05-03-10

DOWNTOWN

NEWS DOWNTOWN

NEWSLOS ANGELESLOS ANGELES

Volume 39, Number 18 May 3, 2010 WWW.DOWNTOWNNEWS.COM

The Voice of Downtown Los Angeles

by RichaRd Guzmán

city editoR

When 14th District City Councilman José Huizar launched the

Bringing Back Broadway initia-tive in January 2008, the ambi-tious plans were the latest in a series of failed attempts to restore the street to its heyday. In front of hundreds of area stakeholders in the Los Angeles Theatre, Huizar laid out a vision that would allow the street to recapture its role as a Downtown destination, replete with nightlife, pedestrian-friendly amenities and even a streetcar. Two years later, Huizar has tak-en some significant strides, gen-

erating more momentum than any of the previous attempts. Millions of dollars worth of street repairs have taken place and there is widespread community buy-in. During a recent meeting with Los Angeles Downtown News editors and reporters, Huizar ex-pressed optimism about what has been achieved to date. “Bottom line is, we are very happy with where we are with the Bringing Back Broadway plan,” he said. However, the most significant tasks in the 10-year effort await. Plans for the streetcar and a park-ing garage that could lead to wider

see Broadway, page 10

Broadway’s Mixed BagPlan to Revive Street Takes Key Steps Forward, But Huge Hurdles Loom

Mother’s Day

photo by Gary Leonard

Councilman José Huizar is two years into his 10-year Bringing Back Broadway initiative. He has seen the upgrade of portions of the street, but now faces challenges in creating parking and moving a streetcar forward.

INSIDE INSIDE

13

by Ryan VaillancouRt

staff wRiteR

When a resident of the Reserve Lofts smelled gasoline emanating

from unit 701 in the early evening of April 19, the Fire Department got a nervous call. The concerned resident couldn’t have known that the act would be the first domino to tumble, ultimately setting off an on-

going manhunt for a figure police warn should be considered armed and dangerous. When fire and police officials arrived at unit 701 shortly after 6 p.m., the man inside, 33-year-old Brian Alexik, refused to open the door. After unlocking the door with a key, the door remained blocked by a homemade contraption that

see Alexik, page 9

What Happened in Unit 701?Police Searching for Man Who Assembled Weapons, Made Counterfeit Money in South Park Loft

A tile mosaic replica of the CIA seal was found in the floor of Brian Alexik’s Reserve Lofts apartment. Alexik fled his seventh floor unit when police arrived.

by Jon ReGaRdie

executiVe editoR

A few weeks ago, a not-so-secret Downtown secret spilled into the open: A cou-

ple of really rich men want to build a National Football League stadium in South Park. Predicting that Anschutz Enter-tainment Group head Tim Leiweke and Hollywood bloodline kingpin Casey Wasserman, a team that a few years ago unsuccessfully pushed a sta-dium plan near L.A. Live, would come back with another stadium plan near L.A. Live, is about as risky as wagering that the sun will shine in Los Angeles this month. The only thing more surprising would have been if they weren’t working behind the scenes to create a chichi professional football mecca somewhere very close to where AEG has dropped $2.5 billion worth of hotels, restaurants and theaters. An uber-stadium — one that piggybacks on the Convention Center and gets more use than the average NFL palace — is perhaps the most obvious next play there is, even if it’s years away and would cost north of $800 million. The bigger issue, however, is what happens now that the bobcat is out of the bag. In the 16 years since the Rams and Raiders both skedaddled out of Los Angeles — and the only bigger sports blunder in the city in the past two decades was handing control of the Dodgers to Them Fightin’ McCourts — the cabal of 32

NFL owners has engaged in a das-tardly game, in which they foment competition between potential local stadium developers, all in the name of money. Now, it could happen again, only this time there may be two aster-isks: the potential sparring parties are richer than in the past; and they previously partnered on one of Downtown’s most important proj-ects ever. In fact, the process has begun, with no less than the NFL commis-sioner quietly tossing the first hunk of raw meat into the cage, hoping the tigers will fight. Ugly? Yeah. But that’s how the NFL rolls.

Roster of Locations To those who don’t follow the league’s stadium and franchise she-nanigans, this may sound unlikely. But in a world where Goldman Sachs bets big against its own in-vestors, and two wealthy old men will wager a single dollar that they can transform a homeless hustler into a suit-clad Wall Street type, while sending a well-off com-modities broker to the poorhouse, anything can happen. (Oh wait, the second one was the plot from Eddie Murphy’s Trading Places, but the first one, which might seem harder to believe, is true). Before getting to the NFL’s latest shiv to L.A.’s ribs, consider life since the two football teams left following

see Football, page 12

Double Trouble, Toil and FumbleL.A. Dances Again With the Cabal of NFL Owners

Urban Scrawl on the budget debacle.4

War, gold and the ‘Bengal Tiger.’17

Remembering music critic Alan Rich.19

Five great entertainment options.20

Thousands get free medical treatment.6

Get ready for Cinco de Mayo.18

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X Marks the Downtown Spot

The biggest happening in extreme sports will take over the Central City this sum-

mer. Sports giant ESPN last week announced that the 16th annual X Games will take place exclusively in Downtown Los Angeles. High-flying skateboard, BMX and Motocross action will go down at Staples Center, Nokia Theatre, the Los Angeles Coliseum and at L.A. Live. In previous years, Staples Center has hosted some of the competition, but many events took place at the Home Depot Center in Carson. The Downtown concentration marks even stronger ties between the X Games and Anschutz Entertainment Group, developer of L.A. Live, said Jack Wienert, ESPN’s executive director of the event, in a statement (although AEG also owns the Home Depot Center). ESPN in 2009 opened West Coast radio and television studios and an Internet reporting hub at L.A. Live. Tickets for X Games 16 will be available June 24.

Little Progress on Mixed Income Plan

Last year, the city lost a lawsuit that torpe-doed Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Mixed

Income Ordinance, and also put rent control in apartment projects throughout the state in question. Now, officials are still trying to figure out what to do next, according to City Councilman Ed Reyes, whose First District includes the City West project that sparked developer Geoff Palmer’s suit. Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Los Angeles Current Affairs Forum on Thursday, April 29, Reyes noted the impacts of the loss. “What it has forced us to do is reassess how we look at a

citywide mixed income policy,” he said. “We are re-evaluating that particular approach.” He said he has been working with Villaraigosa’s office and new Department of Housing General Manager Doug Guthrie on what steps to take. He also noted that some low-income housing advocates across California are look-ing at trying to change statewide legislation that impacts the results of the suit, something he said he supports. Reyes expressed a sense on urgency on finding a solution, pointing to signs of an economic recovery, and saying of-ficials need to be prepared to create more low-income units. “Now is the time to get ready for the upswing,” he said.

Leasing Begins at ‘The Watermarke’

The 35-story residential tower developed by Meruelo Maddux Properties officially

changed hands on April 16, as Carona-based real estate company Watermarke Properties completed a $110 million purchase. Now, some of the 214 apartments in the building that has been renamed The Watermarke are available. Peter DiLello, director of acquisi-tions for Watermarke, said units will rent for $2,300-$5,000. The building at 705 W. Ninth St. also has four, two-level penthouses that will likely go for between $13,000 and $15,000, he said. DiLello said the company was attracted to the property by its location — especially its proximity to high-paying jobs and freeway access — as well as its unique size and archi-tecture among other Downtown residential properties. Though Meruelo Maddux had completed the building, Watermarke is already planning some changes, including touch-ups in units and a makeover of the lobby, DiLello said. Meruelo Maddux, which has filed for

2 Downtown News May 3, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews

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Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, sold the building to settle its debt with Canyon Capital Realty Partners, which had financed the proj-ect with an $84 million loan.

All Aboard!

Saturday, May 8, marks the third annual National Train Day, and Union Station is

on track to celebrate with a free event from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The festivities will include displays of model and real trains, as well as the Railroad Braceros exhibit, which honors the Latino contributions to the national railroad. Steve Velasquez, associate curator of the National Museum of American History, will make a presentation about the braceros. Also in store is a talk on how trains move our economy, the history of train food with a cooking demon-stration by Amtrak chef Marcel Lagnaz, and an exhibit on how Amtrak is providing green options for travel. Other events include a per-formance by the USC Trojan Marching Band and an appearance by Huell Howser. Union Station is at 800 N. Alameda St. Additional information is at nationaltrainday.com.

Chinese Electric Car Firm Coming Downtown

Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD last week announced a deal to bring its

headquarters to the Figueroa Corridor in Downtown Los Angeles. The move is expect-ed to generate 150 high-paying jobs within the company by 2011, but the commerce associat-ed with the facility is also anticipated to create an additional 1,000 jobs. In a Friday morning press conference, BYD chairman Chuanfu Wang detailed the company’s plan to oc-cupy an office building at 1800 S. Figueroa St. by the fourth quarter of 2010. BYD, which produces an array of clean technology prod-ucts, plans to feature its vehicles, solar panels,

energy storage systems and advanced LED lighting products in its new headquarters. The building will also be home to BYD’s research and development arm that will create current versions of the company’s vehicles now selling in China. BYD, which stands for Build Your Dreams, sold nearly 450,000 vehicles in 2009, up 170% from the previous year. This year, it expects to sell 700,000 cars. Concurrent with the plan to locate in Downtown, the city plans to ramp up its electric vehicle infra-structure in the coming year, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, adding plug-in equipment in both commercial and residential locations. BYD is not the only electric car firm looking to locate in Downtown. Coda Automotive has been in negotiations with the Community Redevelopment Agency about plans to set up shop in the Cleantech Manufacturing Center near the L.A. River.

More Downtown Ring Things

The Downtown entries in Ring Festival L.A. continue to expand, with two new

art shows coming. On May 10, the California Art Club will unveil work inspired by Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Works will appear at two locations: the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, at 555 W. Temple St., where it is up through July 16; and at the Fine Arts Building, at 811 W. Seventh St., where it is on display through June 4. The exhibit is titled California Art Club Artists Celebrate the Ring Cycle.

Correction

Uncle John’s Ham ’N’ Eggs, which was mentioned in a bargain lunch story in

the April 26 issue, has closed, and will reopen in a new location at 834 S. Grand Ave. on May 3. The restaurant has been renamed Uncle John’s Café.

May 3, 2010 Downtown News 3DowntownNews.com

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During the 1984 O

lympics, Figueroa and Flow

er streets w

ere converted to one-way streets, m

eant to stream

line drivers to and from freew

ays. There had

been talk about returning to the model. “Traffic m

overs like this idea because it helps m

ove traffic through the city and to freew

ay entrances,” Figueroa Corridor Partnership founder

Darryl H

olter said, “but business people and residents are of-ten less enthusiastic because one w

ay streets can lead to faster

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olter and street stakeholders, including Robert H

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wanted to know

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munity, so

Holter studied the proposal. “ I told them

that it could work,

but that there were som

e problems, and w

e should sit down

and start talking about w

hat the Corridor needed.”

T

he result was a 3.2 m

illion street improvem

ent pro-gram

. Holter, H

arris and others made an inventory of w

hat the street needed, w

hich included new bus shelters, 75 trees,

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he medians w

ere pleasant to look at, yes, but they also served another m

ore important

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o-way existence of Figueroa

for the foreseeable future. “The upshot w

as, we w

ere able to m

ake things a little better for pedestrians and make the street

look nicer. It was an exam

ple of being organized and pulling together,” H

olter said. “We got som

ething that was beneficial

to everyone.”

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Editor & PublishEr: Sue LarisGENErAl MANAGEr: Dawn Eastin

ExEcutivE Editor: Jon RegardiecitY Editor: Richard GuzmánstAFF writEr: Ryan VaillancourtcoNtributiNG Editors: David Friedman, Kathryn MaesecoNtributiNG writErs: Jay Berman, Jeff Favre, Michael X. Ferraro, Kristin Friedrich, Howard Leff, Rod Riggs, Marc Porter Zasada

Art dirEctor: Brian AllisonAssistANt Art dirEctor: Yumi KanegawaProductioN ANd GrAPhics: Alexis RawlinsProductioN AssistANt / EvENt coordiNAtor: Claudia Hernandez

PhotoGrAPhEr: Gary Leonard

AccouNtiNG: Ashley Schmidt

AdvErtisiNG dirEctor: Steve NakutinsAlEs AssistANt: Annette CruzclAssiFiEd AdvErtisiNG MANAGEr: Catherine HollowayAccouNt ExEcutivEs: Steve Epstein, Catherine Holloway, Tam Nguyen, Kelley Smith

circulAtioN: Norma RodasdistributioN MANAGEr: Salvador InglesdistributioN AssistANts: Lorenzo Castillo, Gustavo Bonilla

The Los Angeles Downtown News is the must-read newspaper for Downtown Los Angeles and is distributed every Monday throughout the offices and residences of Downtown Los Angeles.

One copy per person.

Los Angeles Downtown News1264 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026phone: 213-481-1448 • fax: 213-250-4617web: DowntownNews.com • email: [email protected]

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EDITORIALSEDITORIALS

Urban Scrawl by Doug Davis

A long-festering situation at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument has verged into dangerous terri-tory, with more than 40 Olvera Street merchants put-

ting themselves at risk for eviction. They should immediately reconsider their decision to withhold a portion of the rent that was due on April 1 — not only is their chosen method of pro-testing recent rent hikes off base, but their move could lead to a result that far outweighs any benefits of the risks they are taking. If the worst-case scenario comes to fruition, and businesses are forced out, the merchants will have themselves to blame. For many years, restaurant and shop owners at the popular tourist attraction (it sees about 2 million visitors a year) have been charged rents that in most instances are well below mar-ket rate. Although the land is owned by the city, a 2009 audit from the City Controller found that the average rent is $1.35 per square foot, and some of the merchants with the largest spaces have long paid less than $1 a square foot. A recent study commissioned by the city stated that merchants should be paying $2-$6.50 per square foot. In January, the commission that oversees El Pueblo ap-proved rate hikes that, in most cases, hew to the low end of that spectrum. This is a fair step, one that makes sense for city-owned property; there is no reason taxpayers should subsidize for-profit businesses. The increases will also help the

department, which has seen a budget shortfall of $800,000 or more for several years, become self-sufficient. This is a neces-sity as the city faces a $485 million budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Information about the increases was sent out Feb. 1, pro-viding merchants nearly twice the required 30 days notice. Everyone was well aware of the situation. About 14 merchants have paid the new rates, and 17 others are unaffected because they signed 55-year leases more than a decade ago (something real estate experts have cautioned against repeating, pointing out that it is not the norm for this kind of retail). Many of the remaining merchants have charged that the new rents are onerous, and some have claimed they could be forced out of business. When the April 1 payments were due, 43 tenants chose to deliver only what they had been previously paying — in other words, they made a conscious decision to hand over a fraction of what is owed. As a result, the city is short a total of $72,000. The past few weeks have seen a wealth of spin. A mer-chants’ group is circulating a “Save Olvera Street” petition, though there is zero chance of the attraction being shut down — that is in no one’s interest, and city officials probably do not want to go through a public bidding process to find new occupants for scores of spaces. They’d prefer that the existing

The distressing situation over Department of Water and Power rate hikes turned even more troublesome

last week, when the City Council nearly over-turned an increase that it had approved just a few weeks before. The kicker: More than half of the 15 council members say they did not know the matter they green lighted would lead to permanent increases. This is troubling on so many levels it is staggering. Is the embattled utility engaged in some level of obfuscation? How could some city lawmakers not comprehend that something they anticipated would last for

three months would instead extend in per-petuity? Why did those who know not make sure everyone was on the same page? Did Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a chief propo-nent of rate hikes, play a behind-the-scenes role? How is this supposed to increase an already skeptical public’s trust in the depart-ment? Clearly, the water is murky, and it is more than a case of council members not closely reading the material before voting, especially when the issue had been so contentious for so long. Indeed, on Tuesday, April 27, nine members of the council voted to revisit the

rate hikes that had been approved on April 14. While this was a majority, it fell one bal-lot shy of the 10 votes required to revive the matter. The situation gets more distressing considering that Bernard Parks, who previ-ously opposed the rate hikes, was out of the council chambers and missed the vote by a few minutes. Would he have swung the pen-dulum the other way? Before and after last week’s vote, council members expressed vastly differing thoughts. Several said they knew that the rate hikes would be permanent. Others thought they were OKing increases that would start July

1 and end Oct. 1, at which point they could choose whether or not to extend them for another three months. We’re very troubled that the council could complete a vote its members don’t under-stand, and every Angeleno should worry what else could be mishandled. Certainly someone, or many people, had a wider grasp of the facts before the April 14 vote, but the information was not shared. Did people keep quiet to press their own agenda? This is a poor move for Los Angeles. It does not instill confidence in city govern-ment or the DWP.

Olvera Street Merchants Put Themselves at Risk With Rent Action

Murky Water, Questionable Power

owners stay there and meet their obligations. Merchants who rail against rent hikes and lambaste boosts of 100% or more know full well that they have gotten a great deal for a long time, and that citing a high percentage jump generates more attention than noting an increase to fair-mar-ket rates. When they claim that a promised parking garage has not been built, they overlook other improvements that have been made by the city to El Pueblo. Another complaint, that the merchants on month-to-month concession agreements are entitled to 55-year deals, appears to be a desire, not a right. Recent letters from City Attorney Carmen Trutanich indicate that the El Pueblo Commission is acting appropriately. “Nothing in the language of Proposition H or in the cur-rent Charter, requires any particular length of time for a long term concession agreement. Additionally, the Charter does not authorize the concession agreements to be below market rate,” Trutanich wrote in an April 8 letter to 14th District Councilman José Huizar. All that brings the situation up to the perilous present, with more than half of Olvera Street’s merchants putting them-selves at risk. El Pueblo and other city officials now have the option — and possibly the obligation — to file three-day no-tices for the tenants either to pay or face eviction proceedings. Huizar, whose district includes El Pueblo, has pledged to work to prevent evictions. We hope he can stop longtime stakeholders from losing their space. But in doing so, we hope he holds true to another thing he has said he wants: for rents to rise and for El Pueblo to be self-sufficient. The way to make that happen is for the Olvera Street mer-chants to pay their rents. Their full, fair rents.



Here we stand, hundreds of us, yearning for our first opportunity to taste a stranger’s cheese. It’s one of those pretty Downtown days: light clouds with a

chance of cheddar. A very good chance, actually. So just how did we get here? A little history: Countless kitchens ago, a forward-thinking person, no doubt related to my grandmother, stumbled on the idea of turning crispy bread and cheese into the perfect lunch. Although this was an instant hit, we in the modern cheese era have no reason to believe this particular chef had the first clue of the food fury she had just unleashed. Remember, all this happened way before sliced bread. Once that trendy little innovation hit store shelves, the grilled cheese sandwich, as we know it today, took its rightful place as an American food icon. That’s just the beginning. Humans would not let such an amazing idea sit there and stagnate. It’s the same reason your cell phone’s no longer the size of a bar stool. We as a species are constantly improving things. So into the mix went spices and sauces and vegetables and fruits and meats and marshmallows and everything except the car keys in order to improve on what was already culinary perfection. Into this breach stepped Tim Walker, who bills himself as the “chief instigator and founder” of the Grilled Cheese Invitational. The eighth annual event took place Saturday, April 24, on the Los Angeles Center Studios campus in City West. Note to Tim: Even though you moved to a new location this year, the site’s still not big enough. For 2011, just go ahead and book the Coliseum. If not, this could get danger-ously close to the Gridlocked Cheese Invitational. That’s be-cause hungry sandwich (or “sammich”) fans, who paid up to

$15 for admission on a warm afternoon, faced massive, Space Mountain-worthy lines in order to obtain free food and drink samples, or just simply to buy various grilled cheeses from all the food trucks in attendance. The hardcore GCI patrons spent much of their time in the similarly crowded competition area where, acting as judges, they waited patiently to sample and rate sandwiches in three different (and clearly defined) categories. These ranged from

the mainstream varieties to decadent, over-the-top delicacies that would best be served as a dessert, such as Goat Cheese Ice Cream in a Strawberry Sandwich. I’ll take a dozen. And IM my cardiologist. Only those who had previously registered as judges could get into this area, but it was well worth the effort. Sandwich makers from all over, amateurs and pro chefs alike, these monsters of Muenster, trotted out homemade breads, ex-otic cheeses and original recipes. Still, the sheer number of entrants and judges made it tough to get a taste of all the

varieties available. Though not an official judge, I was fortunate enough to procure an entry bathed in strawberries and choco-late sauce. One caution: I’m not sure how many of these samples a normal, law-abiding taster can stomach in one afternoon. I suspect that, despite all the winners, two sure losers are your cholesterol and your colon. In addition to the mega-caloric treats hiding inside the ol’ sammich, the outside begins its journey smothered in butter, margarine or something just as devious. The event wasn’t just about eating grilled cheese. Attendees suffering from cheese overload could wander over to a stage where organizers held forth with a carnival-worthy sideshow. Performers included poets, musicians and stand-up comics. Among them was Gabe, a 15-year-old from Brea who hap-pens to be the nation’s foremost cheese rapper: “I love cheddar, cream and goat/Isn’t anything better than having cheese in your throat.” I think most of us, especially those looking on from the Beer Garden, would agree that yes, other than a well-timed Sucrets during flu season, cheese would be high on the list. The stage also featured some bigger names, including actor-comedian Mike O’Connell, who stars in a brilliantly offbeat (and cult-classic-in-waiting) film called The Living Wake, as well as Erik Charles Nielsen, the comic actor who has a recur-ring role on the NBC comedy “Community.” No question, Nielsen delivered the afternoon’s best non-cheese joke: “I’m planning to break into the National Archives in Washington to sign the Declaration of Independence… thereby becoming the answer to the trivia question: ‘Which signer of the Declaration of Independence has $30,000 in stu-dent loans?’” Other events included a costume contest and the always-popular “cheese calling” contest. Many were called, but to date, we have no hard evidence that any of the cheeses have answered. No matter. The sign at the front gate didn’t say “Talent Show.” (And if it did, it was in really small print.) It’s all about the sammies, as the thousands who filed out into the Downtown evening would tell you. My advice: Stop by next year, especially if you think you know your grilled cheeses. No offense, but there’s a fair chance You Don’t Know (Monterey) Jack.

Putting the ‘Pro’ in ProvoloneGrilled Cheese Greats Pepper a Downtown Food Event

Howard Leff

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David didn’t want to provide his last name. But it didn’t matter much, in terms of differentiating the 61-year-old Torrance resident from the more than 1,000

people who joined him in waiting for medical treatment on the floor of the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena last week. Like most of the people who flocked to the free clinic run by the Tennessee-based nonprofit Remote Area Medical, David is uninsured. He hadn’t had dental work done in at least 15 years, he said, mostly because he can’t afford coverage. The floor of the Sports Arena — a venue that has seen ev-erything from political speeches to Olympic boxing to Bruce Springsteen concerts — was filled with medical profession-als in blue and green scrubs. This small army of volunteers weaved around dental chairs and hovered over tables covered with prescription eyeglasses that would be given away for free. The Exposition Park clinic, which opened April 27 and closes May 3, follows a similar event held last year at The Forum in Inglewood. There, 6,334 patients, some of whom traveled from out of state, were treated. People lined up out-side the arena early each morning. Hundreds were turned away because of a lack of time and space. This year, the procedures were tweaked: RAM staffers is-sued wristbands on a first-come first-served basis on April 25 to patients who could choose which day to attend. That plan was engineered to cut down on the massive lines seen last year, and on the clinic’s first day, most of the lines had disbanded by noon. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who helped or-ganize RAM L.A., was among a cadre of public officials mak-ing the rounds on the event’s opening day. He said he ran into former high school classmates, and even one part-time county employee who was there to access services. “That was a little startling,” Ridley-Thomas said. “But it’s the reality of part-time workers without adequate health insurance…. This is a clear example of why health reform

was urgently needed. It can’t get here soon enough for these patients, many of whom are employed.”

Widespread Needs The Downtown scene was certainly not what RAM founder Stan Brock envisioned when he dreamed of creating an organi-zation to expand healthcare access to needy communities. Brock vividly recalls living and working on a cattle ranch with Wapishana Indians in the forests of Amazonian Guyana in the 1950s. Brock and his Wapishana friends, he said, used to catch and try to tame wild horses. The native of England found himself helming one of the most difficult horses, which was named Kang, the Wapishana word for devil. One day Kang, with Brock on his back, ran full speed into a corral, throwing and severely injuring the rider. Brock needed medical attention, but the nearest doctor was not close. He was told that help was “26 days on foot from here,” he said. That was the moment Brock pledged to create an organi-zation that would bring medical care closer to third-world communities. The vision has materialized, with RAM out-posts in Haiti, in the upper Amazon and mobile units that deploy to disaster zones like post-Katrina New Orleans. “Who would have thought that 60 years later, we would have found a very similar need here in the United States,” Brock said. Indeed, the needs were widespread last week. The avail-able services included physical exams, mammograms, PAP smears, diabetes screenings, dental cleanings, extractions, fill-ings and root canals. Prescription eyeglasses were made and fitted on site. The costs of putting on such an event are covered by pri-vate donations. The Los Angeles clinic was supported largely by a gift from record industry executive Jerry Moss and his wife Ann. Medical professionals volunteer their time. On opening day, 1,157 patients received treatment from approximately 300 medical volunteers, according to event spokeswoman Jackie Quintanilla. But by day two, the clinic had issued all of its wristbands, topping off at 6,349 indi-viduals for the week-long run. That was down from the 8,000

people they expected to help when the clinic started. Gail Hollins, 56, attended the clinic to take care of a painful dental problem — a cap fell off, and she needed an extrac-tion. As she waited to be seen, she wondered about the federal healthcare bill that passed with such fanfare in March, and why it doesn’t seem to have improved the healthcare landscape. “It’s confusing me, really,” Hollins said. Though some aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act go into effect immediately (such as re-quiring insurers to provide coverage for individuals 26 and younger under their parents’ plan), most of the major re-forms will be phased in over five years. In the meantime, the need for urgent care remains great, from the upper Amazon to Downtown Los Angeles. “The contradictions couldn’t be more clear, but Remote Area Medical deserves high praise for this,” Ridley-Thomas said. “And I can tell you the people who have come to benefit from these services are not reluctant to give that to them.” Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at [email protected].

Arena of the NeedyFree Medical Clinic Draws Thousands of Uninsured to Downtown


The Remote Area Medical clinic that began last week at the Sports Arena is slated to treat more than 6,300 people before it closes on May 3.

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functioned as a second lock. By the time police broke down the door with a battering ram, Alexik had fled his unit, appar-ently escaping via a fire escape. The source of the fumes was immediately apparent: Alexik, who police say sometimes went by the name Ken Shurin and is of Russian descent, had been using a gasoline-powered electric generator. But the generator was perhaps the least surprising thing authorities found. Also in the apartment was approximately $15,000 in coun-terfeit money and the equipment used to make it. Police of-ficials said the fake bills were of “high quality.” Additionally, there was an AK-47, a sawed-off shotgun and other evidence that suggests Alexik was manufacturing weapon parts. He also had an array of fake identification documents. Other details in the apartment paint a curious if difficult to interpret portrait of Alexik. Inlaid on the floor was a handmade tile mosaic replica of the Central Intelligence Agency seal; it was about five feet in diameter. Hovering over the CIA emblem was a large, framed portrait of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. As of Los Angeles Downtown News’ press time on April 30, the LAPD and Secret Service were still trying to track down Alexik. Capt. Steven Sambar, who heads the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division, said Alexik should be considered “very dan-gerous.” Three felony charges have been filed, two for pos-sessing the AK-47 and the shotgun, and one for possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

One Arrest Police seemed to get their first break in the investigation on Thursday, April 29, when they arrested 32-year-old Gregory Koller, who officials suspect has ties to Alexik. Officials served a search warrant of Koller’s residence — a converted ware-house at 38th Street and Grand Avenue — at about 6 a.m. and discovered “items consistent with manufacturing weap-ons,” said Sambar. The raid also yielded drugs including methamphetamine, and counterfeit currency, “the same items that directly link back to Alexik,” Sambar said. Koller was expected to be booked on narcotics charges, and likely faces additional charges tied to the recovered contraband, Sambar said. Almost two weeks after law enforcement first responded to the Reserve Lofts, many residents of the building were still won-dering why dozens of police, firemen and Secret Service agents had responded en masse on April 19. “People are completely on edge,” said a resident who asked not to be identified because tenants had been asked by the landlord not to speak and feared retaliation. In the days after Alexik’s door was knocked in, an unsigned letter went up in the building elevator, asking, “What really happened on the nights of April 19 and 20 at 409 W Olympic Unit 701?” It went on to make a slate of allegations — includ-ing illegal weapons possession and counterfeiting — that police echoed in a press release more than a week later. Residents also noted the ironic parallels between Alexik’s alleged counterfeit operation and the 81-year-old build-ing’s history. Converted into 78 live-work units in 2006, the building was the former Los Angeles branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. It’s not yet clear what authorities are making of Alexik’s choice to live at the Reserve Lofts. But Commander Jose Perez, who oversees Central Bureau, pointed out that Alexik’s unit overlooks the current Los Angeles branch of the Federal Reserve Bank, next door at 950 S. Grand Ave. Perez, who is not actively involved in the investigation, termed the proximity to the active Federal Reserve location as “suspicious.” Alexik is believed to be about 5-foot-10 and weigh about 180 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call 911 im-mediately and make no attempt to confront him. Anyone with other information about the suspect is asked to contact LAPD Major Crimes Division Det. Daniel Logan at (213) 486-7386. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at [email protected].

images courtesy of LAPD

Brian Alexik, 33, is wanted on weapons charges, but alleged counterfeiting activities could lead to additional charges. He also goes by the name Ken Shurin. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Continued from page 1

Alexik


The Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA/LA), in partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) and CleanTech LA, is pleased to announce the arrival of the National Services Advisory Panel of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). The Advisory Panel will study LA’s CleanTech Corridor during the week of May 16 through May 21, 2010.

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use of the street’s 12 theaters hinge on securing millions of dollars in scarce funds. In fact, the garage effort suffered a setback when $10 million that had been expected instead dis-sipated during the city’s budget crunch. The garage has long been a chief desire of some theater owners on Broadway. In particular the Delijani family, which owns the Los Angeles, the Palace, the State and the Tower theaters, have pushed for the city to build and pay for such a facility, claiming that existing area parking is insufficient for large nighttime crowds. As part of the Broadway effort, Huizar pursued a $52 million garage plan. The intent was to purchase four exist-ing properties for approximately $27 million, and spend $25 million to convert them into a single structure with 300

parking spaces. Huizar had $10 million set aside to begin the garage effort. But once the city’s budget crisis arose — a shortfall of $485 million is expected for the fiscal year that begins July 1 — he had to give up that money in exchange for city promises to use Municipal Improvement Corporation of Los Angeles funds. Now those are unlikely to materialize. Huizar downplayed the significance of the setback. “I wouldn’t call it a big blow,” he said. “I would just say something has stalled, we have other plans in place. We have preliminary drawings, designs. We just have to rethink how we get the financing.” The back-up plan is an automated parking system, which would use machines to lift and park cars in stacks. It would occupy less space than a conventional garage. Funds have not been secured. Still, Jessica Wethington McLean, the executive director of Bringing Back Broadway, said it’s not a question of “if” new parking will be built, but rather how. She said officials are

pursuing public-private partnerships for the facility. Huizar said Delijani — who did not return phone calls for comment — had agreed to put more money into his theaters if the city can provide a parking garage. But other theater owners say parking is not an issue that should slow down the overall plans. “I don’t see that that has any bearing whatsoever in bring-ing back the theaters,” said Steve Needleman, who owns the Orpheum Theatre at 842 S. Broadway. He reopened it as a concert and events venue in 2001 following a $3.5 million renovation. He has also created apartments on the floors above. “Everyone will find a place to park,” he continued. “I don’t think there’s any way to make economic sense out of putting in one of these garages in today’s time, and I think that long term we have better uses for our money.”

Street Action Another key part of the effort is the Broadway Entertainment Overlay Zone and Design Guide, which aims to make the street


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more pedestrian-friendly with new standards for signage, lighting, landscaping and the ap-pearance of buildings. The plan, which also seeks to upgrade and establish consistency in storefronts and façades, was adopted by the City Council last September. Some of the changes coming as a result of the ordinance include alterations in signage. Large-scale painted wall signs and open panel roof signs will no longer be permitted. The plan will also affect any rehabilita-tion that occurs in buildings, including new businesses that want to come to Broadway, McLean said. That would apply both to mom and pop shops, and any large chain seek-ing to capitalize on the residential growth in Downtown. “What we did there is put in some pro-visions so that stores who want to come to Broadway can come, but that [store] has to

look like Broadway,” McClean said. “Broadway won’t be made to look like the store.” The street itself is also getting a makeover, with an infrastructure plan estimated at $35 million. More than $7 million in work has already taken place, with sidewalk repairs on portions of Broadway between Third and Fifth streets. The upgrades, which cost $1.5 million per side, per block, include reconstructing the basements under the sidewalks, since the cur-rent sub-surface infrastructure can’t sustain any aboveground improvements, Huizar said. Other parts of the plan call for wider side-walks, transit stations and reducing traffic flow to three lanes, with two running north and one heading south. The streetcar is slated to run along the southbound curb. “Obviously people want to see a more pe-destrian-friendly Broadway,” Huizar said.

So far $13 million has been identified for the project. Officials expect to spend $4 mil-lion on improvements this year. After that, the source of the money remains uncertain. “We haven’t really identified the full fund-ing for this, but as we’ve been going along, we’ve been finding money here and there,” Huizar said. Plans are not limited to street level. Huizar also wants to activate some of the 1.5 mil-lion square feet of vacant upper floor space along Broadway between Second Street and Olympic Boulevard. Huizar’s office has been working with of-ficials from the Fire Department and the Department of Building and Safety on creat-ing an ordinance that would allow them to reactivate that property. It could be simi-lar to the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, which made it easier to turn old office buildings into housing. However, Huizar said moving forward has not been easy. “We ran into some trouble with Building and Safety and the Fire Department, some disagreements,” he said. “For example the Fire Department, in some cases, is concerned about windows, emergency exit safety issues.” Despite the hurdle, some are enthusiastic that progress will continue. Russell Brown, president of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, said the next step is to get property owners along the street on board. “I feel confident that going into the third year of a 10-year plan that a lot has been done, and all of the foundation work has very much been done,” he said.

Ticket to Ride Perhaps the most anticipated portion of the Bringing Back Broadway plan is the re-turn of the streetcar, which Huizar had ambi-tiously pegged for 2014. In 2009, the nonprofit organization L.A.

Streetcar Inc. was formed to handle the de-sign and construction of the line that would ultimately connect L.A. Live and Bunker Hill. So far, a little more than $10.5 million has been secured for the project that is estimated to cost $100 million. Huizar is looking at a mix of federal and private sources to raise the funds, includ-ing an assessment district in which property owners along the proposed route would be taxed. The amount to be secured from the as-sessments has not been determined. The 2014 timeline may rest on a $25 mil-lion grant the group is seeking from the Federal Transit Administration’s Urban Circulators program. The application has been filed and an answer is expected in June. If it comes through, it could keep the proj-ect on the fast track. But a denial could derail a 2014 opening, Huizar admitted. “It’ll make us re-look at our numbers on the assessment,” Huizar said. “We’ll look at the assessment, reevaluate those numbers and maybe the timeline.” Another $10 million in federal funds is also being sought. Meanwhile, Metro has agreed to include the project in its Long Range Transportation Plan, which means that if funding ever be-comes available or Metro plans for the long term use of the area, the streetcar is in line to get some money. The ultimate goal is to have Metro operate it, Huizar said, although the transit agency has yet to commit to that. McLean added that one way or another, there will be some streetcar action in 2014. “This summer we’ll figure out if 2014 is a grand opening or groundbreaking for the streetcar,” she said. “If we have to go out with shovels in January 2014 and break ground ourselves, we’ll do that.” Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].

rendering by LAStreetcar.org

The $100 million streetcar would connect L.A. Live and Bunker Hill, with Broadway as the main southbound spine. The principal northbound corridor would be on Hill or Olive streets.

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the end of the 1994 season: Every few years, the league has turned its attention to bring-ing a team to Los Angeles. Once a stadium plan surges to the forefront, the owners then seek to persuade other interested parties to spruce up their plans and offer their financial models. Everyone jumps in because, well, it’s the NFL, the ultimate billionaire’s club, and while being president or a senator is nice, it’s nothing compared to the power that comes with owning a pro football team. This is how, in past years, we’ve seen sta-dium designs and concepts for sites including the Coliseum (multiple times), South Park (multiple locations), the Dodger Stadium parking lot (with multiple team owners), the City of Industry, the city of Commerce, Hollywood Park, the Rose Bowl and Anaheim. In every instance, municipal enti-ties and private business folk spent hundreds of thousands of dollars or more to attend NFL owners meetings, work up architectural drawings, craft presentations replete with enthusiastic revenue projections, and then lead the league brass on splashy tours. Even though L.A. continually falls short (in the closest shot, a Houston businessman out-bid L.A. for an expansion franchise), once the memory diminishes, the scenario starts again. It’s like a bad billion-dollar penny that just keeps coming back. It’s been a few years since the last go-round. With the Coliseum’s football future now resting on USC’s shoulder pads (suddenly

less exciting in the post-Pete Carroll, pre-they’re-probably-gonna-get-sanctioned era) and most of the other sites having dropped off, attention has focused on Ed Roski’s plan to build an $800 million stadium in the side of a mountain in the City of Industry. Many Downtowners have forgotten Roski. Which is silly, because in the Downtown stone ages (the mid-1990s), he was Phil Anschutz’s partner in pushing a then-audacious concept — a $300 million arena in South Park. With Anschutz treating the media like a leper colony, Roski was frequently front and center. He also took a big whack at a previous effort to bring the NFL to the Coliseum. While that didn’t happen, Staples did, and Roski’s Majestic Realty has gone on to do very well indeed. In recent years, Roski has jumped through every stadium hoop the league has held up, and even managed to win environmental con-cessions from state government that would make the project easier to realize. With glitzy models, a website (losangelesfootballstadium.com), ammo claiming people would buy tick-ets, and a public point-man in John Semcken — a smart, likeable guy who could sell a fleet of refrigerated trucks to an Eskimo collec-tive — the Roski stadium seems to hit all the points the NFL wants. One almost overlooks the fact that to enjoy it you would have to spend time in the City of Industry.

Dab of Hemlock So what happens with Roski taking the football lead? Leiweke, who if not the most powerful guy in L.A. is way up there, and Wasserman, the grandson of legendary MCA chieftain Lew Wasserman, quietly assemble a proposal to raze the Convention Center’s West Hall and replace it with a sparkling sta-

dium. Plenty of Downtowners have known about it for months, though no one spoke publicly until the L.A. Times’ Sam Farmer scored enough details to run a couple stories. The key to the plan, on AEG’s side, is build-ing a stadium that can be used for much more than the normal eight regular season games, two pre-season contests and the handful of concerts that other football stadiums hold each year. This makes sense, considering that AEG created new molds and unprecedented revenue streams with Staples Center, which hosts more than 200 events a year. Now, with a new $1 billion hotel, L.A. is gunning for ev-ery major convention available. A souped-up, malleable football stadium becomes another part of the puzzle. Wasserman, meanwhile, already had a training wheels football team, the Arena League’s Avengers. Although the league went kaput, he gained the type of experience that NFL owners want in their club. So it’s not surprising that after news broke about the Downtown stadium proposal, the NFL planted an instigating seed. In an April 20 chat on nfl.com, league Commissioner Roger Goodell responded to a fan named Jarell who asked when football would return to Los Angeles.

Goodell could have talked eagerly about Roski’s plan. He could have praised the de-signs and enthused on the progress. Instead, he dropped a dab of hemlock in Roski’s cup. His 80-word response was: “Jarell, there are some positive develop-ments in Los Angeles and with the construc-tion of a new stadium. While the stadium in the City of Industry has gotten many construction approvals, it still needs to be determined how to pay for it. This is a big challenge particularly in this economic cli-mate. It is one of the issues we are address-ing in the context of our collective bargain-ing agreement. We want to get back to LA. Hopefully it will happen soon.” That’s it. Rather than get effusive, Goodell raised a big financing question. The mes-sage is clear: The only stadium game in Los Angeles for the past few years isn’t the only option the NFL wants to see. They’re tossing out the bloody meat, hoping to rouse a few more wild animals. If anyone thinks the timing, days after the Downtown stadium news surfaced, is coin-cidental, then I have some Goldman Sachs stock to sell them. Contact Jon Regardie at [email protected].


There have been numerous attempts to bring pro football back to Los Angeles, including a 2006 plan that would have had a team playing at the Coliseum in fall 2010. Now, a City of Industry proposal is the leading contender, though a South Park stadium is also being discussed.


Football


Raising kids is tough. Raising kids in Downtown Los Angeles is even tougher, as the area is still in the midst of its transformation to a 24-7 community. Still, it can be done, and each week there seems to be new families in the neighbor-

hood. That means not just more kids, of course, but more moms. And as everyone knows, they have plenty of wisdom to dispense. In honor of Mother’s Day, Los Angeles Downtown News has gone into the Mom Zone. Here, we tap four Downtown mothers for advice on life in the Central City.

The Mom ZoneHow Four Mothers Make It Happen in Downtown

by RichaRd Guzmán city editoR

Moving to Downtown was a com-plete change for Michelle Bravo and her three children.

Bravo has been working Downtown for almost 20 years. But until last year, 19-year-old Arianna, 12-year-old Julian and 6-year-old Mia were used to suburbia, and living in a house with a backyard.

Los Angeles Downtown News: Why did you decide to move to Downtown?Michelle Bravo: I was going through a divorce and I’ve worked down here for almost 20 years, so I’ve seen Downtown go through quite a change. I just decided I was tired of the commute. And I was really glad I did. I moved from Azusa; it’s been a huge difference. The kids were a little apprehen-sive about the move. Suddenly a backyard means something, even though they never used the backyard.

Q: How is life as a mom different now?A: We do so many more things now. We

go to the museum. We go to the library. During the summer there are all the con-certs. We go to the Music Center quite a bit. We go to Dodger games a lot. We go see basketball games. They’re so active now. I think it’s been a great transition for everyone.

Q: What’s the best part about living Downtown as a mom?A: The fact that we can walk everywhere, and every day it’s just about exploring.

Q: Any drawbacks or challenges?A: Grocery shopping. With three kids if I need a huge amount I have to drive.

Q: What are some of your favorite activities in the neighborhood?A: The summer concerts, and we love the library.

Q: Any advice for other Downtown moms?A: Get involved in the Downtown Parent group. It’s been really rewarding and I know what’s going on in the neighbor-

hood. It’s a big connection and you don’t feel alone.

Q: Any events that turned out to be surpris-ingly fun for you and the kids?A: The farmers markets that pop around during the week are a great activity for all of us to do together.

Q: How long do you see your family staying in Downtown?A: I see myself living in Downtown forever.

I think my kids will end up staying in the city too. My oldest is thinking about mov-ing out and she’s looking at Downtown. The younger ones enjoy it so much that I can see them staying here.

Q: What are your plans for Mother’s Day?A: I’m hoping to have breakfast with the kids, then a lazy day of classic movie watching. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].

Moving on UpAzusa Family Gave Up the Backyard for the City


Michelle Bravo and Arianna, 19, Julian, 12, and Mia, 6, take full advantage of Downtown’s wealth of cultural offerings.

Hustle, Bustle and a BabyNo Need for the Suburbs When You Have the Standard


Trisha Kendrick was already used to life in Downtown when she decided to have a baby. She had moved here in 2005 from the Silicon Valley for

a job. Now, she and her daughter Nazeli, 2, are happy and eager residents.

Los Angeles Downtown News: When your daughter was born, did you have any thoughts about leaving Downtown?Trisha Kendrick: I never had plans to leave Downtown. I love Downtown. I love the fact that transportation is right at your doorstep, the shopping mall is within a block. Everything is at your disposal.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a Downtown mom?A: The convenience of being able to get around, and there’s a sense of community here with other parents. I think we all share the same pains. We all want better parks for the kids. We all complain about the lack of daycare. We share nannies if we can. It’s like one big family.

Q: What challenges do you face as a mom here?A: Lack of daycare, that’s my biggest gripe. What am I go-ing to do when I go back to work, and also where is she go-

ing to go to school? You will find everything and anything for pets: dog sitters, parks, stores, daycare, but nothing for children. Whoever has money to invest will make a lot of money when the light bulb goes off and they say, “Hey, let’s open up a daycare center in Downtown.”

Q: What does your daughter like to do Downtown?A: Believe it or not, her playground is the Standard. She loves hanging out there, she loves the music.

Q: The Standard hotel?A: Yeah. I know it’s kind of odd because most suburban kids go to the park or something like that, but she likes the techno music. She likes to dance to it. She likes to play in the waterbeds and she wants to dive right into the pool.

Q: You don’t take her there at night, do you?A: This is during the day; you can’t get in there at night with a kid. I’m a hip mom but I’m not crazy.

Q: What would you tell moms who are wondering if Downtown is a good place to raise a family?A: I would encourage moms to stay and not move out. I think a lot of parents complain about the same thing, day-care and schools. They’re thinking about moving to subur-bia, but I would say to stick it out, things will get better.

Q: What does Downtown have over suburbia?A: Life, honey. You can feel the vibe Downtown. It’s not your typical playground for kids, but Nazeli loves to walk around, she loves being in her stroller, she loves all the pets she sees.

Q: What are your plans for Mother’s Day? A: We’re going to Hawaii. We’re going to Waikiki. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].


Trisha Kendrick and her daughter Nazeli, 2, are known to hang out at the Standard hotel. During the daytime, of course.

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Ginny Brideau has been all over the neighbor-hood since she and her husband Alex moved here in 2004. They’ve had stops at Santee Court,

the Pacific Electric Building, SB Manhattan and now the Pegasus. But one thing she is sure of, now that her 20-month-old daughter Iolani is on the scene, is that they don’t want to leave Downtown.

Los Angeles Downtown News: You’ve moved around a lot.

Where is the best place to be a mom in Downtown?Ginny Brideau: The Historic Core; the only downside is that you’re not close to Grand Hope Park. But outside of that, the first year of Iolani’s life was the Historic Core. When we walked around there were always people on the street who knew you, and when you’ve got a kid in tow everybody loves to see them.

Q: As a mom, what do you like about Downtown?A: It’s so much a small town. I can go down to Weeneez and Julie [Rico, the owner] is always there. There’s always some-thing new, and familiar faces.

On the MoveGinny Brideau Finds That Downtown Offers Unlikely Places to Play


Ginny Brideau and her daughter Iolani spend time at the Central Library and at frozen yogurt shops in Little Tokyo.

Q: Anything you don’t like?A: The first one is access to daycare. The next is park space. There are really not a lot of places to play, but then it makes you think of new ways of defining what playing is. So plazas and open spaces become potential opportunities to play.

Q: What do you and Iolani like to do together in Downtown?A: The library has to be number one, and the other is just walking around. Our big thing right now, because she just finished a round of teething, is ice cream. We like frozen yo-gurt in Little Tokyo and Syrup Desserts. So our favorite thing Downtown is obviously spending money.

Q: What’s your advice for other Downtown moms?A: Be patient, enjoy the walks, go to plazas. There is a lot of open space in Downtown, and once you start going there you realize there are a lot of parents. There are a lot of moms Downtown.

Q: What are your plans for Mother’s Day?A: What I would like to do and what will end up happening are two different things. What I would like to do is go to the spa at the Ritz, but what will end up happening is a Sunday of church, brunch, home and laundry. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].

Strolling Along It’s All About Hitting the Streets for a Bunker Hill Mom and Her Baby


For Celeste S. Del Rio-Kasper, being a Down-town mom is a daily adventure. She and her husband moved to Bunker Hill

about 18 months ago. But once daughter Sofia was born, Celeste began to spend more time out in the community. The frequent and long stroller walks she takes with her 7-month-old has exposed her to parts of Downtown she had never seen before.

Los Angeles Downtown News: Why did you move Downtown? Celeste S. Del Rio-Kasper: I go to Loyola law school. I always wanted to live Downtown, so I de-cided to move here when I had enough money.

Q: Did you think about leaving when Sofia was born? A: No. I want to stay here; it’s great. I can walk anywhere with her. I don’t have to strap her in a car seat and drive anywhere and there are all these other Downtown parents that I found.

Q: What are some of your favorite local mom activities?A: We like going down to Grand Hope Park, and

as a desirable residential location when I was a kid. But this is the neighborhood that Bella, Iza, Matt and I call home. Every mother will tell you how annoying it can be to listen to the well-meaning advice of others when it comes to parenting choices. I constantly hear about how we should be in a house with a back yard and enough square footage so that the girls have their own room, a playroom, a family room and their own bathroom. The list goes on and on and I try not to cringe physically when other mothers seem appalled that we, a family of four, do very well sharing less than 1,000 square feet. I have grown accustomed to the probing questions and

confused looks I get when I take my girls to school on the Dash bus every morning. People seem to think that children do not exist outside the suburbs. One thing I have learned is that with kids, people in Downtown will approach you. I am continually asked about the girls’ ages, where they go to school and where we live. People seem fascinated with the fact that they look like twins (they’re not). In fact, people asking Iza about her day at school or whatever outfit she has pulled together has helped her get rid of some of her shyness. Oddly enough, living in a big city has increased our human interaction and connections with strang-ers. Now it seems that people recognize us from the bus, and Bella and Iza have become sort of Downtown mascots whose silliness cheers up people on their way to work. After living here for a little over a year, I noticed that my girls did not have friends to invite over on the weekend. I tried online parenting forums, but most of them seemed to be based

May 3, 2010 Downtown News 15Mother’s Day

by SuSana benavidez

Iwas born and raised in Los Angeles and I have always felt a certain pride saying that. Growing up in Boyle Heights meant that we did not have malls or big shopping cen-

ters, so we would regularly take the Metro 68 bus Downtown to shop in the callejones with my mother, where we haggled

for bargains. Not much has changed in the area or what people now call Santee Alley. But a world of change has occurred in the rest of Downtown, and an even bigger change has happened to me: I am the mother now, and I don’t have to hop on the 68 to get Downtown, because I live here. I never could have guessed that I would be a mother of two in my mid-20s, living in South Park, because this did not exist

Taking the Road Never ExpectedThe Joys of Bringing Up Two Girls in the Heart of Downtown

see Benavidez, page 16

just walking around everywhere in the stroller. We go all the way to the Arts District.

Q: Is there anything negative about being a mom here?A: The park doesn’t have swings — little things like that. Or trying to figure out what school to send her to eventually. Those kinds of issues come up.

Q: Does Sofia have any favorite places in Downtown yet? A: She likes the Watercourt. We live right across the street so we walk over there and she likes to watch the water shoot up. She likes Angels Flight too. I took her on that when it finally opened. She loved looking out the window.

Q: What has being a Downtown mom taught you about the city?A: We go exploring all the time. I was recently in search of swings for her and someone recommend-ed a place in Chinatown. So we took a walk and discovered the arts high school while school was letting out. I didn’t really know it was there. With her I find a bunch of places because I take her on so many walks.

Q: What advice do you have for soon-to-be Downtown moms?A: Don’t feel like you have to leave Downtown just because you have kids. There are so many other parents here and we’re really making this into a community, and people are committed to staying here and making this a family friendly place.

Q: What does Downtown have over the suburbs?A: I feel like in Downtown, oddly enough, you have a small community of other parents. In the suburbs you wouldn’t know your neighbors.

Q: What are you doing for Mother’s Day? A: Just hanging out with my daughter and my hus-band. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].


Being a Downtown mom is a walking adventure for Celeste S. Del Rio-Kasper and her 7-month-old daughter Sofia.

GUEST COMMENT

16 Downtown News May 3, 2010Mother’s Day

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on the Westside or in the Valley, both areas outside the parameters of my car-less lifestyle. After dabbling in a few neighborhood council meetings and trying to attract parents to meetings, I decided to do that lazy, easy thing, and created a group on Facebook for Downtown parents. We started with three parents and it went through word of mouth from there. At first the group grew slowly, but after we had our first pool party — I invited about 15 people and 50 showed up — I knew I had hit upon a real need in Downtown. A few months later, the group has more than 100 members, and if you show up at

Grand Hope Park on a Saturday morning you will find at least 20 of us. Sometimes the crowd grows so large that we not only take over the playground, but swell over to the grass area as well. I am proud to be a Downtown parent, proud to be providing my daughters with a childhood full of outings to MOCA, World City events at Walt Disney Concert Hall, and visual stimulation as we walk a different route home from school every day. The girls know that they are lucky to have both a mommy and a daddy, and to have a roof over their head unlike the homeless peo-ple that they see every day. They are aware that living in Downtown seems odd to their friends, but they always seem to enjoy say-ing they are from Downtown Los Angeles, California — that’s exactly how they say it.


Benavidez

Susana Benavidez reads to her daughters Bella and Iza. The girls proudly say that they live in “Downtown Los Angeles, California.”

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This Mother’s Day, I celebrate another year of feeling the beauty of unconditional love that you get from your children (at least until they hit puberty), and giving that love back tenfold. I guess you can say that I have grown and matured along with Downtown. I’m no lon-ger the 16-year old that used to skip class to sneak off to the Central Library. I’m a

mother of two who has been continually in-volved in finding them a good school for the approaching kindergarten. I love the fact that I get to do all this while walking through streets that never cease to amaze me with their charm. This makes the mothering experience much more exciting than if I tried to take a walk in the Valley — there, I’d only end up with a sunburn.

CALENDARCALENDAR

by Jeff favre

contributing writer

Trying to address directly what’s go-ing on throughout Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

would not only be impossible, it would be useless, given the calculatedly reckless manner in which he mixes nightmarish realism with realistic nightmares. Wading through a sea of metaphors — stopping at times to laugh at what nor-mally would be horrifying — Joseph’s two-hour sojourn through his metaphysi-cal examination of the Iraq War delivers universal questions without answers. The show, which runs through May 30 at the Mark Taper Forum, also doesn’t offer even an ounce of hope. Some may have seen Bengal Tiger last year at Center Theatre Group’s Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. A recent finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, it’s the first production to jump from the smaller venue to the Taper. The cast remains the same, as does its director, Moisés Kaufman. Kaufman and Joseph have made small yet significant tweaks to the tone and mes-sage, adding more humor and deepen-ing the probe into the nature of things. Building on an already strong foundation, this Bengal Tiger transcends the war genre, as well as its temporal roots in this decade, to become a work that seems destined to stand the test of time. Few people probably recall the factual event that inspired Joseph’s play, that of a tiger being shot at the zoo in Baghdad in 2003. In Joseph’s world, the Tiger (Kevin Tighe) can speak, though he’s only heard by the audience and by Kev (Brad Fleischer), a simple-minded soldier who shoots him after the Tiger mauls the hand of Kev’s compatriot, Tom (Glenn Davis). It’s a shock to the Tiger that there’s life after death, because all tigers are atheists, he explains. Now forced to rethink his spiritual beliefs, the Tiger wonders if his natural instinct to kill is evil. If it is, he asks, why would God make him that way? The Tiger’s not the only one with is-sues. Kev’s ability to hear and see the Tiger drives him to near insanity. Tom, now missing a hand, is obsessed with taking gold objects he looted back to America. At the geographical heart of the story sits the decaying garden that belonged to

Uday Hussein (Hrach Titizian), who, now dead, haunts Musa (Arian Moayed), the gardener who crafted beautiful topiary animals. In the era of war, the former gar-den artist has taken a new job, as a transla-tor for U.S. soldiers. Death is everywhere in Bengal Tiger, but it’s never final. Nor does it offer any solu-tions to those who experience it. Instead, Joseph’s vision of the afterlife is as chaotic and frustrating as the living world. Given its heavy nature, Bengal Tiger would be intolerably depressing without its healthy doses of dark humor. Joseph pokes fun at a prosthetic hand, a severed head and getting shot, to name only a few. The humor is emotional relief, though it makes the returns to violence more jarring. Kaufman never lets up on the inten-sity of the realistic physical abuse and an-guished screams, delivered by a cast that looks as though it has been through hell. The play’s heart and soul rest with the Tiger and Musa, one a ghost, the other emotionally dead. As the Tiger, Tighe delves heavily into the philosophical ques-tion, “Why are we here?” His frank dis-cussion with God (and the audience) as he searches for an answer is as funny as it is filled with cursing. Moayed’s captivating performance exemplifies the sense of loss that comes under tyrannical rule, followed by war. Moayed’s underlying gentility makes his descent into the surrounding chaos heart-breaking. Titizian is truly frightening as Uday, bringing to life the infamous torturer, who reportedly relished making people suffer. He also has an unexpected way of bringing his late brother, Qusay, into the scene. The spacious Taper stage gives ample room for Derek McLane’s set, which tran-sitions smoothly to various locales, while always seeming on the verge of collapse. David Lander’s lighting design relies heavily on shadow, setting the proper atmosphere for a play that blurs reality and fantasy. That makes sense, of course, because Joseph’s ghosts may simply be memories, which can cause physical and psychologi-cal damage decades after the fact. Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo runs at the Mark Taper Forum through May 30. At 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or centertheatregroup.org.

Welcome Back TigerTaper War Drama Mixes Nightmarish Realism With Realistic Nightmares

by Jeff favre

contributing writer

In the era of big-budget stage shows, Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps suc-ceeds by daring to be small.

Why re-create a train when a few trunks and a bit of smoke will suffice? Is a full-scale bridge necessary when a couple of ladders can do the trick? Who needs doz-en of performers when four can play every part — plus much of the scenery? Directed by Maria Aitken, The 39 Steps is at the Ahmanson Theatre as part of its post-Broadway national tour. It contin-ues through May 16. While there are laughs, and an im-pressive cast that is exhausting simply to watch, what is most charming about the 110-minute romp is that it never flashes a smug “we’re so smart” attitude. Instead, Aitken and adapter Patrick Barlow offer a broad comedy that simultaneously pays homage to and parodies Hitchcock’s 1935 fugitive thriller, which in turn was based on a 1915 novel by John Buchan. To confuse the pedigree even more, Barlow’s version is based on an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon. Viewers who have seen the film may enjoy the performance on a deeper level, but instant character changes and wacky puppet shows can be universally appreci-ated by all ages and backgrounds. It doesn’t take long for the pedal to hit metal. A bored, restless Richard Hannay (Ted Deasy) opts for a night at the theater, specifically to see the performance of Mr. Memory (Eric Hissom). Richard ends up cavorting with a mys-terious agent, Annabella Schmidt (Claire Brownell), who begins to explain her cru-cial mission, but is killed before she can fill in the blanks. Richard is the prime suspect, and takes off on a cross-country journey to solve the murder and complete Annabella’s mission before he’s caught and tossed in jail. Aitken’s staging resembles a play with-in a play, so the actors are aware of their phony surroundings, and occasionally they step out of character when the action gets particularly ridiculous. Deasy’s only responsibility is being Richard, but that’s no easy task, consid-

ering he is at the center of almost every scene. Dashing and graceful, he evokes a 1930s cinema star, with his pencil-thin moustache and carefree smile. His ele-gance provides plenty of humor as he is thrust into Aitken’s circus-like world. Brownell handles two other role besides Annabella. There’s Pamela, who keeps try-ing to turn Richard in to the police, even though she apparently has doubts about his guilt. She also portrays Margaret, a simple country wife, who provides com-fort and assistance, much to the dismay of her husband. But the scene stealers are Hissom and Parkinson, who tackle all of the other roles, including police, spies, a paper boy, a train conductor and even a stream. Watching the transitions, and their ability to alter accents and mannerisms, is even funnier than what they say. At one of the most manic moments, Hissom and Parkinson, using coats and hats to alter appearances, portray both innkeepers and spies — and manage to throw themselves out of a hotel. Though there are not any dances, the choreography by Toby Sedgwick and Christopher Bayes is complex, and it is in-tegral to keeping the array of personalities on stage from becoming confusing. Another treat is the use of simple props and imagination to build a scene. A few trunks become the seats on a train. When Richard is chased by the police on top of the train, all Deasy needs to do is shake the tail of his coat to convey the overpowering wind. Perhaps the most memorable moment is a chase with stick puppets, which tran-sitions into an eerily accurate re-cre-ation of the cornfield scene in North by Northwest, one of many Hitchcock references tossed in. While it takes great skill on and off stage to make this show, there’s a sense of ease within the chaos that earns a smile. Thanks to Aitkin’s breakneck pace, The 39 Steps leaves you wanting more. That’s pretty amazing for such a little show. Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps con-tinues through May 16 at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-4400, or centertheatregroup.org

Eric Hissom (left) and Ted Deasy in Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, where four actors play more than 150 parts.

Big Feats for a Little ShowA Fast-Paced Twist on Hitchcock’s ‘The 39 Steps’ Romps Through the Ahmanson

Brad Fleischer (left) and Glenn Davis play soldiers in Iraq in the Pulitzer Prize finalist Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.

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by RichaRd Guzmán

city editoR

Some confuse it with Mexican Inde pendence Day. Others simply use it as an excuse to party. But whatever your reason for marking Cinco de

Mayo — which commemorates the Mexican victory against the French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 — there are plenty of ways to celebrate it in Downtown. Here are,

naturally, five options.

Culture and Family: If you want to teach your family about the city’s Mexican roots, bring the brood to El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument and the popular Olvera Street, where more than 70 merchants sell Mexican themed trin-kets, clothes and souvenirs. Museums include the Sepulveda House, which was built in 1887 by Señora Eloisa Martinez de Sepulveda, and the Avila Adobe, constructed in 1818 by Francisco José Avila, a native of Sinaloa who was mayor of Los Angeles in 1810. At 125 Paseo de la Plaza, (213) 485-6855 or ci.la.ca.us/elp/index.htm.

Eat Up: Downtown Los Angeles has no shortage of Mexican restaurants. So in honor of Cinco de Mayo, defeat hunger with a stop at Yxta, in the Warehouse District. If offers typical Mexican plates, with tacos, burritos, mole and the

Five for CincoFrom Cultural Options to Drinking, Five Things to Do Downtown on May 5

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standout, a delicious carnitas plate. Another option is Rosa Mexicano. The L.A. Live restaurant is bright and lively and serves a modern version of old Mexican favorites. Try the pato, a seared duck breast over a sweet potato served with a blackberry sauce. Yxta is at 601 S. Central Ave., (213) 596-5579 or yxta.net. Rosa Mexicano is at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 746-0001 or rosamexicano.com.

Cinco Drinko: It wouldn’t be a Cinco celebration without tequila and mescal, and now Downtown has a bar that spe-cializes in those; it’s called Las Perlas, and don’t expect to find any liquor store tequila, because this place uses the good stuff. If you want to fancy it up even more, head to Rivera in South Park. Mixologist Julian Cox oversees the fine bar menu, which includes the donaji cocktail, with mescal, citrus, agave nectar and chapulin (cricket) salt. Yes, crickets. No one said partying was easy. Las Perlas is at 107 E. Sixth St., (213) 988-8355 or lasperlas.la/. Rivera is at 1050 S. Flower St., (213) 749-1460 or riverares-taurant.com.

Musica: It’s not a real celebration unless there’s music, and Downtown has plenty of it. Suede Bar and Lounge will host a performance by Mariachi Azteca from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on May 5. At L.A. Live, a Cinco de Mayo festival takes place in Nokia Plaza from 6-10 p.m. It’s a free family event featuring perfor-mances from Latin great Poncho Sanchez and Sheila E. Suede Bar and Lounge is at 404 S. Figueroa St., (213) 489-3590 or suedebarla.com. L.A. Live is at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., lalive.com.

Celebrate in Your Casa: Casa, the Bunker Hill Mexican res-taurant, is another great choice for a Cinco de Mayo celebra-tion. But if you can’t make it there, then make some of their specialties, which they are gracious enough to share. First up is the Quesadilla con Tinga de Pollo, a party appe-tizer. Ingredients: -1 flour tortilla-3 ounces chicken-1/2 ounce Mexican BBQ sauce or “tinga,” easily concocted by mixing regular BBQ sauce with chipotle -2 ounces smoked gouda-1/4 ounce pico de gallo Directions: Lay out the tortilla and place all of the ingredi-ents in the center, except pico de gallo. Roll the quesadilla and place on a panini grill. Press for about one minute and cut into small circles. Lay flat and finish with a pinch of pico de gallo on top.

Or try Casa’s Nacho Madre’s NachosIngredients:-3 fried corn tortillas (tostados)-3 ounces steak-6 ounces jack/gouda mix-3 ounces black beans-2 ounces pico de gallo-2 ounces crema (sour cream)-1 ounce guacamole-1/2 ounce pickled jalapeños-1/2 ounce cilantro Directions: The secret to this dish is that, if constructed cor-rectly, you get a complete nacho taste with every bite. Lay out each tortilla separately and build them with each ingredient. Place the tostados on a flat tray and bake at 350 degrees for about five minutes or until the cheese melts. Remove from oven and stack vertically on a serving plate. Cut down the middle of the stack to create little nachos. Casa is at 350 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-2249 or casadown-town.com. Contact Richard Guzmán at [email protected].


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A lan Rich, who throughout his long career wrote about classical music for numerous publications, and was a

mainstay of Los Angeles’ music scene since he moved here from New York in 1981, died on April 24. He was 85.

Four years ago, when I told the revered classical music critic Alan Rich that I was a fan of his craft, he just about tipped over in his chair. At 82, the then L.A. Weekly scribe didn’t really suspect many young people — I was 22 and an intern at the Weekly — to be among his audience. It was as if he’d almost given up on my generation, having accepted that his milieu, his most cherished artists, were to us just discoloring pages in the loneliest history books in the library. When I met Alan, I didn’t know a concerto from a libretto, and that didn’t bother me much. It was his writing, his gift for commu-nicating with people like me, that had me de-vouring his weekly column, “A Lot of Night Music.” I remember reading his description of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade as “music as familiar to me as the oldest shoe in my closet. I don’t wear that shoe anymore, yet I went to the concert with some eagerness.” Alan always found these little tools to rope readers in, employing clever but universal metaphors that enabled us to relate to his en-cyclopedic knowledge of classical music and

understand how he digested different works. If the art form he wrote about has a reputa-tion for being hyper-intellectual or elitist, Alan — who during the summer favored a uniform of denim jeans cut into shorts, T-shirt and suspenders — was classical mu-sic’s blue-collar ambassador. The fact that I expressed even a faint inter-est in learning more was enough for him to invest in my classical music education. “You’re the kind of reader I write for,” he told me in 2006. Alan never pledged openly to convert me, but he took to offering me his extra seat at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown, at the Hollywood Bowl and Royce Hall. Once a month, we took in performances

together, some of the featured works being firmly installed in the pantheon of greats — a Beethoven symphony here, a Verdi opera there — and other new, more challenging contemporary pieces. He seemed to relish the new stuff the most. As we became pals, I realized that a lot of the music being played around town was old hat for Alan. When he took me to my first opera, Tosca, at the Hollywood Bowl, he’d seen it dozens of times. But his old ears managed to find something new in each re-hashing, if only because he so delighted in rushing back to his West L.A. home to tell his readers all about what he had heard this time around. Of the June 2006 performance of Scheherazade, the oldest shoe in his closet,

he had this to say: “Scheherazade, cleanly and forcefully set forth by the orchestra… with Martin Chalifour’s solo violin as nar-rator, reminded me that I hadn’t listened to it in a very long time — really listened, I mean, to its remarkable orchestral effects. The big ones, the grand clamors of brass and cymbals, are immediately dazzling; so, how-ever, are the small ones, the tiny pinpoints from the piccolos, the muted trumpets, the vast display of pure orchestral iridescence. It made me wonder how many other pieces… I’ve been unjustly only half-hearing lately. I must try to go to the Bowl this summer with cleaner ears.” Both an ode to the performance, and a sort of mea culpa to his readers, it was vin-

My Favorite CurmudgeonOn the Passing of Classical Music Critic Alan Rich

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

see Alan Rich, page 24

Alan Rich, considered by some the dean of classical music critics, passed away on April 24.

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LISTINGS20 Downtown News May 3, 2010Twitter/DowntownNews

S P O N S O R E D L I S T I N G S

BAR 107’s Lose Your Pantalones Fiesta 107 W. Fourth St., (213) 625-7382 or myspace.com/bar107. May 6, 9 p.m.: Bar 107 hosts its fourth an-nual Seis de Mayo “Lose Your Pantalones Fi-esta.” Donate the pants you’re wearing and get 2-for-1 drinks. Mariachis, sombreos and un-derwear. Make sure you’ve got a clean pair on or you’ll be sorry. The bar donates the pants to the homeless and promises patrons will have the best time of their lives.MERIT Presents Tastings & Trends JW Marriott Hotel, 900 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 781-7787 or visit meritpm.com. May 10, 5:30-6:30p.m.: MERIT Property Management and Colliers International Host this complimentary evening of wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres, followed by an interac-tive expert panel discussion on the resurgence of Downtown L.A. living. Seating is limited. RSVP by May 5. JANM Presents Beate Sirota GordonJapanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave., (213) 625-0414, Ext. 2249 or janm.org. May 16, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Under Gen. Mac-Arthur, Beate Sirota Gordon played a major role in drafting Japan’s post-war constitution to include women’s rights. The museum will screen the documentary Sirota Family and the 20th Century from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., then Gordon will discuss her life in a lecture starting at 2 p.m. Tickets are $27 for members and $30 for non-members.

Tuesday, May 4Lucha VaVoomMayan Theatre, 1038 S. Hill St., (888) 222-6608 or luchavavoom.com. 8 p.m.: Lucha VaVoom’s “Cinco de Mayan” show features Mexican masked wrestling, saucy burlesque dancing, comedy and more.REDCAT Conversations631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800, redcat.org. 8:30 p.m.: Greg Tate, the longtime Village Voice cultural critic and pioneer of hip-hop journalism, is on hand for a talk on Afropunk and young black visual artists.

Wednesday, May 5ALOUD at the Central Library 630 W. Fifth St., (213) 228-7025 or aloudla.org. 7 p.m.: Writer Miguel Syjuco’s debut novel Illustrado opens with Crispin Salvador, lion of Philippine letters, dead in the Hudson River. Win-ner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize, Syjuco exposes the corruption behind the rich families who have ruled the Philippines for generations. He discusses the work with novelist Cecilia Man-guerra Brainard.

Thursday, May 6Thursdays at Central630 W. Fifth St., Meeting Room A, (213) 228-7272 or lapl.org. 12:15 -1 p.m.: In “Bullying in the Workplace: What you can do about it,” learn about the national movement against workplace bullying and how you can protect your rights to a safe workplace. Pre-sented by Cathy Deppe of the support group 9to5.

Friday, May 7Metabolic Studio Public Salon 1745 N. Spring St. #4, (323) 226-1158 or farmlab.org. Noon: Flora Gil Krisiloff, Mary Marx and Lib-by Boyce discuss “Housing the Most Vulnerable Chronically Homeless Persons in Skid Row.”Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County900 Exposition Blvd., (213) 763-DINO or visit nhm.org. 5:30-10:30 p.m.: This installation of First Fridays features a conversation titled “Toxic Algae Blooms Along the Southern Californian Coast: Causes, Challenges and Solutions,” with Dr. David A. Ca-ron. Later, bands Tallest Man On Earth and Gamble House perform.Zócalo Public SquareNational Center for the Preservation of Democracy, 111 N. Central Ave., zocalopublicsquare.org. 7:30 p.m.: “Why are we Obsessed with Real Es-tate?” Meghan Daum, author of Life Would Be Per-fect If I Lived In That House explores the American obsession with owning property and how our bank-ing practices and governmental policies have en-abled that aspiration and cultural dictum.

EVENTS

How will you celebrate the Mexican army’s un-likely victory over French forces at the Battle of

Puebla on May 5, 1862? How about a little-harmless-and-a-lot-of-fun sexo y violencia at Lucha

VaVoom’s “Cinco de Mayan” show at the Mayan Theatre?

Authentic Mexican masked wres-tling, saucy burlesque dancing and

comedy headline the show that starts on 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5,

while mariachis, Aztec dancers, folklorica dancers, salsa dancers, tequila, tamales and

piñatas punctuate the proceedings with extra spice. In addition, put those YMCA Zumba class drills to the test in the “world’s biggest Zumba dance.” Now that’s a history party. At 1038 S. Hill St., (888) 222-6608 or luchavavoom.com.

The Natural History Museum’s First

Fridays events, an amalgamation of sci-

ence, music and hipsters, have been some

of Downtown’s most popular evening attractions

for years. Expect more of the same on Friday,

May 7, when the Exposition Park institution hosts

an event built around marine biology. At 5:30

p.m., Dr. Regina Wetzer, director of the Marine

Biodiversity Center, will give a tour of the NHM’s

marine biology collections. An hour later, Dr. David

Caron will speak about toxic algae blooms on

the California Coast. Once the education stuff is

out of the way, the crowd will

shake it to DJs Them Jeans and

Moonbaby. Also on tap are perfor-

mances by The Tallest Man on Earth

and Gamble House. At 900 Exposition

Blvd, (213) 763-3466 or nhm.org.

Meghan Daum, a frequent L.A. Times Op-Ed contributor and the author of Life Would Be Perfect if I Lived in That House, jumps on the theme of owning real estate at a Zócalo

Public Square presentation on Friday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m., at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Grand Avenue outpost. She’ll delve into our obsession with owning property in the con-text of the American Dream and dis-cuss how our banking practices and governmental policies have enabled that aspiration and cultural dictum. On a more personal note, Daum will talk about her own home search and the pleasures and perils of believing that only a house can make you whole. At 250 S. Grand Ave., zocalo-publicsquare.org.

Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to [email protected].

by Lauren CampedeLLi, Listings editor | [email protected]

Masked Wrestlers, Hungry Speakers, Energetic Rockers and More

LISTINGS‘Don’t Miss’ List

1

2drills to the test in the “world’s biggest Zumba dance.” Now that’s a history party. At 1038 S. Hill St., (888) 222-6608 or luchavavoom.com.

Moonbaby. Also on tap are perfor



Blvd, (213) 763-3466 or nhm.org. 23 , jumps

Send information and possible Don’t Miss List submissions to [email protected].

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Culinary historians track food’s past, trends and so-cial implica-tions in a mar-

riage of Home Ec and History classes. The Culinary Historians

of Southern California (yes, we have our very own) presents teacher,

author and food columnist Anne Wil-lan speaking at the Central Library on

Saturday, May 8, at 10:30 a.m. A collector of antiquarian cookbooks, Willan will bring them and their recipes to life, discussing how she tests historical recipes and adapts them for a modern kitchen. It’s free, open to the pub-lic, and appetizingly followed by re-freshments. Reservations recom-mended. At the Mark Taper Auditorium, 630 W. Fifth

St., (213) 228-7241 or culinaryhistoriansof-

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4The 10-week Ring Festival L.A. is showcasing a variety of cultural and ed-ucational exhibitions, as it piggybacks on L.A. Opera’s monumental produc-tion of Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle. Plenty of the affiliated happenings are in Downtown Los Angeles, including the exhibit Epic Tales of Latino Art at the Latino Museum of History, Art & Culture. The show in the Los Angeles Theatre Center builds on the dramatic, mythical, fantastical and thought-pro-voking operatic epic, and the highlights from the museum’s permanent collec-tion showcase contemporary Latino artists’ heroic quests for identity and self-definition. It continues through June 30. At 514 S. Spring St., (213) 626-7600 or the latinomuseum.org.

5

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The Natural History Museum’s First

Fridays events, an amalgamation of sci-

ence, music and hipsters, have been some

of Downtown’s most popular evening attractions

for years. Expect more of the same on Friday,

May 7, when the Exposition Park institution hosts

an event built around marine biology. At 5:30

p.m., Dr. Regina Wetzer, director of the Marine

Biodiversity Center, will give a tour of the NHM’s

marine biology collections. An hour later, Dr. David

Caron will speak about toxic algae blooms on

the California Coast. Once the education stuff is

out of the way, the crowd will

shake it to DJs Them Jeans and

Moonbaby. Also on tap are perfor-



Blvd, (213) 763-3466 or nhm.org.

CROSSWORD PUZZLECROSSWORD PUZZLE

Saturday, May 8REDCAT631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800, redcat.org. 3 p.m.: CalArts’ School of Critical Studies holds a reading of the best new fiction and poetry by MFA candidates in the Writing Program.

Sunday, May 9MOCA Grand Avenue250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org. 3 p.m.: Through vintage footage, photographs, and interviews with artists John Baldessari, Frank Gehry, Dennis Hopper, Ed Ruscha, and others, “The Cool School” tells the story of L.A.’s Ferus Gallery, which launched the careers of several artists featured in “Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years.”

FILMDowntown Independent251 S. Main St., downtownindependent.com for showtimes.

TO LAST WEEK’S PUZZLETHE ANSWER

Easy ways to subMIt your EvEnt InFo

Email: Send a brief description, street address and public phone number. Submissions must be received 10 days prior to publication date to be considered for print.

2See Complete Listings on the Web at

ladowntownnews.com/calendar.

4 wEb: LADowntownNews.com/calendar/submit4 EMaIL: [email protected]

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Los Angeles LakersStaples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., (213) 742-7100 or nba.com/lakers.

The Lakers will have decided their postseason future (or demise) after press time. After enduring a scare in Oklahoma City in which the Thunder took both games, the Lakers took care of business in game five, and headed back to Oklahoma City Friday night for game six. Game seven, if necessary, would be in Staples Center on Sunday. If the Lakers advance, they’ll have two home games this week, facing either the Utah Jazz or the Denver Nuggets. Also if they advance, coach Phil Jackson clearly wants Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to keep getting ample touches.

Los Angeles DodgersDodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., (213) 224-1400 or dodgers.mlb.com.

May 4-7, 7:10 p.m.; May 8, TBD; May 9, 1:10 p.m.: This year’s squad has given new meaning to the term “Dodger blues,” as Joe Torre’s team was swept by the New York Mets last week, and dropped 7 out of 9 games on a road trip. Andre Ethier and the rest of the Dodgers are in dire need of a few consecutive wins, and it should help that they’re home all week. But it’ll be tough to win even at Chavez Ravine if the Dodgers don’t get better pitching. Chad Billingsley, once the ace, has been herky-jerky. Clayton Kershaw is still young enough to be forgiven for inconsistency, but fans won’t forgive him much longer. And the bullpen has already made a habit of blowing opportunities. Sure, sure, it’s only May, but losing stinks any time of year.

—Ryan Vaillancourt

We Got GamesNew Meaning for Dodger Blues

May 6, 9 p.m.: The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival pres-ents Raspberry Magic written and directed by Leena Pendharkar. The film centers around the bookish character of 11-year-old Monica Shah who determinately believes in love and its power to not only reunite her family, but to allow her raspberry plants to grow faster. Flagship Theatres University Village3323 S. Hoover St., (213) 748-6321 or flagshipmovies.com.

See website for current schedule.

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CommerCial spaCe

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duplexes

HIGHLAND PARK DUPLEX Up-per Charming 20’s townhouse; 2 Bedrm, 1 Bath, view. 5 minute stroll to Gold-line. 15 minute drive to downtown. Paint, hard-wood, new appliances. Private roof deck & balcony. $1,325 per month. Ask for Mindy (323) 258-6000.

loft/unfurnished

REAL ARTIST LOFTS 1150-1650 Sq. Ft., $1700-$1985/mo. High ceilings, hardwood floors, kitchen/bath, fireplace, pool/spa, gated parking, laundry, sorry no dogs, Open House Sundays 12-3pm @ 1250 Long Beach Ave. 213-629-5539.

EMPLOYMENT

Computers/it

ATTN: COMPUTER WORK. Work from anywhere 24/7. Up to $1,500 Part Time to $7,500/mo. Full Time. Training provided. www.KTPGlobal.com or call 1-800-330-8446. (Cal-SCAN)

drivers

COMPANY DRIVERS (So-los & Hazmat Teams) * Great Pay * Great Miles * CDL-A Re-quired. We also have dedicated & regional positions available. Call 866-789-8947. Swift. (Cal-SCAN)

DRIVERS - ACT NOW! Top 5% Pay, 32-38 cpm. Excellent Ben-efits. Need CDL- A & 3 mos re-cent OTR. 877-258-8782. www.meltontruck.com. (Cal-SCAN)

NATIONAL CARRIERS needs O/Os, Lease Purchase, Com-pany Drivers for its expanding fleet. Offering Regional/OTR runs, Outstanding Pay Pack-age, excellent benefits, gener-ous hometime. 1-888-707-7729. www.NationalCarriers.com. (Cal-SCAN)

REGIONAL DRIVERS Needed! More Hometime! Top Pay! Up to $.41/mile company drivers! 12 months OTR required. Heart-land Express 1-800-441-4953. www.HeartlandExpress.com. (Cal-SCAN)

SLT NEEDS CDL A Team Driv-ers with Hazmat. $2,000 Bonus. Company teams paid $0.68 for all miles. Owner operators paid up to $1.70 per mile. 1-800-835-9471. (Cal-SCAN)

TRUCK DRIVERS: CDL train-ing. Part-time driving job. Full-time benefits. Get paid to train in the California Army National Guard. Up to $20,000 bonus. www.NationalGuard.com/Truck or 1-800-GO-GUARD. (Cal-SCAN)

general

HELP WANTED Movie Extras. Earn up to $150/day. People needed for background in a major film production. Exp. not required. 888-366-0843

“SENIOR FASHION DESIGN-ER. Master’s degree in Fashion Design required. Send Resume to: MS Fabrics Inc. 2224 Damon St., Los Angeles, CA 90021 Attn: Mi Sook Park.”

AUTOMOTIVE Great jobs in downtown LA! Full time or part time. Two blocks south of the Staples Center at Figueroa & Venice. Toyota Central is grow-ing! Sales Associates - all levels. Internet Associates. Service Technicians. Service Consul-tants. Drivers. Cashiers. Re-ceptionists. Bilingual Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Middle East-ern and women encouraged to apply. Great compensation package and employee benefits. Please call 800-597-5516 or send resume to [email protected]. EOE.

BUS. ANALYST, BENEFITS & PAYROLL (Nestle USA, Inc. in Glendale, CA). Devel. & config. SAP HR & HR Benefits tech. in-terfaces w/ Payroll on behalf of food & bev. mfr. w/ over 30,000 ees. Req. Bach’s deg. in Bus. Admin., MIS, CS, Electronic Eng., or rel. field, & 5 years’ exp. in configuring SAP HR to devel. & implement HR & benefits tech. interfaces w/ Payroll for a co. w/ at least 5,000 ees. Stated or other exp. must incl. at least 3 full life cycles in configuring, de-fining, & implementing Benefits integration w/ Payroll as an end-to-end bus. process. Must have 2 years’ exp. in post-implemen. production support, rel. to ben-efits integration w/payroll. Exp. need not be gained concurrently. Apply w/ resume to M. Simo at Nestle USA, Inc., 800 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203. Ref job code BABP. No phone calls or third-party agents please.

FICO SYSTEMS ANALYST (Nestle USA, Inc. in Glendale, CA). Devel. & implement SAP FICO apps. & provide produc-tion support in FICO. Req. Bach’s deg. in Commerce, Fi-nance, Bus. Admin., IT or rel. field & 5 yrs’ exp. in devel. & implementing SAP FICO apps. & providing production support in FICO. Stated exp. must incl. 2 yrs in: analysis, applic. & design of SAP data uploading, manipu-lation & interface tools; hands-on config. & custom devel. of FICO in heterogeneous tech. environ. for mfr. co.; & devel. & implemen. of general ledger, asset acctg., treasury, project systems, profit center acctg. FICO submodules. (In lieu of Bach’s deg., will ac-cept 4 years of U.S. or foreign post-secondary educ. in one of stated fields. Exp. may, but need not, be gained concurrently.) Apply w/ resume to M. Simo at Nestle USA, Inc., 800 N.Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203. Ref job code FSA. No phone calls or third-party agents please.

eduCational

VERY ACTIVE 2010 Storm Sea-son! Make $800-$1200 a day. Adjusters needed immediately. Become a fully trained adjuster in just 5 days. Tuition Assistance Available. www.jeladjuster.com. (Cal-SCAN)

sales

ADVERTISING SALES - Project The Los Angeles Downtown News is seeking an experienced advertising sales professional to sell our annual Downtown Guide during the next 10 weeks. A suc-cessful selling campaign could lead to a long-term relationship. The Guide is in its 11th year of publication and is considered the best and most comprehen-sive guide to Downtown. Last year’s edition was nearly 100 pages and had more than 70 different advertisers. You will be selling to a wide array of adver-tising prospects including res-taurants, boutiques, museums, retail businesses, real estate, auto dealers and more. The ideal applicant would have prior print media sales experience, be well-organized, tenacious, ambi-tious, high-energy, self-starter and have solid phone and in-person skills. You must also be a strong closer and live in or near Downtown Los Angeles or, at the very least, have a detailed understanding of the uniqueness that is Downtown Los Angeles. Compensation for this position includes salary plus commission. A successful selling campaign could lead to a long-term rela-tionship. Please send your cover letter and resume to Advertising Director Steve Nakutin at [email protected]. Please include the subject line DTG SALES POSITION. No phone calls please.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Business opportunities

ALL CASH VENDING! Be Your Own Boss! Your Own Local Vending Route. Includes 25 Ma-chines and Candy for $9,995. MultiVend LLC, 1-888-625-2405. (Cal-SCAN)

EARN $500 DAILY Providing a simple service for Home and Business - Dry Tech #CL28547. 8920 Quartz Ave. Northridge, CA 91324. 1-800-507-7222.

SERVICES

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Sell Your Car!Expose your auto to Downtown Los Angeles. With one of the

fastest growing residential areas Los Angeles Downtown News gets results.

Call 213-481-1448

downtownnews.com

Call: 213-481-1448Classified Display & Line ad Deadlines:

Thursday 12 pm

“Be wary of out of area companies. Check with the local Better Business Bureau before you send any money for fees or services. Read and under-stand any contracts before you sign. Shop around for rates.”

l.a. downtown news Classifiedsl.a. downtown news Classifieds

22 Downtown News May 3, 2010Twitters/DowntownNews

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CLASSIFIEDCLASSIFIEDAll submissions are subject to federal and California fair housing laws, which make it illegal to indicate in any advertisement any preference, limitation, or dis-crimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexu-al orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry,

familial status, source of income or physical or mental disability. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

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Help wanTedADvertising sALes - ProjeCt

The Los Angeles Downtown News is seeking an experienced advertising sales professional to sell our annual Downtown Guide during the next 10 weeks. A successful selling campaign could lead to a long-term relationship. The Guide is in its 11th year of publication and is considered the best and most comprehensive guide to Downtown. Last year’s edition was nearly 100 pages and had more than 70 different advertisers. You will be selling to a wide array of advertising prospects including restaurants, boutiques, museums, retail businesses, real estate, auto dealers and more.

The ideal applicant would have prior print media sales experience, be well-organized, tenacious, ambitious, high-energy, self-starter and have solid phone and in-person skills. You must also be a strong closer and live in or near Downtown Los Angeles or, at the very least, have a detailed understanding of the uniqueness that is Downtown Los Angeles.

Compensation for this position includes salary plus commission. A successful selling campaign could lead to a long-term relationship.

Please send your cover letter and resume to Advertising Director Steve Nakutin at [email protected]. Please include the subject line DTG SALES POSITION. No phone calls please.

ADoPt (or Foster) your forever friend from Bark Av-enue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Down-town’s largest private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email [email protected] or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

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1st customers only.400 E. 2nd St., #205 LA CA 90012

(Honda Plaza Mall)213-680-4970

ABoGADo DE IMMIGrACIoN!Family, Criminal, P.I.

for more than 20 yrs!Child Support / Custody

Necesita Permiso de trabajo? - Tagalog / Español / Korean

get your green Card or CitiZenshipLaw Office of H. Douglas Daniel Esq.,

(213) 689-1710

Accounting/Bookkeeping

EXPERIENCE COUNTS Book-keeping, Accounting, Projections. Contact Office Mgr. 213-880-5992 [email protected] 600 W. 9th St. #1102, LA, CA 90015.

educAtion

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA! Graduate in 4 weeks! Free Brochure. Call Now! 1-866-562-3650 ext. 60 www.SouthEast-ernHS.com. (Cal-SCAN)

HeAltH

DEPRESSED? Anxious? Re-lationship Issues? Seasoned clinician will provide supportive therapy. Individuals, couples, groups. Wilshire Blvd., near Good Samaritan. Info: www.drannewarman.vpweb.com (310) 281-9797.

IS YOUR TEEN Experiencing: School Problems - Conflicts at home or w/ friends? Adolescent support group ages 13-17. low fee. Marney Stofflet, LCSW 323-662-9797.

Advertising

ADVERTISE ONLINE in a network of 120-plus newspaper websites. Border to Border with one order! $7 cost per thousand impressions statewide. Minimum $5,000 order. Call for details: (916) 288-6010. www.CaliforniaBannerAdNetwork.com. (Cal-SCAN)

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING in 240 Cal-SCAN newspapers for the best reach, coverage, and price. 25-words $550. Reach over 6 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SCAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)

DISPLAY ADVERTISING in 140 Cal-SDAN newspapers statewide for $1,550! Reach over 3 million Californians! Free email brochure. Call (916) 288-6019. www.Cal-SDAN.com. (Cal-SCAN)

cleAning

CONCEPTO’S CLEANING Crew. Professional, experienced, cleans apartments, homes, of-fices and restaurants. Call for a quote. 323-459-3067 or 818-409-9183.

FinAnciAl services

CASH NOW! Get cash for your structured settlement or annuity payments. High payouts. Call J.G. Wentworth. 1-866-SET-TLEMENT (1-866-738-8536). Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. (Cal-SCAN)

HeAltH & Fitness

FDA APPROVED MEDICAL. Medical Vacuum Pumps. Viagra,Testosterone, Cialis. Free Brochures. (619) 294-7777. www.drjoelkaplan.com. (Cal-SCAN)

AUTOS

pre-oWned

'08 A4, PREMIuM PkG., Moon Roof, Leather, A01331D-1/8A051942, $19,888, 888-583-0981.

2007 E 350 MBZ VIN #000177. Silver/black, certified 100k miles warranty. $33,994. 888-319-8762

‘01 AuDI TT QuATTRO Road-ster 2D, 1.8 LTR, 4 cyl. 110 Turbo, AWD, 4-whl, ABS, 6 Spd., Pwr. Roof 888-879-9608 Vin 001940. $10,887

2008 911 TuRBO CABRIOLET black/black, 6-spd, deviated stitching, 9k miles CPO 789471, $115,988. 888-685-5426.

2010 VOLkSWAGEN CC 2,369 miles, white, carfax 1 owner, VIN 528667, $26,888. 888-781-8102.

‘08 HONDA CIVIC EX only 16k miles with navi. N13552/507882, only $17,999. 888-838-5089.

Autos WAnted

DONATE YOuR CAR: Chil-dren’s Cancer Fund! Help Save A Child’s Life Through Research & Support! Free Vacation Pack-age. Fast, Easy & Tax Deduct-ible. Call 1-800-252-0615. (Cal-SCAN)

DONATE YOuR VEHICLE! Re-ceive Free Vacation Voucher. united Breast Cancer Founda-tion. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf.info Free Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners Accepted, 1-888-468-5964. (Cal-SCAN)

clAssic Autos

PETS/ANIMALS

Adopt A pet

ADOPT (OR FOSTER) your for-ever friend from Bark Avenue Foundation. Beautiful, healthy puppies, dogs, cats and kittens available at Downtown’s larg-est private adoption facility. Call Dawn at 213-840-0153 or email [email protected] or visit www.Bark Avenue Foundation.org.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

cHurcHes

THE BRIDGE / Little Tokyo: Contemporary worship, 4:00pm Sundays, 401 E Third St. www.thebridgewired.org.

volunteer opportunities

HELPING kIDS heal. Free Arts for Abused Children is looking for volunteers to integrate the healing power of the arts into the lives of abused and at-risk chil-dren and their families. Today is the day to get involved! Contact Annie at [email protected] or 310-313-4278 for more information.

LEGAL

Fictitious Business nAme

Fictitious Business name statement

File no. 20100474380 The following person is doing business as: BLOCk ENTER-TAINMENT GROuP, 8306 Wilshire Blvd., #1047, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, are hereby registered by the following registrant: MARILYN MEDIA GROuP, INC., 8306 Wilshire Blvd., #1047, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. This business is con-ducted by a corporation. Regis-trant has not begun to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed herein. This statement was

filed with DEAN LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk on April 7, 2010. NOTICE—This ficti-tious name statement expires five years from the date it was filed in the office of the county clerk. A new fictitious business name statement must be filed before that time. The filing of this statement does not of itself authorize the use in this state of a fictitious business name in violation of the rights of another under federal, state, or com-mon law (see Section 14411 et. seq. Business and Professions Code).Pub. 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/03/1008


Monthly from $550

utilitiespaid.

(213) 612-0348

Furnished single unit with kitchenette, bathroom.Excellent location.Downtown LA.Weekly rate $275 inc.

Beautiful Offices For As Little As $400Fully Furnished/Corporate ID Programs

Flexible Terms/All New Suites

Services Include:• Reception • Mail • T-1 • State-of-the-Art

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Additional Features:Kitchen Facilities, All Support Services,

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Burbank • BrentwoodCentury City • Downtown L.A.

Woodland Hills

Locations Nationwide

Jenny Ahn (213) [email protected] www.regentbc.com

Offices • Offices • Offices • Offices

Monthly from $695

utilitiespaid.

(213) 627-1151

Fully furnished with TV, telephone, microwave, refrigerator. Full bathroom. Excellent location. Downtown LA. Weekly maid service.

LOFTS • RENT • LOFTS • RENT

SPECIAL MOVE IN -

TWO WEEKS FREE RENT AND LOW DEPOSIT.

Real Artist Lofts available in original 18 unit Downtown Artist Loft bldg. close to Southern Cal. School of

Architecture. Starting at approximately 1200 to 2100 Sq. ft. large open space with new kit and bath. Laundry, gated parking and intercom entry from $1200.

1427 E. 4th St. Contact Julie at (323) 261-1099

6th+Grand Ave. • milanoloftsla.com • 213.627.1900

MILANO LOFTS Now Leasing!• Gorgeous Layouts• 10-15’ Ceilings• Fitness Center• Wi-Fi Rooftop Lounge• Amazing Views

Casaloma L.A. Apartments

Clean unfurnished bachelor rooms with shared bath at $550/mo.

Includes utilities, basic cable chan-nels, laundry room on site. Gated building in a good area.

208 W. 14th St. at Hill St. Downtown LA

For English Call Pierre or Terri213.744.9911

For Spanish Call Susana213.749.0306

For a complete list of our pre-owned inventory, go to

www.DTLAMOTORS.com

doWntoWn l.A. Auto groupPOrSChE

VOLkSwAgENAudI

MErCEdES-BENzNISSAN

ChEVrOLEtCAdILLAC

Version 3

Client: G.H. Palmer Associates

Publication: LADT News

Size/Color: 4.3125” x 8” 4C

Design by: [email protected] Ph: 323.474.4668

• Free Resident/Guest Parking in Gated Garage

• Private Library, Business Center & Conference Rooms

• Free Wi-Fi & DSL Computer Use

• Resident Karaoke Lounge• Directors Screening Room• Lavish Fountains

& Sculptures• On-Site Private Resident

Park with Sand Volleyball,BBQ’s and Jogging Track

• Night Light Tennis Courts• Indoor Basketball

• Brunswick Four-Lane Virtual Bowling

• Full Swing Virtual Golf• 3100 Square Foot

Cybex Fitness Facility• Free Tanning Rooms• Massage Room, Sauna

& Steam Room• Rooftop Pools with

Dressing Rooms• Concierge Service• 24-Hour Doorman• 24/7 On-Site Management• Magnificent City Views*Amenities vary among communities

Best Downtown Locations!

The Downtown Renaissance Collection

Be Inspired...

Elegant World Class Resort

Apartment Homes

Orsini550 NORTH FIGUEROA ST.

877-231-9362WWW.THEORSINI.COM

725 SOUTH BIXEL ST.877-239-8256

WWW.THEMEDICI.COM

Medici

616 ST. PAUL AVE.877-235-6012

WWW.THEPIERO.COM

1221 WEST THIRD ST. 866-690-2888

WWW.THEVISCONTI.COM

Piero

Visconti

FREE Rent Specials On Select Floor Plans

ARTIST LOFTS FOR LEASELive/Work in Downtown

Fashion District700 to 1500 Sq. Ft. Lofts.

High ceilings, skylights, cable, kitchen, bath+shower,

laundry room, elevator, controlled access,

sub. parking. Sorry no dogs.

Call George: 818-634-7916 or

310-826-8810 x24

Please call 213.627.6913www.cityloftsquare.com

On Spring St.

Spring Tower Lofts: 1900 sqft, open LOFT w/views $2850/mo. • 17 ft ceilings • Live/Work space • 14 story Bldg. • Rooftop garden terrace w/city view • Pet friendly

Premiere Towers:3 bdrms/2 bath, $2100/mo. • Rooftop garden terrace/GYM w/city view • 24 hr. doorman • free (1) parking

We are located in a prime area in Downtown LA nice neighborhood w/ salon, market, café etc. Wired for high speed internet & cable, central heat & A/C

rosslyn Hotel

112 W 5th st., los angeles, ca 90013213.503.7449 • www.rosslynstudios.com

Unfurnished rooms

starting at $480 a month

Laundry on site. All utilities included.

noW leAsing$1,400’s/mo. Free parking

ROOFTOP GARDEN RETREAT WITH BBQ AND LOUNGE GRAND LOBBY • FITNESS CENTER • SPA

MODERN KITCHEN w/CAESAR COUNTERTOPS HIGH SPEED INTERNET DESIGNER LIVING SPACES • PET FRIENDLY • DRAMATIC VIEWS

WALKING DISTANCE TO RALPHS SUPERMARKET

756 S. Broadway • Downtown Los Angeles213-892-9100 • chapmanf lats.com

Pricing subject to change without notice.

I conIc Beau t yS e e k S S t y l i S h M at e

ANTIQUE CAR & PARTSSWAP MEET

may 23 6am-3pm209-777-5654

500 Speedway Dr Irwindalewww.IrwindaleSwapMeet.com


It’s our business to make you comfortable... at home, downtown. Corporate and long term residency is accommodated in high style at the Towers Apartments. Con-temporary singles, studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartment homes provide fortunate residents with a courteous full service lobby attendant, heated pool, spa, complete fitness center, sauna and recreation room with kitchen. Beautiful views extend from the Towers’ lofty homes in the sky. Mountain vistas and slender skyscrapers provide an incredible back drop to complement your decor. Far below are a host of businesses ready to support your pampered downtown lifestyle. With spectacular cultural events nearby, even the most demanding tastes are satisfied. Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore. Visit the Towers Apartments today.

Downtown, it’s not just big business anymore!

Promenade Towers123 south Figueroa streetLeasing Information213 617 3777

Grand Tower255 south Grand avenueLeasing Information213 229 9777

museum Tower225 south olive streetLeasing Information213 626 1500

Community Amenities:~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby~ Concierge~ Pool / Spa / Saunas~ Fitness Center~ Gas BBQ Grills~ Recreation Room

Community Amenities:~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby~ Pool / Saunas~ Fitness Center~ Covered Parking

On Site:~ Convenience Store / Coffee House / Yogurt Shop / Beauty Salon

Community Amenities:~ 24 Hr. Manned Lobby~ Concierge~ Pool / Spa / Saunas~ Fitness Center~ Gas BBQ Grills~ Recreation Room

Apartment Amenities:~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dishwasher (most units)~ Central Air Conditioning & Heating~ Balconies (most units)

On-site:~ Dry Cleaners / Dental Office / Restaurants

Apartment Amenities:~ Refrigerator, Stove & Dishwasher~ Central Air & Heating~ Solariums and/or Balconies

Apartment Amenities:~ Refrigerator, Stove, Microwave & Dish washer (most units)~ Central Air & Heating~ Balconies (most units)

T O W E R ST H E

A P A R T M E N T ST O W E R S

T O W E R ST H E

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www.TowersApartmentsLA.comMAID SERVICE • FURNITURE • HOUSEWARES • CABLE • UTILITIES • PARKINGRESIDENCES: SINGLES • STUDIO • ONE BEDROOM • TWO BEDROOM

87 7 - 265 - 714 6

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Move-In Specials

tage Alan. Though he was well regarded by his peers in music criticism — Alex Ross of The New Yorker called him the “dean” of the field — his loyalty was to his readers, many of whom he knew, most of whom he didn’t. He treated them all like he treated me, like a friend. To uphold my end of the friendship, I introduced him to some jazz, and to rock sounds old and new. Despite decades steeped in classical music, somehow Alan had missed the spectacular musical and cultural icon that was James Brown. “James who?” Alan asked, without a trace of sarcasm. And so we went to the Bowl to see Brown in the summer of 2006, this time with Alan as my guest. At an age when most trust only their own time-tested convictions, Alan was

still discovering the world. Of course, like any good critic, he could be a merciless curmudgeon, unequivocal in stat-ing his displeasure at certain performances or other local scribes that he felt weren’t up to the task — those “preening dilettantes who throw a lot of artsy words around at the cultural life of this growing community, and nobody cares about stuffing a rag into their word processors.” At one of Alan’s annual New Year’s Day parties, well-attended every year by a smat-tering of his readers, colleagues and always a handful of his musician subjects, I overheard the following exchange between Alan and Ron Rosen, a longtime pal who was not so many years Alan’s junior. “Alan, I see you have that Colombia re-cording of Horowitz,” Rosen said. “You know, I’ve been listening to Horowitz lately and I’ve decided I don’t really like it. It’s so clangy.” Alan paused and looked up at Ron. “It took you long enough,” Alan answered.

“Ron, welcome to puberty.” Four years later, my crash course in music under Alan’s tutelage has me listening for new sounds, whether they emanate from the orchestra in Disney Hall, or from electric gui-tars at The Smell. When driving to a concert, or while pre-paring a meal in his kitchen, Alan never had the radio or stereo on. Listening for him was an active experience. Handling a chore as some music came out of a stereo rendered those sounds to “sonic wallpaper,” Alan al-ways said. Even now, as Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony is playing in my office — selected for its heart-wrenching second movement, appropriate if a bit melodramatic for eulogiz-ing a lost friend — I’m finding it hard to listen like Alan did. I think he’d prefer it if I just stop right here, and start the record over. Shut off the phone, shut down the word processor and press play. Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at [email protected].


Alan Rich

Rich and the author, some 60 years younger, established a friendship. They attended concerts together about once a month.

05-03-10

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