Sunset Blvd Page 2
After passing Mel's Diner, you will pass through the Sunset Plaza area. It is this area that there is a variety of shopping. Some stores with attractive exteriors in this region include H&M, Armani Exchange as well as some very high end boutique specialty stores.
Upon exiting the Sunset Strip, you will find yourself entering Beverly Hills. You will definitely noticed the ambiance of Sunset Blvd to make a 180 degree change from the glitter and neon lights of the strip to the lush, greenery and elegant feel of Sunset Blvd. As you will note, the road becomes a lot smoother in this stretch and and branching off of Sunset are streets that wind into the hills or palm tree flats of Beverly Hills containing multi million dollar estates. The fun part about sight seeing in Beverly Hills is that you pick any one of these streets to drive off onto and you will instantly be treated to the sights of beautiful homes.
As you proceed through Beverly Hills you will soon come on the Beverly Hills Hotel on the right hand side. Known as the "Pink Palace" the hotel stands very strong and authoritative with its pink spanish decco design amongst a forest of palm trees. There is easy parking access around the hotel and its worth a trip to see the lobby where beautiful glass chandeliers hang and you are always guaranteed to see a celebrity sighting, or two. It is also this area you may recognize some of the other popular streets of Beverly Hills as they cross Sunset like Canon, Rodeo and Roxbury Drives. By making a left off of Rodeo at this point you will be taken into the heart of the shopping district of Beverly Hills that is world famous.
After passing Sunset and Whittier you are now heading out of Beverly Hills and into the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. On the immediate right you will pass Carolwood Drive where Michael Jackson's final home is situated and the location of his recent passing. It is this area that Sunset becomes very windy and somewhat dangerous. Use caution through this area as many locals who are accustomed to this stretch race their fancy German and Japanese sports cars through this area. At the Beverly Glenn intersection, by making a right on Beverly Glenn you will be taken deep into the Santa Monica Mountains where like the Hollywood Hills of the Sunset Strip you get breathtaking views of the canyons, houses on cliffs and ultimately if you choose to proceed will be dropped off in the San Fernando Valley in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of LA.
As you make your way on Sunset the Bel Air neighborhood continues on the right side and the UCLA campus will be visible through the trees on the left. You will see many joggers on the trail on the left. After several more winding turns Sunset Blvd. spits you out into a an area called the Sepulveda pass. It is this area you will see signs for the busy 405 and Sunset will take you over Sunset and into the Brentwood neighborhood. On the right hand side you will see the 405 curving into and over the Santa Monica Mountains on its way to the San Fernando Valley. You will also see the Hotel Angeleno on the right hand side. Featured in countless movies and tv shows, the hotel in itself with its circular geometry and location perched at the bottom of the Santa Monica Mountains and again the busy 405 is a landmark in of itself.
Like much of the past 4 miles on Sunset, the next 6 will continue to be winding, full of fast drivers and lined with beautiful greenery, multi million dollar estates and quaint parks and shopping areas. As you pass through Brentwood you will come to the intersection of Barrington and Sunset. On the left hand side is a small shopping area known as the Brentwood Village. It is here that you can stop for a coffee, a sweet from a bakery or have a full out lunch. This area has been to known to be a celebrity hang out as well as a relaxing spot for the Brentwood locals and their pets. Continuing west on Sunset you will pass many streets such as Kenter and Bundy where by making a right or left on either you will be taken into the hills or canyons of Brentwood where you will see more multi million dollar estates. It is as at Kenter and Sunset where by making a right on Kenter Joan Crawford lived. If Bundy Drive or Rockingham sound familiar as you pass, those were the areas that were the epicenter of the OJ Simpson trial. When you pass Mandaville Canyon Road, it is here that a large number political presidential fund raisers have been held at several estates off of Mandaville.
The next area you will pass through is the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. It is here traffic on Sunset becomes very slow and enters what is called the Palisades Village. Home to boutique shops, gourmet supermarkets, coffee shops and bakeries, this area of LA tends to be very white and upscale with families. Most of the residents of this area enjoy having a LA zip code but being close to the beach and miles from the crazy ness that is Hollywood. After clearing the village, Sunset again become very windy and from here on out there are few traffic lights. About 4 miles from the village Sunset finally terminates at the coast. Coming down a hill, through a small mountain pass and after making a left curve, the ocean spreads out and Sunset ends at the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). From here you can either make a right and proceed into Malibu or make a left and the PCH takes you into Santa Monica.
