Los Angeles Downtown News 09-20-21

Filling the Gap Conservatory offers modern music education

September 20, 2021 I VOL. 50 I #38

Totally ‘Rad’ Virtual chicken restaurant launches

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Caboco Brazilian restaurant

THE VOICE OF DOWNTOWN LA SINCE 1972

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SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

Lumbini Child Development Center

Licensed to care for children 2 ½ through Kindergarten.

Year-round program with individual classrooms unique to each age group.

Established in 1977, our philosophy remains the same.

To provide a nurturing learning/social environment in which the children can grow and develop with each passing year.

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 7:30a.m.- 6:00 p.m.

For more information: Email: Lumbini.missleslie@gmail.com Address: Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple 505 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 90013 Phone: Miss Leslie @ 213 680-2976

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SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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OPINION

Laying down the law(s)

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist

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urphy’s law — you’ve heard of it, yes? If not, here’s a refresher. Although no one is sure who Murphy was, her laws are well known. They are: • Nothing is as easy as it looks.

• Everything will take longer than you think.

• If anything can go wrong, it will.

• In times of frustration, people will often remark that things are going according to Murphy’s laws.

A lesser-known but nonetheless useful tenet is called Parkinson’s law. C. Northcote Parkinson, a British writer, formulated this rule: “Work expands to fill the time allotted to it; or, conversely, the amount of work completed is in inverse proportion to the number of people employed.” Simply said, if you have an hour to do a 5-minute job, it will take an hour to do it. This is why a large number of people often accomplish less work than a smaller number.

Another Parkinson’s law: “The person who is denied the opportunity of making decisions of importance begins to regard as important the decisions they are allowed to make.” They become fussy about filing, keen on seeing that pencils are sharpened, eager to ensure that the windows are open (or shut), and apt to use two or three different colored inks.

Then there’s the Marlo Thomas Truism: “A man has to be Joe McCarthy to be called ruthless. All a woman has to do is put you on hold.” In the spirit of Murphy, Parkinson and Thomas, I now introduce you to some of Snortland’s laws: The Clarence Canon — Named for Supreme Court Associate (in)Justice Clarence Thomas, this kicks in whenever there is a need to deflect legitimate scrutiny of one’s position and/or past actions and statements.

Maximum redirection is achieved by drawing false equivalencies and trivializing deep

tragedy and fundamental injustice. Use of the Clarence Canon shuts up critics by creating both guilt and doubt and is particularly useful toward people who are prone to guilt anyway.

For example, during the Anita Hill hearings, the White Men in Congress didn’t dare challenge Thomas’ whining about “high-tech lynching” because they were afraid of offending him. The people who equate mask mandates to the Third Reich requirement of Jewish citizens wearing gold stars is a prime example of the Clarence Canon.

The Schlafly Straw Man Rule — Use this if you want to freak everyone out over something trivial. As the Oxford Dictionary says, a straw man is “an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is easier to defeat than an opponent’s real argument.” When Schlafly came out against the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the ’80s, she made unisex bathrooms a bogeyman even though no one on the pro-ERA team was promoting the idea. Ironically, we have many of those now, but back then, the belief that feminists wanted us all to eliminate together became a straw man… er, straw woman.

The threat of “restroom invasion” is still very effective in this country, where people are incredibly touchy about potty matters.

The Schlafly Rule is again being invoked in the effort to suppress trans acceptance. Having a hard time winning an argument? Come up with an absurd idea, preferably about restrooms; say it was your opponents’ idea; scare people; then derail rational discourse — easy-peasy!

The QAnon Qtip — The Qtip: Identify a sparsely populated U.S. congressional district, run a conspiracy addict for the uncontested seat, and voilá! You’ve got a nut in Congress who can brag that they won by a landslide, even if a landslide in their district is a turnout of five voters. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia is a prime example of using the Qtip. Now she has besmirched her

Hey you! Speak up!

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

Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.

congressional seat through all sorts of possibly dangerous shenanigans. At least we now know that white women can be just as far into the nut-o-sphere as white Southern males. Let’s hear it for equality in 2021.

liberals of doing, another classic deflection technique.

You see? Murphy’s Law is not the only law on the “how things really work” books. You can even make up some of your own!

The Amy Avoidance — This is where, in a Note: Next week, “Consider This…” will concongressional confirmation hearing, you sider the nationwide protests to hold the Suswear to uphold precedent if confirmed as a preme Court’s collective feet to the fire about member of SCOTUS while crossing your fin- the upcoming case that openly seeks to gers behind your back. Then, the first chance overturn Roe v. Wade. Look for local marches, you get, you undermine the established law caravans and demonstrations on Saturday, EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski of the land because your religion forbids it. Oct. 2. I will include information on how to STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero Heads up: Amy Coney Barrett and her participate CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: SarafundaEdwards, Kamala Kirk in real life and real time. As of this ART DIRECTORS: Stephanie Torres Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, North mentalist religious sect alsoArman haveOlivares, their eyes writing, PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez on your birth STAFF control, so stock up now!

Dakota, South Dakota and Indiana are atCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos tempting to mimic the Texas anti-choice bill.

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb The ‘They Who Smelt It, Dealt Rule — Ellen Snortland has written commenFOUNDER EMERITUS: SueIt’ Laris When Republicans attack anyone left of cen- tary for decades. She also teaches creter, it’s usually because they are doing the ative writing and can be reached at ellen@ exact thing they accuse the centrists and authorbitebybite.com.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

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LA neighborhoods urged to prepare for disasters

By LA Downtown News Staff hen disaster strikes, the first 60 minutes are the most critical. It is called the “golden hour,” and getting help during those precious first minutes can make all the difference.

So, to prepare neighborhoods for emergencies, the city of Los Angeles is looking for neighborhood leaders who recognize how important it is for the city’s residents to be ready for any emergency or disaster to come: a major earthquake, a devastating wildfire, a serious weather event or a widespread power outage.

With 4 million residents, public safety leaders recognize that the city cannot immediately respond to everyone in need following a major catastrophe. In recent years, Mayor Eric Garcetti has worked to ensure residents have the critical tools to be as resilient as possible before, during and after an emergency.

In 2018, the Emergency Management Department (EMD) created Ready Your LA Neighborhood (RYLAN), a free program that walks neighbors through the process of getting prepared to survive a disaster. To learn more about RYLAN, go to readyla.org on the web.

“During a disaster, whether it be a wind event that results in a power outage, a wildfire that requires significant evacuation, or a large-scale disaster like an earthquake, neighborhoods are stronger and safer when neighbors know each other,” Garcetti said.

“Our city’s emergency management department created RYLAN so that neighbors can have the tools necessary to help each other and be more confident until our firefighters, paramedics or law enforcement can get to them.”

EMD is revving up efforts to train LA’s neighborhoods with the relaunch of “Virtual RYLAN.” After EMD facilitated more than 200 RYLAN workshops, the effort was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which inspired the department to reimagine the program so that residents can plan, organize and prepare online. The city is asking LA residents who care about the health and safety of their neighbors to take ownership of RYLAN for their neighborhood.

“As the second-largest city in the nation, it is important for neighborhood leaders to spread the word and host RYLAN meetings in order to get prepared and

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save lives,” said Carol Parks, LA’s Emergency Management Department general manager. “Get to know your neighbors, build a strong community, so when anything happens, you are ready to respond together.”

LA Police Chief Michel R. Moore added, “When political scientists analyzed events like Hurricane Katrina, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the 9.0 earthquake in Japan, they learned that local survival and recovery depended on the strength of community networks — neighbors helping and sharing.

“It is important for LA neighborhoods to be self-sufficient in a disaster. We need leadership at the grassroots level, and we need residents’ help to build social capital to enable everybody to work together when disaster strikes.”

To help neighbors, visit readyla.org.

LA City Fire Chief Ralph M. Terrazas strongly supports RYLAN. He encouraged city residents to take advantage of EMD’s robust individual and neighborhood emergency planning resources to pull together before a disaster happens.

“It’s a cliché about Los Angeles that nobody knows their neighbors. It’s time to change that stereotype and come together as a community to help everyone get prepared for the worst,” Terrazas said. “If you don’t have a plan with your neighbors, you aren’t fully prepared. As we have seen, again and again, prepared neighbors can make all the difference when an emergency strikes.”

Parks encouraged residents to ask themselves “what if ” questions: “What if I am somewhere else when a disaster strikes, and there are people and pets in my home that need help? What if I need to evacuate in a hurry, but I don’t have access to a car? What if I run out of food, water or medicine before help arrives? What if someone in my house is hurt?

“With RYLAN and the EMD’s help, you can build a relationship with your nextdoor neighbors or your neighbors down the hall that will ensure mutual aid in an emergency,” Parks said. “In-person workshops may resume once public health guidelines allow, but virtual workshops will remain as an option for communities who feel that is the best fit.”

To lead a workshop for a neighborhood or multifamily dwelling, call EMD at 213484-4800 or go to readyla.org on the web.

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SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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Commission to tackle zoning code

By LA Downtown News Staff he city planning commission will continue to deliberate the Downtown Community Plan and the new zoning code on Thursday, Sept. 23.

This virtual meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is open to the public. For information, including how to join the meeting, see the city planning commission meeting agenda, which will be provided no later than 72 hours before the meeting.

Requests for language translation services or other accommodations may be provided by email or phone a minimum of 72 hours prior to the CPC meeting. For general inquiries, including how to request translation services or other accommodations, contact the commission executive assistant at 213-978-1299 or by email at cpc@lacity.org.

Instructions for joining the city planning commission meeting:

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Through Zoom: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23 Zoom meeting password: 809806 Dial by your location: US: +1 213 338 8477 or +1 669 900 9128 Use Meeting ID: 859 8469 9942 and then press # Press # again when prompted for participant ID

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Hollywood Vocal Studios Conservatory will teach world-renowned techniques like Speech Level Singing and the Institute for Vocal Management methods.

Submitted photo

Conservatory fills the gap in modern music education

By Andres de Ocampo LA Downtown News Staff Writer dreana Gonzalez said music education does not have to be “traditional” to be relevant.

To share this, the Pasadena-born entertainer founded Hollywood Vocal Studios Conservatory in Downtown LA. The two-year contemporary vocal institution is seeking to bridge a gap in modern music education for aspiring vocalists through mentorship from music industry professionals.

The school is in the historic Garland Building in Downtown LA, and auditions for the school will remain open until October for admission in February. For information, visit hvsconservatory.com. The school is an extension of Hollywood Vocal Studios.

“I had the idea to start the conservatory because I’ve been a private vocal coach for over 15 years,” Gonzalez said. “I have many students who come from Berklee College of Music or Musicians Institute and their vocal program is subpar.”

She said there are talented people who come out of well-known music institutions, but the leading schools still manage to fall short in terms of their vocal program.

“It really is about the training of the voice,” Gonzalez said. “Not only are we going to teach you the basics, like music theory and stage presence, but we are going to teach you how to hone the most impeccable and immaculate instrument that you possibly can, which is your voice.”

The conservatory teaches students how to thrive as a professional vocalist specializing in various genres, like pop, R&B, indie-rock and pop country.

“In a few years, I would like to branch out into musical theater because that’s my expertise, but for now we are focusing on contemporary music,” she said.

“There are so many genres that are crossovers and hybrids of each other, but what we’re really looking for is amazing talent so that we can bring out their best style and sound.”

Gonzalez is passionate about her career and helping aspiring young vocalists.

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Auditions for the Hollywood Vocal Studios Conservatory will remain open until October for admission in February.

Submitted photo

She said entertainers come to Los Angeles to try to start their music career but leave before the 10-year mark because they’re struggling.

“There is so much talent out there that needs to be seen, and it needs to be seen by the right people in order to create a success,” she said. “I wanted to help streamline that process, and I love working with talented individuals and helping them shine.”

Gonzalez, who has worked as a professional vocalist for over 15 years, is supported by five faculty members and two masterclass hosts. The faculty includes voice director Jeffrey Skouson, who works with Imagine Dragons and the Killers regularly, and performance director Ron Harris, an A&R representative who helped shape the careers of Fergie and Christina Aguilera.

Gonzalez said the school’s curriculum will help build aspiring vocalists by teaching methods like Speech Level Singing and the Institute for Vocal Advancement method, which is led by Skouson.

According to Gonzalez, Speech Level Singing and Institute for Vocal Advancement are world-renowned techniques but are not taught at music schools. These techniques, which are otherwise taught through private lessons from vocal coaches, manipulate the muscles in way to blend the different pitches from your chest and head without a difference in quality.

Moreover, HVSC will teach students ways to navigate the music industry and their career through classes like brand awareness and a wellness class that will center around a healthy lifestyle and vocal longevity.

Gonzalez said she will accept 20 to 30 students but plans on expanding to closer to 100 to 120 students.

“The reason that I want HVSC to be an exclusive program and why we’re starting off so small is because I only want to take on the best of the best,” she said. “I want to be able to give these talented individuals everything that they need and all the attention they might need so they can be as successful as the can possibly be.”

With small classrooms, personalized attention, training and lessons, students can develop their skills at HSVC in two years. Otherwise, it might take 10 years of experience without this program.

“I really believe that you can do anything that you put your mind to, but you can’t give up,” Gonzalez said. “Even if your friends and family tell you that it’s not the career for you, if it’s what you want and it’s a desire in the deepest part of your heart and soul, you just have to do it.”

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SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

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Council adopts Citywide Homeless Street Engagement Strategy

By LA Downtown News Staff he Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted Sept. 14 to adopt the the city’s first Citywide Homeless Street Engagement Strategy, which provides a uniform framework to offer street-based services and connections to housing for unsheltered residents.

“The time for street engagement couldn’t be more urgent. There are no quick fixes to this crisis — and an ‘enforcement alone’ approach would simply shuffle unhoused residents throughout the city, from one neighborhood to another,” Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas said.

“This is a crisis that requires care, compassion and compliance, and this strategy can be our roadmap to seeing a true change on our streets.”

Created at the request of Ridley-Thomas and his colleagues at the end of June, the Street Engagement Strategy will ensure that the city only regulates designated public spaces after documented street engagement and housing placements occur.

The action included a significant investment in additional outreach services, with each council office now having a minimum of three dedicated street engagement teams, which will be deployed to assess sites, determine the length of client engagement needed, and collaborate with relevant nonprofits and city and county departments to ensure appropriate connections to services and placements into interim and permanent housing.

Community-based homeless service providers and business-sector advocates applauded the adoption of the strategy.

“We are encouraged by today’s passing of the Street Engagement Strategy and thank Councilmember Ridley-Thomas for spearheading this essential effort,” said Mary Leslie, president of the LA Business Council.

“A comprehensive and coordinated plan is needed to address the magnitude of the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, and the Street Engagement Strategy is a necessary component to effectively identify the housing and resources required to move Angelenos experiencing homelessness off the street and reduce the number of encampments across the city.”

Amy Turk of the Downtown Women’s Center said, “The Downtown Women’s Center has been adamant on the need for the city to adopt a trauma-informed streets engagement strategy that centers the needs of unsheltered Angelenos and provides real pathways to permanent housing.

“We know that an enforcement-driven approach risks retraumatization and puts personal stability further out of reach for our unsheltered neighbors. The passage of the Outreach Engagement Framework, championed by Councilman Ridley-Thomas, is a critical step in our efforts to develop a citywide homeless response system that helps unhoused Angelenos permanently break the cycle of houselessness.”

This work builds on the multiple motions brought forward by councilmembers over the last 10 months, including instructions to the city staff to establish a framework to establish a right to housing in the city of Los Angeles; the Housing Now Proposal, which aims to increase the number of rental subsidies provided to homeless individuals with complex medical and behavioral health needs; and the Paxton & Bradley Encampment to Home Project, which modeled effective street engagement in the San Fernando Valley.

“The one-to-one approach of the new citywide initiative dovetails strategically with the ongoing efforts of houses of worship and other nonprofits seeking to assist our siblings experiencing homelessness,” said the Right Rev. John Harvey Taylor, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

“I join faith-based colleagues in thanking Councilmember Ridley-Thomas for his leadership in this vital work to bring Angelenos off the streets, out of encampments and into housing with supportive services. I encourage local congregations to become fully involved in this essential collaboration.”

“The passing of this strategy is long overdue,” Ridley-Thomas said.

“If we truly believe that all of our neighbors have a right to a roof and not a bench, it is essential that we stay focused on operationalizing this strategy. Now we need boots on the ground. And we need to ensure that the incredible outreach workers that take to the streets each day are armed with a portfolio of housing options for the people they are engaging. I thank my fellow councilmembers for making this work a priority, and I look forward to collaborating with our community-based homeless service providers and county partners to double-down on this work and hit the ground running.”

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Everyone is welcome at Caboco

By Frier McCollister LA Downtown News Contributing Writer pportunities to open restaurants with LA legend Bill Chait don’t come around every day. When Chait approached Brazilian chef Rodrigo Oliveira about opening a restaurant in LA, he shrugged it off.

“I said, ‘No, sir, thank you very much. It’s a wonderful invitation. But I’m not able to get into a new project right now. I have a lot of things going on,’” Oliveira recalled.

Based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Oliveira’s first restaurant, Mocoto, had already received a Bib Gourmand from Michelin, when Chait approached him four years ago. At the time, Oliveira was consumed with the impending opening of his second restaurant, Balaio, which soon earned its own Bib Gourmand.

Chait was patient and persistent with Oliveira.

“He said, ‘No, it doesn’t have to be right now. Come take a look.’ I had never been here before,” Oliveira explained about LA. “I realized these guys were serious about the invitation. (I said) ‘I’d love to visit LA to know your work, but I’m not able to get into any project right now.’”

Oliveira gave in to an exploratory trip to Los Angeles with Chait as culinary tour guide.

“I arrived in LA. The first place we went was (Chait’s) Bestia,” he said. “I immediately fell in love with the food and the energy of the place and the level of excellence they had there.”

Oliveira also felt at home here.

“I immediately felt connected to LA because of the similarities to Sao Paulo,” he said.

“It’s a huge, beautiful city, and (the people) were warm and welcoming everywhere.”

Ultimately, Chait’s four-year campaign was successful.

“I realized it was a great opportunity to present Brazilian cuisine in the U.S. but also to learn a lot from the dining scene here, from our partners and all the chefs involved,” Oliveira said.

“It’s been an inspiring journey here.”

Caboco, Oliveira’s LA debut — launched with friend and colleague Victor Vasconcellos — opened Sept. 8 in the Arts District building that had previously hosted Church & State.

Vasconcellos’ participation was critical, and he provided a bit more backstory to the saga. He served as advance man on the project, having moved here with his wife and daughter in 2018.

“Before we moved (from Brazil), my wife used to live in the U.S. many years ago,” Vasconcellos said. “She always told me, ever since I met her, that she always wanted to come back to California. So here we are.

“Actually, Rodrigo was being invited for a long time. We are friends. I met my wife through Rodrigo. He didn’t know about my wife’s dream to come back to California.

One day we were talking about it and he told me, ‘Oh, there’s a guy (Chait) who comes here every year, asking me to open something in California.

“Once we checked the project and we fell in love with the city, we started this process. I had my own (operations) in Brazil, but I didn’t have to convince my wife. It’s also very, very interesting — as Rodrigo mentioned — the food scene in LA. All the good restaurants, beautiful, all very well designed. Everything is so inspired; the flavors, the spices, everything. We are just super excited about it.”

Oliveira’s reputation in Brazil is based on his mindful elevation of the regional cuisine of the Sertao, the vast arid rural expanse in northeast Brazil. “(In Brazil) most (people) think of the northeast (Sertao region) with a lot of prejudice,” Oliveira said.

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Carne de sol is on the menu.

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Rodrigo Oliveira and Victor Vasconcellos launched Caboco in the Arts District.

Photo by Dylan + Jeni

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“Poor culture, poor ingredients, heavy recipes.”

Although his food is refined, he also strives to make it accessible. Using the regional cuisine of northeast Brazil as a platform, Oliveira transformed Mocoto from a scrappy corner pub in Sao Paulo’s working-class suburb of Vila Medeiros into a world-class dining destination.

“Somehow through the years, we were able to present this cuisine coming from the poorest and driest landscape in Brazil, inspired by the history of my father and mother, to the whole city and then to the whole country and then to the world.

“We achieved a way to communicate through our food. We were able to create a universal language where we could link it to our roots, to our traditions but somehow (add) some innovation so that everyone could understand and appreciate that. This is what we are trying to do here at Caboco.”

The name “Caboco” refers to the heterogenous ethnic mixture of much of Brazil’s populace. A similar blend of influence informs the culinary approach at the new restaurant.

“To use pure, original flavors from Brazil but also absorbing ingredients, techniques and inspiration from LA and California,” Oliveira said. “It would be an immense waste of opportunity not using what we can find here. That is unbelievable: amazing produce, amazing seafood.”

Vasconcellos interjected, “And amazing people. People in LA love to dine out. They are super open-minded. They like to experiment with new things.”

Brazilian cuisine in LA is limited mostly to churrascaria-style steakhouses, with roving waiters hoisting long skewers of grilled meat. Caboco is offering something fresh.

“I think this project will be the very first in the world to present Brazilian cuisine in a universal language,” Oliveira said.

“It’s brand new for us to understand Brazilian cuisine as haute cuisine, as a valuable gastronomic experience. Not more than 10 years ago, eating out and having a great dining experience was not related to eating Brazilian ingredients or Brazilian traditional dishes. Even in Brazil, it’s a new experience to have amazing Brazilian ingredients touched with a lot of care, technique, to balance tradition with innovation and creativity. I’m pretty sure it will (be) new here as well.”

The menu at Caboco reflects the pair’s interests and influences accordingly. Starters include torresmo ($11) grilled pork belly; dadinho de tapioca ($9) tapioca cheese fries with a sweet chili sauce; or cuscuz Paulista ($15), a corn polenta studded with quail eggs and fresh sea urchin. Comidinhas, or small plate specials, include mohela ($12), braised chicken gizzards with bacon and sweet corn served with fresh focaccia; a ceviche ($16) of Hawaiian kampachi in a graviola sauce; and pupunha ($18) hearts of palm and chayote with a shrimp bisque.

Larger portions for sharing are listed as compartilhe and include peixe grelhado ($33) black cod roasted in banana leaves with plantain puree and tomato salad; joelho de porco ($29) braised pork shank with roasted pumpkin and a corn couscous; and the intriguing moqueca de caju ($31), an exotic, stewed vegetable mélange of cashew fruit, hearts of palm, plantain, and ora pro nobis in a tucupi and coconut broth, served with rice and the traditional garnish of farofa, or toasted manioc flour.

The right side of the new menu features beverage options, curated by Marcus Ragas. The bar menu includes five varieties of caipirinhas ($13 to $16), Brazil’s national cocktail, typically incorporating potent cachaca rum and lime juice. Four custom house cocktails ($12 to $14), two beers and two hard kombuchas ($7 to $12) round out the featured bar list.

Caboco is still in soft opening mode, and the menu will continue to evolve. “It’s more like a humble opening than a grand opening,” Vasconcellos said.

Oliveira is emphatic about making Caboca fully accessible.

“Everyone is welcome,” Oliveira said. “In Brazil, gastronomy and fine dining is getting more exclusive, more expensive to be offered. (Our) main goal here, as in Sao Paulo, is to create an inclusive experience.

“It’s more than how much we charge for a plate of food. More than this, it’s the way we welcome people, the way we present the food and new ingredients, so that people don’t feel afraid to try. That way, people feel connected to Brazil even without knowing anything (about) our culture. We are super honored to present a little bit of us and Brazil. Everyone is welcome.”

Caboco 1850 Industrial Street, Los Angeles 213-405-1434, cabocola.com

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Totally ‘rad’ virtual chicken restaurant launches in LA

By Annika Tomlin LA Downtown News Staff Writer irtual kitchens have been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic, and Creating Culinary Communities (C3) added a new ghost kitchen brand with Grubhub — Radical Rooster’s Chicken.

“The Radical Rooster brand appeals to Instagram gourmands with over-the-top menu items that indulge the palate as much as the eyes,” said Sam Nazarian, C3’s chief executive officer and founder.

“Our food tech platform caters to Gen Z with a digital-first design narrative that successfully establishes a memorable brand connection as soon as a delivery is received. The concept’s collaboration with Grubhub serves as a perfect partner to support this growing consumer segment.”

According to the director of operations for C3, Joey Simons, the collaboration with Grubhub took about 11 months to conceptualize. C3 is also the home to Umami Burger, Krispy Rice and Sam’s Crispy Chicken.

When Grubhub realized C3 was behind the virtual brands, it asked about a chicken brand partnership that would live exclusively within its app and C3’s “ecosystem,” Simons said. Thus, Radical Rooster’s Chicken was made.

The Radical Rooster’s menu features Just Tenders, the brand’s signature golden fried chicken tossed in choice of seasoning (Cajun, garlic Parmesan, lemon pepper) or sauce (LA Diablo, maple Sriracha, spicy Korean) and the Radical Tender Dog, which combines two Radical Chicken Tenders tossed in sauce and served in a warm hot dog bun with coleslaw and pickles.

“Our chicken is corn-breaded, fried twice, and it’s super crispy,” Simons said. “We have a lot of really unique sauces.”

Each menu item comes in an artfully colored takeout

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box reminiscent of “the ’80s with the vibrant colors,” according to Simons. Seasonal promotions will be available as the brand grows.

Simons, who started a keto diet five months ago, struggles to stick to his diet “because of all of our food.”

“We have a wrap called the Mac Daddy Wrap, and it’s mac and cheese with bacon and scallions,” Simons said.

“For me, I’m a massive carb-head — I love carbs — and it fulfills my needs. It’s mac and cheese wrapped in a tortilla with bacon.”

Simons, who is Jewish, said he shouldn’t eat bacon, but “it’s so hard for me to say no.” His other top favorite is the Radical Tender Dogs.

While Radical Rooster’s Chicken is an exclusive Grubhub-based brand, it is also available on C3’s app Go by Citizens, which allows customers to order from brands like Umami Burger and Krispy Rice all in one cart. DoorDash handles the orders and deliveries made within the Go by Citizens app.

“There is an industry term called ‘burner brands,’ and burner brands are brands that people can turn on and off,” Simons said. “They take their existing menu items and create another brand and put it on the delivery app and hope to do two or three orders a day and add incremental dollars.”

Simons said Radical Rooster’s Chicken is not a “burner brand.”

“We don’t want this brand to turn off in 12 months or six months,” Simons said.

Radical Rooster’s Chicken is available in select California locations, as well as Chicago and New York City. Check out grubhub.com for the full menu.

“Radical Rooster is definitely unique and fun,” Simons said.

The brand’s signature golden fried chicken tenders are tossed in choice of seasoning (Cajun, garlic Parmesan, lemon pepper) or sauce (LA Diablo, maple Sriracha, spicy Korean).

Photo courtesy of C3

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Covered SPORTSCalifornia will help

The Justin & Kourtney Turner Food Bank offers meals, as well as groceries for other mobile food banks in the area. The Turners are pictured.

Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers

Turner gets Roberto Clemente Award nom again

By Derek Moskal LA Downtown News Staff Writer or the second consecutive year, third baseman Justin Turner will represent the Los Angeles Dodgers as their nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. Each of the 30 MLB teams nominates one player for the award, which is given to the person whose character, community service and philanthropy best reflect the game and Clemente.

“It’s obviously something that’s really special to me and my wife, Kourtney, to help people get up after getting knocked down and helping them get on their feet,” Turner said.

For Turner, it all started when Kourtney participated in a wives outreach trip to the Dream Center in Los Angeles. She returned home and encouraged Justin to visit and see the programs the center offered. Shortly after the Turners visited the Dream Center and met the people involved, they were approached about starting a homeless veterans program.

To raise money for this, the Dream

F

Center wanted to host a golf tournament and call it “The Justin Turner Golf Classic.”

Within two months, they organized the golf tournament, and six annual tourneys have followed.

“After seeing what we were able to do in such a short amount of time, we knew we wanted to create our foundation and continue to grow and continue to help as many people as we possibly could,” Turner said.

This sparked a series of community service events hosted by the Turners through the Justin Turner Foundation, and this past year was no different.

The pandemic knocked a lot of people down, and the Turners were there to help folks get back on their feet. As schools shut down, the LA Unified School District was unable to provide its hot meal program, affecting thousands of families.

When the Dream Center opened its own hot meal program, the Turners were right in the middle of it.

It was a double play of service, as they would buy food from struggling small,

locally owned restaurants and give it to the Dream Center to feed families.

“It ended up accidentally turning into a great thing in that we were able to go to local family-owned restaurants, order big numbers of meals, and have them sent to the Dream Center,” Turner said. According to MLB.com, they served around 12,000 people daily with drive-thru distribution.

Clemente inspired generations of players to be involved in community service, but Turner said his role models include David Wright and fellow Dodger Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw was the most recent Dodger to win the Roberto Clemente Award in 2012 with his foundation, Kershaw’s Challenge. As Kershaw was a model for Turner, Turner is inspiring the next generation of young players.

“The thing that motivates me is being an example, setting a bar and being influential on the guys in our clubhouse to get out of their shell, get out in the community to help and start their own foun-

dations,” he said.

Turner noted that seeing players like Kenley Jansen, Will Smith, Walker Buehler, Chris Taylor and others emerging from their shells to help the community has been a great experience.

“It’s really cool to see the younger guys following suit and understand that and make an impact on people’s lives in whatever way they choose to do so.”

Turner is paid to be clutch in October and handle the hot corner at third, not to be out in the community and help people. However, he still considers it an essential part of his job.

“I think it’s important to understand that obviously we have a job to do and that’s to go out and perform under the lights at 7 o’clock, but it’s more than just baseball. It’s a responsibility to our fans, to our community to get out and to give back and to help people in need. Obviously, that’s the biggest priority,” he said.

To vote for Turner, visit https://bit.ly/ VoteforJustinTurner.

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LA Archdiocese displays historic art for Jubilee

By Bridgette M. Redman LA Downtown News Contributing Writer he most populous archdiocese in the country, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, has launched a celebration of its 250th year.

Following celebrations that included an inaugural Mass on Saturday, Sept.

11, and the opening of “holy doors” at 22 pilgrimage parishes throughout the archdiocese, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is hosting a yearlong art exhibition that explores the history of the Catholic Church in Los Angeles. The exhibition is called “250 Years of Mission,” in support of the overall celebratory theme of “Forward in Mission.”

On Sept. 8, 1771, Mission San Gabriel Arcángel was founded under the auspices of St. Junipero Serra, a controversial figure who has been dubbed the Apostle of California. Serra was canonized

by Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 23, 2015, the nation’s first canonization.

Serra is a controversial figure, as he started a mission system that some say enslaved Indigenous people, committed genocide and assaulted women. Several statues of him were toppled last summer, including one in Los Angeles that was pulled down by Indigenous people calling for their history to be known. The California Legislature passed a bill recently opening the way for Serra’s statue in Sacramento to be replaced with one honoring native tribes.

LA’s Archbishop Jose H. Gomez wrote in an essay for the Wall Street Journal that none of the accusations against Serra were true and that they slander Serra.

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Four rooms capture art of Catholics The art exhibition is contained in four rooms, including the sanctuary of the Cathedral. The artwork includes some from colonial times to now. It was curated by Father Parker Sandoval, the vice

chancellor of the archdiocese.

“The main motivator was to capture visually and in a compelling way the history of the church here in Los Angeles,” Sandoval said.

The pieces came from the treasury of the Mission of San Gabriel. Its church building and museum was cleared of its artifacts last summer after the building was set on fire. Everything went into storage, so Sandoval asked to borrow and display the items.

Other pieces came from the Archdiocese collection and archive, private collectors and individual artists.

First room honors Serra One of the cathedral’s niches focuses on the life of Serra, the founder of the San Gabriel Mission and eight other California missions.

One painting dates from 2015, when Gomez commissioned local artist Lalo Garcia to create a work that honored Serra’s canonization. Garcia, who created religious art and art depicting Indigenous people, created a piece in which Serra was gazing upon the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

When Serra arrived in Mexico, he made a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The painting also depicted three missions that were particularly important to Serra — his first, San Gabriel, San Buenaventura and San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel, where he died and was buried. San Buenaventura was the last mission Serra founded and the first to become a basilica in Los Angeles.

“I wanted to have these three of the nine he was responsible for building as elements of my composition,” Garcia told the Angelus News in 2015. The painting was used on promotional material such as posters and prayer cards that were given to celebrate Serra’s canonization.

“The piece is a very vibrant piece,” Sandoval said.

Also shown is John Nava’s tapestry of

Serra that was displayed at the Mass of Canonization for Serra at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. In 1976, Aurelio G.D. Mendoza created a trilogy of oil paintings called “El Camino Real.” Mendoza’s granddaughter loaned two of those pieces to the Cathedral for the yearlong exhibition. One is called “Fray Junipero Serra” and the other “Mission San Diego de Alcala.”

“Those are also in the gallery featuring the life of Serra,” Sandoval said. “His granddaughter was gracious enough to lend us these two massive pieces.

They’re huge in scale. One depicts Serra on the Rio in transit. He logged over 6,000 miles walking the coast of California. The second is an image of him with the natives, looking over the construction of the first mission in upper California. These images are grand in scale and very colorful.”

Second room focuses on colonial period The second room focuses on Mission San Gabriel specifically and features colonial paintings, a painting by Indigenous people of the era, and several artifacts.

“We are very blessed to have received donations of several paintings from the colonial era and from the natives,” Sandoval said.

He explained that the first inhabitants of the land on which Mission San Gabriel was built were the Tongva People. They painted a series of 13 stations of the cross, and the cathedral has one of those on display.

“It’s a beautiful piece,” Sandoval said.

“You can tell there is something unique about the style of painting and the look of the figures in the painting. It’s wonderful to see that we have a piece from the First Peoples.”

Three other pieces dating to the colonial era are “St. Joseph with Christ Child” from the 18th century, “St. John Nepocene” and the “Liberation of St. Peter.”

The display of “St. Joseph with Christ Child” honors the fact that this is the year of St. Joseph in the Catholic Church.

“St. John Nepocene” is a lesser-known piece but one Sandoval said is in the finest condition and has not been on display for decades. It honors a Czech saint who was martyred by being thrown off a bridge in Prague. They have not been able to date it exactly, but the best guess is 17th or 18th century.

In addition to the paintings, there are

artifacts from the period such as a chasuble from Mexico, the door from a mission workroom, adobe-fired bricks from outdoor stoves made by Indigenous people, and native baskets. There is a vestment that would have been worn by a priest in Mexico in the 1800s and was brought to the mission.

“It’s a beautiful array of native and colonial pieces,” Sandoval said.

Third room travels through the 20th century While the Catholic Church in Los Angeles began in 1771, it experienced some of its greatest growth during the 20th century.

“Decade after decade, the Catholic population doubled, taking us to the 21st century where we have 4 million Catholics,” Sandoval said.

For this room, they focused on vintage black and white photography. They highlight events, churches of significance and people of significance.

Sandoval’s favorite piece is the full, distinctive habit of a Daughter of Charity. They were known as God’s Geese because of the wing-like wimples. The Daughters of Charity date back to Jan. 6, 1856. Six nuns were sent by a convent in Maryland to open Los Angeles’ first orphanage and hospital.

There is also a model of the early rendering of the cathedral. Sandoval said that in this room there are pictures of famous people and clergy. He also draws attention to pictures of an annual event that took place from 1948 to 1969.

“Mary’s Hour — where literally over 100,000 Catholics overflowed into the LA coliseum to pray the rosary,” he said.

The exhibit includes an old case in which the consecrated communion was showcased. “That’s on display there, and you can see it in the photo with the archbishop blessing the crowds of tens of thousands.”

Fourth room moves forward in mission The final room takes the exhibition into the present and the 21st century.

“We move from black and white to color,” Sandoval said. “This room is filled with wonderful images that capture moments of prayer, moments of celebration, moments of devotion and piety, and moments of service in the church in the past decade or so,” Sandoval said. “It really covers the era of Archbishop Gomez.”

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Covered ARTS & California CULTUREwill help “You really get a flavor of the diversity of the church in Los Angeles,” Sandoval said.

The exhibition will be on display until September 2022, when the year of Jubilee ends. Sandoval said the mission’s art will rotate in and out of the exhibit.

Sandoval hopes people will see the exhibition to connect with God in prayer and worship and to learn about the legacy of Catholicism and the Christian faith in Los Angeles. He said the church’s legacy exists everywhere in the city, from its culture to the names of streets and cities.

He is grateful for the opportunity to share what he calls the richness of Catholic faith in Los Angeles.

“We hope it is a summons to keep the mission entrusted to us by Jesus growing in new ways,” Sandoval said.

“In the ongoing challenges and crises, the church is still alive and a place of refuge where we can experience authentic community, healing and hope. The exhibition is all a part of that experience. The cathedral doors are wide open for everyone. We are open to welcome everyone to the beauty, the hope and the healing that God fosters.”

“250 Years of Mission” WHERE: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles WHEN: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays COST: Free INFO: forwardinmission.com

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Lorraine Morland of Downtown Los Angeles said painting and singing have helped her through her sons’ murders.

Photo by Luis Chavez

DTLA resident finds solace in painting

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor orraine Morland’s life has been peppered with gun violence and homelessness. She rose above it and expresses her feelings through art, thanks to the Los Angeles Poverty Department and the Urban Voices Project.

“I was not an artist until the pandemic,” the 65-year-old Downtown LA resident said. “I didn’t do art. I just looked at everybody else’s art. It wasn’t until the LA Poverty Department and Urban Voices Project sent paints in the mail that I became an artist.”

Morland said it was divine intervention.

One day she received a yellow package in the mail. Unsure what it was, she opened it and found paint that was sent to keep residents safe inside their homes.

“Those people are busy, beautiful people,” she said. “They have so much to do with Skid Row and helping the homeless.

However, they cared.”

So, she grabbed a piece of cardboard from her home and started using her hands, as she wasn’t sure of the proper technique for brushes. She designed a heart.

“Boy, that did start something,” she said.

“That’s when I started painting everything.

I was really into it.”

The Los Angeles Poverty Department was founded in 1985 by director-performer-activist John Malpede. It is the nation’s first performance group made up of mostly homeless people.

It’s also the first arts program for LA’s homeless people.

Morland has completed about 1,000 paintings and would enjoy teaching art to children who, she said, “go through so

L

much.”

She gone through her fair share as well.

In her 30s, she used alcohol as an escape.

She lost two children to gun violence on Los Angeles streets.

“When I lost my first son in 2001, I had no clue what it felt like to lose a child,” she said.

“I was really torn up inside. I was knotted up inside.

“Women Against Gun Violence called me. The woman said she wanted to meet me at Marie Callender’s. I went, but she could see I couldn’t swallow. I was in a daze. I was about to lose my mind. She told me I could be a voice for other women who lost a child. I couldn’t believe it. I almost choked. I thought I was the only one going through that, the only mother who lost a child in such a tragic way.”

Alcoholics Anonymous helped her deal with it, too.

“I still drink cranberry juice out of a wine glass,” she said with a laugh. “Nobody knows it’s cranberry juice.”

Now she works as an in-home provider taking care of sick folks.

“When I started painting, too, it was like a knot was released from my innermost self,” she said. “It has helped me.”

Music has been another release for Morland. The Urban Voices Project opens musical doors for individuals marginalized by homelessness, mental health issues and unemployment in greater Los Angeles.

“When I was singing with Urban Voices, students came from New Zealand to teach drums,” she said. “They taught me to play the drums, and we did a recital at USC. I received a plaque from the dean of USC. It just taught this little girl who wishes receiving a plaque from the dean. It just teaches you to never give up on your dreams.”

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Tomer Peretz Brings Depth and Raw Emotion to Downtown Los Angeles

By Danielle Casilio Walking into Ouro Gallery, located at 211 S Broadway, you are immediately welcomed into a world of contrasts. The space is rugged - once serving as a textile factory, with exposed steel beams and exposed brick walls. Elegant canvas paintings are mixed with graffiti-style street art and conceptual installations like re-finished wooden palettes and a hot pink shopping cart.

This is Ouro Gallery, the creation of Los Angeles-based Israeli conceptual artist Tomer Peretz.

Who is Tomer Peretz?

Tomer Peretz moved to Los Angeles 17 years ago. An artist since he was a child growing up in Jerusalem, moving to America allowed Peretz to fully express his talents and find inspiration. His work spans across different mediums, including oil and acrylic paintings and contemporary installations. Currently, he is represented by Giancarlo Pedrazzini in the ‘Fabbrica Eos’ gallery in Milan, Italy, and his artwork has been exhibited in galleries throughout the United States, Israel, Central America and Europe.

Speaking with Tomer, it is clear that his perspective on the world around us is unique. He is curious about the world and urges us to re-think the issues we face as a society, or just as human beings. He isn’t saying all of this with his words - that’s what the art is for. The art tells a controversial story about our culture and the forces behind it. The exhibit currently being showcased at Ouro Gallery entitled ‘Welcome To America’ in fact says all of this quite loudly.

Welcome To America The first time I visited the gallery was during the live showing of the ‘Welcome To America’ exhibit. The space is very DTLA, filled with expensive art and beautiful people. A harpist plays in the background as we purchase $20 cocktails. No one bats an eye, because this is Los Angeles and we are in an art gallery, of course.

Experiencing the first floor of the gallery gave visitors a sense of status.

I am here with the wealthy, with the trendy, with the important. Along one side of the gallery were canvas paintings - portraits mostly. Detailed and striking, some were incomplete to allow you to focus on the part of the image you were intended to see - the part that held the most emotion, perhaps.

Across the exhibit, along the opposite wall, were 6 re-finished wooden pallets. Each came with a hefty price tag, upsetting most viewers. One woman next to me sneered in disgust as she read the price aloud. Emotional responses to wood pallets? Fascinating.

Next, we were ushered into the next part of the exhibit. Working our way up the four flights of stairs, we came across a man. A homeless man. A crazy homeless man, talking to himself and surrounded by garbage. Nobody from the exhibit seemed to notice him, but everyone in my group began shifting uncomfortably. Why is this person here and why wasn’t security doing anything about it?

Enter into the 8000 square foot space, and your senses seem unable to adjust to what’s happening. The lighting is dim, the air is thick and hot, it smells like garbage, and it is quiet except for a few distinct noises - the crying out of homeless people, and the bleating of live sheep. All around you are tents, suitcases, mattresses and dirty old furniture. By now you start to realize that this is the exhibit, the 20+ homeless people are in fact actors, and your emotions are part of it as well.

The art that Tomer displayed in this section of the gallery was a bit different from the first section. Old framed pieces that had been found in thrift stores were spackled with cement, and tagged with graffiti messages that told you the story behind the exhibit. Art dealers crowded around the ex-

Tomer Peretz is at Ouro Gallery DTLA

Tomer Peretz at Ouro gallery, in front of his “Incomplete” series

Photo by Gabriel Ervin

Photo by Casey Reynolds

pensive pieces, pushing sales and disregarding the disgust that lay behind them. However, the true art form showcased was Peretz’ ability to use installations such as a barbed-wire enclosed student working in solitude, CRT televisions, and old newspapers boasting headlines that tell the story of a nation.

What’s next for Ouro?

Although the live exhibit is currently not showing, Peretz notes that it will be back at a later date. Since the closing of the live exhibit, Ouro Gallery is continuing to bring artists and creative thinkers together in a collaborative way. Regularly hosting tattoo artists, there is an underground vibe within the space. Tomer boasts a warm and welcoming energy, making the gallery feel like home to everyone.

Ouro Gallery brings vibrancy to Downtown Los Angeles. A perspective on American culture that is subtle and well-thought out, instead of raging and sporadic, the emotional depth of the gallery is sure to attract critical thinkers and art lovers alike.

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