Elaine's

The Rise of One of New York's Most Legendary Restaurants from Those Who Were There

Amy Phillips Penn

• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781632202727
• eBook ISBN: 9781634500074
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Women in Business
• Index: Social Sciences

A tribute to legendary restaurateur Elaine Kaufman and her renowned Manhattan creative melting pot. Elaine's was a world-famous New York restaurant that became home to writers and celebrities. Owner Elaine Kaufman was known to be "New York feisty, " controversial, often rude, always blunt, with the flare of Gertrude Stein and Dorothy Parker.Elaine was highly respected and also frequently feared, and Elaine's the restaurant received the public's love and praise time and time again. Woody Allen held a regular table there, and Elaine's was even featured in Allen's Manhattan and Billy Joel's song "Big Shot." Throughout the years, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, and countless celebrities, politicians, socialites, private eyes, athletes, artists, and the biggest names in Hollywood became Elaine's regulars.Most emphatically, Elaine's raison d'être was to nourish "starving writers" with encouragement, introductions to Pulitzer Prize winners, and free food and alcohol. These struggling authors responded to Elaine's support with profound gratitude.Elaine passed away in 2010, forcing the restaurant manager to close shop shortly after. "There is no Elaine's without Elaine, " she decreed. However, the memories remain and are recalled by a variety of Elaine's regulars in this moving, oftentimes amusing, collection of personal essays.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• So . . . Who Was Elaine Kaufman?
• There’s No Elaine’s Without Elaine
• Take Four: Customer, Publicist, Columnist, And “Let’s Do Lunch, Elaine”
• “Marry Me, Marry Me” At Elaine’s
• Elaine’s Empties the Stanley Cup
• “Give Him Table Six, He Says He Has Money.”
• When Elaine Socked Me
• How Elaine Became My Photo Agent
• Travels With Elaine
• My Last Night At Elaine’s
• “I’m a Fucking Icon.”
• Elaine Was My Dating Coach
• My Home Away From Home
• The Good Penny
• “Elaine’s Was Really Three Different Places.”
• Woody Allen On Elaine’s
• Top Ten Reasons Your New Hangout Will Never Replace Elaine’s
• Shooting Elaine’s (But Not Elaine)
• When Spinelli Met Plimpton
• “Not Only Did You Share A Meal Or A Drink, But You Shared Yourself.”
• Elaine’s, A Tribute
• Dabney Coleman Does The Godfather Gig At Elaine’s. Just Guess Who’s Listening.
• Elaine Kaufman: Friend and Investor
• “I Was Married To My Restaurant; Elaine Was Married To Elaine’s.”
• Elaine Was An Interesting, Tough Lady. (I saw her punch out a guy.)
• The Era Is Over
• Still “Anchored” At Elaine’s
• “Who’s Da Poet?”
• Elaine As Mama Earth
• There’s “Nothing Like Gedempte Flaische.”
• People Soup
• Who’s on First? (In Elaine’s Bathroom)
• “I Would Not Be the Person I Am Today if I Had Not Gone Into Elaine’s.”
• Afterword