Frances Livings' Ipanema Lounge

LA is known for filmmaking; so you shouldn't be surprised to learn dozens of film festivals occur in the LA area every year. The Los Angeles Film Festival is one of the largest, screening over 100 films during its 10-day festivities. The festival showcases independent, international, feature, documentary and short films and draws in a crowd of more than 90,000 to its special events and premieres.

Aside from an extensive collection of rare books, manuscripts and art, the Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens also contain 120 acres of landscaped gardens. Of the dozen principal gardens open to the public, the Children's Garden is most popular for the younger visitors. Children can learn about plants and different elements of nature through fun, hands-on activities.

Los Angeles contains a multitude of art galleries and museums, but the Getty Center is the most popular. This art center showcases a variety of classic and modern art and photography in its permanent collection, as well as regional, national and international traveling exhibitions. The architecture of the building and the lovely view combine to create an art lover's dream.