Getting Inn to the Waverly Inn
An item in this week's Observer alluded to the existence of a secret reservations line for the Waverly Inn, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter's new-old restaurant in the West Village, and quoted a "Hollywood high-up" as saying:
"There are three ways you can get a table at Graydon's new restaurant," he said. "You can either be invited to the restaurant. Or you can call him at his personal office and try to get a reservation. Or you can roll the dice and be a walk-in. But the listed phone number won't get you anywhere. It just rings."
There's some truth to that statement. We did some real! live! reporting ourselves, and found a few listed numbers for what we've taken to affectionately referring to as Graydon's Lair. One ... had been disconnected. Two ... was a fax machine. Three ... did not just ring, as the NYO's tipster claimed. It was a recording that gave directions to the restaurant! If you are arriving by car, we learned, go to the corner of Bank and Greenwich. And, the eagle flies at midnight, etc.
