If your house is located within easy walking distance to Starbucks, Whole Foods, great dry cleaners and hip restaurants with top chefs, your “home sweet home” could command $4k to $34k more than similar houses in less walkable neighborhoods.

“Walking the Walk,” was a study conducted by CEOS for Cities, a firm that promotes sustainable and friendly-living towns and cities. The study drew on approximately 90k recent home sales in 15 markets in the US.

Find L.A. walk scores & rest of the story at Valerie Fitzgerald Group.

Valerie Fitzgerald specializes in luxury residential real estate in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Santa Monica and Malibu. Valerie has more than 20 years of real estate experience and is known for her solid reputation in the West Los Angeles brokerage community. She’s also the author of Heart and Sold: How to Survive and Build a Recession-Proof Business.

Walk score snapshot of West L.A. neighborhood

HOLLYWOOD—The scenic Hollywood Lake was reopened to the public early August at the intersection of Montlake Drive and Tahoe Drive after a four-year hiatus.

Present at the trail was District 4 Councilmember Tom LaBonge and those eager to see the trail reopened for public use on Thursday morning.

The lake, which holds a large percentage of the Los Angeles water supply, was shut down in 2005 due to excess rainfall.

“The Eastern Perimeter road of the Hollywood Reservoir has been inaccessible since 2005, when landslides caused by record-breaking rainstorms forced its closure for public safety purposes. With its reopening, the roadway will once again serve the community as a recreational walking and jogging path,” Stephanie Interiano of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power stated in a press release.

The LADWP continues to rebuild and redevelop the highly visited trail location.

The Los Angeles Council Web site stated, “The hours of operation of the East Perimeter Road have returned to the original seasonal schedule: 6:30 a.m.—7:30 p.m. through the month of August. The West Perimeter Road will remain closed due to landslide repair work.” 

The western slope repairs are scheduled to be completed by Spring 2011.

From Canyon News 

Trail onlooker views Hollywood Reservoir. Photo Courtesy of Water Blogged website.

Participate in this interactive project with the LA Times as it maps the communities of our ever changing city.  If you have any questions about LA’s neighborhoods call 310 433 2890 or email me

The Los Angeles City Council has “unanimously agreed to eliminate free parking for drivers of Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight or Ford Escape Hybrid models — a privilege in place for four years — on March 1.”  According to NBC4, the move will generate $300,000 in parking fees; hybrid owners who park at meters during February will be given warnings about the end of free parking.

Do you want to come to our Academy Awards Party?

February 22, 2009 is our 10th Annual Award Celebration & Viewing Dinner, including celebrity hosts, silent & live auctions, and one of the most exclusive after-parties with performances by renowned artists.  To get your tickets, call 310-271-8421, go to www.ChildrenUnitingNations.org, or email me. 

Would you like to promote your business? 

We are still accepting items and services for our live and silent auctions.  We welcome anything from photography sessions to cooking classes, from your home in Napa to interior design consultations.   Get your name and expertise in front of hundreds of guests.

For more information, call 310-271-8421, go to www.ChildrenUnitingNations.org, or email me. 

Sponsored by The Hollywood Reporter, 93.5 The Beat FM, and Billboard Magazine.  This evening is a vital fundraising effort for Children Uniting Nations (CUN) to continue our endless commitment to our community’s most vulnerable children.  CUN primary focus is to recruit and provide mentors for youth placed in foster care through academic and relationship-based mentoring programs as well as, community involvement in social activities.

Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia par excellence, loves art….and LACMA invites you to help provide photo illustrations for Wiki’s articles. Throughout February, LACMA and other museums welcome the public to photograph permanent collection objects to help Wikipedia illustrate its articles. To add to the fun, Wiki has set up a Scavenger Hunt — post your shots to the Wiki group on Flickr, score points, and earn prizes! The photographer (or team) who scores the most points will win a collection of five LACMA exhibition catalogues as well as four VIP tickets to the museum. Check out the guidelines, and get going!

And if you have a B of A credit or debit card, you can get free admission February 7-8.

I’d love to see the pictures you submit to Wikipedia, be sure to send them to me with ‘Wikipedia Photos’ in the subject line.

The beautiful weather we are having prompted me to explore some fun outdoor activities to participate in LA. Running and walking throughout the city is a great way to become familiar with one’s neighborhood, and can also be a very peaceful experience.

A new jogging path has been developed in one of LA’s up and coming neighborhoods, Silver Lake, California. The dirt trail runs along the reservoir on Silver Lake Blvd, and is popular among residents. The path officially opens on Friday.

Runyan Canyon remains one of the most popular hiking trails in the LA area. The hike includes three observations points which I am very fond of, and is located right in the heart of Hollywood.

Franklin Canyon is a popular spot for weddings and photoshoots, which is not a surprise considering its stunning views and breathtaking scenes. This is definitely one of the most gorgeous areas to hike in LA.

      A panel of experts shares their picks for the greatest homes in the Los Angeles area — historic icons and  architectural triumphs. See if their selections include your favorite L.A. home.

Do you want to know our favorite L.A. home?  Call us at 310-825-7515 or send an email!

This is a helpful tool the Transportation Security Authority (TSA) is offering to help travelers determine ‘wait times’ at local airports:

As a customer service initiative, TSA is providing security checkpoint wait time information to assist travelers in planning for their next flight. The wait times are historical so please note actual wait time may vary depending on factors including weather delays which result in increased passenger levels.

Randy Newman sings it best, “I love L.A.” So, in the spirit of all things great about this city, I wanted to share this “greatest things” list.

What’s your favorite thing about L.A? Comment, email me, or call me (310-285-7515) and tell me your favorite things about Los Angeles.