Cube has some amazingly creative snacks plus great meals in an informal and creative space. There is a wine/cheese bar, sidewalk dining and a few tables inside. It's very edgy and the food is phenomenal, similar to a Roman enoteca. There is a lot of gourmet food (cheese, condiments, honey, pasta, charcuterie, candy, etc.) as well as pizzas, pasta and salads. Hint: street parking on LaBrea is impossible between 4-7 weekdays because of traffic, so try to get to Cube for lunch, after 7 or try to valet it.

Wahoo's is a good place to get tacos and Baja-ish Mexican food for lunch, before a movie, while shopping, etc. They have a pretty good selection, the store location/environment are convenient and relaxing, etc. Although I wouldn't go here for dinner, I wind up going for work lunches because the food tastes good and is a good value (read: very large portions.)

Jian has pretty good Korean food and a great bar, but is located in West Hollywood instead of Koreatown. It has a lot traditional Korean dishes but is more contemporary/trendy in its outlook. The decor inside is really fun, with a giant foggy buddha head and giant robots. Prices are fair and the staff is always nice without any snoot factor.

Deising's is a spectacular gem of a bakery. Not only do they have the ability to make great cakes, cookies, pastries, etc. but they have a huge number of seasonal specials, depending on the holidays. Also, it is convenient for breakfast or coffee and they cater, too.

This weekend, I was starving after a long drive so decided to get dinner at Aria with a friend. I was shocked by how amazingly tasty that the food was. There are both vegetarian and kabab dishes, but my favorites were the banjan boorani (eggplant with yogurt sauce) and the naringe palau (orange/saffron and pistachio rice) is out of this world! Save some room for dessert and the cardamon tea, too. There is lots of street parking on Broadway nearby.

This Frys is huge - it has a flying saucer and giant ants, martians and robots. The staff seems a little too preoccupied to help out most of the time. The robots and the martians seem more helpful and friendly.

O! Burger is an organic burger joint with a small menu, but everything is delicious and--burgers notwithstanding--healthy. The ingredients are premium and the menu is small to keep up the quality. Don't expect the soda fountain; it's ice tea to drink. Also, the interior decor is either sustainable, green, recycled, etc. which may help more with vibes than with taste, which is already fine. Logically, the price is more than your standard burger joint, but you are paying for quality. The staff was really nice and helpful when I was there. The only drawback is that since it is on Santa Monica, parking is at a premium. I find that I have to either walk or go there at odd hours since O! Burger is usually packed.

Donut Prince is a classic donut shop. The sign alone should drag you in from Olive - it's a 1950's style icon. I stop by on the way to work to grab a large coffee and a couple of donuts. They have a lot of good fritters, too. There are several flavors of of coffee available from dispensers.

Maloney Vision Institute is an great LASIK facility. You pay a more for the extra service, but you definitely get what you pay for. First of all, they spend time examining you to make sure you are a good candidate for the surgery. This is a place which takes its time to get the job done, not churning customers. Dr. Maloney and his staff are very professional and the office is a nice Westwood office building. There is a high degree of after care, too.

I used to wear thick glasses for years but Maloney fixed it for me back in 2005. After the initial interview, the biggest problem was finding time for the surgery! (A lot of people want to get it done.) Give yourself a day or two to take it easy after the surgery then plan on weekly followup visits for about a month to make sure everything is OK. Also, Maloney is a big star in this field and you will see stars, politicians and businessmen passing through a lot. I think he does LASIK for Extreme Makeover.

Caffee Etc. has a great selection of coffee, sandwiches and salads. It's right in the middle of the Selma/Cahuenga developments, so is an unexpectedly welcoming and affordable area. (This neighborhood is transitioning from downwardly to upwardly mobile and trendy very rapidly, so there are a lot of new and exciting restaurants. Caffe Etc. delivers in VW bugs and has both wifi and metered street parking nearby, so it is a convenient place to get a snack and a coffee while checking your email. There is a large newsrack, too.

Pickwick is a great place for kids of all ages to relax and unwind. It's very kid friendly and a lot more fun if you are in a big group of friends and family. Pickwick has been there forever; it's an institution.

Luckyfish has a wide range of choices in both sushi and other tasty Japanese treats. It arrives by a circuitous conveyor belt which is fun for both kids as well as adults drinking lots of sake. Most dishes cost only4-8 dollars with reasonable portions, so definitely feel free to eat as much as you can. There is some street parking, but the valet is up the street north on Cannon.

Tenmasa is a dependable sushi restaurant, not a fancy Sunset Blvd. It's kind of the neighborhood sushi hang for the musicians and performers on the west end of the Sunset Strip. The food is really good and service is really personable. Street parking is a little hard to come by, so bring some quarters.

Swingers is where the 1970's live and rule. The staff is dressed like auto mechanics wearing uniforms with the Swingers logo, which is based on a race car. It's basically a diner with some healthy and tasty food. It's the kind of place to show up for a relaxing breakfast or some food after hitting a few bars. The menu is filled with a collage of 1970's icons. There is a counter if you just want to get a breakfast or a burger. Swingers is part of the Beverly Motor Lodge, but it is totally open to the public. Downsides: Swingers heyday was around 1993 and they have really slow pitiful service. Even if the paint is drying for breakfast, don't count on timely service--meaning a wait until they feel ready to serve you. There is a lot of street parking.

Ajisai is a superior tasty sushi restaurant. I have never had a less than delectable experience with fresh fish. There is a lot of artistry in the food presentation, too. You may drive past it since it is just north of Santa Monica Blvd. by the car wash. Definitely stop by Ajisai.

Finally, a place to go for drive in bagels! It has the great "Collegetown Bagels" taste but you can sit down and not even have to leave your car. I think it's convenient but you do miss some of the 1970's funky Collegetown bagels vibe.

Karma Coffeehouse is a funky coffee house with great coffee and a generous selection of healthy organic snacks and baked goods. It has a large living room with tables, board games and comfy couches plus a generous helping of granola/anti-WTO vibes and types. It also has parking in a lot, but only for 15 minutes, so don't spend a too much time there unless you are parking on the street.

I just had three hours of the tasting menu at The Kress sushi bar and was totally impressed and sated. Much of the fish was flown in from Japan, the sushi bar was top-notch and the service was superlative. Considering the absolutely impeccable quality of food, the explosive pan-Asian interior and great staff, I almost feel like I was robbing them. The Kress has not caught on yet for it's dining, so you can actually get into the restaurant, but it is already mobbed on weekends. My suggestion: go to The Kress right away or you will be regretting it. This place is about to explode.

Cornell Vet School is the best. I've used them on several pets and they are top-ranked nationally in every standard of veterinary medicine.

Taughannock is a difficult name to pronounce, but it is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in all of North America. It's got a higher drop than Niagara. The State Park encompasses the waterfall as well as a trail and a park on Cayuga lake. You can park across the street from the park if you want to see the waterfall or spend an afternoon at the park, which has swimming, BBQ facilties, etc. There is a spectacular view from the base of the waterfall or at the parking lot above, close to Trumansburg. The waterfall is not remote, but you will have to walk about 20 minutes to get there on flat land. Pay attention to the shales, which uniquely shatter at nearly perfect right angles. Also, if you can find it, there is a small vein of kimberlite that bubbled up from the center of the earth aeons ago.