Only 90,000 pipes on the ceiling...

Next week I’m attending a meeting at the UN with an EESC delegation (more about that in another post) so I flew out this Friday morning to New York. I have a number of friends here that I haven’t seen for yonks and decided to make a weekend of it. First off this evening was a Dutch friend, Hugo, from EUI days. He took me to Keens Steak House. This was originally a gentlemen’s smoking den. The ceiling is covered with replicas of old clay pipes, but they also have some original pipes in glass cases,  including those of Buffalo Bill Cody, Teddy Roosevelt and John Barrymore. Albert Einstein, Adlai Stevenson and George McArthur were among a long list of occasional distinguished puffers. There’s no puffing anymore, but the food and company were great. My route home took me past the Empire State and the Chrysler Building. The latter is as beautiful as the former is boring, particularly at night.