Then I introduced David Sax who read from Save The Deli. While David managed the Q&A, I sampled Manny’s delicious fare… pastrami, corned beef, latke, matzah ball soup, pickles…!

After Manny’s it was off to 11 City Diner www.elevencitydiner.com in the pouring rain. The owner Brad Rubin set up a tasting party for the gathered kings and queens of Chicago’s delis! Amazing food in kick-ass new deli, Hard Rock Cafe style.

This “Jews Brother” rocked them in Chi-Town! A fantastic Mid-Western debut!

Maybe I’ll relax and watch some watch VH-1 classic videos (the other main reason I fly JetBLue) for some AC/DC “To those who are about to…” die in a plane crash!

Langer’s Deli tomorrow at 2pm, possibly Junior’s in Westwood then off to Chicago on a 6am flight… Manny’s Deli at 6pm and an after party at 11 City Dinner(?). Looks like another week of delis for this pesca-vegetarian!

Over 400 people gathered Monday night at Ben’s Deli to celebrate David Sax’s new book about the disappearing American deli. Ben’s gracious hosts Ron Dragoon, Hal Simon, and Scott Singer put out a lavish buffet of freshly cut pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, hot dogs, pickles, cole slaw, latkes, and soft drinks for the ravenous crowd which lined up and snaked throughout the historic delicatessen once known as Lou G. Siegels like a humongous conga line.

I brought along my trusty trio of Hiro Keitora on guitar, David Lizmi on bass, and Tom Roslak on drums who wowed the crowd of avid fressers before I reached the stage with a torchful rendition of Are You Hungry Tonight. The legendary Freddy Roman took the mic and tickled the hungry masses with a set of Jewish food themed jokes.

David Sax read from his new book and relayed world records set by delis from the Universal Record Data Base (www.urdb.org) such as the longest salami held by New York deli owners… about 50 feet!

I saw my friends Sandy and Marion Levine of the Carnegie Deli among the crowd and a host of other friends and fans of the Jewish King of R’nR. I finished off the evening with my signature tune Oy Vey, My Way.

We raised some money for Mazon – The Jewish Response to Hunger www.mazon.org.

This week there are book signings and parties across the country for Save The Deli! I’ll be playing two more next week… Langer’s Deli in Los Angeles on Wednesday and Manny’s Deli in Chicago on Thursday!

Go to www.savethedeli.com for details! And I hope to see you at the buffet… remember early bird or late… there’s always more room on your plate!

Jelvis

I can’t wait to sample Ben’s free buffet! Looks like the crowd is already growing!
So get yourselves ready, folks, to rock out with the Jel-Man!
Monday October 19th!
209 W. 38th Street NY, NY
doors 7:30; buffet, cash bar & live performance 8-10PM

As always, I’ll be raising money for Mazon.org — A Jewish Response to Hunger — one of my favorite charities!
Please go to their website and consider making a donation.

“In 1945, there were 12 delis in Newark,” said Samuel Brummer, 86. “Now we are only two.”

First Stop: Greenblatt’s for our ritual re-entry into Hollywood. Darlene and I ate a huge meal consisting of (damn! I didn’t photograph the meal!) matzah ball soup, Cel-Ray tonic, pastrami for D. and a turkey club, bacon on the side, for me with extra turkey, pickles, hearts of palm salad, roasted peppers, cole slaw, Russian dressing and mustard, another Cel-Ray and a hello to Jeff, the owner. Tab: $50. Never was a cheap deli – never will be!

Out in the parking lot, a man was on the phone sitting in his car which was parked too close to Darlene’s BMW for her to enter the passenger seat ( I’m doing the driving). I yell thorough his window to please move so she can enter. He looks over, sees that he’s parked too close, and continues to jabber into his phone, held away from his face. Anyway, what ensued was almost a bloody fist fight which I should have avoided by pulling the car out and letting her enter but… this is LA and ‘road rage runs rampant’ even when you’re not moving in traffic! It was a true ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ moment.

Well, folks, I’ve got to keep a lid on it – as I move about LA to capture some images on tape for Saint Hollywood www.sainthollywood.com. I hope to be out of here unscathed by Monday! Images to follow!