The Bowery Boys: New York City History
WARNING The article contains a few spoilers about last night’s ‘Mad Men’ on AMC, so if you’re a fan of the show, come back once you’re watched the episode. Lusty groupies, ample drug intake, smoky hallways and deafening rock music. One might have thought last night’s ‘Mad Men’ — partially centered around the backstage antics… Read More
They were all young once: Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, in 1963 I swung onto my old guitarGrabbed hold of a subway carAnd after a rocking, reeling, rolling rideI landed up on the downtown sideGreenwich Village— Talkin’ New York, 1962 Bob Dylan was born 70 years ago today in Duluth, Minnesota. Twenty years later, he… Read More
Berniece Abbott looks up to the Chelsea, 1936 Arguably New York’s least conventional hotel, the Chelsea Hotel (or rather, the Hotel Chelsea) is the one of New York’s culture centers, a glamorous, art-filled Tower of Babel for both creativity and debauchery. From Mark Twain to Andy Warhol, it’s been both inspiration and accommodation for artistic… Read More
FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER To get you in the mood for the weekend, every other Friday we’ll be featuring an old New York nightlife haunt, from the dance halls of 19th Century Bowery, to the massive warehouse clubs of the mid-1990s. Past entries can be found here. LOCATION Cafe Wha?115 Macdougal St, at Minetta Lane Occasionally,… Read More
ABOVE: Gerde’s in its original location, circa 1960 To get you in the mood for the weekend, every Friday we’ll be celebrating ‘FRIDAY NIGHT FEVER’, featuring an old New York nightlife haunt, from the dance halls of 19th Century Bowery, to the massive warehouse spaces of the mid-90s. Past entries can be found HERE. Few… Read More
Gothamist ran this disturbing list of Starbucks locations in 2006. The history of the New York coffee house has taken a catastrophic twist in the 21st century. Before I go further — this is not a defacto attack on Starbucks. Yes, Starbucks is over-priced, often high-calorie burnt tasting swill. However it has a fairly good… Read More