88 Q A N TA S M A RCH 201 5

THE DOWNTOWN LOWDOWN

The neighbourhoods of Downtown Los Angeles have distinct personalities. Fresh restorations, new cultural

centres and an infrastructure upgrade are setting them

in sharp relief.

WORDS MARINA CHETNER PHOTOGRAPHY JESSICA SAMPLE

EIGHTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO, silent-film legends Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks were part of the opening extravaganza for the United Artists Theatre, a Spanish Gothic masterpiece. In 2015 this legacy lives on at the reborn Theatre at Ace Hotel, which draws talent such as Quentin Tarantino, who last year performed a world-exclusive reading of his leaked script The Hateful Eight with Samuel L Jackson and Kurt Russell. Thanks to a constellation of stars and dynamic forward-thinkers, Downtown Los Angeles is making a comeback.

Known nowadays as DTLA, the centre of LA is close to hip ’hood Silver Lake and 24km east of the Pacific. Founded in 1781 by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve, it became part of Mexico after the Mexican War of Independence, only to be acquired by the US after the Mexican-American War, then incorporated as �

Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall; Upstairs bar at Ace Hotel (opposite)

90 Q A N TA S M A RCH 201 5 M A RCH 201 5 Q A N TA S 91

a municipality in 1850. The transcontinental railroad, oil boom and movie industry established the city as a leader in commerce and entertainment. The glory days lasted into the first half of the 20th century when cars and free-ways dispersed the population into suburbia. Now, after decades of neglect, not only are Angelenos heading back to the core, but transplants are following suit.

DTLA is a patchwork of loosely bound neighbourhoods, each with a distinct personality. There’s the fanfare of the Staples Center and LA Live complex (Lakers basketball games, MTV Movie Awards); the cultural and performing arts centre in Bunker Hill; and the architectural heritage of the Historic Core and Broadway Theater District, where, thanks to a 1999 adaptive reuse ordinance, opulent beaux arts and art deco loft conversions have attracted chefs, musicians, filmmakers and actors. Landmark Broadway theatres are being restored, reinvented or used as film sets against a growing skyline of largely foreign-funded developments. The ongoing “Brooklynisation” of the neighbouring Arts District has transformed industrial warehouses into roomy live/work spaces: Kevin Spacey’s Trigger Street Productions occupies part of the 1925 National Biscuit Company building.

Excellence in food and design is making an impact. Top-notch restaurants and chefs are breaking onto “best-of” lists across the nation, as independent boutiques and high-street brands reincarnate warehouse and heritage spaces. Meanwhile, the cultural domain is getting stronger with the impending opening of philanthropist Eli Broad’s contemporary art museum and conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic into 2018-19, its 100th season.

DTLA is also serious about improving transport infrastructure. A fixed-rail streetcar and expanded Expo light rail to Santa Monica are scheduled for completion by 2016, and the Regional Connector Transit Project is expected to be running by 2020. Until then, the best way to appreciate the revival is to head for an enclave and stroll.

SHOPTanner Goods860 South Broadway.(213) 265 7480. tannergoods.comThis is Tanner’s only concept store outside Portland, and the brand’s penchant for fine craftsmanship is reflected throughout. Bespoke orbital ceiling lights hover over rows of impeccably crafted men’s and women’s leather goods including origami-like sunglasses cases, business card holders, wristbands and wallets. Best-

sellers: the Standard Belt, made of English Bridle leather; and the Nomad Duffle, a stylish yet durable construction of heavyweight waxed canvas and leather. Racks of jackets, denim, and separates from Engineered Garments, Arpenteur and Rogue Territory line the walls.

Acne Studios855 South Broadway.(213) 243 0960. acnestudios.com Acne Studios’ largest global �

Chef Micah Fields at LA Chapter; Ace Hotel lobby (left)

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Patina; Japanese green tea doughnuts with miso butterscotch cream at WP24 (right)

Carl Louisville, Guerilla Atelier

Tanner GoodsGhostlight cocktail at LA Chapter, Ace Hotel

Grilled albacore at AlmaBestia

92 Q A N TA S M A RCH 201 5 92 Q A N TA S M A RCH 201 5

While wagyu with turnips, truffled walnuts and wasabi, and geranium sorbet with lemon foam reappear on the menu, dishes change nightly and beverage pairings are available. Reservations required. Dinner Tue-Sat.

WP24 by Wolfgang PuckL24 Ritz-Carlton, 900 West Olympic Boulevard. (213) 743 8824. wolfgangpuck.comWP24’s panoramic views inspired the sexy interior design by Manhattan-based iCrave. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, of Beverly Hills’ Spago and the Oscars’ Governor’s Ball, offers a modern Asian menu that doesn’t shy from spice. Start with the tasty salt-and-pepper short ribs, then share the crisp whole-roasted Peking duck with its array of garnishes and steamed bao buns (for two). Consider booking the private dining room for meetings with city backdrop. Dinner Tue-Sat.

Patina 141 South Grand Avenue. (213) 972 3331. patinarestaurant.comUnder a billowing curve of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, this �

suspended glasshouse (on-site until May). Popular items include LA-made Weiss Watches and Rodin oils. Most-coveted: a fully restored, navy 1959 Fiat Spider Abarth, $US78,000 ($95,200). Sorry, no test drives.

Guerilla Atelier821 East 3rd Street. (310) 365 2194. guerillagalleries.orgAfter starting as a 30-day pop-up, Guerilla Atelier is a permanent fixture in the Arts District. Visionary Carl Louisville, former director of the Prada Epicenter in Beverly Hills, fills this warehouse space with beautiful sought-after items: Mister Freedom denim, Italian-made Borelli jackets, summer pieces by Annelore, and celeb-worthy handcrafted jewellery by Melissa McClure. There’s a selection of home decor, coffee-table books, and Warholian screen prints hanging on the exposed brick walls.

EATBestia 2121 7th Place. (213) 514 5724. bestiala.comVoted Top Newcomer in the 2014 Los Angeles Restaurant Survey by Zagat, Bestia is one of the Arts

District’s brightest stars. Once a coal warehouse, the revamped space retains an industrial look with ubiquitous steel piping, chopping-block tables, and meat-hook chandeliers designed by LA-based Studio Unltd. Its rustic-meets-refined Italian menu excels in nose-to-tail cooking, with roasted bone marrow, gutsy veal tartare spread over crostino, and house-cured meats from the charcuterie bar. Homemade Neapolitan pizza dough, agnolotti cut from scratch, and in-season ingredients define executive chef Ori Menashe’s approach. His wife, pastry chef Genevieve Gergis, makes a decadent tangerine-topped crème fraîche pannacotta. Dinner daily.

Alma952 South Broadway.(213) 244 1422. alma-la.comAlma, one of LA’s most buzzed-about eateries, was named America’s Best New Restaurant in 2013 by Bon Appetit, while Food & Wine crowned Ari Taymor as 2014 Best New Chef in Los Angeles. The intimate 39-seat space located in the Theatre District offers a tasting menu that stretches the boundaries of taste combinations.

flagship spans 465sq m of the 1930 art deco Eastern Columbia building. The Giant Triple Mushroom installation by Belgian artist Carsten Höller is hard to overlook. Perforated aluminium shelving units display ready-to-wear, structured-leather jackets, denim and footwear. Try on the exclusive Mape Jacket made in collaboration with Liberty – its back is emblazoned with “LA” stitched in Swarovski crystals. There’s a VIP room for private appointments and the adjoining Stockholm-based il Caffé means Acne co-founder/creative director Jonny Johansson is never far from his favourite hometown coffee shop when he’s in town.

Alchemy Works826 East 3rd Street.(323) 487 1497. alchemyworks.usHusband-and-wife team Raan and Lindsay Parton opened Alchemy Works, a gallery-like showcase of edited global finds, in November 2013. Almond Surfboards from Newport Beach lean against the wall, Imperial Barber Products line a cream vanity chest and, in the back corner, a Warby Parker pop-up of sleek sunglasses and optical frames beckons under a

A veritable gallery of “edited global finds” can be found at Alchemy Works (left and right); coffee bar at Ace Hotel (centre)

94 Q A N TA S M A RCH 201 5

LOS ANGELES UPGRADE

M A RCH 201 5 Q A N TA S 9594 Q A N TA S M A RCH 201 5

Michelin-starred Relais & Chateaux property serves modern interpretations of French classics. Executive chef Charles Olalia, formerly of French Laundry, sources the best ingredients, whether a spring bounty of white asparagus from France or lobster from Maine. The Durham Ranch rabbit porchetta appetiser is a standout – paired with sweet peas and earthy Swiss chard, the flavours strike a wonderful balance. A tableside cheese cart, offering Appenzeller to Valencay Frais Cendré, is a rare treat, while for something sweet, the tangy passionfruit pavé with pops of dark chocolate malt balls is perfection. Dinner Tue-Sun.

DO Museum of Contemporary Art250 South Grand Avenue. moca.orgMOCA is celebrating its 36th anniversary as its French director Philippe Vergne completes his first year at the helm. From March 21

(until July 27), MOCA presents Sturtevant: Double Trouble, the first comprehensive survey in the US of the artist’s 50-year career.

The Music Center135 North Grand Avenue. musiccenter.orgThe Music Center opened 50 years ago, and it’s been 11 years since the much-loved Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall was added. Take a free 90-minute Symphonium tour of the four venues, which includes a walk-through of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Home to the Los Angeles Opera and former venue for the Oscars, its Tony Duquette-designed interior is a fabulous mix of chinoiserie, hand-polished crystal chandeliers, and columns clad in gold mosaic. Coming soon: a $US750m ($918m) mixed-use project designed by Gehry (part of Grand Avenue’s larger development plan). The Diller Scofidio + Renfro-designed Broad Museum (thebroad.org) is being constructed across the road.

Little TokyoLittle Tokyo, declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1995, began in the 1880s with the establishment of Kame restaurant at 340 East First Street (now Bunkado homewares store bunkadoonline.com). The enclave is now a food and shopping destination. Enjoy ramen from local favourite Daikokuya (327 East First Street, dkramen.com), a visit to the Japanese American National Museum (100 North Central Avenue, janm.org) and sampling Japanese whisky at the new Wolf and Crane bar (366 East Second Street, wolfandcranebar.com). A stroll through the Japanese Village Plaza (335 East Second Street, japanesevillageplaza.net) will sate any Hello Kitty obsession.

Historic TourPershing Square. (213) 623 2489.laconservancy.orgThe LA Conservancy was formed to save LA Central Library from destruction in the 1970s. Today, guided walks include the Historic Downtown tour (Saturday only) featuring the 1893 Bradbury Building of Bladerunner fame, the lobby of the 1926 Schultze and Weaver-designed Subway Terminal Building (converted to Metro 417 apartments) and Grand Central Market (1917) where the line for Egg Slut’s yolky breakfast sandwiches stretches to La Huerta’s shelves of dried fruits and nuts.

STAYAce Hotel929 South Broadway.(213) 623 3233. acehotel.comInspired by the modernist aesthetic of Rudolf Schindler and Frank Lloyd Wright, LA design collective Commune transformed this former United Artists building into Ace Hotel. All 182 rooms and suites feature original concrete

ceilings. The LA Chapter restaurant flows from the lobby via a coffee bar and is helmed by Brooklyn’s Five Leaves. Meanwhile, the bar crowd at Upstairs gathers around the rooftop pool for drinks with Downtown views. The ornate 1920s United Artists Theatre is now The Theatre at Ace Hotel and has hosted the likes of Nick Cave. From $US206 ($252).

Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles 900 West Olympic Boulevard.(213) 743 8800. ritzcarlton.com/losangelesThe Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles offers concierge-style service in 123 rooms and 14 suites spread across the 22nd to 26th floors of its 54-storey, Silver LEED-certified, Gensler-designed tower. The five-star is minutes away from the LA Convention Center and the Staples Center, and shares meeting space with the adjoining JW Marriott. To escape the downtown bustle, the glam Old Hollywood-inspired spa and rooftop pool are a welcome retreat. From $US389 ($476).

Omni Los Angeles at California Plaza251 South Olive Street.(213) 617 3300. omnihotels.com Omni is adjacent to MOCA and near Little Tokyo. Rooms on the 16th and 17th floors have private key access to the Club Lounge, a quiet space to flip through the Los Angeles Times with a view of Walt Disney Concert Hall. Relax by the fire pit at Noé Bar with a gimlet, Manhattan or martini while rubbing elbows with the LA Phil crew. From $US260 ($318). A

B For airfares and holiday packages to Los Angeles call Qantas Holidays on 1300 339 543 or visit qantas.com/holidaysaustralianway

AUSTRALIANS get Americans, and they like us. For 11 years, we have been celebrating and encouraging each other through G’Day USA, the

campaign that fosters deeper economic ties, “Where the US & Australia meet”. The LA Gala is its best-known event – held every January and now a feature on the red-carpet calendar – where Australian actors and musicians gather to honour the best of Aussie talent in the US. It is also a great showcase of Australian produce and wine with a menu curated by Neil Perry and Tom Colicchio featuring Vittoria coffee, Aussie Vodka, Bundaberg and Australian lamb from Thomas Food International – all good examples of Australian business doing great things in the US.

This year, the Gala included the presentation of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) International Awards, which AACTA president and Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush describes as

LA Chapter

“Australia’s international stamp of screen success. They recognise our screen peers, add an Australian voice to the inter-national awards season, alongside the BAFTAs and the Oscars, and celebrate our fellow Australians who are working in screen internationally.”

But as glamorous and high-profile as the LA Gala is, it is just one event in a broader G’Day USA campaign that also promotes Australian digital innovation, tourism and business. Behind the scenes, a range of events and dialogues go on through the year, involving more than 1000 Australian businesses. January’s two-day Tourism Summit shared ideas on

growing US and Australian travel markets. A Bilateral Policy Dialogue explored collaboration in defence, trade and investment, while the Trade and Investment Dialogue discussed US investment in Australia. The Next Wave of Digital Innovation: 2020 and Beyond addressed invest-ment in Australia to develop market opportunities in health, transport, cyber security and communications.

However, the Australian creative streak remains a strong theme of G’day USA. Next month, California’s Orange County hosts the Newport Beach Film Festival, celebrating movies from the Pacific Rim and including an Australian Spotlight evening featuring an Australian film screening and a showcase of our food and wine. In June, the Palm Springs International Shortfest (June 16-22), the largest short-film festival in the US, features an Australian film screening.

“By partnering with G’Day USA, we will raise the profile of the Australian screen industry,” says Rush. A

G’DAY

WORDS KATE DUTHIE

Move over LA, Qantas is sharing the love with the rest of America.

✚ Newport Beach Film Festival, April 23-30

Newport Beach

Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky

at the 2015 G’Day USA Los Angeles

Gala

THE G’DAY USA CAMPAIGN PROMOTES AUSTRALIAN DIGITAL INNOVATION, TOURISM AND BUSINESS

NEW

PORT

PH

OTO

GR

APH

Y: G

ETTY

IMA

GES