Last weekend, John and I went exploring and ticked off one of the places on my "must-see" list in London: God's Own Junkyard. I've read about this legendary establishment in dozens of magazines and blogs and wanted to see it in all its neon glory for myself!
Isn't it wonderful?
Originally owned by the late neon sign designer and collector Chris Bracey, the shop is now run by his family. It houses a collection which includes neon backdrops that Chris had been commissioned to make for Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut and four Batman films - which is pretty incredible!
As if the shop couldn't be any cooler (throngs of hipsters were sipping gin cocktails at the gin palace next door), the Rolling Scones Café (the. best. name. ever.) is tucked away in the back and in the outdoor courtyard, where I nearly ran into a woman carrying a tiered cake-stand filled with scones and jam. Probably the coolest place to have afternoon tea in London. Sign me up, please (pun intended)!
There's such a sense of happiness when you step into a neon wonderland like God's Own Junkyard, with the fluorescent signs hanging just above your head. We marvelled at all the choices, before John proposed picking one for our new home, as a "treat".
"Where would we put it?" I asked dubiously, while he started getting ahead of himself and talking about motion sensor switches (I mean, honestly ...).
Here was his pick:
A retro sign for the lido (a term I'd never heard of until I moved to the UK) that he fell in love with at first glance.
As for me?
Thrills. All the thrills.
If choosing neon signs is a reflection of your personality, well, then our choices had me and John down to a T. His was all about the calm, cool, and collected vibe and mine's all attention-seeking bright lights (literally), colorful bulbs, and ... thrills. How can you not love this flashy arrow?!
Have you been to God's Own Junkyard? Which sign would you choose?
