Poplar Bluff

A freshly updated mansard in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. That'd be Butler County. Sorry for the poor photo quality. The sign says Poplar Bluff Realty Co.

I went to Poplar to take a deposition. It is a lovely drive through the Mark Twain National Forest. ANd finally it's safe. 67 south is now a 4 lane instead of a 2 lane. That drive used to be freaky scary. I never had the skill or courage to pass big trucks on the 2 lane. I would therefore drive about 50 mph stuck behind a logging truck. Now I can travel smoothly and enjoy the beautiful scenery in the Missouri Ozarks. Thanks MoDot!

Nattyville, Soulard, USA

Golf carts and gators. Is this a retirement community in Phoenix or St. Louis' hippest neighborhood? Based on the green trees and red brick buildings, this ain't in Arizona. But still, everyone seems to drive a golf cart. This 'license plate' reads "Nattyville."

That's how we roll in Soulard. Drive your golf cart around and get some Natty at Vincent's. Which brings me to a friendly neighborhood reminder recently blasted on the Soulard email blaster- the 3rd district police wanted to remind everyone that golf cart drivers could be pulled over for suspected drunk driving and asked folks in the neighborhood to please be more care when they drive golf carts to the bars at night.

The only city neighborhoods where I've seen a lot of golf carts as modes of transportation are Soulard, Lafayette Square and St. Louis Hills (Kay's soccer coach drives a gold cart to and from practice).

Any golf carts in your neighborhood? Ever seen intoxicated golf cart drivers?

My secret life

Writing badmansard is kind of a secret of mine. I really don't discuss it with friends, family, coworkers or neighbors. There are a few interested friends and family as well as some architect acquaintances who know my badmansard side. But work? No way. Never in all the minutes and hours of stupid office talk have I ever mentioned badmansard. And we talk about some really stupid stuff at work. Like Gordon Lightfoot and whether our previous PR guy looked like Andrew Cunanan (the guy who shot Versace).

Until I was driving around Madison with my coworker Steve and made him stop so I could take a picture. I had revealed myself. Steve was kind enough to send me a picture of a badmansard law office in West County. Here it is! And please, Steve, let's keep badmansard a secret and not mention it to Mike, Tim or Bob.

My sidewalk is in a documentary.

A neighbor sent me this video. Imagine my surprise- right at about the 25 second mark there is my sidewalk. I am quite flattered my sidewalk made the cut.