You are from here so you probably know way more places than I do to hang out!
However these are some of my favorites...
GOOD EATS...
Literati Cafe on Wilshire: expensive but good food!
Anatasia's Asylumn: on Wilshire in Santa Monica-live music and great food!
Toast: on 3rd Street-great food-you will probably go there at least once for your team meeting!
Diddy Riese: you will probably take students there ALL the time for cheap ice cream!
GET OUT OF TOWN...
*Take day trips or weekend trips to San Diego, Santa Barbara or Palm Springs. Stay with fellows to keep your costs down.
*Go North! Drive the 101 along the California coast or fly up the 5 to get to Berkeley, San Francisco or Santa Cruz!
*Go to Vegas! If you go mid week, Sin City can actually be pretty cheap!
FUN BARS...
Maloneys: A fun student bar in Westwood
The Gas Lite: A really crazy karoake bar in Santa Monica near my house that I love to go too!
Toppers: A great bar on the 17th floor of the Radisson in Santa Monica on Wilshire/2nd street
Sharkees: So my favorite place to watch college football (especially since I am a big ten fan) is at Sharkees in Hermosa Beach right by the ocean.
Beaneys Barnery: I always screw up the name of this place but there are two-one on third street prom and the other (more fun one is in West Hollywood).