Motel Monday - The Blue Angel

The Blue Angel Motel signage as seen from Fremont Street. A separate sign welcomes visitors from East Charleston Boulevard. 

Last month I had the pleasure of meeting several like minded photographers in Las Vegas for a sign geeks meet up. We toured the Neon Museum and the town, seeing as much of the vintage, googie and kitsch as possible.

The most fantastic part for me was being surrounded by people who share my passion for vintage neon, and the amount I was able to learn from them in less than 48 hours was extraordinary. I learned about bygone signs in Portland and Reno and giant signs still standing in the bay area. Sadly I also learned that the Blue Angel Motel on Fremont Street is to be demolished in the near future. A new development is set to be built in the Blue Angel's place, and the Para-A-Dice motel across the street has already been razed. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony in December 2011 Las Vegas Weekly posted this article about the fate of the iconic Blue Angel, designed by the sign geek famous Betty Willis. Ms. Willis is deserving of her own post, so I'll have to share more about her later.

Since the ribbon cutting ceremony the Blue Angel Motel has been vacated and now sits with the windows boarded and a chain link fence circling the building. Despite this, it seems that the development project has now stalled without any visible progress. According to this Las Vegas Weekly article update, there are still plans to save the Blue Angel herself if the project moves forward. I'm hoping the additional signage is part of the preservation and restoration plans. I love those giant neon arches.

I think perhaps my favorite photograph of the motel on our trip was taken by Lost San Jose. You can find it here... 

Happy Monday,

Stefanie

   

Motel Monday - Third Star to the Right

"Third Star to the Right" available through my Retro Roadside Photography shop

I signed up for the Disneyland Half Marathon recently and this morning it seems to be my inspiration for Motel Monday. Sometimes it's easy to decide which signs to feature, other days I wish my computer could play row sham bow to help me choose. Today Disney won.

Las Vegas is the king of neon and I'm sure they have single-handedly kept YESCO in business. For this I am obviously very grateful. The strip is full of neon that is replaced and repaired constantly. But off the strip along historic Fremont Street sit several motels and their signs. Some have been restored, some have fallen into disrepair. Some of them are long gone, and only their signs remain. One of these signs was featured in an earlier Motel Monday post.

Today is another Fremont Street friend. I have no idea how long it's been around, but the Peter Pan Motel was recently renovated and the sign was restored. The colors pop, the typeset is awesome, and Peter Pan is outlined in neon. Now if he could just teach me to fly I'd appreciate it. 

Come on, a girl can dream. Happy Monday!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - Made for Each Other

This morning's selection brings you two motel signs from Las Vegas that were literally made for each other. The first is the Holiday Motel which still an operates along South Las Vegas Boulevard. It's sign is a little bit googie, a little bit circus, and a little bit space age with amazing colors. It even sports a vintage American Express shield plastic sign.

The second is the Far East Ambassador, a motel that was demolished in 2007. The sign stands on the sidewalk along Fremont Street and used to advertise $16 rooms and packaged liquor. Now the marquee just reads closed. According to the online buzz, the sign will go to the Neon Museum, a place I happen to love. I hope the rumors are true.

These photographs were taken on two different days, and at different times, but their colors and shapes make them look like long lost siblings. Placed side by side, they literally appear to be made for each other.

Both of these Motel Monday features are in my Retro Roadside Photography shop and they are ready to ship for you last minute Christmas shoppers.

Happy almost Christmas Monday!

- Stefanie