Future Perfect

Riverside Apartments by Snaillad

Next Sunday A.D. - The future is a hard thing to predict, as anyone who plays the ponies or the stock market can attest to. Ask a person 50 years ago what things would be like today and no doubt they would describe a place with far less wheels on the cars while the phones would still hang on walls rather than sitting in pockets. Those still waiting for the government-issued jumpsuits and monthly ration of food pills to arrive in the mail might need a bit more patience, but for others the future is here now. With walls as sparkling white as the caps of the sea and plenty of balconies from which to enjoy it, this little slice of utopia has everything a weary time traveler could want (jetpack not included).

New Year, New Header

Based on the general consensus when a website decides to freshen up their look and functionality (I still hate the new Flickr), change can be a difficult pill to swallow, at least online. Still, I felt the ol' Brick Town Talk was looking a little tired, so I have slowly been tweaking little things here and there. Wider margins, larger text, different fonts, bigger images, and no more ads have already gone live, but the goal was that these were subliminal enough so as not to offend. I did want to class things up a bit, so please welcome the new masthead. I'm not expecting to win as many Pulitzers as the New York Times, but it doesn't hurt to look the part.

More ideas for minor improvements are in the works, but first and foremost will still be featuring great Lego architecture. I'm not social media savvy in the least, so this site will be your only way to follow us, at least for now. 

Here's to the new year!

Magnificent Municipality

Town Hall by norm.fm

Town Square - (BTT) Being mayor doesn't seem like a bad gig if you can get it. Not only do you get your own mansion (more often than not, anyway), but you also get to spend your workday in quite possibly the most impressive building in town. Of course you do have to deal with the politics of it all, and all the ribbons aren't going to cut themselves with giant novelty scissors, but for a few brief moments in the morning, as you walk beneath the swords and through the majestic wooden doors, you truly feel like a king returning to his castle. That is until the phone rings and you learn your knights of the round need to discuss zoning document 4871b as soon as possible.

Stamp of Approval

Post Office by Eric Badis 

Letter Lane - (BTT) Black Friday sales were down while Cyber Monday sales were up. It seems like anything brick-and-mortar is slowly going the way of the dinosaur, and certainly this website isn't about to advocate spending less time online. Despite the seeming doom and gloom, there is one physical establishment that couldn't be happier about the news - the post office. After all, those packages aren't going to walk themselves to your front door unless they are first in the hands of a postal carrier. As grey as the skies during those days with rain, snow, and gloom, this building stands strong in an uncertain world (until Google and Amazon perfect strapping boxes to drones).

Chic Shack

Norwegian Shack by Mattias Søndergaard

Still in Norway - (BTT) This author isn't ready to end this Scandinavian adventure just yet. Perhaps a little harsh calling itself a humble shack, this small-in-stature but huge-in-comfort dwelling has everything a person could want a mere arm's length away (literally). Despite the modern facade, this building blends harmoniously with the natural landscape around it. It even sits on stilts to minimize its footprint, allowing flora that don't mind a little shade a nice roof over their head, too.

Must Be Herring Things

Modules 1, 2 and 5 by birgburg

Norway - (BTT) While this author is personally partial to Swedish Fish (no bones in those!), there is no denying the appeal of a good ol' Norwegian herring. This sleepy little fishing village has been in the business of smoking, salting, and pickling these morsels of the deep for generations now, leaving no confusion as to their main product by painting it right on the side of the buildings. Do keep a lookout for birds in search of a free lunch though, so as not to end up wearing their previous meal.

Just the Ticket

Studdington Station by Snaillad

Studdington Township - (BTT) Looking like a shot lifted straight off a postcard from a bygone era, the humble Studdington Station continues to welcome and say farewell to the weary travelers that pass on through. Those waiting for their ride are free to take shelter under the wonderfully detailed canopy on rainy days, which are most days around these parts to be quite honest, or sit among the flowers lining the cobblestone sidewalk when weather permits.

Belles and Whistles

Beloved Belle by Kristel

Union Square - (BTT) For an item of clothing that is ideally only purchased and worn once, the wedding dress really exists a word apart from other apparel - it's hard to imagine a cable TV show devoted to people bickering over the perfect pair of tube socks after all. This author won't pretend to understand the difference between eggshell and ivory, but the employees of Beloved Belle have encyclopedic knowledge of every shade of white out there. As elegant on the inside as it is on the exterior, this shop has everything needed to make brides-to-be the center of attention on their special day. Upstairs, two apartments (and a neglected attic) fill out the rest of the building, hopefully with sufficiently soundproofed floors for the times tempers run hot below.

Checking Out

The West Eagle Grand Hotel by eyescream54

Avian Avenue - (BTT) In a world where some websites allow homeowners to become (legally questionable) private hoteliers while others advertise "couch surfing" to try and make sleeping on something that isn't even a bed sound like an extreme sport, one has to wonder what the future holds for all the standard hotels out there. Call this author old-fashioned, but there is still appeal in room service, fresh towels, and pillow mints. As splendid as the name implies, the West Eagle Grand Hotel remains proud to serve those of us who think sleeping on a mattress isn't an unreasonable request to have.

Shiver Me Cubicles

Pirate 100 by lisqr

100 White Collar Way - (BTT) Other than the threat of scurvy, potential loss of limbs, and all-around general seasickness, who wouldn't want to be a pirate? Sadly, there really isn't a huge demand for buccaneers in today's modern society, where accountants and telemarketers are oddly deemed more beneficial to society at large. You may be a landlubber, but that doesn't mean you can't still dream of life on the open seas. With a footprint resembling the ocean waves and windows the color of the inky blue abyss, workers in this office building swear that they get an occasional whiff of the briny sea air as they trudge solemnly from their desk to the copier.