Walk it Out!

My Fellow Los Angelenos,

I'm back.

YES! After a long period of silence, I've decided to brush the dust off my keyboard and get back to blogging. Oh, how I've missed it!

Since I have a short break, I promise that I will spend more time writing about my experiences/thoughts/feelings about our wonderful hometown. In the meanwhile, I'd like to share one thing I've discovered about being a true Los Angeleno....do we ever get any down time?! My never-ending mental checklist gets overwhelming. I don't think you can be a true Los Angeleno if you don't have one...it's all the rage!

To drift away from my incessant ranting, I thought I'd discuss the importance of walking with you all.

..."Walking," you say? This activity might be a little foreign to all us L.A. natives since we call our vehicles our "home away from home." I feel like I drive more than I walk! But my friends, there is a solution....

Imagine this.....

You come home from work/school/a long day or you wake up to a bright, sunshiny (typical) Los Angeles morning. Instead of sitting in front of the TV with your favorite snack, grab your camera and head straight for the door! There's a world out there waiting to be discovered.

I decided to take a walk with my family just this afternoon and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. I had no idea that my own backyard held one of the most beautiful landscapes ever. We walked towards the hills, took a couple of stellar photos, discovered a lot of citrus trees, and had many interesting conversations that enabled us to bond on a new level. All we had to do was walk. What an amazing, novel concept for Los Angelenos! Some of the photos I've posted above are from our lovely "mini-vacation." Plus, it's good for your health! Did you know...a daily walk would decrease your chances of developing breast cancer by 20%, heart disease by 30%, and diabetes by 50%? Live a healthy and long life by simply walking. It sounds easy enough, right?!

With that folks, I hope this post has encouraged you to drop those car keys, save yourself some gas and release some of that L.A. tension by taking a step into the unknown...local streets, the beach, or any place you've always wanted to visit. Just don't forget your camera! You don't want to miss out on capturing some pretty cool memories.

AND...If you need some inspiration, feel free to browse through http://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=15536 ....The website will give you a list of some popular L.A. walking trails (consider it the Yelp for walkers). I found it just for you, enjoy!

Until next time, cheers to the good health + awesome pictures we'll get from walking!

XOXO