Studio City on the cheap

Everybody thinks Studio City is really expensive.  Some of the homes are. Some of the stores and restaurants are.  But some aren’t, as well, and I’m here to tell you how to save your hard-earned pennies in our neighborhood.

1.     You can eat relatively cheaply at Jinya Ramen, Cactus Tacqueria, Henry’s Tacos, Lemonade, Spitz, and more. The food at these places is delicious and cheap.  Okay, the first four don’t serve alcohol, but there’s…

2.       $2 beers at Jinky’s ALL DAY! $3 for craft brews! Really, now you have died and gone to heaven, right? And the food at Jinky’s is good and not expensive either.

3.       Get a massage for as low as $25/hour. You know all of those massage places along Ventura Blvd? With the neon signs in the window? Most of them are legit! Some have you leave your clothes on, but the massage is just as good.  I am not going to name my favorite place but it says “foot massage” in the window, and is cute, clean and peaceful.  

4.       Shop for clothes. There are lots of really cute clothing shops here, both in Tujunga Village and on Ventura.  For deals, though, check out Crossroads Trading Co. As they say, “Whether you call it recycled, resale, vintage or thrift, we call it Fashion.”  Want something a little more upscale? Great Labels on Ventura is exactly that at a discount.

5.       Lots of free recreational opportunities. Studio City is close to some of the best hiking/walking trails in L.A.  The famous Runyon Canyon, of course, plus Fryman Canyon, the L.A. Reservoir (3.5 miles around), and my personal fave, the L.A. River walks.  

6.       Acres of free parking.  If you’re willing to walk a bit to your destination, the lots behind the Laurel Canyon and Ventura intersections are huge and free. Not all day, of course, but you can easily park for two hours there.

Okay, this should get you started with enjoying the Studio City community without spending a lot.  Have I left out anything? Please let me know, if so.

Eight Studio City revelations

Exactly a year ago, I moved from Burbank to Studio City.  Although I was quite familiar with Studio City already, here are eight things that I've learned this past year about my new neighborhood.

1.  The L.A. River is really the L.A. Slot.  The only water in it is in the little narrow channel in the center unless it pours rain.

2.  Halloween is a really big deal here.  Some of the houses in the neighborhood are decorated like movie sets, and it's really fun to see.  No other holiday has quite the presence in the neighborhood as Halloween.

3. Jinky's Studio Cafe provides an essential service.  Perhaps not quite as essential as LADWP, but...

4.  IMO however, Aroma has the best French toast and Dupars has the best pancakes.

5.  If I live 100 years, I'll never make it to all the sushi restaurants here.

6.  Almost everybody here is nice, at least the people that I've met.  That's pretty important when you're a door-knocking Realtor.  And just about everybody in the single family homes here has at least one dog.

7.  The Trader Joe's parking lot is the most treacherous TJ's parking lot ever.  If you shop at any Trader Joes, you will know that the competition is very heavy.

8.  It is relatively easy to get people involved in community concerns such as (over)development and crime issues.  Good thing, that.

Best breakfast in Studio City -- by item

Who needs Yelp, eh? Let's all hop on the restaurant ratings bandwagon! Lately, I've been sampling various specific breakfast food items in my new hometown of Studio City.  I've come up with a not-so-definitive "best of" list by item for those of you that share my tastes. 

I select Jinky's on Colfax and Ventura for the best all-around egg-type breakfast.  Not only do they have many, many kinds of omelets and such, they also have quick service with a smile, celebrity spotting, a dog-friendly patio, and mimosas.  Coffee is a bit pricey but you get a whole pot.

Now on to the really carbohydrate-y stuff that we won't admit we eat:

French toast even better than Mom used to make can be found at Tujunga Village's Aroma.  This is dipped in the real egg batter stuff and is so rich that I dare you to finish an order.  It's even better than nearby foodie-fave Girasol's brunch French toast.  This is how I want to start my birthday day for the rest of my life.

Good old standby Du-Pars has the best regular pancakes (pictured above).  Light, fluffy, and scrumptious, the order is so large that you'll want to share these (or maybe not).  The parking lot there at Laurel and Ventura is a bit tricky, so go early.

What is it about banana pancakes? I don't know, but I crave these when the bananas are cooked in the batter, not just laid on top.  Vivian's on Ventura, close to Vineland does a wonderful job on these noms (pictured above), and their patio is delightful as well.  The other breakfast items are good, too, although they are a bit chintzy on the toast.

Yes, my weight is up 5 lbs from last year when I moved.  Please feel free to comment, or add other faves.

4484 Stansbury in Sherman Oaks is open Sunday, 2 to 5. Comes complete with its own beer garden.

Please come visit me and check out 4484 Stansbury in Sherman Oaks tomorrow, 7/28, from 2 to 5.  This splendid redo has 3 beds and 2 baths in the main house.  Plus, there's an additional unit above the garage with a full kitchen and 3/4 bathroom, open beam ceiling, and hardwood floors.  If that weren't enough, there's a pool house with 3/4 bathroom, too. It's very close to Westfield Fashion Square, Jinky's, Guitar Center, Boneyard Bistro and more of Sherman Oaks' hotspots. We call this area below the "beer garden."

You can check out more pictures on line and at my site: JudyGraff.com.  The house is listed for $799,000. For those of you who'd rather hang in the house, here's the living room: