Sunset
Boulevard
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The Beautiful
People: Rates 0 on our 5 scale
Domicile of California's power elite. Residents along Sunset aren't wealthy. They're disgustingly wealthy. Price of entry for real estate along Sunset is a cool million (that's for a down payment). These people spend more money every year trying to figure out how to amuse themselves than you and your spouse gross annually. You and your spouse's combined low six figure income? Residents along Sunset Boulevard consider you Levittown trash... no better or worse than their husbands' whores.
All those credit card applications you get in the mail? Ever ask yourself why? Did you think your financial institution just sits there, patiently waiting for you to take your own sweet time in repaying your debt? NO! Your bank slices and dices your credit card debt, your mortgage, your car loan, your student loan, your consumer loans. Firms that issue you credit cards turns around and sells securities on your debt (securitization) out the back door. Ever wonder who buys those securities on your various debts? Then, take a slow drive down Sunset Boulevard. Look around, grasshopper. Open your eyes. These are the people who own the equity on your debt; these are the people who own your future income stream; these are the people who own you.
Whenever we drive Sunset, we do always do so... slowly (want to piss those people off? Want to scare them? Profoundly? Pay off your credit cards; stop financing consumption; refuse terms on a new car purchase; insist on paying cash).
Heavily traveled, Sunset is multiple lane all the way through, from Pacific Coast Hwy all the way through Holly-wierd. A wonderful drive, though. Since the segment of Mulholland Drive from Hwy 405 to Topanga was never paved, we'll typically drop down the 405 from Mulholland to Sunset, then follow Sunset to the coast.
On the Map above you'll see a ... Carl's Jr (?), and a couple of Chevron gas stations (perhaps you might be thinking: "why?"). It's a function of population density in tandem with practicality. Population is dense in this geographic area. Henceforth, if you want to do Mulholland, end to end, as we do quite frequently, then you'd be wise to get a very early start. Either that, or do it during the wee hours. If you don't, then you'll wind up going slow speed behind lumbering SUVs the whole way, and you're caravan will be hoplessly bisected several times over, spreading your participants miles apart.
The Carls Jr location in Studio City is opened at 6:30am. It's located right next to a 24/7 Chevron station with a strong compressor (air for your tyres). It's the only place open that early. It has restrooms, and enough parking to facilitate over 40 cars. The coffee isn't too bad, although I recommend not eating there (we never do). Since we drop down to Sunset to bypass the unpaved segment of Mulholland Drive, the Chevron Station at Pacific Coast Hwy and Sunset Blvd serves as a practical rendezvous for our late comers (restrooms, air, gasoline, etc). Similarly, we use the vista at Saddle Peak as a last chance rendezvous.
Because Mulholland Drive between the 405 and Topanga was never paved, we're stuck with Sunset. Rough in places, nonetheless it's a worthwhile drive. If we could have it all to ourselves, Sunset would rate a no less than a 4 on our 5 scale.
Advisory: Heavily Patrolled; don't get cute. It's LAPD's turf, so watch yourself (...and them). So long as you're assertive, you don't look out of place, and you appear to have the resources necessary for which to sustain a robust legal action, LAPD will generally leave you alone.
Fair Warning: Wild-wild west... Driving the Sunset Strip, (1) no matter how good she looks? Do not stop to give her a lift (she's likely strapped); (2) never allow LAPD to search your vehicle; (3) if somebody rear ends you, the likely reason for doing so is to rob you.
~ The Sunset Strip (copy-paste the URL): http://www.seeing-stars.com/Streets/SunsetStripMap.shtml