Two Tickets to Paradise

More Downtown Artistic Options for February 14

by Andrew Haas-Roche

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, now is the time to plan something nice for the special person in your life. Dinner and flowers have already been arranged (right?), so this is the moment to accent the evening by finding something unique to do together.

One reliable standby is tickets to a special event. Fortunately, Downtown Los Angeles has a wealth of events taking place on Valentine’s Day that are perfect for dating couples, longtime married folk and even singles. From the Music Center south to USC there is no end to the options, which run the gamut from mucho expensive to free.

But don’t wait, as some of these events will sell out.

Classic Option: For those who believe that nothing says I love you like classical music, head to the University of Southern California. The USC Thornton School of Music is putting on a concert by faculty

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Seams From the Screen

Hollywood Comes Downtown for FIDM’s Annual Costume Party

by Lea Lion

On a Friday morning, a motley crew of reporters is clamoring to get the stars’ attention. Photographers are snapping pictures in rapid-fire succession and TV cameras are rolling.

These types of scenes are ubiquitous in Los Angeles. What sets this one apart is that the stars are not famous actors and actresses. They are the behind-the-scenes people who make it all happen.

It is the day before the opening of the annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) museum in South Park, and the media has been invited for a preview (hence those clicking cameras). Featuring more than 100 costumes from 25 films, including outfits from all five films nominated for this year’s Academy Award for Best Costume Design, the show is a whole other type of blockbuster. The Downtown Los Angeles exhibit runs through April 5.

Three kimonos

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Best Business

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Best Business

Downtown’s Wonderland in Sales and Services


READERS’ CHOICE

  • Best Shopping Center:7+Fig
  • Best Local Florist: L.A. Flower Market
  • Best Local Grocery Store: Grand Central Market
  • Best Local Furniture Store: The Dock Downtown
  • Best Bargain Shopping: Santee Alley
  • Best Fitness Club: 24 Hour Fitness
  • Best Salon: Candolyn’s Salon & Day Spa
  • Best Spa: Bonaventure Club
  • Best Hotel for Your In-Laws: The Biltmore Hotel
  • Best Pharmacy: Rite Aid
  • Best Wi-Fi Hot Spot: Starbucks
  • Best Dentist: Dr. Don Mungcal, Downtown Dental
  • Best Residential/Loft Complex: Medici
  • Best Mom & Pop Shop: La Parrilla
  • Best Secret Parking Spot: Joe’s on Hope Street
  • Best Place to Blow $100: Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse
  • Best Medical Center: Good Samaritan Hospital
  • Best Carwash: Downtown Car Wash
  • Best Thing We Didn’t Think Of: Multiple WinnersEDITORS’ CHOICE
  • Best Acupuncture: Dr. Steven T. H. Chang
  • Best Florist: Unique Sarah Total Floral
  • Best Massage: Pho-Siam
  • Best Smoke Shop: Bloom’s General Store
  • Best New Market: Joe’s Downtown
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