diff --git a/src/args.jl b/src/args.jl
index 93803a25..87012e21 100644
--- a/src/args.jl
+++ b/src/args.jl
@@ -161,8 +161,7 @@ _series_defaults[:subplot]           = :auto     # which subplot(s) does this se
 
 const _plot_defaults = KW()
 
-_plot_defaults[:title]                       = ""
-_plot_defaults[:titlefont]                  = font(14)
+_plot_defaults[:plot_title]                       = ""
 _plot_defaults[:background_color]            = colorant"white"   # default for all backgrounds
 _plot_defaults[:background_color_outside]    = :match            # background outside grid
 _plot_defaults[:foreground_color]            = :auto             # default for all foregrounds, and title color
@@ -184,6 +183,8 @@ _plot_defaults[:overwrite_figure]            = true
 const _subplot_defaults = KW()
 
 _subplot_defaults[:title]                    = ""
+_subplot_defaults[:title_location]           = :center           # also :left or :right
+_subplot_defaults[:titlefont]                = font(14)
 _subplot_defaults[:background_color_subplot] = :match            # default for other bg colors... match takes plot default
 _subplot_defaults[:background_color_legend]  = :match            # background of legend
 _subplot_defaults[:background_color_inside]  = :match            # background inside grid
@@ -378,6 +379,7 @@ add_aliases(:aspect_ratio, :aspectratio, :axis_ratio, :axisratio, :ratio)
 add_aliases(:match_dimensions, :transpose, :transpose_z)
 add_aliases(:subplot, :sp, :subplt, :splt)
 add_aliases(:projection, :proj)
+add_aliases(:title_location, :title_loc, :titleloc)
 
 
 # add all pluralized forms to the _keyAliases dict
@@ -625,6 +627,12 @@ function preprocessArgs!(d::KW)
     #     # end
     # end
 
+    # # if title is just a single string, then assume we want plot_title
+    # # TODO: make a decision if this is correct
+    # if haskey(d, :title) && typeof(d[:title]) <: AbstractString
+    #     d[:plot_title] = pop!(d, :title)
+    # end
+
     # handle line args
     for arg in wraptuple(pop!(d, :line, ()))
         processLineArg(d, arg)
diff --git a/src/backends/pyplot.jl b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
index 080fad29..60601bd9 100644
--- a/src/backends/pyplot.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
@@ -293,13 +293,17 @@ end
 function py_bbox_axis(ax, letter)
     ticks = py_bbox_ticks(ax, letter)
     labels = py_bbox_axislabel(ax, letter)
-    # @show ticks labels ticks+labels
+    letter == "x" && @show ticks labels ticks+labels
     ticks + labels
 end
 
 # get a bounding box for the title area
 function py_bbox_title(ax)
-    py_bbox(ax[:title])
+    bb = defaultbox
+    for s in (:title, :_left_title, :_right_title)
+        bb = bb + py_bbox(ax[s])
+    end
+    bb
 end
 
 # TODO: need to compute each of these by subtracting the plotarea position from
@@ -318,6 +322,7 @@ function compute_min_padding(sp::Subplot{PyPlotBackend}, func::Function, mult::N
     ax = sp.o
     plotbb = py_bbox(ax)
     # @show func, mult plotbb
+    # @show func, py_bbox_axis(ax, "x")
     padding = 0mm
     for bb in (py_bbox_axis(ax, "x"),
                py_bbox_axis(ax, "y"),
@@ -329,6 +334,13 @@ function compute_min_padding(sp::Subplot{PyPlotBackend}, func::Function, mult::N
         end
         # @show padding
     end
+
+    # if func == top
+    #     titlebbox = py_bbox_title(ax)
+    #     padding = max(padding, height(titlebbox))
+    #     @show titlebbox height(titlebbox),padding
+    # end
+
     padding
 end
 
@@ -582,7 +594,7 @@ function _add_series(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, series::Series)
     # ax = getAxis(plt, d[:axis])
     ax = getAxis(plt, series)
     x, y, z = d[:x], d[:y], d[:z]
-    @show typeof((x,y,z))
+    # @show typeof((x,y,z))
     xyargs = (st in _3dTypes ? (x,y,z) : (x,y))
 
     # handle zcolor and get c/cmap
@@ -1058,18 +1070,30 @@ end
 
 function addPyPlotTicks(ax, ticks, letter)
     ticks == :auto && return
+    axis = ax[symbol(letter,"axis")]
+    # tickfunc = symbol("set_", letter, "ticks")
+    # labfunc = symbol("set_", letter, "ticklabels")
     if ticks == :none || ticks == nothing
-        ticks = zeros(0)
+        # ax[][:set_major_locator]
+        # ax[tickfunc]([])
+        # ax[labfunc]([])
+        kw = KW()
+        for dir in (:top,:bottom,:left,:right)
+            kw[dir] = kw[symbol(:label,dir)] = "off"
+        end
+        axis[:set_tick_params](;which="both", kw...)
+        return
     end
 
     ttype = ticksType(ticks)
-    tickfunc = symbol("set_", letter, "ticks")
-    labfunc = symbol("set_", letter, "ticklabels")
     if ttype == :ticks
-        ax[tickfunc](ticks)
+        # ax[tickfunc](ticks)
+        axis[:set_ticks](ticks)
     elseif ttype == :ticks_and_labels
-        ax[tickfunc](ticks[1])
-        ax[labfunc](ticks[2])
+        # ax[tickfunc](ticks[1])
+        # ax[labfunc](ticks[2])
+        axis[:set_ticks](ticks[1])
+        axis[:set_ticklabels](ticks[2])
     else
         error("Invalid input for $(isx ? "xticks" : "yticks"): ", ticks)
     end
@@ -1119,17 +1143,30 @@ function _update_plot(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, d::KW)
         # guidesz = get(d, :guidefont, spargs[:guidefont]).pointsize
 
         # title
-        haskey(d, :title) && ax[:set_title](d[:title])
-        ax[:title][:set_fontsize](plt.plotargs[:titlefont].pointsize)
+        if haskey(spargs, :title)
+            loc = lowercase(string(spargs[:title_location]))
+            field = if loc == "left"
+                :_left_title
+            elseif loc == "right"
+                :_right_title
+            else
+                :title
+            end
+            ax[field][:set_text](spargs[:title])
+            ax[field][:set_fontsize](spargs[:titlefont].pointsize)
+            ax[field][:set_color](getPyPlotColor(spargs[:titlefont].color))
+            ax[:set_title](spargs[:title], loc = loc)
+            # TODO: set other font attributes
+        end
 
         # axes = [ax]
         # # handle right y axis
         # axes = [getLeftAxis(figorax)]
         # if usingRightAxis(plt)
         #     push!(axes, getRightAxis(figorax))
-        #     if get(d, :yrightlabel, "") != ""
+        #     if get(spargs, :yrightlabel, "") != ""
         #         rightax = getRightAxis(figorax)
-        #         rightax[:set_ylabel](d[:yrightlabel])
+        #         rightax[:set_ylabel](spargs[:yrightlabel])
         #     end
         # end
 
@@ -1137,7 +1174,7 @@ function _update_plot(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, d::KW)
             axissym = symbol(letter, :axis)
             axis = spargs[axissym]
             # @show axis
-            # DD(axis.d, "updateplot")
+            # DD(axis.spargs, "updateplot")
             # @show haskey(ax, axissym)
             haskey(ax, axissym) || continue
             applyPyPlotScale(ax, axis[:scale], letter)
@@ -1154,7 +1191,7 @@ function _update_plot(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, d::KW)
                     lab[:set_fontsize](axis[:tickfont].pointsize)
                     lab[:set_rotation](axis[:rotation])
                 end
-                if get(d, :grid, false)
+                if get(spargs, :grid, false)
                     fgcolor = getPyPlotColor(spargs[:foreground_color_grid])
                     tmpax[axissym][:grid](true, color = fgcolor)
                     tmpax[:set_axisbelow](true)
@@ -1169,20 +1206,20 @@ function _update_plot(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, d::KW)
         #     axis, scale, lims, ticks, flip, lab, rotation =
         #         axis_symbols(letter, "axis", "scale", "lims", "ticks", "flip", "label", "rotation")
         #     haskey(ax, axis) || continue
-        #     haskey(d, scale) && applyPyPlotScale(ax, d[scale], letter)
-        #     haskey(d, lims)  && addPyPlotLims(ax, d[lims], letter)
-        #     haskey(d, ticks) && addPyPlotTicks(ax, d[ticks], letter)
-        #     haskey(d, lab)   && ax[symbol("set_", letter, "label")](d[lab])
-        #     if get(d, flip, false)
+        #     haskey(spargs, scale) && applyPyPlotScale(ax, spargs[scale], letter)
+        #     haskey(spargs, lims)  && addPyPlotLims(ax, spargs[lims], letter)
+        #     haskey(spargs, ticks) && addPyPlotTicks(ax, spargs[ticks], letter)
+        #     haskey(spargs, lab)   && ax[symbol("set_", letter, "label")](spargs[lab])
+        #     if get(spargs, flip, false)
         #         ax[symbol("invert_", letter, "axis")]()
         #     end
         #     for tmpax in axes
         #         tmpax[axis][:label][:set_fontsize](guidesz)
         #         for lab in tmpax[symbol("get_", letter, "ticklabels")]()
         #             lab[:set_fontsize](ticksz)
-        #             haskey(d, rotation) && lab[:set_rotation](d[rotation])
+        #             haskey(spargs, rotation) && lab[:set_rotation](spargs[rotation])
         #         end
-        #         if get(d, :grid, false)
+        #         if get(spargs, :grid, false)
         #             fgcolor = getPyPlotColor(plt.plotargs[:foreground_color_grid])
         #             tmpax[axis][:grid](true, color = fgcolor)
         #             tmpax[:set_axisbelow](true)
@@ -1191,7 +1228,7 @@ function _update_plot(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, d::KW)
         # end
 
         # do we want to change the aspect ratio?
-        aratio = get(d, :aspect_ratio, :none)
+        aratio = get(spargs, :aspect_ratio, :none)
         if aratio != :none
             ax[:set_aspect](isa(aratio, Symbol) ? string(aratio) : aratio, anchor = "C")
         end
@@ -1367,7 +1404,6 @@ function finalizePlot(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend})
         for asym in (:xaxis, :yaxis, :zaxis)
             updateAxisColors(ax, sp.subplotargs[asym])
         end
-        ax[:title][:set_color](getPyPlotColor(plt.plotargs[:titlefont].color))
     end
     drawfig(plt.o)
     plt.layout.bbox = py_bbox_fig(plt)
diff --git a/src/plot.jl b/src/plot.jl
index 06ebecc8..f6b9f274 100644
--- a/src/plot.jl
+++ b/src/plot.jl
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ function plot(args...; kw...)
     # to the backend to finish backend-specific initialization
     plt = Plot()
     _update_plot_args(plt, d)
-    DD(plt.plotargs,"pargs")
+    # DD(plt.plotargs,"pargs")
     plt.o = _create_backend_figure(plt)
 
     # create the layout and subplots from the inputs
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ function plot(args...; kw...)
         # update the subplot/axis args from inputs, then pass to backend to init further
         sp.plt = plt
         _update_subplot_args(plt, sp, copy(d), idx)
-        DD(sp.subplotargs[:xaxis].d,"$idx")
+        # DD(sp.subplotargs[:xaxis].d,"$idx")
 
         # TODO: i'd like to know what projection we're using by this point... can I push this off until later??
         # I won't easily be able to auto-determine what series types are coming...
diff --git a/src/series_new.jl b/src/series_new.jl
index d17df4a5..e7dc898c 100644
--- a/src/series_new.jl
+++ b/src/series_new.jl
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ immutable SliceIt end
 
 # the catch-all recipes
 @recipe function f(::Type{SliceIt}, x, y, z)
-    @show "HERE", typeof((x,y,z))
+    # @show "HERE", typeof((x,y,z))
     xs, _ = convertToAnyVector(x, d)
     ys, _ = convertToAnyVector(y, d)
     zs, _ = convertToAnyVector(z, d)
@@ -111,9 +111,9 @@ immutable SliceIt end
         # add a new series
         di = copy(d)
         xi, yi, zi = xs[mod1(i,mx)], ys[mod1(i,my)], zs[mod1(i,mz)]
-        @show i, typeof((xi, yi, zi))
+        # @show i, typeof((xi, yi, zi))
         di[:x], di[:y], di[:z] = compute_xyz(xi, yi, zi)
-        @show i, typeof((di[:x], di[:y], di[:z]))
+        # @show i, typeof((di[:x], di[:y], di[:z]))
 
         # handle fillrange
         fr = fillranges[mod1(i,mf)]
diff --git a/src/subplots.jl b/src/subplots.jl
index 30430ec1..1924ecc9 100644
--- a/src/subplots.jl
+++ b/src/subplots.jl
@@ -262,6 +262,15 @@ end
 #     end
 # end
 
+calc_num_subplots(layout::AbstractLayout) = 1
+function calc_num_subplots(layout::GridLayout)
+    tot = 0
+    for l in layout.grid
+        tot += calc_num_subplots(l)
+    end
+    tot
+end
+
 
 # pass the layout arg through
 function build_layout(d::KW)
@@ -286,8 +295,12 @@ end
 
 # compute number of subplots
 function build_layout(layout::GridLayout)
-    nr, nc = size(layout)
-    build_layout(layout, nr*nc)
+    # nr, nc = size(layout)
+    # build_layout(layout, nr*nc)
+
+    # recursively get the size of the grid
+    n = calc_num_subplots(layout)
+    build_layout(layout, n)
 end
 
 # n is the number of subplots
@@ -298,11 +311,22 @@ function build_layout(layout::GridLayout, n::Integer)
     i = 1
     for r=1:nr, c=1:nc
         i > n && break  # only add n subplots
-        sp = Subplot(backend(), parent=layout)
-        layout[r,c] = sp
-        push!(subplots, sp)
-        spmap[(r,c)] = sp
-        i += 1
+        l = layout[r,c]
+        if isa(l, EmptyLayout)
+            sp = Subplot(backend(), parent=layout)
+            layout[r,c] = sp
+            push!(subplots, sp)
+            spmap[length(subplots)] = sp
+            i += 1
+        elseif isa(l, GridLayout)
+            # sub-grid
+            l, sps, m = build_layout(l)
+            append!(subplots, sps)
+            for (k,v) in m
+                spmap[k+length(subplots)] = v
+            end
+            i += length(sps)
+        end
     end
     layout, subplots, spmap
 end