Silver Lake

Last night I ventured over to east LA to the very hipster and hilly neighborhood, Silver Lake. I had never been there before and was surprised to learn that it is one of the most artsy areas here in LA.

Silver Lake is located east of Hollywood and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. According to my research, "it's known as an eclectic gathering of hipsters, the creative class and a significant LGBT community." As of the census of 2000, there were 30,972 people living in Silver Lake. It's one of the most socioeconomically and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in LA.

I just found this quote and it totally describes the area perfectly, "Silver Lake has a reputation for it's vibrant bohemian flair combined with a neighborhood atmosphere, and was especially popular in the 1990s for its dynamic community. It is truly a remarkable experience to walk down the main street of Silver Lake and meet the breadth of people and witness such a breathtaking palette of talent."

Here's a few interesting facts about Silver Lake:

• Silver Lake contains some of the most renown modernist architecture in the US. Well known architect Richard Neutra has designed many homes and various other buildings all over.
• In the 1930's, Walt Disney built his first large studio here. For this reason, Silver Lake is sometimes referred to as the birthplace of Mickey Mouse and the other characters in the Disney gang.
  
• Many popular films have been produced by Mack Sennett Studios which is located in Silver Lake.
  
• Since the 1990's, Silver Lake has become the center of the alternative and indie rock scene in LA. Two major street music festivals take place here every year, the Silver Lake Jubilee held in May and the Sunset Junction Street Fair held in August. Both attract top musicians.
  
• At the center of the district is the magnificent Silver Lake Reservoir. While it is beautiful, builders have been wanting to tear it down for years.