March 22, 2007
Things we miss when we leave New York; Barry Manilow, Bill Clinton,
and the Carnegie Deli
The Three Tomatoes were recently
away
from New York City. And to be honest, since we were somewhere wonderfully warm when the temperature in the City was in the single digits, we
really didn't miss it much at all -- until we got back and realized all the little things we missed. So we started putting together our list
and then invited a few tomato pals to add to it, so here you go.
The little things we
miss
- $10 manicures.
- The NYC skyline.
- The New York Post and
The New York Times "local" edition.
- The Chicken Place on 3rd Avenue at 39th street.
- Cashiers who ring you up in a New York minute.
- Horns and doormen.
- Pizza and the bagels.
- Hot dog vendors on every corner.
- Every movie you could ever want to see.
- Great Italian food and Chinese takeout.
- 24 hour everything.
- Taxi drivers and subways.
- Coffee shops that aren't Starbucks.
- And .... New York City Jewish deli's.
Meet The Carnegie Deli's Tomato
Well speaking of great New York City deli's, it doesn't get any better than the
Carnegie
Deli which is the real deal. A few weeks back, we got a very nice email from Marian Parker
Levine, a subscriber of The Three
Tomatoes, who just happens to be the daughter of Milton Parker, owner of the Carnegie Deli.
We responded to her email and before you can say matzo ball soup, Marian invited us for lunch at the Deli.
We showed up and were greeted by Marian, who is a whirlwind of energy, a size
nothing (despite all that great pastrami and cheesecake) , and one of the most down to earth, open warm people you'd ever want to meet -- a family
trait we have learned, and a secret of their success. She immediately took us to the "back room" to have lunch at the family table, where
we met her husband Sammy and other assorted folks. Marian and her husband run the family business these days. (Her Mom and Dad are in
Florida.) While we ate the best bowl of matzo ball soup ever, Marian enthralled us with some of her stories.
The Carnegie Deli opened its doors in 1937. Marian's dad, who had
owned a luncheonette, bought the deli in 1976 and with his partner Leo Steiner, turned a
hole-in-the-wall that was losing money into the icon it is today. The walls are covered with photos of the who's who, and unlike a lot of
places in New York City with photos on the walls, these celebrities have actually eaten at the Carnegie Deli.
Barry Manilow and President Clinton
Over the years, Marian has met countless celebrities and even Presidents, but is not
at all star struck -- except for Barry Manilow. When I asked her some of her highlights at the restaurant she recounts the first time she met
Barry.
Shortly after her Dad bought the deli, he asked her to take a break from her job as
a substitute math teacher, and fill in for the cashier for a couple of days -- a job that actually lasted two years before she returned to
raising her daughter and teaching. It was during that time that Barry Manilow, whom she had a huge crush on, had lunch at the deli and
actually paid the bill himself at Marian's register. Now fast forward to 2005...Marian and her husband were heading to Las Vegas (home of
the second Carnegie
Deli at the Mirage Hotel) and managed to get tickets to see Barry perform and meet him
backstage. Marian told Barry the story, which he loved, and her favorite photo on the wall at the deli is of her standing next to Barry
backstage in Vegas. Now keep in mind this is from a woman who said she once watched the Academy Awards and realized almost everyone up there
had been to the Carnegie Deli.
Another great story was the night she and husband got a phone call at 10:30 PM (they were
both sound asleep) that President Clinton, Chelsea and her boyfriend were at the deli. Well Marian threw on some clothes but didn't have
time for makeup so she put on a large pair of sunglasses and went to meet the President. He was very charming to everyone and insisted that
Marian get in the photo (which she protested for lack of makeup). He persisted and now there's a great photo hanging on the deli wall of
Marian's husband, President Clinton, and Marian with her big sunglasses. What a tomato!
So next time you're craving a hot pastrami sandwich on rye, stop by the Carnegie
Deli and tell Marian you're a tomato too. They're open 22 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can pop in whenever those cravings
hit.
'til next week,
The Three Tomatoes
Copyright©2007. The Three Tomatoes. All rights reserved.
