Goldbar

It turns out that New York City, like Rome, Faro or the Czermna in Poland, has its own ossuary in the Lower East Side.

This one is a little more recent than the others, however. It mushroomed in 2007, surfing the wave of a “bling vanitas” trend launched by Damien Hirst.

Goldbar, as its name suggests, is covered from floor to ceiling with the eponymous precious metal. The most famous part of the small, glowing salon is the display of gilt, jawless craniums adorning the wall, emulating ancient Capuchin crypts.

From portraits d’apparat to tables custom-made to look like Cartier bracelets, everything is designed to be a constant reminder of the glamorous elitism that patrons get to be a part of – that is, if the bouncer let them in.