who here ate at the Automat?

I remember the one on 42nd. Went with my dad the first time visiting the city in the 70’s, but that was the only time I actually ate there.
- alex 4-09-2022 7:09 am [add a comment]

I are at the east 42nd st one and the one on 57th st 5/6th avs. Late 70’s. Warhol frequent mentioned them even suggesting an Andy-mat

I ate at one of the mid-town ones in a couple of times. The first time as a tourist in the summer of 83. The next time was after I moved to the city and hosting friends from out of town. The novelty of the place was a bigger draw than the food but it was convenient, certainly more than visiting the top of the Empire State Building.

I went once and i witnessed this......above in new post

• What book is that? I’m reading  ninth street women and the ab ex folks would use cafeterias and automats  as living rooms as many were 24 hrs and actually had heat as opposed to many homes and studios for the cost of a cup o

  
  - bill 4-09-2022 12:45 pm [add a comment]

42nd street in mid 60s hot dog and beans in a bowl, didn’t eat it, fascinated by the hands you could see behind the little doors, and the coffee urns were cool. 

Nov 22 is automat night on TCM, including a documentary.

Back when coins were still viable currency.
- bill 11-15-2022 8:09 am [add a comment]

Fun Fact: in 1953’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the song Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend has a line about how “a kiss may be grand, but it won’t pay the rental on your humble flat or help you at the automat.” In 2001 the song was used in Moulin Rouge, but they changed the line to “help you feed your pussy cat.” The film is not exactly a meticulous period piece, so it’s not entirely clear if the change was to avoid anachronism, or because the audience could no longer be expected to know what the automat was.
- alex 11-15-2022 8:24 am [add a comment]

The doc is running on demand  on Netflix. Mel brooks narrator. Good so far, focus on Horne and Hardart.