Melrose is to the young, cutting-edge trendies of the West Side what Rodeo Drive is to their affluent elders, and what the Venice boardwalk is to LA's residual 60's counterculture: a place to shop, a place to stroll outdoors, but most of all, it's a place to see and be seen.

Melrose is one of the few genuine pedestrian neighborhoods in our City of Angels, and it is unique, with a quirky, slightly-demented personality all its own. It's a neighborhood trying desperately to be hip and outlandish, and succeeding wonderfully; a garish blur of day-glo and neon, of pierced noses and red Ferraris; row after row of eccentric, trendy little boutiques with gaudy storefronts done up in florescent colors, sporting curious names such as "A Star is Worn," "Humphrey Yogurt Cafe," "Warbabies," "Some Crust: the Bakery," "Retail Slut," and "Wacko".

Melrose also offers comedy clubs, night spots, one-of-a-kind nostalgia shops, and unusual stores selling records, books, Disney memorabilia, fine art, jewelry, and antiques.Melrose is home to some of L.A.'s hottest restaurants such as Citrus, Chianti, and Ago, as well as older establishments such as Emilio's.

People-watching is half the fun here, as curious tourists mingle with the black-leather-&-mohawk crowd. Unlike Rodeo Drive, Melrose isn't afraid to poke fun at itself, yet it remains on the cutting edge of fashion, dining and even
home furnishings. Saturday afternoon is the best time to people-watch, when the trendy crowds are the thickest.