Scudder Hunt

Yesterday I finally realized the project I committed to while in the midst of reading all of Lawrence Block’s excellent Matthew Scudder novels last year. Since he makes New York City and specifically Scudder’s Hell’s Kitchen environs a major character in each novel I felt a pilgrimage of sorts was in order. I know it sounds weird and many will not understand it, however the ardent readers amongst you will. When I commit to an author and invest in a character as voraciously as I did with Scudder I feel like I’ve lost a friend when I finish with the series. On some very peculiar level I felt I owed it to Scudder to immerse myself in some of his haunts. It helped that it was as close as it is. Whenever I’m in New York City I’m usually there for another touristy type reason and don’t have the time or companion willing to just wander like I did yesterday. For some reason I’m still not sure I understand, maybe to prove I was actually there, most of the Scudder sites were immortalized with a selfie – I apologize.

The Search Starts at the Library (Obvious)

My Itinerary Through Hell's Kitchen

I got a later start than anticipated yesterday but I lucked into an express train out of New Haven, Connecticut which had me at Grand Central Station right around noon time. I spent part of Friday night mapping out an itinerary of some of the remembered sites from Block’s novels. I passed by the New York City Library with the iconic lions and the required anti-war demonstrations. Scudder used the library extensively to mine old news accounts of cases and suspects and it’s where he meets TJ, his future protégé. Bryant Park, right behind the library was next, as several events in the novels transpired there. The park has obviously been cleaned up significantly since Scudder’s early days since the only thing bouncing was a juggling troupe.

Bryant Park

I then made a tactical error on my bee line to Hell’s Kitchen – I cut through Times Square. I did so thinking there’s always some interesting flora and fauna in evidence. While there was that, there was also the Saturday afternoon theater matinee crowd of tourists which made movement nearly impossible. I felt bad for the guy in the eight foot tall Transformer costume with no room to move and solicit pictures from the teeming mob of tourists. I cut my losses and snuck out a side street to reach my objective. My first stop in Hell’s Kitchen was mythical but also one of Scudder’s favorite hangouts, his best friend Mick Ballou’s bar. Scudder spent many a late night there with his criminally minded friend, a strange but appropriate retreat for the recovering alcoholic. You’d have to know Scudder to understand that. It was located on an unspecified corner of East 50^th Street and 10^th Avenue.

Location of Mick Ballou's Bar

From there I headed west to 9^th Avenue and the corner of 52d Street to the mythical location of the Paris Green Restaurant where Scudder had so many meals and had a bar tender informant. The location was occupied by a dry cleaner which I felt was a bit of an affront. A short half block north on 9^th Avenue was the fictional location of Scudder’s wife Elaine’s shop. A Thai restaurant was resident there, the less said about that, the better.

Where the Paris Green Should Be

Elaine's Antique Shop 

Further north on 9^th Avenue brought me to ground zero of my search for Matthew Scudder. I think New York City should seriously think about renaming the stretch of East 57^th Street between 8^th and 9^th Avenues as Scudder Lane. It has obviously gentrified seriously since Scudder’s beginnings there. On one side of the street sits the Parc Vendome condominiums where Matthew and Elaine Scudder resided and hopefully still do. Directly across the street from the Vendome lies a small hotel where the pre-Elaine Scudder lived and where TJ still lives following Scudder’s marriage. Also on this stretch of 57^th Street was the first location of the fictional Armstrong’s Restaurant in which Scudder set up shop during his drinking days. So many of the early novels included client meetings in Armstrong’s with Scudder sipping his coffee and bourbon. The location is now occupied by Kennedy’s Irish Pub or a Turkish restaurant – like I said – gentrified.

Front Door to the Scudder Condo Complex

The Parc Vendome

Across the Street to Scudder's Old Hotel and
The Irish Pub I had Lunch At

First Armstrong's Location

I stopped for lunch in yet another Irish pub located on the ground floor of the aforementioned Scudder/TJ hotel. A very nice Irish lass served a great burger and beer as I looked out the front window towards the Parc Vendome. I imagined Matt, Elaine and TJ had sat at the same spot I was now occupied. At the corner of Scudder Lane and 9^th Avenue sits the very real Morning Star diner where Matt and TJ often met while hashing out details of a case. Scudder always picked up the tab. 

TJ's Favorite Diner

The Morning Star

One short block north on 9^th at the corner of 58^th Street lies another of Scudder’s favorite diners – the Flame. I’d originally planned on eating lunch there but was seduced by the allure of Scudder Lane (and an Irish pub). The Flame was packed and looked precisely like I imagined it to from the Block’s descriptions. I continued east on 58^th Street to 10^th Avenue where the fictional Armstrong’s moved to after leaving Scudder Lane, Matt and Elaine would occasionally dine there. Its location was occupied by a Greek Restaurant and a Boston Market, kind of a downer.

Scudder's Favorite Diner

The Flame

Armstrong's Later Location

Right next door though on 10^th Avenue lay the John Jay College of Criminal Justice where Scudder occasionally dabbled. Directly across the street was Mt Sinai West Hospital which provided a number of nurse liaisons for Scudder during his drinking, pre-Elaine days. Back over to 9^th Avenue between 59^th and 60^th Street lay one of Scudder’s most important sites, St Paul’s church. This was the location of Matt’s home Alcoholics Anonymous meetings which became such a staple for the later novels.

John Jay

Nurse Central

St Paul's

I continued north on 9^th Avenue to catch the Lincoln Center. Matt and Elaine attended functions there regularly and during one met a soon to be murdered couple. The murderer turned out to be one of Scudder’s most devious and challenging opponents, even getting a knife into Scudder at the Vendome. I was tempted to continue my journey but 60 year old legs were starting to complain a bit so I made the planned strike west cutting through Central Park to reach Madison Avenue for my trip south. I always love going through Central Park, the scene of so many New York based movies. It was inundated with tourists (including me), per usual.

Lincoln Center

Central Park Panorama

My luck held, train wise, as I walked into Grand Central Station five minutes before another express train was leaving for New Haven. So that was my whirlwind tour of Scudder’s New York. While my legs were seriously barking by this time I don’t think I’ve enjoyed any trip to New York City more. I liked getting away from the tourist side of the city and seeing the “real” New York, if such a thing even exists any more. The trip there and back was twice as long as the actual time I got to spend in the city but I consider the entire affair time well spent. Sometimes you’ve got to follow your heart, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone but yourself. I ended the night, exhausted but happy and not just because I had a huge hunk of prime rib and a beer in front of me at the local 99 Restaurant. Thank you Lawrence for the inspiration and such a memorable character that he would pull me so far afield.