To put it simply, I have a love/hate relationship with Los Angeles. The fast-paced mentality and lifestyle is a bit more than I can handle, although it is definitely fun to visit. I especially love bringing people who have never been to L.A. to experience the glitz and glamour of La La Land. I mean, who can resist seeing the Hollywood sign in person- even if it is through a thick wall of grey smog?! And the stars on Hollywood Boulevard? Come on. That's priceless. My most recent summertime visit to this crazy SoCal city definitely exceeded my expectations. I had some great food, artsy cultural experiences only a city could provide, and even got to deal with some major diva attitude. I must say, it’s a small price to pay for a fabulous time in this not-so-angelic city.

Walking around Venice Beach is truly one of the best ways to spend an afternoon- exactly the reason I made a shopping pit stop here on my way to the city. It is an extremely laid-back and open-minded place, with a colorfully diverse pool of storeowners and patrons alike. Abbott Kinney is the highlight of this quirky beach town; stores, cafes, and restaurants adorn this street for blocks. The merchandise and people watching are so good that you won’t even mind the outrageous prices! This area epitomizes the SoCal Hipster vibe- another thing I have a love/hate relationship with. In the context of Venice Beach, though, I must say I love it. Lemonade is one of the abundant cafes to choose from, and it is where I ended up for lunch- think Whole Foods’ prepared food section meets chic lemonade stand. A few blocks from the Boardwalk and tucked away from the crazy L.A. urban scene, Abbott Kinney in Venice Beach is the perfect place to take a minor detour en route to Los Angeles proper.

The Hammer Museum (http://hammer.ucla.edu/) is a museum and performance space on UCLA’s campus. It is in a great urban area, and has a gift shop, outdoor courtyard and café, and movie theater in addition to regular museum space. During the summer, The Hammer puts on concerts one Thursday night a month. This is a great way to spend start off the weekend; there is no cover charge and concerts usually run from 7-10, which makes for an early and easy night. The café in the courtyard of The Hammer that is normally open during the day has excellent but slightly expensive food; for an alternative dining experience I tried Le Pain Quotidian a few blocks away from UCLA’s campus. For a nighttime fix I hit up the famous dessert hotspot Diddy Reese. Ice cream sandwiches do count as dinner.

In addition to concerts and regular museum festivities, The Hammer hosts a slew of other events and happenings. I was lucky enough to attend Dance Camera West, a dance-on-film festival that features films by filmmakers and choreographers from around the world. There were various segments of the film festival with mostly short films featuring movement from various dance genres. The highlight of this festival was the headlining feature directed by Mike Figgis called "Le Co(te)lette Film" that addressed feminism and female sexuality. Figgis spoke following the film and is an extremely charming and intelligent director. His work seems amazing and it was thrilling to be in the presence of such an inspired human being. Also noteworthy: Uma Thurman and Lesley Ann Warren were in attendance of festival as well! Dance Camera West has fundraising and smaller events throughout the year, and the main festival happens every year so check it out next summer: http://www.dancecamerawest.org/index.html

A trip to Los Angeles wouldn’t be complete without getting on TV! I was extremely happy to get on Real Time with Bill Maher- okay okay, I was only in the audience, but it still counts as an awesome Hollywood experience. I only know a little of Bill Maher, having seen his film "Religulous" and watching Real Time occasionally. I knew he was known for his liberal loudmouth political and social statements, but I had no idea he was such a funny and smart guy. Watching him interact with his guests and manage interviews and panels of equally passionate individuals- all on live TV- is truly amazing. He is an artist. Bill and the other writers on the show are genius and never let a dull moment pass. Guests included Martin Lewis, John Turturro, Donna Brazile, Nick Gillespie, and John Fetterman. After seeing this show live, I will definitely make it one of my regular watches. A pretty great source for news and socio-political commentary.

As a true Southern-California girl, I feel obligated to frolic in the fields of Hollywood madness. I have a true love for the city, even if it’s laden with melodrama. And traffic. And expensive food. And cockroaches. And smelly streets. Okay- while it’s nice to have relatively close by, I am still glad it’s not home. So for now, I’ll say: there is no place like L.A.