WASP Wednesday: WASP Restaurant

Well dearest readers, our dearest Muffy is officially in wedding mode. Her big day is just four days away, so it is just me celebrating WASP Wednesday today.

There are loads and loads of WASP restaurants all over the world. They range from four table bistros in the 1st arrondissement of Paris to townhouse eateries to tourist attractions. New York City is full of WASP eateries, but one of my favorites that is also full of history (that is also somewhat of a tourist attraction today) is the 21 Club.
This year is a big year for the 21 Club, they are celebrating their 80th birthday! 21 Club got it's name because of it's address; it is located at 21 West 52nd Street. 21 Club has been a go to restaurant for WASPs for years. As many of you know they flocked here during the Prohibition. 21 had a secret wine cellar (it was hidden behind canned goods and meats and could only be opened with a meat skewer) which is actually located under the building next door. Police never found anything because of the alarm system that was instilled and the fact that the cellar was so well hidden!

Another aspect WASPs love about 21 is the strict dress code. Jackets are always required for men (if you come in without one you will be given one before you are seated) and tennis shoes and jeans are never permitted. WASPs are surrounded by similarly dressed while dining on gourmet American food (their creamed spinach and creamed corn are the best you will EVER have!!).

The decor of 21 is also quite WASPy. The cocktail lounge is done up with wooded walls, large leather chairs and oriental carpet. The real gem is however, the bar room. Large leather booths and small red table clothes colored tables take the back seat. WASP eyes wonder the toys the hand from the ceiling and the plaques that cover the wall. These toys have been presented to the restaurant by sports stars, CEOs, celebrities and presidents. 75 years of American history pack the room full! Another signature of 21's decor (a super WASPy feature too) are the jockeys on the stairs outside the townhouse. "'21' was home to the affluent 'horsy' set as far back as the early 1930s. To impart their personal stamp on the speakeasy-turned-restaurant, many breeders began donating jockeys as symbols of their private horse farms. Today, many of the brightly painted figures represent the country's most prominent stables."

21 Club is a New York staple. It attracts WASPs from all over the country with its' old school history and fun atmosphere. It is a fabulous place to celebrate birthdays (mother and I have both done this!), have a business lunch or dine pre-theater. Happy 80th birthday 21, here is to many more to come!

Head over to the WASP Wednesday blog to watch a Discovery Channel video all about 21 Club. It is jam packed with history and they say it all much more eloquently than I ever could!