Civil Ceremony

Courtesy Town Hall and Town Square by aloisvonesterhazy

Downtown Historic District - (BTT) They say that the cost of an average wedding is over $25,000 - considering that financial difficulties are one of the leading factors for divorce, perhaps starting off your new life together with your spouse already in debt it not the wisest decision. This couple has it right - a simple ceremony at the beautiful and historic Town Hall, with the Town Square providing the perfect backdrop for pictures. After all, why spend thousands on flowers when all you could ever want are free to enjoy right here.

Nathan Sawaya LEGO Exhibit at the Morris Museum!

The Art of the Brick®

DECEMBER 2, 2011 – FEBRUARY 20, 2012 Nathan Sawaya is an award-winning artist who creates large-scale sculptures using only toy building blocks: LEGO® bricks. His touring exhibit is the only exhibition focusing exclusively on LEGO as an art medium.

A special area will be set up where visitors, inspired by Sawaya’s work, can build their own LEGO creations. RELATED PROGRAMS: Winter Family Festival, December. 27, 2011 enjoy the LEGO® Building Contest, see p. 12

LEGO Building Block Workshops, January 14, 19, and 28. LEGO® Building Blocks Workshops Stephen W. Schwartz, AIA, Architect of SWS Architects presents a LEGO® community architectural workshop.

Email programs@morrismuseum.org or call 973-971-3720 for registration information.

SATURDAY January 14 2:00—4:00 PM – Build Historical Morristown
Help to build 50 LEGO® historical buildings in Morristown with 50 families using 50,000 LEGO® building blocks. Your creations will be used to create a giant map of Morristown.

THURSDAY January 19 6:00—8:00 PM Build Historical Morristown
Help to build 50 LEGO® historical buildings in Morristown with 50 families using 50,000 LEGO® building blocks. Your creations will be used to create a giant map of Morristown.

SATURDAY January 28 2:00—4:00 PM—Windmills and Wind Power
Join together with 50 families to build a windmill with LEGO® building blocks and learn about the importance of wind power off the coast of New Jersey.

Thank you!

Info Courtesy Joseph N. Melchionne of the Morris Museum.

Rooftop Withdrawal

Courtesy Downtown Bank by Joshua R.

Financial District - (BTT) Let's face the facts - banks have been getting a lot of bad press lately, and not without reason. With all the new fees suddenly being introduced, more than some of us would like nothing more than to get our hard earned money back in our own pockets. While I am certainly not condoning the actions of those individuals using this stately bank's skylight to go and do just that, it does seem like a more effective alternative to spending an hour on hold with customer service only to plead a losing case. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Chow down!

Pieces of Pisces

Courtesy Sushi Parlor by Ace Copland

Little Tokyo - (BTT) Looking every bit the part, this new sushi restaurant has become the most exclusive nibbles in town. Easily recognizable by the dragon above the door and distinctive dark red roof, those hungry for the taste of raw flesh better book early if they hope to get a seat. Save your money on the sake and indulge on the omakase - a little mystery in life never hurt anyone.

Keeping it Simple

Courtesy Diner by Sabby M

Blue Collar Way - (BTT) Microgreens? Truffle oil? Foamed beets? What happened to a simple cup of coffee, three styles of eggs, and food without pretension? Not all restaurants are chasing the latest trends, as the locals of this diner can attest to. Judging by the exterior, which shows extensive evidence of use, the demand for a decent cheeseburger is not to be underestimated.

Inspiration of the Day - 11/20/11

Courtesy Einstein Tower by Studio Jonas Coersmeier

Potsdam, Germany - (BTT) A landmark of Expressionist Architecture, Erich Mendelsohn's Einstein Tower is a true survivor. Construction started in 1919, but by the time the building was fully operational in 1924 there were already problems with the facade cracking, due in part from the materials being changed from concrete to stucco covered brick without any alterations made to the design. In World War II the building was heavily damaged in the Allied bombings of Potsdam, but thankfully its significance to the world of architecture was realized and it was repaired. While the upkeep on the Einstein Tower has been a bit on the steep side - the most recent renovations being completed in time for the 75th anniversary of the building - I don't think it is controversial to say that it has been money well spent.

True Blue

Courtesy Blue Abode by Mike MacLeod

Ontario, Canada - (BTT) The pre-war apartment building still holds a certain panache that the modern counterparts just can't seem to match. Sure you might have to deal with the hiss of a leaky radiator, and good luck finding a spare wall socket now that we live in an era where everything needs one, but one look at the grandeur of this remarkable abode and such inconveniences start to feel very minor indeed.

Dreaming of Electric Sheep

Courtesy Blade Runner by - 2x4 -

Los Angeles, 2019 - (BTT) While the rest of us are still patiently waiting for our flying cars, others are zipping around in style like it's no big deal - I suppose living in a dystopian state does tend to make one have greater priorities than gloating over their mode of transportation, though. While the world may have gone to pot, thankfully the buildings in it have never looked better.

Pub Crawl

Courtesy Irish Pub by Vincent Kessels

The Netherlands - (BTT) We seem to be doing a bit of bar hopping as of late, and I'm sure the locals at this Irish pub could go on at length the ways their watering hole is better than last week's English number. Assuming you can put up with the off-key renditions of "Danny Boy" till all hours of the night, there is also a fully furnished apartment up above. 

Going Green

Courtesy Residential House by papercla

Ruse, Bulgaria - (BTT) It would be easy to find your way home at night if you lived in a glow-in-the-dark apartment building, and this one certainly comes close to doing just that. Once your eyes adjust to the walls, they will start to take in some of the wonderful detailing found throughout - from the elegant wood doors to the ornamental stonework at the peak. Please feel free to join the discussion at the Eurobricks forums.

Inspiration of the Day - 11/13/11

Courtesy Seagram Building by anthonyling86

New York, New York - (BTT) A triumph of the International Style, design architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson not only built the most expensive skyscraper in history up until that point with their Seagram Building, completed in 1958, but also the most influential. Featuring floor to ceiling windows (the first office building in the world to do so), exposed I-beams on the facade, and a public plaza that people actually want to spend time in, the building was an instant hit that lead to more copycats than anything else erected after the war. Despite being a modernist building through and through, the proportions and detailing is still deeply rooted in classical architecture, and even the lobby pays homage to last week's Inspiration directly across the street.

Pint Sized

Courtesy Pub by DoNe

London, England - (BTT) Thought rarely the grandest or most architecturally important, few buildings hold the same level of devotion with the masses as the local pub. Doing away with the more traditional pub naming style, at least you know exactly what you are getting into upon entering the door - more than can be said for The Giblets & Trousers across the street.

Shiver Me Timbers

Courtesy Liberty Inn by ZCerberus

Fort Brighton East - (BTT) You better book early if you are hoping to stay the night at the Libery Inn. The stucco and half-timbering on the upper floors really make this building look straight out of medieval village, but rest assured that the amenities have been upgraded a bit since that time.

Inspiration of the Day - 11/6/11

Courtesy Racquet and Tennis Club by matthaei

New York, New York - (BTT) Easily one of the most prolific and influential architecture firms at the turn of the century, McKim, Mead and White knew how to create a monumental building. Charles Follen McKim's Racquet and Tennis Club, completed in 1918 and fine example of the Beaux Arts style, stands as a lone masonry gem in a sea of glass that is the Park Avenue of today. One of those other buildings, directly across the street from the Racquet and Tennis Club, will actually be the subject of the next Inspiration post.

Towering Above the Rest

Courtesy Art Nouveau and Modern Modular Buildings by alex54

Back in France - (BTT) Drawing inspiration from an Art Nouveau gem, this tan and red building keeps the asymmetrical massing and signature tower element of the original while still mixing things up. The modernist white and gray building flanking the left may lack some of the more ornate detailing, but still manages to compliment its neighbor nicely and should not be dismissed as simple filler. Please feel free to join the discussion at the Eurobricks forums.

Back on the Rails

Courtesy Train Station by valgarise

London, England - (BTT) As airports across the world continue to think of new ways to poke and prod the weary traveler, there is a certain romance to the humble railroad that has seen a bit of a resurgence as of late. A large part of the mystique lies in the stations themselves; relics of another era when travel was a momentous event rather than a bothersome burden. With its grand arched windows and bustling interior, this historic station gives proper respect to the term "first class."