Life, 1929-07-12 · page 27 of 48
Life — July 12, 1929 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes 1920s New York City life through three sections: **"Bounty"** mocks the hypocrisy of wealthy New Yorkers' claims about democratic access. It sarcastically suggests poor men can enjoy the Central Park Casino—glossing over that a $15 dinner (substantial money then) excludes actual poor people. **"Manhattan Madness"** offers absurdist one-liners exposing NYC contradictions: newspapers published at night, you can't park in Central Park, speakeasies (illegal during Prohibition) openly operate. The humor relies on recognizing how these contradictions define city life. **"Manna-About-Town"** catalogs trendy nightlife spots and fashionable absurdities—mint juleps, the speakeasy with 20-degree cooling, Jimmy Durante performances. The section celebrates and gently mocks the social pretensions of wealthy New Yorkers during the Jazz Age. Overall, the page satirizes wealth disparity and the city's contradictions while celebrating its vibrant nightlife culture—typical Life magazine content targeting educated, affluent readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Bounty And after happy strenuous after- noons of sport what an appetite he has! . . . here again the city’s bounty is open to the poor man...a few minutes’ stroll and he is at the Central Park Casino where a dinner fit for a king awaits him (which will set him back about fifteen dollars) or if he’s not hungry he may stand outside the kitchen window and inhale the de- licious odors from food prepared by a French Chef ...on hot summer evenings he may sit on the Casino veranda and sip cooling drinks or wile away the time dancing ($3.00 cover charge) to the strains of a tune- ful orchestra . . . the poor man is rich indeed in this great city! Manhattan Madness You can’t park in Central Park... morning papers come out at night... the Daily News is mostly pictures... you can see right through the Mirror... the North river is west... Odd McIntyre has an even disposition ... there are no pirates in the Pirates’ Den... night clubs have day watch- men . . . speakeasies serve hard liquor... “Keep it Clean” is dirty... Keen's Chop House is a dull place... no speeding is allowed on the Speedway... Ray Long is short. New York Life Manna-About-Town The spartans who wear evening dress on hot summer nights . . . the bird who sat in Reuben’s and sang “Reuben, Reuben, I've been thinking What a great dump this would be If all your prices they were lowered Down to what they ought to be.” «++ the mint juleps at Jim Moriarity’s ++. the tomato-juice cocktails at the Parisien . . . the ill-bred line at the Central Park Casino ... Luna Park at Coney Island ...the steamed clams at Sheepshead Bay . . . the per- fect yost (host on a yacht) who served champagne Tom Collins during the Poughkeepsie races . . . the gent in a white linen dinner coat at a recent opening . . . the hero in a very swell restaurant one of these recent hot cS No parking at the Central Park Casino “Look, Mom—shade!" nights who got up and suggested that all the men remove their coats—and they all did! ... the awfulness of colored suspenders . . . the awtulness of suspenders... Jimmy Durante in “Show Girl” ...“Ain't Misbehavin'” from “Hot Chocolates” . . . the book store with the sign “The House of the Elf—Come in and Browse”... the speakeasy on the East side with the refrigeration plant... 20 degrees cooler inside. comicbooks.com