Guest Contributor

We Angelenos aren't necessarily used to taking pride in our public transportation system. We're used to scoffs from boastful New Yorkers and visitors who discover that, underneath our miles and miles of snarled freeways, L.A. actually has a subway network.

Step aside, Snooki and the Situation—it’s time for the West Coast to showcase its own loud and inebriated young population against the backdrop of Koreatown. "K-Town" a (supposedly) unscripted reality show hosted by the YouTube channel LOUD, follows eight Asian-Americans in their adventures of drinking, fighting and partying.

When 29-year-old U.S. Navy petty officer Emily Valenzuela returned home to San Diego from seven months at sea, she couldn’t wait to see her beloved dog Bert. But Valenzuela's high hopes were crushed when her puggle was nowhere in sight. It turns out that Bert was turned over to the county’s Department of Animal Services and euthanized—all without her knowledge or consent.

Get out so you can watch some female-directed horror films, listen to ragtime, trek Highland Park and Macarthur Park and more!

If you wanted to take a trip that provided great mountain views and a look at an abandoned gold mine, you’d have to go to the Sierras, right? Wrong. High in the San Gabriel Mountains, only a couple of hours from Los Angeles and Orange County, history and nature meet at the Big Horn Mine.

We all know that film trumps theater here in Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean high-brow theater buffs are short on options. This summer a new lineup of larger-scale, acclaimed plays and musicals open shop around town.

If you didn’t party too hard yesterday (or just really want some free ice cream), head on down to the corner of 5th and Spring between 10 am and 2 pm today and donate blood.

Missed out on the fireworks last night or just want to relive the memories? We gathered some great shots of local July 4th fireworks displays (none of which were quite as spectacular as San Diego's Big Bay Boom) from the beaches to the Hollywood Bowl.

Don't feel like hosting your own shindig this year, or dealing with crowds at the beach? Here are some fabulous Los Angeles restaurants and bars offering patriotic fare to help you celebrate the holiday in style.

Fourth of July is full of patriotic festivities and fireworks, but for those who just aren't into loud explosions and smoke, L.A. still has plenty to offer today. Cinefamily hosts an all-day BBQ and film marathon, the Moth invites people to tell stories about freedom and the California African American Museum presents musicians, comedians and spoken word entertainment.