Yet More Signs That Say "Boo"

Just in time for Halloween, here are a bunch of ghost signs from a few photographers here at the Backside.

(Photo by Pete Zarria, Galena, Illinois, along the Burlington Route)

(Photo by Pete Zarria, Galena, Illinois)

(Photo by Pete Zarria, Mt. Airy, North Carolina)

(Photo by Dave Brigham, Burlington, Vermont)

(Photo by Dave Brigham, Waltham, Massachusetts)

(Photo by Dave Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts)

(Photo by Dave Brigham, Watertown, Massachusetts)

(Photo by Dave Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts)

(Photo by Pete Zarria, Crawfordsville, Indiana)

(Photo by Pete Zarria, Olney, Illinois)

Cool Book

From Dave Brigham:

I read a fair amount, so I keep an eye out for cool books. I just added Bradley Garrett's Explore Everything: Place-Hacking the City to my Amazon wish list.

Here's what the publisher has to say about the book:

Plotting expeditions from London, Paris, Berlin, Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Bradley L. Garrett has evaded urban security in order to experience the city in ways beyond the boundaries of conventional life. He calls it ‘place hacking’: the recoding of closed, secret, hidden and forgotten urban space to make them realms of opportunity.

Explore Everything is an account of the author’s escapades with the London Consolidation Crew, an urban exploration collective.

The book is also a manifesto, combining philosophy, politics and adventure, on our rights to the city and how to understand the twenty-first century metropolis.

Sounds pretty cool to me.

Open Door Policy

From Lostlosangeles:

(Detroit's long-abandoned Packard auto plant has been in the news lately. Built in 1903 and vacant for more than two decades, the plant is on the auction block. Last month, an Illinois developer announced a plan to buy the 35-acre site for nearly $1 million, but that effort fell through. Bidding in the auction's second round closes October 25. -- DB)

(Packard Plant, Detroit, Michigan)

Fill 'er Up, Part III

From Pete Zarria:

The Backside's man in the Midwest, Pete Zarria, has taken some great shots of gas stations over the years. Here's the latest batch.

(German Valley, Illinois)

(Illinois)

(Wisconsin)

(Platteville, Wisconsin)

(Spencer, Missouri)

(Macon, Missouri)

(Commerce, Oklahoma)

For more of Pete's gas station shots, see June 6, 2012, "Fill 'er Up" and July 2, 2012, "Fill 'er Up, Part II."

On the Road Again

From Mick Melvin:

My wife and I go catch live music as much as possible. We love to support the arts, especially local talent. I often think about the places these performers travel. When I saw the case pictured, I had to snap a shot. It's a kind of itinerary for traveling performers.

The case pictured is of a former disco band member, Joe. Joe has been to many places and we have enjoyed his music and great personality here in West Hartford, CT. Like many artists, Joe and his mates bring a lot of talent and joy to our towns. I'm sure Joe will see many more places and sing in many more towns.

I'm going to make sure we tag that case with a WH (West Hartford) sticker in the weeks ahead so he can look at his case with fond memories of West Hartford. Now go out and enjoy some live music and support your local artists.