Top of the Sixes was an iconic restaurant on the 41st floor of 666 Fifth Avenue New York. It opened in 1958 and by July 1973 had served its 10 millionth dinner. It was a magnet for visitors to New York and became a ‘special occasion’ destination. According to Hans Von Rittern: “Prices were reasonable. Children liked the view, and so did young couples on dates. Men proposed to their wives there,” it was a time when going to ”the city” meant journeying from Queens to Manhattan. You didn’t necessarily go there for the food; it was that wonderful atmosphere.
Top of the Sixes closed in 1996 and the space is now occupied by the Grand Havana Club. A private members cigar club. They probably closed because I tried to blag my way in without a jacket.
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I am behind with the new BBC adaptation of Great Expectations, having only watched the first episode.
But I have to say I wasn't impressed. The characters were all wrong and is it necessary to have yet another version of what remains one of my favourite books of all time?
The first time I read it, I didn't see the twist at the end coming. But as for the new adaptation. Well the BBC seems to think the whole show would be improved by much more violence and quite a few swear words. In the book young Pip never utters the word s--t and there is much more wrong with this version than that. But let's stay with that for a while. It's not a word that Dickens would use, he was much more intelligent and verbose than that.
To me three of the greatest characters in literature due to their wholesomeness and because they are 100% good are Joe Gargery from Great Expectations, Mr Brownlow from Oliver Twist and the Bishop in Les Miserables.
For me one of the greatest quotes in English Literature is when Joe Gargery turns to Young Pip and says "Ever the best of friends Pip old lad, ever the best of friends." I have used this phrase with grandson Elliot. But it just didn't appear in the BBC show - well not in the first part anyway. Perhaps it will come in part two. This Joe Gargery is wooden and lacking in character. Estelle is nondescript and the whole thing seems lack lustre despite the action sequences.
I guess you will enjoy it, however, if you haven't seen any of the other productions.