UNEMPLOYMENT RATES RISE – THERE’S HOPE ON THE HORIZON WITH JOBZ 4 DOGZ

(Originally appeared in the July 1, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

LOS ANGELES, CA--- Working moms and dads – job competition gets fierce as working dogs hit the pavement hard.  In stores July 6, 2004, the brand new DVD and video release from First Look Home Entertainment - Jobz 4 Dogz - explores the wonderful world of working dogs in a fun, adventure-packed, live action, children's series that sets a new standard for youth-based education and entertainment.  Aimed at the 3-12 kids market and hosted by hip young comedy talent Keith Adams, the Jobz 4 Dogz series features revealing interviews, "fur facts"  and amazing “pawformances” of canine agility and smarts - along with cool music, cutting-edge animation and special effects – all in a format that keeps kids entertained while they learn.

In Police K-9, kids experience a breathtaking canine obstacle course, and get to know some furry friends of all shapes and sizes who take the motto “to protect and serve” to a whole new level. In Rescue K-9, Keith gets nose to nose with these brave canines when he is rescued during a simulated avalanche search.  These dogs are trained to save lives in the most rigorous situations.  In Hollywood K-9, kids go behind the scenes, meet the trainers and see what it takes to become a doggy star!  They even have their very own "Doggy Idol" contest showcasing a dancing bulldog, piano playing pup, and mangy mutt singing rap songs

Jobz 4 Dogz is full of fascinating facts about man’s best friend, and reveals their unique abilities to accomplish tasks that humans just can’t handle.  From rescuing people, sniffing out bombs, catching criminals, guiding the blind, these K-9's are invaluable assess to our society.   Kids learn how  these dogs are trained, how they think, and how they do what they do to get the job done. Fun, exciting and truly action-packed, Police K-9, Rescue K-9 and Hollywood K-9 are riveting adventure programs, designed to be loved by kids, then played and replayed!

Produced by Dream Big Productions, producers of over 100 half-hour award-winning programs for kids, the series was conceived as a way to provide kids with an up-close understanding of dogs and how they benefit humanity, and how dogs and people work together to make the world a better place. These “amazing, courageous, outrageous, hardworking dogs” teach kids important and invaluable lessons about life!

The Thousand Oaks based company has been innovating dynamic and brilliant programming in the children’s market for 13 years. Aside from the first-class quality of their shows, the company has a blue-chip track record, having sold over 6 million units of their childrens’ programs in the video market. “We are tremendously excited about the Jobz 4 Dogz series” says creator and producer Brian Levine. “ These programs show so clearly the undeniable bond between dogs and people. We know that what the dogs have to teach kids in these programs is both entertaining and life-enhancing.”

Dream Big's winning formula – 1/3 education, 1/3 adventure and 1/3 entertainment - has proven astronomically successful with other shows such as “There Goes A …”, Homer's Workshop, and Amazing Heroes. 

For more information, to request a screener copy, or to schedule an interview with Producers Brian Levine and Denise Gelfand, please contact  Ilene Proctor at 310-271 5857 or visit www.jobz4dogz.com.

Good Food and Good Times are still happening at Jade West/Century Club

(Originally appeared in the July 1, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

by Krystina Price

In 1976, I drove through the back gate, off Avenue of the Stars to work on the Fox lot. Century City was a nice walk and a change of pace from the Studio Commissary lunch.  One of my most enjoyable food experiences was YinYang in the Century City Marketplace.   I would begin my walk back through Bullock’s back door, where the shoe department, was conveniently located.

 

A special lunch was at Jade West, Century City’s premier restaurant for Chinese cuisine since 1973, at the Avenue of the Stars location.  It offered an elegant, calming ambiance, created by fine Chinese teak and rosewood furniture set amid a dramatic background,

Due to reconstruction of the ABC Entertainment Center, and the building of another office tower and the remodeling of the Century City Shopping Center, Jade West (in November 2002) and YinYang (in June 2003) joined forces and moved to their current location at The Century Club at 10131 Constellation Blvd.  Located at the heart of Century City’s business community, they are still serving their signature dishes of Chinese Chicken Salad, Walnut Shrimp, Jade West Tenderloin of Beef with Snow Peas, as well as dim sum appetizers, and new items such as their Applewood Smoked Chicken Salad, and Teriyaki Salmon served on a sizzling hot plate. 

For special banquet occasions, their chef can provide an array of international cuisine well beyond their Chinese specialties, served either buffet style or sit-down.  An outdoor patio and private banquet rooms that accommodate from 10-1000 – are available for booking.  

Open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30-3:00, Jade West remains open until 6:00 for those who wish to have a late lunch or early dinner catered to their office.  You can also call in advance to have your dinner ready for pick-up before you leave for home.

For a limited time, Jade West is offering a special promotion to assist you in celebrating a special occasion such as a birthday or promotion - celebrate with a party of 6 or more, and your guest of honor’s meal will be on the house - up to a $16 value.

On Thursdays, during Century City’s Farmer’s Market, stop in for some of their most popular dishes: Salmon and Thai Chicken, grilled to order on their open air B-B-Q.  Starting Tuesday, July 20^th, you can order the same items available at the Farmers Market on Tuesdays, inside the restaurant.

The food at Jade West is a 30 year Century City tradition that has survived the test of time. Be sure to stop by Jade West for lunch during the week, or dinner (Friday & Saturday only).

For reservations or banquet/meeting inquiries, please call: 310 556 3388. 

Take Out or delivery/catering call: 310 556 0335.

The Century Club, at 10131 Constellation Blvd, provides the ideal location for local business members to enjoy an intimate luncheon featuring delicious Chinese, Thai and California cuisine prepared by its restaurant, Jade West. The Century Club and Jade West are perfect for presentations, employee parties and any number of special events - complete with state of the art lighting and sound, (and big screen TV’s - perfect for football or boxing matches) DJ booths, and multiple dance floors.  They offer a full range of event concepts and design services, whether it’s strictly business, a premier, wrap party or record release.

Club owner, Mark Fleishman, one our city’s premier nightclub industry mogul’s, former owner of Studio 54 and Tatou’s in Beverly Hills, his clubs have featured some of the greats in the music industry. A short list includes Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, and the inimitable Chaka Khan whom I remember from my Chicago days.  Even Bill Clinton made a cameo appearance, playing a sultry tune on his saxophone at the infamous Tatou’s, during his primary campaign in New York, long before we ever dreamt of a (don’t hate me because I’m famous) Monica Lewinsky. 

 

Don’t be confused during the construction. Jade West is still alive and wonderful, and an event and the Century Club would have been perfect if you only had known.  Now you do.  Make reservations for an amazing three course meal featuring fine cuisine, followed by an evening filled with dancing and live entertainment – today!

For reservations and information, call 310 553 6000

Visit their website www.centuryclub.com

Century City Historical Remembrances

(Originally appeared in the July 1, 2004 edition of the Century City News)

I’m sitting in the living room of the Katz’s. The view is spectacular. As the sun goes down the lights of Century City begin to glow and the view goes from spectacular to breathtaking. Harold begins to thumb through albums that he has carefully prepared over the years for occasions just like this. He reminisces about his role in the development of Century City and I feel the love he has for the people and the buildings that have become such a Mecca for business.

The whole theory of the Centers mode was to have public transportation. The Beverly Hills Freeway and the Subway were supposed to be built to support the Century City. The Beverly Hills Freeway was killed by Beverly Hills because they wanted it cut and covered. Harold suggested that they issue a bond to pay for the cover and Caltrans would pay for the cut. The state had bought most of the right of way from the Hollywood Freeway and had torn down most of the homes. In the end Ronald Reagan killed the project sighting the protection of Beverly Hills’ property values as the reason.

The subway didn’t fare much better. The metro was going to come down Wilshire and Santa Monica then it was going to angle into Century City then it would angle back to Wilshire to catch Westwood and then follow Wilshire Blvd. to the beach. A bill was passed in the United States Congress that forbids the Metro to extend west of Vermont. If the subway is every going to connect with Century City it will now take an act of Congress.

Century City was originally intended by Alcoa to be a city where everybody walked to work.  The executive the secretaries, the mailroom clerks. What happened is that the land values escalated so quickly that none of the workers could afford to own property.

“Life is what happens while you are making plans”, says Harold, quoting Jon Lennon. People were going to walk to work and that didn’t happen. There was going to be a Beverly Hills Freeway and that didn’t happen. There was supposed to be subway stations and that didn’t happen. Traffic steadily worsened and the solution was a few “well placed” Traffic Control Officers that really improved the traffic. The Officers would direct traffic through a red light if it improved the flow. The job those Officers did has been replaced by computer assisted signals.

Harold’s wife Jan reminisces about her time in Century City. Jan remembers Jerry Asher showing her a mock up of Century City that was in the first building built – one of the Gateway buildings. Her business (Janway Staffing) now resides in West Los Angeles around the corner for Century City but many of her clients are still located in Century City. Jan was the founder of the “Women’s Network” which later became the woman’s council.

It all began when Alcoa bought the land from Fox so that they could prove buildings could be built with aluminum. Alcoa built the two gateway buildings, the shopping center and the two 1901 buildings. In 1969 I began with Bob Hatfield. I went to Hatfield and told him it was time to have a chamber of commerce. He assigned John McComb to me and it began as the Century City Civic Council which later became the Century City Chamber of Commerce. In ’72 Harold became the president serving two consecutive terms.

They welcomed Harold into the Alcoa family and listened to his advice and guidance. They sold off the east side of Century Park East to developers. Here we find very little space around the buildings. The Alcoa guys were top notch. “Look at the setbacks on Avenue of the Stars - look at the fountain, and the greenery. These guys just wanted a showplace.” Says Katz.

During Katz term as president the chamber sponsored “Girl Watching Week” which stirred the following response from the Los Angeles Chapter of NOW:

Mr. Harold Katz

Century City Chamber of Commerce

In these days of social awareness it’s regrettable that responsible professional women and men must still take time from their busy schedules to protest remnants of social injustice such a remnant is Century City’s laughingly outmoded but none the less outrageously offensive girl watching week. We protest Girl Watching Week because it invades the privacy of women who must work or shop in Century City. It invades the privacy of Century City Girls your terminology not ours by forcing them either to remain indoors for a week or submit meekly to the unwanted leering scrutiny of girl watchers. Since you remain unaware of the fact that women  deplore being unwitted participants in a vulgar circus please expect that we will use all means available to us including economic pressure to enlighten you to the damage that girl watching week does to your civic image and to the bitter resentment that it inspires in the majority of your shopping public.

With all sincerity,

Virginia L. Carter President

Los Angeles National Organization of Women

Century City Officials have defended the celebration  as a light hearted tribute to the beauty and charm of the women who work and visit the new city complex. We’ve had constant comments from people all over the world that Century City was unique as a location for seeing lovely women, stated Harold Katz, and every one refers to it as girl watching consequently we decided to stage an annual girl watching week. We certainly did not consider the event in any way to be offensive or a vulgar circus as the women’s lib advocate insists on describing it. It’s a good humor tribute to women and the fact that men love looking at beautiful women.

It must be time to go the Hyatt has just turned off their lights.