There’s something magical about the old cobblestone streets in Lower Manhattan-and I’m not referring to the poise required to cross Crosby Street in heels. What I am describing is the enchantment that accompanies imagining who may have stood at that very same street corner 200 years prior. Its history, is one of the most alluring parts of New York, and it’s by no means something exclusive to the areas south of Houston. In fact, Grand Central Terminal is one of those quintessential New York places: so magically charming that its rich history simply oozes from its façade.

But one of the most interesting stories of Grand Central is not about what is in it, but rather what isn’t.

What few New Yorkers, and even fewer of the 50 million annual visitors to Manhattan know is that the storied terminal station is actually missing a track. “Track 61,” as it is referred to by Metro North conductors and New York history buffs alike, is a secret track located below 50th street, stretching between Lexington and Park Avenues.

The track, repositioned in 1913, runs directly below the nearby Waldorf-Astoria hotel, shown below in 1931, the year of the hotel’s opening.

Appreciating the obvious strategic importance, builders of the Waldorf installed a platform below its foundation to be used for clandestine purposes, predominantly the transport of dignitaries looking to evade the flashing light bulbs of the press photographers awaiting them upstairs. The private train afforded high profile guests discretion, as an elevator would ascend from the basement directly up into the lavish hotel.

The first to use “Track 61” was General John J. Pershing in 1938, however the most remarkable of the private car’s passengers was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who used the train not only as a secret and safe means in and out of Manhattan during wartime, but also as an effective guise, concealing the fact that he was paralyzed. FDR would take “61” from his home in Hyde Park up the Hudson Line to beneath the Waldorf, and then directly up to the Presidential Suite without ever being publicly seen. The elevator was even large enough for FDR’s Presidential automobile to fit inside. A truly magical New York story.

Later, the space was used by another, albeit less Presidential New York icon. In 1965 Andy Warhol threw his famous “Underground Party” inside Track 61. While no information or photos exist documenting the actual party, if it was anything like the rest of Warhol’s parties, it was no doubt “ground-breaking.” Furthermore considering the year and the company he kept, it seems reasonable to assume that The Velvet Underground and Nico, (whom he personally managed and that served as the house band at his studio, the Factory) would have played the party. But perhaps I am just allowing my imagination to get lost in an underground New York legend.

Following its permanent vacancy, the tracks became a prime location for squatters as well as a pilgrimage for NY history buffs and seasoned urban explorers, however over the last decade it has become very difficult to access directly. If you’d care to try, “New York City Walk” has done some of the leg-work for you here.

The Waldorf Astoria door, from NYC Walk

In November, Gothamist was granted access to Track 61. The following photos are from their trip.

Grand Central is also the inspiration behind our Chair no. One Five.

The New Traditionalists' Chair no. One Five, inspired by Grand Central

Grand Central in 1929

You can learn more about Andy Warhol and the Factory from some of his contemporaries as part of our Oval Table Series.

Capote in his Hamptons Home, 3 years prior to his death

In my incessant scouring of the Internet, I recently came across a piece of mystifying literary memorabilia. It was a vintage typewriter, the kind of commonplace artifact that we have personally purchased on eBay many times before. However, what was amazing about this typewriter was its history. The keys had been punched by Truman Capote in 1966, as he sat down to write his seminal crime novel, In Cold Blood. It had attracted only 3 bids, and fetched $8,281.

That the typewriter had recently changed hands, reminded me of another possession of Capote’s that has fallen from grace since his heyday of the 60s: His beloved Hamptons home, which he personally designed and decorated. Peaceful and restrained, it hid behind a mass of bushes, pine and hedges near Sagoponack on South Fork.

While the Hamptons of the 50s and 60s was a hub for intellectual elites, Capote came there for solitude. To be alone with his thoughts…and of course his beloved bulldog Maggie. He would often spend his autumns and winters there to read, write and reflect. “The Selvedge Yard” blog (highly recommended) recently uncovered some archived Architectural Digest photos of the home from a 1975 article (which has since been renovated to an unrecognizable state) that show Capote in his beloved personal oasis, which he called “Kansas with a sea breeze.”

But as you look through these amazing photos, and read Arch Digests’ commentary, you can truly feel how the author’s personality seeped into the walls of this home. As you see the image of Capote relaxing vulnerably in a wicker chair (below), or the massive walls lined with rare and priceless books, it is apparent that his Hamptons retreat was truly a part of him. A place where he could find personal solace, amidst all of the turmoil of his public life in Manhattan. His vast array of precious antiques juxtaposed with paltry imported goods of great sentimental value reflected the complex creative mind that he possessed. He decorated the space with highly personal touches, quirky nuances: some unintended, and some intentional. A semblance of the mercurial writer.

“It’s exactly the way I wanted it. I work at this untended look. It’s intentional.”
-Truman Capote, 1975

It is amazing not only to peer into a historical home, but to see a space that’s design and décor truly expose the creativity of the creator. Is it more important for a space to be enjoyed by the maker or pleasing to the guest?

We’d love to see and hear about personal touches you’ve added to a space of yours!

Now that our feet have finally recovered from the marathon that was the AD Home Show, we’re reminiscent yet incredibly excited to get back to work. We were able to meet so many fantastic new people (be it exhibitors, designers, bloggers and everyone else who perused the exhibit) and were thoroughly inspired by the overdose of great design and style that was present. To relive the whole experience, check out our Storify event recap here.

As some of you may know, we get very excited about this event every year, as the Architectural Digest Home Show was the venue for our debut in 2010. To celebrate the anniversary, we brought along with us a bunch of new pieces to unveil, as well as many re-imagined versions of our other products-Not to mention our infamous Bar Cart characteristically stocked with copious amounts of booze. We’re so psyched that our new pieces were a huge hit, as Bar Stool no. Forty emerged as our “Rookie of the Show.” This bright orange, Chesterfield inspired stool showed up at Pier 94 only the night before the show, but as soon as the lights came on it immediately became a glutton for attention. Whether it was passer-byers executing the calculated walk-by touch/hand-graze or attendees stopping into booth 701 to take a load off on its tufted seat and rounded back. Of course, it didn’t hurt that it was conveniently located next to the Bar Cart…

Bar Cart no. One with its new drinking buddy, Bar Stool no. Forty

We also unveiled Bar Stool no. One Zero Nine in green Autumn Leaf Leather, two dining chairs (Chair no. Sixty Four in a Brown Zebra Hide, and Chair no. Forty Five in Shearling and Tomato Leather), and Dining Table no. Two Forty Eight in a Flame Leather Top with a Lattice Detailed Skirt. You can view all of these new pieces on our products page.

While exploring the show, it was refreshing to see such high quality craftsmanship and awesome design-and tons of American made products! The DIFFA, Dining by Design exhibition was utterly gorgeous-good thing we snapped so many pics (available in our Storify recap). We also got a chance to spend some time with the Modenus Blog Tour, both in our booth and back downtown at our showroom. It was great to chat design over cocktails and introduce our line to them over coffee and Balthazar treats.

You can connect with all of them here!

To capture the whole weekend, we created an event recap on Storify full with tweets and photos. Its a great way to relive the whole event!

A big thank you to all those who exhibited, attended or sponsored, and everyone else who helped make it such a huge success!

The five days succeeding Sunday evening’s 84^th Academy Awards have been dominated by an influx of gratuitous Angelina leg shots. On the red carpet, photographers egged her to “give them more,” and she obliged, gratifying them with a quick and provocative, but ultimately not so worthwhile flash of skin. However, now that the dust has settled on award season, one thing truly worthwhile is the film The Artist from director Michel Hazanavicius. It was quite simply, a film from another era. Something the industry hadn’t seen in ages: a gracefully produced, gloriously funny and deeply meaningful film. The Artist blended compassionate acting with a reflective perspective on the era and its artistic expression. The decision of Hazanvicius to create something delicately beautiful, yet drastically contrary was courageous, and the film’s beauty speaks to a world that is now willing to bask in nostalgia, even if that nostalgia isn’t their own. In drawing from a time when the art of cinema was purer, Hazanvicius created a subtle piece of art that possessed a unique and truly wonderful quality.

Similarly, Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen’s madcap comedy took chronological leaps backward to a since-lost time when the creative process and the importance of creative distinction was placed on a far higher pedestal. Owen Wilson’s character, Gil romantically believes that he was destined for a different and better time, a golden age. He is disillusioned by the stinginess and transience of his generation’s artistic capacity (or lack thereof), and longs for inspiring ingenuity and magnificent quality.

We clearly enjoy the idea of harking back to (or at least drawing inspiration from) a different time. Have you enjoyed the 20s revival movement in film, television and design or do you think that Hollywood is simply trying too hard?

Prosciutto from Iowa? Sounds like making furniture in Connecticut!  (Full disclosure, I am from Iowa, like pork products and we make our furniture in Connecticut.)  Number 10 of this series Sky Full of Bacon is worth a look.  The company is called La Quercia and the owners, Kathy and Herb Eckhouse, are thoughtful and passionate about their business of making traditional Italian meats in Iowa.  They have won acclaim from the food world and proven the naysayers wrong. They also have a sense of humor about it all. Kathy mentions, “Babe,” and that their pigs get to express their, “piggyness appropriately, and then they have a really bad day.”  And the prosciutto is delicious.