Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, January 11, 1946

Jan. 11 (Friday) –

Eat a “Continental Breakfast” in bed listening to the radio, walk down Fifth Ave looking at windows.

To gallery about 11:00. The show looks well. (Frank has added the “Mid-June” it hangs next to “Autumnal Fantasy”)

To lunch at St. Denis (next to Stork Club)

(Frank’s party – Grace and Edward Root also with us) Dr. and Mrs. Tenguell at another table.

Afternoon at gallery – late afternoon to hotel to rest a while.

Frank calls for us, by taxi, to Dr. Tenguell’s for cocktails. (their dog Taffy & his cute antics). Erich _____? also a pleasant fellow.

To “Don & Elsie’s” Music Box in the Village, for supper. Good food & drink – with good music – the proprietor, his wife and & daughter (?) sing snatches of opera etc, [next few words unintelligible possibly, “the present plays raucous”] things. Frank had told him I was fond of Sibelius, so he played his Romance & Finlandia.           

We amused ourselves by acting childish – hitting cocktail sticks to make them jump into tumblers etc.

Leave at midnight – Frank wants us all to go to “Sammy’s” [“Sammy’s Bowery Follies”] in the Bowery, but the Tenguells go home.

The rest of us, including Erich to “Sammy’s” – The drunk who met us as we got out of the taxi.

Sammy’s – an incredible, indescribable place – where the lowest toughs & millionaires meet – the “floor show” burlesque of the toughest Bowery singing & entertainment minus any suggestion of the [word unintelligible]. Hideous looking females in gaudy “1890” costumes, made up to accentuate their bizarre ugliness. Then songs shouted thru loudspeakers – the din was terrific all the time.

We did not stay long.

Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, January 11, 1946