Bemelmans Bar

After the show, we had drinks and small bites at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel. 

Dick had found out about it earlier, and we popped in for a quick peek this afternoon before coming back this evening.

The walls in the bar are painted murals by Ludwig Bemelmans, who is most known for his art and children's book series, "Madeline". The mural completely enchanted me, of course. It is full of whimsical scenes of Central Park, including Madeline and friends.

The jazz trio tonight were really fantastic, playing all the jazz standards. We had fantastic seats right next to the band.

A bit of history from the Carlyle website:

"The Carlyle is an integral part of New York history. As the city's premier luxury residential hotel, it was a famous gathering place for socialites, world leaders and celebrities when Ludwig Bemelmans began to create his masterpiece murals at the hotel bar. Bemelmans was a successful artist forThe New Yorker, Vogue and Town and Country and had achieved enormous success with the Madeline children's books series. Using his distinct style of art, he transformed the bar with whimsical scenes of Central Park that included picnicking rabbits and ice skating elephants. Rather than be paid for his art, Bemelmans exchanged his work for a year and a half of accommodations at The Carlyle for himself and his family."