Since my first visit to Seattle as a young kid to the present day where I now live in the area, the large neon Wallingford sign above the QFC has always been my favorite landmark.

Far from the crowded Downtown streets and the nightlife hub of Capitol Hill, Wallingford is a sleepy, more residential neighborhood nestled between Fremont and the University District. Small locally owned restaurants and shops dot the sides of 45th Street, and it can be difficult to find anything open past 10pm. It always surprised me that such a small urban center could have such an attention-drawing welcome sign.

Walking past the soft blue hue of the massive letters, with a warm hot cocoa from Chocolati or a little tipsy from a round at Octopus Bar, is the perfect way to end an evening. While most tourists go for a picture in front of the Public Market sign, you can g0 the local route by snapping one here.