General Store is my home away from home, where we share the things we love with the world!

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.

Located less than one mile from my home in downtown, this is the best cafe in the area. It is nestled in a corridor between two buildings on a brick path with beautiful outside seating — quite the hideaway. They have the best prosciutto sandwich and the coffee is delicious.

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, founded by Bob Baker and Alton Wood in 1963, is the oldest children's theater company in Los Angeles and the longest-running puppet theater in the United States. As soon as you step through the doors you are transported into a magical realm frozen in time. Be prepared to be swept off your feet and surrender your age as soon as the artfully designed marionettes come to life. At the end of every show, the theater offers free ice cream and coffee in the birthday party room opposite the main theater where Bob Baker is available to chat and show you how to operate a marionette.

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.