I went to Windows on the World a few times in the early-mid 70s, once with my fiancee and once with another couple to celebrate getting my Ph.D.
It was an exhilirating experience althought the food didn’t excel.
Sad to think is has been destroyed without a trace.
When I worked in a bank, our branch met 100% of our goals for four quarters straight. The District Manager was very pleased and gave us $1500 to spend on a night out together as a branch to reward us.
There are a lot of fancy restaurants in New York City, but we wanted to go somewhere really special.
It was a summer night, and we got there at seven. As we ate, we saw the sun set and then the city at night.
I can’t tell you what I ordered, but I’ll always remember that view.
Sigh.
Sometime in the late '70s, my great-aunt Sally had a brain tumor. It was successfully removed, and upon her recovery, the whole family had a big party at Windows on the World. I was just a little kid, and found it very exciting. Funny to think that great-aunt Sally is still alive and healthy at the age of 88, but Windows on the World is gone.
I liked the bar area with the cool looking ceiling design: http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/1091758/123456908.0.jpg
My boyfriend In 2001 designed some of the lighting effects at Windows on the World and he sometimes went in early in the morning to maintain them. The manager on duty on Sept 11th, Christine Olender, was a friend of his.
I have another colleague who was involved with the design of the restaurant and was extremely unhappy with her work there. When she saw the movie “Independence Day” and saw the scene when the aliens destroyed the towers, she turned to her husband and said “Thank God, my reputation is saved!” I thought that was funny and relayed the story often then the unthinkable happened and it got unfunny really fast.
I had dinner there for my birthday in the mid-80s. Earlier that day we were on the observation deck on the South Tower and ran into Billy Crystal.
Many years ago Benson and Hedges, the cigarette makers, published a series of small spiral bound cookbooks that would be sealed in plastic alongside cartons of their cigarettes. At least three of them had recipes from Windows on the World. One had two drink recipes, and the others food. Sad. I have those books. I never smoked but the books are nice.
My workplace held a reception there for some design-oriented project. I took some great photos of the City from there, and still have them.
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Hal Briston - MPSIMS Moderator
I’m sad I never got to visit, and mad that I never will. Funny that 13 years have passed and I’m still mad.
Back in the 80s, was Wang Chung making a reference to WotW in this song?
Meet me in a restaurant
Meet me on the top of the world
Meet me and we’ll talk the language of love