Glow

North Interstate Avenue in Portland, Oregon is a veritable forest of quirky and amazing neon signs. Commercial redevelopment on the Avenue exploded in the 1950s and 60s and as a result, it absorbed most of the city's demand for motor lodges, diners, and tiki lounges. At the time, new businesses engaged in a game of neon sign one-upsmanship, and despite the fact that some of these properties have fallen on tough times, the signs remain. They're all works of art in their own right, scarce commodities in a time when most new neon signs do little more than promote beer brands. My favorite, by leaps and bounds, is this sign for the Palms Motor Hotel, the website for which touts it as "the biggest motel sign in Portland for over 45 years." The Oregonian ran an article on the neon of Interstate Ave in July 2004, and the current Palms owner was quoted saying that his dream was to someday add a second monkey to the sign. If I had three wishes, I'd give him one (after wishing for more wishes and a new president).

If you've got a taste for more notable neon signs, this page has tons.

{This week's PhotoFriday thingy is "glow."}