There have been a handful of times in this country when the outcome of a political campaign was truly stunning. Such was the case in 1919 when several groups known as the “Drys” won a 70 year campaign to prohibit the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol. The 18th Amendment abolished booze in on January […]
Ten years ago today, a chimney at 86 Bedford Street separated from an interior wall and collapsed into the world-famous Chumley’s bar. Chumley’s would never be the same again. The bar (now a restaurant) did recently reopen, in October 2016. According to Architectural Digest, it was updated to “evoke the 1920s glamour of New York’s […]
On March 23, 1896, a law introduced by New York State Senator John Raines was passed by the state legislature, making the sale of liquor illegal on Sundays, except at hotels. The law defined a hotel as a place that served food and had at least 10 rooms to let, so rather than shut down, […]
F. Scott Fitzgerald, considered one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century and the chronicler of America’s jazz age of the 1920’s and its “Lost Generation,” was born September 24, 1896 in St. Paul Minnesota. He died a mere forty-four years later in Hollywood, California, of a heart attack, though alcoholism and tuberculosis may have […]
On this day, January 16, in 1919, Prohibition took effect, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes.” Today, the Prohibition speakeasy has become a novelty in New York City. Countless new bars and restaurants spring up in “hidden” locations and seek to embody the old-time spirit of these illegal establishments. […]
Image via Gothamist. It was five years ago today at 86 Bedford Street that a chimney separated from an interior wall and collapsed into the world-famous Chumley’s bar in Greenwich Village.
The final performance of the off-Broadway hit The Fantasticks took place at the Sullivan Street Playhouse at 181 Sullivan Street in the South Village on January 13, 2002. That marked the end of a remarkable 42-year run of the show – making it the longest-running musical ever. Unfortunately, the closing of the show and playhouse would also […]
Just last week the famed Copacabana nightclub reopened yet again. At its newest incarnation at Times Square, guests were treated to an opening night performance by salsa great Willie Colón. One of the most recognizable names in nightclub history, the Copa opened its doors in 1940 at its original location at 10 East 60th Street. […]
