San Onofre State Beach

This great beach just south of Orange County is worth the drive from L.A. With cliffs to your back and the Pacific to your front, this is a great place to spend the day. A sunset barbecue on the beach is a must. Don't mind those power plants nearby...

Little Paris Antiques

Little Paris is rather large for an antique shop. It's located on La Brea near many other furniture stores so it makes for an essential stop on an afternoon if you want to hit several stores. They always have fantastic pieces. They're pricey, but valuable.

Montana de Oro State Park

Montana de Oro State Park is beautifully located with rocky beaches to your West and deep green mountains to your East. These campsites are perfect for "car-camping". Fire ring, a short walk to the vault toilets, paved parking and a picnic table make this perfect for the first-time camper or those camping with small children.

PROS: Beautiful Location
CONS: Can be loud at night compared to more remote campgrounds

Wollman Ice Skating Rink

Yes, it's crowded. Yes, it's expensive. If you're a local, maybe this rink isn't worth your time, but to a visitor this is a great New York experience outside the standard list of tourist activities. Our group had a blast on a recent trip. Do it!

LA Fitness

This gym is generally too small to be a convenient place to work out. Its facilities are pretty mediocre and parking is not easy to come by. After a few visits I started driving a little further to a bigger, better location.

A-1 Launderland

During a particularly hectic few months recently, I splurged and relied on A1 Launderland to do my laundry exclusively. They'll do your laundry and charge you by the pound. It comes back nice and folded. Can't remember what I paid, but it was well worth it.

Hollywood Farmers Market

This permanent "Farmers Market" is a great place to spend a weekend morning or afternoon. Good restaruants (the crepe place is my favorite) and plenty of interesting shops. Tip: it's actually a nice place to bring out-of-towners and there's a pretty good chance of spotting a celeb.

Light My Fire

Located at the very cool Farmers Market, this store is devoted to hot sauce. Imagine floor-to-ceiling covered with every brand and label imaginable of nothing but hot sauce. Be sure to stop in even if you're not a hot sauce lover. The labels are pretty funny and make good gifts.

House of Blues

The Gospel Brunch was a real hit with my family recently when we took my mom there for her birthday. Whether or not you think you like gospel, you should give this show a shot. It includes a truly delicious buffet-style brunch and the performers' energy is infectious.

UCLA Geffen Playhouse

The Geffen is the West side's major theatre producer. Here, you'll find first rate productions of mostly American plays. The Geffen's stage very often features a major film star or two in leading roles.