Best EL34 reissue?

They are cheap and maybe not as popular, but I have had good luck with Svetlana's. Very clean sounding tube, durable, no complaints.

WHat are blue glass for? Is that just for the look?

Yes, the blue glass is just for the look, which has always seemed crazy to me.

The clear tubes with the orange glow are part of the fun of having a tube amp. One of my friends calls it "the electronic fireplace."

Another vote for Genalex reissue KT-77's which can be substituted for EL34's. The KT-77's sound the best of any modern EL34 type to my ears at least, and they are very rugged and relatively cheap. I also second the recommendation of Jim McShane. He is the go-to guy for modern tubes.

I grabbed some local inexpensive EH EL34 to tide me over while my NOS tubes are being tested. After the break-in, they actually surprised me and sound very good. Not going to win over this crowd probably but still interesting none the less.