Gilded Age Archives | Bowery Boys NYC Walking Tours

Meet Emma Guest-Consales, creator of the “Gilded Age Mansions” Tour

Did you watch the hit HBO show, The Gilded Age? I was glued to my screen for every episode, and now I can’t wait for Season 3! Well, long before that show came on the air, tour guide Emma Guest-Consales came up with the brilliant idea for a Gilded Age-themed tour on the Upper East Side. The result is our most popular walking tour to date — Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue.

I recently spoke with Emma about the origin of the tour, her favorite characters on the HBO show, and the lavish mansion she would choose to live in.

Emma Guest-Consales (left) on a Gilded Age Mansions Tour

You launched the Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue tour in 2020, long before the HBO show “The Gilded Age” debuted. What was the catalyst to create such a unique tour?

I wrote my Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue tour as my final project for the Guides Association of New York City (GANYC) Certification class. Back in the early 1990s, I did my Master’s Degree in Art History at the Institute of Fine Arts which is in the Duke Mansion on East 78th Street. Later on, I worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, only a few blocks away, and I have always loved the Frick and Carnegie Mansions too. I was always fascinated by the history of those houses and the neighborhood, so the tour developed very easily as a relaxing stroll on the Upper East Side looking at beautiful buildings. As a trained art and architectural historian, specializing in the European tradition from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance and early Baroque, the mansions always appealed to me for their European inspiration.

Did you ever think the tour would prove to be so popular? Your tour is the most booked in Bowery Boys Walks history!

I honestly did not! It was doing very well even before the HBO series came out, in fact, I had no idea people would be so interested in the Gilded Age. I think people are always fascinated by the lives of the super wealthy, so these houses and the stories of their residents have always appealed to people. Most of the groups are mixed between people who are huge fans of the show and others who are just fans of the period in general.

If you could live in any of the Gilded Age Mansions on the tour, which one would you choose?

I would l love to live in the Harkness House at 1 East 75th Street. In my opinion, it is the most elegant and refined of the grand mansions; the stonework and wrought iron fences are so beautifully made! But it is also so large, I think I might prefer one of the smaller houses, perhaps even one of the houses currently for sale, such as Henry Cook’s second home, 973 Fifth Avenue, even though it’s rather a noisy corner!

Now let’s talk about “Gilded Age”, the hit HBO show. Who is your favorite character on the show so far and what do you think of the design — from the costumes to the architecture?

I adore Bertha and George Russell — kind of the anti-heroes of the series. I love Bertha’s drive and how her character was inspired by real people from the Gilded Age, including Alva Vanderbilt. George is also the same, a little bit of Vanderbilt, with maybe some Frick too? George is so devoted to his family, and I think he’s a bit of a softie underneath, but I won’t give any spoilers! I think the design and the costumes are wonderful. I (and other New York City tour guides) have great fun seeing how they recreated spaces and places that we always talk about on our tours. I especially enjoy the architecture, since that’s what I show so much on my tour. I have a still from the show of the Russell’s white stone mansion next to a row of brick and brownstone houses to help guests understand the great change in building style with the Beaux-Arts-inspired buildings of the period.

Now let’s chat about being a tour guide. You were president of the Guides Association of New York from 2019 to 2023, we would love to know what you think makes a great tour guide in New York — something we take pride in at Bowery Boys Walks.

A great New York City tour guide needs to love the city, all of the city, even the parts that make us crazy! You need to know your material and to love learning about everything it has to offer. The city is made of so many layers, there is always something new to learn.

That being said, I appreciate tour guides who know what they are passionate about and who concentrate on their favorite places or aspects of the city history. When you love your subject matter, your love and interest will be communicated to your guests, and that will make all the difference between a good tour and a great one.

Tour guides also need to be flexible and able to think on their feet; you have to be ready for anything that comes, because you honestly never know what will happen when you’re exploring our city streets. Finally, a great tour guide in New York City should be a member of the Guides Association! GANYC is a wonderful resource, a great way to network with other guides, and it provides the best continuing education opportunities for guides in the city.

Thanks for taking the time to chat, Emma. It was great to speak with you!

Are you ready to explore the Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue?

An interview with Carl Raymond, host of The Gilded Gentleman History Podcast

Carl Raymond has worn many professional hats throughout his career including as one of the first tour guides for Bowery Boys Walks when the company launched in 2018. Now he is taking on a brand-new adventure as he partners with The Bowery Boys for an exciting new podcast. The Gilded Gentleman History Podcast tells the amazing stories and secrets of this grand and glittering time in America’s Gilded Age, Paris’ Belle Époque, and England’s Victorian and Edwardian eras.

We recently sat down with Carl right after he recorded a show for a chat over a pot of tea. We talked about what inspired him to enter the world of podcasting, why he finds New York’s Gilded Age so fascinating, and what it’s like working with The Bowery Boys.

Carl Raymond (Photo by Richard Koek, logo by Georgia Morrissey)

Before we dive into the podcast, can you just tell us a little bit about your background and how you become a guide for Bowery Boys Walks?

I’ve always loved talking about history, and I’ve done many lectures and talks over the past 10 years. I became a professional New York City tour guide in 2014 and I love actually showing people historic sites on the street, seeing it in person just makes it all really come alive. I met Tom at an event for tour guides, and we just connected and what I do and what the Bowery Boys do seemed like a good fit — and it is!

Tell us about your journey to the world of podcasting. How did you end up creating a spin-off show for The Bowery Boys?

Creating a podcast was just a natural extension for me coming out of tours and lectures, except it’s much shorter! My style and the Bowery Boys style match each other really well and the subjects I do and the areas I cover really complement what they do as well — it was kind of a harmonic convergence.

And what is it about the Gilded Age, and specifically New York’s role in that time period, that makes such an ideal topic?

People often get swept up in the imagined glamour of the Gilded Age and that was certainly an element of the time, but there was so much more. I want to take listeners to areas and introduce people that they may have never knew existed. As for New York, that end of the 19th century period was the time when the modern city was being built and evolving so quickly — it was such an exciting time to talk about — and in some ways has not changed so much today.

There are new podcasts debuting all the time. What makes your podcast stand out from the crowd?

I think any good podcast consists of two things — content that intrigues people and makes them come away with hopefully one thing they never knew or something they want to explore on their own. I certainly try to do that. And perhaps the most important part of a good show is the personality of the host or hosts. I try to be fun, engaging and offer a 30-minute break that people will want to come back to every two weeks!

Carl and The Bowery Boys, Tom Meyers & Greg Young recording at the Salmagundi Club. (Photo by Craig Nelson)

What is it like working with the Bowery Boys and being part of their media company now?

Tom and Greg are the most wonderful collaborators. They have had so much experience creating and producing content that I’ve been lucky to have their expertise help shape The Gilded Gentleman. What I do and what interests me naturally complements what they do and what interests them — that’s what makes it work. The best part is that we all have the same great sense of humor. It’s exciting because now with both of our shows, it will help Bowery Boys Media expand into some new areas for all of us.

Finally, do you still plan on doing tours, talks, and special events alongside the podcast?

Oh, absolutely! A podcast is just another piece of the brand of The Gilded Gentleman and the brand of me! It’s like creating a number of puzzle pieces to fit together — they are all slightly different, but they all fit together in the end. Each item whether it is a tour, talk, or podcast episode is a unique way to get to different audiences and offer them different experiences. In fact, I have a special live virtual event coming up on January 20th about Edith Wharton!

Subscribe and listen to The Gilded Gentleman

Carl’s history podcast is live now! New episodes are released every two weeks. Subscribe on Apple or with your favorite podcast player and keep an eye on Bowery Boys Walks for upcoming events with The Gilded Gentleman.