Now that we’ve dealt with the problems. lets talk about what I personally really liked at the Congress this year.

Being in a true walkable city. 

I used a motor vehicle three times, from the airport, to Silo City (which had so much of the pedestrian friendly street furniture ripped out, it was like a ghost town between there and the hotel), and back to the airport. Even when we were blocks and blocks away, even when we looked up at our watches and realized it was way past our bedtimes, we were able to walk right home, safely and in a timely manner. The walkability was a bit much on the chilly days, but on the temperate ones, it was awesome. I walk to clear my head and for exercise and it was good to get back to that, albeit briefly.

Sitting around tables, couches and bars and shooting the breeze on the things we love

This is how I knew I’d been away from the fold for two years. When I can’t turn the corner or pop into another spot on the bar crawl without running into an old friend and spending at least 2-3 hours with them. It helped that I was rooming with one, but the rest of y’all? There are still tons of people I didn’t have a proper conversation with this Congress. Note to self, start saving money for Dallas-FTW.

Ben Hamiltion-Bailie, Harriet Tregoning, everybody in the Zombie Subdivisions panel and the Graphic Design Art Room session.

When you go to conferences like this all the time, all the information runs together. It really takes a good show person to make the information come alive. I found that in all the folks that spoke above. Also, a nod to Andreas Duany for taking it back to common sense out at the Silo City. People may not have understood what was going on, but for a person who writes a lot about not just the reality but the sense of place, this was exactly what we needed to hear. And to the folks who claim Gen X was left out, I heard that whole thing the way I hear it from my elders, a boomer telling everyone who is his junior how to make things happen.

Everything that happened at the Hotel Lafyette and the Pan American Grill

Especially the Late Show. And ok, the debates were fun. However, I think we need to get someone like the lady from the interior design program that showed up to truly debate us. We are all too close of friends and of too close of mind. Also, the park was adorable. I wish I’d had more time to play with it, but my hungry belly called me inside to the Pan American on Friday night. The roundtable podcast, the films, and of course Silo City since we are talking about NextGen stuff. I want to give a huge round of applause to one Nate Hood, the entire Strong Towns collective, the First and Main/New Urban Film Festival collective, and the local Buffalo collective for the best NextGen event yet. Even over Project Lodge. Although Project Lodge needs to come back somehow. If I get the NextGen baton, I’m going to find a way. An additional shoutout to having NextGen events in the Congress book and on the app this year.

So that’s it for CNU 22. Back to the regular program next week of writing stories and sharing thoughts on how to make better places.

So let’s just say the remainder of CNU and my weekend was a whirlwind. But it was fun. And for those of you sick of me using the words CNU, be patient, I’ll be done by Thursday, and you’ll have that podcast I promised last week, On the Privilege of Travel, for your listening pleasure as well. You may see a CNU-themed video on Friday, but that’s all. Tomorrow I’ll answer both an open letter that brings up valid criticisms, as well as address the lingering diversity elephant (bison for Buffalo?) in the room. For now, click here for the Storify and we’ll see you bright and early tomorrow for our next post.

(In the meantime, check out North Carolina Placebook, for a brand-new explainer driven format).

Good evening from Buffalo! I hope everyone has had a wonderful first day of the Congress. I spent most of my day writing, picking up my badge, running into old friends and I monitored the backchannel of the opening plenary from the Lobby Bar at the Statler while having a great discussion on places and community with fellow Southern urbanists. Many thanks to Storify,  for giving me a great read of other people’s days. Check out some of my favorites here. Have fun and be safe tonight; see you bright and early tomorrow for another day of CNU.

Yesterday I told you what you should see at CNU 22. This is what I personally hope to see.

Vigorous NextGen Debate

I’ve just volunteered myself to either do a traditional PK like I did at 2012’s CNU or a debate, on a topic somewhat of my choosing, at our Friday night NextGen gathering. I have fond memories of my very first 2011 presentation and I hope to not only present, but learn from my colleagues as we discuss the issues of the day.

Restaurants that Stick With Me

Madison had Graze and it’s organic cheese curds, West Palm Beach had Greaseburger and its solid gourmet burgers. What restaurant will I eat the most of my meals at just because it’s got a great feel to it? Buffalo is quite famous for its wings, which I love. Who will lure me in because they have the very best set?

The Robert Stern Lecture

Considering how much I’ve read up on Celebration, FL, this was the big selling point for me coming to CNU this year. I’m also interested to see how a conversation on garden cities goes over in a room, where quite a few folks feel like they contribute to sprawl, versus add urbanism to sprawling areas.

The Next American Urbanism

I really hate that I wasn’t in Louisville to help get this effort cranked up. However, I have contributed a chapter to the manifesto that will be presented in part throughout the Congress.

How Black Culture and History Has Shaped Buffalo

Although the site’s title is just stating the obvious (I am black and an urbanist) am looking forward to eating soul food in a northern situation to see if it still stands up to how we eat down south. Maybe that restaurant will be my go-to spot. This link also features several other black history sites that I hope to check out on one of my self-guided tours.

Maybe Niagara Falls….

Maybe.

As I’m sitting to write this, we are one week away from the activities of the Congress of New Urbanism 22 in Buffalo, NY. Activities begin with tours, and an opening night networking event and end up with one more closing networking event. As you can tell, a lot of this conference is networking and learning the place that has been chosen for the Congress. If you are expecting a conference, there’s plenty of that for you here too, especially if you really need to get professional credits. In the meantime check out my list of things you can’t miss:

Next Gen’s Full Slate of Activities

NextGen is the set of events and the fellowship that brought me into the fold of CNU in 2011 and through it I’ve gained so much knowledge and so many good friends. And for the record, NextGen is not just about age, but it’s all about ideas and spirit. If you are in the area or can get a ticket or get on the road, please come out and join us at any of these events. ALL OF THEM ARE FREE. You’ll even get to hear Andres Duany, the father of CNU, speak at one of the Thursday night events. In addition, I may either debate or present at Friday night’s Pecha Kucha/Debate night at the Lafayette Hotel.

Click here for a printable version of the schedule. These events are also on the main CNU 22 app.

A Tour

As I mentioned in the previous post, I plan on spending the times I’m not covering the presentations at the convention hall walking around Buffalo, recording stories and figuring out what makes it tick as a city. Isn’t that what this movement is about, making and enjoying the city?  If you’d like some assistance with your guided tour, there are several that will depart from the convention hall starting on Monday and going through Sunday. I may actually slip onto the Buffalo Briskly tour myself.

The Random Argument in the Hallway or After the Session

At the 2012 Congress I noticed that some of the “rockstars” of the movement/congress were not at the main sessions, but instead piled up around one of the exhibit booths having a very vigorous conversation. It looked intense and I walked away, even though I would have loved to jump in. Don’t do that. As Chuck Marohn (rockstar in his own right) has mentioned in his CNU Rules, don’t walk away from something that’s probably far more open and a bit more awesome than it appears on the outside. Plus, we are all people. Nerdy people, with a love of good places.

Open Source Congress

If you have a little less courage, but still a lot of spunk, the Open Source Congress is ready and waiting for you to announce your topic and have a group of eager people to talk about it. The best way to get people to come to your talk is to do it on the day of the open source kickoff. Don’t be the lone sucker (me) that puts together a sign and then has no one to talk about it with you on Saturday afternoon. Plus, I won’t be there this year on Saturday afternoon myself.

Art Room

Sharpen your skills by popping by one of these classes. I attended the photography one in 2012 and I wish I could do it again. I only remember how to avoid keystoning a building and that’s not nearly enough for good architectural photography.

The Plenaries and the Charter Awards

Because excellence is excellence. See who’s knocking it out of the park with their urban designs on Thursday at 5p.m. and throughout the conference get to know who the organizers have deemed so worthy to address the entire Congress.  After pouring through two books on Celebration,FL, I’m looking forward to hearing from Robert Stern at the Friday morning plenary.

The entire schedule, including all tours, 202 courses, and breakout sessions can be found here. Be sure to register with the site and you can create your own calendar of events, which you can then download onto your phone as both an Android and iPhone app.

Finally, don’t miss me! Follow me on Twitter to find out where I’m going throughout the Congress week.