Walking LA #26, Atwater Village: a Hipster's Haven, 2 miles.

Until today, my knowledge of this area tucked between the LA River and Glendale was limited to SoCal Chapter, Mystery Writers of America meetings at the historic Tam O'Shanter Inn (1922) and a TV pickup at the Best Buy in the humungous shopping center at the site of the former Franciscan Pottery factory on Los Feliz Blvd. The land where Atwater Village stands was part of the 36,000 acre Rancho San Rafael (circa 1784), broken up in 1868, subdivided in 1902, and, according to the Neighborhood Council, fell to the family of Harriet Atwater Paramore in 1912. Hence, a former poppy field became Atwater Park (now Village). Barbara and I ambled beneath sycamores lining Glenfeliz Blvd past Spanish-style homes and Craftsman bungalows built between the 1920s-1940s, then along the artsy galleries and retro shops on Glendale Blvd. Most fun/interesting: the stretch of whimsical and architecturally distinct Egyptian and Norman-style "fantasy bungalows" built in 1927 on Brunswick Ave. Inspired by silent movie sets of the '20s, each with a different window design including trapezoidal (find blinds for that!) We wrapped up the morning with a mocha stop at the Village Bakery and Cafe. What a delightful neighborhood!