By now you may have heard that President Obama is coming to Hancock Park and Windsor Square this evening to attend two different fundraisers for the Democratic Party.
We first got word from e-mails inviting us to attend these high ticket, big donor events. Details on exactly where were sparse at the time, but in the last 24 hours the word is out, warning everyone of the potential traffic jams as the Presidential motorcade makes its way around the city. According to LA Observed and others, in addition to attending the fundraisers, the President is taping an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Reportedly, he will spend the night somewhere in the city then head out Friday to the desert for a gathering of Asian leaders at Sunnylands, the former Annenberg estate in Rancho Mirage.
News sources say the first fundraiser the President will attend is hosted by “Scorpion” executive producer Danny Rose and entertainment lawyer Aaron Rosenberg, and will feature a performance by singer John Legend. Tickets start at $1,000 per person, and rise to $33,400 per couple, with the money going to the Democratic Hope Fund and to help retire debt from the 2012 Obama campaign. A second fundraiser is a small, $10,000 per plate dinner nearby co-hosted by Leah and Sam Fisher, Lisa and Ken Solomon and Sonny and Michael Lombardo, per reports.
Starting this afternoon, you may want to avoid, if you can, the following streets:
- Los Angeles High School will close at 3:00 p.m.
- South Rimpau Boulevard will be closed between Edgewood Place and West Olympic Boulevard from approximately 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the area around Rimpau Boulevard between W. Pico Boulevard & W. 6th Street from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- South Rossmore Avenue will be closed between West 3rd Street and Wilshire Boulevard from approximately 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- West 6thStreet will be closed between South Muirfield Road and South Arden Boulevard from approximately 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- South Windsor Boulevard will be closed between West 2nd Street and West 5th Street from approximately 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- West 3rd Street will be closed between South Plymouth Boulevard and Lorraine Boulevard from approximately 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- The area around Wilshire Boulevard between S. Hudson Avenue & S. Arden Boulevards from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- The area around W. 4th Street between S. Muirfield Road & Lorraine Boulevard from 7:15 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.
- The area around Crenshaw Boulevard between Wilshire Boulevard & West Adams Boulevard from 8:45 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Also, you may have noticed a strange looking plane “flying” over Los Angeles High School. The helicopter/airplane hybrid, known as the “Osprey,” was sighted by Brookside resident Laura Cohen in what appeared to be several practice take offs and landings in preparation for President Obama’s visit tonight.
Perhaps the Osprey will be used to transport the Presidential travel detail from the taping at Warner Bros. in Burbank to Hancock Park. Reportedly, the President himself does not ride in it for safety reasons, but it’s super cool looking as it flies like a plane and lands like a helicopter. You might want to keep a look out for it (or an ear tuned for its distinctive rumble) if you missed its practice flights earlier this week.
