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Despite public perception, most of L.A. has nothing to do with the film industry: Nearly one-fifth of the city's business is in trade, transportation, and utilities, while 11 percent is devoted to manufacturing. Motion pictures and television networks employ fewer than 5 percent of Angelenos. Fashion, jewelry, and real estate concerns fill the glass-sheathed towers and gilded vaudeville-era palaces of downtown. The atmosphere amid the corporate gulches of Century City is more wing-tipped and buttoned-down, though the recent arrival of the CAA and ICM agencies will undoubtedly liven things up. The west of the city is a technology hub. But be warned: Since L.A.'s footprint is more than ten times that of Manhattan, getting around requires careful planning, a near saintly abundance of patience, and most important, a GPS device in your rental car.

Where to Sleep
The marquee names gravitate to Beverly Hills, most of them to the fabled Beverly Hills Hotel, where press interviews of the celebrity du jour are regularly held in the suites and poolside cabanas. Executives from Warner Bros. and Interpublic Group prize the Zen interiors and 24-hour in-room dining of the . Sip cocktails after business hours at the Four Seasons, the hotel of choice for Academy Award presenters; its bar is an excellent place for star-gazing anytime of year. The Beverly Wilshire is buzzier than it's been in ages, thanks to the new Wolfgang Puck restaurant, hopping bar scene, and recently renovated rooms. The Peninsula, which offers complimentary use of a Lexus with every suite, is the choice of top brass from Citibank, Viacom, and Sony. Downtown-home to KPMG, Ernst & Young, Maguire Properties, and Wells Fargo-is underserved by high-end accommodations, though a Ritz-Carlton and a Mandarin Oriental are planned for Grand Avenue. For now the best option is the Hilton Checkers Hotel, with its full-service spa and rooftop pool. On the west side of town, television network execs favor the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey.

Where to Eat
Despite the cliché that locals care more about celebrity spotting and their diets than about food, the city has a vibrant restaurant scene. Hollywood's penchant for lunch-when deals are made-has a real hold on the city. The Grill on the Alley, across from the Beverly Wilshire, is a veteran business haunt that oozes old Hollywood: Dignified waitstaff serve diners tucked into booths surrounded by dark wood. In Santa Monica, the bright and cheery L.A. Farm, set in the shadows of the offices of Yahoo and MTV Networks, serves everything from Canadian oysters to shrimp quesadillas on its leafy patio. Open daily for breakfast and lunch, the restaurant also serves private dinners for 30 or more. Barney Greengrass is a New York-style deli favored by ICM and William Morris agents. Wolfgang Puck's thoroughly modern steak house Cut, in the Beverly Wilshire hotel, is one of the most sought-after tables in town (and the venue for a recent private party thrown by Jeffrey Katzenberg). Downtown, the business elite can be found hashing out real estate deals over grilled dishes at Engine Co. No. 28, or after work at Nick & Stef's Steakhouse.

Where to See and Be Seen
For large groups, Jeffrey Chodorow's Social Hollywood is a smart choice. Housed in the former Hollywood Athletic Club, the spacious restaurant and lounge has private alcoves and a Mediterranean menu. The cafés of Sunset Plaza Drive, with their tables out on the pavement of Sunset Boulevard, are good for people- and convertible-watching: Le Petit Four and Le Clafoutis have the liveliest scenes-plus free parking in the rear. The Ivy and the Polo Lounge are traditional hangouts for L.A. celebs. For a more discreet night out, head to Nic's Martini Lounge, in Beverly Hills, where talent agents prime the press about their latest starlets. Somehow, the SkyBar at the Mondrian Hotel has managed to keep its place as a go-to spot for West Hollywood's sexy youth; its hillside pool bar offers one of the most inspiring views in the city. Downtown, the Rooftop Bar at The Standard remains one of the city's liveliest night spots, but the scene has been migrating south to the poolside Veranda Bar at the Moroccan-inspired Hotel Figueroa (keep an eye out for Lakers stars, who wander over post-game from the nearby Staples Center).