NFT Riot Draft 07.07.14 by Not For Tourists

GUIDE to

S E L E G N A LOS

edition

GUIDE to

S E L E G N A LOS

edition

This guide to Los Angeles was designed, written and produced by Not For Tourists, Inc (www.notfortourists.com):

Creative Director Jane Pirone

Managing Editor Rob Tallia

Production Manager Scot Covey

Writer Meg Favreau

Graphic Designer John Bergdahl

Illustrator Simon Fraser

Researcher Jess Bender

Proofreader Craig Nelson

Riot L.A. guide editorial team: email laguide@riotgames.com with feedback or additions to the next edition!

We love Los Angeles. We’re not just saying that because we want you to like it, too (although we do). Los Angeles is a city exploding with art and culture – from Van Goghs at LACMA to a Banksy on the corner of Compton and E. Washington. It’s an urban metropolis with one hockey club, two basketball teams, and at least a thousand unofficial adult kickball leagues – a culinary melting pot where even chicken and waffles have bridged the divide to come together in glorious union. Sure, there’s traffic and $5 cups of coffee, but L.A. is also a city full of smart, creative people making cool shit faster than a Hadron Collider that’s been chugging energy drinks all morning. Not to mention, we think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world, but don’t just take our word for it – check out these time-lapse videos that show the city’s beauty in motion: http://www. discoverlosangeles.com/blog/trilogy-light-beautiful- time-lapse-videos-los-angeles. Even better, start exploring yourself! We’ve teamed up with the folks at NFT to bring you this guide to the City of Angels that highlights the neighborhoods, hangouts, and adventures we think will appeal to L.A. Rioters. Inside, you’ll find the traditional, tried, and true, as well as some more undiscovered faves, including all the the museums and dive bars, restaurants, record shops, tattoo parlors, yoga studios, and board game hangouts that’ve made us fall in love with this bizarre, wonderful place. Welcome to L.A.

– The Riot HQ Welcome Crew

Photo : Riot

TABLE OF CONTENTS Intro Living in L.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Moving To L.A.

Beverly Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Hollywood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

How to convince your SO to move to L.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Los Feliz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Practical Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Real Estate 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

West Hollywood . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Silver Lake/Echo Park/Atwater 64 Miracle Mile/Mid-City . . . . . . . . . 66 KoreaTown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

L.A.: The Basics

Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Santa Monica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Pacific Palisades . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Landmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

West L.A./Santa Monica East

Los Angeles History . . . . . . . . . 20

Westwood/Century City . . . . . . 78

Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . 22

Venice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Radio Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Mar Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

For the Kids/For Families . . . . . 25

Culver City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Hospitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Marina del Rey/playa del rey

LGBTQIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Sherman Oaks/Studio City . . . . . 88

Schools and Colleges . . . . . . . 30

North Hollywood . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Farmers Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Burbank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Glendale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Local Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Malibu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Geeking Out Riot Style

Long Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

L.A. for Geeks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Hermosa Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

El Segundo/Manhattan Beach . . . . 100

Rioters Fave Hangouts . . . . . . . 44

Redondo Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Foodie Bucket list . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Eagle Rock/Highland Park . . . . . 106 Mt. Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Lincoln Heights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Pasadena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Getting Around

Sports

Overview and Perfect Car Culture Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Overview and Perfect Workout Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Biking L.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 8

Hiking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152

L.A. Metro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Biking L.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

L.A. Bus lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Surfing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154

Union Station/Amtrak/Metrolink 122

Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Smaller Airports in the area . . . . 123

Skiing and Snowboarding . . . . . 156

LAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Misc Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Arts & Entertainment Overview and Perfect Party/Going out Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 Things in L.A. you can skip . . . . . 129

Stadiums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 Rose Bowl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Excursions

Things in L.A. you must see . . . . 130

Overview and Perfect Roadtrip Playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

The Studios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

Music Venues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Amusement Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Music Center and Bergamot

136

Catalina Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

Movie Theaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Topanga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Bookstores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138

San Diego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Nightlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Santa Barbara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171

Restaurants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Joshua Tree/Palm Springs . . . . 172

Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Mammoth/Big Bear . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Malls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Living in L.A. Because of all the TV and films shot and set here, everyone thinks they know something about Los Angeles. It’s the bed of hedonism that captures David Duchovny in Californication. It’s the home of shallow teens in Clueless. It’s...well, it’s everything in Entourage and L.A. Story. The Kids in the Hall might’ve summed up the stereotype of the city the best in Brain Candy: “72 degrees in the head all the time? Sounds like L.A.”

Sure, there are truckloads of preconceived notions and stereotypes about L.A., but if you pull back the curtain, you’ll discover that Los Angeles isn’t a two-dimensional studio set piece that we see in movies – it’s a thriving, multicultural city full of brilliant people, amazing culture, and rich history.

Climate One of the most pleasant surprises when living in L.A. is the city’s amazing climate – yep, that’s right, it’s not a hellscape of heat and fire year round. In fact, even in the summer, Los Angeles gets cool at night (and there’s barely ever any humidity – you can thank that desert climate). It’s pretty rare that you need to crank the AC at night. It gets cool in the winter too – temperatures in the winter hover around the 50s.

One thing the L.A. stereotypes get right – we definitely have sunshine. Over 300 days a year of it, in fact. The region also has a lot of diversity in climate. If you like cooler weather, we recommend living closer to the beach, while heat gets trapped in areas like the Valley and the Inland Empire (East of L.A.). It’s not uncommon in the summer to see temperatures in the 70s at the beach, while the Valley and Inland Empire’s highs reach upwards of 100+. In the winter, you don’t have to go far to find snow either – drive a couple of hours, and you’re in delightfully snowy Big Bear. All of this nice weather does have a consequence – if you’re from an area with four distinct seasons, it can feel odd to watch time pass here. October doesn’t have falling leaves and frost, and December has plenty of lights, but no snow. December in L.A., however, does have its own rewards – the city clears out around the holidays, making driving awesome.

Traffic Rioters’ number one complaint about Los Angeles is the traffic. In a survey of Rioters, five of the top “least favorite” things were different individual highways. This is a far cry from the original intention of L.A.’s freeways, which were once praised for providing “easy, nerve-free comfort and safety.” Yeah. Tell that to the guy in the Mercedes SUV honking his horn while he tries to drive on the shoulder. Today, L.A.’s roads handle thousands more cars than they were originally expected to – and it doesn’t help that, thanks to a scandal where General Motors bought streetcar operations just to dismantle them and get more people to drive, our public transit system is still being built out.

Photo : tiarescott

That doesn’t mean you’re totally boned when it comes to driving – but you do have to practice some planning and patience. There’s a lot more information about driving in the Getting Around section on page 116, but here are some general rules:

• Always leave extra time. • Always look up traffic

before

you go.

• It’s harder to go west on the 10

in the morning and east on the 10 at night. The reversed commutes aren’t bad.

• Someone

thought it was a good idea to have a bunch of highways meet Downtown, so that area can be congested at any time.

• Try

Coldwater Canyon or some other service streets if you need to get over the hill at peak times.

Over time, you’ll learn some tricks and favorite routes. For now, be calm, and think of it this way – it’s a great time to practice some mindfulness.

Living in L.A. continued

Culture & What’s Great About L.A. Los Angeles is a wildly diverse city. There are neighborhood enclaves for dozens of different ethnicities, families all over the city who have lived here for generations, and lots of transplants who are smart, fun, and interested in doing awesome things. To give you an idea, here are some of Rioters’ favorite things about L.A.:

•

“It feels like I’m on vacation every day! Plus there are so many amazing things to discover, neighborhoods to explore, museums to visit, restaurants to try out, there is a lifetime of fun at our doorstep.”

• “Access to outdoor activities is better than anywhere I’ve ever lived.”

• “There are so many different areas with their own unique flavor and style. I love being able to drive to a quiet beach or a busy commercial district on a whim.”

• “The food and bar scene here is

amazing and there are so many different neighborhoods to explore and activities to get into, you really have to be lazy to be bored.”

• “Weather. It’s always sunny!” • “You can literally do whatever

you want here. Want to learn to make sushi? Go for it. Want to learn how to become an acrobat? They’ve got classes for that too.”

• “Things actually happen here.” • “I love listening to 93.5 Kday

while driving through L.A. in a convertible on a sunny day with the top down. Nothing beats it.”

• “Geography and climate. So close

to snowy mountains (30 min from downtown!), sunny beaches, scorching deserts – anything you could want scenery-wise.”

• “’...women,

weed, (I’m kidding.)”

and

weather.’

Photo : Miquel C.

WELCOME TO L.A. Playlist Featuring songs about L.A.!

The Decemberists

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Los Angeles, I’m Yours

Free Fallin’

Bran Van 3000

Notorious B.I.G.:

Drinking in L.A.

Going Back to Cali

Sheryl Crow

Randy Newman

All I Wanna Do

I Love L.A.

Beck

Miley Cyrus

Hollywood Freaks

Party in the USA

Katy Perry

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

California Gurls

Yo, Home to Bel Air

2PAC

Ya Boy

California Love

We Run L.A.

Soul Coughing

Ryan Adams

Screenwriter’s Blues

La Cienaga

Phantom Planet

Beach Boys

California

California Girls

Hole

Bob Seger

Celebrity Skin

Hollywood Nights

Moving to L.A.: An Overview Before you hit the streets, grab some grub, and soak in L.A.’s sights, you’ll need to move into the city first. This section will give you the need-to-know for your pilgrimage, from important phone numbers to information on moving companies to resources you might want to access once

you arrive. Housing? We’ve got that covered. The radio stations that’ll provide sweet 90s hip-hop jams when you’re stuck in traffic? We’ll tell you that, too. Welcome to your new home. Get comfortable. Take your shoes off. And read on.

Where Rioters live by zip code THE VALLEY

HOLLYWOOD SANTA MONICA 2015 HQ

DOWNTOWN

RIOT

PACIFIC OCEAN

REDONDO BEACH

Photo : Neil Kremer

How to Convince Your Significant Other to Move to L.A. Moving to a new city – especially for a Significant Other’s new job – can be a huge, intimidating process. In addition to this guide, Riot’s Significant Other group is also a great support system once you make the move. Visit the SOs group page on Confluence for more info: https://confluence.riotgames.com/display/TPP/ Significant+Others+Group. And for many, moving to Los Angeles seems a little overwhelming because there are more than a few ridiculous stereotypes about the city. So, let’s tackle some of them.

L.A. Is Not…

• Filled entirely with shallow, privileged entertainment folks. • Perpetually 90 degrees. • A city of cafes that

eschew taste for health, serving only undressed salads and pretention.

• A

place where you need lots of money to have fun.

• Peppered with frozen cavemen (although you can occasionally see Pauly Shore perform comedy), thugs peeing on rugs (but you should check out the annual Lebowski Fest), or replicants (but you can visit the Bradbury Building where Blade Runner was filmed).

L.A. Is… • Filled

with lots of down-toearth, awesome, diverse people.

• Gorgeous (but not hot) all year round.

• One

of the best food cities in America, whether you’re looking for fancy or cheap, healthy or decadent.

• Home to several industries – not just entertainment – and great universities.

• Big – in a good way. You have amazing hikes and surfing, big-city culture, and tons of entertainment options all in one area.

• A

place where you can regularly see your favorite musicians, actors, and comedians perform for cheap.

• A

city of people who do things – whether what they’re doing is relaxing with friends or working on something they’re passionate about.

Photo : Eric Norris

Practical info “Turn the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.” — Frank Lloyd Wright

Useful Phone Numbers Emergencies: 911 Los Angeles City Hall: 213-473-3231 CalTrans: 916-654-5266 Department of Water & Power: 800342-5397 Southern California Edison: 800-655-4555 The Gas Company: 800-427-2200 Time Warner Cable: 818-217-1411

Traffic Information

Check out page 124 in the Getting Around section – it lists lots of great websites and apps that will help you get around and deal with traffic.

Websites

www.riotgames.com • Riot’s home on the interweb. https://confluence.riotgames.com • Information hub for Rioters, including local info and the Significant Others group page. https://riotnet.riotgames.com • Riot’s internal blog with lots of helpful info, including a groups page with the scoop on subscribing to group email lists.

www.laalmanac.com • It’s loaded with everything you could ever want to know about L.A.. www.lacantdrive.com • Maintain a sense of humor. www.lapl.org • L.A. Public Library’s handy website—e.g., use the hold system to get a book sent to your library if you’re not satisfied with your local branch. www.lausd.k12.ca.us • Contact information and report cards for schools in your neighborhood. www.dmv.ca.gov • The California Department of Motor Vehicles. www.la.com • Online resource for Angeleno luxuries, shopping, events, and nightlife. www.laist.com • Local news, events, and fun stuff. www.laweekly.com • Our alt weekly. A great place for news, arts and entertainment coverage, and things to do. www.timeout.com • Find fun things to do in L.A.. www.yelp.com • Reviews of pretty much everything in L.A. www.uber.com • Car service summoned with a smartphone app. Riot’s favorite alternative to cabs.

www.lacity.org • The city’s official home on the web.

w w w.lyft.com • Our other favorite alternative-to-cabs app – plus you meet lots of local Angelinos by trying different drivers.

www.losangeles.com • From buying real estate to planning a night out on the town, this website has it all.

www.craigslist.org • From apartments to used furniture, this is the place to look.

www.sigalert.com • Real -time traffic updates with an easy, snazzy interface.

www.notfortourists.com • Navigate the city like a local with honest reviews of what’s awesome and what to stay the hell away from.

w w w. lo s a n g eles. c it ysea r c h . com • U ltimate insider guide with reviews on shopping, dining and services.

Moving Companies and Truck Rentals All of the major moving truck rental companies have outposts in Los Angeles. If you’re renting your own truck but want help actually moving the stuff in and out, we recommend www.emove.com – you can see ratings and prices for dozens of different moving helpers, and it’ll still be cheaper than hiring a moving company. If you’re interested in local moving companies, here are a few we can recommend: Real Rock n’ Roll Movers: www.realrocknrollmovers.com

• With few exceptions, L.A. bars are legally prohibited from serving alcohol between the hours of 2 am and 6 am. • The U.S. Bank Tower (633 W Fifth St) is Los Angeles’s tallest building (and was spectacularly taken out by aliens in the 1997 blockbuster Independence Day). • The city boasts more stage theaters (80+) and museums (300) than any other city in the US. And New Yorkers say we have no culture. • There are 527 miles of freeway and 382 miles of conventional highway in Los Angeles County.

NorthStar Movers: www.northstarmoving.com

• Angelenos drive 92 million vehicle miles every day. This gives them ample time to listen to some tunes and soak in those famous L.A. sunsets. (Check out the L.A. radio stations on page 24)

Less Practical Information

• Annually, L.A. residents consume over one billion pounds of red meat, over 300 billion pounds of ice cream, and absolutely no carbs whatsoever.

ABC Moving Center: www.abcmovers.com

• Los Angeles averages 329 days of sunshine each year (we’re still holding out for the other 36). • The longest street in Los Angeles is Sepulveda Boulevard, which runs 76 miles from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach.

Photo : Masrur Odinaev

Real Estate 101 We recommend that everyone explore LA and start off renting when moving to Los Angeles. While we hope that this guide gives you a good feel for what neighborhoods you’ll like, you’re still best off getting a good, face-to-face feel for a neighborhood before you find a place to call home.

The Types of Housing in Los Angeles Early 1900s Craftsman houses dot Los Angeles. They’re gorgeous, relatively affordable, and coveted by artistic types who want to fill them with mid-century modern furniture. If you do this, please invite us over. There are a wide variety of apartment buildings around Los Angeles. You might recognize the Karate Kid classic – 50s and 60s apartment buildings with open courtyards, often centered around a small pool. There are

swanky-looking apartment buildings usually built by big apartment management companies trying to attract wealthier tenants. There are adorable little apartment buildings, often carved out of big houses, and there are “New York-style” buildings – that usually means no elevator and no parking. Up in the Valley, there are huge be-

hemoths of apartment buildings, usually filled with recent college graduates.

One of the renter gold mines in Los Angeles is the detached guesthouse. These stand-alone dwellings, nestled behind larger houses, can range from tiny bachelor-size studios to comfortable two-bedroom houses. Even better – since they’re often rented out by the owners of the larger house, you can sometimes find great deals on them – but you have to act fast; they’re in high demand. And of course, there are dozens and dozens of other types of dwellings. Remember, this is Los Angeles – if some crazy person has money and a vision, it gets built.

Renting The two most popular websites for finding housing in Los Angeles are Westside Rentals (www. westsiderentals.com) and good ol’ Craigslist (www.craigslist. com). Despite its name, Westside Rentals has listings for all of Los Angeles, and you can get a free account through Riot. Roomster (www.roomster.com) is also a great place to look – it has listings for both apartments and roommates. While it can take some legwork, one of the best ways to find an apartment in your neighborhood of choice is to simply walk or drive around looking for “For Rent” signs. Despite what you might have heard about people in L.A. never walking, several areas (especially areas that are popular to live in, such as Los Feliz village) get enough foot traffic that a sign in front of an empty apartment is enough to get it rented out quickly.

Photo : Floyd B. Bariscale

What you can expect to pay in rent varies wildly depending on your neighborhood, amenities, and whether or not you have a roommate. But in general, if you’re living with a roommate or significant other, expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,500 a month, depending on your neighborhood and the size of your apartment; and if you’re living alone, expect to spend anywhere from $800 to $2,000. Of course, you can always spend more than that – but isn’t “you could always spend more” one of the constants of life?

Buying Even though cost of living – especially real estate – is higher in Los Angeles than many other areas of the country, there are still some areas where homes cost a little less. Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Mt. Washington, and many areas of the Valley are popular. As of writing, the median home price in Los Angeles is around $500,000... and just keeps going up. A two to three bedroom house in a decent neighborhood should run you between $600,000 and $850,000. But don’t fret. Finding a good, affordable house is doable...like we said, you should just rent first. If you do want to take a peek at what’s for sale, you can find house listings on Zillow (www.zillow.com).

L.A.: the basics Los Angeles is a big, wonderful, weird place. Here are the basics â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the major landmarks and events, farmers markets, dog parks, resources for families, and all the other things you might need day-to-day (or, in the case of the hospitals, hopefully donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need).

Photo : Glen Scarborough

landmarks Many of Los Angeles’s landmarks double as tangible histories of the city. From elegant Art Deco and Spanish architecture to gooey bogs of tar, to the ubiquitous Angelyne and everything in between, a cruise around Los Angeles is more educational — and (gas prices permitting) much cheaper — than a day spent at Disneyland.

So go ahead and be a tourist in your own backyard! Go mural sighting in Echo Park and East L.A.; compare your shoe size with Marilyn Monroe’s at TLC Chinese Theater and have a drink at the historical Pig ’n Whistle in Hollywood; spend an afternoon browsing in the downtown L.A. Central Library, and stroll the surrounding Maguire Gardens before grabbing a bite at Clifton’s Cafeteria; or take a train ride in Griffith Park, go for a round or two of golf (you’ve got four courses to choose from), and shuttle up to the Observatory to watch the sunset over a twinkling L.A. skyline.

Historical L.A.

Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles has been operating since 1917 and is still a great place to buy meat, produce, ice cream, and your favorite Mexican delicacies. Just across the street is Angel’s Flight, a relic from old L.A.’s ancient trolley system. For you beachcombers out there, do what Angelenos have done for decades and ride the roller coaster at Santa Monica Pier after a day of surf and sand. Just south of Santa Monica, the remaining four Venice Canals Photo : Sandra Cohen-Rose and Colin Rose

(between Venice Boulevard and Sherman Canal Court) give you a sense of Abbot Kinney’s original 1904 Italian vision for this beach community…give or take a million-dollar home or two.

Buildings a good number of the city’s legendary landmarks have long been razed (the Brown Derby, Coconut Grove). But those that do remain are quite extraordinary. Hollywood’s cylindrical Capitol Records Building is evocative of a pile of vinyl on a spindle. The Emerald City-like green Wiltern Theater, named for the intersection where it sits at Wilshire and Western, is a stunning example of Art Deco architecture. Downtown Los Angeles is home to a bevy of historical landmarks. among them, the grand Union Station was built in 1939 in the Spanish-mission style (and inspires a lot of happiness: http://24hoursofhappy. com), the Bradbury Building (of Blade Runner fame) is Victorian opulence and ingenuity at its finest, and the Eastern Columbia Buildings are dynamic by day and blaze the downtown skyline by night. The Persian-inspired Shrine Auditorium, former home of the Oscars, now hosts concerts and

Landmarks continued

of religious affiliation.

noying corporate sponsor moniker. An enduring celebration of L.A.’s Mexican heritage is Olvera Street off Cesar Chavez downtown, where traditional dances and mariachis are the backdrop to some authentic Mexican dining.

Outdoor Spaces

Architecture

For all its freeways and urban sprawl, Los Angeles is no concrete jungle. There are some terrific places to have a picnic, go for a hike, hear music, cheer for your team, or just laze in the California sunshine. The athletic flock to Pan Pacific Park near the Miracle Mile for softball and basketball; families, hikers, golfers, and horseback riders recreate in rustic Griffith Park; golfers and sun worshipers head to the vast Rancho Park in Cheviot Hills; and those seeking a refreshing hike in the hills visit the Hollywood Reservoir or the ever-popular Runyon Canyon. And absolutely nothing can match an outdoor summertime concert at the Hollywood Bowl or the Greek Theatre — both boast awesome acoustics and make for a lovely evening of food, wine, and music. Much cherished by Angelenos and a fine example of mid-century modern architecture, Dodger Stadium opened in 1962 and still remains free of an an-

Always a forward-thinking city, Los Angeles has been attracting the funky and the innovative with its municipal reputation for starting trends. The results are evident in the colorful shapes of the Pacif ic Design Center, housing furniture, art galleries, and design offices. Two famous Frank Lloyd Wright–designed homes near Hollywood — the ailing Ennis Brown House and the Hollyhock House — offer tours frequently; check to make sure the buildings are not currently under construction. L.A.’s early 20th century explosion makes it an Art Deco heaven, boasting dozens of striking examples of the movement from the soaring City Hall to the opulent movie palaces that crowd Broadway, particularly the triumphant Orpheum. And speaking of city halls, the Pasadena City Hall is a great example of the Spanish Colonial revival architecture that peppers Southern California. The most recent architectural wonder

lesser award shows. And as a convergence of the holy and the postmodern, there is the impressive strength and serenity of the

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, fascinating regardless

in Los Angeles is, of course, Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. Resembling a carefully wadded crumple of metal, the building is quite impressive both inside and out. Running a close second to Gehry’s L.A. opus is the new, expressively modern Caltrans District 7 Headquarters downtown.

of traveler’s checks; avoid the Hollywood Wax Museum at all costs, and the new Hollywood & Highland Mall is sterile and soulless. Skip eating at Pink’s — a hot dog is, after all, only a hot dog and doesn’t justify the wait in line. If you must, start your day (or end your night) with a Chicago Dog right as they open up at 9:30 am.

Lowbrow Landmarks

Underrated Landmarks

Nobody did lowbrow better than the late great drunken saint of Los Angeles: Charles Bukowski. To relive the poetic debauchery, drop a few bucks and bet on the ponies at Hollywood Park near LAX; afterwards, take your winnings to tip the dancers at the seedy (yet historic) Jumbo’s Clown Room in Hollywood, where the performers (like Courtney Love before them) gyrate to Tom Waits and The Clash. Whisky A Go Go is a distinct musical landmark surrounded by the garish cultural wasteland of the Sunset Strip. Once the home of legendary rock bands like The Doors, Love, Van Halen, and X, the Whisky has since lost its luster to a never-ending line-up of wannabe bands. However, it’s still worth a look, for posterity’s sake.

Lame, Bad, and Overrated Landmarks

If Rock Walk, West Hollywood’s version of the Walk of Fame, doesn’t prove as rockin’ as you had hoped, cross the street and head to El Compadre for a flaming margarita to tame those blues. Farther down Sunset you’ll find the Sunset Strip. Crowded with hordes of suburban drunk kids, gridlocked traffic, and cops at every corner, the Strip is best done once (before night falls) and left to the tourists thereafter. Many of the tourist traps on Hollywood Boulevard are a waste

Photo : Eric Norris

The Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax was silenced for a number of years following the murder of its second owner, Lawrence Austin, in 1997, but now it’s up and running again and definitely worth a visit. Continuing in the macabre vein of the dead and the silent, the oddly festive

Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the final resting place of stars both famous (Douglas Fairbanks, Cecil B DeMille, Dee Dee Ramone) and infamous (Bugsy Siegel!). Old films are frequently shown al fresco in the graveyard to a fun, hip crowd — check www.cinespia. org for details. For a little more Hollyweird, check out the Magic Castle —you can book a room here or go for dinner and a show put on by some of the world’s premier smoke-andmirror masters. Sticking with the weirdly metaphysical, head on over to the Museum of Jurassic Technology on Venice Boulevard for a peek into a cabinet of curiosities that will surely leave you dumbstruck. And, finally, two notable architecture landmarks: The Griff ith Observatory is free to visit and offers gorgeous views of the city. Close to Riot, meanwhile, is Frank Gehry’s house. You can’t go inside, but the deconstructivist house is a delight even from the outside.

Los angeles History City Timeline Circa 8000 BC

The Chumash people settle the region.

1542

Explorers begin visiting the region.

1781

El Pueble de Nuestra Senora de la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula – aka Los Angeles – is founded.

1822

Los Angeles becomes a Mexican city when Mexico wins its independence from Spain.

1842

Gold rush California.

Southern

Battle of Rio San Gabriel. The US takes control of Los Angeles.

1850

L.A. County is established; city of L.A. is incorporated.

1880

USC is founded.

Rail lines between L.A. and the East Coast are completed. The L.A. Times begins printing.

Electricity comes to downtown L.A..

1887

The land is purchased for Hollywood – a church community planned to promote prohibition and clean living.

1890

First Tournament of Roses parade.

1891

1892

Abbott Kinney claim in Venice.

stakes

his

Labor rioting breaks out in L.A. during national railroad strike.

1896

Griffith J. Griffith donates land that will become Griffith Park.

1899

L.A. Stock Exchange opens.

1902

City’s first movie theater opens for business.

1909

1910

Alice Stebbins Wells appointed to L.A. police force as the nation’s first female policewoman. D.W. Griffith becomes the first director to shoot film in Los Angeles.

1913

The Los Angeles Aqueduct brings water from the Owens Valley.

1915

Universal Studios opens. San Fernando Valley annexed by City of L.A..

CalTech opens its doors.

1894 hits

1847

1881

1882

Construction on L.A. aqueduct begins.

1919

UCLA is formed.

1922

Hollywood Bowl opens.

1923

The Hollywood Sign is erected.

1932

Tenth Olympic Games are held in L.A.

1939

Union Station opens.

1940

Pasadena Freeway (later the 110) opens – L.A.’s first freeway.

1946

KTLA is L.A.’s first commercial television station.

1947

Black Dahlia murder. The case is never solved.

1953

The famed “four-level” opens, linking the 101 and 110 freeways.

1954

Completion of the Wat ts Towers.

1955 1958

The Dodgers relocate from Brooklyn.

1960

The Lakers leave Minneapolis for L.A..

The Music Downtown.

The L.A. Lakers finally beat the Boston Celtics after previously losing nine finals to them.

1989

Mayor Tom Bradley elected to an unprecedented fifth term.

1991

Rodney King is beaten by four police officers.

1992

Disneyland opens

1964

1985

Verdict in King case leads to citywide rioting. Landers earthquake.

1993

Menendez murder trial #1. L.A. officially opens its first subway line.

1994 Center

opens

1965

LACMA opens its doors. The Watts Riots.

OJ Simpson arrested after slow-speed chase down the 405. Northridge earthquake.

1995

Robert Kennedy assassinated at Ambassador Hotel.

Menendez murder trial #2. If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit – OJ found not guilty. Departure of Rams and Raiders leaves L.A. without a football team.

1969

1997

1971

2000 and 2001

1968

Manson Murders.

Sylmar earthquake.

1974

J. Paul Getty Museum opens in the Pacific Palisades.

1978

The Hollywood Sign is rebuilt with local celebs donating $27,700 per letter.

1980

Screen Actors Guild strike.

1984

The 23rd Olympics are held in L.A..

Photo : andrew g. hayes

The new Getty Center opens in Brentwood.

Back-to-back NBA Championships for the L.A. Lakers.

2001

First championship for the WNBA’s L.A. Sparks.

2002

Three-peat for the L.A. Lakers and Phil Jackson. Backto-back WNBA Championships for the L.A. Sparks. Anaheim Angels win their first World Series.

2003 Famed Austrian-bodybuilder -turned-Hollywood- action - star Arn old S ch warzenegger add s another hyphenate as he wins the election for Governor of California.

2005

Actor and former child star Robert Blake found not guilty of his wife’s murder. The city elects its first Latino mayor in 130 years.

2006

L.A. serves as a focal point for the demonstrations and boycotts over the contentious proposed immigration legislation.

2007

Fire in Griffith Park burns over 600 acres.

2009

One-gloved pop-star eccentric Michael Jackson dies of a drug overdose. His back-catalog resonates from car windows throughout the city.

2012

The Expo Line – a new subway/elevated rail line – opens. The Kings win their first Stanley Cup.

Cool L.A. History Stuff There are two websites to check out to learn more about cool and unusual L.A. history stuff – Hidden L.A. (www. hiddenla.com) and Atlas Obscura (www. atla sobscura .com). Atlas Obscura also organizes local events based around exploring weird L.A. history; see what’s coming up online.

Calendar of Events Multiple Times a Year CicLAvia

This event, designed to encourage exploration of L.A. without a car, shuts down city streets in different neighborhoods so they can be explored by cyclists and pedestrians. See upcoming dates at www.ciclavia.org.

January

The Tournament of Roses Parade A Southern California tradition – celebrating New Years Day with rose-covered floats.

Chinese New Year Parade Depending on how the calendar falls, this can be in January or February. Expect lots of dancing, music, confetti cannons, and delicious food.

February

The Edwardian Ball This annual event is an epic fancy-dress ball…and much more. Expect to see people in steampunk finery, ballroom dancers, goths, Edward Gorey fans, and others all dancing, performing, drinking absinthe cocktails, playing parlour games, and experiencing general revelry. Not to be missed.

March

The L.A. Marathon... and L.A. Marathon Crash Race The L.A. Marathon is pretty self-explanatory. The Crash Race is an unsanctioned bike race that happens along the Marathon route after the city starts barricading it, but before the runners start.

The Academy Awards More revered as an L.A. holiday than Presidents Day. Watch with friends, or try to scope the scene in Hollywood.

April

The Grilled Cheese Invitational A giant grilled cheese competition, where we’re all winners (because we get to eat grilled cheese).

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire This gigantic Ren faire runs though mid-May.

Pillow Fight Day Just what it sounds like. In Pershing Square Downtown.

May

L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival A festival celebrating Asian Pacific films and filmmakers.

Pasadena Doo Dah Parade Irreverent spoof of the Rose Parade. Lots of kinetic sculptures and ridiculousness.

Jubilee Music Festival

The L.A. County Fair

A festival in the Arts District featuring local bands and good eats.

L.A.’s charming county fair, which runs late August through September, features rides, midway games, shows, animals, and of course, all the fried foods you can handle.

June

L.A. Gay Pride Festival Centered around West Hollywood, the weekend includes a parade, a festival, and much more.

September OC Brew Ha Ha

Pasadena Chalk Festival

A massive craft beer festival in Orange County.

A sidewalk chalk art festival where competitors attempt to make the best mural.

Abbot Kinney Festival

The Playboy Jazz Festival An annual celebration of jazz at the Hollywood Bowl.

E3 The Electronic Entertainment Expo, the L.A. gaming event of the year, takes over the L.A. Convention Center. sign up early for your industry pass.

July

Palisades Parade The Pacific Palisades has one of the area’s biggest and best Fourth of July parades.

L.A. Anime Expo A big, awesome anime convention at the L.A. Convention Center.

Dine L.A. During this annual event, restaurants across the city offer special discounted, multi-course menus.

August

The International Surf Festival There’s more than just surfing – you can check out beach volleyball, swimming, and lifeguarding competitions as well.

FYF Fest A two-day annual music festival with big acts and comedy in L.A. Historic Park Downtown.

Photo : kc Merrill

A street festival in this popular area of Venice, with music, food and drink, vendors, and much more.

October

L.A. Podcast Festival See live recordings of your favorite podcasts.

West Hollywood Halloween Parade People crowd the streets wearing some of the most amazing costumes you’ll ever see.

Day of the Dead Celebrate the dead among the dead – at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

November

Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival Drive by these gorgeous light displays.

Downtown on Ice, Winter Wonderland Skating Rink Get a tiny bit of winter in D.T.L.A .

December

Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade Imaginatively lit boats by crazy locals.

Christmas Tree Bonfires at Dockweiler Beach This is less an official event and more just a thing you should do – when people start throwing out their Christmas trees, gather them up and have a bonfire at Dockweiler Beach.

Radio Stations L.A.’s full of awesome driving opportunities, like cruising along the Pacific Coast Highway (aka the “PCH”) at night, windows down and sea air whipping through your ride. Whichever kind of driving you’re doing, L.A. has some great radio stations to provide a soundtrack for your cruise (or crawl).

89.3 KPCC

102.7 KIIS

This is your straight-up NPR – Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Marketplace on the weekdays; Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Car Talk, and Prairie Home Companion on the weekends.

Top 40 hits. Your next earworm begins here.

89.9 KCRW The more tune-minded of the local NPR stations. Morning Edition is followed by Morning Becomes Eclectic, a music chaser that features live performances, music news, and more.

93.5 KDAY Back-in-the-day hip-hop. You can’t feel too cranky when Biggie is playing.

95.5 KLOS The classic rock station. Because sometimes, we all need a little sugar poured on us.

Indie 103.1 Like the name says, tune in here for your new and old “indie” business (whatever that means these days). Bowie, Silversun Pickups, Django Django, Devo, Talking Heads, and The Ting Tings all find a home here.

105.1 KKGO For all your country needs.

105.9 KPWR Current hip hop, for when KDAY feels too old school.

106.9 KROQ Pronounced “kay rock,” this alternative rock station bounces between new tunes and nostalgia. Your best place to catch something off of Green Day’s “Dookie.”

Photo : Doc Searls

For Families and kids With an average 329 days a year of sunshine and an epic number of great parks, Los Angeles is an excellent place for children to play. The best way for families to stay connected to Riot and to get insider tips on transitioning to life in L.A. is through the Riot Significant Others group. Riot holds weekend outings, League of Legends training nights, and other events for SOs, but it’s also a great community to join for support, ideas, tip and tricks for couples and families new to L.A.. Joining is a great way to get tapped into a community of fellow Rioters with SO s and kids. They also have a thriving group on Facebook. Head to the Significant Others group page on Confluence for more info: https://confluence.riotgames.com/display/TPP/ Significant+Others+Group.

The Bestest of the Best for Kids Best Entertainment Investment: A Disneyland Annual Pass disneyland.disney.go.com/passes Riot parents agree: Disneyland annual passes for the family are worth the investment. They pay for themselves after just a few visits, and they provide other perks like discounted food and drink. Plus, since you can return whenever you like, you don’t have to spend an exhausting day at the park trying to fit every ride in.

Photo : John K. Goodman

Most Kid-Friendly Mall: The Grove 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, www.thegrovela.com They’ve got a trolley, a musical water fountain, and events for children such as puppet shows and arts and crafts every Thursday morning. There’s even a huge central lawn where you can catch a live band and eat ice cream. Oh, and there are shops and restaurants for parents, too.

Coolest Bookstore: Storyopolis 12348 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, www.storyopolis.com Looking for The Da Vinci Code? Look somewhere else. (Also, why are you looking for that?) This store sells only the most beautiful and beloved children’s books, along with the artwork found within. Go for the story time, every day at 11 am.

For Families & kids continued Best Children’s Museum: The Zimmer Children’s Museum 6505 Wilshire Blvd #100, Los Angeles, www.zimmermuseum.org Designed for children eight and under, this hands-on play museum encourages kids do everything from bang around on musical instruments to pretend to fly a plane. The unfortunately branded Taco Bell Discovery Science Center (2500 N Main St, Santa Ana, CA) is a close second in terms of awesome museums for kids.

Best Playground: Shane’s Inspiration Griffith Park, Los Angeles, www.shanesinspiration.org The playground was designed to allow disabled children to play alongside their able-bodied peers on equipment that is colorful, innovative, and appealing to all. For a similar playground, check out Aidan’s Place in Westwood Park, on Sepulveda Boulevard just south of Wilshire Boulevard.

Most Surprising Place for Parents to Meet People: Petting Zoo at Studio City Farmers Market Ventura Pl b/w Laurel Canyon & Ventura Blvd, Studio City; Sundays, 8 am–1 pm Overall, the Studio City Farmers Market is a kids’ paradise on Sunday mornings. It features pony rides, a moon bounce, face painting,

and a small train. And if you stand in the petting zoo long enough, you will encounter every person you have ever met in L.A. who has a child under the age of five.

Best Resource for New Mothers: The Pump Station 2415 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.pumpstation.com From breast pumps to nursing bras to high-end baby clothes, the Pump Station carries everything you need to get through the first few months of mommyhood. Even more useful, however, are the new-mother support groups, where lactation consultants/RNs can talk any nervous new mother down from the ledge.

Most Enjoyable Rainy Day Activity: Tinker 4337 Woodman Ave, Sherman Oaks, www.tinkertinker.com Only a parent could come up with a brilliant idea like Tinker. Here’s how it works: “Art time” and basic materials are $5 per hour. Your child then selects a craft project from the wide variety they have at the store — dream catchers, t-shirts for painting, dolls and hats to sew and decorate, etc. (prices vary for each project) — an d Tinker’s frien dly staff members guide them through the process.

Parks for Playing What makes for an excellent public park? In our opinion, any combination of the following: ample shade, well-maintained (and appealing or innovative) equipment, and an indefinable, overall good vibe. Most L.A. neighborhood parks feature at least a strip of grass and a slide or two, but these are some of the parks that are worth venturing out of your own neighborhood to explore: Coldwater Canyon Park, Coldwater Canyon Dr & N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills

Culver City Park, Jefferson Blvd & Duquesne Ave, Culver City Polliwog Park, N Redondo Ave & Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach Seaside Lagoon, 200 Portofino Wy, Redondo Beach Garfield Park, Stratford Ave & Mission Aly, South Pasadena Lacey Park, Monterey Rd & Virginia Rd, San Marino Lake Balboa Park, Balboa Blvd & Victory Blvd, Encino Johnny Carson Park, 400 S Bob Hope Dr & Riverside Dr, Burbank

Roxbury Park, Olympic Blvd & Roxbury Dr, Beverly Hills

E n ci n o Pa rk , Ve nt ura B lv d & Genesta Ave, Encino

West Hollywood Park, San Vicente Blvd b/w Melrose Ave & Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood

Studio City Recreation Center (AKA Beeman Park), Beeman Ave & Rye St, Studio City

Shane’s Inspiration, Griffith Park, Los Angeles Echo Park, b/w Glendale Blvd & Echo Park Ave, just south of Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles La Cienega Park, La Cienega Blvd & Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles MacArthur Park, 6th St & Alvarado St, Los Angeles Kenneth Hahn State Recreational Area, La Cienega Blvd south of Rodeo Rd, Los Angeles Douglas Park, Wilshire Blvd & 25th St, Santa Monica Westwood Park, Sepulveda Blvd b/w Wilshire Blvd & Santa Monica Blvd Penmar Playground, Rose Ave & Penmar Ave, Venice

Photo : Smart Destinations

Indoor Playgrounds Because wet weather is such an anomaly in Southern California, L.A. parents tend to lose it a little when forced to seek shelter indoors with the kids for a day or two. The kids, however, are perfectly happy, especially with a trip to some of L.A.’s indoor playgrounds, where the temperature is always a pleasant 72 degrees and there’s plenty of padding and cushions to break their fall. Amy’s Indoor Playground, 1115 Mission St, South Pasadena, www. amysindoorplayground.com Under the Sea, 2424 W Victory Blvd, Burbank, www.undertheseaindoorplayground.com

Hospitals Los Angeles boasts some of the most sought-after physicians and medical centers in the United States. The UCLA Medical Center, Saint John’s Medical Center, and Cedars-Sinai are three of the best treatment facilities in the world. All have extensive networks of clinics and affiliated physicians around the city and county. Of the three, Cedars has perhaps seen the longest list of celebrity births, deaths, and hospitalizations; but Saint John’s was the hospital that ushered adversaries Tom Cruise’s and Brooke Shields’s babies into the world.

Emergency Rooms

Address

Phone

Neighborhood

Alhambra Brotman Cedars-Sinai Medical Center City of Angels Encino-Tarzana Reg. Medical - Encino Encino-Tarzana Reg. Medical - Tarzana Glendale Adventist Glendale Memorial Good Samaritan Hollywood Presbyterian Huntington Memorial L.A. County USC Medical Center Little Company of Mary Los Angeles Community Mission Community Northridge - Roscoe Campus Olympic Medical Center Pacific Alliance Sherman Oaks Torrance Memorial UCLA Medical Center

100 S Raymond Ave 3828 Delmas Ter 8700 Beverly Blvd 1711 W Temple St 16237 Ventura Blvd 18321 Clark St 1509 Wilson Terr 1420 S Central Ave 1225 Wilshire Blvd 1300 N Vermont Ave 100 W California Blvd 1200 N State St 4101 Torrance Blvd 4081 E Olympic Blvd 14850 Roscoe Blvd 18300 Roscoe Blvd 5900 W Olympic Blvd 531 W College St 4929 Van Nuys Blvd 3330 Lomita Blvd 10833 Le Conte Ave

626-570-1606 310-836-7000 310-423-8780 213-989-6100 818-995-5000 818-881-0800 818-409-8000 818-502-1900 213-977-2121 213-413-3000 626-397-5000 323-226-2622 310-540-7676 323-267-0477 818-787-2222 818-885-8500 310-657-5900 213-624-8411 818-981-7111 310-325-9110 310-825-7271

Alhambra Culver City West Hollywood Downtown Encino Tarzana Glendale Glendale Downtown Hollywood Pasadena Lincoln Heights Torrance East L.A. Panorama City Northridge Mid-City West Downtown Sherman Oaks Torrance Westwood

Other Hospitals

Address

Phone

Neighborhood

California Hospital Medical Centinela Children’s East L.A. Doctors Kaiser Foundation Kaiser Foundation L.A. County Women’s Life Well Institute Providence St Joseph Medical St John’s Valley Presbyterian

1401 S Grand Ave 213-748-2411 555 E Hardy St 310-673-4660 4650 W Sunset Blvd 323-660-2450 4060 Whittier Blvd 323-268-5514 4867 W Sunset Blvd 323-783-4011 6041 Cadillac Ave 323-857-2201 1240 N Mission Rd 323-226-3221 5835 Washington Blvd 323-857-0800 501 S Buena Vista St 818-843-5111 1328 22nd St 310-829-5511 15107 Vanowen St 818-782-6600

Downtown Inglewood Hollywood East L.A. Hollywood Mid-City West Lincoln Heights Culver City Burbank Santa Monica Van Nuys

Photo : Umberto Brayj

LGBTQIA Los Angeles is a great city for LGBTQIA folks – there’s a large, supportive community; there are plenty of great resources, bars, and shops; and as of early 2013, same sex marriage is legal once again in the state of California. Hit the interwebs and you’ll also find loads of L.A. meetup groups and stuff for LGBT interests. Head to https://riotnet.riotgames.com/groups to find out how to sign up for the Riot lgbtqia mail list.

Websites Gay Los Angeles

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center

www.gaylosangeles.com

(LAGLC)

Lesbian and gay directory for gayowned and gay-friendly places in Los Angeles (bars, clubs, saunas, restaurants, and more).

The LAGLC – the largest and oldest gay and lesbian center in the country – offers the following services:

West Hollywood w w w.visitwestholly wood.com/ explore/lgbt/ Comprehensive online guide to gay West Hollywood, featuring music, arts, videos, nightlife, circuits, classifieds, buzz, photos, and shopping.

QV Magazine www.qvmagazine.com Online edition of L.A.’s gay Latino magazine.

• Pedro Zamora Youth HIV Program • Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic • 12-Step Program Meetings includ-

ing AA, Alanon, NA, Marijuana Anon, Crystal Meth Anon, Sexual Compulsives Anon, and Anorexics Anon

• Counseling

services including general, addiction recovery, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS

• HIV Testing • Audre Lorde Lesbian Health Clinic • Sexual Health Program • Enrichment classes • Educational seminars • Live theater and other events • Senior, family, and youth services 1625 N Schrader Blvd Los Angeles 323-993-7400 www.laglc.org

Photo : Alan Light

colleges and universities From precious preschools to elite colleges, Los Angeles has several great – and accessible – education options.

Schools

Colleges

The quality of Los Angeles’s public schools can vary drastically neighborhood to neighborhood, but there are several excellent options in the L.A. school district. If you want to check out the schools in the area you’re thinking of moving to, we recommend looking at Zillow’s school map (www.zillow.com/los-angeles-ca/ schools), which shows all the schools in the area with ratings.

UCLA and USC anchor Los Angeles both in terms of being the two major colleges and the major college rivalry. UCLA, located in lovely Westwood, is a behemoth pu bl i c rese a rc h un iv e rs it y that offers 127 undergraduate degree programs. If you’re ever i nte r este d in ta k in g c la s ses without trying to earn a degree, they also have a strong continuing education program. USC, meanwhile, has two campuses with two different focuses – a College of Letters, Arts & Sciences three miles south of Downtown, and a Health Sciences Campus.

The city also has a robust offering of charter schools, including options focused around science and math, college prep, and performing arts (hey, this is Los Angeles).

Other major colleges in the area include Occidental, Pepperdine (in gorgeous Malibu), Santa Monica College, and Claremont. But between the different campuses, community college offerings, art schools, and more, there are over 100 options for higher education in greater Los Angeles.

Photo : Denis Bocquet

Farmers Markets One of the best things about Southern California’s yearround sun and warmth is year-round fresh produce – and year-round farmers markets to buy that produce. Almost every neighborhood has at least one weekly market; here are some of the best.

“The” Farmers Market

The Hollywood Farmers Market

6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles www.farmersmarketla.com

Centered around the intersection of Ivar and Selma, Los Angeles, www.hollywoodfarmersmarket.org Sundays, 8 aM - 1 PM

The Farmers Market opened in the 1930s as a humble dirt lot where farmers parked their trucks and sold produce off the tailgates. Today it’s attached to the outdoor shopping center known as The Grove. The Farmers Market features an excellent array of food vendors and restaurants, offering everything from fresh produce to gourmet cheeses to hundreds of kinds of hot sauce.

The Santa Monica Farmers Market Arizona Ave at 2nd St, Santa Monica, www.smgov.net/portals/farmersmarket/ Wednesdays, 8:30 am – 1:30 pm Santa Monica actually has several farmers markets, including Saturday and Sunday options. But with 75 vendors, the Wednesday market is the biggest.

Photo : k lachshand

One of the largest farmers markets in the area, the Hollywood Farmers Market features over 100 farmers, prepared food stands, and other vendors (like the girl with a typewriter who will write you a poem on request). Check out the goat cheese stand – they sometimes have a baby goat with them, and they always provide free samples.

The Alhambra Farmers Market 100 South Monterey St, Alhambra, Alhambra, www.cityofalhambra.org/about/ Market.html Sundays, 8:30 AM – 1 PM Thanks to the area’s large Asian population, this farmers market is a great place to find Asian fruits and vegetables you might not be able to find at other markets. Plus, while you’re in the area, you can pick up amazing, super-cheap sandwiches at Banh Mi My-Tho (304 West Valley Blvd).

PArks Yes, Los Angeles is pretty spread out. Yes, you need a car (or several patient hours on the bus) to get to certain places. But the benefit of all this space is that L.A. is also dotted with awesome parks featuring hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, events, and more. Here are some of the biggest and best.

Elysian Park

Griffith Park

835 Academy Rd, Los Angeles, www. laparks.org/dos/parks/facility/ elysianpk.htm

4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles, www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithpk/

When Los Angeles was founded in 1781, more than 600 acres of parkland was set aside for public use. That allotted land, known today as Elysian Park, is the oldest and second largest park in the L.A. area.

The largest municipal park in the United States, Griffith Park has facilities for golf, s wimming, hiking, running, horseback riding, tennis, soccer, and picnicking. If that’s not enough, there’s also plenty of kid-specific stuff – a carousel, a train ride, pony rides, and several playgrounds.

The central picnic area on Stadium Way (the park circles Dodger Stadium) has several barbecue pits, a small human-made lake, and a children’s play area. The Recreation Center has basketball and volleyball courts, and a cafe at the Police Academy is open to the public on weekdays from 6 am to 3 pm. Elysian also features the Chavez Ravine Arboretum, home to over 1,000 tree species.

Griffith is also home to some of Los Angeles’s best attractions – the free-to- visit, Art Deco Griffith Observatory ; t h e outdoor Greek Theatre (home to many excellent concerts); The Autrey National Center, a combo history museum-art gallery; and the Los Angeles Zoo. Speaking of zoos, Griffith Park is also home to The Old Zoo (look for the sign for The Old Zoo when you’re on Griffith Park Dr near the carousel) – the former zoo site where you can picnic and play Frisbee next to (and in) the old cages.

Photo : Eric Richardson

Exposition Park

Dog Parks

In L.A., Bordered by Figueroa St to the east, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd to the south, Menlo Ave to the west, and Exposition Blvd. to the north. www.expositionpark.org

Los Angeles has several dog parks where your beloved pooch can romp and play, and the list is growing – you can even find areas just for big dogs like German Shepherds and Mastiffs. If you can’t play with the big dogs, though, you don’t have to stay on the porch – there are plenty of spots for smaller pups too.

Expo s i t i o n Pa r k h a s a lo n g history of events – originally developed as a showground for agricultural and horticultural fairs, it also hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics. Today, it’s home to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena , a 7.5-acre rose garden, the L.A.

County Natural History Museum, the California Science Center , and the California African American Museum .

L.A. State Historic Park 1245 Spring St, Los Angeles, www. parks.ca.gov/?page-id=22272 In addition to being a great spot for recreation, this park near Chinatown hosts several awesome events throughout the year, including the FYF music festival and Renegade Craft Fair.

You can get more information about dog-friendly parks at www.dogfriendly.com, www.laparks.org, and www.dogpark.com. But here are a few of the big dog-park hits:

The Boneyard End of Duquesne in Culver City Park, Culver City

El Segundo Dog Park 600 E Imperial Ave, El Segundo

Long Beach Recreation Dog Park 5201 E 7th St, Long Beach

Laurel Canyon Park 8260 Mulholland Dr, Studio City

Huntington Dog Beach Pacific Coast Highway & Golden West St, Huntington Beach

Silver Lake Recreation Center 1850 Silver Lake Dr, Los Angeles

Runyon Canyon Park 2000 N Fuller Ave, Hollywood

Westminster Dog Park 1234 Pacific Ave, Venice

Barrington Dog Park 333 S Barrington Ave, Los Angeles

Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park 17550 Victory Blvd, Encino

Griffith Park Dog Park North end of John Ferraro Soccer Field on North Zoo Dr, Los Angeles

Local Beaches Living in Los Angeles and not going to the beaches is like having a convertible and never taking the top down – sure, you don’t have to do it...but why not take ad vantage?

Redondo Beach

Manhattan Beach

www.redondopier.com

www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us

Redondo Beach tends to be the most family-friendly of the South Bay beaches, although you’ll still find a share of shell-wearing surfer dudes. There are lots of activities to partake in here. in addition to the normal swimming, skating, and surfing, boating is also popular in Redondo.

Manhattan Beach is like Beverly Hills’ younger, hotter sister. The houses, people, and clothes surpass anything you’d see in the 90210, and multi-million dollar homes line the front of the public beaches. But don’t let that deter you – this beach is still a great place for boogie boarding, beach volleyball, swimming, and fishing.

The Redondo pier and boardwalk is a mix of upscale restaurants, more casual eateries, tacky souvenir stores, and the Fun Factory – an amusement center featuring games and rides that’s definitely worth checking out.

Hermosa Beach www.hermosabch.org With a laid-back surfer mentality and compact town density, Hermosa Beach is a breezy alternative to the more ostentatious beach towns to the north. This is an especially great beach for volleyball (they host tournaments here), surfing (Hermosa is California’s surfing birthplace), and general low-key beach awesomeness.

Dockweiler Beach www.parks.ca.gov/?page-id=617 Dockweiler isn’t the nicest of SoCal’s beaches, but it has one big thing going for it – fire pits. You have to get there early in the day to claim one (often before noon on the weekends), but at night you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful beachfront fire. Just don’t start too late – the fires have to be out by 10 pm.

Venice Beach

Zuma Beach

www.venicebeach.com

beaches.co.la.ca.us/bandh/beaches/Zuma.htm

Venice is the beach you’ll recognize from so many of the SoCal stereotypes. Muscle Beach is here, with its crazy jacked weightlifters; On the boardwalk, you’ll find all kinds, including hippies, teens, and tourists. A Venice Beach promise: there will always be guys trying to get you to get your weed card and vendors sitting on the ground selling art, jewelry, and incense. The atmosphere is casual, and if the boardwalk gets to be too much for you, you can always go play volleyball, lay on the beach, or hit the Venice beach Skatepark.

Santa Monica Beach www.smgov.net/portals/beach Riot’s home beach also features SoCal’s most iconic pier, complete with roller coaster and Ferris wheel. In the summer, there are twilight concerts here; check out www.santamonicapier.org for more information.

In 1978, idyllic Zuma Beach was the setting for an eponymous madefor-TV movie starring Suzanne Somers. The premise involved an aging rocker who moved to the beach to try to “get away from it all,” but who instead became wrapped up in the lives of beachgoing teens. Though today old rockers opt to escape behind the high walls of their private beachfront compounds, the clean waters and mile-long stretch of broad, sandy beach still attract Malibu High students and a laidback, local crowd of surfers, families, young beach bums, and sun-worshippers.

Malibu Beaches Malibu has some great spots for experienced surfers, including Leo Carrillo beach and Nicholas Canyon beach. For information about the Malibu beaches, check out the Malibu section on page 96.

The beach itself hosts a mishmash of runners, loving couples, and families. As for surfing, it’s great for beginners...which means if you’re a regular, you’ll probably be more entertained by the bigger waves available further north. If you’re a walker or a runner, this beach is a great place to get some barefoot exercise in after work. Photo : ed 37

geeking out riot-style

L.A. for geeks Rioters aren’t all into the same things (aside from videogames – especially League of Legends), but we’re all a bit maniacal about something. Often, many things. Sometimes, many many many things. Basically, Rioters are people who geek out on a lot of stuff.

Riot Clubs A lot of that geeking out happens right in the office. There are clubs for almost any interest, from tabletop gaming and flag foot ball to whiskey tasting and swing dancing. Every other Saturday’s Pot Luck Game Night, and every Tuesday and Thursday, Anti-Lazy Club holds bootcampstyle workouts. And if you get here and there isn’t a club for what you want to do, it’s easy to start one – and we can almost guarantee that other Rioters will be interested in joining. Beyond Riot’s walls, Los Angeles is an amazing city for geeks of all types. Here are some of the things you can look forward to.

Architecture and Design Los Angeles is the home of some gorgeous architecture and design. The hub for that is the A+D Museum (6032 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, www.aplusd.org), which features exhibits on everything

from airport design to plans for Los Angeles buildings that were never erected. They also run a neat series of urban hikes in the summer. Speaking of architecture walks, there are two other organizations that do great tours – the L.A. Conservancy (www.laconservancy. org) offers a variety of Downtown architecture tours, and de Lab (www.designeastoflabrea.blogspot. com) occasionally offers some unexpected and really cool tours, like a look at L.A.’s abandoned subway tunnels. There are several Frank Lloyd Wright houses in L.A., including the Ennis House (2655 Glendower Ave, Los Angeles) and Storer House (8161 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles). One that you can actually tour is the Hollyhock House in Barnsdall Park (4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, www.hollyhockhouse.net). And if you’re looking for an architecture destination beyond Los Angeles, head to Palm Springs – there’s more information on page 173.

Board Games

Combat

One of the best places for board games in Los Angeles is near Riot – Aero Games (2918 Santa Monica Blvd #3, Santa Monica, w w w . a e r o h o b b i es g a m es. co m ) carries hundreds of board games and has open play nights. Outside Santa Monica, check out Game Empire (1795 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, www.gameempirepasadena. com) and The War House Games (630 W Willow St, Long Beach, w w w. t h e wa r h o u se g a m es. com ) . If you’re looking for something a little bigger than just a board game night, Southern CA is also home to the gaming conference Strategicon (www.strategicon. net).

One of the wonderful things about Los Angeles is that, because there are actors here who want or need to train in almost any type of fighting, you can take classes in nearly anything. The L.A. Fencing Center (11755 Exposition Blvd, Lo s A n ge les, w w w. lafe n c in g. com) is c lo se to Riot, a n d offe r s c la s ses fo r fe n ce rs n e w a n d o l d. I f yo u’ re lo ok in g for s om et h in g a b ig mo re h i sto rica l, Academy of Arms (10501 Burbank Blvd, North Holly wood, www.academyofarms. com) can train you in swordplay as well as other weapons including staff and sickle.

There are several bars and restaurants that offer games to play as well, including Tony’s (1710 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, www.tonysda.com), Verdugo (3408 Verdu go Rd, w w w.ve rd u g obar . com), and Villains Tavern (1356 Palmetto St, www.villainstavern. com). Finally, L.A. Board Games (www. laboardgames.com) is a great group to be involved with – they do game events all across the city.

Photo : Yirka51

Not interested in weaponry? There are too many great training centers out here to list everything, but Los Angeles has boxing, MMA, karate, capoeira, krav maga, jiu jitsu, and much more.

Comedy L.A. is the home of many awesome comedians and comedy troupes, which means that you can regularly see fantastic comedy shows – in cluding shows with well- known performers for cheap or free. Wednesday night’s The Meltdown at NerdMelt (the comedy space in the back of Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles,

L.A. FOR GEEKS continued www.nerdmeltla.com) is hosted by Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani, and you can regularly expect guests like Marc Maron or even surprise drop-ins from Louis C.K. Largo at the Coronet (366 N La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, www.largo-la. com), meanwhile, is a relatively intimate theater with a well-curated selection of comedy and music. They regularly host great shows like The Paul F. Tompkins Show, Iron Comic, and others – plus the venue is a magnet for local and touring comics. On the improv side, Sunday night’s ASSSSCAT at the UCB Theatre (5919 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, www. ucbtheatre.com) is free (just make sure you get in line early) and regularly features big-name improvisers and guests, including original members of the Upright Citizens Brigade, Zach Woods (from The Office), and Andy Daly (from Eastbound and Down). If you want to start performing yourself, there are tons of great opportunities for improv. the aforementioned Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (www. ucbtheatre.com) and iO West (www.ioimprov.com) are two of the best places to get started. On the sketch side, you can take classes at UCB, or through the Miles Stroth Program (www. milesimprov.com), where all of the sketch teachers have written for sketch TV shows, including Satur-

day Night Live, The Whitest Kids U Know, and Incredible Crew. As for stand-up – just find an open mic and get started! There are mics available every night, all across the city – you’re best off doing a Google search to find those that best fit your schedule. And for comedic writers who want to do something that’s not exactly stand-up, there’s Write Club L.A.:

Storytelling as Bloodsport at the Bootleg Theater every month (2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, www.writeclubrules.com).

Comics Los Angeles has a great selection of comic book stores – check out the breakdown in the bookstores section on page 138. There are also a few notable conventions in the L.A. area. July’s San Diego Comic Con (www.comic-con. org) is one of the biggest in the country – full of plenty of comics-based events, plus TV, comedy, movies, anime, and much more. March features WonderCon (www.comic-con.org/wca), a comic book, scifi, and movie confection in Anaheim. In May, there’s the relatively new Stan Lee’s Comikaze (www.comikazeexpo.com). And in November, there’s the Long Beach Comic Con (www.longbeachcomiccon.com), which focuses on comics and horror.

Crafting If you’re a knitter or crocheter, WildFIber (1453 14th St, Suite E, Santa Monica, www.wildfiber. com) can set you up with gorgeous yarns – or, if you don’t know how already, can set you up with classes. For other artistic supplies, there’s Top’s (3447 W 8th St, Los Angeles, www.topsartsupplies.com) in Koreatown – they carry general art supplies, as well as items for fashion designers. And if you want to do a bit of public art with your knitting, check out Yarn Bombing Los Angeles (www.yarnbombinglosangeles.com). If you want to sell your wares or just see awesome things other people have made, there are some great craft fairs throughout the year – primarily the Renegade Craft Fair (www.renegadecraftfair.com) and Unique L.A. (www. stateofunique.com).

Hackerspaces/ Making Things

Historical Reenactments and Live-Action Roleplaying Lightning bolt! Lightning bolt! The page looks like the poorly designed baby of Geocities and a messageboard, but @LA’s LARP listings are comprehensive (www.at-la.com/@la-role.htm). They have information on living history events, Civil War reenactments, general LARP meet-ups, Renaissance groups, vampire meet-ups, and even Rocky Horror Picture Show events. The Renaissance Pleasure Faire (www.renfair.com) is also definitely worth checking out. This massive faire runs through April and May, and in addition to the regular Renaissance theme, they also have special event days for people to come dressed as pirates and in other non-Renaissance costumes.

If you’re looking for a great hacker/maker/art space, Crash Space (105 2 6 Ve n i ce Blvd, Culver City, www.crashspace.org) in Culver City is awesome and has lots of events.

Photo : Ricky Brigante

L.A. FOR GEEKS continued

Meat

Videogames

If you geek out about meat, we highly recommend Lindy and Grundy (801 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, w w w.lindyandgrundy.com). Not only is it one of the best butchers in the city, but they offer classes on everything from how to prepare a chicken to making sausage to butchering a whole hog.

Game Play (10937 Venice Blvd,

Pinball There are two great places for playing pinball in greater Los Angeles – but both have kind of funky hours, so it’s best to check them out online first. Down in Santa Ana, there’s Pinball Forever (1518 E Edinger, Suite A, Santa Ana, w w w.p i n bal lfor e ve r . com), which has an incredible section of games from the very dawn of pinball to today – and you’re welcome to play them all but the oldest. In a music practice space in Echo Park, meanwhile, there’s Pins and Needles (1623 Allesandro St, los Angeles, www. pinsandneedlesla.com).

los Angeles,) should be one of your first stops for videogame stores – the staff is knowledgeable, and they have a super variety of new and old games and systems. Hyper Games (2130 Sawtelle Blvd, Suite 211, los Angeles, w w w.hypergameaction.com), meanwhile, is great for finding rare/ import games. If you’re into retro games (or just like a beer with your arcade), head to Blipsy Barcade (369 N Western Ave, los Angeles) in Koreatown – they have a decent selection of old arcade games and pinball machines, plus drinks and dancing on the weekends.

Wine and Beer We’ve listed some of our favorite bars throughout this book, but there are a few places that deserve special note. For wine, L.A. is filled with well curated wine shops with knowledgeable staff, such as K&L (1400 Vine St, los Angeles, www. klwines.com), domaineLA (6801 Melrose Ave, los Angeles, www. domainela.com), and Silverlake Wine (2395 Glendale Blvd, los Angeles, www.silverlakewine.com).

Silverlake Wine also has t hr ee g reat weekly ta sti n g events – Sunday afternoons, Monday nights, and wine flights on Thursday nights. If you’re especially interested in European wines, head to Du Vin (540 N San Vincente Blvd, West Hollywood, www.du-vin.net), where that’s their specialty. And L.A. is within distance of some amazing California wine regions. We suggest checking out the Santa Ynez Valley. There are so many wineries to see there, but you can’t go wrong with Zaca Mesa (6905 Foxen Canyon Rd, Los Oilivos, www.zacamesa.com) and Cold Heaven (92 A 2nd St, Bulleton, www.coldheavencellars.com). For beer, there are several great breweries within L.A. city limits. Golden Road (5410 W San Fernando Rd, los Angeles, www.goldenroad. la) has a large restaurant and tasting area with plenty of lawn games. Eagle Rock Brewery (3056 Roswell St, Los Angeles, www.eaglerockbrewery.com) has a smaller space, but great beers. Downtown there’s Angel City (216 S Alameda St, Los Angeles, www.angelcitybrewery.com). And it’s a bit of a drive, but Stone Brewery (1999 Citracado Pkwy, Escondido, www.stonebrewery. com) has an amazing brewery tour, tastings, and beer garden. If you want to homebrew, head to Eagle Rock Home Brewing Supply (4981 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, www.brewsupply.com). Photo : Sun Dogs & Daylilies

Tattoos Please, please, please don’t think that Kat Von D rules all things tattoo in L.A. – there are so many excellent shops. Velvet Grip Family (7213 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, www.velvetgripfamily.com), Artistic Element Tattoo (7460 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, www.artisticelementtattoo.com), and Memoir Tattoo (7377 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, www.memoirtattoo.com, by appointment only) are all recommended by Rioters.

...and Everything Else There are so many awesome things to geek out about in Los Angeles that we can’t get to everything. But if you have a specific interest, talk to your fellow Rioters, or go to meetup.com and type in your interest along with “Los Angeles.”

Rioters’ Fave Hangouts Riot’s located in Santa Monica, on L.A.’s Westside. While we recommend exploring everything L.A. has to offer, you could be perfectly content never leaving the area near Riot – there are so many wonderful things to do, see, eat, and drink (plus riot has a great internet connection). The rest of this guide contains some of Rioters’ favorite places all across L.A., but here are a few of the top faves.

Where RIOTERS Eat The Charleston (2460 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.charlestonla.com) is a great gastropub for dinner, happy hour, or brunch, and they have a late-night happy hour Tuesday through Thursday. There are a couple of other places nearby that are also technically gastropubs, but are primarily known for having fantastic burgers – Plan Check (1800 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, www.plancheck. com) and Father’s OfFIce (1018 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, www. fathersoffice.com). A great breakfast and lunch option near the office is the Blue Daisy Cafe (2303 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.bluedaisycafe. com). Try the crepes and the zucchini hash browns. Bru’s WifFLe (2408 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.bruswiffle.com) also serves up great breakfast waffles – as well as savory lunch waffle options, including some pretty awesome fried chicken and waffles. And for a great healthy lunch, we love walking to Mrs. Winston’s Green Grocery (2450 Colorado

Blvd, Santa Monica, 310-315-2777) – the salad bar is amazing, and you can eat in the gorgeous nearby Water Garden (2425 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica). If you prefer your lunch eats to come in truck form, check out Food Truck Alley (2700 Pennsylvania Ave, www.foodtruckmaps. com/la/food – trucks – in – santa – monica). From 11:30 am until 2 pm, it’s filled with a variety of great trucks – check out the offerings for the day on the website. Down in Venice is Wurstkuche (625 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, www. wurstkuche.com). Their deal is exotic sausages (rattlesnake and rabbit, anyone?) and damn good beer. Plus, they have amazing dipping sauce options for their fries. It’s more an area than a specific place, but the neighborhood around Sawtelle and Olympic (page 77) is filled with amazing Japanese restaurants, shops, and places to get boba tea.

Renovo (2200 Colorado Blvd, Suite G1, Santa Monica, www.myrenovo.com) is a great place for a smoothie or juice. And speaking of

non-booze beverage places, Balconi Coffee (11301 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, www.balconicoffeecompany.com) is a good spot for... well, you know. That coffee stuff. Another great place for coffee is Elabrew (2425 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, www.elabrewcoffee. com) – is in the Colorado Center, right across from the Riot office.

Where RIOTERS Drink One of Rioters’ favorite bars is The Daily Pint (2310 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, www.dailypint.net) – a beer and whiskey bar with over 30 beers on tap, 100+ whiskeys, and lots of games (including pool, foosball, and table shuffleboard). The Daily Grill (2501 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, www. dailygrill.com), meanwhile, is super close to Riot, making it a great “I need a drink right now” option. For trivia night, there’s O’Brien’s (2941 Main St, www.obriensla.com/ Happyhour.html) on Wednesdays – they also have comedy on Sundays and live music throughout the week. Or venture a little further to Culver City to Bigfoot West (10939 Venice Blvd, Culver City, www.bigfootwest.com) on Tuesdays for trivia there.

Photo : Jim & Rachel McArthur

When looking for a sports bar, many Rioters hit Busby’s (3110 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, www.busbysla.com). They have 50 plasma TVs playing games, plus food and dancing later at night and trivia on Sundays. Irish pub Sonny McLean’s (2615 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.sonnymcleans.com) is also a good place for watching sports and drinking a pint. And while it’s technically a sports bar, we mostly recommend Q’s (11835 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, www.qsbilliardclub.com) as a great place to play pool (they have 12 tables!), and they also have trivia on Wednesdays.

Mom’s (12238 Santa Monica Blvd, los Angeles, www.momsbar.com) is a great not-quite-dive with cheap (but not shitty) drinks and dancing on the weekends. Another great dive-ish bar is Speak Easy Cocktail (1326 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica). But for legit, well- made cocktails near Riot, head to Bar Chloe (1449 2nd St, Santa Monica, www. barchloe.com) – get the Boulevardier, a riff on the Negroni where the gin is replaced with bourbon.

Rioters’ hangouts continued

Where Rioters Have Fun McCabe’s Guitar Shop (3101 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, www.mccabes. com) doesn’t just sell guitars – they also have an excellent series of acoustic concerts (and free coffee, always). For tabletop gaming, there’s Aero Hobbies & Games (2918 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, www. aerohobbiesgames.com). They have a fantastic selection of board games, RPGs, and card games – and they host a wide variety of gaming nights, from DnD to open board game evenings. If you’re interested in art (and wine-fueled art openings), Riot is close to Bergamot Station (2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, www.bergamotstation.com), a cultural center with ~40 art galleries that specialize in everything from photography and jewelry to painting and sculpture.

For shopping, movies, food, drinking – OK, so, a lot of things – there’s Third Street Promenade (3rd St between Wilshire and Broadway, Santa Monica, www.3rdstpromenade.com). The Promenade is for pedestrians only, and it’s also just a great place to walk and people watch. Another similarly neat area is Abbot Kinney Boulevard (www.abbotkinneyonline.com) in Venice, which is tucked full of art galleries, restaurants, and neat shops. Oh, and there’s this little thing on Riot’s doorstep called the beach along the Pacific Ocean. People seem to enjoy it. You can find more info about L.A.’s beaches on page 36.

Where Rioters Are Active Basketball players dig pickup games at the basketball courts at Pico and Olympic (check out the map on page 76), while cyclists like riding their bikes along the

ocean path from Santa Monica to Venice. (More about that in the Sports section, page 153.)

Photo : inazakira

There are a lot of hikes in Los Angeles, but one area cited as a close-to-Riot favorite is Will Rogers State Park (1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd, Los Angeles, w w w.parks.ca.gov/?page - id=626). plus, in the summer, they have polo games that are free for the public to watch. And Riot’s neighborhood is one of the few in Los Angeles with a rock climbing gym – that’s Rockreation (11866 LaGrange Ave, Los Angeles, www.rockcreation.com).

This is the L.A. Foodie Bucket List There is one thing we can promise you about a city with 3.8 million people who hail from all over the world – it’s going to have some damn good food. This is our foodie bucket list. It will take you a while to get through...and that’s kind of the point. Also check out Jonathan Gold’s top 100 for the full list of places to check out: http://ballots. latimes.com/lists/101-best-restaurants-jonathan-gold/.

Classic L.A. In-N-Out Multiple locations, www.in-n-out.com

8221 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, www.chateaumarmont.com The swanky haunt is still a great place to scope stars (with a cocktail in hand).

People are obsessed with this West Coast chain – for good reason. They make a damn fine fast food burger, and ordering from the secret menu makes you feel like you’re really living in L.A. For more about the burgers you have to have in L.A., check out the Restaurants section on page 142.

Tiki Ti

Randy’s

118 E 6th St / 1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, w w w . 2 1 3 n i g h t l i f e . com / co les frenchdip / www.philippes.com

805 W Manchester Bvd, Inglewood, www.randys-donuts.com This donut shop near the airport is known for its distinctive giant donut sign. Try the maple bar.

Musso & Frank 6667 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, www.mussoandfrankgrill.com Open since 1919, this classic Hollywood restaurant still serves dishes like Lobster Thermidor and Jell-O for dessert. And they’ve got excellent martinis.

Chateau Marmont

4427 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.tiki-ti.com This teeny tiny tiki bar is still owned by the same family – and they’ve been open since 1961.

Cole’s / Phillipe’s

Both of these Downtown restaurants claim they invented the French Dip.

Coffee Shops Intelligensia Coffee & Tea 1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice or 3922 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.intelligentsiacoffee.com One of the best coffee roasters in the United States. It’s a great place to settle in and get some work done away from the office. The girl serving you will probably have quirky bangs and a cute hat.

Demitasse

Scoops

1149 3rd St, Santa Monica, www.cafedemitasse.com

712 N Heliotrope Dr, Los Angeles, 323-906-2649

Every barista at this cafe makes a signature drink. Put yourself in their good hands and order that.

Crazy good ice cream, with unusual offerings like brown bread – plus, plenty of vegan treat options.

Funnel Mill 930 Broadway, Suite A, Santa Monica, www.funnelmill.com A coffee shop that doesn’t open until 9 am on weekdays – and not at all on Sundays? The Funnel Mill’s coffee is good enough that the cafe can pull that off.

Sweets

Cocktails The Varnish 118 E 6th St, Los Angeles, www.213nightlife.com/thevarnish A speakeasy-style bar (you have to enter through Cole’s) that’s more legit than cheesy. A must-visit when you’re Downtown.

Mashti Malone’s

Freddy Smalls

1525 N LaBrea Ave, Los Angeles, www.mashtimalone.com

11520 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, www.freddysmalls.com

This Persian ice cream shop always serves up unexpected flavors, like rosewater.

Great food and excellent cocktails – the regular drink list is solid, but make sure you check out what’s on the specials board.

Pie Hole 714 Traction Ave, Los Angeles, www.thepieholela.com They serve savory pies too, but oh man, the dessert pies are excellent (even if you’re a cake person).

Photo : Denise Krebs

1886 1250 S Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, www.theraymond.com 1886 is attached to The Raymond, a restaurant located inside the former caretaker’s cottage for the once-grand Raymond Hotel. Comfortable and old-timey, this bar has a frequently changing cocktail list.

Foodie bucket list continued One Eyed Gypsy

The Bazaar

901 E 1st St, Los Angeles, www.one-eyedgypsy.com

465 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, www.thebazaar.com

Among the options at this beautiful bar is the Dealer’s Choice – where you put yourself in the bartender’s (very) good hands.

L.A. celebrity chef Jose Andres serves up an incredible mix of Spanish food and molecular gastronomy.

The Thirsty Crow

Hatfield’s

2939 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.thirstycrowbar.com

6703 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, www.hatfieldsrestaurant.com

It gets crowded on the weekends, but this otherwise low-key, bourbon-and-rye-focused whiskey bar features excellent cocktails. It’s hard to go wrong with their namesake drink.

By some accounts, the best restaurant in Los Angeles – and it’s run by husband-and-wife chefs. Try one of the tasting menus – they offer a seasonal tasting menu and a vegetarian one.

Fancy The Edison 108 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, www.edisondowntown.com This gorgeous cocktail bar is tucked inside an old power plant Downtown. Show up wearing your Gatsby finery.

Rustic Canyon 1119 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.rusticcanyonwinebar.com Wine and seasonal food in Santa Monica. Perfect for a special date.

Bottega Louie 700 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, www.bottegalouie.com Featuring delightful Italian-French food, it’s a place Rioters go when they want to treat themselves.

Brunch Nickel Diner 524 S Main St, Los Angeles, www.nickeldiner.com The Nickel is one of those places that’s technically called a diner – but the food is way above your typical greasy spoon.

Photo : Arturo Sotillo

The Overland Café 3601 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, www.overlandcafe.com Make Sunday morning epic with delicious food and $6.99 all-youcan-drink champagne.

Sonoma Wine Garden 395 Santa Monica Pl, Santa Monica, www.sonomawinegardensantamonica.com “California cuisine” with beautiful outdoor seating.

26 Beach

Cuban Versailles 10319 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, or other locations across L.A. (check online), www.versaillescuban.com Cuban food that’s worth waiting for (and, if you go on a weekend night, you probably will wait.) Get the garlic chicken.

Porto’s 3614 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, www.portosbakery.com

Home of amazing brunch dishes like Lemon Curd Challah French Toast and egg-and-pasta scrambles.

This large, well-oiled machine serves up delicious and affordable sandwiches, salads, coffee, and pastries. You must eat at least one meat-stuffed fried potato ball.

Meat

Vegetarian

3100 W Washington Blvd, Marina Del Rey, www.26beach.com

Animal 435 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, www.animalrestaurant.com

Elf Cafe 2135 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.elfcafe.com

From the oxtail poutine to the braised rabbit leg, this is one of the best places in L.A. to put meat in your mouth.

An organic vegetarian restaurant that’s fancy enough for a date and amazing enough to attract carnivores and vegans alike.

Bay Cities Deli

Cafe Gratitude

1517 Lincoln Blvd, Santa monica, www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com Their signature sandwich, the Godmother, was featured on the Food Network’s “Best Things I Ever Ate.” Order ahead on their website so you don’t have to wait in line.

512 Rose Ave, Venice, www.cafegratitudela.com Every menu item has a name like “I am generous.” And every menu item is delicious.

Real Food Daily 514-516 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, www.realfood.com A small chain of organic vegan restaurants that’s been around since 1994.

Foodie bucket list continued

Japanese Sugarfish

Various locations, www.sugarfishsushi.com Rioters’ favorite sushi place. You can trust that the “Trust Me” menu is amazing.

Sushi Zo 9824 National Blvd, Los Angeles Amazing sushi; perfect for a special occasion.

Daikokuya

Kang Hodong Baekjeong 3465 W 6th St, Ste 20, Los Angeles Arguably the best KBBQ in the world. It’s a-la-carte with a holein-the-wall feel, though, so isn’t the place for a fancy date.

Oo-Kook Korean BBQ 3385 W 8th St, Los Angeles This AYCE restaurant is one of the best in quality amongst the many AYCE restaurants in K-town.

Chosun Galbee

Robota Jinya

3330 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles www.chosungalbee.com Chosun Galbee is a more upscale Korean restaurant that has excellent service and amazing food (a-la-carte). From BBQ to traditional foods, there’s not much that this restaurant doesn’t do well.

8050 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, www.jinya-la.com Sushi, ramen, and more. Try it all with the tasting menu.

Mexican

2208 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, www.daikoku-ten.com Some of the best ramen in L.A. Expect to wait for a seat, and expect that it will be worth it.

Gyu-Kaku 10925 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, www.gyu-kaku.com Japanese barbecue with a great happy hour menu – and all-day happy hour on Mondays!

Korean

Soot Bull Jeep

Los Cinco Puntos 3300 Cesar Chavez Blvd, Los Angeles, www.los5puntos.com You can eat tacos while you’re there, or do like everyone else – get a bunch of meat, tortillas, and salsa to serve up at home. While you wait, watch the ladies behind the counter hand-make the tortillas.

3136 W 8th St, Los Angeles One of Rioters’ favorite places for Korean barbecue.

Photo : star5112

Ricky’s Fish Tacos

Ghengis Cohen

1400 N Virgil Ave, Los Angeles, www.twitter.com/rickysfishtacos

740 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, www.ghengiscohen.com

Ricky’s weekend lunchtime taco stand regularly sells out of food – it’s that good. Get the fish or shrimp – the lobster, while it sounds exotic, just isn’t as tasty.

Tongue-in-cheek Jewish Chinese food. Getting a reservation here on Christmas Eve is almost impossible – but it’s worth it.

Guelaguetza

7825 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, www.bagelbroker.com You can get a great bagel in Los Angeles. And this is the place where you can get it.

3014 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, www.ilovemole.com This Oaxacan restaurant serves up two excellent specialties from the region – mole and mezcal.

Guisado’s 2100 E Cesar E Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, www.guisados.com Amazing tacos with tortillas made from scratch next door by the chef’s brother. Plus, the best quesadillas on the planet.

Red O 8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, www.redorestaurant.com Amazing high-end Mexican from Rick Bayless, the chef who won 2009’s Top Chef Masters.

Jewish Langer’s 704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, www.langersdeli.com The neighborhood Langer’s is in – right next to MacArthur Park – has seen good times and some (very) bad. But through it all, this Jewish deli has been serving up the city’s best pastrami.

Canter’s 419 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, www.cantersdeli.com Los Angeles’ other classic Jewish deli. Make sure you check out the Kibitz Room, the attached dive bar – there’s frequently live music, and bands ranging from Guns N’ Roses to The Doors have hung out and played there.

The Bagel Broker

Food Trucks Near Riot

The website Roaming Hunger (www.roaminghunger.com/la) can give you a full rundown of the food trucks in Los Angeles (and where they’ll be when). But here are a few of our favorites to keep an eye out for.

CoolHaus www.eatcoolhaus.com Serving up ice cream cookie sandwiches in weird and fantastic flavors.

Ludo Truck www.ludotruck.com Incredible fried chicken. On the rare occasion the Ludo Truck’s around Riot, run – and don’t forget to nab a lavender biscuit.

LobstaTruck www.lobstatruck.com We might be on the “wrong” coast, but you can still get an amazing lobster roll.

The Grilled Cheese Truck www.thegrilledcheesetruck.com Some might say it’s more melt or Panini than grilled cheese, but either way it’s so much more than just cheese and bread.

Kogi BBQ www.kogibbq.com Not only is it the O.G. of Korean tacos, but it’s the best Korean tacos.

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Beverly Hills When the outside world pictures Los Angeles, it often defaults to Beverly Hills: palm trees, broad avenues, nice cars, shopping on Rodeo Drive, and celebrity sightings. Less known are its beautiful parks, quality eating, plentiful rental homes, and good schools. There’s also two-hour free parking in public lots if you’re just visiting.

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Beverly Hills 1 The Witch’s House 516 Walden Dr A fairytale haunt straight out of Hansel and Gretel. You can’t go inside, but it’s fun to stare at.

2 Sprinkles Cupcakes ATM 9635 S Santa Monica Blvd, 310-274-8765 The cupcakes from this NYC chain might be overrated – but they’re a lot more awesome when you get ‘em out of a 24-hour ATM.

Watch TV at: The Paley Center

456 N Beverly Dr, 310-786-1000 www.paleycenter.org This non-profit “examines the intersections between media and society.” Anyone can look through their extensive library of television shows and advertisements, and the annual Paley Fest features panel discussions with writers, actors, and other folks from current TV shows.

Wander through crazy gardens at:

Greystone Park & Mansion 905 Loma Vista Dr, 310-285-6830 www.beverlyhills.org/exploring/greystoneparkmansion This ridiculous mansion was built by oilfortune heir Ned Doheny in the 1927; he was found dead inside from an apparent murdersuicide just two years later. Today the grounds are kept open as a public park.

9 Honor Bar 122 S Beverly Dr, 310-550-0292 A sleek bar and restaurant that’s a great place to grab a drink and watch music. Great food too – get the kale salad and the chicken sliders.

10 Oliverio 9400 W Olympic Blvd, 310-407-7791 Poolside cocktails and eats at a luxe hotel– very L.A. Plus there’s free valet!

11 Nate ‘n Al’s 414 N Beverly Dr, 310-274-0101 New York-style deli, open since 1945. A good place to get matzo ball soup when you’re sick.

4 Trader Vic’s 9876 Wilshire Blvd, 310-276-6345 The classic Polynesian-themed restaurant, with fruity drinks and lots of fried appetizers.

5 Carroll & Co. 425 N Canon Dr, 310-273-9060 Can we talk about Beverly Hills without mentioning at least one high-end clothing store? Carroll & Co. was one of the first opened in the area that’s still around, and it’s the only place we know where you can actually buy a smoking jacket.

6 Get Japanese crepes at:

Harajuku Crepe 9405 S Santa Monica Blvd, 310-285-3946 www.harajukucrepe.us Sweet or savory, these tasty crepes are rolled up for easy carrying. Because you know you want to walk around eating a Nutellafilled green tea crepe while staring at waytoo-wealthy people shopping on Rodeo Drive.

Get fancy-ish at: Bar Bouchon

235 N Canon Dr, 310-271-9910 www.bouchonbistro.com/bh-barbouchon Celebrity chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon might be a chain, but it’s still wonderfully fancy, French, and delicious. Get the great eats without quite so much craziness at its bar – or go for one of the twice monthly nights featuring Ad Hoc’s famous fried chicken.

13 Da Pasquale 9749 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-859-3884 Excellent, authentic Italian food. And it’s affordable – priced for real people, not just folks in Beverly Hills.

14 Urasawa 218 N Rodeo Dr, 310-247-8939 Sushi in the beautiful people’s neighborhood. It’s very expensive and very worth it.

15 The Farm of Beverly Hills 439 N Beverly Dr, 310-273-5578

7 TASCHEN Books 354 N Beverly Dr, 310-274-4300 For all of your art and fetish book needs. Titles on everything from DC Comics to mid-century advertisements to bondage.

Yeehaw darlings! Farm-fresh salads and entrees in a much-classier-than-a-farm atmosphere.

16 Cheese Store of Beverly Hills 419 N Beverly Dr, 310-278-2855 High-quality cheese, even better olives. Also offers wine counseling.

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West Hollywood West Hollywood – aka WeHo – is actually its own 1.887 square mile city plopped in the middle of Los Angeles. And it sounds like a terrible marketing clich , but it really does have something for everyone – hiking in Runyon Canyon, music and comedy shows on the often-annoyingbut-occasionally-great Sunset Strip, and all the brunch restaurants you could ever desire. WeHo is also LA’s resident gayborhood, and it has the most insane Halloween parade – you need to go costume watch at least once.

West Hollywood 1 Eat Jewish Chinese food at:

Genghis Cohen 740 N Fairfax Ave 323-653-0640 www.genghiscohen.com This Jewish-owned Chinese restaurant has all the Americanized Chinese food you love. Make your Christmas Eve reservations waaaaay early.

11 Book Soup 8818 W Sunset Blvd, 310-659-3110 One of LA’s biggest and best bookstores. Hosts regular author readings.

12 Mashti Malone’s 1525 N La Brea Ave, 323-874-0144 Crazy good Persian ice cream, featuring flavors like orange blossom with pistachio.

13 Necromance

2 The Roger Room 370 N La Cienega Blvd, 310-854-1300 A great place to get a damn good cocktail. Spend your time here between picking up your Largo tickets and the start of the show.

3 Runyon Canyon Park Franklin Ave & N Fuller Ave Once Errol Flynn’s estate, now a very popular off-leash hiking trail.

4 The Improv

7220 Melrose Ave, 323-931-2997 Morbid and eclectic, this boutique sells taxidermy and natural curios.

Get a portrait with your burger at: Irv’s

8289 Santa Monica Blvd, 323-650-2456 www.irvsburgersla.com Not only does this stand serve great burgers, but they also draw a little picture of you on your plate.

8162 Melrose Ave, 323-651-2583 A lot of big names stop here – including regular surprise shows from Louis C.K. Two drink minimum.

15 Goorin Brothers 5 Buy comics & see comedy at:

Meltdown 7522 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 323-851-7223 www.meltcomics.com Meltdown carries a wide variety of comics and geeky gifts, plus the room in the back features performances coproduced by Chris Hardwick’s Nerdist Industries. Regular shows include Dan Harmon’s Harmontown, Sex Nerd Sandra, live Dork Forest podcast recordings, and a great weekly Wednesday stand up show.

6 Rosewood Tavern 448 N Fairfax Ave, 323-944-0980 Get your Ron Burgundy on with scotchy scotch scotch (plus good beer and tavern eats).

7 Little Next Door 8142 W 3rd St, 323-951-1010 Delightful French food with a great brunch and pastries.

8 Robata Jinya 8050 W 3rd St, 323-653-8877 Get the spicy ramen or the tasting menu at this excellent Japanese restaurant.

9 Caf

La Boheme

8400 Santa Monica Blvd, 323-848-2360 Epically romantic restaurant. And while it might not sound like the best fancy date food, get the filet mignon tacos.

7627 Melrose Ave, 323-951-0393 Whether you’re a guy or a gal, when you want to buy a good hat, this is the place to go.

16 Fat Dog 801 N Fairfax Ave, 323-951-0030 Solid beer list and addictive spicy rosemary almonds.

17 Kibitz Room 419 N Fairfax Ave, 323-651-2030 Divey McDive Bar attached to a Jewish deli. Lots of live music.

18 The Abbey 692 N Robertson Blvd, 310-289-8410 Mix, mingle, and make out in this West Hollywood gem. Sometimes described as LA’s best gay bar.

19 See Paul F. Tompkins (and other awesome people) at:

Largo 366 N La Cienega Blvd 310-855-0350 www.largo-la.com The ticketing process is weird (you have to show up at 6 pm to get your seats), but the shows are fantastic. Comics like Paul F. Tompkins and Reggie Watts, and musicians like Jon Brion and Aimee Mann, all perform there regularly.

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Drink your beer at: Surly Goat

7929 Santa Monica Blvd 323-650-4628 www.surlygoat.com bar for hardcore beer lovers, with ever-changing taps.

8221 Sunset Blvd, 323-656-1010 This landmark is still one of the best places for a drink and crazy Hollywood people-watching.

21 Rainbow Bar & Grill 9015 W Sunset Blvd, 310-278-4232 This iconic restaurant and bar is a Sunset Strip essential. Open since the early 70s, this spot was a popular hangout for everyone from Ringo Starr to Alice Cooper to Janis Joplin. Try their pizzas.

Hollywood If you visit the heart of Hollywood on a Saturday night, filled with tourists and clubgoers, it’s easy to believe the stereotypes. But the truth is that it has some of L.A.’s best offerings – and if walkability is important to you, this is one of the best places to live. Hell, you can even take the subway Downtown or up to North Hollywood – something (unfortunately) not a lot of Angelenos can do.

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Hollywood 1 iO West Theater 6366 Hollywood Blvd, 323-962-7560 L.A. outpost of the famed Chicago comedy theater. Check out sketch comedy on Sunday nights.

2 Parlour Room of Hollywood 6423 Yucca St, 323-463-0609 Cocktails. Chandeliers. Velvet. Swanky – but without a dress code or too douchey of a crowd.

10 Get your donuts at:

California donuts 5753 Hollywood Blvd 323-871-0778 You might think you’re not into donuts. But that might also be because you’ve never had a donut here in Los Angeles, where they know how to do ‘em right. Whether you like maple bars, crullers, jelly-filled donuts, or bear claws, California Donuts is one of the best places to get your morning sugar fix.

3 See comedy at:

Upright Citizen’s Brigade 5919 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 323-908-8702 www.losangeles.ucbtheatre.com The UCB has either spawned or roped in many of the best sketch and improv comedians in Los Angeles. Almost every show is great, especially Sunday night’s free ASSSSCAT performance. You have to get in line early, but it’s worth it.

11 Musso & Frank Grill 6667 Hollywood Blvd, 323-467-7788 Hollywood’s oldest bar. Known for their martinis and (occasionally hilarious) old-school menu.

12 Stout 1544 N Cahuenga Blvd, 323-469-3801 Burgers and beer ‘till 4 am.

13 Drink an aged cocktail at:

4 The Cat & Fiddle 6530 W Sunset Blvd, 323-468-3800 Pub plus patio draws Brits in search of better weather. Home of trivia every Tuesday and sporadic Morrissey sightings.

5 The 3 Clubs 1123 Vine St, 323-462-6441 Low-key martini bar with burlesque shows.

6 Weasel your way into:

The Magic Castle 7001 Franklin Ave 323-851-3313 www.magiccastle.com Remember that time in Arrested Development when Tobias accidentally went to The Magic Asshole? Well, the place he was trying to go to – The Magic Castle – it’s real. The tricky part is that you either have to pay to become a member or know a member to get in – but if you start asking around, you can find someone who knows someone (really).

Sassafras 1233 N Vine St 323-467-2800 www.sassafrashollywood.com Away from the nightlife cluster-f that is Hollywood Blvd, Sassafras serves legit aged cocktails in a space that is almost Disney-esque in its old-timey-ness.

14 Groundwork Coffee 1501 N Cahuenga Blvd, 323-871-0143 Delicious organic coffee.

15 Hollywood Forever Cemetery 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, 323-469-1181 The only place in L.A. where you can still see Douglas Fairbanks and Tyrone Power. Home to great outdoor movie screenings and concerts in the summer.

16 7 Sushi Ike 6051 Hollywood Blvd, 323-856-9972 Good sushi in the last strip mall you’d expect it.

Shop at: Amoeba Records

6400 Sunset Blvd, 323-245-6400 www.amoeba.com This epic record store features new and used CDs and vinyl, plus live performances and more.

8 Blue Palms Brewhouse 6124 Hollywood Blvd, 323-464-2337 Features a great list of beers on tap and awesome beer-and-food pairing events.

Catch an up-and-coming band at:

Hotel caf 1623 N Cahuenga Blvd, 323-461-2040, www.hotelcafe.com

17 Birds 5925 Franklin Ave, 323-465-0175 A great spot for rotisserie chicken or a post-UCB beer. Plus there are Alfred Hitchcock-themed decorations.

18 The Oaks Gourmet 1915 N Bronson Ave, 323-871-8894 Part restaurant (the pizzas and sandwiches are great), part grocery. Has a great selection of beer, wine, cheese, and the like.

An intimate venue, the Hotel Caf has shows seven nights a week – and often more than one show a night.

LOS FELIZ Los Feliz has been hyped as a great neighborhood again and again, and with good reason. This walkable area is filled with worthwhile (and affordable) cafes, shops, and bars – plus it’s right below sprawling Griffith Park, a great place for hiking, picnics, and playing Frisbee. Overall, the neighborhood has a feeling of slightly grown-up hipness – you’re as likely to see a group of bar-hopping friends as you are to see a 30-something tattooed dad pushing a stroller.

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Eat outside at: ALCOVE

1929 Hillhurst Ave 323-644-0100 www.alcovecafe.com One of the great joys of living in Los Angeles is year-round outdoor dining. Take advantage of that at Alcove, an open-all-day spot serving a big menu of delicious, fresh food. Don’t miss the smoked salmon breakfast stack – two potato pancakes topped with smoked salmon.

2 Drawing room 1800 Hillhurst Ave, 323-665-0135 Tiny stripmall dive bar that has a barside touchscreen game machine armed with erotic photo hunt. You might recognize the outside from a Mr. Show sketch.

3 Pa Ord Noodle 5301 Sunset Blvd, 323-461-3945 Los Feliz is right next to Los Angeles’s Thai Town, which is stuffed full of amazing, authentic, and cheap Thai restaurants. Pa Ord is one of our favorites – they aren’t afraid to bring the chili-pepper heat.

Drink at: TIKI TI

4427 W Sunset Blvd, 323-669-9381 www.tiki-ti.com This tiny tiki bar is completely family run. Steel yourself: the drinks are fruity but strong.

11 Whitehorse Inn Cocktail Lounge 1532 N Western Ave, 323-462-8088 This comfortable dive bar is a mecca of free food – the ladies behind the bar will try to foist hot dogs, chips, pretzels, Girl Scout cookies, popcorn, and anything else they can on you. Features lots of couches and boxes of Trivial Pursuit cards, too.

12 Have a ridiculous evening at:

Jumbo’s clown room 5153 Hollywood Blvd, 323-666-1187 www.jumbos.com We know – a bar named “Jumbo’s Clown Room” already sounds silly enough. Now add in pole dancers (in bikinis; there’s no toplessness here) and the fact that Courtney Love and Diablo Cody both used to dance here.

13 Harvard and stone 5221 Hollywood Blvd, 323-466-6063 Craft cocktails, good live music, and weekend dancing in Thai Town.

14 The Palace 2112 Hillhurst Ave, 323-667-1595 Good Chinese food and those tasty, elusive appetizers, crab rangoons!

15 5 the dresden 1760 N Vermont Ave, 323-665-4294 This throwback bar is the home of Marty & Elayne’s famed lounge act – and it’s a great place to grab a drink.

6 Secret Headquarters 3817 Sunset Blvd, 323-666-2228 A great comic book store with regular signings and other events.

Hike in: Griffith Park

www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithpk/ Hiking up to the Griffith Park observatory affords you gorgeous views of the city. (You should check out the observatory at night as well; they offer several evening star-gazing events throughout the year.) For a short picnic hike, check out Cedar Grove (the trailhead is on North Commonwealth).

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Picnic at: Barnsdall Art Park

4800 Hollywood Blvd, 323-644-6269 www.barnsdall.org This cute park on a hill is also home to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, and on Wednesday afternoons there’s a farmers market in the parking lot.

4637 Hollywood Blvd, 323-663-2867 Vintage clothes and costume rentals – loads o’ fun.

17 Paru’s 5140 W Sunset Blvd, 323-661-7600 Don’t let the weird exterior deter you. Delicious, vegetarian – and vegan – friendly South Indian food.

18 Best Fish Taco in Ensenada 1650 Hillhurst Ave, 323-466-5552 Great fish tacos, great potato tacos, and Wednesday night stand up on the patio.

8 Fred 62 1850 N Vermont Ave, 323-667-0062 “Funky retro” (their words, not ours) upscale diner with eats like mac ‘n cheese balls and Thai Cobb Salad.

9 Bar Keeper 3910 W Sunset Blvd, 323-669-1675 If you geek out on cocktails, this place is a must. They carry tools, glassware, dozens of bitters, hard-to-find spirits, and more.

Shop at: Wacko/Soap Plant

4633 Hollywood Blvd, 323-663-0122 www.soapplant.com A pop culture gift and bookshop. Purveyors of the wacky, weird, and “What the hell do I get my friend for his birthday?”

10 Bicycle Kitchen 4429 Fountain Ave, 323-662-2776 Non-profit community bicycle workshop.

Silver Lake / Echo Park / Atwater Village

These three neighborhoods cover a lot of area – but the thread running through each is that they’re all some level of “hip” and “up-and-coming.” Silver Lake is arguably the most gentrified and Echo Park the least, while Atwater Village mixes cool shops and restaurants with suburbanfeeling neighborhoods.

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Silver Lake / Echo Park / Atwater Village 1

Play pinball at: Pins and Needles

1623 Allesandro St, 323-313-9449 www.pinsandneedlesla.com Tucked inside a music practice space, this BYOB pinball hangout features 24 machines. If you’re serious about the game, you can join their pinball league.

2 Dodger Stadium 1000 Elysian Park Ave, 866-363-4377 losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/index.jsp Eat a Dodger dog, drink some beer, and watch some baseball.

9 Taix 1911 W Sunset Blvd, 213-484-1265 (Kind of hilariously) old-school French joint, with polished wood, suited waiters, and a room that has a wallpaper border of ducks.

10 The Griffin 3000 Los Feliz Blvd, 323-644-0444 Standard gastropub fare in a space that looks like it’s part of Hogwarts.

eat at: elf caf

2135 W Sunset Blvd, 213-484-6829 www.elfcafe.com An excellent vegetarian restaurant, perfect for a date or celebration.

3 Silver Lake Reservoir Silver Lake Blvd & Duane St Take a jog, a stroll, and a dog! There is an off-leash dog park at the reservoir’s base.

4 trust your bartender at:

thirsty crow 2939 Sunset Blvd, 323-661-6007 www.thirstycrowbar.com A great little whiskey bar with bartenders who know how to mix a cocktail to highlight – not ruin – a good bourbon.

12 Gold Room 1558 W Sunset Blvd, 213-482-5259 Dive with a $4 beer-and-a-shot deal. Plus: tacos!

13 Masa of Echo Park 1800 W Sunset Blvd, 213-989-1558 Neighborhood bakery and deep-dish pizza house.

14 The Village Bakery & Caf 3119 Los Feliz Blvd, 323-662-8600 Delicious breakfast and lunch fare. Don’t leave without a pastry.

5 The Satellite 1717 Silver Lake Blvd, 323-661-4380 Formerly Spaceland, currently housing live (indie) rock.

6 Echo Park Time Travel Mart 1714 W Sunset Blvd, 213-413-3388 Everything you need before you take a road trip through the fourth dimension. Sales support the 826LA charity.

7 Bigfoot Lodge

15 buy indian groceries at:

India Sweets and Spices 3126 Los Feliz Blvd, 323-345-0360 www.indiasweetsandspices.us The largest Indian grocery retail store in Southern California features lots of delicious, inexpensive, and hard-to-find groceries – plus there’s a counter-serve restaurant attached.

3172 Los Feliz Blvd, 323-662-9227 Get woodsy – this bar feels like an awesome, rustic log cabin.

16 The Echo 1822 Sunset Blvd, 213-413-8200

8 do the oktoberfest thing at:

red lion tavern 2366 Glendale Blvd, 323-662-5337 www.redliontavern.net There’s open-air beer drinking and delicious sausages. What else do we need to say to convince you to go here?

Eastside haven for live shows and dancing.

17 Silverlake Wine 2395 Glendale Blvd, 323-662-9024 Snacks and hors d’oeuvres served with tastings at this convivial wine store.

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miracle mile/mid-city The “Mid-City” name is pretty self-explanatory – this neighborhood is equidistant from all the great things on the Eastside and the Westside (while having some awesomeness of its own), making it a decent option for people who can’t decide between the two. Housing here varies wildly from fancy houses to affordable apartments.

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miracle mile / mid-city 1 The Mint

6010 W Pico Blvd, 323-954-9400 Casual acoustic and comedy venue with a smokin’ sound system.

2 A+D Museum 6032 Wilshire Blvd, 323-932-9393 Head here for all things architecture and design.

3 Do Saturday night trivia at:

Little Bar 757 S La Brea Ave, 323-937-9210 www.littlebarlounge.com This bring-your-own-food bar is the only spot in the city we know of that has bar trivia (aka pub quiz, aka quizzo) on Saturday nights. Make sure you get there at least a half-hour early if you want a table.

That’s the Los Angeles County Museum of Art for long. The museum features an awesome collection of art, often including a rotating exhibit on a popular filmmaker (past exhibits have centered around Stanley Kubrick and Tim Burton).

7 Rosalind’s 1044 S Fairfax Ave, 323-936-2486 Ethiopian food. A local favorite.

8 El Rey Theatre 5515 Wilshire Blvd, 323-936-6400 Diverse music line-up of nationally touring bands.

9 4 Black Dog Coffee 5657 Wilshire Blvd, 323-933-1976 Friendly and tasty. Breakfast, lunch, coffee, dog biscuits.

look at art at: lacma

5905 Wilshire 5905 Wilshire Blvd, 323-857-6000 www.lacma.org

Go grindhousing at: The New Beverly

7165 W Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 323-938-4038 www.newbevcinema.com (Perhaps unsurprisingly) owned by Quentin Tarantino, the New Beverly shows doublefeatures – often grindhouse films, and always in 35mm.

5 see some dire wolf skulls at:

The Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits 5801 Wilshire Blvd, 323-857-6300 www.tarpits.org Anybody can saunter up and look at the mucky goodness that is the La Brea Tar Pits, but inside the Page Museum, you can see all the awesomeness that was actually pulled from ‘em – including dire wolf skulls. And if you want to live out your Archaeologist fantasies, the museum actually takes on volunteers to help sort though fossils found in the pits.

10 Marinello Beauty School 6111 Wilshire Blvd, 323-938-2005 A full-service beauty school with facials at half the going rate.

11 Lucy’s Drive in 1373 S La Brea Ave, 323-938-4337 24 hours a day of tacos, chili dogs, burgers, and everything else bad for you.

12 Treat yourself to dinner at:

Red Medicine 8400 Wilshire Blvd, 323-651-5500 www.redmedicinela.com A Rioter favorite, this upscale “late night Vietnamese restaurant” serves gorgeous food and delicious cocktails. If you don’t want to go all the way with their tasting menu, grab a seat in the bar and have one of the best banh mis of your life.

Koreatown

One of the busiest and most jam-packed areas of Los Angeles, Koreatown is also one of the cheapest places to live. It has a reputation as being less-safe than some other neighborhoods in the area – but as long as you’re careful, it can be one of the most awesome places to live and hang out, thanks to great bars, lots of awesome Korean restaurants, and easy Metro access.

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Drink and game at: Blipsy Barcade

369 N Western Ave, 323-461-7067 Part dive bar, part arcade, and part weekend dance club, Blipsy is armed with vintage arcade machines and all the PBR you can handle.

9 Mama’s Hot Tamales 2122 W 7th St, 213-487-7474 An amazing selection of tamales from all over Central and South America.

10 Langer’s 704 S Alvarado St, 213-483-8050

2 Caf Brass Monkey

Great Jewish deli in MacArthur Park (yes, the same one from that notoriously awful song). Try the pastrami.

3440 Wilshire Blvd, 213-381-7047 Great karaoke and a massive cocktail list. Enter in back.

3 Frank N Hanks 518 S Western Ave, 213-383-2087 Beloved K-town hole-in-the-wall bar. Pool table and cheap drinks.

Get Korean BBQ at: Soot Bull Jeep

3136 W 8th St, 213-387-3865 There are at least a dozen worthwhile Korean BBQ joints in Koreatown, but Soot Bull Jeep is a Rioter favorite.

3309 W 6th St, 213-908-5581 Rent a room, get some drinks, and sing your lungs out. Like with the Korean BBQ joints, there are several worthwhile karaoke places in Koreatown – start here, and try ‘em all.

12 Pollo a la Brasa 764 S Western Ave, 213-387-1531 Peruvian rotisserie chicken that’s celebrated by food writers. If you get it to go, beware – the fries get all soggy in that Styrofoam.

13 5 HMS Bounty 3357 Wilshire Blvd, 213-385-7275 Nautical-themed old-man bar patronized by the new kids.

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Do karaoke at: Gaam Karaoke

Go Oaxacan at: Guelaguetza

3014 W Olympic Blvd, 213-427-0608 www.ilovemole.com This authentic Oaxacan restaurant serves two of the best things to ever come out of Mexico – spicy, complex mole sauce, and delicious, smoky mezcal (think of it as good tequila combined with the best of scotch).

3331 W 8th St, 213-387-7227 Mellow K-Town dive. Check the ‘net for the password to get in.

14 Hodori 7 Koreatown Plaza 928 S Western Ave, 213-382-1234

1001 S Vermont Ave, 213-383-3554 24-hour Korean restaurant with killer barbecued beef.

Mall with a mix of American and Asian stores.

8 Han Kook Supermarket 124 N Western Ave, 323-469-8934 Korean supermarket, for when it’s time to stock up on kimchi.

15 Kyochon 3833 W 6th St, 213-739-9292 Korean fried chicken. You’ll never think about Colonel Sanders again.

Downtown For years, Downtown meant financial headquarters and skid row â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not exactly the best place to live (hell, the neighborhood just got its first grocery store). But between the awesome Japanese food in Little Tokyo, shows in gorgeous old theaters like the Orpheum, great bars like the Golden Gopher, and spacious lofts for rent, downtown has become a very worthwhile place to live and hang out.

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Downtown 1 Golden Gopher 417 W 8th St, 213-614-8001 Bar with an outdoor smoking alley, chandeliers, gold gopher lamps, and a great beer selection.

2 The Edison

10 Eat everything in pie form at:

The Pie Hole 714 Traction Ave, 213-537-0115 www.thepieholela.com Whether you’re in the mood for sweet or savory (or, come on now – both), The Pie Hole has everything you need wrapped up in a flaky crust.

108 W 2nd St #101, 213-613-0000 A fancy, old-timey bar in a former power plant. Great cocktails and burlesque.

11 Wurstkuche 800 E 3rd St, 213-687-4444

See a movie or comedy show at:

The Downtown Independent 251 S Main Street, 213-617-1033 www.downtownindependent.ning.com This, well, independent movie theater is home to great films and comedy shows.

Exotic sausages, good beer, and long, Oktoberfest- style wooden tables for seating. Has vegetarian options.

12 American Apparel Factory Store 747 Warehouse St, 213-488-0226 Find irregular or overstocked items at a fraction of the retail price.

4 Central Library 630 W 5th St, 213-228-7000

13 Spot replicants at:

the bradbury building

The Los Angeles library system’s biggest and best location.

304 Broadway, Los Angeles, CA

5 MOCA 250 S Grand Ave, 213-626-6222 Los Angeles is a city with a lot of people who have enough money to buy art. Which means that L.A.’s MOCA is full of some pretty badass bequests.

This beautiful Victorian building was featured in Blade Runner. Unfortunately, you won’t see any Spinners whizzing by.

14 Seven Grand 515 W 7th St, 213-614-0737

Get ramen at: Daikokuya

327 E 1st St, 213-626-1680 www.daikoku-ten.com In Los Angeles, the phrase “The best ramen is at...” can be fighting words. But Daikokuya is a serious contender and also a Rioter fave.

Whiskey bar! For $120 a year, you can also join their whiskey society and partake in monthly tastings of rare whiskeys.

15 Pete’s Caf & Bar 400 S Main St, 213-617-1000 A downtown staple. Get the hellman burger, and follow it with the bread pudding.

16 Villains Tavern 7 Las Perlas 107 E 6th St, 213-988-8355 Bar with a great selection of tequila and mezcal. Ask the bartender to surprise you. You won’t be disappointed!

8 Lazy Ox Canteen 241 S San Pedro St, 213-626-5299 Gastropub fusion defined, and it’s almost all perfect.

9 Brooklyn Bagel

1356 Palmetto St, 213-613-0766 Great cocktails, interesting food (hello, bourbon popcorn), an outdoor area, and live music. Plus they have board games. So good.

Grab a grog at: The Redwood

316 W 2nd St, 213-680-2600 www.theredwoodbar.com OK, so we’re not actually sure if The Redwood serves grog – but this seafaring-themed bar does have great drinks and live music.

2217 Beverly Blvd, 213-413-4114 Serving authentic bagels for five decades.

Pacific Palisades The Palisades were once a bohemian area, full of hippies eschewing city life for “the country.” Those hippies somehow earned a lot of money, though, and now the neighborhood’s taken on a different vibe. But man oh man, it is gorgeous.

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Pacific Palisades 1 Eames House 203 Chautauqua Blvd, 310-459-9663 Iconic house that influenced modern architecture in the ‘burbs.

2 Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine Temple

Climb: The Santa Monica Steps

4th St & Adelaide Dr, Santa Monica, CA Are you ready to have a great butt? Because that’s what you’ll end up with after climbing these.

17190 W Sunset Blvd, 310-454-4114 A meditation and spiritual center that features stunning gardens.

9 Marix Tex Mex Cafe 118 Entrada Dr, 310-459-8596

Get your seafood at: The Hungry Cat

100 W Channel Rd, 310-459-3337 www.thehungrycat.com/santa-monica-ca/ Fresh seafood and great cocktails await you. And lest you think this place is too fancy, we once saw guys drinking PBR out of brown paper bags here.

Perfect for post-beach margaritas and tacos. Sandy patrons OK.

10 Modo Mio Cucina Rustica 15200 W Sunset Blvd, 310-459-4544 Oddly office-like outside; quiet, authentic, and well-executed Italian inside.

11 Kay ‘n Dave’s 15246 W Sunset Blvd, 310-459-8118

4 Caffe Delfini

Healthy Mexican with a family friendly atmosphere.

147 W Chanel Rd, 310-459-8823 Small but outstanding authentic Italian. Super romantic and cozy. Ya know, if you’re looking for that kind of thing.

5 Pearl Dragon 15229 W Sunset Blvd, 310-459-9790 Upscale Japanese food and cocktails.

6 Patrick’s Roadhouse

Watch polo in: Will Rogers State Historic Park

1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd, 310-454-8212 www.parks.ca.gov/?page-id=626 Yup, polo. Games run through the spring and summer, so pack a picnic, and go watch some dudes get all fancy playing a sport on horseback.

106 Entrada Dr, 310-459-4544 Tasty diner eats near the beach. Try the banana cream pie. And they don’t serve booze, but you can BYOB.

13 Cafe Vida 15317 Antioch St, 310-573-1335

Go hiking in: Topanga State Park

20825 Entrada Rd, Topanga, CA Seriously amazing views and hikes here, with lots of different trails for variety.

Healthy, delicious food, often with a Latin influence. Good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

14 The Yogurt Shoppe 873 Swathmore Ave, 310-459-0088 Hello, peanut butter frozen yogurt!

15 Maison Giraud 1032 Swathmore Ave, 310-459-7561 Wonderful French pastries.

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This seaside neighborhood is Riot’s turf, meaning it’s home to many Rioters (and Rioters’ favorite places). Rent can, unfortunately, be a little high thanks to that whole livingnear-the-ocea n thing. But Santa Monica also comes with clean air, great restaurants, and all the beach you can handle. Here are a few of our favorite spots in the area.

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Santa Monica 1 Get a post-work drink at:

The Daily Pint 2310 Pico Blvd, 310-450-7631 www.thedailypint.net

Featuring a great, ever-changing selection of draft beers and a big ol’ whiskey list.

2 The Misfit 225 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-656-9800 Gorgeous vaulted ceilings, an extremely long wooden bar, must-eat bacon-wrapped dates and brussels sprouts, and delicious salted chocolate chip cookies at the end of every meal. We’re in love.

3 Tar & Roses 602 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-587-0700 Tiny plates of European-influenced food with big bottles of wine. If you’re adventurous, try the bone marrow – it’s mouth-watering.

11 Funnel Mill 930 Broadway, Suite A, 310-393-1617 One of the best cups of coffee you’ll ever have. But be warned if you plan to indulge in some weekend brew: they’re closed Sundays.

12 Puzzle Zoo 14111 3rd St Promenade, 310-393-9201 Puzzle Zoo has puzzles (duh), games, action figures, and more.

13 Wildfiber 1453 14th St, 310-458-2748 Bright, lovely yarns and knitting classes.

Play pool at: House of Billiards

1901 Wilshire Blvd, 310-828-2120 An inexpensive place for pool, pinball, and drinks. Good jukebox!

4 Try flying trapeze at:

The Santa Monica Pier 370 Santa Monica Pier, 310-394-5800 www.losangeles.trapezeschool.com The pier is a great place for people watching (or ocean watching), but if you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, try flying trapeze classes at the Los Angeles outpost of Trapeze School New York. Trust us, it’s more exciting than terrifying.

5 Sugarfish 1345 2nd St, 310-393-3338 Excellent, affordable sushi. You’re a chump if you don’t order one of the “Trust Me” options.

6 Bay Cities 1517 Lincoln Blvd, 310-395-8279 Amazing Italian sandwich counter, amazing Italian groceries, and an amazingly long line of people. Order your sandwich ahead of time online.

7 O’Brien’s 2941 Main St, 310-396-4725 Neighborhood Irish pub. Trivia on Wednesdays.

8 Father’s Office 1018 Montana Ave, 310-736-2224 Celebrated burgers and lots of beer on tap.

9 Helen’s Cycles 2501 Broadway, 310-829-1836 Bikes sold by people who know what they’re talking about.

10 Speak Easy 1326 Pico Blvd, 310-450-4989 A delightful dive with pool tables and karaoke.

15 The Charleston 2460 Wilshire Blvd, 310-828-2115 Gastropub goodness in a swanky jazz club space just a few blocks from Riot. Say yes to the chicken and waffles. And the cocktails are freaking awesome.

16 Third Street Promenade 3rd St between Wishire and Colorado An outdoor pedestrian shopping area, with restaurants, shops, movie theaters, and street performers.

17 Finn McCool’s 2702 Main St, 310-452-1734 With Irish owners, staff, and bands, it’s about as authentic of an Irish pub as you can get.

18 Have a great dinner at:

Rustic Canyon 1119 Wilshire Blvd, 310-393-7050 www.rusticcanyonwinebar.com A wonderful wine bar serving excellent, seasonal food. It might not sound exciting, but definitely get the fried cauliflower if it’s on the menu.

19 The Galley 2442 Main St, 310-452-1934 Open since 1934, this neighborhood bar features sawdust floors and a jukebox playing all your old favorites. Patio in the back is great for dinner.

20 Brick and Mortar 2435 Main St, 310-450-3434 A classic neighborhood bar with delicious pizza, tons of wine, and long wooden tables that encourage mixing it up with others.

West LA/Santa Monica East The part of Santa Monica that’s right next to the beach gets a lot of glory because, c’mon – ocean! But from restaurants to gaming, some of the area’s best haunts are just east.

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West LA/Santa Monica East 1 Q’s Billiard Club

10 Utrecht Art Supplies

11835 Wilshire Blvd, 310-477-7550

11677 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-478-5775

Pool, pool, beer, and pool. Trivia on Wednesday nights.

All manner of stuff for the artsy and craftsy.

2 Bru’s Wiffle 2408 Wilshire Blvd, 310-453-2787 Sweet and savory (fried chicken!) waffles, plus beer – all in walking distance from Riot.

Game at: Aero Hobbies

2918 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-828-5264 www.aerohobbiesgames.com A great spot for board and tabletop gaming. Check their website for the calendar of what’s being played when.

3 Eat a burger & drink a beer at:

Plan Check 1800 Sawtelle Blvd, 310-288-6500 www.plancheck.com The burger comes with “ketchup leather” – it’s fruit leather that tastes like ketchup, but doesn’t make your bun soggy. Genius!

4 Giant Robot 2015 Sawtelle Blvd, 310-478-1819 Asian pop culture goods and greats.

5 Il Grano

12 Mom’s 12238 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-820-6667 Cheap drinks, plus stand up comedy on Mondays, karaoke on Wednesdays, and dancing on the weekends.

13 Busby’s 3110 Santa Monica blvd, 310-828-4567 Need a sports bar? We’ve got your sports bar right here. They have several TVs and games to play (ping and beer pong!), and the bar hosts trivia on Sunday nights and dancing earlier in the weekend.

11359 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-477-7886 A great place for a celebration or romantic date, the Italian food here can be pricey, but it’s also authentic and delicious.

6 Rae’s Restaurant 2901 Pico Blvd, 310-828-7937 Neighborhood diner with breakfast so good, people line up for it.

See a show at: McCabe’s Guitar Shop

3101 Pico Blvd, 310-828-4497 www.mccabes.com Open since 1958, this musical instrument store is also a popular spot for acoustic concerts (and free coffee!).

14 Get great Japanese food in:

Little Osaka On Sawtelle between Santa Monica and Olympic This enclave of restaurants, grocery stores, and shops can fulfill your craving for all things Japanese. Don’t miss the ramen at Tsujita.

15 Balconi Coffee Company 11301 W Olympic Blvd, Suite 124, 310-906-0267 Siphon coffee = delicious.

16 Riot HQ 2450 Broadway Hey, look! It’s Riot!

8 Javan 11500 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-207-5555 Persian cuisine. Huge portions of tasty charbroiled meats.

9 Sasabune

17 Bergamot Station 2525 Michigan Ave A cultural center comprised of 40+ art galleries and more. Scope out the openings for free wine and awesome art.

12400 Wilshire Blvd, 310-478-3596 No California roll; no menu. Trust the chef.

Westwood/Century City By day, Century City bustles with corporate life. By night, it becomes a ghost town, unless you know where to look. Westwood Village – home of UCLA students, sports fans, and art aficionados – always bustles with foot traffic.

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Die hard at: Fox Plaza

2121 Avenue of the Stars, 310-282-0047 Fox Plaza, AKA “the Die Hard building.” (Although it was also featured in Airheads, Speed, and Fight Club.) There isn’t much you can do other than look at it, but it’s still badass.

8 Paris Bakery 1448 Westwood Blvd, 310-474-8888 Tasty French pastries, breads, and croissants.

9 Sugar Paper 1749 Ensley Ave, 310-277-7894 For all of your fancy paper needs.

2 The Playboy Mansion 10236 Charing Cross Rd Getting into a party means getting an invite from Hef, being a bunny, or buying $1,000+ tickets to Kandy Halloween, the annual Halloween party hosted at the mansion. If you don’t want to do any of that, you can always just go stare at the front gate.

Eat at: TLT Food

1116 Westwood Blvd, 310-443-4433 www.tltfood.com TLT serves the sort of fun mashup food you’d expect from a guy whose first “restaurant” was a food truck – carnitas fries, a porkbelly/parmesan sandwich, and a bunch of different tacos.

3 Hammer Museum 10899 Wilshire Blvd, 310-443-7000 Cutting-edge art museum with largely contemporary exhibits.

Drink at: The Wellsbourne

10929 W Pico Blvd, 310-474-0102 www.thewellesbourne.com A ray of booze-filtered light for cocktail lovers in an area with otherwise meh bars. The interior is gorgeous, with a fireplace and fancy chairs – kind of like drinking in Wayne Manor.

5 SmithHouse Tap & Grill 10351 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-432-4360 This bar and restaurant serves up barbecue and other eats and has 120 beer taps – including some tables with taps built right in. Try the beer fondue.

11 Bread Bar 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, 310-277-3770 Excellent, fresh-baked breads, with a tasty assortment of sandwiches, soups, and salads. Inside the Century City Mall.

12 Ramayani 1777 Westwood Blvd, 310-477-3315 Incredibly slow service for incredibly delicious Indonesian food.

Get pizza at: 800 Degrees

10889 Lindbrook Dr, 310-443-1911 www.800degreespizza.com Yes, you can get great pizza in Los Angeles. In fact, there are a lot of places to get great pizza (see also: Village Pizza, Vito’s, Mozza, Delancey...the list goes on!). Start with the margherita base, and feel free to pile on the toppings.

6 The Cellar 1880 Century Park E, 310-277-1584 Some call this bar a dive; some call it Century City respite. Free pizza on Fridays!

14 Stan’s Donuts 10948 Weyburn Ave, 310-208-8660 Try a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup donut.

7 Attari Sandwich Shop 1388 Westwood Blvd, 310-441-5488 Persian-style sandwiches, plus kebab plates.

15 Tommy Taco 970 Gayley Ave, 310-824-4114 Great taco stand, even if you’re not drunk.

Venice A mishmash of beach bums, posh people who want to be near the ocean, and tourists, Venice has a weird/casual/arty feel (and always makes us think of Steve Martin going to get a “high colonic” with Sarah Jessica Parker in L.A. Story). Also, the restaurant scene has been getting crazy good here.

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Stroll along: The Venice Canals

It’s actually called Venice for a reason – it features some quaint-as-all-hell canal-lined neighborhoods.

10 Small World Books 1407 Ocean Front Walk, 310-399-2360 A lovely bookshop off the boardwalk.

11 Skylark 1356 Abbot Kinney Blvd, 310-392-9099 Vintage duds for men and women.

2 Zelda’s Corner Deli 9 Westminster Ave, 310-314-6458 Go for the fresh mini donuts and the “Mr. Electric,” a sandwich with crispy Proscuitto and pickled jalapenos.

3 Float Lab 801 Ocean Front Walk #5, 310-396-3336

12 Bike to:

Venice Beach & Boardwalk Santa Monica and Venice are two of the most bike-friendly areas in Los Angeles, featuring cycling paths right along the beach. Some of the best people-watching is here, plus your classic beachside food and skateboarders.

Where $40 buys you two hours in a sensory deprivation tank.

13 Gjelina 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, 310-450-1429

Drink wine at: Primitivo

1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd, 310-396-5353 www.primitivowinebistro.com Well, eat here too – everything they offer is pretty delicious and worthwhile. Plus they do paella.

Tasty pizza and small plates with unexpected combinations. There are take-away offerings too (like a great brisket banh mi).

14 Elvino Wine Shop & Tasting Bar 1142 Abbot Kinney Blvd, 310-396-9705 Wine shop that offers tastings on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

15 Superba Snack Bar 5 Sauce on Hampton 259 Hampton Drive, Suite B, 310-399-5400 Fresh and organic breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

6 Intelligensia Coffee & Tea 1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd, 310-399-1233 Westside outpost for what many consider to be the best coffee in LA.

7 Old Glory Barbershop & Tattoo 1716 Main St, Suite A, 855-554-5679

533 Rose Ave, 310-399-6400 Incredible pasta, cocktails, and small-plate snacks. Great brunch. And there’s a snack tasting menu!

16 Splurge for great Italian at:

Piccolo 5 Dudley Ave, 310-314-3222 www.piccolovenice.com A Rioter favorite, this Italian restaurant is a great date-night spot.

Where a shave and a haircut costs more than two bits, but it’s worth it.

8 Baby Blues BBQ 444 Lincoln Blvd, 310-396-7675 A Rioter favorite. We always bring in eats from this BBQ spot during Thunderdome, our 30hour tour-de-hack marathon.

9 Wurstkuche

17 Townhouse & The Del Monte Speakeasy 52 Windward Ave, 310-392-4040 Around since 1915, Townhouse is the oldest bar in Venice, and The Del Monte Speakeasy in the basement was a true speakeasy during the Prohibition. Old and charming with knowledgeable bartenders.

625 Lincoln Blvd, 213-687-4444 Exotic sausages and great beer in an Oktoberfesty space.

Mar Vista The Westside, but on a budget. There aren’t any ocean views in Mar Vista, funnily enough, but it’s a pretty good place to be, with the ocean to the west and Culver City’s great art and restaurant scene to the east. In fact, the quiet neighborhoods here are home to quite a few contemporary artists. But if you like walking to bars, you might be better off elsewhere – while Mar Vista has a lot of great restaurants, it’s definitely lacking liquor.

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Noodle up at: Santouka Ramen

3760 S Centinela Ave 310-391-1101 www.santouka.co.jp In a city that loves its ramen, Santouka rises to the top (kinda like the slices of pork in that delicious broth).

8 Waterloo & City 12517 W Washington Blvd, 310-391-4222 Continental classics with California produce (and New World cocktails).

9 Empanada’s Place 3811 Sawtelle Blvd, 310-391-0888 A great lunch spot with tasty Argentinean empanadas and sandwiches. Cash only.

2 Mitsuwa Marketplace 3760 S Centinela Ave, 310-398-2113 Everything Japanese. Fast food court.

3 Paco’s Tacos

10 Do the diner thing at:

Pepy’s Galley

4141 S Centinela Ave, 310-391-9616

12125 Venice Blvd, 310-390-0577 www.pepysgalley.com

Cheap Tex-Mex. A good, casual spot for margaritas, chips and salsa, and saucesmothered burritos.

Get classic diner eats at near-to-classic prices. Make sure you bring cash. And oh yeah – it’s totally in a bowling alley.

Wrap it up at: La Petite Creperie

3809 Grand View Blvd, 310-437-0226 www.lpcmarvista.com Sweet and savory crepes are the deal (um, duh?) at this legit and adorable French spot.

11 Asaya Restaurant 12740 Culver Blvd, 310-823-8944 Japanese fast food. Cash only.

12 Get your cheeses at:

The Curious Palate 5 Mar Vista Tract Beethoven St & Moore St Indulge your retro-modernist fetish staring at this architecture. Learn more at marvistatract.org.

6 Fix up your bike at:

Bikerowave 12255 Venice Blvd 310-230-5236 www.bikerowave.org At this volunteer-run bike shop, they don’t just tune your cycle up for you – they teach you how to do it yourself.

12034 Venice Blvd, 310-437-0144 www.thecuriouspalate.com The name is a little, er, cheesy, but The Curious Palate offers up lots of delicious market items, plus a whole bunch of really good sandwiches, salads, and breakfast bits.

13 Taqueria Sanchez 4541 S Centinela Ave, 310-822-8880 Cheap n’ plenty Mexican. The salsa bar is awesome.

14 AMF Mar Vista Lanes 12125 Venice Blvd, 310-391-5288

7 A-Frame 12565 W Washington Blvd, 310-398-7700 This picnic - themed restaurant offers all - you - can - eat fried chicken on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Monday nights.

Bowling! You can call ahead and reserve lanes here, too.

15 Pitfire Pizza 2018 Westwood Blvd, 310-481-9860 (Not pictured on map.) One of Rioters’ favorite pizza spots. Try the burrata pie.

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Culver City If you’re looking for a walkable area that feels like a suburban downtown, Culver City is the place for you. (It’s also the place for you if you’re in a couple and one of you works on the Eastside and the other on the Westside.) The neighborhood contains some of L.A.’s more popular home-grown fast food joints, but it’s the grown-up restaurants the mini-city is known for of late. Try anything in the Helms Bakery complex, from dressedup burgers to Asian fusion, or head down the street for fancy salads or amazing fried chicken.

Culver City 1 Backstage

10400 Culver Blvd, 310-839-3892

The Museum of Jurassic Technology

This casual spot has karaoke Thursday through Saturday.

2 Honey’s Kettle Fried Chicken 9537 Culver Blvd, 310-202-5453 Tasty fried chicken, mouth-watering biscuits.

3 Surfas

Be confused by and/or amazed at:

9341 Venice Blvd, 310-836-6131 www.mjt.org If you try to understand it, you’ll just get frustrated. So roll with it. This odd hodgepodge museum is one of the weirdest, coolest places in Los Angeles. And in this city of odd and interesting things, that’s saying a lot.

8777 Washington Blvd, 310-559-4770 One of the best kitchen supply stores in L.A. for ingredients and kitchenware.

10 Ford’s Filling Station 9531 Culver Blvd, 310-202-1470

4 Get the garlic chicken at:

Versailles 10319 Venice Blvd, 310-558-3168 www.versaillescuban.com We’re sure there are other dishes at this Cuban restaurant, but there’s a reason why the garlic chicken is their specialty. There’s also a reason why there’s a line out the door some weekends (and that reason is how good the garlic chicken is).

High-end gastropub headed by Harrison Ford’s chef son, Ben Ford. Get the Kobe beef cheeks.

Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook

6300 Hetzler Rd A fun, stair-based hike that affords you gorgeous views at the top.

12 The Cinema Bar 3967 Sepulveda Bvld, 310-390-1328 The oldest bar in Culver City, this spot features live Americana music every night.

5 The Coolhaus Shop 8588 Washington Blvd, 310-424-5559 The ice cream sandwich goes upscale.

6 Conservatory for Coffee, Tea & Cocoa 10117 Washington Blvd, 310-558-0436

Eat sweet at: Copenhagen Pastry

11113 Washington Blvd, 310-839-8900 www.copenhagenpastry.com Y’know how there’s a pastry named “danish”? Discover what an entire Danish pastry shop can do.

They roast their own and serve it up graciously.

7 Drink a cocktail at:

Oldfield’s Liquor Room 10899 Venice Blvd, 310-842-8066 www.oldfieldsliquorroom.com Where some Culver City spots can seem too suburban (avoid that “speakeasy” in the barber shop), Oldfield’s serves some excellent cocktails. They don’t have food, but they do have a regular line-up of food trucks outside.

8 Johnnie’s Pastrami 4017 Sepulveda Blvd, 310-397-6654 The best dang dip in town. Great signage. Awesome pickles!

14 Culver Hotel 9400 Culver Blvd, 310-558-9400 Home to many a munchkin during the shooting of The Wizard of Oz. The hotel bar is great and features live music and hand-crafted cocktails.

15 Libra Brazilian Steakhouse 3833 Main St, 310-202-1300 A Rioter favorite. They’ll keep bringing you amazing meat until you ask them to stop.

16 Bottlerock 3847 Main St, 310-836-9463 A combination wine store, wine tasting bar, and restaurant.

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Marina Del Rey’s harbor (the largest man-made one in the world), is full of every type of water vessel imaginable. The area can be expensive to live in, but it is pretty. A better spot to look for an apartment is south, in Playa Del Rey. Even though it’s close to LAX, it feels like a quiet little beach town, filled with casual bars and chill attitudes.

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Marina Del Rey/Playa Del Rey 1 Shanghai Red’s 13813 Fiji Way, 310-823-4522 Lovely Victorian-style restaurant with incredible brunch.

7 Play at: Glen Alla Park 4601 Alla Road There’s a great playground area, basketball courts, and plenty of shady trees – plus open space for Frisbee.

2 Get sandwiches at:

Mendocino Farms 4724 Admiralty Way, 310-822-2300 www.mendocinofarms.com This little Los Angeles chain offers some of the best – if not the best – sandwiches in the city. Call ahead to place your order so you don’t have to wait in line.

8 The Starting Line 114-A Washington Blvd, 310-827-3035 Get your running shoes and other workout gear at this independent store with knowledgeable staff.

9 Hacienda Del Rey 8347 Lincoln Blvd, 310-670-8588 No-frills cheap Mexican, in a good way.

3 Tompkins Square Bar & Grill 8522 Lincoln Blvd, 310-670-1212 Love child of a dive and a sports bar. Good happy hour.

4 Tandoor-A-India 8406 Pershing Dr, 310-822-1435 Cozy Indian dining.

10 Go to slightly fancy happy hour at:

Bin 73 18 Washington Blvd, 310-827-6209 www.mercedesgrille.com This wine bar offers worthwhile eats and several wine choices. (Or, if you don’t do the wine thing, there are always $4 PBR drafts.)

Drink at: Prince O’Whales

335 Culver Blvd, 310-823-9826 www.princeowhales.com Tucked in a delightful area of the neighborhood that’s more sleepy shore town than yachting hub, Prince O’Whales is wonderfully divey, with an outdoor patio.

11 The Shack 185 Culver Blvd, 310-823-6222 Cheap burgers and more are available at this pleasant, divey little restaurant near the beach.

12 26 Beach 3100 Washington Blvd, 310-823-7526

6 Tony P’s Dockside Grill

Amazing breakfasts and brunches await.

4445 Admirality Way, 310-823-4534 Kick-back tavern with a nice breeze.

13 Get a haircut at:

Uncle Aaron’s 8355 Lincoln Blvd, 310-410-0494 www.uncleaarons.com Affordable, good haircuts for girls and guys.

Sherman Oaks/studio city Sherman Oaks is sort of like the Valley’s Beverly Hills, dotted with mini-mansions – although there are plenty of big, affordable apartment buildings too. Plus, it’s a great place to live if you like sushi – Studio City has several excellent sushi spots. The neighborhood is also home to the most congested freeway interchange in the nation – the intersection of the 405 and 101 freeways. That said, you do have relatively easy access to the Westside via Coldwater Canyon or Beverly Glen.

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Sherman Oaks/studio city 1 Humphrey Yogart

8 Drink to your health at:

4574 Van Nuys Blvd, 818-906-2490 Frozen yogurt and more. You have to go just for the name, right?

2 veSTATION 14435 Ventura Blvd, 818-784-8388

Totes Juices 13596 Ventura Blvd, 818-789-9700 www.totesjuices.com/ Whether you’re into the health benefits or not, we’re guessing that you like delicious fresh things, and these juices are both.

Wildly good vegan food.

9 Sherman Oaks Antique Mall 3 Buy a sandwich (& hummus) at:

Italian Middle Eastern Deli

14034 Ventura Blvd, 818-906-0338 For those who love old stuff, and/or the generally old at heart.

13246 Riverside Dr, 818-995-6944 Great Middle Eastern specialty groceries and sandwiches. Try the hummus!

10 The Habit Burger Grill 14622 Ventura Blvd, 818-386-0995 Great meat and veggie burgers, piled high with toppings.

4 Buffalo Exchange 14621 Ventura Blvd, 818-783-3420 Revolving door of good-quality used clothing. Buy, sell, trade.

11 Grab breakfast sweets at:

Buttercelli Bakeshop 13722 Ventura Blvd, 818-387-8538

5 Karen’s Toys 16101 Ventura Blvd, 818-906-2212

Organic bakery with lots of options for various dietary needs – including vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free.

Excellent independent toy store, with toys for kids and games for all ages.

Get dessert at: SnowPiffs

12 In-N-Out Burger 4444 Van Nuys Blvd, 800-786-1000 There’s a reason why Californians are obsessed with this burger-and-fries chain.

4373 Woodman Ave, 818-276-6956 www.snowpiffs.com “Shaved snow” ice cream with lotsa topping options – plus cupcakes and French macaroons.

7 Laurel Tavern 11938 Ventura Blvd, 818-506-0777 (not pictured on map.) A great gastropub with excellent steak fries. Cooked in duck fat. Yes.

13 Midori Sushi 13905 Ventura Blvd, 818-789-1188 Pig out on surprisingly good all-you-can-eat sushi.

14 Vibe Cafe 14919 Ventura Blvd, 818-891-6650 A fancy French restaurant lost among the sea of Sherman Oaks’ strip-mall offerings.

15 Casa Vega 13301 Ventura Blvd, 818-788-4868 Delicious Mexican food – and the restaurant has been owned by the same family since 1956!

North Hollywood North Hollywood has the least “Valley/suburban” feel of any neighborhood north of The Hills. NoHo sports a burgeoning, urban-feeling array of shops, vintage clothing stores, and theaters; plus a growing, walkable Arts District. Even better, this is one of the few areas serviced by the Metro Red Line, which you can take to areas like Hollywood, Los Feliz, and Downtown.

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Drink at: Tonga Hut Tiki Lounge

8 Hayat’s Kitchen 11009 Burbank Blvd, Suite 117, 818-761-4656 Great Lebanese food.

12808 Victory Blvd, 818-769-0708 www.tongahut.com One of the best little weird things about L.A. is its smattering of old-school tiki bars with their fruity, way-powerful drinks. And the Tonga Hut was L.A.’s first tiki spot, dating all the way back to 1958. Be wary: This place is delicious and dangerous.

9 Hy Mart Sandwiches 4795 Vineland Ave, Suite C, 818-506-7264 A sandwich of beauty is a joy forever (or at least until your next meal).

10 Bar ONE Beer & Wine Parlour 12518 Burbank Blvd, 818-509-1938

2 The Federal Bar 5303 Lankershim Blvd, 818-980-2555

Little, but good. They serve up beer and wine mixes too, like shandies and sangria.

Speakeasy-themed bar and restaurant.

3 MP’s Soul Food Eatery 5643 Lankershim Blvd, 818-506-2930 MP stands for Miss Peaches. Your new spot for fried chicken, gooey butter cake, and catfish.

Get a hot dog at: Vicious Dogs

Play pool at: The Brickyard Pub

11130 Magnolia Blvd, 818-505-0460 www.brickyardnoho.com Beer-focused bar with tons of pool, ping pong, and shuffleboard tables.

12 HealthyCA

5231 Lankershim Blvd, 818-985-3647

4724 Lankershim Blvd, 818-505-1035

Hot dogs? Yes, hot dogs. We wouldn’t tell you about them unless they were fiercely good. Which they are. Try the sweet and spicy kielbasa.

Tasty, tasty salads and sandwiches. Has meat options, but is also great for vegetarians and vegans.

13 Rocio’s Mole De Los Dioses 8255 Sunland Blvd, 818-252-6415

5 Baklava Factory 12909 Sherman Way, 818-764-1011

Mole of the gods? Well, that’s pretty good Mexican food.

Your response should be, “You had me at baklava.”

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Caffeinate at: Moby’s Coffee & Tea Co

5240 Lankershim Blvd, 310-478-3836

5668 Cahuenga Blvd, 818-579-4761

The NoHo location of this small, local, independent movie theater chain.

There’s this dumb thing that happens in L.A. where a lot of coffee shops will be stingy with things like outlets or WiFi because they don’t want people sitting around all day nursing one coffee while working. But Moby’s is awesome – a great coffee selection, lots of outlets, and generally cool people.

7 Iliad Book Shop 5400 Cahuenga Blvd, 818-509-2665 One of the largest used bookstores in Los Angeles.

15 Salsa & Beer 11669 Sherman Way, 818-503-1220 Simple and straightforward. They know what you want.

Burbank Burbank sports an exceedingly low crime rate and lots of affordable housing (and free parking!). Perhaps unsurprisingly, much of the neighborhood feels pretty suburban, although Magnolia Boulevard has a great combination of vintage shops, kitschy stores, and good restaurants and bars.

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Eat at: Porto’s

3614 W Magnolia Blvd, 818-846-9100 www.portosbakery.com This Cuban bakery and restaurant is always buzzing with a crowd, and for good reason – they sell super-good, super-affordable sandwiches, salads, pastries, and much more. Don’t walk out of there without trying a potato ball.

8 Taste Chicago 603 N Hollywood Way, 818-563-2800 Sweet Home Chicago comfort food.

9 Otto’s Hungarian Import Store & Deli 2320 W Clark Ave, 818-845-0433 All manner of Hungarian delicacies and deliciousness.

2 Flappers 102 E Magnolia Blvd, 818-845-9721 Traditional comedy club with actually decent food.

3 Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill 2623 W Magnolia Blvd, 818-567-2470 Classic neighborhood joint dressed up like a Wild West saloon.

Drink at: Tony’s Darts Away

1710 W Magnolia Blvd, www.tonysda.com Tony’s all-draught beer list features only California breweries, plus they have a great selection of vegan and meat sausages and shelves lined with beer books and board games. It’s pretty much the best.

Get clothing from TV shows at:

It’s a Wrap 3315 W Magnolia Blvd, 818-567-7366 www.itsawraphollywood.com At first look, It’s a Wrap might seem like your average consignment store. But the gently used clothing here actually comes directly from TV and movie productions.

11 Playclothes 3100 W Magnolia Blvd, 818-557-8447 Vintage retailer that does the wardrobe for Mad Men.

12 Chili John’s 2018 W Burbank Blvd, 818-846-3611 Possibly the best chili this side of the Mississippi.

13 Do karaoke at: Sardo’s

5 Dimples 3413 W Olive Ave, 818-842-2336 Claims to be the “first karaoke club in America.”

6 Atomic Records 3812 W Magnolia Blvd, 818-848-7090 Used records. An eclectic inventory at reasonable prices.

7 Buy your soda at:

Rocket Fizz 3524 Magnolia Blvd, 818-846-7632 www.rocketfizz.com Lots of retro and hard-to-find sodas and candy. Try a cucumber soda – it’s super refreshing (especially with gin).

259 N Pass Ave, 818-846-8127 www.sardosbar.com Worried that you missed karaoke night? You didn’t. Sardo’s has karaoke every night except Monday – and Tuesday night is Porn Star Karaoke night. That’s not a joke or some dumb fake event – a bunch of people from the adult entertainment industry do karaoke there every Tuesday.

14 Full O’ Life 2515 W Magnolia Blvd, 818-845-8343 Health food store and restaurant.

15 Dark Delicacies 3512 W Magnolia Blvd, 818-556-6660 Goth and horror goods. They even have 666 in their phone number!

Glendale Statistically, Glendale is one of the safest cities in the state. And thanks to one of the largest Armenian populations in the world, you can score legit kebabs and baklava. But there are areas of this ‘hood you want to avoid – not because they’re dangerous, but because they’re hella annoying. The traffic is often awful, and you can find the same chain stores elsewhere.

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Glendale 1 Get your Armenian food at:

Carousel 304 N Brand Blvd, 818-246-7775 www.carouselrestaurant.com If you’re looking for somewhere to start with Armenian eats, Carousel is a great option. Plus: belly dancers!

8 Big Fish 5230 San Fernando Rd, 818-244-6442 The gold standard of dive bars. Karaoke on Thursdays, plus occasional stand up comedy shows.

9 Fortune Inn 117 E Broadway, 818-547-2833 Good Chinese food with chocolate-dipped fortune cookies.

2 Max’s 313 W Broadway, 818-637-7751 Famous Filipino fried chicken.

3 Porto’s Bakery & Caf 315 N Brand Blvd, 818-956-5996 To-die-for Cuban pastries and cakes.

Go rollerskating at: Moonlight Rollerway

5110 San Fernando Rd, 818-241-3630 www.moonlightrollerway.com Time stands still at Glendale’s premier roller-boogie spot. Put on your short shorts and get ready to dodge some kids.

Drink at: Golden Road Brewing

5410 West San Fernando Rd, 213-373-4677 www.goldenroad.la The brewery has opened an awesome, open-air Caf – and they even have lawn games. Check the website for regular beer-pairing dinners.

11 Foxy’s Restaurant 206 W Colorado St, 818-246-0244 A gigantic diner menu – and you can toast your own bread at the table!

12 Left Coast Wine Bar 117 E Harvard St, 818-507-7011 European sports on the TV and good wine.

5 Eagle Rock Brewery 3056 Roswell St, 323-257-7866 Their taproom is open Wednesday through Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. Plus free tours on Sundays!

6 Favorite Place 115 W Wilson Ave, 818-507-7409 True to its name for many charmed by the owner. Try the rosewater lemonade.

Do karaoke at: Dave’s on Broadway

708 E Broadway, 818-956-9123 It’s just what you want from a karaoke spot – divey, but not gross; with regulars, but not cliquey.

13 Scope celebrity graves at:

Forest Lawn Memorial Park 1712 S Glendale Ave, 800-254-3131 www.forestlawn.com The Disneyland of LA cemeteries. Keep your eyes peeled for folks like Clara Bow, Elizabeth Taylor, and Stan Laurel. Just don’t try to get close to Michael Jackson’s final resting spot – it’s not gonna happen.

14 Zankou Chicken 1415 E Colorado St, 818-244-2237 Cheap Armenian chain. Because of a family dispute, half of LA’s Zankou spots are really slick, and half are kind of dumpy (but all taste good).

15 Eat Well 1013 S Brand Blvd, 818-243-5928 Comfort food, great breakfasts.

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When outsiders fantasize about Southern California, it’s not the smog-filled sky of downtown L.A. that runs through their minds – it’s the sandy beaches and sunny DOWNTOWN skies of Malibu and its 21-mile coastline. It’s the place where Baywatch lifeguards roam and the rich and famous come to play. Living here is expensive – the hills are dotted with celebrity compounds – but boy- howdy, is it a great place to visit. If you’re coming from anywhere that isn’t on the Westside, try taking the 101 and then cutting through from the east – the Pacific Coast Highway, while beautiful, can get incredibly crowded (especially on the weekends).

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Malibu 1 Go to the “secret” beach at:

El Matador 32215 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu has several public beaches, but one of the best is El Matador. It might seem crowded at first, but walk all the way to the right, through the little cave (just be warned – you will get wet, especially at high tide). On the other side, there’s more beach to be explored – and a lot less people.

2 The Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, 310-456-8432 Spanish Colonial Revival home with gorgeous tilework, and a museum to match.

3 Geoffrey’s 27400 Pacific Coast Highway, 310-457-1519 This restaurant serves delicious food that merits the snooty attitude you may encounter. Beautiful and romantic.

Eat fried seafood at: Neptune’s Net

42505 Pacific Coast Highway, 310-457-3095 Part biker bar, smaller-part tourist destination, unpretentious Neptune’s Net offers up great fried seafood and a wide variety of bottled beers. And if it looks familiar to you when you get there, that’s probably because it was in Point Break.

5 Pepperdine University

8 Coogies Malibu Colony Plaza, 23755 Malibu Rd, 310-317-1444 Upscale diner fare. This unpretentious restaurant is healthier than the typical diner and is a great bet for breakfast by the beach.

9 Dan Blocker Beach 26000 Pacific Coast Highway Named for the actor who played “Hoss” on the TV series Bonanza. He was one of the original owners of this stretch of beach, along with his costars, Lorne Greene and Michael Landon, who donated it to the state after Blocker’s death.

Surf at: Malibu Surfrider Beach

23200 Pacific Coast Highway It’s not a secret that’s nestled away like El Matador’s second beach – nor is Surfrider the only place in Malibu to ride waves. But it’s a great place to start.

11 The world famous malibu inn 22969 Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-456-1160 This iconic bar and restaurant, opened in 1920, was once owned by Neil Young. These days, it’s a good place to grab a drink and catch a band.

12 Duke’s Malibu 21150 Pacific Coast Highway, 310-317-0777 California-Hawaiian. Lots of seafood dishes served in a space dedicated to famed surfer Duke Paoa Kahanamoku. Avoid the Sunday brunch – the bar menu is always better – and try to snag a table at the barefoot bar.

24255 Pacific Coast Highway, 310-506-4000 It’s hard to imagine getting any studying done on a campus just a few hundred yards from the ocean, but Pepperdine students appear to pull it off. Their Center for the Arts hosts several concerts and plays throughout the year that are open to the public.

6 Rosenthal Winery 18741 E Pacific Coast Highway, 310-456-1392 (not pictured on map.) Wine tasting close to the beach.

Hike at: Malibu Creek State Park 1925 Las Virgenes Rd, 818-880-0367 This spot features campsites, 30 miles of hiking and riding trails, and original set pieces from M*A*S*H* – which was filmed here.

Cool down at: Grom Gelateria

3886 Cross Creek Rd, 310-456-9797 www.grom.it Richer and creamier than ice cream, and available in more exciting flavors, we’d argue that gelato is the superior frozen dessert. And Grom is a superior gelateria.

14 Point Dume State Beach Westward Beach Road This state-owned beach is one of the area’s most beautiful, featuring nearby hiking trails, reefs for SCUBA diving, and tide pools.

Long Beach The birthplace of both the silent film industry and Snoop Dogg, Long Beach holds the distinction of being the most ethnically diverse metropolis in the United States. But perhaps its biggest claim to fame is the Port of Long Beach, the second-busiest port in the United States. A massive downtown revitalization aimed at attracting a young, artsy crowd with new lofts, cafes, and theaters has helped develop the city recently.

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1 Do the brewpub thing at:

Belmont Brewing Company 25 – 39th Pl, 562-433-3891 www.belmontbrewing.com Beers brewed in house and the sort of upscale bar food you’d expect from a brew pub that’s edging dangerously close to Orange County. Plus: Patio!

8 The Queen Mary 1126 Queens Highway, 877-342-0738 Famous previously for ferrying everyone from US troops to movie stars across the Atlantic; famous now from its appearance in Arrested Development. They host a variety of events every month, from champagne brunches to magic shows to a haunted house. Er, boat.

9 2 Joe Jost’s 2803 E Anaheim St, 562-439-5446 Great bar with fresh-roasted peanuts and famous pickled eggs. No, really.

Get a donut at: Broadway Donuts

1200 E Broadway, 562-432-6595 If you think you don’t like donuts, you probably haven’t had donuts in California. Broadway Donuts is a great place to start – the donuts are good, and they have a hilariously large selection of flavored coffee creamers.

3 District Wine 144 Linden Ave, 562-612-0411 A solid spot for wine tastings and happy hour.

10 Pulp Fiction 1742 Clark Ave, 562-986-4154

Taste olive oils at: We Olive

4725 E 2nd St, Suite C, 562-433-8000 www.weolive.com This specialty market offers high-end olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and they allow you to sample many of the wares.

5 George’s Greek Caf 135 Pine Ave, 562-437-1184 Get the saganaki. It’s the house specialty, after all

Great comic book store. Regularly offers good deals like 40% off new graphic novels.

11 The Pike 1836 E 4th St, 562-437-4453 A rehabbed 1950s diner owned by the former drummer of Social Distortion. The spot is outfitted with tons of LBC history on the walls; it has amazing fish tacos, live music every night, and cheap pitchers of beer.

Hit the beach at: Bluff Park

Ocean Blvd, 20th to 36th Place

6 The Aquarium of the Pacific

You can’t have a place named Long Beach without… well, y’know.

100 Aquarium Way, 562-590-3100 This fishy spot lives up to its name, focusing only on ocean dwellers from the Pacific.

13 Schooner or Later 7 Grab a sandwich at:

Angelo’s Italian Deli 190 La Verne Ave, 562-434-1977

241 Marina Dr, 562-430-3495 (not pictured on map.) Brunch right on the marina. Expect to wait on the weekends, but with two outside bars serving delicious mimosas while you stare at the boats, the wait doesn’t seem so bad.

Sometimes you want a crazy, high-end sandwich. And sometimes you just want a really, really good Italian hoagie. When that craving hits, you know where to go.

El Segundo/Manhattan Beach The neighborhood mutation continues; this area now contains its own mini Hollywood – CSI: Miami and other shows film at Raleigh Studios. Planes from LAX rip the sky, and the 405’s congestion encroaches – but the Main Street area remains quaint. L.A. natives seem to prefer Manhattan to any other beach – it’s an international volleyball and wavecatching mecca, and the place where the Beach Boys first saw people surfing.

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El Segundo/Manhattan Beach 1 Twist, Yarns of Intrigue 226 S Sepulveda Blvd, 310-374-7810 For all your knitting, crocheting, and felting needs. Offers several handmade yarns.

Buy your meat at: Manhattan Meats

1111 Manhattan Ave, 310-372-5406

2 Manhattan Beach Pier

Everyone needs a good butcher shop. Here’s yours.

2 Manhattan Beach Blvd Don’t miss the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab and Aquarium at the end of the pier!

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316 Rosecrans Ave, 310-545-4241

Get coffee at: Two Guns Espresso

350 N Sepulveda Blvd Suite 7, 310-318-2537 www.twogunsespresso.com Bringing “New Zealand coffee culture to the South Bay.” Yes, New Zealand has a coffee culture. And it’s damn good.

4 Katsu! 302 Rosecrans Ave, 310-546-3761 Sushi place where happy hour = $1.50 beer and $2.50 hand rolls. Awesome.

Open late; good Mexican food a block from the beach.

11 Simmzy’s 229 Manhattan Beach Blvd, 310-546-1201 Open air and great food for the beer connoisseur.

12 Check out the comics… & the comics at:

The Comic Bug 1807 Manhattan Beach Blvd, 310-372-6704 www.thecomicbug.com

5 Purple Orchid 221 Richmond St, 310-322-5829

This comic book store host several events, including BYOB stand-up comedy shows.

Stiff drinks await you at this adorable tiki bar (with pool tables!).

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Eat at: Manhattan Beach Post

1142 Manhattan Ave, 310-545-5405 www.eatmbpost.com Shared plates, great cocktails, and bacon cheddar biscuits that will make Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits seem like Bisquick.

7 The Tavern on Main 123 Main St, 310-322-3645 Big beer steins and above-average bar food.

3500 N Sepulveda Blvd, 310-303-3780 Cakes, cupcakes, and cookies made from scratch. (Try the German chocolate!)

14 Bacchus Wine Made Simple 1000 Manhattan Ave, 310-372-2021 A great neighborhood wine store with a huge variety of gourmet food.

15 Ride your bike on:

Manhattan Beach Bike Path A gorgeous path along the ocean. This is why you want to live in California.

8 Uncle Bill’s Pancake House 1305 Highland Ave, 310-545-5177 Breakfast by the beach.

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Hermosa BEACH It’s a quaint beach town, a post-college party town, and the place that incubated Black Flag, the Descendants, and The Beach Boys. The older, more mature neighbor of “ManFrattan” Beach is a good option for people who want a slightly chiller beach area experience – but it can still be pretty expensive. Hermosa can also be a lovely area for people who hate the heat – breezes are common, and the average summer temperature is 70 degrees.

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Hermosa Beach 1 Shop for surfing supplies at:

ET Surf 904 Aviaton Blvd, 310-379-7660 www.etsurf.com This shop has been selling boards and gear since 1972, and they know their stuff. They also carry snowboarding gear, because one of the best things about Southern CA winters is that no matter how temperate L.A. is, it’s just a short drive to snow-covered mountains.

8 Mediterraneo Kitchen & Bar 73 Pier Ave, 310-318-2666 Eat tapas on the patio.

9 Hermosa Cyclery 20 13th St, 310-374-7816 Bikes! In addition to sales and repairs, they also do rentals.

10 Umami Burger 1040 Hermosa Ave, 310-214-8626

2 El Pollo Inka

One of L.A.’s most popular burger chains, focusing on that savory, savory fifth flavor.

1100 Pacific Coast Highway, 310-372-1433 Peruvian restaurant known for its rotisserie chicken. The lomo saltado is also great.

3 Brother’s Burritos 24 11th St, 310-372-0707 Delicious burritos for breakfast and lunch.

11 Learn to fight at: Hermosa Beach Boxing Works 307 Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-376-1602 www.hermosaboxingworks.com Offering Muay Thai, MMA, and boxing. Not sure if you’ll even like fighting? They have free intro classes.

4 Get NY-style pizza at:

Paisanos Pizza & Pasta 1132 Hermosa Ave, 310-376-9883 www.paisanospizzahb.com That’s a bold claim, we know. But Paisanos is one of the better places to get a NY- style slice in Southern CA.

12 Ocean Diner 959 Aviation Blvd, 310-372-3739 Slightly upscale diner food with a huuuuge menu. Breakfast all day.

13 5 Mickey’s Italian Deli 101 Hermosa Ave, 310-374-4620 A great neighborhood deli. It’s not fancy, but it is the place to go when you’re craving an excellent sandwich. Try the pastrami deluxe.

6 Paciugo Gelato & Caffe 1034 Hermosa Ave, 310-379-2525 Gelato. Try the black pepper olive oil.

7 Ask for extra garlic sauce at:

Poulet du Jour 233 Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-376-6620 www.pouletdujour.com Can you really go wrong at a Mediterranean rotisserie chicken place whose name translates to “Chicken of the Day?” No. No, you can’t.

Buy your roller derby gear at:

Square Cat Skates 1405 Hermosa Ave, 310-318-7893 www.squarecatskates.com They carry non-derby skate gear, too.

14 The Source Cafe 509 Pier Ave, 310-318-1600 Juices, vegan eats, and other organic goodness.

15 Pacific Rim Caf 113 Hermosa Ave, 310-372-3122 Tasty take-out Korean food. Great bulgogi!

16 Barnacles Bar & Grill 837 Hermosa Ave, 310-798-9064 Chill neighborhood bar with a patio.

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REDONDO BEACH Sun, surf, and a beautiful beach are the hallmarks of Redondo. The largest beach city in the area is also the most suburban. Not that there aren’t hotspots and young people, but Redondo lacks a concentrated nightlife scene. That also means that the beaches are less crowded, parking is more plentiful, and one day, your parents might retire here if they’re trying to move closer to you. (Seriously. We’ve seen it happen.)

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Redondo Beach 1 W’s China Bistro

8 Chez Melange

1410 S Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-792-1600

1611 S Catlina Ave, 310-540-1222

Non-greasy, non-tacky Chinese.

Foodies from all over L.A. flock to the eclectic, continental menu.

2 Grab super-fresh seafood at:

Quality Seafood 130 S International Boardwalk, 310-316-8782 www.qualityseafood.net Fish market and snack bar serving up everything from clam chowder to 20+ kinds of fresh oysters to a huge variety of fish.

9 Pedone’s Pizza 1819 S Catalina Ave, 310-373-6397 Just follow the heavenly smell to NY-style pizza.

Order a burger in a liquor store at:

the standing room 3 The Original Pancake House 1756 S Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-543-9875 Line up with the weekend breakfast crowd.

4 get the pretzel burger at:

hudson house 514 N Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-798-9183 www.hudsonhousebar.com Pretzel. Burger. We don’t need to give you more information than that, right? (OK – there’s a good cocktail and beer selection too.)

5 Catalina Coffee Company 126 N Catalina Ave, 310-372-2499 Homier than Starbucks. Breakfast, sandwiches, and, of course, coffee.

6 Naja’s Place 154 International Boardwalk, 310-376-9951 Humongous selection of beer on tap; go on weekends to see the house hair band bang out tunes.

7 eat great vegetarion food at:

the green temple 1700 S Catalina Ave, 310-944-4525 www.greentemple.net This popular healthy eatery serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

144 N Catalina Ave, 310-374-7545 www.letseat.at/standingroom This window serves up loaded, decadent burgers and truffle Parmesan fries.

11 Addi’s Tandoor 800 Torrance Blvd, Suite 101, 310-540-1616 Reliably good Indian food.

12 Eat at Joe’s 400 N Pacific Coast Hwy, 310-376-9570 Classic diner fare; bring your appetite. Beer and wine available.

Play skee ball (& other games) at:

Redondo fun factory 123 International Boardwalk, 310-379-8510 www.redondofunfactory.com Ignore the absolutely terrifying clown drawing on their website, and focus instead on the fact that this boardwalk arcade has skee ball, lots of arcade machines, and midway- style games.

14 Dominique’s Kitchen 522 S Pacific Coast Hwy, 424-247-9054 Fancyish Frenchyish eats.

15 Rita’s 403 N Pacific Coast Hwy, 424-247-7511 Philadelphia transplants (or anyone who likes a refreshing cold dessert) will appreciate this outpost of the popular Delaware Valley chain.

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Eagle Rock/Highland Park With its mix of recent nesters, creative-class types, and an established Hispanic population, Eagle Rock is holding onto its quirky blue-collar spirit even as it gets a facelift. The gentrification of this northeast L.A. neighborhood stalled during the Great Recession, but there are signs of it picking up again, especially in Highland Park. You can watch the change unfold on York Boulevard, where galleries and high-end coffee shops are popping up between the dive bars and taco trucks.

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Get soda at: Galco’s Soda Pop Stop

8 Spitz 2506 Colorado Blvd, 323-257-5600 Do the “doner” – a gyro in a toasted Panini.

5702 York Blvd, 323-255-7115 www.sodapopstop.com The owner, a man who LOVES soda, stocks a crazy array of regional sodas, vintage candy, and good beer.

2 Oasis 5526 Monte Vista St, 323-517-1399 Homemade yogurt and ice cream in many imaginative flavors.

3 The Coffee Table 1958 Colorado Blvd, 323-255-2200

9 All Star Lanes 4459 Eagle Rock Blvd, 323-254-2579 Bowling? Ha! Locals flock for cheap drinks and wild karaoke.

10 Drink your mezcal at:

La Cuevita 5922 N Figueroa Blvd, 323-255-6871 www.lacuevitabar.com This tequila and mezcal (tequila’s smoky, awesome cousin) bar serves up great cocktails and dance music.

Spacious and satisfying bistro, bearable even on Sundays.

11 Mr. T’s Bowl 4 Eat better fast food at:

5621 N Figueroa St, 323-256-7561 Dive bar + live bands.

The Oinkster 2005 Colorado Blvd, 323-255-6465 www.theoinkster.com Periodically, this gourmetish fast-food burger place will create its own versions of chain favorites, like the McRib, that you don’t have to feel guilty loving.

12 Casa Bianca 1650 Colorado Blvd, 323-256-9617 Legendary pizza with atmosphere to spare. A great spot for a thin crust pie.

13 The York 5018 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 323-255-9675

5 Colorado Wine Company

Upscale pub food and craft beer.

2305 Colorado Blvd, 323-478-1985 Helpful owners and numerous tastings keep you Sideways.

6 Blue Hen Vietnamese Kitchen 1743 Colorado Blvd, 323-982-9900

Go vintage at: Urchin

5006 1/2 York Blvd, 323-259-9059 Get decked out in affordable vintage clothes for men and women.

Family recipes with an organic update.

7 La Perla 6645 N Figueroa St, 323-255-1688 This no-frills bakery offers perfect Mexican pastries and homemade tamales.

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Mt. Washington Recently, Mt. Washington has become an asylum for artists, aspiring scene-jockeys, and other fashionable folk. The area still has some gangs, graffiti, and property crime, but some of the houses – especially on the hills – are gorgeous, safe, and affordable. Those houses on the hills are also some of the best places to watch Fourth of July fireworks – small displays from the neighborhood are in the foreground, and some of LA’s bigger shows (like the ones at Dodgers Stadium) are in the background.

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Drink at: Footsie’s

2460 N Figueroa St, 323-221-6900 Delightful and a little divey, with cheap drinks, a good jukebox, seating, and a pool table.

6 Antigua Coffee House 3400 N Figueroa St, 323-539-2233 Neighborhood coffee shop with a strong sense of community.

7 Mt Washington Hotel/ 2 Verdugo Bar 3408 Verdugo Rd, 323-257-3408 Secluded. Atmospheric. Potent mixers. Formidable beer selection.

3 Chico’s 100 N Ave 50, 323-254-2445 Tasty, tasty hole-in-the-wall Mexican food. If you go for breakfast, try the cinnamon coffee.

Get comics at: Thank You

5011 York Blvd, 323-739-6138 www.thankyoucomics.com Run by the same folks as popular Silver Lake comic book store Secret Headquarters. They also have the word “Read” written in the same font as the title of the movie Rad. So, there’s that.

Self-Realization 3880 San Rafael Ave, 323-225-2471 A meditation retreat founded in 1920 with beautiful gardens. Open to the public.

Eat brunch at: Lemon Poppy Kitchen

3324 Verdugo Rd, 323-739-0012 www.lemonpoppykitchen.com Their specialty is plachinta, a Romanian flatbread that you didn’t know you needed in your life, but you totally do.

9 El Taco Feliz Verdugo Rd & W Avenue 31, 323-494-5478 A taco stand of good repute.

10 The Lummis Home 200 E Ave 43, 323-222-0546 A “rustic craftsman,” open to the public.

5 Flying Pigeon L.A. 3404 N Figueroa St, 213-909-8986 Great bike shop, whether you’re buying a new ‘cycle or just need repairs.

11 Chow down on pierogies at:

Polka Polish Restaurant 4112 Verdugo Rd, 323-255-7887 www.polkarestaurant.com On those cool winter days (yes, the temperature does change here), when you need Polish comfort food, this is the place to be.

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Lincoln Heights Just east of the river, Lincoln Heights, established in 1910, was once noted for its fauna; alongside ostrich and alligator farms, it featured a private zoo for animals used in silent films. Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a vibrant Mexican enclave full of fantastic restaurants, walkable streets, and hidden gems.

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Lincoln Heights 1 Cafe in the Heights 3510 Broadway, 323-224-9964 Neighborhood coffee shop with Wi-Fi and everything else you’d expect.

7 Outfit your apartment at:

Revival Furniture 181 N Ave 21, 323-222-6069 Find vintage and refinished furniture gems at low prices.

2 Boda 2310 Pasadena Ave, 323-227-8573 Inexpensive Chinese and Vietnamese food. The marinated pork sandwich is a must.

8 Carnitas Michoacan 1901 N Broadway, 323-225-2729

Perfect for satisfying your late-night nacho craving.

Check out 19th century California at:

Heritage Square Museum 3800 Honer St, 323-225-2700 www.heritagesquare.org Celebrating Southern California as it was at the end of the 19th century, this museum features old houses, a colonial general store, and re-enactors in period garb. Plus they regularly hold awesome events, like summertime outdoor silent films.

4 Dino’s Burgers

9 El Huarachito 3010 N Broadway, 323-223-0476 Classic Mexican breakfasts done right

10 Honey Donuts 1883 Daly St, Suite 103, 323-221-5474 Wildly good donuts – and don’t miss the ham-and-jalapeno croissant.

11 Twice a year, check out the:

2817 N Main St, 323-223-1843 The name says burgers, but make sure you try the pastrami too.

5 The Airliner 2419 N Broadway, 323-221-0771

Brewery Art Walk 2100 N Main St, www.breweryartwalk.com During this biannual event, the artists at this studio complex open their doors to the public. You can speak to the artists, see how they work, and purchase art directly from them.

Great dive bar with cheap drinks, diner food, and live music.

6 Get the menudo at:

Llamarada

12 Palace Bakery 2708 N Broadway, 323-225-2569 Pineapple buns. Tres leches cake. Banana bread. Etc. All cheap; all good.

2622 Pasadena Ave, 323-221-2259 You’ll never lack great Mexican food in Lincoln Heights – and, if you spend enough time there, you’ll start to learn the different specialties. If you’re looking for a great bowl of tripey menudo, Llamarada is the place to be.

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PASADENA L.A.’s half-sibling to the East might seem like nothing more than an outdoor mall if all you hit is Old Town. But Pasadena is so many things: Home to the Rose Bowl, with its games, huge flea markets, and famous namesake parade. (And home to the irreverent take-off, the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade, full of kinetic sculptures and associated wonderful weirdos.) The location of a vibrant theater and art scene. The place where everyone who says “I’m going to move out of the L.A. area when I have kids” actually moves. And, to the north in Altadena, you can find some of the area’s best hikes. The site is kind of cheesy, but you can check out www.visitpasadena. com for more information on Pasadena – and here are some great picks to get you started.

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1 Fenyes Mansion 470 W Walnut St, 626-577-1660 Beaux-Arts opulence at its best; the mansion’s museum and gardens are open to the public for tours.

2 Bodega Wine Bar

8 Get a malt at:

faIR OAKS PHARMACY AND SODA FOUNTAIN 1526 Mission St, 626-799-1414 www.fairoakspharmacy.net Enjoy an old fashioned sundae or malted milkshake while picking up your prescription.

260 E Colorado Blvd, 626-793-4300 Ideal for chilled wines on warm nights.

3 Buy Awesome...everything at:

the rose bowl flea market The 2nd Sunday of Every Month, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive This huge, multivendor flea market has everything from clothing to furniture to a guy selling a box full of false teeth. Yes, there’s an entry fee. Yes, it’s worth it.

9 Intelligentsia Coffee 55 E Colorado Blvd, 626-578-1270 Acclaimed coffee snobs tackle beer, wine, and caf classics.

10 All India Cafe 39 S Fair Oaks Ave, 626-440-0309 Delicious dosas, curries, and regional specialties from all over India.

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4 Caf Bizou 91 N Raymond Ave, 626-792-9923 French bistro. The rare Los Angeles area BYOB.

5 Canterbury Records 805 E Colorado Blvd, 626-792-7184

Vroman’s bookstore 695 E Colorado Blvd, 626-449-5320 www.vromansbookstore.com Indie, eclectic, charming, and famous for its children’s department. One of the best bookstores in greater L.A..

New and used, plus DVD and video. Great jazz, blues, and classical.

12 The Huntington Library

6 Old Focals

and Botanical Gardens

45 W Green St, 626-793-7073

1151 Oxford Rd, 626-405-2100

Vintage and custom glasses frames to keep you looking retro-chic.

Massive complex with awesome old books, gorgeous gardens, a great art collection, and a tea room (reservations required – but you get unlimited scones!).

7 Get the world’s

best combination at:

Pie ‘n burger 913 E California Blvd, 626-795-1123 www.pienburger.com

13 The Slaw Dogs 720 N Lake Ave, 626-808-9777 Delectable hot dogs and sausages piled high with innovative toppings.

Super good West Coast burgers and pie. Make sure your pie comes with a big dollop of fresh whipped cream.

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Getting around

Overview L.A. traffic sucks. But it’s not as dire as you might believe – and yes, we do have public transportation. And bike lanes. And highways that are not always parking lots. (Except the 405 – that shit is always a mess.) Several Rioters even bike or walk to work – check out this commute chart:

How do you get to work?

Perfect Podcast and Audiobook Playlist 1984 by George Orwell Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin Bossypants by Tina Fey The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher Drive by Daniel H. Pink Dune by Frank Herbert Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Getting around L.A. without going crazy takes a little bit of savvy – but it’s doable. This section tells you how to make it happen (and even occasionally have fun while doing it).

Radiolab (Podcast) Anything Stephen King This American Life (Podcast) The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan World War Z by Max Brooks

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Photo : towneplaceturningpoint.com

Biking l.a. Don’t believe people who tell you that you can’t bike in L.A. – they probably haven’t tried it. The truth is that L.A. is a very bikeable city with a pretty vibrant cycling subculture. Yes, we’d like it to have more bike lanes (the city is working on it – and we mean they’re actually working on it, not just saying, “Yeah, we’re working on it.”). And yes, you sometimes have to be more aware of drivers than in other cities. But overall, biking here is fun – and a lot of Rioters bike to work every day. We’ve even got some additional perks for those who do.

Biking to Riot Rioters who bike to work have their own space to park their rides, complete with tools for the occasional tune-up. You can also save some cash if you bike to work and get rid of your monthly parking pass.

Taking Bikes on Public Transit Bikes are allowed on all Los Angeles Metro Rail trains, and Metro Buses are equipped with bike racks, making it easy for you to bring your bike all over Los Angeles.

Notable Bike Laws Cyclists should follow all regular traffic laws.

While you have a right to ride your bike on the street, you can also legally bike on sidewalks in most areas of Los Angeles (as long as you are not doing so with a “willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.”) For those late nights at the office, don’t forget that you’re legally required to use a headlight after the sun goes down. Also, this is L.A., folks. Don’t forget to buy a sturdy lock. And wear a helmet… srsly.

L.A. Bike Shops You’ll find bike shops scattered throughout the city. Whether you need a new steed or a quick tuneup, a bike shop is never far away.

L.A. Bike Coalition For more information about biking in Los Angeles, including maps, suggested bike trips, laws, and more, check out the L.A. Bike Coalition at www.la-bike.org.

Photo : Channone Arif

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Driving Real talk – yeah, driving in L.A. sucks. But – and we are not being sarcastic when we say this – it can also be really awesome (you know all those beautiful, twisting, ocean-side roads you see in car commercials or the sundown cruises in Drive ? They’re here.). Here’s what you need to know to become a proper L.A. commuter.

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The Best Offense Is a Good Defense

Traffic Reports Are Your New God

When the law says you have the right of way, don’t be so presumptuous as to expect it will be yielded to you. Judging by the sense of urgency Los Angeles drivers often exhibit, you’d think they were all carrying transplant organs or plasma for the trauma ward in their back seats. No, they’re mostly just self-absorbed. You’ll see lots of burger eating, makeup applying, and making out behind the wheel. Accept that it’s a mess and assume that the other driver is reckless and crazy, and you’ll be fine.

Whether you pray at the altar of KPCC (the local NPR), Google Maps, SigAlert (www.sigalert.com), or the other traffic deity of your choice, it’s always a good idea to check the traffic before you leave. Even if you think you know what an area is like on a given day, there could always be something unexpected – a Dodgers game, a visit from the President, a seven-Mercedes pile-up. We’ve also had great experience with the app Waze (www.waze.com), which gives real- time turn-by-turn directions based on traffic conditions – and it gamifies the commute, so we’re in.

7:01 pm Left-Turn Guy Is an Asshole L ef t turn s are a tr i ck y b i t of busi ness i n L.A . – too ma n y streets don’t have left-turn lanes or signals. One of the annoying ways that this is combated is that certain left turns are barred during peak traffic hours. But even after those hours, be a good citizen – if you see that traffic is piled up, don’t be the guy trying to make a left-turn out of a nonturn lane at 7:01 pm. This also means that, if you look at a map and have a left turn ahead during a high-traffic time, you might want to have a work-around in mind.

Arco Has Cheap Gas Gas prices suck. Arco is usually the cheapest gas station – just note that it’s cash or debit only.

Be Careful When It Rains Even Angelenos who grew up in areas of the country with actual weather somehow lose all memory of what it’s like to drive in the rain, so be careful during pre-

Photo : Charles Wagner

cipitation. People act like they’re driving through a wall of bees – they’re terrified, unsure of how their cars are going to handle, and completely irrational. If you’re a Rioter who hails from rainier locales like Seattle, Chicago, or NY, you will be annoyed.

Parking It can pay (literally) to do a little research before you park somewhere – even if that research is just driving around the block. Often, when it looks like you need to park at a meter, you’ll discover that the surrounding neighborhood streets have plenty of free parking. But read the signs carefully – some neighborhoods have parking by permit only. And LA, like every red-blooded American city, loves to give parking tickets – and they’re not cheap. We’re talking $65-$100. Our favorite parking secret is that, in the city of Los Angeles, you can park in yellow loading-only zones after 6 pm, and all day on Sundays. And no matter how hard you try, you can’t avoid valet forever. Yes, paying to valet is annoying. Just take a deep breath. There are worse things in life.

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L.A. Metro L.A.’s public transportation isn’t bad, per se – the rail lines that exist are highly functional and generally run on time. The problem is that there just aren’t enough of them. Los Angeles is working on fixing that, though. The Expo Line – which connects Downtown Los Angeles to the Westside – opened in 2012, and they’re currently expanding it so it will go all the way to Santa Monica.

Except for the Green Line, which runs between Redondo Beach and Norwalk, all of Los Angeles’s train lines meet at Union Station Downtown. The Red Line can bring you to Silver Lake, Hollywood, and North Hollywood; the Gold Line heads out to Pasadena; and the Blue Line shoots all the way down to Long Beach. It might take a little bit of time, but between Metro rail lines, Metro buses, and other public bus offerings, you can almost always get where you need to go. If you need help planning your trip, check out the trip planner at www.metro.net.

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One very nice thing about L.A.’s Metro – you can always bring your bike on a train. Just, y’know, obey the “don’t be a dick” rule and keep your bike out of the way of other travelers. Monthly passes are available, or you can buy a refillable Tap Card. You can use the Tap Card on any Metro train or bus. On certain holidays, however – like New Year’s Eve – all Metro trains and buses are free, and trains run all through the night.

Photo : Joe Wolf

L.A. bus lines As you might expect when you look at the sheer amount of ground to cover, there are a lot of different bus lines in greater Los Angeles.

Metro Buses MTA buses are distinguished by their white color and distinctive orange stripes, and bus stops have a big black M on a white rectangular sign. You can use the same Tap Card you use for the metro to ride the bus, or you can provide exact change in cash. Bikes are welcome on Metro buses – simply put it on the rack on the front of the bus. But if the rack is full, you’re SOL – there’s nothing you can do but wait for the next one. These buses go to locations all over Los Angeles, which means there are a lot of them. If you need to get somewhere, you’re best using the Trip Planner on www.metro.net; trying to look up a bus line in the big list of bus lines can make you crazy.

LADOT Buses LADOT provides a couple of bus options. There’s the DASH, which provides multiple Downtown buses as well as several options that circle neighborhoods; these buses are great a n d cheap, but they usually don’t run late in the

Photo : Frederick Dennstedt

day or on Sundays. The Commuter Express provides bus service to Downtown and a few other areas from suburban communities. You can learn more about both at www.ladottransit.com.

Municipal Buses Several municipalities offer their own bus services. In Santa Monica, Malibu, and Venice, it’s the Big Blue Bus (bigbluebus.com). In West Hollywood, there’s the West Hollywood City Line (www.weho. org/index.aspx?page=400). Culver has the Culver City Bus (www. culvercity.org/bus). And Orange County, if you need to get your butt down there, has the Orange County Transit Authority (www. octa.net).

Megabus The Megabus is now offering service from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. Learn more at www. megabus.com.

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Union Station, Amtrak, and Metrolink The Metro isn’t the only train game in town. There’s also the Metrolink and Amtrak – and almost all of the train lines meet at the gorgeous Union Station.

Union Station Built in 1939, Union Station is widely considered the last great train station built in the States, at least by Art Deco snobs. The sce ni c wai ti n g room’ s ce i l i n g stands 52 feet above its marble flo ors, a n d larg e, d i sti n cti ve archways at each end give way to peaceful courtyards. Union Station is also within walking distance of several awesome parts of Downtown, including Chinatown, El Pueblo de Los Angeles (the site of early L.A. settlement), and Los Angeles State Historic Park. 800 N Alameda St Los Angeles, CA

Metrolink Not the same thing as the L.A. Metro, these trains connect the Inland Empire, Orange County, and parts of the Valley with Downtown L.A.

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While the trains don’t go everywhere you want them to (if they did, it wouldn’t be Southern California, would it?), there are often additional shuttles to get you where you need to go, including Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, John Wayne Airport in Ora n ge County, and even Dodgers Stadium on some game days. They also have EZ and Weekend Passes that give you unlimited access to buses, rail, and trains – awesome if you want to go exploring. Learn more at www.metrolinktrains.com.

Amtrak Amtrak runs five rail lines that connect with Los Angeles; they can get you to locations including San Diego, Oakland, Texas, and Arizona. These trains are often comparable with flying or driving in terms of travel time, but also in terms of cost, unfortunately. If, however, you enjoy the laid-back, scenic route, the time and cost might be worth it. More information is available at www.amtrak.com.

Photo : tom arthur

SMALLer Airports LAX isn’t the only flight game in town – Greater Los Angeles is home to four other major airports. Every one of them is a pleasure to fly out of, if for no other reason than that they aren’t LAX.

Burbank Airport

John Wayne Airport

The Burbank Airport – aka Bob Hope Airport – is a small, low-key alternative to LAX. It’s especially recommended for anyone living in the Valley or on the Eastside. Lines are shorter, the parking is cheaper, and the people coming through here are simply happier. There are fewer airlines to choose from, sure. But Burbank is still a solid option if you want to avoid the chaos of LAX.

Orange County’s airport has a nine-foot bronze statue in front honoring its namesake, a longtime resident of the O.C. Obviously, this is a good option if you live in Orange County. It’s less worthwhile for L.A. residents, but if you’re a travelphobe, its small size and fancy restaurants (Javier’s has some pretty dope margaritas) might make the drive behind the “orange curtain” worthwhile. The fares are sometimes a bit cheaper, too.

(BUR)

2627 N Hollywood Way Burbank, CA www.burbankairport.com

L.A./Ontario Airport (ONT)

The Inla n d Empir e ’ s airpor t offering is too far east for many Angelenos to consider viable, but like the other outlier airports, its airlines occasionally offer fares low enough to make the drive worthwhile. Plus, instead of waiting in the long line of people trying to get In-N-Out near LAX, you can leisurely hit the very first In-N-Out, in Baldwin Park, on your way to or from Ontario. 1923 E Avion St Ontario, CA www.lawa.org Photo : Atomic Taco

(SNA)

18601 Airport Way Santa Ana, CA www.ocair.com

Long Beach Airport LGB)

What the Long Beach Airport lacks in amenities, it makes up for with efficiency. With a handful of carriers, some of which aren’t represented at LAX, checking in is a snap. Retrieving your luggage is even easier. It’s definitely worth checking out if you live south of LA. 4100 E Donald Douglas Dr Long Beach, CA www.lgb.org

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LAX (lax) Los Angeles International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, and it shows in the honking cars, buses, and vans that orbit its terminals. If you don’t like traffic, steel your nerves before arrival. That said, at least it’s difficult to get lost there – the airport is set up in a big circle, and if you miss the right terminal, all you need to do is loop around again.

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Driving to LAX

The Flyaway

Ah, those words that are familiar to every Angeleno – “Can you drive me to LAX?” It’s the primary karmic currency of Los Angeles – you drive someone, and when you need it, someone will drive you. If you can’t find someone to drive you, take the Flyaway (see below) SuperShuttle (www. supershuttle.com), Lyft (www. lyft.me), or Uber (www.uber.com). Or grab a cab voucher if you’re heading out for a Riot event. We’re all adult enough to know that paying for parking at an airport is needlessly expensive.

Our sorry excuse for a train to the airport is the Flyaway bus, which has routes between the airport and various locations around Los Angeles. You can get more information at w w w.lawa. org/flyaway.

If you’re the one doing the driving to pick someone up, LAX has a cell phone waiting lot “adjacent to the southwest corner of LAX Economy Parking Lot C and one-quarter mile from the 96th Street Bridge entrance into LAX’s passenger terminal area.” But most people have their own fake waiting lots. We’re partial to the Denny’s parking lot at 5355 W Century Blvd.

Food offerings worth searching out include LaBrea Bakery, Nate ‘n Al, Lemonade, and Wolfgang Puck Express. If you’re looking for local beers to drink away your wait with, Home Turf Sports Bar offers Golden Road.

Inside the Airport Waiting areas for Southwest almost always have the best seating – comfy chairs with outlets. If you have a long wait, it’s worth finding one, even if it’s not in your terminal.

1 World Way Los Angeles, CA www.lawa.org

LAX

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Overview Do you know what you get when you have a city that attracts creative, interesting people from all over the world? A city that is fun. From live music to cheap shows with your favorite comedians to avant garde art openings; and from craft cocktails to amazing locallysourced dinners to drunk 3 a.m. tacos, there is always something to be excited about in L.A. (and usually, there are several things to be excited about at once).

Perfect Party/ Going Out Playlist

The Black Keys

Neon Trees

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Animal

Estelle American Boy (feat. Kanye West)

MotLEy Crue Wild Side

Michael Jackson Rock with You

MGMT Electric Feel

Rilo Kiley Silver Lining

Miike Snow Animal

Mos Def Hip Hop

Foster the People Pumped Up Kicks

Robyn Indestructible

Wilson Pickett

The Baddest Man Alive

Def Leppard Photograph

Heads Will Roll

Jamiroquai Canned Heat

Marvin Gaye Got To Give It Up (Part 1)

Kavinsky Pacific Coast Highway

Kids of 88 Just a Little Bit

Run DMC Tricky

Tegan & Sara Closer

Beyonce Crazy in Love

Kanye West Mercy

Justice Dance

Land of 1000 Dances

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Things in L.A. You Can Skip Like any city with a healthy stream of tourists, L.A. has its share of overpriced, underwhelming attractions that would love to separate you from your money as they disappoint the hell out of you. Here’s what you can pass on.

Pretty Much Every- Pink’s Hot Dogs thing Touristy on Hollywood Blvd OK, so maybe you go once just to say you’ve been there and done that. But do you really need to see the name of an actor you like on a star? No. No, you don’t – skip the Walk of Fame. Same goes for The Chinese Theater, with its handprints in concrete and motley crew of people dressed up as popular characters who mill around out front, trying to take pictures with tourists. (Although we do recommend the documentary about them, Confessions of a Superhero.) And don’t give your money to the Hollywood Wax Museum – they have some of the worst wax figures you’ll ever see.

The famous hot dog shack with its multitude of toppings seems to have a line out front 24/7. Trust u s – yo u d o n ’ t wa nt to wa it in line to eat a hot dog. If you want something on a bun, try Fritzi Dog instead (6333 W 3rd St, Stall 742, Los Angeles) – the dogs are unconventional and awesome.

Rodeo Drive Yes, you can look at rich people buying expensive things. And you can also look at a lot of tourists looking at rich people buying expensive things. Meh.

The Grove, The Americana, and Every Other Big New Shopping Area They’re fine if you need new pants, but they don’t have a ny chara cter. A good substitute is Santa Monica’s Promenade – it has plenty of chain stores, but is also peppered with good restaurants and sidewalk entertainers.

Photo : Loren Javier

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Things in L.A. You Must Do We’re not going to waste word-space on a long introduction – Los Angeles is an amazing city. Here are the must-sees.

Outdoors

Museums

Summertime in Los Angeles means outdoor movies at locations across the city (we’re especially partial to Cinespia, which shows films in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery) and concerts at great outdoor venues like The Greek Theater and The Hollywood Bowl (including an annual performance featuring the music of John Williams).

L.A. has amazing museum offerings. For art, LACMA and The Getty Center should both be on your shortlist. For science, The Page Museum (the official museum of the LaBrea Tar Pits) and the

As for the stuff you’d expect to do outdoors, the 22-mile bike path that runs along the beach – aka The Strand – is amazing. El Matador, the beach in Malibu, has a second hidden beach if you walk through a little cave area at the far end. On Dockweiler Beach, meanwhile, there are fire pits for beachside bonfires.

California

Science

Center

(home of the space shuttle Endeavor). And for pure WTF glee, you absolutely must go to the Museum of Jurassic Technology. It’s somewhat indescribable, but at the very least, we can tell you that it’s not about stone tools, and that you will see a room full of oil paintings of Russian space dogs.

Entertainment The city that’s home to thousands of entertainers has nearly as many ways to entertain you. You can see your favorite improv and sketch comedians at places like

the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater and iO West, and great

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stand up comedians everywhere from big comedy clubs like the Improv to little venues like the patio of Best Fish Taco. If you can find a member to get you in, the Magic Castle is the club where all of L.A.’s magicians perform. And when it’s time to dance, check out the Cicada Club – a fancy-dress swing dancing spot Downtown.

Games and Geekery Special Events Blipsy Barcade is a dive bar bedecked with old-school arcade games, while Pins & Needles is where you’ll find lots of flipper machines. You definitely need to check out an opening at iam8bit gallery, a space that shows awesome, geeky art. And the Echo Park Time Travel Mart sells all the time-travel gear you need – plus proceeds benefit 826 L.A., a non-profit that helps kids become better writers.

The Tournament of Roses Parade and its weird outsider-art cousin, the Pasadena Doo-Dah Parade, are both worth staking out a bit of sidewalk for. Paley Fest gives you an opportunity to see the people who work on your favorite TV shows talk shop, while the Edwardian Ball gives you an excuse to put on some steampunk finery. And make sure you spend at least one Halloween in West Hollywood – the parade of costumes is absolutely insane.

Los Angeles-ness The twisting Mulholland Drive isn’t just a David Lynch film, it’s also a gorgeous road through the hills that nets you amazing views of the city. A hike to the Hollywood Sign is also a good idea – yeah, the sign is behind a fence, but it’s still a rite of L.A. passage (while you’re in the area, visit the gorgeous Griff ith Observatory too). You should see a live taping of at least one TV show – try a late-night show like Conan, or try to compete on The Price Is Right). When you’re hungry, hit In-N-Out – people are passionate about it for good reason.

Photo : Mr. Littlehand

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MUSEUMS There’s this really dumb stereotype that just because Los Angeles birthed hell-babies like reality TV, the city is devoid of culture. In fact, it’s one of the most culturally rich cities in America – just look at these museums.

MOCA

The Getty Center

The Museum of Contemporary Art is the only L.A. museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art (post-WWII). The main building Downtown houses selections from the impressive permanent collection and various special exhibitions, while the two satellite locations – in Little Tokyo and West Hollywood – display large installations and design-focused exhibits, respectively.

Although the Getty stands as one of the most expensive museums in the world to build, it’s free for visitors. The original Getty Museum began as a place for oilman J. Paul Getty to hang his large collection of art. Today, the permanent collection includes several Van Goghs, Rembrandts, and Cezannes – plus an extensive photography collection.

MOCA 250 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles 213-626-6222 www.moca.org MOCA at the Geffen Contemporary 152 Central Ave, Los Angeles 213-626-6222 MOCA at the Pacific Design Center 8687 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles 310-289-5223

LACMA It’s easy to lose a day in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s sprawling complex. Their exhibitions range from Art of the Americas to retrospectives of French masters and much more. Plus, LACMA also hosts exhibits featuring the work of famous filmmakers – recent selections included Tim Burton and Stanley Kubrick. 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles 323-857-6000 www.lacma.org

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Oh, and hidden gem alert – the research library is amazing, featuring everything from old optical toys to Allan Kaprow’s writings. Only people who make a formal research request can access the full collection, but parts of it are open to anyone with a government-issued ID. 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles 310-440-7300 www.getty.edu

Getty Villa The original home of the J. Paul Getty Museum, this gorgeous, garden-bedecked villa makes you understand why the rich head for the hills. But you don’t just go here for a pretty building – the Villa is also home to 44,000 antiquities, and exhibitions are complemented by play readings, musical performances, demos, and other programs. 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades 310-440-7300 www.getty.edu

The Huntington

The Wende Museum

Part library, part research center, part art gallery, and part botanical garden, the Huntington’s diverse collection of art and flora is a retreat for researchers and those just looking to get away from it all. The Huntington is perhaps best known for its 18th and 19th century British and French art, but really – every part of this place is fantastic. The library contains some of the world’s most famous rare books, including a Gutenberg Bible, for example. And if you feel like getting fancy, the Rose Garden Tea Room is a great place for afternoon tea.

A museum dedicated to the Cold War, with lots of awesome Soviet relics to look at.

1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino 626-405-2100 www.huntington.org

Autry NATIONAL Center A museum dedicated to the American West, the Autrey features exhibits on Native Americans, vintage firearms, art about the West, and much more. 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles 323-667-2000 www.theautry.org

THE Museum of Jurassic Technology

5741 Buckingham Pkwy, Suite E, Culver City 310-216-1600 www.wendemuseum.org

The Los angeles Natural History Museum Your classic natural history museum, including dioramas of taxidermied animals and all the other goodness you’d expect. In the summer, check out their First Friday events, which feature bands, drinks, and awesome talks in the museum after hours. 900 Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles 213-763-3466 www.nhm.org

The Museum of Tolerance This museum explores racism and prejudice, with an emphasis on the Holocaust. 9786 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles 310-553-8403 www.museumoftolerance.com

Honestly – this place is almost indescribable. It’s a museum, yes, but... is it also a social experiment? A prank? Just trust us. You need to go here. 9341 Venice Blvd, Culver City 310-836-6136 www.mjt.org

Photo : Donna Grayson

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MUsic venues Congratulations – you’re moving to a city that’s a stop on almost every band’s West Coast tour. Here’s where to see the shows.

The Greek Theatre

The Wiltern

Nestled in Griffith Park, this sylvan outdoor amphitheater always feels cooler and less smoggy than the rest of the city. They’re an equal-opportunity booker – acts include everything from popster Carly Rae Jepsen to kinda nostalgic acts like Heart to indie darlings like Passion Pit and The Flaming Lips. No outside food or drink is allowed, but you can buy picnic foods, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages there.

The Wiltern is undeniably one of L.A.’s most beloved landmarks, with its trademark blue neon sign and imposing marquee watching over Wilshire Boulevard. The building’s Art Deco architecture is so snazzy that the place was declared an official City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, and its moderate size makes it a great place to catch a band before they hit arena status.

2700 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles 323-665-1927 www.greektheatherla.com

The Hollywood Bowl Originally opened in 1922, the 18,000-seat Hollywood Bowl is the king of outdoor venues in Los Angeles. Pack a picnic and bottle of wine – you can even arrive up to four hours before the show to get your outdoor eat on. The calendar is super varied – orchestra concerts, rock bands, classic crooners, and even an annual sing-along to The Sound of Music. 2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles 323-850-2000 www.thehollywoodbowl.com

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3790 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles 213-388-1400 www.wiltern.com

The Fonda Theatre Whatever indieish band is popular right now, there’s a good chance they’ll play The Fonda – and that it will sell out fast. While those shows are the Fonda’s bread-andbutter, you’ll also find some wild cards performing in its gorgeous interior – everything from a Backstreet Boys reunion show to Tom Petty doing a five-night series of concerts. 6126 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles 323-464-6269 www.fondatheatre.com

El Rey

The Dolby Theatre

The El Rey is pretty similar to The Fonda – in size and in acts you’ll find there. Don’t be surprised to find a Pixies reunion tour or whatever band is currently making the A/V Club flip its shit.

Formerly known as the Kodak Theatre, the home to the Academy Awards also hosts other events throughout the year, often centered around one performer (an evening with Hugh Jackman, anyone?) or a popular brand, like an evening of Disney tween stars.

5515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles 323-936-6400 www.theelrey.com

The Echo and Echoplex These two related venues in Echo Park host everything from local bands to big-name comedians and musicians to a great soul dance party on Saturday nights. 1822 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles 213-413-8200 www.theecho.com

The Troubadour This famous West Hollywood venue hosted musicians like Elton John and Tom Waits early in their careers. Today, the Troubadour continues to host awesome acts in a relatively intimate space.

6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles 323-308-6300 www.dolbytheatre.com

The Gibson Amphitheatre The 6,000-seat Gibson stands as a medium-sized venue for medium-sized bands and comedians (either on their way to stardom or on their way, uh, down), plus the occasional big deal – think George Lopez for comedy, the Jonas Brothers for music. 100 Universal City Plz, Universal City 818-622-4440 w w w.cit y walkholly wood.com/ concerts.php

9081 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood 310-276-1158 www.troubadour.com

Photo : phandcp

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The Music Center and Bergamot Station The Music Center is a collection of venues Downtown that brings together world-renowned actors, dancers, and musicians. Originally a stop on the now nonexistent Red Car trolley system, Bergamot Station is now an awesome art gallery complex and cultural center.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall

The Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre

That shiny, unusual silver building you see when you’re driving through Downtown on the 101? That’s the centerpiece of the Music Center, the Frank Gehrydesigned Walt Disney Concert Hall. It serves as home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic. (And, side note – it also serves as your parking garage if you ever get called for jury duty in L.A.)

Run by the Center Theatre Group, which has a few venues across Los Angeles, these stages host high-profile musicals and other plays.

REDCAT This black-box theater and art gallery run by CalArts hosts an impressive season of live performances and film highlighting innovative up-and-comers. The buzzword here is “avant garde.”

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Home to both the L.A. Opera and the Music Center dance programs, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion also hosts intimate recitals with a variety of vocal powerhouses.

135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles 213-973-7211 www.musiccenter.org

BERGAMOT STATION There are over 40 galleries and related shops housed here, each with its own personality. You’ll find spots donated to artistic biggies like photography, sculpture, and painting, but also other art forms, like jewelry and fine paper (seriously, if you’re a paper geek, you need to go to Hiromi Paper International). In addition to the galleries and shops, Bergamot Station has several other tenants of note, including the Santa Monica Museum of Art, a non-collecting museum that always features unique exhibits. The best time to visit Bergamot is during weekend gallery openings – they often feature free refreshments and entertainment. Check out Bergamot’s website for the schedule. 2525 Michigan Ave Santa Monica, CA www.bergamotstation.com

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Photo : PEDRO szeke

Movie Theaters In a city where people are serious about their movies, it makes sense that they’d also be serious about their movie theaters. Here are some of the best.

The Arclight

Landmark

This chain runs a little on the pricier side, but that comes with perks – reserved seating, respectful patrons, and an overall professional experience. The food is great too – and select 21+ showings serve alcohol. Plus, if you buy your tickets online ahead of time instead of at the theater, you’re not hit with a service fee – you actually save a dollar.

Not too far from Riot, this wellrun theater shows a mix of independent films and big-budget blockbusters. Plus, it’s right near The Apple Pan, and you need to eat a hickory burger (trust us).

Multiple locations www.arclightcinemas.com

Cinefamily This independent theater is home to everything from new releases to little-seen films dug out of dusty archives to live shows and talks like comedian Doug Benson’s Movie Interruption. 611 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles www.cinefamily.org

The New Beverly Quentin Tarantino’s movie theater shows double-feature films on 35mm, plus special midnight showings of old favorites like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

10850 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles www.landmarktheaters.com

Laemmle Theaters Awesome art house movie chain, with locations across greater L.A. – including Santa Monica. Multiple Locations www.laemmle.com

Outdoor Movies Summers in L.A. mean outdoor movies – and lots of them. There are screenings at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (www.cinespia.org), at the Academy’s space in Hollywood (w w w.o scars.org/events-exhibitions/outdoors/), at the Natural History Museum (www.nhm. org/site/a ctivities-programs/ summer-movie-series), in the warehouse area Downtown (www.electricduskdrivein.com), and more.

7165 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles www.newbevcinema.com

Photo : Coco Mault

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Bookstores Print isn’t dead. In fact, it’s resting comfortably in Los Angeles’s awesome bookstores.

New

Vroman’s Bookstore

The “bookseller to the great and infamous” has been in its West Hollywood location since 1975. In addition to the usual bookstore fare, they carry titles from small and university presses, and they have author events several nights a week.

695 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena www.vromansbookstore.com

Book Soup

8818 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles www.booksoup.com

Skylight Books This excellently curated store doesn’t have a specific focus, but it carries interesting and worthwhile fiction, art books, graphic novels, and much more. It’s also one of the few places we know of in Los Angeles where you can both buy and sell zines. 1818 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles www.skylightbooks.com

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Southern CA’s oldest and largest independent bookstore.

Used

Sideshow Rare Books This rare and vintage book mecca has plenty of weirdness to offer – in addition to used fiction in all genres, there’s also a hefty collection of counterculture books, comics, and more. 11323 Idaho Ave, Los Angeles 310-428-4631 w w w.facebook .com/pages/Sideshow-Books/159685830715831

Last Bookstore This massive, excellent used bookstore is nestled in the old bank district Downtown. It’s a great place to spend hours browsing or reading in one of the comfy chairs, and in addition to books, they also have records and regular live events.

Comic Books Meltdown

Meltdown is home to so many things awesome – comics and memorabilia, comedy shows with Chris Hardwick’s Nerdist Industries, art classes, and much more.

453 S Spring St, Los Angeles www.lastbookstorela.com

7522 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles www.meltcomics.com

Mystery & Imagination/ Bookfellows

Secret Headquarters

The Mystery & Imagination part refers to the original store, which focused on the mystery, detective, fantasy, sci-fi, and horror genres. But more recently this great shop expanded into “Bookfellows,” which also carries other non-genre titles. 238 N Brand Blvd, Glendale www.mysteryandimagination.com

It’s not a huge comic book store, but it’s a very well-stocked one. A favorite of the fine folks from BoingBoing. 3817 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles www.thesecretheadquarters.com

Comics Factory Comics Factory is an excellent all-round shop, but it’s especially popular among manga fans. 1298 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena 626-585-0618

Photo : keepitsurreal

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Nightlife There are many, many more options for going out in L.A. than standing in line for some club. Whether you want to try a great new cocktail, talk with friends over beer at a dive bar, or go play laser tag (seriously), here are some great places to go out at night in L.A.

Best Beer Selection

The Daily Pint (2310 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, www.thedailypint.net) is right around the corner from Riot, and it’s one of our favorite hangouts. Also nearby is Stout (111 N Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, www.stoutburgersandbeers.com), which features 30 rotating beers on tap, plus a ton of bottled options. Or, head east to West Hollywood for The Surly Goat (7929 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, www.surlygoat.com), which always has a couple dozen excellent beers on tap. Worth a drive is Tony’s in Burbank (1710 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, www. tonysda.com) – they always have a wide variety of California beers, they serve up delicious sausages for vegans and carnivores alike, and their bookshelves are stuffed with board games. And Smithhouse (10351 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, www.smithhousela. com) might have the largest beer selection in the city, and it’s a great place for beer flights.

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Best Dive Bars

Jumbo’s Clown Room in Thai Town (5153 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, w w w.jumbos.com) features clown paintings, girls in bikinis pole dancing to punk rock, and a wildly diverse clientele. The Whitehorse Inn Cocktail Lounge (1532 N Western Ave, Los angeles) has pool, is frequently empty, and always has tons of snacks on hand (think: free hot dogs, popcorn, and cookies). In Echo Park, the Gold Room (1558 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles) has a standing $4 special for a PBR and a shot of tequila – plus free tacos. And in Culver City, there’s the Cozy Inn (11155 Washington Pl, Culver city), featuring shuffleboard, a good jukebox, and pool.

Best Bar Trivia

In Mid-City, Little Bar (757 S LaBrea, Los angeles, www.littlebarlounge. com) is the only place we know of in L.A. to offer Saturday night bar trivia – plus the bar is BYOF (bring your own food). Closer to Riot, Bigfoot West (10939 Venice Blvd, Culver City, www. bigfootwest.com) has trivia every Tuesday night in a bar with a mountain lodge vibe, O’Brien’s (2226 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.obriendsla.com) has it on Mondays (and the bar is within walking distance of the office!), and Busby’s (3110 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, www.busbysla.com) has trivia on Sundays.

Best Cocktail Bars

The Library Bar at The Roosevelt Hotel (7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/ la/hollywood-roosevelt) serves its cocktails “Omakase-style,” meaning you put yourself in the bartender’s good hands (and you can probably scope some celebrities while he’s mixing). The Wellesbourne (10929 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, www.thewellesbourne.com) is an excellent spot on the Westside for an intimate cocktail. Sassafras Saloon (1233 Vine St, Los Angeles, www. sassafrassaloon.com) is more raucous – there are regular bluegrass shows, and the bar offers several barrel-aged cocktails. For a casual cocktail on an outdoor patio, head to The Bungalow (101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.thebungalowsm.com).

Best Dancing

Mom’s Bar (12238 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, www.momsbar.com) is our close-to-Riot go-to for dancing. The Echo (1822 W Sunset Blvd, www.theecho.com), meanwhile, has great Saturday night dance parties, like Funky Soul – which features indoor and outdoor DJs spinning soul tracks. In Culver City, The Blind Barber (10797 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, www.blindbarber.com) – a speakeasy-style bar behind a barbershop – also has weekend dance nights. There’s another great “illicit” spot for dancing, too, except this one used to be an actual speakeasy – The Del Monte at The Townhouse (52 Windward Ave, Venice, www.townhousevenice.com). And if you’re interested in swing dancing, check out www.lalindyhop.com – it has a full list of swing nights in greater L.A. Photo : demxx

Best Activities and Entertainment If you drive out to Alhambra on a Friday or Saturday night, Ultrazone (231 E Main St, Alhambra, www.zonehead.com) has unlimited laser tag for $15 after 9 pm on Fridays and 10 pm on Saturdays. Or, if you want some actual physical contact to come with your shooting, there’s paintball at Hollywood Sports (9030 Somerset Blvd, Bellflower, www.hollywoodsports. com). To get out on the ocean (and make your core scream), go stand-up

paddleboarding in Marina Del Rey – check Groupon and LivingSocial, because they always have deals for it. If you’re looking for some less strenuous fun, check out the calendar at Cinefamily (611 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, www.cinefamily.org), where they’ll regularly host special events coupling film screenings with parties on the back patio. For great comedy shows with performers you recognize and love, check out any weekend performance at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theatre (5919 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, www.ucbtheatre.com). Just make sure you buy tickets ahead of time (shows regularly sell out – oh, and you can totally BYOB there). And in the summer, you have to go to at least one Friday night Dodgers game (1000 Elysian Park Ave, Los Angeles, losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com) – they set off fireworks at the end of the evening.

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Restaurants Whether you’re flush with cash or near broke, and no matter what neighborhood you’re in, we promise you this – you will always eat well in Los Angeles.

Burgers Los Angeles has a lot of burger places. The whole patty-on-bun thing is practically an art here. Local chain Umami Burger (locations throughout Lo s Angeles, www.umami.com) crafts all of their burgers to highlight that savory “fifth flavor.” Rioter favorite Plan Check (1800 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, www.plancheck.com) makes one of the best burgers in the city – gotta try the shrimp burger and pastrami fries specials when they’re available. But one of the first places to make a fancy burger in L.A. is still the best – Father’s OFFIce (1018 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, www.fathersoffice.com), which also features a great beer selection.

Getting Fancy

Animal (435 N Fairfax, Los Angeles, www. animalrestaurant.com) takes meat to a new level, while its sister restaurant, Son of a Gun (8370 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, www.sonofagunrestaurant.com), does the same thin g for seafood. Caf La Boheme (8400 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, www.cafelaboheme.us) is perfect for a romantic date night, and their bacon-wrapped dates are amazing. Tar & Roses (602 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, www.tarandroses. com) also has a great selection of wine, along with a variety of snacks, small plates, and delicious dinners cooked in a wood-burning oven. Pizzeria Mozza (641 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, www. pizzeriamozza.com) isn’t quite as fancy (or expensive) as its neighbor, Osteria Mozza, But it’s still a great place to go if you want to understand why chef Nancy Silverton won a James Beard Award (just make sure you don’t skip dessert!). For non-pizza Italian, go to Valentino (3115 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, www.valen-

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tinosantamonica.com) – and it might be pricey, but it’s worth it to get the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Finally, two pricey-but-amazing places are molec ular gastronomy darling The Bazaar (465 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, www.thebazaar.com) and seafood restaurant Providence (5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, www.providencela.com), which also offers a special reduced-price tasting menu every June to celebrate its anniversary.

Eating Ethnic Los Angeles has such amazing, diverse cuisines that we can barely even touch on all of the awesomeness in one section. SugarFIsh (1345 2nd St, Santa Monica, www.sugarfishsushi.com) is hands-down the favorite sushi spot among Rioters – it’s affordable, and you put yourself in very capable hands with their “trust me” menu. R23 (923 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, www.r23.com) in Downtown L.A., meanwhile, has amazing sushi in a space that was once a railroad loading dock. But when you’re really ready to throw down on sushi, you must go to Urasawa (218 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, 310-247-8939) – it’s an experience that is worth the cost, once. There are several great ramen spots, but at the very least, you need to try Daikokuya (327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, www. daikoku-ten.com) and Santouka (3760 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles). Koreatown is home to so many amazing restaurants, but around here, one of our favorites is the Korean BBQ at Soot Bull Jeep (3136 W 8th St, Los Angeles). And if you want Korean eats closer to Riot, the Seoul Tofu House (2101 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, www.seoultofuhouse.com) is a good bet. Moving out of Asia...there is so much amazing Mexican food in Los Angeles; you can barely walk down a street without

coming across a great taco truck. If you want a suggestion on where to start, some Rioters love the Baja-style fish tacos at Poquito Mas (2215 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, www.poquitomas. com), hole-in-the-wall Tacos Por Favor (11901 W Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, www. tacosporfavor.net), and El Cholo (1025 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.elcholo. com), our staple close to the office. The multi-course Armenian dinner at Carousel (5112 Hollywood Blvd #107, Los Angeles, www.carouselrestaurant.com) is great and inexpensive – plus that’s one of the few L.A. restaurants that lets you BYOB. For an atypical Indian experience, try Paru’s (5140 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.parusrestaurant.com) – they specialize in vegetarian Southern Indian cuisine. For awesome Thai food, Thai Town (near Hollywood) is the best place to go. For cheap eats, don’t miss the wildly spicy Pa Ord (5301 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 323461-3945), and if you want to get a little fancier, head to Jitlada (5233 ½ W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.jitlada.com) – just make sure you make a reservation. If you’re in need of pho action, head to Blossom (4019 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, 323-953-8345) – and go downstairs to eat in the awesome wine bar. But if your Vietnamese cravings are more sandwich-based, it’s worth it to drive out to Banh Mi My Tho (304 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, 626-289-4160), where you can get two meals worth of amazing sandwich for under $4. Speaking of Alhambra, the whole San Gabriel Valley area is also a great place for Chinese food. Two that you must try are the Din Tai Fung Dumpling House (1088 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, www.dintaifungusa.com) and Shanghai #1 Seafood Village (250 W Valley Blvd, Alhambra, 626-282-1777). Photo : LWY

Eating Healthy

California mini-chain Tender Greens (201 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica, www.tendergreens.com) is popular with many Rioters – they serve up a variety of fresh salads and other tasty, healthy fare (oh, and some good desserts too, if you need to counter that kale salad). Cafe Gratitude (639 Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, www.cafegratitudela.com) is an excellent vegan spot that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Native Foods Caf (9343 Culver Blvd, Culver City, www.nativefoods.com) also does the vegan organic thing, and their lavender lemonade is crazy refreshing. And if you’re looking for vegetarian food that’s nice enough for an anniversary date, Elf Cafe (2135 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.elfcafe.com) in Echo Park is great.

...And What Else? The list of Rioter favorites goes on and on, but here are a few we can’t neglect to mention... Wurstkuche (625 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, w w w.wurstkuche. com) serves up delicious sausages with exotic meats (and they have good beer, to boot). A-Frame (12565 Washington Blvd, Culver City, www.aframela.com) has all-you-can-eat fried chicken during lunchtime on weekends and on Monday nights. Bru’s WiFFLe (2408 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, www.bruswiffle.com) puts almost anything on a waffle, sweet or savory. PitFIre Pizza (12924 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, www.pitfirepizza. com) serves up a damn good pie. Oh, and speaking of pie – that’s the only thing you can get at the Pie Hole (714 Traction Ave, Los Angeles, www.thepieholela.com). Finally, tucked between Beverly Hills and Mid-City is Little Ethiopia – while there, definitely try Messob (1041 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, www.messob.com).

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SHOPPING L.A.’s a great place for every collector, hobbyist, connoisseur, or shopping pro looking for a great find.

Rioters’ Favorite Shops

A few places you must visit – Popkiller (7503 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.popkiller.us) has quirky Japanese gifts and vintage offerings. Aero Hobbies (2918 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, www.aerohobbiesgames.com) is there for all of your tabletop gaming needs. Kidrobot (7972 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, www.kidrobot. com) has all the vinyl toys you could ever hope to decorate your desk with. And when you just don’t know what to get someone for a gift, check out the Echo Park Time Travel Mart (1714 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.echoparktimetravelmart.com), which sells goods for, well, time travel (seriously).

Flea Markets

The Rose Bowl Flea Market (www.rgcshows.com) is the biggest in the area – which means it’s both the most awesome and the most overwhelming. There are also great weekend flea markets in Santa Monica (www.santamonicaairportantiquemarket.com), at Melrose and Fairfax (www. melrosetradingpost.org), and in Venice (www.gondolierboosters. org).

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Clothing and Accessories OK, if you don’t want to shop online or go to a mall (for a full list of malls, see page 146), here are a few recommendations. Wastel and ( 1 3 3 8 4 t h St, S a nta Monica, w w w.shop wasteland.com) resells vintage a n d modern clothing for men and women, and it’s a good place to pick up some crazy designer items at deep discount. Buffalo Exchange (131 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, www. buffaloexchange.com) is similar – high-quality used stuff. If you want used clothes that were maybe worn by famous people, It’s a Wrap (3315 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, www.itsawraphollywood. com) sells wardrobe items when TV shows and films are done with them. And because everyone could use at least one hat that they look fantastic in, we highly recommend Goorin Brothers (7627 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, www.goorin.com). In fact, Melrose Ave is a great spot for unique boutique shopping in general – take a stroll down the street after you get your hat. If you just want to wander and shop, check out Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice and Melrose Blvd in Mid-City – both offer lots of great boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants.

Music

The enormous Amoeba Music (6400 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, w w w.amoeba.com) has two floors of every type of music, DVD, and band-related geegaw you can imagine. If you’re looking for more used record options, head to Counterpoint Records and Books (5911 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, w w w.counterpointrecord san dbooks.com), Canterbury Records (805 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, w w w.canterburyrecords.com), or Rockaway Records (2395 Glendale Blvd, www.rockaway.com).

Food and Booze

Surfas (8777 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, www.culinarydistrict. com) has an incredible selection of imported foods, restaurant supplies, and hard-to-find kitchen witchery. Two of the city’s best-curated wine and liquor stores are K&L Wines (1400 Vine St, www. klwines.com), and Wally’s Wine & Spirits (2107 Westwood Blvd, w w w.wally wine.com). For beer, check out Sunset Beer Company (1498 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.sunsetbeerco.com) – not only do they sell several beers by the bottle, but they also have a tasting room where you can sit and drink them.

Photo : Mulling it Over

Housewares Yes, L.A. has an Ikea. But there are so many ways you can furnish your apartment without Swedish particleboard. The stretch of LaBrea

between Melrose and Wilshire is stuffed full of decor, furniture, and antique shops. Kellygreen (2149 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, www.kellygreenhome.com) has eco-friendly housewares, plus accessories and other fun bits of business. CostPlus World Mart (various locations, www.worldmarket.com) is an awesome place to find inexpensive homegoods, from bedroom textiles to dishes and more, while Baltic Crossroads (3929 Fountain Ave, Los Angeles, www.baltic-crossroads.com) is a good spot to look for finishing touches. And if you want to really clear out your wallet in exchange for some gorgeous home furnishings, head to H.D. Buttercup (3225 Helms Ave, Los Angeles, www.hdbuttercup.com).

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MALLS If you’re looking for a shopping spree or just some good people watching, Los Angeles has plenty of malls and “outdoor shopping experiences.

Third Street Promenade If you don’t like the mall, Santa Monica’s Promenade might be the right place for you to shop. For several city blocks, 3rd Street is only open to pedestrian traffic. Along with your typical chain stores and boutiques, you’ll also find delicious restaurants (duck around the corner to Misfit at 225 Santa Monica Blvd), movie theaters, and street entertainers. Wilshire Blvd & 3rd St Santa Monica www.thirdstreetpromenade.com

Santa Monica Place Third Street Promenade’s high-end cousin, this Gehry-designed (and recently renovated) mall features stores like Tiffany’s and Louie Vuitton, plus great restaurants like Sonoma Wine, Real Food Daily, and Zengo. 395 Santa Monica Pl Santa Monica www.santamonicaplace.com

Westfield Century City

What was once a neighborhood shopping center is now a big, shiny temple of consumerism that people actually make a point of driving to from other, distant parts of town. This mall leans towards the high-end – think Tiffany and Louis Vuitton – but you can find plenty of H&M-level stores too (like, well, H&M). Oh, and definitely check out a movie here – the seats are like easy chairs, and some screenings allow you to take cocktails in. 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles www.westfield.com/centurycity

The Grove

The Grove polarizes Angelenos. There are those who hate it with a passion, resenting the way it has commercialized the historic Farmers Market. Then there are the supporters who can’t help by but smile when the dancing waters of the fountain break into yet another choreographed routine to the sound of Donna Summer’s “Let’s Dance.” That said, if you’re looking for a shopping experience that offers a little bit “more,” The Grove is a good option. Instead of a Panda Express-anchored food court, you can go eat lunch at the Farmers Market. And they have the only Topshop location in L.A. 189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles www.thegrovela.com

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Hollywood & Highland

Westside Pavilion

The mall-ish complex at Hollywood & Highland is close to attractions like Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and the Dolby Theatre. This means that the complex was built for the amusement of tourists who come to shop, take pictures of each other, and take pictures of each other shopping. Traffic is awful here, so if you want to stop by, we suggest taking the Metro Red Line.

The Westside Pavilion is a rarity: A no-attitude shopping location with all the usual suspects in terms of stores and resources, but with solid ties to the local community. But don’t try to navigate the parking lot without a pocketful of bread crumbs. Oh, and skip the food court here – instead, go across the street to get a hickory burger and slice of pie at The Apple Pan (10801 W Pico Blvd).

6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles www.hollywoodandhighland.com

10800 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles www.westsidepavillion.com

Westfield Fashion Square

Del Amo Mall

When fun-loving couples in their twenties evolve into responsible parents in their thirties, they move to the Valley. Indicative of this shift, when the Westfield Century City unveiled a spanking new multiplex, the Westfield Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks was the recipient of a new kiddie playground. The mood is cool here, but not hip, and they have your predictable array of mall stores. 14006 Riverside Dr, Sherman Oaks www.westfiled.com/fashionsquare

Before the Mall of America was built, Del Amo was the largest mall in the country. So, that means it has lots of options. Like, overa-dozen-different- shoe- stores options. Plus there’s an 18-screen movie theater. 525 Carson St, Torrance w w w.s i mo n . com / m a l l / d e l -a mo fashion-center

The Beverly Center This mall is something of a study in contrasts. Stores like Diesel and Dior are housed in the same building as GNC and the Gap. Visit when you need protein powder and high-priced jeans. 8500 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles www.beverlycenter.com

Photo : Prayitno

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ACTIVE in l.a.

Overview because of Los Angeles’s climate, geography, and spread-out-edness, this might be the American city where it’s easiest to head outside and do active, fun things. Hell, you can go surfing, hiking, and snowboarding in the same day here. There are very, very few places that can claim that. So whether you like biking, hiking, surfing, bowling, yoga, skiing, rock climbing, or a host of other sports (including the latest wacky fitness trends – cardio barre, anyone?), L.A. has it. And Rioters like to get active between games; if it’s a sport, we’ve got a group for it – running, cycling, hiking, yoga, the infamous AntiLazy Club and more. Check ‘em out.

Perfect workout Playlist Daft Punk

Survivor

Harder Better Faster

Eye of the Tiger (Come on—it’s a classic!)

Mindless Self Indulgence

LCD Soundsystem

Straight to Video

Movement

Zedd

Justice

Fall Into the Sky

New Lands

Queens of the Stone Age

Gorillaz

No One Knows

DARE

Outkast

Stevie Wonder

B.O.B.

Higher Ground

Calvin Harris

Two Door Cinema Club

Sweet Nothing

I Can Talk

Kanye West

OK GO

No Church In the Wild

Here it Goes Again

Girl Talk

Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg

Smash Your Head

The Next Episode

Pink

Avicii feat. Skrillex Remix

Blow Me (One Last Kiss)

Levels

Deadmau5 Ghosts’ n’ Stuff

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Photo : Fido

Running With its year-round sunny weather, several high-profile races, and route options ranging from city streets to challenging dirt trails, Los Angeles is a great city for running. And if you’re a runner, you have to do a barefoot run on the beach at least once (although we’re guessing that after you try it, you’ll want to do it again and again... well, after your calves stop aching, at least).

Races

There are way too many races in the greater Los Angeles to list. But you can check out www.laraces.com – the site allows you to search by type of race, distance, location, and month.

The L.A. Marathon www.lamarathon.com

This annual March race used to be a loop, now it takes racers through Los Angeles starting at Dodgers Stadium and ending near the ocean in Santa Monica.

Griffith Park Trail Half Marathon www.griffithparktrailruns.com

Thi s N ovemb er d ir t-tr ai l r a ce brings you through gorgeous Griffith Park. There’s also a 10k option.

New Year’s Race

Running Stores A Runner’s Circle 3216 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles 323-661-8971 www.arunnerscircle.com In addition to selling a wide selection of shoes and other gear for runners, A Runner’s Circle also organizes several fun runs, running clinics, and other events on the Eastside.

FrontRunners 11620 San Vincente Blvd, Los Angeles 310-820-7585 www.frontrunnersla.com Close to Riot, this running store offers shoes and other gear. A great place to buy minimal running shoes and sports bras.

ARCH AND Sole 745 N LaBrea Ave, 323-857-1775 Full-service running store. Organizes Wednesday evening fun runs.

www.newyearsrace.com

Taking place shortly after New Year’s Day, this evening half-marathon and 5k snakes through Downtown L.A... at night. Photo : Michael Dorausch

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HIKing One of the best things about Los Angeles is that it has big city amenities and amazing hikes all in the same vicinity. Since many of the areas below have multiple hikes in one location, check out the hike’s website to plan your route. Just be warned – many of these sites have a lot of good information nestled in bad web design.

Echo Mountain w w w.hikespeak .com/trails/sammerrill-trail-echo-mountain

Malibu Creek State Park www.malibucreekstatepark.org

This five-mile, round-trip hike in Pasadena offers more than just beautiful views when you get to the top – you also get to explore the ruins of an old railroad and resort.

In addition to hiking, Malibu Creek State Park is one of the few parks in the area that has a swimming hole. Plus M*A*S*H* was filmed here. And parts of Planet of the Apes.

Griffith Park

Runyon Canyon

www.simpsoncity.com/hiking/griffith You can (and should) hike to the Hollywood sign, but we’d argue that the better “Welcome to Los Angeles” hike is in Griffith Park, up to the observatory. Not only do you get a great hike and beautiful views of the city, but you get to visit the awesome (and free!) observatory as well.

www.runyoncanyon-losangeles.com This Hollywood-area hike is great for when you want a short outdoor workout, plus it’s perfectly legal to hike with your dog off-leash. Watch out on weekends, though – this place can get crowded, but even then, it’s great for people-watching.

Topanga State Park w w w.venturacount ytrails.org/ TrailMaps/Topanga/AreaTrails.htm Relatively close to Riot, this gorgeous park offers several hiking trails, waterfalls, and wonderful views.

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Photo : Eli Duke

Biking L.A. Don’t let nay-sayers deter you with their whining about how everyone drives here – Los Angeles is a great city for bike riding. If you’re interested in riding your bike for transportation, there’s information about the nitty-gritty of navigating L.A.’s streets in the Transportation section. But if you’re interested in biking for fun, check out the paths below, or head to www.labikepaths.com for more information.

L.A. River Bike Path The M*A*S*H* Set The L.A. River Bike Path consists of two sections – one that runs in the Atwater Village/Los Feliz area, and one that runs from Long Beach to Downtown. There’s a plan in the works to connect the sections before the end of the decade.

Marvin Braude Bike Trail Also known as The Strand, this 22-mile bike path runs along the ocean from Pacific Palisades in the north to Torrance in the south. It’s gorgeous.

Mountain Biking There are several parks in and near Los Angeles that offer some pretty excellent mountain bike trails.

CicLAvia www.ciclavia.org This group arranges city exploration events in Los Angeles, temporarily banning cars from roads so that cyclists, skaters, and others can take over. Check out their site to see when the next one is. Photo : Channone Arif

Malibu Creek State Park, www.malibucreekstatepark.org

If you like your mountain biking to come with a little TV history, you can bike to the location of the M*A*S*H* set, where there are still several set elements and signs from the show.

Tuna Canyon Park www.lamountains.com/ parks.asp?parkid=61 Nestled between Topanga and Malibu, this less-visited park offers some spectacular ocean views.

Over the Bars Mountain Bike Club www.otbmbc.com This loose collective of mountain bikers arranges rides in greater Los Angeles. Their website is a great place to start if you’re looking for a bit of socialization with your mountain bike rides. For more mountain biking trails, check out w w w.hikespeak .com/ los-angeles/mountain-bike-trails

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Surfing If moving to California has you ready to reenact Point Break (hopefully the surfing parts and not the robbery parts), here’s where to go and what to do (and if you must to do the robbery part, you can find masks at Ozzie Dots, 4635 Hollywood Blvd).

Learning to Surf

Surf Shops

There are several surf schools dotting the shoreline in Southern California. Go Surf L.A. (www. gosurfla.com), Learn to Surf L.A. (w w w.learntosurfla.com), and Golden State Surf (www. goldenstatesurfla.com) are all well-rated.

Los Angeles is dotted with combo surf-snowboard shops. Here are a few picks.

Waves tend to be smaller in Santa Monica and Venice, making both of those beaches great spots for beginners.

Other Surfing Beaches We have more information on all of L.A.’s beaches in the Beaches section on page 34. In general, you can count on the beaches in Malibu to have bigger waves than Venice (hell, one of those Malibu beaches is named Surfrider Beach). Manhattan and Hermosa beaches are both good ones to hit in winter; just make sure you have your wetsuit ready.

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Surf Concepts 2001 N Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach, 310-545-7397 Independently owned surf store with friendly staff.

Rider Shack Surf & Skate Shop 13211 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, 310-821-7873 Features a good selection of used boards.

ZJ Boarding House 2619 Main St, Santa Monica, 310-392-5646 If you’re just looking for a rental, check out this shop near the beach.

Photo : Parand Eshraghi

yoga Sometimes L.A. lives up to its stereotypes – like how there are yoga studios everywhere, for every type of yoga. Yoga for athletes? Yup. Bikram yoga? Totally. Meditative yoga? Heck, Los Angeles is home to the Self-Realization Fellowship, which has been promoting meditation and yoga as a spiritual tool since 1920.

One of the best places to do yoga is actually right at Riot – we have classes in the office twice a week. There are also yoga classes at Trifit, the gym right next to our office, and Riot offers a subsidized membership. If you’re not tied to a particular style – or you want to try a few different studios – we strongly suggest keeping an eye on Groupon and LivingSocial. Since L.A. is so saturated with yoga studios, it’s easy to find heavily discounted classes. That said, below are a few special studios and opportunities to look for.

Outdoor Yoga There are opportunities to do outdoor yoga in several of L.A.’s parks. Free classes are offered in Runyon Canyon several times a day, seven days a week; check out www. runyoncanyon-losangeles.com for the schedule. In Griffith Park, meanwhile, there’s Hiking Yoga, which...well, you can figure it out from the name. More information is available at www.hikingyoga.com.

Yoga Studios Near Riot If you want to roll out your mat before or after work, here are some other yoga studios that are close to Riot’s office.

Power Yoga East

522 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica www.poweryogaeast.com All classes at this studio are donation-based, with a recommended donation of $15.

Beach Yoga With Brad

On the beach near the end of Marine St, Santa Monica w w w.bradkeimach.com/yoga .html#BeachYogaWithBrad These on-beach classes are offered Tuesday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Yogis Anonymous

1221 2nd St, Santa Monica www.yogisanonymous.com This studio is notable for offering streaming classes online as well as in-studio, so you can practice with your favorite instructors at home.

Bhakti Yoga Shala

Photo : Ron Sombilon

207 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica w w w.bhaktiyogashala.com Offering meditation classes in addition to yoga.

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Skiing & Snowboarding One of the most awesome things about Los Angeles is that, in one day, you can go from standing on a temperate beach to rushing down a snow-covered mountain.

Where to Go There are two primary resort areas that Angelenos will hit in wintertime – Big Bear, which is a couple of hours east, and Mammoth, which is about five hours north. Both offer great opportunities for skiing, snowboarding, and other wintertime a ctivities. You can check out the Excursions section for more about each of these destinations. There are also a few other mountains that are close to Los Angeles. Mount Baldy (w w w. mtbaldyskilifts.com) in San Bernadino County is only about an hour and 20 minutes outside of the city – Mount Waterman (www.mtwaterman.org) is also about the same distance away, making both good options if you’re looking for somewhere to get a season pass. Also notable is Mountain High (www.mthigh.com), about two hours away – they have a huge tubing park in addition to a mountain for skiing and snowboarding.

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Ski and Snowboard Shops Several of L.A.’s surf shops double as snowboard shops come wintertime. And the city has its share of the big chains – a Sport Chalet in West L.A.; an REI in Santa Monica. Here are a couple of recommendations for independently owned shops.

Summit Ski and Cycle 8419 Lincoln Blvd, Westchester, CA, 310-568-8357 In addition to selling bikes and skis, Summit also has excellent repair services.

Elevation Sports 2929 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, 310-828-3492 Offers a wide variety of gear.

Photo : home Clewis

Miscellaneous Sports We’ve barely scratched the surface of the athletic activities you can enjoy in Los Angeles. Here’s an overview of some of the other awesome things you can do.

Rock Climbing

Bowling

There are gyms in West Los Angeles (Rockcreation, 11866 La Grange Ave, Los Angeles) and peppered outside the L.A. city limits (the Hanger 18 mini-chain has five locations, visit www.climbhangar18.com). And Southern CA is an amazing location for climbing actual, well, rocks – there are great climbs to be had in Joshua Tree, Yosemite, and several other locations around the state.

There are dozens of bowling alleys in L.A., but two of our favorites are AMF (234 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, www.amf.com) and Shatto 39 Lanes (3255 W 4th St, Los Angeles, www.shatto39lanes.com). Both are relatively cheap. AMF is on Riot’s home turf in Santa Monica and features an attached diner, while the not-quite-updated Shatto 39 Lanes on the Eastside is a shot of nostalgia that also features billiards, an arcade, food, and a bar.

Rollerskating Moonlight Rollerway (5110 San Fernando Rd, Glendale, www.moonlightrollerway.com) is the primary game in town for rinks, but Friday Night Skate (www.fridaynightskate.org) organizes skate parties in different locations.

Tennis The city of Los Angeles offers several public tennis courts – some you have to pay to reserve, while others are first-come, firstserved. You can get more information at www.laparks.org/dos/ sports/tennis.htm.

Photo : Laura Bittner

Skateboarding The city of Los Angeles also provides several skate parks; you can check out the full list at www. laparks.org/do s/parks/sk ateparks.htm. One of the most iconic is Venice Skate Park, where you can skate in view of the beach (and ogling tourists).

Dodgeball There is a Los Angeles Dodgeball Society. It offers two leagues – one that’s mostly for fun, and one that’s for...well, if you’re really serious about reaming other people with balls. Learn more at dodgeball4ever.com.

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Stadiums Stadiums: They have sports! And concerts! And L.A. has a whole bunch of them.

Dodger Stadium

Staples Center

You need to go to at least one Dodger Game if you want to consider yourself a respectable Angeleno. You don’t have to like the team; you just have to like fun – and if you want to eat a 10-inchlong Dodger Dog, that doesn’t hurt either. Friday night games end with fireworks displays, and you’re welcome to go hang out on the field during the show.

The Staples Center is home to not one, not two, not three, but four professional sports teams – the Lakers, the Clippers, the Sparks, and (assuming that hockey season isn’t canceled any given year) the Kings. And it also hosts plenty of big-deal concerts, conventions and sporting events – not least of which was the Season 3 League of Legends World Championships.

Tickets to Dodger games can be found relatively cheap, and if you want to save money on parking, you should be able to find a spot in the neighborhood surrounding the stadium (as long as you don’t mind walking up a steep hill).

L.A. Live, a teeming mass of highend chain restaurants and promotional outdoor space surrounding the Staples Center, is kind of insufferable. You’re best skipping this area if you’re looking for a post-game drink, and instead walk to one of the much more awesome nearby spots, like the Golden Gopher (417 W 8th St).

1000 Elysian Park Ave, Los Angeles www.dodgers.com

And speaking of walking – if you happen to live along one of Los Angeles’s highly functional but rare subway lines, an event at the Staples Center is the perfect time to utilize it. As you might expect, the confluence of big event space and being Downtown makes parking waaay expensive. 1111 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles www.staplescenter.com

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STAPLES CENTER

Photo : woolennium

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stadiums continued

Angel Stadium of Anaheim A consistently competitive club, coupled with an aggressive marketing campaign, has made the Angels a worthy regional rival to the storied Dodgers. And, honestly, their stadium is better too – more organized, with easier access and cheaper parking. But despite pulling in some Angelenos, the Angels are still an Orange County team, and it shows in their fan base. Parking is cheap – but if you can get yourself to Union Station in Los Angeles, you can also take an Amtrak train that’ll drop you off right at the park. 2000 Gene Autry Wy, Anaheim www.losangeles.angels.mlb.com

Honda Center They’re not coached by Emilio Estevez, but you can go catch the real NHL Mighty Ducks at the Honda Center down in Anaheim. It’s also home to UFC fights, WWE wrestling, and occasional big-name concerts. You can drive, but traffic can get pretty gnarly – Angels Stadium is right across the freeway, so if there’s an event happening at both stadiums, but prepared to sit in your car. Or, if you can get to Union Station, you can always take Amtrak. 2695 East Katella Ave, Anaheim www.hondacenter.com

Home Depot Center The Home Depot Center is a jack of all trades: Home of the L.A. Galaxy and Chivas USA soccer teams, and the official training site of the US Track & Field team as well as USA cycling, the US Soccer Federation, and the US Tennis Association. Not to mention that it’s also a rockin’ concert venue. 18400 Avalon Blvd, Carson www.homedepotcenter.com

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Photo : jbtuohy

The Rose Bowl Everything about the Rose Bowl is big – its size, its reputation, its football games, its flea market, its mammoth concert stages. In fact, with seating for 90,000+ screaming fans, it’s the largest stadium in Southern CA.

Flea Market

Insider Tips

On the second Sunday of each month, the flea market takes over the entire Rose Bowl complex. Inside you’ll find an array of new merchandise, antique furniture, vintage clothing, and all sorts of delightful oddities. There is a small entry fee, but it’s worth it.

Driving to and parking at the Rose Bowl can be a little bit of an ordeal. You’re best avoiding the 110, and instead take the 210 or 134. You can’t really get public transportation out to the Rose Bowl, except on the day of the Rose Bowl game, when the MTA provides bus service; and UCLA runs a shuttle from the Parsons Technology Building in Old Town when the Bruins play.

Notable Events The Rose Bowl is home to the Big 10 and PAC 12 champs each year in the aptly named Rose Bowl game, and it’s the home location of the UCLA Bruins football team. The stadium also hosts a Fourth of July celebration every year.

1001 Rose Bowl Dr, Pasadena www.rosebowlstadium.com 626-577-3100

Check the Rose Bowl’s website at www.rosebowlstadium.com for other events, which in the past have included everything from a Watermelon Festival to charity walks to concerts and more.

Photo : Jeff Turner

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EXCURSIONS

Overview Los Angeles doesn’t just have a lot to offer within its city limits – there’s also so much to do within just a few hours’ drive. Whether you want to make some Burning Man-style art in the desert, drink your favorite Californian wines directly from the wineries, enjoy amazing music at the best venues, attend the biggest comic con in the country, snowboard on a powdercovered mountain, or just spend some time exploring a different city, Southern California has plenty of wonderful and weird trips to offer.

Road Trip Playlist Empire of the Sun Walking on a Dream

Duffy Mercy

Beatles Ticket to Ride

Coconut Records West Coast

The Proclaimers I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)

Johnny Cash I’ve Been Everywhere

Tommy and the High Pilots Only Human

Beach Boys California Girls

Iggy Pop The Passenger

T. Rex Jeepster

Lanie Lane Oh Well That’s What You Get Falling in Love

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Eagles Peaceful Easy Feeling

Arcade Fire Sprawl II

Ryan Adams Pearls on a String

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros Home

Jackson Browne Running on Empty

Chicago Saturday in The Park

Grimes Genesis

Willie Nelson On the Road Again

Modest Mouse Float On

Neon Indian Polish Girl

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Summertime

Bright Eyes Another Travelin’ Song

Photo : Sarah Ackerman

the studios While some people might bitch about “The Industry” (the shorthand term for the entertainment industry) in L.A., it can honestly be pretty easy to forget that you live in the city that’s home to all the glitz, glamour, and garishness of TV and movies. And sometimes, it can be fun to have a reminder. When you want that, check out these studios.

Warner Bros. Studio

CBS Television City

4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, www.vipstudiotour.warnerbros.com

7800 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, www.cbs.com

The Warner Bros. Studios tour is the cr me de la cr me of studio tours; when the average person pictures a California studio with row upon row of square buildings lined with crisscrossing little roads and palm trees, this is it. Or you can always pass on the tour and get on the lot by nabbing tickets for a Conan taping.

Not to be confused with CBS Studio Center, Television City films such gems as The Price Is Right and The Late Late Show. If you want to see a taping and you don’t care which show it is, you can walk up to the studio’s ticket office (near the corner of Beverly & Fairfax) and pick up tickets. If you’re after tickets for a specific show, you’ll need to call 323575-2458 in advance.

Paramount Pictures Studio 5555 Melrose Ave, www.paramount.com

Hollywood,

The magnificent Paramount Studios is a reminder of everything that the Hollywood studio used to be: magical, beautiful, and powerful. From the main gate immortalized in Sunset Boulevard to the iconic Paramount water tower, the studio is as classic as old Hollywood itself. Or, hey, you can just watch a taping of Dr. Phil.

Photo : Loren Javier

NBC Studios 3000 W Alameda Ave (at Bob Hope Dr), Burbank, www.nbc.com NBC is the only television studio in L.A. to offer tours...but it’s basically just a visit to The Tonight Show set. Just go to see a taping of The Tonight Show instead. Get tickets by visiting w w w.nbc.com/the –tonight –show/ tickets

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AMusement parks From The Happiest Place on Earth to the extreme rollercoasters and teenage angst of Magic Mountain, Southern California has an excellent selection of amusement parks.

Disneyland

Magic Mountain

Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, you’ll see at least one child on a leash and one adult picking his nose (seriously, we’ve seen it multiple times at Disney). But there’s something that’s still, well, magical about the Disney parks.

The more viable option for those who prefer thrill rides to the G-rated fairy fare over in Anaheim. Magic Mountain might hold the record for the highest concentration of obnoxious preteens in any given place. The motley equation of hormones, sunburn, and skewed centers of gravity combine to effect a navigational free-for-all. Be prepared to swim upstream.

In California, there are two Disney attractions side-by-side – Disneyland classic, aka The Magic Kingdom, and California Adventure, aka the new park where you can consume alcohol. You can easily cross by foot between the two California parks multiple times throughout the day (well, if you’ve purchased a Park Hopper pass). If you plan to visit Disney more than a few times in a year, a season pass is worth it, plus you get free parking and discounted food and drink. Several of the rides in both parks offer free Fast Pass tickets. You insert your park ticket, and the Fast Pass machine spits out a card with a designated time to return, which lets you into the ride in question with a shorter line. In general, the best time of year to go is Not Summer, when the park is at its kids-on-vacation peak. 1313 S Harbor Blvd Anaheim, CA 92803-3232 714-781-7290 www.disneyland.com

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Reduced rates are available for advance purchase through the website and via promotions throughout the season. You can also look for discounted deals at Ralphs supermarkets, as well as on specially marked cans of Coke. For those who live within 300 miles of the park, Season Passes are undoubtedly the best deal. To avoid the extremely long lines and young crowds, visit on a weekday during the school year. You can also buy a Flash Pass for an additional fee, which will let you bypass some ride lines. Passes are available at three different levels – Regular, Gold, and Platinum – and there are only a limited number of passes given out each day, so it’s a good idea to purchase ahead of time. 26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy Valencia, CA 91355 661-255-4100 www.sixflags.com/magicmountain

Universal Studios Knott’s Berry Hollywood Farm Universal isn’t the biggest or best amusement park in Southern California, but it rivals Disneyland with its interactive attractions for both kids and adults. The park is much more manageable than the Happiest Place on Earth, too, and the movie-themed rides are always improving. But perhaps the best thing Universal has that no other park can match is that there’s a Simpsons ride. So, yeah, go to the park. But you probably want to avoid the area just outside the theme park gates, CityWalk. Garish storefronts beckon you into knick-knack shops and the restaurant roster reads like a condensed sampling of L.A.’s most popular eateries, but not as good.

To be the “most visited” park in Southern CA, you have to be doing a few things right. Knott’s Berry Farm is a mix of kiddie attractions (corralled in Camp Snoopy), thrill rides, water rides, and shows. Oh yeah, and Knott’s still makes jam too. Well, the company does. They don’t do it at the amusement park. If you want to get on rides faster, you can buy a Fast Pass for an additional fee. It lets you bypass regular ride lines, but they only sell a few per day, so you’re best off buying in advance. 8039 Beach Blvd Buena Park, CA 90620 714-220-5200 www.knotts.com

Check the website for packages and deals like the Southern California CityPass which allows you to visit multiple parks in SoCal at a flat rate. Promotions are abundant during high season and vary wildly, so be sure to check everything from the supermarket to your empty Coke can for special coupons. Universal Studios is also the only Southern Californian theme park accessible by subway. Take the Metro Red Line to Universal City. 100 Universal City Pl Universal City, CA 91608 1-800-UNIVERSAL www.universalstudioshollywood.com

Photo : Razvan Marescu

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Catalina Island If you’re not familiar with Southern California, you might recognize Catalina as the island that Lindsey accidentally herded the Bluth Company employees to in Arrested Development. There is, however, a lot more to do there than just get lost in the woods – Catalina is a gorgeous island that’s great for camping, snorkeling, and kayaking.

How to Get There The Catalina Express (www. catalinaexpress.com) ferry service currently monopolizes the seaways in the 22-mile stretch between mainland California and Catalina Island. Take sunscreen, a beach towel, and Dramamine – the ride is often a rough one. Tickets can be pricey, but the ferry is totally free on your birthday. You can also opt for a quicker route via the Island Express Helicopter Service (www.islandexpress.com).

What to Do Whether by air or by sea, once you land, you can take advantage of all the leisure activities the island has to offer, including snorkeling, zip lining, hiking, parasailing, and much more – all with that kitschy resort town feel. For information on all of it, check out www.catalina.com.

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Where to Eat and Drink

The Sandtrap (501 Avalon Canyon Rd, Avalon, www.catalinassandtrap. com) has good Mexican food and a cheap and tasty happy hour. Jack’s Country Kitchen (118 Catalina Ave, Avalon) is a great place for delicious, unusual breakfasts – like coconut syrup on French toast. And Steve’s Steakhouse (417 Crescent Ave, Avalon, www. stevessteakhouse.com) is a great place to have a nice dinner while overlooking the harbor.

Where to Stay There’s camping available on both sides of the island: Avalon (www. visitcatalinaisla n d.com/avalon/ Camping.php) has restaurants within walking distance or a trolley shuttle ride away, while sites at Two Harbors (www.visitcatalinaisland.com/twoHarbors/camp – twoHarbors.php) come with fewer tourists, but also less running water. If you prefer something with a bit more... bed, The Avalon (124 Whittley Ave, Avalon, www. theavalonhotel.com) is excellent.

Photo : Charaka

Topanga Gorgeous views, amazing hikes, and bizarrely rich hippies await you in “the place above,” “the place where the mountains meet the sea,” or “the place of green water” (depending on which translation you accept). Located entirely within Los Angeles’s city limits (although you wouldn’t know it by visiting), Topanga State Park’s 11,000 acres make it the largest wilderness located within the boundaries of a major city in the entire world. If you want to visit a hilarious (although maybe not super-useful) site for the community, check out www.topangaonline.com. You’ll be treated to late 90s web design and information about UFOs over Topanga.

Activities Topanga is ideal for uninterrupted walking, running, cycling, and horseback riding (although horse rentals are not available at the park). Mountain bikers are supposedly restricted to the fire roads, but they often fly down the pedestrian-only paths anyway. Dogs are not allowed on back-country trails, partly due to the free-roamin’ mountain lions. There are many marked trails for hikers, most of which can be accessed from Trippet Ranch (off Entrada Road), a former “gentleman’s ranch” used as a weekend escape from the city back in the day. In addition to the Park Office, Trippet Ranch provides parking facilities, picnic areas, and a great little Visitor’s Center that offers guided walking tours on Sunday mornings.

Photo : Kenneth Moore

There are so many great hikes in Topanga; a few that we recommend include the Eagle Springs loop, the Santa Ynez Trail, and if you’re looking for something short, the Los Liones Trail. Camping facilities are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Your best bet is to follow the Musch Trail to the Musch Trail Campground, but we recommend contacting the park directly for more information before heading out. 20825 Entrada Rd Topanga, CA 90290 310-455-2465 www.parks.ca.gov/?page–id=629 The park is open daily from 8 am until dusk. Entry into the park is free, but parking costs $4 per vehicle. Depending on where you hit the trails, street parking is close and free.

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San Diego Los Angeles’s sister city to the south is aggressively pleasant and well worth a visit.

What to Do The San Diego Zoo (2920 Zoo Dr, www.sandiegozoo.org) is considered one of the best in the country, and for good reason. Old Town San Diego (www.oldtownsandiego.org), meanwhile, can be a little touristy – but it’s still worth checking out the old buildings and great Mexican food. And there are so many great neighborhoods to walk around, including the Gaslamp Quarter, Kensington, and University Park. As for the, y’know, whole Pacific Ocean thing... Ocean Beach is great, but avoid Pacific Beach as it’s a bit overrated. And just up the coast a little bit in La Jolla are amazing sea caves (www.lajollaseacavekayaks.com) – you can visit them by kayak.

Where to Eat and Drink

sunset over the ocean while having a drink at the Hotel Del Coranado (1500 Orange Ave, Coranado, www.delhotel.com). Finish the evening with the double chocolate gelato at Chocolat Cremerie (509 5th Ave, www.chocolatesandiego.com). For something more casual, there’s burgers and shakes at Hodad’s (945 Broadway, www.hodadies.com). Kensington Club (4079 Adams Ave) is a great dive bar, while Blind Lady Ale House (3416 Adams Ave, www.blindladyalehouse.com) is a great place for beer and pizza. And of course, San Diego has amazing Mexican food – get the Cali burrito or fish tacos at El Zarape (4642 Park Blvd).

Where to Stay The Pearl (1410 Rosencrans St, www.thepearlsd.com) has awesome mid-century modern design, and once a week they show movies that you can watch from the pool.

Prado (1549 El Prado, www.pradobalboa.com) is gorgeous and perfect for a nice date if you’re doing the romantic weekend thing – and, while you’re at it, watch the

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Photo : Cindy Devin

Santa Barbara An hour-and-change drive up the coast, Santa Barbara is a bed-and-breakfast dotted beach town with wine tasting rooms, a lovely shoreline, and general quaintness. It’s a place that attracts a lot of families and couples on romantic weekends. And, like Los Angeles, it’s also a place where you can spend a lot of money or just a little money, depending on what you’re looking to do.

What to Do You don’t have to drive all around to do wine tastings – the Urban Wine Trail (www.urbanwinetrailsb.com) is a series of tasting rooms in Santa Barbara proper. The Santa Barbara Bowl (1122 N Milpas, www.sbbowl.com) hosts great outdoor concerts. And there are tons of neat shops, but we definitely recommend Left Coast Books (5877 Hollister Ave, www.leftcoastbooks.us), which has a great selection of art books. If you don’t mind straying from the beach, drive north past Santa Barbara further into the Santa Ynez Valley – that’s the area where Sideways was filmed, and it’s filled with plenty of gems. Solvang is a tiny Dutch town; get the plate-sized, thin Dutch pancakes at Paula’s Pancake House (1531 Mission Dr., Solvang, www. paulaspancakehouse.com). Zaca Mesa (6905 Foxen Canyon Rd, Los Olivos, www.zacamesa.com) was one of the first wineries in the area, and they have a great tasting room – plus a walking path

Photo : Michael Theis

through the vineyard. And to discover how terrifying ostriches are when you see them face-toface, visit Ostrichland USA (610 E Hwy 246, Solvang, www.ostrichlandusa.com).

Where to Eat Julienne (138 E Canon Perdido St, www.restaurantjulienne.com) is an excellent farm-to-table spot. For inexpensive eats, check out happy hour at Enterprise Fish Company (225 State St, www.enterprisefishco.com) or pastries and sandwiches at Renaud’s Patisserie and Bistro (3315 State St, www.renaudsbakery.com).

Where to Stay For affordable accommodations, head to the Agave Inn (322 State St, agaveinnsb.com) or Cabrillo Inn (931 E Cabrillo Blvd, cabrillo-inn. com). As with the other areas we’ve recommended in this guide, Airbnb and Vrbo are good places to check as well.

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Joshua Tree & Palm Springs About a two hour drive outside of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree and Palm Springs are the “I gotta get out of the city” locations of choice for many Angelenos. Joshua Tree is known for hikes, chilling out, and free spirits. Palm Springs, meanwhile, is a bit more upscale – there’s plenty of chilling here too, but it’s more likely to be by a pool or at a spa.

Joshua Tree What to Do

The 1,200+ square mile Joshua Tree National Park (www.nps. gov/jotr/index.htm) offers gorgeous hikes, rock climbing, mountain biking, and camping. Whether you’re the sort of person who digs a quick one-mile hike before hopping back in your air-conditioned car or something much more challenging, there are several options. If you like unusual daytrips, check out the nearby Salton Sea (www. parks.ca.gov/?page–id=639), a lake that was created during a flood in the early 1900s. Tourism here is about looking around, not laying on the beach – these days, there is no fresh water coming in, and the super-salty lake is slowly drying up and leaving thousands of dead fish on its shores. It’s a bizarre sight – a sort of living relic, and it’s a favorite of people who like visiting oddities. In nearby Landers, meanwhile, there’s the Integratron (www.integratron. com), a sound-based “rejuvenation machine.”

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Where to Eat and Drink Close to the park entrance, the Crossroads CaF (61715 29 Palms Hwy, w w w.crossroadscafejtree. com) serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Natural Sisters CaF (61695 29 Palms Hwy, 760-366-3600) is a great spot for healthy and vegan eats, and they serve up freshly made kombucha. It’s also worth taking a visit to nearby Pioneertown (take Route 29 west from Joshua Tree, then take a right on Pioneertown Rd). This old west town is fun to explore, and they have a great music venue, bar, and BBQ spot, Pappy & Harriet’s (53688 Pioneertown Rd, www.pappyandharriets.com).

Where to Stay Laid-back Joshua Tree features several affordable hotels, including the Joshua Tree Inn (29 Palms Hwy, www.joshuatreeinn. com). It’s where singer/songwriter Graham Parsons spent his last hours, and they always have chai tea available. If you’re going with a group, though, the best thing to do is rent an apartment house via Airbnb (www.airbnb.com) or Vrbo (www.vrbo.com). Finally, the Hicksville Trailer Palace (hicksville.com) is probably the weirdest place you can stay – it’s a collection of themed trailers.

Palm Springs

Where to Eat and Drink

What to Do Palm Springs is a great town to explore – there are lots of shops, spas, restaurants, and nightlife. It’s also a hub for architecture – check out the Palm Springs

Modern

Architecture

Tours

(w w w.palmspringsmoderntours. com), which take you to several of the area’s mid-century buildings. The Palm Springs Tramway (1 Tramway Rd, www.pstramway.com) brings you up Mt. San Jacinto, giving you gorgeous views of the area while you ride to the top – where there’s also a restaurant and several hiking trails. And the area is also close to Indio, the home of the massive Coachella music festival (www. coachella.com).

Photo : John Bergdahl

The Parker Palm Springs is a gorgeous hotel, though a bit pricey. you can grab a swank cocktail at Mini Bar and a bite at Mister Parker’s (4200 E Palm Canyon Dr, w w w.t heparkerpalmsprings.com). Las Casuelas Terraza (222 S Palm Canyon Dr, www.lascasuelas. com) has live music, outdoor seating, good Mexican food, and a tequila list that can leave you drunk for days. For breakfast, you must go to Cheeky’s (622 N Palm Canyon Dr, www.cheekysps.com) – they have a bacon tasting flight.

Where to Stay If you’re looking for desert experience that’s less rustic than Joshua Tree, Palm Springs is it. The city is peppered with hotels that range from romantic, like Korakia (257 S Patencio Springs Rd, www.korakia.com) to the party-centric Ace (701 Palm Canyon Dr, www.acehotel.com). Or, look for a place in Desert Hot Springs – it’s only 10 minutes away and has affordable options like the Miracle Springs Hotel (10625 Palm Dr, www.miraclesprings.com), which offers several natural hot mineral pools for guests.

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Mammoth/Big Bear California is a condensed version of everything that’s awesome in America. We have oceans, deserts, huge trees – and awesome mountains. Two of the most popular mountain recreation spots are Mammoth and Big Bear – both of these lake areas offer skiing in the winter and other get-away-from-it-all activities the rest of the year.

Ghost Towns If you don’t mind heading off the highway, you can find some pretty excellent ghost towns on the way to both locations. Check out www.ghosttowns.com/ states/ca/ca.html for more information.

Where to Stay The “Where to Stay” for both locations is the same – Mammoth and Big Bear are especially good places to rent off of Vrbo (vrbo.com) and Airbnb (www.airbnb.com). Overall, the rentals you can find directly from property owners are more awesome and less expensive than staying in the resort hotels.

Big Bear What to Do

When people rave about how you can go from the ocean to snowboarding in one day in SoCal, they’re usually talking about going to Big Bear (www.bigbear. com), the lush forest area surrounding Big Bear Lake. Only a couple of hours from L.A., there are two ski resorts there – Bear Mountain (www. bearmountain.com) and Snow Summit (www.snowsummit.com). Well, sort of. One pass gets you into both, but Bear Mountain tends to have more snowboarders than Snow Summit, which is more family friendly.

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Where to Eat and Drink Make sure you eat at least one meal at the Teddy Bear Restaurant (583 Pine Knot Blvd, www.teddybearrestaurant. com). Open since 1944, they have the comfort food thing down. And for something beyond your traditional Indian food, eat at Himalayan Restaurant (672 Pine Knot Ave, www.himalayanbigbear), where they serve, well, Indian and Himalayan eats. And grab a bite at The Stove (644 Old Mammoth Rd, Mammoth Lakes, www.thestoverestaurantmammoth.com) – their breakfasts are epic.

Mammoth What to Do

Up in Yosemite National Park, Mammoth requires a more significant drive – but you’re rewarded with big, gorgeous pine trees and a larger mountain for all of your skiing, snowboarding, and snowtubing needs. For information on all the outdoor activities available in Mammoth, check out www.mammothmountain.com.

Where to Eat and Drink While you’re up there, make sure you grab breakfast at The Stove (644 Old Mammoth Rd) and a drink at the Clocktower Cellar (6080 Minaret Rd, www. clocktowercellar.com) – they have a great whiskey selection. Photo : Rachel

Photo : The Pie Shops Collection