Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle

It was a full non-stop day in NYC yesterday, with a full day planned for today too, before we head to the airport this evening. I will write a much more detailed post in the coming days. We started our evening last night at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle. What a ‘classic’ New York experience. Really from another time. The portrait of Bobby Short a lovely reminder of that time and his importance in the history of The Carlyle.

Named in honor of Ludwig Bemelmans, the creator of the classic Madeline children’s books. His murals painted on the walls create a warm, inviting, sophisticated space. Bemelmans was a successful artist for The New Yorker, Vogue and Town & Country and had achieved enormous success with the Madeline children’s books series. Using his distinct style of art, he transformed the bar with whimsical scenes of Central Park that included picnicking rabbits and ice skating elephants. Rather than be paid for his art, Bemelmans exchanged his work for a year and a half of accommodations at The Carlyle for himself and his family.