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From the Newsroom

Downtown's New Burger Joint: LA Market by Kerry Simon

By Eric Richardson — February 19, 2010 — 22 Comments

LA Market Eric Richardson

As media were taking a tour of the JW Marriott L.A. Live on Tuesday, a writer asked Simon his favorite dish on the menu at LA Market, the hotel restaurant where he serves as consulting chef. "The burger," he said without hesitation.

"As soon as I walked away, I was like, 'Should I have said that?'" says Simon when we sit down for an interview the following day. "But that to me is All-American, and it's something that everybody gets. We're going to sell a lot of them here, we already have. I embrace things like that." — Continued Inside...


LADOT Seeking Input on Transit Cuts

By Eric Richardson — February 19, 2010 — 5 Comments

Prep Ed Fuentes

The city's transportation department in January proposed the elimination of three Downtown DASH routes and doubled fares as part of a plan to eliminate a budget deficit now projected to reach $350 million over the next ten years.

It is currently holding a series of community meetings on the moves, and on Tuesday afternoon one of those hearings will be held Downtown at the Caltrans building. — Continued Inside...


Roads/Rails

Study of Underground Regional Connector Passes Metro Committee

By Eric Richardson — February 18, 2010
16 Comments

Study of Underground Regional Connector Passes Metro Committee

An underground option for the proposed Regional Connector light rail link was approved for further study by Metro's Planning and Programming committee today, but project team members warned that savings would need to be found to keep the project within the original $700 - $900 million budget.


El Cholo Slated to Open Downtown

By Ed Fuentes — February 18, 2010 — 20 Comments

IMG_0013 Ed Fuentes

Like El Cholo but dislike having to drive all the way to Western? Your life is about to get easier.

blogdowntown has learned that the venerable Mexican restaurant will soon be opening a Downtown outpost, taking over the South Park building that was home to Liberty Grill until late last year. — Continued Inside...


Politics

Flags at Half-Staff in Honor of City Hall Staffer

By Eric Richardson — February 17, 2010

Flags at Half-Staff in Honor of City Hall Staffer

Flags at City of Los Angeles facilities are at half-staff today in honor of Charmette Bonpua, who passed away unexpectedly over the weekend. Bonpua, 44, was chief of staff to Councilman Herb Wesson.


Everyday

KOUFAX & TORRE...Safe At Home

By Eric Richardson — February 17, 2010
1 Comment

KOUFAX \u0026 TORRE...Safe At Home

After the success of "SCULLY & WOODEN ... For the Kids" in June of 2008, L.A. Times columnist T.J. Simers had only one name for a followup event. "The first guy that came to mind was Koufax," he said yesterday. The all-time Dodgers star seldom does interviews, so Simers was shocked when Koufax told Dodger manager Joe Torre that he would participate in a...


Food/Nightlife

Using 'Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms' to Lease Downtown Lofts

By Eric Richardson — February 17, 2010
7 Comments

Using 'Alcohol, Tobacco \u0026 Firearms' to Lease Downtown Lofts

Can shooting a gun get you to lease a loft? That's the hope of the Factory Place Arts Complex, which next Wednesday will host an "Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms Party" that combines shooting at the Los Angeles Gun Club with entertainment in the Factory Place event space. The night is the work of Josh Gray-Emmer and AP Consulting. After using events at the...


Look Out Omaha, L.A.'s Coming After Your Conventions

By Eric Richardson — February 16, 2010 — 12 Comments

JW Marriott LA Live Eric Richardson

|Photo Gallery| For being the nation's second-largest city, Los Angeles has historically struggled when it comes to convention business. In a recent ranking of conventions booked, the city placed 27th. Omaha, Nebraska, placed 26th.

"We used to get our ass kicked by Omaha," said AEG CEO Tim Leiweke during a January event.

The words "used to" are important. If you believe the speeches, the city's fortunes are changing thanks in no small part to AEG's L.A. Live entertainment complex and the 878-room JW Marriott that opened yesterday. — Continued Inside...


Everyday

Ad Council Offers Up Almost a Good Map

By Ed Fuentes — February 16, 2010
6 Comments

Ad Council Offers Up Almost a Good Map

As regular readers know, maps of Downtown have taken their share of liberties with our geography, particularly when it comes to where landmarks are located. When this new map, part of a campaign by the Ad Council encouraging parents to spend quality time with their children, started popping up around Downtown, we had to take a look.


Producer Mark Byers

By Monk Turner — February 16, 2010

Mark Byers Monk Turner

Frank Zappa has an album called "Does Humor Belong in Music?" I've often pondered this question as humorous music rarely makes it to mainstream radio.

I can say that after hearing some of the comedy projects that Downtown resident Mark Byer has worked on, the answer is a resounding yes. The Berklee School of Music alumn made the Arts District his home about a year ago and has since been creating music with comedians Michael Serrato and Paul Downs. — Continued Inside...