Mural at the farmer Johns factory in vernon. Pictures of pigs in tranquility painted all over the outside walls that enclose their own meat slicing and sales.

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. 

For dreaming.

If you love karaoke like I do, there's a ton of spots to check out in LA, but none quite as charming (or David Lynch-y) as Melody Lounge. Be forewarned, this spot is intermittently open. You'll know they're ready for business if they plant a sandwich board outside offering cold sandwiches and cheap beer. Hopefully, you'll get a chance to meet the owner Willie, whose (possibly embellished) life stories rival Hemingway. As for the song selection, the campy MIDI versions and painfully less than accurate lyric translations can suddenly turn your favorite tunes into high-wire acts (i.e. "Leaving On A Jet Plane" magically transforms into "Libyan on A Jet Plane"). Hell, they even have a song called "Schindler's List" on the menu! Even if you don't sing, Willie or his wife will gleefully take the stage. Special tip: for a true Chinatown boner, request Willie sing Enrique Iglesias' "Bailamos."

It's a cemetery, but the view from up here is stunning and you can see one of the most large scale epic paintings ever made by a human: The Crucifixion painting, by Polish artist Jan Styka. It's a must see.