Rancho Adjacent, Burbank, CA

Rancho Adjacent fills the south-central part of Burbank between downtown and the Disney studio lot, and it borders the horse-keeping Rancho along Riverside Drive, where riders cross the Mariposa Street Bridge into Griffith Park. The Team Disney building on Buena Vista Street marks its western side. Homes in Rancho Adjacent lean toward single-story ranch houses from the 1950s and 1960s, with some older cottages closer to downtown and apartment buildings along the main avenues. Lots are flat and regular, and plenty of houses have been expanded over the years. Johnny Carson Park, off Bob Hope Drive, has picnic areas and fitness equipment, and Mountain View Park on West Riverside adds basketball and tennis courts. Dick Clark Dog Park is also on Riverside, and the Griffith Park trail network waits just across the river. Corner Cottage on South Victory draws a morning crowd for breakfast burritos with a sharp house salsa, served only until 11. Viktor Benes Bakery on South Main is the neighborhood bakery counter, and Trustworthy Brewing Co. on West Verdugo pours its own beer in a taproom a few blocks from downtown. Groceries are simple, with a Pavilions, a Ralphs and a Vons all inside the neighborhood. Downtown's shops and the Metrolink station are a short drive or bike ride east, and the Ventura Freeway runs along the southern edge, so trips toward Glendale or the Westside start quickly. The location has a price in traffic. Studio and hospital commuters squeeze Alameda and Olive at rush hour, and the freeway adds background hum to the blocks closest to it. On weekend mornings, riders headed for the Mariposa bridge share Riverside Drive with dog walkers bound for the park.