I don't know what it was like at the beginning, nor after WW1. The time to be at the Cafe Royal was definitely when dining with Oscar Wilde. The idea of receiving visitors from the Continent, changing languages as new people came in, appeals to me enormously.
What a great picture. It is a shame that it closed down for good just a few years ago, but of course it had long since changed from the days when this photograph was taken. I recently read Monica Dickens' novel "Mariana" and that contains an excellent scene in the Cafe Royale in the 1930s...
Hi Hannah, as Helen says above to have been able to go at its height and share a coffee (or something stronger) with Oscar and listen to his wit - I'd love that.
I don't know what it was like at the beginning, nor after WW1. The time to be at the Cafe Royal was definitely when dining with Oscar Wilde. The idea of receiving visitors from the Continent, changing languages as new people came in, appeals to me enormously.
ReplyDeleteThanks Helen. I found this nice potted history some of which was definately new to me:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/last-orders-at-the-caf-royal-1208491.html
I didn't realise Oscar was friends wih Frank Harris. And a drinker of Absinthe.
http://czechabsinthe.wordpress.com/2007/10/
Thanks Helen. I found this nice potted history some of which was definately new to me:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/last-orders-at-the-caf-royal-1208491.html
I didn't realise Oscar was friends wih Frank Harris. And a drinker of Absinthe.
http://czechabsinthe.wordpress.com/2007/10/
What a great picture. It is a shame that it closed down for good just a few years ago, but of course it had long since changed from the days when this photograph was taken. I recently read Monica Dickens' novel "Mariana" and that contains an excellent scene in the Cafe Royale in the 1930s...
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing
Hannah
Hi Hannah, as Helen says above to have been able to go at its height and share a coffee (or something stronger) with Oscar and listen to his wit - I'd love that.
ReplyDelete