79th St Between Amsterdam and B'Way

Got a craving for signs? I mean do you REALLY feel like you're going to pass out if you don't get some neon signs in your life RIGHT NOW? Then skip Times Square and hike on up to the west end of 79th Street. This block is a ripe cornucopia of various kick-ass signs sporting unique shapes, and fascinating hand-made typography. There are even two, count 'em, TWO vertical 'Restaurant' signs within a few feet of each other. It usually doesn't get much better than that, but this block blesses us with the Dublin House sign, which if you ask me, should be considered nothing less than a piece of urban sculpture.

But this block isn't just a pretty face, it's chock full of all the commercial offerings you'd expect from a noisy two-way thoroughfare. Hotels, restaurants (obviously), a Filene's Basement on the west side, and the obligatory Duane Reade.

While I was in the area I ducked into the 79th Street Station and was amused to find that every couple of feet, there were streams of light coming down onto the center express tracks. There's a photo in the gallery.

View Larger Map