Silver Lake

Silver Lake is pretty awesome, in my opinion. It used to be an utter slum until about 10 years ago and now it's one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. A lot of the apartments are old and have glorious high ceilings. But, the streets with the good ones are hit and miss. Half of the areas are still pretty run down and scary. The neighborhood has become pretty expenisve, too, because of its cool factor, so you can't get the giant apartment for a good deal in the area any longer. The houses up in the hills and around the reservoir are really cool. A lot of them are small-ish houses that have huge decks and a great view; but, there are definitely some whoppers in the area. There isn't much of a neighborhood feel in any of the residential parts of Silverlake, though. I'm not sure if it's because of the hills but it isn't a neigborhoody kind of neighborhood.
The reservoir isn't the most scenic of bodies of water in the city; but, there is a great dog park attached. And, if you live in the neighborhood and want to see a bit of water on a run, this is the spot. You have to be careful, though, because cars go flying down the street right there.
Silverlake reminds me a lot of Williamsburg in the way of music, shops and food. There are a lot of small, hip restaurants in the area. Malo is one of my favorite. It's small, it's great and it's always packed. The little boutiques in the neighborhood are fantastic. And, there's an independent coffee shop for every four shops.
There hipster quotient of Silverlake is pretty high. So, be prepared to be judged by adults in costumes. Especially at the bars like Cha Cha and Mixville. But, the great thing about all of the Silverlake bars is that they are all pretty low-key. I'll take a hipster bar over a Hollywood d-bag club any day.
The best part about Silverlake is, undoubtedly, the music scene. I have seen so many bands at Spaceland before they got big. And, all of the music venues are really small so you are right up on some great music. Silverlake has long been the home to up and coming musicians. Elliot Smith, Beck, Jeff Buckley, etc all lived and performed in Silverlake before they were names.
Which brings me to The Sunset Junction Street fair. This is the most incredible street fair as far as music, indie shopping and food. It's every summer and it's one of my favorite things to do in the city.
Silverlake is diverse and fantastic but maybe not for older people.

I have only visited the area and there was plenty to do within such a small radius Within walking distance there are an entire list of clubs, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. Rent, is not the most affordable but yet not too extravagant either. You're looking about 1700 for a smaller two bedroom. As I said, there are plenty of entertainment areas. Jazz clubs, hotels, pool parties, night clubs, bars and restaurants. Hundreds of places to go within the small area of Silver Lake in LA.
This area is great since you have the nightlife, shopping, and dining but you also have various opportunities to enjoy the nature aspects of Silver Lake. Plenty of hiking the extravagant nature trails lining the outskirts of the area.
Crime rates really vary. It's hit or miss as some areas are perfectly safe and others are areas where you need to be more careful.
There are plenty of shopping areas within a very short walking distance. Silver lake has a great daytime life and a very happening night life. Great for couples, someone enjoying the single life, or the college student who works all day and stays up all night.

Silver Lake is nestled in the hills between downtown Los Angeles and Glendale. There are several retail areas that make up Silver Lake, each one situated at different sides of the Silver Lake Reservoir. Between each unique retail area are streets lined with 1920's Craftsman bungalows and Spanish-influenced duplexes, 1960's modern ranch homes, and a sprinkling of ultramodern Bauhaus minimalist houses. Silver Lake is known for its trendy and fashionable music venues, restaurants, and boutiques -- but still maintains a gritty urban edge due to the proximity of less gentrified LA neighborhoods like Rampart, Korea Town and Echo Park. A yearly highlight of the neighborhood is the Sunset Junction Music Festival, which has grown in recent years to include internationally recognized bands as headliners.