Keen's Steakhouse Illustration Night
MARCH 6, 2009
The small sketchbook for our visit
Marc is in NYC to haul away a well deserved gold medal from the Society of Illustrators. As stated earlier he is one of many Drawgers that have been mining precious metal this year.
Keen's is a great restaurant if you like old New York. I love the patina of places like this. The idea that Babe Ruth, Teddy Roosevelt and Rube Goldberg walked through those doors makes it extra special.
Keen's is festooned with clay pipes which the patrons used upon their visits and stored them there for their return. The ceiling is covered with these pipes now and there are a few cases with 'famous' pipes.
The place is almost like a house, with various rooms and an great old bar.
I wanted to gather a larger crew to angle for the Teddy Roosevelt Room.
In that room, Teddy Roosevelt formed the Bull Moose party. We got the room but never quite formed a new political party.
We made a sketchbook. Apparently there is a gland in an illustrator that produces adrenalin and guilt when they pay too much for a meal. This causes them to draw.
"...must earn it back, must earn it back..."
Dale Stephanos drove down from Boston, Steve Waxman from Brooklyn, Dave Flaherty and Ellen Weinstein from the lower east side, Elizabeth Parisi from Scholastic, Edel Rodriguez from Mount Tabor, NJ, Marc and Janice Burckhardt from Austin Texas, Mark Heflin from the offices of American Illustration and we got Thomas Fuchs to eat dinner at an hour he usually has breakfast. More were invited and were missed. Get well soon Megan Fox.
Giant cuts of aged steaks were destroyed, I tried and fought with a hunk of mutton that one might feed a lion. All was washed down with beer, wine and finished off with 2 racks of select scotch. Fresh red and blue berries ended the grazing.
A sketchbook was passed around and we documented the evening for Drawger.
Until next time.
Tim O'Brien
Marc Burckhardt. I'm the rump and Elizabeth is the brain.
Dave Flaherty and Thomas Fuchs
Mark Heflin in a rare illustration and Steve Waxman
Edel Rodriguez.
Dale Stephanos. We actually hired Dale to draw us.
He does parties!
I drew the beer glass and boat but as you can see things were getting messy. I think Dave drew a happy Waxman.
back
The Teddy Roosevelt Room
Dale got fancy and that translated to a small but expensive cut of meat.
Mark Had a great time I think but this photo makes it look like he had second thoughts
Dave Flaherty sent me this. On the left is my hunk of mutton and on the right, the reason I won't order it again...Thanks Davey!
Keen's scotch selection is first class
Dale is still hungry. This is why he's thin.
Always ready to rumble
Two flights of select scotch
The Babe
Topical: Procrastinations
© 2023 Tim O'Brien