West Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA

Upon colonization by the Spanish, most of the area now known as West Los Angeles became part of the Rancho-San Vincente y Santa Monica. By the beginning of the 20th century, the area was primarily bean and wheat fields. Many Japanese immigrants arrived and established orchards and nurseries. In the 1920s, West L.A. was annexed by the City of Los Angeles. Cultural activities abound in Los Angeles, including more museums than any other U.S. city. Several of these are in close proximity to West L.A., including the Hammer, displaying both classic and cutting edge works of art, and the Museum of Tolerance, which challenges visitors to understand the Holocaust. Actors and directors from around the world come to the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble to put on innovative and eclectic productions. Affiliated with Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, performances at the Theatre Raymond Kabbaz focus on French language and culture.

The dynamic restaurant scene in West L.A. features cuisines from across the globe. Chef Kato utilizes the best ingredients from both international and domestic sources to create an incredible dining experience at Sushi Tsujita. The menu features classic Japanese cuisine based on Omakase, or the chef's choice of courses for a truly wonderful and exotic meal. The small yet upscale and chic space combines Japanese bamboo accents with a contemporary style, with seating at tables and at the sushi bar. The menu changes seasonally and the Omakase, available at three different levels, includes a selection of appetizers and the daily soup, sashimi, sushi, grilled fish and dessert. Standouts include Chawanmushi (egg-custard) soup, scallop with truffles, broiled salmon with mochi and bonito broth and fresh uni. Chef Kato also owns and operates Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle located just down the street from Sushi Tsujita. Since 2012, Nong La Vietnamese Cafe has been the go-to spot for Vietnamese cuisine in West L.A. Casually stylish with reclaimed wood tables and chairs, the restaurant presents food reminiscent of what you find on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. Nong La, the Vietnamese pronunciation of straw hat, serves home-style dishes using only fresh quality ingredients and no MSG in their broths, which have a distinct, light flavor. Some of the dishes patrons enjoy include pho, the popular bahn mi sandwich topped with a cage-free fried egg and eight different versions of bun, cold vermicelli noodles served with fish sauce. Most of the bars and clubs in West L.A. lie along the main boulevards such as Pico, Westwood and Santa Monica. Situated atop an acclaimed wine merchant, Upstairs 2 serves wine by the taste, glass, carafe or bottle. The Westside Tavern, a hip gastropub serves creative cocktails such as the Spiced Apple Mai Tai and Grapefruit Rickey in a plush, urbane setting. Cozy and timelessly elegant, The Wellesbourne evokes the feeling of a real British pub, decorated with wooden floor-to-ceiling bookcases, plush seating and an inviting fireplace. The game room includes a foosball table and shuffleboard, and a live jazz trio performs every Wednesday. With a classic "dive bar" vibe, the Philly West Bar & Grill makes a great place to enjoy a brew and watch a game on one of its many TV sets. This establishment also serves up authentic cheesesteaks and hoagies.

As the song says, “nobody walks in L.A,” and for the most part, that’s true. However, residents of West Los Angeles can do most of their errands on foot. Cyclists can take advantage of the numerous dedicated bike lanes and bike routes shared with other vehicles. Both Metro and Metro Rapid buses stop in West L.A., and Big Blue Bus, Santa Monica’s municipal bus system, also provides public transportation, especially along east/west routes. Nine taxi companies have been licensed by the city of Los Angeles; six of them service the West Los Angeles community. While nearly impossible to hail a cab, these companies, as well as Uber, are available 24/7 for rides in and around Los Angeles or trips to LAX. Cars are practically a requirement in Southern California. Close to both the 405 (San Diego Freeway) to the west and the 10 (Santa Monica Freeway) to the south, West L.A. residents don’t have to travel far to head to destinations in any direction. Street parking can be somewhat of a challenge, and there are often restrictions during rush hour and for street cleaning. The City of Los Angeles operates numerous parking lots and garages in West L.A., but most have a 10 hour maximum limit. For those who opt not to own a car, Hertz and Enterprise have locations in the community and the nearby UCLA campus has Zipcars available.

The City of Los Angeles operates more than 400 facilities including parks, recreation and aquatic centers, designed to enrich the lives of its residents. The Stoner Recreation Center in West L.A., has an indoor gymnasium that holds up to 800 people, as well as fields for baseball, football and soccer and courts for tennis, basketball and volleyball. Local skateboarders in the community helped create the unique design of the Stoner Skate Park. The Stoner Park Pool, has a slide and various water features to keep residents cool all summer long. Swim lessons and junior lifeguard instruction are also available. The city’s twelfth universally acceptable playground at Stoner provides endless opportunities for children of all abilities to play together. Although there is no official dog park at Stoner and pets are not allowed off leash, local residents and their dogs generally congregate at the west edge of the park between the baseball field and the tennis courts. The cost to use the Stoner Park Pool is very reasonable; just $3.50 for adults and $1.00 for children, while the fees for summer camps and classes offered at the park vary by activity and age group. The park also holds the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival, Sakura Matsuri, every March.

The cost of living in West Los Angeles comes in 36 percent higher than for Los Angeles as a whole. The base rate to ride one way via Metro bus to downtown Los Angeles comes to $1.75, while the Metro Rapid bus to downtown costs $2.50. Great apartments can be easy to come by and the median rent for a one-bedroom residence in West L.A. runs $2155 per month. Gasoline prices are approximately 25 percent higher than the national average, while craft beer prices at local watering holes cost around $7 a bottle.

Nordstrom and Macy’s anchor the Westside Pavilion, a three level, indoor mall with 150 shops and restaurants, and the Landmark, the best independent movie theatre in Los Angeles. The majority of stores in the mall are the national chains you would expect to find: Brookstone, Hollister and Forever 21. Worldtone Dance, LA’s leading source for dance shoes has expanded their line to carry beautiful theatrical footwear as well as elegant bridal shoes. Worldtone offers more than 350 styles of dance shoes for men, women and children, amateurs and professionals alike. Shoeing the stars of film, television and Broadway, Worldtone has outfitted dancers on “Dancing With the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.” Fun collectibles and gifts are the main attraction at Giant Robot. A bi-monthly magazine of Asian and Asian-American pop culture, the store opened in 2001, featuring fun housewares, stationery, t-shirts, comics and toys. Giant Robot is often cited as the birthplace of Uglydolls. Across the street, the GR2 Gallery features art exhibitions by notable Japanese artists such as Katsuya Terada and Mari Inukai. When it comes time to stock the larder, there is no shortage of major supermarket chains and specialty markets in and around West Los Angeles. From Ralph’s to Von’s to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, all are well represented in the area. Smart & Final, once known as the “smaller faster warehouse store” has a West L.A. location, combining farmer’s market quality fresh produce, discount grocer prices and large club-size products. They also carry thousands of products in convenient smaller sizes. Ethnic stores in the area include the Granada Market for Japanese specialties, and the Jordan Market for Persian foods. The neighborhood friendly West LA Farmer’s Market, holds court every Sunday year round from 9 am until 2 pm. Located on Corinth Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard., the vendors sell organic and non-organic seasonal produce, fresh baked goods and dairy items, and more. In addition to live music, trackless train rides and arts and crafts playtime will keep the kids entertained while the adults shop.