Making the Rounds

King, Barbara. "Making the Rounds: On foot in summer, you find the heart of a neighborhood." Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2005.

"Since June, my neighborhood, like so many other L.A. neighborhoods, has begun to reveal itself in ways only summer allows. I'm getting to know it. I'm learning its sounds, its movements. I'm learning its stories in brief encounters and leisurely observations on my daily walks. Warm weather has made available so much more: the protective layers of reserve have been packed away for the season. Everything, including the profligate flora, is less self-conscious. It feels a lot like Paris."

Switzerland in September, anyone?

Head to Zurich, Switzerland, September 22-23, for the 6th International Conference on Walking in the 21st Century. Wish I could go. The deadline for early registration is July 15th, so check it out.

links and listserv

The first few of many links to come (see sidebar). I've also created a listserv at yahoogroups called Pedestrian Culture . . . which will hopefully grow into something a little more lively than it is now! More soon.

Welcome to Pedestrian Culture

This is the first step in what I hope will be a productive and far-reaching investigation into the poetics of place experienced through the humble act of walking. The Center for the Study of Pedestrian Culture will be a portal of resources, links, bibliographies, syllabi, and other types of place data. More info on the Center website and listserv to follow . . . stay tuned.