| The New York Optimist July 2008, Vol. 01: Issue 01 |
| Waldorf Astoria |
An Astor family feud contributed to the events which led to the construction of the
original Waldorf-Astoria on Fifth Avenue.
It started as two hotels: one owned by William Waldorf Astor, whose 13-story
Waldorf Hotel was opened in 1893 and the other owned by his cousin, John Jacob
Astor IV, called the Astoria Hotel and opened four years later and four stories
higher.
William Astor, motivated in part by a dispute with his aunt, built the original
Waldorf Hotel next door to her home, on the site of his father's mansion and
today's Empire State Building. The hotel was built to the specifications of founding
proprietor George Boldt; he and his wife Louise had become known as the owners
and operators of the Bellevue, an elite boutique hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on
Broad Street, subsequently expanded and renamed the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel.
Boldt continued to own the Bellevue (and, later, the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel) even
after his relationship with the Astors blossomed.
William Astor's construction of a hotel next to his aunt's home worsened his feud
with her, but, with Boldt's help, John Astor persuaded his aunt to move uptown.
John Astor then built the Astor Hotel and leased it to Boldt. Initially foreseen as two
separate entities, Boldt had planned the new structure so that it could be connected to
the old by means that became known as Peacock Alley. The combined
Waldorf-Astoria became the largest hotel in the world at the time, while maintaining
the original Waldorf's high standards.
The Waldorf-Astoria is historically significant for transforming the contemporary
hotel, then a facility for transients, into a social center of the city as well as a
prestigious destination for visitors. The Waldorf=Astoria was influential in
advancing the status of women, who were admitted singly without escorts.
Founding proprietor, George C. Boldt, became wealthy and prominent
internationally, if not so much a popular celebrity as his famous employee, Oscar
Tschirky, "Oscar of the Waldorf." Boldt built one of American's most ambitious
houses, Boldt Castle, on one of the Thousand Islands. George Boldt's wife, Louise
Kehrer Boldt, was influential in evolving the idea of the grand urban hotel as a social
center, particularly in making it appealing to women as a venue for social events.
When the new skyscraping Waldorf-Astoria was built on Park Avenue, under the
guidance of Lucius Boomer, the manager of the old Waldorf, a cast of furnishers
and decorators with good reputations was assembled, to give it a grand yet domestic
atmosphere.[1] Boomer retired to Florida after the old Waldorf Astoria was
demolished, but he had retained exclusive rights to use the name "Waldorf-Astoria",
which he transferred to the new hotel. He died in an airplane crash in 1947, and
Conrad Hilton bought the Waldorf Astoria in 1949. [2]
In 2006 Hilton Hotels announced plans to build a second Waldorf-Astoria near
Walt Disney World in Florida, and in 2007, plans were announced that another
Waldorf=Astoria will be built in Beverly Hills, where Santa Monica Boulevard and
Wilshire Boulevard cross. A combination hotel and condominium Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel and Residence Tower has been announced by third parties to be developed for
Hilton in Chicago.
On August 24, 2007, Dimension Development Company of Natchitoches,
Louisiana announced the purchase of the New Orleans Fairmont Hotel and plans to
convert the hotel into a Waldorf Astoria. It was not immediately known whether the
name would be changed to Waldorf Astoria or whether it would revert to its former
name, The Roosevelt with the tagline, a Waldorf Astoria Collection Hotel. In the
1940s, 50s and 60s, The Roosevelt was home to the World Famous "Blue Room"
which brought--for the first time--the best Hollywood and Las Vegas talent to the
Deep South on a regular basis.
Reference-www.wikipedia.org
original Waldorf-Astoria on Fifth Avenue.
It started as two hotels: one owned by William Waldorf Astor, whose 13-story
Waldorf Hotel was opened in 1893 and the other owned by his cousin, John Jacob
Astor IV, called the Astoria Hotel and opened four years later and four stories
higher.
William Astor, motivated in part by a dispute with his aunt, built the original
Waldorf Hotel next door to her home, on the site of his father's mansion and
today's Empire State Building. The hotel was built to the specifications of founding
proprietor George Boldt; he and his wife Louise had become known as the owners
and operators of the Bellevue, an elite boutique hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on
Broad Street, subsequently expanded and renamed the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel.
Boldt continued to own the Bellevue (and, later, the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel) even
after his relationship with the Astors blossomed.
William Astor's construction of a hotel next to his aunt's home worsened his feud
with her, but, with Boldt's help, John Astor persuaded his aunt to move uptown.
John Astor then built the Astor Hotel and leased it to Boldt. Initially foreseen as two
separate entities, Boldt had planned the new structure so that it could be connected to
the old by means that became known as Peacock Alley. The combined
Waldorf-Astoria became the largest hotel in the world at the time, while maintaining
the original Waldorf's high standards.
The Waldorf-Astoria is historically significant for transforming the contemporary
hotel, then a facility for transients, into a social center of the city as well as a
prestigious destination for visitors. The Waldorf=Astoria was influential in
advancing the status of women, who were admitted singly without escorts.
Founding proprietor, George C. Boldt, became wealthy and prominent
internationally, if not so much a popular celebrity as his famous employee, Oscar
Tschirky, "Oscar of the Waldorf." Boldt built one of American's most ambitious
houses, Boldt Castle, on one of the Thousand Islands. George Boldt's wife, Louise
Kehrer Boldt, was influential in evolving the idea of the grand urban hotel as a social
center, particularly in making it appealing to women as a venue for social events.
When the new skyscraping Waldorf-Astoria was built on Park Avenue, under the
guidance of Lucius Boomer, the manager of the old Waldorf, a cast of furnishers
and decorators with good reputations was assembled, to give it a grand yet domestic
atmosphere.[1] Boomer retired to Florida after the old Waldorf Astoria was
demolished, but he had retained exclusive rights to use the name "Waldorf-Astoria",
which he transferred to the new hotel. He died in an airplane crash in 1947, and
Conrad Hilton bought the Waldorf Astoria in 1949. [2]
In 2006 Hilton Hotels announced plans to build a second Waldorf-Astoria near
Walt Disney World in Florida, and in 2007, plans were announced that another
Waldorf=Astoria will be built in Beverly Hills, where Santa Monica Boulevard and
Wilshire Boulevard cross. A combination hotel and condominium Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel and Residence Tower has been announced by third parties to be developed for
Hilton in Chicago.
On August 24, 2007, Dimension Development Company of Natchitoches,
Louisiana announced the purchase of the New Orleans Fairmont Hotel and plans to
convert the hotel into a Waldorf Astoria. It was not immediately known whether the
name would be changed to Waldorf Astoria or whether it would revert to its former
name, The Roosevelt with the tagline, a Waldorf Astoria Collection Hotel. In the
1940s, 50s and 60s, The Roosevelt was home to the World Famous "Blue Room"
which brought--for the first time--the best Hollywood and Las Vegas talent to the
Deep South on a regular basis.
Reference-www.wikipedia.org
Overs the years, countless people of fame or infamy have stayed at the hotel. Not
many people know that former president Herbert Hoover and retired general
Douglas MacArthur live in different suites in the hotel at the same time during the
50's and 60's. Marylin Monroe was known to stay there for a few months at a time.
Gangsters, Bugsy Siegel, and Lucky Luchiano were also residents.
many people know that former president Herbert Hoover and retired general
Douglas MacArthur live in different suites in the hotel at the same time during the
50's and 60's. Marylin Monroe was known to stay there for a few months at a time.
Gangsters, Bugsy Siegel, and Lucky Luchiano were also residents.
| History of the Hotel |
| Lucky Luciano |
| However, one of the most famous things to come out of the Waldorf-Astoria, was the Waldorf salad. Invented in 1896 by Oscar Tschirky the hotels maître d'hôtel, the dish became an immediate success. The original version of this salad contained only apples, celery and mayonnaise. Chopped walnuts later became an integral part of the dish. Waldorf salad is usually served on top of a bed of lettuce. Reference- www.kitchenproject.com |
| CLASSIC WALDORF SALAD Ingredients: 1 cup apples chopped, (Granny smith or a Sweet tart apple or a combination of different tart apples) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 cup celery, chopped 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup raisins (optional) 1/4 cup walnuts (optional) Sprinkle apples with lemon juice after they are cut Add all other ingredients. Toss to coat all pieces with mayonnaise. |
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