As many times as I’ve given my lecture on nineteenth-century theater in Writing New York, I’ve almost never been able to pace it right to conclude as planned with the Astor Place Riots, which is probably how I came to write this post last year.
I’ll supplement my rushed conclusion from today, then, with a video from a blog I’ve only recently discovered, Little Bytes of the Big Apple, written by novelist Robert Westfield. His video episode on Astor Place’s history covers much of the ground I would have at the end of lecture today and also usefully illustrates a few places I mentioned, including Colonnade Row. Enjoy!
Wonderful. Thank you!!
I find it interesting how the Barnes & Noble (which this host thought of as a part of history) is now known as David Barton Gym, and I think it’s a sign of the lost times when the slogan of the place is, “Look Better Naked.” It’s the second gym near the Astor Place, as the Crunch pictured is the one I happen to go to. Worth mentioning, that it’s a 24 hour Crunch, which I believe says a lot of about the constant moving of New York, and how really, not only does it never sleep, but it also never stops thinking about a time to stop physically moving and working out.
I always wonder who those people are who work out at midnight, say, or two in the morning. Really?