When I think Dietrich one word comes to mind. Terrifying. Eyebrows in the middle of her forehead. The body of a scarecrow. A voice like an ashtray. A myriad of other things that scream run for your life. And yet. There’s something transfixing? Confidence, perhaps? Whatever Marlene Dietrich is, she owns it. As a consequence, whatever Marlene wants she gets….
In 1929, the rambling old Waldorf Astoria at 5th Avenue & 33rd Street came crashing down. When the Waldorf opened, in 1893, it caused a scandal. The first “commercial” property in what was then a swank residential district, it was deliberately contrived to infuriate by William Astor. You see, William hated his aunt, Caroline & Caroline lived about 20 feet…
Once upon a time, tucked away on the ground floor of one of Chicago’s most beloved hotels, a Midwesterner could experience a little piece of olde New England. When the Drake Hotel’s Cape Cod Room opened in 1932, it was an over night sensation. It’s locale, adjacent to the lake shore, was superb. The fish, transported by refrigerated express, was…
Ever dream of collecting things you never use? I do. James Cagney: recipe two timing (chocolate fingerprints) pumps full of lead Jimmy Stewart: Weeps, breaks down. the injustice. Mr Potter You Fat Cats in Washington. Mae West: Spanish Maid Lupe Corset A bobby pin & a false eyelash cascade into the ______ Ramon Navarro: gets around…
Visitors to Chicago are often drawn to Afternoon Tea, a tradition that dates back to 1840. The Empress of Japan, Princess Diana, and Queen Elizabeth II have all participated in the custom. Tea is held in the Palm Court, which is all-white. The hotel has a specialty custom-made “Palm Court” blend, which is made out of four teas: Indian Assam, chocolate notes from Chinese…
At birth, Victoria was fifth in the line of succession after the four eldest sons of George III: George, the Prince Regent (later George IV); Frederick, the Duke of York; William, the Duke of Clarence (later William IV); and Victoria’s father, Edward, the Duke of Kent. The Prince Regent had no surviving children, and the Duke of York had no children; further, both were estranged from…
The Scottish city of Dundee has a long association with marmalade. James Keiller and his wife Janet ran a small sweet and preserves shop in the Seagate area of Dundee. In 1797, they opened a factory to produce “Dundee Marmalade”, a preserve distinguished by thick chunks of bitter Seville orange rind. The business prospered, and remains a signature marmalade producer today. According to a…