Modern love: Some Modern places seen along the way

I love the irony of the word modern. It's an old-fashioned word (first recorded in 1585!) used to describe something new, futuristic and fresh. I also love seeing the word in a business's name that's obviously been around a long, long time. Here are a few examples we've spotted:

 This is the headquarters of Modern Design and Construction of Providence, Rhode Island, a commercial and residential design and construction company that's been around since 1932. They've done a great job of keeping up the original 1930s signage and logo on their building, which is nothing short of awesome and that makes me smile every time I pass it on my way to work. 

 Here it is back in the day.

The Modern Diner of Pawtucket, Rhode Island dates back to 1940 and holds the distinction of being the first diner in the country to be accepted by the National Register of Historic Places...

 ...and it's also a retro-tastic place to get some ham and eggs and a cup o' joe.

 New Haven, Connecticut is famous for its pizza and one of the very best pizzerias is Modern Apizza (pronounced "Modern ah-beetz" by the natives). Thank you Joe Shlabotnik for this photo. 

 They've been around since 1934 (photo from tommy: eats)...

 ...and you don't have to take my word for how good it is. Just ask Steven Spielberg.

We passed the Modern Snack Bar of Aquebogue, New York on a recent trip to Long Island and fell in love with their sign. They've been around since 1950 and want you to know they're much more than just a snack bar. 

We didn't have time to sample their fine eats, but the sauerbraten sounds intriguing and their famous mashed turnips are available by the pint or quart. 

We're not exactly sure what business this beauty was promoting, but it was especially poignant in its decaying state in the Las Vegas Boneyard. They preserve vintage Las Vegas signs there, which is, well, a modern miracle.

Staying the corset: New Haven, Connecticut's former Smoothie Foundation Garment factory

I love how the women in these ads look so nonchalant about wearing girdles around the house.

Ouch!

Today, a smoothie is a delicious frothy combination of fruit, ice and yogurt, but back in the era when women had to wear elastic torture devices to look good, a Smoothie was a top of the line girdle manufactured by the Strouse Adler Company of New Haven, Connecticut. Their factory first began cranking out unmentionables way back in 1860, and continued up until 1999 in the same brick building until they were forced to do some, er, belt-tightening and move the operation off-shore. Savvy real estate developers wasted no time converting the building into luxury apartments with a funky SoHo feel. And instead of being embarrassed by selling urban hipsters flats in a former girdle factory, they embraced it. A fabulous, huge "Smoothie" sign has been repainted on the side of the building and can be seen from miles away, just as it could in its hey-day. And wonderful original metal Smoothie script logos still adorn the other sides of the building. It's a cinch to see what a waist it would have been if the developers didn't have the guts to keep the girdle theme going, and that's not stretching the truth.