New Angeles Monthly by Diana James

ON VIEW APRIL 6

PHANTOM SIGHTINGS

ART AFTER THE CHICANO MOVEMENT

SCOLI ACOSTA ASCO (HARRY GAMBOA JR., GRONK, WILLIE HERRÓN III, PATSSI VALDEZ) MARGARITA CABRERA JUAN CAPISTRAN CAROLYN CASTAÑO SANDRA DE LA LOZA ALEJANDRO DIAZ ADRIAN ESPARZA VICTOR ESTRADA CARLEE FERNANDEZ CHRISTINA FERNANDEZ GARY GARAY KEN GONZALES-DAY LOS JAICHACKERS (EAMON ORE-GIRON AND JULIO CESAR MORALES) DANNY JAURGEUI NICOLA LÓPEZ JIM MENDIOLA DELILAH MONTOYA JULIO CESAR MORALES RUBEN OCHOA CRUZ ORTIZ RUBÉN ORTIZ-TORRES MARCO RIOS ARTURO ERNESTO ROMO SHIZU SALDAMANDO EDUARDO SARABIA JASON VILLEGAS MARIO YBARRA JR

FOR INFORMATION: LACMA.ORG OR 323 857-6000 This exhibition was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Julio Cesar Morales, Undocumented Intervention #1, 2005, watercolor drawing on paper, 34 x 42 in. © Julio Cesar Morales

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CONTENTS

Features: 18: UNDERWATER SYMPHONY Stars of the Lid: “Like Robitussin cough syrup from the ’70s”

22: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Big-time lawyers take back their idealism

24: ROZ WYMAN’S BROOKLYN GAMBIT A story in pictures of the woman who brought us our beloved Dodgers

Columns: 6: EDITOR’S NOTE The New Age experience

8: SNAPSHOTS Pillow-wielding youngsters and a hot new designer

12: FOODSTUFF Vegans don’t always do it better: Shojin offers a halfhearted attempt at fish-free Japanese

14: WARES A rare sighting of an actor/partier on the streets of L.A. We were there to catch it!

16: INNERVIEW Jimenez Lai brings another cool and “useless” installation to Materials & Applications

L.A.-based illustrator Ivan Minsloff drew, and "drew" is too minimizing a word for the comic—some might call the piece a graphic novella— that begins on this issue's cover. For NA's April edition, this magazine's editorial clan decided to recount the mythic story of Roz Wyman's engineering the Dodgers' Brooklyn exit. USC j-school grad Lela Winston reported out the tale, then the Grand Wizard edited the story into something fit for Minsloff's skill set. Minsloff does some commercial art, and has contributed vaguely journalistic illustrations to L.A. CityBeat, where Steve Appleford allowed him space to be vaguely journalistic. (Only place in L.A. for that.) But mostly, Minsloff spends his time creating rock posters and drinking too many cups of black tea. He hangs out a lot in public libraries. Weird, huh? For visual evidence, visit ivanminsloff.com. POINT OF CLARIFICATION We failed to properly identify the subjects photographed in our March 2008 feature story “Circus In Winter”. The photographs were taken at an event called “Lucent L'Amore” produced by The Do LaB on Feb. 16, 2008. The performers were Stardust, Rajiv and Angel of Lucent Dossier Vaudeville Cirque. The troupe has a festival happening May 23-26 in Santa Barbara. More information is available at www.lightninginabottle.org.

30: CALENDAR Selected events for April

EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER CHARLES N. GERENCSER INTERIM EDITOR NIKKI BAZAR Art Director Matt Ansoorian ★ Advertising Director Joe Cloninger Advertising Art Director Sandy Wachs ★ Production Manager Meghan Quinn Consulting Editor Donnell Alexander ★ Contributing Editors Perry Crowe, Neille Ilel ★ Calendar Editor Julie Rasmussen ★ Copy Editor Joshua Sindell ★ Contributing Writers Johnny Angel, Greg Burk, Kamren Curiel, Ron Garmon, Joshua Lurie, Bobbi Murray, Kate Petre, Gary Phillips, Abel Salas, Michael Saltzman, Mike Sonksen, Jervey Tervalon, Marco Villalobos ★ Photographers Jack Gould, Maura Lanahan, Gary Leonard, Noé Montes, ★ Retail Sales Manager Diana James ★ Account Executives Jon Bookatz, Sarah Fink, Elizabeth Guzman, Leslie Lamm, Parra Martinez, Daphne Marina, Todd Nagelvoort, Susan Uhrlass ★ Accounting Christie Lee ★ Circulation Manager Andrew Jackson SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING, INC. VP, Operations David Comden ★ Vice President, Sales Charles N. Gerencser Controller Michael Nagami ★ Human Resources Manager Andrea Baker Accounting Manager ★ Angela Wang CONTACT US Advertising: charlesg@newangelesmonthly.com • Editorial: editor@newangelesmonthly.com P: 323-938-1700 F: 323-938-1771 • 5209 Wilshire Boulevard ★ Los Angeles , CA 90036 www.NewAngelesMonthly.com ©Copyright 2008, Southland Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

5 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

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I look tired. Well, I am. From L.A. to Portland then back to L.A. And now trying to take back over after the magical stylings of the tireless Grand Wizard (aka Donnell Alexander). You’ll find a nice blend of both of us behind the pages of this issue: me in the vegan food and drone music, the Grand Wizard in the tenants’ rights story and the graphic portrayal of Roz Wyman’s fight for the Dodgers. What a beast to wrestle. And I’m still trying to get over being back in Los Angeles after moving only five months ago. You know what happens when you attempt something that doesn’t quite work out the way you planned, like when you move to another state just to move right back or when you’ve had a bad vacation or been fired from a job or finally walked away from a horrible relationship? Of course you do. Friends tell you to “chalk it up as an experience.” Meaning, despite the unintended outcome (see: failure of intended outcome), the journey itself will somehow meld

into your sum of experiences in a positive way. Maybe. But it’s not always easy to appreciate such subtle silver linings when you’re still treading in the aftermath. I’m not sure how to “experience” the sum of my experiences anyway. Since it’s always a work in progress, it’s never really done. It’s the infinite math operation … Thus, getting what you can out of the more basic formula: the short-lived experience. So I really appreciated the way artist and architect Jimenez Lai, while discussing with me his upcoming installation at Materials & Applications in Silver Lake, casually dismissed an hour’s worth of theory-laden spiel as amounting to “a bag of shit.” The way Lai wants mostly for the piece to be something people just hang out in and find cool. And the way the members of halflocal band Stars of the Lid dismiss the nagging label of their work as “ambient,” preferring instead to point out the way their music “breathes” and “pays attention to itself.” The way artist Ivan Minsloff can turn a nuts and bolts story about the coming of the Dodgers into an illustrative tale just for the readers of this magazine. The way these people just want to create an experience for people, all theory aside.

Of course, experiencing something while it happens is notoriously difficult. And I can’t harp on it conceptually too much, mostly because it hints at being new-agey, which is one of my greatest fears. Still, since I’ve been back I’ve been giving it my best shot. Dragging myself away from the periphery of the crowd and standing in front of the stage for Danava and Acid Mother Temple at the Echo. Sitting on the dusty floor of McCabe’s guitar shop, zoning out to White Rainbow at Arthur magazine’s Sunday Evenings series. Seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey in 70 mm at the Cinerama Dome. Listening to NEA Chairman Dana Gioia lecture on “Why the Arts Matter” at a Zócalo panel at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre. And I’m determined to make the most of my non-ambient, breathing, self-attentive experience when I go see Stars of the Lid at the Echoplex on April 14. Then again, as writer Michael Saltzman points out in his piece on the band, Stars did make it to #2 on Billboard’s New Age music chart. So maybe I am, after all, sort of new-agey. Oh well, look for me there. I’ll be the one in the pashmina shawl and flowing skirt. -Nikki Bazar Interim Editor

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SNAPSHOTS

DOWNTOWN PILLOWFIGHT

PHOTOS BY JACK GOULD

arch 22, 2008: Pillow fighters of the world unite for International Pillow Fight Day. Staged pillow fights across the globe. Toronto and Montreal canceled due to cold weather, but Los Angeles is always sunny and warm. Angelean pillow wielders meet at local bars, then make a pilgrimage to Pershing Square downtown. Feathers flying, sticking to young, sweaty bodies. Not even the photographer is safe. Cleaning up was not as much fun.

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 8

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CITY OF INDUSTRY 17515 Colima Rd. (626) 839-5155 COMPTON 237 E. Compton Blvd. (310) 603-0101 CORONA 2540 Tuscany St. (951) 898-0980 390 McKinley St. (951) 549-6400 CULVER CITY 10814 Jefferson Blvd. (310) 838-1044 CYPRESS 6856 Katella Ave. (714) 899-4690 DOWNEY Stonewood Mall Kiosk (562) 904-9085 Downey Landing (562) 401-1045 FONTANA 16771 Valley Blvd. (909) 427-1800 Now Open! 16695 Sierra Lakes Pkwy. (909) 355-0725 GLENDALE 1327 Glendale Galleria (818) 553-0470

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11 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

FOODSTUFF PHOTOS BY NOÉ MONTES

S H OJ I N :

ALittlH A L F H E A R T E D A T T E M P T e Tokyo’s newest vegan restaurant may need some time to settl e in About 25 minutes into lunch at Shojin, I was ready to throw in my napkin. Our appetizers had still not arrived, and a fire alarm blared just outside the open door in Little Tokyo Square, the mall BYNEILLE whose cute name belies its deadening blandwww.neille.com ness. As I sipped my iced green tea served with no ice I wondered, “Must vegan food be painful?” Shojin restaurant in Little Tokyo takes its name from shojin ryori, a Japanese Buddhist cuisine that consists only of vegetables and legumes, taking care to use all of each food product. The menu is completely vegan and, unless you are a Japanese monk, filled with intriguing cre-

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NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 12

ations that you’ve never encountered. When our food finally arrived, it was beautiful, complex and slightly inscrutable. By far the most delicious item on the menu was the pan-fried seitan, a ball of wheat gluten known as “wheat meat,” generously spiced and served with dollops of thick, sweet soy sauce. You can order seitan as an appetizer or a main dish. Ours came in a bento box along with three other odd delicacies. One was an unremarkable salad of shaved pickled roots. Offspring from other dishes perhaps? Next to that was a rather bland puree of tofu and vegetables served at room temperature. Finally, there was a root vegetable medley that even the waitress had a hard time getting behind. “It’s very old traditional food,” she said, describing

the ingredients as “sticky potatoes and other potatoes.” If a taste can be identified as “living until you’re 150,” for better and worse, this is it. Along with the four small dishes, each bento box came with brown rice and a miso soup that was more like onion broth than any miso I had encountered before. While I found the soup average, the brown rice was hearty and flavorful. The orange kale salad provided some modernity to the table. Served with tomato and pistachio, it was tossed in a light but flavorful soy-balsamic dressing. We also tried the okara cakes, handmade triangles of deep-fried soybeans. As good as this sounds, the cakes actually tasted like nothing in particular. They were served with homemade “ketchup” that provided a small

kick, but it too was well short of delicious. Next to that was a mushy ball of brown rice that might be appealing to babies, but this adult can only describe it as icky. A small serving of flavorful sautéed broccoli rabe saved the dish from being an utter disappointment. Shojin means “to drive out the evil thoughts and strive for Buddhism with one’s whole heart,” and I suspect that I was doing a very poor job when evaluating this lunch. Surely, the restaurant could not control the fire alarm going off in the mall, but it only exacerbated the long wait. Some attempt at closing the doors might have helped. The rooms have a distinctly homemade feel, with an odd mishmash of furniture and lighting that isn’t quite working. And while the waitresses are extremely

The Hot Corner

cho Park has been a creative hub ever since Charlie Chaplin filmed his silent movies there. Thanks to a new influx of innovators and restored pride in the community, the historic neighborhood is resurgent, and Sunset & Lemoyne is the HOLLYWOOD epicenter. AND VINE Since 2004, Masa of Echo Park has become a favorite neighborhood restaurant due to an eclectic menu, home-style vintage

uilding thehospitality successfrom decor andon warm of Hollywood & Highland its two sets of owners/couples: and theReynolds Cahuenga Rhonda and Rob Corridor nightspots, Rowe, and Tom Keeney and Julia Locals converge L.A.’sJackson. most famous coron pastries, nerMasa has fomorning finally reignited. panini, chorizo-studded People feel safe to meatwalk loaf, and the Chicago-style ’Wood againpizza at night. croissant pudding. A long(Now, ifbread we could only time Park space.) findEcho a parking resident, Reynolds herago, homeKatsuya a ìsmall city within a Just four calls years Uechi’s bigger cityî thatfood swellswas with limited a ìsense oftohistory.î Japanese a single The intersection’s future is about bulge, too. Phil Ventura Boulevard strip mall. The Hartman plans to open Okinawa native has since partnered the first non-New York outpost of his Two Boots pizza with nightlife gurus SBE and renowned chain, next to edgy nightclub The Echo. ìI was never designer Philippe Starck two restauinterested in doing a branch in Loson Angeles,î Hartman rants, Brentwood and now at like said, ìuntilfirst I wasinintroduced to Echo Park. It seems Vine. Pristine seafood aHollywood great mix of theand old East Village and Corona, and fusion dishes and areinteresting.î the mainAsdraw, Queens; really tight-knit these two along with sleek, furnishings. boots represent Italy andsnow-white Louisiana, expect Cajun topS Bar, another SBE/Starck pings such as tasso ham, andouille sausage,produccrawfish tion, debuted and BBQ shrimp. in October 2007, featuring Spaceland’s venerable Mitchell lounge with an intentionally mismatched Frank has turned The Echo into a live music destinamammoth photos of Versailles. SBE tion since its December 2001 opening. Beck, irasci“mixologist” Ryan Magarian contributed ble Mississippi bluesman cutting-edge cocktails like the Celery T-Model Ford,aand the late Elliottof Smith have all Superstar, combination vodka, played the club. Below The Echoplex Serrano chile andit,celery juice. is a cavernousOld annexHollywood that has drawnfans suchcan indierest giantseasy. as M.I.A. and Of Montreal. As Hollywood Chamber of Commerce ìI know there’s a lot of change going on,î said President Leron Gubler says, Hartman, who also serves as President of the Echo “Development is going in parking lots, so Park Chamber of Commerce. ìAnd I hope it’s going historic buildings aren’t lost.” The to be change that doesn’t compromise the uniqueness. Pantages Theater still lights up isthe Hopefully in five to ten years, Echo Park justcoras ner. Alexander Pantages opened this quaint.î movie palace in 1930, and Howard –Joshua Lurie Hughes took charge in 1949, hosting the Oscars there for eleven years. Since 1977, the Pantages has staged lavish productions like Wicked, currently running through July 6. The gimmick-free Frolic Room was the original Pantages bar, then went indie in 1937. But with the Pantages packed, the Red Line across the street and a locally famous jukebox, frolickers are still flocking. The corner’s about to get even hotter. Within two blocks, there’s currently $1 billion in development, including a W hotel, hundreds of residences, and almost a quarter-million square feet of retail by Josh Lurie space. —b

attentive and also very nice – ready to explain every intriShojin 333 S. Alameda St., cacy of a dish – the #310 Little Tokyo, place as a whole (213) 617-0305 seems unprepared www.theshojin.com for prime time. There are all manner of tempehs and tofus on the menu, including vegan ice cream (yum!) and I suspect that once Shojin gets a few more months under its belt, some of the more unremarkable things on the menu will be replaced with customer favorites. In the meantime, if you’re vegan, go and get the seitan and some ice cream. If you’re not, but still want to eat daring Japanese food, check out Izayoi on Central Avenue instead. NA

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Thursday $3 Vodka and Faded Energy

Happy Hour Wed-Sat 5PM-8PM

Friday $6 Grey Goose Martinis

Wednesday $4 Margaritas

Saturday $5 Beer Sampler

3211 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles Medusaloungela.com 213.382.5723 Tues - Sun at 5 pm 13 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

WARES

JIMMYMay

AN ACTOR/PARTIER SHOOTING A COMMERCIAL ON THE STREETS OF CHINATOWN. DOES IT GET MORE L.A. THAN THAT? REPORTING BY KAMREN CURIEL • PHOTOS BY NOÉ MONTES

What are you wearing? Jordache jeans. [Peeping the label] No, actually they’re Tommy Hilfiger.

★ How old are you? How old do I look? You tell me. 20, 25. That works. So where are you from? Beverly, Massachusetts, the birthplace of the U.S. Navy. It’s right next to Salem, the famous witch city. Wow. Where do you live now? Thai Town, East Hollywood area.

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 14

Where did you get your shirt? It’s Thai silk. My glasses are knockoffs. They’re for people who wear glasses. It’s a cool look. My hat is from the IFC [Independent Film Channel]. What do you do? I’m an actor and partier. We’re doing a neat little shoot here, recreating international travelers going to the Beijing Olympics. It’s a promo for Uni-ball [a Mitsubishi pen].

4/30/08

15 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

INNERVIEW

JIMENEZ

LAI

I N TE R V I E W BY N I K K I B AZA R I L L U S T R AT I O N

A N T O N Y

>> Taking Silver Lake Boulevard from Sunset to Glendale always comes with an added blip of excitement when I pass by the mysteriously esoteric exhibition space Materials & Applications. I remember last year’s large airfilled bubbles hovering overhead like giant scrotum swaying in the wind and then, more recently, a seemingly flexible sculpture made of aluminum and rope stretching across the courtyard like a mechanical insect. Next up: Jimenez Lai’s “Phalanstère Module,” an installation that somehow incorporates the concepts of zero-gravity, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Broadacre City, Charles Fourier’s Phalanstère model, and the somewhat less abstruse concept of “hanging out.” Lai, who graduated with a degree in architecture from the University of Toronto and currently teaches architecture at Ohio State University, sat with me for coffee at the very loud Intelligentsia cafe to discuss what to expect.

How did your piece come to be at Materials & Applications? Did they approach you? I was working at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture at the time, and a friend found the posting for competition. He told me that I must make a submission, as the theme gravity defiance was very fitting for this project I had been developing. How does the exhibition space suit this particular piece? As a testing ground for experi-

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 16

H A R E

mental projects, Materials & Applications is perfect. I would have never otherwise found the people or place to produce a piece with no specific usefulness. I like the site of M&A, and that it’s on Silver Lake Boulevard. In René Magritte’s painting, The Listening Room, there is a giant green apple clustered in a small room. For me, the street elevation of this piece in this context is similar. It is an out-of-place useless machine on a relatively common street elevation.

What sparked the idea for the whole project? After driving around the U.S. so much, I made an observation: Most of the American urban landscapes are similar, if not homogeneous. All the strip malls are the same, all the lawns are the same, all the housing typologies are more or less the same. I just thought that was really incredible, because if I were to drive from Italy to Germany, for example, everything would look different. I thought about how insensitive this approach to urbanism is, and then I just started thinking how this was similar to Frank Lloyd Wright’s concept of the Broadacre City. Broadacre was a timely response to a specific problem: Cities were too congested and full of diseases. The invention of automobiles suddenly enabled common citizens to flee for open spaces and cleaner air. Wright envisioned a pastoral and self-sustaining life

where every family can have an open acre. The vision of this city is a low-density, horizontal expansion. It is very similar to the current model of suburbia we have in the U.S. The difference is that we are yielding no crops but green lawns and occasional flowers. It reduces diversity to a near-total ubiquity of culture and architectural form over a massive geographic region. While driving, I was in a small metal box. My geographic location was moving by the second. This made me think about the extreme case of not having an address and not being able to spread out. So I took the concept of Broadacre City and I put it in space because I thought it was a funny joke. Being in space is sort of the extreme form of not having an address, of being in perpetual commute.

advocated spreading – we must flee the city because it is congested and polluted and full of diseases. That model considered the map of America to be the city. There were no boundaries, just horizontal expansion. The Phalanstère is exactly the opposite. The architecture is the city, so you can not expand at all. It’s a strict social system that confines people into that building. I feel that right now we are witnessing the ecological, economic and social impact of the Broadacre City. We have a vast landscape with a high-level of homogeneity with little diversity and culture. The housing typology in America is largely based on a nostalgia for something that never existed. So anyway, I decided to make up a story based on the model of Broadacre City, but it can not be expanded on because it’s in space.

How does Charles Fourier’s concept of the Phalanstère factor into your piece? The Phalanstère was a project written by philosopher Charles Fourier in the early 1800s. It is a city within one architecture consisting of 300 families and 1,500 inhabitants living in 300 units. My vision of the Noah’s Ark in Space is a city within one architectural envelope. It requires a social system to enable a city as one organism that can not expand beyond its limited resources and space. The Phalanstère and Broadacre City are exact opposite models. The Broadacre City

[I look confused … Lai laughs.] It does have a bunch of stinking theoretical baggage. Mostly, I want people to think it’s fun – this useless thing rotating around. Five people at a time can sit in it, and it rotates six degrees every minute, so it’s a full rotation every hour. It’s a place to hang out. It’s not complete without people. If you ask, I can tell you how I came up with it, but I also think it’s a bag of shit. I just want people to have fun. NA www.0super.net or www.emanate.org

17 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA VANTZOS

PHOTO BY EDEN BATKI

UNDERWATER SYMPHONY Half-local duo Stars of the Lid give listeners a Robitussin high >> Brian McBride — skinny, studious, wearing thin black-frame glasses — sits in the far corner of a dark bar on Glendale Boulevard in Silver Lake. One half of the unclassifiable musical duo Stars of the Lid, McBride has forged an artistic career from patience, diligence and quietude. A place like this, rocking AC/DC from clunky speakers on the wall, seems worlds removed from the space he usually occupies. “The reason I make this music is I think it relates to my own internal sense of rhythm,” he says. “I can go to a show and the music’s very fast, and it can be quite overwhelming for me. Like it can cause me to pass out.” If Stars of the Lid’s music has ever caused anyone to pass out, it must have been a sleepy and peaceful descent into pulsing dreams of shapes and color. McBride describes his band’s music as “nocturnal lullabies or BYMICHAEL an underwater symmjs320@gmail.com phony,” while his partner in the group, Adam Wiltzie, says it sounds like “Robitussin cough syrup from the ’70s.” Their most recent album release, 2007’s doubleCD/triple-LP And Their Refinement of the Decline, features symphonic swells and treated guitars, rising and droning in careful, deliberate melodic compositions. This month, a year after the album’s release, the group finally embarks on their

SALTZMAN

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 18

first American tour in six years. The 20interesting. And the Lid is the result.” date trip kicks off April 14 at the Echoplex Perhaps even more surprising is the in Echo Park. duo’s growing profile in the New Age com“We are promoting the positive effect munity: In 2007, And Their Refinement of of recreational drugs on old people and the Decline hit the #2 spot on Billboard’s the consolidation of evil on all fronts,” New Age music chart. says Wiltzie. “This is news to me,” Wiltzie says. McBride and Wiltzie first met in Austin, “Maybe you can hook us up with Yanni, Texas in the early 1990s. “It and we can start a super group was a typical Austin party — a like the Traveling Wilburys.” bunch of loud drunk people, Since 2001, Wiltzie has INFØ: just like what this bar will lived and worked in Brussels, Stars of the Lid become real soon,” McBride Belgium. “I was looking for a at Echoplex, Monday says. “Somebody put on an better quality of life,” he says. “I April 14, 8 .p.m. with Christopher Willits Erik Satie record, and we believe I may have been losing and Nudge. seemed to be the only two my mind a bit in the States. … www.attheecho.com people in the room that really Brussels provided a beautiful www.myspace.com/ starsofthelid cared. From that, things sort of visual distraction that had been happened.” lacking.” Stars of the Lid’s debut Both musicians agree that disc, Music for Nitrous Oxide, arrived in the imposed physical distance between 1995. Since then, the group has completed them has, if anything, aided their working a total of eight full-length albums. Often, relationship. the work gets labeled as ambient music, “Even when we lived in the same town but both Wiltzie and McBride balk at this we traded tapes,” says Wiltzie. “I wonder if classification. we lived in the same city, would we collab“I’d like to think it’s more than that,” orate as well? … Instead of inviting someMcBride says. “We want to believe that body over to your place and saying, ‘Okay, melody is more present, that we’re making this is what I came up with. Listen to it. minimalist classical music more than anything, React to it right now. Come up with a part even if it is sort of in our own folk tradition. this week,’ by virtue of the postal service And I say ‘folk tradition’ not in the sense of and just the impossibility of getting togethfolk music, but it’s just that we’re both selfer immediately after you have something, taught. … We haven’t gone to school for you have more time to mill it over. You music, so we’ve tried to learn by just paying have more time to sit there and listen to it. attention to what we see in the world that’s “That’s the weird thing about this,” he

continues. “A lot of people think when you’re creating this kind of music that it is too easy, and really all you’re doing is stepping on a volume pedal, or it’s just one sound and you let it loop. This could not be further from the truth.” In 2003, McBride, in turn, relocated to Los Angeles, taking a position as assistant debate coach at the University of Southern California. Debate may seem an odd pastime for a purveyor of glacial soundscapes, and indeed, McBride seems as puzzled by his double life as anyone. “Debate is very, very quick,” he says. “People speak as fast as they can. Stars of the Lid is the exact opposite of that. Either I’m really balanced, or I’m schizophrenic.” Though their earlier records used guitar as a foundation for composition, Stars of the Lid have moved increasingly toward a symphonic sound. To accommodate this new direction, the duo will be accompanied live on their American tour by a string trio of cello, viola and violin. All the same, it still comes down to Wiltzie and McBride in the end. “That’s the thing with the Lid,” McBride says. “There’s only two people doing this. Two people have to be motivated to do it, because if they’re not, then when you get together it’s going to be pointless. … For me, it’s the beauty of the melody and the counter-melody. The way it breathes. The way the music kind of pays attention to itself.” NA

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19 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

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Choose 5 or more concerts now and receive these limited-time-only benefits:

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JUNE Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Thomas Wilkins, conductor 2008 Hall of Fame inductee Sir James Galway

June

Thievery Corporation Los Amigos Invisibles Federico Aubele

8:30pm

Proceeds benefit Music Matters, the Los Angeles Philharmonic's education programs. For gala packages including reception, dinner, and prime concert seating call, 213.972.3051. Created and produced by Wayne Baruch and Charles F.

June

June With Cheap Trick Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Edwin Outwater, conductor Plus special guests

7pm

WED

THU

J U LY

July 4th Fireworks Spectacular: A Ball at the Bowl with the LA Dodgers

Los Philharmonic LosAngeles Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Bramwell Tovey, conductor Bramwell Tovey, conductor Cyndia Sieden, soprano Cyndia Sieden, Benjamin Butterfield, Benjamin Butterfield, tenor KeithPhares, Phares, soloists • Pacific Keith baritone • Pacific Chorale Chorale • L.A. TOVEY New WorkChildren’s Chorus TOVEY Urban Don JuanRunway • STRAUSS STRAUSS ORFF Carmina Burana Don Juan • ORFF Carmina Burana

Mendelssohn & Dvorˇák

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Andris Nelsons, conductor Renaud Capuçon, violin BARTÓK Romanian Folk Dances MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto DVORˇÁK Symphony No. 7

Mozart Under the Stars

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Andrew Davis, conductor•Isabel Leonard, mezzo-soprano • Orion Weiss, piano • All-MOZART Overture to La clemenza di Tito • Ch’io mi scordi di te Piano Concerto No. 17 in G • Exsultate Jubilate • Symphony No. 38, “Prague”

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor Daniel Mueller-Schott, cello GINASTERA Four Dances from Estancia SAINT-SAËNS Cello Concerto No. 1 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4

Jazz at Lincoln Center with Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and and specialguest guestNatalie NatalieCole Cole special Eldar Eldar

8pm

Trumpet star Wynton Marsalis and his ultraswinging jazz orchestra will be joined for a special guest appearance by Natalie Cole.

Swing Night! Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: 100 Years of Cab Calloway The Manhattan Transfer 35th Anniversary Sophie Milman

An Evening with Chris Botti & Orchestra Cassandra Wilson

8pm

232

HB-SLS-08015 8pm

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra

Gerald and Hank: 90 + 90

Gerald Wilson Orchestra 8pm & Hank Jones Trio Special guests: Kenny Burrell, Jon Faddis, Roberta Gambarini, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Lovano, Nancy Wilson, more to be announced Christian McBride, host & special guest

Symphonie fantastique

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Bramwell Tovey, conductor SAINT-SAËNS Symphony No. 3, “Organ” BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

Tchaikovsky Fireworks

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Long Yu, conductor • Lang Lang, piano Ben Hong, cello • HUA YANJUN Moon Reflected on the “Erquan” Fountain TAN DUN Crouching Tiger Concerto TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1

Mozart Under the Stars

André Watts Plays Grieg

2-3-4

7:30pm

availability and is not available for purchases in sections Q through X. Not valid in combination with any other offer, and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Limit one voucher per order. Vouchers redeemable June 13-September 11, 2008. Not available through Group Sales. Select Los Angeles Philharmonic Association-produced concerts only.

SUN

Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunnyon onBroadway Los Angeles Philharmonic Broadway George Daugherty, conductor

8pm

Los It's anAngeles evening of classic Philharmonic Looney Tunes – What’s Opera, Doc?, The Rabbit of George Daugherty, Seville, and more, all on conductor the Bowl’s big screens.

11-12

8:30pm

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra • Thomas Wilkins, conductor • Peter Soave, bandoneon From passion and drama to sentimental favorites, join us under the stars as we celebrate romance through the ages.

18-19

Los Angeles Philharmonic Steven Reineke, conductor As a solo artist, and as lead singer of The Supremes, Diana Ross has dazzled audiences all over the world with her unforgettable hits from “Stop! In the Name of Love” to “I’m Coming Out”. A night not to be missed.

LANG LANG July 17

THOMAS WILKINS June 20 July 11-12 Aug. 15-16 Sept. 7

Bizet’s Carmen Los Angeles Philharmonic Bramwell Tovey, conductor Denyce Graves, Carmen

7:30pm

This concert benefits the Los Angeles Philharmonic Musicians Pension Fund.

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra • Julie Andrews, host and narrator 8:30pm Ian Fraser, conductor • Additional special guests to be announced Joined by the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and special guest vocalists, Julie Andrews hosts an evening of Rodgers & Hammerstein classics and then presents the new musical adaptation of her best-selling children’s book, Simeon’s Gift.

Diana Ross: Lady Supreme

June Additional artist to 7pm be announced Brazilian rhythms and adventurous spirits are the common bond in this rare double bill. KCRW’s World Festival

8pm

Warner Bros. Presents

Julie Andrews: The Gift of Music

Sun,,

Gilberto Gil Devendra Banhart

SAT

Some Enchanted Evening: A Night of Romance with special guest Chris Isaak

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor André Watts, piano BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 GRIEG Piano Concerto RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio espagnol

* Voucher good for two free reserved bench seats on select Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday concerts. This special offer is subject to

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 20

FRI

Los Angeles Philharmonic • Rob Fisher, conductor • Randy Newman, special guest Have a ball on the 4th of July with America’s favorite pastime! The Dodgers celebrate their 50th Anniversary in Los Angeles for this great American extravaganza with our very special guest Randy Newman hitting it outta the park. Enjoy classic baseball music, visuals, plus Dodger greats and the Bowl’s dazzling fireworks!

WYNTON MARSALIS July 9

Carmina Burana Carmina Burana

Sat,,

Sgt. Pepper’s... Revisited

KCRW’s World Festival

Gayton. Not available as part of this offer.

TUE

Sun,,

TM & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s08)

Fri,,

Opening Night at the Bowl

25-26

8:30pm

Feist Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings Pacifika

7pm

KCRW’s World Festival

Gnarls Barkley Youssou N’Dour Deerhoof

7pm

KCRW’s World Festival

GNARLS BARKLEY July 27

ANDRE´ WATTS July 31

THANK YOU We are deeply grateful to our sponsors for helping make the Hollywood Bowl the place for the best in summer music and entertainment: Season

Sponsors: Fidelity, Gallo Family Vineyards, Heineken, The Korea Times, Lexus, Princess Cruises, WaMu. Sponsors: Goodyear, JVC, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, Patina Restaurant Group, Pepsi, Sunset Marquis, Wells Fargo. Media Sponsors: KCET, KCRW, KKJZ. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association thanks the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for its valued cooperation in continuing to bring great music to the people of Los Angeles: Yvonne B. Burke, Chair, Second District; Gloria Molina, First District; Zev Yaroslavsky, Third District; Don Knabe, Fourth District; Michael D. Antonovich, Fifth District. The Hollywood Bowl thanks the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for its support of the Park & Ride program, and our many sponsors and donors for their generosity. The Creative Chair for Jazz, currently held by Christian McBride, is endowed by a gift to the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association from Carolyn and Bill Powers.

AUGUST TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Christian Zacharias, conductor/piano All-BEETHOVEN Coriolan Overture • Piano Concerto No. 1 • Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral”

Music of Philip Glass and Edward Elgar

8pm

Los Angeles Philharmonic Leonard Slatkin, conductor Martin Chalifour, violin GLASS Two Interludes from the CIVIL warS • GLASS Violin Concerto ELGAR Enigma Variations

Joshua Bell à la Française

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Bramwell Tovey, conductor Joshua Bell, violin BERLIOZ Hungarian March CHAUSSON Poème • SAINT-SAËNS Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso STRAVINSKY Petrushka

German Romantics

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Edo de Waart, conductor Sa Chen, piano WAGNER Meistersinger Prelude SCHUMANN Piano Concerto BRAHMS Symphony No. 1

Etta James & The Roots Band Solomon Burke Paolo Nutini

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Christian Zacharias, conductor Peter Stumpf, cello RAVEL Pavane for a Dead Princess RAVEL Valses nobles et sentimentales BOCCHERINI Cello Concerto No. 6 in D BIZET Symphony in C

8pm

Elizabeth Shepherd

Stanley Clarke/ Marcus Miller/ Victor Wooten: The Thunder Tour Additional artist to be announced

Percussion, Planets, and Pictures

8pm

Los Angeles Philharmonic Bramwell Tovey, conductor • Colin Currie, percussion • Pacific Chorale WAGNER Ride of the Valkyries • ROUSE Der Gerettete Alberich • HOLST The Planets

Jamie Cullum with 8pm The Count Basie Orchestra A Christian McBride Situation

George Benson

French Masters

BRAMWELL TOVEY July 8, 10, 13 Aug. 14, 19 Sept. 2, 4

8pm

Thibaudet Plays Khachaturian

8pm

Los Angeles Philharmonic • Lionel Bringuier, conductor • Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano • GLINKA Russlan and Ludmilla Overture • KHACHATURIAN Piano Concerto • TCHAIKOVSKY Romeo and Juliet • KODÁLY Dances of Galánta

The Russian Soul

1-2

Los Angeles Philharmonic • John Du Prez, conductor 8:30pm Pacific Chorale, John Alexander, director • Guest soloists and bagpipers to be announced • Python superstar Eric Idle, his Spamalot co-composer John Du Prez tell the tragic-comic story of a man mistaken for the Messiah, inspired by Handel and Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Idle – singing baritone-ish – reprises some of his best-loved songs from the film, including “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”

UB40 Aug. 3

Nothing But Beethoven

SUN

Not The Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy) with Eric Idle

ERIC IDLE Aug. 1-2

JOSHUA BELL Aug. 19

SAT

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Edo de Waart, conductor Julian Rachlin, violin SHOSTAKOVICH Festive Overture PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5

Les Misérables in Concert

8-9-10

Fri. & Sat., 8:30pm Sun., 7:30pm

15-16

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Thomas Wilkins, conductor Cachao and the Mambo All-Stars, special guests The Grammy-winning “father of the mambo” and his all-star musicians will be joined by spectacular dancers for a tropical evening you won’t soon forget!

7pm

KCRW’s World Festival

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra • Kevin Stites, conductor • Richard Jay-Alexander, director • Cast to include: Melora Hardin, Aaron Lazar, J. Mark McVey, Lea Michele, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Rosie O’Donnell • The world’s longest-running musical comes to the Bowl in a staged concert adaptation. Winner of eight Tony Awards, this timeless masterpiece will transport you to post-revolutionary France, where you will be moved by this sweeping story of love, passion and redemption.

A Night in Old Havana – Mambo Style!

Reggae Night VII UB40 Beres Hammond Barrington Levy

8:30pm

JVC Jazz Boney James James Ingram David Sanborn Ledisi

6pm

22-23

Dance the Night Away: An Evening with Donna Summer

8:30pm

“Dim All the Lights” as the five-time Grammy-winner powers through her hits – “Love to Love You, Baby,” “On The Radio,” “Enough Is Enough,” “Bad Girls,” plus selections from her new CD. CHRISTIAN McBRIDE July 30, Aug. 20

29-30

John Williams: A Hollywood Legend

Los Angeles Philharmonic • John Williams, conductor 8:30pm Stanley Donen, special guest Multiple Academy Award-winner and incomparable film music composer John Williams returns to the Bowl. He’s written countless beloved film scores filled with uplifting themes that are impossible to forget. This year, Williams includes a special celebration of the great MGM movie musicals, hosted by legendary director Stanley Donen (Royal Wedding, Singin’ in the Rain, Anchors Aweigh).

The Big Picture: The Films of Warner Bros.

7:30pm

Hollywood Bowl Orchestra David Newman, conductor From Casablanca to Harry Potter, we celebrate the legacy of Warner Bros., with scenes projected on the big screen. Produced in cooperation with Warner Bros.

SEPTEMBER TUE Sarah Chang Plays Sibelius Los Angeles Philharmonic Bramwell Tovey, conductor Sarah Chang, violin NIELSEN Maskarade Overture SIBELIUS Violin Concerto GRIEG Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 SIBELIUS Finlandia

“Symphony of a Thousand”

WED 2

8pm

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor MAHLER Symphony No. 8 Eight superb soloists, the L.A. Master Chorale, and the L.A. Children’s Chorus, join in for Mahler’s rarelyheard musical masterwork.

Bossa Nova at 50

with Orchestra 8pm Vince Mendoza, conductor Oscar Castro-Neves, musical director Eliane Elias, Luciana Souza, special guests Additional guests to be announced

& the Bad Seeds Spiritualized

Prokofiev & Rachmaninoff

Los Angeles Philharmonic 8pm Bramwell Tovey, conductor Lise de la Salle, piano TCHAIKOVSKY Festival Coronation March • PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 1 RACHMANINOFF Symphony No. 2

“Symphony of a Thousand”

ESA-PEKKA SALONEN Sept. 9, 11

Nick Cave

FRI

THU

Sept.. 19

SUN

Produced in cooperation with Warner Bros.

5-6

Tchaikovsky Spectacular with Fireworks

Los Angeles Philharmonic • Joana Carneiro, conductor 8:30pm Eugene Ugorski, violin USC Trojan Marching Band, Dr. Arthur C. Bartner, director Tchaikovsky and fireworks – a beloved Hollywood Bowl tradition! This year’s spectacular features the great Russian composer’s beloved Violin Concerto, as well as the 1812 Overture complete with roaring cannon and blazing pyrotechnics.

The Peking Acrobats Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Thomas Wilkins, conductor

7:30pm

The delights of musical and acrobatic art forms will be showcased on this spectacular journey with festive pageantry and amazing aerial feats.

12-13-14

Fireworks Finale: Celebrating Summer with Brian Wilson

Fri. & Sat., 8:30pm; Sun., 7:30pm

Los Angeles Philharmonic • John Morris Russell, conductor One of our greatest American composers and the mastermind behind Pet Sounds, SMiLE, and countless hits, Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson and his wondrous band will perform all the classics for an unforgettable end-of-summer spectacular and fireworks finale! Sunday’s concert benefits the Los Angeles Philharmonic Musicians Pension Fund.

Sing-A-Long Sound of Music

6pm PRE-SHOW Melissa Peterman, host 7:30pm MOVIE

Everyone’s favorite sing-along is back as the Bowl is transformed into the world’s largest outdoor movie theater.

For his first L.A. show in six years, Nick Cave and his Bad Seeds return with a tremendous live experience drawn from their new record.

THE PEKING ACROBATS Sept. 7

SARAH CHANG Sept. 2

SAT

BRIAN WILSON Sept. 12-14

A Celebration of Rumi: The Sights & Sounds of Mystic Persia

7:30pm

Ozomatli Michael Franti & Spearhead Lila Downs Nortec Collective

7pm

KCRW’s World Festival

YO-YO MA KAYHAN KALHOR Sept. 27

Yo-Yo Ma, special guest, with members of the Silk Road Ensemble Kayhan Kalhor Ensemble and many more

NICK CAVE Sept. 17

(complete list at HollywoodBowl.com)

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21 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

PHOTOS BY JACK GOULD

~ DANIEL BRAMZON ~

ENOUGH IS

ENOUGH Tenants find an advocate in BASTA >> A treacherous border-crossing from Mexico to the United States is the first barrier for many undocumented immigrants attempting to build better lives for their families. But once they’re Stateside, the next challenge is to find livable housing, which is often no better than what they left behind. Many are limited to the least desirable neighborhoods, offering high crime rates and dilapidated apartments. Not long ago, when immigrants went without heat, faced vermin infestations or encountered contentious landlords, their best option was a backlogged Los Angeles Housing Department. That changed in January 2005, when Daniel Bramzon incorporated BASTA. A graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, Bramzon was once a corporate litigator at the prestigious

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 22

Century City firm Christensen, Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weil & Shapiro, LLP (now Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & Shapiro). One night, while working late, a janitor who knew that Bramzon is the son of a Mexican immigrant, BYJOSH handed him an eviction c/o editor@newangelesmonthly.com notice and asked him what to do. “In the process of helping her through the eviction,” Bramzon says, “I thought there must be a way to help these people in an affordable way, because their homes were at stake. After I left the law firm, I decided to help people in similar circumstances.” He named the nonprofit organization after the word for “enough” in Spanish. To inspire tenants

LURIE

to act, BASTA adopted a forceful motto: “If the landlord wants a fight, we’ll give the landlord a fight!” Nine attorneys now fight for tenants’ rights at BASTA’s MacArthur Park headquarters and its satellite office in Lancaster, many of whom once worked at high-profile law firms and were happy to return to the altruistic idealism that first attracted them to law. BASTA’s litigation is divided into two departments: eviction defense and class/mass action. To fund its mission, BASTA accepts private donations, attorney fee awards and contingent fee cases. Clients pay a fixed $400 rate for BASTA to handle the case through trial, a fee the organization considers waiving on a case-by-case basis. “Most other nonprofit groups accept federal money, which restricts their ability to help undocumented people or people below the poverty line,” says Bramzon. “We represent any person who walks or wheels themselves through the door, regardless of race, immigration status or financial status.” Lupe (last name withheld) is a BASTA success story. She crossed the Mexican border in March 1973 “to get a better chance, better money than Mexico,” eventually winding up in South Los Angeles, a section of the city brimming with BASTA clients. Lupe didn’t have any family or friends in L.A., but chose the city for its reputed wealth of opportunities. She and her husband are currently

DANIELBRAMZON unemployed, relying on welfare to subsist and care for their American-born children. Lupe was BASTA’s lead plaintiff in a mass action lawsuit against her landlord. She describes her previous apartment as “un desastre” – a disaster – with scurrying rats and roaches, and no working pipes or heaters. “The landlord had allowed Lupe’s building to severely dilapidate over a period of 10 years – to such an extent that the city attorney had initiated criminal prosecution against the landlord,” says Bramzon. “Unfortunately, Lupe could not afford legal help, and all the other organizations where she sought such help were either unwilling or unable to assist her and all the neighbors.” That’s when BASTA stepped in, stymieing a retaliatory eviction filing and securing relocation fees for Lupe and her neighbors, many of whom now live in habitable buildings. BASTA attorneys, staff and volunteers spend much of their time documenting hundreds of apartments citywide. And Bramzon says he is constantly surprised by the “truly inhumane conditions” that Angelenos endure. He’s encountered walls without drywall, ceilings with holes, and floors so rotten from water damage that he could see into the downstairs apartment. According to Bramzon, he has also witnessed landlords hiring workers to level walls while tenants are still living inside. Lead paint was eliminated in 1978, but

LAHD rental property policy assumes that all construction prior to that year has “a presence of leadbased paint.” Sledgehammering walls thus subjects tenants to possible lead poisoning. BASTA attorney Ben Ramm says, “Don’t spray lead dust where children are. The lack of respect is shocking.” Occasionally, the conditions get even more heinous. Bramzon cites one 17-unit building, where almost 80 tenants were forced to share three common showers that had worms coming up from the flooring, mold covering the ceiling, and a rotting door to the shower room. “We’ve seen apartments where every wall is crawling with hundreds of roaches, even during the daytime,” he says. To combat uninhabitable conditions, BASTA is aggressive with its counsel. “You won’t find another nonprofit who will tell tenants to stop paying rent,” says Bramzon. “If the conditions merit a rent strike to force the landlord to make repairs, we have no hesitation to implement one.” At any given time, 150-200 BASTA clients are withholding rent. Landlords Pose a Unique Challenge With homes increasingly unaffordable citywide, more people have resorted to renting. Rent stabilization controls how much landlords can raise rents, but this can lead to hostile relationships with tenants, where landlords are quick to evict. According to the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, L.A. County landlords file over 80,000 evictions annually. Landlords regularly base eviction filings on technicalities or easily remedied issues. Bramzon remem-

bers one elderly woman who had lived in her apartment for over 15 years, when her landlord attempted to evict on the basis that a small bookshelf behind the front door was a fire hazard. “Our argument at trial was that the landlord and his two maintenance personnel who had repeatedly entered the apartment should have moved the bookshelf two feet to get it out of the way,” says Bramzon. “We won in a jury trial. We have also had evictions for as little as 56 cents. And yes, we won that case too.” With no financial incentive to improve living conditions for longstanding tenants, some landlords allow buildings to fall into disrepair, only making structural repairs under court order. Bramzon says he’s constantly surprised by the “cruel audacity of the landlords ... . They simply want to get rid of the tenant while deferring maintenance.” For undocumented immigrants, there’s also the looming fear that landlords will call Citizenship and Immigration Services and get them deported. Lupe says, “The landlord was going to call immigration to send all of us back, since we were suing him. Danny told us not to be afraid, that he was going to protect us, and he did.” Bramzon makes it clear that BASTA isn’t interested in making peace with landlords. “Other nonprofit groups have the philosophy to do what’s just and fair, even if it benefits the landlord. The court decides what’s fair. We’re interested in helping tenants.” Some attorneys who have faced BASTA question Bramzon’s tactics. John Greenwood of Dennis P. Block & Associates, a favorite firm for landlords, says, “Very often, they take anybody’s

cases and grind a settlement out of the landlord, based on nuisance factor, not based on what the case is about.” And according to Frank Rubin, who has 33 years of experience representing landlords, “[Bramzon’s] not encour aging the owners to do the work, he’s just terrorizing them.” But landlords often fight back. Last December, while Bramzon and BASTA attorney John Wollman were inspecting a property, the landlord’s attorney instituted a citizen’s arrest for trespass. “The police department implemented it,” says Bramzon, “ignoring the fact that we were looking for our client, who resided in the building, and ignoring a civil code that makes an exception to the trespass law by making an exemption for tenant’s advocates.” These types of actions don’t dissuade BASTA. After making bail, BASTA attorneys continued to gather evidence against the landlord. “We caught the landlord making illegal repairs, in violation of a court order,” recalls Bramzon. “As attorney Ben Ramm took photos of the construction, he was grabbed from behind and beaten by a group of workers.” Concerned tenants dragged an unconscious Ramm to safety, says Bramzon, and stashed him in an apartment until the police arrived, by which point the workers fled, never to be seen again. Frank Rubin respects BASTA, but questions whether the organization really helps to change clients’ lives. “They’re all bright, good litigators, but do these people have a better place to live at the end of the day, or do they just have $5,000 or $10,000 in their pocket? How long is that going to last?” But Bramzon has no intention of toning down BASTA’s no-holds-barred approach. “We’ve had enough of landlords showing a lack of humanity to tenants,” he says. NA www.bastaforjustice.org

23 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 24

25 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 26

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Our Offices are Minutes Away from The Grove & LACMA 29 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

CALENDAR L.A. VS. WAR From April 10-13, Los Angelesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most celebrated and controversial artists, activists and maverick thinkers will gather together for a united cause: peace. This multifaceted event will include an art exhibition of posters from the Yo! What Happened to Peace? show; a fine art exhibition with pro-peace and antiwar works created by dozens of artists; a universal peace altar created by Ofelia Esparza and Shine; live T-shirt printing by Hit+Run and Crewest Gallery; film screenings curated by Scott Beibin of Lost Film Fest; light projections created by Todd Lazer; the Peace in Iraq Photo Project; an exhibition of corporate logo spoofs by Mark of the Beast; and much more. Other participating artists include Shepard Fairey, Mear One, Edward Colver, Robbie Conal and Winston Smith. Free, noon-11 p.m. The Firehouse, 710 S. Santa Fe Ave., Downtown. www.lavswar.com

ART APR. 4-27: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;EXTINCTIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Candybright pop paintings of hip young women, animals and traditional Japanese motifs created by Yumiko Kayukawa. Opening reception Apr. 4, 8-11 p.m. La Luz de Jesus Gallery, 4633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz. 323-666-7667 or www.laluzdejesus.com

APR. 5-30: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;LIQUID EQUINOXESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; A solo show of colorful works reflecting nature and life by artist Jason Macaya. Opening reception Apr. 5, 710 p.m. Chango Coffee House and Gallery, 1559 Echo Park Blvd., Echo Park. www.myspace.com/changocoffeehouse NEW ANGELES â&#x2DC;&#x2026; APRIL 2008 â&#x2DC;&#x2026; 30

APRIL [08] â&#x2DC;&#x2026;

Listings Compiled by Julie Rasmussen Send listings to

calendar@newangelesmonthly.com

APR. 5-MAY 5: ‘THE REV SANCHEZ SERIES’ A series of manipulated photographs created by Nicole Belle. Opening reception Apr. 5, 6-9 p.m. Found Gallery, 1903 Hyperion Ave., Silver Lake. 323-669-1247 or www.foundla.com

APR. 10-MAY 31: ‘LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: THE MOLLY BARNES COLLECTION’ Molly Barnes is both a collector and an art dealer who has helped to shape the L.A. art scene from the 1960s to the present by discovering and introducing artists to the public. This exhibition will include work from her collection that includes artists Peter Alexander, Ron Davis, Tom Holland, Willem de Kooning, Picasso, Ed Ruscha, Vasa and many, many more. Opening reception Apr. 10, 6-9 p.m. Pharmaka, 101 W. 5th St., Downtown. 213-689-7799 or www.pharmakaart.org

APR. 11-MAY 2: ‘MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS’ A collaborative exhibition with works by artist couple Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters. Also, in the project room, new works on paper and wood by Matthew Feyld. Opening reception Apr. 11, 7-11 p.m.

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Thinkspace, 4210 Santa Monica Blvd., Silver Lake. 323-913-3375 or www.thinkspacegallery.com

APR. 12-SEPT. 7: ‘COWBOYS AND PRESIDENTS’ An exhibition including many historical and important images, artifacts and items associated with a variety of American presidents such as FDR’s spurs, Reagan’s cowboy boots, Clinton’s childhood drawings, and more. $9. Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. 323-667-2000 or www.autrynationalcenter.org

APR. 12: ‘ONE NIGHT ONLY’ A unique monthly event that brings together six artists for a one-night exhibition of their latest works. April 12 is a themed night featuring all female artists including Monica Fleming, Jodi Carpenter, Debra Haden, Melanie Stimmell, Wendy Hall and Pamilena H. Gallery016, The Brewery, 2020

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N. Main St., Los Angeles. 323-224-8116 or www.gallery016.com

APR. 18-MAY 23: ‘REDYELLOWBLUE’ A group show of three artists (Eric Doeringer, David E. Stone and David White) who each celebrate a primary color. Another Year in L.A., 2121 N. San Fernando Rd., #13, Glassell Park. 323-223-4000 or www.anotheryearinla.com

APR. 19: ‘IKEA MY HOUSE: PART I’ New works by Felis Stella. Opening reception Apr. 19, 7-10 p.m. L2Kontemporary, 990 N. Hill St., #205, Chinatown. 323-225-1288 or www.l2kontemporary.com

THROUGH APR. 27: ‘CONTEMPORARY KATAGAMI: WORKS BY JENNIFER FALCK LINSSEN’ The first solo museum exhibition of Jennifer Falck Linssen, an American artist who utilizes the ancient Japanese paper art of katagami to create elegant, hand-carved vessels and baskets. $5. Craft and Folk Art Museum, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile. 323-937-4230 or www.cafam.org

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213.627.7423 213.627.7745 31 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

HIGHLIGHT

‘JOY DIVISION’ Documentary directed by Grant Gee about the legendary band from Manchester. The band formed in 1976 under the original name Warsaw, but shortly thereafter changed the name to Joy Division, going on to gain many followers and much acclaim. Just as they were on the brink of worldwide success, setting off on their first global tour, their lead singer, Ian Curtis, committed suicide. The film tells the untold story of the four band members who transcended the economic and cultural barriers of England in the mid-1970s and grew to produce an enduring and profound legacy. It features the three surviving band members of Joy Division, who have since formed New Order. $12. Screening takes place Apr. 23, 8 p.m., followed by a Q-and-A with the documentary’s producer Tom Atencio, North American manager for Joy Division and New Order for nearly 20 years. ArcLight, 6360 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. www.afi.com

THROUGH MAY 3: ‘HEF’ This group exhibition explores the legacy of Hugh Hefner and Playboy magazine. Artists include Susan Anderson, Martin Durazo, Joseph Lee, Dani Tull and more. Jail, 965 N. Vignes St., #5A, Downtown. 213-621-9596 or www.thejailgallery.com

FILM APR. 12-MAY 31: THE CRONENBERG RETROSPECTIVE A journey into the mind of filmmaker David Cronenberg. This weekly series includes eight films and the premiere of the filmmaker’s latest short. Apr. 12: Dead Ringers; Apr. 19: Scanners; Apr. 26: Videodrome; May 3: The Fly; May 10: Naked Lunch; May 17: Crash; May 24: Existenz; May 31: Spider and the premiere of At the Suicide of the Last Jew in the World in the Last Cinema in the World. Free on Apr. 12; remainder of series $8. All screenings at 8 p.m. The Steve Allen Theater, Center for Inquiry, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 323-666-4268 or www.steveallentheater.com

APR. 16: ‘STEPPING RAZOR: RED X’ A film that chronicles the life of reggae artist Peter Tosh, spanning from his youth through his stormy career with the Wailers to a brilliant solo

career and ultimately, his tragic murder. $12, 8 p.m. ArcLight, 6360 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. www.afi.com

APR. 17: ‘THE KING OF KONG’ A middle-school science teacher and a hot sauce mogul vie for the Guinness World Record on the arcade classic Donkey Kong. $5, 8 p.m. Echo Park Film Center, 1200 N. Alvarado St., Echo Park. 213-484-8846 or www.echoparkfilmcenter.org

APR. 18-MAY 11: ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ SING-A-LONG Moviegoers will get a chance to go “under the sea” and revisit Disney’s animated feature The Little Mermaid when the classic film is presented in a magical sing-a-long version featuring a live appearance by Ariel at every show. Adults $13, Children $10. Showtimes are 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7:45 p.m. El Capitan, 6838 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 800-347-6396 or www.disney.go.com/disneypictures/el_capitan

APR. 25-27: ‘VELVET HUSTLERS & WEIRD LOVEMAKERS’ In the late 1950s through 1971, Nikkatsu Studios became known as the premier Japanese movie studio for sleek and elegant, gritty yet gorgeous-looking (and frequently surreal) crime-

action films. This series of films will be a reflection of their best work and will include films such as Gangster VIP, The Velvet Hustler, My Gun is My Passport, and more. $10. For a complete list of titles and showtimes, visit the website. The Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 323-466-3456 or www.americancinematheque.com

MUSIC APR. 2: DON CARLOS Dub Club presents a night of reggae jams performed by legendary Jamaican artist Don Carlos. $15, 9 p.m. Echoplex, 1154 Glendale Blvd. Echo Park. 213-413-8200 or www.attheecho.com

APR. 3: ISGOODMUSIC PRESENTS @ SPACELAND An eclectic night of indie music featuring Nightfur, Fish Circus, Craft Club and Michael Mazochi. $7, 8:30 p.m. Spaceland, 1717 Silver Lake Blvd., Silver Lake. www.isgoodmusic.com

APR. 5: GROOVE ARMADA

A DJ set from the chill groove duo. Jason Bentley will also hit the decks. $36.50, 6 p.m. Downtown City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., Downtown. www. goldenvoice.com

APR. 5: ARP A dance party with electronic sounds and creative beats provided by the L.A./U.K. band ARP. $5, 9 p.m. Echo Curio, 1519 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park. 213977-1279 or www.echocurio.com

APR. 9: INTERNATIONAL NOISE CONFERENCE Curated

by Brian Miller, this event will showcase 13 bands each playing one 15-minute set. Bands include Bacteria Cult, Dirty Branches, Sunken Landscapes, and others. $5, 9 p.m. The Smell. 247 S. Main St., Downtown. www.thesmell.org

APR. 9: THE SUPERSUCKERS

Music by the self proclaimed ''Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World.'' Need we say more? $15, 8 p.m. Safari Sam's, 5214 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. 323-666-7267 or www.safarisams.com

APR. 12: FERRY CORSTEN A transcending night of trance and house music featuring artist Ferry Corsten. $45, 10 p.m. Shrine Expo Center, 700 W. 32nd St., Los Angeles. www.insomniacevents.com

APR. 12: MEAT BEAT MANIFESTOHypnotic beats blended with seductive sounds that will pique the interest of

EVERY SUNDAY MARY AUSTIN-KLEIN

SOLO EXHIBITION

May 10th through June 14th, 2008 Opening Reception: May 10th from 6-9pm

1835 Hyperion Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 663-2787 www.metrogallery.org NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 32

February 29 through September 7

Los Angeles is rich in saints' names. What do they mean? In this new exhibition, artist J. Michael Walker walks the streets named for saints and unlocks a treasure trove of multicultural voices that speak to the soul of Los Angeles. While at the Autry, you can enjoy a dozen galleries featuring paintings, sculptures, Colt firearms, Western movie and TV memorabilia, and more. St Moritz Drive (detail), J. Michael Walker

Groups of 10 or more save over 25%! Tour group leader and bus driver get in free! For more group tour information and a free brochure, call 323.667.2000, ext. 316, or visit AutryNationalCenter.org.

4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 • 323.667.2000 • AutryNationalCenter.org Museum, Museum Store, and Cafe are open Tuesday—Sunday, 10 am—5 pm.

FREE PARKING

33 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

many tastes. $19, 8 p.m. The El Rey, 5515 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles. 323-936-6400 or www.theelrey.com APR. 12: ULTRALUXX A night of electro, indie and booty bass mixed by resident DJs Lexx and Los. The event also includes a plethora of artists painting live, go-go dancers and more. Free, 10 p.m. The Mountain, 473 Gin Ling Way, Chinatown. www.myspace.com/ultraluxx

please join us for

A One-Day Introduction

APR. 16: BOBBY MCFERRIN, CHICK COREA AND JACK DEJOHNETTE An evening of improvisational music with a jazz twist performed by the talented trio. $35$95, 8 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 Grand Ave., Downtown. 323-850-2000 or www.laphil.com

to pacifica graduate institute ’s masters & doctoral degree programs

APR. 21-22: GLOW IN THE DARK TOUR Rap artist Kanye West performs for two consecutive nights. The show also features Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco and N.E.R.D. $59.50$109.50, 7:30 p.m. Nokia Theatre L.A. Live,

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Pacifica Graduate Institute is an accredited graduate school, located a few miles south of Santa Barbara, California. All of the Institute’s programs are informed by the teachings of C.G. Jung, Joseph Campbell, Marion Woodman, James Hillman, and others in the Depth Psychological Tradition. The programs have a unique educational format sensitive to the needs of adult learners.

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APR. 26: BOB SINCLAR A live performance by the French house music DJ and producer. $25, 9:30 p.m. Vanguard, 6021

•

Learn more about Pacifica’s graduate degree programs in psychology, the humanities, and mythological studies

Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 323-464-7373 or www.giantclub.com

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Explore Pacifica’s two campuses and their resources… including the Joseph Campbell Archives and Library, the Graduate Research Library, and Bookstore

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Learn about admissions procedures and financial aid Meet and speak with Pacifica alumni, faculty, staff, and other prospective students

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APR. 5-6: SPRING ARTWALK AT THE BREWERY A biannual self-guided tour to art studios and galleries located in the art complex The Brewery. Free, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. The Brewery, 2100 N. Main Street, Downtown. www.breweryartwalk.com

APR. 5-6: CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL

Two days of arts, crafts, fashion shows, foods and activities all geared to expose the mainstream to a bit of Japanese/Japanese-American arts and history. Free, Apr. 5, 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Apr. 6, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. On the streets in the Little Tokyo District, San Pedro St. between 1st and 3rd St., Downtown. www.cherryblossomfestival.org

APR. 10: DOWNTOWN ARTWALK A free self-guided tour of the many art galleries, museums, nonprofit art venues and other creative spaces of downtown Los Angeles. Free shuttles are also available.

See website for list of participating galleries/studios. Free, 12-9 p.m. 213-624-6212 or www.downtownartwalk.com APR. 13: BRIDGE MIX Tours of four historic bridges (1st St., 4th St., 6th St. and 7th St.) along with fun and educational activities for the kids. $30 adults, $10 children, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Los Angeles Conservancy, 523 W. 6th St., Downtown. 213623-2489 or www.laconservancy.com

APR. 19: BRIDGE MIRACLE MILE WALKING TOUR A two-hour tour led by J. Eric

Lynxwiler that explores the neighborhood in its current state, mixed with tidbits of history with a focus on architecture. $15, 10 a.m. Tour meets at 5209

249 Lambert Road, Carpinteria, CA 93013 NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 34

Neighborhood Shopping & Lifestyle Guide

SILVER LAKE "Shop, Dine, and Celebrate" in Silver Lake! With over 200 restaurants and nightclubs, dozens of art galleries, and some of the best shopping in the city, Silver Lake is one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in L.A. Come discover great gift ideas and tasty treats at all the locally-owned businesses.

to boring bir thday cakes, and why settle for just one flavor? If it’s not cleanly detailed red velvet, chocolate, or carrot layers you’re after, perhaps the piles of classic cookies like chocolate drop, oatmeal, and peanut butter are your speed. And for a little jolt, go for a La Mill cof fee or tea.

Nicky D's Wood-Fired Pizza 2764 Rowena Ave. L.A. Ca. 90039 323-664-3333 www.nickydspizza.com

CATTS AND DOGGS 2833 Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles (323) 953-8383

In business for more than a decade, Catts and Doggs is not your ordinary pet store! C&D features a full range of holistic remedies and all-natural pet foods and treats. Additionally, it is a great place to shop for gift items with an informed “ready to suggest an idea” staff. In addition to the retail store C&D offers a full array of grooming options in the salon and can even delivery right to your door!

Lark Cake Shop 3337 W. Sunset Blvd. L.A. Ca. 90026 (323) 667-2968 www.larkcakeshop.com

Lark cake Shop specializes in cupcakes, frosted cookies, and fancy cakes, all of which earn a prize in aesthetics and sugar y-sweet goodness. At Lark, you can gorge yourself on gorgeous little cakes of all varieties, from little icebox cakes, red velvet, carrot, creamy vanilla and strawberr y shor tcakes. They make the best alternatives

A gigantic wood-fired pizza from Rome, a dream and a leap of faith. Nicky D’s Wood Fired Pizza is full of histor y, legend and seriously good food. That's how Nicky D's Wood-Fired Pizza came to life. Nicky D, was a long time resident of New York. He had a lucrative career as an actor. But he wisely supplemented his income by following his other passion for cooking and opened a pizzeria in Times Square. Then the "Go West Young Man" syndrome kicked in and he relocated to Los Angeles where he continued his acting career. Still, he longed for another restaurant and waited for the right place to present itself. Finally, a former house in Silver Lake called his name. Now over Five years later Nicky D’s is still going strong. His Specialty Pizza’s, Baked Pasta, and renowned cannolis are some of the menu highlights. They also have Wood-Fired Rotisserie Chicken and Salads for all you Healthy types. Advertising Supplement

Old Fashion Hand-crafted New York Styled Pizza

We use only the Highest Quality Ingredients

Delivery 7 Days a Week!

2764 Rowena Ave. Silverlake (1/2 blk west of Glendale Blvd.) Additional parking across the street.

323-664-3333

www.nickydspizza.com

Open Daily 11:30am to 10pm • Dine In • Take Out • We Deliver!

Catts & Doggs Pet Supplies & Grooming Now delivering to:

Silver Lake Atwater Village Echo Park & Los Feliz! Mt. Washington

Call for details

Not your ordinary Pet Store • Full Grooming Salon • All Natural Pet Foods with a Full Range of Holistic Remedies • Wonderful Gift Items • Knowledgeable Staff with Excellent Service • We Deliver!

$5 OFF grooming with this ad. exp. 4/30/08

2833 Hyperion Ave. Silver Lake • 323.953.8383

Beautiful • Delicious 3337 W. Sunset Blvd. • Silverlake • 323.667.2968 • www.larkcakeshop.com

35 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile. 310-659-3326 or www.adsla.org

APR. 26: ECHO PARK STAIRWAYS A guided tour of the historic and hidden stairways in and around Echo Park. $5, 10 a.m. Elysian Heights Elementary School, 1562 Baxter St., Elysian Heights. 323-860-8874 or www.historicechopark.com

APR. 26: FORGOTTEN L.A. An urban tour of MacArthur Park led by modern day historian Mike the Poet. $15, noon. A+D Museum, 5900 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile. (Location to meet for the tour will be given upon making reservations to attend.) 323-932-9393 or www.aplusd.org

arin Cuisine Authentic Minand the Hear t of Chinatown Zagat rated & the top choice for Chinese-Style dining for nearly 30 years

Free valet parking

913 N. BROADWAY • L. A. • 213.613.1819

APR. 26: LITTLE TOKYO WALKING TOUR Relive history and learn about present-day Little Tokyo in a tour lead by museum docents. $8 members, $13 non-members (includes museum admission), 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. The Japanese American National Museum, 369 E. 1st St., Little Tokyo. 213-6250414 or www.janm.org

by Jean-Paul Sartre, directed by Paul Bowles. $20, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. The Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., East Hollywood. 800-595-4849 or www.hellisjustotherpeople.com

APR. 10-26: ‘L.A. VIEWS’ Stories that leave you questioning your own understanding of the community and all it encompasses. Written by The Playwrights Group at Company of Angels. $20, Thurs.-Fri. at 8 p.m. Alexandra Hotel, 501 S. Spring St., Downtown. 323-883-1717 or www.companyofangels.org

APR. 11-13: ‘LOOSE CHANGE’ AND ‘CHAPTERS’ A double feature of dance performances by Complexions Contemporary Ballet with Loose Change, a solo created by actor Taye Diggs with original music by David Ryan Harris, and the West Coast premiere of Chapters, which is set to the music of Marvin Gaye and tells the story of a group of lifelong friends in New York City. $25-$95, Fri.-Sat. at 7:30 p.m.; Sun.2 p.m. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown. 213-972-0711 or www.musiccenter.org/dance.html

THEATRE/LIVE PERFORMANCE

APR. 25: CHELSEA HANDLER A night of outspoken and dry humor by the comedian, author and actress. $29.50, 7 p.m.

APR. 8: ‘NO EXIT’ A story that exposes the corrupt lives and sudden deaths of three marvelously sinful souls, seductively stylized by abandoned dolls of different eras: Cradeau, the philandering pacifist; Inez, the vociferous vixen; and Estelle, the deceiving damsel. Written

The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-388-1400 or www.livenation.com NA

HUGE OVERSTOCK SALE 30%-50% OFF Selected St yles

Featuring Hawaii's famous Huli-huli chicken plate • Live Hawaiian Music Every Aloha Friday Night at 6pm • HAPPY HOUR from 4-7pm

• No Sales Tax ~ Free Estimates • Free Local Delivery ~ By Appointment Only • Personalized Services in Your Own Home

(Beer and Wine)

• 10% OFF with this ad • Open for Lunch and Dinner, 7 Days a Week 686 N. Spring St. (at Ord) Chinatown 213.626.1678 • www.hawaiianchicken.com

Vamp Shoess & Accessories

28411 Hyperion n Ave.. L.A.. 90027

323-662-1150 0 • www.vampshoeshop.com Mon-Satt 11am-7pm m • Sun n 11am-6pm

WWW.CLAYANDTILE.COM (866) 933-8453

RUN! ROMP! & PLAY DAILY Insured and Bonded

Yvette Millman 323.660.8584 yvettemillman@hotmail.com www.rolloverroverpetservices.com Los Feliz

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 36

Silver Lake

Eagle Rock

Echo Park

Atwater

Hollywood

Lighting up your life… with LIGHT BULBS.

• • • • •

Residential Commercial Industrial Lamp Rewiring and Repair Energy Saving Bulbs

Your one stop shop for all your lighting needs.

Sandy THE LIGHTING GIRL 1727 Vermont #107 L.A.• 323-912-9101 • 323-912-9117 FAX

www.sandythelightinggirl.com • sandyltnggirl@aol.com

WaMu Free Checking

™

No ATM cash withdrawal fees up our sleeves. That’s right, hidden fees just aren’t our thing. With a WaMu Free Checking ™ account, we give you free cash withdrawals from any ATM worldwide. And that’s not all. You also get free checks for life, Free ID Theft Services, free outgoing wire transfers and free low-balance e-mail alerts. All these freebies save you money, and that’s no magic trick. To learn more, stop by your local WaMu, call 1-866-700-0054 or visit wamu.com.

With our WaMu Free Checking account, we don’t nickel and dime, so we don’t charge fees for ATM cash withdrawals or outgoing wire transfers; however, nonrefundable ATM operator fees, fees charged by other banks involved in wire, and currency exchange and foreign transaction fees may apply. WaMu offers one style of checks for free. Ask about other fees applicable to this account. Deposits at Washington Mutual are FDIC insured. See our Free ID Theft Services program materials.

37 ★ APRIL 2008 ★ NEW ANGELES

International Service Since 1970

Professional Aquarium & Pond Service Design • Consultation • Installation • Maintenance Specializing in

• Home - Office - Commercial • Fresh, Saltwater & Reef Aquariums • Koi Ponds & Fountains • Custom Aquariums & Installation • Pond Design & Construction • 24 Emergency Service • Specializing in Reef Aquariums LARGEST SELECTION OF KOI IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

INSURED

818.997.7033

7625 Hayvenhurst Ave. Van Nuys www.CoralReefInc.com

NEW ANGELES ★ APRIL 2008 ★ 38