February 21, 2022 I VOL. 51 I #8
The Art Room Restaurant, gallery, architectural firm partner for fast-casual dining experience
Young Guns Tour Mammoth WVH, Dirty Honey set sights on The Wiltern
+ Dodgers Dreamteam
Doctor’s Day Publishes March 28, Artwork due March 23 FROM PRESCHOOL TO POSTGRAD
For more info. contact Michael Lamb 213-453-3548 • mlamb@timespublications.com or Catherine Holloway 213 -308-2261 • cholloway@timespublications.com
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FEBRUARY 21, 2022
SMITH’S OPINION
Reading your way through Black History Month By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist ow are we to atone for sins of the past if we don’t know what the transgressions were?” people of conscience may ask. It’s a question worth pondering, one that eluded the governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, after running — and winning — on a platform of “no critical race theory.” Napoleon popularized Fontenelle’s quote “What is history but fables agreed upon?” while Churchill is often (but incorrectly) credited with “History is written by the victors.” Black History and Women’s History months (as well as the other commemorative history months) are attempts to counter the dominant history perpetrated by the dominators, the so-called victors. In the United States, our official history is the province of white, straight males with occasional appearances by two-dimensional, often stereotypical Black and/or female people. They are the “extras” in our historical fables — myths are touted as The Truth. It is a narrative so convincing that people will die to keep it in place. Hey, fellow white people! As a start, we can confront our entrenched societal racism by reading books and watching documentaries about African Americans. I would recommend not starting with books like “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo. It’s a necessary book, albeit a challenging one. If you’d rather tap into empathy by getting inside a person’s head and life, I recommend starting with real people. An essential primer is “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by the late, great Maya Angelou. Guys, it’s beneficial to read more female authors if you’ve segregated yourself by reading only male memoirs or fiction. You can learn a lot and heal many
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wounds if you can put yourself into the life-as-lived shoes of women and girls. I’m shocked by how few men I admire and respect have not read Toni Morrison or Maya Angelou. When it comes to compelling stories of Black lives on the big and small screen, cable television and streaming services have done much better than glitzy, big-budget Hollywood films. Documentary films and series are compelling at accurately reflecting the populations in this country. A friend recently said something like, “There will always be action movies for the guys. It’s predictable fare, and that’s fine; it doesn’t harm anything.” I take issue with that. I find it harmful in reinforcing and ultimately cementing stale and outdated ideas of hypermasculinity. The current state of mainstream storytelling is enmeshed in wealth and gun “porn,” which ends up being bad for everyone — even the men who are cramming those stories down our throats. I think storytelling is key to a person’s and a nation’s health, and entertainment is a significant export for America. When films cast anyone except white men and women as “villainous” characters, which is the norm, the entire globe gets a picture of these citizens as some form of lowlife. Heroic nonwhite characters are seen as exceptions to the rule. Thankfully there has been some movement in this area over the last few years. It’s been a long time coming. Back to the basics: Please read James Baldwin’s “The Fire Next Time.” It’s a classic and a tribute to one of our most beloved public intellectuals. Read “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” if you want to experience the transformation of a man who — had he not been gunned down in his prime — would now be 97. What a loss for both statesmanship and race reconciliation.
Hey you! Speak up! Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like or dislike a story, let us know, or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community. Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.
of Education into ending the “separate but If you want a “trifecta” for at least three equal” ideas that had held sway for what commemorative months — Black, women seemed like forever. and LGBTQ+ — may I introduce you to the There’s a new documentary about her late Rev. Pauli Murray? If you read about on Amazon, “I Am Pauli Murray,” as well as her, you can cover a lot of ground! The a new book, “The Life of a Pioneering FemRuth Bader Ginsberg biopic “On the Bainist and Civil Rights Activist” by Terry Catasis of Sex” had Ms. Murray in a cameo that sus Jennings and the Rev. Murray’s niece, few people would recognize. She was one Rosita Stevens-Holsey. of the peers invited to hold a “mock” court As a nation, we have much to atone for. with RBG in her living room before her big Meanwhile, take the baby steps of watchbreakthrough gender case. ing movies and reading books. Those acMs. Murray was many things: a scholtions can and do make a difference. ar, an author, a lawyer and, finally, the first EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski African American and female priest in the STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero Ellen Episcopal Church. She’s even been deCONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala KirkSnortland has been writing this colfor decades and teaches creative writclared a saintART byDIRECTORS: that church! Murray was a umn Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres STAFFexample PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez ing. She can be reached at ellen@ walking, talking of a justice misCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos sionary for her race, her sex and any down- beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb film “Beauty Bites Beast” is once again availtrodden people. SheEMERITUS: was instrumental FOUNDER Sue Laris and able for download or streaming at vimeo. uncredited in creating the winning argucom/ondemand/beautybitesbeast. ment that finally brought Brown v. Board
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Luxury Sky Level apartments have breathtaking views.
Photo courtesy of 255 Grand
255 Grand repairs: No stone unturned By 255 Grand Since the Jan. 24 fire at 255 Grand was contained, crews have been working around the clock to repair the damage, which is far worse than estimated. It appears the earliest tenants can return to their units is in six to eight weeks. The city and related state and local agencies continue working closely with the building’s owner to avoid any unnecessary delays. Some portions of the building may be certified for occupancy sooner than others, and tenants will be advised of those details. Recently, the building’s water was fully restored, and power has returned to the corridors, stairwells, garage, commercial spaces and elevators. In addition, cleanup is finished in the common areas, stairwells and hall-
ways. Portions of the electrical work require parts that are on backorder. Those are being expedited to the building and are expected to arrive next week. In the interim, work on plumbing and HVAC systems is progressing with all HVAC filters replaced and the coils in each of the units cleaned. All tenants are updated daily on these matters via email. Also, information stations have been set up at the Level Hotel on the fourth floor from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Building representatives are available to answer questions and assist with any needs. Most tenants have been temporarily relocated to the Level Hotel / apartments or
1010 Wilshire until it’s safe to return to 255 Grand. These fully furnished units, which are being paid for by the building owner, come with gourmet kitchens, in-unit washers/dryers, secure parking, Wi-Fi, pool and gym, 24hour guest services and other amenities. Other tenants are staying at the Bonaventure or Biltmore hotels, and the landlord is paying for those. Tenants opting to stay with friends/family are receiving compensation from the landlord. The insurance carriers representing the contractors at fault for this incident are on notice and actively engaging in their inspections/investigation. 255 Grand 255grand.com
Outdoor amenities at 255 Grand include a pool deck. Photo courtesy of 255 Grand
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SPORTS
Jim Hill, sportscaster and anchor from CBS, chats with Earvin “Magic” Johnson during the press conference.
Retired first baseman Adrián González lauded the LA Dodgers Foundation during the press conference. Photos by Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodgers’ charitable program gets new name, meaning
By Jeff Moeller LA Downtown News Contributing Writer s fans dream of a baseball season this year — the MLB and its players remain locked in a battle with the goal to produce a new collective bargaining agreement — the Dodgers’ work in the community does not stop. Typically, a Dodgers Dreamteam consists of strong pitching, an aggressive approach on the basepaths, and a lineup featuring star sluggers. It is a recipe for success. The term this winter, however, took on a whole new meaning as the Dodgers in February announced the renaming of its flagship charitable program. The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) has always taken great pride in being bigger than baseball. In fact, it has ambitions to be the city’s premier charity. “We envision a city where everyone regardless of ZIP code has the opportunity to thrive,” the team said in a statement. “We are tackling the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos.” The front office team then took the field at Dodger Stadium to help tell more of the story, including how Dodgers Dreamteam (formerly Dodgers RBI) will help provide critical resources and services to the next generation of Dodgers fans who have experienced social injustices. “We have been working on this for two years, to ensure that we show up for
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Los Angeles in a bigger way and to, frankly, renew our commitment to LA,” said Nichol Whiteman, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ chief executive officer at a press conference. “With our new program name being unveiled — Dodgers Dreamteam — we have a renewed sense of purpose to continue to serve our youth.” “What we want to do is help young people and what their dreams are,” added Earvin “Magic” Johnson, owner, Dodgers; board member, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation; and chairman and CEO, Magic Johnson Enterprises. “Whatever role the now Dodgers Dreamtime can provide is what we are going to do.” Whiteman, Johnson and retired first baseman Adrián González were at Chavez Ravine to officially unveil the rebrand. Dodgers Dreamteam, a comprehensive sports-based youth development program, according to the team, will partner with 13 affiliate partners to deliver sports-based programming. In addition, wraparound services for 12,000 young people are the plans, as is further supporting communities and families across the city. Like any good baseball team — and the Dodgers are that, having qualified for postseason play the past nine years — Dodgers Dreamteam has big goals. Among them: training parents and coaches to create a youth sports environment that fosters social and emotional learning opportunities and increasing participation of underrepresented groups, specifically Black youth, girls and teens. Since moving to Los Angeles in 1958, the franchise has been a pillar in and around the Southland and beyond. On the field, the team has always been at the forefront of change. Whether it was Jackie Robinson becoming the first African American player in Major League Baseball or Mexico’s Fernando Valenzuela and Japan’s Hideo Nomo becoming new baseball heroes from a foreign land, the Dodgers have never wavered from responsibility. “When we bought the team with all the other Dodger owners, we said we wanted to win on the field, but we also want to win in the community as well,” said Johnson, a winner of five NBA Championships as a player with the Lakers and the recipient of his first World Series ring in 2020. The organization has also heavily invested off the field. Since 1995, the Dodgers have spent more than $40 million in programs and grants to nonprofits, and fundraising has increased by 1,000% since 2012. The hard work there has also not gone unnoticed. In 2020, the team’s foundation was awarded ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, Beyond Sport’s Sport for Reduced Racial Inequalities Collective Impact Award, and the Aspen Institute Project Play Champion. In 2021 it was the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Sports Award making its way to Downtown Los Angeles. “What the LA Dodgers Foundation does in the city, does in our community, is just incredible,” said González, the former Dodger. “I am honored to be part of it and to show the new jerseys the kids are going to be wearing. This is making a big impact on the kids. I love everything about it.”
FEBRUARY 21, 2022
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FEBRUARY 21, 2022
Covered DINING California will help
Chef D. Brandon Walker is the co-founder of The Mar Vista and a partner of the forthcoming The Art Room. Photo courtesy of The Art Room
The Art Room hopes to become a neighborhood hotspot By Annika Tomlin LA Downtown News Staff Writer restaurant, an art gallery and an architectural firm have come together to create The Art Room in Downtown LA. Chef D. Brandon Walker partnered with AUX Architecture and Seasons LA to create a hybrid fast-casual dining experience and an equitable work model. “AUX is an award-winning architectural firm,” Walker said. “They decided to inhabit this space as their headquarters. Seasons LA is a very experienced outlet. They curate a really broad spectrum of artists, which I really appreciate. I’m really excited about all of their upcoming shows, which happen to be booked out to 2023.” Housed in a brick building from 1915, the 3,500-square-foot café at 908 S. Olive Street was designed by AUX and earned a 2021 Restaurant Design Award from the American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles. Walker said he believes the timing for these partnerships was perfect as well as organic. The LA native is also inspired by his artist mother and a fine artist brother. “I just think it was the right combination that I was looking for to be around art, to be defined in this space,” the also co-founder of the restaurant The Mar Vista said. “But to also be inspired by the art as a chef as well.” The Art Room’s menu will draw on similarities to Walker’s Mar Vista concept. “We’ve had great success with The Mar Vista grab and go,” Walker said. “It’s really become a beloved go-to local spot for westsiders over the last five years, and I’m super excited to bring this proven menu Downtown. “I can’t wait for the Downtown neighborhood to enjoy some of the best tacos I think in town. Obviously, LA being a taco town that is saying a lot.” Breakfast is served all day along with staple menu items such as fish cakes, spinach fritters, fried okra, mac and cheese, and lasagna. Walker said the average turnaround time for menu items is 9 minutes, making it a true grab-and-go concept. “The food is outstanding, and we also have fresh juices, full-service coffee, and a deli case where you can select premade items,” Walker said.
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One of the staple menu items coming to The Art Room is fish cakes with red salsa. Photo courtesy of The Art Room
The Art Room is helmed by chef D. Brandon Walker and brings together Seasons LA art gallery and the headquarters for AUX Architecture. Photo courtesy of The Art Room
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“It’s just the place that everybody wants in their neighborhood. I want to be able to go there when I’m walking my dog or after I drop my kids off at school.” The restaurant will also boast an affordable family pickup program in the evenings that is similar to the one at Mar Vista. “The differences I would speak on is the fact that now we are going to have a full bar,” Walker said. “Obviously, I can bring any cocktail program and we can have a robust happy hour along with this. Also, I’m planning to do these by-reservation-only elevated dining experiences, kind of like a tasting menu in the gallery space itself.” For Walker, the hardest part of creating this concept was managing people’s expectations after The Mar Vista founding. “I think the most challenging thing is to keep the menus simple and down to earth but make it feel like a destination, a place where people want to come spend time and hang out,” he said. “I think that is the fine line that we are walking.” On the flip side, he enjoys working with his partners and assembling this concept. As a chef, Walker’s favorite part of his job is “definitely interacting with others, whether it is my staff or my customers — that’s what give me the most joy.” “I’m not one of those chefs who likes to just hide out in the kitchen with my head down,” Walker admitted. “Sometimes I like to do that for prepping a bunch of stuff and having everybody leave me alone. But my tendency is to want to interact, and I think that’s where I make the most impact with everything that I do.” A different employee experience The Art Room is different in that Walker created an employment model that champions a positive restaurant culture with fair pay and work-life balance. “These have long been themes in my career as I was the programs manager at St. Joseph’s Center, which is a nonprofit that started in Venice, California, and has now expanded to Central Los Angeles as well,” Walker said. “I was there for 10 years, so that really shaped a lot of my thinking around the type of people who we could be employing in the industry and the type of training that goes into what I would call ‘investments’ in our staff, and I think that is a beautiful thing.” Walker founded a culinary training program at St. Joseph Center. It’s a free program focused on training people who have experienced homelessness and those going through addiction rehabilitation. Through this type of training, Walker said he believes his employees are offered a “beautiful intersection of life and work and maintaining that balance.” “Through that, I have been reminded more and more of my attempt to have high hourly rates even ahead of the $15 minimum wage,” Walker said. “We do universal tipping, which raises the hourly rate by $3 to $4 up hourly so there is more of a balance between front and back of house.” In Walker’s eyes, “everybody does everybody’s job” with no one employee given a specific position. The Art Room staff can work a rotation of positions and have a limit of six hours in a single shift. “I really believe in cross training, and I believe that that is how the restaurant industry will survive and flourish,” Walker said. “All of these are super important not only to me but to the community and to people who still think of the restaurant job as a career and not just a job.” Future of The Art Room Due to pandemic-dictated construction delays and supply chain issues with materials “sitting on a freighter off the coast of Portugal,” a grand opening date has not been scheduled. “We are very strongly looking for soft opening and media events in mid to late March, and then I really think we will be open to the general public in early April,” Walker said. When the doors officially open, Walker is “really looking forward to working with some of the existing nonprofits down there such as the Weingart Center, the Midnight Mission and the St. Joseph’s Center and also partnering with urban farming outlets such as Alma Backyard Farms.”
The Art Room 908 S. Olive Street
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Covered California will help ARTS & CULTURE
Dirty Honey’s plans for its debut full-length album were changed due to the pandemic. The band plays with Mammoth WVH at The Wiltern on Wednesday, March 2. Photo courtesy of Dirty Honey
Wolfgang Van Halen, Dirty Honey team up for tour By Alan Sculley LA Downtown News Contributing Writer ammoth WVH and Dirty Honey each had a summer to remember in 2021. For Mammoth WVH, Wolfgang Van Halen and his bandmates jumped right out of the pandemic shutdown into stadiums, opening for the reunited Guns N’ Roses. “It was unbelievable,” Wolfgang said. “It was a lot to handle, but it was a very rewarding experience. I was grateful to be a part of it.” For Marc LaBelle, singer/guitarist of Dirty Honey, he got to spend his summer opening for one of his all-time favorite bands, the Black Crowes. “I was definitely a huge Black Crowes fan growing up,” said LaBelle, who joined Wolfgang for the interview. “That was one of the bands that my brother and I specifically really bonded over. When you get that call, it’s extremely exciting. It was their first tour in almost eight years. It was really cool. I have nothing but nice things to say about Chris and Rich (Robinson, founding members of the Black Crowes) both and their relationship and their relationship with us. So, yeah, it was a dream come true for me.” The fact that Mammoth WVH and Dirty
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Honey were selected for two of summer 2021’s biggest rock tours is a good indication of the momentum the two bands have been seeing with their respective careers. Now Mammoth WVH and Dirty Honey have joined forces to start 2022 as co-headliners on the “Young Guns” tour, a further nod to their status as two of the leading acts that are at the forefront of what appears to be a bubbling up of guitar-based rock on today’s music scene. Each band has a new album to promote. Dirty Honey followed up a popular 2019 self-titled EP with a self-titled debut fulllength album last April, and the group’s set figures to spotlight songs from both releases, including “When I’m Gone,” the single from the EP that in 2019 made Dirty Honey the first unsigned independent band to have a No. 1 single on Billboard magazine’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart. Mammoth WVH, meanwhile, released its self-titled debut album in June, and the Young Guns co-headlining outing will mark Wolfgang’s first opportunity to showcase the album in something close to a headlining set length. But Wolfgang — yes, he’s the son of Van Halen’s late guitar player, Eddie Van Halen, and actress Valerie Bertinelli — has some other plans for Mammoth WVH’s shows.
“I’m looking forward to maybe experimenting a bit with the set list and maybe trying out some songs that I plan on having on the next album,” he said. “I think it would be fun to expose some new material to the audience to really show them what’s in store and honestly to maybe in a way audition and shop around the idea on what gets a better response and stuff.” Indeed the “Mammoth WVH” album was essentially finished in 2017. But Wolfgang put his music career on hold to spend time with his father, who had been in declining health and passed away in October 2020 from cancer. By that time, Eddie’s son was already familiar to the legion of Van Halen fans because he served as bassist (replacing Michael Anthony) for that band’s arena tours in 2007-08, 2012-13 and 2015. Wolfgang thoroughly enjoyed being able to tour with his father, but he also weathered a wave of sniping from Van Halen fans who were disappointed Anthony wasn’t invited back into the band for the tours. “I think, for me, for the cynical sort of detractors, of me not needing to be there, I wouldn’t have been a part of it if I couldn’t do it,” Wolfgang said of his tours with Van Halen. “And I think that’s what gave me the confidence. I’m related to Al (Alex Van Halen, drummer and brother of Eddie) and my pop, but it’s like they wouldn’t sacrifice their credibility if they didn’t believe I could do it.” As it turns out, Wolfgang was not only fully capable of playing bass, but he also learned to play guitar and drums. And while Mammoth WVH has a touring lineup with Wolfgang joined by guitarists Frank Sidoris and Jon Jourdan, bassist Ronnie Ficarro and drummer Garrett Whitlock, he made the debut album himself, playing all of the instruments and handling the vocals. It was a challenge he welcomed, and he plans to continue being a one-man band in the studio on future albums. “I knew I could play the instruments, but I wanted to see if I could actually pull it off and make a cohesive (album) and something that sounds like it’s a band,” Wolfgang said. “I think I achieved what I was trying to do, so it was a fun experiment.” For Dirty Honey, the pandemic came at an inconvenient point, as the band was on the road building momentum off of “When I’m Gone” and the success of the self-titled EP.
“Touring is obviously our bread and butter, especially being a relatively unknown artist,” LaBelle observed. “You want to get out there and make the effort to make new fans. So, when COVID happened, it was obviously deflating for everybody. But we knew we’d get back.” The pandemic also changed Dirty Honey’s plans for recording the full-length debut album — in both good and less-good ways. Initially, the band planned to record the album in Australia during a short break between tours, but the pandemic scuttled that idea. Delaying recording, though, gave the group more time to work on songs, and LaBelle feels the self-titled album is better as a result. “That definitely was the one shining light out of COVID, that we got to make the record and take the time to make it as good as it could be,” LaBelle said. Of course, the pandemic also meant LaBelle and his bandmates, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian and drummer Corey Coverstone, couldn’t get together in a studio with producer Nick DiDia. Instead, they had to work with DiDia over Zoom video calls. “It was a challenge. None of us wanted to do it like with our producer, obviously, being in Australia and coming in over Zoom to the studio,” LaBelle said. “But the way we had it set up was really flawless. The fluidity of the workflow really surprised all of us. We were really happy with it. But I would never want to do it that way again.” It seems as if both bands have come out of the forced hiatus of the pandemic in good shape. LaBelle note that Dirty Honey’s first headlining show following the break was sold out. And the full-length album debuted at No. 2, while the current single, “The Wire,” has cracked the top 20 on Billboard magazine’s Mainstream Rock chart. Wolfgang, meanwhile, has seen the “Mammoth WVH” album receive positive press and make a strong impact, notching two No. 1 singles so far on the active radio chart in “Distance” and “Don’t Back Down.” And LaBelle feels that the success of Dirty Honey and Mammoth WVH — and the ability of the two bands to do a tour like Young Guns — is a sign that a resurgence in guitar rock is underway. “It really feels like now it’s happening, and I’m feeling good about the future and the state of rock ‘n’ roll, actually, for once,” LaBelle said.
Young Guns Tour w/Mammoth WVH and Dirty Honey WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 2 WHERE: The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles COST: Tickets start at $50 INFO: thewiltern.net
FEBRUARY 21, 2022
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ARTS & CULTURE
Gedde Watanabe, left, Joan Almedilla, George Xavier and Trance Thompson star in “Assassins” at East West Players.
The cast of “Assassins” perform as part of East West Players.
Photos by Steven Lam
Photos by Steven Lam
Sondheim’s ‘Assassins’ explores killers’ motives By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor edde Watanabe loves everything about East West Players. So, there was no question that he would accept a role in its latest production, “Assassins.” “They’re the go-to theater company for me,” the Pasadena resident said. “This is my fourth production there. I just love going there. I love the whole group and what it represents. “It’s kind of a home away from home for me. I love the East West Players. I love what they do: They give Asian Americans roles that nobody would hire us for. It’s a very unique theater.” With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and book by John Weidman, “Assassins” is directed by East West Players Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai, with musical direction by Marc Macalintal. All performances of “Assassins” are presented at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts
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at 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, in Little Tokyo. A darkly comic Tony Award winner that examines the motives of the nine notorious Americans who took their shots at the president of the United States, “Assassins” is the 12th Sondheim musical mounted by East West Players in its 56 years. This wickedly subversive spectacle explores the national fixation on celebrity and its violent intersection with the American dream. Watanabe plays Charles Guiteau, an American writer and lawyer who assassinated President James A. Garfield. “It’s an odd, odd musical,” Watanabe said. “In ‘Assassins,’ all the assassins gather in a room and discuss their fates. I’m curious to find out how it’s going to resonate with audiences after what happened to our country on Jan. 6. “It took me a while to really understand this piece — I still don’t. But it’s an interesting piece. We are so isolated in our worlds, yet somehow we come to-
gether. In ‘Assassins,’ we help (Lee Harvey) Oswald along to make the final decision of his assassination. It culminates to that.” Watanabe added there are “pretty stunning and dark” portions of the musical, but it’s funny, too. He’s convinced that each of the characters would have participated in the insurrection. “It’s a Sondheim musical,” he added. “It has all of those wonderful things in it. You recognize it’s Sondheim immediately when you hear this musical.” Watanabe — who also starred in the film “Sixteen Candles” and the TV show
“ER” — is happy to be working again. He’s been warming up his vocals after not singing for two years due to the pandemic. “It was very hard at the beginning,” he said. “I’m starting to feel better about it. My voice was cracking all over the place. I thought I had to figure out a way to do it. I went to a teacher who adjusted me. “It’s also been hard being in a space with people. We have to rehearse with masks. It’s very claustrophobic during the rehearsals, especially while singing. It’s an adjustment. During the performances, the audience will wear masks, but we won’t be. It’ll be fun though.”
“Assassins” WHEN: Various times through Sunday, March 20 WHERE: David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts, 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, in Little Tokyo. COST: Tickets start at $50; a pay-what-you-can performance is 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21; discounts for students, seniors and groups available INFO: 323-609-7006; eastwestplayers.org
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ARTS & CULTURE
Bull riding rushes into Crypto.com Arena By LA Downtown News Staff rypto.com Arena and the Microsoft Theater are bustling the next few weeks, thanks to a full slate of events. Below is a lineup of what’s coming up at both venues. For more information, visit cryptoarena.com or microsofttheater.com.
Alt-J & Portugal. The Man: Sunday, March 27
Crypto.com Arena 1111 S. Figueroa Street
Krush Groove: Saturday, April 30
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Tyler, the Creator: Thursday, March 31 Los Tigres del Norte: Saturday, April 2 Journey: Tuesday, April 5
Ricardo Arjona: Sunday, May 1 PBR Pluto TV Invitational: Tuesday, Feb. 22 Bad Bunny: Thursday, Feb. 24
Kevin Hart Netflix Comedy Special: Thursday, May 5
Harlem Globetrotters: Sunday, Feb. 27
Eric Church: Saturday, May 7
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BUSINESS
Crocker Apartments will create 175 studio, one- and two-bedroom affordable and permanent supportive housing units and almost 9,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Rendering courtesy of Little Tokyo Service Center
Little Tokyo Service Center secures $30M in funding By LA Downtown News Staff ittle Tokyo Service Center and the city of Los Angeles were jointly awarded $30 million from the state’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program for the center’s Crocker Apartments Project. The funding will help build 175 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing in the Little Tokyo and Skid Row neighborhoods. In addition, it will enhance the surrounding neighborhood with long overdue transit infrastructure, pedestrian and green improvements. “This AHSC award is a key piece of the puzzle to start construction in the next year,” said Debbie Chen, the center’s real estate director. “Building affordable and permanent supportive housing are proven methods to keep people off the streets. As LTSC helps take on the homelessness and housing crisis, we are committed to collaborating with community members to lend a hand to everyone impacted by it,” added Erich Nakano, the center’s executive director. The center and the city are working in close collaboration with local neighborhood organizations, stakeholders and
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community members to ensure the project addresses the needs of these constituents. Crocker Apartments will create 175 studio, one- and two-bedroom affordable and permanent supportive housing units and almost 9,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. The housing units will be reserved for low- and extremely low-income residents, who will have access to on-site supportive services through the center’s workforce development partner, Downtown Women’s Center. “Right now, LA is languishing from the need for more affordable housing. This $30 million grant will give us more of what the city desperately needs — permanent affordable housing units for those living on our streets, especially in Little Tokyo and Skid Row,” CD 14 Councilmember Kevin De León said. “But it will also improve sidewalks, transit and the overall streetscape. Little Tokyo Service Center has a long and outstanding record partnering with the city to build sensible affordable housing. This is just another example of that valuable partnership and our shared commitment to meet our community’s needs with urgency.”
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FEBRUARY 21, 2022
SUPER BOWL CONCERT PHOTOS
From left, Travis Barker, Willow Smith and Machine Gun Kelly together at Crypto.com Arena.
Trippie Redd, left, and Machine Gun Kelly team up for a performance. Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bud Light
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Bud Light
Halsey gets enthusiastic at the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival.
Halsey walks the red carpet at the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Bud Light
Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Bud Light
Bud Light Super Bowl fest delivers top talent By LA Downtown News Staff n Location and Bud Light, the official hospitality partner and beer sponsor, respectively, of the Super Bowl, kicked off the big game weekend with the third Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 11. The three-night festival featured the pairings of Green Day and Miley Cyrus; Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani with Mickey Guyton; and Halsey and Machine Gun Kelly with special guests Travis Barker, Willow Smith and Trippie Redd. “Super Bowl week is one of the biggest
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sports and entertainment events of the year, and we’re proud that the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest has become a true highlight of the fan experience,” said Paul Caine, president of On Location. “It was an unforgettable week of oncein-a-lifetime experiences of sports and music.” Lane Joyce, Bud Light’s director of experiential marketing, added, “Bud Light has always had its fingers on the pulse of culture, and we were thrilled to curate a lineup of amazing artists to bring music fans together ahead of the biggest weekend in sports. Our Super Bowl Music Fest
has become a must-see event each year, and we look forward to hosting more in the future.” The artists were just as enthusiastic. “I couldn’t have been more excited to be back on stage. After two years and two albums that I haven’t gotten to tour in the U.S. yet, the night couldn’t have been better,” Halsey said. “I really enjoyed performing at the festival this weekend; there was great energy and excitement around the whole event,” Stefani said. “Getting to headline a show with my wife and the biggest rock star I know,
Gwen Stefani, plus the Super Bowl all in one weekend? Now that’s a damn good time! Thanks to Mickey for joining in and killing it out there!” Shelton said. “Such an unbelievable weekend! To start off sharing the stage with Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani was just incredible. Then singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl! What is my life?” Guyton said. “It was an honor to share a show with Green Day,” Cyrus said. “It was an amazingly diverse audience representative of both our fan bases. Getting everyone under one roof again was the best part.”
FEBRUARY 21, 2022
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Miley Cyrus belts out a song at Crypto.com Arena.
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Country singers Lindsay Ell, left, and Mickey Guyton are pumped about the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival at Crypto.com Arena. Guyton’s rendition of the national anthem received resounding compliments. Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Bud Light
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Bud Light
Gwen Stefani makes full use of the Crypto.com Arena stage.
Blake Shelton encourages fans to join in at Crypto.com Arena. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Bud Light
Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Bud Light
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FEBRUARY 21, 2022
Covered California will help FEATURE
When school returned in person, Sky Haarsma’s parents said she could keep learning online — under the condition she start a business. So, she founded the fashion website The It Girl Guide. Photo by Chris Mortenson
Through her Lookbooks, Sky Haarsma shows teens how to dress in the morning with the latest clothes and accessories she discovers. Outside of her Lookbooks, she shares her favorite haunts.
Photo by Chris Mortenson
DTLA native creates fashion guide for girls By Annika Tomlin LA Downtown News Staff Writer While classes returned in person as the pandemic numbers decreased, Sky Haarsma took a different path. She created her fashion website, The It Girl Guide. “Since the first day of online school, I loved it and I knew I would love it,” Haarsma said. “I was never a school person. I always got the grades, but I was kind of like a floater when it came to people, so I loved doing online school.” After the Downtown LA native was notified that Beckman High School was returning to in-person learning, Haarsma spoke to her parents about staying online. They agreed under one condition — she start her own business. “I loved clothes, I loved to model, and I loved putting together outfits and helping people get dressed,” she said. “I just took everything in my brain and was like, ‘I want to make something out of this. I want it to be really curated to what I think is cool, because I want my business to be something I love.’ I just took everything that I liked and threw it onto a website and called it my business.” Thus, The It Girl Guide, or TIGG, was born.
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“I think an ‘it girl’ is someone who has fun, is down to earth, and they are themselves,” she said. “They are confident in what they like, and they are confident in who they are. If I saw that in a person, I would be like, ‘Oh, yeah, she’s an it girl.’” Haarsma’s online Lookbooks shows fellow teens how to dress in the morning with the latest clothes and accessories she discovers, often worn by her idols Bella Hadid and Gisele Bundchen. “I like to think of the Lookbooks as a virtual styling tool,” the high school junior said. “Being a teenage girl, I’m always on social media and Pinterest and Instagram. “I would always see such cute outfits and then when I would go and wake up and be like, ‘Well, what do I wear?’ and I would (tell myself ), ‘Come on, use your brain, think of all the clothes you see.’” She added that she was pleased she wasn’t the only one left wondering what to wear in the morning. “(My website) is basically a place where you can go and say, ‘Oh, this is what I should wear,’” Haarsma said. “It helps girls get dressed in the morning, but then it also has links on where you can purchase everything, because that was something so important to me. I’m always finding on Pinterest or Instagram these cute outfits and then I would
be like, ‘Where is this shirt from?’” While searching for clothing, Haarsma keeps one eye on price and two eyes on attitude. Outside of her Lookbooks, she shares her favorite haunts, such as the best bagel location in New York City (Timothée Chalamet’s favorite place), or drops occasional recipes, like how to improve the classic hot chocolate (swap chocolate for coffee). While building her site felt like a dream come true, she said it was a process to say, “OK, it’s live.” “I think the hardest part was honestly just putting myself out there and telling people, ‘This is what I’m doing,’” Haarsma said. “I’m still a young girl, I’ve never done anything like this, and I was nervous just to be like, ‘Here is my work.’” With the help of her dad, PJ, and her family and friends, she created her website easily. “Because I put so much of me into the website, it’s hard because when people look at it, they are looking at me,” Haarsma said. “It’s like I’m standing there naked on a website.”
Once the site went live, she embraced the positive comments she received about her site. “I think my favorite part is having a place to just talk about things that make me happy,” she said. “I have a place to talk about what Bella Hadid wore to a party or a place to say this is a really cute shirt and you all should get it. “Honestly, whenever I write an article or put up a Lookbook, it just makes me so happy, because I feel like I’m doing what I love and I’m helping other girls.” She recently introduced TIGG tote bags. Beyond that, Haarsma aspires work in the fashion industry. “I want to go to NYU for business or FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology), both schools in New York,” she said about her post-high school plans. “The It Girl Guide lets me look at all different sides of the industry from photography, design and styling — all that jazz. “I don’t have a specific goal of what I want to do, I just hope that I am able to put myself out there and honestly see where it takes me.”
The It Girl Guide theitgirlguide.com
FEBRUARY 21, 2022
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