Life — November 14, 1930 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Barbizon Plaza Hotel Advertisement This is primarily a **hotel advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Barbizon-Plaza on Central Park South in New York City. The sketch depicts a man at breakfast—the advertisement's central concept. The copy humorously addresses a practical hospitality issue: guests were sometimes sent to their rooms without complimentary breakfast, then charged for it separately. The Barbizon-Plaza positions its "Continental Breakfast" as a courteous service included with accommodation, not an additional bill. The hotel highlights amenities (library, art gallery, tennis courts, saddle horses) and quotes Director William H. Silk emphasizing that "Breakfast comes first!"—a tongue-in-cheek promise that hospitality begins with feeding guests. Room rates and references are listed at bottom. This reflects early-20th-century luxury hotel marketing strategies.