SAN FERNANDO VALLEY
The city of Los Angeles is essentially divided into two parts with a natural geographic divider known as the Santa Monica Mountains running in a east/west direction down the center of the city. Aside from the Himalayas in China, this is the only mountain range in the world to have this east/west orientation-and therefore making a clean slice of the LA basin. On the south end of the mountain range lies the areas of Los Angeles that are Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brenwtood, Santa Monica and LAX. On the north side of this mountain range is the area known as the San Fernando Valley.
Dubbed as "The Valley" by LA locals, this area of LA is home to such neighborhoods as Burbank, North Hollywood, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino and Tarzana. The weather in the Valley tends to have more extremes than its LA neighbor to the south, with summers that are tremendously hotter, and winters that are substantially cooler. The main road artery running east to west in the Valley is Ventura Blvd. The San Fernando Valley initially started out as a "suburb" of the Los Angeles on the other side of the hill, but in the last few decades has seen its own growth explode and is now as fairly urbanized as any other part of the city. The Valley is home to a number of corporations, including the major movie studios of Universal, Warner Brothers and Disney Pictures.
BURBANK
Burbank is located on the far eastern portion of the San Fernando Valley. Originally the home of NBC Studios (since moved to the Universal Lot in Studio City) Burbank is still the home to many corporate media offices and studio lots such as Disney Pictures and Warner Brothers. Forest Lawn Cemetery, a major celebrity burial site is also located in Burbank. Burbank is host to a domestic airport with connections up and down the west coast as well as to Dallas through American.
STUDIO CITY
Studio City is located off the 101 freeway and to the west of Burbank. Studio City is home to Universal City and Universal Studios. CBS maintains a studio back lot off of Ventura Blvd in Studio City. If you are a reality show fan, this is the location that Big Brother films. (See more tv/movie locales in LA Here). In addition Studio City is home to many smaller independent studios. Studio City retains a relatively small suburban feel even though it is criss crossed by major roads such as Laurel Canyon, Ventura Blvd and the 101. A variety of night clubs and upscale restaurants line both sides of Ventura Blvd amongst miles of towering palm trees.
SHERMAN OAKS/ENCINO
Sherman Oaks and Encino are the next neighborhoods west of Studio City. Like their neighbor to the east-Studio City, both Encino and Sherman Oaks are relatively suburban feeling despite the high level of traffic that transverse these areas. All three neighborhoods have an upscale population that reside in the homes on the northern mountain slope over looking the Valley. These neighborhoods are all home to many entertainment executive families who find it close enough to media centers yet far enough away to raise a family. It is in Sherman Oaks that the 101 and 405 freeways cross, making it one of the top ten busiest freeway interchanges in the country.
