Location: Situated between Burbank and Eagle Rock. North of Silver Lake and Downtown LA. Accessible from the 5, 132 and 2 freeways. Minutes to Pasadena, DTLA, Burbank.

Summary: Glendale is the best, most convenient suburb outside of Los Angeles. It has great restaurants, shopping, picturesque neighborhoods and is the Eastside’s epicenter for immaculate character homes priced from 300k to several million. The best part: it takes 15 minutes from Glendale to get anywhere in L.A. proper.

Glendale, with DTLA in the distance, taken from Adams Hill

Glendale has always had a reputation for being bland, boring suburbia–where Angelenos go to nest. You know who says that? People who don’t live in Glendale. As someone who has lived in Glendale for nearly 7 years, I can tell you first hand that Glendale is awesome.

There is no where else I’d want to live, except for maybe Eagle Rock, and even then, it’s because it’s close to Glendale. If boring means almost non-existent crime, beautiful homes, historic neighborhoods, fantastic restaurants, Caruso’s Americana and close proximity to Pasadena, Burbank, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Hollywood and DTLA, I’ll take boring any day.

Royal Blvd., historic district & Glendale

Glendale is a Los Angeles microcosm. There’s a Glendale equivalent for almost every neighborhood you can find in LA, except in Glendale, it’s packed into 30 sq. miles. Want Beverly Hills? Head to Royal Blvd. and check out the palm tree lined streets and mansions. Looking for an ultra modern West Hollywood home with views? Check out the sleek estates with jetliners views on Rimcrest. Hollywood Hills? The hillside homes above Mountain St. are sure to please. Hancock Park? Glendale’s Rossmoyne neighborhood will make you do a double take. Interested in something more down to earth with the feel of northeast LA? We have that too in Adams Hill–still my pick for the best deal in Los Angeles for hillside homes with views.

The other stigma about Glendale is that it isn’t diverse. There are huge numbers of Americans of Latino, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Persian and Armenian decent in Glendale–and all with eateries I thoroughly enjoy. Speaking of eateries, we have some of the best mom n’ pop restaurants in L.A. (see list below).

Glendale

Neighborhoods: Glendale is divided into 34 neighborhoods and each neighborhood is has its own flavor and predominant style of home. Some popular neighborhoods are Rossmoyne, Verdugo Viejo and Verdugo Woodlands.

Prices & Value: Prices vary greatly from $300k for a starter home to multimillion dollar estates in the hills and flat lands. Depending on the neighborhood you choose, you might end up with a vintage 1925 Spanish that looks as good, if not better, than a starter home in Glendale’s swanky Rossmoyne.

Below the 134 Fwy: Generally speaking, prices are lower below the 134 freeway. There are many 1930s-50s Traditional and Bungalow homes, and fewer numbers of 1920s style homes like Spanish and Mediterranean. Zip codes 91203, 91204 and 91205 offer the lowest prices in Glendale. That being said, 91205, which represents most of Adams Hill, is an anomaly. While the foothill areas have lower prices, prices are much higher as you go up into the hills. The hills also have lots of vintage 1920s homes.

Glendale

Above the 134 Fwy: Generally speaking, prices are higher above the 134. In the early 1900s, Glendale’s foothill area (above the 134) was the preferred destination for L.A.’s wealthy to build summer estates. In the 1920s, Spanish style homes were really trendy. As a wealthy Angeleno, you weren’t anyone unless you had a picture-perfect Spanish hacienda in Glendale. Though these were built for a few thousand dollars in the 1920s, these homes now fetch a million or more on average. Still, prices in 91201, 91202, 91207 vary greatly. For example:

You can pick up this $1.5 million estate in Rossmoyne…

…or this $600k, 3br/2ba, 1928 Spanish in the same neighborhood

The very green College Hills neighborhood

The Woods: To Glendale’s east are the neighborhoods of Woodbury, Verdugo Woodlands, Rancho San Rafael, Scholl Canyon and more. The one distinctive feature that ties all these neighborhoods together is that they fit almost seamlessly into the natural landscape. The landscape here is very green, mostly hilly with winding foothill streets and many hillside homes. Even though you’re only 15 minutes from Downtown LA, you feel a world away. Some parts are so green that it’s as if you’re in the middle of the Angeles National Forest. Homes in zip codes 91206 and 91208 can vary greatly from $400k to several million. It’s proximity to the 2 fwy also makes these neighborhoods the most convenient to DTLA, Eagle Rock and Pasadena. Theses areas are the most naturally beautiful, and I’m talking, seeing a momma deer and baby in your front yard beautiful, in all of Glendale.

So if I haven’t already sold you on Glendale, let me know. I have lots more info and tempting carrots (and kabobs) to dangle…starting with:

Businesses I Love & Frequent in Glendale

Best for Cheat Days: Raffi’s Place, 211 E. Broadway, Glendale, 91205, 818-240-7411

Best Chicken: Zankou Chicken, 1415 E. Colorado St., Glendale, 91205 , 818-244-1937

Best Cuban: Porto’s Bakery, 315 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203, 818-956-5996

Best Pho: Pho Hut, 312 1/2 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, 91203, 818-247-6955

Best Armenian Bakery: Panos Pastries, 418 S. Central Ave., Glendale, 91204, 818-502-0549

Best Empanadas: Rincon Argentino, 1375 E. Colorado Blvd., Glendale, 91205, 818-246-4562

Best Mexican: Barragan’s Mexican Restaurant, 814 S. Central Ave., Glendale, 91204, 818-243-1103

Best Margaritas & Pico de Gallo: Frida, 750 Americana Way, Glendale, 91210, 818-551-1666

Best Peruvian: Mamita’s Peruvian, 714 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, 91204, 818-243-5121

Best Tiki Bar: Damon’s Steakhouse, 317 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, 91203, 818-507-1510

Best Italian Deli: Mario’s Italian Market, 740 E. Broadway, Glendale, 91205, 818-242-4114

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