My first reaction when I saw that these pictures were supposedly from 1985 -- the same year I first visited New York -- was that my photos from that era sure don't look this ancient.
Then I looked at mine AGAIN. Yikes.
Any doubts about the timing were quickly erased, however, when I noticed the films on the Criterion Center marquee: “National Lampoon’s European Vacation” and “Cocoon,” which showed at the movie theater where I worked my senior year in high school -- Dobson HS Class of ‘85 -- as well as “Day of the Dead” and “Fright Night,” playing around the corner from HoJo’s in the top image.
My friend Scott in San Francisco says: Things have changed so much. 1985 is a time when cities were being rediscovered after a mass exodus to suburbia two decades prior. In many ways, the cities were exceptionally older than the times because nothing happened for so long. It will be interesting to see how today's cities recover.
Indeed. I suppose my only regret about that fateful trip to NYC is that I didn’t catch a screening of “Cat House,” being the feline lover that I am. 😻
UPDATE:
I'm reminded that the famed Gaiety Theatre was on the side of Howard Johnson's, as seen in these photos from around the same period. Happy to say I was (reluctantly!) taken there a couple of times by my old doubles partner (Eric) when I moved to the city 25 years ago!
6 comments:
😊 My second thought, after the cool "Howard Johnson's" sign, was... Wow look at the hottie in the cute yellow shorts!
When I see that Howard Johnson’s I miss the Gaiety!!
I'm afraid you would have been disappointed with "Cat House." :-D
These photos bring back memories too-the city was a lot more fun then
Just found your fantastic blog! Wanted to point out that in the photo showing Howard Johnson’s from two sides, there is a smaller yellow sign to the right of it that was awesome. I photographed and then made a painting of it. It said “Whirly Girly Revue” and had three red neon arrows pointing down.
I never made it to the Gaiety, sadly. But I did go to that Howard Johnson's! My NYTRNG co-workers and I went for lunch right before it closed.
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