My Tribe Rise
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to Altadena
reborn
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The 649 Lofts is the second of three affordable housing projects from the Skid Row Housing Trust. It opened April 30. Photo by Miguel Torres of Angel Flight Media
Project brings affordable housing, clinic to Skid Row By Sara Edwards LA Downtown News Contributing Writer
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new project is bringing permanent housing and accessible health care to the heart of Skid Row. The Skid Row Housing Trust recently opened 649 Lofts within the forthcoming Joshua House Health Center. It celebrated its virtual grand opening on YouTube on April 30. “It brings housing, but it also brings in health care,” said Sierra Atilano, Skid Row Housing Trust chief real estate and investment officer, at the grand opening. “We’re looking forward to being able to respond to further health crises that should come up around Skid Row.” Downtown at 649 Wall Street, the facility is available to those experiencing homeless-
ness and veterans, special needs, or those who qualify for Housing Choice Vouchers. The building has 54 studio apartment homes ranging from 385 to 400 square feet with a private kitchen and accessible bathroom. It also has a community outdoor garden, community room, laundry facilities and bike storage. SRHT Property Management Company will manage the facility, and SRHT Health and Social Services will respond to the residents’ challenges with physical health, mental health and life skills. The first three floors will also house the Joshua House Health Center, which was developed by Skid Row Housing Trust and is owned and operated by LA Christian Health Centers. There, residents and community members can receive dental, optometry and
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mental health services. The clinic is expected this year. In mid-April, Flor 401 Lofts, which is across the street from 649 Lofts, also held to serve approximately 7,000 people a year. “We’re very excited to be a role model for its virtual grand opening on YouTube. The other communities and bring programs and third building, SP7, is expected to debut latservices that are much needed to Skid Row,” er this year. Jet Doye, the vice president of developsaid Lee Raagas, Skid Row Housing Trust ment and advancement at Skid Row Houschief executive officer. “I’m really excited about what this is going ing Trust, said when she moved Downtown, she was unprepared for the overwhelming to bring to the community as a whole.” Raagas said she’s excited to be a resource number of neighbors who were experiencEXECUTIVE Christina Fuoco-Karasinski for people who slippedEDITOR: into homelessness or ing homelessness. She also said 649 Lofts is STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero close to being fully leased. fell ill during the pandemic. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala Kirk “We’re deeply invested in providing “The community has gotten ART DIRECTORS: Arman larger, Olivares,and Stephanie Torres STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez the needs have gotten larger,” she said. “So, well-designed homes to welcome people CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos one of the things I’m excited about is the who have experienced chronic homelessACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb fact that we have for first time a dedicat- ness into the next phase of their lives,” she FOUNDER the EMERITUS: Sue Laris said. “It’s a place for people to begin healing ed medical center in Skid Row.” The 649 Lofts is the second of three Skid and reimagining you know a different kind Row Housing Trust projects that has opened of future that is possible on the street.”
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski STAFF WRITERS: Doyoon Kim, Matthew Rodriguez, Claire Spinner CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Bliss Bowen, Andrew Checchia, Sara Edwards, Frier McCollister, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Rebecca Sapp/Grammy Museum, Miguel Torres of Angel Flight Media ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris
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Nurses show us what strength and heart mean. Those who choose nursing also choose selflessness, kindness, and resilience—even when the path is unknown. We feel fortunate to have so many incredible individuals who have chosen to be nurses within our organization. We’re grateful for all that they do. Happy Nurses Week.
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Philanthropist transformed LA with his generosity By Bridgette M. Redman LA Downtown News Contributing Writer
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or more than 50 years, philanthropist Eli Broad helped transform Los Angeles, donating millions to help carry out a vision of making his adopted hometown a world-class city. He died April 30 at the age of 87. His name is splashed throughout the city as a testament to his generosity. His passion for art led to the creation of premier contemporary art museums and performance spaces in Los Angeles, Santa Monica and around the country. The founder of two Fortune 500 companies — KB Home and SunAmerica — he reportedly was worth $6 billion. SunAmerica is a subsidiary of the insurance company AIG. In addition to art, he underwrote education, medical research and the Democratic Party. “Few people had more of an impact on the city of Los Angeles than Eli Broad,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement. “His philanthropic work influenced fields as diverse as education, science, health care and the arts — especially through The Broad, his world-famous museum.” He and his wife, Edye (Lawson) Broad, founded The Broad Foundation in 2010, when they signed “The Giving Pledge” — where wealthy individuals committed to giving at least half of their wealth to charity. They went above that, committing to giving 75% of their wealth away. Through their foundations, he and his wife donated $4 billion as of 2017, nearly $1 billion of that going to Los Angeles.
From humble beginnings to billionaire Eli was born in the Bronx on June 6, 1933. His parents, Rebecca (Jacobson) and Leo Broad, were Jewish immigrants from Lithuania. They moved to Detroit when he was 6 and worked as laborers. He met his future wife in Detroit and attended Michigan State University, from which he graduated cum laude in three years with a degree in accounting. At university, he held such jobs as selling women’s shoes and
garbage disposals, and working as a drill press operator at Packard Motor. He is among MSU’s best-known alumni. “Eli was a selfless, kindhearted man who dedicated much of his life to making the lives of others better,” MSU President Samuel Stanley Jr. said in a statement. “Eli embodied what it means to be a Spartan.” Over time, Eli and Edye gave more than $100 million to the university. The graduate and undergraduate programs are named after him. They also donated $33 million to build the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum on campus. “He had a tremendous vision of not only making access to art free but making the highest-caliber art in the contemporary art world available,” said Eli and Edythe Broad Museum Director Monica Ramirez-Montagut. “He was keen on saying he wanted to give back, and he wanted to be remembered for having done something better. We’re fortunate in the art world that art was his passion.” Morgan Butts, the museum’s communications direction, said Eli knew what was needed in Michigan, and by placing the museum on campus, he gave it access to renowned researchers and scholars. “There aren’t a lot of contemporary art museums in the state of Michigan,” Butts said. “We feel a responsibility to provide access to as many people as possible, which was Broad’s priority.”
Building a legacy of art in Los Angeles Eli arrived in Los Angeles in 1963, where his wife turned him on to collecting art. He and other arts patrons helped create the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in 1979. He served as the founding chairman and negotiated the purchase of 80 abstract expressionist and pop works from Italian businessman and collector Count Giuseppe Panza di Biumo, who was known for being the first European collector of postwar American art. These works formed the core of MOCA’s permanent collection and gave it instant credibility. He spearheaded efforts to complete the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Philanthropist Eli Broad died April 30 at the age of 87. Photo courtesy of Broad Foundation
Over his lifetime, he gave more than $50 million to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to pay for the Broad Contemporary Art Museum; over $30 million to MOCA; over $20 million to underwrite the Richard Meier-designed Eli and Edythe Broad Art Center at UCLA; and millions more to endow arts programming at Santa Monica College, where the Broad Stage is located. He underwrote the staging of the Los Angeles Opera’s first production of Richard Wagner’s “Ring” cycle. In 2015, he and his wife commissioned the building of The Broad, across from Disney Hall. It displays much of what used to be their private collection. “Eli saw the arts as a way to strive to build a better world for all,” said Joanne Heyler, The Broad’s founding director. “He was a fiercely committed civic leader, and his tenacity and advocacy for the arts indelibly changed Los Angeles. He will long be remembered for his unmatched generosity in sharing the arts passionately and widely.”
A champion of many causes Outside of Los Angeles and Michigan
State University, he also gave money to Harvard, the California Institute of Technology, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California’s Pitzer College. Eli was committed to making sure everyone had access to art, education, science and technology. “Eli pushed all of us to do better, to dig deeper, to invest more and to invest smarter to make Los Angeles a global epicenter for innovation and culture,” Los Angeles Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas said in a statement. “He championed catalytic transformation in the arts and education fields, including creating countless opportunities for young people to advance in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “I will forever be grateful for his commitment to addressing homelessness, as a major backer of Measure H, which was approved by voters in 2017 and generates over $350 million each year to prevent and respond to the moral crisis of our time.” In 2012, Eli released a book, “The Art of Being Unreasonable: Lessons in Unconventional Thinking,” which became an immediate bestseller. He is survived by his wife Edye and two sons Jeffrey Broad and Gary Broad.
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Covered California will help COVID COUNT Reported cases in DTLA and surrounding areas as of May 2 Chinatown: 731; Little Tokyo: 399; Los Feliz: 1,047; Silverlake: 3,193; South Park: 7,337; Wilshire Center: 5,603 Total confirmed cases in DTLA: 4,044 Total deaths in DTLA: 51 Total confirmed cases in LA County: 1,234,202 Total deaths in LA County: 23,930 Los Angeles County is eligible to advance to the yellow tier, the least restrictive tier in California’s reopening framework. If the county continues to remain eligible, a new health order will be released Wednesday, May 12, with more relaxed restrictions, taking effect the next day, May 13. The yellow tier will allow for higher-capacity limits at businesses. Fitness centers, wineries, breweries and card rooms will be permitted to reopen to 50% from 25%; bars will be able to open indoors at 25%; and outdoor venues, such as Dodger Stadium,
will reopen at 67% capacity from 33%. The new health order will also include changes in mask-wearing guidelines in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Surveillance COVID-19 testing will no longer be recommended for those who are fully vaccinated, unless they are working in nursing facilities or high-risk settings or are required by a business or facility. There has been a considerable decrease in Los Angeles County’s vaccination rate. All residents received a mobile reminder alert on May 3 to get their shots. An email was also sent out with information about vaccinations for Los Angeles County residents ages 16 and older. According to county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, 24% fewer vaccine doses were distributed in Los Angeles County for the week ending April 30, compared to the week before. There are more than 700 vaccination sites countywide, and many are offering doses with-
out an appointment. About 37% of Los Angeles County is fully vaccinated and 65% people 65 and older are fully vaccinated. Those younger than the age 16 are ineligible for the vaccine, and masking and social distancing must be followed at schools to prevent virus spread. Officials reported no new deaths for the second consecutive day on May 3. These figures are from a delay in reporting over the weekend. Still, the average number of deaths reported each day has decreased by 80% since last month. The average case rate is 306, which is a 27% decrease from last month. There
are 1,234,202 confirmed cases in Los Angeles County, with 23,930 total fatalities. Overall, California has seen steady declines in hospitalizations in the months since the winter surge. In addition, California is slated to receive 1.5 million Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, 857,200 Moderna vaccines and almost 90,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines. California has decided to continue administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after a 10-day pause from the reports of a rare blood-clotting condition caused by the vaccine. —Compiled by staff writer Doyoon Kim
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Covered NEWS California will help
Victor Hodgeson and Heavenly Hughes created My Tribe Rise. Photo by Luis Chavez
My Tribe Rise: Bringing peace to Altadena By Matthew Rodriguez LA Downtown News Staff Writer
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uilding bridges, breaking bread and spreading peace. Those are the goals of Heavenly Hughes and Victor Hodgeson of My Tribe Rise. “We understand that the ministry of breaking bread is a way of connecting with one another,” Hughes said. “Breaking bread brings a sense of peace and connection, even with tribe members.” Hughes and Hodgeson created their grassroots activism organization, My Tribe Rise, in 2019 with the broad goal of creating peace in their neighborhood, targeting the warring gangs, the Bloods and the Crips. Instead of using the term “gang members,” the couple prefers to use the term “tribe members.” “If you identify someone as a gang member that automatically puts a stigma on the individual — a very bad negative stigma,” said Hodgeson. “If you look up ‘tribe’ in the dictionary,
it’s a group of individuals that have similar interests. We want to replace the name ‘gang member’ and call them a ‘tribe member’ because tribe members have changed and they are doing more positive things.” Their experiences with the gangs in Altadena prepared them to be advocates for peace in their neighborhood and the greater Los Angeles area. “The thing that stood out to me was their genuine love for that group of people,” said Minister Tony Muhammed from the Nation of Islam and a gang-intervention activist. “You have to have an extraordinary amount of love of gang members who have gone wrong and want to be criminals.”
In the lifestyle At the age of 10, searching for a place to belong, Hodgeson joined the Altadena Blocc Crips. “It was a like a complete freedom by
joining them,” said Hodgeson. “It’s like a fraternity (or) a brotherhood. We don’t look at each other as gang members. We look at each other as a family.” While Hodgeson felt free as a member of Altadena Blocc Crips, his entire family, especially his mother, grew more and more stressed the longer he was in the gang. “It puts stress on the whole entire family,” said Hodgeson. “A mother will always be worried about their child being in that lifestyle. It put a lot of stress on her worrying about me.” In 1986, the life of being a gang member caught up with Hodgeson when he was found guilty of possession of a firearm. As a teenager, he was sent to California Youth Authority for three years. The survival-ofthe-fittest-type environment forced him to reconsider his lifestyle. “It taught me to respect the next man,” said Hodgeson. “It also made me want to do something different in life. Sitting in jail, you have a lot of time to think. One of the
things I thought of is there has to be a better way to live. This cannot be it.” While in CYA, Hodgeson began to turn his life around, earning his GED. After he was released, he left the gang and pursued other careers. In 2014, he received his associate’s degree from the University of Phoenix.
‘I don’t feel protected’ As a teenager in the early 1990s, after a string of robberies at the Altadena Supermarket, Hughes lobbied the owners to hire more Black employees. “Having a black face, having someone that people can relate to and identify with, brings more comfort and respect,” she said. “They did hire me at 15 years old. I recall being able to even use the skills of understanding to deescalate when it came to someone coming to steal items in the store.” Many of the people entering the store
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were part of the Altadena Blocc Crips, who lived right across the street. Hughes recalls that she was able to limit the “negative interactions” at the store just by talking to them. She soon gained the respect of the Crips to the point where they protected her during a time of an uptick of gang violence. “It was pretty scary, and I remember my parents were very scared for us to even be outside during that time,” she said. “But it came a time when it kind of switched where I was being protected by gang members. … I felt like I knew how to connect and communicate with them.” However, the feeling of protection soon faded, and the fear of violence rose after her brother joined the rival gang Pasadena Denver Lane, a set of Bloods. “I began to feel like our family was a target because we’re right here in Altadena where it’s all Crips living in the area and my brother made the choice to become a Blood,” said Hughes. “I was definitely nervous for my brother. There were times when my brother would be approached in stores with my parents, and even my dad was so fearful of some type of violence coming into our household.” She felt that she had a target on her back. “Although he told us that we’re protected, I always told him, ‘I don’t feel protected,’” said Hughes. “I feel like we’re a
target now.”
A tribe of activism With their experiences with gangs, the two decided to end the circle of violence in Altadena by hosting get-togethers and showing rival gangs that they could coexist peacefully. “I already came from that culture,” said Hodgeson. “It was easy to connect with them, but now we want to steer them in a more positive direction.” “Tribe members are people just like the rest of us,” Hughes added. “We all need some molding, leadership and mentoring to be able to see the light or be able to walk down a path that’s productive and positive for ourselves and for those around us.” My Tribe Rise has expanded its purview to bringing peace in the community, whether it’s gang violence, police brutality or homelessness. “Our mission specifically is to bring peace into our community,” said Hughes. “Law enforcement is part of the community. Tribes are a part of the community. Clergy and residents are all part of the community.” My Tribe Rise will host its monthly Brothers Connecting with Brothers retreat at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 8. Those interested can contact My Tribe Rise to reserve a spot. The website is mytriberise.com.
Victor Hodgeson and Heavenly Hughes want to create peace in their community. Photo by Luis Chavez
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Grandmas are the key to survival By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist
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randma Edna, my mom’s mom, was introverted. A shy and quiet farm wife, she was a champion at food growing, gathering, preserving and serving. In contrast, Grandma Aline, dad’s mom, was talkative and bold. Why am I talking about grandmas? Because there are now ample studies showing the evolutionary advantage of mothers having their own mothers around to help them. Grandfathers, not so much — but that’s another column. While that’s good to know, I am often highly cynical about studies, primarily due to the broadcast minutes and column inches I’ve seen lame-brain misogynist commentators receive over the years. They would use bogus studies (or misinterpret genuine ones) to prove that rape was an evolutionary advantage that helped expand the gene pool. I was never able to make a dent in the use of junk science to
justify rape culture, aka male supremacy. If I had the money, I would sponsor a global study on women who defend themselves and the biological advantage that gives them! I’ll never forget what happened when I was a broadcast journalist in Sacramento. A massive story at the time, from an unpublished study (later debunked), was that single white women over 30 had a better chance of being killed by terrorists than finding a husband. The panic that story caused still reverberates today with “spinster” fear. More infuriating is that credible studies since then have found that child and spouse-free women generally lead happier lives than their married counterparts who have kids. Why is that being suppressed? Do any of you remember a book from 1994 called “The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure In American Life” by Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray? Their “findings” regarding race, gender and
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intelligence caused a colossal brouhaha in academia and popular culture. Unsurprisingly, women and BIPOC folks didn’t fare well, and the pernicious damage done to our society after the media ran with this story is still with us. Today’s conversations about inclusivity are a welcome rebuttal to the flawed studies and methodologies used by the authors.
On the flip side, “Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference” by Cordelia Fine is a must-read. Dr. Fine rips the curtain back on the white male wizards of science who use their various disciplines to make “hardwire” arguments that allow for bad white male behavior and inherent superiority. Part of pulling back the curtain has
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to do with examining which studies get funded in the first place. When our colleges and universities are top-heavy with the interests of cis white men, it stands to reason their studies will receive more attention and money. When higher education admits more people of different backgrounds, the Ph.D. candidates will study those subjects that matter to them. Statistically, there’s apt to be more female scientists who will draw upon their own lived experience. A scientist who has given birth is more inclined to apply for grants quantifying mothering or infant survival. Once such a study is funded, does it get published? If there are no women in editorial positions, there’s usually no one to advocate for publication or even commentary. An example of this kind of change is the New York Times. After more women and BIPOC staffers were added, more diverse content magically started appearing on the Grey Lady’s pages. Diversity makes a difference across the board. I have a few conversational doozies that underline the need for diversity in the physical sciences. A mass burial site was found in Manhattan. One of the skeletons had fractures on its ankles. “Hmm. This is odd,” Mr. Clueless Preppy White Man Archaeologist says. “What would cause that?” The Black intern immediately replies, “Shackles.” On another dig, one “digger” found a bone that had 28 slashes on
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it. He says, “This hunter must have had a good hunting season — this indicates that he bagged 28 deer!” His female colleague says, “Dude, this is a woman’s tally of her menstrual cycle.” Speaking of archaeology, don’t get me started about the DNA tests verifying that warriors previously identified as male turned out to be female. By now, you’re probably saying, “This is all fascinating, but what does any of it have to do with your grandmothers?!” Now that there are more women studying people traditionally left out of studies, that will be reflected in what gets studied — and, in turn, what makes it into the news. And a definitely newsworthy fact is that humans do better when there’s a grandma around. I admit to having cousin envy, as my cousins had more grandmother time than I did. My parents moved far away from my grandmas before my birth. We only got to see them during visits once or twice a year. I can glimpse echoes of myself in them; I am shy and also bold. I know that my grandmas were entertained by me, yet they were also relieved when they could leave. I know I’m better for having had them in my life, and I don’t need a study to tell me that. Ellen Snortland’s columns have been in print since the early ’90s. She also coaches writers. Contact her at ellen@ authorbitebybite.com
SMITH’S OPINION
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.
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TRAX
BY BLISS BOWEN LA DOWNTOWN NEWS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
DUMPSTAPHUNK, “Where Do We Go from Here” (Mascot/The Funk Garage): HHH
Punchy funk jams and hopeful messages from bandleader Ivan Neville and his New Orleans crew. “Justice 2020” is a hardcharging reprise of their 2017 single that swaps out Trombone Shorty’s horn for Chali 2na’s righteous rap, while the title track, “Do You” and “Let’s Get at It” note towering challenges of the day with clear sight and conviction rooted in history and irresistible grooves. Infectious opener “United Nation Stomp” sets the tone: “Everybody clap your hands/ Everybody stomp your feet/ Everybody move around/ Everybody sing with me.” dumpstaphunk.com
MAIA SHARP, “Mercy Rising” (Crooked Crown): HHH½
The former Angeleno’s first album since 2015’s “Dash Between the Dates” transcends specific events yet speaks to this general moment of healing and starting over. Textured with subtle grooves and atmospheric guitar lines, standouts such as “You’ll Know Who Knows You,” the brooding title track and “Whatever We Are” offer studies in contrast between Sharp’s smoky vocals and smart, polished melodies. Sharp’s songs have been recorded by Dixie Chicks and Bonnie Raitt, among numerous others; it will be no surprise if other artists also fatten their repertoires with “Things to Fix” and “When the World Doesn’t End” (“4-3-2-1/ And no Armageddon/ There’s still a moon, still a sun/ And we’re still breathin’”). maiasharp.com
WEST OF TEXAS, “Heartache, Hangovers & Honky Tonks” (Pleasant Valley Ranch): HHH
Frontman Jerry Zinn, producer Rich McCulley and a cadre of veteran Southland roots musicians capture the upbeat swing and sparkle of Bakersfield country classics throughout this ingratiating set. It’s easy to imagine Zinn and the band playing these to a crowd of two-steppers, and their performances and the cheery retro appeal combine to make this a heart-lifting reminder that live shows are on the near horizon. Highlights: the hooky “Foolin’,” “12 Steps to Drinkin’” (co-written by Zinn and Grant Langston) and “Dead End Job Blues.” westoftexas.com
MARIANNE FAITHFULL WITH WARREN ELLIS, She Walks in Beauty (BMG): HHHH
Faithfull’s magnificently weathered voice embodies rock ’n’ roll survival, and there’s symmetry to her resurrection of romantic poets who sketched a libertine template seized by 20th century icons, such as the Rolling Stones. Her readings tap into the inherent musicality of Byron, Keats (a sublime “To Autumn”), Shelley, Tennyson and Wordsworth (a Celtic-tinged, elegiac “Surprised by Joy”), as Bad Seeds multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis complements her speech with ambient settings layered with natural sounds and contributions from Nick Cave, Brian Eno and cellist Vincent Ségal. But it’s Faithfull’s gritty inhabitation of the language that makes it move and sing. mariannefaithfull.org.uk
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Covered California will help ARTS & CULTURE
Cash Cash hopes new album heals the soul By Claire Spinner LA Downtown News Staff Writer
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he electronic trio Cash Cash felt a renewed sense of purpose throughout the pandemic, even though it was unable to perform. The result is the album, which is due to hit streaming services on Friday, May 14. “The pandemic was really the first thing that prevented us from doing what we do and doing what we love, which is playing music and touring and DJing all around the world,” said Jean Paul Makhlouf, who is joined in the band by his brother Alex and longtime friend Samuel Frisch. “So, it was definitely a huge bummer, but at the same time it was a blessing because it helped us finish up the new record and finish up all the songs we had lying around. You can’t have the dark without the light. It really makes you appreciate the good when you experience the bad.” Makhlouf said making music helps the band get through tough times — even outside of the pandemic. “Making music is a form of therapy, at least for us,” Makhlouf said. “Being able to express feelings through music really can be therapeutic, and writing the album was a really good way to take our minds off of the pandemic and all the negative things that the pandemic brought.” While Cash Cash officially debuted in 2008, Makhlouf said the trio has been making music since childhood. “Our love for music all started around the same age,” Makhlouf said. “We were in elementary school and all shined on different in-
struments. When I picked up my first guitar, I knew it was the one. My brother was a really talented piano player, and Sam was into bass guitar and drums, so after I started singing, we really came together naturally. “It was this organic group, and after we started writing music, we wanted to be able to record it, so we did that all ourselves.” Nearly 15 years and four albums later, the multiplatinum group has established itself as an iconic electronic act. Known for its innovative crossover style that encapsulates dance, pop, rock and alternative music, the group has amassed a large fan base. “Say It Like You Feel It” is its fifth album, and Makhlouf said it stays true to Cash Cash’s identifiable upbeat sound but creative sonic landscape. “I think the sound of Cash Cash is always evolving, but everything on this album I would say is especially melodic,” he said. “Everything we do has a purpose, and I think that the features really diversify our music the best because we go from working with different rappers to pop artists, to rock artists and to singer-songwriters. It keeps us motivated to not do the same thing every time.” For the songs, Cash Cash often writes them with the featured artists, who have ranged from Wiz Khalifa to Dashboard Confessional on “Say It Like You Feel It.” “The cool thing about the way that we write music lately is that we work with so many different artists, and they all have so many different stories to tell,” he said. “So, a lot of times, we get into a room together and we’ll be shooting the breeze about our pasts and relationships and friends
Electronic trio Cash Cash’s newest album hits streaming services May 14. Submitted photo
Cash Cash’s upcoming fifth album, “Say It Like You Feel It,” is about having no regrets. Submitted photo
and troubles. You end up getting this melting pot of emotions with the songs, and that’s really cool. Then, when we release it, people get to interpret what we all came up with in any way they want.” Makhlouf said the band frequently focused on making sure its songs have an emotional connection to its lives and experiences. It’s important, he added, to let its listeners connect with the music. “There always has to be some kind of emotional connection to the song, because if we can’t emotionally connect to it, then why would anybody else?” he said. “We almost always look for a story first with the music for that reason.” As many venues begin to reopen, the trio has started playing live again. Live performances are paramount and are what the group loves to do the most. “It feels really good to get out to these different markets again and play our new songs and see people react. Getting back to what we do has been really rejuvenating.” With Cash Cash’s new release, Makhlouf said he is excited to finally have a place for the songs to see the light of day. Though it
has been nearly five years since the group’s last record, it has since released. “I’m looking forward to giving all of the songs that we’ve written a home,” he said. “It’s going to be awesome to have them in one place that represents this whole last chapter of Cash Cash. That’s what our albums are. They are like chapters that define the different eras of Cash Cash. We are sharing the next chapter of our lives with this album, creatively and emotionally, and that’s a really great feeling.” Makhlouf said he hoped Cash Cash’s audience can find some comfort in its latest release. Ultimately, he said, the album is about having no regrets. “Music heals, and I think this is an album that can really help people who are going through a tough time right now,” he said. “It can remind them of what they need to do to get out of that bad place. We want to remind people that you can make the best of any situation. You only get one chance to live your life. Every year lost is a year you can’t get back, and I think that’s kind of the beauty of time and life. But ultimately, we want our music to help people live to their fullest.”
Cash Cash cashcashmusic.com
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Cannabis titan is thriving, expanding workforce By LA Downtown News Staff Many of Los Angeles’ most talented professionals are clamoring to secure jobs in cannabis. But finding a home in the industry — without having to endure the typical pains of a startup environment — can be a challenge. However, solutions do exist. And in a growing market saturated with aspiring entrepreneurs, one industry titan stands head and shoulders above the rest: Advanced Nutrients. Founded by Michael “BigMike” Straumietis in 1999, Advanced Nutrients is the most-trusted cannabis nutrient brand. It’s also the most profitable company in cannabis and it is scaling at its fastest rate. To understand the success of Advanced Nutrients, one must first understand the founder’s spirit. A grower since 1983, Straumietis has 38 years of experience overseeing the cultivation of millions of cannabis plants. And, since the beginning of his career, he’s advocated for cannabis’ therapeutic benefits. Searching for the best solutions for his crops, it became clear to Straumietis early on that the options for cannabis nutrients were dismal. In fact, they didn’t exist. Swayed by stigma and desperate to appease public opinion, the nutrient companies hid their hydroponics nutrients behind pictures of big, red tomatoes. Straumietis understood that, regardless of what other companies wanted growers to believe, cannabis has very specific needs. So, he took matters into his own hands and introduced the world’s first complete cannabis growing system. Together with a team of Ph.D. scientists, Straumietis subsequently introduced 53 innovations to the industry. And through a relentless quest to unlock the plant’s true genetic potential, he received one of the first three government-issued licenses in the world to grow cannabis for research purposes. Through rigorous testing and decades of hands-on experience, Straumietis and his team of scientists innovated a next-generation system that targets every phase in the plant’s journey from seed to senescence, providing optimum nourishment for award-winning Michael “BigMike” Straumietis is the founder and chief executive officer of Advanced Nutrients. yields. (Photo courtesy of Advanced Nutrients) This comprehensive approach to cannabis cultivation has made Advanced Nutrients the go-to nutrient brand for the top growers in at the forefront of the industry, with more growers to service. 107 countries and counting. More Cannabis Cup winners tout the As a recession-proof company with a proven track record of upcompany’s products as their go-to feeding regimen behind their ward momentum, Advanced Nutrients is the perfect match for plants’ success than any other brand. This relentless spirit of innova- top-tier professionals seeking full-time, salaried employment. Adtion serves as the driving force behind Straumietis’ mission of “mak- vanced Nutrients is hiring talent who believes in its mission and who ing cannabis an acceptable and everyday part of healing humanity.” can bring their unique skill sets to a creative, innovative environment Never one to rest on his laurels, Straumietis produces documenta- celebrating all-things cannabis. ries to amplify his life’s mission to make cannabis an acceptable and “My team and I are incredibly grateful to be a recession-proof comeveryday part of healing humanity. pany that’s leading the industry,” Straumietis said. Entertainment studios sought his expertise as a technical adviser “We’ve averaged 35% growth per year for 22 years now, and things on the hit TV show “Weeds” and the film “Pineapple Express.” are only getting better. It’s an exciting time for Advanced Nutrients.” He serves as the executive producer and host of “The Next MarijuaStraumietis understands that the success of his business depends na Millionaire,” a reality competition business show featuring 16 bud- on the happiness of his team members. ding entrepreneurs competing in a series of challenges to determine “I attribute much of our success during COVID to looking after our their business savvy and character. The competition’s grand prize is team members, protecting them as best we can, and providing a safe worth up to $1 million and a business partnership with Straumietis. work environment,” he said. “I believe that when they see you care, He’s also co-host of the “Business Outlaws” podcast where, along they’re willing to go the extra mile for you.” with Chris “Bulldog” Collins, he shares the secret business tactics The company strives to offer a complete benefits package, taking that most CEOs are too afraid to share. into consideration the immediate and long-term needs of its team With a lifetime of business experience and fringe industry exper- members. tise, the “outlaws” want to send the elevator of success back down Among the benefits are: to their 24-year-old selves, so listeners can avoid the many pitfalls of Medical, dental, vision, paid holidays and vacation life and business. Catered lunch Legal cannabis is now a multibillion-dollar industry that shows no Gym membership reimbursement signs of slowing down. In a recent Hill-HarrisX poll, 84% of AmeriRetirement, life insurance cans support legalizing marijuana. And Advanced Nutrients remains To apply, visit https://advancednutrients.applytojob.com
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Covered California will help ARTS & CULTURE
Grammy Museum honors DMB, Motown, Solis By LA Downtown News Staff
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Full set of Boyz II Men outfits Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Grammy Museum
he Grammy Museum will reopen its doors to the public on Friday, May 21, after its closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Museum members will have special preview days the prior weekend on Saturday, May 15, and Sunday, May 16. During the first phase of reopening, the museum will follow guidelines provided by LA County for museums and open at limited capacity to maintain social distancing. In addition, the Grammy Museum will provide free admission to first responders, health care workers and essential workers through June. The museum will open with three new major exhibits: “Dave Matthews Band: Inside and Out” (on view through fall 2021); “Y Para Siempre… Marco Antonio Solís” (on view through spring 2022); and the previously announced “Motown: The Sound of Young America,” presented by City National Bank (on view through winter 2021). Additionally, the museum’s “This is Nat King Cole” exhibit has been extended through fall. The “Motown: The Sound of Young America” exhibit, presented by City National Bank, will be the museum’s premier second-floor exhibit through winter 2021. It traces the evolution of the label, focusing on its major artists and musical achievements, and explores how the sound of Mo-
town continues to influence some of pop music’s most important artists. In addition to stage outfits from many of Motown’s top performers, such as the Temptations, the Four Tops, the Miracles and the Supremes, the exhibition also includes exclusive interviews with many Motown legends. Visitors will also experience interactive displays, including an opportunity to perform the Supremes’ “Stop! In the Name of Love” on stage and learn the Temptations’ signature dance moves. “The music of Motown, especially in the 1960s, represents a high-water mark in American music,” said Bob Santelli, the exhibition’s curator and founding executive director of the Grammy Museum. “The long list of No. 1 hits, the incredible stable of stars, and the genius of Berry Gordy Jr., both as a businessman and nurturer of talent, made Motown one of the most successful and impactful record companies of all time.” The Grammy Museum officials call the exhibit “vital.” “In the past 60 years, Motown has repeatedly proved itself as a galvanizing musical and cultural force, amplifying the voice of Young America,” said Ethiopia Habtemariam, chairman/CEO of Motown Records and president of Urban Music/co-head of creative at Universal Publishing Music Group. “Providing a firsthand view of the devel-
Harmonica played by Stevie Wonder
Butterfly gowns worn by the Supremes Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Grammy Museum
Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Grammy Museum
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opment of artists like Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men, Ne-Yo, Lil Baby and Migos will, I hope, spark the dreams of a new generation.” A blend of gospel, blues and pop, Motown began in Detroit in the late 1950s and quickly became “The Sound of Young America,” crashing the American pop charts and challenging the Beatles-led British Invasion. The visionary of Motown, Gordy Jr., a former prizefighter and songwriter who believed that talent could be found on nearly every Detroit street corner, brought the iconic sound into the mainstream, and it’s a sound that continues to influence music and culture around the world. The exhibit was supported by Universal Music Group, Motown Records and UMe and premiered at the LBJ Presidential Library in 2019. Exhibit highlights include: • Berry Gordy’s $800 loan contract (facsimile) used to start the Motown record label. • “Butterfly” gowns worn by the Supremes. • Harmonica and keyboard played by Stevie Wonder. • Ray Parker Jr.’s Gretsch guitar. • Recording Academy Hall of Fame Awards for the Miracles. • Full set of Jackson 5 outfits. • Full set of Boyz II Men outfits. • Full set of the Four Tops outfits. • Full set of the Temptations outfits. • Blazers from Migos’ “Stir Fry” music video. The Grammy-winning Dave Matthews Band is one of the most influential bands in rock history. Its infectious, distinctive sound garnered early attention and a die-hard loyal fan base, catapulting the band into one of the most successful touring acts of the past three decades. DMB has sold more than 25 million tickets since its inception and a collective 38 million CDs and DVDs combined. To showcase the band’s undeniable impact, the Grammy Museum will host “Dave Matthews Band: Inside and Out.” “Dave Matthews Band: Inside and Out” explores the nearly 30-year history of the renowned band. DMB started in Charlottesville, Virginia, and played sold-out world tours and impactful benefit concerts. This exhibit captures the band’s commitment to causes that promote positive social change. In 1999, Dave Matthews Band established the Bama Works Fund, which supports a wide range of efforts to build a more equitable, resilient and environmentally sound world. Bama Works has operated under the philosophy that meaningful and long-lasting change begins in the community. Over the decades, Bama Works has granted financial support to major humanitarian and environmental initiatives, raising more than $65 million. In a landmark undertaking, Bama Works is working to combat Charlottesville’s affordable housing crisis by funding a resident-led effort to replace all of Charlottesville’s public housing units and construct new affordable housing. “Dave Matthews Band has broadened the boundaries of live music performance and built a following that rivals the fan base of the biggest names in pop music,” Santelli said. “It’s an honor for the Grammy Museum to host this exhibit and celebrate their incredible achievements and legacy.” As one of the biggest touring acts in the world, Dave Matthews Band has offset all touring-related carbon emissions since the earliest days of the band. Over the course of 20 tours, the Bama Green Project has integrated sustainability into every aspect of Dave Matthews Band’s operations, including fueling tour buses with biodiesel, eliminating single-use plastic bottles at shows, prioritizing locally grown food through its farm-to-stage catering program, and directly engaging fans in environmental actions. In one of their latest endeavors, Dave Matthews Band joined in the Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees program, raising $2 million to plant a million trees worldwide. “We are happy to see the Grammy Museum reopen their doors to the music community and honored that there will be an exhibit that will showcase our history,” the band said in a statement. The exhibit also celebrates the creative process behind some of Dave Matthews Band’s albums. The band is the first group in Billboard chart history to have seven consecutive studio albums debut at No.1. Visitors can view handwritten lyrics and studio production notes that the band used during its recording sessions. Exhibit highlights include: • Dave Matthews’ Chet Atkins guitar. • LeRoi Moore’s tenor saxophone and penny whistles. • Carter Beauford’s 1990s-played drum kit. • Stefan Lessard’s Modulus bass guitar. • Handwritten set lists, lyrics, recording studio notes and drawings. • Various memorabilia from the band’s history — fliers, posters and tickets.
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Carter Beauford’s 1990s-played drum kit Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Grammy Museum
Handwritten set lists Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Grammy Museum
Full set of Jackson 5 outfits Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Grammy Museum
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Covered DINING California will help
Savoca recently opened an outdoor dining area filled with isolated glass boxes called “the Cottages.” Photo courtesy of Savoca
The Cottages at Savoca emphasizes Californian-Italian cooking By Andrew Checchia LA Downtown News Contributing Writer
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ifferent chefs feel comfortable in different environments. While many prefer the intimacy of a small kitchen, from food trucks to hole-in-the-wall local haunts, Nathaniel Marcus, the senior sous-chef at the combo Ritz-Carlton-JW Marriott, prefers the massive corporate space a hotel kitchen provides. Talking about Savoca, the hotel’s centerpiece Italian-Californian trattoria, Marcus said he loved “the style of it.” “Everything’s different. When you’re working near the Staples Center, you deal with volume you don’t normally see at any other property,” Marcus said. “You don’t normally get to have that experience working at a standalone restaurant property really anywhere in Los Angeles.”
Savoca, which recently opened an outdoor dining area filled with isolated glass boxes called “the Cottages,” aims to marry Italian flavors with the kind of fresh produce-centric cooking that’s distinctly Californian. The Cottages embody this goal, offering intimate Italian-inspired decor under the iridescent glow of the Staples Center’s massive screens. The effect is fascinating — a strange cross between Times Square and a Tuscan villa — where even during COVID-19 the yells of rowdy Lakers fans can score a picturesque family get-together. “We’re not pigeonholed into a regional Italian cuisine,” Marcus said of Savoca’s culinary scope. “There are a lot of restaurants in Los Angeles like that. We don’t take that approach at Savoca. We have a larger range of dishes we can create. We have a lot more wiggle room in being inspired to create things that are based on Italian cooking but also things that are more playful and approachable.”
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Savoca is the Ritz-Carlton-JW Marriott’s centerpiece Italian-Californian trattoria. Photo courtesy of Savoca
That playfulness comes through in its dishes. Californian ingredients bring new flavors to Italian classics, like a cherry-balsamic jam served alongside the burrata cheese appetizer ($11). While not a usurper of the original’s throne, the semi-sweet complement to the creaminess and acidity breathed unexpected new life to an otherwise straightforward dish. It was also served with warm fried dough balls instead of crackers or bread, a decidedly American twist while enjoying the cheese. Similarly, Savoca offers a unique take on “lasagna” ($23) — which it serves as a rolledup eggplant, turned on its side, and presented in a tiny oven-baked skillet. The eggplant gives the traditional pasta a Californian flair and a distinct heartiness. Though light on the sauce, when all the flavors came together, it satisfies the itch for a traditional full-bodied lasagna, albeit more interesting. “Doing the lasagna in a visually different manner, mixing types of dishes, like seafood cioppino, which is not an ‘authentic’ Italian dish,” Marcus said. “You can pick and pull from different inspirations.” That cioppino ($18), itself a Bay Area invention of Italian immigrants, shows Savoca’s smaller spins on reliable classics, like its short rib ($30). The meat, falling apart with just a fork, is served simply on a bed of polenta with multicolored roasted carrots. The server described the dish as pot roast-like — another filling meal to counteract cool LA evenings. “Savoca has a menu that’s more driven toward a shared experience or an intimate experience (for people) who are wanting to spend time with each other,” Marcus said. Maintaining that intimacy runs deeper than the menu. Given the huge space and influx of hotel guests, tourists and Staples Center visitors, Marcus and the kitchen team need to stay coordinated and vigilant to keep up their high standards. Especially, as Mar-
cus says, when integrity comes first. “It’s always about integrity and understanding that the dishes you’re creating should be made as if they’re for your mother or family member or your close friend,” Marcus said. “A lot of the stuff has been in existence in Marriott’s work culture. They’ve cultivated it over many decades. If you’re opening a restaurant, I don’t think you’d be able to develop the same handbook or rules and principles from scratch.” That culture pushes employees to put extra work into the hospitality and the food. On the culinary side, they make all their pastas fresh in-house but avoid overemphasizing it on their menu to make the dishes still seem approachable. But the time that goes into it also inspires an appreciation for the team’s work, allowing every staff member to realize the effort that goes into their daily operation. And their effort pays off. Especially in the intimate cottage setting, Savoca provides a personal restaurant experience that doesn’t feel artificially manufactured by a corporate kitchen — a quality noticeable from the fresh ingredients to the attentive service. Sitting underneath glaring advertisements and glass skyscrapers won’t trick anyone into thinking Savoca is something it isn’t, but like Marcus’ appreciation for his kitchen environment, sometimes that kind of experience is actually preferred.
Savoca 900 W. Olympic Boulveard 213-765-8630, https://bit.ly/2Ru48wC
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Covered DINING California will help
Tomahawk short rib Photo courtesy of Disruptive Restaurant Group
LA Live’s Katsuya introduces new menu By Andrew Checchia LA Downtown News Contributing Writer
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Futomaki house roll Photo courtesy of Disruptive Restaurant Group
Wagyu toro crisps Photo courtesy of Disruptive Restaurant Group
atsuya Uechi opened his LA Live location more than 10 years ago through the lifestyle and leisure company SBE. Since then, the sushi eatery has become a Downtown institution and reliable destination for Lakers fans, conventioneers and locals. Now Katsuya is unveiling a new menu for its Downtown location as it returns to in-person dining. COVID-19 shutdowns sent Katsuya into a takeout-only system for months, but after workshopping a new menu since January, the location quietly reopened its doors to Downtown sushi lovers on April 30. “We’re such an institution on that plaza. We didn’t advertise the reopening, and we had 250 guests,” said Martin Heierling, the chief culinary officer at SBE, the company overseeing Katsuya. “In January we started thinking about what we wanted to do. We wanted to be as productive as we could be.” That productivity inspired Heierling and the culinary team to shake things up. While Katsuya’s iconic standards remain — like the spicy tuna crispy rice — Heierling wanted to bring new dishes that use seasonal ingredients to attract new customers, given the dramatic changes in LA’s culinary landscape during the pandemic. His team first focused on maki (rolls), including a Dungeness crab roll; a spicy tuna roll; and futomaki, an overstuffed roll with a double portion of fresh fish. In the first few days, the futomaki was an instant hit. “We wanted to first approach the maki side of things. I wanted to bring in a couple things like a seasonal Dungeness crab from the West Coast,” Heierling said. “Futomaki is not something you get very often in the U.S. or a Westernized restaurant. I didn’t expect the response to be that positive and immediate, but it happened.” Even though it brings dishes like the futomaki to a new audience, Katsuya started out by specifically tailoring Japanese flavors to an American palate. That mindset inspired some of its other new menu innovations, like the introduction of Japanese fried rice and yakisoba and the expansion of the meat-heavy robata grill offerings. Those offerings, according to Heierling, could compete with any premier steakhouse in the city. “I want to make sure we serve food that’s interesting and intriguing but that’s approachable,” Heierling added. That approachability brought them to other additions, like a Katsuya slaw. Prepared tableside in a glass bowl to show off the color, the slaw combines 11 vibrant ingredients into a combination of texture and flavor. Although the slaw replaces Katsuya’s staple chicken salad, Heierling said it keeps the team creative and forward thinking. “When you make these changes, you introduce new ideas,” Heierling said. “It’s the same reason Mercedes doesn’t make the same car for 20 years. You want to represent new trends that change very quickly. If you don’t stay out in front of it, it’s difficult to retain your clientele.” Maintaining its clientele has become especially difficult in the face of an increasingly engaged, educated and fickle-eating public. Pandemic shutdowns brought increased attention
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to restaurant culture, but Heierling noticed a decade-long trend where average eaters became more interested in the inner workings of good food, including cuisine once thought outside the public’s comfort zone. “When you go back 20 years ago, the evolution of the consumer, the education, the exposure, has been so exponentially fast,” Heierling said. “I think the learning curve has been extremely quick. People really love it. Food is like this comfort thing now, and (the public’s) interest level is high. I think food, particularly on the media side of things, now food is like a genre. Now you have this ecosystem, not just from the TV press but books, magazines, online and Instagram. The exposure of food and the continued growth has just been so fast and so limitless over the past five to 10 years. Chefs are looked at as these artists.” Whether artists, service workers or nourishers, these chefs will also lead restaurants into a
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predicted period of fierce competition as businesses that survived the pandemic look to bring back the public. But Heierling looks to that period with optimism and excitement, welcoming the earned challenge. “Anybody that’s still open, I’ll happily compete with them. I don’t look at this as something negative,” Heierling said. “Anybody that’s in this business now, it’s good to have this competition. We’re just basically accelerating the focus on quality and expanding our footprint.”
Katsuya LA Live 800 W. Olympic Boulevard 213-747-9797, sbe.com
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Covered DINING California will help
RiceBox: Cantonese barbecue reborn
By Frier McCollister LA Downtown News Contributing Writer
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uring the pandemic, one Downtown experience hasn’t changed much: parking. Finding a parking spot remains a challenging, nerve-wracking and usually inordinately expensive adventure. If one’s destination is the Spring Arcade Building, with its block-long breezeway of small shops and restaurants, allow some extra time to assay the parking options. It’s never simple. Still, if hunger is the motivation and Cantonese barbecue is the object, RiceBox is worth the extra loop or two around the block. Chef Leo Lee and his wife, Lydia, opened their tiny bastion of Cantonese culinary invention, RiceBox, in September 2018 as an homage to their families’ three generations of culinary experience. That said, they each come from rather distinct backgrounds. Lydia was raised in Hong Kong, where her grandfather maintained a well-loved Cantonese barbecue shop for many years. Her uncle still has several barbecue restaurants in Taiwan, employing the family’s generational recipes. Leo was born and raised in Mexicali, Mexico, where his family ran a Chinese restaurant. He pursued his destiny at the storied Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduating, he was employed by Miami restaurants for two years before moving to Los Angeles. There, he worked closely with chef Joachim Splichal and his Patina Restaurant Group. Leo’s experience at Patina and its diverse portfolio of venues and array of formats and service taught him the value of nimble adaptability. It’s a quality that served him well during the process of rehabbing the 600-square-foot retail storefront at the Spring Arcade Building into a fully equipped kitchen, with gas lines and ventilation. It took nearly two years. With the recent pandemic pivoting, the couple delivered food to the Westside and Orange County. Leo and Lydia became parents last May. Patient and nimble adaptability has been a key to Leo’s success. When Leo and Lydia met and discussed a restaurant that would reflect their backgrounds, Lydia called on her uncle in Taiwan for recipes. Leo experimented with the recipes, taking traditional approaches to Cantonese barbecue and adapting them to his liking. RiceBox starts with a commitment to fresh and sustainably sourced ingredients. Organically raised Duroc pork and Mary’s free-range chicken and duck are the foundations of the menu. However, it’s Leo’s technique
OG char siu is slow-cooked barbecue Duroc pork, roasted and glazed with honey. Photo by Frier McCollister
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— particularly when it comes to Cantonese-style barbecue — that elevates and distinguishes his work from tradition. The simple menu is portioned into three sections: RiceBox, bao and SnackBox. The RiceBox entrees are served on rice with thinly sliced pickles and a fresh strip of braised bok choy. The stars of the show here are the OG char siu ($11.25) and the porchetta crackling ($13.75). The dishes require several days marinating and air-drying the pork before roasting. The char siu and porchetta take two and three days, respectively. The porchetta preparation is based on the Cantonese dish siu yuk but employs the Roman technique of porchetta rolling and roasting. It’s worth noting the process. It starts with a 6-pound pork belly slab, sourced from hormone- and antibiotic-free Duroc-breed pork. The meat is richly marbled and has the correct ratio of fat to protein for effective slow roasting. A seven-spice dry rub is applied to the slab, followed by a proprietary wet rub. The meat is then tightly rolled and trussed with twine. The roll marinates for 24 hours before being mounted in a vertical smoker for three to five hours of slow roasting before high heat is employed to crisp the skin for cracklings. The traditional accompaniment of hoisin sauce is replaced with a lighter ginger-based chimichurri here that cuts effectively against the richness of the pork belly. It’s a reinvention of traditions that elicits a dish that is original without subverting the traditional flavors and textures inspiring it. Grandma’s curry beef stew ($11.75) is a custom blend of curry pastes and powders with fresh potatoes, onions, tomatoes and coconut milk. Combined with a six-hour braise on a brisket of prime beef, grandma will likely approve. The soy sauce chicken ($11.95) is a take on Hainanese chicken rice with free-range chicken poached in black soy sauce and served with a traditional ginger scallion sauce. Mapo eggplant ($10.50) riffs on the traditional Szechuan dish, swapping eggplant for tofu with braised shiitake mushrooms and chili oil. Saturdays only, opt for the roasted duck, featuring Mary’s free-range duck dry-aged for five days before roasting and served with a seasonal fruit chutney. Build a custom box with two items for $14.50 or three items for $16.50. Extra add-ons include an organic fried egg ($2), an RBX cheesy pork egg roll ($2.95) or extra vegetables ($3.25). The bao section of the menu offers five options. Available for the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. lunch, the homemade almond milk buns come two per order. It might also be noted that the buns are flecked with streaks of gray from activated charcoal in the dough. They spring lightly to the touch and yield all the satisfaction of a traditional bun. Varieties include OG char siu ($6.95), made with the same roasted Duroc pork of the entree; a vegan Shrooming bao ($6.95) with a mix of wild mushrooms and vermicelli, served with a custom vegan barbecue sauce; and the RBX bao ($7.95), an original creation fusing roast char siu pork with Monterey Jack cheese, adding a creamy richness to the otherwise traditional bun. The OmniPork! bao ($6.95) is a vegan bun using plant-based pork with shiitake and wood ear mushrooms and napa cabbage. Finally, the five lighter SnackBox menu options include chili salt and pepper wings ($7.50), six wings treated with Thai chili, garlic and green onions; crispy shrimp dumplings ($8), a six-piece order served with chilisoy sauce; the vegan Impossible dumplings ($9.95) stuffed with Impossible meat, napa cabbage and shiitake and wood ear mushrooms; RBX cheesy pork egg rolls ($8.75), a three-piece order incorporating the char siu pork and Jack cheese combo of the bao; and barbecue pork-fried rice ($8.95), a toss of diced char siu pork, organic eggs, Chinese broccoli and scallions. The price points are accessible for dishes that are created with authentic care and attention. This food can only be found at the Spring Arcade Building and only at the tiny RiceBox.
RiceBox 541 S. Spring Street, Suite 131 213-988-7395, ricebox.net
OG char siu bao is slow-cooked barbecue Duroc barbecue pork and onion. Photo by Frier McCollister
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MAY 10, 2021
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■ JACKPOT: Imagine finding the 1970-D Silver JFK shown below worth the highest collector value on record in one of these unsearched Bank Rolls. At left, workers scramble to keep up with orders. There are never any guarantees, but California residents who get their hands on these State Restricted Bank Rolls will be the really lucky ones because many Silver JFK’s have nearly doubled in collector value in the last several years. Coin values always fluctuate but there can never be any more of these Silver JFKs minted between 1965 and 1970 and there’s no telling what they will someday be worth.
Last State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Rolls go to California residents
California residents get first dibs on last remaining Bank Rolls loaded with U.S. Gov’t issued Silver JFK’s dating back to the mid 1900’s some worth up to 60 times their face value for just the $19 minimum set for state residents - all other state residents must pay $57 per coin if any remain after 2-day deadline STATE DISTRIBUTION: A strict limit of 6 State Restricted Bank Rolls per CA resident has been imposed
CALIFORNIA - “It’s a mir- tion. acle these State Restricted “I recently spoke with a reBank Rolls even exist. That’s tired Treasurer of the United why Hotline Operators are States of America who said, bracing for the flood of calls,” ‘In all my years as Treasurer said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin I’ve only ever seen a handand Currency Treasurer for ful of these rarely seen Silver the National Mint and Trea- JFK’s issued by the U.S. Gov’t sury. over 50 years ago. But to actuFor the next 2 days the last ally find them sealed away in remaining State of California State Restricted Bank Rolls Restricted Bank Rolls loaded still in pristine condition is with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t is- like finding buried treasure. sued Silver JFK’s are actually So anyone lucky enough to being handed over to Califor- get their hands on these Bank nia residents who call the Na- Rolls had better hold on to tional Toll-Free Hotlines listed them,’” Lynne said. in today’s newspaper publica- “Now that the State of Cali-
fornia Restricted Bank Rolls telling what California resiare being offered up we won’t dents will find until they sort be surprised if thousands of through all the coins,” Lynne California residents claim the went on to say. maximum limit allowed of 6 And here’s the best part. If Bank Rolls per resident before you are a resident of the state they’re all gone,” said Lynne. of California you cover only the “That’s because the dates $19 per coin state minimum and mint marks of the U.S. set by the National Mint and Gov’t issued Silver clad JFK Treasury, that’s twenty rarely Half Dollars sealed away in- seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver side the State of California clad JFK half dollars worth up Restricted Bank Rolls have to 60 times their face value for never been searched. But, we just $380 which is a real steal do know that these coins date because non state residents back to the mid 1900’s and must pay $57 per coin which some are worth up to 60 times totals $1,140 if any coins retheir face value, so there is no (Continued on next page) R1031R-1
MAY 10, 2021
DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM
DOWNTOWN NEWS 23
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Operators are standing by to main after the 2-day deadline. answer the phones beginning The only thing California at 8:30 am this morning. We’re residents need to do is call the going to do our best, but with National Toll-Free Hotlines just 2 days to answer all the printed in today’s newspaper calls it won’t be easy. So make publication before the 2-day sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. order deadline ends. “Rarely seen U.S. Gov’t is- We’ll do our best to ansued silver coins like these are swer them all,” Lynne highly sought after, but we’ve said. never seen anything like this “That’s why the Nabefore. According to The Of- tional Mint and Treaficial Red Book, a Guide Book sury set up the Nationof United States Coins many al Toll-Free Hotlines Silver JFK Half Dollars have in order to make sure nearly doubled in collector California residents value in just the last several get the State Restricted Bank Rolls before years,” Lynne said. “So just imagine how much they’re all gone,” she these last remaining, un- said. searched State of California The only thing readers Restricted Bank Rolls could of today’s newspaper pubbe worth someday. Remember, lication need to do is make these are not ordinary coins sure they are a resident of the – these rarely seen coins are state of California and call the at least 50 years old. In fact, National Toll-Free Hotlines these coins have been forever before the 2-day deadline ends retired by the U.S. Gov’t, and midnight tomorrow. ■ you can’t get them rolled this way anywhere because these What you need to know about the last State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Rolls are the only State Restricted Bank Rolls known to exist,” If you are a California State Resident call the State Toll-Free Hotline at 8:30 am : 1-800-958-0006 EXT: RJN1045 said Lynne. “We’re guessAre these silver JFKs better than other JFKs: Yes. These Silver JFKs were minted over 50 years ago and they are among the first JFKs to be produced by the U.S. Gov’t. The vast majority of ing thousands current JFKs have no silver content at all and these Silver clad JFKs have 5 of the top 8 collector of California values of any JFKs ever minted, so there is no telling how much their collector value could be residents will someday. be taking the How much are State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Rolls worth: It’s impossible to say, maximum limit but the collector value of many of these Silver clad JFKs has nearly doubled in the past few of 6 Bank Rolls years and there are 20 in each Bank Roll. It’s important to remember that collector values always because they fluctuate and there are never any guarantees. But we do know they are the only California State make such Silver Bank Rolls known to exist and JFK was a President beloved by people of all walks of life amazing gifts so anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these Silver Bank Rolls should hold onto them because there’s no telling what the actual collector value could one day be worth. for any occasion for children, Why are so many California residents claiming them: Because they are the only State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Rolls known to exist and everyone wants their share. Each Bank Roll parents, grandcontains a whopping 20 Silver JFKs dating back to the mid 1900’s. Best of all California residents parents, friends are guaranteed to get them for the State Minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury of just and loved ones,” $19 per Silver JFK for the next two days. Lynne continHow do I get the State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Rolls: California residents are claiming ued. the limit of 6 State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Rolls by calling the State Toll Free Hotline at 1-800“We know the 958-0006 Ext. RJN1045 starting at precisely 8:30 this morning. When they do they are getting phones will be the only State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Rolls known to exist. That’s a full Bank Roll containing ringing off the 20 Silver JFKs from over 50 years ago with some of the highest collector values on record, but it’s essential that they call immediately. Non state residents are not permitted to call before 5 pm hook. That’s why tomorrow and must pay $1,140 for each California State Restricted JFK Silver Bank Roll if any remain. hundreds of Hotline
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MAY 10, 2021
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