I arrived in New York in 1979 but already in mid 1978 while residing in Bermuda flew once every month in the city to go to 54th steet.
Once in New York I happened to be caught in the circle, was the manager of the other place to be seen in 1979 in the city, Elaine, studio and M.C and all of a sudden, was family.
Remember a party for Divine, Andy Warhol and Paloma Picasso( who could not speak a word of english).
New York was crazy at the time in between the 54 then the underground on 14th street plus hell fire down the meat market without mentionning the speak easy.
Every wednesday John Casanblanca (elite model agency) arranged to have the girls underpaid to come to the place I managed, we signed for the check and end up in studio where naturally we end up upstairs we knew (Mark at the door told us) who was the snitch and keep doing what we have been doing for the past years.
Ian and Steve Rubell were in the half way house by mid 80's but still came out once a week to have dinner on 57th street.
12 years later I was working for Ian Shraeger who hired me because I knew the velvet mafia (KK, BD etc..)
It is so funny to see Valentino with the comtessa the boy friend and the stupid dogs after so many years. At the Delano hotel I believe he was the first guest to have lunch on the ground with the stupid dogs. At night so many crazy things happenned there, in between the bungalow and the changing spaces on the other side of the pool.