Tucked away in the hills below the Hollywood Sign, Beachwood Canyon is an exclusive neighborhood that has become a shrine for Harry Styles fans. The (mostly female) pilgrims come to take selfies at the Beachwood Cafe, immortalized in his song “Falling” from the Fine Line album (2019). Once known as “Hollwoodland,” its architecture and landscaping drew inspiration from the southern regions of France, Italy and Spain. The six sets of 1920s-era stone staircases (one featuring cascading ponds) that zigzag between hillside streets add to the pretty enclave’s charm which was sold as a refuge in the early 1920s. Driving or walking through the stone gates that still mark the entrance to Hollywoodland, transports you back in time to a small storybook town that seems out of place within the confines of Los Angeles. The Village Plaza, situated at the end of Beachwood Drive, may no longer have the gas station or drug store, but Beachwood Market, the neighborhood grocery store since 1933, is still serving the community and even expanded to the building next door with its distinctive John Lautner-designed glass front. You can stop in for a cup of coffee at the Beachwood Cafe, say hello to a neighbor, and check the bulletin board outside for a missing cat or neighborhood event.

Beachwood Canyon is also home to Besant Lodge (2560 N Beachwood Dr) which has quite a history. Originally built as the first Independent Silent Movie Cinema in Los Angeles, the theater showcased many of the famous silent era films. During this time it was also used as a private preview club for directors to share their new works with each other. Along the way in the 30's and 40's, actors such as Orson Welles and Joan Crawford did some local theater here as part of what was called "The Beachwood Players". It became the present-day Besant Lodge when the cinema was bought by the Theosophical Society in the 1950s. Beachwood Canyon at that time had a large Theosophical community who were dedicated to both “Spirit” and “Art”. These same local Theosophists built venues like The Hollywood Bowl. In its Theosophical incarnation, Besant Lodge has welcomed lecturers worldwide, including Aldous Huxley, Gerald Heard and Manly P. Hall. Today, Besant Lodge continues all of these rich traditions by hosting unique speakers, artists and events from around the globe.