Robert Irwin spent 4 years designing what he called "a sculpture in the form of a garden, which aims to be art". More than 500 varieties of plant material are used, and the selection is always changing, as testaments of what Irwin itself said: "art doesn't reside in the object but in the moment."

The Smell is a non-profit, all-ages music venue who's run the gamut of completely rad and completely shitty acts, but is doubtlessly an interesting and worthy place to use up a pair of earplugs. After all, it's not everyday you see a dude shred his fucking face apart playing an amplified shard of glass! The Smell is a little difficult to find, but when you hit the dark alley in which it resides -- and which every fiber of your being tells you will be host to your mugging -- just clutch your purse, keep your chin up and head straight down until you run into a grip of hipsters in a haze of smoke, donning asymmetrical haircuts, and one-too-many animal prints, and you're there! It's alcohol-free, so make sure you either drink before you arrive, or head out between acts to one of a couple local bars to sauce up!

Buche and cabeza the best.

The Magic Castle is a nightclub for magicians and magic enthusiasts, as well as the clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts. It bills itself as "the most unusual private club in the world." A typical evening features several close up magic and stage illusions. Formal dress is strictly enforced and you must either be a member or be invited by a magician. The lobby of the Castle has no visible doors to the interior, and visitors must say a secret phrase to a sculpture of an owl to gain access, exposing the entrance to the club. What I enjoy most is walking through the corridors and staring at the posters and photographs of the history of magic.

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.