Michael Mann's sleek thriller is renowned for its two star turns, by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. But the real star is the city: Mann gives us that view, the grid of twinkling lights stretching to the horizon, but he also shows us the flat light of LA, the blank civic spaces under the freeways, the redundant industrial areas of another age, the equally redundant malls.

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A majestic wooden framed complex of white buildings on the beachfront at Santa Monica, offers a haven from the heat and hustle of the city. A rooftop pool and Jacuzzi, log fires burning (needlessly) in the opulent lobby, views of the Pacific, and a breakfast to die for in the restaurant make this the perfect stop for those who have money and enjoy the quiet life. But don't be put off: it is child friendly too. Rooms start at $325. Prices vary according to season.

Shutters on the Beach; 1 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, California 90405; Tel: 310-458-0030; www.shuttersonthebeach.com/

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The upper end of the Best Western budget hotel chain, the Marina Pacific is right on the beach at Venice, offering a bird's eye view of the comings and going on the Broadwalk. Walking distance to many good restaurants, it also offers a base for wandering around Venice (a rare pleasure in LA) and exploring neighbouring Santa Monica. Many rooms have a kitchenette. Prices range from $110-$200 for a double room depending on season.

1697 Pacific Avenue, Venice Beach, California 90291;
Tel: 310-452-1111; www.mphotel.com/

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Not the place to stay if you are looking for a restful vacation, but if you want to imbibe some of the hedonistic buffoonery for which LA is rightfully known, this is the place for you. From the over-designed furniture and accessories, to the girl in the glass case in the lobby, to the rooftop pool, the Standard complies with all the cliches of LA life. $170 per room.

8300 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California 90069; Tel: 323-650-9090; www.standardhotel.com/

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LA is the movies, defined by and seen through its place in films like no other city. Los Angeles Plays Itself, a documentary by Thom Andersen explores the city in the movies, using clips from more than 70 films, from Blade Runner to Laurel and Hardy.

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The outsider's insider, poet Bukowski brings the full force of his muscular prose to bear on the vain vagaries of Hollywood as he tells the semi-autobiographical tale of the efforts to turn a screenplay he is writing into a film. But more than a portrait of Hollywood, Bukowski also offers an insight into life in the pre-gentrified Venice, a world of nighttime terrors. A very funny book.

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Take them to La Brea Tar Pits; the biggest source of ice-age specimens in the world is located in the middle of the most developed part of Los Angeles, the Wilshire corridor. In Hancock Park, tar pits bubble away as fake mammoths bobble up and down on the surface. Inside the charming George C Page museum children and adults can watch sabre tooth tigers fighting with sloths, see paleontologists at work and discover for themselves just how sticky tar can be.

www.tarpits.org/

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The Getty, positioned atop a sheer hillside looking down on Santa Monica and the ocean. From the winding monorail taking visitors from the car park to architect Richard Meier's modern monument to art, the Getty is an adventure, a trip to a world apart stuffed with some of the finest art that money (and the Getty has a lot of it) can buy. Touring exhibitions complement a comprehensive permanent collection (although the Getty does not generally collect contemporary art) but the Getty is an event in itself.

Admission: free; www.getty.edu/

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LA Weekly, which despite a comprehensively baffling listings section and the best efforts of its designers to make it unreadable, is nevertheless indispensable.

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Taxis can be collected from the lower level of the main terminals. Providing that you use an authorised cab bearing the official airport seal, prices to key destinations should be fixed and on clear display. Alternatively, a free train service runs to the Aviation Station on the green line of the metro light rail network.

www.los-angeles-lax.com

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Roman Polanski and Robert Towne's semi-mythical take on the history of Los Angeles. This meditation on the illusion of the city offers a memorable glimpse into its history, culture and politics. Jack Nicholson gives the performance of his career as the private eye investigating a figure based on William Mulholland, the city engineer who made much of today's city possible.

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Not unrelated to the original branch of Swinger's diner, the Beverly Laurel has a good location - which, of course, is everything in LA - funky rooms, a decidedly retro feel and offers good value.

Beverly Laurel Motor Hotel; 8018 Beverly Boulevard,
West Hollywood, California 90048; Tel: 323-651-2441

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Wolfgang Puck's first restaurant, and now something of a Los Angeles cliche, it still passes the test for glitz, glamour and the unlikely culinary combinations demanded by visitors to LA.

Spago; 176 N Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California 90210; Tel: 310-385-0880; www.wolfgangpuck.com/

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A diner that serves alcohol and stays open late into the night? Sounds too good to be true. But on top of the quality food - solid breakfast fare and a standard array of Cali-Mex-Pacific Rim offerings - Swingers has a happening juke box and funky 70s decor. Dig those Warhol cows, cowboy!

Swingers; Lincoln Boulevard 802, Broadway,Santa Monica, California 90401; Tel: 310-393-9793; www.swingersdiner.com/

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An LA institution open to the early morning. If you can withstand the heat and the queue, a monster chilli dog awaits.

Pink's Hot Dogs; 709 N La Brea Avenue; Los Angeles, California 90038; Tel: 323-931-4223; www.pinkshollywood.com/

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There might be a traffic jam to get there, but once you are in the Santa Monica mountains north of LA, you will feel that you are in some lost land. Topanga Canyon is the best-known of the canyons but a string of ravines and canyons offer abundant flora and wildlife (including mountain lions, coyotes and golden eagles), and tracks and trails for hiking. All this less half an hour drive from the city.

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Although LA is notable for its lack of parks and green spaces, it does host the largest municipal park in the US, Griffith Park. Home to the (currently closed) Observatory as well as an equestrian centre, the zoo and a wealth of trails and hiking paths, Griffith Park is an unexpectedly rich escape just a few miles from downtown.

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Not great ones for public transport, Angelenos nevertheless have one of the cleanest, most efficient metro rail services in the Gold Line, running on smart German-built trains from the majesty of Union Street station through the backyards of some of the city's historic Latino areas before it emerges in the middle of the freeway and comes to a halt in Pasadena. In Pasadena there is nothing to do other than turn around and head back to Union Street.

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A city of immigrant populations and hybrid cultures, LA doesn't really have its own cuisine. The closest you can get is Mexican: often the cheapest-looking roadside shacks are the ones selling the best, most authentic Mexican food.

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Scour the weekend property sections of the LA Times for open houses, when potential buyers are welcome to wander around snooping in other people's closets. A popular mass participation sport in LA, all it takes is a bit of chutzpah, the right clothing and a willingness to discuss interior design (a Eurotrash accent can also help). The rewards are a chance to see around the houses of the rich and, very possibly, famous. And no matter how much you look, you will never properly answer the question of why rich Angelenos need more bathrooms than bedrooms.

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