Get Ping'ed

New York's Chinatown is brimming with neon signs that showcase nostalgic type reminiscent of make-up brand lettering from the 1940s. These beautiful pieces contribute to the neighborhood's restless energy and accidental artful scene. This stunner announcing Ping Seafood Restaurant looks especially illuminating when set against an onyx canvas. I love the contrast in colors of the vertical strip that sprouts from its horizontal counterpart. The colors are vibrant, but welcoming and the cursive script so basic yet fashionable. The only missing element is a 1940s pin-up girl standing beneath all this shocking brightness powdering her nose with a Max Factor compact.

-Dani 

Tourist attraction

Though customers initially gravitate toward refurbished chairs and old-fashioned stoneware at Bird's Nest Farm in Bedford, PA, they'll eventually fixate themselves upon another shop attraction. Dangling from the engraved tin ceiling of this antique store is an eye-catching tin sign geared toward travelers. Shop proprietor and longtime friend Huston Godwin, explains it's an original piece from the 1930s. The typography, especially the italicized letters, certainly reflects a style that was wildly used during the golden age of travel. Bon voyage....

-Dani

About face

I stumbled across this sultry vixen while criss crossing through the dichotomy of Manhattan's Lower East Side and Chinatown neighborhoods. In a rushed state as always, I quickly snapped this picture and didn't bother to inspect the purpose of this shop. Though I can't translate these Chinese characters, I suspect this joint is a beauty salon or make-up purveyor of sorts. Our cover girl boasts pouty lips, a barely-there nose, heavy eyes (one fringed by a couple of eyelashes) and thinly arched eyebrows, all framed by a curvy bob. It's a look that evokes the late 50s then segues into the early 60s. Our stunning mademoiselle looks like she stepped out of the publishing offices of The Best of Everything and hopped into the conference rooms of Mad Men...and ultimately, into the arms of Don Draper.

-Dani