36 Hours in Copenhagen: Lego & Letters

 Two of my favourite things as a kid were Lego and Letraset. I would gaze at my Dad's catalog of typeface templates for hours, and use some of the more intruiging letter styles to illustrate my stories. And as for Lego Space Station ca 1977, a detailed precursor of today's Star Wars sets, that's with me still, and now part of our Big Bag O' Bricks at home. I was flying solo with the Girls on the first day to Copenhagen while Flo took a detour to see her Pop, so you can imagine what we did in the first 12hrs of our stay. 

Actually, in total we ended up visiting the Lego store no fewer than four times. And came away with a small city of Lego minifigures in the process, and a miniature Rockefeller Center from Lego's superb Architecture series. Fitting, as I used to work in the building just across the street, and the Girls and I paid a memorable visit to the Top of the Rock last summer. So I'll have this super little kit as a memorial of 2011 on two counts. 

"Let's'go buy a letter from the Letter Store", I said to the Pixies when we were done assembling The Rock. Playtype it seems is the world's first physical store for typeface. You can buy one of their eminently readable typefaces on a USB stick, or have your own custom typeface designed. What a priveledge! Maybe I could devise something for my new employers. Speaking of privelege, UBS has outstanding visual identity - the three keys have always been accompanied by elegant serifs and balanced use of white space. It's'one thing (there are others) that I will miss about UBS. My new firm, by contrast, "Is in urgent need of a graphic makeover", as Flo said when she caught a glimpse of my new boss's business card. 

In another life, when I'm not a diplomat, I'm a typographer.

Perhaps it's the fleeting Nordic daylight, but Copenhagen seems to love its neon. Is there a Danish equivalent of Project Neon? Some beautiful vintage neon signs in full brilliance. Naturally, a few excellent typographical examples here as well. Let's hope they never give way entirely to LCD video displays. I also caught frequent sights of neon on sensibly clad Copenhagen residents - a hot pink scarf, bright red jeans, an orange hat. As if to stave off the darkness...

Check out: for when it gets a little too dark and cold to venture out into Vesterbro, Asterix and the 12 Tasks on DVD. Custom House for distinctive architecture and fine Italian. Granola for the best chocolate milkshake this side of the Atlantic.