Most of the day was spent zipping around Seattle — grateful to have sunshine!

This former gas station housed the Station Bistro restaurant when I shot it in 2008:

In 2009, the building was further transformed (disguised?) as the Shelter Lounge.  Here’s what it looks like now:

Hattie’s Hat has been around since 1904.  This sign is obviously from much later — 1960s?

The exterior features vitrolite and these cool mid-century modern looking tiles:

The interior is loaded with ambiance:

A modern sign, but awfully nice, at the 2 Bit Saloon which closed last year.  Hopefully, the place will reopen or at least the sign will stay:

There used to be so many wonderful motel signs on Auburn Ave.   This is one of only a handful that are left:

Simply glorious!

There are six Dick’s Drive-ins in the Seattle area.  This is the original, in Seattle, from 1954.  The top panel still spins:

This flower shop is gone.  But the space is now occupied by “Flowers Bar & Restaurant” which has kept the sign:

Bick’s opened in the late 1990s and this sign is obviously modern.  That’s apparently a steak that the chef is flipping.  It must have been inspired by one of the pancake-flipping chef signs — but I don’t know which one:
http://www.roadarch.com/sca/pancakes.html

Sometime between 2011 and 2014, the Way West Motel sign was painted over for a marijuana store.  Here’s a link to a “before” photo:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cmaceachen/2641665805/

Aurora Plumbing was established in 1960.  This sign might be from then:

Moving on to Lynnwood for these last two shots.  Best Auto Parts opened in 1958.  This sign looks 1960s:

A House of Clocks has been around since 1963:

Three more days & posts to go.  If I don’t catch up tonight, I’ll get ’em done tomorrow.

dj

I finally got a break with the weather.  I learned on the trip that when the forecast is for clouds, it can just about anything.  It can mean horrid grey stuff with not a trace of sun from the start to finish.  Or it can mean, those wondrous white puffies that make photos of the blandest of subjects seem monumental.

For example, this triple arrow sign in Auburn:

and this former Safeway sign in Kent:

Two shots from the Kent Bowl in Kent:

The Des Moines Cinema (in Des Moines) has been closed for at least a few years.  Evidently, it was sold earlier this year and work was going on when I was taking this photo.  I don’t know if this will reopen as a theatre or something else.  They’d better not touch this sign!

From Renton.  This unique Burger King building will only be around another month.  I got the bad news from the manager who said that BK has never been happy with this building’s non-conformance.  It will be just another boring box soon:

There are six Burgermaster locations in the Seattle area.  This one’s in Bellevue:

This Seattle sign’s transformation is heartbreaking.  Well, at least the bulb curve is still there.  Here’s how it looked in 2008 when the sign still advertised for the former Kettells Grocery & Lounge:

Around 2013, the sign was adapted for the new tenant.  I hope someone saved the owl:

It seems uncomfortable but Griz likes to keep an eye on me when I’m shooting — wedged between the windshield and the dash:

Time for a little night neon in Seattle.  I suspect this one at the Java Bean is a vintage sign that was re-texted at some point.  The sign came from The Shack which was a burger place — but I don’t know how old.  It was from this part of town — but I don’t know if it was at this location or moved from somewhere else.

This sign at the Dahlia Lounge is modern.  The fish’s tail moves in three-part animation:

Another modern sign — not animated:

More modern signs — this scaffold sign features a somersaulting girl in three-part animation.  Click this link for a quickie video that I shot of the sign:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59JKcH8IoJU

The Olympic Athletic Club — I know the diving woman is modern but the clock appears to be vintage:

Another modern diving woman — at the High Dive bar:

More posts tomorrow night!

dj

Since another grey day was predicted, and no time to wait it out, I spent most of the day shooting remote stuff on my list for the Olympic Peninsula.

I started the day in Bremerton, WA.  I can’t resist a pizza chef sign — I’ve got a page of them at my website here:
http://www.roadarch.com/sca/pizza.html

From Bainbridge Island — this sign was demolished at the end of last year since it was deteriorating and considered unsafe. The neon letters were saved and installed on this tower-like sign which looks just like the old one:
http://www.bainbridgereview.com/news/286597371.html

In Port Townsend, there’s the Eaglemount Rockery Cottages which have lots of little folk art, miniature buildings and statues. Apparently, this cute dinosaur can no longer support himself and leans into the shrubbery and cemented rocks.  There’s no way to shoot him to show both his face and body:

The human statues all look like this blacksmith — with life-sized doll-like heads and stuffed looking bodies:

By Port Angeles, the clouds had really won.  This sign is at the DuPuis Restaurant:

More coming!

dj

Well, I’ve really fallen behind on posting.  Sorry bout that. The dogs and I got safely home on Sunday afternoon.  But there have been a lot of pots on the stove these week which have kept me from catching up here.  Getting home was actually very stressful since Sparkle developed a hitch in her stride (random misfiring) in Eastern Washington that set me back more than $500 (new plugs & wires) and a half day’s shooting — to no avail.  She drove horribly through half of Oregon but then went 861 miles after that perfectly all the way home.  She’s still exhibiting the same symptoms now & then but until the check engine light comes on again, Firestone won’t touch her.  Aggravating knowing there’s something wrong & waiting for the inevitable (e.g., late to work, car rental, etc.).

Anyhow.  I’m going to try to bang out a couple of posts tonight and catch up in entirely, worst case, by Saturday night.  Let’s pick up in Shelton, WA with these two fun hand-painted signs:

Cruising by Bob’s Tavern was this guy and his sidekick.  Love his ATV wheelchair — I’ve never seen such a thing.  He said he’s never got stuck anywhere.  I’m sure very useful in snow and ice — hard to imagine when it was 110 degrees:

Still in Shelton.  Lots of 4th of July fireworks booths were still lingering on this trip.  The Minions guy and the sign at the right are classic photo-op displays — allowing you to insert your face from behind:

Moving on to Lakewood.  The House of Donuts gives out free postcards of the place.  I posted a photo of the great mid-century building over at Flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/20034841972/

My donut choice was a Red Velvet — which was incredible with the cream cheese frosting and super moist cake consistency.  The sugar jolt was better than two cups of coffee:

By the time I got to Parkland, the clouds had overtaken the blue skies nearly completely.   I made the decision to keep shooting rather than sitting and waiting since I was already behind schedule on this trip.

Three signs from nearby Tacoma — this arrow and font are wonderful:

A pretty sign in the sun — but it looks nearly black & white here because of the clouds.  I can’t think of any other signs with a double arrow.  Those squares on the right earn bonus points!

I guess, technically, this is a another double arrow sign — though not parallel arrows.  This is at Hans’s Place:

I don’t remember these crazy Mattress Ranch stores on my 2008 trip.  There are seven locations in Washington (I might have accidentally seen them all on this trip) and four locations in Alaska.  The Washington stores all seem to have brightly painted cow & other animal statues and goofy painted signs.  This location is in Port Orchard:

One down, another six posts to go.

dj

This was a pretty gloomy day with remote stops and much time spent running the dogs at the beach waiting for things to improve (which they didn’t). So, this will be a short post.  I attributed the heavy clouds to just being near the ocean but noooo.   I considered maybe re-routing my trip and heading way out east to Spokane the next day.  But the weather forecast showed heavy clouds and rain for the next few days for the entire state.  So, this is mid-summer in the Pacific Northwest?  I had no idea!

One of the funnest beach stops of the trip was in Gearhart, OR.  Obviously, you can drive onto the beach and there was nobody else around.  Sparkle there on the left passed the 400,000 mile mark on this trip.

Nik (and his shadow) chasing ballies.  I love how all his feet are in the air in this one:

After he tracks down his ball by sound and smell (he’s about 99% blind at this point), he runs with the ball and entertains himself for a while, throwing it, finding it, running and leaping with it in his little fantasy world.  He’s very self-sufficient — and probably a bit autistic:

This is Grem’s “who’s your boyfriend?” trick.  Griz is happy to oblige.  He lives and breathes for her:

This is their “Show Me Some Lovin'” dual trick.  It consists of hugs and kisses.  They can stand like this for a long time offering all kinds of variations:

Grem’s kisses are more like open-mouthed nips but Griz doesn’t mind since he’s getting treats for whatever she does:

A family portrait (sans me) – rare to get all four of them actually present and looking at the camera:

While we were there, I dug into my slice of marionberry pie that I picked up at the Berry Patch in Westport, OR.  I’ve had all kinds of berry stuff on this trip since that’s the local seasonal thing here.  And incredible onion rings and shakes.  All the things I never eat at home:

On with a few signs from today.  This one in Castle Rock, WA:

This one in Longview, WA:

From Astoria, OR:

Surfing Sasquatches at the North Beach Motel in Ocean City, WA — in the rain:

A “true” Muffler Man — in Centralia:

These two last signs also in Centralia:

This sign previously advertised for the El Rancho Bar & Grill — now an antiques shop in the space below:

Two more days to catch up on.  From the miserable clouds outside, it appears I just might catch up!

dj

Day 5 was the suckiest day of the trip.  No sun whatsoever and then the check engine light came on in the afternoon.  A pricey catalytic converter that had to be California approved had to be located and installed.  $1610 later and I was finally back on the road around noon on Day 6.

I finished up Portland for most of the day and then headed west a little.  Then moved on to Vancouver, WA.  I don’t know what the delay was — but what should normally take about 30 mins., took FIVE HOURS!  No sign of an accident or construction.  5 mph stop and go all the way on the interstate.  It was hell.  And, of course, it was sunny.  Have I been complaining too much on this trip?  It’s a miracle I’m getting lots of lovely shots despite all the headaches.

Let’s start out with some Portland stuff.  The Paris Theatre is a tremendous old relic.  I’ll miss its current look if it’s ever restored:

I never did get to sample the goodies at Voodoo Donuts on this trip.  It wasn’t such a big deal when I was here in 2008.  But this time, the lines were more than 100 people deep both day and night.  But I did at least shoot the giant donut on the ceiling inside:

On the bridge crossing over from Portland to Vancouver, I pulled off to shoot the former Waddle’s Coffee Shop sign which has been adapted for a Hooters:
http://www.uniquely-portland-oregon.com/waddles-restaurant.html

While I was away from the torturous bridge traffic, I also shot this place.  It only added about an hour to get back up the on-ramp to the bridge.  Be glad you weren’t there!

You can see the building better from the bridge but there was chain link fencing in the way.  Here’s some more about the building — originally the Totem Pole Marina built in 1960:

https://portlandpreservation.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/the-hyperbolic-paraboloid-and-the-columbia-river-crossing/

And this view from Bing gives you a better idea of what the roof looks like:
http://binged.it/1OwAkT1

Moving on to Washington — this place is in Camas.  Nice mid-century modern siding behind the cute sign:

From Vancouver, WA — this sign previously advertised for The Castle, hence the cute little Medieval flag details:

Also in Vancouver – When the Steakburger closed, at least some of the neon letters were saved from this sign:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/25229906@N00/5924491353/

The EAT letters from the sign are now installed on the ceiling inside the Panera which replaced the building.

It’s hard to miss these guys in Vancouver from either I-5 or Highway 99:

Moving on to Longview, WA — lots off fun neon to shoot at night there.  Not all the plastic balls were lit on this one but it’s still a happy sight:

Here’s the sign by day which I shot the following morning:

As you might have guessed from the amount of blog posts that I’m cranking out today, the weather sucks.  About five minutes of teasing sun this morning, then gone.  Gonna be an all-dayer at Starbucks I’m afraid.  But all the forecasts are for 100% sun tomorrow.  Holding my breath!

dj & the snoozing dogs

Ah yes.  I remember this day — seems like weeks ago when it was only five days ago.  I was racing around like crazy trying to find moments of sun, taking naps & racing around again.  Then, there was the day after with horrible grey-ness where I just had to take longer naps, give the dogs more running time, and by afternoon, the catalytic converter nightmare which cost me another half day of shooting the following day when it was sunny!

Here are some shots then that made it all worth it.  I’m sure that bulb in the star must have flashed hypnotically at night once upon a time:

Now, I’ve seen lots of chicken-wired signs to keep out the birds and protect them from vandals — but this is the most extensive protection of them all!

Big and bold — and probably not that old:

Neon & plastic combo with ballies — gotta be 1960s:

What the heck?  It looks like this one was recently removed from its perch.  Just sitting there.  And it was so pretty in green in recent years:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vintageroadside/2131756706/

I love the hand-lettered script and the log:

I think that onion dome (teardrop?) has only been missing less than a couple of years.  I hope it’s not the beginning of this sign’s neglect:

This sign looks like an oldie — or at least those sawtooth edged panels make it seem that way:

Cute little metal arrow tails on the left:

Sitting in the lot of Security Signs — fate unknown:

Uncovered a few years ago — glad it hasn’t been painted over!

The AMF Pro 300 Lanes.  The BOWL letters are lit sequentially:

I love the curved part of the sign where it is attached to the building.  It makes me wonder what else is there under the siding:

Some window signs at the Avalon Theatre & Wunderland:

I’m in love with this one:

My neck still hurts from trying to shoot this sign without the tree in the way:

A sampling of some of the night’s shooting:

OK then — time for beddie-bye.   If you don’t hear from me soon, that’s a good thing.   It’ll mean the sun has come out and I’m shooting at night again.  If I don’t post any more blogs til I get home, don’t forget that I’m still posting some other photos to Flickr every night — click here for a “day of”, nearly virtual sampling:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/

For now,

dj & the dogs

I just finished slogging through Day 9 of shooting.  Since it was another grey day, I decided to cover the area of Washington with the least amount of stuff on my list:  remote Northwest Washington.  Tomorrow, more of the same is expected — along with rain.  So, I’ll stall a bit more before moving onto Seattle — unless the forecast is wrong and we do get sun.  Tuesday and the rest of the trip should be all day sun.

But let’s go back in time since I’m too exhausted to go shoot neon tonight around the Tacoma area.  Moving back to Day 3 — coastal stuff and just shy of Portland.  Let’s start with this statue at the Lil Sambo’s (no relation to the Sambo’s restaurant chain) in Lincoln City:

A former gas station in Otis:

From Mt. Angel.  Too bad the neon is gone.  Maybe there was another name before Tiny’s?

Some signs from Salem.  There was probably some nice detail on the panels originally that has been painted over:

This one at Fitts Seafoods has me confused.  I assumed it was a modern sign but the sides of the “can” look old (cobwebs & rust).  So, I’m assuming this was just repainted & refurbished at some point:

I believe this replica sign was installed just this year:
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2015/04/27/grand-theatre-sign-proposal-go-city-council/26398837/

Here’s a vintage photo:
http://www.pstos.org/instruments/or/salem/grand_exterior-l.jpg

Still keeping time, still in business:

Moving on to Milwaukie for a very rare former Taco Bell with an intact fire pit:

In Gresham — the Polar King with a homespun wooden sign.  Is that a bear or a mouse?

This Elks Lodge sign is in Hood River.  The top piece with the 11 o’clock toast & elk is backlit plastic and appears to be original to the sign.  Probably from the 1960s:

The rest of the photos for this post were taken in The Dalles. This is the lesser photographed sign at the Oregon Motor Hotel.  A now rare former neon diver (indicating that the place had a pool):

At the Masonic Lodge:

The big and exciting news is that a new sign museum will hopefully be opening in The Dalles in a couple of years.  More about the project here:
http://m.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2015/mar/06/city-has-neon-moment/

Last one for this post — the name “Griffith” has been removed above “Motor” — but otherwise, I’m very glad to see that this sign corner is still there.  Here’s my photo from 2008:
http://www.roadarch.com/08/8/griffmotor.jpg

More soon,

dj & the tuckered out dogs

It’s Day 8 here but I have run into some crappy grey and rainy weather here.  I thought the end of July would be a safe time to get sunny shots here in the PacNorthWest — but evidently not.  It’s Saturday morning and it looks like the entire state won’t get sun until Tuesday.  I’m pouting and miserable.  So, it looks like a good time to get caught up on some blogging.

From Coquille — the Coquille Valley Bowling Center:

This fabrics place in Springfield is still open:

Also in Springfield:

This clock sign in Eugene originally advertised for Woody’s Drive-in:
http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/2fc07a70-6643-41a6-ac8a-cac98c01b6e4.jpg

One more sign from Eugene.  This one appears to be from the 1960s and featured Willie Wiredhand:
http://www.reddykilowatt.org/2007/03/22/willie-wiredhand-history/

From Sweet Home.  A former O.K. Tire Store sign repurposed for a feed store:

Off to prep for Day 3’s blog batch,

dj