At the Plaza:
An Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Hotel

by
Curtis Gathje
At the Plaza: An Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Hotel is a fascinating photographic and anecdotal work.

Curtis Gathje, The Plaza's official historian since 1994, covers the hotel's history including:

  • the demolition of the original eight-story Plaza (deemed outmoded after 15 years)

  • the new and improved Plaza's first guest (Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt)

  • the various interior designs (including the Christian Dior and Frank Lloyd Wright Suites)

  • Kay Thompson's Eloise (a book about a fictitious six-year-old girl who lives in The Plaza)

  • celebrity visits (The Beatles, Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and others)

  • the Tricycle Garage

  • movies filmed in the hotel (Home Alone 2, North by Northwest and Plaza Suite (to name just a few)

  • the illumination of the hotel in violet light for a lingerie show

This book also includes a time line, filmography and bibliography.

Formerly owned by Conrad Hilton, Donald Trump and others, The Plaza is now a Fairmont Hotel.

At the Plaza: An Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Hotel is shelved on the Library's basement level at call number TX 941 .P58 G38 2000.

Samantha Gust wrote this Monthly Book Spotlight.


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