Hello LA(-area)-GAF! I like this thread; it's noisy, confusing, chaotic, but brimming with excitement, just like LA.
Let me give a shout-out to my home, Burbank, which will never have a top-10-ANYTHING with regards to fun or nightlife, but is a nice quiet place to live. And, with a car, much of the awesome stuff in and around LA is close (without traffic, heh heh heh):
-Griffith Park (one of the largest urban parks in the world): 10 min
-Hollywood Bowl (amazing outdoor concert venue): 10 min
-Hollywood & Highland (touristy shit + clubs): 15 min
-Alhambra/Monterey Park (dim sum, hot pot, etc.): 15 min
-Downtown (Disney Hall, capitalism): 15 min
-Dodger Stadium (there once was a professional baseball team here): 15 min
-3rd & Fairfax (Farmers' Market, Miracle Mile, museums): 20 min
-Beverly Hills (rich fuckers, some great restaurants): 25 min
-Santa Monica (beach, pier, boardwalk, shopping, restos): 25 min
-LAX (getting the fuck out of LA): 30 min
I honestly don't mind driving, because that's the only way to get anything close to a "full" experience of the place. I've been here nearly 10 years and I'm still discovering new facets. DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE ON TV!!! LA is MUCH more than that.