Nice mural. Too bad about the graffiti.

This mural on a building on Prince Street in NYC is a great example of public art. Once boring and ugly, the side of this building is now fun to look at (only two of the windows are actually real). As for the repulsive graffiti, is there any doubt that art is art and graffiti is not?

Another sidewalk doubling as a skylight

If you've read my previous posts, you know I really like this idea of translucent sidewalks. They provide natural lighting for the space below without having to burn coal to generate electricity to create artificial light. This sidewalk lights up the restrooms of the restaurant located in the basement of the Mercer Hotel in NYC. It's a common sight in the SOHO area of Manhattan.

Transit Oriented Development: a noble task

Taking a city that's been designed around automobiles and shifting focus toward a public transit orientation is a noble task. Here's a video we produced about the City of Edmonton's award-winning Transit Oriented Development guidelines.

Smoking and pharmacies. Hypocracy?

This ad is making the rounds on taxis in NYC. It asks a very good question! Come to think of it, given the obesity epidemic in North America, I'm wondering if pharmacies should really be selling soda, candy and chocolate bars. Just thinking out loud here.

Lending library at Jack Spade is a grass roots way to build loyalty

Jack Spade is a men's wear and accessory designer with several locations in NYC. Here at the SOHO location on Greene street they have a lending library in their store. I'm a big fan of ebooks, but have to admit this is a simple way to build loyalty among your customers, as well as other people in your neighborhood. It's also a great way to re-use books and keep them in circulation.

High Line Park is an amazing urban redevelopment project

In a city that's not known for its green space (except for Central Park), the High Line is an amazing example of urban redevelopment. It's an abandoned elevated railway in the Meatpacking District that's been converted into a linear pathway and garden. A must-visit if you're in Manhattan.

More ways to reuse a mason jar: just because you can

Here's another clever, low tech way to reuse a mason jar, this time at the cash register of a coffee shop in Vancouver (Bel Cafe).

Clever, low-tech lighting your granny would be proud of

These lighting fixtures at L'Abattor Restaurant in Vancouver are an excellent example of the middle R of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Mason jars. Light socket. LED bulb (for green cred and reduced heat). Any reasonably capable do-it-yourselfer should be able to figure this out.

TuneIn Radio iPhone app gives amazing access to online music

I'm a music lover, so I'm hooked on this iPhone app. It gives access to online radio stations, streaming music channels and podcasts from around the world. It works over WiFi so you can use it at your home or office. It also works over cellular data networks, so assuming you have a good data plan it's great in your car. In my home and office, I use it with bluetooth wireless headphones or my AirPlay compatible speakers. In my car, I use streaming bluetooth into my car's audio system. In fact, my new car came with a three month free subscription to Sirus XM satellite radio. I never used it.

Translucent sidewalk at Vancouver Convention Centre: ditto

My previous post about translucent sidewalks probably clued you in to the fact that I like this idea. Kudos to the Vancouver Convention Centre for allowing some light into the space below for the human earthworms.