love LA…  Because of its geography, it's nature, its acceptance of those who come here to find some peace or a fortune, the variety of people, lifestyles, food, art, theatre, writers, music, and all the neighborhoods--each with their own flavor and style.

L.A. is more than the city or county. It's referencing a region that includes, for me, parts of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties because of the way the roads came into the area from the times when we traveled by foot and on animals. It's synonymous not only with Hollywood, but Disneyland, Angels Stadium, and other landmarks not technically in LA, yet part of the LA experience.  The "City of Angels" entices millions of visitors each year to experience it's diversity of peoples and attractions.  As a matter of fact, all roads still lead to L.A., my home, sweet home.

My genetic background is Swedish and Welsh via Tennessee and Illinois but as a child raised in Southern California I identified with Mexico and California. I remember smog so dense you could see it in the street in front of my parents house.

On special occasions we went out for ethnic food--Chinese, Mexican and Italian.

I discovered contemporary art on a school field trip to LACMA during the Kienholz exhibit which included Back Seat Dodge '38. I was taken with the Pop Art on display. I talked about it so much my parents took me back for a second visit. They didn't get it and stood off to the side and waited for me.

My favorite place to people watch are the Starbucks in the Valley. Each one has its own personality.

Some of my favorite restaurants and foods….

I like that I can taste food from almost any place in the world. It's pretty cool to be able to travel the world in less than an hour.

One of my favorite things to do is drive my Miata with the top down zooming the freeways smelling the air. The smells vary from when it’s about to rain to when flowers and herbs are blooming and sometimes there are whiffs from a barbecue. I love being north bound on the 405 and seeing the sweeping view as you descend into the Valley. I like having the LA River beside me when I travel from Van Nuys to Lakewood. It’s amazing there is a river in the middle of all this and that its path runs diagonally across the region.

LA is my home sweet home. As much as I have explored, there are so many places I haven't been and even those I have been to change so its always an adventure to get off the freeway and explore a neighborhood.

Getting off the freeway to escape traffic is an adventure. Northbound on the Santa Ana Freeway, traffic came to a halt so I exited and wound my way up Eastern Avenue and discovered a Serbian cemetery. Another time heading south out of Burbank, I discovered Crystal Springs Drive in Griffith Park. Such a lovely drive and it's in the heart of L.A.

•Mexican: Las Cazuelas de Ana, Bellflower                             •Indian: Udupi Palace, Artesia                                                                                                                      •Indian: Taste of India, Sherman Oaks                                        •Korean: Corner Place, Cerritos                                                                                                              •Japanese: Ramen Yamadaya, Gardena                                    •Japanese: Otafuku, Gardena                                                                                                                  •Armenian: Koko's, Van Nuys                                                          •Vietnamese: Pho 99, Van Nuys                                                                                                             •Japanese: Ramen Nippon, Reseda                                             •Gastropub: Lazy Ox, Los Angeles