2 areas of Los Angeles and their Bay Area "counterparts" (Oakland: neighborhoods, live)

[InternationalOrange]

I realize each place has its own feel, but I'm curious which part of SF/the Bay Area is most like Silver Lake in LA?

And which part of the Bay is most like Topanga (woodsy, sorta hippie, so I'm thinking perhaps something in the North Bay)?

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by InternationalOrange

I realize each place has its own feel, but I'm curious which part of SF/the Bay Area is most like Silver Lake in LA?

And which part of the Bay is most like Topanga (woodsy, sorta hippie, so I'm thinking perhaps something in the North Bay)?

Silver Lake is a gentrified community with a large "hipster" and homosexual population. A few neighborhoods in S.F fit the bill.

Topanga Canyon actually reminds me a lot of where I live (Lafayette, Orinda, etc).

[matt345]

Silver Lake= The Mission in SF and to a lesser extent, Temescal in Oakland.

I'm not sure about Topanga. Maybe somewhere in Marin or the Berkeley Hills?

[DocGoldstein]

Yeah I guess I could see Topanga Canyon as a warmer, drier, version of some parts of Marin County.

[InternationalOrange]

Originally Posted by DocGoldstein

Silver Lake is a gentrified community with a large "hipster" and homosexual population. A few neighborhoods in S.F fit the bill.

What other SF neighborhoods, besides the Mission, fit the "Silver Lake" bill?

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by InternationalOrange

What other SF neighborhoods, besides the Mission, fit the "Silver Lake" bill?

Maybe Hayes Valley, also the lower to middle part of the Haight.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by DocGoldstein

Silver Lake is a gentrified community with a large "hipster" and homosexual population. A few neighborhoods in S.F fit the bill.

Topanga Canyon actually reminds me a lot of where I live (Lafayette, Orinda, etc).

Geographically yup

[DocGoldstein]

I think Hayes Valley is actually a bit more upscale than Silverlake, but they were both considered lower-middle class 'hoods 20 years ago. Both gentrified, both are now considered somewhat "chic", but overall I think Hayes Valley is higher end than Silverlake. Silverlake still has some hoody areas east (closer to Echo Park).

[California Vagabond]

I'll vote Silverlake - parts of the Mission and Topanga - parts of West Marin.

But: Topanga is more like parts of West Marin than Silverlake is like the Mission.

[tstieber]

I agree that Topanga looks a LOT like Lafayette / Orinda, but the people are definitely not all hippie/new agey. It's pretty much white suburban families, and relatively conservative by Bay Area standards. So by the latter standard, I'd say maybe Fairfax in Marin County. It's also geographically similar, although Fairfax does start having some redwood trees, which are neither native to Lafayette nor Topanga.

As for Silver Lake, I'd agree the closest are places like the Mission in SF or Temescal in Oakland. The neighborhoods in Oakland also LOOK a lot more similar to the LA neighborhoods. The Grand Lake neighborhood looks a LOT more similar to Silver Lake than the Mission, but there is limited hipsterness there.