The FORGOTTEN Restaurant in No. 5

Imagine our surprise when we were looking over some material from earlier posts, when we came upon this:

This photograph is apparently the only physical evidence that there once was a restaurant in No. 5, on the 1st Avenue side of the building.  

A close-up shows the words Wine & Cheese Restaurant on the northern wall, accompanied by painted flats over doorways. Here one finds a contented patron opposite tables and chairs. What's happening above the central window is pretty much anyone's guess.

The next pair features the silhouette of a lady opposite a vacant chair, beside what looks like a cash register opposite a vacant chair.   

This pair proved the further one got away from the entrance, the harder the image was to read. To the left, it appears to be the name of the place, Something Something Restaurant. On  the right, a lady drinks a cup of coffee, we think. . .

This last trio is indecipherable to us, alas.

We posted the photograph nine years ago as part of story of Helmsley-Spear's takeover of Tudor City. In the spring of 1970, they had three non-residences to rent out, one of which was near the restaurant space in No. 5.

    

Here it is pictured on the flyer from 1970. Anyone out there with any pictures or memories of this mythic spot, please let us know. We give bonus points for menus.

As for the earlier entire post, here it is.

TUDOR CITY from the REAR

For the holiday weekend, we've selected a group of photographs featuring the many flags of the United Nations. And, not incidentally, all of the pictures feature the backsides of Tudor City buildings. Happy Memorial Day.   

MISCELLANEA

 Here's another installment of Miscellanea for your viewing pleasure:

At a table in the Tudor City Steakhouse sit Cindy Adams, the New York Post's gossip columnist extraordinaire, along with Mirso Lekic, owner of the restaurant. Only in New York, kids.

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A photograph of 1st Avenue and 40th Street, looking downtown. On the right is No. 5, while across the street is the home of the WM INTNER MATTRESS CO. They seem to be reputable enough; the wall along 40th Street reads

MANUFACTURERS

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MATTRESSES

BOX SPRINGS

BOX COUCHES

PILLOWS

ROLL BOLSTERS

COT BEDS

METAL SPRINGS

Whether they supplied any bedding to Tudor City is unknown.

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The Sharansky Steps and the Isaiah quotation set the backdrop for this picture made on September 19, 1960. The protestors' poster says it all:

Down With Castro

CUBA  Yes

COMMUNISM  No!

Cuban Front  F.R.D.

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Part of the Tulip Celebration of 1939, this picture was made from a window in The Manor, showing the stage set for baritone Glenn Darwin. From the collection of Fabrice Frere, thanks Fabrice.

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Finally, proof there's life after fifty in Tudor City.  

DEAD ENDS

This recently discovered photograph is a simple one ‒ a Dead End sign ‒ but is notable because of where it was. A clue lays right behind it, another sign stating the HOTEL TUDOR was ONE BLOCK away. The picture is taken from the Tudor City bridge, looking east. 

For further understanding, see this photo showing the Murray Hill Diner on the southwest corner of 1st and 42nd. The Hotel Tudor sign is at upper right in shadow. 

At the 41st Street cul-de-sac, there are plenty of signs today.  

There's also a sign at the southern border of Tudor City Place.

No Dead End signage has ever been posted at the 43rd Street cul-de-sac. Instead, we remember the fashion shoot that launched the swinging sixties here ‒ featuring Jean Shrimpton and a Curb Your Dog sign, above. More about that, here.

  

The INQUIRING FOTOGRAPHER Is Back

Once again, we return to the Inquiring Fotographer, the long-running question/ answer/photograph column that ran in the Daily News. It was edited by Jimmy Jemail, from 1921 t0 1973; we are only interested in responses from Tudor Citizens.  

August 28, 1941

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December 13, 1941

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November 12, 1955

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February 9, 1969

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For further reading on the subject, see here.

Welcome to the HOTEL TUDOR

Today we look at a piece of Hotel Tudor advertising that's a bit offbeat. It promises Tudor hospitality without going into great detail about what that exactly entails. Dating from the early 1960s, it was a time when anything British was suddenly hip.           

It does get credit for calling Tudor City "beautiful" though.

More MISCELLANY

Bowling is back, with this matchbook cover promoting Downtown Bowling ‒ while inside the matchbook, it named Capitol Bowling, Radio City Bowling and Billiards, Grand Central Bowling, and Tudor City Bowling as equally good places. A local chain, it had only one phone number for reservations.  

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Advertisement in Tudor City Service, 1934. 

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A postcard view of the Tudor Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge "in the Royal Tradition" in Hotel Tudor, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and a "lavish cocktail buffet." The enterprise was managed by the team behind Rosoff's Restaurant in Times Square, around since 1899. Postcard, circa 1960.    

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Nicaraguan protestors in 1977 decrying the conditions at home at the UN, with The Woodstock and No. 45 in the background. No action was taken.

 

Holiday Wishes

Season's Greetings from 

Tudor City Confidential

More EDIE SEDGWICK

 

International film posters

Today, we re-visit Ciao! Manhattan, which we first posted about seven years ago. An underground movie, it's acquired a cult following over time thanks to its poor-little-rich-girl star, Edie Sedgwick. The ending was depressing, but the post was a big hit.

The years passed, and it got us wondering if there were any other photos around. After a diligent search, here are the results. 

First, there was a photo depicting Edie in a gravity-defying pose on the Sharansky Steps, shooting the cameraman a knowing look. 

Sedgwick radiating Sedgwickiness at the top of the steps. Over her shoulder, the fallout shelter sign mounted on the wall of No. 45.

Another variation on the theme.

Afterward ‒ sans leopard skin coat ‒ Edie bums a cigarette from a guy with the perfect pudding bowl haircut, as another helper with a blunt bob looks looks on. Even the off-camera staff's hair is groovy.

Finally, a rare color photo. Who knew that the color of Edie's cap was blue? While you ponder that question, you might want to take a look at the original post.

RESIDENTS: James T. Farrell letter

Another post concerning James T. Farrell, author of the Studs Lonigan trilogy in the 1930s, and a resident of No. 5 in the 1960s.

Today's artifact is a letter written by Farrell to Marylew Kogan. What their relationship was exactly is unclear, but Farrell dutifully reports where he stands at the moment on various projects, then asks Kogan to forward some stories to him for inclusion in his archive.  

A familiar return address first caught our eye. Where exactly he lived in No. 5 remains a mystery, but insiders insist it was one of the penthouses. 

Dear Marylew,

    I'll write soon. This is in haste. I finished Invisible Swords yesterday. I regard it as the most powerful book I have ever written.

    Judith is out.

    Childhood Is Not Forever will be out in Sept, 1969. I have a shorter novel than Invisible Swords ‒ Tom Carroll is almost ready. [Tom Carroll never published]

Jim Farrell       

P. S. And please do get the stories back to me so that I can send them away to my archive. 

Farrell was a busy writer, and he produced 52 books in all. But in the end, the most revered were the Studs Lonigan trilogy, written at the start of his career. See more about him here.

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Please note that I'm taking a couple weeks vacation and will be back in October. See you then!