The True Tale of Les Amis
A while back the Fullerton Observer ran an article about supporting businesses and addressing the damned unfairness of rents on City-owned property. The restaurant Les Amis was cited as a particular case. The older Kennedy Sister – Sharon – opined in one of her frequent comments on her younger sister’s posts:
“…I love Les Amis – I thought the Montechristo’s (sic) message at the July 15 council meeting was heartbreaking.”
Maybe Les Amis should be renamed The House of Blues.
But wait a minute. Before we all start singing boohoo hosannas about how unfairly Les Amis is treated, let’s consider their 15 year record of scofflawry, trespass, and ignoring rent payments. The rap sheet is long and demonstrates bad faith at every turn. Naturally, neither Siskya or Sharon Kennedy bothered to find out if Les Amis has ever been an honest tenant of the taxpayers.
But we’ll take trip down memory lane, courtesy of a Public Records Act request about Les Amis:
Feb 2011 Jinan Montecristo d.b.a. Les Amis Restaurant & Lounge (Jinan) applied for an outdoor dining encroachment agreement.
Aug 2011 After several reviews of the site plan, staff provided a draft encroachment agreement to Jinan for consideration
Sept 2011 Jinan issued a letter to staff challenging the lease rates. Les Amis installed fencing and started operating within the public right-of-way without executed agreement (south patio).
Dec 2011 Staff send revised encroachment agreement for consideration
June 2012 Jinan was issued an Administrative Restaurant Use Permit (ARUP), which included an ancillary outdoor patio. Among other things, the conditions of the ARUP required a valid encroachment agreement pursuant to the Outdoor Dining Guidelines established by the City Council.
July 2012 Staff send revised encroachment agreement for consideration
Dec 2015 Jinan submitted building permit to expand into the north portion of the building.
Feb 2016 Staff inform Jinan that she owed $28,659.60 for use of the public right-of-way of private benefit (9/2011 – 2/2016).
May 2016 Modification of an Amended ARUP was approved, expanding existing restaurant into adjacent tenant space. Jinan executed an encroachment agreement for outdoor dining (south patio only; $510/month; $6,120 annually). The agreement also required payment for 12-month prior occupancy ($6,120; negotiated down from $28,659.60).
Aug 2016 Jinan issues a letter to staff indicated they are “unable to fulfill financial obligations” due to “hardship”.
April 2017 Jinan was issued a letter from the City attorney to pay outstanding balance on account.
May 2017 Encroachment Agreement expired.
Aug 2017 Les Amis expanded into the north patio area without a permit/agreement for outdoor dining.
Nov 2018 Jinan was issued a letter from the City attorney, indicating they are in violation of their ARUP, failed to pay the lease outlined in the executed agreement, and are required to remove encroachments (north and south patio) by Dec. 14, 2018. Jinan subsequently expressed interest in continued use of both patios. Outstanding balance was $24,643.70 at the time.
Dec 2018 Jinan signed resolution of breach of outdoor dining encroachment agreement and FMC. Resolution waived outstanding balance on Patio 2 (north patio; $5,263.70), resulting in $19,380 of remaining account balance.
Jan 2019 Staff sent two encroachment agreement(s) for consideration. Jinan expressed interest in removing Patio 1 (south patio) and expanding Patio 2 (north patio)
March 2019 Jinan executed Encroachment Agreement for new north patio only. New Agreement was for $913.75/month ($510 for north patio; $403.75 for prior occupancy fee ($19,300 amortized over 48 months))
Permit was issued for removal of fencing around south patio and installation for north patio expansion per executed agreement.
May 2020 City Council paused collecting lease revenue from all outdoor dining encroachments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outstanding balance for all outdoor dining agreements was also waived. Les Amis waived balance was approximately $13,647.50.
June 2022 Council approved new lease rates for outdoor dining on public property.
Aug 2022 Les Amis reinstalled south patio without permits and/or an agreement.
Sept 2022 Jinan submitted application to reinstall south patio.
Aug 2023 Staff reinitiated collecting lease from all existing agreements.
Oct 2024 Jinan defaulted on payments from August 2023 to October 2024, accumulating a dept of $13,468.71. Jinan signed an agreement for a 12-month payment plan to pay the outstanding debt of $13,468.71.
NOTE: this did not include prior occupancy for the reinstalled south patio.
Nov 2024 Jinan executed two superseding encroachment agreements for outdoor dining with the new lease areas and rates.
April 2025 Jinan defaulted on payments, accumulating an outstanding balance of $26,650.96. Staff terminated the agreements, cancelled the payment plan, issued several notices of violations, and required removal of all encroachments. Jinan expressed financial hardship and requested the City revisit the lease rate. Jinan also paid $1,200 toward the payment plan and expressed interest in purchasing the property. The city paused removal to explore options.
July 2025 Jinan was once again requested to remove all unpermitted encroachments. Jinan paid $3,900 toward the payment plan. City Manager agree to extend the time for compliance or a change in the Outdoor Dining policy for 60 days. To date, Jinan has an outstanding balance of $31,185.10 ($5,494.06 payment plan; $25,691.04 encroachment agreements)
Okay, so what’s the deal? At one point Les Amis went five years ignoring their rent obligation to the City. Remember these were mostly the years that Mayor-for-Hire Jennifer Fitzgerald, who ran cover for almost every misbehaving restaurant and bar owner in Downtown Fullerton. Work without permits? Expansion without approval? City employees dismissing massive amounts of money due to the people of Fullerton? Check.
And these people have the damn nerve to get up in public and harangue the City Council about fairness?
Chicanerous and deplorable.
Wait hold up, so how much is Bushala paying for his 900+ ft encroachment and where’s the post on that?
Whataboutism says what?
How do you write an article like this when your daddy Tony is paying $0 for his patio?
What was the reason they gave? Non-customers use it? LOL
That’s true for pretty much every encroachment agreement. If you want to bring more attention to the unfair standards, be my guest
They are so dumb. Why even bring attention to this? Wouldn’t it be better to not highlight how the owner of this blog is getting special treatment?
It’s so moronic
FFFF when a non-Bushala business is paying $3k+ for a patio: “Shut your mouth you pig!”
FFFF when Bushala is paying $0 for his patio: “Yes Bushala. Whatever you say master. All hail the great (and amazing) Tony”
Bushala propaganda blog attacks another small business. Who could have seen this coming?
Please tell the class how much Bushala pays for his patio. We’d all like to know.
I thought that we were for cutting encroachment fees? What are we even talking about here?
This is rich coming from a guy who’s been squatting rent-free in city-owned property for years. Tony’s over here foaming at the mouth about patio encroachments while literally leeching off the public dime. Maybe settle your own tab before waving around everyone else’s receipts. You’ve spent more time face-down in a bottle than half these restaurants have been in business.
Your GED is showing again. Hope you’re not on duty. Well at least you’re not looking at porn or gambling in the church parking lot.
Called you out for the free rent and you start rambling about porn and church parking lots. You alright, Tony? Might be time to log off and hydrate.
Not Tony dummy. Called you out for being the moron cop Bootlicker you are.
Not Tony? Could’ve fooled me. same sweaty tone, same weak deflection, same obsession with cops. If it quacks like Tony…
Cops? What are you talking about?
Exactly
The FPD has it in for the Bushalas since Kelly Thomas’ murder.
Anonymous, those days are behind us. They don’t hold that grudge anymore.
From my recollection the Observer is the same group who led the crusade against the encroachment onto the sidewalk of the then-named restaurant, Florentine’s. This crusade went on for years, and has never been resolved. Now, the Observer is pro-Les Amis, ignoring the fact that Jinan (public record) has an outstanding balance of $31,185.10?
So it’s okay for Les Amis, but not okay for Florentine’s? And that’s because Sharon Kennedy likes to eat an Les Amis, but not Florentine’s?
So where is the Observer’s commitment to journalistic integrity? A cub reporter could have asked questions, done some digging and come up with this information.
So what’s your opinion on Tony’s free patio?
My opinion is that if Les Amis has an outstanding bill, they should pay it before asking the city for anything more.
Ya think?
Earth to Boohoos. The Depot patio is NON-EXCLUSIVE and open to everyone, serving as a shared space for all to use and enjoy. This openness is crucial for public transportation hubs, promoting community and accessibility. The patio is literally OPEN to the public, welcoming a diverse crowd with various reasons for being there.
This space is perfect for: 1) those waiting for the train, seeking a comfortable spot to rest; 2) train enthusiasts and curious onlookers who enjoy watching rail traffic; 3) people picking up friends or family; 4) individuals bringing outside food to eat under a shaded canopy; 5) diners who want to make the most of their time while waiting for their own train; and 6) workers on break who need a relaxing spot to enjoy their meal.
This unique space not only enhances the overall Depot experience but also encourages social interaction and a sense of community. It’s a microcosm of a broader public space, where diverse interactions are welcomed and accommodated. Need I say more about the benefits of such an inclusive gathering space?
You’re not describing a community hub, you’re describing a patio next to a café that you occupy rent-free while blasting every other business in town for doing less. Calling it a “non-exclusive public space” doesn’t change the fact that it’s fenced, shaded, and used exclusively by paying customers. Nobody’s stopping by to “watch trains,” Tony. It functions like every other café patio in town, except they pay rent. You don’t. Maybe take another sip and log off.
Non exclusive is true to nearly every one of these encroachment agreements, including Les Amis
Can you imagine if City Council made Bushala Bros pay what Les Amis is paying? They’d sooner tax Girl Scouts for sidewalk use
The café at the Fullerton train station is unlike the Les Amis patio, which is a commercial space leased from the city and used exclusively for their customers. The train station patio is a public amenity. It serves as a waiting area for commuters, even allowing them to bring their own food and drinks while they wait for trains. It is a service provided to enhance the experience of those using the train station, not a commercial venture. The Depot café owner should be commended for providing a space that benefits the community without the expectation of profit. Let’s not confuse public service with commercial enterprise.
You mean the encroachment agreement that Les Amis refused to pay rent on?
Earth to boohoos: the depot patio is non-exclusive, just like Les Amis.
The only difference? I get mine free because I spend six figures getting my buddies elected.
Get real. I don’t want a fair government. I want one weak enough to work for me.
Is that the strategy? Push code enforcement violations and bad-faith articles to tank property values, then swoop in and buy cheap?
You lobby the City to jack up fees on businesses you don’t like, then write anonymous hit pieces about them. Is this how the game works now, bully your way to a real estate empire?
Just say that’s the plan. It would be more honest than this performance.
It’s so obvious what they’re doing here
What’s obvious is that Fullerton Boohoo doesn’t care about about Les Amis at all.
These comments are full of bootlickers.
I guess they are taking a break from murdering homeless people and threatening to call ice on US CITIZENS.
congrats, man. you’re really sticking it to the system from the comments section of a blog run by a washed-up drunk. You’re not a freedom fighter, you’re just yelling into Tony’s echo chamber.
For a washed up guy he’s doing an awful lot of winning. What happened to Wank on Wilshire? What happened to the wave of opposition to his lease? All evaporated.
Washed up? That sounds like Ahmad Zahra’s political ambition.
Money buys a lot of wins. Keep those campaign coffers and PACs full of cash and it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. I doubt you’d have the same attitude if the Kennedy’s had Bushala’s daddy’s money and were busy buying politicians and elections at will. Tony does what’s best for Tony.
So you admit he’s not washed up? Good.
Haha. Sorry for the laughter. I was imagining the Kennedys somehow money. Having jobs would help. Or winning the lttery.
yelling “I’m winning” in Fullerton politics is like shouting in an empty bar. The echo’s not applause, Tony.
Winning is winning. Losing is losing. Look who’s winning and get used to it. Next year Zahra and that obnoxious Sheena will be history.
The Noaccount of Montecristo says it all. Les Deadbeats.
Tender young Elijah’s is very lively.
easy there, Tony. pushing 70 and lurking on “tender young” anything? Might want to stick to your usual hobbies like yelling at patios and forgetting you don’t pay rent.
You have to admit, sweet Elijah is very delicate.
Tender, too. Let’s hope he makes it through a hot August without wilting like a fleur.
settle down, Tony . the way you talk about “sweet” and “delicate” young men is starting to sound like something you’d get cuffed for at the train station.
Stop it. You know you like reading this.
Tony is taking up so much space in this dude’s head.
Rent free.
Yes, speaking of rent free.
Young Elijah has written a post declaring his love for outdoor dining and his hatred of Fullerton’s fees. He show a picture of Les Amis’ House of Blues but neglects to mention that they have paid almost nothing for their outdoor space and years of lawbreaking.
It is super terrific happy hour that Elijah Manassero, Saskia Kennedy, Ahmad Zahra, Diane Vena, Anjali Tapadia, Shana Charles, and the retired teachers living off our tax dollars are so triggered by everything that Jung and Bushala do. Not everything needs to be chased down the rabbit hole idiots! Try and be less emotional and let go of your pearls for a minute! It is hard to believe how many fucks all you morons have to give. Keep logging on and commenting on this blog. I bet Tony is enjoying all the hits you’re giving his blog…which is way more than that stupid Kennedy pamphlet.
Lot of words for someone who supposedly doesn’t give a fuck. Tony better give you a punch card for all this bootlicking.
Stop it. You know you like reading this.
Looks like policing Les Amis has been a full-time job. No wonder staff never evicted them. Job security.
Love how jinans son is crying like a little bitch in the meeting
He was actually scolding three members of the city council and crying at the same time. Talk about playing the victim while robbing Peter to pay Paul!