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.
The Red Lion Tavern has been a neighborhood tavern in Los Angeles for over fifty years (which is a long time for L.A.), and continues to serve as a landmark for traditional German food, a wide selection of German beer, and cozy Old World atmosphere. Plus the waitresses all wear lederhosen, and it's blocks away from my parents' house.