NUMBER 4 - PEOPLE & EVENTS - NANCY REYNOLDS' BIRTHDAY. Nancy Reynolds holds the record for the most trips to Rick's Cafe of all the foreign Usual Suspects (and a few of the Moroccans for that matter), bringing the champagne to a New Year's buffet in the old house just after the sale went through. I filled the space with rented period furniture for the occasion, we had Glenn Miller playing from a boom box and enjoyed tamale pie, champagne and dessert from Lenotre. Along the way she supplied me with ample doses of positive energy during my early struggles. When she said she wanted to give a big party at Rick's to celebrate her 90th birthday party in June I was thrilled to help. Her guests flew in from Washington, D.C., Santa Fe, Los Angeles and points in between. Nancy made an advance trip to fix the plans, and the menu and program evolved over months of email and phone communication. Nancy was close to Ronald and Nancy Reagan and she found a wonderful picture which was posed on a chevalier at the front entrance and as the cover of the menu - President Reagan, in tuxedo, raising a glass and the inscription: "To Nancy Clarke Reynolds, Here's Looking at You, Kid, Ron." Nancy said one of the highlights of the evening for her was when the rumor spread among clients upstairs that Nancy Reagan was celebrating her birthday, and several sent cards asking for autographs! For us the highlight was feting this wonderful lady and meeting her diverse and fun group of friends. NUMBER 4 - ADDITIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS AT RICK'S - ISSAM'S CD. It was something we'd been talking about for ages, and as Rick's anniversary loomed ahead it seemed time for Issam to record a CD. In the film when Ilsa comes to Rick's for the first time and calls Sam over she says, "Play some of the old songs, Sam, play 'As Time Goes By'." The title of Issam's CD is ISSAM AT THE PIANO...SOME OF THE OLD SONGS, and it features "THE SONG" as well as others that have become classic at Rick's, "But Beautiful", "My Foolish Heart", "A Nightengale Sang in Berkeley Square," and many others. CDs were presented to clients at our Anniversary Dinner and for many it's become the next best thing to being at Rick's. |
