In addition to providing you with an excellent cardio and lower-body workout, the Hollywoodland Staircases Walk also has amazing views of the city, the landscape, and two major landmarks (the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Observatory). Throw some local history (concrete staircases joining hilly residential streets installed in 1923 as part of the Hollywoodland real estate development) and a wide variety of architecture and you have more for your eyes to drink in than you bargained......

If you didn't watch the late Sydney Pollack's "Recount" on HBO on Sunday (and repeated last night), you really should have. Salon.com did a huge write-up last week so it can only be reinforced that it was a high point in television this year. A great cast, well shot, created a nail biter of a show that perfectly illustrated (with humor) how badly the country was ripped off in 2000, and how low the Republican......

After having spent some time learning pilates on the Reformer and Caddilac, I decided it was time to brave a mat class. I had heard they were grueling and was concerned about keeping up with the other students, but it was time had come to dive in and try. I arrived and Easton Gym on Beverly. The gym has been there since 1938 and has that old Hollywood vibe. The classroom is upstairs next......

Fans of "Project Runway" might want to know more details about its move/death to the Lifetime Networks as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Some fans might say, "Oh no, 'Runway' is going to totally make it on Lifetime - I'm still going to have viewing parties at my house, etc." Be aware that the producers that created the show, Weinstein Co., are not moving with the show to Lifetime - can one safely assume......

I’ll put up with a lot in the name of health and a trim, firm bod. I’ll run on the treadmill till I want to hurl myself out the 24 Hour Fitness dome window from boredom. I’ll walk up the dusty trails of Runyon in the midday sun. Shit, I’ll even hang upside down from a flying trapeze. But of everything I do, nothing terrifies me quite like the hellhole that is my gym’s boot-camp-style......

We have one Sooky Goldman to thank for the treasure that is Franklin Canyon, which sounds like a subplot out of "Chinatown": In 1914, William Mulholland and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) began construction of a reservoir in upper Franklin Canyon to distribute water newly brought from the Owens Valley. The family of oil baron Edward L. Doheny used the canyon as a summer retreat and a place to graze and......

With year-round great weather, awesome beaches, and a short drive to the snow, Los Angeles is the perfect place to get sweaty. This weekend's LA Marathon inspired a lot of people to get back in shape. We're right around the corner from May (national fitness month) and summer (the season of svelte). Of course, any workout routine can leave you stuck in a rut. Tired of staring at the same person's ass in spin class?......

Photo by imacri via Flickr You're still running to Eye of the Tiger? Then it's time to download some new tunes for your run. Most of these songs are much more aggressive than Eye of the Tiger -- Hard Metal Rock, Techno and Industrial. For people like myself, it's difficult to find good songs to run to. Everybody likes Coldplay but you can't really run to it. Here at LAist we like to encourage......

I went to my introductory session with Andy Petranek one morning while taking a "sick day" at work. I had been searching for a gym that taught Crossfit, a special brand of fitness recommended to me by a friend. I e-mailed Andy to ask about the class schedule, and next thing I knew I was in my workout clothes and standing in the alley between 14th and 15th Streets in Santa Monica wondering what......