Riverside Rancho, Glendale, CA

Riverside Rancho in Glendale is horse country tucked against the Los Angeles River, a pocket where stables and riding rings sit a few blocks from studio offices and freeway ramps. It shares that equestrian identity with Burbank's Rancho district next door and with the Los Angeles Equestrian Center just across the river. Homes are mostly single-family houses, many with room for horses behind the house. Some are sold as equestrian compounds, and a handful of triplexes and small fourplexes fill out the mix. The streets are low and flat, close to the river and the riding trails on the south side. Pleasant Street Stable at Triple R Stables on Riverside Drive teaches riding lessons and runs summer camps, and weekend mornings here often start at the barn. Griffith Park is just across the river, with bridle paths, hiking trails and the Griffith Park Train Rides near the zoo. Victory Boulevard is the main street. Kalinka next to Sushi Nishi-Ya serves Russian home cooking, and OG Smash Burger covers a quick lunch. Geo Gallery on Victory shows work by members of the Burbank Art Association, and Brewyard Beer Company, a short drive east in Grand Central, pours Filipino and Japanese inspired beers. Errands mostly mean a short drive into Burbank or to the big markets on San Fernando Road. The 134 and the 5 are close, which is handy for Burbank, Hollywood and downtown, and the tradeoff is freeway noise on the blocks nearest the interchange plus the dust and smells that come with working stables. Riverside Rancho keeps rural habits in the middle of a big city. A weekend ride to Griffith Park starts from a backyard here, not a horse trailer.