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Elton John Goes Downtown79 E 4th St, New York, NY 1000340.726670-73.9900000
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Gary Valentine Writes “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear”266 Bowery, New York, NY 1001240.723460-73.9932501
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Mixing It Up at the El Quijote226 W 23rd St, New York, NY 1001140.744410-73.9971202
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Women Behind Bars434 Lafayette St, New York, NY 1000340.729410-73.9923703
Elton John Goes Downtown
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Gary Valentine Writes “(I’m Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear”
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Mixing It Up at the El Quijote
Wendy Clarke felt that the Chelsea was a great place for her mother, Shirley Clarke, because it connected her to other like-minded souls. “It was the perfect lifestyle for her,” she said. “The lobby was like your living room, so you can sit in the lobby for hours and just have conversations with the most amazing people—Jonas Mekas, Divine, the guys who did Hair, Jim Rado and Gerry Ragni.” Just off the lobby was El Quijote, a Spanish restaurant and bar that served inexpensive lobster and was a popular hangout. Smith wandered in one night and came across Grace Slick, Jimi Hendrix, and other rockers who were downing mounds of shrimp, paella, sangria, and bottles of tequila. She was amazed, but didn’t feel like an interloper because they were on her turf.
From Chapter 21 of The Downtown Pop Underground — order online, or from a local independent bookstore