Signs of our Times

Near the Egyptian Theater, Hollywood

Our life here in Los Angeles is all about signs. Traffic signs, shop signs, body language signs, signs from the heavens above, etc. As I travel through this City, I am amazed at some of the signs I see. Some are artful, clever and eye-catching. Some are downright ugly and make me want to look away quickly. Most are helpful in navigating the intense puzzle that is Los Angeles and it's surrounding areas.

I get nostalgic when I see signs that have been in one place for my whole life...and even longer. These signs have stood the test of time. They have remained useful and usually vibrant. Without these signs, we'd be lost. My favorite signs are really sculpture. Signs like the Chicken Boy statue and CB's brother, the Muffler Man. Most of the signs that warm my heart are the signs on favorite old restaurants. Sometimes the signs even outlast the restaurants. The sky-high arrow signs for the demolished Ship's Restaurant on La Cienega and Olympic were in place long after the coffee shop was gone. There was a store in Hollywood that was once a Von's. Then, it became Ron's. I believe it's gone now, but how thrifty of Ron's owners to utilize most of the orignal sign.

The sign over the Fine Arts Building at the L.A. County Fairgrounds in Pomona is a beautiful mosaic work of art. There's a great website, So Bad, It's Good, that higlights painted signs on Latin restaurants and carnicerias in town...it's a must surf.

This weekend I will be following the signs to the hairdresser in SoRo, an estate sale near Glendale, maybe the Michael's in Glendale and hopefully, the sign over Pann's Coffee Shop in Ladera Heights.

Have a wonderful weekend and hopefully, the signs in your life are comforting and point you in the correct direction of life.