Los Angeles Downtown News 03/27/2023

Creating Connectivity Metro nears completion on regional transit project

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is nearing completion on a 1.9-mile underground light rail extension that will knit together the city’s metro system, allowing riders to travel across LA

County in one seat.

The Regional Connector Transit Project includes three new underground stations: the Little Tokyo/Arts District Station at First Street and Central Avenue, the Historic Broadway Station at Second Street and Broadway, and GrandAv Arts/Bunker Hill Station at Second

Place and Hope Street. Centered in Downtown LA, the $1.836 billion project will reorient the metro system of the county and serves as a groundbreaking investment whose impact should not be underestimated, said Nick Griffin, Downtown Center Business Improvement District executive director.

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“In this moment of challenge and change for Downtown Los Angeles coming out of the pandemic, entering into a new reality of hybrid and remote work, uncertainty around the office sector and other changes, the metro system is more important than ever because it is what enables people to get to jobs in Downtown (and) enables people who live Downtown to get to jobs in other places,” Griffin explained.

“It’s also what enables Downtown to be a social, economic and cultural center. … It’s about access to arts and culture, entertainment, restaurants, hospitals … all that Downtown has to offer.

So now more than ever, as Downtown evolves and changes and deals with shifts in its identity and its purpose, the metro system is critical.”

Griffin also said the project reinforces the centrality of Downtown LA, both geographically and culturally, as nearly all of the major freeways and metro lines touch the neighborhood. The new regional connector will extend from the L Line (Gold) in Little Tokyo and the Arts District communities to Line A (Blue) and Line E (Expo) at Seventh Street/Metro Center Station. Riders will be able to travel between distant cities like Azusa to Long Beach and from East LA to Santa Monica.

“I think in some ways you could say

that Los Angeles is unique in terms of the scale of the transit system that it’s building out at this time,” Griffin said.

“There were two transit measures taxes passed in the last 10 years or so (Measure M and Measure R), and those constitute the largest, by far, investments in mass transit in the country. … It’s a commitment that’s backed up by a funding stream in perpetuity, and that’s what makes it a much more significant and tangible investment in public transit.”

Griffin explained that Los Angeles is unlike other large U.S. cities with mass transit system like Boston, New York, Chicago and Washington, D.C., as they were built before the widespread distribution of cars, following a more European model. LA experienced much of its growth after the world wars and became a more car-centric city.

“With the way that the city is built out now, you can’t expand the freeways anymore,” Griffin said. “Even when they do, … it lessens the traffic for a year or two, and then it’s right back to the same capacity another two years later. So, it doesn’t actually change the situation longer term, whereas transit does because transit literally is taking cars off the road.”

Riders have expressed concerns over public safety on the transit lines. Though Metro has stated its commit -

ment to reducing violence, crime on Metro trains and buses has reportedly increased since 2021.

“The safety and conditions on Metro has to be a top priority because we cannot let this investment go to waste,” Griffin said. “We cannot give away our future growth by letting the Metro system fail, because that’s what our growth is based on. … It is absolutely critical for the Olympics, and the Olympics is a marker for our growth as a world-class city. We absolutely must have a worldclass transit system for those Olympics.”

Griffin said crime on public transportation must be addressed with the same urgency given to other issues such as homelessness, as both are existential crises for the city. He also said that, alongside the continued investment and the opportunity provided by the Olympics, Metro’s safety issue impacts vulnerable riders like senior citizens, children and families that don’t have the financial means to afford a car.

“It’s absolutely the people that we most need to be taking care of,” Griffin said. “There’s very little enforcement and maintenance of the stations in terms of cleanliness and safety. It is absolutely urgent that people be accommodated and not subjected to danger and unhealthy conditions and fear of crime. … Whether that means investment or whether that

means enforcement, I think both ought to be fully on the table.”

The project, which began construction in 2014, is set for completion within the coming months. Metro has reported that tunneling work and construction on the regional connector’s three stations is 90% complete.

Griffin remains optimistic that LA’s improved transit system will act as the connective tissues bonding the city’s diverse and vibrant quilt of people and cultures.

“One of (LA’s) most valuable qualities, characteristics and assets is its diversity … socioeconomic, race, religion, creed, gender,” Griffin explained. “(Public transportation) enables all that diversity to connect, to get to the places that it needs to get to in order to mix and mingle and create the innovation and improvement that will continue to drive LA’s growth.

“The reason why New York is such an unbelievable, dynamic metropolis, and has been for hundreds of years, is in great measure because they built a transit system that connects all five boroughs. … You are connected for subway fair to anywhere else in the city. That’s the vision of the Metro system, and that should be the vision for Los Angeles.”

Healers of the heart, mind, and human spirit.

A heartfelt thank you for all your care.

Every day, doctors work hard to keep patients, families and communities healthy and strong. They comfort us in our most vulnerable moments and in doing so, they help heal more than our minds and bodies. They heal the human spirit. So, on behalf of CommonSpirit to all the doctors around the world: We appreciate you. We honor you. We thank you!

Happy Doctors’ Day!

Natural History Museum partners with South LA Cafe

On the heels of the announcement of its new wing, NHM Commons, opening in mid-2024, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County has partnered with South LA Cafe. The cafe, operating under the newly formed entity SLAC Hospitality, will serve as the museum’s new food, beverage and hospitality provider.

“If we say that we’re supporting our community and engaging our community, well, then we should do that,” said Shana Mathur, chief strategy and external relations officer at the Natural History Museum (NHM). “(The NHM Commons) brings to life our mission of being a museum of, for and with Los Angeles.

“The food provider should also have that point of view, so we’re looking for a community-centric partnership … in terms of who they serve, who they hire, and how food and beverage are represented and representative of the community. Now is a good time to do that, as the museum is pivoting outward.”

Since 2019, the South LA Cafe, a minority-owned, women-led business, has been a pillar in its local community, committed to providing access to fresh and healthy food in the heart of a food desert. The team behind the local cafe, market and community center, known for its social impact, will be in charge of the new robust food operation, including a catering service, restaurant and cafe.

The restaurant, formally known as the NHM Grill, will be reimagined as a new family-friendly concept, opening in mid-March with Post & Beam as its operator. Headed by chef and owner John Cleveland, Post & Beam is located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and works closely with SLAC as subcontractors through the South LA Food Network.

The restaurant is committed to providing sustainably and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. NHM will announce the restaurant’s full concept, menu and new name in before the grand opening. In 2022, Post & Beam was a James Beard Award Foundation semifinalist for Outstanding restaurant and, in 2020, received the Los Angeles Times Gold Award.

SLAC Hospitality, who has an organizational commitment to subcontract with 90% minority and women-owned LA-based local companies, will also provide exclusive in-house catering services, which will cover both NHM and La Brea Tar Pits. The cafe will open in the NHM Commons in 2024.

Unlike most food vendors that service museums, SLAC Hospitality is a small, yet growing, community-oriented business — not a billion-dollar corporation. “This is such a different model for museums. I think that’s what’s amazing about this.” Mathur said. “This is such a different approach because we’re partnering with an entity that is growing, extremely community focused, and cares deeply about this specific community.”

Design-Driven Development

Office project to transform Chinatown parking lot

The Riboli family, owner of San Antonio Winery, has partnered with international architectural company Grimshaw to develop a five-story multiuse building at 130 W. College Street.

The project, slated for completion early next year, will include ground-floor restaurant and retail spaces as well as outdoor communal areas.

“The current state of the site is not a particularly desirable experience for pedestrians, for example, because there are no active functions on the site. … It’s existed as a surface car park full of school buses for a long period of time now,” said Andrew Byrne, project architect at Grimshaw. “I think that that will have a really positive influence. … The experience for the neighborhood, for the communities that are moving in and around the building, will be signifi-

cantly improved from the current conditions.”

Grimshaw opened its first LA studio in the Arts District in 2017 and has been expanding its portfolio throughout the city with projects like the completed Los Angeles Union Station Master Plan and the proposed East End Arts District Los Angeles campus.

The Riboli family is not new to Downtown development either. It has spent three years rehabilitating Chinatown’s 19th century Capitol Milling Complex. It’s now looking to give its newest location at 130 W. College Street “a new lease on life.”

“We started working with Steve (Riboli) and his family, exploring the potential of the site, and we were very, I wouldn’t describe it as exhaustive, but we were thorough in our consideration of all of the site’s potential,” Byrne described. “Through a fairly extensive process of development and

appraisal, we settled on the proposal that we brought forward for the entitlements. It’s something that we’re really convinced

will be a positive actor on the neighborhood that we’re really proud and passionate about.”

The 2.2-acre site lies adjacent to the Chinatown Gold Line Station, allowing tenants of the 130 College project easy access to public transport. Byrne said creating a pedestrian-friendly development was a top priority.

The layout plan for 130 College includes a central courtyard located midblock along Bruno Street; three employee amenity spaces located along Bruno Street and at the corner of College and Main streets; and a street-level, public “plaza garden” that will serve as an anchor for the property’s pedestrian experience.

Byrne also stressed that the relationship between indoor and outdoor green spaces, and the impact of that relationship on tenants’ quality of life, was a prevalent part of the design process.

“Some things we were really acutely aware of is the typology of a hermetically sealed, highly environmentally controlled floor plate. The small floor plate in a tower type of configuration is something that I think post-pandemic became less and less desirable,” he said. “The fact that you are having to ride up in small elevator cabs to get to your office and the fact that you don’t have access to outside and you don’t have the ability to have a lot of fresh air, we were kind of conscious of some of those subliminal or psychological impacts around workplace. When looking at 130 W. College, we really started from the standpoint of prioritizing health and well-being and creat-

ing really desirable environments.”

The site’s design depicts a twin-building structure with a stepped and staggered eastern face, improving solar orientation and providing views of the Downtown skyline.

“(We’re) prioritizing daylight and the experience of the users within the building,” Byrne explained. “We’ve been able to bring natural daylight down in the center of each of the buildings and size the two wings of accommodation in such a way that there are great opportunities for circulation and collaboration in and around that central courtyard.

“We were really conscious about creating great indoor/outdoor working relationships, having presence of vegetation, having plants, trees and shade and biophilic design that promotes movement and different types of occupation within the workplace. … I think they’ll be highly desirable and functional workspaces, but also quite a memorable experience that helps establish the building’s identity within the psyche of the user.”

Byrne said he hopes the site will serve as a model for environmental sustainability in LA. The 130 College project will be an all-electric office building, in accordance with a recent LA City Council ordinance passed in December to end the expansion of natural gas infrastructure in the city.

“As an architectural practice, we have an incredibly deep commitment to sustain-

able design and it’s inherent within the DNA of the practice, all the way back to the early 1980s,” Byrne said. “We’ve made commitments around our operations to ensure that we are net-zero through operations, and we really try and promote that as much as possible in our architecture. … Revisions to the upcoming code and desires from planning are really starting to identify the value of moving towards not only all-electric but on-site renewables as well that help support the operational loads of the building. We’re really proud of it.”

While Byrne is excited about the impact that the 130 College project will have on its immediate vicinity, he wants its influence

to expand throughout Chinatown.

“When viewed at the 30,000-foot level, this I think is a really great actor in creating a more walkable neighborhood within this part of Chinatown,” Byrne said. “There’s a great amount of housing that has been developed already … and I think that bringing additional jobs to the area, creating that vitality and critical mass of workers within the neighborhood, means that we end up with really vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods that are highly walkable environments. I think that’s what we’re looking forward to. We’re hoping to be a brick in the wall of a successful and desirable neighborhood for people to live in.”

Covered California will help DT CONSIDER THIS Triple Threat

When it comes to impossible standards, women have it made

My sister Mary said, “I can’t believe Karen said she voted for Trump and would do so again!”

“Why do you expect women to be better than men?” I asked. I was visiting Rapid City, South Dakota. We were having coffee in Mary’s fascinating living room, which features her unusual collection of Native American tourist kitsch.

“I guess I think that women should know better,” she said. “But they don’t.”

Laughing, I said, “Why do we expect better from women? And on what planet do people unconsciously think that all women should be all anything or believe the same things? Welcome to Planet Implausible!” That made Mary chuckle.

As a “baby” feminist in my early days, I hunted for examples where women were better than men in formerly male-dominated fields. That’s valuable information for

many reasons, primarily as evidence that women and men aren’t inherently one way or another. Today, as our society is finally exploring gender fluidity, many of us

are floundering about what gender even means. Rigid gender roles crumble daily. And, just as I collected stories of so-called “superior” women, detractors collected stories of the “downfallen.” Women as individuals are just like everyone else. However, as a group, we must constantly excel to prove we’re just as good. Forget the Double Standard: Let’s look at the triple standards women often face:

• First standard: Perfection. (I have a right to be a fallible human being.)

• Second standard: Unrealistic standards. (I deserve to be judged by human standards; I am no better and no worse than other women or men.)

• Third standard: Above and beyond expectations. (I did not sign up to be a perfect person when I said I’d fight for gender justice.)

This “Triple Standard” is at play constantly in our daily lives and puts unrealistic pressure on women who fight for justice, women in the workplace and government, or any pursuit at all. This pressure comes not only from detractors but also from allies.

During the arduous process of American women winning the vote, Louisa May Alcott, author of “Little Women,” stated this brilliantly: “I find it poor logic to say that because women are good, women should vote. Men do not vote because they are good; they vote because they are male, and women should vote, not because we are angels and men are animals, but because we are human beings and citizens of this country.”

We were all recently reminded of the “How could she?” concept thanks to white women being a crucial part of Drumpf’s 2016 victory, which led to Roe v. Wade being overturned. Am I disgusted? Yes. Do I think those white women represent all

white women? No! Do white female Trumpers represent me? No. And white women have as much a right to be idiots as other groups. The Goddess of Idiots is nondiscriminatory; she bestows idiocy on people of all colors, all genders, all religions and all ethnicities. A few reminders:

• There is no Pope of All Women. No encyclicals. No edicts. No pointy hats.

• There isn’t a central handbook on being a woman, just as there isn’t one for men.

• Just like men, women are people first; their gender second.

Mark my words: If the White Christian Nationalists take over, we will lose our right to vote. There may be death penalties for women who have abortions. (South Carolina Republican lawmakers have already suggested this.) Our LGBTQ loved ones may be imprisoned. No one ever thought Roe v. Wade would be obliterated except for a bunch of us women’s rights advocates. But who listens to us?

Many women have internalized misogyny and vote against their own interests, just as men do. Many women conform their lives around a male-dominated religion, which comes first — everything else is, er… trumped. Many women grow up within a system where they are trained not to trust women, including themselves.

So many women and men expect wom-

en to be “better” than they are. Based on what? Cis-hetero white men have the luxury of mostly not having to represent their entire group. The rest of us? Not so much. “Hey, brother, stop it! You’re going to make other white, straight men look bad and set us back for decades!” Said. No. One. EVER!

Is Drumpf ruining the future for all straight white men? Hardly.

If we base rights on anything other than being human, we stand to fail repeatedly. Our failures then get used against us, which results in people distancing themselves while making excuses for me or whomever else has failed at being a woman (or any other out-of-power group) rather than simply being a fallible human.

Susan B. Anthony said, “It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we the whole people, who formed the Union. … Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.”

If you base rights on merit, someone has to judge whether that person deserves rights. Who’s going to judge that? One does not earn human rights: We gain them and then fight to maintain them… at least here on Planet Possible.

2023 marks the 30th year that Ellen Snortland has written this column. She also teaches creative writing online and can be reached at: ellen@beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at https://vimeo.com/ ondemand/beautybitesbeast.

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Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link. For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.

& CULTURE

Covered California will helpDT

Downtown’s New Art Gallery

Mon Dieu Projects hosts its inaugural exhibit, ‘Intimate Exchanges’

In French, “Mon Dieu” translates to the expletive, “My god.”

That’s the reaction Korean Canadian gallerist Juno Youn and LA-based writer and art collector Spencer Walker hope to inspire with the opening of their gallery, Mon Dieu Projects.

The pair will launch their gallery on Saturday, April 1, at Mohilef Studios with its inaugural show, “Intimate Exchange.” The exhibit closes on Saturday, May 6.

Following the opening reception, the studio will be open 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, and by appointment.

As young creatives, Youn and Walker met at a daytime rave in Montreal, becoming instant friends and bonding over their love of art. When presented with the idea, Walker jumped at the chance to open a gallery with his longtime friend. “I love (Youn’s) taste, and I think LA deserves someone with his eye,” Walker said.

The show features established artists, including Nadine Faraj, Michael Scoggins, Shen Wei and Hugo Alonso, and up-and-comers Bernice Lum, Ian Stone, Andrew Morrow and Sean Mundy.

The show will encompass various mediums, including sculpture, mixed-media photography, watercolor and paintings.

“We’d like people to come away with

an impression. Art should never be boring; it should always be challenging,” Walker said of the exhibit. “The artists are trying to say something, and they’re going to get your attention whether you like it or not. … There’s a bit of vulnerability to all the artwork. (The artists) are putting their hearts and egos on the line.”

The title “Intimate Exchanges” refers to the dialogue between the art within the exhibit but also points to the international representation of artists, most of whom have been featured in Youn’s Montreal gallery, Galerie Youn.

“I hope opening our project in LA will introduce Canadian and other international talents to the area. It’s an opportunity to exchange our perspectives, ideas and concepts between Canada and America.”

The show is meant to shock, tease and provoke a deeper conversation, exploring themes of sexuality, humor and what most deem “appropriate.” “We’re not doing decorative art here,” Walker explained.

The opening reception is free and open to the public and will include drinks, dancing and DJ group Dos Boiz. “It’s going to be an art opening turned dance party,” Walker said.

While “Intimate Exchanges” features mainly French Canadian and international artists and figurative art, the gallery’s second show, opening Saturday,

May 13, will focus on abstract and LAbased artists like Christopher Kuhn.

Youn, who curates primarily figurative art, is the main curator of this coming exhibit, while Walker, who gravitates toward abstract art, will be the driving force of the next. The aim is to combine

their tastes and love for boundary-pushing, provocative curation.

Going forward, Walker said, “We want to introduce LA to the art we love, and we hope to meet more artists along the way who we can show at the studio.”

“Intimate Exchanges” at Mon Dieu Projects

WHEN: Opening Saturday, April 1.

WHERE: Mohilef Studios, 743 Maple Avenue, Los Angeles

COST: Free

INFO: mohilefstudios.com

Peripheral neuropathy victims can benefit from light therapy

Are you one of the millions of Americans who suffer from peripheral neuropathy?

Have you been told you have to deal with it; live with it; and rely on gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, injections or other dangerous off-label drugs with serious side effects?

Are you suffering from numbness, tingling, burning pain or deep stabbing pain, often diagnosed as peripheral neuropathy? Are you having balance problems or have the fear of becoming disabled, needing someone to take care of you, and losing your independence?

As the blood vessels that surround the nerves start to die off, nerves begin to shrink from the lack of oxygen, nutrients and blood supply. When these nerves begin to die, symptoms such as numbness, tingling, burning pain, sharp deep stabbing pain, balance problems, and fatal falls and injuries may appear.

The main problems are doctors who rely on the “drug cocktail” and exploratory surgery, which miserably fails.

You think like a neuropathy expert more than

Submitted

you think. Let’s offer an analogy. What do you think of when you see a wilting plant? What does it need? Exactly! Water, sunlight, nutrients and, finally, take any toxins away from its environment for healing!

A nerve is an organism just like a plant, so our goal in our clinic is simple. We must increase the blood supply to the nerve so it can heal.

But first, ask yourself this question. How many medications will it take to increase blood flow to the dying nerve? Medications cannot increase blood flow. SoCal Spinal Decompression Center’s three-step process has a 90% to 95% success rate with neuropathy:

• Increase blood flow.

• Educate small fiber nerves.

• Decrease pain signals.

the more it repairs itself, just like a plant would by getting more water, sunlight and nutrients.

In addition to LLLT, the center uses cutting-edge technology around a Nobel Prize-winning concept, allowing increased circulation to the extremities.

It’s crucial that once new blood gets to the nerves and creates new blood vessels, it re-educates the nerve back to normal function. By using a device that’s used in large hospital chains across the country for neuropathy, doctors can repair the damaged nerves and start to make them durable once again.

The most common mistakes neuropathy sufferers make are to take the “it will go away on its own” or “the medications will get me better” mentality. Doing this for long periods can cause you to reach a point of no return.

For more information, call (213) 908-5855.

Common causes of neuropathy (Over 100 causes)

Diabetes

Poor metabolic health

Autoimmune

Chemotherapy

Chemical exposure

Medications

Infections

Nerve impingement

Kidney or liver disease

Alcoholism

Common lifestyle changes

Pain medication addiction

Balance problems

Falls

Hip and head injuries

from falls

One way to increase blood flow is by using cutting-edge technology such as lower-level light therapy, also known as LLLT. The technology was discovered by NASA by treating wounds in space. LLLT was approved by the FDA in 2001 and is at the forefront of neuropathy treatments. Low-level light therapy creates a process called angiogenesis. Angiogenesis means “new blood vessels.” It’s like watering a plant. The more LLLT a nerve gets,

Amputation

Sleep deprivation

Loss of independence

Depression

Common clinical symptoms of neuropathy

Numbness/tingling

Burning pain

Deep stabbing pain

Cramping

Walking with a shuffle

Grip strength decreases

Loss of muscle strength

Inability to feel hot or cold

Crawling sensation of the skin

Freezing in hands or feet

Medication side effects

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

AI Meets Sculpture

Artist Douglas Tausik Ryder explores the intersection between myth and modernity

After moving to the English countryside at the pandemic’s start, artist Douglas Tausik Ryder was struck by the silence. Inspired by the absence of busy billboards and loud advertisements, Ryder conceptualized his newest exhibition, “Your Myth Here,” which explores the relationship between ancient myth and mass media.

The show opened earlier this month at PRJCTLA and will run until Saturday, April 22. This is Ryder’s first solo exhibition in the United States since moving to the United Kingdom.

After Ryder and his family relocated to the idyllic English countryside, the contrast between his new home and the cities he had been living in was immediate.

“We live in a village. We’re surrounded by farms, and there’re no billboards — there’s nothing. The only exposure you have to mass media is either your phone or your TV,” Ryder said. “So I suddenly became more aware of how immersed I’d been in mass media. The work turned inside out, so now instead of going in, it becomes about how

mass media affects our perception and sense of meaning.”

Feeling uninspired, Ryder looked to the Baroque period, noticing how its statues shared a common mythological narrative. Looking to the present, Ryder found a throughline that everyone could relate to — mass media.

The exhibit features five large-scale wooden sculptures standing up to 9 feet tall and explores the effects of mass media on the modern psyche. To flesh out the metaphor, Ryder carved out hollows in his classically crafted pieces and overlaid them with distorted, AI-generated collages reminiscent of wheat-past posters, replacing what was once myth with mass media.

“Part of the focus of my practice is to try to understand how modern technology affects us psychologically and socially and how it would change my role as an artist,” Ryder explained.

The title “Your Myth Here” refers to the billboards that go through a revolving cycle of ads, in between, broadcasting “your ad here.” In a postmodern world, the constant stream of media forms an overarching

narrative and ethos surrounding humanity’s shared reality.

“Advertising can be very compelling because a lot of thought goes into it, and it’s a very concentrated form of social mythology,” Ryder said.

Those who have turned on the news in the past few months know AI is here to stay. With the advent of AI chatbots and image generators, it’s clear that those afraid to adopt new technologies risk obsolescence. Ryder approaches the subject with an acceptance and quiet curiosity.

“We’re on the threshold of a huge technological change with AI and automation. … They’re going to affect all of us — artists and everybody else,” Ryder said. “That’s what I’m curious about. I say, ‘I can’t run from this,

so let me try to replicate on a small scale some of the changes in my studio.’ … Let me use (AI technology) to the extent I am able to and it’s available to me and see what happens. How does it affect the work? How does it change my role? How does it change larger social interactions around it?”

Ryder does not have a specific message to impart; quite the opposite. He integrates his observations about technology and mass media into his art, letting the viewer come to their own conclusions.

“I’m not taking any kind of moral stance. I’m not saying, ‘This is bad,’ or anything,” he elaborated. “I’m just an artist; this is what I see. I’m not passing any judgments on it. I think we all participate in it, including me. It’s just our culture.”

“Your Myth Here” at PRJCTLA

WHERE: 1452 E. Sixth Street, Los Angeles

WHEN: Shows runs through Saturday, April 22

INFO: Prjctla.com

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE Immersive Theater

Shakespeare Center LA produces ‘The Tempest’

There are times during live theater when the performers and the audience share a moment and the rest of the world fades away. It’s a connection that immerses the viewers in the story, a momentary yet powerful bond that Shakespeare Center LA is hoping to forge through its new production of “The Tempest.”

Written in the early 17th century by William Shakespeare, “The Tempest” follows the story of the survivors of a shipwreck who have been tormented by a storm conjured through magic by a man named Prospero, who lives on a remote island with his daughter, Miranda, and his servants, Caliban and Ariel. The shipwrecked crew includes Alonso, the king of Naples, and Antonio, Prospero’s brother who usurped Prospero’s position as duke of Milan.

In partnership with After Hours Theatre Company, Shakespeare Center LA’s production of “The Tempest” will be a fully reimagined immersive performance that begins by casting participants ashore on an island, where they explore a series of interactive puzzles and stories before the play begins.

“It’s a really brand-new, exciting way to engage with a Shakespeare play,” said Ben Donenberg, Shakespeare Center LA artistic director. “The show starts with a full-on shipwreck. We started our whole rehearsal process by taking the entire company to LA harbor and going on a sailboat. We were trained on how to raise sails and lower sails … then we came back and designed our lobby to mirror the experience we had on the ship.

“(The audience) is surrounded by all kinds of thunder and lightning and all the experiences you would have if you were aboard a ship in a tempest. Then everybody jumps the ship and travels through an underwater corridor and arrives at the island, where we’ve completely tricked out our studio.”

Along with enjoying specialty cocktails designed for the production, participants will be able to solve clues and roam areas of the set like Caliban’s Cave, Ariel’s Hollow, Prospero’s Home and Miranda’s Sandbox.

Donenberg explained that participants can purchase three different types of tickets depending on the level of immersion they want to experience. The “divers” are

participants who deeply enjoy the immersive aspect of the production and will have full access to the studio and its puzzles. The “swimmers” arrive later and experience select immersive features, while the “waders” are more interested in the traditional play.

“We’re introducing Shakespeare to a whole new generation of theatergoers through this experience,” Donenberg said. “For the people who really love tried-andtrue Shakespeare, the play itself has complete fidelity to Shakespeare’s text. It’s a two-hour Shakespeare production delivered by amazing actors, and everybody is surrounded by the vines and the trees of the island. You’re not only immersed in the island, but you’re immersed in Shakespeare’s language.”

The play takes place on a thrust stage, with audience members sitting on all three sides, no more than five rows away from the action.

“Nobody is far away from the play at all,” Donenberg said. “So, you get immersed in the language, you get immersed in the

sights and the sounds of an island, you even get immersed in the smells, as we have scent machines.”

Before the pandemic, Shakespeare Center LA hosted an immersive production of “Macbeth” for three years. Donenberg and his team found that the production style was enjoyed by a wide demographic, ranging from high school students new to the world of Shakespeare to adults wellversed in the classics.

“People are really having a great time; the audiences are just responding so enthusiastically,” Donenberg described. “We have six student matinees that are completely sold out, so we’ve got high school

kids coming in now that are having a great time. We also have these immersive audiences of people and a demographic that have very little, if any, experience going to a Shakespeare play.”

Donenberg explained that, at classic playhouses like Shakespeare’s Globe in London, audience engagement is encouraged as they stand at the foot of the stage and interact with the cast. Shakespeare Center LA’s “The Tempest” was built to reengage LA’s audience with the play and allow them to be fully immersed in its elements. It’s a connection that Donenberg feels has been craved by audiences since the pandemic began.

“I do think there’s a real quest for this in audiences,” he said. “Younger audiences really want engagement and experiences, and so I think this is the play; this is the way to go. … We’re going to be remodeling our building in about a month. We’re going to be doing a $12 million renovation, and we’re preparing the entire space so that immersive productions can be fully supported.”

The productions will make use of Shakespeare Center LA’s vocational development programs like “Veterans in Art,” where the center hires veterans “looking for a way into mainstream civilian life” referred by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ vocational rehab program to build scenery for their plays.

The center was also recently awarded a $2 million grant from the United States Department of Education to work with nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center and Arizona State University’s “RaceB4Race” initiative, creating a new curriculum for high school students that explores Shakespeare’s plays through a “social justice” lens.

“Shakespeare’s plays are a great tool and vehicle to explore these kinds of issues,” Donenberg said. “That’s sort of the philosophical direction and vision, that we’ll be working with plays that really hold a mirror up to life in Los Angeles as it is today through these masterpiece texts.”

“The Tempest: An Immersive Experience” at the Shakespeare Center LA

WHERE: 1238 W. First Street, Los Angeles

WHEN: Performances run through Sunday, April 16

COST: Tickets start at $49

INFO: shakespearecenter.org

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

Event Announcements

LA Live venues bring the top acts

By LA Downtown News Staff

Santa Fe Klan, Snow Tha Product and Tornillo will bring their “Todo Y Nada” tour to the Microsoft Theater Aug. 11.

With nearly 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Santa Fe Klan is offering VIP packages that include meet and greet and individual photo opportunities, autographed tour memorabilia, early venue entry, crowd-free merchandise shopping and limited-edition merchandise. For information, visit santafeklanlive.com.

“I am thrilled to begin touring again across the U.S. this summer,” said Santa Fe Klan, born Ángel Quezada.

“After my tour last summer, this will be my third tour in the U.S., and fans can expect a ton of new music and an elevated show with a whole new production. I’m grateful for everyone involved in putting on this tour, and I can’t wait for fans to experience what we’re preparing.”

The Guanajuato native was recently featured on the cover of GQ Mexico and is finishing an album set for release later this year.

Other upcoming shows are:

Microsoft Theater

Cirque du Soleil “Corteo”: through April 30

Ricardo Montaner: May 6

Edwin Luna Y La Trakalosa De Monterrey: May 28

Latin Legends: June 10

Druski: July 14

Ladies Night Out Comedy Tour: Aug. 5

The Australian Pink Floyd: Aug. 12

Grupo Frontera: Nov. 25

Crypto.com Arena

Friday Night SmackDown/2023 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: March 31

WWE Presents NXT Stand & Deliver: April 1

WWE Monday Night Raw: April 3

Muse: April 6

Ricardo Arjona: May 7

Eslabon Armado: July 15

Zach Bryan: Aug. 23

Madonna: Sept. 27-28, Sept. 30, Oct. 1

Pepe Aguilar: Nov. 3 and Nov. 4

Depeche Mode: Dec. 15

Anita Baker: Dec. 22

Covered California will help DTSPORTS Sweet Science

Boxing pro coaches champions and their neighbors

Not everyone enters a boxing ring looking to chase championship gold.

Your mom, your dad, your brother and your sister. It can be someone who understands that boxing can benefit them physically and mentally as well. It is often as simple as using boxing training to elevate one’s overall lifestyle.

While he works with professional athletes and celebrities, Jeremiah Maestre was never looking to be the next Manny Pacquiao. Nor does he necessarily aspire to help create the next one, though he has, in recent years, trained two-time world champion Joan Guzman.

Instead, the 33-year-old local boxing coach/fitness professional and consultant is as content serving and helping others. He enthusiastically takes his passion, vison and set of beliefs to one person at a time, one ring at a time, one pair of gloves at a time.

“As a competitive fighter myself, I recognized early on the benefits I was experiencing outside the ring,” Maestre said. “Confidence was one, as was improved mental health and less stress and anxiety as well as a big boost in my physical fitness. I saw an opening to share these benefits through boxing workouts as a career and to expand the boxing journey through individuals in that space.”

Maestre’s own journey is distinctive. Born in Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, he was 3 years old when his family moved to California. In his new home he intently watched his parents chase the American dream. One of those great lessons was learning that anything is possible if you put forth the effort, time and work.

From a young age, Maestre said he always sought out different environments.

“I wanted to be surrounded by the best at whatever it was I was interested in at the time,” said Maestre, who relocated from San Francisco to Orange County when he was 18 and is now a regular at Fortune Gym off Melrose. “Heading south was a baby step in that direction for me.”

While attending Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, he began learning about different martial arts. It became his passion. After a couple of his own MMA,

kickboxing and Brazilian jiujitsu matches, he gravitated toward the science of boxing.

When he not wearing fighting gloves, he admired Kobe Bryant from a distance. When Pacquiao, his fellow Filipino, prepped for his next big fight, Maestre showed up to West Hollywood Wildcard gym to soak in the experience.

“I have been a competitive boxer for the last 10-plus years, but my journey has been super, super unique. It’s unique because not only have I been training to be a boxer, but I have been training to develop my craft as a boxer and also as a coach as well — not just with fighters but people through all walks of life,” said Maestre, who has also gotten to work with some of the most

iconic companies in the world when it comes to boxing and fitness like Peloton and Rumble Fitness.

With Peloton Interactive, his role as a consultant helped them structure, elevate and design their boxing content, which they released more than a year ago.

“I simply take my passion for boxing and share it with everyone.”

A resident of Santa Ana, Maestre works the freeways and the online space, specializing in live digital boxing classes, on-demand digital boxing lessons and private training sessions.

When living in New York City a few years back, he taught weekly classes at one of the world’s leading boutique boxing studios, Rumble, and at the ul -

tra-exclusive, state-of-the-art Performix House facility on Fifth Avenue.

“My clients have a wide range of goals,” he said. “Generally, though, they look to improve their cardio, strength and endurance. Also, they work to shape their discipline, confidence and focus.”

It was also while in NYC that Maestre worked with Guzman, the prize fighter, which Maestre said sparked his creativity for coaching and led to Maestre developing his particular teaching style.

Eugene Remm, founder of Catch Restaurants, was another iconic individual in Maestre’s growth. With Remm’s wisdom, Maestre learned to improve individual connections while reaching out to the masses. It was during this time on the East Coast that allowed Maestre — his love for food carried over here locally, as he is a big fan of Catch LA in West Hollywood — to build his personal brand, be authentic to himself, and become more relatable to others.

A married father of two, Maestre has indeed been ultra-successful at his craft. He is approaching 35,000 followers on Instagram … but he knows full well he trails his wife on the social media platform.

Maestre’s wife, Annie, is a popular video creator. Her true crime YouTube channel “10 to LIFE” has nearly a half-million subscribers and more than that on TikTok.

The two career paths might appear to be total opposites, but Maestre sees tons of similarities.

“We are both taking our passions and using them to spread awareness and to help others in need,” he said. “We both teach and coach a technique along with the ability to research a certain event and bring it to light.”

They both love what they do. Maestre feels it is his calling.

“I enjoy what I do because I made what I love accessible by creating an authentic glimpse of the sport through workouts and different forms of digital content: educational, motivational and a podcast,” he said. “I share the sport of boxing to the general population, to share with the world.”

Learn more about Maestre and his training sessions by visiting jeremiahmaestre.com, and follow him on Instagram @jeremiah.maestre.

Covered California will help DTSPORTS

Scoring the Road to WrestleMania Motionless in White pumps up WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley

Growing up in the coastal city of Adelaide, Australia, WWE Superstar

Rhea Ripley had a long-standing admiration for two things: professional wrestling and the Pennsylvania-founded metalcore band Motionless in White.

However, it wasn’t until September 2022 that she would fully merge her two passions by asking Motionless in White frontman Chris Motionless to provide the vocals on a heavier and darker version of her metallic entrance theme “Demon in Your Dreams.”

For Ripley, hearing the new rendition of the tune fulfilled a promise she had made to herself prior to reaching the 2018 semifinals of the second Mae Young Classic.

The 32-woman WWE wrestling tournament pitted women grappling in its NXT program against indie-circuit female wrestlers.

“Starting from the second Mae Young, I made a promise to myself to stop caring about what people say about me and to do my own thing,” Ripley recalled.

It was at that match that the formerly beachy-looking wrestler donned an edgier getup that included a spiked leather vest and a mostly black leather and vinyl wardrobe.

The new attire stuck with her, and she continued to alter her look by eventually chopping her long, beach blonde hair and dying it black, a move the WWE had to clear.

It was around this time that she noticed

the similarities between herself and the Motionless in White frontman.

“Being such a massive fan of Motionless in White and Chris Motionless and knowing that we sort of look alike — especially once I cut my hair even shorter and dyed it — my look has sort of kept evolving and growing,” Ripley said.

Throughout her career, Ripley has found a way to pay subtle tributes to the metalcore outfit and its music videos.

“Seeing their music videos growing up and just absolutely being fascinated by everything that Motionless in White does became something that I picked up on and began copying in a way, which is why my whole look evolved into this,” Ripley said.

Because of this, Ripley has admitted to

feeling newly confident with the new aesthetic.

However, she also admits that she was initially apprehensive about copping such a dark look.

“I was always one that hated dark makeup, and I always tried to make it look like I’m not wearing any makeup. Then one day I thought, ‘You know what, I’m going to try a smokey eye,’ and after seeing the photos from that, I felt like this suits me,” Ripley said.

With a new look established, Ripley still felt like she needed a musical accompaniment to play her out to the ring.

Ripley initially recruited Anaheim-bred metal act New Years Day vocalist Ash Costello to record a theme song that matched her attitude at the time.

However, when Ripley’s character joined the conniving and villainous alliance known as The Judgment Day — which currently features Superstars Finn Bálor, Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio, the son of WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio — she felt the need to revamp her entrance music.

“My old song by Ash Costello got me so fired up, and I still love that song, but that really fit Rhea Ripley for how I was at that stage of my career,” Ripley said. “I knew that once I joined The Judgment Day that I wanted Chris (Motionless) to sing my songs.”

Because of this, Ripley asked Motionless via social media to contribute.

“It definitely does get me fired up in a way, and it puts me in this weird mindset that I get into when I’m at the gym while listening to Motionless in White that makes me feel like I’m absolutely unstoppable,” Ripley said.

WWE/Submitted

At WrestleMania, Ripley said she’ll rock a jacket by Saints of the Undead Clothing — the same company that makes cloth ing for Chris Motionless — when she takes on the Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair.

In the match against Rick Flair’s daugh ter, Ripley will attempt to become the fifth women’s grand slam champion. Ripley previously held the Raw Women’s Champi onship, NXT Women’s Championship and Women’s Tag Team Championship along side Nikki Cross.

“When I am at the gym, I have been put ting in the time and the effort and I want to look my best for WrestleMania when I get to stand across the ring from Charlotte Flair, who’s obviously in the best shape of her life and looks incredible and is in credible,” Ripley said. “I want to be able to match that and take it that step further and be the best Rhea whom fans have ever seen.”

WrestleMania 39

WHERE: SoFi Stadium, 1001 S. Stadium Drive, Inglewood

WHEN: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2

COST: Tickets start at $71

INFO: wwe.com

Emerging Chefs

The Music Center supports marginalized groups

The Music Center unveiled its culinary talent in the continuation of its prestigious Emerging Chefs Program at Abernethy’s at DTLA’s Jerry Moss Plaza.

The new chefs include Lenora Marouani, chef/owner of Barsha, who has started her residency, followed by Brad Willits, executive chef of Westside’s Market Venice, and Michelle Munoz, chef at Moo’s Crafted BBQ

The four-month endeavor gives the chefs a platform to share their expertise. Rachel S. Moore, the president and CEO of The Music Center, said they started the program in August 2019 to promote their values.

“The new plaza is the physical manifestation of the values and the desire for

inclusivity and uplifting diversity for the Music Center,” Moore said.

“The restaurants provide people from all different walks of life, from all different places in the county with opportunities for activities and food that speaks to them. We felt that with Abernethy’s it was a great opportunity for us to uplift emerging chefs in LA County. Everything attached to all of the restaurants is local. We wanted to be able to give these really talented young chefs an opportunity to shine and learn some new skills.”

Since its inception, the program has featured five chefs with a wide range of expertise, from modern Filipino to Mediterranean cuisine. Marouani described her culinary style as a mix of unique and underutilized ingredients.

“I am definitely a fan of using underestimated ingredients,” Marouani said. “I

love creating something from what people might consider nothing.” Her style was inspired by her upbringing.

“I think I got it from growing up in a single-parent household with my mom,” she said. “She was busy working a lot, and I would open up the fridge and there would be a small selection of things and I would just create something out of limited ingredients. I would whip up something for my brother and I.”

Another key to Marouani’s cooking is her desire to infuse every plate she makes with the “love that I’ve received from the women in my life.”

“I think that you should feel a hug when you eat food,” she said. “Whenever I have had that experience of eating something so good, I just keep nodding

my head and think, ‘This is just perfect. I feel warm, and I feel loved.’ I just know what good food is, and so I want people to have that same experience when they are eating my food.”

Beyond just giving love, Marouani said she has received love from the Music Center and their Emerging Chefs Program.

“I always thought of LA as this distant place that I love going to but where I go in and I go out,” she said. “Now that I’m more exposed, I feel like a part of their home now. It’s a great feeling, and I think that this Emerging Chefs Program is such a fantastic opportunity to give a platform that showcases all of these chefs’ talents, foods and unique stories. And to be in the middle of a place that showcases art in every form is quite a magical experience.”

She also said she has a special appreciation for the Music Center’s assistance and focus on uplifting women.

“I have so much gratitude and respect for the center coming from a single-mother household,” she said. “I saw my mom struggle day in and day out and to have any kind of assistance helped her significantly. So, for the center to have such a great outreach to women in LA is really making LA so much stronger.”

Specifically, she highlighted Abernethy’s program of donating a portion of its sales back to the Downtown Wom-

en’s Center in LA.

“The initiative that Abernethy’s is partaking in is for every featured cocktail that’s purchased, a dollar of the sales will go back to the Downtown Women’s Center,” she said. “All of the restaurants that are part of the Music Center will also be a part of this initiative.”

Moore said the Music Center also does work to uplift other marginalized groups. She said they partner with LA County to help employ people struggling with homelessness as well as work to promote women in other aspects of the restaurant industry as well.

Covered California will help DTDINNG

New Tenant Lazy Dog moving into LA Live

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar is expanding its footprint with a new location at 800 W. Olympic Boulevard in LA Live. It is set to open this fall.

“We look forward to bringing our concept of delicious food, warm hospitality and small-mountain-town vibes to LA Live. Lazy Dog has been received with open arms as we’ve joined new neighborhoods, and we can’t wait to be part of the Downtown Los Angeles community,” said Chris Simms, founder and CEO of Lazy Dog Restaurants.

“We are incredibly excited and are looking forward to welcoming Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar to LA Live this fall,” added Lee Zeidman, president, Crypto.com

Arena, Microsoft Theater and LA Live.

“Their unique menu and their reputation for excellent service will be a perfect addition to a bustling and busy LA Live.”

Designed to feel like a Rocky Mountain Wyoming escape, Lazy Dog’s interior will feature lodge-inspired furnishings such as fireplaces, ledge stone, a chandelier crafted from Aspen logs, and artwork reminiscent of the Cowboy State. A large outdoor patio will be built around a fire pit for gatherings with friends and family.

Lazy Dog’s menu focuses on comfort food with a twist that highlights seasonal ingredients, handcrafted cocktails and a wide selection of craft beers. The restaurant will be open for lunch, dinner

and brunch on the weekends and latenight and happy-hour specials.

“Our menu is elevated comfort food,” said Brian Palko, Lazy Dog’s regional director. “The barbecue bison meatloaf is one of my favorites.”

The entrée features all-natural Durham Ranch, grass-raised Wyoming bison, smoked bacon, red skin potato mash, sauteed spinach and haystack onions.

“That’s a great example of our comfort food,” he said. “It’s not your make-athome meatloaf. It’s not something you see everywhere.”

Another of its mainstays is its TV dinner program.

“For our guests, they can take home our meals frozen and, retro TV dinner

style, can pop it in the oven and enjoy Lazy Dog at home,” he said.

Among the options are barbecue meatloaf, four-cheese lasagna, roasted turkey, Salisbury steak, chicken Parmesan, fried chicken dinner, cheese enchiladas, grilled lemon chicken and chicken pot pie.

Palko said Lazy Dog will release a revamped menu in the spring/summer.

Lazy Dog was founded by Chris Simms, who has opened eateries in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, Virginia, Florida and Texas.

“The mountains were his favorite places to get away,” Palko said. “With Lazy Dog, we wanted to create that same experience for our guests.”

Info: lazydogrestaurants.com