Monkeying Around

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An article caught my eye because it was about my hometown, New York City, and I found it fascinating to read about a restaurant in Manhattan called The Monkey Bar. So you’re probably wondering what is so special or interesting about this particular place. • Toward the end of the Prohibition, The Monkey Bar opened up in 1936 on the ground floor of the Hotel Elysee in Midtown. At this time it was one of the fanciest hotels around New York City. • It quickly became the popular place for celebrities such as Tallulah Bankhead. • Strange occurrences as well, like supposedly Tennessee Williams mysteriously choked on an eyedropper and died right there on the spot. What is true, as I discovered by looking on the Internet, is that he did indeed choke on the cap from an eyedropper bottle at the Elysee Hotel, where the restaurant is located. However, the coroner specified death due to a mixture of drugs and alcohol. Perhaps the famous writer still frequents The Monkey Bar, and you can ask him about this yourself. I know I would like to meet him. • In 2009 the restaurant was purchased by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter and his wife, hotelier Jeff Klein, and Jeremy King of The Wolseley in London. • At the restaurant you’ll see a three-paneled mural that stretches along the whole length of the hall and onto some adjoining walls. It was created by illustrator Ed Sorel. In the mural you can see some prominent figures from the Jazz Age who used to hang out at the restaurant. • Entering The Monkey Bar, you get an old-fashioned feel as you see the live piano and player in the corner. The bar has monkey murals in the background. Going through the bar, you reach the restaurant area, which has a romantic atmosphere to it. • You will see monkeys most everywhere. • The Monkey Bar has been seen on “Sex and the City” and on “Mad Men." If you are wondering, then no, when I lived in NYC, I did not know about this bar, but I frequented a place called The Bells of Hells. I lived on the wild side,