Now, Mulholland is very, very accessible. It's just north of Beverly Hills. It's only taking me maybe 15 minutes to get here on a Tuesday morning, and that's in a bit of traffic.
Having never been along here before, it does feel instantly familiar. Those double yellow lines and the cactuses on the hills in background reminds me of any number of television shows and movies that I've seen over the years.
Now, for movie buffs like me, a number of films have been shot along Mulholland Drive. Most famously is, of course, Lethal Weapon 2, where the house on stilts is just back there, and of course that scene where dear old Mel is hanging on to the front of a tow truck was right here on Mulholland. Nothing so dramatic today, though.
The road itself is a bit of a mismatch. You've got some beautiful, newly paved sections, and other parts that don't look like they've seen a grader since the 1950s. It's twisty and turny and can be pretty bumpy - even upsetting a little sports car, like our MX-5 here.
You range from areas where there's arid desert parkland through to built-up urban areas, and you go past a lot of houses. In fact, we've just passed Ben Stiller's house. Madonna lives back there.
There's quite a lot of houses along here. In fact, we've just passed Ben Stiller's house, and Madonna lives back there as well.
Although it is pretty heavily trafficked along here, there is still plenty of chance to enjoy the drive. You do forget that you're minutes away from one of the largest urban centers in North America.
As you drive, the scenery on both sides, with Los Angeles downtown to the south and Universal City to the north, is absolutely spectacular. There's the mountains in the background. You can almost see the choppers from Mash flying over the top.
Of course the city, and even some of the film studios, you can see from the lookout points. Every twist and turn, though, there is a fabulous house up on top of a hill. It really is a great LA experience. Seeing the Hollywood sign in the distance, you know you're in Tinseltown. It's just a little bit of fun.
