Arts & Culture

'Skid Row' Documentary a Must See for Downtown Residents

By Jeannine Denholm — April 25, 2008
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waiting for the night air

Last year, Pras of the Fugees came Downtown and spent nine days living on the streets, creating a documentary titled Skid Row. I had wanted to see it when it was in the theater but missed its brief run; fortunately it is now available via On Demand from Time Warner cable and Netflix. I wasn’t really sure what to expect considering many people have tried explaining...


Last Dangerous Curve Exhibition to be 'For Mike'

By Ed Fuentes — April 24, 2008
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Closing Doors

Dangerous Curve will be closing its gallery doors with a final exhibition April 26 – May 17. Unfortunately, that’s not the sad part. The final show for the experimental Arts District gallery and performance space will be a memorial exhibition for Michael Cho, the UCLA art student who was shot and killed by La Habra Police on December 31, 2007. Cho was a UCLA...


My Fair Lady on Grand Ave

By Ed Fuentes — April 23, 2008
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'My Fair Lady'

|Photo Gallery| In a city that’s in the middle of it’s own revival, a musical that cannot falter is being performed at the Ahmanson Theatre. Cameron Mackintosh/National Theatre’s incarnation of “My Fair Lady” hits every note, rarely dropping an “H”. During the last Thursday matinee, middle and high school students in attendance gave concert-style...


A Day for Salazar

By Ed Fuentes — April 21, 2008
2 Comments

City Council

Last Friday saw David Hiller, publisher of the Los Angeles Times, join Councilman Richard Alarcón, Councilman José Huizar and members of Ruben Salazar family to hear City Council President Eric Garcetti announce that April 22 will be Ruben Salazar Day––coinciding with the issuance of the US Post Office stamp honoring the Latino journalist.


As It Turns Four, Art Walk is Still Growing

By Ed Fuentes — April 13, 2008
39 Comments

That's the Spirit

|Photo Gallery| “This is amazing,” said Tom Gilmore, looking at the 9:30 PM crowd still swirling around GilVille as he held a rolled up poster. “There’s going to be a time, years from now, when this art walk is smaller––or even bigger––and we will look back and say ‘Oh, this is nothing. You should have seen it when it was really happening, back...


Downtown Film Festival Gets a Home Base

By Jeannine Denholm — April 12, 2008

DT Film Fest Art 156px

The Barker Block lofts will soon become the official home of the Downtown Film Festival. According to founder Greg Ptacek, a 2-story loft is being transformed into festival offices. Warehouses around the development will house a mini cinema village complete with swanky screening room, a lounge featuring local musicians and space for panel discussions. The Downtown...


DotDotDash: Wandering Main Street

By Ed Fuentes — April 09, 2008
1 Comment

Next to the alley of the big city, old neon will light the dark shadows while punch lines from the inner psyche under stark harsh lights. It’s April … and spring finds Spring Street still running alongside Main. As music fills the night air and art hangs on the wall, the streets will be filled with those who want to claim witness to this rumor known as...


New Art Festival Arrives in Los Angeles

By Ed Fuentes — April 08, 2008
1 Comment

SCI-Arc / Elena Manferdini

ForYourArt (FYA) and Black Frame’s first annual Los Angeles Art Weekend will be held Thursday, April 10th, to Sunday, April 13th, giving cultural explorers the chance to survey art, architecture, design and experimental film found in the greater Los Angeles area. As you can see by the simply exemplary FYA guide available online, Downtown Los Angeles is...


Revamped Film Festival Debuts in Revamped Theater

By Ed Fuentes — April 08, 2008

yunagi-7-500

This weekend the ImaginAsian Center will play opening venue for the 2008 Japan Film Festival. The theater plays festival host from Friday, April 11th to Thursday, April 17th before the action moves south to Irvine the following weekend. The ambitious festival began in 2003 as the Chanoma Film Festival, and this year debuts it’s new name, Japan Film Festival...


'Konnichiwa' – and 'Aloha' – From Little Tokyo

By Ed Fuentes — April 07, 2008

Wave

|Photo Gallery| This weekend marked the 7th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival of Southern California’s second year in Little Tokyo. Like all young trees in early growth, the bloom is small. Still, for a street fair that competes for community support with the Little Tokyo Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival and the popular Tofu Festival, the event was a success. The streets...