Silverlake & Music Box Steps (Part II)

The Music Box Steps is a set of outdoor stairs in the Silverlake district of Los Angeles. The stairs were made famous by the Laurel and Hardy 1932 short film "The Music Box" in which the comic duo attemped to haul a piano up the impossibly long flight of stairs. 

I was back in Los Angeles this time last year and in the area (here's a link to Part I from last week). I had heard about these stairs, but had never seen them. Pretty cool. 

The stairs are located at 936 N. Vendome Street. - three blocks off of Sunset Blvd. (which is the main drag though Silverlake). 

There are homes up and down the stairs. I honestly don't how these folks get in and out of their places - do they have to haul everything in and out by hand? A grocery run could be tricky, let alone moving your furniture in and out. Perhaps someone more famililar with this neighborhood could leave a comment. 

Lots of vegetation - think that's what's part of the appeal. Hard to believe I was in the middle of the second largest city in the U.S. 

At the top: 3281 Descanco Drive. Turned around and headed back down. 

The steps were a nice workout. Apparenty, there are dozens of historic outdoor stair cases all around the Silverlake district. More on that in a bit. 

A view from the bottom. Across the street (and to my left) is a small neighborhood park appropirately named "Laurel and Hardy Park." Nice. 

As I commented in the previous post, Silverlake is a neighborhood in transition - with a huge influx of urban (and primarly Anglo) hipsters moving into a working class Hispanic neighborhood. 

As I walked back along Sunset Blvd, I wanted to asked these women "excuse me, are you hipster?" I actually think they were from out of the area, just visiting. Don't worry - I kept my mouth shut. 

Urban outdoor cafes and dining = very hipster. 

Next to Spanish language billboards for McDonalds = not very hipster, for at least a couple of different reasons. 

Cool, mosaic trash can cover = very hipster. 

Another set of stairs - this one much shorter. 

Here's a couple of links to some serious stair climbing opportunities in the Siverlake (and adjacent Echo Park) neighborhoods:

First, a 2008 Los Angeles Times article featuring local resident Dan Koeppel's amazing 16.2 mile hike up 52 (!) different outdoor stairways - for a total of 4,182 steps - with a 7,445 foot elevation gain. Wow!

And second, "Los Angeles: Climbing the Hidden Staircases" an informative blog dedicated entirely to L.A. staircase walks. 

Back along Sunset Blvd, another Spanish language church. In much of Los Angeles, established English language churches are surrounded by more recent Spanish speaking residents. Looks like reverse is happening here in Silverlake. 

I'm not at all familiar with this congreation, so I can't comment, but I am familar with an outstanding (English speaking) church less than three miles away that many of my friends in Los Angeles attend: "Reality L.A." - meeting Sundays at Helen Bernstein High School in Hollywoood.  

Continuing along Sunset Blvd, another outdoor cafe. This whole area is remniscent of Abott Kinney Blvd in Venice or Main Street in Santa Monica (both of which I've blogged about on this site). Felt like a page out of Christian Lander's "stuff white people like" blog. 

Someone needs to tell this Silverlake restaurant that it's very un-hip to advertise that you are hip. 

Another view across Sunset Blvd of "Cru" - the original reason I drove over to Silverlake. 

Looking west down Sunset Blvd with a nice view of the Hollywood Sign. The Silverlake district is located about halfway between downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. 

A final wide shot of the same view: Sunset Blvd with the Hollywood Sign in the distance. 

View Silverlake in a larger map

Another afternoon experiencing L.A. 

© 2013 www.experiencingla.com


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Silverlake & Music Box Steps (Part I)

Years ago I remember someone remarking that even after living in Los Angeles for decades, there are still entire communities to be explored for the first time. That was certainly true this time last year when I got out of my car, and walked around a bit in the Silverlake district. 

I had made a point to have lunch at Cru - both the name of the restaurant, and that name of the organization I work with. Here's a link to what that was like. Unfortunately Cru (the restaurant, not the organization) isn't in business anymore, so I'm glad I was able to stop by when I did. 

The "main drag" through Silverlake is none other than Sunset Blvd. I've driven along here a couple of times over the years, but never stopped. This is all just a few miles west from downtown Los Angeles - and worlds away from the glitz and glamor of where Sunset Blvd. goes through Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and beyond. 

Silverlake is a neighborhood in transition, with a mixture of businesses catering to work-class Mexican-Americans, and the newer urban Anglo "hipsters" who are gentrifying the community. Above, "The Hive" hair salon seems to be focused on the second group. 

A Spanish speaking evangelical church along Sunset Blvd. Glad they're there. I wonder if they're working to add an "English language service" for the new influx moving back into the neighborhood. 

If you are looking for an English speaking church in the area, I'd have to recommend "Reality L.A." - located a couple of miles west, in Hollywood. 

El Siete Mares (The Seven Seas, even I could figure that one out) Mexican Restaurant. Really looks like something straight out of Baja. If I'm in the neighborhood again, I'd definitely want to stop in. 

Funky graffiti. I'd like to know the backstory. It's stuff like this that makes Silverlake Silverlake. 

I was surprised, really shocked, at the terrible condition of the sidewalk along this one stretch. 

Hard to believe this is Sunset Blvd - arguably Los Angeles' most celebrated street. 

The folks over at Cru had given me direction to the Music Box Steps, less than a mile walk from the restaurant. The Music Box Steps are outdoor stairs that Laurel and Hardy famously tried move a piano up in their 1932 film. Above, a neighborhood mural along the way. 

Another mural, different style. This one featuring Marc Abrams, "The Walking Man," - who sadly died in 2010 at age 58,  Abrams was known for his long walks throughout the neighborhood - while reading. A nice tribute, but, for me at least, also a reminder how brief our time on earth really is. 

Destination: Music Box Steps.

"The Music Box" won the first Academy Award for "live action short film" in 1932. Here's a link if you'd like to watch it. More next week in Part II. 

View Silverlake - Music Box Steps in a larger map

© 2013 www.experiencingla.com



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Experiencing L.A. - at "Cru" in Silverlake

Cru is an "organic, raw, vegan" restaurant in the Silverlake district of Los Angeles.

I was in Los Angeles in January to catch a flight out of LAX. It was Sunday afternoon, traffic was light, and I had time to drive over for lunch. Cru is located right off of Sunset Blvd at 1521 Griffith Park Avenue.

Menu at the door. Prices were reasonable. Vegan - which is different than vegetarian - is not really my thing, but they had a wide selection.

I was there about 2pm - the lunch crowd had cleared out. It's a small, independent restaurant, with seating for about 30 people.

I went conservative a just ordered a salad. Very tasty, but I kept thinking how much better it would be with grilled chicken on top . . .

I asked my server what the name "Cru" meant.

She didn't know.

The cook (or, because they don't cook their food, would that be "the guy in the kitchen"?) said it was French for "vineyard."

Interesting, as Cru is also the newly adopted name of the campus ministry my wife and I work for. That's actually how I stumbled upon this place.

Enjoyed my lunch and was on my way. Good experience - I'd like to come back with friends, or co-workers.

This is the view outside the door - with the Hollywood sign visible in the distance.

Here's a close up from the same spot, and a better view.

Silverlake is located in between Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles. I had some more time so I walked down Sunset Blvd a few blocks to the "Music Box Steps" - where the 1932 Laurel and Hardy short was filmed. More on that on a future blog post.

Final view a block away from Cru, looking west along Sunset Blvd with the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory in the distance.

View Cru Restaurant, Silverlake - Los Angeles in a larger map

Here's a link to Cru Silverlake's website.

© 2012 www.ExperiencingLA.com

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