Please excuse our lack of focus today. This whole Rose Bowl hoopla has us all wound up. In other news, the national media has taken notice of our booming downtown. Theaters, lofts and the LA Live project all get notice in an article making the rounds on the AP. A lot of developers are putting their eggs in the downtown basket hoping to cash in, either through adaptive reuse of existing buildings or development of shiny new condo towers.
· Condo boom rejuvenates downtown Los Angeles [Chicago Tribune via AZCentral.com]
What? That first story didn't convnice you to move Downtown? Here's another one. But rather than spouting off developments, this story analyzes what all the development means for the City - are we a real City or just a collection of suburbs. Our favorite quote:" 'Angelenos are different than the rest of Americans,' said Dan Rosenfeld, a partner at a downtown real estate development firm. 'We are a collection of individuals, not a community.' He noted that Los Angeles has some of the best private gardens in the United States but the worst parks, some of the most stunning private architecture but disappointing public buildings, the greatest private art collections but middling museums." True, true.
· Downtown Los Angeles Gets a $10 Billion Remake [Washington Post via Archinect]
There was a quote in the above story about how Downtown Los Angeles was transforming itself into the "Manhattan of the West Coast." Now, to complete the picture we need a Central Park - which conveniently we already have in the form of Griffith Park. It's just a little closer to Hollywood than Downtown, but still... Anyways, the park is getting a makeover and the Times points to 2006 as the year for the rebirth of the park, with new roads, safer trails and less graffitti. Yay! We're becoming a real city with parks and stuff.
· Makeover for a grande dame [LA Times]
A story about angry Giant Village ticket holders threatening to sue over the last minute cancellation is expected, of course. However, the piece de resistance (SP?) of the Times story was the squirrel dude from London who planned to propose to his girlfriend on-stage during the Flaming Lips set. You can't make that shit up. Quote of the Day: "To dance onstage with the Lips was my life's ambition."
· Angry Ticket-Holders Threaten Suits Over Canceled New Year's Eve Concert [LA Times]