Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, CA

Ventura Boulevard is the spine of Sherman Oaks, and along this stretch of Los Angeles it is lined block after block with sit-down restaurants, coffee counters and bakeries. The neighborhood sits where the 405 meets the 101, with Studio City to the east, Encino to the west and the Santa Monica Mountains rising to the south. North of Ventura, the flats hold 1930s to 1950s ranch houses and Spanish-style homes on regular grid blocks, plus a lot of apartments and condos near Van Nuys and Sepulveda boulevards. South of Ventura, the streets rise into the hills, where midcentury and newer hillside homes chase views toward Mulholland Drive. Mulholland is the nearest open space. The Stone Canyon and Melhorn overlooks look out over the Valley, and Deervale Stone Canyon Park has trails through chaparral. Down on the flats, Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park has a pool, ball fields and a gym, and the Valleyheart Riverwalk follows the LA River. The food scene is the draw. Casa Vega has served Mexican food on Ventura since 1956. For coffee, The Coffee Roaster has roasted its own beans on Ventura since 1987, and M Street Coffee on Moorpark doubles as a small gallery. Errands in Sherman Oaks are close by. Whole Foods, Gelson's, Trader Joe's and Ralphs all have locations here, and the Westfield Fashion Square hosts a weekly farmers market in its lot. The Sherman Oaks Galleria sits right at the 405. Metro buses run Ventura and Van Nuys, but most trips are by car. The tradeoff is traffic. The 405 backs up for miles around the 101 interchange, and Ventura Boulevard fills up at rush hour. On weekday mornings the smart move is a coffee on foot before anyone tries the Sepulveda Pass.