a great time to be a member of the California Restaurant Association. For roughly $500 you too can join in the fun of advocating for consumer rights while kicking ass to keep our restaurants open. Ever since the first restaurant was forced to close by mandate, The California Restaurant Association has been moving closer and closer to victory. “The CRA mobilizes to protect the restaurant industry through aggressive lobbying, monitoring the legislative process, initiating grassroots campaigns, boosting political action committees and fighting for policies that support the industry at all levels of government.” Remember that time restaurants had to ban together when the County government wanted to dictate restaurant staffing levels regardless of their ability to employ because of Covid losses? Or that petition going around asking that Congress provide additional funding to cover the restaurant industry’s $25million loss? That was the CRA. By eliminating damaging public policy before it becomes law, their team’s ongoing efforts have already saved the restaurant industry hundreds of millions of dollars. In Downtown, local restaurants have suffered considerably over the past year. Toggling back and forth between lockdowns with dwindling numbers saw the closing of iconic restaurants like Pacific Dining Car and trendy Bar Mercat.
To top it off, unlike other industries that transport or assembly more people at closer range then any outdoor dining set up, restaurants felt they were taking the blame for spreading Covid from local and state officials at one point. The final straw came in November after outdoor dining was banned yet again, right before their industry’s busiest holiday season. With the CRA simmering and well seasoned from a year of lobbying
they passed a milestone in December after taking their case to court. On that day, the Los Angeles County judge said county officials must show evidence that would link outdoor dining to an ongoing rise in coronavirus cases. Officials could not. Surprisingly, our speakeasy town followed the rules, and closed our outdoor patio investments, at much personal loss in hopes to help bend the curve. CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
Stay Healthy DTLA Advertorial : FIND YOUR PARROT by Lucy Karilo
STAY HEALTHY DTLA
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a gh months in Living throu o t s lent many pandemic ha xtra e , s ealthy habit h n a h t s s al le uced physic d e r d n a , t h weig hope brings new 1 2 0 2 . y it iv t g ac to improvin t e s s ie it r io with pr l th, persona l a e h l a t n e m d s, fitness, an relationship . appearance y y and Murph l k e e W n w o you Downt d up to bring e m a e t h c r a f Rese ess Trends o n it F t s e t a e ges the 5 Gr lthy bevera a e h e h t d n a 2021 them. that go with
A
T the heart of the Arts District, located between a local candle shop and a concierge medical start-up, there is a brand new store in town called Cocodealers, your friendly neighborhood coconut shop.
FIND YOUR PARROT! On the menu, Cocodealers offers Parrot coconut water, Parrot coconut milk, and on weekends, and fresh coconuts, all of which can be pre-ordered on the Coco Dealer website and picked-up or delivered if you live in DTLA. If you’re in the area, you can stop by in the afternoon to get your daily coconut fix. The Cocodealers will gladly open the coconut for you and show you how to do it at home. For those that are eager to do it themselves, Julie laughs, “of course you can do it yourself, but wielding a big old knife is risky, get a kit from Amazon, make life easy on yourself.”
The most fascinating aspect about Cocodealers is the variety of coconut related products. The fresh coconuts offered are rom the same people behind the befrom Mexico, available on weekends only. loved Parrot coconut products and These coconuts are hand selected to be juices, comes a brand that exclusively the freshest possible and never frozen. focuses on high-quality, natural coconut To put this in perspective, most retailers products, including the product that start- offer shaved coconuts from southeast Asia ed it all, non-GMO 100% Parrot coconut which are prepackaged in plastic and kept water. No preservatives. No additives. It in freezers for months at a time before even comes in recyclable paper packaging. being displayed in the markets. While that “I think you can have a very exciting and doesn’t mean the coconuts are bad, it’s complicated life, but the foods that you always best to get the freshest possible, eat should always be simple,” says Julie, which is something that the Cocodealers the founder and general manager of Coco are extremely passionate about. Pro tip: Dealers. When choosing coconuts, shake it, fresh young coconuts should have lots of water
F
inside. Also, look for browning around the “eyes”, pick ones that are clean without bruising. Come Spring, the Cocodealers will be expanding their product line to include coconuts from, hopefully, all over the world as well as packaged goods like coconut oil and coconut toothpaste. “There’s so much you can do with coconuts” says Julie, “there’s something made from every part of it and it should play a bigger role in our mission to be part of a sustainable economy. It’s always fun to talk to our customers about the many different ways to coco.” The most unexpected product of all that will also be launched in spring are reusable coco bowls. These bowls are made from the shell of the coconut. This brings the coco cycle full circle, using all parts of the coconut for the ultimate eco-friendly coconut shop. We can’t wait to see the new products coming soon. Coco Dealers is located at 1308 Factory Place and is open to the public Monday through Saturday, 1:30PM to 5:30PM. As the slogan goes, Get the Good Coco! @cocodealers
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Stay Healthy DTLA Advertorial : BOKETTO COLD BREW by Caroline Platzman
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STAY HEALTHY DTLA DETOX WITH
BOKETTO COLD BREW @bokettocoldbrew
B
oketto Cold Brew on Broadway doesn’t just serve cold brew coffee – it also specializes in cold-brew and loose-leaf teas, great for helping you detox. Talking with Ben Wesley, Boketto’s owner, it becomes clear almost immediately why his café devoted to changing the flavor of cold brew coffee is so successful: Boketto not only differentiates itself from other cafés with its delectable brew and artisan teas but its ability to partner with other local businesses. Ben stresses the importance of manifesting success for not only Boketto but for its neighbors as well. HOW IT STARTED: Ben started as a head concierge at an office building downtown, where he would eventually be given an old espresso ma-
chine and the idea to weld an espresso cart to go with it. Inspired, Ben began contacting all of his barista connections and eventually linked with an award-winning roaster from Australia, who offered Ben the best cup of coffee he had ever tasted. Shortly after, the two got to work brewing 15-20 pounds per week. Ben set his cart made from a vintage bicycle up on movie sets where he worked the graveyard shift, gave restaurants in his building free kegs of cold brew, and would eventually put cold brew kegs in the spaces of much larger corporations and companies.
HOW IT’S GOING: Ben works with his roaster to make a special blend of beans that is ordered on Friday, gets in on Monday, cold-brewed on Tuesday, and ready to serve on Wednesday. Boketto’s cold brew even has more caffeine than anyone else’s, because of the lighter beans used. Fortunately, the café was never dine-in, so this became its advantage during the pandemic, as it is unaffected by any indoor dining bans. Boketto sends customers home with reusable ready-to-serve cold-brew pouches that are 100% recyclable and hold 54 ounces of cold brew; Coffee lovers can purchase their own re-fillable coffee pouch subscriptions through Boketto’s website.
He marketed his espresso cart to the best of his ability with the support of his boss and business partner – in fact, Ben’s boss owns the building the café is in and helped build space to have a business.
Boketto carries apparel, skateboards, accessories, books and art from the most minority and women-owned brands and gives free rein to local artists to paint and showcase their art outside of the café, keeping 100% of profits earned. Boketto is constantly moving forward and attracting other energy to build with.
Excitement was building as Boketto blossomed into a business, the transformation described as “really kind of serendipitous” by Ben, whose innovative ideas for Boketto’s future had only just begun. The 5-foot space soon became home to some pretty momentous energy, a place that would not turn anyone away.
Boketto Cold Brew and its neighbors are proof that small business is going to go farther for you; when small businesses show love to their community, the community will support them right back. So, support your local businesses! Your purchases will mean more, and we guarantee the brew at Boketto will be worth it.
Stay Healthy DTLA Advertorial :ROBEKS DTLA by Keri Freeman
A
ccording to the National Library of Medicine, the human body is equipped with everything it needs to defend itself naturally, however, mechanisms of the body will need a steady supply of antioxidants to stay healthy in order to work effectively.
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BOOST IMMUNITY with ROBEKS DTLA spinach, oranges, beets, and a longer list of natural occurring unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Robeks DTLA blends these fresh fruits and vegetables from the chopping block to the juicer daily, from open to close. They whip up wellness smoothies with light-hearted names like the TROPI-KALE complete with Fresh Kale, Pineapple, Pineapple Sherbet, Non-Fat Frozen Yogurt, Papaya Juice. Robeks creators knew way back in the 90s the combination of juicing with a splash of fun would take on the world someday and developed a franchise specifically set to take on the task.
When Robeks came to South Park downtown LA finally had a place where people Medical journals show the best source for could order all their healthy vitamins and antioxidants comes from consuming foods precious antioxidants in one serving. such as kale, blueberries, strawberries,
Robeks fresh juices come with cool titles like “Cool Cucumber” with juiced Cucumber, Apple, and Lemon Ginger. Robeks creates some of Downtown’s most highly revered açaí bowls every time, like their best-selling ACAI STRAWNANA BERRY delightfully arranged Acai, Banana, Blueberries, Strawberries, and Vanilla Almond Milk topped with Fresh Banana, Fresh Strawberries, Fresh Blueberries, Granola, and Raw Honey. They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but what can a Robeks Smoothie, Juice or Açaí bowl do? In an age when slacking off on your health is no longer an option, enhance your body’s natural detoxification system with Robeks DTLA. @robeksdtla
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Stay Healthy DTLA Advertorial : WORK IT OUT WITH HUBBLE by Keri Freeman
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work it out
with hubble
I
t's not a question of if working out is the number one health trend of 2021, its a quesiton of online fitness, street training or outdoor gym? In 2020, the pandemic prompted fitness-engaged consumers to find new ways to get their fix, and online fitness was it. Data suggests this is no flash in the pan. But, there’s a catch. Online fitness users are also more likely to be gym members. This means that, while online fitness is here to stay, it’s likely to shift toward occasions and activities that are complements to the gym rather than replacements once gyms open again in 2021. After a vigorous workout, we suggest treating yourself with some bubbly. Maybe not the bubble we would usually suggest, but still a wonderful bubbly in its own rights, known to the world as HUBBLE. From the moment Dave Burchianti sold his first bottle of Hubble at the Hollywood Farmers Market in 2017, he knew taking vibrant cold-pressed juices and adding carbonation was a healthy fit. Hubble (the healthy bubble) is a “breakthrough in bubbles” combining the fresh taste and nutrient power of cold-pressed juice with the refreshing bubbles we crave.
artificial ingredients, no concentrates, and NO ADDED SUGAR. Hubble Comes in Three Sparkling Flavors: Watermelon with a splash of mint for clean hydration, Ginger Lemon for digestive wellness and Golden Citrus with the immunity boost of orange, lemon and turmeric. Made with High-Pressure Processing utilized by the leading pressed juice brands to keep them fresh tasting and to maximize vitamins, nutrients and enzymes, Hubble was the first company in the world to apply this process to a carbonated beverage. Find Hubble at Whole Foods on 8th and Grand. A fresher bubbly taste has never before been available in a sparkling beverage…as well as the “good for you” nature of the product. "I think people are a bit bored of the bland taste of sparkling waters which have no nutritional benefits."
With new flavors on the way, the amazing cultures and friendly people A truly fresh and functional sparkling of Downtown are about to get their cold-pressed juice with only 3-4 first taste of what Hubble has to offer. ingredients, no preservatives, no @drinkhubble
COCKTAILS FROM HOME by Kellie Aldridge
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cocktails co cktails from
HOME DEAD OF NIGHT DTLA’S SMALLEST DISTILLERY
R
eading the creation story of Dead of Night Distillery, one can’t help but be mystified and inspired. It is the kind of stuff legends are made of. Ideas born from campfires, desert skies and the camaraderie of close friends, now take tangible form in a little shop tucked in the south end of the LA Arts District. It is here that Aaron’s dream to create unique, small batch spirits has come to fruition. “Learning how to distill was just a hobby of mine born out of curiosity. That hobby became a bit of an obsession. That obsession became a business…a lot of experience with actual distilling has to come from practice. You have to try and fail a lot before you can understand things.” – Aaron Rokjer This could also be said about the business side of the distillery too. As an art major from a quaint New England university,
Aaron’s business experience was a bit limited at the start. But, his qualities as an artist served him well. He used his gifts of creativity, self-motivation, and problem solving to simply figure it all out. And lest we forget, the massive amounts of hard work and sweat equity that have been poured into his endeavor. In the very beginning, Aaron spent tireless hours financially supporting his dream by cruising around LA, installing art. After work, he would head straight to the distillery to experiment, create, and work on his concoctions until the wee hours of the night. The next day, he’d be up before the sun to do it all again. These days, most of the cruising he does around LA is to deliver his wares to his eagerly awaiting customers. With the onset of COVID and loosening laws related to alcohol sales and delivery, Aaron has been able to go direct to the people instead of strictly through a distributor. It has been nothing but a success.
Whether it’s the popular, more traditional gins or the unusual, yet worldly and spectacular blends like Aquavit (with flavors of Lemon, Caraway, Fennel, and Dill), Dead of Night will bring it right to your door. Clearly, the creativity and invention at Dead of Night has only just begun. This year, Aaron hopes to release some really special things he has been working on. These include a Soju (Rice-based Korean Liquor) and an Amaro (bitter and herbal Italian). Aaron is also working on a moonshine-esque blend that pays homage to the wildflowers and honey bees of California. And last, but certainly not least, who doesn’t love a little caffeine with their alcohol? A cold-brew with cacao spiced rum is on the horizon.
“In March, a few laws were altered and regulations were relaxed to a point where I was allowed to make direct customer sales through my website and make deliveries. That has been huge. Just being able to interact directly with individuals has been such a boost for me.” – Aaron Rokjer
Eager to give some of these treats a try? You can find products like the gins and vodkas at select retailers in Southern California such as Hi-Lo, Farm Shop, Mission Spirits, and Flask and Fine Wines. If you are looking for the more unique items like the Aquavit and the other special blends mentioned, you will find those and more on the Dead of Night Website. Order a few selections or become a member of the Moonlight Club, giving you special access to up and coming spirits, bottles of their staple offerings, discounts and more.
So Dead of Night went from possibly being dead in the water because of the pandemic, to being very much alive and well.
We think it’s safe to say, this is another desert darkness and night idea we can all get behind. @dead_of_night_distillery
10 DTLA - DOING THE MOST: Travel and Event Guide
aRTS & CULTURE DTLA Weekends Are So...
BEHIND THE LENSES: DANCE CAMERA WEST DRIVE THRU AT THE BROAD STAGE
W
ith so many stage performances now having to streaming live after making adjustments due to Covid, Dance Camera West is no stranger to merging of dance and film.
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TO BE OR NOT TO BE? MUSIC CENTER TEAMS UP WUTH OUTFEST AND OTHERS TO REWARD FILM MAKERS WITH SUBJECTS ABOUT COVID The Music Center has invited the public to submit a short original film that is an authentic reflection of Los Angeles during current times. Partnered with Outfest, Visual Communications and Latino Film Institute, three Los Angeles-based film organizations, this film festival
will have plenty of expertise and deep commitment from these supporting organizations. Each short film must be paired with, and filmed in duration to, one of the seven tracks featured on longtime Downtown music producers DUBLab’s new, EP, entitled, Luminous. Interested filmmakers may submit their work on filmfreeway.com/ AQuietSceneLA from Friday, January 22, 2021, through Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. @ctgla
Since 2000, Dance Camera West has connected diverse cultures and environments through its exploration of dance on screen.
The Broad Stage and Dance Camera West are proud to announce the winners of the Dance Camera West Drive-In, Best of the Festival.
The eclectic production/ grant opportunity for emerging film makers and choreographers and dance subjects has been bringing thousands of entertaining, challenging and provocative films to Los Angeles from around the globe.
The Outstanding Achievement Award winners are Henrique Pina (for Beast and Dusk) and Adi Halfin (for Earth Odyssey and Lost Horse).
Dance Camera West fosters groundbreaking talent, encouraging new work in the area of dance film by supporting creation, presentation and distribution of films. The international festival is held at renowned arts venues throughout Los Angeles, fostering informative and educational events throughout the year, to bring dance to the world beyond the stage and through the language of film. Bridging the gap between the uniquely influential Los Angeles film community and the significant local dance populace Dance Camera West will be hosting a twoday drive thru award ceremony screening this year’s winners and grant recipients.
The Best of the Fest Award winners are Robbie Synge (for Forest Floor) and Garry Stewart (for The Circadian Cycle). Additionally, Hofesh Shechter was awarded the Best Screen Adaptation Award (for Clowns), screened earlier in the festival, and Finishing Fund Grants have been awarded to the following Los Angelesbased artists: Marquesa Gardner and Austyn Rich. Usually held at REDCAT, this year, The Best of Fest and Outstanding Achievement Award films will be presented on Saturday, January 30, 2021 and Sunday, January 31, 2021 outdoors at the Santa Monica College Bundy Campus - East Parking Lot. Each film will make its World, United States and/or Los Angeles premiere.
Stay Healthy DTLA Advertorial : OPHORA WATER by Keri Freeman
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PEACE OF MIND
POOR GOVENoR NEWSOM
WITH
OPHORA WATER
I
n Downtown, mental illness doesn’t solely resonate within our homeless population. Depression and anxiety disorders case numbers have soared all over California. According to Mental Health in LA County, 17% of the state’s population has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder of some kind. Studies show Mindfulness Meditation almost certainly sharpens your attention. Long-term, consistent meditation does seem to increase resiliency to stress and mindfulness meditation seems to reduce many kinds of bias. For example, one study found that a brief loving-kindness meditation reduced prejudice toward homeless people.
cont... from page 3
And, poor Governor Gavin Newsom facing a recall. Who wants to be him right now? These days, Governor Newsom and Mayor Eric Garcetti seem to be the bearers of bad news, and the recipients of numerous lawsuits challenging restaurant closures, stay at home orders, Covid stats and their newest game of Vaccine Russian Roulette.
These are unmatched levels of pure bio-available oxygen in any water proven to increase hydration on a cellular level.
But, should we kill the messengers? Subliminally follow in line, or ignore them entirely, as the mainstream media seems to fluctuate between what is safe one day and harmful the next.
“Ophora is free from any and all contaminants including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, hormones, biological contaminants, heavy metals, and radiological contaminants, “ Ken told us.
As the world prepares to inoculate its entire population, only allowing travel, work and live entertainment to those marked “okay” by some newly developed phone app; Amazon, Facebook, and Testa may be preparing the world's elites escape into deep space.
Ophora’s 14 levels of filtration, proprietary re-structuring and hyper-oxygenating technologies are protected by 4 US patents. Water travels through state of the art, all-natural re-structuring including rose quartz crystals.
With this three, the rest of us may be left with a virus mutating faster than an old pot of spaghetti and convenient suggestions to embrace a future of ordering our lives online while depending on Wikipedia fact checking.
Ophora provides taste and provides the body with high levels of oxygen good for expediting athletic recovery time, increasing natural energy, supporting a healthy gut microbiome, and overall natural health.
Don’t worry, if things don’t work out guess we’re all heading to ...Mars?
For local spas and developers with a Early this year, Downtown Weekly met up sustainable edge, Ophora also offers state of the art whole home water purification with Ken Guoin and Christen Brown systems, point of use drinking water own and distribute Ophora Hyper-Oxysystems, and 100% chemical-free pool genated Water for Wellness. systems to help ease our minds as we Ophora uses patented technology to filter continue to the trend towards new health and wellness technologies for DTLA. water to medical-grade purity, struc@ophorawater turing, balance pH, and the ONLY oxygenated water that provides 40+ppm of bio-available oxygen.
Yes, the future, as written in almost every fictional totalitarian novel complete with space travel has arrived special delivery with only the rebels at California Restaurant Association left to save us from a life of streaming videos, memes and constant TakeOut. In the meantime, support your local restaurants. Order online direct to help them save in delivery app fees. Plenty offer discounts when you do. And, give props to the California Restaurant Association. If you're one of the many anxious to return to dining outdoors, you owe much of your next outdoor dining experience to them. @calrestaurants