We’ve reached the halfway point of the series and what better way to celebrate the milestone than highlight a sign some would call the granddaddy of them all. Located in the heart of Kenmore Square, the iconic Citgo Sign has become a landmark on the Boston skyline. Not only is it visible over the left field wall from Fenway Park, but runners of the Boston Marathon can spot it at the 20th mile mark. It was originally erected in 1940 featuring the “Cities Service” logo, then replaced by the now familiar Citgo “trimark” in 1965. The sign was renovated in the 1980s after efforts to remove it faced fierce opposition. The double-sided sign is said to be the largest in New England (60-feet by 60-feet), and illuminated from dusk to midnight by 9,000 linear feet of animated LED stripe units. Before the LEDs were installed in 2005, it contained more than five miles of neon tubes. A fellow by the name of Marty Foley has been the sign’s caretaker since 1965.
Although not unique to Boston, the House of Blues opened it’s first club in Harvard Square in 1992. That location closed down a decade later. But in 2008, HOB returned to it’s roots and a better 50,000 square-foot venue opened just beyond Fenway’s green monster, where this giant blue sign towers over Lansdowne Street.
Open year-round since 2008, the Bleacher Bar is one of the coolest bars in the city. It’s built right into the Green Monster at Fenway Park and provides a sweet garage door-sized view onto center field.
Anyone who’s been to Pizzeria Regina know they serve slices of heaven, but they also have one of the coolest neon signs in Boston’s North End. Originally founded in 1926 by the Polcari family, Regina’s is is known for its awesome atmosphere and lines that stretch up the street on busy nights.
One of my favorite signs at Fenway is the Hancock, which sits high above the center field scoreboard. It was installed by the Red Sox in 2001 and stands 24-feet tall. When a Sox player hits a homerun, the LED bulbs flicker in Vegas-like fashion.
This classic sign of the famous Mike’s Pastry jumps out at you and begs you to enter as you’re strolling through Boston’s North End. It’s almost as good as their cannolis.
Put on a top, you hussy.
Karlie Kloss with the male US Olympians for Vogue USA June 2012. Can’t wait to get my copy!
Karlie Kloss and Ryan Lochte for Vogue
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/20940/monica-bonvicini-run.html
Monica Bonvicini’s sculpture for the 2010 London Olympics Art in the Park program
This. This NEEDS to be the actual intro. It’s so brilliantly well-done. It brought tears to my eyes.
