I’ll say it again, I love living in a city where I can easily go to the beach for the day and be home by dark. Venice speaks for itself, I guess. I’m originally from the east coast and the sunset over the ocean still hasn’t gotten old.

If you love karaoke like I do, there's a ton of spots to check out in LA, but none quite as charming (or David Lynch-y) as Melody Lounge. Be forewarned, this spot is intermittently open. You'll know they're ready for business if they plant a sandwich board outside offering cold sandwiches and cheap beer. Hopefully, you'll get a chance to meet the owner Willie, whose (possibly embellished) life stories rival Hemingway. As for the song selection, the campy MIDI versions and painfully less than accurate lyric translations can suddenly turn your favorite tunes into high-wire acts (i.e. "Leaving On A Jet Plane" magically transforms into "Libyan on A Jet Plane"). Hell, they even have a song called "Schindler's List" on the menu! Even if you don't sing, Willie or his wife will gleefully take the stage. Special tip: for a true Chinatown boner, request Willie sing Enrique Iglesias' "Bailamos."

Endless hours of plants to discover. I've never seen so many types of plants in one place. A great place to spend the day getting inspiration.

If you really want to feel in a hollywood movie, go visit the river. Forget hollywood. To get the full experience go to this spot. You have to access through a dark, damp tunnel, and when you emerge …there it is, from Grease to Going 60 seconds, to Transformer and Drive. You are immediately transported to a high speed chase or and action movie scene. Nothing beats an Isolated piece of infrastructure.

The LA Opera at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Grand Street in downtown LA is a must during the fall and holiday season when they have a solid lineup of opera and ballet. Very inspiring.