Quintessential L.A.

Quintessential L.A.

If you want to get a sense of local life, start by familiarizing yourself with these key influences. These are a few of the aspects that define L.A. -- and they're elements to take pleasure in, even if you're here for just a day.

Car Culture

"Car culture" is not an oxymoron. Angelenos spend an enormous amount of time driving, and this influences far more than the city's legendary web of freeways and sprawling layout. Morning radio shows better be good, as they have to distract impatient drivers from rush-hour traffic jams. Joan Didion famously wrote about the hypnotic pull of the freeways. Commercial architecture started playing to drivers as early as the 1920s. First, business owners tried buildings that could be easily "read" and identified by people in passing cars -- one great example of this is the hot-dog-shaped Tail O' the Pup hot dog stand. Later, big plate-glass windows became popular so that drivers would get a tempting look at the illuminated store or restaurant interiors. There are the drive-through fast food spots, too, with their deep roots in convenience and pop culture. You'll see plenty of vintage cars on the road, from tenderly restored 1950s Chevys driven by car-clubbers to ironic, grungy, '70s Pontiacs. And let's face it: cars are one of the ways locals categorize and label each other, just as with clothes or music.

How about you? A convertible may cost more to rent, but what better place to drive one. If you've got green concerns, you can rent an ecofriendly hybrid vehicle, the wheels of choice for Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio. Or maybe you'd like to splurge on a trendy sportscar, a knockout classic, or something exotic like a Maserati…. Whatever your pleasure, there are plenty of rental companies that can set you up.

The (Entertainment) Industry

The Industry with a capital "I." It's the topic of most conversations you'll overhear; it leaves fingerprints all over local economics and politics; and it keeps local bloggers and gossips in a frenzy. Box office receipts grab headlines in the local newspapers and there's a constant stream of much-hyped opening weekends. Film awards season lasts longer than all the winter holidays put together. Sure, it's possible to have a conversation about the latest Salman Rushdie novel or an upcoming baseball trade. But sooner or later, it all comes back to the multiplex.

A massive chunk of the world's entertainment is developed, written, filmed, edited, distributed, and sold here. So why does it seem so difficult to find the heart of the Industry? Because most of it goes on behind closed doors. If you want a closer look, become a Method tourist! For instance, all movies start with an idea and ideas start with writers. Writers drink coffee. So spend some time at one of the city's many Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf cafés and there you'll see most of the WGA (Writers Guild of America) at work. You could do a fly-by at one of the major agencies, like CAA (Creative Artists Agency) in Century City -- and the nearby restaurants and take-out spots where assistants and agents scurry at lunch. But if you want to see some action, you'll likely have to pay for it, by hitting Warner Bros. Studios in the Valley or signing up as a TV audience member with Audiences Unlimited.

The Beaches

There's something of a disconnect when it comes to L.A.'s beaches. Although hitting the beach is an integral part of life here, the coastline and the exclusive communities that front it somehow seem a bit removed from the rest of the city. Access to some beaches can be confusing (we're talking about you, Malibu), parking can be limited, and public services differ significantly. Unlike places like Miami, where the beach is basically an extension of the city, part of its "living room," the L.A. coast can feel like an entity unto itself. Each beach also has a distinct character, shaped by the surf quality (calm versus serious waves), the landscape, the facilities, and the beachgoers themselves. Do a little investigation before you commit to a certain beach: does it have what you're looking for? Also, keep in mind that the water quality can vary greatly depending on weather and other conditions -- for instance, storms can make things pretty mucky.