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AANew Look New Look for the for the

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AROUND TOWN

Dance Festival Coming to El Pueblo Area

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owntown is getting yet another electronic music event, this time at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. The third City Hearts Festival, which was initially held in City West in 2017 (last year’s event was not in Los Angeles) has been scheduled for Nov. 9-10 at Father Serra Park, at 540 N. Los Angeles St., across from Union Station. The lineup includes electronic, techno and house acts such as Doc Martin, wAFF and Patrick Topping. According to organizers, there will also be art installations and an array of food trucks.

The festival is a spinoff of the Desert Hearts Festival. Tickets will go on sale Sept. 9. More information is at deserthearts.us.

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stations had been closed since June 22, as crews worked to replace aging tracks and electric cables. The upgrades for the stations are part of Metro’s $350 million New Blue project, which is modernizing and improving the Blue Line that links Downtown and Long Beach. Work at the two Downtown stations, which serve both the Blue and Expo lines, will allow the lines to more efficiently share tracks when they meet at Flower Street. The portion of the Blue Line between Long Beach and the Rosa Parks/Willowbrook station reopened in June. The entire Blue Line improvements are expected to be complete near the end of September.

Apartment Buildings Set Move-In Dates

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he Downtown housing boom shows no sign of slowing, as one of the most anticipated projects in the Central City is nearly ready to open. Developer MacFarlane Partners has confirmed that move-ins at a pair of Financial District buildings will start next month. The seven-story Trademark DTLA at 437 S. Hill St. will be the first to Expo Line Service open, with tenants taking up residence on Resumes in Downtown Sept. 7. Studios start at $2,080. The 24-story Park Fifth tower at 427 W. Fifth St. bepair of heavily utilized Downtown rail gins move-ins Oct. 1; prices go from $2,440. stations reopened for partial service The properties are adjacent to each other over the weekend. The Seventh Street/Met- on a lot just north of Pershing Square. The I aerioconnect.com Broadband I Voice HDTV were800.900.5788 broke ground in August 2016 and ro Center andI WiFi Pico IStation back in op- buildings eration for Expo Line trains on Saturday, together will add 660 studio to two-bedAug. 28, Metro announced last week. The room apartments. Greystar is the property

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AUGUST 26, 2019

manager for both buildings. More information is at trademarkdtla.com and parkfifthtower.com.

La Plaza Cocina Delayed to Next Year

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esidents have moved in to the housing development La Plaza Village, but a highly anticipated part of the project is lagging behind. According to a representative for La Plaza Village, the opening of La Plaza Cocina, a museum and educational kitchen dedicated to Mexican cuisine, has been pushed back from the fall to spring 2020.

The representative said the delay is due to construction issues. The 2,500-square-foot facility will be part of the 355-apartment project at 555 N. Spring St. It is slated to include a hands-on teaching kitchen, an area for exhibits, and a lineup of programs with experts and guest speakers.

Historic Core Hotel Set for October Opening

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fter many years of delays, it appears as if the Hotel Clark is finally ready to open. Last week, a representative of the Historic Core project said that check-ins are expected to start in mid-October. The 347-room hotel will include a ground-floor lounge as well as a pool, cafe and bar. The 11-story building at 426 S. Hill St. originally was opened by Eli P. Clark in 1914. It has

long been owned by the New York-based Chetrit Group, and there have been numerous anticipated revivals over the years. Last year, it was revealed that hospitality company Journal Hotels would operate the Hotel Clark (as well as the Trinity Hotel at 847 S. Grand Ave., another building owned by the Chetrit Group that has long been shuttered). The Clark is one of several boutique hotels expected to open in Downtown Los Angeles in the fall, including the Hoxton Hotel and the Proper Hotel. More information is at hotelclarkla.com.

Spotlight Program Accepting Applicants

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pplications are now open for Spotlight, the annual arts education and scholarship program created by the Music Center for high school students. Applicants are required to submit a video of themselves singing, dancing, acting or playing a musical instrument. According to the Music Center, $100,000 in scholarships will be awarded, and in addition to grants of up to $5,000, winners will be selected for master classes, and other kinds of feedback and guidance from industry professionals will be dispensed. Entry is free but submissions will be capped at 400 applicants per category. Those selected from the first round will move on to a round where they audition live. The application deadline is Oct. 14. More information is at musiccenter.org/ spotlight.

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DOWNTOWN NEWS 3

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Myths, Math and Austin Beutner With a Strike Behind Him, the LAUSD Superintendent Builds for the Future

By Jon Regardie t’s hard to imagine anyone in Downtown Los Angeles who had a more challenging 15 months than LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner.

In May 2018 a divided school board hired him to helm the district. He was instantly plunged into tense negotiations with

I

THE REGARDIE REPORT the union United Teachers Los Angeles, and in January red-clad educators walked out for six days. During the strike the LAUSD was pilloried and Beutner was subjected to nasty personal attacks at rallies and on the union’s social media platforms.

The teachers came back but nothing got easier. A May election to replace ousted board member Ref Rodriguez — who had supported hiring Beutner, and who was forced to resign over campaign finance shenanigans — brought in Jackie Goldberg, the favorite of UTLA. The following month Los Angeles voters clubbed an effort to raise $500 million a year for local schools. The parcel tax Measure EE needed twothirds approval, but despite heavy lobbying from Mayor Eric Garcetti, Beutner and UTLA, it got only 45% support.

There’s one challenge not mentioned in the above list: providing a high-quality education to 500,000 K-12 students.

That’s because for much of Los Angeles, school politics overwhelms learning.

That reality was on Beutner’s mind last week as students at 1,386 district schools returned to class following summer break. Beutner and I discussed the subject the week before in a conference room in district headquarters on Beaudry Street.

The really wacky thing, he pointed out — without using the word “wacky” — is that despite all the stories that gained traction, the district recorded across-the-board increases in state

English and math tests, and the graduation rate rose. Meanwhile, suspensions and chronic absenteeism fell.

The statistical shifts were mostly small, and Beutner acknowledges that 56% of district students are not at state grade level in reading, and 67% are below the line in math.

Still the numbers turned in the right direction for the first time in forever. That hasn’t yielded headlines.

“Maybe because we live in a town of storytellers the conflict is more interesting than progress, or collaboration is less interesting than conflict,” he said. Pointing to a sizable but little-discussed reduction in healthcare spending since he took over, Beutner added, “Look at just the progress we made in reducing the cost of providing healthcare, saving almost $100 million. That’s real money. But there was not a story written because it’s not conflict. A cage match is far more interesting.”

Money Matters When Beutner spoke to about 2,000 school principals and other administrators on Aug. 15 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, he had a theme: myths of the LAUSD. He rolled out several. Some were shocking enough to make an adult choke on a box of milk, such as the one about the LAUSD’s “bloated bureaucracy.” Beutner said that rather than profligate spending, 97% of every dollar in the district budget now goes to schools. He even had a nifty graphic showing that just 3% is spent on “Central” administration.

A more problematic myth also concerns money, specifically, Beutner said, the idea that the LAUSD has plenty of it.

Things get tricky here, because during the strike UTLA repeatedly charged the district was pulling a Scrooge McDuck and hoarding the cash that could cover teachers raises. Okay, no one actually referenced McDuck, but the hoarding assertion

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Austin Beutner in May 2018, shortly after he was named superintendent of the school district that has 500,000 K-12 students. The new academic year began last week, and as it did, Beutner touted advances in test scores and the high school graduation rate.

was widespread — if people believe the district has a secret fat bankroll, the union is partly culpable.

In fact, Beutner has been warning of a fiscal calamity since he took over. The district, he says, spends about $500 million a year more than it takes in (the vast majority of funds come from the state), and if the situation is not rectified, the LAUSD could become insolvent in a few years. Hence that big swing for Measure EE. L.A. Unified, he said, spends about $16,000 per student per year. That sounds impressive, but Beutner said New York City Continued on page 11

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AUGUST 26, 2019

TAKE MY PICTURE GARY LEONARD

Skid Row Homelessness and A New Sense of Urgency

T

he situation on the streets of Skid Row is getting worse, precisely when it should be improving. That reality prompts a difficult question: Do people, including elected officials, have the appropriate sense of urgency regarding the humanitarian crisis and the public health emergency that is spreading across the streets of Downtown Los Angeles?

Sadly, the urgency appears to be lacking.

We’re not saying that people don’t care about homelessness. They do. Voters have twice passed measures to tax themselves to help those on the streets. Angry demands for action were heard in early June when the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported that there had been a 16% increase in homelessness in the city in a one-year period, and a 12% rise in L.A. County. Everyone is frustrated by the spread of tent encampments.

But since that LAHSA report came out, attention has waned. Many people have more or less accepted the numbers and turned their focus elsewhere.

On July 29, LAHSA detailed homelessness counts in specific communities, including Skid Row. The results should spark a new wave of anger, along with louder-than-ever calls for an immediate, radical, top-down response.

The Skid Row report reveals a litany of alarming facts and data points. These include: the number of homeless individuals in the impoverished community spiked 11% in a year to 4,757; the number of unsheltered people surged from 2,145 to 2,783; the number of homeless veterans in Skid Row grew 35% to 471; the count of homeless children under 18 rose 20%, from 309 to 370 (with 83 unsheltered).

Then there’s a figure that seems to speak directly to the shortcomings of the regional response: The number of chronically homeless individuals, the term for people who have been on the streets for more than a year, is also spiking. In 2018 LAHSA counted 1,229 chronically homeless people in Skid Row, including 955 living unsheltered. The 2019 tally puts the total figure at 1,797, with 1,424 unsheltered.

As G. Michael Arnold, president and CEO of the Midnight Mission, said in a recent Downtown News article, this is particularly troubling because much of the city and county’s efforts on the issue have focused on getting chronically homeless people off the streets. This should be where progress is being made, not where numbers have soared by nearly 50%.

Homelessness is a travesty everywhere, but nowhere in L.A. are conditions worse than they are in Skid Row. In addition to the filth, the tent fires and the cases of typhus, there are the drug dealers who prey on the addicts residing in the neighborhood. The many people who want to escape Skid Row can find it nearly impossible to do so.

We don’t doubt the intentions of those who handle the purse strings when it comes to addressing homelessness, but the LAHSA community report screams for an immediate need to pivot on the approach when it comes to this neighborhood. The people of Skid Row deserve better.

Los Angeles needs to operate with a new sense of urgency.

Los Angeles Downtown News 1264 W. First Street Los Angeles, CA 90026 213-481-1448 realpeople@downtownnews.com

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COMMENTS

Regarding the guest opinion piece “When it Comes to Homelessness, We Must Do More and We Must Do it Now,” by Rev. Andy Bales and G. Michael Arnold How can the Downtown News publish such disingenuous rhetoric which is nothing more than self-interest propaganda attempting to justify that more funding be directed and/ or redirected toward shelters from two of the leading shelter providers in Skid Row? What’s troubling is that these individuals start their “promotional op-ed” by framing their narrative as if the City is only focusing on permanent supportive housing. Anyone with a pulse can easily attest that more attention has been paid to shelters in the form of bridge housing. Proposition HHH funding has been wasted on temporary shelters when long-term housing is the obvious solution to significantly address such a large number of homeless individuals and families. To waste nearly all of $1.2 billion and to have nothing to show for it is a complete travesty and arguably the worst political effort of our lifetime!

—General Jeff Page Regarding the editorial “Metro Charter Elementary School, 2013-2019” Other nearby schools include Betty Plasencia Magnet School, Solano Elementary, 32nd Street Elementary that is affiliated with USC, Ann Street Elementary, Elysian Heights Elementary, Union Elementary and Utah

EDITOR: Jon Regardie STAFF WRITERS: Nicholas Slayton, Sean P. Thomas CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Tom Fassbender, Jeff Favre

August 21, 2019

Street Elementary. Yes, I’m a LAUSD teacher. I teach in the neighborhood and I live in Chinatown. Parent should get as much information as possible about the neighborhood school zones they are moving into.

Parents need to take the time and visit campuses, and talk to principals, other parents and students — not just go to websites.

I have nothing against parents who want to send their students to charter schools, private schools or home school them. Parents should do what they feel is best for their kids. I just hope parents have all the relevant information to make those crucial decisions.

—Gregory J. Amani Smith Regarding the results of “The Best of Downtown: Shopping,” which included readers voting on the Best Downtown Supermarket Who is recommending Target over Ralph’s as the best grocery store???

—reader identified as “Ninja Spy”

Hey You! Speak Up! Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like, or dislike, a story or editorial, let us know. Or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community.

Participation is easy. Post a comment online at the bottom of any story, or go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, email regardie@downtownnews.com.

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AUGUST 26, 2019

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DOWNTOWN NEWS 5

The Music Center Plaza Goes Modern Bunker Hill Space Long Dismissed for Its ‘Fortress’ Design Takes a More Active Turn Following a $41 Million Renovation

By Sean P. Thomas or more than five decades, the Music Center Plaza on Bunker Hill has served nearly exclusively as an entryway to catch a classical concert, a ballet, an opera or a theatrical performance. There have been exceptions, from serving as a red carpet destination when the Oscars were held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, to a place for hundreds to try out moves during an al fresco Dance Downtown event, but after the crowds visited, it usually reclaimed its role as a large space that was largely devoid of life.

Located at 135 N. Grand Ave., the Music Center has been widely criticized for a “fortress” design that fails to connect physically and visually with the surrounding community, particularly Grand Avenue. Although people flock to the Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, many visitors drive in, park underground, see a show and then drive away without ever leaving the campus.

Now, after decades of talk, there has finally been a sizable effort to change that behavior.

On Wednesday, Aug. 28, Music Center leaders will unveil a $41 million overhaul of the Music Center Plaza, the expanse between the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Mark Taper Forum.

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Music Center President and CEO Rachel Moore and Bob Hale, creative director of design firm Rios Clementi Hale, stand at the revamped Grand Avenue entrance to Music Center Plaza. A $41 million renovation was just completed and a formal opening event takes place on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

photo by Gary Leonard

“The world has changed and how we use space has changed,” Rachel Moore, president and CEO of the Music Center, told Los Angeles Downtown News during a visit to the renovated site last week. “So we have just made it more relevant to today. It’s not that the

past was bad.”

Rios Clementi Hale Studios (the firm’s work includes Grand Park) designed the project, and greater interactivity with the neighborhood was a goal from the start — the work included widening the stairway at the Grand

LOS ANGELES ATHLETIC CLUB MEETING AND EVENT SPACE CO N TAC T N I RA.F I S H E R@L AAC.N E T

Avenue entrance. Additionally, those who drive in can no longer park and pop right up into the plaza. Instead, they are ushered out onto Grand Avenue, and reach the performing arts venues either by ascending the renoContinued on page 6

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6 DOWNTOWN NEWS

MUSIC CENTER, 5 vated staircase or riding the escalators.

“There is now really just one front door when it comes to the whole plaza,” said design firm Creative Director Bob Hale.

Longtime Vision The project has been decades in the making. According to Howard Sherman, vice president and chief operating office of the Music Center, the idea of an overhaul took root in 2001, in part because the Music Center’s subterranean garage was leaking. Al-

Paying for the Plaza

By Sean P. Thomas hen the Music Center opened in 1964, private donations covered the bulk of the cost, with county government making up the rest. For the $41 million renovation, it was the opposite, with the County Board of Supervisors in 2017 authorizing $30 million for the project. The Music Center was on the line to raise the remaining $11 million for construction, and an additional $5 million to cover the cost of future free and low-cost public programming and events.

According to Music Center President and CEO Rachel Moore, the construction fundraising began in earnest after the Music Center received the go-ahead from the county.

“Once the county committed, then we could actually go to donors,” Moore said.

“Until we knew that there was actually going to be a project, there was no point.”

Music Center officials would not reveal specific amounts, but donors who gave at least $1 million include: Robert J. Ab-

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ernethy, vice chair of the board of directors — the Plaza’s new full-service restaurant is called Abernethy’s; Merle and Peter Mullin, who had a wine bar on the site named for them; and the Ring-Miscikowski Foundation.

A donation in the $500,000-$1 million range came from Lisa Specht, chair of the Music Center board of directors. Her name can now be found on the Plaza’s new Lisa Specht Welcome Center near Hope Street.

The Ahmanson Foundation, the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and the Rose Hills Foundation also were significant donors.

Moore said her philosophy in fundraising was to find the Venn diagram between what the Music Centers needs, and the values of donors. She said people came together around the idea of community engagement.

As of Aug. 19, Moore said that $3.3 million for programming had been raised, with about $1.7 million left to go.

—Sean P. Thomas

though upgrades then would have capitalized on the construction of two key Grand Avenue projects — Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels — the plan stalled.

Talk continued, and in December 2017 the County Board of Supervisors finally green-lighted plans for a renovation, and pledged to provide $30 million. The Music Center agreed to raise the remaining $11 million through donations, and secure an additional $5 million for programming.

“It started as an opportunity to fix a real aging issue and turned into an incredible opportunity to create a new space, very different from how spaces were created in 1964,” Sherman said.

Sherman’s comment harkens back to the original project, which itself was the result of a nine-year fundraising effort spearheaded

by Dorothy Buffum Chandler, a department store heiress who married Norman Chandler, from the family that owned the Los Angeles Times.

By 1959, Chandler had raised nearly $20 million of the $33.5 million construction cost. The county agreed to provide the land and cover the rest. The Music Center broke ground in 1962 and opened two years later.

Dan Rosenfeld, a real estate veteran with experience in the public and private sectors, said that there was a strong drive in the mid-1900s from civic leaders and families like the Chandlers to showcase Los Angeles on a global scale.

“We had no skyline and we had no cultural center,” Rosenfeld said. “I think the Music Cen-

AUGUST 26, 2019

ter was another statement announcing that Los Angeles has arrived. The Music Center was really our coming out.”

Yet that mid-century push for a cultural symbol also led to much of the criticism lobbed at the Music Center, according to Eric Haas, a professor at USC and an expert in architecture and urban history. He said that at the time of its development, designers were not building spaces with pedestrians in mind.

He added that the Music Center was built in a way that recalled the Acropolis in Athens, overlooking the rest of Downtown Los Angeles from Bunker Hill. In the era of the Music Center’s design, he said, access for motor vehicles took precedence.

“One thing that is important to keep in mind is that the role of the pedestrian was not central to the way that cities worked,” Haas said of the era.

Doubling Capacity The project, which took 20 months, concentrated on making the central area between the two cultural venues flat and more welcoming. The Jacques Lipchitz “Peace on Earth” sculpture was moved from the middle of the plaza to near the valet dropoff on Hope Street. Replacing the statue with a water feature that can be turned off during events allowed the Music Center Plaza to double its capacity from 2,500 to 5,000 people.

New landscaped vistas allow visitors to sit and look out over Grand Avenue and City Hall, and the plaza is now dotted with 20 shade-providing Australian willow trees.

Additionally, five buildings were constructed, including a welcome center and perma-

LOCAL JOURNALISM MATTERS

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scale

For more information or to make a donation, contact the L.A. Downtown News office at (213) 481-1448 or realpeople@downtown.com.

AUGUST 26, 2019

A Weekend Celebration

O

n Wednesday, Aug. 28, the Music Center will celebrate the completion of the $41 million, 20-month renovation of the Music Center Plaza. The festivities continue throughout Labor Day weekend with a quartet of free community events. Here’s the lineup: Go Get Em Tiger and The Mullin Wine Bar: Grand Openings Thursday, 4-7 p.m.

The Plaza renovation includes three new food and beverage locations. The opening of the Go Get Em Tiger cafe and the Mullin Wine Bar includes music, games and a slew of unannounced “special treats” for attendees.

Dance DTLA Friday, 7 p.m.-midnight.

Construction on the plaza forced the Music Center to move its popular Dance DTLA series to Grand Park. This week, the al fresco series returns home. It’s all about

DOWNTOWN NEWS 7

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cumbia, and there will be music and free lessons.

Plaza for All Celebration/Los Angeles Master Chorale’s Big Sing 2019 Saturday, 4-7:30 p.m.

The free happening starts at Grand Park at 4 p.m., and there will be a procession to the reworked plaza an hour later, followed by various performances. The Big Sing 2019, a massive annual sing-a-long organized by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, starts at 6 p.m. LAMC Artistic Director Grant Gershon will lead the event.

Splish Splash Plaza Bash Sunday, noon- 6 p.m.

The Music Center Plaza hosts a free party with games, activities, food and the opportunity to play in a new fountain. There will be food offerings, and the plaza’s new LED screens will broadcast a Dodgers game during the event.

—Sean P. Thomas

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ence a wider sampling of the arts.

Moore said a goal is to draw people to the Music Center Plaza through a consistent, diverse slate of events and programming (see sidebar). This includes a lineup of activities throughout the opening weekend.

Moore said a goal in the future is to bring in a wider spectrum of artists, and to build upon the partnership that the Plaza can have with Grand Park, creating one of the largest open spaces in Downtown Los Angeles.

“The notion is one of building a community where we are deepening the cultural life, along with our partners on the corridor, so we’re all collectively working together,” Moore said.

Sherman added that while there is a focus on programming, there is also an aim to allow the plaza to operate as an organic open public space.

“We want there to be surprises, we want you to come and interact with the screens and create art in ways you didn’t know, but we also want you to come and just hang out,” Sherman said. “It’s a real balancing act, I think.” sean@downtownnews.com

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There are a trio of new food and beverage spaces: Mullin wine bar, the sit-down restaurant Abernethy’s and a cafe operated

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Additionally, there are two large LED screens equipped with cameras and sensors near Hope Street. The overall goal is to make the Music Center Plaza a destination for more than just people taking in a performance.

“This was really not much of a place before,” Hale said. “It was a foyer to all these great facilities. It was a beautiful foyer, but it wasn’t a place that you would just come to on its own.”

The revitalized plaza fits into a changing Grand Avenue that includes the cathedral, Disney Hall, Grand Park, The Broad, MOCA and the Colburn School. Next up is the $1 billion The Grand, a mixed-use complex under construction at the southeast corner of Grand Avenue and First Street.

County Supervisor Hilda Solis, whose First District includes the Music Center, said the reworked plaza will prompt visitors to experi-

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8 DOWNTOWN NEWS

AUGUST 26, 2019

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Items on display at FIDM’s annual show of TV costumes include outfits from “Game of Thrones” (top center), initial sketches for a variety of series (bottom) and outfits from “Good Omens” (opposite page).

photos by Alex J. Berliner

CALENDAR

The Clothes That Make The Shows FIDM ‘Art of Television Costume Design’ Exhibit Bounces From Period Dramas to Reality TV

By Nicholas Slayton here’s a lot of talk about “peak TV” these days, what with the copious network, cable and streaming dramas and sitcoms, period miniseries, and big-budget fantasy, science-fiction and superhero epics.

All of that means more shows, and with it, more opportunities for costume designers to show off their skills and weave intricate outfits. Scores of those efforts are on display at the 13th edition of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising’s Art of Television Costume

UPCOMING

T

Design exhibition.

The exhibit, which opened at the FIDM Museum last week, runs through Oct. 26 and includes more than 100 costumes from 23 shows. They range from the ABC sitcom “Black-ish” to HBO’s political comedy “Veep” to “Fosse/Verdon,” the FX offering based on the life of a famous choreographer and dancer.

Also on display are selections from shows nominated for costume design at the 71st Emmy Awards.

Barbara Bundy, director of the FIDM Museum, said that costuming is not something people usually consider when it comes to storytelling in television, but is an essential part of the medium.

Steve Aoki

with Howie Mandel

Emma Donoghue

discussing his memoir,

Blue: The Color of Noise

SEP 4 Aratani Theatre,

discussing her novel, Akin

Downtown LA

SEP 10 William Turner Gallery, Santa Monica

Walter Mosley TICKETS/INFO:

www.livetalksla.org

with Viet Thanh Nguyen discussing his book on writing,

Elements of Fiction

SEP 5 Museum of Tolerance

Randall Munroe with Kyle Hill How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems

SEP 12 Aratani Theatre, Downtown LA

A series of on-stage conversations featuring writers, actors, musicians, humorists, artists, chefs, scientists and thought leaders in business.

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“When [costume designers] do a good job, you don’t even realize it. If they don’t capture the character, you know there’s a disconnect somewhere,” Bundy said during a recent tour of the exhibit. “A costume designer must work with the set designer, the cinematographer and the actors to get things right.

Things photograph differently and the colors change on screen.”

The exhibition fills four rooms, which are loosely organized around themes of period setting or fantasy.

Putting everything together takes time, Bundy said.

It starts with a FIDM team that selects what shows they hope to feature.

Then the work shifts to tracking down the outfits.

Bundy pointed out that this has changed in recent years. On one hand, she said, studios and production companies do not hold onto items as tightly as they once did, so the FIDM staff needs to track down costumes before they are privately sold.

On the other hand, the rise of streaming programs and limited series means there are many more shows with interesting costumes. That expands the roster of items to display.

One consistent focus is highlighting award-worthy creations. In the past, the exhibition usually had costumes from about five Emmy-nominated shows, according to Nick Verreos, chair of FIDM’s fashion design department.

This year, however, the exhibition features works from 10 nominated shows, including outfits from FIDM alumni Alix Friedberg and Marina Toybina for “Sharp Objects” and “The Masked Singer,” respectively.

Game of Clothes Not surprisingly, a highlight this year is outfits from “Game of Thrones.” The HBO series that erupted as a cultural phenomenon wrapped in the spring.

The FIDM display features five outfits, displayed on mannequins, created by Michele Clapton. They include armor worn by Brienne of Tarth and Arya Stark, dresses for Cersei Lannister and Sansa Stark, and a winter coat donned by Daenerys Targaryen.

Verreos said the pieces on display do more than just

Quantum

SEP 18 El Portal Theater,

Chef Ray Garcia is looking to build on the success of Broken Spanish and the former BS Taqueria with a new Downtown restaurant. Located in the Financial District, the space, scheduled to open in the fall, will be called Trademark, and will mark a return to Garcia’s seasonal California cuisine roots. Restaurateur Beau Laughlin, who was behind Atrium in Los Feliz, along with Sawyer and Kettle Black in Silver Lake, is also in the mix; it’s the first partnership between Laughlin and Garcia. “There will be elements of both of our known styles but there will also be a clear progression in our work,” Garcia said in a prepared statement. “Some of which is comforting and familiar, some unexpected.” Trademark will be on the ground level of an office building at Wilshire and Figueroa, and according to a press release the space will have vaulted ceilings with large chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows. The space will seat 80. Trademark will start with dinner service before extending hours for lunch.

Coming to 915 Wilshire Blvd. or trademarkla.com.

Got any juice food news? If so, contact Restaurant Buzz at sean@downtownnews.com.

OCT 2 Zipper Concert Hall, Downtown LA

SEP 25 Writers Guild

North Hollywood

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The Conservative Sensibility

with Ted Sarandos Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection

discussing her novel,

By Sean P. Thomas ames and Booze: Get ready for another Downtown drinking spot. Cedd Moses’ Pouring With Heart (formerly 213 Hospitality), which operates nearly a dozen Downtown Los Angeles bars, is working to open a subterranean space on Seventh Street. According to documents filed with the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, Pouring With Heart intends to create an arcade-oriented bar in the basement of a four-story building at 515 Seventh St.; the building holds Pouring With Heart’s third-floor office and its second-floor cocktail bar Seven Grand. The 3,090-square-foot bar will have 19 arcade games, including skeeball and pinball; there will also be pool tables and live entertainment. The entrance to the basement will be in an alley adjacent to the property, and patrons will walk down a staircase into the bar. No timeline has been revealed.

Coming to 515 W. Seventh St.

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discussing his Longmire novel,

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SEP 23 Writers Guild Theatre, Beverly Hills

Bob Iger

with Brian Grazer The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

OCT 1 Alex Theatre, Glendale

PODCASTS: livetalksla.org/podcasts VIDEOS: livetalksla.org/video

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Debbie Harry & Chris Stein with Rob Roth

discussing her memoir,

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OCT 4 Aratani Theatre, Downtown LA

UPCOMING

Patricia Cornwell

make a visual impression — they also reflect a character’s attitude and growth.

“For Sansa, the wardrobe tells her evolution from frightened girl to monarch,” Verreos said, pointing to the dress actress Sophie Turner wore at the end of the show. “A designer’s job is to help guide the narrative and help tell the story through wardrobe. Michele Clapton gives you clues inside the piece.”

Art of Television Costume Design also features sketches and notes from some designers, allowing viewers to see how initial visions compare to a finished product. That is apparent in displays for Amazon’s “The Man in the High Castle” and Hulu’s “Future Man.” Other attention grabbers at FIDM include elaborate and ornate selections from the unexpected FOX musical hit “The Masked Singer,” among them a multi-piece golden lion mask, and a bejeweled bee-themed mask. Additionally, there is a fairy-winged dress from Netflix’s “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

Verreos said that while the exhibition is open to the public, it offers an educational experience for FIDM students, as teachers bring them down to examine the outfits.

Still, Bundy said that the exhibit is designed for a general audience. She takes pleasure in seeing fans of the shows experience what they watch on TV in a new way.

“I always get a kick out of when people bring their partners and significant others, and then they realize there’s a show here they love,” Verreos said. “They get into it. If we can get beyond ‘it’s just clothing and fashion,’ the clothing helps shape who the character is.”

The FIDM staff also hopes that the costumes can introduce visitors to new programs. People might be drawn to an outfit and then check out what it’s from, Bundy said.

Verreos said that he personally had been unfamiliar with “The Man in the High Castle” until he saw the costumes — riffs on 1960s fashion by way of two decades of fascist rule. He was intrigued and started watching the show.

The Art of Television Costume Design runs through Oct. 26 at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, 919 S. Grand Ave. or fidmmuseum.org. nicholas@downtownnews.com

See all the events on our exciting Fall 2019 schedule at livetalksla.org

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s s e i h T M 'n t ist o L D

by Sean P. Thomas

EVENTS

Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western classic Once Upon a Time in The West is getting the 35mm treatment at The Regent this week. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, Downtowners will have the chance to enjoy the influential 1968 work that stars Henry Fonda in a rare villainous role, and Charles Bronson as the protagonist Har- Club’s three-screening stint at The Regent (the two final films were anmonica. Composer Ennio Morricone’s score is equally nounced after press time). Doors are at 7 p.m. and the movie begins at 8 haunting. The screening is part of the Secret Movie p.m. At 448 S. Main St., (323) 284-5727 or spacelandpresents.com. photo by Juliana Giraffe

THURSDAY, AUG. 29 Creativity & Copyright: Legal Essentials for Screenwriters & Creative Artists Last Bookstore, 453 S. Spring St., (213) 488-0599 or lastbookstorela.com.

7:30 p.m.: Authors John L. Geiger and Howard Suber discuss their new book, a guide for news writers on managing real-world issues and legalese.

FRIDAY, AUG. 30 Dance DTLA Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave. or musiccenter.org 7 p.m.: As part of the celebration of the reopening of the Music Center Plaza, there’s a dance lesson and party. The series moves from Grand Park for a night of cumbia moves.

SATURDAY, AUG. 31 Plaza for All Celebration Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave. or musiccenter.org 4 p.m.: It’s a free community party at the Music Center Plaza, with dancing, arts and crafts and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28 Music Center Splish Splash Plaza Bash Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave. or musiccenter.org 12 p.m.: Continue the Labor Day weekend fun at the Music Center Plaza with a lineup of games and arts and crafts.

AUGUST 26, 2019 image courtesy The Regent

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The songs “Red Red Wine” and “The Way You Do the Things You Do” are just two of the many reasons to love the English pop reggae band UB40. Sure, the glory came in the 1980s, but the group is still going, and all five original members will show up for a concert at The Novo on Sunday, Sept. 1. The aforementioned hits will be on the rotation, as will “Kingston Town” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” The music starts flowing at 8 p.m. Fun fact: The UB in UB40 stands for unemployment benefits. Now you know. At 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 765-7000 or thenovodtla.com. photo courtesy UB40

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MORE LISTINGS

Hundreds of listings of fun and interesting things to do in Downtown Los Angeles can also be found online at ladowntownnews. com/calendar: Rock, Pop & Jazz; Bars & Clubs; Farmers Markets; Events; Film; Sports; Art Spaces; Theater, Dance and Opera; Classical Music; Museums; and Tours.

Apparently comedian-turned-musician Tim Heidecker’s band is pretty good. How do you know? It’s in the name. Tim Heidecker and His Very Good Band visit the Moroccan Lounge on Tuesday, Aug. 27. In case you’re unfamiliar, he’s half of the abstract comedy duo Tim and Eric, and during his visit to the Arts District club Heidecker will play selections from his group’s latest album, What the Brokenhearted Do. It’s a collection of somber pieces that make you question whether everything in Heidecker’s world is going alright. Prepare for the tracks “Ballad of The Incel Man” and “Q,” a reference to conspiracy theorist movement Q Anon. The show starts at 8 p.m. At 901 E. First St. or themoroccan.com.

photo courtesy The Dream Orchestra

Twenty-one years after Terry Gilliam’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas came out, it remains unclear whether or not the film is one of the best PSAs against using psychedelic drugs, or one of the best advertisements for taking them. Whichever side of the debate you fall on, enjoy a screening of the film at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 29. The 1998 work is an adaption of journalist Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name and follows Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) during a drug-fueled romp to Sin City. In traditional Thompson fashion, insanity ensues. In traditional Gilliam fashion, so does intense weirdness. Doors open at 7 p.m. At 929 S. Broadway, (213) 235-9614 or theatre.acehotel.com.

As summer winds down, this is also the final week to check out one of the year’s best museum exhibits in Downtown Los Angeles. The Broad’s Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, 1963-1983 wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 1. The exhibit explores black artists working during the height of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Located in the museum’s first floor gallery, the show features the creations of more than 60 artists working across a spectrum of disciplines; participants include Noah Purifoy, William T. Williams, Betye Saar, Barkley L. Hendricks (his “Superman Never Saved Any Black People” is shown here) and Charles White, among others. If you can’t reserve a ticket online, show up and wait — it’s worth it. At 221 S. Grand Ave., (213) 232-6200 or thebroad.org.

Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to calendar@downtownnews.com.

image courtesy The Theatre at Ace Hotel

10 DOWNTOWN NEWS

AUGUST 26, 2019

LAUSD, 3 drops $29,000 annually per pupil. More local money would mean smaller class sizes, more counselors and a path to improved academic performance.

“You can’t cut your way to make 16 [into] 29, and you can’t repackage your way to make 16 [into] 29,” he told me in the conference room. “There’s no math that does that.

That’s the existential challenge that we as a community need to face up to.”

A moment later he added, “We think it’s somehow adequate. It’s not. There’s just no conception of adequacy.”

He said another school-funding ballot measure could appear in 2020. Whether it’s a local or state initiative remains to be seen.

Politics and Charity Beutner is a product of public education.

He attended Michigan public schools as a child, and his mom was a public school teacher.

He’s come a long way, and if his last 15 months have been challenging, then his past decade has been astounding.

Beutner arrived on the L.A. scene in 2010 as First Deputy Mayor under Antonio Villaraigosa, and the year he spent in the post was the smoothest of AnVil’s tenure (Beutner, who had a made a fortune in the New York financial services world, took a dollar a year for the gig). He left, briefly ran for mayor,

dropped out and later chaired the 2020 Commission, a civic panel that authored a pair of hard-hitting reports with recommendations on how to make the city and government function better. Not surprisingly, elected officials buried the papers.

He served a year as publisher of the Los Angeles Times, and though locals praised his moves to boost quality, Beutner was fired after refusing to kowtow to the paper’s then-Chicago overlords. He also started a charity, Vision to Learn, that has provided free eyeglasses to more than 180,000 low-income children across the country.

The charity is how he met Michelle King shortly after she was appointed LAUSD Superintendent in 2016. He became an advisor to her, part of a group offering suggestions on ways to improve the district.

It’s a path many have forgotten — when Beutner began working with King, people assumed she’d be there for years. Tragically, she became sick and left her post in September 2017. She died of cancer the following February.

“When she became ill I guess I knew enough to say maybe I can help,” Beutner recalled. “I didn’t set out on this path.”

The unlikely road to the superintendent’s office, combined with his private-sector past, had detractors charging that Beutner arrived with an agenda to cudgel traditional public schools and turn LAUSD institutions en masse into charter schools — that hasn’t

DT

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Power to Sell Tax-Defaulted Property in and for the County of Los Angeles (County), State of California, to various newspapers of general circulation published in the County. A portion of the list appears in each of such newspapers.

I, Keith Knox, County of Los Angeles Acting Treasurer and Tax Collector, State of California, certify that:

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR Notice of Divided Publication NOTICE OF DIVIDED PUBLICATION OF THE PROPERTY TAX-DEFAULT LIST (DELINQUENT LIST) Made pursuant to Section 3371, Revenue and Taxation Code Pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code Sections 3381 through 3385, the County of Los Angeles Treasurer and Tax Collector is publishing in divided distribution, the Notice of

DOWNTOWN NEWS 11

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Notice is given that by operation of law at 12:01 a.m.

Pacific Time, on July 1, 2017, I hereby declared the real properties listed below tax defaulted. The declaration of default was due to non-payment of the total amount due for the taxes, assessments, and other charges levied in tax year 2016-17 that were a lien on the listed real property.

Nonresidential commercial property and property upon which there is a recorded nuisance abatement lien shall be Subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell after three years of defaulted taxes. Therefore, if the 201617 taxes remain defaulted after June 30, 2020, the property will become Subject to the Tax Collector’s Power

to Sell and eligible for sale at the County’s public auction in 2021. All other property that has defaulted taxes after June 30, 2022, will become Subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell and eligible for sale at the County’s public auction in 2023. The list contains the name of the assessee and the total tax, which was due on June 30, 2017, for tax year 2016-17, opposite the parcel number.

Payments to redeem tax-defaulted real property shall include all amounts for unpaid taxes and assessments, together with the additional penalties and fees as prescribed by law, or paid under an installment plan of redemption if initiated prior to the property becoming Subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell.

Please direct requests for information concerning redemption of tax-defaulted property to Keith Knox, Acting Treasurer and Tax Collector, at 225 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, 1(888) 807-2111 or 1(213) 9742111.

I certify under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed at Los Angeles, California, on August 8, 2019.

KEITH KNOX ACTING TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES STATE OF CALIFORNIA Assessees/taxpayers, who have disposed of real property after January 1, 2016, may find their names listed because the Office of the Assessor has not yet updated the assessment roll to reflect the change in ownership.

happened. Other suspicions, including that he would undertake a massive reorganization of the district, have also not occurred.

That builds into another myth Beutner cited: The path forward, he said, doesn’t require a dramatic reweaving of 60,000 district employees and 70,000 classes. Rather, it’s something far simpler: Ensuring that individual schools are at the “center” of every effort to improve education, and that as much as possible, key decisions happen not at headquarters, but in schools with empowered principals and in local communities.

The approach doesn’t seem like just a sound bite. If I had a quarter for every time Beutner used the word “center” during our 45-minute talk, then I’d have $4.

It’s less disruption, Beutner said, and more stability.

“I think I have a pretty good understanding, and I think the people here do, of what works: an experienced school leader with the budget they need,” he said. “A high-quality teacher in the classroom, colleagues to help support the social-emotional needs of the child. It’s not a secret.”

The first-year educational advances provide a base on which to build, but ultimately Beutner will be judged by what significant changes he can effect in a district where the majority of students are not at grade level in reading or math. The challenges are immense — according to the district, the families of 78% of students are classified as

ASSESSOR’S IDENTIFICATION NUMBERING SYSTEM EXPLANATION The Assessor’s Identification Number, when used to describe property in this list, refers to the Assessor ’s map book, the map page, the block on the map (if applicable), and the individual parcel on the map page or in the block. The Assessor’s maps and further explanation of the parcel numbering system are available at the Office of the Assessor.

The following property tax defaulted on July 1, 2017, for the taxes, assessments, and other charges for the Tax Year 2016-17: LISTED BELOW ARE P R O P E R T I E S T H AT DEFAULTED IN 2016 FOR TAXES, ASSESSMENTS AND 0THER CHARGES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2015-1016. AMOUNT OF DELINQUENCY AS OF T H I S P U B L I C AT I O N I S LISTED BELOW. B R A H N A P R O P E RT I E S LLC SITUS 4855 SANTA M O N I C A B LV D L O S ANGELES CA 90029-2654 5540-026-018/S2014-010 $58,653.96 CLARK, CHARLES A AND SARA TRS CLARK TRUST SITUS 917 N SERRANO AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-3205 5535-023-010 $153.57 FEO ENTERPRISES L P S I T U S 4 9 2 1 S A N TA M O N I C A B LV D L O S ANGELES CA 90029-2537 5540-028-009 $16,856.65 G O N Z A L E Z , PA M E L A SITUS 5450 MONROE ST LOS ANGELES CA 900384062 5535-013-002/S2014010 $1,324.16 GUTIERREZ, SONNIA P TR GUTIERREZ FAMILY TRUST SITUS 4419 BURNS AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2702 5539-009-018

$28,150.13 KARAT, LUCIA C SITUS 926 N EDGEMONT ST LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2532 5538-018-015 $3,521.39 SHIN, EUN HWA SITUS 943 N HELIOTROPE DR LOS ANGELES CA 90029-2523 5538-018-001/S2015-020 $9,681.63 CN963406 553 Aug 26, Sep 2,9, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO. 2019 220654 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: (1) LAXL TECHNOLOGIES, 645 W. 9TH STREET, UNIT 110-141, LOS ANGELES, CA 90015 LA COUNTY are hereby registered by the following registrants: LAXL LLC, 645 W. 9TH STREET, UNIT 110-141, LOS ANGELES, CA 90015.

This business is conducted by a Limited Liability Company.

Registrant(s) started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: N/A This statement was filed with DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on August 13, 2019.

NOTICE—This fictitious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk.

A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or common law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).

Pub. 8/26, 9/2, 9/9 and 9/16.

low-income, and 47% of kids who enter kindergarten change schools by fifth grade, a hurdle to creating a stable learning environment. Only 12% of the students who start ninth grade graduate from college.

Beutner was neither the obvious nor the safe choice to head the district, but that may be what best prepares him for success. In his decade in the L.A. spotlight he has established a track record as a forward-thinking leader who is unafraid to kick against the status quo if it prohibits progress. That mindset can pave the way to dramatic achievements, such as Vision to Learn, which literally has given nearly 200,000 children a tool to succeed. But the approach can also lead to conflict with an entity that isn’t really ready for the kind of change and performance demands that Beutner brings — just think of the clash with the old L.A. Times regime.

I asked Beutner how being superintendent stacks up to everything he has done.

“Maybe the greatest challenge and the greatest opportunity,” he answered. “It’s certainly the toughest challenge.”

A moment later he added, “It is the biggest opportunity of anything I’ve worked on in my life. I think some of the experiences I have are relevant, and if I do nothing else other than raise awareness in our community of the importance of public education, that will be progress, because we’re not there yet.” regardie@downtownnews.com

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT ORIGINAL FBN NO.: 2018239190 ORIGINAL FILING DATE: 9/20/2018 STATEMENT EXPIRES ON: 9/20/2023 BEGAN TRANSACTING: 9/20/2018 THIS BUSINESS WAS CONDUCTED BY: A CORPORATION The following person(s) has (have) abandoned the use of the Fictitious Business Name(s) Source Cannabis Farms, 350 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90037 Los Angeles County Registrant Owner(s): New Age Compassion Care Center Inc. 350 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90037 I declare that all information

in this statement is true and correct Registrant (Name/Corp/ LLCName): New Age Compassion Care Center Inc., Amjad El-Atari This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles county on August 16, 2019.

Dean C. Logan, RegistrarRecorder/County Clerk Pub Dates: 8/26, 9/2, 9/9 and 9/16.

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Eight Charged With Selling Illegal Pharmaceuticals Crackdown on Dealers Includes Two Working in Skid Row City Attorney Mike Feuer last week displayed some of the illegally imported drugs being sold in Skid Row and other communities. The pharmaceuticals seized by authorities included antibiotics, as well as injectable treatments for back pain.

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By Nicholas Slayton wo people have been charged with illegally importing and selling foreign drugs and pharmaceuticals in Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles.

The charges, announced by City Attorney Mike Feuer on Wednesday, Aug. 21, were part of a wider crackdown on eight individuals selling at locations across the city. Altogether authorities seized more than 100,000 pharmaceutical drugs, including injectable treatments, pills, antibiotics and other substances.

“We allege they sold them on street corners, in front of supermarkets, in front of travel agencies, beauty salons and parks, primarily to Latino customers,” Feuer said.

In most instances the drugs were being sold at prices lower than those charged in pharmacies, Feuer said. The suspects ranged from 28-74 years in age, and according to Feuer’s office, none were licensed medical providers.

The dealers were uncovered through a variety of operations, including undercover work, and some investigations are ongoing. All eight defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 12.

Those charged include Bryan Pineda, 28, and Maria VencesTinoco, 50. They were arrested for selling drugs in Skid Row. No specific locations were revealed.

Other suspects were operating in North Hollywood, Koreatown and MacArthur Park. All eight were taken into custody in April and May, according to Heidi Matz, a deputy city attorney. Some of those charged were associated with one another, but not all, Matz said.

The drugs authorities recovered had not been approved for sale in the United States by the federal government, Matz said.

“The sellers often attempt to sell medications a consumer might expect to find at a pharmacy or licensed location,” Feuer said. “Don’t be fooled by what appears to be a lower cost at the outset, because the ultimate price might be your health.”

Since the drugs were not approved for use in the United States, and because the dealers were not licensed to distribute them, a severe health risk was involved, according to Brian Wong, a pharmacist with the Health Authority Law Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency group. He said that was particularly the case with the injectable drugs seized, many of which are used for back pain or bone infections. Wong said that the injectables come with a risk of injecting contaminants into the body. nicholas@downtownnews.com

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