Los Angeles

Los Angeles, also known as LA and City of Angels – the city is located in the southern region of the state, in California on the Pacific coast. It is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the United States (with a population of 3,792,621 according to the 2010 United States Census), after New York City. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most multicultural counties in the United States, while the entire Los Angeles area itself is recognized and regarded as the most diverse metropolitan area in the United States. The city's inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos". The climate of Los Angeles as the climate of Southern California has often been described as «perfect» and with good reason. Mostly it is sunny and warm with gentle ocean breezes in the summer. The humidity is low with little rain. In fact, there are no unpleasant seasons in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles is a world center of business, international trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, technology, and education. Los Angeles has been ranked the third richest city and fifth most powerful and influential city in the world, behind only New York City in the United States. It is the only city in the world to host the Summer Olympics twice (1932 and 1984)
In coastal areas, now occupied by the Los Angeles, lived in the XVI century Chumash Indians and tongva. The first Europeans arrived in 1542 in an expedition organized by the viceroy of New Spain and commanded by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese-born explorer who claimed the area of southern California for the Spanish Empire. When Los Angeles was founded in 1781, 44 people (14 families) lived in El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de la Porciuncula (Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angeles of the Small Portion). The population grew, but the name was reduced to simply "Los Angeles." Mexican rule ended during the Mexican–American War: Americans took control of the Californios after a series of battles, culminating with the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga on January 13, 1847. By 1900, the population had grown to more than 102,000 people, putting pressure on the city's water supply. 1913's completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, under the supervision of William Mulholland, assured the continued growth of the city. The post-war years saw an even greater boom. In 1960, non-Hispanic whites made up 82% of the population of Los Angeles County. In 1969, Los Angeles became one of the birthplaces of the Internet. The name given by the Chumash tribe of Native Americans for the area now known as Los Angeles translates to "the valley of smoke" because of the smog from native campfires. Owing to geography, heavy reliance on automobiles, and the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex, Los Angeles suffers from air pollution in the form of smog. The smog season lasts from May to October. The economy of Los Angeles is driven by international trade, entertainment (television, motion pictures, video games, recorded music), aerospace, technology, petroleum, fashion, and tourism. Los Angeles is also the largest manufacturing center in the western United States. Los Angeles is often billed as the "Creative Capital of the World", due to the fact that one in every six of its residents works in a creative industry. Los Angeles is home to Hollywood, globally recognized as the epicenter of the motion picture industry. As testament to its preeminence in film, the city plays host to the annual Academy Awards, the oldest and one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world. Los Angeles is home to the USC School of Cinematic Arts, the oldest and largest school of its kind in the United States. The performing arts play a major role in Los Angeles' cultural identity. There are over 1,000 musical, theater, dance, and performing groups. According to the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, "there are more than 1,100 annual theatrical productions and 21 openings every week." The Los Angeles Music Center is one of the three largest performing arts complexes in the nation. The Walt Disney Concert Hall, the centerpiece of the Music Center, is home to the prestigious Los Angeles Philharmonic. Notable organizations such as Center Theatre Group and the Los Angeles Master Chorale along with the rising Los Angeles Opera are also resident companies of the Music Center. Talent is locally cultivated at premier institutions such as the Colburn School and the USC Thornton School of Music. Los Angeles is an important center of further and higher education system of the U.S. The list of most famous educational establishments include California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), California State University, Northridge (CSUN) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Private colleges in the city include the American Film Institute Conservatory, Alliant International University, Syracuse University (Los Angeles Campus), American InterContinental University, American Jewish University, The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and many others.
Los Angeles is characterized primarily by the absence of the city center. Although the historic center is La Plaza, and skyscrapers are concentrated in downtown, the administrative functions are distributed between the regions situated far from each other. The city is divided into over 80 districts and neighborhoods, many of which were incorporated places or communities that were annexed by the city. There are also several independent cities around Los Angeles, but they are popularly grouped with the city of Los Angeles, either due to being completely engulfed as enclaves by Los Angeles, or lying within its immediate vicinity. Generally, the city is divided into the following areas: downtown Los Angeles, The Eastside and Northeast Los Angeles, South Los Angeles (still often colloquially referred to as South Central by locals), the Harbor Area, Greater Hollywood, Wilshire, the Westside and the San Fernando and Crescenta Valleys.
Los Angeles is often called the Entertainment capital of the world by its residents and visitors. There are dozens of thousands of entertainment institutions, restaurants, cafes, bars, etc., its impact left also the diverse ethnic make-up of the metropolis. The main centers of nightlife pleasures are concentrated in the downtown areas of Silver Lake, Hollywood, West Hollywood (with the famous Sunset Strip - street of clubs and bars).
During the daytime, the world-famous theme parks "Disneyland" (located in a suburban city – Anaheim), and Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as the famous ocean beaches in Santa Monica and Malibu await for the tourists.
Los Angeles shopping scene is really upscale. Among the busiest shopping streets is Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, Old Town in Pasadena, Hollywood, etc. Los Angeles is also one of the world capitals of fashion industry, city of glamour and luxury, which is reflected in numerous movies.
The most well-known trademark of the city in terms of art is, of course, the production of movies and TV. The historical center of movie studios and movie stars is Hollywood. The word is often used as a metonym of American cinema. The name Hollywood was coined by H. J. Whitley, the “Father of Hollywood”. On 1920, Hollywood had become world-famous as the center of the United States film industry. Los Angeles is the place of residence of many popular actors. The Los Angeles Film Festival is an event held annually in June (lasting for 10 days) in downtown Los Angeles. It began as the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival (LAIFF) in 1995. The Los Angeles Film Festival is a qualifying festival in all categories for Film Independent Spirit Awards. The Festival is also a qualifying festival for the short films categories of the Academy Awards.
An Academy Award, also known as the Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony in Hollywood at which the awards are presented is one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world, and is televised live in more than 200 countries annually.
Los Angeles is also one of the most important sites in the world for the recorded music industry. In the 1960s the Sunset Strip became a breeding ground for bands like The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Doors. Much of hard rock has come out from Los Angeles, including hard rockers Van Halen from nearby Pasadena, "hair bands" like Mötley Crüe, Ratt, W.A.S.P. and Guns N' Roses, thrash metal acts like Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer, and also 90s rock bands such as KoЯn, Jane's Addiction, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the 1990s, Los Angeles' contribution to rock music continued with acclaimed artists such as Beck, Sublime of Long Beach, Tool, System Of A Down and Rage Against the Machine. Other notable rock acts formed in the Los Angeles area during this decade include Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars, New Found Glory, and No Doubt. In addition, the gangsta rap of N.W.A., and later the solo careers of Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, 2Pac and Snoop Dogg. The 2000s saw a further flourishing of the Los Angeles rock scene with acclaimed groups such as Maroon 5. The Black Eyed Peas gained even greater popularity during this decade, and Disney stars such as Hilary Duff, Ashley Tisdale, and Miley Cyrus also anchored their singing careers in the Los Angeles area as well.
Los Angeles is an architectural kaleidoscope. Located near the San Andreas Fault, Los Angeles is prone to earthquakes. Perhaps that's why so much of its architecture is new and innovative. L.A. is home to some of the most original and architecture in the United States and the world, as well as home to virtually every conceivable historic style, reflecting the diversity and imagination of the people who live here.
There are many cultural establishments that attract attention of both residents and visitors of Los Angeles, including the Museum of Art (LACMA), the Getty Center, Museum of Modern Art (ILAC), the Museum of Neon Art (MONA), Skirball Cultural Center, Museum of Tolerance, Art Museum of the American Indians who lived on the south-west of the continent, Natural History Museum of los Angeles, Museum of Latin history, art and culture, etc. The total number of museums and galleries of Los Angeles is more than 800 (first place in the world in per capita terms).
The Music Center (officially named the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County) is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the nation. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Music Center is home to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ahmanson Theater, Mark Taper Forum and Walt Disney Concert Hall (the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra). Also the Kodak Theatre is remarkable, a live theatre in the Hollywood. It was designed specifically with the Oscars in mind. Since its opening on November 9, 2001, the theatre has been the home of the annual Academy Awards Ceremonies (The Oscars), the Greek theatre should be mentioned as well – a 5,700-seat amphitheater, located at Griffith Park, Staples Center – a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles ,which held the most recent ceremony, the 53rd Grammy Awards, was held on February 13, 2011. There is also a great number of small theaters. In Los Angeles there are many cinemas, the most famous of which are Grauman's Chinese Theater and the El Capitan Theater.
The largest library of the city is Los Angeles Public Library with the branches throughout the city.
Los Angeles is a fairly young city. Accordingly, it is a treasure trove of Art Deco architecture, with buildings in the zigzag, classic moderne, and streamline moderne styles.
The city is characterized by low building density – the majority of the population lives in private homes and villas. High-rise buildings are concentrated in the central part (until 1956 the law prohibited to build a building higher than 45 m in the city). Modern architecture is represented by a considerable variety of residential, commercial and industrial buildings, among which are the works of Frank Gehry (Walt Disney Concert Hall, the California Aerospace Museum, etc.), Afro-American architect Paul Williams, Thom Mayne, Eric Moss and other famous architects.
Major tourist attractions include:

• Hollywood and its studios, many of which hold movie exhibitions, The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of the famous "stars" in the sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard. This part of Hollywood is one of the most touristy spots in all of Los Angeles, full of t-shirt and souvenir shops.
  Olvera Street is in the oldest part of Downtown Los Angeles. In 1930, it was converted to a colorful Mexican marketplace. It is also the setting for Mexican-style music and dancing and holiday celebrations
• Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles. One particularly famous stretch of the boulevard is known as the Miracle Mile
• Chinatown is home to a unique and community of shops, services, cultural centers.
• Funicular railway "Angels Flight", sometimes called "the shortest railway in the world"
• US Bank Tower - a skyscraper 310 m high, one of the tallest buildings in the world, the tallest building in the United States west of Chicago.
• Exposition Park hoses Memorial Coliseum (95 thousand seats, it has the distinction of being the only stadium in the world to host the Olympic Games twice, in 1932 and 1984), Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California Science Center, IMAX Theatre at California Science Center, Exposition Park Rose Garden, California African American Museum etc
• Griffith Observatory with Planetarium. The observatory is a popular tourist attraction with an extensive array of space- and science-related displays
• Los Angeles Zoo is also located within the Griffith Park
• Beachfront cities Malibu, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach
• Watts Towers, or Towers of Simon Rodia in the Watts district of Los Angeles, is a collection of 17 interconnected structures, two of which reach heights of over 99 feet (30 m). The work is an example of non-traditional vernacular architecture (which uses locally available resources) and American Naïve art
• Venice - area to the west of the city, famous for its beaches and channels

Beverly Hills is a city in Los Angeles County. It is one of the most affluent cities in the world, and is home to Hollywood celebrities, many corporate executives and numerous wealthy individuals and families. This place is the embodiment of famous American dream.

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