Off the wall

It's probably out there somewhere, but I did a couple of searches and could not get an answer to this: What's an illegal connection and who says its illegal? Seriously, my uncle in the union back in the day in Detroit had a lot of illegal connections, buy you could do time in prison for those. I'm assuming a lego illegal connection is something quite different. Thanks

I just bought my third copy of the Grand Emporium. Because, after all, how can this emporium be 'grand' if its the same size as a Parisian Restaurant or a Fire Brigade? I plan on having seven modulars on one side of a city block backing up to seven others on the other side. My first two GEs comprise one end of this city block and are side by side. I bought the third for the main purpose of adding an additional story to each of the first two. I may buy a fourth just to make it REALLY grand, eh? Anyway, it seems as if collecting the modulars is one thing. But, building a city based on the modular series with the appropriate proportions is quite another thing. Ideas? Thoughts?

Tower bridge.....it was my third lego build.....bags containing pieces (over 4000 pcs) not numbered......I needed new glasses....didn't have an adequate work space.

Opened the box that FedEx delivered containing my third grand emporium. Going to add a floor to the first two (that form the end of a city block and sit side by side) and use the ground floor of the latest one as the template/basis for a MOC Starbucks building.

I agree. Maybe the theme of this building resulted in some of the concerns that you point out. With that said, there is the opportunity to do a few modifications and change it into something more in line with our individual tastes. Of course, given the starting price, it could become an expensive modular with modifications.

Thanks for the update. I agree with the comment made by 1974.

So, what happened?

Given that CC was released in 2007, and even if you exclude MS as a modular, then these have been coming out at a rate of slightly more than one a year. If this new offering is as popular as it appears to be, then the sales would drive any profit oriented company to release another one sooner than later.

Given the nominal shipping cost on pick a brick shipments from Poland to the USA, I have to imagine that DHL consolidates these small shipments into one larger one for transport to the USA before tendering them to the proper US postal facility for final delivery. I suppose Lego could overnight the bricks to me, but I probably wouldn't like the cost of that service.

Buying any lego product is an invitation to add your own personal style to it. That's one of the great things about lego. For a small cost, you are free to make the parisian restaurant as tall as you like. And, I'm free to change some of the colors.

It's great to see how this new offering is bringing out the creativity and MOC abilities in so many AFOLs. I think I'd also like to add a floor and make it a taller building. Plus, remove that white fungus looking trim that's obscuring a beautiful blue roof on the top level.

Nice to see some well thought out, objectivity. Thanks. Not saying I don't like the parisian cafe, but it's not at the top of my list. Thrilled to have a new building, but the Starbucks/Barnes and Noble MOC is much more appealing.

Nice job. For us in the USA, the expansion of the town hall also serves as a metaphor. :-)

I think it's probably the 'overly-busy' design combined with a white that is as bright as a new snow fall. The white color emphasizes an architectural style that I just don't care for. Tone the color down a notch or two, and I wouldn't be as critical. I'll probably buy two Parisian Cafes and mod one to my own tastes. While I love the modular building series, I'm more of a Robie House type of person.

Thanks for the enlightenment on the 'door to nowhere'. At times my ignorance knows no limits.

Now that I've had a day to look at it and the initial excitement of having a new modular building has worn off ( and exercising the typical American politicians right to 'flip-flop') my eye is a bit more critical. Really don't like the white and the detail on the top, front level. I think the following definition applies to that area of the building: gild the lily 1. To adorn unnecessarily something already beautiful. 2. To make superfluous additions to what is already complete. I also see some comments about the outside of the building being given less attention than on previous modulars with added stress placed on the interior. I hope this trend doesn't continue. My main interest is in the building design and not the interior. It's sort of like when I watch one of those shows on HGTV and the hosts have a budget to redo a property. They spend a lot of the budget on furniture and non building components. That adds no value to the building. I want the effort and expense dedicated to the building and not the furniture or interior details. I also think the door to nowhere on the back, second level doesn't make a lot of sense despite some of the rationalizations that I've seen for to design component. And, given the detail on the side of the building, this is, for all practical purposes, another corner building. As far as ranking it, at this point I would put it ahead of MS (which some don't consider a modular), CC and FB. I definitely don't like it as much as GG , GE and PS. I hope my comments, while they probably are a minority view at this time, will stimulate some more discussion based on having a bit of time for the design to have 'soaked in'.

What I've done is to develop a couple of green, or park, spaces using the small lego seasonal offerings. The Springtime Scene is 88 pieces and is currently on sale on the US lego website for $3.98. That way, the detail on the side of my MOC and the parisian cafe can really be seen. I used a 32 x 32 plate........ and the components of springtime scene and fall scene look great in creating a green space between modular buildings.

This is certainly the best effort by Lego as far as modular buildings go. With that said, what gets retired? FB? GE? Both?

I own at least one of each of the modular buildings and two of most of them. The detail on this is outstanding. I especially appreciate the detail on the side of the building. As far as what I don't like, there's a little too much white on the front of the building. I would have liked some brown/tan earth tones. The price is very reasonable considering the piece count and all of the new elements. Good job, Lego.

Well, good luck with all of that. Pick a brick for me is pretty consistent in delivery times. But, patience, patience, patience. :-)

Well, lego gives it to DHL and DHL transfers it to the USPS for delivery. If I wanted BTTF fast, I'd order through Amazon. They have it in stock and if I ordered today, I'd have it Tuesday with free shipping via an Amazon prime membership. $34.99 from Amazon. No VIP lego points, but we're not talking about a big purchase where you lose hundreds of points. If I buy a set from Lego.com, it's shipped from their distribution center near Memphis, TN and I have it in a few days after ordering. Pick a brick is a much longer journey and requires some patience.

From the time I order my pick a brick stuff, to the time it's delivered to my house in the USA, is usually 10 to 11 calendar days. That's been pretty consistent.

I have an old file cabinet. I just dump extra pieces into the cabinet. No organization, no system.....no problem! Maybe this is a result of formerly being employed by a government agency. :-) Thousands and thousands of bricks, just crying out for organization.

Stickers, stamps, whatever. They won't be used by me. Besides, when was the last time you saw a container ship that didn't have many different colored containers from several shipping companies on it? A great advertisement for Maersk, and I don't mind the Maersk logo on the side of the ship, but putting the Maersk name on every container is overkill.

Just finished the build. For display, it definitely looks better with the east river side of the building on display as opposed to the view from the street that has the gear shift levers, er, flag poles. The trans lucent blue bricks are beautiful. I can see where they would sell a lot of this offering just for parts.