Leo's is an institution. I thought there was only one truck on Venice and La Brea but turns out they have eight across LA. Watching them slice pork and pineapple in one fell swoop is both drool-inducing and an art form. Open til 3am most nights I think.

One of the great surprises of Los Angeles is that there are several local places to escape and find a bit of nature. I really dig the hiking trails in Elysian Park, where you can enjoy tremendous views of the bustling city below, including Dodger Stadium, while only hearing the sound of your own footsteps and the rustling of bushes as lizards and small mammals go about their daily routines. Below the trails, there's also a traditional green-grass park setting, where you'll find everything from children's birthday party's with pony's, mariachi bands, over-exuberant uncles, and shit-tons of unleashed dogs, to man-whore's cruising for sex, cracked-out hobos, and gangsters of every flag. Griffith Park is obviously world-renowned for its observatory, but it's also home to the abandoned site of the old L.A. Zoo! It's not necessarily undiscovered country, as there are picnic tables and typically a healthy dose of fresh graffiti scrawled over the man-made enclosures, but it is a mildly creepy spot, with a bit of signage explaining its roots. Pack a lunch and climb through the old animal exhibits -- just watch out for puddles of human feces, and the more than occasional Urban Outfitters catalog photo shoot.

This is the place you want to go to have a awesome brunch. Be prepared for a waiting line outside on the weekends. The place is packed then. My personal favorites is the Polenta with Maple syrup, bacon, spinach and chicken apple sausage. If you had a rough night before I would suggest the "Hangover Helper", with the bottomless fresh mint-lemonade. Always does the trick.

LA wouldn't be LA without its Freeways. The Golden State Freeway is one of the most familiar places I have. It's my studio, living room, and kitchen all togheter. I can eat a sandwich, make phone calls and check my emails on the go, and even read the newspaper when it's jammed, basically all the time.

Home State is known for their Texas-style breakfast Tacos. Next door to it there's a wine bar called Bar Covell, which lets you bring your tacos from next door and eat them while you have a glass of wine. Don't order more than two breakfast tacos if you don't want leave there with your pants unbuttoned.