I Went to Korea and All I Got Was a Fuller Understanding of Successful Transit Systems
What happens when Car is not King? A web of subways; taxis and buses aplenty; and car ownership only for the rich.
Category: Culture
Chart of the Day: Time Spent versus Age
Here’s a set of charts from Quartz (via Kottke) that shows how people spend time during different “ages” of their life. It pretty much speaks for itself: The Quartz analysis is kind of light, but they do have this to say about the solitude trend: Hours spent in the company of children, friends, and extended […]
Real Public Engagement
Build relationships. Choose welcoming (and bike- and transit-friendly) spaces. Keep children in mind. Have a formal feedback loop. And then plan for a better outcome.
My Front Porch and Why I Love It – Volume 1
A front porch wasn’t necessarily on the “must have” list for our house when we were shopping in 2015. But, as we looked into housing, it moved further and further up the list. The house we bought has a full length porch on the front. It is long and it is DEEP. It’s about 12 […]
The Annual MayDay Parade
Every year, more than 50,000 people are drawn to the Powderhorn neighborhood in south Minneapolis to participate in the festivities of the MayDay Parade. This is not your typical parade — the mission statement of the event is “to bring people together for the common good through the power of puppet and mask performance.” The event uses […]
Placemaking and Animal People: Why “Night in the Woods” Rocks
Night in the Woods is a video game about an anthropomorphic cat. It’s also one of the most insightful explorations of the challenges struggling communities face today — and the hidden strengths that bring those communities together. Night in the Woods tells the story of a college dropout named Mae who returns to her hometown […]
The Case Against “Neighborhood Character”
If you are involved in your community’s discussions about roads, development, or zoning, you have undoubtedly heard one of the most ubiquitous and troubling phrases to populate those discussions: “neighborhood character.” To me, “neighborhood character” is a nothing phrase. It is a flowery facade to hide ugly or undeveloped opinions behind. When I say that […]
Drinking My Way Around England
English pubs are among the premier “third places” in the world. Despite rumors of their death, they remain vital to the community and I’m impressed by how well they fit in to the urban (and rural) fabric. The English pub is a great place to gather with friends or strangers. They are also quite amenable […]
The Parking Ramp: As Minnesotan as Hot Dish
Whatever you call it — a structure, a circular building, a monument to car culture — nobody outside of Minnesota seems to use the term parking “ramp.”
What Is City Pride Worth?
This past week, the National Football League approved the request of the St. Louis Rams to relocate to Los Angeles. This, despite an aggressive push by St. Louis and Missouri political and business leaders to keep the team through the partial public financing of a brand new stadium along the Mississippi riverfront. This news story […]