I genuinely appreciate Phoenix and its landscape. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last 6 weeks here. That said, I can’t wait to get back to LA.
Southern California, in my estimation, is the most magnificent place on earth. In particular, Los Angeles is our state’s crown jewel. I’m proud to present to you five regions you must visit when you come to my home city.
- Downtown and surrounding areas - The neighborhoods surrounding Downtown are rough but with great allure. There is something about the grit of LA that resonates strongly with me. My city is full of fighters and lovers, transients and gangsters. Wannabe models and actors do not define LA. The variety of creeds and colors do. The population has nearly tripled over the last 14 years, and now features everything from glitzy new mega-entertainment complexes like LA Live to historic office buildings to Skid Row, the 50-block area with the largest percentage of homeless individuals in the country. Downtown LA features concert halls, museums, and some of the area’s best new restaurants. It’s also nearly evenly split racially between Asian-Americans, African-Americans, Latinos, and Caucasians, making for a diverse mixing bowl.
There’s more than meets the eye in Downtown’s concrete jungle of freeways, skyscrapers, sculptures, and convention centers. From its wholesale flower market and fashion district to its historic landmarks and gallery-sponsored art walks, Downtown is where diverging interests converge in this star-studded city on the coast. Take the time to explore this seemingly-intimidating neighborhood and you’ll notice that it’s friendlier than expected—people are nice and public transportation is accessible. Downtown, everyone’s waiting for you.
- Topanga Canyon - Driving from Woodland Hills, you’ll inevitably become dizzy as the canyon weaves its way through forest and streams (depending on the season). You’ll unquestionably forget your proximity to a major metropolitan area. TC is magic.
Homeopaths, naturopaths, and individuals forging their own paths collide in Topanga’s canyon. As flower children rally on the roadside and artists sequester themselves in hillside homes, creative endeavors seem to effortlessly spring forth in this distant-from-Downtown neighborhood. Snack on local granola as you hike Topanga’s trails and cruise its coastline—just don’t expect to experience LA’s other kind of wild side unless you have a car.
- Venice - Sure, it’s touristy, but it’s charming and eclectic. Plus, it’s on the Pacific Ocean. Can’t. Lose.
An unconventional enclave along Los Angeles’ coast, Venice combines alternative values with counter-culture street cred. A carnival atmosphere permeates throughout this beach town, emanating from its fire-breathing street performers and its spoken-word sidewalk expressionists.
- San Fernando Valley - Surrounded by mountains and veined with the 101 and 405 freeways gridded city blocks, the 818 is crazy diverse and unconventionally attractive. The middle of the valley is working class, and I’m proud to call the SFV my first home.
Food trucks, general stores, and Latino bodegas line Van Nuys, a suburban LA neighborhood that swims in the center of the San Fernando Valley. Striking contrasts convene in this seventies-feeling locale—rows of shiny new car dealers park adjacent to retro-styled burger stands and mismatched thrift centers. In Van Nuys, you won’t find warehouse-turned-art-lofts or expansive green spaces. Instead, you’ll find adobe-colored single-story homes, south-of-the-border flavors, and boulevards shaded by palm fronds next to the neighborhood’s train station. Sherman Oaks balances urban attitudes with suburban amenities—speeding cars contrast sharply with the slow sway of palm trees in this San Fernando Valley neighborhood. Although this congenial neighborhood isn’t known for its trendiness, a smattering of hip cafes and boutiques are always close by on Ventura Boulevard. When you truly want to embrace your location in the Valley, visit the Sherman Oaks Galleria—it’s the real-life setting where “Valley Girl” was filmed. Like, awesome to the max! Little league games, half-time snacks, and shopping on Saturdays signify life in Glendale, quite possibly LA’s quaintest suburb. Glendale boasts its own small downtown and big-name corporations alongside car dealerships, manicured plazas, and tree-lined streets that give its residents a wholesome atmosphere in which to play, eat, and peruse. Big stars produce blockbuster films amid Burbank’s small-town atmosphere. Known as “The Media Capital of the World,” entertainment studios from Walt to Warner and Nickelodeon to Cartoon Network create visual content at the foot of the Verdugo Mountains. A neighborhood that still welcomes visitors with the sight of a water tower, Burbank’s retro aesthetic recalls an era when sock-hops and going steady were just the niftiest.
- Malibu - Hawaii has nothing on the coastline of north Malibu. Quite simply the most breathtaking beach community anywhere.
Getting to Malibu’s six beaches, sunbathed coast, or illustrious university takes effort when you’re coming from the core of LA, but the journey is worth it. Evidence of this small-town’s nonpareil respect for nature is everywhere. Malibu’s celebrities, surfers, and students bask in its proximity to both the coast and the Santa Monica Mountains. Board, bike, and engage in the ‘Bu’s favorite community pastimes—judging chili cookoffs, pre-screening films at festivals, and fundraising for local organizations.
