Featured image credit: Downtowngal
Los Angeles is a lot of things to a lot of people – but Europe isn’t one of them. At least not outside of the Los Feliz neighborhood. That’s not saying you could mistake the curving streets, walkability, and natural beauty of Los Feliz for, say, those of Paris, Milan, or Berlin. The Southern California climate and diversity of architecture are just too distinct. But there is something of a European flavor to the Los Feliz neighborhood when compared with other parts of LA. It’s not a one-for-one comparison with a specific European city, but the combination of Los Feliz’s urban structure, third places, and lifestyle rhythm exudes a European feel.
Life Conveniently Within Reach
It may not be a visual cue, but the walkability of the Los Feliz neighborhood mirrors the lifestyles of many European cities. This is largely due to its integration of hyperlocal commercial corridors and residential areas. Vermont and Hillhurst Avenues serve as parallel columns of the community, offering chic cafes like Figaro Bistrot, independent bookstores like Skylight Books, health-oriented grocers like Lassen’s, and popular restaurants like Alcove. It’s the type of environment that encourages residents to take short, daily jaunts to the shops, providing a stark contrast to the rest of car-reliant Los Angeles.
For being so walkable, Los Feliz also offers a surprising concentration of recreational and cultural venues. Independent cinemas like The Vista and Los Feliz 3, cultural venues like the Philosophical Research Society and The Greek Theater, educational attractions like The Griffith Observatory, and, of course, the natural splendor of Griffith Park are all less than two miles from each other. This celebration of art and, in the case of one of the country’s largest urban parks, the natural world, is integrated into daily life in Los Feliz.
Immersing Yourself in the Los Feliz Neighborhood
Los Feliz also isn’t typically a very vertical neighborhood. Buildings are modest in height, rarely exceeding four stories, even along the more commercially-oriented avenues. Storefronts open directly onto the street, unrestrained by asphalt expanses of parking lots, but instead inviting in the gently bustling foot traffic. Lingering isn’t discouraged. It’s actively supported, whether walking a Frenchie, enjoying a latte at a tiny cafe, or punctuating errands with a quick catch-up with the neighbors.
On a more physically apparent level, the street layout in Los Feliz reinforces the European feel. Though parts of the Los Feliz neighborhood incorporate LA’s predominant grid layout, much of the area instead adopts gentle curves and elevation shifts as it climbs into the foothills of Griffith Park. Not only do these streets give way to stunning views, but they also reduce speeding and through traffic, leading to an overall tranquil neighborhood feel. It’s also a layout that feels more natural and organic, similar to older urban areas around Europe.
Old World Architecture, California-Style
We mentioned the diversity of architecture found around the Los Feliz neighborhood, and, yes, that extends to European styles as well. Some of the more obvious design examples include:
- Art Deco
- Mediterranean
- Mid-Century Modern
- Spanish Revival
In the decades when these buildings were constructed, outdoor living, courtyards, and quality craftsmanship were highly valued. These priorities continue onward in Los Feliz’s numerous balconies, communal gardens, and layouts that encourage neighborly fraternizing.
Admiration, Not Imitation
Taken on their own, these features may be boiled down to eccentricities. But combined, these characteristics lend a slightly European feel to the Los Feliz neighborhood, especially when contrasted against the surrounding city. It’s not cheap mimicry but rather an authentic parallel; one that emphasizes walkability and a distinct community presence.
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
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