The San Fernando Valley is packed full of art galleries, parks, studios, sushi restaurants, shopping centers, and so much more. Everyone knows all about the most popular things to do in San Fernando Valley, but what about those little-known places; those hidden gems? These hidden hideaways in San Fernando Valley make living in Sherman Oaks incredible.
1. Asanebo
Asanebo is, without a diet, one of the best places to eat in
Studio City. This sushi restaurant hidden in a strip mall on Ventura Boulevard is the place to be for the finest sushi in town. The location belies the actual quality – and of course cost – of the sushi served as Asanebo. The money is well-spent though. You’ll find a mixture of traditional and fusion Japanese cuisine here, all put together by professional chefs. The restaurant does offer three tiers so there’s some flexibility on pricing at least.
2. The House of The “Brady Bunch”
The Brady Bunch was one of America’s most beloved families, and their house can be found right here in San Fernando Valley. Head over to 11217 Dilling Street and you’ll see the real house of the TV family. Exterior shots of the Brady Bunch house were shown for 115 episodes. It was the home of Lousie Weddington Carlson. Set designers used a phony window to make the house appear to be two stories from the outside, just like the interior set. Studio City is one of the best places to live in San Fernando Valley and it’s thanks to getting to see a piece of Americana like this.
3. Eclectica Village
Living in Sherman Oaks means having access to some of the best vintage shops in the world, and Eclectica Village is the best of the best. Whether you’re on the hunt for clothing, bikes, cameras, decorations, or anything else, you can find it here. The owners have a history as set designers and are sure to be able to help you find what you need.
4. The Great Wall of Los Angeles
At half a mile long, the Great Wall of Los Angeles is one of those San Fernando Valley attractions you have to see for yourself. This 2,754-foot-long mural is considered one of the most successful examples of cultural and ethnic cooperation in the city. The mural was conceived by the founder of the Social and Public Art Resource Centre (SPARC), Judith Baca. Work on the mural started in 1974 and it was another five years before it finished. The Great Wall of Los Angeles was put together by over 400 unemployed young people and their families from a diverse range of ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. The workers were helped by several artists, ethnologists, oral historians, scholars, and members of the community. Each year of the project was developed to a different decade in Californian history, shown from the viewpoint of the different ethnic minorities living in the city at the time. The Great Wall of Los Angeles has been maintained thanks to grant funding and donations.
5. Iliad Bookshop
The Iliad bookshop is a haven for readers with over 125,000 titles on offer. This bookshop has stood on Cahuenga Boulevard since 2006. The Iliad specializes in used books in particular and buys and sells hundreds of books each day. There’s even a bargain “bin” (it’s a table) of cheap books for under $2. The store also has plenty of rare books, including autographed first editions. Be prepared to spend a lot of money on those though, as they can go for thousands of dollars each. Visitors can spend hours scouring the shelves for rare books.
6. Woodley Park Japanese Garden
The Woodley Park Japanese Garden was dedicated in 1984 and took a total of three years to put together. The Garden is the masterpiece of Dr. Koichi Kawana and is considered the tenth best – of 300 – Japanese gardens by Japanese Gardening. The garden is a hidden gem of San Fernando with a Three Buddhas arrangement, a Zen meditation garden for when city life gets too much, a Weeping Willow Tree, Crane Island, and a stunning Japanese Chosen (wet strolling garden). The Japanese Garden is a stunning reminder that peace, beauty, and serenity can be found no matter where you live.
Final Thoughts
San Fernando Valley is packed full of all sorts of wonderful attractions. This list is by no means comprehensive, as there are always new hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Explore the city and see what you can find. If you’re looking to make a move, then it is vital to work with a real estate agent that you can rely on. Get in touch with expert
real estate agent Arman Grigoryan at
(818) 444-7700 or send an email to
[email protected].
