LAO: Beyond Baroque Saved

Photo from Beyond Baroque at flickr

Literary Los Angeles has some good news.

It's the subject of my latest post at LA Observed's Native Intelligence:

A news release from the office of Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl said this afternoon that Beyond Baroque has been saved.

According to the release, members of the City Council unanimously approved Rosendahl's motion today to direct city officials to renew and extend Beyond Baroque's "low-cost lease" for ...

Read the rest at LA Observed's Native Intelligence


— TJ Sullivan in LA

Haiku for La Brea

Los Angeles is the one you marry.

There are other places to love, but this is the one you take to dim sum in Monterey Park, invite for long walks through Los Feliz and sit beside for hours on a park bench at the end of the Santa Monica Pier.

I'm hopelessly and completely affected, never tire of listening to its stories, or hearing about its dreams and nightmares. I photograph it. I write it poems, which is why I was so amused this morning when Veronique de Turenne, at the Los Angeles Times' new LA Now blog, pointed to some simple YouTube footage of the La Brea Tar Pits, the subject of a, er, haiku I wrote to LA 11 years ago:

by t j sullivan © 1997

our planet farts here
pish, bloop, wash, piddle, fizzle
tourists take pictures

— TJ Sullivan in LA

LAO: Rocky Says Call Rosendahl

Is literary Los Angeles 'caught in LA indifference' when it comes to saving Beyond Baroque from eviction?

My latest post at LA Observed's Native Intelligence:

An e-mail went out this afternoon to those who inquired with Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo's office regarding the possible termination of Beyond Baroque's tenancy at a city-owned building in Venice [see previous post here].

The gist: Don't call us, call Council Member Bill Rosendahl.

"The City Attorney's Office does not set or control policy in leasing matters."

Also this week, Beyond Baroque's executive director, Fred Dewey, sent an e-mail to supporters that described the situation as being "down to the wire," with the non-profit's lease set to expire Saturday, March 1.

"We are a national institution caught in LA indifference."

Not sure if Dewey intended to snipe at the Los Angeles Times with that reference, but if the indifference fits ...

Read the rest at LA Observed's Native Intelligence

— TJ Sullivan in LA

'Crack Don't Discriminate'

Part three of that five-part series about Skid Row from GOOD Magazine.

Produced by web video director Lindsay Utz, writer Sam Slovick, and funded in part by Kenneth Cole Productions' AWEARNESS campaign (not sure how private funding figures into the journalism of this, but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt until we hear a good reason not to).

More info here and here.


— TJ Sullivan in LA

Bukowski: As Spirit Wanes, Form Appears

Photo by Sophie Bassouls/Corbis Sygma

It's official. The blood is on the page. The ink is on the wall.

The one-time home of Charles Bukowski on De Longpre Avenue in Hollywood has been named a historic LA landmark by the LA City Council.

Bukowski's influence appears stronger than ever, even with all that machismo.

So maybe there's hope for Beyond Baroque, whose lease is up Saturday, March 1.

Also, see my post at LA Observed.

— TJ Sullivan in LA

'The Rollercoaster Continues'

*UPDATE: "Editor Ron Kaye gathered everybody around this afternoon, said he was sorry, and confirmed that 22 editorial staffers will be gone, taking the newsroom to an even 100."

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The future doesn't look good for yet another Los Angeles daily newspaper.

LA Observed updates the situation at the Daily News of Los Angeles, where cuts appear imminent.

The Daily News is an unusual newspaper in many ways. The largest of Dean Singleton's LA publications, it's part of an ink-stained ring that nearly surrounds the center of Los Angeles, albeit with gaps here and there, the biggest being the Ventura County Star, which is owned by E.W. Scripps (though I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a Singleton purchase someday, especially since Scripps pared its newspapers into a separate corporation from HGTV and the rest of the company's cable television empire). Perhaps most curious from a journalistic perspective is the Daily News' dedication to only half of Los Angeles — The Valley. Most Westsiders don't even know the Daily News exists, despite the fact that DN's circulation department continues to stock paper boxes along Pico Boulevard (west of Robertson), as well as newsstands throughout town. The DN identified its niche long ago, the Valley, which was considered largely ignored by the Los Angeles Times. When big stories have come to light in the Valley, it has often been due to the hard work of a single DN reporter, achievements often eclipsed by second-day flocks of staffers from the LA Times.

The DN also has a reputation among journalists for being notoriously cheap, from compensation on down to such essential equipment as cell phones and supplies like notebooks and pens. Yet, it could easily boast of the many major publications and wire services that currently employ its former staffers. Some of what made the late Buzz Magazine so great was the talent of staffers who'd previously worked for the DN.

Now comes this message to staff from the DN union steward:

We expect there will probably be a staff meeting called Wednesday [02/27/2008] afternoon and that they will offer buyouts, but this is not certain. I wish I had some news to offer, because I hate this confusion and darkness as much as everyone, but all I can say is that as soon as we hear anything, we'll let you know.

— TJ Sullivan in LA