At Neil's Coffee Shop (where Abe Vigoda eats!)

If I lived near Lexington and 70th Street, and thank God I don't (kidding!), I'd likely spend a lot more time at Neil's Coffee Shop, a throwback to the days when diners were, uh, diners. Nothing phoney about this place, from the formica tables to the professional waiters.




And, before continuing...why, yes -- that's Abe Vigoda.



One of the waiters told me was just in the other day. By the way, Abe turns 88 this Feb. 24.



Other stars of stage and screen have been here, too, as you can see from the gallery of publicity stills...There's Harry Belafonte...Steve Martin...Jack Hanna, the zookeeper whose sole purpose in life seems to be as a guest on Letterman.



And the food? Delicious!




And here are a few more shots of the rest of the place...






Finally! A great NYC diner that's not moving to Alabama or Wyoming.

Worth noting:
In 2002, Neil's suffered damage when the tailor shop next door was destroyed by a firebomb...

The Oak Room reopens tomorrow

The Oak Room at the Plaza reopens tomorrow after its big, expensive facelift. Which reminds me that I bought this swell set of Plaza coasters a few years ago at an apartment sale.



I also found this clip. When I first moved to New York, I had to stay at the Plaza for a few days until my condo was ready: