Brockmont, Glendale, CA

Brockmont is a small hillside pocket of northwest Glendale built on the grounds of John C. Brockman's early 1900s estate, and the estate's clock tower still stands on Arbor Drive. The houses change as the land climbs. Around the old estate you find big Mediterranean houses and 1950s-style ranches spread over large lots, some close to an acre. Higher up, Tudor and Colonial Revival houses sit on tiered lots, and a handful of contemporary homes cantilever off the slope to catch the view. There are no shops or apartment blocks mixed in. Brand Park is the big outdoor draw, a short drive west at the foot of the Verdugos. Its trails climb toward Mount Thom and the Verdugo Crest, and the grounds hold a Japanese garden with a teahouse and the Brand Library & Art Center in Leslie Brand's El Miradero mansion, which hosts outdoor concerts in summer. Food and errands mean heading downhill. Kenneth Road has a small cluster of neighborhood spots, including Coffee Commissary for espresso and Tacos Los Desvelados for tacos. Downtown Glendale and the Americana at Brand sit below the hill, and the 134 and Interstate 5 are both close for commutes. The tradeoff is that you drive for nearly everything, and buses don't climb the hill. Houses in Brockmont also come up for sale rarely, since owners usually hold on for decades. The clock tower on Arbor Drive, older than almost every house around it, is still the easiest landmark for giving directions.