Bemelmans Bar

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Nowhere is the discreet charm of the bourgeoisie more palpable than in this bastion of post-war decadence: think white-jacket waiters, 24-karat gold leaf ceilings, and nickel-trimmed glass tables splayed around the ivories. Settle into a leather banquette and order something strong and adventurous—perhaps with champagne and cognac or fresh mint and muddled lemons. Murals of frolicking animals painted by bar namesake and former Carlyle Hotel resident Ludwig Bemelmans offer a whimsical counterpoint to what might otherwise be suffocating sophistication (and they repay a close viewing—can you spot the armed rabbit stalking its brethren'). Feel an extra boost knowing you're enjoying pretty much the same thing as the folks across the lobby at Café Carlyle, for a fraction of the cover. — Julie Mehta and Andrew Yamato

At 18 years old I moved to NYC and fell in love with it. I will always consider it my home.
I still am and regret my move to Florida , for the most part everyday since.
Except that I had my beautiful daughter in Florida.
I came to Florida for a mini winter vacation (while still living on E 58th. St), and I ran into my childhood sweetheart (we both grew up in Miami Beach on Palm Island – next to Star Island ) , we became inseparable, had a child, and the rest is ……

I never wanted to up-root her from her home town ( Boca Raton ). Her father and I are divorced. We remain very close friends today. But now, all these years later, she is in her 3rd year of college and I haven’t been able to move back.
I talk about it , think about it……
And given an opportunity , I would be back in a heart beat.

‘Andi ‘ is my daughter’s name, and
when she was 3, 4, 5, and 6 years old she
was obsessed with the children’s book Madeline. ( so was I )

She used to dance around on the cocktail table top singing the song from the story....

"I'm Madeline, I'm Madeline..... "

Which brings me back to the bar at The Carlyle Hotel,

and when I first moved to NYC. ……

I was married before I married my daughters father. I was very young, he was
11 years older, a doctor, "yada yada yada"

'The doctor' came to NYC and stayed at the Carlyle. It was there that I became engaged.
…….By Mistake .
What can I say ? I am Jewish from Miami Beach, I thought it was what I was supposed to do.

And here is how this all ties together; there are amazing murals at the Carlyle. One mural is in the Famous Carlyle Café where you can spend an evening with the likes of Bobby Short, Ertha Kitt, etc etc.

And the other ( and the subject of this post ) is in Bemelmans Bar.

In exchange for lodging, Ludwig Bemelmans painted murals of central park on the walls.

Hence , the name of the famous/landmark bar, Bemelmans Bar.

Just in case you've forgotten, Ludwig Bemelmans was the author and illustrator of the Madeline series of children's books .
He even put a group of the orphans in blue hats from the Madeline story in the mural .

I love that !!!

They offer a beautiful High Tea for the little ones

And someday maybe, I will take my grandchild there and bore her to death telling her Dorothy Draper stories, along with showing her fabric swatches and paint chips.