Monthly Archives: December 2011

Trinity Auditorium May Become Second King & Grove Hotel in Downtown LA

Posted on December 22, 2011 by | 8 Comments

The beautiful Trinity Auditorium, first home of the LA Philharmonic, may become the second King & Grove hotel in Downtown LA (Hotel Clark being the other)

With all the exciting hotel news lately, such as Ace Hotel coming to Downtown LA taking over the United Artist Theater on Broadway, it brings me great joy to continue that urban renaissance momentum with more “hotel chatter” news.

An anonymous source (who works closely with the hotel industry) has informed me that the Trinity Auditorium–that beautiful 1914 Beaux Arts-style edifice at 9th and Grand Ave–will also become a King & Grove hotel. This comes after I had confirmed earlier this month that Hotel Clark at 4th and Hill St would be reborn as a King & Grove hotel. The idea of having two King & Grove hotels in close proximity isn’t without precedent as there are two in Montauk, NY (at the easternmost tip of Long Island), so having two in Downtown LA doesn’t seem as far fetched.

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Posted in architecture, downtown los angeles, hotels

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Planetalis Restaurant Now Open at 8th and Figueroa St in Downtown LA

Posted on December 20, 2011 by | 2 Comments

Planetalis is the first of its kind in the country from France and is now open at 8th and Figueroa in Downtown LA

Back in April 2011, I reported that a new restaurant called Planetalis from France was making their United States debut here in Downtown LA (with plans to expand with more undetermined locations later on). Planetalis is finally opening this week after many months of fits and starts, replacing the former Famima Japanese convenience store location at 8th and Figueroa.

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Posted in downtown los angeles, food, restaurants

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It’s Christmas Time in The City (Yes, in Los Angeles!)

Posted on December 18, 2011 by | 7 Comments

Bottega Louie at 7th and Grand Ave

“Silver bells, silver bells, it’s Christmas time in The City…” is a song we all know well (like this rendition from Johnny Mathis), but where do people usually associate with “Christmas time in The City?” New York comes to mind and maybe Chicago or even San Francisco, but never Los Angeles, right? For as long as anyone can remember, The City (aka urban center aka Downtown LA) in Los Angeles surrendered to suburbia and its satellite cities and their standardized malls and shopping centers.

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Posted in art and culture, downtown los angeles

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SAA Architect Firm Opens New Office Location in Downtown LA

Posted on December 15, 2011 by | 2 Comments

SAA's newest office location in Downtown LA ingeniously takes over the unused lobby space for the Paul Hastings Tower at City National Plaza

Eighteen workstations are placed alongside the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows employing 22 design professionals

It seems like a trend is beginning to happen in Los Angeles lately: new architect firms opening up office locations in Downtown LA, including the very recent relocation of global architect firm Gensler from Santa Monica to City National Plaza. Now another architect firm, SAA (Shlemmer+Algaze+Associates) known for their interior designs including the upscale Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood, is expanding their LA presence with a new office location also at City National Plaza.

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Posted in architecture, downtown los angeles, real estate, smart growth

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Downtown LA Families: Take a Survey and Help Recruit a K-6 Charter School to Downtown LA

Posted on December 12, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Children come to Downtown LA from other parts of LA County for school field trips but now a school is needed in Downtown LA for those who live here

Many years ago, a younger demographic was attracted to Downtown LA’s new urban living option–usually the case for up-and-coming locales that appeal to a younger and more open-minded generation. Those same folks, thousands and thousands to be exact, eventually “grew up” and many of them also found spouses and mates. Instead of deciding to move out of Downtown LA, many of them had fallen deeply in love with their community and consider Downtown LA to be home, just like any other established part of the LA region.

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Posted in community involvement, downtown los angeles, education, politics

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Semi Sweet Bakery Now Open at Santa Fe Lofts in Downtown LA

Posted on December 7, 2011 by | 5 Comments

Semi Sweet Bakery has been open for a little over a month now at the Santa Fe Lofts in LA's revitalizing Historic Core

I can’t get over how incredible it feels to walk down 6th Street in the Historic Core. Anyone who knows the sordid past of the area also knows that 6th/Main was in the middle of Skid Row at one time. Now the intersection has cleaned up dramatically over the last several years and has become one of the hottest destinations in LA with a slew of new upscale businesses that have opened, including the much anticipated Artisan House (gourmet market/deli and restaurant).

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Posted in downtown los angeles, food, restaurants

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Update: Spring Street Green Bike Lane Repainted Successfully in Downtown LA

Posted on December 5, 2011 by | 2 Comments

The Spring Street green bike lane was repainted successfully this past Sunday and is now consistently green throughout

I took this picture today of the newly repainted bike lane on Spring Street (just repainted yesterday on Sunday) to show what the majority of the new green bike lane looks like now: nice and consistently green throughout the entirety. There are a few small patches here and there where the green paint either came off or was not painted thoroughly, but very minor in my opinion. Overall, the bike lane now looks great and I saw many cyclists using it, which is just wonderful to see, especially here in Downtown LA. I would love to see a lot more of these throughout LA in the future.

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Posted in bicycle oriented, downtown los angeles, environmentally green, public spaces, smart growth

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LA Streetsblog 2011 Award: Blogger of the Year

Posted on December 5, 2011 by | 9 Comments

LA Streetsblog is one of the foremost intellectual online daily news sources pertaining to urbanism and the promotion of livable communities by elevating the rights and status of pedestrians and cyclists in a car-dominated society, especially here in Los Angeles. A philosophy gaining widespread acceptance in our generation today and something I firmly believe in and support as well.

And that is why I am so honored and proud to be the LA Streetsblog 2011 Winner: Blogger of the Year! Thank you so much to the Board who recognized my work to bring more awareness to all those dreamers (like myself) who believe we can make a positive change here, albeit baby steps, in our car-crazy Los Angeles toward a more walkable, transit-oriented, and livable city not dominated by cars, but by people.

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Posted in bicycle oriented, community involvement, pedestrian oriented, politics, smart growth

Breaking News: Hotel Clark to be Reborn as King & Grove Hotel in Downtown LA

Posted on December 2, 2011 by | 14 Comments

The upscale and trendy boutique hotel brand, King & Grove, will manage and operate the Hotel Clark in Downtown LA's revitalization Historic Core

After years of speculation and mystery surrounding the continued renovations going on behind the Chetrit Group-owned Hotel Clark located near 4th and Hill Street in Downtown LA’s revitalizing Historic Core, including the addition of a new pool deck, I am very excited to break the news to the downtown community that we are getting a new King and Grove Hotel!

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Posted in downtown los angeles, hotels

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Artisan House Debuts at 6th & Main in Downtown LA

Posted on December 1, 2011 by | 10 Comments
Artisan House debuts in Downtown LA with an official grand opening on Dec 7, 2011

Back in July 2011, I reported that a new “nameless” gourmet market and restaurant was coming to LA’s Historic Core, located at the corner of 6th/Main in the historic and symbolic Pacific Electric building. Then, we finally found out in October 2011 that this very much anticipated new establishment was given the finalized name Artisan House.

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Posted in downtown los angeles, food, restaurants

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