The Burj Dubai opens today

And it looks like it's very empty.

It's interesting to look back on writing on Dubai just four years ago.

It's happening

Our fears have come true, and Atlantic Yards construction is underway. As much as I've been in denial about it, the project is going forward.
It's obvious that the neglected strip of land by the mall should be developed, but people are losing their homes and businesses and and intersection that's already hellishly busy is only going to get worse.
I've only lived in the neighborhood for a few months, but I love it's personality (and Flatbush Avenue is already about as busy as I can handle). When the Nets move in, we'll most likely have to move away.

My year in cities 2009

Stealing from Jason Kottke's annual list, here are the cities I visited in 2009:

• Jersey City Heights, NJ*
• Elmhurst, IL*
• Los Angeles, CA
• Montevideo, Uruguay
• Tacuarembo, Uruguay
• Punta del Diablo, Uruguay
• Cabo Polonia, Urugay
• Carmel, IN
• Brooklyn, NY*
  
• Stamford, CT
• New Rochelle, NY
• Washington, DC

Cities marked with an * were visited multiple times on non-consecutive days (or I lived there). I considered this a year where I didn't do much travelling, but I guess I ended up moving around quite a bit.
Using Dopplr helped me remember all this.

Also

Congrats to Arden for her inclusion in the 2009 PhotoNOLA festival!
[The Coup d'oeil Art Consortium]

PERFECT IN MY MIND - GOLD HOTEL

 Man I miss you guys.