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."

Crispy rice salad with the works forever.

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 Hollywood reservoir is hidden in between the Hollywood hills- it’s never busy and the 3 mile loop is always peaceful and great for self reflection meditation. 

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