 | Los Angeles Today A sprawling metropolis, Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States. Home to nearly 18 million people from 140 countries with a total of 86 languages spoken, LA truly is a melting pot of cultures. Its coastline along the Pacific Ocean runs for 122km from Malibu to Long Beach, and it is surrounded by two mountain ranges; Santa Monica and San Gabriel. Los Angeles is fondly known as the 'City of Angels'. Other names attributed to the city include 'La La Land' and 'Tinseltown', but whatever you choose to call it, there's no denying the palpable energy of areas |
 | Los Angeles Back Then The Tongva and Chumash Native American tribes were the first to occupy Los Angeles thousands of years ago. 1542 saw the arrival of the first Europeans led by Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. 227 years later on August 2, 1769, Gaspar de Portola and Juan Crespi a Franciscan missionary, arrived at the present site of Los Angeles. In 1771, Junipero Serra constructed the Mission San Gabriel Archangel in what is today known as San Gabriel Valley. Six years later Felipe de Neve who was the then governor of California suggested that the present site of Los Angeles b |
 | The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza The Hyatt Regency is characterized by contemporary glamour and sits on the Westside, adjacent to Bev |  | Four Seasons Hotel Dubbed as the best-kept secret in the city by GQ Magazine, the Four Seasons Hotel embodies Californi |
 | Hotel Bel Air Reminiscent of colonial Spain, the Hotel Bel Air has received a five star rating and is named one of |  | The Beverly Hills Wilshire Located near Rodeo drive, The Beverly Hills Wilshire’s spa is ranked one of the best in the city a |
 | The Ritz Carlton, Marina Del Ray The Ritz Carlton sits on the waterfront of the Marina Del Ray. Near Venice Beach, Malibu and S |  | Hotel Sofitel Hotel Sofitel is located opposite the Beverly Center and is near Rodeo Drive, Melrose Avenue and Sun |
 | Rodeo Drive Located in Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive is the epitome of luxury shopping, with movie star sightings c |  | Sunset Plaza Located in West Hollywood, Sunset Plaza offers designer boutiques such as Tracey Ross, Nicole Miller |
 | Robertson Boulevard Celebrity sightings are quite popular in this part of town. Shop for shoes at Hogan, walk into Kitso |  | Beverly Boulevard This quiet street is home to a wide range of stores. Items from European designers can be found at N |
 | Melrose Avenue Melrose Avenue offers clothing, music, food and more. Stores include Betsey Johnson, Von Dutch |  | The Grove The Grove shopping center offers everything from clothing, to food and electronics. Shops incl |
 | Los Angeles International Tamale Festival A celebration of the Tamale, which is a traditional Mexican dish made of corn dough. The festival fe |  | Los Angeles Film Festival More than 60,000 people attend this festival which showcases both American and international indepen |
 | Lotus Festival A celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander cultures, people gather to witness the blooming of lotus |  | Jazz Reggae Festival This festival features local jazz and reggae music artists and is held at the UCLA Intramural Field. |
 | African Marketplace and Cultural Fair A celebration of the African culture, this festival includes fine artwork, crafts, food, music and d |  | Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade More than a million people take to the streets each year to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King |
 | Blue Velvet A rooftop restaurant situated beside a pool, the Blue Velvet grows their own garden of herbs, fruits |  | Spago One of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s restaurants, Spago offers a delicious variety of American a |
 | Geisha House Geisha House is a popular Japanese restaurant that serves good Japanese cuisine by waitresses dresse |  | Noe This restaurant is located in the Omni Los Angeles Hotel and is run by Chef Robert Gadsby. The dinin |
 | Papa Cristo's Catering and Greek Taverna Winner of Best Comfort Food, Group Dining, and Mediterranean Food awards, Papa Cristo’s is a famil |  | Din Tai Fung Dumpling House Din Tai offers dumpling of all sorts and sizes, filled with almost anything you can imagine. A |
 | Fast Facts Location: Located near the Pacific Ocean in the State of California. Dialing code: International country code: +1 (USA) Area codes: 213, 310, 323, 424, 626, 818 Emergency Numbers: Call 911 for emergencies requiring the police, fire or paramedics. Gas service 800-427-7623 Population: 3,694,820 people Racial Distribution: 46.9% White American 11.2% African American 10.5% Asian American 0.8% Native American 0.2% Pacific Islander 25.7% other race 5.2% 2+ races Languages: 42.2% English 41.7% Spanish 2.4% Korean 2.3% Filipino 1.7% Armenia 1.5% Chinese 1.3% Persian Time Zone: PST (UTC -8) Average January temperatures: High: 20 Degrees Celsius Low: 9 Degrees Celsius Average July temperatures: High: 29 Degrees Celsius Low: 19 Degrees Celsius Annual rainfall: 15 inches per year, with February being the wettest month |
