Dear Vanessa --

I had a delightful New Urbanist lunch with the architect, author, and blogger John Massengale today. (John's blog is here.) Over Indian food, we first agreed that there's something about passing 50 that changes you from a detail person into a big-picture guy. Then we turned to such neotraditionalist topics as ... well, to be honest, a lot of what we gabbed about was off-the-record and will have to be kept that way. But I do think I'm free to say that you shouldn't be surprised to see the following stories show up in the Star sometime very, very soon:

• Christopher Alexander and Cameron Diaz: Their Romance to Become Reality-TV Series!!!
  
• Spotted Poolside at the Fontainebleau Drinking Fuzzy Navels: HRH The Prince of Wales and Donald Trump!!!
  
• Four-Picture Paramount Deal Inked by Nikos Salingaros!!!
  
• Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Leon Krier Home-Sex Video Now on the Web!!!
  
• Look Out Martha: Andres Duany and Target to Franchise the New Urbanism!!!
  
• Henry Hope Reed Escapes from Betty Ford Clinic, Beats Up Paparazzi!!!

Just kidding, in case any of our more literal-minded visitors didn't pick that up.

John's been doing a lot of top-quality blogging recently that I should have been better about linking to. Here he muses about modernity and classicism -- don't be afraid, it's an engrossing subject. Here he wonders why most airports provide such lousy welcomes to cities. Here he reveals "just how anal architects can be." Hardcore libertarians really need to wrestle with the Andy Singer cartoon John reproduces here.

Blogging: among many other things, a good way to meet great people. It's a wonderful way to learn, too.

Many thanks to John for a terrific lunch.

Best,

Michael

Gee, Michael, and you paid! Thanks!

I'm going to have to write a new couple of posts soon to even try to live up to your comments. I've got a couple in mind, including the news about Bill Clinton becoming the new Editor in Chief at Time.

Have you read New Rules for the New Economy, the Bible According to Wired? In a sense, it's the wired update of Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You. It convincingly makes the point that on the internet one benefits the most by giving information away. I think all this blogging is just getting started, and that it will lead to very unexpected places.

John

Posted by: john massengale on July 30, 2004 12:40 AM

PS: I still think you should take TrackBacks.

Posted by: john massengale on July 30, 2004 12:43 AM

Wow, that lucky Ms. Diaz - By using the Mirror of the Self test, she'll never choose a bad hairstyle or awards ceremony outfit again.

Posted by: Rob Asumendi on July 30, 2004 2:45 PM






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