BRENTWOOD

Brentwood is a quiet, upscale neighborhood on the Westside. Tree-lined streets with well-tended homes in a range of architectural styles stretch up into the hills. The main artery, San Vicente Boulevard, features classy Italian eateries and warm cafes, plus the historic Brentwood County Mart, a family-friendly retail hub. The striking Getty Center museum boasts a world-class art collection and expansive city views. 

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The district is located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, bounded by the San Diego Freeway on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, the Santa Monica city limits on the southwest, Sullivan Canyon/Westridge Trail on the west and Mulholland Drive on the north.

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Brentwood, like nearby Santa Monica, has a temperate climate influenced by marine breezes off the Pacific Ocean. Residents frequently wake to a "marine layer", a cover of clouds brought in at night which burns off by mid-morning. The topography is generally split into two characters, broadly divided by Sunset Boulevard: the area north of Sunset is defined by ridges and canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains and is located in a Cal-Fire designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone; south of Sunset the area is mostly flat. The area South of San Vicente features an underground spring which bubbles up into a small creek along "the Gully" near the Brentwood Country Club.

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Brentwood's Barrington Recreation Center has an indoor gymnasium which converts into a small auditorium with a capacity of 250. Outdoors is a lighted baseball diamond, an unlighted baseball diamond, lighted indoor basketball courts, lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, picnic tables and lighted tennis courts. As of March, 2018, Barrington Park received a grade of "D" from the Los Angeles Parks and Rec Department due its poor facilities; upon investigation, the Brentwood Community Council discovered $1.1M in missing funds that were supposed to be used for capital upgrades at the park and fought the city for their return - successfully. With the funds back in place, the Community has worked to improve the park. The Barrington Dog Park is across the street from the recreation center and is part of Barrington Veterans Park, which is owned by the West LA VA and leased to the City of Los Angeles.

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The vast majority of office space in Brentwood is rented to professional services firms: accountants, lawyers, medical care.

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There are three upscale commercial areas: Brentwood Country Mart, Barrington Plaza and the San Vicente Business District, which include restaurants, clothing stores, and other high-end retailers.

A few long time businesses should be noted: Brent-Air Pharmacy, run by the founding Lassoff family from its inception until June 2007, served Brentwood for more than 50 years. The drug store has been the scene of many famous scandals and, like its defunct West Hollywood cousin Schwab's, is known as the pharmacy to the stars, where many now-notable actors and actresses worked as delivery boys or "candy counter" girls.

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The Brentwood Country Mart, near the corner of San Vicente Blvd and 26th Street next to the Santa Monica city limit, is a shopping and food center that first opened in 1948.

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Vicente Foods is an independently owned and operated grocery market that has served Brentwood since 1948. Other local markets include Whole Foods and Ralphs.

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A popular area for dining and coffee for local residents is located in Brentwood Village at the intersection of Barrington and Sunset. More than a dozen restaurants and coffee shops are located within a two-block stretch offering a wide variety of cuisine.

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Dutton's Brentwood Books, a local landmark called by Sunset magazine "the last of the truly independent bookstores", closed its doors in April, 2008.

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Notable People:

• James Arness – Actor (1923–2011)

• Bea Arthur – Actress (1922–2009)

• Eli Broad - Businessman, investor and philanthropist

• Dr. Dre - Rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur

• Tom Brady – National Football League quarterback

• Andrew Breitbart – Author, commentator and website publisher (1969–2012)

• Gisele Bündchen – Model and entrepreneur

• Dee Caruso – Screenwriter and producer

• Mickey Cohen – Gangster (1913-1976)

• Dabney Coleman – Actor

• Bert Convy – Actor, game show host, singer and panelist (1933–1991)

• Joan Crawford – Actress

• Stephen W. Cunningham – UCLA graduate manager and Los Angeles City Council member

• Don DeFore – Actor (1913–1993)

• Dane Elkins (born 1999) – professional racquetball player

• Glenn Frey – Musician, co-founder of the rock band Eagles (1948–2016)

• Ronald Goldman - Murder victim and restaurant waiter

• Mark Harmon – Actor

• Leland Hayward – Entertainment industry agent and producer

• LeBron James – National Basketball Association player

• Monica Lewinsky – activist, television personality, fashion designer, and former White House intern

• Robert Loggia – Actor (1930–2015)

• Lea Michele – Actress

• Marilyn Monroe – Actress

• Alanis Morissette – Musician

• Former President and First Lady Richard Nixon and Pat Nixon

• Gwyneth Paltrow -Academy Award winning actress, founder of Goop

• Gregor Piatigorsky - Cellist (1903-1976)

• David Baerwald – Musician

• Faye Resnick – Reality TV personality

• Arnold Schoenberg – Composer

• Arnold Schwarzenegger – Actor, bodybuilder, former Governor of California

• Maria Shriver – Journalist, author and former First Lady of California

• Oliver Stone Director and screenwriter

• Nicole Brown Simpson – Murder victim and ex-wife of O.J. Simpson

• O. J. Simpson – National Football League player, broadcaster and actor

• Margaret Sullavan – Actress

• Robert Taylor – Actor

• Reese Witherspoon - Academy Award winning actress

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Education

Seventy percent of Brentwood residents aged 25 and older had earned a four-year degree by 2000, a high percentage for the city and the county. The percentages of residents in that age range with a bachelor's degree or greater were high for the county.

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Schools within the Brentwood borders are:

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Public
The elementary schools in the area are Kenter Canyon Elementary School (an LAUSD charter school) and Brentwood Science Magnet Elementary School (an LAUSD alternative school). Paul Revere Charter Middle School is Brentwood's middle school. University High School in West Los Angeles, and Palisades Charter High School, in the nearby neighborhood of Pacific Palisades.

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Private
The following private schools are located in the Brentwood area:

• Westland School, elementary

• The Mirman School

• Berkeley Hall School, elementary

• Milken Community High School

• Brentwood School, K–12

• Archer School for Girls

• Saint Martin of Tours School, elementary

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View schools with ratings and reviews here.

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Sources:

Google, Wikipedia