I was really touched by the Battelle post a while ago about his visits to Google.  Today I got to make my own visit to Google, and it was just great.

Google has a parking problem.  There are far too many Googlers for the spaces available (8X the previous population of the same buildings, in some cases).  So Google has wifi-enabled buses running back and forth from SF, and special carpool parking places.  Plus parking attendants busily shuttling cars around to make room for (and block) other vehicles.

Google has busy people.  So Google has breakfast, lunch, and dinner available for them, including a huge selection of designer waters.  Hey, if you're sensitive...

This problem-solving, smooth-the-friction approach has a lot to recommend it.  Combined with great visualizations (I saw the electronic version of the Google globe -- beautiful), smooth interfaces, and an overall openness to doing good by users, it's irresistible.  I did not resist.  There appeared to be thousands of clever, bright-eyed people roaming around freely.  Yes, there were scooters.

One of the meetings I had was in an odd oval-shaped small conference room off the main lobby in the main building (there are many buildings).  It was a tight space, and the people in the room were tightly scheduled.  But they focused when they needed to, and we had a fine, short, tight brainstorming session.  Highly constrained yet effortless improvisation. Afterwards, I had to be careful to leave the room quickly right behind someone else -- you needed an official employee badge to get OUT of that conference room. 

Lots of double monitors.  Bright colors.  Glaring sunlight.  Yoga classes glimpsed through the window.  Many many shared cubes.   

Soon I'll be back in NY, where it's raining.  I hope I can visit again.