/blog-gone

All bad blogs come to an end. I'm taking a break. Happy trails.

But my opinion is that New Urbanism is lazy. I'm a believer in the two party system, in competition (not just in the marketplace but in the world of ideas). There should be a response to Celebration, Florida. I'm not talking about opposition, I'm talking about an alternative body of planning theory that would sharpen and discipline New Urbanism. Without it, the movement will die in smug self-congratulation and ineffectiveness.

No, I don't know what that model is, but maybe it's to be found in Los Angeles.

And the winner is J&B, but the field was small.

I don't know anything about whiskey. I'm reminded of the night before Sam's wedding when his brother ordered some incredible scotch. Wish I could remember what he got.

So far my favorite places in Koreatown are more old hollywood than panchan.

Back from Sam's wedding, which finished a run of three weddings in three weekends.

Seattle is green and beautiful in the summer. I wandered King county using public transit and like a crazy person, started to mumble to myself. I also learned two things:

1. Watching cable all night made me really depressed.
2. Reading a book at the airport felt much better.

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I've been noticing a lot of new condo development with bottom story commercial (especially in Bellevue) but more often than not, the bottom floor is either unleased or not doing very well. My pet theory is that many of these mixed use developments are not very practical if the surrounding neighborhood is still centered around the car. I've noticed that sushi restaurants do especially poorly. I'm thinking very few businesses would work. Maybe something like Family Mart...

I'll be in Seattle all weekend. I have this dumb habit of wanting to watch movies when I travel so maybe I'll see James Franco in The Great Raid on Sunday.

In high school my peers had a nickname for me: Coop. Of course, Special Agent Dale Cooper got possessed by a demon in the last episode of Twin Peaks. Not really a good choice for a role model, is he. Nevertheless, I continue to believe that if there was a third season, the issue would have been resolved quickly. It was just a season finale TV shocker, like when he got shot at the end of season one.

Well, now there's talk of Agent Cooper related TV movies! Thanks for the link, Jason. Hopefully David Lynch and Kyle MacLachlan can get it done. It certainly sounds better than this show.

Joel Kotkin makes the case against downtowns luxury lofts and residential towers, including those planned for LA. But it isn't all doom and gloom.

In some ways, a sharp drop in downtown residential property values may be the best thing to happen to downtown long term. Well-heeled investors and speculators, no longer confident of flipping their $600,000-plus properties, would have to sell to workers, artists and young professionals, or rent to students, the kind of people who have turned places such as Manhattan's Soho into vibrant street-level neighborhoods.

Even so, don't count on downtown L.A. becoming another Soho. It may never fully compete with the Miracle Mile, West Hollywood, Pasadena or the beach as an urban lure. These areas have fewer dead spots created by freeway ramps, parking lots and government buildings. They offer more attractive pedestrian streetscapes and more places to go. But the right policy and reasonable expectations could transform parts of downtown into an exciting, slightly offbeat alternative community amid L.A.'s vast suburban archipelago.

And really now, that doesn't sound so horrible.

The best night I've had all week was when I went with Cindy to see The Aristocrats.

Harvard looks at why NY is so successful. Blah blah blah blah...it's the Port.

Going to UCLA to see Jr. was quite an experience. I'm already enjoying being an uncle, but I don't want to get in the way too much. The happy parents are doing well. Apparently, they had their first of many sleepless nights.

Yesterday, I spent all night listening the the Angels/Oakland game while playing LOTR: The Third Age on the ps2, another wonderful bday gift. I'm two hours into the game and already skipping the movie clips between each scene. Not to get all serious on you, but that reminds me of one of my bigger problems: the propencity to take short cuts.

I'm currently trying to empty out my fridge. I found a two week old salad which has gone bad. I think I've got quite a bit of milk to drink in the next day too.

UPDATE: Matt has posted Jr.'s picture.