100 New Yorkers Tell You Where to Go

Sure, anyone can tell you about New York's obvious tourist attractions, but I'm interested in finding out to what special, out of the way places true blue New Yorkers would direct a visitor. So I've decided to ask 100 New Yorkers to tell you where to go.

This very first contribution comes from Lee Gelber, the dean of New York tour guides. Lee is the fellow who hires and trains the guides for City Sights, an advisor to the Museum of the City of New York, and a grand raconteur unafraid to sprinkle his stories with the Yiddish he learned as a kid in the Bronx.

17 Beacon Place 

At the southeast corner of Beekman Place and 50th Street stands a 3-story limestone clad townhouse now occupied by the UN Mission and Consulate of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Prior to its diplomatic role that building was the home of Irving Berlin for the last 40 years of his life.

Born to Russian Jewish immigrants as Israel "Izzy" Baline, Berlin went on to be one of the most prolific and successful composer/lyricists to contribute to the Great American Songbook.

Every Christmas Eve, an ad-hoc group organized by the late cabaret performer and writer, John Wallowitch, would go over to 17 Beekman Place and serenade the Berlin family with one of Mr. Berlin's best-loved classics, White Christmas. Berlin was flattered and would often invite the "carolers" in for hot chocolate and cookies.

That the house where Berlin lived to be 101 (1888-1989) is now occupied by offices of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has a sweet ironic touch. Irving Berlin's last major Broadway hit was Call Me Madam - the libretto is based on the career of Perle Mesta, the woman President Truman appointed US Ambassador to the Grand Duchy.