Yesterday, I had to replace my Mac AirPort (a dinosaur, which suddenly crapped out after 7 years of faithful service), and then I was going to meet friends for drinks at the legendary Algonquin Hotel. There’s an Apple store in Grand Central, so, despite dreading being in the midst of a rush-hour crowd, I headed across town to Grand Central. And yes, the crowds were fierce. But there’s something about that building … I know commuters rush through there on a daily basis, and so perhaps they are somewhat “over” their surroundings since they see it all the time. I, however, almost never go through there. As a matter of fact I avoid it, because of the crowds. Yesterday, the rushing crowds (holiday and otherwise) added to my sense of the building as this glorious and long-standing hub of action, a funnel through which thousands of people flow every single day. It also was festive and magical.
And then, of course, there is the CONCOURSE. With that dreamy green ceiling, with golden constellations, and pin-prick star-light shining through. Heaven. (Literally.)
I got my new AirPort in no time flat and then had about 15 minutes to linger. Which I did. I leaned over the balcony and soaked up the sights.
And then, I headed out into the cold night to go to The Algonquin, another legendary New York spot. Normally when we meet up there, it’s relatively quiet in that main lobby area (captured so memorably in Peter Bogdanovich’s film They All Laughed). But when I walked in, the place was hopping, packed with people. A pre-theatre crowd maybe? They ended up finding seats for us in “the back room,” which sounded ominous, but revealed itself as a beautiful and quiet wood-paneled room, with (hilariously) a gigantic TV screen on one wall showing an image of a roaring crackling fire. We found it mesmerizing.
We had a wonderful time. I just want to point out (in the photo below) the magnificent and detailed gingerbread house placed in the main lobby area. It was outrageous and intricate, with M&Ms lying around in the sugar-snow that you could scoop up and eat if you wanted to. I didn’t want to, because I imagined how many flu-ridden just-wiped-my-sniffly-nose fingers would have already touched those M&Ms. Still, it was festive.
I’ve lived here for 20 years. It’s nice to go to places and look around and still have that, “Ahhh, Manhattan” shiver of appreciation. Nights when Manhattan shimmers.
Lovely shots. I’m embarrassed to say all those trips to NYC and still I’ve never been to Grand Central. Or the Algonquin, but really it’s the train station that stings.
Next time you come here – make sure to stop by. It’s more overwhelming in person than even photographs can convey!
Great shots. I wonder if just being in the Algonquin makes people want to talk like this:
“The cure for boredom is curiosity.
There is no cure for curiosity.”
― Dorothy Parker
“If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.”
― Dorothy Parker
“This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Algonquin Wits
“By the time you swear you’re his,
Shivering and sighing.
And he vows his passion is,
Infinite, undying.
Lady make note of this —
One of you is lying.”
― Dorothy Parker
“Résumé
Razors pain you,
Rivers are damp,
Acids stain you,
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren’t lawful,
Nooses give,
Gas smells awful.
You might as well live.”
― Dorothy Parker, Enough Rope
“Heterosexuality is not normal, it’s just common.”
― Dorothy Parker
“Don’t look at me in that tone of voice.”
― Dorothy Parker
“I hate writing, I love having written.”
― Dorothy Parker
“I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I’m under the table,
after four I’m under my host.”
― Dorothy Parker, The Collected Dorothy Parker
“Tell him I was too fucking busy– or vice versa.”
― Dorothy Parker
There definitely was a lot of wit around our small table. James Wolcott, Farran and myself. Good friends. Their pizza is really good too.
Awesome! I imagine the urge to be extra witty or clever is overwhelming there.
My apologies if you’ve mentioned anything about the ceiling before. My guess is that you’ll love knowing this info, though. This is from Gotham Magazine (the first coherent Google result I found on the subject):
“All these lost souls might be led astray by the iconic gold leaf zodiacs floating amidst some 2,500 stars on the cerulean blue ceiling arching above the Main Concourse—namely because the constellations are all wrong, having been painted in reverse, mirror images of the actual night sky. Created by the French Post Impressionist Paul César Helleu, the backward zodiac has long been a mystery. Legend has it that the Columbia University astronomer, who sketched out the constellation for Helleu, had his maps upside down or that Helleu took his designs from medieval manuscripts that showed the heavens from a God’s-eye view beyond the spheres. “No one has ever been able to definitively find the answer to why it’s reversed,” says Brucker. “The Vanderbilts were surprised when they started getting comments and letters from commuters about the mistake. They later claimed it was painted deliberately from God’s perspective rather than having to admit to the evident error.”
http://gotham-magazine.com/living/articles/centennial-secrets-of-grand-central-terminal#A4Fq5Fz2KZe8kOwr.99
YES. Love the story of the ceiling! Thank you for that link – I had not read it.
Mark Helprin’s Winter’s Tale features the ceiling in Grand Central in a way that changed my perspective of it forever. If it was magic before, it was even more so after reading that book.
Thanks!
Just beautiful, Sheila!
Merry, Happy, All Things Magical And Shimmering To You and Yours This Holiday Season!
Right back atcha!!
Could we hear some few snatches of conversation from that lovely meeting at the Algonquin? :-)
Well, of course we had to talk about all the Top Films of 2014 lists – and compared notes on them. There were some lovely disagreements!
We discussed David Denby’s departure (sort of) from The New Yorker.
AND – best of all – Wolcott mentioned, casually, in passing, an author named Nancy Lemann. I have written about her extensively on my site. She has written four novels – Lives of the Saints, Sportsman’s Paradise, The Fiery Pantheon and Malaise. I ADORE her books. Malaise was YEARS ago. Occasionally I will Google around and see if I can find her, see if she is publishing again. No luck.
So he casually threw out her name – and I was like, “You KNOW HER??”
Turns out, yes, he does. So I barraged him with questions. Turns out, she is currently shopping out a new novel, sending it around to publishers. I was like, “If you talk to her, please tell her one of her biggest fans can’t wait for her next book.”
It was great to get the inside scoop!!