Lost City's Guide to Times Square

Fairly often now, I get e-mails from out-of-town readers of Lost City who are planning on visiting NYC and want to know what classic Gotham spots they should visit. Aside from the Empire State and Grand Central and the other hugely obvious destinations, I mean. So, rather than continuing to answer these queries piecemeal (though I'll continue to do that if people ask), I've decided to tackle the matter neighborhood by neighborhood, starting with this item on Times Square. I figure, anything that helps these old businesses stay afloat is for the good, so might as well direct as much traffic thataway as possible.

I'm starting with Times Square for a few reasons. One, it's where every tourist ends up eventually, so a guide to it will be of the most use. Two, there's precious little of Old New York left there, and, as I'm freaking lazy, it will be an easy thing to write up.

Also, keep in mind: this is not meant to be an ideal of complete-ism. It's a smattering, a selection, a best-of. Also, I'm focusing on things that are still there; not "This is where this was," or "On this spot once stood." Living history, not dead history. Contrary to some ideas people have of this blog, Lost City is not about nostalgia (not entirely, anyway); it's about old, but living and breathing places that ought to be celebrated and preserved.

So, here we go.

BROADWAY THEATRES: Even if you don't like theatre, go to a Broadway show. This collection of 30-odd old theatres has no architectural equivalent in the United States. They are gorgeous buildings, inside and out. The New Amsterdam's interior has the most opulent glitz for your buck (Don't miss the former gentlemen's lounge downstairs, with its murals and circular bar). The Hirschfeld is exotic, the Booth intimate and the Shubert's a beaut. And if you're really looking for the oldest everything, go to the ornate Lyceum, built in 1903 and the oldest continually operating Broadway theatre.

AMC EMPIRE 25 CINEPLEX: This 42nd Street movie house used to be the Eltinge Theatre, named after Julian Eltinge, the greatest female impersonator of the early 20th Century. The old ceiling murals are still there.

THE NEW YORK TIMES BUILDING: This grand structure on 43rd Street is where the paper did business for most of the 20th century. A great building no matter who occupies it next.

THE PARAMOUNT BUILDING: An Art Deco gem on 7th Avenue and 43rd, and one of the oldest surviving buildings in an area now littered with colorless glass boxes. Frank Sinatra wowed them here. The mountain-like structure has a beautiful, illuminated, four-sided clock which chimes "Give My Regards to Broadway" every night at 7:45. Take a tour of the lovely lobby for an idea of the vibrant life that office building lobbies could once generate.

THE FORMER KNICKERBOCKER HOTEL: This 16-story Beaux-Arts building at the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street was the place to stay in the early 20th century. Caruso sang from the balcony to the crowds below. It's also the only building at the Crossroads of the World that still looks like the Times Square of old.

FRANKIE & JOHNNIE'S STEAKHOUSE: But hurry! This second-story former Speakeasy on W. 46th Street will shut down for good at the end of January. As far as I know, it's the second oldest restaurant in the area.

SARDI'S: This is the oldest. I know: it's cliche, it's musty, it's old hat. It's also history and splendid and romantic and you'll be treated well and get some decent food. You won't see any theatre stars; but plenty of past celebrities are in frames on the walls.

SMITH'S BAR AND GRILL: A bar, a grill and a sign to remind you of the Times Square of the 1950s. Nothing too special inside. And nothing too fancy. Which makes it great.

CAFE EDISON: An affordable and classic diner inside the Edison Hotel on 47th Street. A popular theatre hangout for stage pros who are more interested in eating than being seen. Try the matzo ball soup. The Rum House, a bar next door that is also part of the hotel, is worth a look too.

JIMMY'S CORNER: The best bar in Times Square, and the last saloon that speaks of the area's rich past. It's a shotgun space owned by Jimmy Glenn, a former boxing trainer, and full of easy-going charm, good music, cheap beer and waitresses in short skirts.

NOTE: I've limited this survey to the area above 42nd between Eighth and Sixth Avenues. Attractions to the south, west and east will be covered in future entries on Hell's Kitchen, Midtown and the Garment District.

What? No Dunkin' Donuts?

The chains creep in, year by year, and one day you're strolling down a street you thought you knew and suddenly realize its entire length has been ripped out body and soul and replaces by some strip from deepest suburbia.

The stretch of Broadway between Lincoln Center and 72nd Street never had much personality, but now it bears no resemblance whatsoever to, well, you know, Broadway. I once knew it well; I worked in Lincoln Center for a time. It was an unpretty and low-slung thoroughfare. But it had pizzerias, cute restaurants, a five and dime store of sorts, a florist or two and a scruffy post office.

Now it begins with a Barnes and Noble and ends with a McDonald's. In between are a Victoria's Secret, Pottery Barn, Duane Reade, Chase Bank (among several other banks), Banana Republic, and any other ubiquitous corporate entity you care to mention. I don't think there are more than three or four independently run businesses along the span, and those are affairs so tiny you wouldn't even notice them.

It's a crushing walk. Do yourself a favor. Get on the 1 train at 66th Street and take it one stop to 72nd. Spare your eyes.

Music Box to Play Only for Shuberts

One thing you can say about the Shubert Organization: they sure know how to get more of what they've already got in abundance.

The Broadway giant has long owned more Broadway theatres than anybody else: a grand total of 16 and 1/2. That 50 percent ownership was of the Music Box Theatre on W. 45th Street. The Music Box was built by producer Sam H. Harris, who was with the Shubert Org, and composer Irving Berlin. Since Berlin's death, it's been co-owned by the Shuberts and the Irving estate.

The New York Post's Liz Smith reports that Berlin's three daughters—Mary Ellin Barrett, Linda Emmett and Elizabeth Peters—recently sold their half to the Shubert boys. No word on how much they paid, but you can bet it was plenty. The Shuberts have pots of money, and it's not like they build new Broadway theatres every day.

Now the Shuberts own the entirety of 45th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, with the exception of the ugly old Minskoff, owned by the Nederlanders. The Jacobs, Schoenfeld, Booth, Imperial, Music Box, and Golden theatres—all theirs. The first two, in case you're wondering, used to be called the Plymouth and the Royale, but were recently renamed after Shubert execs.