KCAL Promotes The Great Los Angeles Walk!

Thanks to KCAL for having me on during the 2 p.m. newscast today to chat about the Great LA Walk. It's kinda weird to be on TV hyping my own project, rather than talking about other people's TV shows. (I think I got a bit flustered at times and gave weird answers, but oh well!)

Hope to see you all on Saturday -- go to GreatLAWalk.com for more info!

Another Great LA Walk Food Stop: Valerie Confections

Sure, you're going to be hiking nearly 17 miles on Saturday -- but you're going to be eating WELL. Joining our growing list of foodie partners is Valerie Confections, located at 3360 West 1st Street (near where Beverly, 1st and Virgil connect). Valerie Confections will be offering a special deal to all Walk-ers on Saturday:

We've been selling our line of market-driven pastries at the Santa Monica and Hollywood farmers' markets for the last few years, and it just so happens that we had decided to begin offering the full line of these breakfast pastries in our shop this Saturday. I can't think of a better way to introduce them than by having a big group of hungry walkers pass through, and we're literally right on your morning route. We'd love to offer everyone in the group 25% off normal pricing, and hope that you'll all pop by.

See you all on Saturday!

Great Los Angeles Walk After Party to Be Held At Wokcano Santa Monica

More news: We now have an afterparty venue! Wokcano Santa Monica, located at 1413 5th St. in Santa Monica (right off of Santa Monica Boulevard) has agreed to let us take over their large patio area in the back of the restaurant -- plus will be selling Happy Hour drinks and food to us from 5 to 8 p.m.!

So after you hit the ocean, turn right around and head back up to Wokcano -- it will be a great opportunity to sit down, grab a drink, look at your photos and recount the day with other walkers.

The Great Los Angeles Walk T-Shirts Are Now On Sale!

We're just 10 days away from the GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK! And this just in: The official 2012 Great Los Angeles Walk t-shirts are now available at Spreadshirt here.

Spreadshirt is offering a special deal on Friday, November 9: FREE SHIPPING. Just type in the code FREESHIPDAY12.

We'll see you on Saturday, November 17!

The Great Los Angeles Walk 2012 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

"Wait, you're doing what?"

"Is walking 17 miles even humanly possible?"

"Can I bike it? Bring a dog? Quit half way through? Are you personally driving me back to my car?"

Here it is, the unofficial Frequently Asked Questions roundup for the GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK 2012!

1. WHEN/WHERE? Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012 -- the Saturday before Thanksgiving, like we do every year. We're meeting on the front steps of downtown’s Walt Disney Concert Hall (at 1st and Grand). We'll probably have a speaker or two to kick things off, at around 8:45, so get there early. The Walk leaves PROMPTLY at 9.

2. WHO? We're expecting over 250 hikers this year. We're taking RSVPs at greatlawalk(at)mail(dot)com (yes, "mail," not "gmail") and on Facebook, but RSVPs are not necessary. We'll take anyone who shows up too!

3. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? C'mon, it's completely free! But you're on your own when it comes to lunch, dinner, water, etc. So don't forget to plan accordingly.

4. WHAT'S THE PATH? From the Walt Disney Concert Hall, we'll walk west on 1st, which turns into Beverly Blvd. And then north on Virgil, west on Melrose Avenue, to the end -- when we then make a left on to Santa Monica Boulevard, which we'll then take to the ocean. (Check it out here.)

5. WHAT IF I CAN'T GET THERE THAT EARLY, OR DON'T WANT TO START THAT FAR EAST? Just wait for us somewhere on the path and join in once we pass by. Several hikers will be Twittering as well -- including us, at @greatlawalk. Check one of those Twitter accounts to figure out where we are.

6. HOW LONG IS THE HIKE? 17-ish miles. IMPORTANT: This is not a race. Sure, you can sprint all the way to the end, but where's the fun in that? There's no prize for who gets there first. Instead, take a breath, and join the bulk of us as we leisurely stroll toward the ocean and stop frequently to take in the sights.

7. WHEN WILL WE GET TO THE END? With so many hikers, people will eventually start to space out. Impatient, faster walkers might get there soon after lunch. But the bulk of the walkers will get there around 5.

8. CAN WE BIKE IT? BRING KIDS? PETS? Because you're walking on your own accord -- remember, this is an unofficial gathering of passionate Angelenos walking the streets of their favorite city -- you can do whatever you want. Use your best judgement, of course. We're not responsible for you.

9. WHAT ABOUT INJURIES? Again, there is no infrastructure to our Walk, so you need to take care of yourself just like you would whenever you walk anywhere. Be careful, stay safe and stick with a group of walkers!

10. WHAT ABOUT LUNCH? We'll be taking a lunch break -- probably around an hour or so -- around the halfway point, near La Cienega. We're talking to a restaurant about giving us a Walk discount -- stay tuned.

11. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE WALK IS DONE? We'll take group photos at the ocean... and then celebrate at WOKCANO Santa Monica from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.!

12. HOW DO I GET THERE, OR GET HOME? Either plan with a friend and get to Santa Monica early morning, parking one car, then carpool to downtown (where you'll park the other car). OR: Park at downtown, walk to Santa Monica, then eventually take Metro back to downtown. OR: Park at Santa Monica at 7 a.m., allowing yourself enough time to board a Metro bus to downtown. Traffic's light that time of morning, so the bus ride is relatively quick. And that way, when you arrive in Santa Monica, your car is waiting for you.

BUSES: Visit Metro (http://www.metro.net/around/maps) for details. But here's a thumbnail:

The last Big Blue Rapid 10 bus (http://bigbluebus.com/Routes-And-Schedules/Rapid-10.aspx) leaves Santa Monica for downtown at around 7pm. It's the return from downtown that's at around 8pm. But if you're going to stick around the Afterparty beyond 7 after the walk, your choices are the 704 (or the local 4, both via Santa Monica/Sunset), the 720 (via Wilshire), and the 733 (via Venice Blvd). some run more often than others, some will drop you off closer to the Civic Center than others.

Your best bet, in other words, is to carpool. But if you can't do that, I strongly recommend parking in Santa Monica in the morning. As long as you get on the Big Blue Bus Rapid 10 before 8 a.m., you'll get to downtown before 9. It will be a quick, pleasant ride during daylight... and you'll be so happy knowing that your car is waiting for you in Santa Monica.

13. WHAT SHOULD I WEAR/BRING? Loose, comfy clothing. I'd wear shorts, a t-shirt (and perhaps a sweatshirt, depending on the temperature) and bring a jacket -- it gets chilly at the beach in the evening. Also, tennis shoes... sunglasses... a hat... sunscreen... extra socks... a blister kit (optional, of course -- I haven't brought one, although Band-Aids  are a good idea)... and most importantly, a camera! We'll all be documenting it and posting pics later.

14. HOW CAN I GET A T-SHIRT? We've just posted a bunch of T-shirts for sale at http://greatlawalk.spreadshirt.com/. We weren't impressed with Cafe Press anymore, so we're trying out Spreadshirt as a new vendor. Order directly from them, and it looks like they're shipping shirts in a pretty quick turnaround -- but if you wanna wear one on the Walk, you should probably order one soon!

15. HOW SHOULD I TRAIN FOR THIS? It's not a marathon, so training isn't really necessary. I suppose you should walk around your neighborhood in the days before hand... but I'd avoid any big gym routine the day before, so you're not sore the day you're hiking. But other than that... I didn't train at all for any of the previous six walks, and have turned out just fine.

16. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? Why not? There's no special reason, no charity, no protest, no issue we're promoting -- other than a passion for Los Angeles. In 2006, I organized our walk down Wilshire to mark my 10th anniversary in Los Angeles. But it was so much fun, and it was a chance to meet so many new people, that we did it again in 2007, down Pico; in 2008, via Sunset and Santa Monica Blvd.; and in 2009, we hit West Adams as we walked down Adams and Washington to Venice Beach. In 2010, we returned to Wilshire for the fifth walk, and in 2011, we hit Hollywood. This year, it's Melrose's turn.

It's the Saturday before Thanksgiving as well, so somehow I don't feel as bad gorging on sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie a few days later. And hey, it'll be a cool conversation piece at your holiday party.

17. IMPORTANT: You are walking on your own volition. The Great Los Angeles Walk is just a casual opportunity to walk with other Angelenos through the city. It's not an official organization of any sort -- and is therefore not responsible for your conduct or anything that may happen during your hike. Be careful, and be respectful of others and of your city.

The Official Great Los Angeles Walk 2012 Press Release

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GREAT LOS ANGELES WALK

IS HITTING MELROSE – AND MORE – ON NOV. 17

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 5, 2012) -- Hundreds of Angelenos will hit the sidewalks this November 17 for The Great Los Angeles Walk 2012 – the annual event that dispels the myth that “nobody walks in L.A.”

The LA Weekly just recognized The Great Los Angeles Walk in this year's "Best of L.A." issue. For the seventh annual event, participants of the Great Los Angeles Walk (http://www.greatlawalk.com) will once again hike from downtown Los Angeles to the ocean – but this time via Melrose Avenue. Participants will meet on the steps of the Walt Disney Concert Hall (at Grand and 1^st in Downtown Los Angeles) at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, and proceed to walk approximately 17 miles (at a casual, all-day pace).

The Walk will run down 1^st, which turns into Beverly Blvd., up Virgil Ave., across Melrose Ave. and down Santa Monica Boulevard to the ocean. Along the way, walkers will encounter sites such as Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; the original Tommy's; the epicenter of LA's bike culture at Heliotrope; Paramount Studios; Raleigh Studios; the Melrose shopping district; the Pacific Design Center; and much more.

As part of the Walk, East Hollywood's famed SCOOPS ice cream shop will create a special flavor on Nov. 17 and open early for Great LA Walk participants to sample it.

Walkers will pass through a diverse cross-section of the region, including Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, the Melrose/Fairfax District, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. The Great Los Angeles Walk will conclude with an afterparty in Santa Monica at a location to be determined.

L.A. journalist and blogger Michael Schneider launched the Great Los Angeles Walk in 2006 as a way to celebrate his tenth year in Los Angeles. Inspired by the book “Wilshire Boulevard: Grand Concourse of Los Angeles,” by Kevin Roderick (with research by J. Eric Lynxwiler), he decided to walk the street’s entire length.

In 2007, for an encore, he chose another downtown-to-the-ocean route: Pico Boulevard. The 2008 Walk took on Santa Monica Blvd. (via Sunset). In 2009, the event kicked off in the historic West Adams district and walked to Venice Beach via Adams and Washington. In 2010, for its fifth edition, the Great Los Angeles Walk reprised its original Wilshire journey. And in 2011, more than 250 Walk participants marched to the ocean via Hollywood Boulevard.

The Great Los Angeles Walk grew from dozens of participants to hundreds, and continues to expand each year as more Angelenos join in to explore their city on foot.

As always, the Walk is completely free. It is up to the participants to decide how much or how little of the walk they want to do. The Great Los Angeles Walk has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the L.A. Weekly, KABC-Channel 7, LAist.com and KNBC.com.

L.A. Weekly Names The Great Los Angeles Walk As One of It's Best of LA Picks!

The L.A. Weekly's annual Best of L.A. issue comes with a special treat this year: Our very own Great Los Angeles Walk is among this year's picks.

Here's what the LA Weekly (which calls it the "Best Once-A-Year Walk") has to say:

Held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Schneider's yearly excursions familiarize locals with urban beauty and obscure landmarks such as Ray Charles' recording studio, encouraging ambulatory exercise in a notoriously car-heavy city. This year, Schneider says, "Our downtown-to-the ocean walk this year (Nov. 17) will spotlight Melrose," starting at 9 a.m. on the front steps of Walt Disney Concert Hall. He tweets his location every mile or so to keep the group together, charges no entry fee and solicits advice from L.A. experts like former L.A. Weekly food writer Jonathan Gold and L.A. Observed's Kevin Roderick. What better way to prepare yourself for a month of holiday bingeing?