[Rem Koolhaas speaks at USC, 3/1/07 via Sam Felder's flickr]
Retail: The Los Angeles Garment & Citizen reports that the Silver Lake Trader Joe's has recently started asking customers for their zip codes. What does it mean, you ask? Well, apparently it may be a sign that TJs is trying to gauge customer support from other neighborhoods for a possible expansion. The beneficiary of such an expansion would naturally be the loft dwellers Downtown, whose numbers and self-importance continue to swell. [Garment & Citizen]
Architecture: The American Institute of Architects, California Council has awarded local architecture firm Rios Clementi Hale Studios its 2007 Firm Award. Good job RCHS. Somebody there owes us dinner. [Digital50]
Architecture: Rem Koolhaas was at USC yesterday to have an intimate conversation about architecture. Blogger {sf} Sam Felder live blogged the event and now it's available for all of us to read on the interweb. A morsel of what was said: "He has tried to work within the expectation of uniqueness and extravagance but directs his effort to making something work (see the Seattle Public Library) but in the end the power is in the deeply social nature of buildings. While the nature of the “shape” of the building sells it, the use is what matters."