Griffith Park Taught Me to Love Life in L.A.

Its Hills Are Plagued by Forest Fires. The Traffic on Weekends Is Brutal. And Forget Teaching Your Kid to Ride a Bike There. But Otherwise, It's Sublime.

If there’s anything in Los Angeles that remains inexpensive and underrated, it’s Griffith Park.

I’ve experienced a few area codes around here. After growing up in the 818, high schooling from 310, working in 213, shackin’ up at 323, and eventually getting my own place in 626, the majesty of L.A. living had left me nonplussed. But then in April 2001, far too late in life, I visited Griffith Park for the first time, and learned to love life in Los Angeles.

At 4,210 acres, Griffith is the nation’s …

The Mailbox That Vanished, And Other Tales

Reflections on the Los Feliz That Was

The first thing I loved about the neighborhood of Los Feliz was the unexpected effect of dropping an envelope holding a short story of mine into the mailbox at the …