Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Three Cheers for Miss Subway!











When I was a little boy, my grandmother was a personal secretary for a Supreme Court judge. First on the Grand Concourse in an office that over looked Yankee Stadium (my luck as a kid was similar to a Leprechaun). Watched Bobby Richardson lead off the bottom of the first many times. Then, unfortunate for me, she moved with her judge to 60 Centre Street in Manhattan (think Law & Order) for the next twenty years until she retired at 70 years old.

She ordered lunch from two places downtown; George’s Diner nestled next to the Surrogate’s Court House and Ellen’s Coffee Shop on the s/w corner of Chambers & Broadway. I liked picking up the lunches when I was the mood for a walk or had an itchy ass (I visited my grandmother a lot at work ~ I thought the courts and judges were cool). George was great because he put gravy on the mashed potatoes (first time I saw this amazing trick) and his burgers were juicy. But I much rather go to Ellen’s. Ellen was a former Miss Subway and though I wasn’t nuts about her food I was cuckoo crazy for the Miss Subway posters framed all over the restaurant. At 13, I had the hots for Maureen Walsh whose great great uncle was a Union General in the Civil War. She wore her hair in a bump-up but I forgave her for this because I loved her eyes.

My grandmother was always pissed at me when I went to Ellen’s because I took too long and her food was cold. I was mezmorized and spent too much time gawking at the dazzling parade of Miss Subways.

Well, I had a blast from the past last night. My friends Kali, Jeanne & Ed are visiting from Lancaster County, Penn. Our destination was Ellen’s Stardust Diner at 51st Street and Broadway. The entrance to Ellen's is a # 4 subway car, and it’s my Ellen, Miss Subway’s place and the old posters and girls are all over the walls. I had no clue.

We had a great time, singing servers, everybody’s a star in Ellen’s and the food was great. Our server, Anthony Apicella, is known as Dino in the place. Anthony has a terrific voice and professional performing style and his service was aces.

Afterwards, walked through the park at dusk thinking about Maureen Walsh with her hair down way back then.

Here are photos of the diner and the park.

One week to the next City Stories: Stoops to Nuts storytelling show @ Cornelia Street Cafe. Tuesday, August 16th @ 6pm great tellers & songsmiths: The Amygdaloids, Lindsey Gentile, Rachel Pertile Goldstein, Jed Parrish, T Pryor & Andy Ross. It will change your life and make you laugh. I don't know how we do it, but we do. The Cafe ask $7 to cover their expenses then they turn around and give you a free drink, a swell deal.

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