Hae Jang Chon Korean BBQ Restaurant on 6th St in the heart of Koreatown is very popular. Come hungry cuz they won't stop bringing you food until you are busting at the seams.
Glendale for Armenian, Westwood for Persian ( Shamshiri on Westwood Blvd ). Great Thai restaurants all over LA as well.
The absolute best place in SoCal for mid century architecture is Palm Springs. If you want to see a different time period, the Victorians on Carroll Ave just below Dodgers Stadium are truly amazing. There are a few F L Wright homes to see around LA, if that is your thing. Greene and Greene architecture abounds in Pasadena.
Or, find a few of these homes:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_Study_Houses
Malibu is a great idea for both beautiful beaches and hiking. Malibu State Park is pretty cool, especially if you were a fan of MASH. If not, many other places to hike in the Santa Monica Mountain Range above Malibu.
LA is a huge city with tons of diversity with culture, architecture, food, etc.
Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.
Enjoy!