Neon Dad Lights Up Denver
Glass Arrow at the Brandin’ Iron: the open sign is lit once again. Save the Signs Facebook
From Westword: Jeff “JJ” Bebout, aka Neon Dad, is known for his coffee shops — he’s the current owner of Glass Arrow and a former co-owner of Roostercat — but when he’s not roasting beans, he’s busy creating and restoring neon signs around town.
“I grew up plumbing. I grew up building things. I love Americana,” Bebout says. “Neon just seemed like the thing for me.”
He named himself “Neon Dad” before he actually had a kid. It was a way for the Denver native to rib his punk-community friends, many of whom were starting families and adding “poppy” or “dad” to their Instagram handles. “I was doing it mostly as a joke, but then the art kind of took off, and then I became a dad, so it all came together,” he says.
‘It kept evolving:’ How a midcentury Chandler motel was transformed to a boutique property
The Aloha Motel faces Arizona Avenue. Megan Mendoza/The Republic
From the Arizona Republic: The Aloha motel — named after the Hawaiian word for both “hello” and “goodbye” — has reopened after extensive renovations on N. Arizona Avenue and W. Chandler Blvd in downtown Chandler.
Owners John Hylton and Bill Simmonds call their renovated 26-room midcentury building a “vacation boutique.”
“This is a destination,” Simmonds said “Our price point is favorable compared to other hotels. We want to continue on with the story. We are already 40 to 50 years down and here we are, continuing a new story.”
Going solo: Eating alone in public – in pictures
Scrambled Eggs and Emails: Does being alone mean isolation and absence or imply confidence and self-care? Or all of the above? Nancy A Scherl
From The Guardian: For three decades, New York photographer Nancy A Scherl has shot solo diners in fancy eateries, burger joints and even makeshift tents during the pandemic. What do her images say about loneliness, social behaviour and our evolving attitudes in public spaces?
Pike Place Market sign, clock undergoing restoration
Pike Place Market sign and clock It’s been more than 15 years since the clock and sign have been painted. The sign is three stories tall with fragile neon lights. (KIRO 7 News)
From KIRO7: SEATTLE — People in downtown Seattle will see the iconic Pike Place Market “public market center” clock and sign covered up starting Friday.
They are undergoing a restoration and preservation project and will remain covered until June. Scaffolding around the sign went up on May 9 and the work is slated to begin Friday.
For the next five weeks, local contractor NOVO will be busy painting and cleaning the rooftop sign to help it stand out more.
Russians line up for final Big Mac ahead of McDonald’s exit
A view shows a closed McDonald’s restaurant in Moscow, Russia May 16, 2022 REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
From Reuters: Russians lined up in a Moscow train station on Tuesday for what may be their last Big Mac from one of the few McDonald’s restaurants still open in the country.
The world’s largest burger chain is rolling down the shutters in Russia after more than 30 years, becoming one of the biggest global brands to leave following Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
McDonald’s exit ends a chapter in the U.S. company’s history that began when it started serving its burgers in Russia as a symbol of American capitalism.