Grocery-store carts and trash litter [Ballona Creek], joined by flotillas of foam-plastic cups after rainstorms. — Jane Engle, Los Angeles Times

Salton Sea is not technically LA, but is a by-product of its history and my first-choice escape from the city: one of the world's largest inland seas and lowest spots on earth, a man-made lake in the midst of the Colorado desert, a resort area in the twenties turned in one of the worst ecological disaster of the past century.

If you want to witness what architecture is about, visit SCI-Arc. This is where I went to school ,and I can tell you there is not one day that you will not be surprise what goes on inside this school. From open to the public lectures every wednesday to galleries and installation, and not to mention the student work.

One of my favorite local record stores. They stock over 15,000-20,000 LP’s and 12" singles and have a great selection. I usually stick to the left side of the shop where soul, disco, and international records are.

This is the fast track from downtown to Hollywood. I get all my exercise here, it has the perfect amount of hills and is the by far the safest bike route, as motorists are more used to the cyclists than other streets. Anything you can think of is on Sunset Blvd, so I can pick up my dry cleaning, eat lunch, visit my friends, and exercise all in one trip.