LA Downtown News 01-30-2023

4.2 earthquake rocks Los Angeles

Thousands of Angelenos were shaken awake due to a 4.2 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Malibu. The quake, which took place at 2 a.m on Jan. 25, was followed by three aftershocks, a 3.6 magnitude quake at 2:03 a.m., a 2.9 magnitude quake at 2:22 a.m. and a 2.8 magnitude quake at 2.8 a.m.

In response to the earthquake, the LA Fire Department completed a routine strategic survey of the city ranging 470 square miles. They reported no damage or injuries and authorized the city to resume operations as normal. No tsunami advisories were issued for this event.

The quake prompted a flurry of tweets and social media posts in the middle of the night ranging from new California residents proud of their rite of passage to public officials reminding residents about earthquake preparedness in Southern California. Mayor Karen Bass tweeted this temblor is a reminder that earthquakes can happen at any time and to make a plan for emergencies.

Although this earthquake was small, it comes just over a week after the anniversary of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. That quake was a magnitude 6.7 that caused 57 fatalities and $20 billion

in damages. The extent of the damage inspired legislative and agency reforms dictating safety measures for buildings and the requirement that developers conduct geological surveys prior to building in earthquake-prone areas.

To prepare for the likelihood of future disasters, Angelenos can find resources at Ready LA, which is part of the city’s Emergency Management Department. Ready LA has resources on how to make an emergency plan, how to build a disaster kit, workshops and a list of community-based organizations available to help.

The epicenter for Jan. 25’s earthquake was 16.5 kilometers off the coast of Malibu at a depth of 14.7 kilometers. According to U.S. Geological Survey’s data from “Did You Feel It,” where locals can report their experiences of an earthquake, most residents in the Westside and Downtown LA felt “light” shaking, while further out in Pasadena and Long Beach people reported “weak” shaking.

If you would like to report your experience of the earthquake or any future seismic activity, you can find the U.S. Geological Survey’s electronic “felt report” on their website. The data gathered by first-hand reports helps the agency develop shake maps and determine the extent of overall damages.

Ready LA / Emergency Management Department

WHERE: 200 N Spring Street, Room 1533, Los Angeles

INFO: readyla.org, emdcommunications@lacity.org

LA Health Commission analyzes annual homelessness report

In their first meeting of the new year, members of the Los Angeles Health Commission reviewed the city’s 2022 health report and outlined what actions could be taken by the city to address the most pressing issues facing Angelenos’ health in the eyes of the commission. One of the primary discussions of the meeting surrounded one of the core missions of Mayor Karen Bass’ administration: addressing homelessness.

Housing First programs and permanent supportive housing

The Housing First model was created to offer stability to people experiencing homelessness by providing permanent housing and creating a platform for them to pursue personal and career-oriented goals.

In their report, the LA Health Commission recommended that the city use government-funded comparative research studies to analyze current Housing First and permanent supportive housing programs to determine their efficiency and needs, and establish a city council-controlled and funded organization that would create more permanent supportive housing (PSH) units.

The commission also sought to review the impacts of Proposition HHH, which authorized a $1.2 billion bond with the aim of creating 10,000 PSH units by 2026. During their discussion, Susie Shannon, representative of the 14th Council District, took issue with the report’s statement that this goal had been completed through the construction of 3,420 PSH units with 5,446 PSH units under construction and 4,113 PSH units currently being designed.

“There are many of us who have been

following HHH since it was voted in in 2016, and we had been promised a lot more units to have been completed,” Shannon said. “I would rather, for that section, that we talk about the completed units, and if we could also add in what the average cost of those units were, which was between $500,000 and $700,000.

“I feel like even for somebody who might be reading this report from outside of the city, I think it’s important to

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

tations, which isn’t quite exactly right. … I would like it to accurately reflect the challenges that were faced with this particular bond measure.”

STAFF WRITERS: Andrew Checchia, Andres De Ocampo, Julia Shapero

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sara Edwards, Kamala Kirk

ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Myriam Santos

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb

FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

have a more accurate version of kind of what’s happened because it hasn’t exactly been a great model for us just because we overspent. … Other models that we’re recommending in this report, which was the Prefab Modular Housing, could have likely built twice as much. I just don’t want to send a signal to maybe other city managers or folks who are looking at this report from other cities to make it seem like this was a glowingly successful program exceeding expec -

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

DEPUTY EDITOR: Luke Netzley

STAFF WRITER: Summer Aguirre,Alex Gallagher, Morgan Owen, Leah Schwartz

CONTRIBUTING WRITER: Frier McCollister, Ellen Snortland

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Chris Mortenson

ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway (213) 308-2261

Michael Lamb (213) 453-3548

Denine Gentilella (323) 627-7955

FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris ©2023

Along with identifying methods for improving Proposition HHH’s rollout speed and cost, the commission recommended that the city utilize any vacant units, prefabricated modular housing and adaptive reuse for permanent supportive housing and Housing First programs, and consider a vacancy tax for

1620 W. FOUNTAINHEAD PARKWAY, SUITE 219 TEMPE, ARIZONA 85282

PRESIDENT: Steve T. Strickbine

VICE PRESIDENT: Michael Hiatt

non-market vacant units.

Interim housing

According to reports, California leads the country in its percentage of the homeless population who are unsheltered by the state, with over 70% of those experiencing homelessness left unsheltered. During her campaign, Mayor Bass stressed the importance of generating a FEMA-level emergency response that would include building 30,000 temporary shelter beds.

“I know we can do this. We do it after a hurricane or after an earthquake,” she said during her final debate against Rick Caruso. “The leadership has not acted like it is a state of emergency. … We have to get (people) into temporary housing.”

In their report, the LA Health Commission insisted that Housing First principles be applied to emergency shelters and transitional housing, using COVID-19 emergency shelters to help move people into permanent supportive housing programs. They also recommended using government-funded comparative research studies to evaluate the LAC+USC Restorative Care Village, which provides access to clinical care and supportive services, performing a cost-benefit analysis of Project

Roomkey, which provides non-congregate shelter options like hotels and motels to homeless individuals, and seeking reimbursement through federal grants for Project Roomkey expenditures.

Encampment sweeps and hygiene

In 2022, the CDC stated that if individual housing options are not available, people experiencing homelessness in encampments should be left as they are as clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community, break connections with services providers and increase the potential for infectious disease spread.

The LA Health Commission recommended adopting the CDC’s approach regarding encampments and sanitation, reducing the use of law enforcement during encampment sweeps and following the five key Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) principles when moving people from an encampment into housing, which are, according to their report, to “provide enough time to engage with the people living in the encampment during this transition; ensure voluntary, client-centered and trauma-informed care; provide appropriate, adequate and low-barrier re -

sources; identify an experienced service partner and let them lead; and establish strong team coordination.”

The commission also raised the importance of the continued funding for sanitation stations like the Mobile Pit Stop and Mobile Shower programs.

Substance use disorders and sobering centers

According to reports, over 14,200 people experiencing homelessness in LA County had a substance use disorder (SUD). The health commission recommended continuing the implementation and funding of SUD treatment PSH and interim housing programs, citing the work of Project Roomkey in connecting participants with SUD treatment services through the county’s Client Engagement and Navigation Services counselors. In 2022, around 50% of Project Roomkey participants had a case manager to help with their SUD.

The commission also called for making sobering centers more accessible and examining the efficiency of sobering centers in preventing medical and police service usage to inform the construction of additional centers in the future.

Food insecurity and assistance

According to reports, average food prices advanced nearly 7.5% over the past year. The rate of food insecurity among LA’s homeless population remains high heading into 2023, with limited to no nutritious choices available to those in need.

The health commission recommends that the city evaluate methods to increase funding and enrollment for CalFresh, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that allows eligible participants to use monthly benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer card to buy groceries at authorized food stores and retailers.

The LA Health Commission’s annual report will be sent to each city council office’s councilmember and chief of staff, and requested to be sent to the mayor’s office, controller’s office and city attorney’s office as well as the state assembly members and members of congress whose districts overlay with the city of Los Angeles. Their aim is to help address the primary health issues facing homeless populations across LA, working collaboratively with city and state offices in the hope of enacting efficient and effective change.

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Local organization activates Pico Triangle DT

After 15 years of working to beautify the Pico Triangle in South Park, the South Park Business Improvement District and the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council have finally succeeded in placing the issue in front of the Los Angeles City Council for a vote.

The motion, put forward by Council District 14, requests $30,000 from the city, which the South Park Business Improvement District (SPBID) would match for a total of $60,000 in funding. Nolan Marshall, SPBID’s executive director, said there is vast support for the project from the city council and the public, and he expects the vote to go off without a hitch.

Plans for the new park emphasize the versatility of the space with movable seating, greenery, and public art. SPBID has taken into account the large residential population surrounding the park and works to create a more enjoyable area

for community members to connect. Marshall said he expects the public to use the activated space for a broad spectrum of activities.

“It is a place where you can meet friends — where you could go and gather as a family,” Marshall said. “It is a place where you could have lunch if you work in the (California Hospital). If you work from home, (you can) step outside of your apartment or your condo for a few minutes to get some fresh air. It is going to be a great community space, and what makes it such a perfect investment is that it is taking advantage of underutilized public space that already exists.”

Marshall explained that the project at Pico Triangle is important because SPBID hopes it will lay the groundwork for future green-space projects in the area. The mission of SPBID is to support the community by working to create a safe, clean and wholesome environment for residents and businesses to share. With an increased demand for residential developments in South Park, Marshall said,

parks and public spaces will tie all the different areas of the city together and create a community.

“Given South Park’s continuing growth along the Pico corridor, with new businesses and a fast-growing residential population, it is particularly important to activate underutilized open spaces like the Pico Triangle and create a strong outdoor connection point for the community,” said SPBID Board Chair Dave Gordon.

“We don’t have a park, and we’re called South Park,” Marshall said, pointing out the irony. “We’ve got to create that sense of greenness — that sense of vibrancy. And we can do that through activating underutilized space.”

Marshall’s urgency is reflected in the data surrounding South Parks’ need for green space. According to CalEnviroScreen, an organization that measures environmental metrics in urban spaces, South Park ranks in the 10th percentile for areas in California most in need of public green spaces.

The next step for the Pico Triangle Beautification Project is for the LA City Council to approve their funding. Although the motion has not been put on the city council’s agenda yet, Marshall said he expects it to be sooner rather than later. Once that is complete, he said it is only a matter of months before South Park residents and visitors have access to the new Pico Triangle.

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Covered California will help DT CONSIDER THIS The race and gender race

Iam chowing down at our favorite restaurant, El Patrón in Altadena, CA, “Are you doing anything special for Black History month?” my friend asks. She knows that I’m a history nerd, and her question wasn’t out of the ordinary.

“You know I’m a National Women’s History Alliance board member, right?”

“Just like you were the last 100 times you told me,” she poked.

“Maybe you’d like to join us. The NWHA is having a ‘Celebrating the Power of Black Women’ event on Feb. 7. I’ll send you the link for details. We can have dinner here afterward and talk about it. Wanna?”

Black History Month, also known as U.S. history, has been observed since America’s bicentennial year. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

If I’m being candid, I’m ambivalent about designating months for histories of specific groups. The snarky part of me is: Black History in February, Women’s History in March; then there’s Native American History month, blah blah blah… as if these groups are not part and parcel of the entire weaving of American history? And yet, I am also overjoyed that we make these months special. I admit I’m envious of the status of Black History month. Banks, corporations and educational institutions all celebrate and help promote during February. Women’s history and the other commemorative months? Not so much.

Truth is, I can’t be annoyed by a month or the people honored in it. In many ways, Black women are the perfect subjects for two months in a row: February for their skin color; March for their assigned gender. For decades, they’ve been the engines of social progress for everyone.

It breaks my heart to see resentment between women of color and white women. There is even a term for the phenomenon: “horizontal hostility.” Horizontal hostility is a term I first saw in Robin Morgan’s book, “Sisterhood is Powerful,” an anthology of feminist essays that turned my life upside down. In that book, the late great lawyer and political activist Florynce Kennedy — the spelling of her first name was as audacious as she was! — discussed in-fighting issues in her essay, “Institutionalized Oppression vs. the Female.” Kennedy coined the term “horizontal hostility” to describe the often bitter battles between women dealing with the same gender issues or between people of the same minority or ethnic group about socalled minority issues.

I can’t claim to have direct experience with racism, although I certainly have witnessed racially oriented ugliness. I have my gender “creds” just by walking around in a female body, reading, writing and thinking about misogyny and sexism for most of my life. Florynce Kennedy had loads of both gender and race issue credibility because she was an African American woman.

Simply put, horizontal hostility happens because the frustration of breaking barriers makes it easier to fight each other horizontally than it is to fight “the power” (usually held by white men) vertically. You know that famous glass ceiling? It’s called that because ceilings

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are up, and glass because you can see what’s happening. Women, gays and people of color can see clearly above them as they stare at the shoe bottoms of straight white men. If you’re in an “out” group, you’re often pissed off and not getting very far, and it’s convenient to start socking each other in the throat at your own level. At least you feel like you’re doing something!

While comparing suffering is a mistake, it’s almost unavoidable when discussing race and gender. Being the wrong race at the wrong time can get you harassed, under-employed or even killed. So can gender. I firmly believe that men of any color would be shocked if they knew the constant unwanted attention that women of all races are subjected to. The rape and murder statistics for women attacked by their “intimates” is astounding. Most thinking people can understand the pain arising from being judged for attributes that come with birth, such as sexual organs or skin color.

Who benefits from horizontal hostility? The establishment does — make no mistake about it. Divide and conquer is a strategy as old as any game, war or

campaign. The status quo can sit back and watch the people who are not part of them duke it out. Here in 2023, it’s time for some horizontal unity!

Finally, I want to leave with you some quotes by Flo Kennedy… how I miss her!

• The biggest sin is sitting on your ass.

• Freedom is like taking a bath — you have to keep doing it every day!

• You’ve got to rattle your cage door. You’ve got to let them know that you’re in there, and that you want out. Make noise. Cause trouble. You may not win right away, but you’ll sure have a lot more fun!

Happy Black History Month. Do something special to commemorate it, even if it’s simply a toast.

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

Valentine’s Day guide to DTLA dining destinations

For some cynics, the annual observance of St. Valentine’s Day is an exercise concocted to benefit the greeting card and florist industries. For others, it’s an opportunity to acknowledge the people we love and an excellent excuse to enjoy a romantic dinner for two at a special restaurant. A successful romantic dinner out is an ineluctable combination of set and setting, of ambiance and atmosphere, of delectation and delight.

Whether one works or lives in DTLA, or simply knows that many of LA’s most romantic and unique dining destinations can be found here, now is the time to make plans (and nab a reservation) for a special evening.

Following is a list of 11 Downtown spots that provide all of the necessary elements for a successful romantic outing. There are a range of neighborhoods and cuisines to choose from and the list is quite partial. Downtown LA can be a romantic destination at any time of the year and there is a wealth of worthy destinations. May your heart be your guide!

Woodspoon

Both Chef Natalia Pereira and her storefront on 9th Street between Broadway and Spring exude an undeniable charm. The intimate dining room – decorated by Periera with an eclectic collection of objets d’art –has been hosting romantically inclined couples since 2009. Specializing in the Brazilian cuisine of her home province of Minas Gerais, at Woodspoon Pereira manages to combine a pleasant, otherworldly ambiance with a menu of comforting, mindfully composed dishes that don’t compromise on authenticity or taste.

A well-deserved recipient of a prestigious Bib Gourmand citation from Michilin in 2021, Perieira has also been acknowledged by the James Beard Foundation as a “Taste America” chef. Make no mistake, she is the real deal.

It might also be noted that the price points here are accessible and fair. Frankly, it’s a bargain for the consistent quality of the experience that is delivered. At heart, the menu at Woodspoon is centered around rustic comfort fare and is divided into four sections: small plates; “grelhas” or traditional grilled entrees; “Woodspoon favorites” and “regional specialties”. There is not full bar service, but the house-made sangria in red or white is distinctly refreshing. There is also a small but well-composed and accessible wine list, most available by the glass and bottle.

Recommended to start: yucca fries with house aioli ($8); pastel Portuguese, shrimp and coconut dumplings ($11) or beet salad with tomato, avocado, lime and cilantro ($14). Savory entree options include the Brazilian chicken pot pie with hearts of palm, olives and corn ($21);

Moqueca, the traditional seafood stew with cod, prawns, clams and a “secret” coconut sauce; or go all in with a Picanha-cut wagyu steak, served with a fried egg, collard greens and yucca fries ($44). Dessert? The rice pudding ($7) is a delicious bargain, suitable for sharing.

Pereira’s staff calls her the “kitchen witch” because of her uncanny ability to infuse the food here with a curious irresistibility that can only be attributed to her main ingredients: care, attention and love.

Woodspoon

WHERE: 107 W. Ninth Street, Los Angeles

INFO: 213-265-7107, woodspoonla.com

Poppy + Rose

Anyone already familiar with this popular outpost in the Flower District knows that it serves breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. Brunch can be as romantic as an evening dinner and remember it’s one-stop shopping here for Valentine’s Day weekend, with floral bouquets available from a local market vendor.

Chef Michael Reed and his wife and partner Kwini Reed have been operating this lovely spot since TK. It emerged during the pandemic as a vital community hub, with the Reeds regularly supplying food to their homeless neighbors.

Reed is a classically trained graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and his weekend brunch reflects his unique and sophisticated sensibility. The brunch menu includes a couple of the Reed’s signature dishes: the chicken and waffle, with a buttermilk-brined fried chicken thigh and wing served on an artisanal waffle with fresh chives ($21); and the favored shrimp and grits ($21), served with a fried egg on top. There is also a novel selection of Benedict preps ($17 to $20) including: avocado; bacon; salmon and tomato; crab and avocado; and that famous fried chicken.

Besides being guaranteed a fully satisfying brunch repast, know that when you dine at Poppy + Rose you are also actively supporting the local community. It doesn’t get much more satisfying.

Poppy + Rose

WHERE: 765 Wall Street, Los Angeles

INFO: 213-995-7799, poppyandrose.com

Astrid

When you present your date with tickets to the LA Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall, it might as well be before the concert, as you linger over a candle-lit table at Chef Ray Garcia’s Astrid, just next door. The sleekly contemporary yet compact and placid dining room creates an appropriately romantic and sophisticated pre-symphony setting, for an evening at LA’s internationally famous concert hall. It’s a winning Valentine’s Day combination that is sure to impress.

Garcia came to prominence locally with his restaurant Broken Spanish, which shuttered in 2020. The Music Center approached Garcia for this concept that replaces Patina as the concert hall’s primary fine dining tentpole.

The tightly curated menu here reflects

Garcia’s interest in fresh seasonal produce –informing the evolution of the menu’s offerings – as well as elegant and artful presentation and plating. Highlights include, for starters, scallop crudo served with hearts of palm and uni ($26); chicken liver mousse with a grape compote, pickled pearl onions and sourdough ($19); or splurge for the beef tartare with truffle and creme fraiche ($57). Notable entree options include black cod in ginger and coconut curry ($41); the short rib served with domingo red beans, bacon and cactus ($53); or the lamb shank with pomegranate and preserved lemon ($59). There are also vegetable plates including: brussels sprouts ($19); and maitake mushrooms with turmeric aioli ($21). For a serious Valentine’s Day indulgence, consider the full caviar service ($93).

Astrid can play as a pitch-perfect dining experience for you and your valentine to conveniently precede an evening of classical music or anything else being presented at Disney Hall.

Astrid

WHERE: 141 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles INFO: 213-972-3535, asteridla.com

Camphor

The haute-bistro Camphor has quickly flagged attention as a serious new culinary contender in Downtown since opening just over a year ago. It is the latest launch in the portfolio of No. 8 Hospitality group that includes a restaurant and a brewery in Vietnam. Located on 3rd Street in the Arts District, the nouvelle-French takes coming from the kitchen here have captivated the critics and downtown connoisseurs alike.

Unusually, the operation is helmed by two executive chefs working in tandem: Chef Max Boonthanakit and Chef Lijo George. Both are classically trained and long-time colleagues who met in Bangkok, at Michelin-starred Blue by Alain Ducasse. Expect an ineluctable blend of genuine and elevated French bistro fare, accented with notes of Asian flair.

Although the current menu is not available on their website, it is divided into five sections: snacks, starters, salads and sides, main and dessert. On the snack selections, the gunpowder shrimp ($12) has garnered favorable attention. Oysters ($32 for six) are de rigueur on a menu like this, as is beef tartare ($24). Elevated bistro turns on mussels with white wine ($30) and steak au poivre ($72) will not disappoint, or consider a hol-

iday splurge on the caviar service with blini and pomme souffle ($125 per ounce). There is also a wine pairing available for an extra $65.

There’s nothing like contemporary French-inspired sophistication to supply the romantic ingredients for a successful Valentine’s Day dinner.

Camphor

WHERE: 923 E. Third Street, Suite 109, Los Angeles

INFO: 213-626-8888, camphor.la

Kato

Chef Jonathon Yao and his team successfully transplanted his Taiwanese-influenced Kato to the Arts District from its original haunt – on the bustling westside Asian-dining strip on Sawtelle Boulevard – just last year, at this time. Nothing has been lost in translation here and if anything, the new dining room is even more commodious and romantically evocative than its predecessor.

Now ensconced at The Row in the Arts District – the outdoor site of Sunday’s Smorgasburg – Kato’s new location is sustaining itself nicely with scarce reservations available for Chef Yao’s evolving tasting menus. Yao is the son of Taiwanese immigrants, and he grew up in the San Gabriel Valley. His background provides the inspirational springboard for his tasting menu, which is

always subject to change. Here, you are at the mercy of the chef, but know you are in very good hands.

The standard tasting menu is currently priced at $275, with an abbreviated “Bar Tasting Menu” fixed at $170. An accompanying “traditional” wine flight can be had for $155 or a curated vintage flight at $195. Still dry from January? A non-alcoholic mocktail flight is available for $85. Also know that an 18% service charge will be added to your final bill.

Now listed as one of LA’s 101 essential restaurants in 2023 by the LA Times, Kato’s reputation is well earned and provides appropriate notes of sophistication, surprise and satiation for a truly romantic evening.

Kato

WHERE: 777 S. Alameda Street, Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles INFO: katorestaurant.com

Girl & the Goat

Chef Stephanie Izard’s arrival from Chicago in DTLA’s arts district in the summer of 2021 caused a sensation with the opening of her first restaurant here, Girl & the Goat. Sporting a spacious and airy dining room and bar area on Mateo Street, the bright new venue gained traction quickly with Downtown gourmands and rightfully so.

Izard has an inherently creative and play-

ful sensibility, and her cooking here inevitably embraces the use of fresh California produce, seasonally throughout the year. The current menu features a section for “bread & snacks” which includes an intriguing goat liver mousse ($19) and duck tartare ($22). For other romantic options, consider the roasted oysters with a clam baguette ($17) or the beer-steamed mussels with perilla sauce ($26). More substantial entrees include braised crispy lamb with a kabocha squash stew ($24), the grilled skirt steak with a Sichuan peanut sauce and pickled cucumbers ($34) or the on-theme goat curry with masa chips and radish ($32), although this one is subject to availability.

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, Girl & the Goat is offering a special Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu for $95 per person with the full beverage menu available for a la carte purchase. Reservations are still available via their website but act fast for this one!

Girl & the Goat

WHERE: 555-3 Mateo Street, Los Angeles

INFO: 213-799-4628, girlandthegoat.com

Rossoblu

At Rossoblu, Chef Steve Samson has proven over six years now that his creative takes on northern Italian cuisine – specif-

ically from Bologna, where he spent his childhood summers – can endure as bright spots in Downtown’s dining firmament. Staged in the atmosphere of a quietly elegant trattoria, there is nothing like mindfully composed and presented Italian cuisine to inspire and celebrate amore’.

Start with marinated Tuscan olives ($8) or the seafood fritto misto ($23) or both. Impressive grilled entrees include trout on a cannelini bean puree ($42), and a 20 ounce bone-in pork chop served with housemade sausage and sage ($74). The parmigiano reggiano dumplings served en brodo ($18) are one of Rossoblu’s reliable favorites. There is really no resisting pasta here: tagliatelle with beef and pork ragu ($28); tortellini with swiss chard and ricotta ($27); cavatelli in duck ragu ($29); or pappardelle with a lamb sugo and arugula ($31). Eight pizza takes served in 12-inch format are available at $21 each.

That all said, another popular option here is a pandemic program that still has traction and attraction for a cozier, homebound Valentine’s Day experience. Pre-order the “seven-course experience” for local delivery or pick up. Call directly for more details.

Rossoblu

WHERE: 1124 San Juan Street, Los Angeles INFO: 213-749-1099, rossoblula.com

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VALENTINE’S DAY GUIDE TO DTLA DINING DESTINATIONS, 11

Majordomo

Chef David Chang’s ambition is both culinary and entrepreneurial. Having staked his first notable successes in New York City, starting with Momofuku Noodle Bar, his reach now easily extends to Las Vegas and to the outskirts of LA’s Chinatown, as well as to a line of products available on-line. Any roving dining enthusiast who has somehow missed Chang’s progress just hasn’t been paying much attention. Chang’s presence on the national dining scene has been as bold as the Korean-influenced flavor profiles of his best dishes.

Although prices are not currently cited on the menu available online, this is higher-end dining that is backed up by consistent quality and service. In addition to raw seafood options like oysters and tuna tartare, there is also a list of “bing” or Chinese-style griddled crepes. These include such exotic turns as smoked eggplant and pine nut, as well as a caviar, egg yolk and chive. There are two takes on crispy rice: mushroom or mussels as well as a macaroni and chickpea combo that incorporates miso and black truffle. The best known entree here is the smoked half Bo Ssam pork shoulder roast that is enough food to feed four. Come along with another couple or be prepared for leftovers in a doggy bag.

With Jude Parra-Sickels helming in the kitchen as executive chef, Majordomo has firmly established itself on the culinary landscape of greater LA. It is a primary fixture of Chinatown’s latest renaissance as a destination for both adventurous young chefs and diners alike.

Majordomo

WHERE: 1725 Naud Street, Los Angeles

INFO: 323-545-4880, majordomo.la

Nick + Stef’s

Any list of romantic dining destinations should probably include a steakhouse. Though there are definitely options in DTLA, Nick + Stef’s – a venue belonging to the Patina Group portfolio – will always be in the running. It doesn’t hurt that the classically trained executive chef, Megan Logan, has maintained an impressive 20-year tenure with Patina and over ten years at the grills here.

The dining room has been recently revamped with a spacious outdoor patio. Indoors, the space still evokes the classic and clubby, intimate dark tones and lighting that is expected from a classic steakhouse and inevitably suits the requirements of a romantic dinner for two on Valentine’s Day.

The usual suspects are here: raw oysters on the half shell ($22 for six; $39 for a dozen); “classic” shrimp cocktail ($26); iceberg wedge ($15); two seafood towers ($125/

$195); and of course, steaks grilled to order, over oak and mesquite. Premium cuts include a three-ounce A-5 Wagyu New York strip ($89), 12-ounce Tasmanian grass-fed New York strip ($56), and six- or ten-ounce, grass-fed Nebraska certified-Angus filets ($49/ $62). The USDA-Prime cuts are dryaged in-house, these include an 18-ounce rib-eye ($78), 28-ounce rib chop ($104) or enormous 48-ounce Tomahawk rib chop, to be shared romantically ($185).

This contemporary and venerable Downtown steakhouse is in walking proximity to the Music Center, so theater or symphony tickets can be part of the date-night parlay here. For a discerning couple of amorous carnivores, the menu set and dining setting at Nick + Stef’s provides everything needed for Valentine’s evening.

Nick + Stef’s

WHERE: 330 S. Hope Street, Los Angeles

INFO: 213-680-0330

Damian

Renowned Mexico City-based chef Enrique Olvera initially expanded on his extraordinary success at Pujol, by opening two venues in New York City. It wasn’t until 2020 that he extended his reach to LA, with the opening of Damian in the Arts District in late October of that year.

There may have been some initial local skepticism fueled by native pride here when Olvera arrived with Damian. Any doubts were soon put at ease. His elevated takes on traditional Mexican preparations simultaneously illuminate the inherent complexity of the cuisine while delivering

it all in delicious and beautifully presented dishes. The experience is elegantly framed by the cunningly designed, enclosed courtyard layout of the dining room.

The menu and pricing can be subject to some change. Currently, unpriced menu highlights that exemplify the sensibility here include an uni tostada with a caesar salad, an octopus huarche with “weiser potatoes,” lobster al pastor and the now famous duck carnitas with radishes and assorted homemade salsas.

Romantically inclined couples might also consider a weekend brunch here. The brunch experience is a bit more accessible and includes a suadero burrito with salsa verde and executive chef Chuy Cervantes’ novel take on fried chicken, served with pickled cucumbers.

Romantic sophistication and deliciously elevated Mexican cuisine is to be expected at Damian. By night or day, engaging satisfaction lies in store here for any couple celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Damian

WHERE: 2132 East 7th Place, Los Angeles

INFO: 213-270-0178, damiandtla.com

Redbird

There are very few more romantic settings in all of greater LA than the former St. Vibiana cathedral on 2nd Street and North Main, where Chef Neil Fraser and his wife and partner Amy Knoll Fraser have been operating their restaurant Redbird, since 2014.

First constructed as the site of the arch-

diocese of Los Angeles, the building and grounds had languished for years before the Redbird team came to resuscitate the space and – by extension – their immediate downtown neighborhood, surrounding the former cathedral. Over nearly ten years, the restaurant and their catering operations have become institutional fixtures in the greater LA dining landscape. However, it should also be noted that the advent of Redbird and their multifarious, ancillary activities and events at the venue have only provided a positive contribution to the economic and social renewal of DTLA at large.

It’s no surprise that Fraser is offering not one but two novel dinner menus to celebrate Valentine’s Day at Redbird. The more adventurous of the two options is “the Progressive Tasting Menu Journey”. Conceived as a tour of the building’s warren of private dining areas and outdoor gardens, the journey begins in the Redbird garden with assorted canapes and a champagne toast. Next the group decamps to the soaring East Room and its impressive open kitchen, where Fraser will prepare and present three courses. Finally, a short hike upstairs for dessert and port, served fireside in the elegantly bedecked rooms of the top-floor Cardinal’s Quarters. This touring tasting menu is priced at $275 per person plus tax and gratuity. An optional wine pairing is available for an additional $125, curated by Redbird/ Vibiana wine director, Mathew Fosket. The full menu and more details can be found at: redbird.la/menu/valentines-day-tasting-menu.

If a tour of the building and grounds seems like an unnecessary calorie-burn, opt for the “Three Course Prix Fixe’’ staged in the spectacular main dining room and lounge area of the former rectory. The menu for this romantic dinner option features: Shigoku oysters with hibiscus mignonette and amaro garnita; a scallop crudo with white grapefruit, yuzu kosho, salted radish and black sesame; artichoke raviolo with black truffle butter; sunchoke and thyme crisps; beef heart tartare with a porcini aioli; rack of lamb served with gnocchi romana, cippolini and tuscan kale. For dessert, warm date cake will be served with seeded granola, candied kumquats and toffee sauce. The prix fixe is $180 per person plus tax and gratuity and a supplemental, curated wine pairing is also available here for $100. The full menu and details are accessible at redbird.la/menu/#valentines-day-prix-fixe.

Bring your beloved to Redbird, choose either of these fascinating and enticing options and the table is graciously set for appropriately seductive, post-prandial allure.

Redbird

WHERE: 114 East 2nd Street, Los Angeles INFO: 213-788-1191, redbird.la

This Valentine’s, ACB’s Astaire Dances will sweep you off your feet DT

This year, one of the city’s most popular Valentine’s date night traditions, Astaire Dances, will return, encompassing a full night out on the town, with cocktails, comedy, music, dancing and performances featuring iconic Fred Astaire choreography.

Astaire is hailed by many, including Lincoln Jones, director and choreographer for American Contemporary Ballet, as one of the most influential dancers and choreographers of the 20th century.

“When I saw my first Astaire movie, I was completely blown away by the quality, not just his dancing but the choreography. I felt it rivaled Balanchine’s in terms of its depth and invention,” Jones said. “I came to learn later that Balanchine thought the same thing of Astaire. (Balanchine) compared him to Bach.”

In addition to being a dancer and choreographer, Astaire was also an accomplished drummer and pianist, which was evident in his musicality and attention to rhythm.

“I think music just was in his body,” Jones remarked. “His perfection came in being so tied to the music.”

The series will be held at 2Cal, formerly Two California Plaza, in the Bunker Hill District of Downtown on the 28th floor. Behind the dancers, attendees will experience an endless panorama of the city. The idea was to model the venue off an intimate 1920s jazz club.

The show will open with a set from comedian and former Conan O’Brien writer Brian Kiley, then dancers will meticulously recreate some of the most romantic choreography in silver screen history from films like “The Band Wagon,” “Silk Stockings” and “You Were Never Lovelier,” accompanied by live music. In rehearsals, dancers played dance scenes endlessly to analyze each step and gesture. New in the role of Astaire is ACB dancer Maté Szentes, who coincidentally studied ballroom dancing along with ballet.

Astaire’s dancing is famously romantic, evoking a deep intimacy between partners.

“Astaire took that moment in a roman-

tic movie that usually lasts for just a second, which is just before the kiss, and he extends it out,” Jones explained. “If you look at how close his face is, it’s incredible, and at the same time, he’s moving so big.”

During numbers, actors will reenact scenes and songs preceding the dances. Jones explained.

“The dances didn’t just happen out of nowhere,” he said. “They were usually working out some dramatic tension that happened in the scene before.”

Jones will choreograph a piece in Astaire’s signature style for the fifth and final number. The show will also include a new ballet, “The Charleston,” by Jones, inspired by the iconic 1920s dance, composed of five solos featuring music from jazz legends: Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong.

“I’m making endless variations on that idea of a step,” Jones said. “You can start

with just a basic Charleston, but then you can lift your legs higher, and then you can do it in a syncopated way, and then you can break it up in all different ways. It’s five, three-minute dances based on endless variations on this one dance idea.”

An artist reception will follow the show, featuring a live jazz trio with drinks and dancing. The dancers, musicians and creatives behind the show will also attend to talk and mingle with guests. Dancers will also be available to teach patrons basic ballroom steps, like the foxtrot.

“I always want to encourage the audience to dance themselves, and we do it differently after each show,” Jones said. “When ballet was at its height, it wasn’t just something you watched — It was participatory. I think that makes the experience of the performance so much richer — when you watch people do something and then you do a version of it yourself.”

Astaire Dances

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 10, to Sunday, Feb. 26. See website for times WHERE: 2Cal, 350 S. Grand Avenue, 28th floor, Los Angeles COST: $60 to 130

INFO: acbdances.com

Sweet Aya Bites tiger nuts snacks roar into Sprouts nationally DT

America’s pantry has welcomed LA-based brand Sweet Aya Bites’ tiger nuts snacks to its shelves.

The 2020-established brand expanded from 16 Sprouts locations in Southern California to 400 across the United States with its national launch this month. Tiger nuts, which are healthy, sustainable tubers, were introduced in the snack aisle with three flavors: sea salt, smokey BBQ and dark chocolate covered.

“We started talking to Sprouts last March about tiger nuts and all the cool products they can be in the market,” said Will Iyawe-Parsons, founder of Sweet Aya Bites. “Then, Sprouts went all in and asked for the brand to be involved in this launch. For us, personally, it’s a fantastic opportunity.”

Sweet Aya Bites’ tiger nuts products will also be available at Clark’s Nutrition and Mother’s Market & Kitchen.

“Our focus is natural or high-end retailers to support the retail price. They

tend to be more adventurous consumers, typically,” Iyawe-Parsons said.

Alongside Sweet Aya Bites’ launch, six other brands have committed to producing tiger nut-focused items. These include Ora Organic (protein powder), Bhu Foods (tiger nut spread, bars and cereal clusters), Mmmly! (cookies), Three Wishes (cereal), Pamela’s (tiger nut flour) and Grain Free Baker (brownie and cookie dough flour mixes).

Tiger nuts are tubers, which grow underground like peanuts.

They are highly versatile and can be produced in many different food product categories — even as an ingredient base, like oat or wheat flour — so Sweet Aya Bites has many more possible product opportunities in the future.

Sweet, nutty and full of nutrients, Iyawe-Parsons said they have up to 50% fewer calories and 75% less fat than tree nuts, with two to three times more fiber. They are also allergenic free and contain 11 vitamins and minerals.

The key difference between a tiger nut and a tree nut, however, is chewi -

ness.

“The first bite is crunchy but then chewy, which is new for many consumers. I think its chewiness is one of its best attributes, so I wanted to highlight that in a very positive way,” Iyawe-Parsons said. “That’s why our taglines are ‘Chewy Goodness’ and ‘Chewy DelightBite After Bite.’”

While providing a healthy and delicious snack for consumers, tiger nuts are also generally more environmentally friendly to produce. According to Iyawe-Parsons, they require 95% less water to grow than tree nuts.

Having originated in West Africa before migrating to Egypt and Spain, tiger nuts fare best in dry, arid climates and are drought resistant. As a result, they can grow nearly anywhere in the world.

Tiger nuts are not yet grown in the United States, so Sweet Aya Bites receives all of its tubers from Spain.

“If you are looking for a brand-new snack on the market, or if you’re looking for a healthier snack — one that has less fat, less calories, is more sustainable — or just looking for a new flavor, give us a try,” Iyawe-Parsons said.

For more information about Sweet Aya Bites and tiger nut snacks, visit sweetaya.com.

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

Parkway Drive ready to share new sound on North American soil

Some musicians utilized the pandemic-driven hiatus from live music to set up new records. Parkway Drive vocalist Winston McCall said the break gave him too much time to tinker with the Australian band’s sound.  Parkway Drive broke through the metalcore scene in the late 2000s with an early catalog packed with heavy riffs, blast beats, and McCall’s unrelenting guttural growl. Their 2022 collection “Darker Still” is a departure.

McCall admits he hoped to create a slightly lighter-sounding album that straddled the genre lines of power metal and early-1990s thrash metal.

“We really wanted to nail down as a sound, which is what you hear and we’re really stoked,” McCall said. “The music had to serve a purpose and it really had to drive the overall feel of Parkway’s evolution forward, however, executing that goal is where the issues came in.”

“Darker Still” was created in three parts: pure joy, absolute agony and tension.

“There was just a lot of work that went into it. Over the period of creating this

album, we were going through different stages of lockdown, different family matters at home, and all kinds of stuff,” McCall said. “And we had a lot of time to create it, which can drive you crazy.”

Some songs saw as many as 60 revisions, he said.

“The first single ‘Glitch’ was literally the song we wrote and it was the last song finished,” McCall said. “It went through about 60 different versions simply because we had too much time.”

However, McCall said that the more intricate arrangements on the record suffered little changes.

“It was weird because there are songs like ‘The Greatest Fear,’ which has more of an extravagant composition, it stayed very similar for the majority of its creation,” he said. “Then some of the simplest songs took a bunch of goes around the merry-go-round to nail down.”

The tune that proved to be the tallest order became the titular ballad “Darker Still.” Guitarist Jeff Ling approached the band early on with the riff, but the full song was a struggle.

“There were certain songs that eluded us for a very long time, like the title track, ‘Darker Still,’” McCall recalled.

“We’d never written a ballad before having to do that. It took us months to figure out how to create that thing and it went through so many different characterizations and so many different theories.”

The name stayed the same, however, as it describes McCall’s life.

“It’s really strange because that idea came along to me very early on — before we even had an album,” McCall said.

“It came about because of basically the journey that I’ve been going on throughout my life of confronting the reality of darkness. It’s basically about my journey to reaching an age where all of a sudden the people I love have started passing away and I was confronted with the reality of what life is, the idea of dealing with loss, and the idea that it doesn’t ever get lighter.”

Despite the nihilistic disposition behind the lyrics, McCall said recording the album was cathartic. He’s anxious to share it during the band’s first North American tour since 2018.

“It’s always cathartic and I think there’s a part of me that has to create because it brings me catharsis and the fact that the songs are written as a touchstone for these darker things because I have no other way of articulating them,” McCall said. “Being able to confront and articulate the way that these problems make me feel through song and through lyrics is a very powerful thing.

“I think one of the most powerful things about music is that it gives voice and it gives language to emotions which you can’t bring yourself to express any other way.”

Parkway Drive w/Memphis May Fire and Currents

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31

WHERE: The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles COST: $35

INFO: parkwaydriverock.com, livenation.com

Covered California will helpDT ARTS & CULTURE

Corey Helford launches Art Collector Starter Kit IX

With the birth of her Downtown Los Angeles gallery, Jan Corey Helford wanted to create a space that could uplift artists while making their art available to collectors of all ranges throughout DTLA and beyond. For the past nine years, the Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) has held an annual Art Collector Starter Kit group exhibition to help showcase smaller, more affordable new works.

“We’re really lucky to have such a high caliber of artists that are willing to participate in the Art Collector Starter Kit IX exhibition,” said Sherri Trahan, director at CHG. “A lot of it comes from us pursuing not only our more well-known artists that we show consistently already, our local family of artists, the CHG family, but we reach out to people that we’re interested in that we find anywhere.”

This year’s Art Collector Starter Kit will feature 12” by 12” works from over 75 contemporary artists from around

the world, with prices starting at $300. The show is open to the public free of charge and will fill the walls of the Main Gallery through Saturday, March 4.

Trahan explained that CHG’s artist base has grown nearly 30% since last year, and that the Art Collector Starter Kit show is an opportunity for the gallery to reach out to emerging artists that the team finds in magazines or on social media platforms.

This year’s exhibition will feature a multitude of mediums, from oil and acrylic to sculpture and installation, and a diverse breadth of CHG newcomers, from nature-inspired surrealist painter Molly Devlin to Meeson Pae, who uses 3D modeling software and VR sculpting to form architectural pieces that explore the interior landscape of the human body.

“It feels like we’re all family because we’re all in this together,” Trahan said. “We work as a team and our artists support our other artists. When somebody has a show, say, all the other artists will

post about the show. Our local artists come out and support each other when we have openings. They all seem to be there for each other. It’s very much a community. It’s a family.”

Alongside the new artists, CHG will welcome back fan favorites like HUSH, Hikari Shimoda, Brandi Milne, Eric Joyner, Miho Hirano, Troy Brooks, Bennett Slater, Luke Chueh and Travis Lampe. The full lineup of artists is available on the gallery’s website.

“The spirit of the show is that it appeals to the new collectors that gives

them an opportunity to jump in,” Trahan said. “We really believe that art should be available for the public to be seen and to be collected. And we want everyone to get an opportunity to collect an original piece of artwork.

“While we understand that financially that isn’t possible for everyone, we use this as an opportunity to hopefully make it more available to somebody that wants to have something beautiful in their lives, on their walls, in their homes. And this is an easier gateway for them to step into.”

Art Collector Starter Kit IX

WHERE: Corey Helford Gallery, 571 S. Anderson Street, Los Angeles

WHEN: Running through Saturday, March 4

COST: Free admission

INFO: coreyhelfordgallery.com

Resilient Michael and Kwini Reed host food fest at Rose Bowl

In the depths of the pandemic lockdown, Downtown LA restaurants suffered more acutely than those in other parts of town.

While other spots shut down cold, the popular breakfast and lunch bistro Poppy + Rose was used as a hub of community activism and support for their neighbors.

Its resilient owners, Michael and Kwini Reed, will impart their knowledge as hosts of Masters of Taste from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 2, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The event benefits Union Station Homeless Services.

Celebrating its 50th year, the Pasadena-based nonprofit is regarded as one of the most effective homeless service organizations engaged in the San Gabriel Valley.

“This is their 50th year of operations for Union Station, which is amazing,” Michael said.

“That’s 50 years of serving the community. Let’s reflect that in kind. All of these restaurants are donating time.

Let’s go out and really show them that the community loves them.”

The festival features over 100 participating restaurants, breweries, wineries and individual chefs all offering enticing samples of their work, divided into three categories: culinary, sweet and beverage masters.

The latter group will pour cocktails, beers, wines, cold brew coffee and pressed juices from the 50-Yard Line Cocktail Bar. Live entertainment is part of the fun.

That said, as hosts, the Reeds are empowered to create a motif for the festival this year.

“Every year the host gets to come up with a theme for what they want to do,” Kwini said. “Ours is basically a backyard picnic kickback.”

Michael elaborates, “So this year we switched it up. We’re not going to do chef demos this year. We’re going to host a mixology competition. We’ll have some of the best bartenders from Los Angeles and Orange County come in and create some beautiful cocktails with some beautiful liquor, sponsored by

these reps and have a competition with bartenders this year and really showcase what they can do.

“Then we let the chefs duke it out for ‘best of show’ and have the patrons this year actually vote. So, we’re making it a friendly, fun competition for the vendors, really letting them show what they do best in a friendly competition.”

An Oxnard native, Michael grew up in a family centered around the kitchen, the backyard barbecue and fresh produce from the garden.

He attended UC Santa Barbara, pursuing a different path. When he was injured as a member of the track team, he changed course.

He was accepted at the venerable Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Before graduating in 2008, he served in the kitchen at The Modern, the noted eatery at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

He returned to Southern California, where at the age of 26, he worked at the Michelin-starred kitchen at David Myer’s Sona and Xiomara, benefiting from a recommendation by acclaimed chef and

restaurateur Nancy Silverton.

The Reeds met in 2011, when Michael served as executive chef at West Hollywood’s The Standard, where Kwini worked as senior accounting manager.

Kwini also grew up in Southern California and attended Cal State Fullerton, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing.

The couple’s chemistry led to a successful marriage and catering operation, Root of All Food, which specializes in “high-end boutique catering, as well as in-home cooking and private events.” It provided the springboard for the 2014 establishment of Poppy + Rose in the Flower District, which needed a breakfast and lunch stop.

When their reliable daily business evaporated overnight with the onset of the pandemic lockdown, Kwini realized Poppy + Rose could answer a higher calling.

The nearby border of Skid Row expanded onto their street, as the newly unhoused pitched tents on their curb. She initiated daily food donations to their new neighbors, using the used

stock and leftovers from the day’s service.

A regular customer offered to underwrite a larger donation effort, which helped to keep the restaurant’s kitchen staff activated and employed.

The effort began with 150 meals prepped for Martin Luther King Jr. Hospital and then expanded to the Drew Medical testing program. Under Kwini’s initiative and guidance, Poppy + Rose also partnered with noted local nonprofit Brown Bag Lady to provide meals for DTLA’s growing homeless population.

In the last two years, Poppy + Rose became an exemplar of how a local restaurant can make the crucial and positive difference in an extended moment of local crisis.

The Reeds’ community-engaged pandemic experience also successfully sustained their business and staff. Ultimately, they opened Poppy + Seed in

Anaheim in 2021, bringing with them their charitable endeavors.

“We have kept it going at Poppy + Rose,” she said.

“Orange County is a little bit more difficult, only because the homeless population isn’t as visible. So, it’s hard to figure out but now we’re getting leads to organizations that we can team with. I know last year we did an initiative with Green Bird Cleanup. So, we’re still keeping up our monthly donations with Brown Bag Lady. Poppy + Rose still gives out food on a nightly basis at 3 p.m. It’s become very, very ingrained into our brand. So, it’s going to translate to any other restaurant that we open or any other venture that we do.”

The Reeds’ latest community venture is the nonprofit the U-N-I Coalition, which is set to launch by the end of summer. Designed as a training and job placement program, Poppy + Rose will transform in the evenings to a train -

ing kitchen, with guest chefs and industry professionals donating their time to train the disadvantaged and jobless into the culinary industry.

“The whole basis is that we are in this together and the transfer of knowledge is free,” Kwini said.

“It takes nothing from us. We don’t have to look at each other as competitors. We need to look at each other as collaborators. And we can share information with each other in order to make the world a better place.”

A new venture is in the works, as the

couple hopes to open a restaurant in San Pedro.

“We have signed the lease to open in West Harbor, which will be our third location,” Michael said.

“It will be a mash between what we do for dinner at Poppy + Seed and our traditional brunch at Poppy + Rose so you have the best of both worlds coming together. We’re super excited about that project.” Expect an opening at the new location by the beginning of next year.

Masters of Taste LA

WHEN: 3 p.m. (VIP), 4 p.m. (general admission) Sunday, April 2

WHERE: Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena

COST: $155 general admission; $225 VIP admission. Both tiers allow unlimited tastings of food, wine, craft beer and cocktails

INFO: mastersoftastela.com

Chris Bianco to open famous Pane Bianco at Row DTLA

Restaurateur and famed pizzaiolo

Chris Bianco doesn’t believe in the perfect pizza. “I think that’s the problem right now with a lot of things that are self-proclaimed ‘the best’ or ‘the perfect’ whatever,” said Bianco. It’s more personal for him, “rarely does one size fit all in that way…. It’s important that we identify things we like, whether (the pizza is) crispy, thick, thin, Neapolitan, New York, or a hybrid.” Bianco gravitates toward pizzas that remind him of home: New York-style, Italian, and woodfire.

This is the philosophy that Bianco brings to all his restaurants, including the Phoenix lunchtime eatery and sandwich shop, Pane Bianco, which will open its LA location at Row DTLA in March or early April this year.

The announcement follows an eventful year for Bianco, which included a James Beard Award for outstanding restaurateur; opening his first LA-based pizzeria, Pizzeria Bianco, last June; and landing a spot on the Netflix series, “Chef’s Table: Pizza.”

Bianco was born in The Bronx and later moved to Ossining in Upstate New

York, where he made his first foray into the pizza business at thirteen, working at pizzerias after school. He eventually made his way to Phoenix, where he began his pizza empire in the back corner of a grocery store in 1988.

The LA Pane Bianco location will join the ranks of Pizzeria Bianco in LA and his four other Phoenix restaurants, including two Pizzeria Bianco establishments, Pane Bianco Phoenix and Tratto, an upscale diner spot.

The menu will reflect much of the Phoenix location with many of the same focaccia sandwiches, salads, and convenient takeaway pizza slices. Many dishes will feature his organic Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes grown in Northern California. Bianco is currently developing some menu items that will be unique to LA and hints at “some new twists” to the existing menu.

Patrons can expect sandwiches like classic crab, soppressata, mozzarella basil, sweet aged provolone and roasted pepper, along with New York-style pizzas and market grab-and-go salads.

Bianco’s hope for the opening is that Pizzeria Bianco and Pane Bianco will

function in a synergy that will allow customers to experience two different yet connected dining experiences, pizza and wine at Pizzeria Bianco for a sitdown dinner and a focaccia sandwich on the way to a show Downtown. The opening will allow Pizzeria Bianco to convert into a fully all-day wood-fired pizzeria, similar to the original Phoenix location. For Bianco coming to LA was a natural progression for his business.

“I love (LA),” he said. “There’s a great restaurant scene … as far as diversity, the level and types of cuisine, and exciting young chefs and old chefs — ones in the middle. I mean, it’s just an amazing place to find inspiration and good food.” For those who come to Pane Bianco and any of his restaurants, Bianco wants people to feel the care put into every dish, recipe and ingredient.

“I try to do things at the highest level that I can provide, from the best sources that I can procure and find, try to make things as delicious as I can, and provide hospitality at a high level,” Bianco said. “Hopefully, people feel things are as special as intended — it’s not just about opening restaurants.”

NASCAR returns to LA for Clash at the Coliseum DTSPORTS

The Clash at the Coliseum was born to give NASCAR fans in Los Angeles the opportunity to witness modern day gladiators battle on a racetrack in one of the most iconic venues in the world. On Sunday, Feb. 5, the Coliseum will open its gates for the annual pre-season cup series exhibition.

“When you’re driving into that arena full of people, surrounded by them, and you can hear the crowd and the roar … there’s nothing like it,” said Ryan Preece, driver for Stewart-Haas Racing.

The Clash, previously held at Daytona International Speedway since 1979, moved to LA for its first race in the Coliseum in 2022. Patrick Rogers, vice president of marketing services at NASCAR, explained that the decision to move was inspired by a combination of factors, namely the Southern California weather, the viewership of racing in LA and the Coliseum itself.

“There’s so much history there,” Rogers

Los Angeles Best Advertising Source

said. “They’ve had the Olympics, they’ve had Super Bowls, they’ve had the World Series, they’re going to have another Olympics there in ’28, and to be able to put the NASCAR brand and then an event on at such an iconic place … it’s just incredible.

“Just to walk through the tunnel or come through the peristyle area and see a completed racetrack was just super, super cool. … Then to see our cars on the track in a packed stadium such as that, it’s hard to put into words.”

Rogers explained that one of the core missions of the event, aside from putting on an action-packed series like last year’s Clash won by Team Penske’s Joey Logano, is to both give NASCAR fans the chance to experience a live event and to expose an entirely new audience to the sport.

“Last year, just over 70% of those that attended the event had never been to a NASCAR event before,” Rogers said. “Following the event, we took a look at ev -

NASCAR RETURNS TO LA FOR CLASH AT THE COLISEUM, 21

erything, and the overall sentiment was super positive. For us, it was a no-brainer to do it again. … This event that’s going to take place on Feb. 5th, I can say of those that have purchased tickets thus far, 50% of them did not attend last year. So it’s doing the same thing again.”

While the fans can enjoy the race from the stands, Preece explained that the Clash gives drivers the opportunity to prepare for the season ahead.

“I’ve been here at Stewart-Haas Racing for a year, and I’ve worked with my crew chief Chad Johnston for a year and a half,” Preece said. “It’s a new team to us, so there’s a lot of, I would say, things that we need to work through for the year and kind of get a jumpstart on of that. And (the Clash) is the start for this process.”

Preece also described his excitement at racing on a quarter-mile track, built to fit within the Coliseum walls. This quar-

ter-mile bull ring is what many drivers raced on growing up in the sport, making their way into NASCAR.

“As soon as NASCAR said that they were going to do this, I got excited because I feel like that is as close as you’re going to get to what we call our grassroots, where racing began,” Preece said. “I think it’s a great way for not only us drivers to get the season started, it’s the type of racing that we all come from, but it’s also something that fans … can sit there and watch and you’re going to be excited every single lap. There’s just a lot of aggressive racing from us race car drivers, and it’s a great event.”

Fans will be able to enjoy a host of offtrack experiences throughout the day, from a fan fest with live performances and food trucks to a Q&A stage that will welcome each of the drivers for a session. There will also be a pre-race show per -

formed by hip-hop legends Cypress Hill and a race break concert by renowned rapper Wiz Khalifa.

After four qualifying heats and two last-chance qualifying races, the NASCAR Cup Series will begin at 5 p.m. to allow for the end of the race to be held under the Coliseum lights.

“If there was one thing I could have changed last year, it would’ve been some of the timing to get that thing under the lights for the finish,” Rogers said. “When you think about the backdrop of the city,

you’ve got the torch, all the pyro that we’ll be setting off as the winning driver comes to the finish line and all the postrace ceremonies … I think that’s just going to be so fun.”

“You want your name to be in the history books showing that you won that race,” Preece said. “You always feel like you need something to help build that anticipation and excitement for the Daytona 500, and what better way to do that in LA.”

Clash at the Coliseum

WHERE: 3911 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles

WHEN: 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5.

COST: Tickets start at $39

INFO: nascarclash.com