David Geffner, Correspondent The great author Nathanael West, whose books vividly capture the sun-drenched heart and soul of old Hollywood, once described the smile of one of his characters as being "used to reward anyone for anything, no matter how unimportant." First-time visitors to Los Angeles will appreciate West's prose. The sun is always smiling down on the City of Angels, and rewards both great and small come as often as a handshake.

And, starting in June, that sun will seem closer than ever for Triangle residents. Delta Air Lines will offer one daily nonstop round-trip flight between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and L.A. With all that extra time, business and leisure travelers may finally get to check out some of the spots already popular with the locals.

The trick (aside from learning to outsmart the city's notorious traffic) is discerning what pleasures are worth experiencing, especially if your playtime is limited.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, walking in Los Angeles is legal and practiced by a large majority of the locals. But you can't get to all those great car-free neighborhoods (which, thanks to the boom in retail and residential development, are more plentiful than ever) without a vehicle.

Renting a super-sexy convertible from Specialty Rentals in Santa Monica could get you mistaken for a Desperate Housewife, but ditching the A/C will save money at the pump. Just don't scrimp on insurance, given the Roman chariot-type feel of area roadways.

Los Angeles is a great breakfast town and the power meetings start early in the Belvedere Room at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Executive Chef Sean Hardy serves up everything from apple cottage cheese pancakes to down-home hot biscuits and gravy. A Cary Grant ascot and blue blazer won't get a second look in the ultra-elegant dining room. Of course, if you just won a Grammy the night before, torn jeans and a T-shirt will get you a table just as fast.

Let's assume your meetings end before dusk, which in the summer doesn't arrive before 8 p.m. Jump on the 405 (L.A. freeways command such respect that they are known only by their numerical designations) and wander through the beautiful gardens at the Getty Center. Richard Meier's evocative architecture often outshines the collection of art inside the Getty Museum. The mountaintop views stretch from the ocean to downtown; the sun setting off Meier's travertine and white marble buildings is a tone poem not to be missed.

Since Los Angeles is vast -- almost 500 square miles -- nights are best bitten off one neighborhood at a time. Westwood is a student enclave tucked inside a megalopolis. The Geffen Playhouse recently completed a $17 million renovation, showcasing the latest from Sam Shepard and David Mamet. The cozy theater runs fun promotions, like Sunday wine tastings and Tuesday post-show chats with the cast onstage.

After you've scribbled down your plot notes (everyone in L.A. is writing a screenplay), wander a few blocks down to Diddy Riese Cookies. Even USC students will hazard into enemy territory (Westwood is home to the UCLA Bruins) to savor the 12 flavors of Dreyer's ice cream sandwiched between homemade cookies so warm and fresh they should be illegal. Locals were stunned when, in 2002, owner Mark Perry raised prices for the first time in 20 years: cookies went up a dime and now cost 35 cents apiece!

Traffic may be L.A.'s biggest ballot issue, but that doesn't mean Angelenos have anything against cars. A great afternoon can be had at the Petersen Automotive Museum, in the Mid-Wilshire district. Three floors of exhibits, including a 6,500-square-foot hands-on learning center for kids, provide a cultural history of Los Angeles. You can check out the bullets Elvis Presley pumped into the dash of his 1971 Pantera ("Encore! Cars and Guitars of Rock & Roll II," through July 30) or the 620-horsepower Porsche Steve McQueen drove in the classic racing movie "Le Mans" (through April 9).

Shopping isn't just something Valley Girls do to avoid homework. One of the city's best celebrity-sighting spots is The Grove, just east of 3rd and Fairfax. The Grove is a 575,000-square-foot outdoor center with more than 50 upscale shops and restaurants. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Alba are just a few of the Hollywood regulars who frequent the 14 gorgeous Art Deco Pacific Theaters. A double-decker replica of L.A.'s "Red Car" trolley tools shoppers from the gurgling Main Street fountain one city block west to The Farmers Market, a charming cornucopia of shops and vendors that dates back to 1934. Try the jambalaya and cornbread at The Gumbo Pot or fresh roasted cashews at Magee's House of Nuts.

Staples Center, L.A.'s premiere concert venue and home to five pro sports teams, is the focal point for downtown's lively resurgence. After the game, Lakers, Clippers or Kings fans head to The Original Pantry Cafe. The no-frills diner, owned by former mayor Richard Riordan, never closes. Its phone-in to-go service (opt for the short ribs or peach cobbler) is a great quick lunch fix.

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