Gay New York

[Will]

When I lived in New York during the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a bar somewhere on the Upper East Side called the Menemsha. If I remember correctly it was in a hotel; it was very quiet, staid, elegant; and the only clientele were men (except the time when, not having figured out what was going on, I took my friend Debby there for a drink after the movies). I also seem to remember that the patrons were very distinguished, and in their forties or above. On the way out once, I saw Lorne Greene going in. By then I had figured out that the Menemsha was for Men Only, but in my apparently infinite naivete I didn't realize just what kind of Men it was Only for.

 

Surely someone knows the story. Mine is accidental, anecdotal, and deeply marred by my mixture of ignorance and -- I confess -- fear. At that time in my life I had just found the back side of the closet door and was trying to work up the courage to unlock it.

[+ Charlie]

Oh, Will! You do have a way of evoking my past. I, too, remember the Menemsha, which was a good place for younger educated gays who wanted to meet distinguished older gentlemen. I went there a few times with my best friend, who was into that scene at the time, and he often went there because he could cruise in his good clothes. One night he met a man in his 60s from New Hampshire, who became his sugar daddy for awhile, and later he met the most obnoxious of his serious lovers there, a piss elegant (there's a term I haven't heard in a long time!) middle aged Virginian. I found it dreary, because I was more interested in raunchy bars in the West Village; later, of course, my friend moved on to the drugged-out fist-fucking scene, and his wardrobe was refurbished with leather and torn jeans, which were definitely not de rigueur at the Menemsha. The 70s were not good for places like the Menemsha, which I think faded away like the genteel crowd it had attracted.

[gulliver]

does anyone remember the Candystore or the Yukon Club??

[Will]

Charlie, I'll bet that in Real Life we know each other, somehow. I never got to the leather-queen, fist-fucking part because I went off to live in Italy just as everybody in New York tried to turn himself into a wannabe Colt model. (Remember Bruno? Erron? Toby?)

 

Now that I am in the "silver fox" group myself, I would very much like to know where men who used to populate the Menemsha are now. For instance, the Oak Bar at the Plaza was also a venue for Wall Street types. Surely, surely I am not the only sixty-ish man in the whole United States who still prefers the frisson of suggestiveness and allusiveness that one found at the Menemsha. In all of Manhattan, there must be at least ONE place like it today!

[btmstudnyc]

Will, surely you know about The Townehouse and The Townhouse restaurant.

 

It sounds like the same exact place you were talking about...except not a hotel. Lots of dressed up young and old..the earlier you go...the more of an escort type thing goes on.

 

The back room has a piano bar where all the Broadway queens sing good old tunes...and downstairs...they play classic disco from the 70's.

 

JIM

[Will]

No, I did not know about the Townhouse. Shall we begin our evening together there the next time I'm in New York? We'll end it at your place or mine.............

[+ Charlie]

Do I remember Bruno?! I actually drooled down his back once while standing behind him, waiting in Sayville for the Fire Island ferry.

[btmstudnyc]

I figure we end at my place...Since Townhouse is basically on the upper east side. There also is another place...which Im not sure is around called 88's another piano bar or cabaret.

 

JIM

If it dont fit, force it

btmstudnyc@aol.com