Hollywood is one of those rare places that live up to their stereotypes, right down to the sign. But with minimal effort, it can offer a whole lot more. The pedestrian-friendly district represents both Los Angeles' past, with icons like the Capitol Records building, and the city's future — multi-ethnic, vertical, dense. A recent renaissance means there are now million-dollar condos, trendy restaurants, celebrity watering holes and a world-class movie theater. But there are still tattoo parlors, sex shops and homelessness. Tying it all together is the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where it is hard not to be at least momentarily tickled (hello, Mister Rogers) or merely confused (who the heck was he?). It remains a place that only Los Angeles could produce.

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