The Gilded Gentleman

As New York continued its march up the island of Manhattan, there were few places where people that couldn't escape to Newport could find somewhere to relax, play, stroll and find some shade.  The development of Central Park  provided some much needed relief but it took some time for it to become a place that was accessible and viable for all of New York's social classes.     Out on the far coast of Brooklyn, the resort of Coney Island developed rapidly and became a truly great escape with its famous amusement parks where one could find adventure and perhaps a bit of romance.  In this episode, returning guest Esther Crain, author and creator of Ephemeral New York, takes us on a journey to visit these spots and spaces where Gilded Age New Yorkers could cool off, forget the realities of life for just a bit, and have a really good time.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As a special summer bonus, join Carl for an encore of this classic Gilded Gentleman episode. Be sure to wear your best hat and dust off your gold topped cane for this very gilded shopping trip. Carl is joined by Emma Guest-Consales, PhD art historian and master New York City tour guide. for this special look at the evolution of shopping in 19th century New York and just how revolutionary some retailers were in the Gilded Age.   Emma takes us on a virtual visit to Ladies MIle, the elegant shopping thoroughfare along Broadway as well as for a look at several of the great cast iron shopping emporiums such as Siegel Cooper and Stern Brothers. Many of the standard elements of a retail experience such as end of season sales, good customer service, merchandise displays and even everyone's favorite pastime, window shopping were revelations in the 19th century and this episode will delve into just how it all came to be. For more information, you can also listen to the Bowery Boys Podcast episode on Ladies Mile. More on this week's guest Emma Guest-Consales. You can book her Gilded Age tours here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There is nothing like a finely crafted cocktail to celebrate a special occasion (even if it's just a typical Tuesday). While many think that classic cocktail history began during the Jazz Age and the 1920s (even though America was in the middle of Prohibition), the truth is that much happened about fifty years before -- in the Gilded Age.  Vintage beverage specialist Don Spiro takes listeners through the history that includes the moment mixed drinks began to be called "cocktails", what the very first cocktail actually was, and most importantly, how  great Gilded Age hotels like New York's Waldorf Hotel and the Hoffman House contributed to cocktail history.  Don shares some of his favorite vintage cocktails, cocktail books and stories of some of the most famous and influential celebrity bartenders. You'll hear the histories of the Manhattan, the Martini, the Daiquiri and  - as a special bonus - Don even has created a brand new cocktail - The Gilded Gentleman. Join us to find out just what's in it and how you can make it at home!Visit the website for more information Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Oscar Wilde arrived in New York in January 1882, one of his most important intentions was to meet the great Walt Whitman, who was more than 30 years older than Wilde, and whom he had idolized since his youth.  The two poets met, and in this show, we expand on what that meeting would have been like, how each writer influenced the other, and what perhaps did and didn't happen at their encounter.  But the story is larger than that. This special show, with noted Wilde scholar and expert John Cooper, takes a look at the New York Wilde met upon his arrival and just why and how this 27 year-old Irish poet charmed them and began to develop his own unique brand of celebrity.  In today's show, John guides listeners on a journey to discover just who Oscar Wilde was at this point in his life and career, how he and the city of New York interacted with each other, and just how Oscar would likely have defined and described his own much debated sexual identity.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New York world that Walt Whitman knew as a young man in the 1850's was really two cities - that of New York (which was only today's Manhattan) and the growing city of Brooklyn across the East River.  These two cities in the midst of pre-Civil War and pre-Gilded Age development inspired the young Whitman to give voice to a new America and new experience.  In this first episode of a two-part series, writer and historian Hugh Ryan ("When Brooklyn Was Queer") talks about just how revolutionary Whtman's "Leaves of Grass" was, and just how Whitman would have defined his same-sex attractions, which had not yet evolved into the concepts of sexuality and gender identification that we know today.   This unique episode includes a look at the New York and Brooklyn that Whitman knew. Hugh contributes his own perspective and insight into just what that famous meeting between the older Whitman and the younger Oscar Wilde years later might have been like.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A special bonus episode from the  Bowery Boys archives!  Join Tom and Greg for an in-depth look at the architect that, as some have said,  gave the Gilded Age its look. In the years before the great firm of McKim, Mead and White with its star architect Stanford White, another American born and Paris trained architect was translating European style with uniquely American taste. Richard Morris Hunt was one of the very first to establish architecture as an art form and his work included such iconic structures as the base of the Statue of Liberty, the grand facade and entrance hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as mansions for Mrs. Astor and the Vanderbilts. Join Tom and Greg for this uniquely fascinating look at Hunt's life and influence and how he brought a refinement and sense of art into American architecture. For more images, visit the Bowery Boys website. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A look at New York's theater scene during the Gilded Age. Tim Dolan, theater historian and theater district tour guide (owner of Broadway UpClose) helps us take a look at the era's theater, including its shows, stars and theaters, some of which are still around. Through most of the 19th century New Yorkers thought of "Broadway" as a street, not a term that meant great theater or even a theater district.  This episode takes a look at what theater was like in the late 1800's and early 1900s just as Times Square was developing. This was the era of shows like Floradora and the Ziegfeld Follies. Tim discusses some famous performers, like the star Lillian Russell and the fascinating Julian Eltinge.   We look at a few theaters still playing to full houses from that time - the Hudson, the Lyceum, the New Amsterdam and the Belasco. (And a couple of those may contain a few ghosts that continue to wander their halls!)  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Take a fascinating journey back in time to visit a few British royal rulers with an intimate look at their reigns as well as at their majestic coronations.  British author and historian Tracy Borman joins The Gilded Gentleman for this unique look at history based on her book "Crown & Sceptre: A New History of the British Monarchy from William the Conqueror to King Charles III". In this second part of our coronation celebration, historian and author Tracy Borman, joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, takes us into the world of  the Tudors to discuss just what Henry VIII and his chief minister Thomas Cromwell were really like.  We move on to the glorious rule of Elizabeth I whom Tracy says "makes us fall in love with queens".  Entering the 19th century, we look at the world of Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales who became Edward VII.  Tracy gives us a look at each of these monarch's coronations and surprisingly how they compare to that of King Charles III. If you are a royal watcher or lover of British history, don't miss this show - we end the episode with a discussion of just how the current monarchy fits into the long line of history.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Join Carl and historian and curator, Curt DiCamillo for a fascinating look into the history of the British Crown Jewels.  Curt shares the history of the crowns and jewels, including a discussion of the oldest (and newest) pieces in the collection.  The show includes an intriguing look at how crowns likely first came to be in royal history and how they have evolved in shape and decoration from medieval times to the present day. The crowns we see today feature an extraordinary array of precious gemstones which contains stories both light and dark of how they entered the collection.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The world of couture designers during the Gilded Age and the Belle Epoque went far beyond just the designers themselves.  Houses such as Worth, Doucet and Paquin and many others created the stunning gowns and dresses worn by both Europe's and America's moneyed elite.  But the network of milliners, hairdressers, perfumers, and even shippers and tax agents all made up the larger network that created this uniquely interdependent world.  Author Dr. Elizabeth Block (Dressing Up: The Women Who Influenced French Fashion, MIT Press) takes us deep into the Parisian fashion world of the late-19th century for a fascinating look at how these fashions were made, how much they really cost, how they were sold, and how they were shipped back to mansions on Fifth Avenue.  Discover why the House of Worth is the most well-known today, as well as some of the contributions of houses lesser known today, such as Maison Felix.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.