The Key West citizen., 1954-12-31
By FRANCIS sTILLEY

BY FRANCIS sTILLEY
NEW YORK R-Of course, you
can always stay home and watch
television or listen to your wife.
Or, as many people do, you can
go to church for the traditional
and ever popular Watch Night"
services.
You could even take in a movie
or hold an intellectual rOundtable
discussion with a party of friends
at home.
But if you think you and the
wife or girl friend just can't wei.
come the new year any place but
some top night spot in the big
city-brother!
Hold onto your wallet. The tab
is going to be a dandy.
At a conservative estimate, the
bill will range from $50 to $1OO per
couple. You'll be lucky to get off
with $50 to $40 even in some of the
less famous clubs.
All inclusive Price
Most places include dinner in the
going price, and few, breakfast.
Some spots toss in the drinks too.
And naturally you get floorshows.
music and other entertainment -
listening to yourself sing, for In
stance.
What's more there will be
pl-l-l-e-nty Of fun makers: silly
hats, horns, confetti, balloons,
souvenirs. All free too.
There are other free facilities
and drinks being offered in few
cities.
There will be coffee bars, rides
home for those all but completely
inundated and police escorts for
some.
Oh, well, happy new year any
how and here's our handy vest
pocket guide to the doings around
the country:
Traditional Jam
New York - Probably a million
people will jam Times Square IN
the heart of Manhattan as usual,
whooping, hollering and freezing
their toes. Other big turnouts ex.
pected by Protestant and Catholic
churches, which have planned
large-scale services of religious
music and prayer.
Legitimate theaters' perform.
ances long since have been sold
out. Expensive hotels rented to ca.
pacity. Night clubs expecting big.
ger business than ever. Sale Of
special permits to keep drinking
places open all night far greater
than last year.
Prices for the evening at some
of the better known places are $25
per person at the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotels Empire Room, the Plaza's
Persian Room, the Latin Quarter
and the Copacabana. Drinks cost
extra.
A La L. A.
Los AngeleS-The Ambassador
Hotels COcoanut Grove. with
capacity of 800, is sold out at $35
a head.
Revelers will get all the cock
tails they can drink before dinner,
q seven-course meal featuring filet
mignon or fish, wine with every
course and an after dinner liqueur.
Male guests will be given 12-inch.
high toy monkeys as novelty gifts.
Washington, D.C.-The Pageant
Of Peace, which opened Dec. II on
the Ellipse opposite the White
House, will have New Years Eve
religious services.
Boston - Several Massachusetts
and Rhode Island communities
plan free coffee bars over holidays
in. police stations to help keep
tired drivers" from having accl-
dents.
cvrfew In Boston
In Boston itself, where night club
minimums range from Sc to $40
per person with drinks extra,
there will be no relaxation of the
! am. bar closing law. There will
be numerous church programs.
Detroit - Alcoholics Anonymous
plans soft-drink and coffee parties
at six neighborhood meeting
places. From midnight to 6 am.
buses win deliver passengers to
their homes if not more than two
blocks from regular routes. In ad,
ditiOn, bus and streetcar fares will
be cut from 20 to Is cents between
s pm. Friday and am. Satur.
day. Night club cover prices range
up to SIS per person.
New OrleanS-Top minimum in
town is Hotel Roosevelt's Blue and
International rooms, at $22.5O per
reveler. This includes tax, dinner,
q small bottle of champagne and
floor show. Prices are expected to
go hog wild in the French Quar-.