Now it must be thought of and born all over again. It has existed in the arcades surrounding St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy, for more than five hundred years. I should like to live in it all my life. The windows of the sumptuous restaurants stand open, and one dines and enjoys the passing show. If we could summon Mark Twain back from the dead he might well point out, ironically, that we already have many such plazas in Los Angeles, which have languished and fallen into disuse.
Life really begins at dusk in Rome.
In the blue hour, and late on through the idle evening, shopping continues, mixed with time to wander, linger, sit, and stare. The Plaza I have constructed here should never be built unless it opens for business at three each afternoon. Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights the closing hour should be 1 or 2 a.m. Because your average small American businessman is locked into a nine to five schedule. No new hours are worth considering.