Jefferson, Culver City, CA

Jefferson takes its name from the boulevard that runs through it, and this part of Culver City sits where the flatlands meet the Baldwin Hills. A skate park, a dog park and the city's biggest hillside park sit at its back door, a little more than a mile below downtown. Housing is mostly condos and apartments, with some media and entertainment offices mixed in. The best known complex is Raintree, a 1970s condo community off Jefferson with pools, recreation buildings and grounds built around a small lake. Buildings are larger and more spread out here than in the bungalow neighborhoods to the north. The Culver City Skate Park and The Boneyard, the city's dog park at Duquesne Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard, are both inside the neighborhood. Next door, Culver City Park climbs toward the state park overlook on the Baldwin Hills, and the long staircase known as the Culver City Stairs is the local test for anyone training. Raintree Plaza is the everyday hub. Don Chuy's Mexican Restaurant is known for its Taco Tuesday specials, Sushi Mashiko handles sushi nights, and Joyce's Submarine Sandwiches and Taproom Pizza cover quick meals. Starbucks has two locations along the boulevard for a morning coffee. Ralphs anchors the plaza for groceries. Getting around is easy by car or bike, and CulverCityBus runs the length of the corridor. Walking works for the plaza and the parks, less so for everything else, and downtown is a short bike ride north. Jefferson Boulevard is the city's busiest street, and living near it means steady traffic noise and some waits at the plaza driveways during rush hour. In Jefferson the hills start almost at the curb, so a climb up the stairs or a loop around the dog park fits easily before work.