NYC restaurant/hotel recommendations

[+ Tom Isern]

Sad but true. There was a gay/queer cultural/sexual scene here that no longer exists at all—we've chatted about this before. Did you see the movie "Gay Sex in the 70s"? I don’t know what restaurant you are referring to, but I loved hearing your reminisces of Rounds. Has there been a book covering these old gay places? What about essays of men who visited them? What a great project that would be—piecing together old NYC. Berlin is supposed to be fun. And then there is South America.

[Guest alanm]

>At that time there was also a bar, called Rounds, which provided very

>nice, presentable male escorts who could be taken back to

>one's hotel with nary an eyebrow raised. Too bad New York has

>declined the way it has.:-(

 

Rounds closed in the late summer of 1994 during the Giuliani clean up

of New York, not because of the Internet. Rounds was on the upper east side -- was it 53rd Street and 2nd Avenue, just guessing from memory. On a great night, Rounds was the Studio 54 of hustler bars. On any given night, you could meet very attractive and friendly unemployed actors, college students looking to pay their rent as well as typical working boys who seemed to be there every night. A 'date' usually turned into an overnight. There certainly were bad nights when the guy you had your eye on hooked up with someone else. Even if the urban myths that people like Tom Cruise or Tony Danza worked there were untrue, it was the kind of upscale place where they might have worked -- closer to the Townhouse than a strip club, but with none of the Townhouse's stuffy atmosphere.

 

Rounds was not famous for the food, probably not listed in Zagat's Top 50, so Tom and RockHard don't have to worry!

[Luv2play]

The tragedy of what happened in NYC is compounded by the fact that many of my chums who enjoyed the scene with me are gone. I have no-one to reminisce with from that magic time. I was living in Europe but visited NYC every year once or twice since it offered a scene hard to find elsewhere for gay men, other than San Francisco in some ways. Unfortunately I often didn't pay much attention to where these places were since we took taxis everywhere at that time since there was a feeling the streets were a little dangerous. That only added to the thrill of a night on the town, though, as we raced from one venue to another.

 

When I visit NYC now, I walk everywhere and feel safe so that is one benefit brought about by Mr. Guiliani, but at what a cost!

[RockHard]

"the clientele was ENTIRELY gay, it was a very chic place with mirrors on all four walls, and the food was very good"

 

Good lord, the Gaiety was never considered chic, even if Dominic's "straight" cock tasted like finely-aged prime rib. :-)

 

"Rounds was not famous for the food, probably not listed in Zagat's Top 50"

 

Zagat may have started in 1979 but I don't believe Rounds ever made its pages, let alone the Top 50. The food there was mediocre, at best. Like many of its customers, Rounds was a poser: an Upper East, early 80's escort establishment posing as a high-style gay bar that served food. I will say the bathrooms were a great place to get a sneak-peak at an escort's package, between courses, and then one could decide over dessert how much you were willing to pay.

 

I've always been fascinated by the fact that NYC doesn't have a famous gay chef/restaurant. It never made any sense to me why we don't have our own version of The Inn at Little Washington, one of my favorite restaurants in the world. Patrick and Reinhardt beautifully redefine style and sophistication every night to the delight and joy of their devoted minions, most of them famous. I happily stand among them.

 

ps For a homo-friendly Sunday brunch, Keith McNally serves up some fun eye candy and delicious food at any one of his three happening spots.

 

For the latest in male models, try Schiller's on the Lower East Side (212) 260-4555

 

For hard-core French-bistro-ites, try Balthazar on Spring Street (212) 965-1785

 

For a mix of everything, including the common folk from the outer boroughs (and some cute waiters), try Pastis on Ninth Ave (212) 929-4844

[+ Tom Isern]

I'm so relieved to know there is a place where we can go to eat with "the common folk" from the outer boroughs!

 

Do they eat cake or bread with butter?

 

Does one actually get to sit near or beside them or are they caged for our enjoyment?

 

Oh, dear, perhaps I'm condescending to the dear ones...

 

Are they perhaps the wait staff?

 

Please Rock, enlighten us!

[RockHard]

Yet, another final response to the lunatic.

 

As posted from another post:

 

I find that most people who have a problem with my life and style are people who have none. I don't pity you, Tom. You made your bed now lie in it. Don't blame me because you haven't found a smarter way than selling sex to make money.

 

No matter what you say, you have gone out of your way on this board to prove what a complete and utter turn-off you can be. In my opinion, any man who spends a dime on you is crazy, or a masochist. There are far too many hot men out there who know when and how to respect a customer. You have shown your contempt and contempt in business is NEVER a good thing.

 

ps In response to your childish belligerence, Tom Isern, I promise to post this post every time you respond to me in such a fashion. You asked for it and I will deliver.

[+ Tom Isern]

RE: Yet, another final response to the lunatic.

 

Well, Rock, if you want to just post the same old thing over and over again I suspect you’ll start to bore some of our loyal readers—even more than you usually do. I’ll try to keep them entertained on my own~!

[RockHard]

RE: Yet, another final response to the lunatic.

 

"I’ll try to keep them entertained on my own"

 

Good luck with that.

[Luv2play]

>"the clientele was ENTIRELY gay, it was a

>very chic place with mirrors on all four walls, and the food

>was very good"

>

>Good lord, the Gaiety was never considered chic, even if

>Dominic's "straight" cock tasted like finely-aged prime rib.

>:-)

>

Who was talking about the Gaiety??

 

>

>Like many of its customers, Rounds was a

>poser: an Upper East, early 80's escort establishment posing

>as a high-style gay bar that served food.

 

I think you intended to say "poseur", not poser. The former probably applies to you. The latter to the boys who used to hang around the bar at Rounds.

[Guest alanm]

Rock,

 

Rounds' food and many of its customers may have have fit your characterization in the early '80s ("poser"). By the late '80's until it closed, Rounds was simply a hustler bar that served lousy food, but

still drew an amazing variety of clients and hustlers. Has there ever been a better hustler bar in New York?

[RockHard]

Let's vogue, strike a pose.

 

"Who was talking about the Gaiety??"

 

Apparently, the joke went clear over your head, dear. Have you considered the treadmill for better blood circulation?

 

"I think you intended to say "poseur", not poser."

 

I intended to say "one who vogues" but thanks to everyone for continued English lessons.

 

I really hate to disappoint all the doubting Thomases on this board but I'm no poseur. I'm the real deal, baby. All I can say: enjoy your denial if that makes you feel better. :-)

[RockHard]

RE: Hustler bars gone by.

 

"Has there ever been a better hustler bar in New York?"

 

Actually, I enjoyed Cowboys and Cowgirls (a few doors away) much more than Rounds. I'm not a fan of country themes but here it worked: the down home feel of the place encouraged conviviality. I never went there without wearing my fab cowboy hat purchased in Wyoming. Cowboys had a less pretentious vibe that made the experience of shopping more fun.

 

I was very young in those days and many men thought I was selling. The only reason I know these places is my best friend was a serious buyer before he died. He was a lot of fun and all the boys loved to play with him and his money. I benefited vicariously. The idea of paying for sex or companionship, back then, did not hold favor with me. My friend was overweight and loved hot boys so his escapades made sense. He loved having me around for support, fun, and sincere friendship. I loved that man. God rest his soul.

 

Now that I'm older, and single, I view the benefits of male companionship differently. We're living at a time when isolation is the edge. Quality escorts can offer a very gratifying service to soften that edge. :-)

 

edit: But a really good escort will be genuinely sweet and warm-hearted. He won't be a mean-spirited, hyper-ventilated, self-absorbed dick. Quality escorts don't have a negative edge and if they do, they know not to let it show in public. A quality escort can't be too vain because he knows it will reveal his own selfishness. And who wants to spend money on a selfish prick? A quality escort won't turn into a horse's ass on the turn of a dime or when the dialogue shifts to religion or politics. A quality escort will know when to keep his mouth shut. They say a good man is hard to find.

[Guest alanm]

RE: Hustler bars gone by.

 

My first hire at Rounds wasn't until '91, even though I was aware the place existed & had a drink there once or twice, but no food. My guess is that I am at least a decade older than you, Rock. I'm 62. Talk about first timers luck at Rounds: the '91 guy was a Hofstra student from Peru and he ended up staying for several days, for about $120. I saw Mr. Lima again often that summer. As much as I enjoy the Internet, it can not replace those lucky first encounters in either a regular gay bar or a hustler bar.

[+ Lucky]

RE: Hustler bars gone by.

 

"I never went there without wearing my fab cowboy hat purchased in Wyoming. Cowboys had a less pretentious vibe that made the experience of shopping more fun."

 

The chic and unpretentious Rock Hard:

 

http://www.caddylakgraffix.com/images/favorite_sites/TEXAS_FAVORITES001.jpg

[RockHard]

RE: Hustler bars gone by.

 

There's no doubt, we had a ton of fun in both places, alan. My friend was big in the national drag-pageant arena, both Chicago and Florida. We would often show up with the year's reigning Miss Something and watch the boys fight to get in on the action. There's nothing like a fab drag queen to liven up an all male party. (That's why Denise Rich throws the best dinner parties in NYC.)

 

Yes, those days are gone and all we have are memories. But I'm a firm believer in looking to the future. :-)

 

ps Nice Lima story.

[Damascene]

Ah, yes, Rounds, I found it as the nearest restaurant near where I worked in the late 80's. I rarely bought there and was in fact one of the cocktail hour regulars who left by 8 to go to the Townhouse. The food was mildly good and while I never saw the father of Suri there, another regular swore he was there a few years earlier.

 

It rapidly went downhill and I was one of the regulars who left when the staff I liked - Paul, Alex, Larry, Murdock, Little Tony for instance - were fired or left. It is gone and I doubt its like will be seen again in the city for a while.