He listens to the music of L.A.

The frontman and soul of the rock band Jane’s Addiction leads us through the nooks and crannies of his favorite hometown spots, from the waterfront, with its electric vibe, to downtown, where locals gather to wear Laker purple and gold.

Coast is clear

I live near the Venice boardwalk, so naturally that is one of my favorite places in L.A. You won’t find a more diverse set of people roaming about anywhere in the city. There are vendors selling everything from art to incense. Tourists and locals walk, run, bicycle, skateboard and roller blade their way up and down the beach, often accompanied by music booming from hand-held stereos or from live bands performing in the open ocean air.

For a romantic evening by the sea, I like to take my wife, Etty, to Beaurivage restaurant in Malibu. Some of the specialties there are the pheasant in pomegranate sauce and the Canadian goose. The place looks like a house from the outside, and the inside is just as comforting. The owner’s wife is an Italian artist who’s made the walls beautiful with her paintings and murals.

High art

The best place to get a true artisan experience is at the Getty Museum. It’s great to go there around sunset and ride the tram, eat at the restaurant and see the breathtaking exhibits.

Wear ever

The selection is terrific, but the real treat is the scenery at the sale Barneys has periodically at the Santa Monica airport. You have people of all ages, colors, shapes and sizes in the aisles stripping off their clothes in public without hesitation in order to try on the new stuff as fast as possible. It’s hilarious; I guess there’s no shame when you’re saving money.

Downtown digs

The downtown area is an underrated part of L.A. The single best reason to take the family there is to allow them to express their Laker love at Staples Center. I’ve had season tickets for seven years; I’m a huge Lakers fan. Before a game, we usually grab a bite at one of any number of sushi restaurants in Little Tokyo. The garment district in downtown is a great place to buy clothes, beads and shoes at wholesale prices. My wife often finds great materials to work with for the clothes she designs. Another great place downtown is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. We’ve seen many shows there. Our favorite thing about the venue is the mesmerizing water fountain out front.

Swing me

I have two sons, so finding family stuff to do is important to me. We like going to parks like Mar Vista and Ocean Park. We spend a lot of time on the swings, taking rides to the sky. We race our mini-electric cars and we’re big on flying kites.

The Santa Monica Pier is also a great place to use as bribery for my kids. I can’t resist the temptation to try to win at those carnival games, so that they can cash in the winning tickets for prizes like the always entertaining rubber eyeballs and vibrating helicopters. And what can I say about the Ferris wheel? It’s a classic good time.

-- Karla S. Blume