Classics

Ruth Reichl Waxes Nostalgic on Clifton’s Cafeteria

Ruth Reichl takes a nostalgic look around Downtown’s historic Clifton’s Cafeteria on her blog and echoes those feelings we all get when walking through its “magical little bit of forest in the middle of the city.” She describes Clifton’s as a respite of sorts from the cruel and ever-crueler outside world in a piece that at times, is a little dark, from the tragic-but-true title “Vanishing America” to her assertion that Downtown can be “a fairly sad place early in the morning.” Sadder still, Reichl wonders “how long it will last?” We hardly have the heart to tell her about rumors that The Edison’s owner might turn one part of the building into a Tiki bar. At least, it looks fairly certain that Clifton’s itself will remain the same under Andrew Meieran and if anyone’s getting misty-eyed, there’s always that great story about Ed Rosenthal surviving his own 127 Hours-like ordeal in Joshua Tree. [Ruth Reichl]

Ruth Reichl Waxes Nostalgic on Clifton’s Cafeteria