At 103, The Guy's Still Eating Out
Loved this story in the NYT. Corey Kilgannon writes:
It never fails, Harry Rosen said on Wednesday evening as he enjoyed another fine meal by himself in another top-rated Manhattan restaurant."Maybe because I'm eating alone at my age, people at other tables start conversations," he said.
Yes, he tells them, he lives alone, in a modest studio apartment on West 57th Street in Manhattan, and he always eats dinner out, always orders the fish.
"They always ask my age, and I often lie and tell them I'm 90," he said. "If I tell them my real age, it becomes the whole subject of conversation and makes it look like I'm looking for attention, which I'm not."
Mr. Rosen is 103 but he doesn't look a day over 90. His mother died at 53 and his father at 70, but he says he feels fine and has had no major operations or health problems.
"I read in a newspaper column a long time ago that the key to a long life is sleeping on your back, so I always did that," said Mr. Rosen, who often finds that his bill has been paid by those friendly diners. Not that he needs it. He made a bundle with his office supply company and is spending it -- $100 a night, on average -- on dinners out.
Much of his work involved wooing clients over lunch and dinner, so after retiring a few years back because of hearing loss, he continued to put on a fine work suit every afternoon, grab his satchel, and head out to hail a yellow cab to one of his favorite restaurants. Café Boulud perhaps, on East 76th Street, or Boulud Sud near Lincoln Center, or Avra Estiatorio on East 48th Street.
"I haven't eaten dinner home in many years," said Mr. Rosen, who tried singles groups and other activities after his wife of 70 years, Lillian, died five years ago, when she was 95.
But nothing brought him the comfort of a fine restaurant.
"It's my therapy, it lifts my spirits," he said Wednesday evening while examining the menu with a magnifying glass at David Burke Townhouse on East 61st Street.
He recently had a six-month fling with a 90-year-old lady, but it didn't work out.
via @ravisomalya
In other news, there's a 93-year-old riveter at Boeing who has been there since 1942 or so.
It makes me wonder about the limits of human diversity. Some die early, others... don't.
Radwaste at September 28, 2013 7:38 AM
Awesome!! My great-gramma passed when she was 103, but was pretty active up until about 6 weeks or so before she passed. When #1 was born, we went to FLA to visit her, and had a 5-generation picture taken. As soon as I walked in the door with her, ggamma said "give me that child!" so I did. She was 99 at the time. She's holding #1 in some of the pictures we took. Later, after SHE changed #1's diaper and fed her, we went outside, so she could vacuum the pool!
Bless you, Mr. Rosen, keep on dining out. You earned it!
Flynne at September 28, 2013 9:03 AM
Amazing stuff. Wish we could all still "be there" when we get old. Too many people who are healthy into a ripe old age are lost in dementia. If medicine could solve that problem, it would be amazing.
a_random_guy at September 28, 2013 11:36 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/09/at-103-the-guys.html#comment-3942303">comment from a_random_guyIt is possible, as Michael Eades has noted, that Alzheimer's may be diabetes of the brain. There's nothing conclusive enough on this but I think it's a smart bet, for many reasons, to not eat sugar or flour.
Last night, I was too tired to make a main dish, so I ate butter with green beans. Not really, but kind of! A lot of green beans, a lot of butter.
Amy Alkon
at September 28, 2013 11:41 AM
Good for him! Hopefully we can all be there like him someday.
A couple of years back I meet an older guy hiking the Appalachian Trail. He was 81 years old. This was in a September and he left Georgia back in March. He felt kind of disappointed that he wouldn't finish in one season; but, would finish it the next year.
Disappointed? Hell, most folks who start it never finish!
When asked, he mentioned that he was hiking it by himself. One woman in our group asked why his sons didn't join him. He answered, with a chuckle: "Na, they're all older than me!"
As for me, I look to him for inspiration - I so want to be doing that when I'm 80.
Charles at September 28, 2013 5:31 PM
Fantastic.
Nothing makes me happier when I'm out at a bar or restaurant than to see some elderly doll or handsome gent dressed to the nines, out with friends or just enjoying him- or herself with a cocktail. And I always tell those people they've made my day, which is true.
Kevin at September 29, 2013 10:21 AM
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