Silver Lake Los Angeles, CA

Silver Lake was originally a place where small movie studios were built, beginning with Selig Studios in 1909 and Mack Sennett's in 1912. In the 1930s, Walt Disney built his first studio in the area. These days, the neighborhood is known for its pricey homes occupied by celebrities from Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams to Christina Ricci and Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira.

Silver Lake is the former home of architect Richard Neutra. Visit the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences to capture the working process of this visionary. Moving Arts and the Lyric Hyperion present theatrical works by locals and visiting companies. Taste of the Eastside offers food, vendors, music, and entertainment every May in the historic Los Angeles River Center and Gardens.

As part of Los Angeles' foodie paradise, Silver Lake has a wide selection of culinary choices, many of them found along Sunset Boulevard toward the neighborhood's southern border. Here you'll find American, ramen, Lebanese, seafood, Mexican, and more.

Pine & Crane serves small plates, noodles and soups, rice dishes, and teas in the Chinese tradition. Served in a simple environment, the food does the talking here, from the pork dumplings and scallion pancakes to dan dan noodles and jidori chicken.

Bowery Bungalow has also emerged as a local favorite, providing Middle Eastern, North African, and Lebanese specialties in a cozy cottage-like building near Sunset Junction. Many regulars enjoy the mezze and artichokes before moving on to hummus and turmeric fried rice or slow-cooked lamb.

Silver Lake serves as one of Los Angeles' premier nightlife destinations. Here you'll find live music at the Satellite, El Cid, and the Silverlake Lounge, as well as dancing at AKBAR and Los Globos, which offer huge dance floors and loud techno/industrial beats that partiers can dance to all night.

Some must-visit bars include the Thirsty Crow, known for its whiskey selection, and the Red Lion Tavern. Try the potato pancakes, sausage platters, or fries dipped in bleu cheese.

Los Angeles, spread over 503 square miles, doesn't make it easy to get around by train, bus, or subway. In Silver Lake, you're likely to need a car to get where you want to go. In many areas of Silver Lake, you'll find free or metered curbside parking. In others, look for parking lots or restaurant valets, and expect to pay $3 to $6 plus a tip.

If you don't drive, buses are the easiest form of public transportation. Metro local buses run through Silver Lake, connecting locals to Glendale, Koreatown, Hollywood, downtown LA, and Burbank. The Blue Line runs underneath Silver Lake to connect you to downtown and ultimately to Long Beach. Though it's not easy to hail a cab in the neighborhood, arranging an Uber pickup tends to be simple.

Silver Lake's accessibility to the 101 and 2 freeways connects you to the San Fernando Valley, East LA, and Glendale.

Silver Lake captures locals' hearts in part because of its devotion to parks and green spaces. The land around the reservoir has been turned into a popular off-leash dog park, and a jogging path around the reservoir is called Silver Lake Meadow. Belleview Recreation Center also has basketball courts, Little League baseball, and an open gym for fitness buffs.

Silver Lake Sunset Junction Festival happens every summer, with food, activities, and live music. This festival features a variety of up-and-coming artists, many of whom eventually end up on the radio.

The cost of living in Silver Lake runs higher than the city average. A typical one-bedroom apartment in Silver Lake rents for about $1,800 per month.

It'll cost you around $4 to get to Los Angeles' city center from Silver Lake using the subway or just $1.75 by bus, and a beer at a local pub runs around $5 to $6. Gas prices are about 12 percent higher in Los Angeles than the national average.

Silver Lake features small, charming boutiques offering a variety of unique items. Matrushka Construction provides unique women's and men's clothing staples, while MUSH and Yolk sell home goods, furniture, and gift items to make your space pretty and inviting. Most shops can be found along Sunset Boulevard.

This area supports many choices when it comes to grocery shopping. Chain stores such as Trader Joe's, Ralphs, Gelson's, and Vons are in the neighborhood, as are smaller grocers like Yummy.com, which delivers fresh groceries in the area, and PM Market.

The Silverlake Farmers Market happens on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Though it's a small market, locals say to look out for the fresh-brewed coffee and pupusas while you're loading up on fresh fruit and veggies.