Los Angeles, and Hollywood in particular, is not all about film stars and the silver screen. Well, for the most part, and certainly for most visiting tourists, it probably is. But there is another side to it. We have set out, on different days, to find some of that other side.

This city was built around, on and between a number of hills and canyons. Some of these hills, despite being surrounded by urban sprawl, are completely devoid of buildings and remain open, bare and desert like. Others, have houses, singular or in groups, tucked into their folds, or wound in fenced and gardened strips, along their slopes. 

With exploration, exercise and adventure on our minds, we take ourselves along to Laurel canyon and Fryman canyon. This is a lovely hike along a dusty track that winds around the canyon sides, up and over is hilltops and through forest, open clearing and suburban road. It has shaded stretches and wide open viewing points, with great views across LA.  It goes through the grounds of the Tree Lovers Conference Centre, just off Mullholland Drive. Truly!  Of course I haven’t enirely gotten away from the stars here. I remember from the 1960/70s, that Laurel Canyon was home to many of my music heros, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Joni Mitchell, Canned Heat (I think), John Mayall, etc.  Anyway, we managed to find Joni Mitchell’s house, (possibly the one from the song “Our House”). No longer hers, of course. It hasen’t been for forty years I suppose. There is a lady standing in the front garden with a small child. Definitely not Joni. We don’t go in. 

Another day we explore some of the secret stairs. They are not really secret, of course, but I do wonder just how many people know them. When the houses were built on the hills of LA, the roads serving them were made long and winding. To shorten pedestrian access, stairs were put in, along garden edges and at cul de sac ends, connecting levels of streets. They are not easily spotted, some are half overgrown with bushes from neighbouring gardens, and some are locked and no longer public. They make for fascinating walks around lovely residential parts of the city. 

We spend a few hours on such a walk near to Hollywood Bowl. Only about fifeteen minutes walk from Hollywood Blvd, with its Chinese Theatre and Walk of Fame. And yet it’s like a different world. Peaceful, residential and private. We see a poster for a missing dog. With picture. We stroll the laneways, stairways and footpaths that wind through the area. After about half an hour, we see a poster for a dog found. With picture. It’s the same dog!  We take a photo of the found poster and send it to the number on the lost poster. Not long afterwards, we get a reply saying, “thank you.  We just spoke to these people. They found our dog.”  It’s a nice finish to a lovely afternoon.