[Quixote]

The Lucas Museum, an expanding skyline, and the Olympics are great. But having just gotten back from easy-going, convenient, and livable Canada (Banff, Calgary, and Vancouver), I realized that what I want for LA at this point are just basic things. I don't want to see sidewalks lined with shantytowns, trash strewn everywhere, filthy trains, decrepit infrastructure, etc.

I also don't understand why it's so hard to get decent-looking new mid-rise residential developments; you can still produce attractive, inoffensive designs with stucco. Tokyo and much of Buenos Aires have crap architecture, yet it's the way those cities' built environments come together that make them delightful.

And, sorry colemonkee, but I think burying power lines is relevant and a component of urban design that factors into not only aesthetics but also creating pedestrian-friendly environments. These "complete streets" projects by the city of LA need to begin with power line burial and sidewalk widening.