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Dec
12
  13 years ago by Santee Court

'Tis the Season

It is that time of year again. For those of you spending your first winter here at Santee Court, we work with an outreach program each year to sponsor families transitioning from homelessness. This year we are working with "Issues and Solutions" which is a local organization that focuses primarily on issues concerning the Skid Row area, our neighbors. We are asking for donations of food, essentials, clothing and toys.

I can't even begin to tell you what a difference something like this makes in the lives of these families. It is real joy for a Holiday that these children would probably not have. It is significant for the parents who often do all they can and more to make their lives happy, healthy, and good, and this generosity makes the month of December special, memorable, and warm.

We have assigned each building two families.

Brownstein Louis Building (722):
9 year old girl: Shoe size 2 girls Shirt Size Medium Pants Size 8 Girls
12 year old girl: Shoe size 8 women’s Shirt Size woman’s large Pant size 8 women’s
2 year old boy: Shoe size 22 ½ boys Shirt Size 4T Pant Size 4T

Connell Building (714):
5 year old boy: Shoe Size 12 ½ boys Shirt Size 7T Pant Size 7T
6 month old girl: Shoe Size 2 Clothes 6-9 months
12 year old girl: Shoe Size 8 women’s Shirt Size Woman’s X-Large Pant Size 9/10

Bailey Hat Building:
7 year old boy Shoe Size 3 boys Shirt Size Large Boys Pant Size 12 boys
6 year old girl Shoe Size 3 girls Shirt Size 10/12 Girls Pant Size 10/12 girls


For us it is a way to give to the community in a small way when things tend to be the hardest. This year promises to be even more difficult than most and we aim to bring a little cheer to our neighbors of the Skid Row Community who are struggling to stay off the streets.

Dig in deep. Give what you can. Give from the heart.

Santee Court / Scott


Nov
24
  13 years ago by Santee Court

“December Bills for Santee Court are missing your rent amounts. Please just add you rent to the utility bill and return it to the office.”


1 Comment | show
Posted by andrew 13 years ago

Nuts! I thought it was Santee Court's way of saying happy holidays! Just kidding. Thanks for clearing this up.


Aug
08
  14 years ago by Santee Court

Downtown Mentioned in the LA Times Again...

We owe thanks to the owners of Bottega Louie for all of the new enthusiasm that restaurant has generated for our city center. Among other fast growing retail and hospitality joints popping up (seemingly) everywhere, it feels like we're heading out of that 2008 slump when the bottom of the economy fell out. 


((ARTICLE EXCERPTS))


City walk


Time to return to L.A.'s core


"The residential population nearly tripled from 2000 to 2008. Restaurants, bars and even a grocery store opened. USA Today -- a leading journal, you might say, of the gentrified -- was moved earlier this year to describe the neighborhood as "a once-abandoned, ignored and decaying downtown that's now a hip and trendy hangout."


"What's different and compelling about downtown is that these deposits are separated by mere blocks instead of several miles -- a distance that can easily be navigated on foot or on a bike. (The increasingly lively part of Spring Street, for example, has a village feel, but it is a village that happens to be within walking distance of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Staples Center, City Hall, two branches of MOCA and a public library designed by the great Bertram Goodhue.) And that, in turn, leaves open the real possibility of ground-level urban discovery that has always been so tough to find in Los Angeles."


Great (Opinion) Article at the LA TIMES:


http://www.latimes.com/features/image/la-ig-downtown-20100808,0,6458188.story



Scott


 


Jun
30
  14 years ago by Santee Court

Found, Recipe: Tofu and Kimchi Dinner for One - Recipe


Tofu and Kimchi Dinner for One - Recipe




 
Tofu, kimchi and lots of garnish - dinner for one in no time flat


You could be eating this in less than ten minutes and using only one pot. We had one of those nights where the kids just needed to go to bed early (know how that goes?) and I ended up making this just for myself. It took me right back to my bachelor days, when I took a lot of pleasure in making a tasty dinner for one. Much of the joy in cooking is social, but when you are the only guest, you can take advantage of cooking exactly to your own taste.


[Quick aside: see that lovely new ad for ChefShop.com over in my sidebar? That is there because Tim Mar and his crew source some of the most amazing ingredients I've ever tried. Surf their site, you'll love it. And you'll be supporting Herbivoracious!]


Oddly enough, I didn't even make rice for this meal. I just ate a lot of tofu. So sue me. But you probably might like some rice.


I wouldn't dream of making this in anything other than my cast iron skillet.


Of course if you do have company for dinner, you can easily multiply this recipe as needed. It could also be embellished with sauteed shiitakes, finely shredded nori, a fried egg, or a handful of sugar snap peas.


Tasty vegetarian kimchi can be a little hard to find. You have to look closely at the ingredients to see if there is shrimp paste etc. in it. One brand I like is Dae Han Tofu Company, or if you are in Seattle, keep your eye out for the non-traditional but delicious Firefly Kitchens booth at the Farmer's Markets. Good stuff.


Tofu and Kimchi Dinner for One
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Serves 1



  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1/3 pound extra-firm tofu, patted dry and cut into 1/2" dice

  • 2 tablespoons minced red onion

  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

  • salt

  • toasted sesame oil

  • 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

  • toasted sesame seeds

  • 1/4 cup vegetarian kimchi

  • 1 tablespoon ssamjang or 1 teaspon kochujang, or 1 teaspoon sriracha



  1. Heat a large cast iron skillet over a very high flame. Add the oil, and 5 seconds later, the tofu and a great big pinch of salt. Fry, tossing occasionally until golden brown. Add the onion and grated ginger and fry for 30 more seconds.

  2. Mound the tofu into a bowl. Drizzle on a little sesame oil, and garnish heavily with the green onions and sesame seeds. Add a nice pile of kimchi and the hot sauce of your choice. I really love ssamjang because it is only moderately spicy, with a lot of flavor complexity, so you can use quite a bit of it.


Visit Herbivoracious for more! 




Jun
02
  14 years ago by Santee Court

Little Space and "OMG a 10G Make over from Dwell!"

It's spaces like that that really inspire me. I lived in one of our smaller units at Santee Court since day one. People always remarked how big the space felt. @ 690 square feet I eventually felt the need for a little more leg room. Now that we've moved into a space twice the size I'm back to marveling at little places. 


I think about Bjork in Venus as a boy. I can imagine that if that were her little Icelandic hús we might have seen an entry, fire place, and a room to the side. I don't know... Maybe I just imagine everyone living in little spaces once we leave the American Dream. My friend Cristele for instance toured one of the units at the Rowan, some 541 sq. ft. and she was full of ideas about how to make it into the most perfect loft. She's from Paris, I guess I get my impressions from somewhere. 


 


Anyway, I was looking for alternative sites, magazines, and news sources to find other information on Loft Living. I like the downtown news but I need to come up for some air regularly. It feels like the publication wants to make a "Walton's" episode out of downtown, and downtown is far far away from John Boy's bedroom. Blah. Blah. Blah. It's not a slight, just an observation, I need a publication with some style, and ingenuity. 


SO. I found this vignette on DWELL, Mind the Gap. It's a photo slide show of a house built into the sliver of a space between two other homes in London. You know the type, tall, slim and deep. That's how we like them. :)


Talk about ingenuity, On an eight-foot-wide site in London, architect Luke Tozer cleverly squeezed in a four-story home equipped with rain-water-harvesting and geothermal systems.



Read more: http://www.dwell.com/slideshows/mind-the-gap.html?slide=1&c=y&paused=true#ixzz0pikZE6jV


 


********


Now for the make over...




Room for Improvement


May 25-July 18, 2010



Room & Board and Dwell.com have joined forces to fix your living room woes.


When you look around your living room, what do you see? Saggy sofas? Cacophonies of clutter? Dearth of light and laughter? Don't be embarrassed—anyone who says that they wouldn't want to revamp their quarters into a modern wonderland is a lying liar. But never fear! Whatever the problem, it's nothing that $10,000 worth of Room & Board furnishings, fabrics and finishes won't fix. All we ask is that you snap a couple shots of yourself inside your abode, and describe just why it is that your pad needs a modern reboot. Not only will one grand prize winner get a boatload of loot, they'll also receive a visit from a Room & Board Visual Specialist, who will give expert advice on how to make the most of their space, one piece of fabulous furniture at a time.







Read more: http://www.dwell.com/contests/room-for-improvement.html#ixzz0pil3TkIN


 


You're CRRRRAAAZAAAY not to enter. 


 


Scott


PS: I get nothing for posting about DWELL except a Francis Farmer type of CLEAN-satisfaction at their thoroughly modern and inventive expose of talent. :)


Jun
02
  14 years ago by Santee Court

It's Time to Vote for your "Best of Downtown LA" --- You can win a prize!

Just a friendly reminder that it's time to vote for the "Best of" in Downtown LA. I'm partial to several favorites, so are many of you. 

This year it is a bit of an extensive list of choices so be prepared for a long survey. If you don't know ask a friend. I chose Pet ProjectBark Avenue FoundationRoyal Claytons, and Bolt Barbers, to name a few. They are all are great people, super services and friends, like many of the new and standing agents, businesses and services in downtown LA! Who are your picks? 

Vote NOW!

Prizes:Win a weekend on the town! Fill out at least 30 categories of the ballot and your e-mail address will be automatically entered in our drawing.* The grand prize winner will receive a complimentary two-night stay at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel that includes dinner for two at Sai Sai, $200 spending cash, dinner for two at Morton's The Steakhouse, a $150 Ticketmaster gift card, and a Los Angeles Conservancy walking tour. It's a great package, if we do say so ourselves. Additional prizes: iPhone, cash prizes, gift certificates and more!


http://www.votebestof.com/


 


Scott


May
12
  14 years ago by Santee Court

AMGEN Tour of California STREET CLOSURE: May 22nd / Downtown





Thanks to Sarah we have a pretty good heads up on street closures for the AMGEN Tour of California


About the Tour


The largest cycling event in America, the 2010 Amgen Tour of California is a Tour de France-style cycling road race, presented by AEG, that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course from May 16-23.

Founded in 2005 by Amgen, Breakaway from Cancer® is a national initiative to increase awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer from prevention to survivorship. The initiative supports the valuable support, education and advocacy resources offered by Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.


 


Stage 7: Los Angeles Individual Time Trial


The Amgen Tour of California descends on the City of Angels in Stage 7 with the 21-mile individual time trial. Los Angeles plays host to a course that is filled with several of the city's most recognizable landmarks. Each rider will leave L.A. LIVE and complete two laps of the 10.5-mile circuit around downtown Los Angeles. Heading south for the first half of the circuit, the riders will pass by the Los Angeles Convention Center, the University of Southern California, Exposition Park and the LA Coliseum. The route will then head back north for the second half of the circuit and will include two short, but steep climbs while passing several downtown Los Angeles icons, including the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and Los Angeles City Hall, before returning to the finish area at L.A. LIVE. This stage could set an all-time attendance record for spectators.


 


ROUTE DETAILS


 


Day: Sat, May 22
Start: L.A. LIVE
Finish: L.A. LIVE
Start Time: 1:00 PM
Miles: 20.9
KM: 33.6
End ETA: 4:15 PM



Stage 7 Action




********


Scott


 


Apr
21
  14 years ago by Santee Court

mac & mheeza Grand Opening in Downtown LA THIS Thursday!

Join us in welcoming mac & cheeza at their grand opening, tomorrow night for food, drinks, and friends. We're happy to welcome another great new business to the area, especially one with such GOOD FOOD!


GRAND OPENING HOURS
Thu:: 4/22 :: 5pm-11pm
GRAND OPENING 5-6:ooPM
Fri :: 4/23:: 11am-2am
Sat :: 4/24 :: 11am-2am
Sun :: 4/25 :: 11am-11pm


228 W. 8th Street @ the Chapman Flats!


 



Apr
20
  14 years ago by Santee Court

Downtown L.A. Streetcar Advertising Campaign is Up!

Yes it's true, we're going to have streetcars in downtown Los Angeles. Can you believe it? Brandon shared this link with us on the Santee Court Lofts Facebook page. Here are a few details from the website.


Scott


********


"We’re one step closer to bringing a modern streetcar to Downtown Los Angeles! All our outdoor advertisements are now up, and we encourage you to take a close look at bus shelters throughout Downtown and the surrounding communities. To view all the ads, take a look at our Facebookphotos."



Funding



The financing plans for streetcar projects can best be characterized as the creative leveraging of a diverse array of federal, state and local funding sources.  In fact, most public private partnerships — whether infrastructure, transportation, or otherwise — combine these various funding sources together for the greater good of both their own interests and the communities they participate in.


Streetcar projects have a unique advantage in relation to other transportation and infrastructure projects, as they have a measurable effect on the property values and neighborhood growth patterns in the cites where they are constructed. This characteristic is what gives both property owners and government officials the confidence to invest significant capital resources over long periods of time. There are numerous stories from stakeholders in other cities citing the phenomenal return-on-investment that a streetcar system provides.


Funding Used by Existing Streetcar Systems


 



  • Have not relied on traditional state and federal funds

  • Used funding sources related to redevelopment and parking fees

  • Secured significant investment by private property owners

  • Maximized sponsorships and volunteer labor

  • Garnished funding from regional transit agencies


While there are many federal funding programs that can be used, to date there are at least as many reasons to avoid the federal-funding approach in favor of state and local funding.  These reasons include the fact that the federal-funding evaluation process is expensive and time-consuming, and the process favors projects that save time for commuters which disadvantages local circulators like streetcars. Currently there is legislation in the works, sponsored by Congressmember Earl Blumenauer, which attempts to increase a streetcar’s scoring ability in the current federal system. Streetcar advocates nationwide are united in this effort and are hopeful a resolution will be reached in the near future.


LASI has been taking the appropriate measures to ensure the Los Angeles Streetcar project is in conformance with the federal and state guidelines and will continue to advocate for all types of funding sources for the project.


 


Full details are here at the LA Street Car website: http://www.lastreetcar.org/




Mar
18
  14 years ago by Santee Court

Blog / blogdowntown: A Peek Inside the Blackstone at Ninth and Broadway

We can expect some new neighbors soon!


B says that the units are nearly done, so note that this particular blog is about 7 months old...


Scott


********


A Peek Inside the Blackstone at Ninth and Broadway


By ERIC RICHARDSON 


(EXCERPT)



 Though it may not look it from outside, the long-delayed conversion of the Blackstone department store to 82 residential units is finally rounding the home stretch nearly a decade after the project was first proposed.


Running the project are husband and wife team Allen Gross and Arax Harutunian of Neighborhood Efforts. Walking through the building with the two, it's immediately clear how much fun they have restoring historic buildings. They got into the field nearly fifteen years ago, when they took on the preservation of the Los Altos in 1995.


Full blog by Eric here at Blogdowntown.


 



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scott posted a blog: Some thoughts...

13 years ago