blogdowntown

Grand Opening Day for L.A. Live

Eric Richardson — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:41:23 -0800

Last week, crews assemble the 54-foot LED-sphere-covered tree that will act as centerpiece for "Light of the Angels." Photo by Eric Richardson.

Though different parts of the $2.5 billion L.A. Live complex have opened over the past weeks, today all the pieces come together.

At 7pm, the 54-foot metal Christmas tree on Nokia Plaza will be lit in a star-studded celebration, followed by shows at Staples Center, Club Nokia and the Conga Room.

Here at blogdowntown, we've been heavy with L.A. Live coverage lately. With so much taking place on the 27-acre site, it seemed wise to summarize where all the different pieces are right now.

LIGHT OF THE ANGELS: The "Light of the Angels" Holiday multi-media show kicks off at 7pm, the first of four daily runs that will take place through December 31.

Press announcements for the kickoff tout the appearance of Mayor Antonio Villraigosa, USC Football coach Pete Carroll, GRAMMY Winner Natalie Cole, Adam Carolla and a "SURPRISE CELEBRITY SUPERSTAR." blogdowntown is reporting that special guest to be Britney Spears. The secrecy could be desired suspense, or the result of Spears reportedly wishy-washy commitment to last night's Rockefeller Center lighting ceremony.

The lighting will be broadcast live on KTLA.

SHOWS: Along with the lighting, a trio of entertainment options will draw music-lovers to the complex on Thursday night.

At Staples Center, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals open for Oasis, with tickets running $40 - $80.

Club Nokia offers America with opener Keb' Mo'. Tickets run $30 - $65. The venue opened less than a month ago with two nights by Beck. blogdowntown was also on-hand November 15 for the club's first Latin night, featuring Calle 13 and Kinky.

One floor down, the Conga Room welcomes the public to its new space for the first time, hosting multiple GRAMMY winner Olga Tañón for the first of two nights. blogdowntown previewed the impressive new venue yesterday as crews were applying finishing touches to the space.

GRAMMY MUSEUM: The GRAMMY Museum hosted a press preview on Tuesday, showing off a collection of artifacts and interactive exhibits that will excite music fans. There's a ribbon cutting Friday morning, after which the museum will host its first school groups. The space opens to the public on Saturday.

LUCKY STRIKE: Lucky Strike Lanes opened to the public last week, bringing a Downtown location for the bowling lounge. Since the first Lucky Strike opened in Hollywood in 2003, the company has opened locations in thirteen other states and one in Canada.

RESTAURANTS: Only ESPN Zone is open to the public this weekend. The massive space will certainly impress sports fans (and those interested in killing time in its large game room), but isn't without its opening flaws. In one dining room the choice to assemble a massive center screen via three vertical panels is proving a disappointment, with the lines providing a strong distraction (and causing split-screen talking heads to go faceless).

Visitors will be happy to know that L.A. Live's Starbucks opened yesterday, December 3.

Looking for a map of where the restaurants in the complex actually are? We posted one yesterday.

HOTEL TOWER: The 54-story tower housing the 878 room J.W. Marriott, 123 room Ritz Carlton and 224 condos is nearly done with vertical construction. The tower is set to top off next week, and the hotels are slated to open in 2010. The building's groundbreaking took place almost exactly one and a half years ago.

ESPN: The raw space that will house ESPN's broadcast facilities were handed over to the network earlier this year. The studios, which will host shows including the late-night Sportscenter, are slated to be up and running in 2009.

ARCHITECTURE: L.A. Times' Architecture Critic Christopher Hawthorne ripped into the design of the complex yesterday, saying that it was "not really architecture at all but an extensive series of armatures on which the developer and its tenants can hang logos, video screens and a sophisticated range of lighting effects."

PARKING: 4,000 spaces sit underneath L.A. Live, but attendees will certainly continue to park in lots and structures around the area. The garage guides users to different parking areas in an attempt to keep convenient spaces free for dining guests and visitors while sporting events and shows are taking place.

By Eric Richardson.

Touring Downtown WIFI: siptea

Ed Fuentes — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:42:44 -0800

This story is an installment of Touring Downtown WIFI.

New teahouse siptea is so particular about its product that owner Laura Stewart refuses to serve coffee for fear that the overpowering aroma would drown out the experience of the organic teas.

The shop is also a great place to get some work done, featuring WIFI and available power for those seeking out a serene setting for productivity. If you find yourself stumped writing that email, you can get some added inspiration by looking out the front window to the turquoise terra cotta Eastern Columbia Building, located across the street.

Or you can have some more tea.

Stewart is such a purist in her private tea-dom, she admits she's becoming the tea version of Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi. “No tea balls for you!,” she will say with a smile when people ask for them, explaining that tea stuffed in a ball is too compacted to steep correctly. Fortunately, Stewart does have a small collection of tea-pots to sell for gifts.

OVERALL PROS: Good light and soft music fill the space built for lounging, and two strategic outlets are placed apart from each other. No password is needed for the connection, and if you take in a large pot of tea, and its not busy, the staff doesn’t mind if you linger a bit. Stewart says power strips can be available if the demand for more outlets increases.

OVERALL CONS: Not many cons, unless I become fussy about price. But even so, when you have a fresh iced tea their way, it’s worth it.

NO COFFEE FOR YOU: Don’t even go there. And don’t even think you will see a tea bag. It’s all organic loose tea, thank you very much, and the selection would take an completely separate story.

THE WILD CARD: A good time to try out siptea is this weekend. On December 6, the shop will be hosting artists selling organic clothing, gifts, stationary, art and jewelry from 11am to 6pm. The vendors range from XB’S T’S, Swamp Pink to Tupperware and Kate Holland Jewelry.

If you've visited before, note that siptea has been playing with its hours. The teahouse is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 8pm, and on Saturday through Sunday from 11am to 6pm. It's closed Mondays.

siptea / 852 S. Broadway / 213-622-8007

Touring Downtown WIFI

Looking for a place to hang out and get some work done? We're taking a look at WIFI spots around Downtown.

By Ed Fuentes.

For Reference: A Map of L.A. Live's Restaurants

Eric Richardson — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:43:19 -0800

Though you can easily find this venue map posted on kiosks at Nokia Plaza and available as part of a cool fold-out print piece, you would be hard-pressed to find a map of L.A. Live's restaurants on the complex's website. We thought that might be something you would be curious about before visiting.

The restaurants at L.A. Live are clustered into the two buildings closest to Figueroa. One houses the massive ESPN Zone, while the other contains the rest of the restaurant offerings.

ESPN Zone opened for business on Monday. The complex's Starbucks served its first drinks today. Several of the remaining restaurants will be opening over the next days and weeks, while others like Wolfgang Puck and Trader Vic's are still months out.

By Eric Richardson.

New Conga Room Set to Add Latin Flavor to L.A. Live's Music Venues

Ed Fuentes and Eric Richardson — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:10:56 -0800

Staff stock the "S" bar, one of three in the new Conga Room. The venue opens on Thursday. Photo by Eric Richardson.

Crews were hard at work on Tuesday running cables and stocking bars at the new Conga Room. There's always a lot to be done when opening a music venue or restaurant. When that venue is part of the $2.5 billion L.A. Live and features a restaurant, broadcast facilities and a lighting system that can instantly change the feel of the entire space, those last-minute logistics are multiplied.

But with just two days to go before a December 4 soft-opening, the scene at Conga Room was surprisingly calm.

The chocolate-colored wood floors felt their first quick rhythmic steps from just-hired hostesses dancing over fragile fiber cable waiting to be installed. Barbacks delivered cases of premiere rums to the rich red “S” bar curving against a backdrop of tiled butterflies lit by orange light. Nearby, the exploding lines of the Papaya Bar, designed by Cuban-American artist Jorge Pardo, made halos on the floor when hit with afternoon light.

In a far corner, next to a nest where DJs will survey the dance floor, young artists were applying final touches to a Sergio Arau mural. It’s a luchado, a masked Mexican wrestler seen in mid-fight from his high flying move. He's distracted by a Latina in head dress, striking a pose from "One Million Years B.C."

Indeed the female form even looks like Raquel Welch, highlighting her Bolivian background with eyes gazing over to the VIP area at the back of the 15,000 square foot club.

Textures abound in the new space, designed by architect Hagy Belzberg. From the ground-floor entryway a sculpture known as the Vortex rises up through the second floor and into a white ceiling composed of glossy, tilted acoustic tiles. Strips of LEDs reflect color off the ceiling, instantly changing the color of the venue. The VIP rooms are decorated with rich wallpaper and plush furniture.

Most patrons may not notice, but the new Conga Room is heavy on technology. The venue is fully wired as a live broadcast facility, able to plug straight into L.A. Live's satellite and microwave links. A small control room operates cameras mounted around the venue.

The new space marks a return for Conga Room, which closed on Wilshire boulevard in 2006. The venue is several times larger than the old one, holding 1,055 patrons.

The Pan-Latin feel and texture of the nightclub will be matched by Boca, an in-house restaurant that features a menu of Caribbean, Mexican, South American and Cuban dishes by Executive Chef Alex Garcia. The dining area is separated from the main room by multiple panes of glass, but inevitably sound from the show will find its way to diners' ears.

While the tropical high-tech club is all dazzle, the stage is simple. A black floor and modest neon sign fronts a single glittering curtain on a small intimate space that will hold larger groups of musicians elbow to elbow.

It doesn't really matter how many distraction are in the room. The musicians that can headline in The Conga Room know how to play small stages like they are the King and Queens of the nightclub world.

The preview opening of The Conga Room with Olga Tañón, two-time Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy-winning Merengue and Latin Pop artist, will be on December 4th & 5th, 8:00pm / 21 and over / Grand Opening on December 10.

Photo Gallery

By Ed Fuentes and Eric Richardson.

Wednesday: Lunchtime Holiday Shopping at FIDM Trunk Show

Eric Richardson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:56:29 -0800

Looking to get some Christmas shopping out of the way? Tomorrow during lunch take a walk over to Grand Hope Park and check out the FIDM Trunk Show and Sample Sale, featuring jewelry, clothing and home decor designed by FIDM graduates.

The annual event takes place on Wednesday, December 3, from 10am to 4pm.

Grand Hope Park is located at 9th and Flower. The sale will take place on the arcade, adjacent to the FIDM building.

By Eric Richardson.

GRAMMY Museum All About the Music

Eric Richardson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:10:38 -0800

This giant GRAMMY statue sits in the middle of the third floor space and tells how the award's name was born. Photo by Eric Richardson.

When it opens to the public on Saturday, the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. Live will join a small list of major music museums around the country: Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Seattle's Experience Music Project. All highlight the history of music.

"We're not so much about the history of anything really," GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Robert Santelli told a media crowd on-hand to check out the new facility this morning.

While information and artifacts from music's past are certainly to be found in the new space, displays at the GRAMMY Museum put a special focus on music's present, giving visitors a chance to experience the creation process.

The $34 million facility sits on the corner of Figueroa and Olympic, part of the $2.5 billion L.A. Live complex.

AEG, developer of L.A. Live, played a major role in making the museum happen. The Recording Academy, which puts on the GRAMMY Awards, was considering New Orleans and Memphis as possible sites, but not Los Angeles. That changed when AEG announced L.A. Live.

"The joint partnership between the Recording Academy and AEG is why this museum is happening," Santelli said today. AEG led the fundraising effort for the space, and has committed to support the museum for ten years as it establishes its roots.

Despite the corporate involvement, Santelli praised the autonomy he has received from both the Recording Academy and AEG in determining the museum's content. That's an area in which he has plenty of experience, having previously served as a V.P. at the Rock and Roll Museum and as CEO and Artistic Director of the Experience Music Project.

The exhibits at the GRAMMY Museum are heavy on interactivity and technology, offering visitors plenty of chances to engage with music and information. The three story space flows downward, with visitors ferried via elevator to the fourth floor before making their way back down.

The second floor features a 200-seat theater that will show visitors a 17-minute film by Ken Ehrlich called "The Making of a GRAMMY Moment," highlighting the lead-up to a duet by Tina Turner and Beyonce Knowles at the 2008 GRAMMY show. After museum hours the space will become a performance venue, hosting a series of intimate performances that kicks off with a January 15 "Evening with Brian Wilson."

Just outside, the Special Exhibits Gallery will feature rotating displays. It opens with "Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom," an exhibit curated by Daniel Cavicchi. The displays explore the 200-year history of music and politics in America.

The GRAMMY Museum opens to the public on Saturday morning. Tickets are $14.95 for adults and $10.95 for children under 17. The museum plans a strong focus on education, and begins hosting students on Friday.

GRAMMY Museum / 800 W. Olympic / 213.765.6800

Photo Gallery

By Eric Richardson.

Britney to Light L.A. Live Tree on Thursday

Eric Richardson — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:57:03 -0800

In the rain last week, a crew works to assemble the 52-foot tall tree at L.A. Live. Photo by Eric Richardson.

Does Britney Spears' comeback tour include a stop at L.A. Live on Thursday? The rumor around South Park this morning is that Spears will be on hand to kick off "Light of the Angels," L.A. Live's holiday multi-media show.

The AEG-developed complex is abuzz this week, with restaurant openings, a GRAMMY nomination show, the unveiling of the GRAMMY Museum and the holiday show kickoff.

Spears' appearance, rumored to be announced this afternoon, would make perfect sense. The singer is getting set to kick off a tour produced by AEG Live, the giant company's live entertainment arm. That tour kicks off in March of 2009.

"Light of the Angels" is a seven minute multi-media experience that includes the 52-foot, 37,500 pound tree and all the surrounding video and lighting displays on Nokia Plaza. The tree contains 11,000 LED spheres, individually controllable to produce complex patterns and displays.

The first show takes place Thursday at 7pm, with repeat performances on the hour through 10pm. Shows run through the end of the year.

UPDATE (6pm): The press release for Thursday's event says a "SURPRISE CELEBRITY SUPERSTAR" will be appearing, along with USC football coach Pete Carroll, Adam Carolla and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. We're sticking with our story that the special guest is Britney.

By Eric Richardson.

Cole's Set to Kick Off 100th Anniversary Celebration

Sophia Kercher — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:15:43 -0800

The historic bar at Cole's is once again ready to serve drinks after a lengthy renovation. Photo by Francisco Arcaute.

Cole's, which claims to be the oldest restaurant and saloon in Los Angeles, was once renown for looking as dowdy and dank as its one hundred years of existence. In just a few days, the historic Downtown hangout will resurface with a fresh make-over by 213 Downtown LA.

Those who feared that a rehab would strip the eatery of its character will be pleasantly surprised when they walk through the doors starting this Thursday. Though the bar's seen extensive work, it's very much still Cole's.

"Cole's is a beloved institution in L.A. and we've brought it back to life—which is the fun part," says Joan McCraw, the 213 Strategist and a Downtown dweller herself, as a myriad of Cole's vibrant antique light fixtures shine behind her. "It's not going to be about fast food, it's about sitting down and feeling like you're at home," McCraw adds.

The restaurant and saloon is located on 6th street, between Main and Los Angeles. It sits in the nearly cavernous hollow of the old Pacific Electric Building, once a center of real estate and the Pacific Electric Red Car railway network. Patrons can get a peek of the establishment's railroad connections in the hallway that leads to Cole's bathrooms. A small window allows a view of a stairway that once led directly into the station.

The 213 team has restored the original appeal of the old-timey restaurant. The new Cole's stays true to its 1908 saloon roots with preserved Penny tile floors, Tiffany's commissioned stain glass work and the sturdy mahogany bar. Cole's memorabilia dots the walls and there's a fully restored state of the art kitchen with special attention for take-out orders. There's even a looming, massive deer head at the side of the bar, no doubt one of 213's signature taxidermy pieces.

Cole's refurbished menu is described as "comfort food all grown up." Executive Chef Mike Dinon, who practically grew up in restaurant kitchens along the east coast, plans to serve the signature Cole's French dipped sandwich with a great attentiveness to the balance of Au Jus, crisp French rolls and meaty goodness. There will also be a varied selection of slow-cooked, hand-carved meat sandwiches, with a choice of custom-made mustards, all under $10. Long-time visitors should expect new twists to Cole's classics. Dinon plans for additions like dappling bacon and blue cheese on potato salad and on adding a modern spin to diner standards.

"For the coleslaw I'm thinking of doing something you haven't had before, maybe something seasonal to match the beer," Dinon says, assuring that he'll keep the classics on the menu along with his gourmet-revived items.

Cole's is looking forward to welcoming all members of the community with their moderately priced menu and late night bites for Downtowners. Wednesday through Saturday, the bar and hand-carved, made-to-order sandwiches will be available until 2 a.m. Sunday through Tuesday the joint closes at 11 p.m.

The opening of Cole's brings 213's ever-expanding Downtown bar empire to six. Owner Cedd Moses has previously opened the Golden Gopher, Broadway Bar, Seven Grand and the Doheny, and operates Casey's. Across the street from Cole's, Moses is at work on Santa Fe, a tequila bar slated to open in 2009.

Eager fans get their first chance to get inside on Thursday, December 4, as "Cole's 100 Premier Party" kicks off with a fundraiser for the Los Angeles Conservancy. It features a "classic cocktails soiree" with French dip sandwiches, live jazz and DJs. Cole's party-goers are encouraged to dress in 1920s inspired fashion and come as a favorite flapper, silent film star or gangster (after all, Mickey Cohen did have a regular booth at Cole's). Tickets are $50 per person, and include a performance by the City Ballet of Los Angeles depicting the hundred-year history of Cole’s. Those arriving after 9:30 p.m. will miss the show, but pay only $25 per person.

On Friday, December 5, the public is invited to stop by after 8:30 p.m. for the Dewar's Repeal Party. Drinks are seventy-five cents until 11:30 p.m. (in honor of Dewar's 75th), and then just five dollars after that.

There's a special tasting menu on Saturday, December 6, with everything priced at just 100 cents (in honor of Cole's 100th anniversary) from noon to 4 p.m. At 12:30 p.m., Moses and Councilwoman Jan Perry will be among those cutting the ribbon and welcoming Cole's back. Monday, December 8, will be the establishment's first day of normal business.

Coles, Originators of the French Dip / 118 E. 6th / 213-622-4090

Photos

By Sophia Kercher.