Not everyone was a fan of Elaine's, the famed Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side that was a regular hangout to many famous New Yorkers (among them Woody Allen). While the place was never really known for its food, the reviews could be vicious: "Restaurant was probably good before Pizza Hut came out, but Pizza Hut has since raised the bar for overpriced Italian food," Grant E. complained. So how will the Yelp users who took to the Internet to semi-anonymously complain about the now-closed restaurant feel hearing that items from the restaurant—as well as souvenirs from the late Elaine Kaufman's apartment—brought in $385,734 at auction this week, an amount that surpassed pre-sale estimates ("Of course the decor is not that exciting"—A.K. on Yelp).
Both a tribute to Kaufman, who died in December 2010, and the legacy of her popular restaurant, the auction's catalogue featured artwork (including an Andy Warhol screenprint and a David Hockney etching), signed books, and kitchen supplies. And, of course, there was memorabilia from the restaurant itself, including Table #1, the most desirable seat in the house, which sold for $8,750 (it was bundled with a set of four chairs).
Some of Elaine's famous patrons and personal friends attended the standing-room only event. Those with bold-faced names commented on both Elaine's loyalties to her customers and the clientele's faithful patronage of the famous hotspot. "Elaine's was where you'd go to drink, have fights and make out with someone's girlfriend in the bathroom," said author Jay McInerney. "I have many happy memories of Elaine's."
