For those who know me pretty well, you have heard me talk about my dream neighborhood, the ideal neighborhood I see myself living in for the rest of my life, and raising my family there.
For the past 4-5 years, I dreamt of living in Los Feliz. Every time I drove to Burbank for animation events, I'd stop by the Walt Disney Studios and explore the Rancho Equestrian Neighborhood, but on my way back to Anaheim, I always made sure to stop by Los Feliz. I'd wander the streets, let my imagination run wild, dreaming of the life I wanted to build for myself and my future family.
Before I dreamt of living in Los Feliz, I dreamt of living in other neighborhoods around Southern California:
– Anaheim: From 4th-8th grade, I longed to live very close to Disneyland, to be surrounded by the wonder and nightly fireworks that played a part in inspiring my animation dreams.
– Irvine: From 8th grade-my first year at CSULB, I dreamt of living in a safer neighborhood with access to good Asian food in a community very similar to that of where I was in Redwood Shores at the time.
– Silver Lake / Echo Park – During my 2nd year at CSULB, I admired the Echo Park Lake that was shown in one of the Disney Channel ads.
Then came Los Feliz, where Walt Disney's journey inspired me. But the more I walked and drove through the neighborhood, and the more I thought about my future family, the more I began to wonder,
Los Feliz initially felt like a dream come true to me because...
1. It held Walt Disney's original studios on the Kingswell storefront and the Hyperion lot. It's right where his dream started, a dream filled with faith, love, and childlike wonder and imagination. Walt Disney himself lived there for 27 years from 1923 to 1950.
2. It's right next to Griffith Park, the park that inspired Disneyland and reminds me of Walt Disney.
3. It has a large motion picture and television community, filled with many working in the industry.
4. It's just 15-20 minutes by car from Burbank and the animation studios, allowing for an easy commute.
However, walking through the neighborhood, I noticed that there are many more single young adults than children and families. Instead of play areas and parks, the Los Feliz Village is filled with mostly coffee shops, expensive restaurants, and nail salons. Almost all of the industry events I've heard of there or been to in or near there are more adult-oriented or not as family-friendly, including the Silver Lake Shorts comics event at the El Cid. The residential streets are pretty narrow, many on steep hills. Some of the nearest grocery stores are in East Hollywood, a sketchy neighborhood right next door to Los Feliz. With me wanting to raise a family where my kids are encouraged to dream, to wonder, and to be curious about new things, all without the pressures to grow up too fast, I asked myself,
1. Would I want my wife and kids to struggle driving through the traffic and the narrow streets?
2. Will my guests struggle to find parking near my place?
3. Do I want my children to constantly feel judged by trendiness and their appearances?
4. Would my kids be pressured to grow up too fast in an environment like this? Will my kids be happy here?
With that, I began to notice that neighborhoods can change over time and that the modern Los Feliz is much different than Los Feliz back in Walt's time. One example is that the site of Walt's first studio on Kingswell is now home to a skate shop. Despite selling Oswald T-shirts, the skate shop carries an edgy and adult-oriented tone that feels very disconnected from the wonder that inspires me.
Despite its charm, Los Feliz is also significantly more expensive than Burbank, less spacious, and not as family-friendly as I originally imagined. Even more surprisingly, while Griffith Park is close, my favorite parts of the park, Walt Disney's Barn, the L.A. Live Steamers Railroad Museum, Travel Town, and the L.A. Zoo, are all on the Valley side of the park, right across the river and the 134 Fwy from Burbank.
Then came the Rancho Equestrian Neighborhood, and with it, something deeper than just pure admiration. I felt the peace, the wonder, and all the endless space and possibilities. Most of all, the neighborhood felt like "home".
A few months ago, one night in The Rancho, I walked to the big piece of land that was originally supposed to be Walt Disney's "Mickey Mouse Park" before he came up with Disneyland in Anaheim. I heard the cars on the 134 Fwy in the distance passing by, along with the crickets and birds chirping, and I felt very inspired. With the pretty scenery, picket fences, and enchanted green leaves, I felt like I was in the "Hundred Acre Wood" or a fairytale wonderland with my favorite characters.
I also walked through many of the neighborhood streets. The house designs and architecture reminded me of Mickey and Minnie's houses in Toontown. I was even greeted very warmly by a stranger who happened to be one of the residents in the neighborhood. Her greeting was so soft and heartfelt that it felt like a greeting from a charming Disney character, like Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) or Alice from Alice in Wonderland (1951).
As I visited the neighborhood and the parks inside and around, I discovered mostly the sincere laughter of children and their families (like at the recent movie events at Johnny Carson Park), many walking their dogs, horses, and even goats, and residents saying hello and looking after each other. With this, Burbank's family-oriented community is clearly a much better fit than the adult-oriented culture of Los Feliz.
Beyond the heartfelt charm, the Rancho is significantly safer than Los Feliz, patrolled by Burbank PD. Children are assigned to Burbank USD schools, which are much better and more consistent than LAUSD schools. The houses contain more land to expand one's dreams, all for a lower price than most Los Feliz homes.
Compared to Los Feliz, the commute from The Rancho to the studios is even easier. Being right next to the Walt Disney Studios and minutes away from many of the other animation studios, many residents in the Rancho are animators and professionals working in the industry. It's much easier than Los Feliz; my future kids can potentially walk to my workplace or my studio after school.
With all of this, The Rancho feels like a hand-drawn Disney animated cartoon: very warm, wholesome, and filled with life. It's not just where I want to live, it's where I can truly raise a family to believe in their dreams, love each other, and embrace their imagination and inner child. More so, the Rancho feels like a spiritual calling that has been calling me all this time.
In the end, this shift reflects my dream becoming more purposeful and intentional. I'm dreaming not just as an animator anymore, but also as a loving husband, father, and studio founder. My values have never changed; they've become even clearer:
1. Have faith in your dreams and believe in your wishes.
2. Love and serve each other from the heart.
3. Let your conscience guide you. The best actions are always those that genuinely come from the heart.
4. Use that vivid imagination inside of you. Believe in the impossible, including all the endless colors and possibilities.
5. Embrace the child within you. Don't forget to appreciate the little things and have fun.
While Los Feliz will always be part of my creative journey, The Rancho lives these values through every street, tree, and trail. I am excited for all of the adventures, magic, and wonder the Rancho will bring to my future family and I.
