Dear GofG: In Defense Of The Oak Room

Oct 20, 2010 11:37 AM

On Monday, we sort of lambasted the new owners of The Plaza Hotel and lamented it's downward spiral from elegant pinnacle of society to cheesy B&T gathering place. Yesterday, we got a letter that put the issue in a whole new light. -

We still think it's a shame the hotel's gone from Eloise to The Situation, but this letter has some good points. Read it below and decide for yourself.

Hi, Chiara.

Read your post on Plaza and I don't disagree but do you know that the Oak Room has nothing to do with the plaza....

Different owners.

No relationship to Plaza's problems with their own spaces or with the retail court or with the retailers.

Oak Room is making money!

Oak Room is having fun, too.

We're very well aware that the demographic that would have been sought after has gotten much older and no longer a player.

Tourists are a given.

The only way to grow a new clientele is to be more fun. Fun food. Updated drinks. Great desserts. New things to do. Look at it this way: what IS there to do on the upper east side??
We may as well give them a watering hole to patronize.

I say its a great meeting place between East and West sides; downtown and uptown....its in the center of NY. Why not give everyone a reason to come to Oak Room?

That's it.

Best, Sam.

What do you guys think? Would love to hear your responses in the comments.

[Note: Googling tells us the author of this letter works for a PR firm. Still.]

To contact the author of this post, email guestofaguest@gmail.com

enoughalready

October 20, 2010

5:41pm

Despite what has been done to it, the Plaza is still a beautiful, dignified old institution with a formidable history. Nobody is saying the place shouldn't be lively. Why not do something more sophisticated? The Michael Fredo events at least aimed higher. People are generally well dressed, there is LIVE MUSIC and a nice crowd. Let the coke and ecstacy fueled champ brunch lowlives in their untucked shirts and Jersey slut attire go jump on tables and banquettes and spray each other with booze elsewhere, say....Lavo?  

yadadamean

October 20, 2010

7:02pm

In the wise words of Bob Dylan, times they are-a changin. It is about time these classic nyc establishments actually make some money. I say support Day and Night, support the new Chelsea Room at the Chelsea Hotel, keep things classic but with a modern twist. And I have to reply back to enoughalready- as if there isn't cocaine everywhere in manhattan. leave the young successful and attractive people alone, they can snort if they want to.  

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