Why focus on what seemingly and maybe a random street (to some) in the south rim of the Valley? Why look into the food, the drinks, the people, the graffiti artists and the neighborhoods along this street that one might call a collector, but these days, could easily be called an arterial street.

Stuck between the 101/134 freeways and Ventura Blvd., Moorpark is just a way to avoid traffic for many. Ventura Blvd. gets all the press and hoopla with its plethora of restaurants, boutiques and Valley "hotspots."

Moorpark Street seems to be at a pivotal point toward where condo conversions gravitate and on which older businesses and "lifer" residents try to continue their existence. It runs 6 miles straight from Cedros Ave. in Sherman Oaks to Toluca Lake, where it ends at the Burbank border at Clybourn Ave. About 7 pockets of unconnected street appear in West Sherman Oaks and throughout Encino. The nice thing is, it lives all within Los Angeles city limits.

If you have any favorite spots along Moorpark that you think we should cover during this series, or have stories to share, please e-mail us at generalmoses at hotmail-dot-com (generalmoses? wtf?).