LOS ANGELES
DOWNTOWN
NEWS Volume 41, Number 43
October 22, 2012
Downtown’s Five Best Elections 7
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How to Tear Down a 15-Story Hotel ‘Deconstruction’ of the Wilshire Grand Is Underway, and if All Goes Well Traffic Won’t Even Be Impacted
photo by Gary Leonard
Chris Martin is overseeing the razing of the 900-room Wilshire Grand hotel, one floor at a time. The process will cost $24 million, though $4 million will be recouped by selling salvaged steel and other materials. by Ryan VaillancouRt
Staff WRiteR hen a property owner decides to demolish an old building, it’s impossible not to at least consider blowing it up or knocking it over with a cranesuspended wrecking ball. Chris Martin, the man in charge of dismantling the 61-year-old Wilshire Grand hotel to make room for a 70-story, $1 billion hotel and office tower complex at Seventh and Figueroa streets, sure thought about it.
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“People like explosions,” said Martin, whose Martin Project Management is overseeing the project for developer Korean Air. Martin’s architecture firm, AC Martin Partners, is also the architect. But as Martin imagined an explosion of the hotel, which stands at a key Financial District intersection just across the street from the newly opened Target, his better senses took over. Such a sensation would hurl asbestos-laden materials, not to mention concrete and glass projectiles, into a dense employment hub. So, how long did he really consider blowing it up?
“Oh, about 30 seconds,” Martin said. Sorry, pyro-enthusiasts: The downfall of the 15-story, 900room hotel will not be sparked by a mayor pushing down a lever on a TNT box. Instead, the edifice will be carefully “deconstructed” floor-by-floor, piece-by-piece. The work will also be largely obscured from public view by scaffolding and an opaque exterior wrap that will blanket the structure. “Demolition would have been cost effective in one regard but messy, and we would have had to impact traffic, so we settled on the deconstruction approach,” Martin said. “It see Hotel, page 13
Breathing Life Into the Ghost Building No Stairs? No Elevator? No Problem. Nick Hadim Hopes to Turn an Inaccessible Hotel Into an Apartment Complex by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
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hen Nick Hadim wants to show off his latest Downtown project, he warns people that they may get a little dirty. But that may be the least of their worries. Those who venture inside the Historic Core building with him also have to climb an old wooden ladder and jump through an open window from the rooftop of another structure. Once inside, they get to see a ghost up close. Hadim is leading a group of investors on a project that aims to revitalize what is known as the Downtown “ghost building,” a seven-story former hotel at 216 W. Fifth St. that has not had a guest, or any visitors — at least above the second floor — for 78 years. Constructed as an annex to the Alexandria Hotel in 1910, it earned its moniker not because it’s haunted, but because most people don’t realize the building even exists. It has been
shuttered since 1934 not because business is bad, but because the edifice has no stairs or elevators. The second story is the only part of the structure Hadim has ever been able to see, since it’s impossible to reach the other floors without major construction. Still, he convened a group of investors, who he said want to remain anonymous, to purchase the property for almost $2 million. Hadim said escrow closed early this month. While he is not an owner, Hadim will lead the development of the property and oversee the spending of another $5 million to turn the structure, originally built with 35 rooms, into a 28-unit apartment building called The Chelsea. Plans call for 500- to 700-square-foot lofts renting for $2.50 per square foot. He hopes to complete the project by late 2013, though first he has to build the stairs and an elevator and see what is on the upper floors. see Ghost, page 12
photo by Gary Leonard
Nick Hadim is working on plans to turn the Downtown “ghost building” at 216 W. Fifth St. into an apartment complex. It can only be reached by climbing onto the roof of a clothing store.
2 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
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Downtown News 3
DowntownNews.com
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4 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
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AROUNDTOWN New Drive-in Replaces Devil’s Night
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he Devil’s Night Drive-In shut down last month, but Downtowners don’t have to worry about losing one of their most unique pastimes. On Oct. 12, Morgan Night, the creator of Devil’s Night, announced in an email that the series will live on with a new operator and a new name, the Electric Dusk Drive-In. The new series launches Sunday, Oct. 28, in the same spot — a rooftop parking lot near the corner of Fourth Street and Broadway. The debut film is a 7:30 p.m. screening of the 1985 board game adaptation Clue. The Electric Dusk Drive-In is a new company started by New York natives and actors Darryl Semira and Eric Heusinger. Now residing in Los Angeles, they plan on screening a variety of films, from classic movies to cult favorites to blockbuster flicks. They intend to do one to two events per month.
Former Controller Chick Endorses Greuel
C
ity Controller Wendy Greuel last week received a high-profile endorsement — that of her predecessor in her current job, Laura Chick. “This City desperately needs a Mayor who is a committed, focused and experienced manager, as well as someone who can be a visionary leader,” said Chick in a Thursday, Oct. 18, email announcing her endorsement. “Those qualities are hard to find — and almost impossible to find all rolled up into one person. Fortunately, Los Angeles has such a person... and she is running for Mayor.” The endorsement is a coup for Greuel, who is running against City Council members Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry, as well
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as attorney Kevin James. She is neck and neck with Garcetti in fundraising, with both having secured about $2.8 million in campaign donations. Although Chick has not lived in Los Angeles for several years, she said in her email that she continues to visit often and stay involved. “As City Controller, Wendy has proven herself to be a skilled manager of the fiscal operations of the City,” Chick wrote.
Veteran Restaurant Gets a Square
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longtime Echo Park eatery that traces its roots to Downtown’s former French quarter is being honored. On Oct. 16, the City Council approved naming the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Park Avenue just northwest of Downtown as Taix Square, after French restaurant Taix French Country Cuisine. The restaurant was opened in 1927 by Marius Taix Jr., who came from a family of sheepherders and bakers in France. The restaurant opened on Commercial Street before moving in 1962 to its current spot at 1911 W. Sunset Blvd. The Taix family still runs the restaurant.
Ping Pong Club Coming to the Standard
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he sport of ping pong is enjoying something of a pop culture resurgence, and tables and nets are showing up at bars including Downtown’s Casey’s and Tony’s Saloon. But never has playing table tennis been as cool as it is poised to become next month, when a bona fide ping pong club is scheduled to debut at the Standard Downtown hotel. The Financial District establishment is giving up its entire
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mezzanine to Spin Galactic, a ping pong club co-founded by actress Susan Sarandon. The club has locations in New York, Milwaukee and Toronto. While a membership will not be required to visit Spin, those who sign up are entitled to benefits such as discounted fees and a lesson from a pro. Annual memberships cost $500, but the first 500 L.A. members can join for $350. The venue doubles as a bar and restaurant. A menu will be created for the club by chef Micah Downs of the Restaurant at the hotel. Additional information is at losangeles. spingalactic.com.
New Tracks Debut at Union Station
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ith demand for regional rail service growing, three new tracks debuted at Union Station last week, as did a reconstructed platform to serve Metrolink and
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Amtrak. Construction of the $24.8 million track expansion project began in May 2011 to keep up with increasing ridership trends, according to a statement released by Metrolink, which managed the effort. Since 2010, Metrolink’s average weekday boardings have grown from 39,067 to 43,135, a 10% leap, the agency reported. Ridership on Amtrak California’s Pacific Surfliner, the second busiest route in the nation, has increased 31% in the past decade. Most of the money for the project came from Prop 1B, a state transit bond approved by voters in 2007. New station tracks 13 and 14 and platform 7 will add to the existing tracks 3-12, which serve Amtrak, Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink trains. “The expansion of these new tracks and platform at Union Station will go a long way at meeting the increasing travel demands of our patrons,” said Art Leahy, CEO of Metro, which owns Union Station. The hub is the nation’s fifth busiest train station.
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Downtown News 5
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City Picks Designer for Sixth Street Bridge HNTB’s ‘Ribbon of Arches’ Wins Competition for $400 Million Project
renderings by HNTB
The architecture firm HNTB last week won the contract for the $400 million Sixth Street Viaduct with a design that contains a series of 10 arches. It is expected to open in 2019. by Ryan VaillancouRt staff wRiteR
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ity officials on Friday announced that the architecture firm HNTB Corp. has been selected to design the replacement for the ailing Sixth Street Viaduct. The decision, revealed during a press conference on the bridge, marks the end of an international design competition for a $400 million contract to shape the 3,500-foot span that connects Downtown Los Angeles and Boyle Heights. HNTB beat out the firms AECOM and Parsons Brinckerhoff in the final round, wowing a bridge design committee with its series of 10 arches. The arches echo the current design, but replicate the two half circles in the center of the existing span down its entire length, creating what City Engineer Gary Lee Moore likened to a “ribbon of arches.” The arches connect with the ground near the banks of the Los Angeles River, where HNTB imagines a series of park spaces. “This beautiful bridge that many of us have crossed and used as a functional means… is no longer going to be here in a few years,” said 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, who represents territory on both sides of the bridge. “But what’s going to replace it is something that’s going to represent the future of the city of Los Angeles.” Like the two other finalists, the winning design emphasizes pedestrian and bicycle access. But HNTB’s proposal was the only one that suggests eliminating an existing support pylon in the middle of the river. Instead, HNTB calls for suspending the bridge over the river, leaving the water flow uninterrupted. Some city officials at the event characterized the decision as a difficult one. The position was countered by Yuval
Bar-Zemer, a partner in the Arts District development firm Linear City and a member of the nine-person bridge design committee selected by Huizar and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to advise the city. “It was unanimous,” Bar-Zemer said. “The HNTB design is a different paradigm. The other teams were for some reason caught in this iconic notion of building something bombastic over the river and at the end of the day it’s a little out of context because the river is not the Hudson.” Officials praised the bridge design because, in stretching the curving arches along the length of the span, it visually connects the two communities separated by the river. The design team assembled by Kansas City, Mo.-based HNTB, which has a Downtown office, includes prominent L.A. architects Michael Maltzan and AC Martin Partners. While winning the design contest is a coup for the team, now the hard work begins. Over the next three months, HNTB will engage the city on contract negotiations. During that time, officials expect to fine-tune the preliminary design in order to keep it within the $400 million budget. Once a contract is signed, it will mark the start of a design process that could take up two years, said City Engineer Gary Lee Moore. Construction would last three years, so tentative completion could be as far off as 2019. The project comes as the 1932 bridge slowly deteriorates. A condition known as alkali-silica reaction, which has been likened to concrete cancer, has caused the concrete in the structure to weaken. Officials have stressed, however, that there is no imminent risk of collapse. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
6 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
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EDITORIALS Yes on Proposition 30, No on 38
Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis
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ome election time, Los Angeles Downtown News usually doesn’t get involved in state propositions. We feel the best use of our time, resources and ink is on matters directly related to the local community and the city. Only in special circumstances do we make exceptions. One of those comes into play when voters head to the polls on Nov. 6. We urge voters to say yes to Proposition 30, Gov. Jerry Brown’s bid to temporarily raise taxes, with much of the money going to education. We also urge voters to reject a related measure, attorney Molly Munger’s Prop 38. This is a divisive issue, with tens of millions of dollars being spent on both sides. Still, voting yes on Prop 30 is the right thing to do. More important, it’s necessary. No one likes higher taxes. It’s easy and probably accurate to say that many people in the state already pay too much. However, the consequences of rejecting Brown’s initiative to raise the state’s sales tax by one-quarter of a cent for four years, and to boost income taxes for highearning Californians (those making $250,000 or more annually) for seven years are horrifying. Even if state estimates are wrong by, say, 50%, it’s still horrifying and should be avoided at all costs. As most everyone knows, just a few decades ago California was the gold standard of public education in this country. Now, however, the quality has plunged. Test scores, dropout rates, spending per pupil, you name it: The gold has lost its luster, and it’s the next generation of leaders, workers, children and, well, everyone else who will suffer. Brown’s ballot measure would raise billions of dollars, with much of it going to public schools and colleges. It would prevent cuts that have repeatedly been described as “draconian.” The measure is retroactive to the start of the current fiscal year, and its failure would be felt nearly immediately: If defeated, there would be $6 billion worth of “trigger cuts.” Spending would drop. School days in the current educational year would be eliminated. Teachers could be laid off. This issue will increasingly affect Down towners. More and more area residents are starting families. Many will rely on public education. Downtown employers would have even more difficulty finding qualified workers. The arguments against Prop 30 include charges that all the funds would not necessarily be earmarked for education, and that it doesn’t address waste or high levels of bureaucracy in school systems throughout California. The problems could be resolved, opponents say, with better management of resources. The higher taxes, the arguments continue, would be a burden on businesses in the state. They are compelling arguments, but they don’t overwhelm the damage that would be done by defeating the measure. Prop 38, spearheaded by Munger, also seeks to raise money for education, largely by boosting tax rates for the wealthy. However, it is problematic and not as effective as Brown’s proposal. It wouldn’t stop the trigger cuts. Although Munger’s measure starts in the correct place, its shortcomings make it not the right thing at this time. Yes on Proposition 30, no on Prop 38.
Potential at the Graffiti Pit
T
he graffiti pit on the northeast corner of First Street and Broadway has been one of Downtown’s biggest and most distressing eyesores for decades. Although the property just west of City Hall seems like it should be among the most desired locations in the city, that has not been the case. Instead the land has sat empty and ugly, an embarrassment to Downtown and a black eye for Los Angeles. The recent news that the state is looking to sell the plot, with the concept of it becoming an extension of the just-opened Grand Park, is exciting. It’s hard to imagine a better use of the prime piece of Civic Center real estate. Turning derelict, fencedoff land into something that benefits the community would be a huge win. That said, right now the best we can do is be cautiously optimistic that this will happen. Too many times we have seen good ideas end up as dashed dreams, doomed by bureaucratic infighting or other silly matters. Things are still early in the process for the fenced-off plot, and while we like to think big, it’s best not to let expectations run wild. The best thing possible would be for officials to prove us wrong, to demonstrate that this proposal has a real shot at happening. We hope they will do whatever it takes to wash away the skepticism we and other longtime observers have regarding the property. The onus is on them to let everyone know this will occur, that the blight will be eradicated and the site will become a positive for the community. Los Angeles Downtown News last week reported on the status of the property that once held a state office building. The edifice was severely damaged in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and was later razed. Amazingly, Downtown has gone decades with this eyesore. There have been efforts to turn things around, though nothing recently. In the late 1980s, officials looked at selling the land to developer Raffi Cohen for an ambitious office-based project dubbed First Street North. The plan died in the recession of the early ’90s, and no one has since come close to activating the property. The land has been in the news several times over the years. For a while, plywood boards blocked it off. The boards were taken down after the Los Angeles Times reported that a colony of
homeless individuals were living there. Maintenance of the property has long been a problem, and in recent years it seemed that every few months it would become covered in graffiti, the taggers and some skateboarders the only ones willing to sneak through the fence. Only when Downtown News or other media raised a cry did anyone seem to think about whitewashing the tags. Part of the problem was a convoluted ownership structure that allowed everyone to pass the buck. The state, city and county each claimed part of the property, and after the city voluntarily gave up its stake, the state had a lot of control, but ceded maintenance to the county. It was confusing, and the overall result was that little got done and it was difficult to determine who was at fault. The spur for the current proposal is twofold: California’s budget crisis has prompted a move to sell surplus assets. That dovetails with the opening of the $56 million Grand Park. The park’s third and final stage, which sits adjacent to the graffiti pit, opened this month. The state has begun a $600,000 cleanup of the site. It is difficult to believe this will solve all the problems — there is a three-level underground parking garage, and over the years its structural integrity has been questioned. Asbestos needs to be removed and other tasks must be undertaken. No wonder the timeline is uncertain. If the land can be made safe and clean, it could go on the market. A state law giving local agencies and nonprofits the first right to buy surplus property leads to the possibility of recreational or green space tied to Grand Park. Both city and county officials have expressed interest. We look forward to hearing what could come about, but right now the best result would involve the county getting the property and making it an extension of what just debuted. The city’s finances are way too dire, and by comparison the county has been fiscally responsible. The success in getting Grand Park open on time and on budget, and having such community-friendly results, demonstrates that the county can pull off this kind of project. Still, it’s too early to take this as a given. We’ll hope for the best, but we need to be convinced this can really happen.
October 22, 2012
Downtown News 7
DowntownNews.com
The Five Best Political Fights in Downtown Our Election Cup Runneth Over, and There Is Plenty to Keep the Community Engaged and Entertained by Jon RegaRdie executive editoR
V
oting is like foie gras. No, it hasn’t been outlawed in California. Rather, it is best done in limited doses and spread out over time. While that concept should be clear, in Los Angeles it is definitively ignored. In the next seven months, city residents will the regardie report
enter the ballot box three times, and Downtowners will have a fourth chance to exercise their democratic rights. The fun starts Nov. 6 with the presidential ballot and the litany of lower ticket races. Later that month, Downtowners get to decide the fate of the $125 million streetcar. In March, voters head to the polls to decide three citywide contests, including the mayor’s race, and eight council elections. May features the runoff for those contests and some other ballot measures. Is all this a surefire way to create the type of voter fatigue that disenfranchises the public? Absolutely. At the same time, these races will be incredibly bitter and entertaining. That’s a good thing for those who like politics and/or thought there’d be nothing to watch now that Frank and Jamie McCourt have stopped fighting in public. What follows, in reverse order, are rundowns of the five best political fights of the next seven months. 5) Streetcar Approval, November: On Nov. 13, ballots will be sent to approximately 10,000 registered Downtown voters. They must be mailed back by Nov. 28 and delivered to the City Cleak by Dec. 3. No, I’m not sure what a “Cleak” is either, but it’s what the streetcar website said at press time. Perhaps they mean “clerk.” Typos aside, this will determine whether 14th District City Councilman José Huizar pops a champagne cork or cries like a 5-year-old watching Bambi’s mom die. Voters will decide whether local property owners should be taxed $62.5 million to cover half the cost of the streetcar.
This could be tricky. The $125 million project needs approval from two-thirds of responding voters. However, streetcar officials expect that fewer than 1,000 people will return ballots. Every vote counts big time. For what it’s worth, $62.5 million divided by 1,000 works out to $62,500. That concludes the math portion of this column. The pro-streetcar campaign is using tactics including education and near-bribery. In addition to presentations to community members and homeowners associations, there was a free food-oriented event for more than 1,000 people in September and, on Oct. 20, a free screening of the 1985 film The Goonies at Grand Park. By press time, the two men who last week won the Nobel Prize for their work on matchmaking were still unable to determine a match between The Goonies and the Downtown streetcar. 4) Ninth District Primary, March 5: Fourteen people have filed papers to replace termed-out councilwoman Jan Perry. On March 5 they’ll be narrowed down to two. For better or worse this will be accomplished at the ballot box, not Hunger Games style. At this point, six people seem capable of pulling more than token votes, and four appear to have a legitimate shot at the runoff. LAPD Deputy Chief Terry Hara’s huge fundraising advantage could propel him into the top two. State Sen. Curren Price’s labor ties could do the same, assuming the unions throw enough money his way and put boots on the ground. Ex-USC Government Relations official David Roberts, the top money raiser in the last quarter, might ride the endorsement of Councilman Bernard Parks and other community leaders into the next round. Ana Cubas, Huizar’s former chief of staff, could get there if voters respond to her being the most prominent woman and the most prominent Latina on the ballot. Anything could happen here, and the debates should be things of raucous beauty. If voting falls on racial lines, then African-American candidates could harm each other. Then
photo by Gary Leonard
Will City Councilman José Huizar pop a champagne cork or cry like a kid watching Bambi’s mom die? Find out after Downtowners vote in November on a funding plan for the $125 million streetcar.
again, the black churches could unite behind one person and make the difference. Anyone who says they know what will happen in the Ninth is on bath salts. 3) Richard Riordan Versus Labor, May 21: History’s brutal battles include the Union taking on the Confederate army at Shiloh and Muhammad Ali fighting Joe Frazier in the Philippines, the famous “Thrilla in Manila.” Add to that former mayor Riordan’s proposal to alter L.A.’s pension system for public employees. This will be fascinating, expensive and ugly. In Riordan’s latest major stand he’ll either end up like Custer at Little Bighorn (uh oh) or Jack Bauer from “24,” coming back one last time because no one else can save the day. Riordan, who see Battles, page 10
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8 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
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RESTAURANT BUZZ
A Lazy Ox Flip, Booze Is Coming, Twice the Spice and Other Downtown Food News by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR
O
x Tales: Oh, this one’s too easy: Turns out Spanish chef Perfecto Rocher wasn’t the perfect fit after all to lead the kitchen at Little Tokyo’s highprofile Lazy Ox Canteen. Instead Rocher, who succeeded celebrated opening chef Josef Centeno, is out after just seven months. Mary Park, a spokeswoman for Rocher, offered few details about his departure except to say that he and Lazy Ox owner Michael Cardenas had a “difference of interests.” Rocher left the restaurant about two weeks ago. “He just felt that it was time to move on,” Park told Restaurant Buzz. Cardenas countered that Rocher did not leave by choice. “He was fired,” he said. Cardenas would not provide more details. The new chef at Lazy Ox is 28-year-old
Travis Chase, who previously worked at Tin Table in Seattle. When Centeno opened Lazy Ox with Cardenas in 2009 it was an instant hit, with customers and critics raving about the always-changing menu of seasonal small plates. When Rocher took over the kitchen, Cardenas said his new chef was “going to be the next Josef.” Rocher and Cardenas had also been working on opening a paella restaurant in Santa Monica. Park said Rocher is no longer involved in that project either and is now working on a Spanish-themed restaurant to be located on the Westside. Lazy Ox Canteen is at 241 S. San Pedro St., (213) 626-5299 or lazyoxcanteen.com. Bev Mas: Restaurant Buzz is predicting a very, very happy next St. Patrick’s Day in Downtown. Why? Because a 7,081-square-
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foot booze emporium called Ramirez Central is scheduled to open at Fifth and Alameda streets by March. It would be the second location for Ramirez Liquor, a family runs business that has operated for 17 years on Soto Street in Boyle Heights. The new place, which will be four times the size of the original store, will sell craft beers, tequila, mescal, wine, spirits, specialty sodas, glassware and even beerrelated apparel. The sort of mom-and-pop version of Bev Mo will also hold an approximately 500-squarefoot area for wine and beer tasting, as well as a cigar humidor. The project is in the entitlement process, and on the Ramirez Liquor website store officials are asking people to help out by writing a letter of support You know what to do next. At ramirezliquor.com.
photo courtesy of Guild
The former Pasta Primavera and City Billy spot on Seventh Street is now Guild. The restaurant serving American bistro fare will have a grand opening this week.
Third Time’s the Charm: A grand opening celebration is planned this week for Guild, an American bistro in the space that briefly housed City Billy and before that held Pasta Primavera. So yeah, owners Joyce Paik and Grace Beck are hoping the third time is the charm. Pasta Primavera, which had been at the 611 W. Seventh St. spot for more than two decades, closed about two years ago. Paik and Beck opened City Billy there in mid-2011, serving American comfort food. Things were slow, however, leading to the shift to Guild. The slightly more upscale bistro soft opened in
July, and Karen Lee, the restaurant’s general manager, said they’ve been a bit low key since service began. But she said that after the grand opening event, which could come as soon as Monday, they plan on getting the word out. The menu includes starters such as steak tartare and mussels, while main courses include fried chicken with country maple gravy and petit steak frites. At 611 W. Seventh St., (213) 688-0808 or guildrestaurant.com.
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Metro Briefs What is Measure J?
The Metro Board of Directors authorized placing Measure J before voters in Los Angeles County. Measure J will extend for 30 additional years the existing one-half cent sales tax that was approved in 2008 and is currently set to expire in 2039 (Measure R). The additional funds will be used to secure bonds, which will allow Metro to accelerate construction of traªc relieving projects and the related job creation. To view the expenditure plan and the full text of Measure J, please visit metro.net/measurej.
ExpressLanes Open November 10
Metro ExpressLanes debuts November 10 with the opening of an 11-mile stretch on the I-110 Harbor Freeway. Solo drivers can use the lanes for a toll, while carpools, vanpools, buses and motorcycles travel ® toll-free. All motorists need a FasTrak account and transponder to travel in the ExpressLanes. To get yours, visit metro.net/expresslanes.
TAP Is Your Ticket
Whatever type of fare you’re using, it must be loaded on a TAP card to ride any Metro Rail line or the Metro Orange line. Starting soon in stations with turnstiles, expect them to be locked. Before entering, tap the target on the right side of the turnstile with your valid TAP card in order to pass through.
Feds Approve $546 Million For Crenshaw Line
The Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor Project received a $546 million federal loan to accelerate construction of a light rail line in the Crenshaw District. The 8.5-mile line will connect the Metro Green Line and the Metro Expo Line at Crenshaw and Exposition boulevards. For more information visit metro.net/crenshaw.
Go Metro To See The Space Shuttle
Go Metro and rocket past traªc to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour, on display beginning October 30 at the California Science Center. The California Science Center is located adjacent to Metro’s Expo Line; exit at Expo Park/USC Station. For exhibit details, visit californiasciencecenter.org.
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If you’d like to know more, visit metro.net.
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October 22, 2012
Downtown News 9
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Spice Twice Baby: Good news, fans of adventurous Downtown cuisine: Although Bryant Ng and his wife Kim Luu-Ng will be forced to close their Spice Table in Little Tokyo to make way for the $1.37 billion Regional Connector, it won’t mean the end of the adored Singaporean/Vietnamese restaurant. The former chef-de-cuisine at Pizzeria Mozza in Hollywood has reversed himself on a plan to move on to new pursuits once the establishment closes. Instead, he is looking for a new location for the restaurant as soon as the original stops serving. Even better, he hopes to open a second Downtown eatery, said Katie Brucker, a spokeswoman for Spice Table. Ng plans on opening the new Spice Table, which would feature the same cuisine, in six to 12 months, which is the timeframe Metro has given him for closing the restaurant, Brucker said. Details on the concept for the second eatery are uncertain, but Brucker said Ng also is angling to open it within a year. There’s another change, too: Due to
recent flooding caused by plumbing problems, until it closes Spice Table will be open only for dinner. The Spice Table occupies a more than 100-year-old building on Central Avenue. Plans for the Regional Connector call for Metro to displace the Spice Table, Weiland’s Brewery and Señor Fish to make way for an underground light rail station. At 114 S. Central Ave., (213) 620-1840 or thespicetable.com.
baby-back ribs cooked in beer, sandwiches, salads and bigger dishes such as roast chicken. Anyone who actually misses the medieval theme can always cheer on the Barcelona Dragons, the Sacramento Kings, the Washington Wizards, the Kansas City Royals, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights or the Holy Cross Crusaders. You get the point. At 1248 S. Figueroa St., (213) 749-7751 or urbanxtavern.com.
X-Sports: Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the medieval-themed and shortlived Excalibur restaurant comes UrbanX Tavern. The sports-oriented eatery and bar at 1248 S. Figueroa St. opened Oct. 15. OK, that was a bit dramatic, but sports fans may enjoy all the memorabilia hanging on the walls, the nine TVs and the 120inch projector showing all the big games. What’s on TV will be even more fun to watch thanks to the 40-plus craft beers on tap and in bottles. Oh yeah, there’s also food. The menu includes small plates like
Bäco Rules: It comes as no surprise to anyone who has ever stuffed a juicy and delicious bäco into his or her mouth that Esquire has named Bäco Mercat one of the Best New Restaurants of 2012. The Historic Core spot by Josef Centeno was one of only three Southern California spots to earn the honor in the November issue of the magazine. The others on the 20-restaurant list are Gusto near West Hollywood and BierBeisl in Beverly Hills. The magazine says Centeno “has crafted a menu of singular dishes that would garner raves at more deluxe dining rooms than his
storefront in low-rent downtown.” Restaurant Buzz says buy two original bäcos, because one is never enough. When you’re done, get the beef tongue schnitzel to go. At 408 S. Main St., (213) 687-8808 or bacomercat.com. Tis the Season?: The Los Angeles weather may have trouble understanding what season it is, but Pitfire Pizza knows exactly how far from the sun we are. No matter what the weather thinks, it’s fall, darn it, and the Italian joint is launching a seasonal menu. It debuted last week and includes options such as a roast pumpkin pizza, made with roasted squash and pumpkin seed oil; Brussels sprouts and bacon pizza, which is pretty self explanatory; and drinks like the cinnamon sangria and apple cider Shandy. At 108 W. Second St., (213) 808-1200 or pitfirepizza.com. Got any juice food news? If so, contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
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10 Downtown News
Battles Continued from page 7 was termed out in 2001, has been warning for years that Los Angeles could go bankrupt. He has repeatedly criticized City Hall for taking nibbles rather than bites at the problem. His Bankruptcy Avoidance and Pension Protection Act would make current workers pay more for their pension costs and move new hires into a 401(k) system. Although signature gathering for the initiative has not begun, labor leaders have already reared up like cobras, calling the proposal “a deceptive and damaging ballot initiative.” The L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce is backing Riordan, and assuming the measure qualifies, we’ll get a throwdown that will make the Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker recall campaign seem like little league. In the end, the business-labor relationship in Los Angeles could be set back decades. Just watch. 2) City Attorney Primary, March 5: Speaking of last stands, this could be it for City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. However, the Bully of San Pedro won’t go down with-
photo by Gary Leonard
With his May pension ballot measure, former Mayor Richard Riordan is pulling a Jack Bauer, trying to come back and save the city one final time. Yes, we just compared Riordan to Kiefer Sutherland’s “24” character.
out a bare-knuckles fight. Amazingly, Nuch is both the incumbent and the underdog. The smart money is on Mike Feuer, a state assemblyman who is blowing away Nuch and the other candidate,
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Greg Smith, in fundraising. Reviewing Nuch’s City Hall career is like watching a Michael Bay film in fast forward. Stuff blew up everywhere and for seemingly no reason. Although Nuch’s nearly instant alienation of the political power structure didn’t have to be a bad thing, he lacked the juice and outside connections to pull it off. Now, after his still-stunning third place finish in the June district attorney’s race, he’s desperately trying to keep his job. There are so many levels here. Feuer’s campaign is being run by John Shallman, who managed Nuch’s failed D.A. try, and who Nuch has since sued. Smith could earn some confusion votes because he has nearly the same name as a former Valley Republican councilman. Additionally, Smith’s top advisor is John Thomas, who propelled Alan Jackson to the D.A.’s runoff, thereby banishing Trutanich. The big question is, could Nuch miss the runoff again, whether by finishing third or because Feuer surpasses 50%? The second question is, what will Trutanich unleash to ensure that doesn’t happen? 1) Mayoral Runoff, May 21: If Rick Caruso had entered, he’d probably make the runoff. But being mayor would mean a step down in
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power for him. Conventional wisdom has City Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilman Eric Garcetti battling it out in the finals. In that case, their similar, solidly liberal and labor-friendly leanings might render the race more of a personality contest than anything else. The most interesting aspect could concern what happens when the influential County Federation of Labor picks a candidate. Could the shunned one embrace the Riordan ballot initiative and run on a platform of fiscal reform? Then there’s Jan Perry, and while many think she can’t win, she’s savvy and only a fool would count her out. Additionally, the lack of a major business candidate could help her with conservative voters. Also, if she’s in third, all it takes is one sex or financial scandal to knock someone out and move her up a rung. I’m not predicting this and there’s no hint of impropriety with these candidates, but stranger things have happened. If Perry makes the runoff, she could draw support from the Riordan crowd. It’s hard to imagine attorney Kevin James advancing with his cash levels so far behind the others. Then again, if one sex or financial scandal can happen, why not two? Contact Jon Regardie at regardie@downtownnews.com.
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Downtown News 11
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As Downtowners Get a Park, So Do Their Dogs A Pet-Friendly, Postage-Stamp Sized Portion of Grand Park Draws Instant Raves by Ryan Vaillancourt
Staff Writer t’s one of those ironies that makes Downtown Los Angeles distinct — despite the prevalence of sunbaked concrete and a dearth of green space, the area is crawling with dogs. Thanks to pet friendly policies in most residential buildings, Downtown has attracted thousands of dog owners. This month, they got a new destination for their canine compan-
I
photo by Gary Leonard
A small dog run in Grand Park is drawing Downtowners eager to let their pets run off-leash.
ions at Grand Park. A small, fenced-in zone dubbed a dog “run” is tucked into the parcel across from City Hall. Local dog owners, attracted by the ability to let their pets scamper off-leash, have already started working the dirt and gravel-covered path into their daily routine. “It’s great,” said Yoko Shibata, who regularly brings her two dogs, Dalai Mama and Alice, to the Grand Park dog run. “I really like it. I wish we had two separate dog parks, one for the bigger ones and one for the smaller ones, but I like it.” While dog parks commonly include separate areas for larger and smaller dogs, the one in Grand Park has only a single section. In fact, the whole thing is smaller than many Downtown lofts. Its diminutive size, however, is still far more than what was originally called for, recalled Tony Paradowski, a senior associate at Grand Park designer Rios Clementi Hale Studios. Initial designs did not include any dog space. That only changed after the firm invited some last-minute comments during an Art Walk in 2009, Paradowski said. The decision to carve out the space, he noted, was inspired both by dog owners who wanted an exercise spot, and non-pet owners. “One of the things coming up was obviously the lack of park space and how to share park space,” said Paradowski. “What we heard from the people without pets was they wanted dogs to have their own space, so they knew when they sat on the lawn that it was relatively dog-free.” The dog run measures about 40-by-15 feet. It is also home to one of the few mature trees that was removed, temporarily relocated during construction of the $56 million park and then replanted. The olive tree was placed in the middle of the run to provide shade, Paradowski said. A Leash on Life On a recent Wednesday morning, Ingrid Carrillo was among a small group of dog owners at the Grand Park run. She, like Shibata, is also a regular at the Los Angeles Police Department Administration Building lawn at Second and Spring streets. The lawn was not intended to be a dog park, but since opening in 2010 it has been adopted by dozens of pet owners, many of whom let their pooches roam off-leash, despite the lack of a fence. Two days before, Carrillo had let Doctor, her fluffy white bichon frise, off his leash. Five minutes later, she was engaged in a chase with a pit bull that followed Doctor into traffic. The pit bull was hit, but was seen walking after the collision. Doctor had to be chased a half-block down Spring Street. The incident underscored the need for a safe place to let dogs play off-leash. Shon Lindsey occasionally takes his white pit bull Boston to the LAPD site, but keeps him on leash. At the Grand Park run, Boston was free to sprint back and forth and wrestle with another dog. “At first I was like, eh, it’s super small,” said Lindsey, as Boston eagerly followed another dog under one of the park’s bright pink benches. “But he’s not tripping on it, so why would I?”
Tamara Clark, owner of Downtown-based obedience trainer Bark & Clark, cautioned the dog-owner crowd not to see a fenced-in area as a canine free-for-all. “What happens is that in a very small amount of space you have a lot of random dogs that come into contact with each other, and not all dogs are friendly with each other,” Clark said. Clark recommends a few general guidelines: When another dog approaches the entrance gate, grab your dog or have it sit or lie down, instead of letting it sprint to the arriving animal’s space. She also cautions against sitting back and reading while dogs play. Uninterrupted play can escalate into a fight, she said.
Thor Steingraber, vice president of the Music Center, which manages Grand Park, stressed that the entire park is dog friendly. In other parts of the 12-acre park, however, pets must be on leash. The dog run is equipped with two low-to-the-ground water fountains, and throughout the park there are plastic bag dispensers for cleaning up. The dog run is also patrolled regularly by security personnel, Steingraber said. “Like all aspects of the park, there will be lessons learned over time,” he said. “We’ll be monitoring it daily and weekly. At the moment though it has been completely positive.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
12 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
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Ghost Continued from page 1 “There could be anything up there,” he said while leading a reporter on a tour of the second floor. Hadim recognizes that the permitting process will be a major challenge. He has begun working with the office of 14th District City Councilman José Huizar, whose territory includes the Historic Core. “It’s very unusual, an interesting challenge,” said Jessica Wethington McLean, the executive director of Huizar’s Bringing Back Broadway initiative, who is helping Hadim with the project. “This has got to be a very one of a kind situation.” She said part of the challenge will be figuring out a detailed plan, which will only be possible once Hadim gets access to all of the floors. McLean said she is organizing a meeting between Hadim and staff from the city Planning and Building and Safety departments so they can familiarize themselves with the project and help make the process smoother. “Navigating the process of getting a building permitted that has no stairs has to be very, very rare,” McLean said. Up the Ladder Currently, the second story of the building can only be reached through the back of a clothing and accessory store fronting Fifth Street. To get there, Hadim climbs a set of stairs to reach the store’s attic. Then, he ascends a rickety, 15-foot wooden ladder through an opening in the ceiling. That puts him on the store’s rooftop. From there, he jumps through an opening in the ghost building that appears to have been a window but is now secured with a wooden door that can be opened. Inside it’s dark, almost pitch black in some places. The windows are tinted with decades of dirt. Dozens of pigeons have roosted in the property. Crusty wallpaper flakes off some walls, while others are covered with illegible graffiti. The porcelain toilets in some of the bathrooms are filled with dirt. One room holds construction rubble, including an ancient wooden bucket. Down the dark hallway is a brick wall that seems oddly out of place. Its reason for existence can only be discerned once one digs into the history of the building. According to a 1967 Los Angeles Times article, the structure was built by William Chick as an annex to the Alexandria. Since the addition was attached to the hotel’s hallways, there was no need for a separate elevator or stairs. The Alexandria closed during the Great Depression. A new owner, film producer Phil Goldstone, purchased the property, renovated it and reopened it along with the annex, which Chick still owned. According to the article, Goldstone and Chick fought over a tenant. The dispute so upset Goldstone that he walled off the corridors that led to the annex, sealing the building. Tweaking History Mitzi March Mogul, a historic preservation consultant who is working with Hadim on the project, has found a slightly different version of the story. Mogul, who is also compiling information to have the building declared a National Historical Monument, said that while she still has a ways to go on her research, she discovered that five years after A.C. Bilicke and R.A. Rowan built the Alexandria in 1905, they decided to erect an extension. It was part of their plan to expand the hotel to cover the entire block, she said. However, Chick owned the land where the expansion was built and retained ownership of the new wing. After Goldstone acquired the prop-
erty, Mogul said, they did indeed fight over a tenant. In her version, the ruckus concerned a florist who was renting space on the ground floor of the Alexandria and who instead decided to move into Chick’s part of the building. “The two owners butted heads and made it a personal conflict, so he walled up the corridor in 1934,” Mogul said, referring to Goldstone. “This was nothing but vindictiveness; he just walls it in. Well, that’s a big problem. There’s no elevator and no staircase. So it makes it a little tricky for guests.” Now, decades later, Hadim faces many challenges greater than definitively determining the building’s history, most notably installing stairs and an elevator. He said he will photo by Gary Leonard start from the top and cut Hadim at the part of the building where it was walled off from the down through the building, rest of the Alexandria 78 years ago. opening a shaft for the elevator and stairwell. He also doesn’t know what condition the the story of why it was walled off. While she plumbing and other infrastructure is in, but would like to see the building come back to he is confident the project will work. life, she said it will continue to be a popular “It’s not a slam dunk, but we’ll bring it part of the tour. back to life,” he said. “There are all kinds of great stories in Linda Dishman, executive director of the Downtown and this is one of them,” she said. Downtown-based Los Angeles Conservancy, But no one on the tour ever tries to go in said the ghost building is included on their the building. walking tour of the Historic Core. Contact Richard Guzmán at She said many people are surprised to hear richard@downtownnews.com.
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Downtown News 13
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Hotel Continued from page 1 takes more time but it’s cleaner and safer, and we get a real good value out of recycling building materials.” The deconstruction is expected to cost $24 million, but $4 million is estimated to be recouped by selling the salvaged steel, copper and concrete, said Jeff Evans, senior vice president of Martin Project Management. Floor by Floor The deconstruction is a three-phase project. Phase one, which is under way, involves “soft demolition,” or the taking down of all the non-load-bearing walls and the elimination of hazardous materials. The hotel floors have been stripped of most interior walls, with the utility infrastructure removed from the old dropped ceilings. Remnants of metal ducts dangle like robot tentacles. The lobby is dotted with piles of scrap metal. The floors are a mix of ground-up drywall and bits of concrete that have been moistened to keep dust down. One remaining strip of carpet that leads to a temporary security office is drenched from an overhead leak. Asbestos-laden dust is sucked out via industrial fans affixed to the exterior of the structure. The contaminants are filtered out as the air exits and reserved for careful removal, Martin said. The demolition is being handled by Turner Construction and several subcontractors, and next month crews will transition into phase two, when heavy machinery and two giant cranes will dismantle the hotel floors,
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Already many walls have been removed and dropped ceilings have been taken down. The demolition, including digging out the foundation, is expected to be complete next summer.
starting from the top. Small, tractor-like machines will be hoisted onto the upper levels of the building, where they will drill through concrete walls and platforms. Then, torches will be used to cut through steel beams. The cranes will ferry the heavy pieces to a streetlevel bin and the metal will be trucked away for recycling. The project’s environment impact report dictates that during deconstruction, no materials weighing 2,000 pounds or more be allowed to fall from one floor to another, to prevent noise and vibration impacts, Martin said. Throughout the process, sidewalks next
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to the property on Figueroa Street and Wilshire Boulevard will be closed, but there are no plans to shut down any lanes of traffic. There has been one minor flap, however, over plans for Francisco Street on the west side of the hotel. Last month, Martin Project Management sent out a notice to neighbors indicating that Francisco Street would change to a one-way road from Wilshire Boulevard to Seventh Street to make way for construction staging. The owner of the adjacent office building at 1000 Wilshire Blvd., Lincoln Property Management, opposed the move, which was not prescribed in the project’s entitlements, said attorney Ben Reznik, who represents Lincoln Property Management. “Our antennas are up because we’re concerned that as this project goes forward that they adhere to what was approved and agreed upon and that they minimize any impacts or discomforts to our tenants,” said Reznik, who added that Lincoln generally supports the Wilshire Grand project. “We’re just a little cautious about starting out this way, so we will be watching them very carefully and hopefully there are no other hiccups in the process.” Martin said his team never asked for Francisco Street to switch to one-way, and that the since-changed plan stemmed from a city mistake during the permitting process. The EIR specifically states that Francisco Street remain two-way, Martin said. Martin Project Management reps are meeting monthly with surrounding property owners, including Lincoln and Brookfield Office Properties, which this month debuted the $40 million renovation of its Figat7th shopping center, which is home to the highly anticipated City Target. The complex is immediately south of the Wilshire Grand site. Brookfield, which expressed concerns about construction-related impacts to the area during the project’s entitlement phase, declined to comment beyond a statement saying that the firm “is supportive of the Wilshire Grand project.” The floor-by-floor deconstruction will last into late spring, when the building is expected to reach street level, Martin said. That’s when the excavation stage, or phase three, will start. The digging out of the existing foundation and underground infrastructure — a sensitive phase because crews must be careful not to expose the nearby Metro subway tube that connects with the Seventh Street Metro Station — is slated for a late summer completion. Then, at the end of 2013, crews will start pouring the foundation for the new skyscraper. It is expected to open in fall 2016. An operator for the 900-room hotel is expected to be announced in January, Martin said. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com
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14 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
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HEALTHCARE
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deadly disease. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. The causes of breast cancer are complex and not completely understood. Simply put, doctors cannot say exactly what causes breast cancer. They do, however, know things that can increase the risk. Risk factors, such as family history, gender and advancing age, cannot be changed. There are risk factors, though, that you can control. Don’t let your busy life get in the way of a healthy you. The Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health, at California Hospital Medical Center, offers five simple things you can do to lower breast cancer risk. Continued on next page
When You Schedule Your Mammogram for 9:00am, It Really Means 9:00am! When you schedule your mammogram at the new Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health, you’ll receive individualized, timely attention from our world class medical team. And, it’s delivered with compassion, quality and unparalleled service in a beautiful, calm and comfortable setting. To save time, fill out your paperwork in advance in the comfort of your own home or office, accessed from our website. So when you arrive, you’re ready to go. In fact the total time for your mammogram, from the time you arrive, until the time you leave the Women’s Health Center, averages one hour! We also provide free parking just steps from our offices, making it simple and fast to get the health care you need. Call now to schedule your mammogram at 213-742-6400. We accept most types of insurance.
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Continued from previous page Eat Your Fruits and Veggies: Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day reduces your risk of breast cancer by one-fifth. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, watercress, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, turnips and cabbage, are particularly beneficial in preventing breast cancer. They contain high levels of the compounds indoles and isothiocyanates, which are known to play a role in the prevention of breast cancer.
Downtown News 15
Healthcare
Healthy for the Holidays Ketchum-Downtown YMCA Helps Reduce Stress for a Happy Season
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ties, and free week-long guest passes for its state-of-the-art facilities. Ketchum membership also makes a perfect gift. Located at Fourth and Hope streets on Bunker Hill, Ketchum is an 86,000-square-foot facility that includes top-notch cardiovascular and strength training equipment,
tennis, racquetball and squash courts, a cycling studio, an indoor track, and more than 80 weekly exercise classes, as well as steam rooms, saunas and whirlpools. Other amenities include: individualized fitness assessments with qualified wellness coaches and ongoing personalized support; access to an indoor basketball/volleyball court for corporate events at a reduced fee; and massage therapists by appointment. Ketchum is the heart of the Downtown community, where the many groups that make up Los Angeles come together to create healthier lives and a healthier community. Member benefits include free concerts by Colburn School musicians see Ketchum, page 16
Catch Some Rays: While encouraging someone to increase their sun exposure flies in the face of conventional medical wisdom, those much-maligned rays of light may actually help decrease breast cancer risk. Many studies link increased levels of vitamin D to a lower level of breast cancer. Exposure to UV rays from sunlight is the best source of vitamin D. The key to safe exposure is to limit it to small amounts — five to 10 minutes of sun exposure a few times a week, without sunscreen. Otherwise, slather on the sunscreen before you go outside. Think Before You Drink: Having a glass of wine with dinner might seem like a good idea, but a clear link has been established between drinking alcohol and an increased risk of developing breast cancer. A 2012 study released by the National Cancer Institute found that women who consumed one to two drinks a day had a 30%-60% increased risk of breast cancer. Experts caution that women should have no more than one alcoholic drink a day. Get Moving: Numerous studies show that increased exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer. That does not mean you have to train for a triathlon, but you do need to make sure you incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. A recently released study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that 10 to 19 hours of light or intense physical activity a week reduced a woman’s breast cancer risk by 30%. The intensity was not a factor; walking the dog or performing household chores were both linked to the decreased risk. So go ahead — mop, walk and dust your way to lower breast cancer risk. Mark the Calendar for a Mammogram: Most importantly, make sure to get a yearly mammogram. Even if you’re pressed for time, the effort it takes to receive this life-saving test is minimal, while the potential consequence of not getting one can be devastating. Beginning at the age of 40, women without a family history should have a screening mammogram every year. However, women at increased risk of breast cancer may require earlier or more intensive screening, combining mammograms with breast MRI. Early detection from screening is the most effective way to reduce mortality from breast cancer. For more information about the Los Angeles Center for Women’s Health at California Hospital Medical Center, visit chmcla.org.
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16 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
Healthcare
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and discounts to other Downtown venues including the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live, Camerata Pacifica and East West Players, and leagues and tournaments for sports and games including dodgeball, basketball and volleyball. Studies have shown that every dollar invested in the well-being of employees can result in big savings in reduced absenteeism, increased energy, healthier habits, and prevention of short-term and chronic injury and disease. Results can include a 50% reduction in healthcare expenses, a 40%-60% reduction in absenteeism and an increase of five to 12% in employee productivity. The Ketchum-Downtown Y is designed to engage people and keep them engaged, with trained staff to assist and support members. “Our members credit us with changing their lives,” says Executive Director and Group Vice President Laurie Goganzer. “Nothing ensures that people will stay with a workout program like community and support, and people find both here at Ketchum.” Indeed, many members describe Ketchum as a second family. It’s the place “where everybody knows your name.” Contact Steve Kim for more information at (213) 639-7443 and SteveKim@YMCALA.com.
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Downtown News 17
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DowntownNews.com
by Jeff favre
Another early figure in the ith a thrust of his movement is Alberto Burri. A fist, Paul Schimmel physician in the Italian army, explosively opened he was captured and became his final Museum of Contem a prisoner of war, confined, porary Art exhibition as chief somehow, in Texas. There he curator. began to paint. The explosion of sound Burri’s imprisonment, com and fury that marked the de bined with his medical skills, but of Destroy the Picture: influenced his choice of tearing Painting the Void, 1949-1962 apart and sewing together bur was Schimmel’s destruc lap bags onto the canvas. tion of Saburo Murakami’s Fade in the ’60s “Entrance,” a piece with layers One artist Schimmel includes At the opening of tightly stretched paper block who has enjoyed a revitalized of Destroy the Picture, exhibition ing the way into the bulk of the appreciation in the last decade, curator Paul show (the work destroyed was a in part by a major retrospective Schimmel broke through recreation of a 1961 Murakami in 2003 at the UCLA Hammer a re-creation of Saburo version). Beyond it are 11 gal Museum, is Lee Bontecou. A Murakami’s “Entrance.” leries with work from more gallery is devoted to her three than two dozen artists. dimensional pieces, which in The artists were all forever clude canvas and other fabric changed by the horrors of stretched over welded steel. or m co ntownNews. World War II. In the wake of r right hand corner at Doaiwllis Much of her most revered t /forms/m l in the uppe EWS they theE-N battle, independently r this symbo .ladowntownnews.com work was created in 1959 and Look fo www UP SIGN cutting, began scraping and the early ’60s. By this time, Starts October 5 tearing the canvas as a means Schimmel said, the artists once of creating art inspired by loss working in a vacuum began and destruction. conversing, sharing ideas and “We think of wars and World being included in group shows. War II as destroying the fabric A wallsize timeline tracks the of mankind, but in fact to make movement, which gradually Check Our Website for Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com this war on all these fronts peo fades in the ’60s as other styles The show at the ple experienced something that took hold and collaborations MOCA Geffen ultimately brought them to broke down. Contemporary gether,” Schimmel said. “That’s The latest work in the exhibi in Little Tokyo not just destruction, but it’s also tion is “South Bank Demo” by explores how artists rejuvenation and growth cre the German Gustav Metzger, moved beyond a ation. whose PolishJewish parents flat canvas. Pieces “That dialogue and tension were killed in the war. The on display include “Combustione between destruction and cre 1961 piece, which Metzger la s wnNew Plastica,” a 1958 /L.A.Downto ation is the foundation for what beled “autodestructive art,” m o .c k o o b Face creation by Alberto was trying to find a real equiva involved three nylon sheets Burri12 (left) and an Starts October lency in terms of trying to find a that he sprayed with hydro untitled Lee Bontecou new pictorial language.” chloric acid. The sheets disin work. This type of historical show tegrated, leaving mere shreds is what Schimmel was known of fabric. collection of Manfred Simchowitz, for during the last 22 years. Metzger’s destructive art, photography by Brian Forrest, copyright Lee Bontecou Over the summer, he found Schimmel explains in an essay Check Our Website forsistance. Full Movie Listings LADowntownNews.com himself at the center of a controversy after his Exploring Coherence He gets picked up by the Vichy gov accompanying the exhibition’s catalog, is “to departure from the Downtown museum was Coherence among artists in disparate plac ernment and is incarcerated, where he hears remind people of the horrors which they are announced. Reports have focused on a divide es amazes Schimmel. He noted that without the screams of torture and killings.” perpetuating and is a warning and an admo between Schimmel’s scholarly approach to discussions or conferences, artists from the Motivated by the incarceration, Fautrier nition to reverse this direction.” museum exhibits and a flashier, celebrity United States, Europe, Japan and other parts created his “Otages” (“Hostages”) series, for Five years in the planning, Destroy the heavy outlook proffered by museum Director of the globe were experimenting with manip which he glued layers of paper to the canvas. Picture: Painting the Void is an ideal coda for Jeffrey Deitch. ulating the flat canvas in ways that a decade The thick surface represents the abused heads a curator known for meticulously researched Starts October 19 In highlighting his final show, Schimmel earlier would have made little sense. of those who were beaten or killed. exhibitions. or nNews.com ow nt w Do said he hopes extensive surveys thatht ha explore The first few rooms of the show at the Though most of the names in Destroy “The simultaneity of this event is hard to rner at co nd aillist the upper rig s.in /forms/mMOCA mbol inmovements little Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo the Picture are unknown to casual art fans, imagine,” Schimmel said, marveling at the ew comthe EWS Look foreras this syand nn ow E-Nunderstood nt w www.lado IGN UPwill remain a staple artSscene in MOCA’s fu exemplify the artists creating independently Schimmel includes several offerings from organic, postwar origins of the movement. ture. in a new style of destruction. Frenchman the renowned Robert Rauschenberg, includ “One can only say that they shared an event “These artists were part of a much larg Jean Fautrier’s work is in the opening gallery. ing part of his “Black Paintings” series, for of such importance and such magnitude er dialogue that somehow has gotten lost Born in 1898, his career took a turn toward which he layered newspapers on the canvas. that the only way they could imagine to find in the history books, in which it sort of the abstract during WWII. In detailing the cohesive aspect, Schimmel something in terms of painting was to, in a goes from Abstract Expressionism to Pop,” “He is like a predecessor for the exhibi compared one of these works to Shozo sense, destroy itself.” Schimmel explained. “Here you have artists tion,” Schimmel said. “He had a long ca Shimamoto’s use of rice paper in 1950. Destroy the Picture: Painting the Void, Check Our Full Movieworks Listings LADowntownNews.com so obviously speaking a similar language, reer working in a Modernist styleWebsite that reallyforShimamoto’s are some of the earliest 19491962 runs through Jan. 14, 2013, at and there is a coherence of what they are wasn’t going anywhere. He experiences the examples of actually breaking through the MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary, 152 N. Central trying to do.” war in a way that is horrific. He is in the re canvas, as he ripped holes while creating. Ave., (213) 626-6222 or moca.org.
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A Master Class in Abuse and Laughs Writing Gets Dissected and Grilled by Jeff Goldblum In the Ahmanson’s ‘Seminar’ by Jeff favre contributing writer
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riters of fiction can live in isolation with nothing for companionship but their words. To offer those words up for ridicule and venom posing as constructive criticism seems like a form of self-inflicted torture. That’s particularly true if the criticism is coming from someone as blunt and brutal as Leonard in Theresa Rebeck’s Seminar. The enjoyable, fast-paced one-act comedy premiered on Broadway in December and opened last week at the Ahmanson Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles. It stars Jeff Goldblum, who closed the show in May in New York (Alan Rickman originated the role) and a quartet of young actors as the willing participants in a one-sided verbal massacre of their life’s work. Rebeck, a veteran scribe of stage and TV (she created the current NBC show “Smash”) is known for her strong, interesting female characters. This time, however, it’s the men — in particular the irascible Leonard and a timid student named Martin — who elevate the well-trod plot to something fresh. Leonard is a writing guru. A former novelist, he has become a celebrated editor who is capable of charging four students $5,000 each for 10 weekly sessions with him. The seminars take place at Kate’s (Aya Cash) place, who in one of the evening’s funniest exchanges divulges the rock bottom price her parents pay for the rent-controlled, nine-room Manhattan apartment (a compact, elegant scenic design by David Zinn). Taking the seminar with Kate is Izzy (Jennifer Ikeda), whose writing tends to include sexual overtones, her high school friend Martin (Greg Keller), who refuses to show his work to Leonard, and the somewhat successful and egotistical Douglas (Lucas Near-Verbrugghe). In the show directed by Sam Gold, Leonard starts at full speed, ripping apart Kate’s story, which she has worked on for six years, after only one sentence. His tirades are infused
with personal anecdotes, usually involving a trip to another country and/or drugs. When Kate tries to counter him he instructs, “Don’t defend yourself. If you’re defending yourself, you’re not listening.” What’s interesting is that although Leonard is overtly rude, it’s clear that his comments, both positive and negative, are accurate. Leonard is a tricky character to portray. His ego and pomposity should make him the easy villain, but Goldblum finds a way to make him likable by having Leonard not take things personally. His matter-of-fact delivery and playful attitude belie the notion that he doesn’t care about the students. Also, there’s a healthy dose of Goldblum in all of his performances, and his innate awkwardness is ingratiating. When Goldblum isn’t on stage, Martin grabs the focus, thanks to Keller’s nuanced performance, which is filled with nervous energy and barely contained anger. Keller is a deft, natural actor who stole several scenes in the Ahmanson production of 33 Variations. He displays a vulnerability that makes it easy to forgive Martin, even when he’s calling Douglas names for acting like a spoiled brat. Where Seminar falters is with its female characters. Kate is written as a clichéd young feminist from a background of privilege. She has been in denial about her story’s limitations, and when she is depressed she eats lots of ice cream and cookie dough. Izzy is the counterbalance, not into speaking for women’s rights and more interested in doing whatever it takes to be successful. Her behavior is a bit surprising but Ikeda’s delivery is stilted and sounds forced. She seems unable to keep up with Gold’s fast but organic pace. Rebeck’s plot twists are easy to predict from start to finish, but Seminar doesn’t need surprises when Goldblum and Keller are delivering laughs. What’s also important is that Rebeck deftly avoids having the characters read their stories aloud. Nothing she could write would equal the praise or
photo by Craig Schwartz
Jeff Goldblum is an author and editor who charges $5,000 for a 10-week session with him in Seminar. Aya Cash plays one of the students who sign up for his blunt and often brutal critiques.
criticism they receive, so instead she suggests ideas with only a few specifics. It’s a risk to have Goldblum read silently, but the veteran actor pulls it off on a couple of occasions, making his feelings known with facial expressions and in the way he turns to the next page. These moments, combined with Martin’s passionate monologues about writing, are like love letters to the art form. Add to that a consistent run of intelligent humor and Goldblum’s satisfying star turn and Seminar easily entertains. Seminar runs through Nov. 18 at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.
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Friday, OcTOber 26 Mindshare’s Masquerade The Mezz, 501 S. Spring St., second floor or mindshare.org. 7 p.m.: Mixing the insightful with the carnal, Mindshare hosts an edifying evening of lectures on personal identity and masks. It will be followed with a rousing extravaganza featuring AK and Her Kalashnikovs. saTurday, OcTOber 27 Young Literati Fifth Annual Toast Mark Taper Auditorium, Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org.
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The run-up to Halloween seems the perfect time to engage in a little arachnid watching. Fortunately, the Natural History Museum can be of service — though only for a few more weeks. The variety of “free-range” crawlers in the Spider Pavilion on the front lawn of the Exposition Park museum will either terrify or dazzle you with a bevy of web-spinning, fly-eating acrobatics. Humankind’s fascination with these misunderstood eight-legged beings is ever enduring, but the Spider Pavilion is open only until Nov. 4. Tickets are $3 for adults, $2 for students and seniors and $1 for children — far cheaper than renting Spider Man. At 900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-3388 or nhm.org.
Opening Thursday, Oct. 25, at the Los Angeles Theatre Center is the curiously named Empanada for a Dream. The one-man show is set in a Latino enclave on New York’s Lower East Side, where lighthearted traditions fade before a storm of tumult. After a successful run in NYC, Gotham-born solo performer Juan Francisco Villa took Horace Greeley’s advice to “Go west, young photo courtesy of Juan Villa man,” and found praise in Chicago’s theater world. Now, the son of Colombian immigrants and a voice from the streets south of Delancey finds himself performing in Downtown L.A. every Thursday through Sunday until Nov. 18. At 514 S. Spring St., (213) 489-0994 or thelatc.org.
photo by Bryan Kong, © 2012 (www.bryankong.com)
FOUR “Those whom the gods love die young,” said Greek demi-god Trophonius. It’s a bittersweet sentiment that the Kids Terribles can get behind. In two weekends of immersive, subversive, discursive theater, the Kids are taking over an Arts District loft to present Those Whom the Gods Love, a cautionary tale about a young, hyper-intelligent female living in an ignorant, materialistic age. Ticket holders are asked to meet at local dining establishment Eat. Drink.Americano at least 10 minutes before each show; they’ll be met by a cast member and taken to a secret location. Shows this week are Thurs.-Sun, Oct. 25-28. There are only 25 seats a show, so reservations are a good idea. At 923 E. Third St., (850) 218-1687 or kidsterribles.com.
by Dan Johnson, listings eDitor calendar@downtownnews.com
Creepy Spiders, Getting the Blues, A One-Man Empanada and More Downtown Fun
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Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com. image courtesy of Michael Rosenfeld gallery LLC, New York, NT
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Tuesday, OcTOber 23 Ursula K. Le Guin at Aloud Mark Taper Auditorium, Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org. 7 p.m.: In the realm of fantasy literature there are few names above Ursula K. Leguin. As she releases a volume of poetry, Finding My Elegy, and re-releases the Earthsea trilogy that put her on the map, Charles Yu joins her in conversation at your friendly local library. Wednesday, OcTOber 24 Dead Men Do Tell Tales Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com. 7 p.m.: Morbid ephemera, sex ghosts, grotesque films, theremin music and a performance by horror metal band Rosemary’s Billygoat round out the extremely alluring event that captures all the spooky dimensions of Halloween. Re-Inventing Bach at Aloud Mark Taper Auditorium, Central Library, 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7500 or lfla.org. 7:15 p.m.: New perspectives on classical composer J.S. Bach emerge as author Paul Elie gives his insights and violinist Ga Hyun Cho plays a couple tunes. SCI-Arc Lecture Series SCI-Arc, 960 E. Third St., (213) 613-2200 or sciarc.edu. 7 p.m.: In Building Diplomacy, U.S. Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Director Lydia Muniz and Director of Design Excellence Casey Jones shed light on American structures abroad.
’ s s i M t ’ on ‘D
Curator Bennett Simpson believes that the blues is an essential form of American culture. That’s hard to argue with. What is really intriguing is that the Museum of Contemporary Art is making the music the center of a show at its Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. Blues For Smoke, which opened Sunday, Oct. 21, is a collection of visual, audio and literary art. It celebrates the sound that oozed up from the agrarian segregation of the Mississippi Delta, only to be amplified and championed in the Industrial North where its notes of sorrow, resilience, triumph and identity broadcast themselves into a wide spectrum of art and music. With work from JeanMichel Basquiat, Bob Thompson (his “Garden of Music” is shown here) and many others, the aesthetic of sound is plugged in to blow minds. At 152 N. Central Ave., (213) 626-6222 or moca.org.
photo by Timothy Saccenti
SPONSORED LISTINGS Friday Night Flicks Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., (213) 8474970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare. Oct. 19, 8 p.m.: In The Descent, a group of close female friends on a yearly adventure vacation find themselves trapped and hunted in a series of caves. As tensions rise in the group, they are faced with another danger, one whose love of the dark is as strong as its lust for blood. L.A. Arts Alliance Annual Food Drive Locations Vary. Through Nov. 15: Bring your canned or dry food donations for the L.A. Arts Alliance Annual Food Drive to one of four Downtown drop locations. Paul Hastings Tower lobby, 515 S. Flower St.; City National Plaza lobby, 555 S. Flower St.; Chase Bank lobby, 888 W. Sixth St.; and Torrey Pines Bank lobby, 601 W. Fifth St. Halloween Candy Buyback 601 W. Fifth St. #1110, silviakasparianDDS.com. Nov. 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Dentist Silvia Kasparian will buy back Halloween candy from neighborhood families for $1 per pound, and then send the candy to troops stationed overseas. Save your kids’ teeth, and brighten the day of an American soldier. DTLA Monster Mash Exchange L.A., 618 S. Spring St., DTLAMonsterMash.eventbrite.com. Oct. 25, 7-9:30 p.m.: Kick off your Halloween celebrations with local residents and friends at this mixer. There will be a costume contest (not necessary to wear costume for the mixer) and raffle prizes. Bring warm clothing to donate to the homeless to earn raffle tickets. Donations are being accepted by Interwoven LA. Light hors d’ouevres sponsored by Savour This Moment. Arrive early to ensure entry. Age 21+.
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These days, it’s difficult to claim anything as distinctly belonging to Los Angeles. However, when it comes to producer Flying Lotus and his unique swirl of hip-hop, electronica and jazz embellishments, L.A. can take a page out of Mitt Romney’s book and say, “We built that.” Playing Friday, Oct. 26, at Club Nokia, FlyLo is capping off a big year. This is major stuff for a guy who grew out of a lengthy incubation at Lincoln Heights’ weekly Low End Theory club night. Head on down to L.A. Live, get some New Zealand Natural Ice Cream and clap Flying Lotus on the back for a job well done. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com.
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8 p.m.: The Young Literati and their honorary chairs Shepard and Amanda Fairey celebrate the 140-year history of the Los Angeles Public Library. The Fifth Annual Toast, a major fundraiser, delivers readings and performances by Jack Black, Miranda July, Moby and more. Hors d’oeuvres from from Mas Malo. Sunday, OctOber 28 Go Tell It on the Mountain Walk Through California African American Museum, 600 State Dr., (213) 744-7432 or caamuseum.org. 2 p.m.: Exhibition co-curators Nery Gabriel Lemus and Mar Hollingsworth will tour and discuss the show at the Exposition Park venue.
ROCK, POP & JAZZ Blue Whale 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St., (213) 620-0908 or bluewhalemusic.com. Oct. 22: New West Guitar Trio. Oct. 23: Meddy Gerville, Michel Alibo and Emmanuel Felicite. Oct. 24: Spontaneous. Oct. 25: Vahagni Quartet.
THE ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
Oct. 26: Nikos Syropoulos Group. Oct. 27: Sara Leib Group. Bootleg Bar 2220 Beverly Blvd., (213) 389-3856 or bootlegtheater.org. Oct. 22, 8 p.m.: Kera and the Lesbians are on a month-long residency, so expect at least one more night of “gypsy punk.” Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.: Former Grandaddy singer Jason Lytle celebrates a simpler time with Americanainfluenced Americana. Oct. 23, 10 p.m.: Celebrated drummer Louis Cole creates jazzy concoctions with Genevieve Artadi. Oct. 24, 7 p.m.: Polished, folksy indie from Here We Go Magic. Oct. 25, 8 p.m.: Brokenhearted synth manipulators Paper Route have Passion Pit’s seal of approval. Attend accordingly. Oct. 26, 8:15 p.m.: Gloomy with a little spice of heavy bass, War Tapes’ sound paints a dismal portrait of L.A. in shiny guitar-lit choruses. Oct. 27, 8 p.m.: Finally a band that doesn’t sound like a spineless Graham Parsons tribute or a brazen attempt to sell television ad-space: Welcome Japanese comic styled punk outfit Peelander-Z. Oct. 28, 7 p.m.: In the immense surplus of emotive singer/songwriters we are currently suffering through, Mark Mallman is one of the innovative/ intriguing ones. Broadway Bar 830 S. Broadway, (213) 614-9909 or broadwaybar.la. Oct. 25, 10 p.m.: Broader Than Broadway, electronica with an old school sensibility. Bringing back classics like the “Hamster Dance.” Club Nokia 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or clubnokia.com. Oct. 24, 8:30 p.m.: If you believe in a thing called love or are nostalgic for fads circa 2004, you won’t want to miss The Darkness. Oct. 25, 8 p.m.: Taking Back Sunday is poised to take back their career. Oct. 26, 9 p.m.: The ubiquitous Flying Lotus. Oct. 27, 9 p.m.: Prepare to be bombarded with electronica as The Presets, Flight Facilities, Oliver and Yukset drop the beat. Downtown LA Piano Festival Fig at Wilshire, 601 S. Figueroa St. or artsbrookfield.com.
Gilberto Gil’s Funky Feel photo courtesy of Gilberto Gil managment
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If the wooden curves inside Walt Disney Concert Hall could ever evoke the feeling of a Brazilian street festival, it would be on Tuesday, Oct. 23, when velvet throated crooner Gilberto Gil will perform. The godfather of Tropicália, Gil and his band lay down a funky South American groove that will dare you to stay seated in one of Frank Gehry’s chairs. Go ahead, take the dare — you’ll lose. The show starts at 8 p.m. at 111 S. Grand Ave., (323) 850-2000 or laphil.
Oct. 22: Ayako Shirasaki. Oct. 23: Azusa Ueno. Oct. 24: Joanne Pearce Martin and Gavin Martin. Oct. 25: Svetlana Transky. Oct. 26: Vicki Ray. Escondite 410 Boyd St., (213) 626-1800 or theescondite.com. Oct. 22, 9 p.m.: The Get Down Boys and Ben Powell. Oct. 23, 10 p.m.: Boom Boom Boom and Bunny West.
Oct. 24, 10 p.m.: Bryan Titus and Sunset Drifters. Oct. 25, 10 p.m.: Yonatan and Show Ponies. Oct. 26, 9 p.m.: Johnny Moezzi and Trevor Menear. Oct. 27, 11 p.m.: Charlie Chan and the S.O.B.’s. Oct. 28, 10 p.m.: Boys School and RT n the 44s. Exchange LA 618 S. Spring St., (213) 627-8070 or exchangela.com. Oct. 25, 10 p.m.: Shakedown Vol. 5 featuring Emalkey and Vaski. Oct. 26, 10 p.m.: Awakening with Kyau and Al-
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launch of MOCA’s Blues For Smoke exhibition. Redwood Bar and Grill 316 W. Second St., (213) 652-4444 or theredwoodbar.com. Oct. 22: Chicago Mike. Oct. 23: Surf Kitty Surf, Fired and EFN. Oct. 24: Ni Modo and One Tribe Nation. Oct. 25: Tammy Olea Band and Launch Day. Oct. 26: Freak Star, The Dagons and Igor Spectre. Oct. 27: Babbs and Maria Lopez. Oct. 28: The Extras and Chuck Dukowski Sextet. Seven Grand 515 W. Seventh St., (213) 614-0737 or sevengrand.la. Oct. 22: It’s WOW Factor, a Bijon Watson jazz production not to be confused with another sordid Simon Cowell show. Oct. 23: The Makers are inviting all Scorpios out to celebrate the earth’s entrance into the eighth house with some improvisational jazz. Oct. 24: Lonely Avenue is the name of the band jazzing up Seventh Street tonight and an appropriate description of your walk back to The Medici after the show. The Smell 247 S. Main St., alley between Spring and Main streets, thesmell.org. Oct. 23: The return of the Polar Goldie Cats, Mermort Sound System and Upsilon Acrux. Oct. 25: DJ David Scott Stone and DJ Dane Josiah. Oct. 26: Gary War, Purple Pilgrims and Protectme. Oct. 27: Retox, Bastard Noise, To the Point and Happy Pill Trauma.
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Drink Here Now: Bottlerock photo by Xander Davies
bert + Cressida. Oct. 27, 10 p.m.: House music icon and Chris Brown collaborator Benny Benassi. Grammy Museum 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-6800 or grammymuseum.org. Oct. 24, 8 p.m.: Seminal Brit Graham Parker drops in for an evening. Oct. 25, 8 p.m.: Italian rapper Jovanotti has had a heck of a noodle-scratch inducing career. Come celebrate the wonder of this world and the universal appeal of hip-hop with his appearance. Nokia Theater 777 Chick Hearn Court, (213) 763-6020 or nokiatheatrelalive.com. Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.: The Top 10 finalists from the hit TV show “So You Think You Can Dance” strut and jazz box their way into L.A. Live. Oct. 27, 9 p.m.: Iranian singer/actress Googoosh tours in support of her smash hit “Ejaz.” So you can gogo. Nola’s 734 E. Third St., (213) 680-3003 or nolasla.com. Oct. 22, 7 p.m.: Love Below Jam Session with John Usry. Oct. 23, 8 p.m.: Open jam with Reggy Woods. Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.: Cal State LA Jazz with Reggy Woods. Oct. 24, 10 p.m.: Good Meat Makes Gravy featuring Ahmad, DJ Destroyer Garfield Adams and The Algorhythms. Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.: The Sabine Trio. Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.: Dave Williams and MBT. Oct. 28, 11 a.m.: Sunday Brunch with Rose Mallett. One-Eyed Gypsy 901 E. First St., (626) 340-3529 or one-eyedgypsy.com. Oct. 24: RT n the 44s. Oct. 26: The Vibrometers. Oct. 27: AK and Her Kalashnikovs. REDCAT 631 W. Second St., (2130 237-2800 or redcat.org. Oct. 24 and 25, 8:30 p.m.: Jazz pianist and poet Cecil Taylor performs in conjunction with the
Situated on the ground floor of the Met Lofts in South Park, this wine bar features a range of bottles from around the world and a price range just as wide. Wines by the glass start at around $8, but if you’re feeling overcome by oenophilia (or just deep-pocketed) there are some first-growth Bordeauxs for more than $1,000 per bottle. If you don’t get your fill while at the bar, which also features a rotating crop of artisanal beers and a full dinner menu, the bar also sells bottles at retail. At 1150 S. Flower St., (213) 747-1100 or bottlerock.net.
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The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.
PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard
One copy per person.
October 22, 2012
MEET SINGLES Right now! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now 1-800-945-3392. (Cal-SCAN)
LEGAL Notice of Sale NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code. The undersigned will sell on the 1st day of November 2012 at 11:00 A.M. on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at Thriftee Storage Company LLC, 1717 N. Glendale Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, the following: Name of Owner: Anthony Maldonado Space number: D-56 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $514.00 Name of Owner: Patricia Gonzalez Space number: D-12 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $490.00 Name of Owner: Santiago Medina Space number: E-26
Downtown News 23
DowntownNews.com Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $535.00 Name of Owner: Samantha Wade Space number: U-68 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $495.00 Name of Owner: Damon Chesse Space number: G-22 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $1560.00 Name of Owner: Travis Herndon Space number: U-72 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $527.07 Name of Owner: Kela Boyd Space number: E-22 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $397.00 Name of Owner: Balentina Araceli Bernal Space number: U-33 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $728.00 Name of Owner: Maxine Stessel Space number: C-23 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $430.00 Name of Owner: Peggy Hovsepian Space number: A-15 Description of Goods: Personal effects Amount: $260.00 Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased storage units with the items contained herein are sold on an “as-is” basis and must be removed at the time of sale. Sale subject to cancellation
in the event of settlement between Thriftee Storage Co. and obligated party. Thriftee Storage Company LLC Dated at Los Angeles, CA by Felipe F. Islas / Manager October 18, 2012. Pub. 10/22, 10/29/2012 legal Notice PUBLIC NOTICE The California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, has issued a formal order to operator Philip H. McAlmond to plug and abandon 10 wells and decommission associated production facilities pursuant to Public Resources Code sections 3106, 3224, 3226, and 3237 in Section 20, Township 1 South, Range 13 West, San Bernardino B. & M., in the Los Angeles City oil field. The formal order, in its entirety, may be viewed at, or obtained from, the California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, 5816 Corporate Avenue, Suite 200, Cypress, CA 90630, attn: AB Abdulrahman, (714) 816-6847. Public Resources Code section 3225, subdivision (d), entitles the operator to appeal an order issued by the State Oil and Gas Supervisor. An appeal request must be in writing and filed with the State Oil and Gas Supervisor or the District Deputy within 10 days of service of the order (See Public Resources Code, beginning at section 3350). Daniel J. Dudak District Deputy
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+ tax, 42 month closed end lease on approved credit. $350 Sec. Deposit. $4343.26 Due at Signing. Excludes taxes, title, other options and dealer fees Lease price includes Audi Loyalty Rebate. Residual $18,099.20. $0.25 per mile over 10,000 miles per year. 1 at this payment DA011080
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$14,278 2011 VW Golf Hatchback ................. $16,738 Certified, 2.5L 20V, 10,132 Miles. V130205-1 / BW255799 2012 VW Passat SE ............................ Certified, Blk/Blk, 4752 Miles, 20V DOHC. ZV19010 / CC060558 $22,876 2009 VW Jetta Calif. Edit. .................
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2009 Chevy Aveo Hatchback .......... White/Gray, Low miles. Great condition. UC289 / 9B377090
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2009 Mercedes CLK350 ................... Certified, Steel Gray/Silver, Low Miles. 121564-1 / 9F261711
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AUDI OF DOWNTOWN L.A. 888-583-0981 1900 S. Figueroa St. • audidtla.com
$26,989 2011 Audi A5 Conv. Quattro ........... Certified, Silver/Blk, AWD, Low miles. ZA10417 / BN019891 $43,480 2011 Audi A8L 4.2 Quattro ............. Certified, White/Ivory, 4485 Miles, AWD. ZA10449 / BN026712 $69,492 2009 Audi A4 2.0T Cabriolet ...........
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$41,894 2008 Porsche Carerra 4 .................... $54,810 Certified, White/Blk, Like New. P12385-2 / 88710489 2010 Porsche Panamera S ............... Certified, Blk/Beige, 20” Whls, 1 Owner, 12 Miles. AL063969 $74,897 2009 Porsche Cayman ......................
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24 Downtown News
October 22, 2012
Twitter/DowntownNews
State of the Art Workplace
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TO SCHEDULE A PROPERTY TOUR PLEASE CONTACT: NORMAN S. MITCHELL (213) 629-6516 Norm.mitchell@cushwake.com CA Lic. #00339426
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STEVEN E. MARCUSSEN, MCR.h (213) 629-6550 Steve.marcussen@cushwake.com CA Lic. #00656631
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