CHRISTOPHER HERWIG FRAMES SOUTH ASIA’S DECORATED VEHICLES
Rawalpindi, Pakistan Christopher Herwig
From designboom: After capturing Soviet bus stops and metro stations (find designboom’s previous coverage here), Christopher Herwig now shifts his attention to the roads of South Asia. His forthcoming book Trucks and Tuks, published by FUEL, documents the vibrant artwork found on ordinary vehicles. Over four years and 10,000 kilometers, Herwig recorded a colorful tradition in which trucks and tuk tuks carry the dreams, identities, and aspirations of their drivers.
The decorated vehicles of the Indian subcontinent are saturated with imagery of white stallions galloping beneath waterfalls, Bollywood stars bursting into song, sunset lovers silhouetted against the sea, or divine figures sharing space with cartoon villains. Every surface is covered, from bumpers to windshields, revealing an improvisational artistry that is at once deeply personal and immediately public. A driver’s faith, political ideals, or sense of humor find expression in bright paint, bold typography, and an ever-changing mix of motifs.
Blank Street Coffee taking over former Twin Donuts space in Allston
The iconic Twin Donuts neon sign will be restored by Blank Street for its new location. Brett Phelps/The Boston Globe
From Boston.com: Ever since the iconic Twin Donuts diner closed earlier this year, the Allston location has been a blank slate. Now, it’s a Blank Street.
The Brooklyn, N.Y. based coffee and matcha chain is setting up shop at the former Twin Donuts location, local real estate group The Hamilton Company announced Thursday. The chain, which already has seven Boston-area locations, says it will preserve Twin Donuts’ legacy by restoring the diner’s landmark neon sign.
Petaluma historian Katherine Rinehart launches sign project
The Buckhorn Tavern, decked out in neon, Saturday, August 30, 2025, on Petaluma Blvd. South. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
From the Petaluma Argus-Courier: One of local historian Katherine Rinehart’s great passions is helping her fellow Petalumans see neon signs in a new light.
With a planned Sept. 14 release of her new book, “Petaluma Vintage Signs Guidebook” – a survey of 15 of Petaluma’s most recognizable and beloved historic signs – her latest push to do this is Petaluma Signs Project, a collaborative effort to spread the gospel on the beauty and historical importance of these local artifacts.
“Because it is a bit of a dying art form – the neon sign – I really want to celebrate the artists who make and design them,” Rinehart said, “and in highlighting the quality and craftsmanship I want to not only preserve the signs themselves but the practice.”
We Were Wondering: Who Writes Wisconsin’s Historical Markers?
Doug MacDonald, great-great-grandson of Antoine and Sarah Gordon, attends the July 2025 dedication of the Amick Settlement state historical marker in the northwestern Wisconsin town of Gordon. Photo courtesy of Brian Finstad
From Milwaukee Magazine: Wisconsin is home to nearly 650 state historical markers – those fancy brown, aluminum signs graced with cream-colored serif, staples in front of old buildings and on road trips planned by documentary-loving dads. Located in almost every county (check out an interactive map of them here), the markers commemorate important people, places and events in Badger State lore – everything from Laura Ingalls Wilder to the state’s first African-American church to the World’s Largest Penny.
So, we were wondering: Who writes these things?
Grant will relight vintage neon sign at restaurant in SLO’s Chinatown district
From The Tribune: A historic downtown San Luis Obispo noodle shop just received $50,000 in grant funding, and it’s got big plans for the money.
Mee Heng Low, located at 815 Palm St., has been a part of SLO’s iconic Chinatown district for nearly a century.
Now, the broken neon lights showcasing the restaurant’s name need some work, and help is coming from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program.
These weird Ontario roadside attractions will make you slam on the brakes
From blogTo: In Ontario, it’s common to find glistening waterfalls, charming small towns and vast terrain. But the province is also home to some pretty wacky roadside attractions for the backyard tourist with less conventional tastes.
These sights are totally unexpected features on road trips, and could really help your Instagram feed stand out from the deluge of touristy photos flooding the platform.
Plus, they make for a pretty interesting pit stop if you need to stretch your legs.