Hobbies and Hospitality

Courtesy Toy Gift and Hotel by Kaleidoscope5500

Playtime Plaza - (BTT) Fronting a lovely public plaza, this little toy shop is hard to miss with its colorful awnings and teddy bear sign - a relic of an era in which children could still be entertained by things that didn't require batteries. Up above is a boutique hotel, each floor decked out in a different primary color so that every guest has a one-of-a-kind experience. 

Gradient Expectations

Courtesy Modular House above a Pub by Dr. Legostar

London, England- (BTT) A great Victorian house, on top of a popular city pub is a great business model, and if the building doesn't draw customers, then the word of mouth should! On the ground floor of this raised building (With a brilliant sewer!), a small pub, complete with pool table, hat racks, booths and a bar, leading up to apartments on the top floor.The sloping steps is a design feature worthy of note, seeing as most Modular buildings are built on a level plain. However, switching things up turned out a beautiful design, and a truly unique building!

International Affairs

Courtesy Consulate #1 by BrickCityDepot

Town Hall Square- (BTT) In an increasingly globalized world, more and more countries are becoming connected in ways that only 20 years ago seemed impossible. All of that connectedness doesn't always mean that everybody gets along, and that's where the consuls step in. Even in a (somewhat) unassuming building, decisions and treaties are being made to keep peace in the world. This great consulate from Brian (BrickCityDepot) gives all of the comforts of home to the foreign consul in Lego city, with a nice office, cafeteria area, and secretary's desk, all inside of the furnished interior. And the parking lot isn't too shabby either!

Buy the Book

Courtesy Book Shop by castor-troy

Author Avenue - (BTT) Let's face the facts - owning a bookstore in this day and age is not the easiest of professions. Between the ever-growing number of e-reader supporters and the never-ending stream of people that just go in to read the magazines and leave without buying anything, it's not exactly the height of job security. Still, since the days of Gutenburg books have held a special place in society, and it's only fitting that they have a place to reside as special as this shop. Inside is as cluttered as any respectable store should be, handsome tomes stacked high yet always within reach.

Swede Shoppe

Courtesy Lego H&M by L. G. Orlando

Miami, Florida- (BTT) Shopping in Lego City has never been so trendy! With the building of a H&M store right around the corner from the Pet Shop and Cafe Corner, the minifigs can be sure to stay in fashion, while funneling their money into the Swedish economy! This great building by L. G. Orlando brings to the table all of the things that a proper clothing store should have: mannequins in the window, a useless second floor, impossibly thin and tan models photographed and put on banners and boards visible from the street, and a happy customer. The crenelation at the top shows that they have some good taste!

3rd Street Style

Courtesy Charles B. Wells house by Pepa Quinn

Geneva, Illinois- (BTT) Not all historical homes can be as famous as Fallingwater, or the Robie house, or even the Villa Savoye. But lack of fame does not mean lack of interest. This beautiful rendition of the Charles B. Wells house, built for a NILTC meeting by Matt de Lanoy (Pepa Quinn) has its share of nice details, like the recessed, angled balcony wall, cast iron window coverings, and stone pathway. The house takes up an entire city block in real life, and the model doesn't disappoint in minifig scale!

Olde English

Courtesy Blencathra by Derfel Cadarn

Stratford-upon-Avon, England- (BTT) For hundreds of years, stone was the way to go for buildings- it lasted, it didn't rot, it was easily stacked, and was readily available. In England, stonework seemed to be particularly favoured in medieval times. And although the stonework on this MOC is simply brilliant, it's not the only feature that catches your eye. The garden with ivy attaching itself to the walls, the chimney poking its head out of the roof, and the slate roof are all details of great note. Why, it wouldn't be too far of a stretch of the imagination to think of a famous playwright living here, or nearby!

Under Construction

Courtesy GGE, FB2 preview by Cimmdwic

Men at Work- (BTT) You know you hate the dust and reduced speed limits, but construction is a necessary evil. You wouldn't want the building that you're reading this in to fall down around you, would you? No. But, construction doesn't always have to be ugly. Just one look at these modified modular buildings shows how good it can look. The modified Grand Emporium, with  bar, rooftop gallery, expanded toy store (Now stocking Lego!), and cafe doesn't missuse the larger floor plan. The growing Fire Brigade, meanwhile, has incorporated another floor, complete with balcony, and what looks like a new garage, under construction. We'll keep you posted on the progress of this project!

What Happens in Amsterdam...

Courtesy Amsterdam Hotel by BrickCityDepot

Amsterdam, The Netherlands- (BTT) As one of the oldest cities in Europe, Amsterdam has had its time to rack up a large number of beautiful buildings. This is one of those buildings. From the elegant rooftop, to the awning over the entrance, this building screams beauty and elegance. The interior doesn't disappoint either! From a hotel logo on the rug adorning the foot of the stairs, to the mailboxes for the residents, the dual suites, a small landing leading to an even smaller balcony, this modular doesn't disappoint. May I suggest the caviar, sir?

Also, this is our 1,200th post! A big thank you to all of our readers and followers for making this possible!

Modular Building Blues

Courtesy Lego MOC: Blue Boardwalk by RedCoKid

Azure Drive- (BTT) Here we have what looks to be a lonely suburban modular house. But, one shouldn't always judge a book by its cover. Over here, Flickr user Red Co. Kid has built an entire city block of modular buildings in various shades of blue! From a blue rendition of the Cafe corner, to this great suburban home, it's all there! The buildings feature details such as stoplights, play sets, full interiors, a garage, Olivia's workshop, and even a microscale rendition of the very town that it exists in!