My Walk in the Hollywood Hills - A Photo-Essay

Yesterday, after a meeting in Los Angeles, I took a walk in the Hollywood Hills...

Cynically speaking, I consider Los Angeles the left armpit of the universe... especially when it comes to traffic! After a late-lunch meeting, I knew that the freeway traffic would be abominable. As I don't get to Hollywood very often (Thank God!), rather than get in the car and be frustrated, stalled on the "concrete parking lot," I went for a walk in the Hollywood Hills.

Hooray for Hollywood!
Photo courtesy of Ahmet Yalçınkaya and http://unsplash.com

Unless otherwise noted,

I snapped most of these photos with my phone/camera, and (FYI) I've uploaded most here at full resolution, so if you "right-click" and "open in new window" you may be able to zoom in on additional detail. Fair warning; my cell/camera isn't the greatest, and may have a smudged lens.

The Beachwood Cafe and Environs, Hollywood - Sat Map Image via Google Maps

I began and ended my trek near the Beachwood Cafe.

A nicely situated eatery, the Beachwood Cafe offers a modest but sufficiently varied menu. After a light lunch, I set out on my walk. Heading north, I tackled the steep climb up Westshire Drive.

A sign I saw along the way suggested to me that the local residents hope to minimize traffic along the very narrow, winding streets in this area.

Yankee, Go Home! Don't Bother Us... - Original Photo

The roads are mostly steep and narrow.

Driving through these hills is not for the faint of heart.

Steep, Narrow Streets - Original Photo

This is often exacerbated cars parked on the roadsides. You won't want to go whipping around any corners because you'll likely run into someone coming the other way, with no room to pass.

Steep, Narrow Roads - Original Photo

Most of the homes I saw were very well-kept.

By and large, they had landscaped yards, and some even boasted well-endowed citrus fruit trees. There was a monster lemon on this particular lemon tree, about the size of a cantaloup.

When Life Gives You Lemons... - Original Photo

There were also beautiful flowers in several yards.

These two were among the nicest that I saw. Notice the shiny green berries near the cluster blossom.

Hollywood hills architecture is a true study in contrasts.

For example, consider this French provincial castle, right alongside a modern cubist dwelling.

Eclectic Styles, Side by Side - Original Photo

How about this pair?

In Hollywood, a man's home can truly be his castle, replete with banners flying from the highest turret.

A Man's Home is His Castle - Original Photo

Available:

Five-bedroom, brick and clapboard, solar power, has garden window and attached multi-unit birdhouse... See agent. Please do not disturb occupants.

For the Birds? - Original Photo

Almost Every House Displayed Signs Warning of Armed Response.

Fair enough; I wasn't planning on "breaking and entering," anyway.

This gnarly tree fascinated me.

Though I took photos from many angles, try as I might, I couldn't eliminate the overhead telephone and electric power wires in the background. Even so, I hope you can get a sense of the almost randomly twisting branches that caught my attention.

A Fascinating, Gnarly Tree - Original Photo

A Fascinating, Gnarly Tree - Original Photo

I was also intrigued by this ivy-cloaked home.

Perhaps it reminded me of fairy tales that I've read, or maybe a Thomas Kinkade painting.

How about this contradictory pair of signs?

I did a double-take when I saw it:

Signs of the Times?... - Original Photo

Hmmm... Do I stop? No stopping? Which is it? Only your all-wise government knows for sure, and if you fail to comply with their mysterious edicts in any way, you can be sure that they will charge you a stiff penalty for your willful ignorance.

Many buildings were vertically oriented.

My theory is that residents tend to "build upward" because of some combination of the steepness of the streets and the undoubtedly even steeper prices of Hollywood lots.

Even the realtors here dwell in unusual buildings.

The Hollywoodland Realty Company was right across the street from where I was parked.

The Hollywoodland Realty Company - Original Photo

If you ever have a chance to visit Hollywood,

don't confine yourself to Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Bowl; go for a drive or a walk in the Hollywood hills. I think you'll enjoy it!

Hooray for Hollywood!
Photo courtesy of Caleb George and http://unsplash.com

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Thanks for your time and attention.

I'm here on Steemit because of you, my readers. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!

This post is intended to count towards @dragosroua's Challenge30.

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I have very eclectic interests and hope, over time, to write about all of them.
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