Silver Lake

“‘Cos I’d have to be high to track the sunset down / And paint this paling town”

– Elliott Smith, former Silver Lake resident

The Hipster Hive

Silver Lake (usually written as “Silverlake”) is heralded by Los Angeles’ population of artists and musicians as the Bohemian underground capital of the city, though the small community has been in the national spotlight for a while. Events like Sunset Junction and the newer Silver Lake Jubilee bring the crowds in, as does the vibrant indie scene which produces bands such as Beck, the Silversun Pickups, the Lonely Trees and Army Navy. The area’s plentiful supply of thrift shops and vintage stores keep the locals in vintage threads, a bounty of art galleries provide culture, and there are plenty of sidewalk cafes and low-key bars to spend the wages in. The Silverlake Lounge and the now-relocated Spaceland provide ample musical distraction.

Silverlake Trivia

• Architecture buffs know Silverlake for its many examples of modernist architecture
• Gelson’s Market on Hyperion and Griffith Park Blvd is the original site of the first major Disney studio
• Malo Cantina was one of Elloitt Smith’s favorite haunts, and the electronics repair shop next door carries the mural featured on the cover of Figure 8

Silverlake Bars

• Good Luck Bar
• Silverlake Lounge
• El Cid
• 4100
• Malo Cantina
• Akbar
• Cha Cha Lounge