LA Confidential

Los Angeles has a lot more to offer than Hollywood and tapings (although some things you just have to do once...) and living there for a few years gave me an appreciation for all you really can do.

Take in a show at the Hollywood Bowl
Tucked into the hills right in the heart of Hollywood, the Bowl has amazing ambiance, great acts and (arguably the most important) phenomenal people watching. The Hollywood Bowl also allows food and drink to be brought in, so wine and cocktails are typically free flowing and good picnic lunches are key. Some shows I've taken in at the Hollywood Bowl: Zero 7, Gotan Project, Flaming Lips, Thievery Corporation, LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire, Bell and Sebastian with Hollywood Orchestra, The Shins, and Video Games Live. Important note: don't actually drive to the Hollywood Bowl for a show - they employ stacked parking. Take one of the shuttles from the Los Angeles Zoo parking lot or Hollywood and Highland parking lot (round trip under $5).

Visit the Getty
The Getty is an art museum perched on the hills overlooking Los Angeles, Hollywood and (on a clear day) Santa Monica and beyond. The views are spectacular, the art collection is impressive, but it is the architecture and grounds that are breathtaking. The outside gardens are filled with succulents and cacti punctuated by water features and pathways. The main buildings' outer facades are wrapped in a specially cut travertine to expose the natural elements and fossil imprints. Something about visiting the Getty is like traveling to an immaculately clean and well-designed country. Admission is free and parking is under $10 a car - so pack them in and get going!

Bike the beach (Santa Monica to Venice is recommended)
On this excursion we are trading in the car for bikes - don't worry it will be fun. You simply starting at the rental vendor of your choice and saddle up on your beach cruiser. Take a few laps around the stand to get your bearings and then head south on the path to Venice. The trail is flat and you will shocked by how fast you can get from Santa Monica to Venice along the beach. Way faster than the freeways. In Venice: stroll down the boardwalk; see the shops and (more importantly) all the people; play on the jungle gym, or join a drum circle. After your fill of Venice you can head further south or turn it around to Santa Monica and enjoy the games and views of the Pier or shopping at 3rd Street Promenade.

Eat, eat and eat some more
I am fairly certain any cuisine that trips your trigger can be found in or around Los Angeles. From Armenian in Glendale, to Chinese in Monterrey Park, or fine dining sprinkled throughout, you can find something to fit the bill every night of the week. Some of the best eateries are found hidden in strip malls behind unassuming facades and these finds are always the most rewarding. Some of my favorite places: Cafe Beaujolais in Eagle Rock, Chi Chi's Pizza in Valencia, Firefly in South Pasadena, Knight Restaurant in Burbank, and Houston's in Pasadena.

Go hiking
One aspect not conveyed to outsiders by the LA-centric movies are the differences in geography in and around Los Angeles. You can go from beach to foothills to desert in a matter of minutes (well, it depends on traffic; and by minutes, I mean roughly 1 hour.) Hidden in the hills of Los Angeles is a vast array of hiking trails that wind their way throughout the city and surroundings and sometimes provide views of the city not possible by car...*gasp*!

Shopping: Amoeba Records
No music junkie's life is complete without a pilgrimage to Amoeba Records. As described by the music junkie in my life "greatest record store in the world." After further pressing for a better description, I did get another sentence fragment: "incredible selection of new and used music." I think we have a marketing genius on our hands.