blogdowntown Weekly - August 12, 2010

NEWS NIGHTLIFEFOOD EVERYDAYNew lights headed to the skyline?

Where do you go to buy wine Downtown?

Learn to make the Villain’s Bella Donna

All about bikes: life on two wheels

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LIFE IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES / BLOGDOWNTOWN.COM / AUGUST 12, 2010 1.2

ART GUARDSThe two men go from venue to venue, watching musi-cians and visiting galleries, checking in on businesses that thrive on the creative buzz that floats over the city. One was selected by a frustrated board to bring order to chaos. The other simply took the reins to bring some chaos back.

Jay Lopez and Edgar Varela both help manage massive parties that have grown beyond their original Downtown vision: the Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk and Bloom-fest, respectively. Their roles have become more occupa-tions than volunteer assignments as both now find them-selves the official doormen to a hip new club: Downtown Los Angeles street culture.

Lopez, a realtor and event producer, was named Execu-tive Director of the Art Walk in December 2009. The early months of his charge have been spent taming the monster that the monthly event had become, giving galleries an increased presence while attempting to triage the crisis of overzealous food trucks and overflowing foot traffic.

That effort took a big step forward in July, when space at the Medallion project was secured for a mobile food court.

Now Lopez is beginning to focus his efforts on Art Walk partnerships that add cultural elements to the monthly night out, including a new walk that highlights the historic

By Ed Fuentes

Continued on Page 8

UPCOMING SHOWSNATALIE MERCHANT ORPHEUM THEATRE AUG 13DENGUE FEVER GRAND PERFORMANCES AUG 13LEWIS BLACK WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL AUG 13

NISEI WEEKBEGINS13

ART WALK GUIDE

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Photo by RUSh VARELA

Images Downtown’s Week in Pictures

1Matt Benson of Mostly Retired re-acts to a foul call in the championship game of the Nike 3 on 3 tournament at L.A. Live. Benson’s team lost the six-foot and over Elite Divi-sion championship to VBL Goon Squad by a score of 20-19 on a last-point free throw. 1,072 teams competed in the second year of the tournament. AUGUSt 8, 2010

2Models wear designs by Silk Culture dur-ing California Market Center’s Contem-porary Collections Runway Show, part of the Holiday / Resort ‘10 LA Fashion Market. The runway show highlighted lines with showrooms in the building. AUGUSt 9, 2010

3Peaches are ripe and on-display at the Arts District / Little Tokyo Farmers Market at City Hall. The market is held each Thursday from 10am to 2pm.AUGUSt 5, 2010

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Photo by ERIC RIChARDSoN Photo by ED FUENtES

Photo by ERIC RIChARDSoN

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NewsNew Lights in the Skyline?

A rendering from the Environmental Impact Report for the Wilshire Grand Hotel replacement shows LED advertising the developer would like to integrate into the pair of towers that would rise on the site.

The news that Korean Airline’s parent company wanted to tear down the Wilshire Grand Hotel and replace it with a pair of high-rise towers caused quite a positive splash last April, but the project’s proposed signage is certain to be much more controversial.

A sign district proposed for the site would allow several hundred thousand square feet of digital displays integrated into the sides of the hotel and office towers, currently planned to rise 65 and 45 stories. The taller of the two

would have eight less stories than U.S. Bank Tower, but could still surpass it in height.

Signage has been a hot-button issue over the past few years as the City of Los Angeles has battled advertising companies over what is and isn’t legal.

The city’s baseline signage rules would not allow anything close to what is proposed by the proj-ect, but approval of a sign district would allow more permissive rules to be put in place.

The sign proposal has gener-ated a significant comment thread

on Curbed LA, which was first to cover the issue last Thursday.

Editor Dakota Smith has given extensive coverage to the city’s ongoing signage debate, but she’s at a loss when predicting how this one will come out.

“I really have no idea,” she said this week. “The big issue is wheth-er the city wants to allow this type of electronic signage in the Finan-cial District. It’s extending the feel of L.A. Live into another part of the city.”

By Eric Richardson

MoREoNLINE bdtwn.com/5566

You Said...Tops among comments on blogdowntown.com this week was the conversation stirred up by L.A. Times architecture critic Christo-pher Hawthorne, who wrote on Sunday that the country’s broader economic woes have left Downtown in “a particularly appealing spot” because it kept out the chains and enabled something unique to grow instead.

I would hope for a balance. Unique and interesting shops, eateries and bars, but also a few chains wouldn’t hurt the area. I know, once one or two move in, a dozen follow.... but I like to dream and wish for a balance. Christophe Serafino

Even when the economy was still hot, the closest Star-bucks would come to the historic Core was 6th & Grand and 1st & Los Angeles St. the reason? Skid Row.

these corporations do a lot of market research and have determined that the proximity to a lot of poverty is not good for their image. bert Green

As the economy picks up over the next couple years and big business starts realizing profits, it will be interest-ing to see whether small business will be able to invest in Downtown with as much force as chains will no doubt be asserting. that’s why it’s truly important that we as a community support small businesses in our community. Rich Alossi

I would hate to see the clock turned back on downtown. but hawthorne’s point also really hits home for me, having come from Washington DC- where the gentrification is warp-speed, the rents are sky high, and the only retailers that can afford the new and newly renovated spaces are national chains. If downtown can avoid that fate, at least for a few years, that’s great news in my book. Chris Loos

I agree, the recession saved the character of Downtown, once the Gap moves in it’s all over. I can’t tell you how delighted I was when the Ed hardy store on Spring didn’t make it. yes I know we need business down here but the best thing about DtLA is that it is emerging with it’s own personality instead of looking like every town USA. Where else would a DVD store actually need to expand when all the rest are closing down? DawnC

“““““

Right now, I can’t think of a more creative and vibrant place to be than Downtown Los Angeles. And, yes, that’s boosterism. but, at the same time, I know that people from oC and the Westside aren’t going to come here and spoil my fun, because all they see is the dirt, Skid Row, rats, and problems. J-M

“


Nearly two months after voters chose between 53 candidates for the Downtown Los Angeles Neigh-borhood Council’s 28 seats, one disputed spot has the entire body stuck in limbo.

The City Clerk’s office has yet to certify the election results because of challenges filed over one of the board’s three Social Service Provider seats.

Gerald Phillips, one of the winning candidates, became ineligible for the position before being seated and the challenges were filed to force the council to

install the fourth place finisher, Kevin Michael Keyes, in his place. Outgoing board president Russell Brown contends that the DLANC bylaws say that a special election should be held instead.

The board also needs to hold a special election for the two Alam-eda East seats which went unfilled when the candidates running got zero votes. It has been instructed it cannot hold that election until the new board is seated.

The Clerk’s office has until September 2nd to rule on the chal-lenges and certify the results, and


Challenges Leave DLANC Board in LimboBy Eric Richardson

Brown thinks the office might take all the time allowed. “They won’t give me any clue whether they’ve started to look at it or whether they’re going to look at this five seconds before [the deadline],” he said.

According to Brown’s calcula-tions, the $2 million the Clerk’s office spent on administering neighborhood council citywide cost $22,222 per council, or $94.50 per vote.

RENDERING by AC MARtIN AND ChRIStoPhER A. JoSEPh & ASSoCIAtES, 2009

blogdowntownWeekly 3Online at blogdowntown.com August 12, 2010

By Jenni Simcoe

EverydayydaySit at a sidewalk café on Spring

and you’ll be sure to see a hand-ful of cyclists pedal by before you can even finish a cup of coffee. The choice to get around Downtown for errands without a car seems like a no-brainer. Not only can you save a bundle on gas, but you also don’t have to wait for the bus, worry about parking, spend time walking to your destination, or worry about CO2 emissions. But is it really that easy?

“Our infrastructure in L.A. is focused on cars, so cyclists aren’t as welcome,” said Joe Linton, local cycling activist. Linton points out that riding throughout Down-town can be treacherous. With no dedicated bicycle lanes, motorists rule the road.

Linton, like many cyclists, has his ear to the pavement to see how Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s upcoming Bike Summit will affect the city’s master plan for imple-menting bike lanes Downtown and along major arteries that connect L.A. to other cities and suburbs.

Villaraigosa proposed the summit following his bicycle acci-dent on July 17, in which he broke his elbow and required surgery. The mayor reached out in support of improving bicycle infrastruc-ture via YouTube and Twitter, followed by a guest blog on The Huffington Post website. In the post he said, “Unfortunately most of our City was built with cars in mind. It’s time to recognize that bicycles also belong on L.A.’s streets.”

The city already had a 2010 Bicycle Plan in the works long before the Mayor’s Bike Summit was organized. The plan, still in the draft process, calls for 1,633 miles of bikeway facili-ties throughout Los Angeles. The current iteration includes the installation of bicycle lanes in the Downtown core on Figueroa, Flower, Spring, Main, First, 2nd and 7th streets.

“The mayor’s incident along with our plan has brought the issue of safe cycling on the streets to the forefront,” said Jordann Turner, 2010 Bicycle Plan Proj-ect Manager for the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. The lack of bicycle lanes throughout the city can’t be blamed simply on a lack of planning. “It’s an issue of where the infrastructure dollars

go. There are competing interests for automobiles, public transit and roads,” said Turner. “The city budget priorities are always public safety, including the police and fire departments.”

The mayor addressed the fund-ing issue in his Huffington Post blog post, saying, “For the first time, we have a dedicated revenue source for building our bike infra-structure through Measure R, the half penny sales tax for transpor-tation. We are setting aside 10% of the city’s local return portion of Measure R for bicycle and pedes-trian improvements. That means about $3.2 million for this fiscal year.”

While that’s a start, Measure R is not strictly set aside for bicycle infrastructure. Metro distributes 15 percent of the funding to all 88 cities within the county with each city allocating those funds to infrastructure including street resurfacing, traffic signals and transit upgrades.

Even if the current plan to dedi-cate a portion of these funds to cycling does get adopted, Turner says that funding will be needed from a variety of sources including federal and state grants and initia-tives. Even with funding, imple-mentation and installation will remain an issue.

“The cards are stacked against us in funding the bicycle plan,” said Turner. “The city is willing to take ownership, but it can be an uphill battle.” He explains that his department doesn’t have the abil-ity to implement the plan alone without Metro, DOT and Bureau of Street Services all onboard.

Linton notes that the upcom-ing Bike Summit will show if the Mayor is serious about making changes in bicycle infrastructure. “He says he will support the plan, but he hasn’t stuck his neck out in the past, so we’ll be interested to see if he does now,” he said.

The Bike Summit will be held August 16, from 9 to 11am in Metro’s boardroom at One Gate-way Plaza. The summit is open to the public. The City will also hold a series of workshops and public hearings on the 2010 Bicycle Plan in September. For more informa-tion visit www.labikeplan.org.

The Mayor’s Bike Summit isn’t the only event on the agenda for cycling enthusiasts. Check out these upcoming bicycle-related events.

Bicycle Film Festival Tenth Anniversary

The film festival runs Septem-ber 1-5 at the Downtown Inde-pendent Theater, 251 South Main Street. New Yorker Brendt Barbur created the festival after he was hit by a bus while cycling. “I wanted to turn that experience into something posi-tive,” said Barbur. The festival, now in its tenth year, runs in 40 cities around the world.

Highlights include:To Live & Ride in LA, a docu-

mentary by David Rowe, chron-icles the growing trend of fixed gear riding in L.A.

COUNTYWIDE: BICY-CLING ACROSS LOS ANGE-LES, directed by Eric Matthies, features perspectives of cyclists who escape from the daily grind of Los Angeles.

THE BIRTH OF BIG AIR, directed by Jeff Tremaine and produced by Priya Swami-nathan, Spike Jonze, Mark Lewman and Johnny Knoxville,

pays homage to Mat Hoffman, a BMX legend AKA ‘the Michael Jordon of BMX.’

The Joyride Art Show features bicycle themed artwork by Shepard Fairey, Spike Jonze and Tim Barbur, among other notable artists.

The film festival will also feature bike races and a block party with vendors, cycling events and competitions.

For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.bicyclefilmfestival.com/los-angeles/

CicLAvia

This event is inspired by ciclo-vías, temporary bike paths first created in Bogotá, Colombia, around 1980. Seven miles of streets from Boyle Heights to East Hollywood will be car-free on October 10 from 10am-3pm. The streets will be blocked off from traffic and safe for people to walk, skate, play and ride a bike. The route will have activi-ties with shops and restaurants staying open for business.

For more information and maps of the route, go to ciclavia.wordpress.com/

Chinatown Summer Nights

Held every Saturday in August, from 5 pm to midnight. Enjoy free bike valet provided by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC), KCRW DJ’s, food trucks, art and dance work-shops, cooking demonstrations, video projections and more.

Rides Around Downtown & Beyond

Popular bike shop (and blog-downtown delivery partner) Flying Pigeon hosts regular leisurely rides.

Get Sum Dim Sum Ride- On the third Sunday of the month, this leisurely ride goes from Highland Park to dim sum restaurants in areas such as Chinatown and San Gabriel. The ride is free with rentals available for $10 per person. Cyclists are responsible for their own check.

Spoke (n)Art Ride- Held on the second Saturday of the month, this bicycle tour intro-duces cyclists to art galleries in North East L.A.

For more informa-tion on these rides, visit www.flyingpigeon-la.com/shop-rides/

Upcoming Cycling Events In and Around Downtown

Cycling in the City

These bicycle-shaped bicycle racks were installed in front of the Caltrans building in 2007, and more were recently installed in front of the new LAPD headquarters.

Photo by ERIC RIChARDSoN


Renee Warren, Historic Core resident, rides a fixed gear bike that she bought at Spoke.

What scares you when riding?

I am scared of the cars! Not so much the ones on the street, but

those leaving their parking spots and garages. They just come out of nowhere!

What do you like about riding Downtown?

I love riding downtown because I feel safe on my bike, especial-ly when it comes to going out along at night or dealing with the crazies on the street. They don’t try to talk to you when you are flying by on a bike. Riding a bike takes me into a different head-space. I love it!

What’s the biggest drawback? My old bike got stolen parked

in an alley, chained to a fence, in the middle of the day. It happens everywhere, day or night, parked for 10 minutes or 5 hours—it doesn’t matter. It’s best to just sit somewhere where you can watch your bike or bring it inside.

What do you primar-ily use your bikes for?

I go to SCI-Arc and live on Spring, so it’s an easy way to get across town. (Paul)

We use them for errands and to go to the store. I have a basket on my bike to carry things. (Stacey)

What’s the scari-est thing about riding in the city?

Riding through Skid Row and getting harassed by scary people. (Stacey)

How do you keep your bikes secure?

We lock the frames together to a bike rack. If you have two bikes locked to each other, it’s a deter-rent to thieves who are looking for an easy getaway.

We don’t leave them unattended for long periods of time. (Paul)

What would make it safer to ride downtown?

Better lighting and more bicycle-friendly streets. (Stacey & Paul)

Word on the Street

We asked the bike shops down-town for advice to cyclists or those considering buying a bike to ride downtown.

Julio Perez works at El Maestro Bicycle Shop:

The majority of drivers in L.A. aren’t used to cyclists. When you ride, be careful to hold your line, meaning that you should always ride in a straight line so that motorists don’t get caught off guard.

Be cautious of your surround-ings all of the time. I see people riding on the sidewalks because they think it’s safer, but riding on the street is much safer. On the sidewalk, you’re not only endan-gering yourself by cars exiting garages, but you’re putting pedes-

trians at risk of getting hurt.I am a big advocate of always

wearing a helmet. It only takes one car to hit you and one second to change your life.

El Maestro Bicycle Shop806 S. Main, [email protected]

Josef Bray-Ali co-owns Flying Pigeon LA:

Riding a bike allows you to see the city and your neighborhood in a way that you wouldn’t other-wise. If you are thinking about getting a bike, buy a beater or rent a bike for a mass ride to test it before you invest in a good bike. Once you have a bike, make sure you secure it properly.

Cable locks are the worst.

They’re basically just decoration. The best way to secure a bike is to lock one wheel and the frame to a bike rack with a U-lock. If you have a quick release wheel, make sure and remove it and lock it to the rack too.

Flying Pigeon LA3714 North Figueroa Street, [email protected]

Rodney Masjedi owns D.T.L.A. Bikes:

The most important thing that anyone buying a bike should do is take a test-ride on the bike before you buy it. Our bike shop has a full riding track so that you can take a spin around to help decide the bike that’s right for you. Fixed

gear bikes are becoming popu-lar but they aren’t for everyone; there are a lot of people who ride ‘fixies’ downtown who don’t have brakes installed. It’s not a good idea because you need to be able to stop in city traffic.

D.T.L.A. Bikes will have a soft-opening during this week’s art walk.

D.T.L.A. Bikes425 South Broadway, [email protected]

Patrick Winget co-owns Spoke, a fixed-gear bike shop:

We think everyone should have lights for safety. We weren’t big on helmets in the beginning but after we heard some horror stories from some customers,

we’ve started carrying them. Fixed gear bikes are one-speed bikes that can get to 40 mph pret-ty easy. Downtown drivers can be impatient with riders, and fixed gear riders can be a little rebel-lious.

Thirty percent of our bike sales are due to theft unfortunately. There’s a big problem with bike theft downtown and part of that is because there aren’t enough proper bike racks.

Spoke342 9th Street, [email protected]

Tips from the Pros

Stacey Howchin and Paul Trussler live in the Historic Core and get around Downtown on their bikes.


FoodDowntown Gourmet

First, the sort-of bad news about buying wine Downtown—unless your tastes run to bottles best enjoyed when they’re wrapped in a brown paper bag, most shops that carry wine aren’t open very late, so you still have to either plan ahead or make a run to Ralphs if the party’s still going when the wine runs out.

The good news? It’s easier than it used to be to grab a bottle in a neighborhood close to you, at hours far more convenient than in the recent past; Ralphs offers much more than a typical grocery chain store when it

comes to wine, and Downtown is home to a business dedi-

cated solely to demystify-ing wine for everyone. And the really good news? At least a couple of those neighborhood

spots deliver, so you don’t have to leave the party.

You may know that Down-town’s pretty rich with wine bars, but you may not know that a few of those wine bars are also a go-to source for wine by the bottle. Bottle Rock and Corkbar, both in South Park, sell wine to go and Corkbar’s all-California list is half price when you take a bottle home. Once open, Swill Automatic in the Arts District will also offer wine to go. And while the selec-tion may be limited, (think Red, White, or Pink) Golden Gopher has wine to go as well.

Tony and Mike of Gourmet Wine and Spirits know a thing or two about wine.

They’ve been in business Down-town for 25 years, and

their selection ranges from $10 bottles to those costing several thousand. Happily, a moderate purchase of

$45 gets you free deliv-

ery anywhere Downtown. Jason’s Wine and Spirits in the California Market

Center will give you the same for only a $20 purchase, and they offer an

array of cheeses for pairing. Plus, by Downtown stan-dards, closing at 10:00 p.m. six nights a week

means Jason’s is a pretty convenient option.

San Antonio Winery is, of course, the granddaddy of them all when it comes to wine Downtown—it’s been around since 1917, and is the last survivor of what was once a bustling and booming wine region that served a thriving Italian American community. The winery even managed to stay in business during prohibition by petitioning the Roman Cath-olic Church to allow them to make sacra-mental wines. The Church allowed it, and sacramental wines kept the winery open for ten years while all of the others in Los Angeles closed. In addition to a restaurant, tastings and tours, San Antonio boasts a wine shop that offers a selection of wines from all over the world.

For other wine tasting options, Ralphs regularly hosts a low-key tasting of

several selected wines paired with cheeses and fruit every Monday and Wednesday evening.. The Downtown Ralphs does 10% of their business in wine, liquor and

beer, and they employ a knowl-edgeable wine steward (Mike, who

works on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in case you were wondering) that can answer many wine questions, and who can even order pretty much any wine you like if you buy a case. Also, though not specifically a wine seller, Learn About Wine is a Downtown business that offers classes, events and tours, all geared toward maximum enjoyment while learning more about wine.

A sort-of secret, locals-only spot for you

wine collectors is Bellevue Terrace. It’s in the parking garage area of the Jonathan Club, and offers what Ian Blackburn of Learn about Wine calls

a “very, very nice selection.” Bellevue exists primarily for

the enjoyment of members of the Jonathan Club and their guests, but doesn’t require membership for purchases.

So if you’re looking for an extremely special bottle, Bellev-

Ralphs 645 W. 9th St.

(213) 452-0840

Bottle Rock 1050 S. Flower St.

(213) 747-1100

Gourmet Wine & Spirits

626 Wilshire Blvd. (213) 489-2666

Jason’s Wine & Spirits 110 E. 9th St.

(213) 485-9463

Corkbar 403 W. 12th St. (213) 746-0050

Bellvue Terrace545 S. Figueroa St.

San Antonio Winery

737 Lamar St. (323) 223-1401

ue might be your go-to. A few more local spots worth a mention are

the Old Bank District Market, Joe’s Down-

town Market in the Toy Facto-ry Lofts building, Tiara Café, Bottega Louie, and the Little Tokyo Galleria Market. None of these have huge or wide ranging selections, but they are in the neighborhood and that’s worth raising a glass to.

Urban Gourmet Exploring Downtown’s options for where to buy wine By Dawna Nolan

Amar Sidhu has owned the 25-year-old Jason’s Wine and Spirits for two years. Regulars are beginning to call him Jason.“It’s the name of the store,” he notes. “Why change it?”Photo by ED FUENtES


NightlifegRum Bar Ready for New VisibilityCedd Moses’ Caña Rum Bar isn’t the easiest Downtown nightspot to find, but that should be changing as early as this week.

With an entry tucked inside the ground floor garage of the Petroleum Building at 11th and Flower, the bar’s low-key presence connects back to its early life as high-priced members-only club The Dohney. When the spot first opened, even its basic location was kept secret to preserve the air of exclusivity.

Since this Spring’s relaunch as Caña, the bar’s gotten a new dose of acces-sibility and the need to make itself a bit more obvious.

Downtown is divided into two teams these days: Those that have been to Villains Tavern and those that have only heard about it.

Located on the East side of DTLA, Villains has taken the nightlife scene by storm in the two weeks it has been open. How could a former sandwich shop rise from the ashes in such a short time to not only draw Down-towners from the Historic Core to the “other” side of Downtown but also to do it every night they are open? Simple; a dream team of savvy cocktails and master mixolo-gists.

The Jules Verne-inspired bar design is new but the face perched behind it is not. Dave Whitton, part owner and designer of all the cocktails at Villains Tavern will seem very familiar because he was the lead bartender for the launches of the ever-so-popular Seven Grand and Golden Gopher. Flanking Dave are two more Cedd Moses alumni: Sonny Bonasera and Rodney Amie-va. Together they are whipping the cocktail loving crowd into frenzy.

We stopped in and Dave was gracious enough to share the goods on one of the cocktails that has put Villain’s on the map. When asked about the inspiration for the Bella Donna, Dave simply stated, “Because it tastes good.”

When not pouring cocktails Dave can

be found playing music, a passion that is reflected in the eclectic mix of musicians that play nightly at Villains’ Tavern. Villains Tavern 1356 Palmetto (6th and Santa Fe) East Downtown LA. 213-613-0766 villainstavern.com

That task can get checked off this weekend after Paul Greenwood’s new neon sign gets installed on the Flower street side of the building.

Greenwood has done the neon signs for each of 213’s Downtown bars.

The club also just launched a new happy hour menu, offering ten Tropicalia cocktails for $6 and “personalized punch service” at four for $40.

The “La Hora de Oro” deals are offered all night on Tuesdays and from 6 to 8pm Wednesday through Friday.

Caña at the Doheny, 714 W. Olympic. 6pm - 2am Tuesday through Saturday.

Mix Like a MasterDTLA’s cocktail recipes broken down

The Bella Donna of Villains TavernCreated by Dave Whitton

Ingredients:• 2 oz Maker’s

Mark• 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters • (available at bevMo)• ½ oz fresh squeezed orange juice• ½ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice• ½ oz simple syrup• fresh mint• fresh black berries• shaved ice• cubed ice

Directions: In a tin: Add Makers, bitters, orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup with ice. Shake vigorously. In a bucket glass, add a bundle of fresh mint and top with ice. Note: a smack with the hand will “open the mint oils up”. Strain ingredients from tin into glass and top with a bed of shaved ice. top with a gramble (a muddled pool) of black berries. Sip and say ahhh.

By Michael F. Robleto

PhotoS by MIChAEL F. RobLEto

By Eric Richardson

This soon-to-be neon sign will be installed at Caña Rum Bar.


Joel Bloom, a legit actor/playwright and longtime activist in the gentrification of Downtown Los Ange-les died mid-morning on July 13th in Los Angeles following a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 59.

Bloom, who owned and operated Bloom’s General Store since 1994 in the Arts District of Los Angeles, was one of the forces responsible for bringing the neighborhood much needed recognition. On July 3, the City Council honored Bloom by officially ap-proving a motion to rename Third and Traction as Joel Bloom Square.

During the early 1970s, Bloom served as a combat cameraman with the U.S. Air Force in South Viet-nam.

Arriving in Los Angeles with a bevy of Chicago-based theatre types, he settled in the Arts District in 1986, serving as a stage manager for Shakespeare Festival/L.A. and later working on his own creative projects.

Published on blogdowntown Friday, July 13, 2007

Broadway theaters adjacent to Gallery Row.Varela similarly came from a real estate background,

but he gave up that part of his life a decade ago to focus on representing artists and producing events, which recently have included after-Art Walk parties held first in his Arts District gallery and then more recently in the Historic Core. In between selling art and producing concerts for emerging musicians, Varela was elected to join the Los Angeles River Artist and Business Association (LARABA). Now he leads Bloomfest, the annual street festival named after the late Downtown neighborhood activist Joel Bloom. The four-year-old event has expanded to include a self-guided open studio tour showcasing the work of Arts District residents.

Both Lopez and Varela have come along at a time when there is renewed faith in the central city and Downtown success is perhaps easier to achieve, but they continue in a long line of grass-roots advocates who worked for decades to improve the neighborhood. While many media kudos

about the city’s changes are either credited to the last ten years of city planning and ordinances or to institutions focused on business development, these improvements would not have been possible without the work of Down-town’s art pioneers of the 1980s and 1990s.

EAST OF ALAMEDA

‘Arts District’ was once just a nickname for the blocks east of Alameda: an area populated by artists illegally living in abandoned warehouses, working while listening for warnings of city zoning inspectors en route.

That fear went away in 1981, when the City of Los Ange-les passed Councilman Joel Wach’s Artist in Residence ordinance, allowing artists to legally occupy their often-raw spaces.

“There were around 3,000 artists living here in the early 1980s,” recalls Tim Keating, who moved to the Arts District in 1984 and describes himself as a neighborhood

activist. Keating notes that the number of artists working in traditional mediums like painting and sculpture may have reached 5,000 if you count the 21-year-old Santa Fe Art Colony located just south of the 10 Freeway and the Brewery Art Colony north of Downtown at Main and the 5 Freeway.

5,000 people attended the 1981 Los Angeles Visual Arts Festival, which included 23 galleries in and around the Arts District.

“We had people coming from the Westside to visit and buy from the Arts District galleries,” says artist and long-time Downtown resident Qathryn Brehm.

That didn’t last.“It was the tent city that changed the neighborhood,”

Brehm says. A temporary homeless encampment was created by the

city for a few summer months in 1987. It was placed on an empty RTD railroad yard along Santa Fe at 4th Street, now

Bloomfest LA 2010 Music & Arts Festival Open Studio Tours and Street Festival in Joel Bloom SquareSaturday, August 14th, 2010 Noon-11pmat East 3rd & TractionAfter party @ e3rd Lounge from 11pm-2am

The Bloomfest street and music festival, named af-ter the patron saint of the Arts District, will include a self-guided tour of 40 artists’ studios, along with 15 live bands, vendor booths and food trucks. For organizers, this event is a reminder that the post-industrial Downtown is still producing work.

The Arts District is bordered by Alameda on the west, the Los Angeles River on the east, Temple on the North and 7th Street on the South. Shuttles will make rounds on the quarter-hour.

Photo by RUSh VARELAJoel Bloom, 1948-2007

Photo by ED FUENtES


the Metro subway yard. That encampment was blamed for being the source of a series of car break-ins, as some who lived or visited the camps roamed back and forth from services in Skid Row. Both Keating and Brehm say that cars with art buyers from the Westside soon became more infre-quent.

Blight, neglect and municipal indifference mobilized groups to bring attention to this side of Los Angeles. That was partly the reason LARABA was formed in the early 1990s by late developer Al Tiara and current Arts District resident Drew Lesso. They looked to change services, development and city policy that threatened to shred away the neighborhood. One major battle against a planned Los Angeles Unified School District warehouse resulted in the preservation of the building that is now home to the South-ern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc).

The late Joel Bloom was another factor in forming Arts District identity. It was from his general store at Trac-tion and Hewitt that Bloom helped organize residents and develop plans to bring services to the neighborhood. He advocated for the name “Arts District” to be recognized by the city and started a neighborhood watch walk that is still held every Wednesday night. Both Bloom and Keating each served a term as LARABA President.

TO THE CORE

It was a heartier breed of artists that lived in and around the former financial district back at the time the Artist in Residence ordinance was passed. They felt as if there were more steps taken backward than forward. “Each build-

ing had its own personality,” Brehm says. She first moved Downtown to live at 8th and Spring in 1979. “They were separate communities. Once you were [walking] on the street, you were almost on your own.”

Still, artists found inspiration in the grit of the Historic Core and cheap rents suitable enough to stay.

In 1999, the city’s adoption of the Adaptive Reuse Ordi-nance was a game changer in the former financial district, where under-used commercial buildings could now more easily be converted into housing. The act saved historic buildings that otherwise would have faced the wreck-ing ball, and the new population that moved in made the neighborhood more hospitable for new businesses.

The neighborhood began to become a pedestrian one, thanks to the work of early developers like Tom Gilmore. It was into this atmosphere of nascent revitalization that the 2003 proposal for Gallery Row was submitted by arts activist and playwright Nic Cha Kim and Inshallah Gallery owner Kjell Hagen.

“I didn’t expect Gallery Row to happen in the first place, much less the current explosion,” Cha Kim says. “It’s clear now this is exactly what Downtown needed, but no, I never expected this level of growth.”

Finally, in September 2004, with eight participating galleries and 75 visitors, Bert Green’s idea for a Downtown Art Walk began, a month prior to the opening of his own Bert Green Fine Arts gallery. In the nearly six years since, it has evolved to a point where more than 10,000 people can be expected on any given Thursday night, roaming 40 galleries.

Clearly in his own world is Glugio “Gronk” Nicandro, arguably Downtown’s most high profile artist-in-residence. He is currently slated to be part of a major exhibition for LACMA in September, a retrospective of the Chicano performance and conceptual art group Asco. Gronk was one of a band of artists from East Los Angeles that included Harry Gamboa Jr., Willie Herrón and Patssi Valdez. A body of their work from 1971-1987 will be surveyed.

It was in those early years that Gronk moved to Downtown, first living at Victor Clothing Company building on Broadway in 1978 while co-founding LACE Gallery. He moved to the American Hotel in the Arts District in the early 1980s, then lived in the Pacific Grand Hotel in 1983 (now renovated as The El Dorado Lofts). He moved to his current loft on Spring between 7th and 8th in 1987.

For him and others who lived Downtown, making art and having a party is nothing new. It’s just not underground anymore.

“In 1978, I did a show at LACE called ‘Dreva/Gronk 1968-1978.’ It was the first time Punk bands played in a gallery setting,’ says Gronk, recalling that night when 2,000 people showed and LAPD shut it down. “A cross section of L.A. life came. It was like an art walk in 1978. It was a hit.”

Asked if there was something lost when Art Walk become more popular, Gronk sets a different perspective. He takes in Art Walk for the fun and considers it a party. “Always has been,” he says. “It’s for the young, not all of who go to art events all the time. It is one day a month and fun.”

“The art in the galleries varies. Some are run by people who know a lot about the arts,

and other galleries know only what they want to know. Some are not galleries at all, but think they are.”

“The reason I have shown at Art Walk is because it is fun. Not to make or break my career. Quality is a euphemism for the familiar. I want to be surprised by each Art Walk. And if I don’t want to go to them I will just stay home and art walk across the studio that I live in.”

Which has us wondering, where does Gronk go -- other than his studio -- when he wants to see art? MOCA? The Geffen perhaps?

“When I go looking for art, I go to Clifton’s on Broadway. It is the ‘louvre’ of Downtown art. And for two bucks I can have Cubist Jell-o.”

As for Lopez and Varela, both expect their events to hit new highs this week as they continue to build on that earlier work. On Thursday, August 12th, Lopez expects Downtown Art Walk to see a record number of visitors in its final walk of summer, which will also showcase some of Lopez’s new programming. Two days later, on Saturday, August 14th, Varela will manage a giant, free block party from noon to midnight. Bloomfest will feature more than 40 visual artists with open studios along with live bands, vendors and food trucks. That the event continues at all is quite the feat given the cash-strapped city’s new policy to no longer waive the $1,000 permit fee for street closures.

The organizers of the 1981 Visual Arts Festival hoped to use their event to showcase a new and vibrant neighbor-hood. The neighborhoods may be a little more established now, but both Art Walk and Bloomfest have kept that same goal.

María Margarita López contributed to this report.

Rush Varela is a commercial and editorial photographer based in the Arts District and graduate from Art Center College of De-sign, in Pasadena California

Photo by RUSh VARELA

Gronk


DTLA Resident Card Hot Discount of the Week:

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621 S. Spring.

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‘Friends With Knives’25-year-old New Yorker Victor Garcia is the curator of Crewest’s latest group show, a survey of up to 20 international street art-ists. Featured in the mix is Los Angeles urban artist Chaz Bojorquez, who has a site specific installation in the gallery. The works focuses on street art made with stencils cut by X-Acto blades, hence the name.Crewest110 Winston StContinues through Aug. 29crewest.com

‘Memories From My Youth in Communist Romania’A collective of paintings that expose the memory of artist Claudia French, who from childhood to young adulthood witnessed a environment that sometimes brought fear. The promise of the artist is her disclo-sures will be “poetic.”Cotrutza Gallery446 S. Main StOpening Reception duringDowntown Art Walk from 6pm to 10:30pm

For Your PleasureCB1 Gallery presents an exhibition that doubles as a pre-view of ten emerging artists slated for solos shows at CB1 Gallery. Chuck Agro, Martin Durazo, Larry Mantello, Tame-ka Norris, Chris Oatey, Hilde Overbergh, Mira Schor, Su-san Silas, Amy Yoes and HK Zamani. The exhibition opened Aug 6 and closes on Sep 4.CB1 Gallery207 W. 5thcb1gallery.com

David PhillipsWith a piece called Red Comet Dawn, you can expect something bold. It’s the title of one of abstraction artist David Phillips, who is showing at Downtown Art Center Gallery.Downtown Art Center Gallery828 S Main Stdacgallery.com

BROADWAY AS A GALLERYThe Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation offers a Broadway Theatre District Walking Tour beginning this month during the August Art Walk. Tours will depart from the 2nd floor of Clifton’s Cafeteria, at 7th and Broadway, and include a photo presentation with an overview of the past and future of the district. Tours lasting 30 to 40 minutes depart at 6:30pm, 7pm, and 7:30pm. There is a limited capacity, and reservations are required. The 7pm tour will feature Downtown’s Poet Broker, Ed Rosenthal, offering “his inimitable look at Broadway with a fact and anecdote filled tour.” lahtf.org

Downtown Art Walk has over 40 galleries exhibiting works from established and emerging artists. While all of Downtown joins in, the bulk of the galleries, including one night pop-ups, are between Spring, Main, 2nd and 9th streets. A complete map is available at the Downtown Art Walk’s official outpost in the lobby of the Los Angeles Theater Center, located at 514 S. Spring St.

Here is a guide to the shows that you should not miss seeing on the August Art Walk.

‘Vacation’ by Broken Crow at Crewest

Art Walk GuideblogdowntownWeekly10 Online at blogdowntown.comAugust 12, 2010

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Chen Chieh-JenEmpire’s Borders II-Western Experience Continuing at REDCAT is Chen Chieh-jen’s films examining the history of Taiwan “within the larger context of global-ization.”REDCAT631 West 2nd StreetScreening from Noon to 6pmContinues through Sun Sep 5Freeredcat.org

SITA’S SISTERSMithila Painters of India 1988-2010: Guest curator Peter Zirnis continues his survey of Indian Mithila art at Norbertellen Gallery. According to Zirnis, the art reflects an ancient origin for Mithila art and its long standing role in marriage ceremonies.Norbertellen Gallery215 W 6th St, Suite 110Runs until August 31norbertellengallery.com

GROWIn this exhibition curated by Shervin Shahbazi, new works by eighteen Los Angeles based artists is a collection of painting, sculpture, performance, print, video, photog-raphy, and installation work. The artists, made of public artists, arts educators, art activists, writers, designers, environmentalists, muralists, and fashion designers use the exhibition “as a launching off point to explore the power of art as a catalyst.” Morono Kiang Gallery218 West 3rd Street (Bradbury Building)Runs through August 21

Inset photo: A closer look at “Cupfake” sculptures by New York artist Larry Mantello.

MORONO KIANG GALLERY

LATC / ART WALK LOUNGE

CB1 GALLERY

BERT GREEN FINE ART

COTRUTZA GALLERY

MOBILE FOOD COURT

NORBERTELLENGALLERY

TAKE MY PICTURE GALLERY

DOWNTOWN ART CENTER GALLERY

CREWEST

FIDMThe Art of Television Costume DesignThe annual retrospective of over 100 of television’s costume de-signs. Until Sep 4Disney Alice in Wonderland Design ExhibitionColleen Atwood’s original costumes from the film “Alice” and Alice in Wonderland inspired clothing and products. Until Sep 30919 S Grand / fidm.edu

Take My Picture GalleryPhotographer Gary Leonard hosts “LA NOIR / Paintings by Deborah Blum.” Runs Summer 2010. 860 S Broadway / TakeMyPicture.com

Bert Green Fine ArtArt Walk is closing day for “David Hollen New Sculpture” and Jen Heaslip “Agua” New Paintings. Ends August 12. Gallery closes 6pm.102 West 5th St / BGFA.us


CalendarLewis Black

WHEN: Fri, Aug 13, 8PMWHERE: Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave.

One of the most prolific and popular performers working today, Black ex-ecutes a brilliant trifecta as stand-up comedian, actor and author. In August 2007, he was the first stand-up comedian to ever perform in concert at the Walt Dis-ney Concert Hall.

Natalie Merchant

WHEN: Fri, Aug 13, 8PMWHERE: Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway

The former 10,000 Maniacs front woman headlines the historic Orpheum Theatre in support of “Leave Your Sleep,” her first studio re-cording in seven years. She brilliantly adapts the works of such poets as Edward Lear, Ogden Nash, and Robert Graves.

Miracle Mile

WHEN: Fri, Aug 13, 8PMWHERE: Pershing Square, 532 S Olive

The film takes place in a single day and night, beginning as the two main characters, Harry and Julie, meet and are immediately attracted to each other. They make a date for later in the evening, but fail to meet due to a quirk of fate.

The Rising & Hollywood U2

WHEN: Fri, Aug 13, 9PMWHERE: Club Nokia, 800 W

Olympic

It's a double-bill tribute show, with The Rising paying homage to Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and Hollywood U2 channeling Bono and com-pany.

Pizza!; Atole; Laco$te; Essay

WHEN: Fri, Aug 13, 9PMWHERE: The Smell, 247 S Main St

Tickets available at the door for $5. All ages.

Active Arts at the Music Center presents Drum Downtown

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 10AMWHERE: Music Center Plaza,

Think Venice beach drum circle in the middle of the city, and experience “well-ness drumming” that uses rhythm as a tool for reflec-tion, relaxation and stress relief. For non-drummers and drummers of all levels, no experience necessary.

BloomFestLA

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 12PMWHERE: Joel Bloom Square, E 3rd and Traction

Music and Arts Festival named after Arts District pioneer. Runs from noon to 11pm.

INDIAFEST 2010 The Offi-cial Annual India Indepen-dence Day Event

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 7PMWHERE: Club Tatou, 333 S. Boyleston

Bollywood comes to Holly-wood… or Downtown L.A. rather, in celebration of India’s Independence Day.

THIS WEEK IN GRAND PERFORMANCES

Roped In: A Talk About the Power of String to do the Communal Thing Part performance artist, and always a scholar, Anna B. Scott, Ph.D., will show how string is the element that ties our culture together.Thurs, Aug 12, 8pm

Arohi EnsembleOriginal world music based on the musical tradi-tions of India, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Eu-rope and Jazz. Sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina and the City of Los Ange-les, Department of Cultural Affairs.Fri, Aug 13, 12pm

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba and Den-gue Fever Mali’s Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba are rooted in the griot tradition. The ngoni – considered to be the banjo’s ancestor – is a partner with paired with the bass ngoni, callebasse, percussion and vocalist Amy Sacko. It’s “60’s-era Cambodian pop meets psychedelic rock.” Fri, Aug 13, 8pm

Tabou ComboFor 30 year, Haitian group Tabou Combo have been rocking audiences English, Spanish, French and their native creole.Sat, Aug 15, 8pm

Grand PerformancesFree300-350 S. Grand Avegrandperformances.org

Lady Gaga with Semi Pre-cious Weapons

WHEN: Thu, Aug 12, 8PMWHERE: Staples Center, 1111 S Figueroa

On the 2nd of two sold out nights, the monsters invade Downtown lead by shock-pop artist Lady Gaga. Her stage-diving antics at last weekend’s Lollapolooza stunned audiences and now she’ll bring the ball with tour mates Semi Pre-cious Weapons.

Los Adolescentes

WHEN: Thu, Aug 12, 8PMWHERE: Conga Room, 800 W Olympic Blvd

The salsa sensations visit the Conga Room at L.A. Live.

Gamble House

WHEN: Thu, Aug 12, 8PMWHERE: Pershing Square, 532 S Olive

Ben Becker's self-titled recorded debut as Gamble House sees his one-time bedroom recording project flourish into an astonishing full-fledged album.

Queens of the Stone Age

WHEN: Thu, Aug 12, 9PMWHERE: Club Nokia, 800 W Olympic

Queens of the Stone Age and Eagles of Death Metal


One of the city’s most venerable events returns to Little Tokyo from August 14 - 22, reviving old and creating new Japanese tradi-tions.

Little Tokyo’s 70th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival cele-brates its Grand Parade on Sunday, August 15th at 5:30pm.

Community leader and Ondo Committee head since 1971, Bill Hideo Kikuchi serves as Grand Marshal and U.S. figure skating champion Mirai Nagasu is the Parade Marshall this year.

The Nisei Week Grand Parade route begins at Central Avenue, traveling west on 2nd Street, north on Los Angeles Street, then east on First Street before completing its tour of Little Tokyo at Central. The parade will see the return of Nebuta floats, large paper lanterns lit from inside that move mystically through Little Tokyo. A Sumo demonstration, eating competitions and the new Nesei Week Film Festival are but a few of the many Japanese cultural events that will attract thousands to Little Tokyo this weekend.

The Ondo Festival, an afternoon of folk dancing that the public is allowed to join in, is one of the original events held during the Nisei Week. New additions like the Nebuta floats and last year’s Tanabata Festival were designed to keep the festival fresh. The lanterns, created by various community groups, will be displayed at the MOCA Geffen Contemporary Plaza August 14 and 15.

This year there is also a nod to public art, as the renovated Yagura Fire Tower will be unveiled in Japanese Plaza on August 14 at 10am.

70th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival August 14-22Little Tokyoniseiweek.org

70th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival

LOCAL PICK Cafe Metropol Robin McKelle Boston based chanteuse brings the blues to the Arts District. Fri, Aug 13, 2010

Jacqueline Kim Cozy and intimate setting is for this popular jazz quartet. Sat, Aug 14, 2010

(213) 613-1537 923 E 3rd St Arts District cafemetropol.com

GUAYAO

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 8PMWHERE: Conga Room, 800 W Olympic Blvd

Every Saturday night the world-famous Conga Room in Downtown Los Angeles features live music,

Salsa lessons and hosts more than 600 people.

BETTY

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 8PMWHERE: Pershing Square, 532 S Olive

The hot pop rock band is composed of wildly talent-ed, fiercely funny, outspo-ken rock and roll women who leave audiences screaming!

DADA

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 8PMWHERE: Pershing Square, 532 S Olive

Very much a traditional rock band built upon a foundation of wondrous harmonies, a superior rhythm section of drum-mer Phil Leavitt and bassist Joie Calio, and the mercu-rial guitar work of Michael Gurley.

Seu Jorge and ALMAZ

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 9PMWHERE: Club Nokia, 800 W Olympic

Seu Jorge--the Brazilian singer and guitarist con-sidered by fans to have spearheaded the Brazil-ian samba renaissance of the early 21st century brings his Seu Jorge Pres-ents ALMAZ show to Club Nokia on Saturday, August 14th--presented in asso-ciation with Brazilian Nites and 89.9 KCRW.

Innerds; 2 Up; Upsilon Acrux; Hiking

WHEN: Sat, Aug 14, 9PMWHERE: The Smell, 247 S Main St


Los Angeles Conservancy Presents: Nanny McPhee Returns

WHEN: Sun, Aug 15, 2PMWHERE: Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway

Be among the first to see the next chapter in this enchanting story from Universal Pictures -- before its U.S. premiere! Enjoy a summer afternoon in a historic, air-conditioned


The UA has been on the open market for eight months now. Why hasn’t it sold?

In the best of real estate markets, a 12-story office build-ing and 1600-seat movie palace combo is a highly specialized property. Pastor Scott places a high priority on finding a buyer who will respect the histori-cal integrity and take care of the building and theatre and make a positive contribution to the revi-talization of Broadway. Some adjustments from the original pricing have been made recently to better reflect the current Down-town market.

What’s the upside for a buyer to come in and lease to you? Could they still turn a profit?

There are many owner/devel-opers with strong track records in profitably restoring and rehab-bing historic office buildings. On the other hand, the list of accom-plished, successful private owner/operators of for-profit historic theatres is very short.

If a benefactor to purchase the entire United Artists parcel for the LAHTF (and/or another non-prof-it operator) does not materialize, we’d be very interested in working out a deal with a partner to buy the property and set up a lease-purchase deal for the theatre. The developer could potentially make money on the office building piece and recoup some of the purchase price by splitting the theatre from the parcel.

So, yes, it is feasible that a private investor could buy the building, lease or sell the theatre to the LAHTF, and make a profit.

How would a revived Unit-ed Artists compete with a theater like the Orpheum? Are enough shows inter-ested in coming to Broad-way to keep multiple screens and stages busy?

A revived United Artists Theatre would serve more to complement the Orpheum than to compete with it.

The Orpheum has about 400 more seats than the UA, which

will always be a solid advantage to a for-profit promoter. The Orpheum operates strictly as a rental house - it does not produce and pres-ent shows. It rents the theatre to promoters, producers and film locations, who bear the

The Historic Theatre DreamHillsman Wright and the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation (LAHTF) have a dream for Broadway’s old movie palaces. Right now the group is trying to find a buyer to purchase the Spanish gothic-styled Unit-ed Artists Theatre and lease it to the nonprofit. We asked Wright about the challenge.

Photo by WENDELL bENEDEttI / LAhtF

Photo by WENDELL bENEDEttI / LAhtF

expense of producing/promoting the event and they collect the profits or suffer the losses from the event presented.

This model works for the Orpheum, but means that often the theatre is not booked for days/weeks at a time.

The goal of non-profit operation of the UA (and other Broadway theatres) would be to keep the theatre overhead very low and to activate the theatre by keeping it lit and busy as much as possible. A combination of rental users, shows we produce (i.e. film series, premieres and special events), and shows the LAHTF would present or co-present with promoters, sponsors and underwriters. This fare could include a popular priced Broadway subscription series, dance - fine arts series, major speakers and all manner of music and concerts. Profitable show would subsidize shows that lose money.

The key to keeping the UA overhead low is to raise money from public and private sources to fund the purchase, restoration and rehabilitation, so the theatre is brought up to modern production requirements and is bought and paid for. There’s a huge body of experience around the coun-try that proves this concept. If freed of the debt service for purchase, restoration and re-hab, the theatre can operate on a breakeven or better basis. There are 10 more theatres to fully activate on the street.

When successful at the United Artists, the LAHTF could take on the management and operation of several other theatres on the street using this model and the economies of scale that central management and operation would afford. If all 12 theatres on the street are privately operated, who will ensure that all 12 are not dark at the same time for days or weeks?

Finally, Broadway producers and promotors will go wherever they think they can make money. Thanks to Steve Needleman and the Orpheum, it has been proved that there is money to be made on Braodway’s historic stages and screens.

Looking up from the stage of the 1927 United Artists Theatre on Broadway, which many consider to be the best preserved of the dozen theatres found in the Broadway historic district.

UNITED ARTISTS AT A GLANCE

Built by D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford in 1927.

In 1990, the theatre was purchased by Dr. Gene Scott, who operated his church from the building until his death in 2005.

The twin “Jesus Saves” signs on the roof of the building were originally found atop the Church of the Open Door on Hope Street, next to the Central Library. Scott purchased them from a scrapyard.


movie palace! Best of all, all proceeds benefit the Conservancy!

Matisyahu

WHEN: Sun, Aug 15, 9PMWHERE: Club Nokia, 800 W Olympic

The Hasidic-Jewish, reg-gae/hip-hop musician from New York City will be appearing with Nathen Maxwell and The Original Bunny Gang. He’s on tour supporting Light, an album that reflects more than two years’ worth of religious study.

Abe Vigoda; Masters And Johnson; Naomi Punk; Dunes

WHEN: Mon, Aug 16, 9PMWHERE: The Smell, 247 S Main St


An Evening With John Mellencamp

WHEN: Tue, Aug 17, 8PMWHERE: The Grammy Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd (Ste A245)

Join Executive Director Robert Santelli as he inter-views legendary heartland singer-songwriter John Mellencamp the same day his hotly-anticipated new T Bone Burnett-produced al-

bum, No Better Than This, is released.

Fat Worm Of Error; Tusk; Kit; Foot Village

WHEN: Tue, Aug 17, 9PMWHERE: The Smell, 247 S Main St


Jessie Payo

WHEN: Wed, Aug 18, 8PMWHERE: Pershing Square, 532 S Olive

Having just launched her solo career, Ms. Payo is proving to be a sweet-sounding force to be reck-oned with. Jessie’s opened for The Black Eyed Peas, Jason Mraz, Lauryn Hill, Lupe Fiasco, Etta James and Boyz II Men.

Aaron McLain

WHEN: Wed, Aug 18, 9PMWHERE: Pershing Square, 532 S Olive

Once L.A. native Aaron McLain straps on his elec-tric guitar and takes the stage, suddenly he’s a god, a true rock & roll hero, channeling some of his favorite influences.

CONTINUING

Art Squared Gallery

June 27 – Oct 31, DailyPershing Square, 532 S. Olive St, 213.847.4970Price: FREE

A community partnership between Pershing Square and the LA Down-town Artist Project, Art Squared Gallery integrated art into the built spaces of Pershing Square.

The Last Chapbook Project

Ongoing, Mondays–Thursdays (11am–8pm)Fridays–Saturdays (11am–10pm)Sundays (1–5pm)The Last Bookstore, 400 S. Main St, 310.403.0168Price: FREE

A Salon series featuring the Chap-book Project poets and authors takes place the third Sunday of the month, 3pm. Contact TLB for details

Dennis Hopper Double Standard

July 11 – Sep 26Mondays (11am–5pm), Thursdays (11am–8pm), Fridays (11am–5pm), Saturdays–Sun-days (11am–6pm)The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., 213.626.6222General Admission: $10

This comprehensive survey exhibi-tion traces the evolution of Dennis Hopper’s artistic output and fea-tures key selections spanning his 60-year career in a range of media, including paintings, sculpture, pho-tographs, and assemblages from the 1950s and ‘60s; paintings from the 1980s and ‘90s; grafitti-inspired

wall constructions and large-scale billboard paintings from the 2000s; recent work, and film installations.

Strange Kozmic ExperienceApr 5, 2010 – Feb 13, 2011The GRAMMY Museum, 800 W. Olympic Blvd, 213.765.6800General Admission: $14.95

The GRAMMY Museum’s third major special exhibit, Strange Kozmic Ex-perience explores the innovations, legacies, and continual impact of the artists who defined a genera-tion: The Doors, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix. Through personal artifacts, original art, and stunning photography, visitors will have the chance to get up-close and person-al with the most influential musi-cians of the 1960s.

Faced with the challenge of redeveloping a seven-mile swath of indus-trial land along the L.A. River, the city is turning to public for ideas.

A contest launched this week by SCI-Arc, the Architect’s Newspa-per and the Mayor’s office seeks plans both large and small for how to transform the former industrial areas being called the Cleantech Corri-dor into what Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hopes will be “an incubator for green jobs, technology and the growth of L.A.’s economy.”

Professionals and students -- as well as anyone else who can put together a drawing -- are asked to “challenge conventional wisdom about civic development, green architecture and regulatory constraints, deploying fresh design strategies that reset the relationship between industrial, living and public space in Los Angeles.”

The city’s own efforts in the corridor, which includes parts of the Industrial District, Arts District and Chinatown, haven’t gotten very far in the year and a half since it was branded with the cleantech name.

Residential development was first stopped in early 2008 when a policy of preserving land for industrial uses was put into place. A May report from a panel of experts convened through the Urban Land Insti-tute countered that strategy, saying that it would take mixed-use neigh-borhoods to lure high tech companies and incubators.

The panel also challenged the Cleantech Corridor name itself. Jim Held, founder of UrbanGreen, LLC in San Francisco, noted that the group “observed a critical amount of confusion around the terms.”

Contest entrants are asked to illustrate designs for a model Clean-tech Facility, a multi-block “Green District” and a master plan for the corridor as a whole. The entry fee is $100 for professionals and $50 for students, and up to $11,500 in cash prizes will be awarded. Entries are due September 30, with winners announced on October 9.

Cleantech Contest Launches


blogdowntown Weekly - August 12, 2010

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