Automat Comes to Rome

I remember that when I first moved to New York City in 1979 there was still a Horn & Hardart Automat on East 42nd Street, not too far from Grand Central Terminal. It had two walls of art deco stainless steel, dispensing sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and slices of coconut cream pie from windowed, coin-operated compartments. The automat on East 42nd Street closed in 1991.

The coffee at the Horn & Hardart Automat was dispensed from a dolphin-head fountain, modeled after one in Pompeii.

The automat is finding new life in Rome. I have seen two, one near Piazza Navona and a second on Via Cavour, near the Coliseum. It is disappointing that they do not have the dolphin-head coffee dispensers.

Above is the automat near Piazza Navona.

Below is the automat near the Coliseum. 

A Library Closing in New York

In the New York Times today I read that the Donnell Library Center, on West 53rd Street near Fifth Avenue, across from the Museum of Modern Art, is closing at the end of this week. It will reopen in about 4 years under an 11 story hotel. I often enjoyed the library's Children's reading room with the Winnie the Pooh and Friends doll collection. Looking at Christopher Robin's actual bear and other stuffed toys that were part of the inspiration for A.A. Milne's classic children's book was always a special surprise treat for visitors I would guide around midtown Manhattan.