Personal journal entry from May 8, 1996:
Sitting in the Howard Johnson's in Times Square, drinking a vanilla Coke. Outside, the billboard with the Eight O'Clock Bean Coffee cup steams, the Cup O'Noodles cup steams, the giant Coke bottle tips its cap, sticks out its straw, and says ENJOY ENJOY ENJOY. A pair of mounted police clip-clop past the glass, the horses' tails swinging down Broadway. Somebody in here orders the fried clam platter. The sign above me says COCKTAILS and IT'S HAPPY HOUR AT HOWARD JOHNSON'S. The waiter serves two heaping banana splits to a couple of German ladies. "Banana splits?" he says. The ladies' eyes widen, they smile, "Beautiful," they say and dig in.
It had some of the most wonderful signage in town:
7 comments:
It just hit me that I've never looked at your first post! How fitting that JVNY started with Howard Johnson's vanishing in Times Square. That was a huge loss. I loved the little orange cocktail bar in the back. The only good thing left in Times Square now that I can think of off the top of my head is Jimmy's Corner Bar. And of course the M&M's store...just kidding!
i so miss that Hojo's...
Follow you on Twitter and didn't realize the germination of this blog was HoJo. I worked at all the HoJos in Times Square - about 5 yrs. in the late 70s, early 80s, as a struggling dancer/actress. It was WILD. Decided to work there for the camp factor and it was that and so much more. You have no idea...
Happy Anniversary!
thanks Marty! i'll do a little thing about it tomorrow, belatedly.
all of a sudden, howard johnson's looks super attractive in a simple way. also the food is beautiful, natural & real. those photos make me hungry.how can compare this to "mc donald s", "subway", "kentucky fried" what ever. why cant someone bring back a chain like this? they don't make chains like they used too, thats for sure.
i had forgotton they closed. now here is a chain, we all could appreciate. 2 poached eggs on whole wheat toast, or kellogs K a cup of coffee. maybe tell had a bananna cut up for the cereal. thats real living! practical & real, not insulting to me. you know me, the elistist snob? if i miss howards, you know it had universal class.
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