Christopher Columbus, the first foreigner to visit SaintBarthélemy, “discovered” the island in 1493—and then promptly forgot about it. The speck of dry land had no natural resources and for nearly five centuries was considered worthless. It seems incredible today, but it proved such a financial burden that in the late 1800s one-time owner Sweden happily sold back to France the island it had traded for a century earlier.
No one ever found gold, diamonds or oil on Saint-Barthélemy, better known by its nickname St. Barths (pronounced Barts). But today, the island is a hub of affluence, transformed by the riches of tourism. The country’s first hotel, the Eden Rock, opened in 1953 wowing ahead-of-the-curve celebrities such as Howard Hughes and Greta Garbo, who came for a three-night stay but adored her visit so much she didn’t leave for three weeks. At about the same time David Rockefeller fell in love with the untouched natural beauty of its lush green hills, pristine beaches and perfect sailing conditions. He built a hilltop estate, further fueling public curiosity. The billionaires and stars have been coming ever since.
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A High Steaks Game - Gallaghers restaurant, New York's oasis for carnivores, has thrived for 96 years, playing host to a colorful crowd of sports heroes, show people and classic characters
Dean Poll, the owner of Gallaghers Steakhouse on Manhattan's West 52nd Street, has to think both like a restaurateur and the curator of a museum with an entire wing of art. Only, instead of tending to European oil paintings, Poll oversees images of Old New York. I work here every day. I am thinking about the food and staff, Poll says, sitting in a corner that could be called baseball cove. Over his right shoulder are stills of Lou Gehrig and the Yankees' Murderers' Row manager Miller Huggins. Jack Dempsey is clowning, grappling with a bat also held by Babe Ruth. "To Helen Gallagher, sincerely Babe Ruth," the inscription reads. Poll gestures toward signed caricatures of Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. "So I lose, to a certain extent, the importance of what's on the walls. But the photos are the decor. They lend some hominess to the place. It's the heart and soul of this restaurant. It's not cheap decoration. The only thing missing is the cigar smoke", adds Poll, who fancies a Partagás 8-9-8 It's what this restaurant is for 96 years.
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