"The City of Angels" a Los Angeles Travel Page by Stasigrace

Los Angeles is one of the world's most dynamic, diverse cities. Many people know us only as the place where movies are made, but LA is so much more when you scratch beneath the celluloid surface.

According to linguistic researchers, there are at least 224 languages spoken by LA County residents. Within a generation, it is predicted that more than one-third of all languages spoken on earth will be spoken in homes here. LA has the most diverse population ever assembled in one place in human history. (source: Los Angeles Almanac)

LA is a haven of multi-culturalism; thus, the culture is truly amazing. We offer fiestas and dragon boat races, world-class symphonies (in the new Disney Concert Hall) and the possibly the world's largest Tofu Festival. Every weekend in the summer there is something to do, from the humblest neighborhood street fair to giant city-wide events like the Marathon.

Los Angeles is truly a bastion of culture. It celebrates the many heritages of its population, and everyone can find a home here, even if only for a couple of days.

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Chicken choices at Grand Central Market

Dining in Los Angeles: The World's Buffet

I've been to so-called "great food cities", such as New York, San Francisco and Paris. But in my humble opinion, no place on earth can rival Los Angeles for the sheer magnitude of offerings and value for the cost.

The thing that sets LA apart from other culinary capitals is that in them, you must pay top dollar for the best, and it will probably be a limited variety of choices.

In Los Angeles, you can get the best sample of nearly every kind of world cuisine, and often at ridiculously inexpensive prices. You will not pay more for the best quality; often, getting the best just means doing a little homework to find an out-of-the-way place.

LA offers great variety and value in Japanese, Mexican, Italian and French cuisine. There is a veritable glut of Chinese, Thai, Armenian, Ethiopian, Korean, and Greek food. Taste an Octopus taco, carnitas burrito, fajita pita, or a boba drink.

You want American food? Try any number of thick juicy burgers, the world's best hot dogs, designer comfort food (like 4-cheese mac & cheese), or a prime aged steak.

And you can't leave without trying the ubiquitous California Cuisine.

Remember, Los Angeles was the birthplace of the French Dip, Chinese Chicken Salad, Cobb Salad, and Designer Pizza.

Los Angeles is truly a dining dream, and as easy as it is on the pocketbook, you'll be thrilled to try everything on the menu!

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View of Financial District from Grand Central Mkt

Spend your Trip in Downtown Los Angeles

It's hard to fathom that Downtown Los Angeles, once regarded as the ultimate 9-5 city, is undergoing a strong revival. And yet, it's true! Maybe we haven't reached the level of hustle and bustle of the roaring 20's when my great-grandfathers had offices in the development which currently houses my loft, but it's growing by leaps and bounds, and I tell ya people, it's gonna be The Next Big Thing.

If you want to get in early before it becomes a madhouse (this is for visitors and potential residents), I suggest getting your tail here before 2005. That's when most of the projects in construction will be complete and this place will burst wide open.

In the meantime, check out www.downtownla.com for information on walking tours (self-guided and otherwise). A very popular new offering is a bi-monthly Saturday morning tour of hot loft buildings.

Many of my tips will be specific to Downtown LA. Most any guidebook (or fellow VT'ers) will tell you all you need to know about Disneyland, Universal, West LA & the beaches, etc. I'm here to provide an insider's perspective into the neglected but secretly brimming-with-life world that is Downtown Los Angeles.

A few Hollywood and Pasadena tips are creeping into my cadre lately. But as these places are easily accessible by light rail or subway from Downtown, I consider them an extension of my home area.

Won't you join me for this exciting adventure? Browse through my tips, send me an email, ask me a question. And for goodness sakes leave me a comment so I can get more notice and spread the word about my wonderful hometown!