One of my favorite features of Google Map is clicking on the little walking man icon for directions by foot. Tonight I am attending a screening at CAA, now in Century City, but formerly at the convenient corner of Santa Monica and Wilshire, and shelling out the unvalidated big bucks for parking is highway robbery. It once seemed like Century City was a long distance away — it is a different city, after all, but with our new walking routine, it as piece of cake. When I Google Map’d it, it indicated from door to door it is 1.9 miles and should take about 39 minutes. (I wonder what pace they go by, and now I know; see below.) Now, not that I actually need directions for this destination, I like knowing the distance and the estimated time it would take. I remember MapQuesting my route to a conference site in San Francisco from my eco-friendly hotel. I carefully followed the directions, and realized only until I was just about there, that the address was just about three blocks away on the sidewalk, but by street with that bunch of one-way streets, it was about twice the distance or some equation like that. You know, with everything from pulling out of the driveway onto our busy street to parking to sitting down; it’s probably about 30 minutes.

Pace facts: An average fitness walking pace is close to a 15 minute mile. But, a good pace will vary depending on your fitness level, walking technique, walking goals, and terrain, according to The Walking Site http://bit.ly/a7slBm

Google maps cautions the following with its small print: Walking directions are in beta. Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths. Caution to self: Do not stop at Barneys. I did enough financial damage at the original in New York the other month; I was just walking along Madison to meet my friends. OK, window shopping is definitely all right, and I can still keep up my pace. And even increase my heart rate when I see a dress I like.