PAMELA HAMILTON

Explore Legendary 1920s Sites
Featured in Lady Be Good

Art Deco skyscraper with a green and gold dome, illuminated at night.
The Carlyle Hotel: Its emerald crown shines in the night. For the quintessential Old New York experience, visit Cafe Carlyle or Bemelman’s Bar for live music. (Opened in 1930)
Close-up view of the ornate top section of a classic skyscraper, featuring triangular windows and a lattice design.
The Chrysler Building: New York City’s crown jewel and Art Deco masterpiece. (Opened in 1930)
Interior of a bar featuring a large mural with figures in historical attire, a wooden bar adorned with various bottles, and stylish seating arrangements.
The King Cole Bar, St. Regis Hotel: One of New York City’s most storied rooms. Go to see the 30-foot-wide mural by Maxfield Parrish, stay for a glass of champagne.
A row of colorful jockey figurines positioned on a balcony, with an ornate iron railing and vintage-style lamps in an elegant building setting.
The 21 Club ( opened in 1922, closed in 2020). Iconic.
Black and white image of three women in 1920s fashion; one woman in an embellished evening gown is posing, while another woman in a satin dress looks on, and a seated woman in a cloche hat observes the scene.
Bergdorf Goodman: Favored by America’s Best Dressed Women, including Dorothy Hale and Claire Boothe Luce.
A historic stone castle with turrets and a flag on top, surrounded by greenery and under a clear blue sky.
Belvedere Castle, Central Park. Explore.
Elegant dining area with white tables and striped chairs, featuring a bar cart with various drinks and an ornate staircase in the background.
The Pierre: Old New York elegance.
A police officer on horseback overseeing a large crowd gathered outside the Stork Club, with illuminated signs advertising performers and events in a bustling city environment.
The Stork Club, “New York’s New Yorkiest place”—Walter Winchell (closed in 1965)
Interior of a vintage restaurant featuring circular tables with chairs, a large mural on the back wall, and art deco lighting fixtures.
The Chrysler Building’s Cloud Club, featuring a mural by Gardner Hale. (Closed in 1979. Mural removed during renovations; current location unknown)
Exterior view of Rao's restaurant, featuring a red facade and large windows, showcasing a corner entrance.
RAO’s Restaurant: The owner, Frank Pellegrino, makes it an unforgettable evening. (Opened in 1896)
A red wooden church with a tall tower topped by a cross, surrounded by lush green grass and colorful flowers under a clear blue sky.
St. Andrews Dunes Church, Southampton, founded in 1879 by Dorothy Hale’s father-in-law Dr. T. Gaillard Thomas, William S. Hoyt, C. Wyllys Betts, Frederic H. Betts, and Dr. Albert H. Buck .
A historic brick house with a gabled roof, featuring a pink front door and large windows, surrounded by lush greenery.
Thanet House, Southampton
Aerial view of a large coastal mansion surrounded by lush greenery and trees, with a serene ocean and blue sky in the background.
The Lindens, Sands Point
Aerial view of a large, ornate castle with multiple towers and turrets, surrounded by trees and open landscape.
Beacon Towers, Sands Point
An ornate stone mansion featuring a mix of architectural styles, with multiple turrets, chimneys, and elaborate detailing on the façade.
The New York City Home of Clare Boothe Brokaw c 1920s
Exterior view of an elegant building entrance featuring red carpeted steps, ornate lamp posts, and decorative columns.
The Plaza Hotel

The Hampshire House

One of New York City’s swankiest luxury buildings since it opened in the 1930s. The Hampshire House has been home to Dorothy Hale, Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, Rupert Murdoch, and other notable figures.

Frida Kahlo captured the building on canvas in her painting, seen below. Though it’s titled “The Suicide of Dorothy Hale,” there’s debate over the cause of Dorothy’s death.

Clare Boothe Luce commissioned the portrait in 1938 and nearly destroyed it. Instead, she hid it away for years before donating it — anonymously — to the Phoenix Art Museum.

Frida Kahlo's painting "The Suicide of Dorothy Hale", donated to the Phoenix Art Museum by Clare Boothe Luce.
“The Suicide of Dorothy Hale” by Frida Kahlo
Lady Be Good author Pamela Hamilton shares a photo from her personal collection: A vintage black and white photograph of a woman in a room at the Hampshire House in New York, decorated by Dorothy Draper. She's wearing sparkling gown and applying makeup while standing beside a decorative bench and floral arrangements, set against Draper's signature checkered floor.

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