Before the media dream factory made Hollywood Hollywood, the world's most famous intersection was simply Prospect and Weyse, a dirt crossroads on a former agricultural rancho. Fast forward a hundred years: the commercial district once envisioned as the "Fifth Avenue of the West" is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Hollywood & Vine (locally beloved as Bob Hope Square) is international shorthand for riches and fame.

Residents and tourists alike can name the enduring neighborhood superstars – the Bowl, Chinese and Pantages Theatres, Musso and Frank's Grill, Frederick's, Capitol Records' stack-of-discs tower and the Walk of Fame. But for every area fixture steeped in history, there's an upstart lounge, shop or happening offering its own mix of Hollywood mystique and modern glamour.

By foot, car or metro, all of Los Angeles halos Hollywood's presence. Just a block north of Hollywood and Vine, the 101 Freeway artery pumps the city's life blood in and out of the San Fernando Valley, Downtown and Pasadena. To the south lie Hollywood's true industrial blocks, studios and adjacent L.A. neighborhoods. On its burgeoning east end, international eateries and underground retailers usher in Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Echo Park; heading west, Sunset chases West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and ultimately, the Pacific.