Winter, spring, summer, or autumn, the sky remains a crisp, clear blue behind a dazzling yellow sun in Los Angeles, ­California.

In one corner of this expansive metropolis lies Hollywood. It is most famous for the colossal letters atop rolling green hills, flaunting the name of the entertainment capital. Littered sidewalks are adorned with large stars displaying names of famous icons, past and present. Stores vary from upscale boutiques – frequented by celebrities and tourists alike – to flashy, risqué shops.

The people of Hollywood are as varied in appearance as in class. Men roam the streets with long beards and mustaches, others with hair gelled into mohawks, others with the constant appearance of a fresh haircut and shave. Women of all ages wear skirts of impossibly short lengths; other women balance on stilettos. The people of Hollywood drive Mercedes and BMWs as well as Toyotas and Fords. Appearance is no guarantee of money or socio-economic status.

As for cuisine, possibilities are endless. Greek, Mexican, Cuban, and Middle Eastern restaurants may occupy space on the same street, alongside not one, not two, but three coffee shops. The diners, too, are ethnically diverse, spreading appreciation of many cultural foods to a spectrum of patrons.

Can any other city parallel the diversity of Los Angeles? It sets an impossible precedent, to be sure.