The Roosevelt on Ice
A thousand years ago the Roosevelt was the only hotel that offered kosher catering and I wanted to get married to my first husband there but the cost was outrageous – back then. SO I got married in my brother’s backyard by his pool with my parents and aunt and uncle holding my dad’s tallit over our heads.
Not too long later my brother got married in the Blue Room of the Roosevelt and had the wedding of my dreams complete with ice sculptures and he got down on one knee and sang Chances Are to my sister in law. And they lived happily ever after. No – they had a baby born one pound nine ounces after many miscarriages and then my brother went to prison and then he went again and that’s where he is now.
Today, I had Tin for a couple of hours and so we got on the street car and went to the Roosevelt to see the beautiful lobby all decorated like an ice palace and we went to John Besh’s Domenica and got a pizza and mommy got a glass of champagne and a delightful arugula salad. Half priced. That is right – happy hour the pizzas and wine are half priced. Who knew?
We then walked over to the hotel sweets shop and got a cookie for Tin and I got salted caramel gelato. Happy as fat cats, we walked back to the streetcar and made our way down Canal Street to our home.
The Roosevelt is now owned by the Waldorf Astoria who we here in New Orleans have to thank for remodeling this grand dame and keeping its awesomeness alive. You go back to places and you’re changed and you see them through new eyes and you realize that at one time you had wanted so badly to have your first marriage in this fabulous place and instead it is thirty years later, and you are now taking your son there instead.
December 30th, 2013 at 11:47 am
When I was a kid one of the highlights of the Christmas season was being loaded in the family car with my siblings and being driven the 13 miles to the small town where we could see all the bright multicolored lights and decorated houses, plus my favorite: the jewelry store with a mechanized velvet-dressed tiny Santa playing his tiny piano. It was magic. Now if I’m lucky enough to be in NYC near the same time, I love the magnificent store displays that don’t cost a dime to enjoy! You and Tin are making memories, too, the kind that neither will likely forget. That’s what I like about Christmas.
December 30th, 2013 at 5:43 pm
Me too Alice – it’s about the lights – whether its Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or Solstice – it’s about bringing light into the darkness and when others light up our way it’s even more magical.