Cup & Saucer
I first heard about this old school diner/luncheonette called, “Cup & Saucer” over at the blog One More Folded Sunset, and I keep meaning to go, because who knows how long it will survive. Hopefully it will be there forever, but you never know in this day and age when it might morph into something horrible, like a Subway “sandwich” shop. Today, I thought I’d go to Canal Street and take some photos as I wander down towards the Cup & Saucer and then get something to eat at that vintage luncheonette. So here we go!
Okay, as Danny the Freelancer pointed out in last Sunday's post, I hit the Powerball on my ticket, so I thought I'd cash it in before we go. It's worth four bucks.
But instead of cash, I rolled it over into four numbers for tonight's Mega-Millions from my Lottery-selling friend down the street. It's up to 51 million bucks, I'll check it later today, tomorrow's post could be pretty wild if the numbers come in!
A couple were in Union Square offering up free hugs...
So I hugged it out, bitches! Free Lotto tickets and hugs, so far everything's going my way today!
Okay, it was an uneventful subway ride and here we are at Canal Street.
Canal Street is crowded as we make our way to Cup & Saucer.
I love the Chinese neon in Chinatown.
Aaaahhh! There's no escape!
Someone alert RuPaul, it's the Year of Drag!
And here we are at the Cup & Saucer. It doesn't get much more old-school than this!
What a great sign! It practically screams out: "Fuck you, Subway!"
The luncheonette is a narrow, shotgun space with a counter and stools on one side...
With small seating areas looking out at the street on the opposite side. Nice and cozy in here.
The menus hang overhead, behind the counter.
Here's John, who runs the show in here. A nice and hardworking fellow.
And here's a couple of the guys assembling and cooking food. Opera snippets are being sung by the closest fellow and it gives the place a festive feeling.
This gentlemen was busy too, but paused to give a smile to the TWM (thanks DD!) camera!
Okay, I'm starvin' like Marvin over here, time to check the menu!
I was tempted to get the pancakes or French toast...
But I try to eat pretty healthy through the week to make up for all the junk I throw down over the weekend! I got coleslaw and a chicken Caesar wrap with a pickle. It was delicious! And nutritious!
Hey...wait a second...are you seeing what I'm seeing? A CBBM mutation has invaded this blog now! There's no escape! Aaahhhh!
Further Reading: One More Folded Sunset, EV Grieve and Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York.
Gonna use my fingers,
Gonna use my, my, my imagination.
Surprise link, click on it...I dare you!
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Bonus Photo From Danny the Freelancer!
Danny the Freelancer sent in the photo below, which to me looks like either a really tiny man with a guitar or a giganzo guitar with a man. Here's what Danny said in his email: "I took this, this past summer on 41st and 7th Ave. The biggest Flying V I have ever seen and it sounded great!" Thanks for the photo, Danny, very cool!
Chinatown, Cup & Saucer, One More Folded Sunset Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 10:27AM
Reader Comments (30)
Ah man, I wish I'd of known - we'd (Lindsay and I and perhaps others) would have gone with you. Anytime you hit up old time NYC spots let us know, we want to TRIP WITH MARTY!
P.S. The Flying V (and all Gibson guitars made before 1984) were made in Kalamazoo Michigan! But not that one. Hahaha
@Shawn Chittle: Always love to have you along, I'll send you an email and maybe we can meet Sunday night!
I think that guitar was made in Kowabunga, Texas. How does he get that guitar down in the Subway?
Great little luncheonette. I thought I knew most of them, never seen that one.
That guitar obviously can transform into a robotic animal. More importantly, it can magically decrease in size by transforming into a cassette tape (thus fitting on the subway) when it returns to its master Soundwave.
That's an ambitious guitarist trying out Hendrix's favorite studio axe.
Love the look of this place from the outside !
PS .... in the CBBM mutation picture --- I wonder what is going on with that wall behind him & all the dents & holes & punch marks ?
@Danny the Freelancer: You should check it out and thanks again for that photo!
@csp: What are these "cassette tapes" you speak of?
@michael: Ha ha ha! Agreed!
@GENE: It's really a clasic place! As far as the wall, I don't even want to think about it!
Yeah, looks like somebody really blew his cool and took it out on those tiles...there are similar marks on my office walls from the last time my computer blew off my artwork while I was attempting to finish one of my cartoons...
Cup and Saucer is filled with tourists on weekends. But beautiful tourists, nonetheless.
I'm in for that trip of old NYC spots -- like Goldfingers, Scores, Flashdancers...
But seriously, I'll tag along. This Sunday would be perfect since it's a holiday on Monday.
One idea is to hit some of the Mad Men bars and restaurants. Just a thought.
The Cup and Saucer looks likes Tom Waits should be sitting at the counter drinking black coffee. Or someplace Raymond Chandler walks into sees a blond at the end of the counter and thinks to himself “From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away.”
Sadly, places like the Cup and Saucer are a dying breed, being replaced by Starbucks or Subway and the like.
A few years ago I was saddened when Joe Jr’s (6th and 12th) closed; I ate breakfast there Monday through Friday since the early 70’s. At Joe Jr’s you were you were made to feel welcome. If you were a regular you were made to feel like family, and I’m sure the same could be said of The Cup and Saucer.
Case in point: In 2007 my wife passed away, and Stella the cashier at Joe Jr’s started asking the other regulars what happened to me. Long story short: Stella the cashier and Ari the cook attended the funeral.
@Jaws: I hate it when that happens!
@esquared: Love the Mad Men list at Eater, I'll start hitting them a few at a time, can't do the whole list in one day...well, you never know! Maybe I will try it!
@Martin: Love your stories! I live about five blocks from where Joe Jrs was located and ate in their all the time. A great and friendly place which is now some upscale yuppie coffee place. So sorry to hear about your wife, but how cool that they came to the funeral.
Holy Moley ... the Cup & Saucer is positively dreamy!
The End Times are near .... the CBBM and his minions are taking over the world :)
I love Martin's stories.. Sorry about your wife martin..but agreeing with martster that is very cool they went to the funeral.. My restaurant (the one i worked at for 8 years)was like that.. we would all cry anytime a regular would pass on us.
thats the places i like to eat at.
so i want cup and saucer and i want it now..
i love the window seats.. thats pretty cool like outside looking booths.
ok i am hungry.
@roadsidewonders: It's a really cool place, with a friendly atmosphere. Like walking back in time when you go there! And yes, enjoy today, for tomorrow belongs to CBBM and his evil mutations!
@Gidget: Well, get out here and I'll take you there! And then maybe dessert at McSorley's!
@Gidget: Thank you.
@Marty: If I ate at Joe Jr’s in the evening they used to give me free dessert, which was a doughnut topped with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. They never asked if I wanted dessert, they just brought it.
Psst...you're TWM.
I don't know how I'm going to fit in all of these great places to eat and drink. My next trip's going to have to be 4 years long. Anyhoo, I love it when people burst out into song. Although I hate it when people hum along to the Muzak at the grocery store. Go figure.
@Martin: Very cool about Joe Jr's, I loved that place!
@Dyslexic Dan: Thanks! Correcting it soon. Update: Corrected and credit is given where credit is due!
@Biff: I need to hit the Lotto and we'll hit them all when you move out here!
Glad you enjoyed Cup & Saucer, Marty! Esquared: yes, you have to pick the right slivers of time to go to lots of bars, luncheonettes, etc. etc. these days, in order to avoid annoying scenes. Little windows of peace. Loved Martin's reflections. I liked going to Joe Jrs. too. Beautiful place.
Wonder what the guitar pick looks like. Les Paul would be proud.
lordy...lordy...lordy...another great post & comments...reminds me when...another time...but where have all these great spots gone?...yeah where have all the flowers gone?...memories rule—memories suck...damn a paradox...fuck that...great video, surprise link, all comments and bonus photo...
"The mere chink of cups and saucers turns the mind to happy repose."
~ George Gissie
rr
@onemorefoldedsunset: Thanks for turning me on to it, via your blog!
@DaveW: I hope the pick is made out of steel, or it will never survive!
@rr: Thanks so much! Yeah these places are disappearing and we need to enjoy them while they're still around! An absolutely perfect quote tonight, thank you, sir!
I wish we had places like that out here. This is why suburbia sucks. Bonus of suburbia? It almost never smells like urine...I guess that makes things even out a little...
@Britta: "Bonus of suburbia? It almost never smells like urine..." Ha ha ha! Too true, especially in the subways in the summer!
@TWM: A cassette tape in its audio form, was a popular stripped down 8-track. The recording industry warned it would mean the end of all record sales because people would record songs off the radio. A cassette tape in its video form was a VHS tape, a crappy version of Betamax . Hollywood and TV warned that it would mean the end of all new movies and TV since everyone would just record it to VHS tapes.
Crap, I got off topic.
@csp: And then the internet was born and all of our lives as we knew them were taken away from us.
Marty I have been trying to comment but I get "unable to post"??I will try again.
I want the pancakes and french toast although the wrap looks really good too!!
The free hugs people rock!!
@Melanie: That's a bug that my hosting site has once in a while. If you get it, the best thing to do is to clear your cache and try again. The Cup & Saucer is a great place and the wrap was delicious! And you're right, the free hugs people do rock! Thanks for the extra effort on your comment!
That place looks awesome! Hope the wrap was good!
@Reggie Thistleton: The place is awesome! And the wrap was delicious!