Silverlake, Los Angeles, CA

Silverlake is named for the reservoir at its center, and the loop around the water is where this Los Angeles neighborhood comes together every morning. Walkers, runners and dog owners circle the water, and the grassy Silver Lake Meadow next to the loop works as a big shared lawn. Homes in Silverlake climb steep, winding hillsides. Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler both built in the area, so glassy midcentury modern houses sit on the same streets as 1920s Spanish and Craftsman homes, while the flatter blocks near Sunset and Glendale boulevards fill in with apartments and courtyard buildings. Beyond the reservoir loop and the meadow, there is the Silver Lake Dog Park, the recreation center on Silver Lake Drive, and the stairways themselves, which locals use as a free workout. The neighborhood also reaches down to the LA River near Rattlesnake Park and Lewis MacAdams Riverfront Park. Sunset Boulevard is the main eating street. Night + Market Song is known for its larb and casual group dinners, Pijja Palace is an Indian sports bar that puts saag on its pizza, and Cafe Tropical is the Cuban bakery people count on for cubanos and pastelitos. Errands are easy to cluster. Trader Joe's on Hyperion Avenue and the Whole Foods and Ralphs on Glendale Boulevard cover groceries, and the Silver Lake Farmers Market is held on Sunset. Plenty of people walk to coffee and dinner, but the hills are steep enough that most other trips happen by car. Parking is the recurring headache. Sunset and the streets around the reservoir fill up on weekends, and many hillside homes sit on narrow lanes with little room at the curb. The reward for living in Silverlake is being able to step out the door and join the reservoir loop without ever getting in the car.