LOS FELIZ

Los Feliz is Griffith Park's front porch. The trails are right there — Fern Dell, the Observatory hike, even the Hollywood Sign if you're feeling ambitious. Vermont and Hillhurst are the commercial spines, with the kind of restaurants and bars that have been around long enough to have regulars. The Vista Theatre (recently restored by Quentin Tarantino) anchors the neighborhood's old-Hollywood soul. Houses here range from Spanish Revival stunners to mid-century gems tucked into the hills. It's quieter than Silver Lake, greener than Hollywood, and has one of the best bookstores in the city (Skylight Books).