The San Fernando Valley sometimes gets a bad rap. Even thought Bing Crosby once sang about "making the San Fernando Valley my home," these days, its often the butt of jokes as a hot, smoggy, congested area of Los Angeles. None of that is true except the hot, smoggy, and congested part.
But Robert and I are San Fernando Valley natives, born and raised here -- and we love the diversity, the open spaces, the history and the neighborhoods that we call home.
Ventura Boulevard is at the heart of the Valley in some ways. It is one of the primary east to west thoroughfares, and is one of the oldest routes in the Valley, as it was originally part of the Camino Real. You can see the historical Camino Real bells along the Boulevard in front of certain buildings still today. It was also the U. S. Route 101 before the freeway, and it parallels the freeway for most of its length.
While it has always been the most concentrated location for small businesses, today you can find pockets of housing, some schools and churches, along with a wide assortment of businesses.
Hallmark picked a good spot for its headquarters when it decided "to make the San Fernando Valley its home."
I thought Hallmark was based in Kansas City?