Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA

Although home to a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, Silver Lake (sometimes written as Silverlake) is best known as the epicenter of the Los Angeles hipster culture – independent thinking, progressive politics, creativity, and trendsetting in fashion and music. Consequently, this increasingly gentrified neighborhood attracts a crowd of stylish urban tastemakers, bohemian types, and a substantial LGBT community.

The winding Sunset Boulevard offers plenty of au courant independent boutiques, outdoor cafés, and popular ethnic restaurants where flannel-clad professionals can spend sunny days shopping and brunching at popular diners.

The nightlife scene in Silver Lake is simultaneously laid back and too-cool-for-school, with ironic theme bars, low-key lounges, playful wine bars drawing hip crowds, and a bevy of food trucks and cute gelato shops catering to the nightly strollers.

And adding to the funky tastemaking appeal of the area is the Silverlake Farmers Market that sets up every Saturday right off Sunset and the Art Craft & Vintage fair held every second Saturday at the Micheltorena Street Elementary School.

Cool painfully hip factoid: Local indie band Silversun Pickups gets their name from a liquor store across from the landmark live music dive the Silverlake Lounge, right near the intersection of Silver Lake Boulevard and Sunset.