Closeted gay people do, of course, lead rich, satisfying existences, even if they leave fewer traces. To be visibly whole.” I would have put the emphasis on visibly rather than on whole. Here was a generation of men, more or less, for whom it was difficult to be visibly gay. In the book’s epilogue, he explains that he was motivated by the lives that these men “ wanted but couldn’t have. This proves a thorny task when dealing with men who led pointedly secret lives. Instead of focusing on the killer, Green opts to humanize his victims.
Townhouse gay bar nyc serial#
The most prolific serial killers exploit the vulnerabilities of the social order the “Last Call Killer” took advantage of gay men’s need for discretion and the endemic homophobia of law enforcement. Two more men would be added to the body count in 1993: a struggling prostitute known to operate out of the Port Authority and the “hustler buffet” in the East 50s and a mild-mannered patron of a West Village piano bar. So begins Elon Green’s terrific, harrowing, true-crime account of an elusive serial killer who preyed upon gay men in the 1990s, perfidiously turning the safe havens of gay bars into hunting grounds, and semi-anonymous late-night hookups into an opportunity to kill with impunity.
Townhouse gay bar nyc professional#
Both victims - older, white-collar professional men, with the heterosexual vestments of marriages and children - had last been seen at an upscale Midtown Manhattan gay piano bar called the Townhouse. In a notable concession to the overriding paranoia of the era, the maintenance worker was advised to take an AIDS test, even though he hadn’t come in direct contact with blood.Ī little over a year later, a second dismembered body was discovered wrapped in bags off a remote New Jersey highway. On a Sunday afternoon in May 1991, a maintenance worker emptying garbage barrels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike made a grisly discovery: Wrapped inside eight knotted trash bags was the mutilated body of a 54-year-old man, killed by stab wounds to the abdomen, his severed penis shoved in his mouth.
There was a spirited mix of neighborhood elders, young corporate wolves, and a jaunty pianist gathered to make the evening memorable.LAST CALL A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York By Elon Green Not only has the space been maintained to resemble the building’s origins with exposed beams, fireplace (albeit with candles), scads of mixed artwork, and old-fashioned white tablecloths-the best part of all is that we headed downstairs to the tavern after dinner to enjoy live music. Sigh…this is comfort food without the guilt, because the portion size is just right! All in all, the fare so very soulful. A Crab Cake (when do you not want a crab cake?) and Veal and Porcini Meatballs (ditto, meatballs) graced the table. Sometimes you see the most interesting combinations of ingredients there, as opposed to typical protein, starch, veg combo entree. For the entrees we stuck with the appetizer menu-which is a move I recommend on a regular basis. We started with salads-the Beet, Endive, & Walnut Salad and the Caesar Salad which both whet the appetite, in the totally expected and satisfying way. We couldn’t wait to dig into some standard fare, and they did deliver. (This was a welcome reward after enthusiastically over-cocktailing at The Aviary just moments before- see our story here). The no-nonsense American menu, plateware, and artwork all lend a comforting, nostalgic presence. Who To Take: Someone looking for a swell down-to-earth piano bar or that corporate (prime rib) person who’s not pretentious and appreciates a relaxed settingįormerly known as Bill’s Gay ‘90s (for 90 years, appropriately), its second takeover has brought it back to its roots.
Well, Bill’s Townhouse falls into this category in the most splendid way. I will readily admit that I love classic NYC spots-that as you walk through the door you immediately feel as if you are walking into another era.