Los Angeles Downtown News 07-19-21

July 19, 2021 I VOL. 50 I #29

Road to Recovery

Basking in Summer Sun

Development improving

LA Art Show spotlights female

Downtown

and nonbinary artists

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Representing Her Hometown Khelya Okunor’s platform paves the way to state pageant

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Development improving Downtown

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor os Angeles County Assessor Jeffrey Prang and his staff were concerned about Downtown Los Angeles’ future during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Restaurants and retail also shuttered, which left development and Downtown at a standstill. Office space emptied, as workers set up shop in their homes.

“We were concerned it would have a permanent impact on office space and potentially downward pressure on property values as vacancy numbers have increased,” Prang said.

The predictions were wrong.

“A lot of our sense of an apocalyptic real estate industry doesn’t seem like it’s panning out,” Prang said.

Overall, the county has experienced a 3.7% increase in assessed values compared to last year.

“The fact that we have a net-positive growth of property values for the 11th consecutive year, is really something remarkable,” Prang said.

“Commercial tenants are returning in larger percentages than we expected. That should ensure the growth of the office space rental market in Downtown.”

The first quarter office vacancy rate was 18.8% in 2021, a slight increase from the previous quarter, he said. That compares to a year ago when it was 16.6%.

“It’s not a dramatic increase, but the metropolitan average is 13.7%,” he said.

“The vacancy rate has been higher than the rest of the county on average for the last three to four years.

“Office rents are down 2.5%, compared to the same time a year ago.”

Center provides individuals with the basic tools to stabilize their lives, secure income and find permanent housing.

Programs and services are housed in the 11-story former El Rey Hotel at Sixth and San Pedro streets. On July 6, it broke ground for its permanent supportive housing development.

The 51-unit, five-story development will provide housing and supportive services for seniors and senior veterans experiencing homelessness.

“We’ll have some relief for the homeless crisis,” Prang said. “They’re using attractive designs and balconies. It will change the way people think of supportive housing.

“In the old days, it was seen as low quality and conspicuously affordable. It’s changed.”

Supportive housing

Prang said he and his staff are watching large developments like the three-towered Oceanwide Plaza, across the street from the Staples Center and the Los Ange-

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Supportive housing development has been robust. The nonprofit The Weingart

Boutique hotels South Park has a plethora of boutique hotels, some of which were coming online just before the pandemic.

A YWCA in the 1960s, The Downtown LA Proper Hotel is across the street from the Herald Examiner Building. The 148-room hotel opened five years after starting construction.

“Hotels are opening and we’re seeing a recovery in the hotel market. I should note, though, the pandemic probably impacted hotel and hospitality more severe than any other property type in the country,” Prang said.

“We’re reaching out to hotel owners, asking if they are in need of temporary property tax relief.”

Other developments

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Jeffrey Prang, Los Angeles County assessor, was elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2018.

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les Convention Center. Corporate stopped stay the course.” construction two to three years ago.

Replacing a parking lot at First and “There were scandals in city hall, leaving Grand is The Grand, which, Prang said, is a lot of potential growth of assessed value “going up quickly.” on the area,” he said. EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski It will feature chef-driven restaurants, a EXECUTIVE “There wasSTAFF a pause during theChecchia, pandemtheater, 20-story, 309-room luxury WRITERS: Andrew Andresmovie De Ocampo, JuliaaShapero CONTRIBUTINGseem WRITERS: Edwards, ic, but all indications to Sara show it’s Kamala hotel Kirk that’s been in the planning for more ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres picking up. We were curious whether or than 10 years.

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez not that would happen.PHOTOGRAPHERS: We do ask our“The hotel on the county lot is an anCONTRIBUTING Myriam Santos selves if the ACCOUNT growthEXECUTIVES: of residential tenants Catherine Holloway,chor Michaelthat Lambwill continue to drive investEMERITUS: Sue Laris will continueFOUNDER Downtown.

Overall, there’s ments along Grand Avenue,” said Prang, reason for optimism. The investment in who was elected in 2014, and re-elected in commercial, nonprofits, hospitality and 2018. “We need an extra-large measuring residential should encourage investors to tape to do appraisals on the property.”

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski STAFF WRITERS: Matthew Rodriguez CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Bliss Bowen, Frier McCollister, Bridgette M. Redman, Ellen Snortland ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Andrea Bricco, Nicole Franzen, Eric Laignel, Jules Jones Peters ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261 Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548 FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

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KIRK’S OPINION

Use money moguls for good

By Ellen Snortland LA Downtown News Columnist

“I

am a space geek,” reads my T-shirt.

True enough. As an Altadenan, I am proud of and love visiting JPL whenever I can. I’ll never forget the day we parked near the Arroyo and gasped in wonder as the space shuttle Endeavour made a surprise, low altitude fly-by over JPL during its final flight. So, of course, I watched with great interest as Richard “The Pink Billionaire” Branson beat Jeff “Lex Luthor” Bezos into space. Now that’s a high-stakes rivalry.

As much as some people — understandably so — criticize spending vast sums of money on space exploration, I am all for it.

For example, thanks to NASA’s space programs, we got Velcro, the tech that led to today’s smartphones and firefighting suits, just to name a few; there are so many innovations NASA has a department just to catalog them! However, this recent and highly competitive personal space race made me ponder how else we might “game-ify” other adventures while at the same time furthering human progress.

Ta-da! Introducing the Altruism Olympics!

(Cue the John Williams fanfare.) The current Olympics have events based on ancient Grecian sports that were derived from warfare.

Having the best archers, best runners, best swimmers and so on made each faction’s armies stronger. I propose a competition to actually make the world better.

In the Altruism Olympics, expect to see: De-centralization — A shift from selecting one city to host the Summer and Winter Olympics to a system where 24 towns/cities/ villages are chosen based on their need for an economic lift. Currently, huge cities consistently go into debt by hosting the Olympics. By selecting sites off the beaten track, tourists expand their travels to new adventures as they observe the games. Heck, getting to the host city might become an event in and of itself.

Marathons with a purpose — Two dozen marathons are held in remote areas where badly needed medicines can only be delivered on foot. Are antibiotics needed in Nepalese villages? The runners will get them there. Instead of one giant marathon in a big city, the field of runners is divided into dozens of separate long-distance races. The race

destinations are selected based on need. An additional variation is that each runner carries precious medicine sponsored by corporations so that anti-malarials, HIV/AIDS treatments, safe birth and maternal kits, vaccines and so on reach the people who need them. How inspiring to tune in and see how the money that would have been spent on overpriced stadiums is instead being used to help runners compete for people’s access to life-saving remedies.

Martial Artistry — The 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo will feature six martial arts that have divisions for women: boxing, fencing, taekwondo, wrestling, judo and karate. Karate is making its debut as an Olympic sport this year. The Altruism Olympics will build on this by emphasizing female martial arts so that the self-defense lightbulbs can go off in the hearts and minds of the female and femme-identified people who see them. Violence against women is at pandemic levels worldwide, and it’s almost impossible to “unsee” a woman who can hold her own. If a viewer has grown up believing that only men and boys are capable of certain things, attending these events can be life-changing and life-saving.

A bigger (shot put) bang — Some countries are tragically impacted by unexploded landmines; children, farmers, livestock and wildlife step on them and either lose limbs or, more often, are killed outright. It’s a huge environmental hazard. Some of these mines are even from the early 20th century. The countries most impacted by mines are Somalia, Mozambique, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kuwait, Cambodia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Angola, Iran and Egypt. The shot putters will compete by looking at a map made by a drone with an infrared camera that locates the mines. The shot putter who detonates the most mines wins. This event is exciting because there is strength involved and lots of big blasts — fun for all with the big boombooms! If bowling ever becomes accepted as an Olympic sport (it has failed yet again), bowlers could join the fun with strikes that blow up.

Anyway, you get the gist. Using Bezos and Branson’s space beef as a launching point, what else could we accomplish by pitting other moneyed moguls against each other?

Melinda Gates could challenge other billion-

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.

aire women to philanthropic heights, taking on MacKenzie (Bezos) Scott, who has already donated almost $10 billion for causes that benefit women and girls.

Stephen Colbert could compete with other feminist men to reach out and teach knuckle-dragging men to transform their ways into ways of menschiness and un-

abashed geekiness.

Meanwhile, I will wear my space geek tank top with pride and advocate for these new “sports” to show up in the public discourse.

Let the games begin!

Ellen Snortland has been writing “Consider This…” for a while. Contact her at authorbitebybite.com.

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The Alarm’s Mike Peters, left, and Billy Duffy of The Cult are Coloursøund.

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Photo by Jules Jones Peters

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Coloursøund stars two iconic musicians

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor illy Duffy of The Cult and Mike Peters of The Alarm released their first new album as Coloursøund in 20 years on July 16.

The collection, “Coloursøund II,” takes Duffy’s trademark Gretsch Falcon riffs and Peters’ recognizable vocals. But, via Zoom, Duffy has a simple description of Coloursøund.

“It’s a new twist on an old cocktail,” Duffy said. “We’re both progressive in our thinking. We don’t want third-rate versions of (The Cult’s) ‘She Sells Sanctuary.’”

The duo formed Coloursøund in 1997, when neither were aligned to the groups with which they’re synonymous. By the time they wrote and released their first album, “Coloursøund,” in 1999, Duffy and Peters returned to fly their banners with The Cult and The Alarm.

Duffy piqued the interest of Peters once again in 2019 by sending a guitar riff. It immediately triggered a choral response.

In January, within weeks, the pair seques-

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tered in a beach cottage in a remote part of the North Wales coastline to write again.

“The first three days were part of a test stage,” he said. “If nothing good had come out of it, we wouldn’t have pursued it, but we felt we’d come up with seven or eight decent ideas.”

The stint brought on good old-fashioned smack talk, too, Duffy said with a laugh.

“We were trying to stay warm and enjoy the countryside and I watched my soccer team give his soccer team a good thrashing on television,” said Duffy, who’s a Manchester City supporter. Meanwhile, Peters is a Manchester United fan.

“I do remember that Mike went great lengths to get this game on TV. We have a little local rivalry. It’s just a little banter, but it’s a little bit of fun.”

Aside from the ribbing, Peters and Duffy easily wrote songs. Duffy describes Peters as being “very prolific.”

“It’s great because you get that spontaneity factor, which is different than The Cult. That’s really quite lengthy,” he said.

“In Wales, it was real old school — guitars lying around, mugs of hot tea, fire burning, the waves crushing outside. It was almost like a cliché. It was some rock cliché.

But it was great.”

Duffy returned to California, where he has a home, and Peters expanded on the ideas and worked on his vocals. When the two reunited, they worked on basic chords and his melodies.

“It wasn’t laborious,” he said. “We didn’t have this drawn-out, sending files between here, there and everywhere. It was a threestage process, which was great.

“It’s not like we are drinking buddies who are looking for an excuse to get out of the house. We take it seriously in our lighthearted way. It’s a fun thing. It was a fun thing in the ’90s when we did it. We enjoyed that period and process and lots of good things came out of it — and similarly now.”

Duffy is unsure if Coloursøund is going to tour. After all, he said, he has a “little confession.”

“I haven’t actually missed touring as much as I thought I would,” said Duffy, who’s working on a new The Cult album with singer Ian Astbury. “Having said that, we’d like to play at some point, if the schedules and circumstances permit. It would be fun to do some shows.

“I say ‘some shows’ because, if I’m going to rehearse and get a thing together to do a gig, why not do a few? It’s the same amount of effort to get yourself prepared.

It would be something, but it has to work in harmony with what Mike’s doing with The Alarm and himself, and also what I’m doing with The Cult.

“So far, The Cult has plans to tour and there are dates on the books. As you’ve seen, though, they tend to shift around a lot.”

Coloursøund http://bit.ly/Coloursound_Store

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‘Roadrunner’ documentary recalls Anthony Bourdain

By Bliss Bowen LA Downtown News Contributing Writer he news that Anthony Bourdain had hanged himself in a hotel in France in June 2018 landed like a bomb. Why would the 61-year-old author and globetrotting gourmand — who had a beloved 11-year-old daughter, a cultishly devoted audience and an Emmy Award-winning career that fed his hunger for far-flung locales and cultures — do such a thing?

Good friend John Lurie voices the pained bewilderment of many in Pasadena-based filmmaker Morgan Neville’s thoughtful documentary “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,” which opened at Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 and Glendale theaters: “How does a storyteller check out without leaving a note?”

Answering such questions was not the

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impetus for Neville, who won an Oscar for his 2013 documentary “20 Feet from Stardom.” But they unavoidably color his discussions with Bourdain’s brother Christopher, ex-wife Ottavia Busia-Bourdain, longtime co-workers and close friends (chef Eric Ripert, artist David Choe, musicians Josh Homme and Alison Mosshart) as he constructs a “psychological portrait” of Bourdain to “understand why he was who he was.” Was three years enough time and critical distance?

“I didn’t know him, so I felt like I was always objective about it,” Neville said, coffee in hand, during an early morning Zoom call. “The people in his life are another matter. I don’t think it skewed their views about him, but I think it made the emotion hotter than it would have been.

“When I showed up, I was confronted with this sea of grief of people in his

life trying to process what happened, so I just reflected that back in the film.

It’s the part of the story that Tony maybe wouldn’t have liked and maybe shouldn’t have liked, which was confronting the selfishness of his act. It’s the first time I had really been up close to suicide in that way. There was a certain moment in making the film where I realized I was also making a film about suicide.”

It’s also a story about transformation, addictive personalities, friendship and profound loyalty. The scope of Bourdain’s shows expands well beyond food as he and his “pirate ship” of trusted longtime crew crisscross the world to Congo, France, Hong Kong, the Saharan desert, Tokyo, Vietnam and conflict areas such as Beirut. To an amputee they meet he said, “It’s the least I can do, to see the

world with open eyes.”

“I think Tony ultimately saw that it was just food,” chef David Chang said.

“There’s suffering in this world. … You spend time with people and you empathize with their plight; how does that not change you fundamentally?”

Neville chuckled a bit when recounting his first meeting with Bourdain’s longtime producers, Chris Collins and Lydia Tenaglia.

“I was saying that to me he was somebody who was fighting the good fight, and was really an ambassador for curiosity and culture and was showing the world what people were like on the other side of the planet in a humanizing way. They said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, but you have to remember, he could also be such an asshole.’”

Other colleagues echo that sentiment,

Anthony Bourdain stars in Morgan Neville’s documentary “Roadrunner,” a Focus Features release.

Photos courtesy of CNN / Focus Features

JULY 19, 2021

tears choking their words. Neville said he did not ask for an interview with actress/ director Asia Argento, who Bourdain dated the last year of his life, “because her part of his story is incredibly complicated, in a way that I don’t think is entirely enlightening … (and wouldn’t) make me understand Tony any better.”

Charismatic and fiercely cynical, Bourdain represents a steep challenge for a filmmaker. Like Mr. Rogers, the subject of Neville’s 2018 documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” he was a globally adored icon who followed a private compass. Unlike the polite, soft-spoken Rogers, Bourdain could be a poet of profanity and borderline pathological about not letting anyone speak for him. Neville built a linear narrative arc from 20,000 hours of footage from Bourdain’s various food and travel shows, TV appearances and iPhone videos. He lucked into 60 hours of footage from an unfinished documentary shot when Bourdain’s 2008 memoir “Kitchen Confidential” exploded across bestseller lists. During a promotional tour, a gangly Bourdain marvels at his good fortune: “My rent is paid — that alone is spectacular!” Even then, he seemed to be looking for rules to rebel against. The book’s success sparked a life transformation that was “incredibly exciting,” Neville said. But the fame it brought was brutal and, over time, isolating.

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“I asked a number of people what they thought would have happened if ‘Kitchen Confidential’ had never happened, and several said they thought he would have killed himself a long time ago,” Neville said. “Fame is obviously a toxin. But just to be clear, Tony’s problems existed before the fame.”

Asked what he hopes audiences will take away from “Roadrunner,” Neville paused before referencing a scene on a cloudy beach between Bourdain and Iggy Pop. “What thrills you in this day and age?” Bourdain asked. Iggy’s answer: “It’s embarrassing, but to be loved, and to appreciate the people giving it to me.”

“Trying to appreciate the people that bring us love is actually the thing that Tony couldn’t do that was the most tragic part of his story, because he was so loved by people,” Neville said. “We talk again and again about the momentum he had … There was always this (attitude) of, ‘There’s something around the corner that’s gonna fix me or make everything better.’ But (he was) always leaving things behind.”

Morgan Neville’s “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain” opened at Laemmle’s Playhouse 7 (673 E. Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena) and Glendale (207 N. Maryland Avenue, Glendale) theaters; go to Laemmle.com or call 310-478-3836 for screening and ticket details.

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Anthony Bourdain stars in Morgan Neville’s documentary, “Roadrunner,” a Focus Features release.

Photos courtesy of CNN / Focus Features

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Music with a Mission strikes a chord in LA

By LA Downtown News Staff he Midnight Mission is looking to entertain and inspire those living on Skid Row with an upcoming event.

As music is a survival tactic for many people in dealing with life’s difficulties, The Midnight Mission will host Music With A Mission (MWAM) from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 22, in the courtyard at 601 S. San Pedro Street, Los Angeles.

MWAM is aimed at bringing the community together through music. Musicians bring their instruments and play for our homeless and near-homeless guests. It is an intimate setting, so musicians will have the opportunity to interact with guests, answer questions and/or talk about music and its history.

In addition, musicians are encouraged to invite their fan bases so they can engage and enjoy music with individuals they would not normally encounter in their daily lives.

As part of the event, Midnight Mission is bringing Street Symphony back for its

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72nd visit.

Street Symphony brings ensembles of world-class musicians to perform for guests. This week’s program will feature the Street Symphony Strings and Ase Ashe Drummers from the Heart. Street Symphony will also provide beverages for guests.

Street Symphony, directed by violinist Vijay Gupta, desires to create a space where its musicians can cultivate authentic change by inviting communities affected by homelessness and incarceration to share stories, deepen relationships and illuminate humanity through transformative musical experiences.

Street Symphony ensembles perform and bring educational workshops to audiences at homeless shelters in Downtown Los Angeles and public events for the community at large, aimed to raise awareness for mental health issues, incarceration and homelessness. Its mission at large is to bring music to the most underserved communities throughout Los Angeles.

In addition to the musical performances by Street Symphony, Fleurs et Sel — a local woman- and minority-owned baking company that makes sweet treats in small batches — will provide cookies for guests.

Founder Lara Adekoya was inspired to follow her passion for cookies and community after being laid off at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the year since, Adekoya and her cookies have found themselves everywhere from the homes of Issa Rae, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Mindy Weiss to pop-up events at The Grove and the production sets of Warner Bros.’ “You,” HBO’s “Insecure” and, most re-

cently, National Geographic.

Through all her success, Adekoya remains committed to the community and is excited to give back by sharing her sweet treats with the guests of The Midnight Mission.

Sponsors are currently sought for this ever-growing community event. If you are interested, contact Georgia Berkovich at 213-624-4588 or gberkovich@midnightmission.org.

For more information on Midnight Mission, go to midnightmission.org. For more information on Street Symphony, go to streetsymphony.org.

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LA Art Show basks in summer sun, spotlights female and nonbinary artists

By Bridgette M. Redman LA Downtown News Contributing Writer assandra Voyagis was sure of one thing: She wasn’t going to cancel the LA Art Show, America’s the most comprehensive international contemporary art show.

She took a leap of faith during a time when COVID-19 numbers were still high, and everyone was under lockdown. She moved the February show to July 29 to Aug. 1.

Voyagis and her women-led team curated the show with new and old pieces. It is filled with many of the traditional offerings from contemporary museums around the country and it also highlights technology advancements in art such as virtual reality and NFTs (nonfungible tokens).

She continued the tradition of working with DIVERSEartLA, with this year focusing on female and female-identifying artists and how they are using science, technology and art.

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Something for everyone The show’s scope is huge. The Los Angeles Convention Center’s show boasts 200,000 square feet of exhibition space in which 120 galleries from 23 different countries are featured. Typically, the show has 20,000 works of art and artists make $30 million in sales.

Art includes painting, sculpture, works on paper, installations, photography, fashion, design, video and performance.

The show hosts 70,000 visitors, 300 journalists and 150 show staff. It garners 5 billion media impressions and 2 million web hits. It takes seven days to set up the fiveday show and a full day to tear it down.

The show’s elements include DIVERSEartLA, featured exhibitions that are immersive experiences; the European Pavilion; Roots, an exhibition showcasing historical works; INK, an exhibition featuring the Eastern traditions of ink painting styles; Dialogs LA, an ongoing slate of talks and panel discussions; Project Space, a showcase of ideas and talents in the form of solo exhibitions; and Works on Paper, an exhibition space dedicated to photographs and works not on traditional canvases.

Many of the regular international galleries are unable to make it this year be-

cause of COVID-19. They are also breaking ground with the first fully NFT gallery that has the dual goal of helping people understand NFTs and selling the works.

“Because the LA Art Show might be the longest-standing art fair on the West Coast, I want to provide opportunities for collectors that know the art world and know what they want, but also for those that don’t,” Voyagis said. “I want them to just experience all these exhibitions, museums, galleries and different art from all over the world.”

Women and nonbinary artists Marisa Caichiolo is curating DIVERSEartLA, focusing on the contributions, research and documentation of women and nonbinary artists who are creating at the intersection of art, science and technology. Caichiolo has worked with DIVERSEartLA since it began seven years ago, and said it has been her baby.

This year, because there was a female director of the fair, she thought it would be great to focus on women and nonbinary artists. In June 2020, she looked for exhibitions that reflected science and technology.

“It was an interesting journey,” Caichiolo said. “We know that in 2020, everything changed in the pandemic. Science and technology were playing a major role in humanity. I had the opportunity to give this space to the narrative around inclusion and support that these institutions are giving to the female artists and the nonbinary artists, especially those who are focusing on the intersection of science and technology and art.”

There are several featured projects this year. Some of the eight include: “The Symphony of Now” is a new media project by Peruvian artist Angie Bonino brought to the fair by The San Marcos Museum of Art in Lima, Peru. It consists of a video installation and an interactive sound installation that focuses on the Andean techno de-colonial shamanism.

“The world in which we live today, which has become an engulfing universal screen that traps and subjects our eyes, but that does not let us see,” Bonino said.

“Because of their extreme, extraordinarily intense visibility — repetitive, hypnotizing, alienating — the power networks and

This year’s LA Art Show focuses on the contributions, research and documentation of female and femaleidentifying artists.

Submitted photo

their objectives of domination become invisible.”

“Reloaded” is an interactive art installation that visualizes the capability of viewing machines using artificial intelligence to extract data by observing visitors. The artist is Ana Marcos, and the sponsoring museum is Museum La Neomudejar from Madrid. Marcos has a degree in fine arts and industrial engineering. She combines different art forms and focuses on new ways of experimenting in the field of arts.

She is the co-founder of 3Dinteractive, a group of engineers and artists committed to researching the relationship among art-science-technology and the public.

“Dignidad” comes to the show from the Art Museum of the Americas. It features material and work of women artists who have played a central role in developing new media practices as well as the women and nonbinary people who are reshaping the field. Curated by Fabian Goncalves, it

features Venezuelan artist Luis Cobela and Yolanda Leal from Mexico who will present “Gorilla Nature” as a live performance.

The installation is named such because it is based on secret telephone documents about Colonia Dignidad. It reveals conversations between Paul Shafer and other Nazi agents in 1978. The installation reveals a complex system of codes and transcontinental actions that culminated in crimes against minors and the opponents of the dictatorship.

“Immersive Distancing” is curated by Chon Noriega of the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center and presents the works of two LA-based artists — Carmon Argote and Zeynep Abes. It examines recent media art created during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Aqua” is a video projection by LA artist Luciana Abait. Inspired by the flood-myth CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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“Aqua” is a video projection by LA artist Luciana Abait. It was exhibited in Downtown LA as a call to action and is being recreated for the LA Art Show.

Submitted photo

NFTs in the art world

motif that occurs in many cultures, it is a site-specific waterfall created when Abait combined videos of water gathered from years of nature exploration around the globe. It was earlier exhibited in Downtown Los Angeles as a call to action and is being recreated at the LA Art Show.

“Luciana Abait always did photography,” Voyagis said. “She found ways to create during the pandemic, a way for her photography to become projections and create Aqua.”

Because of its immense size, “Aqua” will be featured in the center of DIVERSEartLA and Caichiolo hopes that it will inspire a conversation about water in California.

“Water is a source of healing and rebirth,” Caichiolo said. “I think humanity needs a rebirth, a healing and an understanding of all we are going through.”

Caichiolo believes people need to attend more than once to really digest it.

“I love all of the projects,” Caichiolo said.

“Every museum is really bringing a different angle. The role science has been playing over the past year with all the medicine and how we play and connect. … I don’t know how without technology everyone would have survived. To put together these two angles and have this conversation is going to be so powerful.”

Another exciting part of the show is co-curated and organized by Sinziana Velicescu and Jesse Damiani: a digital art exhibition in partnership with SuperRare, a leading NFT marketplace. Artwork will be shown on Luma Canvases, museum-grade LED displays provided by StandardVision.

It will be the platform for an NFT exhibition and auction. The goal is to help the art world better understand NFTs — what they are and how to make purchases with a cryptocurrency wallet.

A fungible token is something that is replaceable or interchangeable such as one quarter is the same as any other quarter. A nonfungible token (NFT) is something that is not replaceable, such as a baseball card or a piece of art.

“An artwork is a nonfungible token that presents an asset you can own, which is irreplaceable,” Velicescu said.

“These nonfungible tokens are certified by the blockchain, which is a digital ledger that contains a trace of all the different cryptocurrency transactions that have ever happened. The reason this is of importance, is that the NFT provides a proof of ownership for the artwork and the artist. When the NFT is sold to a col-

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a Advertising is Keep Great Way to rs Your Custome Informed The Los Angeles Downtown News publishes a wide array of special sections and quarterlies throughout the year on topics like Health, Education, Nightlife and Residential Living.

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lector, that collector receives a certificate of authentication. From an artist perspective, what is cool about this is that the artist can write themselves into the secondary royalty resales to receive royalties every time the work is ever sold again.”

SuperRare will help educate collectors on how to set up a cryptowallet and load it with money. Collectors will then place a bid on any of the show’s 12 NFTs. The large LED displays create a physical space for the exhibit and auction. It is the first of its kind.

“The cool thing about NFT is that the technology is already very accessible,” Velicescu said. “It’s why so many artists have jumped on the train. We hope by educating traditional collectors and setting up cryptocurrency wallets, we can inspire that to become more or less a model for how art gets bought and sold in the future.”

Show welcomes all to visit and take in the art All those involved in managing the show emphasize that it has something for everyone, whether they are experienced collectors or have never been to a show or purchased a piece of art before.

“This is the opportunity to come and enjoy and maybe start being a collector,” Voyagis said. “Sometimes when people who aren’t involved in the art world attend art fairs, they feel overwhelmed. The LA Art Show is different in that there is something for everyone to enjoy and just see.”

She said people can enjoy a day of art and take in things from more than 70 galleries from all over the world, something that would be impossible to see otherwise.

“It is difficult to do that unless you are in the art world and travel all the time,” Voyagis said. “There are 150,000 square feet with galleries, art projections, documentaries and all sorts of different things happening.”

LA Art Show: Summer Edition, spotlighting women, art and technology WHEN: Various times Thursday, July 29, and Sunday, Aug. 1 WHERE: Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa Street COST: Tickets start at $30 INFO: https://tinyurl.com/3wsm3dsa

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DOWNTOWN NEWS 13

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the one-of-a-kind art show, featuring pieces from more than 70 galleries around the world.

Submitted photo

14 DOWNTOWN NEWS

DTLA REAL ESTATE

JULY 19, 2021

FIGat7th prepares a Self-Care Summer

By FIGat7th Welcome to FIGat7th’s Self-Care Summer. Stay tuned all season long as FIGat7th shares tips for recovering from the chronic stress you’ve been feeling. With contributions from local wellness, beauty and fashion influencers, as well as events like the Self-Care Summer Sound Bath on the Plaza, it’s all about sparking joy and getting back to our lives and community.

Pandemic hangover Feeling the pandemic hangover? You’re not alone! Getting back to “normal” may feel anything but normal, but with tips from FIGat7th contributor and Change Your Algorithm founder Joel Relampagos, we can all embrace Self-Care Summer. To hear more, visit @figat7th on Instagram.

Self-Care Summer Sound Bath artist Thalia Ayres Randolph meditates with singing bowls.

(Photos courtesy of Figat7th)

RSVP for Sound Bath Relax and rejuvenate at FIGat7th’s Self-Care Summer Sound Bath with Thalia Ayres Randolph on Sunday, July 25. Reserve a space for this free event on FIGat7th’s park-like, outdoor plaza and simmer down to the soothing sounds of Himalayan and crystal singing bowls and gongs.

To register, go to figat7th.com.

Satisfy cravings Sometimes self-care is about satisfying your cravings. Oleego by Parks BBQ at FIGat7th hits the spot every time. Try its spicy bulgogi with noodles and veggies for a meal your chopsticks and taste buds will adore. To see more, visit @figat7th on Instagram.

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Victoria Guerra gets back to “normal” at FIGat7th.

DTLA REAL ESTATE

JULY 19, 2021

DOWNTOWN NEWS 15

LA Real Estate Expert Group celebrates 19 years Downtown

By LA Real Estate Expert Group Nineteen years ago, when few people would risk coming Downtown, Bill Cooper set the foundation for his successful real estate business and dove head first into LA’s not-quite-a-downtown center. For the first few years there wasn’t much to sell, but Cooper recognized the potential for growth, especially in the residential sector, and set out to assist new Downtowners in finding a place to call home.

Downtown Los Angeles is a very unique market because of its revitalization efforts over the past 20-plus years. After several protests and the pandemic brought the city center to a standstill in 2020, today we are seeing Downtown LA re-emerging once again. As the city continues its commitment to more housing and better access to more public transportation Downtown, including additional Metro Rail and rapid transit stations, we are seeing the return of office workers and residents. It makes sense that homeowners recognize the value of living in Downtown, especially with the homes in the housing markets surrounding DTLA oftentimes selling well over asking price and becoming more and more out of reach for many homebuyers.

DTLA still has many developments in the works, both public and private, which will continue to

Bill Cooper recognized the potential for growth in DTLA, especially in the residential sector, and set out to assist new Downtowners in finding a place to call home.

(Photo courtesy of Bill Cooper)

add state-of-the-art homes with additional entertainment hubs, restaurants and retail stores. The Grand LA, designed by Frank Gehry, is scheduled to open in early 2022 and will be home to dynamic shops, chef-driven restaurants and dining, entertainment, the Equinox Hotel and residences.

Other commitments to Downtown from brands like Apple, with its new destination store and education center on Broadway; Warner Music Group in the Arts District; and many designer clothing and shoe brands, such as Paul Smith and Vans, continue to make living in Downtown the place to be.

Through all of these changes, Cooper’s team has been at the forefront of helping Downtowners buy, sell and lease their homes. From luxurious penthouses to New York-style lofts and well-appointed condos, Cooper has represented hundreds of clients in the Downtown market.

“I am happy to see today’s changes taking place to bring Downtown back to its wonderful development stage once again, and I look forward to the next few years to see how amazing this city will become and what is in store for us,” Cooper said.

“Every day we take another step forward solving the problems we face together in Downtown and move toward becoming one of the nation’s most desirable and celebrated downtown centers, and I am grateful to be a part of that.”

Whether you are looking to purchase, sell or lease, Cooper and his team are looking forward to helping you make your dream come true.

Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , g o t o larealestateexpert.com.

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16 DOWNTOWN NEWS

JULY 19, 2021

Isn’t it time to get an office?

Creative Office Space for Lease from 200 SF - 20,000 SF • Historic Charm • 24-hour Access • Competitive Rates • Across from L.A. Live & STAPLES Center • Monthly & Guest Parking

Petroleum Building 714 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 213-746-6300 www.thepetroleumbuilding.com

Petroleum Building welcomes new tenants

By The Shammas Group The Shammas Group saw an uptick in office leasing in the historic Petroleum Building in the first half of 2021. Six new small-business tenants signed leases for a total of over 5,000 square feet.

The new tenants include: • Drs. L. Scott Frazier and Alice Winther, who specialize in psychological evaluation and treatment of people who have been traumatized.

• Be Your Lash, a studio for eyelash extension, lash lift and tint services.

• Get2Werk Pilates & Fitness Studio owned

by Mychele Sims, a certified trainer, master instructor, workshop presenter and educator in Pilates, yoga, conditioning and TRX. • Art Lewin Bespoke, a custom clothier with in-house bespoke tailors.

• Kompass Law Firm, APC, an immigration law firm.

• Imran Syed, Esq., a criminal defense trial attorney.

• Speer Consulting & Design Studio, which provides specialized design and consulting services to the meetings and events industry.

For over 20 years Frazier and Winther have had their principal office in DTLA. “We have chosen the grace, beautiful architecture and sense of tradition in LA’s historic buildings, but never have we experienced a more perfect environment for our psychology practice

The Petroleum Building is an official Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

(Submitted photos)

than the Petroleum Building,” Winther said.

Art Lewin Bespoke has also been a long-time tenant in DTLA. Its team wanted to be in a building that exhibited Old-World craftmanship like Art Lewin’s custom suit business.

“It’s an iconic DTLA building with a gorgeous bespoke lobby. Our clients and us just love the character of the building,” Lewin said.

The building, an official Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, offers office space ranging in size from 200 square feet for a single executive office to 20,000 square feet for an entire floor. In addition, there is on-site parking, an electric charging station, conference room use ADVERTORIAL

and a comfortable tenant lounge.

Located in the South Park district of Downtown Los Angeles, just a block from the Staples Center and L.A. Live, the Petroleum Building offers tenants access to excellent public transportation; freeway; and a growing affluent residential population amid sports, entertainment and dining.

The Shammas Group is one of Los Angeles’ leading real estate investment companies, with a strong focus on South Park and the Figueroa Corridor. The company’s portfolio consists of over 330,000 square feet; ownership of Felix Chevrolet, the oldest Los Angeles automobile dealership and home of the iconic Felix the Cat; and several retail establishments on Figueroa Street.

For further information on The Shammas G ro u p, v i s i t s h a m m a sg ro u p.co m o r thepetroleumbuilding.com.

Office space at the Petroleum Building in DTLA.

JULY 19, 2021

DT

DOWNTOWN NEWS 17

DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

Covered California will help BUSINESS

Jeni Britton Bauer is the founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which is available Downtown at the likes of Whole Foods, Grow and Paratta Food Truck.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams are made with whole ingredients and dairy from grasspastured cows coupled with inspired flavors.

Submitted photos

Jeni’s Free Market has the scoop on the art of ice cream

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor eni Britton Bauer sees ice cream as more than a treat. Ice cream is her art, and she shares it through Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.

“At first, I felt eating the ice cream was delicious,” Bauer said. “The first time was a pleasurable experience.

“However, you can use ice cream to tell stories. I was studying art and we were using paint or poetry. Ice cream uses scents. Scents are most of the flavor. You taste the sweet, and you feel the cold. Once I realized that, I was off and running.”

Midwest-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams now has scoop shops around the United States. Her ice cream is available Downtown at the likes of Whole Foods, Grow and Paratta Food Truck.

This year, Bauer has dropped new flavors like White House chocolate chip, everything bagel, buttercream birthday cake and a Dolly Parton collaboration, strawberry pretzel pie.

Wedding cake was launched on June 8 and features vanilla cake with lemon, blackberries and buttercream icing.

Parton’s strawberry pretzel pie is just one of many collaborations, none of which are paid.

“We do have literally countless people approaching us about collaborations,” Bauer said. “We like to hand pick the people we partner with. You never know who’s next. They’re always amazing people — amazingly talented, creative people.”

One of those was rapper/artist Tyler, the Creator, the company’s most successful collab. Bauer used her gift as an artist to turn Tyler’s words into a resonant ice cream flavor that he loves. The LA Scoop Shops featured Snowflake, a two-colored

J

study of mint that earned nearly 1 million likes on Instagram, and sold more than 4,000 pints on day one, and 20,000 scoops in the first week. The two also created Pluto Bleu, described as “electric orange with a bolt of blue.” “ Tyler reached out to us,” Bauer said. “When he reached out, we hit it off right away and we had to work together. He’s one of the most wonderful human beings I’ve ever met.

He’s magical.”

“M a gi c a l ” to B a u e r ’s daughter would be a collaboration with former Jeni’s limited-edition wedding cake flavor combines vanilla One Direction singer Harcake with lemon, blackberries and buttercream icing. ry Styles.

Submitted photo “She’s been bugging me about a collaboration,” she said with a laugh. “If I could choose my dream collaboration, I would probably go into history. I’d have to think about that one, but maybe Zelda Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife, or Marie Antoinette.”

Just as important as the flavor is Bauer’s mission, which she dubs The Fellowship Model. She literally builds her ice cream from the ground up, with growers, makers, producers, suppliers and customers.

“We call it The Fellowship Model,” she said. “We combine values from the good food world with tools from the 21st century. We believe we get higher-quality ingredients when we have relationships with the people we’re buying from. We buy direct whenever we can.

“Making ice cream this way requires more work and skill than traditional ice creams made with flavorings and colorings, but we think it’s worth it.”

Bauer said her products aren’t “junk food ice cream.” Her desserts are smooth with a buttercream body. She eschews synthetic flavorings, dyes or off-theshelf mixes, along with stabilizers and emulsifiers.

“Customers get attached to the flavors that we do,” she said. “When you eat the ice cream, the flavor comes through brightly because there are no stabilizers or emulsifiers. I learned how to do that by working at a dairy.

“I was volunteering at the dairy so I could learn. Your passion builds when you fall in love with something. I feel like that, still, to this day.”

Bauer founded Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams in 2001 in her home. The following year, she received a Small Business Administration loan to open a pop-up in a farmers market. Her goal was to start small and build her experience as an entrepreneur.

“I had a lot of ideas when I was young,” she said. “I had a big vision, but no idea how to do any of it. I dropped out of art school and went for it, though. I learned everything I needed to learn by just doing it, whether it was accounting, making ice cream, marketing or branding.”

Ice cream is, obviously, important to Bauer. But she’s hoping her customers understand that Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is an art.

“We, as people, make up the company,” Bauer said. “We love serving people.

We’re just a service company. I love our shops and selling ice cream in grocery stores. We speak directly to you through pints and packaging. We tell you a little story about the ice cream. I think that’s the best way to put it.”

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams jenis.com

DT

18 DOWNTOWN NEWS

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

JULY 19, 2021

Covered California will help FEATURE

Khelya Okunor’s platform paves the way to state pageant

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor iss Downtown Los Angeles USA Khelya Okunor doesn’t see pageants as dated. She’s happy to represent her hometown and express her spirit.

“I know many believe pageants are a thing of the past; however, I am happy to say that this form of expressing hometown pride and personal engagement has endured through the current climate.

M Khelya Okunor, Miss Downtown Los Angeles USA, will participate in the Miss California USA Pageant set for Sept. 10 to Sept. 12.

Photo by Luis Chavez

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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

DOWNTOWN NEWS 19

Since June, Khelya Okunor has worked as a pre-litigation associate attorney for Abramson Labor Group and volunteers at Heart of Los Angeles, Women in eDiscovery and Lawyers Club of San Diego in her free time.

Photo by Luis Chavez

“I want to represent Los Angeles in the best way during this pageant season.”

Okunor is moving on to the Miss California USA Pageant, which is set for Sept.

10 to Sept. 12. The pageant’s purpose is to choose the state representative for Miss USA and, subsequently, Miss Universe.

When Okunor was chosen for Miss Downtown Los Angeles, she admitted she was overwhelmed with emotion.

“I was a little bit shocked, but excited,” she said.

Born in Ghana Okunor was born in Ghana and moved to the East Coast at age 10, when her family settled in Maryland. She speaks three of Ghana’s native languages and tries to visit often.

“It’s getting more and more difficult to go back regularly,” she said. “I still have family there. It is like San Diego, oddly enough.”

She also described Ghana as “very matriarchal.” Women are put on a pedestal. In general, education comes with respect.

“It’s very obvious where you fall as far as class,” said Okunor, whose mother is half British. “The pressure is even higher as a woman.”

While in Ghana, Okunor attended an American school. When she moved to the States, it was difficult for her to see students who weren’t quite like her.

“In Ghana, everybody’s Black,” she said. “In Ghana, we do not want foreigners to feel like outcasts. In England, I was very young and sheltered. My mother and family are fair. There was no room for awkwardness. Children love each other.”

Adapting to the United States was difficult, she said.

“Although my family had a great education and were financially stable, when we went abroad to the United States, it was a different system. We didn’t really know what to do.

“We would go to school and come back home. My mom didn’t know how to get us to be active. She was used to an active lifestyle. My grandpa and dad were politicians.”

Okunor participated in the Police Athletic League through the Baltimore County Police Department. The staff helped her with homework, activities and meals.

“It was better than sitting at home all day or running around in the street,” she said. “It was my first interaction with someone who cared enough to give me guidance to success.”

Road to success After graduating from Overlea High School with honors in 2006, Okunor studied political science and empirical studies at Salisbury University until 2013, and subsequently enrolled in California Western School of Law. She earned her juris doctor as a distinguished advocate in 2017.

“I had mentors through law school, whether they were judges or attorneys,” she said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be here today. I try my best to pay that forward and mentor people.”

Since June, she has worked as a pre-litigation associate attorney for Abramson Labor Group, and two years ago, she has served as a principal consultant for C Suite Services Ltd. “It’s a fun side project,” she said about C Suite Services Ltd. “I help small businesses throughout California. I hold sessions with people internationally through Clubhouse and give tips and pointers.”

Clubhouse is an invitation-only social media app where users can communicate in voice chat rooms. C Suite Services offers highly effective business consulting services, dedicated partnership for long-term results, expert-led growth for maximum profit.

In her free time, she volunteers for Heart of Los Angeles, Women in eDiscovery, Lawyers Club of San Diego and the United Nations Association of the USA. Her hobbies include spending time with her three siblings, playing rugby, golfing, hiking, swimming and cooking.

Her goal? To become the secretary general of the United Nations.

“I believe that aligning myself with the United Nations in that capacity would be the best way to help the elderly and marginalized citizens of the world,” she said.

For now, she’s focused on the Miss California USA Pageant. Okunor said she be-

lieves she was chosen for her platform. She volunteers for social justice organizations and continues to mentor.

“It made a difference in my life,” she said. “I am able to touch society at that vulnerable stage. I expressed that in my application documents.

“They saw a young lawyer who is still active in the community and looks different than the typical beauty queen. With things like Kim Kardashian (fighting for justice) and Free Britney, being a lawyer is becoming cool.”

Okunor shines when she discusses helping people of color in her community.

She became a contestant in honor of a “few strong sisters.”

“Breonna Taylor and Sandra Bland should not have faced what they faced given all they had to offer the world,” she said. “I am them. They are me, and by God’s grace a tide will be turned through my platform as a contestant in this pageant.

Donations To donate to Miss Downtown Los Angeles USA Khelya Okunor to help pay for her gowns, makeup, coaches and pageant fees, visit https://bit.ly/okunor Info: misscaliforniausa.com

DT

TWITTER: @ DOWNTOWNNEWS

20 DOWNTOWN NEWS

JULY 19, 2021

Covered DINING California will help

The Redbird | Vibiana property is nestled within the Downtown LA cityscape.

Photo by Eric Laignel

Redbird|Vibiana revived within cityscape

By Frier McCollister LA Downtown News Contributing Writer here are few more iconic landmarks in Downtown Los Angeles than the site of St. Vibiana’s cathedral on Main and East Second streets.

Built in 1876, as the original seat of the archdiocese of Los Angeles, the cathedral had been vacated and was in disrepair, when developer Tom Gilmore assumed ownership in 2006.

The successful reclamation, renovation, reactivation and subsequent preservation of the historic site is an emblematic reflection of DTLA’s economic recovery and rehabilitation. The success of St. Vibiana’s rebirth can largely be credited to chef Neal Fraser and restaurateur Amy Knoll, Fraser’s wife and business partner.

The couple’s restaurant Redbird, located in the former cathedral’s adjoining rectory space, opened in 2015. The eatery’s name is a playful reference to the rectory serving as the cardinal’s original residence.

Fraser and Knoll also took over book-

T

ing and event production in the cathedral space, now known as Vibiana.

Their ensuing engagement and success resulted in the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Preservation Chair’s Award, the esteemed organization’s highest recognition for the revitalization and adaptive reuse of the cathedral and its surrounding property.

A Los Angeles native, Fraser enrolled at the renowned Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York, following high school.

After graduating from culinary school, Fraser returned to Los Angeles. His resume soon included a series of kitchen tours with some of the most influential chefs of the last 30 years — Wolfgang Puck at Spago, Thomas Keller at Checkers and Joachim Splichal of Patina. It’s a list of mentors who few chefs in the world can claim.

Fraser reflected on that influence from one of those mentors. In 2012, on an initial tour of the bare St. Vibiana rectory space with Fraser, Splichal advised that the design of the new restaurant should

maximize the use of private dining areas, for events and catering.

Fraser and Knoll took the note and worked with designer Robert Weimer to create a space that complements the historic architecture. They seamlessly accommodated private dining areas.

The key to Redbird’s phenomenal success is the robust catering and event operation.

“Joachim had a lot of experience,” Fraser said. “The life blood of our business has been private events. In order to have some stability, you have to be able to do more than one thing. We continue to try to innovate and upgrade our facility to accommodate as many things as possible.”

It helps when the restaurant is directly attached to a spacious and soaring former cathedral that has hosted a variety of events, including live musical and theatrical performances, film screenings, award ceremonies and high-profile charitable fundraisers.

Between Redbird’s occupancy of the

rectory space, the cathedral and its surrounding gardens, Knoll and Fraser routinely hosted more than 700 events annually before the pandemic.

Redbird and Vibiana’s success has become an economic driver in DTLA over the past 10 years.

Armed with a background in design and art history, Knoll provides the operation’s management spine. She was born and raised in Johnson City, Tennessee, and attended the University of Kentucky at Lexington, where she studied art history.

“I spent my whole young life trying to get out of the south,” Knoll said. She came to Los Angeles in 1995, after a stint working front-of-house at San Francisco restaurants.

Soon after arriving in Southern California, she met Fraser. “ We m e t at R i x i n S a nt a M o n i ca in 1997,” said Knoll, referring to the now-shuttered restaurant, where Fraser served as executive chef from 1997 to 1999.

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DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

In 2003, the couple launched their first successful collaboration: Grace, which received positive critical accolades upon its opening.

Three years later, they opened their popular all-day bistro BLD. In 2008, Knoll was about to tour the Vibiana space for an otherwise unremarkable catering event that was to be staged there.

“I came for a walk-thru before we catered an event,” Knoll said.

“I was unfamiliar with the space. I walked into the space, and I immediately fell in love. I thought it was stunning.

Then, I was given a tour of the rectory building, where Redbird is now, which was all concrete, dust and pigeons at the time,” Knoll recalled.

The facility’s manager mentioned to Knoll that owner/developer Gilmore was looking for a restaurateur and dining concept to develop the rectory space.

“I froze. I got chills and I thought, we have to do this. Neal has to see this,” Knoll said.

After she brought Fraser to tour the venue, negotiations began in earnest with Gilmore.

“It took until 2012,” Knoll said.

She explained the loss of their initial financial partner among other challenges caused the long process of closing the deal.

“It was a rollercoaster. But Neal is very persistent, and I am very patient. It works for us, most of the time,” Knoll explained.

At the end of August 2012, Fraser and Knoll had a 25 year lease on the property.

Redbird hatched, and soon enough Vibiana’s event management also came under the couple’s purview. The property’s full renovation and redesign was finished in September 2017, with the completion of the surrounding 3,000-square-foot garden.

Eventually, dinner service commenced seven nights a week, as well as weekend brunch in the 140-seat main dining room.

A vigorous, regular rotation of events in the restaurant’s five private dining rooms further activated the space and the surrounding neighborhood.

The pandemic’s onset shuttered Vibiana, while Redbird made a quick pivot to takeout, delivery and meal-kit programs.

“We were able to keep on the core culinary group (of ) 12 people throughout the whole time,” Knoll added.

Part of Redbird’s pandemic activity also included an engagement with the nonprofit LA Family Housing, prepping meals for the agency’s homeless clients.

“We spoke with them on the Wednesday or Thursday,” Knoll recalled about pandemic life. “ We started the next Wednesday.”

The Redbird team prepared and delivered an average of 1,500 meals a day into the summer, when another entity stepped in to underwrite the program.

As the historic complex comes back to life, a look at the current menu at Redbird is worth noting.

Eight items are listed as starters, including shishito peppers with bottarga and crispy quinoa ($16); Hiramasa crudo sashimi with blood orange ponzu, red shiso and puffed rice ($22); and grass-fed beef tartare served with radish, egg jam, kimchi aioli and nori seaweed chips ($21).

Three pasta options include housemade torchietti with morel mushrooms, English peas and thyme ($36).

Creative entrée items are smoked tofu with fried wild rice and mustard greens, topped with shitake XO sauce and togarashi seasoning ($30); wild boar with cherries and gnocchi with black kale and chanterelle mushrooms ($46); or a whole grilled turbot for two, prepared in the Basque manner with kohlrabi, lemon, capers and olive oil ($138).

Longtime pastry chef Kasra Ajdari offers three desserts, each of which are $12.

The featured items are key lime budino pudding with toasted almonds, orange blossom and strawberry sorbet.

Managed and curated by wine director Matt Fosket, Redbird’s wine cellar is the restaurant’s prime asset and attraction. Wine Enthusiast listed it among the top 100 wine restaurants in the United States. Wine Spectator honored it with the award of excellence.

Finally, Knoll reflected on their relationship with the local community and the emerging post-pandemic landscape.

“We’ve always been big fans of Downtown and big supporters,” Knoll said.

“When Neal and I first met, we made a pact to live in Downtown,” Knoll noted. “We think Downtown LA is going to come back and it’s going to be great. The Olympics are coming and the World Cup. I think it’s going to be really great for the city and especially Downtown. So, we’re very hopeful and positive.”

Redbird 114 E. Second Street, Los Angeles 213-788-1191, redbird.la

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Chef/owner Neal Fraser and owner/operator Amy Knoll Fraser are the team behind Redbird | Vibiana.

Photo by Nicole Franzen

The bone-in ribeye is 24 ounces of Creekstone Farms beef with heirloom tomatoes, aged balsamic vinegar and thyme.

Submitted photo

The Redbird Garden is a new outdoor dining option also utililized for private events such as weddings, cocktail parties and photo shoots.

Photo by Andrea Bricco

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JULY 19, 2021

Covered DINING California will help

La Casita, Brooklyn Avenue Pizza Company offer Tequila Day treats

By LA Downtown News Staff ith summer in full swing and National Tequila Day on the horizon, Angelenos can express their love of the sacred spirit with a top notch “tequila crawl” with world-class agave-based cocktails from Downtown LA to Boyle Heights.

Tequila aficionados can kick off their National Tequila Day celebrations on Saturday, July 24, by indulging in a refreshing poolside beverage at DTLA’s urban oasis, La Casita at Hotel Figueroa, or heading over to Brooklyn Avenue Pizza Company — a new Boyle Heights culinary gem situated inside historic East LA music and entertainment anchor The Paramount.

Located inside a Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired two-story villa, La Casita cocktail lounge boasts a world-class hand-crafted cocktail program replete with an expansive agave list. The Budelli, both a visual and flavorful treat, combines Tesoro Blanco, salted rosemary honey, lime and pamplemousse. For thrill-seekers, the Dios Mio provides a tantalizing effect with a splash of habanero agave.

Led by Carla Lorenzo, corporate beverage manager for The Madera Group, La Casita introduces imbibers to a transportive cocktail program inspired by destinations such as Baja California and the coastal villages of the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn Avenue Pizza Company will offer $35 paloma or margarita cocktail pitchers. As an ideal spot for cocktail, pizza and chicken wing lovers, the restaurant’s menu fuses familiar ingredients with unique flavors, and a hint of nostalgia.

Created for locals, by locals, the neighborhood spot brings a transportive experience to Boyle Heights, where Angelenos and east-siders can kick back and revel in the best of the summer season on the bustling patio enclave off of Cesar Chavez Avenue.

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La Casita 939 S. Figueroa Street 213-627-8971, hotelfigueroa.com/bars-restaurants/la-casita The Budelli at La Casita combines Tesoro Blanco, salted rosemary honey, lime and pamplemousse.

Photo courtesy of BAPCO

Brooklyn Avenue Pizza Company 2706 E. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue 323-968-1106, brooklynavepizzaco.com

JULY 19, 2021

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Covered SPORTS California will help

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Covered California will help CLASSIFIEDS BULK SALE NOTICE OF SALE

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer, 30, is on paid administrative leave in light of assault accusations. He’s making about $1.5 million a week.

Photo courtesy of LA Dodgers

Trevor Bauer’s leave extended to July 27

By Matthew Rodriguez LA Downtown News Staff Writer revor Bauer’s paid administrative leave has been extended two weeks to Tuesday, July 27, per ESPN. Police are investigating assault accusations against Bauer by a 27-year-old woman. Major League Baseball and the Pasadena Police Department are investigating incidents in which Bauer allegedly choked a woman until she was unconscious. She claimed he punched her, requiring her to seek help at a hospital.

The Pasadena resident and Dodgers pitcher is expected in court Friday, July 23, to determine if a recently placed, temporary restraining order will be made permanent.

“The order is a result of a recent assault that took place at the hands of Mr. Bauer where (the accuser) suffered severe physical and emotional pain,” said attorney Marc Garelick to TMZ, which first reported the story. “We anticipate there will be criminal action against Mr. Bauer, and it is our hope law enforcement will take our client’s allegations and case seriously.”

Bauer and his attorney released a statement denying the allegations of any nonconsensual interactions and claim that it was “a brief and wholly consensual relationship” on two occasions that began in April.

“We have messages that show (the woman) repeatedly asking for ‘rough’ sexual encounters involving requests to be ‘choked out’ and slapped in the face,” Bauer’s attorney Jon Fetterolf said in a statement. According to published reports, the woman said she started crying and shaking, when Bauer said, “I’m here. You’re safe.”

Fetterolf claimed the woman drove from San Diego to Bauer’s residence in Pasadena where she began to “dictate what she wanted from him sexually and he did what was asked.”

Fetterolf claimed she left without incident during the first encounter. After the second and final encounter, the woman claimed she had sought medical care in San Diego for a concussion.

Published reports said she was diagnosed with head and facial trauma. Since then, the two have not corresponded nor met for over six weeks.

“Her basis for filing a protection order is nonexistent, fraudulent, and deliberately omits key facts, information, and her own relevant communications,” Fetterolf said. “Any allegations that the pair’s encounters were not 100% consensual are baseless, defamatory and will be refuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Major League Baseball launched its own investigation into the matter.

“The Dodgers were made aware of the allegations against Trevor Bauer late his afternoon and immediately contacted MLB, which will be handling this matter,” the team said in a statement.

“The Dodgers take any allegations of this nature very seriously, but will have no further comment at this time.”

According to ESPN, the Dodgers previously canceled Bauer’s Aug. 19 bobblehead night, and removed his merchandise from team and online stores.

Bauer, a former UCLA Bruin and reigning Cy Young, is in his first season with his hometown team, with an 8-5 record. Bauer, 30, was slated to start the Fourth of July game at Washington.

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NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described below to enforce a lien imposed on said property pursuant to Sections 21700-21716 of the Business & Professions Code, Section 2328 of the UCC, Section 535 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Civil Code.

The undersigned will sell on the 20th day of July 2021 at 11: 00 A.M. on the premises where said property has been stored and which are located at Thriftee Storage Company LLC, 1717 N. Glendale Blvd. in the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, State of California, the following: Name of owner: Space number Description of goods Amount Robert Dragusica A7 Personal effects $920.00 Yvonne Wuchter DD9 Personal effects $1080.00 Romulo Jalbuna H18 Personal effects $423.00 Riuchard Garza G17 Personal effects $530.00 Feliberto Garcia L18 Personal effects $875.00 Sopaul Baola C37 Personal effects $415.00 Andrew Burr L48 Personal effects $696.40 Karl A. Brown SS2 Personal Effects $236.00 David Hughes SS6 Personal effects $236.00 Purchases must be paid for at the time of purchase in cash only. All purchased storage units with the items contained herein are sold on an “as-is” basis and must be removed at the time of sale.

Sale subject to cancellation in the event of settlement between Thriftee Storage Co. and obligated party.

Thriftee Storage Company LLC Dated at Los Angeles, CA by Felipe F. Islas / Manager July 8, 2021, 2021 PUBLISHED: Los Angeles Downtown News 7/12/21, 7/19/21

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