Oakmont, Glendale, CA

Oakmont wraps around the Oakmont Country Club golf course in north Glendale, and those fairways, backed by the Verdugo Mountains, set the tone for the whole neighborhood. Streets climb and curve, lots run big, and houses sit higher and farther apart than in the flats around Glendale Community College to the south. Housing leans toward the late 1950s, with Spanish-style houses under terra cotta roofs, Tudors and newer contemporary builds, many on lots close to a quarter acre. Hillside homes often look across the canyon toward the San Rafael Hills. The club itself is private, with golf, dining and fitness for members. Trails start close. The Beaudry Loop trailhead on Beaudry Terrace begins a steep fire road climb to the Verdugo crest. Across the canyon, the Glendale Sports Complex on Fern Lane is the jumping-off point for the Catalina Verdugo and Mountain Do trails into the San Rafael Hills, and the Sunshine Preserve protects another piece of ridge. Fire House BBQ on Canada Boulevard is the barbecue stop, and Old Fashion Deli & Market on North Verdugo Road covers sandwiches and a few groceries. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in the Canada Boulevard plaza is the closest coffee. The tradeoff is getting around. Buses run only along Verdugo Road, sidewalks come and go on the hillside streets, and nearly every errand is a drive. The 2 Freeway is close, which keeps downtown Glendale and Los Angeles within easy reach. The best view in the neighborhood belongs to anyone willing to walk uphill. From the Beaudry fire road above the rooftops, the golf course, the canyon and the whole basin line up below.