East Coast Whirlwind, Pt. 1: The Walker Hotel

Ever since the pandemic, my flying days pretty much grounded to a halt. It’s generally been a pain in the arse, more expensive, and quite frankly at this stage in my life I am happiest being at home. However…it was time to visit Mom again. Southwest Airlines pulled through this time and rated a glowing report card. Despite connecting flights coming and going (which can often lead to disaster), I am happy to say that they were on time for each one. AND baggage claim was quick and easy, too.  Ignore the American Airlines building at LaGuardia; I was on a Southwest flight!



Once off the plane, I was greeted by the “I Love NY” logo at LaGuardia.



The colored panels with quotes from and about NYC’s 100th mayor, Fiorella LaGuardia, were beautiful to see as I briskly walked to the transportation pickup area. They aren’t actually stained glass, but rather 3M scotch all clear vinyl window graphics installed by Color-X and designed by Sabine Horning.



Traffic was a bit dicey as you would expect on a weekday around lunchtime in NYC, but I finally made it to my destination, The Walker Hotel in Greenwich Village.



It was just the right kind of refurbed historic boutique hotel that I dig.



I was hoping to run into Karen Walker when I checked in, but no such luck.



Stepping down the stairs, the lobby area did not disappointed. Plenty of couches and nooks and crannies for relaxing.



Since my room wasn’t ready yet (I had taken the red eye and arrived early), I had a delish lunch at the hotel restaurant.



Once done, I took my camera and ventured out in the hood, despite the mix of cloudy skies, sprinkles, and short downpours of rain. The Jefferson Market Library stood out like something out of a gothic novel.





Edited from the New York Public Library website:

Originally a courthouse, the Jefferson Market Library has served the Greenwich Village community for over thirty years. The building, a New York City landmark, was designed by architects Frederick Clark Withers and Calvert Vaux (who also assisted in the design of Central Park) in a Victorian Gothic style. It was erected (along with an adjacent prison and market) during the years 1875-1877 and cost the city almost $360,000. What the city got for its money, in addition to an architectural gem (it was voted one of the ten most beautiful buildings in America by a poll of architects in the 1880s) was a civil court (on the second floor, where the Adult Reading Room is now) and a police court (now the first-floor Children's Room). The beautiful brick-arched basement (now the Reference Room) was used as a holding area for prisoners on their way to jail or trial. By 1945, through redistricting, court was no longer held at Jefferson Market, and the building was taken over by various agencies.



By 1959, the building had become home only to pigeons and rats and was considered such an architectural eyesore the city planned to knock it down and erect an apartment building. But Village community members, led by Margot Gayle and Philip Wittenberg, and including Lewis Mumford, E.E. Cummings (who lived across the street in Patchin Place) and actor Maurice Evans, rallied to save the building from the wrecking ball. In 1961, Mayor Robert F. Wagner announced that it would be preserved and converted into a public library. Construction began in 1965 and the library opened for business in 1967. Among the first of its visitors was the poet Marianne Moore, who had at one time worked for the Hudson Park Branch Library. She found the renovation very pleasing indeed.

Next time I visit, I need to venture inside. Instead, I wandered through the adjacent Jefferson Market Garden.





The plants looked beautiful, and the rain that cascaded down made everything look extra green and lush.







This fella had obviously been there for quite some time.



I saw Empire Cake along the way and my sweet tooth was activated.



The inside was bright and welcoming.



So were some of the interesting cakes and other goodies.



There were so many choices, but I finally settled on a Red Velvet Snack Cake. It was a VERY good choice. From the description: Red velvet cake filled with cream cheese frosting and dipped in Belgian white chocolate. OMG it was so good.



I might have also gotten a carrot cake cupcake and I might have also thoroughly enjoyed that, too. Not long after devouring my treats, I got notification that my room was ready, and that’s where I will leave this installment of my East Coast trip.



See more New York City Walker Hotel photos at my main website.

Weekend at the Waldorf

The historic Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York opened on October 1, 1931. NINETY-FIVE YEARS AGO and still ticking! This image of the entrance to the hotel was taken for research at Columbia Pictures in 1944. I’m not sure what movie it was used for, but MGM released, “Weekend at the Waldorf” one year later in 1945. Interiors for that film were recreated on a soundstage, but most of the exteriors were shot on location. Back from my digression, I present an image I shot in 2016 when I stayed at the Waldorf, showing very little change to the exterior, other than the newer canopy that engulfs all three sections of doors.



These cool little frames on the exterior tell us that Michael Zarin and his orchestra were performing at the Lounge Restaurant:



The frame on the right gives the lineup for the Starlight Roof, along with a scowl from the doorman:



Zooming in we see it includes the Nat Brandwynne Orchestra, Nicolas Alexander and something Williams Trio, and the rest I have no idea other than the mention of Sunday dinner. Just look at the pretty pictures, please.



As of 2016, it would appear that the very same frames were still being used:



Another exterior view from 2016:



In 2017, the hotel closed for renovations after a Chinese Company, Anabang Insurance Group, bought the property for $1.95 billion. That’s a lot of smackers! After much back and forth and shifting of schedules, the hotel portion reopened again in July 2025. Apparently by February 2026, Anabang was planning to sell the hotel. I’ll take tax write-offs for $500, Alex!

See more Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in NYC photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Fun and Games

Theatergoers often don’t realize the amount of work that goes into making a movie. Many actors reveal that the worst part is the amount of time BETWEEN filming scenes. It can get pretty boring; just look at Shirley Temple during the filming of “Kathleen,” her one and only MGM production. Above, she yawns between costars Laraine Day and Herbert Marshall. What do stars do between takes? Below, Shirley keeps herself occupied with crafting:



Making fashions for her mini-mannequin:



Here, Shirley reads her script, brushing up on her lines and any possible last minute revisions while the camera gets set-up:



I wish I had more info on this one; it would appear that Shirley is rehearsing a song for the film. In the final movie though, the only musical number has Shirley dubbed. Maybe originally Shirley was slated to sing, but the studio decided against it in the end.



The director, Harold S. Bucquet, goes over a scene with Felix Bressart and Shirley:



Shirley and Herbert wait patiently for the lighting to be fixed:



A game of chess between takes for Shirley:



This poodle can dance AND balance the script!



Below, Shirley plays Chinese Checkers with her stand-in, Mary Lou Isleib:



I found this board on eBay, which appears to be the same design as the one Shirley was using. Made by Pressman, it was popularized in the U.S. in 1928 by Bill and Jack Pressman and originally marketed under the name Hop Ching Checkers before becoming widely known as Chinese Checkers.



Marshall and Day playing a game of cards; apparently they weren’t into Chinese Checkers.



Even a beautiful young teen like Shirley needs a touch-up from the makeup artist between takes.



And there you have it; life on the set between takes of “Kathleen”!
 
See more teenage Shirley Temple photos at my main website.