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I've stopped mourning the specific places. The people -- the "types" still exist and frequent different venues. There will always be the place where the midwestern girl just off the bus to be a broadway dancer can get a job waitressing. Every guy in NYC will forever have a place where he takes a first date after a movie. There will always be the place were dirty deals are made in a back booth at 3 a.m. And there will always be the place where stand up comics go for a burger after they finish their set at a club.

There are NO replacements for the Circus restaurant in Wannamakers,the Magnolia restaurant in B.Altman's,and the last time I was in the restaurant in Lord&Taylor's,it was so changed,it wasn't worth the bother. Now considering the fact that the grandmothers and mothers of my family have taken their children to eat in those places for generations and I won't be able to do so with any future grandchild,I DO mourn their loss.

I also went into deep mourning when DePinna's and Best&Co. and Franklin Simmon and Bonwits and Arnold Constable and B.Altman's closed. :-(