New York City Inspiration - #1
Our recent trip to New York was incredibly inspiring in so many different ways, from the amazing food we ate to the shops we visited and the people we saw. There is a huge amount of visual inspiration for every kind of taste... even for those of us with an unusual passion for signage, lettering and old-fashioned store fronts. So, in the first of my blog posts about the inspiration I'm bringing back from NY, here are my picks of the best signs and store fronts, with a particular emphasis on vintage signage, lovely fonts, colours and shapes and a slight air of decay in some cases!
Some fantastic vintage storefronts and signage - great lettering
Neon NYC
Saw this old, redundant storefront whilst wandering around in Chelsea looking for cool shops and the Chelsea Antiques Garage flea market. It was a sewing machine shop, not sure when, but I loved their various retro signs.
Love this Soup of the Day sign we saw in the East Village. Fancy a bowl, anyone?
I could share lots more from Manhattan, but instead I'm going to take you on a little trip with me, out to Coney Island. Head out past various bits of Brooklyn on the subway until you reach the sea and the beach and the glory that is, Coney Island - NYC's answer to Blackpool (well, sort of!) - if you've seen 70's film The Warriors then you'll recognise it (I haven't!).
When we visited it was a glorious day with blazing hot sunshine, even though it was only mid-March. Despite this lovely weather Coney Island was still all shut up waiting for the summer season to start. So, with very few people around and no rides or food stalls open we could wander freely and explore this faded gem of NYC. Here are a selection of the best signs, some decaying and faded, some bright and shiny, from this unusual place.
A ghost sign on the beachfront for Nathan's - a hot dog/fried food palace about 50 metres away!
Classic Coney Island, taken from the boardwalk. Love that peeling, faded ghost sign and the big wheel peeping out.
Last but not least, here I am enjoying my first ever Corn Dog... quite an experience! It somehow managed to go from revolting through to delicious (albeit in a slightly 'wrong' way) in 6 bites. I'm halfway through here (and being blown about by the wind!) as I think my face shows!
Hope you've enjoyed the first of my NYC Inspiration posts. Hope to share more about this fascinating city (including a round-up from the AD Home Show) soon!
Becky
x
Some fantastic vintage storefronts and signage - great lettering
Neon NYC
Saw this old, redundant storefront whilst wandering around in Chelsea looking for cool shops and the Chelsea Antiques Garage flea market. It was a sewing machine shop, not sure when, but I loved their various retro signs.
Love this Soup of the Day sign we saw in the East Village. Fancy a bowl, anyone?
I could share lots more from Manhattan, but instead I'm going to take you on a little trip with me, out to Coney Island. Head out past various bits of Brooklyn on the subway until you reach the sea and the beach and the glory that is, Coney Island - NYC's answer to Blackpool (well, sort of!) - if you've seen 70's film The Warriors then you'll recognise it (I haven't!).
When we visited it was a glorious day with blazing hot sunshine, even though it was only mid-March. Despite this lovely weather Coney Island was still all shut up waiting for the summer season to start. So, with very few people around and no rides or food stalls open we could wander freely and explore this faded gem of NYC. Here are a selection of the best signs, some decaying and faded, some bright and shiny, from this unusual place.
A ghost sign on the beachfront for Nathan's - a hot dog/fried food palace about 50 metres away!
Classic Coney Island, taken from the boardwalk. Love that peeling, faded ghost sign and the big wheel peeping out.
Last but not least, here I am enjoying my first ever Corn Dog... quite an experience! It somehow managed to go from revolting through to delicious (albeit in a slightly 'wrong' way) in 6 bites. I'm halfway through here (and being blown about by the wind!) as I think my face shows!
Hope you've enjoyed the first of my NYC Inspiration posts. Hope to share more about this fascinating city (including a round-up from the AD Home Show) soon!
Becky
x