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The Great Debaters of Pershing Square

By Eric Richardson — 12:26 PM

Pershing Square Debaters LAPL Photo Collection

The L.A. Times' Steve Lopez yesterday dedicated his Then and Now column to the Long Beach Spit 'n' Argue Club, a group that for 75 years would gather to chew tobacco and debate just about anything.

Lopez includes a mention of Downtown's own debate scene, which for decades was the defining feature of a visit to Pershing Square. — Continued Inside...


'Mobile Food Courts' Headed to Downtown

By Eric Richardson — Yesterday, 12:17 PM
6 Comments

more than tacos

A trio of food trucks will act as guinea pigs for Downtown's first mobile food court this Thursday, making an eatery out of a loading dock at Alameda and Traction. The lot could be the first of many for Downtown. Matt Geller, Vice President of SoCal Mobile Food Vendors Association and the man organizing Thursday's launch, is currently working with the Downtown...


Big Wangs Preps for Sunday Kickoff

By Eric Richardson — Friday
12 Comments

Big Wangs

The former Tranquilty Base space at 8th and Grand starts its new life on Sunday as sports bar Big Wangs opens its doors for the Super Bowl. It's the third location for the eatery, which also operates in Hollywood and North Hollywood. Downtown's different, though. "We think it's a more hip, discerning crowd," said partner PJ Brill this afternoon. While the...


Other Content

New Festival Brings Japanese and Korean Cultures Together

Friday – 1 Comment

The potential loss of identity that comes with outside-owned development has long been a major issue for Little Tokyo, and the 2008 sale of the Little...

What of the L.A. Mall?

Friday – 9 Comments

It's easy to forget about the Los Angeles Mall. The vaguely-named complex sits buried next to City Hall, housing fast food outlets, a handful of retailers...

Looking at Video in a New Light

Thursday – 4 Comments

The average Downtowner has never heard of Vincent Laforet, but the shorts the photographer-turned-filmmaker has released over the past 16 months are required...

Tat’s All, Folks: Main Street Tattoo Closes

February 03, 2010 – 8 Comments

Main Street Tattoo has removed its large blue sign off the front of their parlor. Inside, all that is left is a few chairs, some boxes, and an unfinished...

213's Dave Freeman

February 02, 2010 – 4 Comments

Dave Freeman is not only a career music promoter, he is also a career Downtowner. A little less than a year ago he decided he wanted to work in the neighborhood...

Arts/Culture

Animated Basses to Benefit Grammy Music Education Programs

By Ed Fuentes — Yesterday, 01:46 PM
2 Comments

Animated Basses to Benefit Grammy Music Education Programs

|Photo Gallery| String basses with a New Orleans theme, an Enchanted Princess, Dumbo's Pink Elephants, a Cheshire Cat grin, and a Genie were introduced at the Grammy Museum on Thursday. The next time the instruments stand side-by-side will be in the summer when they are auctioned at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas to benefit the Grammy In The Schools music education programs of...


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Politics

Around the Halls: February 8 - 10, 2010

By Eric Richardson — Yesterday, 09:06 AM

Around the Halls: February 8 - 10, 2010

Today is Monday, February 8, and the city budget continues to be priority one at City Hall. 41 budget instructions go through Council on Tuesday, including recommendations on El Pueblo and the Convention Center. Expect to see more Council in the upcoming weeks: a motion is on the table to schedule Monday and Thursday sessions until the deficit is hammered out...


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Development

New JW Marriott Hotel Staff Reports for Work

By Eric Richardson — Friday
1 Comment

New JW Marriott Hotel Staff Reports for Work

650 new employees of the JW Marriott at L.A. Live showed up for their first day of work on Friday, Just nine days before the opening of the 879-room hotel. They won't have much time to get settled. The hotel opens sold-out on February 15, hosting guests for concert industry event Pollstar Live.


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Food/Nightlife

Ask Downtown: What's Your Favorite Happy Hour?

By Eric Richardson — Friday
18 Comments

Ask Downtown: What's Your Favorite Happy Hour?

Ask Downtown is an occasional series in which we put a reader's Downtown question to you, the real Downtown experts. Help a reader out and share your knowledge. Today's question comes from @ladygrl, who is planning to go out on Monday and wants to know where to go. @blogdowntown meeting a friend for happy hour drinks on mon. best deals for friend rich and...


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Everyday

LAPD Looking for Man in Attempted Nightclub Kidnapping

By Eric Richardson — Thursday
1 Comment

LAPD Looking for Man in Attempted Nightclub Kidnapping

Central Division detectives today released a composite sketch of a man wanted for attempting to kidnap a woman outside a nightclub on the northwest corner of Downtown. The incident took place last Friday evening as the woman left Vertigos Bar & Grill, located at Figueroa and Temple, just on the Downtown side of the 110 and 101 freeways.


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Etc

Truth in Mapping

By Eric Richardson — February 03, 2010
3 Comments

Truth in Mapping

OpenStreetMap is a free, editable map to which anyone can contribute. It's very much the Wikipedia of the mapping world, and suffers many of the same issues -- a lot of the data is very good, but look close and some of it just isn't quite right. When it comes to the site of the old state building at 1st and Broadway, though, I think OSM's data just about nails...


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Shopping

Barney's Warehouse Sale Play by Play

By Ed Fuentes — February 03, 2010
1 Comment

Barney's Warehouse Sale Play by Play

Those of us who are more Fashion Weak than Fashion Week will spend this coming Sunday wearing jeans and watching the Super Bowl. For a different demographic, playbook study is already underway for the chance to score some designer clothing and shoes at the next Barney's Warehouse Sale, which starts tomorrow at the Convention Center.


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