Thursday, May 22, 2014

The Time David Koch Dated Hayek

Some fun facts I learned from  Sons of Wichita: How the Koch Brothers Became America's Most Powerful and Private Dynasty:

David Koch once dated a gal named Julie Hayek. He then went of to marry a gal named Julia.

It turns out that DK and I were neighbors in New York City in the early 1990s. He lived at 870 United Nations Plaza, I lived directly across the street.

870 United Nations Plaza (First Avenue and 49th Street) was the hot building to live in back then. When Johnny Carson lived in NYC, he lived there, as did Truman Capote and the actor Cliff Robertson. I once saw William F. Buckley walking into the building. I'm not sure if he lived there or was just visiting.

That entire area was and still is pretty exclusive. The Shah of Iran's sister lived a half-block up on Beekman Place. Henry Kissinger was about 3 blocks north. I used to see the former Citigroup president Walter Wriston walking all the time.

Capote and I actually went to the same barber on 49th Street. The difference was that Capote would go every day, to get a hot shave. As a gift, one Christmas, Capote gave the barber a personally inscribed and autographed copy of his book, A Christmas Memory. The barber was real proud to have received that book.

1 comment:

  1. I get vicarious thrills just reading the words of one who came so close to these legendary people. Please continue to keep typing up pieces like these, they really bring a shimmer to my otherwise sordid rural existence.

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