Descanso Dr, Silver Lake

Descanso Drive is a small, quiet street nestled in the Silverlake Hills above Sunset Blvd. It's loaded with great old homes, old-school bungalow apartments and lots of lush gardens. Very friendly homeowners, but do make sure you pick up after your dog to keep the good karma going! I lived on an adjacent street (Tularosa) and found Descanso to be one of the most charming streets in this section of the city; a hidden gem perfect for early evening strolls, beginning at Maltman and ending back down at Sunset Blvd, where you can enjoy dinner at any number of great little restaurants. Occasionally there's a bit of noise spilling over from the Sunset Blvd. area, but in all the days and evenings I walked my dog on this street, I was safe, and never bothered by anyone.

Best Feature: Homes, gardens, relaxed neighborhood vibe. AND--Don't miss the "hidden stairways" all over this area of Silverlake, with one entry on Descanso, I believe--these were the stairways built into the hills by the electric trolley cars that used to run up and down Sunset, and they're still a quick and easy way to cut straight down the hill if you're in a rush and don't want to walk the winding streets.