Amy Hernandez s mother owned an east side townhouse bar and restaurant called The Beef Bourbon and t

THE PERSIAN ROOM AT THE PLAZA HOTEL, 1974: Where were you 38 years ago on November 29, Friday night, 1974? I was 18 years old and took my friend Amy Hernandez to see a drag revue at the Plaza Hotel s Persian Room, one of the most magical places within the Plaza. For more than forty years, from 1934 to 1975, the Persian Room was the place to be in New York City. An unparalleled array of performers graced its stage—everyone from the incomparable Hildegarde Shirley Bassey, Ethel Merman, The Mills Brothers, Kay Thompson (mother to Eloise), Eartha Kitt, Bob Hope, Liberace, Diahann Carroll, Julie Wilson, Andy Williams, Josephine Baker, my dear Celeste Holm and Marlene Dietrich s last New York appearance.
It was done in high Persian style in deep iridescent tones of blues, greens and purples nowadays we would view the decor as high camp/kitsch, but it was divine! The entrance looked like a golden gate to a palace. Today it is where the main lobby of the hotel is on the left side as you enter the Plaza Hotel, with sadly not a hint of it s decadent past.
Amy Hernandez s mother owned an east side townhouse bar and restaurant called The Beef Bourbon and the bourbon, her mom s (and Amy s) favorite drink of choice, flowed freely. Amy had an uppity twin sister named Carol who never liked anything I had to say and would just say Oh Hans .
Manhattan Follies was the talk of the nightclub world and I just had to go! Impersonated that night were the then staples: Dietrich, Garland, Ross, Channing, Marilyn and Mae and that new sensation Bette Midler. The headliner was up and coming drag star Craig Russell who would go on to make the hit 1977 film called Outrageous!
The room still had a cigar cigarette girl , a shapely woman with a tray strapped under her bosom selling smokes for high prices luxury car rental in new zealand (Lena Horne started out as one). A Weegee-like man went from table to table with a huge old fashioned flash camera an offered souvenir photographs.
Some of the photo s fun details:  I am wearing a black and white polyester luxury car rental in new zealand Marilyn Monroe print dress shirt with an awfully huge white poly tie. The suit is black velvet bell bottomed and huge platform shoes (that you can t see here) that had silver stars on them. The program pictured here on the right, is next to me by my seat. Amy s polyester luxury car rental in new zealand print blouse was black and white to match me. Note my index finger is extended on my lap because I am trying to show off a silver ring in the shape of a man s head wearing a turban which I felt was appropriate for the evening s occasion. Amy and I didn t know we were partaking in history because sadly the Manhattan Follies was the last and final show to play at The Persian Room.
The 1970 s was a glorious era. My era. A decadent era of nightclubbing, dancing, glitz and glamour. Studio 54, Xenon, 12 West, Ice Palace and the Paradise Garage. Huge shoes, hair sprayed hair, big eye glasses, bell bottoms luxury car rental in new zealand and that wonderful disco music.
This entry was posted on November 29, 2012 by newyorkcityinthewitofaneye . It was filed under DAILY PHOTOS WITH STORIES OF NEW YORK CITY and was tagged luxury car rental in new zealand with "Outrageous!" , 1974 , 1977 , Andy Williams , Bette Midler , Bob Hope , Carol Channing , celebrities , Celeste Holm , cigar cigarette girl , Craig Russell , decor , Diahann Carroll , Diana Ross , Eartha Kitt , Eloise at the Plaza , Ethel Merman , Hans Von Rittern luxury car rental in new zealand , Hildegarde , Josephine Baker , Judy Garland , Julie Wilson , Kay Thompson , Liberace , Mae West , Manhattan , Manhattan Follies , Marilyn Monroe , Marlene Dietrich , New York City , nightclubs , November luxury car rental in new zealand 29 - 1974 , Shirley Bassey luxury car rental in new zealand , The Mills Brothers , The Persian Room , The Plaza Hotel .
LOL Hans . in  1974 i was  having my second chils .  i was 19 years old  , and   disco was the scene . bu so was being a hippie . i was both .  as i was a hppie and  married a  PR man i learned , the other side of living  since my  mil at the time  didn t  want  hippie  for a  dil.   diso is  todays  zumba .  I think that was  the greatest era .