Airline ticket agent to restaurant mogul Clara Perez of Biarritz Restaurant

Welcome back to the Clappy and Frank show. We are now Erev Pesach. Tonight's Bedikas Chametz. We're going to be airing this episode on Chol HaMoed. Many people told me, "Clappy, Frank, you don't have to shoot an episode for the week of Chol HaMoed. People will understand you're on vacation." We don't rest. We have a crowd, an audience of tens of thousands of people that look forward all week to watch our episode. So, we are never going to leave them hanging. We're consistent for over 7 months. Today, we have with us a very famous icon in the Jewish community. Although she's not Jewish, we have Clara. Clara has worked for El Al as the top stewardess for decades. Stewardess? No, station manager. >> Station manager. She was like top of the line. >> her so quickly in the first sentence. >> the line. So, many people, hundreds of thousands of people know her from the tens of thousands of flights she's traveled for El Al to Israel and back. And she was the founding owner of a very famous restaurant in Crown Heights, Basil. For all people that are fine diners, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and every other food magazine has done extensive work on Basil restaurant. Now, she reopened the restaurant >> And Oprah right there? Were you on Oprah, too, right? >> Oprah was Oprah visited your shop. And now she has the restaurant She reopened the restaurant under a new name, Biarritz. Biarritz. >> Biarritz. I don't know how to pronounce these things. Popular, successful restaurant. Clara, welcome to the show. Thank you very much. >> Took a long time to get you onto the podcast. We're happy that you're here. How does a not Jewish lady um open up a super successful kosher restaurant and be the head head of flights to Israel for El Al? Tell us a little bit about your background. >> start from how you end up in the airline business, right? Or you want to Where you born? Or we start from the beginning, Clara? I am. From the beginning. First, I want to say this is a last-minute thing. I just arrived. I was on my way to work, but anyway I was born in Colombia, South America. Mhm. No accent, Clara. No, because I was raised here. Got you. I was raised in New Jersey and um that's it. I mean I was raised in New Jersey and I went to school here, so and we spoke at home Spanish, of course, and that's how I know how to speak Spanish fluently and uh and at school we spoke English, you know, and um I have three siblings and myself and my mother and father. How did you end up in the airline business, Clara? Uh after I got married, I got married at a very young age because um my father raised us like if we were in third world country, where you know, the girl stays home, she doesn't go out. I wasn't allowed to go to I wasn't allowed to go anywhere, basically. We had three girls in the family, we couldn't go anywhere, so >> He was a protective dad. Yeah, well, all the men my older brother was allowed out, but me, we had to stay home, we weren't allowed out, we didn't go to pajama parties, we didn't go Friday night dances, there's no dances. No, no, women don't dance, we're home, cooking, cleaning and you know, preparing for school. >> Sounds like your dad's from Williamsburg. And I got married very young and it's funny that when I went to high school, I remember that I I was I had a football player, he was like the you know, the famous football player, he was the quarterback and he came to ask me and I said he was Italian and I said to him listen, my father won't let me go anywhere and you need to ask him permission. My father's very strict. He said I'll ask your father, don't worry. He came over to that and he and he asked him if he can take me out to a football game and all that and my father gave him permission and when I Did your father first interrogate him for two hours? >> Yeah, for two hours, sure. And they couldn't communicate cuz my father didn't speak very good English, but anyway, it was very funny. What did your father do for a living? What do you do for a living? My father was he fixed it he worked at Turneau fixing Rolex watches. That's what he did. Yeah. >> Is that why you wear a Rolex watch? Uh not because of my father. Not my father but he fixed it. He used to fix my watch. Let me ask you a question. When you came to America as a kid they put you in public school. And they put you Oh, was it private school? Catholic Catholic >> And it was English speaking? Yeah. How did you pick up English? I don't recollect but I think that when you're a child, you know, you you pick up the you know, you have no choice. I imagine I don't I don't remember those days. >> did you get here? 2 years old. >> Okay, that's the answer. >> You think in Spanish or English? I think in English. Okay, cuz a lot of my friends that came from Israel as children they said they still speak fluent English but they think in Hebrew. No, I think in English. Okay, you think in English. You think in dollars. Not exactly but go ahead. Not really. Back to Moshe's question. So you So he's the guy that So the guy that the guy that asked for your father's permission to take you to the the football guy. He's the one that you married? No. No. But I want to give you a comparison when I was a when I met my husband, I was a runway model and he provided the shoes for for girl. We was I was 16 years old 17 and Hold on. From not being out of the house to the house to being running around to being modeling. >> to get I wanted to work you know because you know, I wanted to have a job because I wanted to buy things that I liked and and my father and mother said that if you want to work you have to get a job. And so I couldn't get a job at the age of 16 so I used my sister's name and ID her paperwork and I went and got a job at um I think I worked at ShopRite maybe. ShopRite the grocery store? >> ShopRite the grocery store in Jersey City and I don't know where I I don't know if I was at the counter walking out and a gentleman with a woman came to me and he said to me, "How tall are you?" And I told them my height and she goes, "Did you ever think >> How tall How tall are you? I'm 5'5". And she said, "Well, we could work with that." She said to the guy next to her and then he They asked me, "What size are you?" And I told them I'm a size 7/8. She said, "You're the perfect measurement. You know, here's my card. I'd like I'd like to meet with you. We we do um we do We're in the garment industry and we'd love to have you come and see if you fit the bill for what we need." So, I didn't go for about a week or two and then I gave them my number. They called me and they said to come. So, I went >> know much about women's clothing, but officially like a size two is the cool number, no? Yeah, well, maybe now today, but back then it was a size seven. Anyway, so I I I made it to be a runway model. I was the perfect size that they needed, you know, but it was a not magazine, you know, runway. You go down the runway Like the clothing shows, you know, fashion shows, you know. Yeah, they have that. I used to work in that area. There's a lot of water these shows, yeah. So, we I did that for a very long time. >> Remember which companies you you you modeled for? Uh Jonathan Logan. Uh Sassoon was the first tight fitting fit the first tight fitting jean was Sassoon. And uh Frank Guess was the owner. He was Israeli, a French Israeli I worked for. And um So, that's the first time you met a Jewish person? Uh yes. Ever? Yes. No No Jewish kids in Jersey City? Jersey City has a Jews those days, no? No. No. Yeah, but they I'm I'm sure they did, but I didn't >> you went to Catholic school. Did Hasidic Hasidic have a high school there, no? It's a Catholic school. Ah, okay. And that's how you met your husband, you said, in the fashion industry. Right. And so, when he came to my house and I said to my father, "I met, you know, somebody that speaks our language, you know? He speaks Spanish." And he said to me, "With this one you don't go anywhere. I'm not letting you out. You sit in this living room. He dates you in this living room." So, we had to get married. We got married like a year 6 months So, how old were you How old were you when you got married? I I 18. Wow. Yeah, 18. Yeah, I was very young. Yeah, then I had my son when I was 19 and my daughter when I was 20. And how did you get into the airline industry? Um I think I I don't remember my age I was, but my sisters, both of them went to work. One was working for El Al, the youngest sister worked for El Al Airlines, and the oldest sister worked for Avianca Airlines. >> Avianca? >> Avianca, it's the Colombian airline. And they were working and I was a stay-at-home mom, and I I didn't work. So, then I So, then I I was going through a divorce. I must have been 34 years old, 33, and I went I was very, very upset, and I went to to meet my sister for lunch, you know, I said to listen, I'm going to go into the city, you know, why don't you She goes, "Yeah, I can go out for lunch." And she said, "Come upstairs and wait, you know, wait for me." I remember that it was I don't know what year, must have been 19 Somewhere in the 1990s, I went to this building in Manhattan, and they had two armed men with machine guns, literally machine guns, not little guns, machine guns standing outside. And I said, I called them up and said, "Where do you work? Like, who do you work for? They They're not letting me in. They want to put scream What What are they I don't know they're going to search me." I said, "What's going on here?" She said, "Just tell them you're my sister you're going to say." I said to them, "Listen, I'm Adriana's sister, and I'm meeting her for lunch." I could wait down here. He goes, "No, you can come upstairs." So, I went upstairs, and they had security, and went through a security checkpoint. You know, they they with metal detectors. So, while I was in the waiting room For which company? El Al. El Al. Oh. >> waiting for her. She was working for El Al. >> she was working for some mafia near or something. Armed machine guns, like meeting for lunch, it's like a code word. >> I What do you think I thought? What do you think I thought? I thought machine guns I thought machine guns meeting for lunch is a code for the cocaine or something. So, I said So, I said to her, I said, um Anyway, I was in the waiting room when she was taken, and I saw men come in and out. And I thought to myself, "Wow, these men are really very good looking." Even in that moment I was upset that I was getting divorced. But I I I I I said to her, I couldn't believe all the people that I saw coming in and out. So, anyway, she came out, we went for lunch and she went back to work and then I went home and she went home and she called me and she said, "You know, Mr. So-and-so, I don't want to say their names, Mr. So-and-so, Mr. So-and-so are the big bosses and they were in from Israel and they wanted to know who was the girl waiting in the waiting room." And and she said to them, "That's my older sister who who is meeting me for lunch. She's going through a divorce." I don't know why she had to say all that. But anyway, you see that we have I can't help ourselves but talk. But anyway, so she's So, she's told them that and they said, um, "Wow, what does she do now? So, why don't you bring her to the Christmas party?" And now that after >> Al makes a Christmas party? >> for the Hanukkah or Christmas? No, Christmas party. They had a They give a Christmas party. Uh They don't do together? Like holiday? They don't at the time. >> She called it a Christmas party and she said, "You know, they never >> Mom was run like They don't allow They don't allow husbands or none. But they made an exception and told her she could bring her older sister." So, I went to the Christmas party, but I didn't meet anybody there. You know, I enjoyed I went home and she said to me, uh, "My boss can't call me into the office. They want to meet you. They want They want you to go work at the airport." I said, "I don't I can't travel. I live in Fort Lee, New Jersey. I'm not going to travel to I I don't think >> Where? Well, I don't know I don't know Jersey. New Newark is a probably 20-minute drive, no? Newark wasn't open yet when I >> Newark Airport? >> no Newark Airport, no. When did Newark No Newark Airport or no El Al at Newark? There was no El Al at Newark. Ah, okay. I thought Newark was an old airport. >> no. El Al I mean, the El Al station was not open. So, I said to It was only JFK. >> I just flew to El Al through Newark. It's a big big terminal. >> big Yeah, and I think it's It's better station than JFK. I I think so, you know, in my experience. >> nice. In my experience. Well, because first of all, it's smaller and and it and and and it's uh I think it's more it's smaller, more quaint, you know, everybody Kennedy's a very large airport, you know. >> don't have their own lounge, right? They have their own lounge in JFK? Well, back then we did. When when I when I was the station manager of Newark, they had their own they had their own lounge. Now they share it, I think, right? And now they share I think they share now, yeah. I um I don't I don't know what the >> So okay, we're getting off track. So they said that you're offered a job to work at the airport in JFK and you said it's too far to travel to JFK. >> I don't know the first thing about the airport. >> I wouldn't even know what to do. You know, I studied I went to college for to be a school teacher and I never worked because I was home at home, you know, I didn't have to work. So I working being a mother at home is a full-time job, trust me. It's a very It's It's very very um Clara, what's harder? Raising a family or running a flight? What's harder? Yeah, what's harder, more more difficult? What's more stressful? >> Raising children or working in the airlines? >> I think raising >> Running a flight. What's harder? Because when you love what you do and once you you know, first of all, I I didn't think I I want you to know that it was very interesting because I did not go. I said to my sister, "Please tell your boss that I'm not interested." You know, I'm going through divorce and my husband had a lot of money. I wasn't I wasn't worried about money at this point. I was worried about you know, what am I going to do with my children? You know, I I wasn't worried about you know, How old are your kids? My They were five and six. They They were very small and I was I was really not in a good place. So then she said that So then they Yolanda the the the she was the VP of L Al. She called me. She said, "Clara, listen. So-and-so met you saw you. They're the big bosses here. They're the head honchos. They want you to come in for an interview. Please just come. We'll talk, we'll see, we'll this and I She said, "You don't have a job. You're not doing it. We pay I mean I don't remember the pay back then, but it was a lot I I thought it was a lot, you know, and I And so then anyway, so I went for the interview, and it was very interesting because at the interview, there were three Hispanic girls and myself, and there were three Jewish Israeli They were Jewish girls that spoke Hebrew, English. They came from American Airlines, TWA. And the Spanish girl came from American Airlines, and I didn't have any experience whatsoever. So, when all was said and done, the three Hispanic girls were hired. For what job position? >> girls. As a checking agent, to work at the airport at the gate, you know, checking agent. So, when I got hired, I I went to meet the head boss that met me in the lobby of the He said, "I'm the one." And I said, "I know who you are." So, wait a second. From the three Jewish girls, they weren't hired that day, but you were all three all the Spanish girls were hired. >> So, when I went in, he said, "I want to know before you start, do you have any questions for me?" And I said, "Yeah, I have one." And he said, "What's that?" I said, "I have zero experience, and you hunted me down." I said, >> And you don't speak a word of Hebrew. >> And I don't speak a word of Hebrew. The two Spanish girls that were in the interview room did not speak a word of of Hebrew. And yes, they came from an airline, and the three Jewish girls that spoke Hebrew fluently and English fluently and were very experienced, you did not hire. So, I'm curious as to why." And he said to me, "We are He said, "We are a government-owned airline, and we do not promote Jewish people living in the United States. So, when you come to the terminal, you're going to meet your station managers, your supervisors, and they're all Italian Ameri- They were all born and raised here. None of them The only Jewish people that are on the in the United States are L A security and me and and and two more managers on the big boss I fly back and you they station managers that that they're ground operations they run the whole United States but they're not at the airport. Hold on. Hold the thoughts. Hold the thoughts. We have amazing corporate sponsors that keep this show floating. We have Schmerling chocolate out of Switzerland. Really? >> delicious amazing chocolate. If you're watching this episode on Halacha might it has the best hashgacha. Kosher Lamahadrin, parve, milchik, delicious, no artificial flavors, it's just fantastic. How do you say something? >> I know it by the way because they're they they sell that that chocolate in Tenafly, New Jersey in the stores over there. It's a big community. >> class people all fresh Schmerling chocolate. We have which one you're going to eat on the show clan? I'm going to eat the the rose rosemary. Rosemary. Yitzchok Schlowitz is his favorite chocolate. >> Oh, Yitzchok's. Yeah. Can I have a little water? My own water right there? Yes, yeah, sure. >> Yeah, of course. >> move this? Yeah, you can also have a piece of chocolate. There you go. Moshe you have some chocolate? >> Oh god. >> I just had fleishig. Okay. I'm out. We are also sponsored by Wheels 2 Lease. When you need your new car to go on Halacha might trips, to go away to the mountains, the summer is coming, the cheapest most affordable cars. You answer they answer the phone you ask for Saul or for Izzy Herman. They pick up >> for them because I have a lot of people that ask me? >> Yeah, everybody wants their cars. They're they're very they're very inexpensive. They're the best quality. They have to get you approvals. The car is in your driveway usually within two hours. >> you had told me about them when you came to the when you came to the They're only doing it for like 40 years. >> Yeah, 40 years. If you need a lease >> know what they they probably know what they're doing. Lease, finance, buy. And by the way, they're very good at trading in. My friend drove a Pilot. Remember the guy came with the Pilot? So, I'll run some numbers, made him a very, very fast cash offer, like on the spot. >> Boom. You want to get a $200 car, a Nissan Sentra, you want a $400 Pilot, a Sienna, anything you need, they get you into a set of wheels in minutes. So, please call my friends at Wheels to Lease. The number's at the bottom. We're also sponsored by CH Butcher, the most delicious restaurant. It's a meat restaurant on Troy Avenue. >> delicious meat restaurant. Obviously, we know where to get the milk stuff from. You should know that two people that came to the restaurant said to me, "Do you like meat? Do you Do you enjoy meat?" And I said, "Absolutely. I'm a meat I love meat." They said, "You have to go to Butcher." >> CH Butcher. >> They said, "You got to go there. It's magnificent. The food is over the top. Clara, you're going to love the food at CH Butcher." And I said, "Where? On Troy Ave?" I said, "How does he get business on Troy Ave? Nobody goes to Troy Ave." >> People go to Troy Ave for CH Butcher. They go to him for the meat, she said to me. "Trust me, I go to him for the meat." And then she mentioned other places not to go to, but she said, "Go there." I'm not going to mention because it's not important right now. >> important. But but but she knows that I like meat, and I mentioned to her that I had gone to another place, and I used to love their meat and no more. So, don't I don't I don't need to eat kosher meat. But she said, "Clara, you have to go there. It's really great." >> Local American That's one of my uh Oh, it's American. You know why? Cuz it's a One of the reasons it's American beef. It's not South American. It's American Angus, highest quality beef. Okay. >> good stuff. But I have heard of them. >> Also, I want to mention a sponsor that we don't mention every week. Sr- um Art Fine Art by Sruly Clawman. >> Fine Art by Israel Clawman. >> Israel Clawman. He's If you want to buy old Judaica books, manuscripts >> Manuscripts. He's big in manuscripts. Rebbe dollars >> Rebbe dollars, Rebbe letters signed Yeah, signed. I have a Rebbe letter now that has an extra full line in the Rebbe's handwriting. Super authenticated. Clappy like He says no to most deals cuz he's not she can't authenticate it 100 million percent. >> I say no to a lot of deals. >> So, that's why he's so poor cuz he says no to so many deals cuz he's not sure a million million percent it's not real. Otherwise, he would be he would be what? You haven't mentioned a president yet, Clappy. Yeah, well, no. It is what it is. And of course Lavian Art Gallery for all your Judaica art needs, call Moishe Frank, yours truly. Right, Clappy? Oh, A1 Party Rentals. We were at their factory yesterday. A1 Party This is crazy. My brother-in-law has a company, A1 Party Rentals, five warehouses. They is putting up super dome tents, 60 by 150 ft. You Moishe, you saw the way they were picking up those metal beams? I got stuck there for 2 hours. Yeah. for Sukkah for for the holiday. >> everything. A1 Party Rentals. They really came through for me. They went above and beyond for me. Cuz I was talk I didn't even know what I was asking them for and they knew. I got you, don't worry. They came They were really good. tables, tents, party supplies, dishes, tablecloths. If you're making a party If you're making a high-end And by the way, the warehouses have to have tens of thousands of SKUs because if you want a certain bar stool and gold standing tables where people have like the the the beer and the and the wine at the fancy political events, they have it everything. A1 Party Rentals number is at the bottom. If you're making any fancy corporate event, putting up a building, you know, like a dome or a tent, college graduations, A1 Party Rentals. >> this is the earliest we ever put sponsors. We did it very early. >> Yeah, people want to hear right away. Where do you get Where do we get all this money for this high-end production? It's corporate sponsorship. Wow. I was walking on the street today, crazy story. I'm walking on the street today on Kingston Avenue. I'm going to pick up stuff for last-minute Passover stuff, and this guy taps me, and I don't know who he is. You know, nice-looking 30-year-old guy with an orange beard, and he's holding his phone. It must have been Spotify or Apple Cast. It says, "A young Jewish winemaker." He was so happy to show that he's walking in the street. People sometimes drive by me on Kingston Avenue or on 13th Avenue in Borough Park and they honk and they turn up the volume and they're listening to the podcast. It's so interesting. >> Yes. People from all walks of life. My brother Moish now was in Mexico for Passover. He sees this guy waiting next to him at a pool last night says his favorite podcast is Clappy and Frank and my brother Moish pops up Schmoily my brother Moish Schmoily pops up and says, "I KNOW THE GUY. I KNOW the guy." Anyways, Clappy, was he that proud when you're in in your last cubicle job where it's only >> said he doesn't know me. Yeah, every time you come into the restaurant at breakfast and say hello to they said to me, "Do you know who he is? Do you know who he is?" He's young, you know, I don't even know who they are but they say to me, "Do you know who he is?" and I said, "Now I do." Ay ay ay, enough about me. Back to El Al they offered you a job at the guest check-in at the gate because they don't want Jewish people. They want Jewish people to live in Israel. I just before we go to the next thing. What's the personality, I'm assuming your both sisters are in the airline business. What would you say the the right personality for someone who wants to work in the airline industry is you have to deal with high strong like pressure. What would you say like the some qualities you would advise someone to have to work at a gate check especially at El Al? Especially El Al I worked at the gate. >> personal Obviously the managers saw things in you that I would your two sisters in it. I was I'm assuming there's a personality type. Well, I'm going to tell you something quick just like I'm cutting to the chase and I'm going to tell you a little line that I >> ADD people are probably perfect for high strong pressure. Whenever I did become the manager and I I came over to Newark it became the number one station all over the world and they asked me, "How did you do that?" The board when I flew to Israel they they wanted to know. The other managers wanted to hear what and I said the first thing I did in Newark of course not I said I got rid of the Israeli girls that that because then it it was no more government owned I'm cutting to the chase and just telling you that what what what my thing is about customer service. You cannot be Israeli and say yala get away. Next, get your own plane. You can't talk to the customer like that. You know, you got to be empathetic. You have to hear them out. You got to, you know, and and and and in customer service, I I feel that that if you have to have you have to be you first of all you have to love what you do. And then once you love connecting with people and helping them you have to be patient and you have to be, you know, easygoing and you have to listen to them. You And I learned so much working at El Al because I learned that the Jewish people that I cuz once my kids went to school in a private school and they they sang Hanukkah songs and they but I really didn't meet many Jewish people. And the ones that I did were very, you know, they on their Schwartz, you know, the kids went to school in a very high-end area and and in New Jersey and they they went with a lot of people that had a lot of money and that doesn't always mean that it's the you know, it doesn't always mean that your kids come out great. But the point is that when when when what was I saying? I forgot what I was saying. >> You're saying the first Jewish people you really met was at El Al. >> what I want to say the difference between all the Jewish people in in Bergen County and in the United States opposed to Israelis, they're a whole different animal. They were I I couldn't believe that they're very, you know, they're very calm, they're very you dismiss them and that's it. It's you're done. It's finished. So, you So, I learned that they want to be heard. Doesn't matter what it is. You listen to them from the beginning to the end. That's it. They want to be heard. They will no longer be dismissed. None of that's going to happen to them. And I learned that through working there for so many years. >> can be very dismissive. No, they are not dismissive. They are very humble, they're kind. >> Israelis? Yeah, Israelis, but they don't want to be dismissed. I could I remember there was a problem once on Friday and I was walking down I had already gotten a phone call from the customs. They had a customs guy who said, "Clara, I have one of your lovely passengers." And I could hear him screaming from the from downstairs. And that's because they weren't listening to him. They weren't paying I said to him, "You're a business class passenger. You're a VIP with us. We I can hear you screaming from the third floor." I said, "What's going on? Take it easy." And that's because they don't They don't The American cousin they didn't want to hear what he had to you know, they don't want to hear him. Do you know what I mean? They don't have the and Who didn't want to hear who? I'm curious. The Israelis want to be heard. From the beginning to the end. They want to be heard. If you dismiss an Israeli, you are done. They're going to have you They're going to eat you up for dinner. No, that's it. No, really. They're going to You can't And that's what I learned. Now, the Jewish people here I don't They're nothing like the Israeli They're not at all the same kind of >> common collective. The rich Jews in Bergen County are more common collective. They're not screaming and yelling. You should know that I'm in Tenafly now and you have a big Big Israeli of Israelis there. Huge. It's It's a It's in Hoboken and religious all Yeah. But what's a you back to What's a Is there a lot of pressure? What's the pressure like getting airline a flight out on time? What type of You have to have you're able to handle a lot now? And there's fines if you leave early, late, and money is a lot of Well, you have to be on time otherwise they charge you $1,000, you know, a minute or A minute. A minute because they need that gate for another airline especially when you're an international when you're on the other side with the international. You have to leave on time and you try. But a station I think I think that >> But we're skipping. You were the station manager eventually. You didn't come in day one as the station manager. So, how long was the build-up to become the station manager? >> it took maybe a year to become a supervisor. No. First you become a supervisor. You know, first of all, when when I went there to I was working as a check-in agent and I enjoyed, you know, and I watched and I didn't understand, you know, what was going on. I didn't even know where Israel was. I was standing in the front of the plane. I saw all these gorgeous people getting off the aircraft, and I said to the girl that was training me, I said, "Where is Israel on the map?" These people very good-look These men are drop-dead gorgeous, and the women are beautiful. Like, everybody was Everybody looked like they were coming out of I don't know They really were very good-looking. And I said And then when the pilots came out and all the crew, and they looked so And I said to her And so, she explained to me, and then I I asked, you know, I had to ask what about the security You know, because you I would see men walking around us, you know, and then I understood the security and what they do and how they do it, and it's a very interesting So, 1 year in, you were the supervisor? >> I became a supervisor. They call it lead agent, and then if you're a lead agent, you become a supervisor. And then at one point, El Al decided that they were no longer going to go with El Al agents. They were going to do a handling agent. They were going to do a third party. Outsource. >> And they would outsource, and they were going to only keep the best of the best. They were going to keep the top people that they thought were good, and they kept Economic reasons? Just to save money? I think to save money. I think I think, first of all, to save money, and second of all, that was the thing to do, you know, because you >> person It bothers me. I'm not going to get name companies, but it bothers me on a personal level when I see American companies, multi-billion-dollar companies, and they employ all They hire, they get the best, the brightest. They have people working for them for many, many, many years, and then to save money, they start bringing in agency workers. So, now the agency worker get paid by third-party companies, and you could tell they're not as smart, they're not as sharp, they don't care, they get paid a lot less. 100% it's legal, you know, I Of course, there's nothing wrong with it, but I notice it I notice it on a daily basis when I'm speaking to a worker in person or on the phone. I'm not talking about Chinese call centers, Indian call centers. I'm have American companies, when somebody doesn't work for you directly, they lose their passion, they lose their enthusiasm. >> connected. I just want to know what you thought about that. >> to make a shout out to the great B&H that they have local New York I don't talk about B&H. Go on go on. Oh, don't we want them to sponsor? Clapper. When when they sponsor, we'll talk about them. That they have local Americans people picking up the phone and helping out. So what were you saying? So they started bringing in third-party companies? It's it's yeah, third-party countries. So they kept me and then they kept like I worked under a station manager in Newark. And when she would wait, you you run you know, you run the airline and you run you know, you You run the flight. >> You run the flight. You learn how to run the flight. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to know how to run a flight. What what the interesting point is that you have to be the kind of person that that that cares about the you have to be like I decided that Latin people and black people, you know, and and that they're empathy that have empathy, they're they're humble, they're kind. They come from a different upbringing. They the Israeli girl the Jewish she wanted to fight like I didn't speak Hebrew, but I'm I'm standing there and I told him I think you need to go there and I would ask the security what's going on. He goes, "Well, your agent is telling the customer to get his own aircraft if he wants you know you know, that if he wants to sit on the wing and the I don't know what he was telling her in Hebrew, but she was going like this >> your own plane. and I'm walking over and I'm going what's going on? What is she telling the customer? This guy looked like his veins were coming out of his neck. So she said to me So he the security guy said, "Clara, she's telling him that it's enough. We don't have any more seats and if you want the seat that you want, get your own aircraft. Next get next." And she said, "Get the next person in line because you have to check in your passengers. You have 365 people. They all come late. Everybody comes late to the flight. You know what I mean? So so you have to get them in and you can't you know, you can't sit in and and and have a conversation with them in and out, you know. So you have to be empathetic and you have a deadline. >> you have to you have to be interested in customer service. Clara, are you looking at the clock at the same time? >> are you are you are. That's crazy. You're pressured and trying to be nice. A thousand dollars a minute on the clock, you You do you do you do look at the clock. You do absolutely you do. You have to. You it's important because they want it on time departure and with security and the way that they are. Do you know what I mean? It's very um very interesting. >> So, Clara, how do you get upgraded if you don't have status? I knew he was going to ask me that. And he knows the answer to that. That's why he's asking me. If you don't have any status and you're poor, is there any chance to get a upgrade to business class on any airline? Forget El Al, any airline. I've just my experience, I'm 39 years old. I've never seen a person get upgraded to first class just for asking. Always like a story. Again, I'm going to cut to the I when I was working at Basel I had a lovely Mashgiach. He was very very sweet. And and and and I happen to like him. He's very very nice. And he asked he told me he was going to Israel on in at El Al and he he didn't want to pay for the luggage and I said, "Don't worry. I you know, they know me there. I'm going to call." So, I happen to call this particular person that I used that used to work for me under me and I said, "Hi, listen, I need a favor. I have a Just do me a favor. Don't charge him for the bag." That's all I said. "Don't charge him for the bag, you know, help him out. He's you know, he's he's he works at the restaurant. He's a Mashgiach. He's a young guy. He's going back to Israel. Please do me a favor. He's a nice guy. Help him out." So, the guy called me when he got to Israel. He goes, "Clara, they met me. They brought me in the lounge. I sat in business class. Oh my god!" he said. So, I called the supervisor and I said, "Who told you to put him in business?" Clara, "When you pick up the phone, you never pick up the phone. So, if you pick up the phone to ask us for something, we're going to do it." And I do that like I did it again like 2 years ago. >> We didn't answer the question. If I go to the counter, I have no status. I and I'm not >> Today I can I tell you that you pull If I would be there, there's a very big possibility. But a regular person, there's nothing they can do. They can't give you a tip, Clara? What doesn't help? No. You get it See, that you can't do. Okay. That you can't do. Now, I moved people around and I did things, but but I did it for all the right reasons. You know, when you do it for >> his question's very good and I'm going to explain to you why. It's very normal in a restaurant It's very normal when you go to a restaurant and you the waiter and you're extra friendly, you get like a free dessert, a free piece of cake. Oh, you want tea? I'll give you tea. It's $4, I'll give you free tea. I I've had this experience dozens of times. Hasn't been in my restaurant. I've had dozens of experiences. >> what are you talking about? Oh, the chef wants you to try a new thing on the menu. Here's a what I I've had that a million times. I I don't believe unless you know a high high superior person in airline I what he asked I don't think that was his question. In other industries in a in a hotel, you say my anniversary, my this, my that. The next thing you know, you get upgraded. In airlines, people do not act friendly and get first class. It does not happen. >> Okay, I I don't It doesn't happen. I'm going to tell you something. You know, when I left Basel, first of all, I'm a lot older than than I look. I'm giving myself a little touch credit. So, I left Basel and I went to Florina and I got a little bored. I took a year off and I got bored. So, I I took a shot and I went to apply to three airlines because they were the airlines that, you know, once you leave El Al and and you're a manager like I was and you have a reputation like I did. Well, they hire you. They think that if you can work at El Al and make it happen over there, then you got you have to know something that they don't, you know, because it's a tough airline and it has a reputation for being tough and, you know, all of the above. >> Military style. >> applied to three airlines and I was hired. By all three By all three? >> By all three. But I picked and I was a lot older than I expect You know, you were I was retired. You know what I mean? I I didn't, you know, I had benefits of retirement. I didn't and I said, "Let me go back to the airline industry." And I could not believe how zero interest they have in taking care of a I used to say to myself, I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I >> Even their business first class? Oh my god. >> spending 10,000, 20,000? >> they don't they don't really cater to them. They're not like, you know, nobody and they have key they want them to do go on the kiosk machine and some people just don't, you know, can't be bothered. You know, the only person that I had to take care of at Emirates was Jared Kushner. And I went to pick him up outside, you know, to meet him to bring him through the thing and everybody's yelling to him, "We want you to be the president." I said, he's the son-in-law. They didn't even know that he wasn't like you know, in the TSA, everybody there is Spanish. They were all talking to him in Spanish cuz they don't speak English over there, by the way. Let's not even get into that. Yeah, nobody speaks English in Miami International Airport. The TSA? Nobody. Okay. Imagine when ICE comes, they try to communicate with them. They all run. I don't know what >> What's considered a good flight manager in the industry to get the flight out What are the three things you look for airlines that this is a great manager? What did she do to get the flights out on time? Is that the most important thing? >> First of all, El Al is a whole other animal every other airline. Do you know what I mean? Like No, I remember, and this is very quick, I took a flight I was training in El Al and I took a flight to Israel. They sent me for training because I was going to be a supervisor for whatever reason it was. And the plane diverted because they needed to get fuel at I don't know what where we diverted to. What do you mean diverted? You ran out of fuel that they weren't expecting? >> They needed No, they Yeah, because they because the weather wasn't so great and they they they needed more fuel, so they made a stop and they made an announcement on the aircraft to everybody in English and in Hebrew, "Please do not get off the aircraft. Do not under any circumstances. This is we are on a runway, you know, an active runway. Nobody gets off the aircraft. We're going to open the door. We're going to bring the stairs down to get fuel and we got to sign with the mechanic." The whole aircraft ran ran down the ran down the tarmac. They ran the in the like and I'm sitting there and I'm They said, "We need a drink. We need They They were very And I And I'm sitting on the plane. Later on when I was a station manager, I asked my sister cuz I wanted to meet my security boyfriend from El Al. I wanted to meet him in in a Munich. And I wanted to fly in business class and and with a Scandinavian I was there. My sister got me a way to get there to to in business class. The plane diverted exactly a jumbo diverted and they were on the tarmac for hours and everybody was drunk. Nobody gave a And I'm nudging and I said, "Sir, we've been sitting here for 3 hours. Could you please get us out of here?" Like No, the difference between You see what I mean? Like the You thinks that like like like And what I saw happen in Copa Airlines and then I said, "If this was an El Al I said to the customer but then I left Emirates and I went to Copa Airlines and I said to the guy on the line, "So you're a first class You're You're flying business. You're Israeli. You want to tell me that you don't care that you're going to sit here for 3 hours? Where's your You know, I'm used to the the person that's going, "What do you mean?" I would make an announcement and I'd say, "The engine fell. The engine is no longer there." I would say it in English, "The engine is gone. We have to get a new engine." Just like that. So please take a seat. I have these agents that are going to give you meal vouchers the first class I'll take you to the lounge. I I put the microphone down. The security cab up says it in Hebrew. First class from Clara, when am I leaving? I got to go. Well, where am I going? I got to go. I got to I got I got to get on the plane. There's no engine. I said Nobody home. >> Did you not hear what I just got finished? Yeah, but I got to go. You got to figure out a way. You can figure out a way. And you see, anybody else would say, you know what? Can't be done. I figured out a way. What did you do? >> what makes the difference. He He wrote a letter. No, I called Continental and I said, "Listen, I have a problem. I'm going to endorse the ticket. Put him on the plane. Got to go." He He's He's very I don't know how long the delay is. >> a few steps. Then you started flying on the planes, not just doing the agent >> fly on the side of the way. >> You were Were you on the planes ever? Oh, you were never a steward. Never. She had kids. >> Always involved. Never. Only Yeah. >> They brought you to Israel for training, so you flew there. But that's that's right. >> all the time for training. >> But when you many years later, when you were trying to restart your career in in in the in aviation, what which jobs were you getting with those airlines? >> Same Same Same supervisors. Yeah, of course. I went Yeah. Okay. What's the story with you and Michael Jordan? Was it Michael Jordan to Israel? Yeah, he he They would They He was >> Tell us the story. >> Michael Jordan? The Michael Jordan? >> see the Maccabi Games, you know, the the the Mac Maccabi Games. So, um Hold on. We met the head of Maccabi at the Nets stadium 2 weeks ago. But this was a long time ago. >> was so excited. He met the head lady in Maccabees. He brought her to our suite. He pretended it was his suite. He invited her. He gave her food and drinks. And he was They were trading cards. >> Shout out to TGI for inviting us to this suite. >> For all your copies copies For all your copies Copy >> a big reservation up here. It's late, so You know Lady Goldstein? What? I'm sorry. >> You know Lady Goldstein? Mm. I know the name. We mentioned him on the show. You know him. Of course you know him. Okay. So Michael Jordan, what's the story? Hello. Hello, Michael Jordan. >> a lot, and I got to >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 6:00 you said, right? You said 6:00 you needed to go. We're good. We're good. We're good. >> We're good. Yeah. >> Um Tell us how strict >> I want to hear about this Michael Jordan thing. >> Do you have any idea how strict airline >> Number 23. Yes. >> They came to They came to me and told me First of all, you have a lot of security there, you know, and so he came and they have to come to you and tell you, "Listen, we have a passenger. He's in our security room and you have to tell him that he's not going to be able to fly with his luggage or his wallet or nothing. He's going to get on the plane, he'll see his luggage the next day." Because they had a simulate They had a like a bunker downstairs where they I'm not I don't know. They don't have that now, so we don't have to worry about what I'm divulging. They They don't have They don't do that now. They did it 20 years ago, not now. So, I went to I went and Wait, he wanted to put his >> basketball player in the room. >> didn't catch that. He was putting all of his luggage in under the plane. >> no, no. It when I started in a lab back then in 1991 or 92, they had bunkers downstairs that simulates a flight. Ah. >> they simulate a flight and they put your bag through there and they keep your bag for 24 hours to make sure that there's not When they >> 24 hours? >> This is before the X-ray the machine that you have now that you can If you check in the flight, you have to your luggage comes 20 Not you. But Mike But him and anybody that was not Jewish, they kept your luggage there for the next day. If They ask you security questions and if >> Oh, if they get suspicious Ah, okay. What would he What would he be bringing? Are you saying if so if they're suspicious of someone >> a lot of stuff. So, they said to me >> If they get suspicious, then they have to put him in a cell. >> player. He cannot go on our airline with his luggage." And I said, "Okay." >> wait 24 >> to tell him that and I look at him and I see it's Michael Jordan. I turned around and said, "This is Michael Jordan." He said, "I know. He could be" I said, "Okay." So, I said to him, "I'm sorry." And I explained to him. He goes, "I didn't get the ticket. My agent" And I said, "Well, he said, 'What do I have to do?'" I said, "Get a ticket on Continental." He said, "Goodbye." And he got a I called the girl at Continental. I said, "He's on his way over there. Get him a ticket." I didn't have to do that. You know, I didn't have to call her and say, "Listen, take care of him. He's on his way." And this when you do that extra little thing, you they they wrote about me. L out customer, I was the most they wrote compliment They said the girl with the long black hair. I don't remember her name. She went out of her way. She did this. She did that. With the rest of the people, they just like it's mechanical to them. You know what I mean? Clara, you Did you meet your partners in your restaurant through L out? Yes. >> You did? Yes. Cool. Here we go. Oh, so one second. So, we're moving on to um >> Clara Clara you All I'm saying is you can work one second. You can work as a manager in the airline. And if you build good relationships, you could end up partnering and doing big investment business deals with your customers. I just want to show That's all the point I'm trying to say. Right, Clara? Talking about the rest Clara, talking about the restaurant, I just want to say growing up in Crown Heights, we had a lot of simple restaurants. Nobody in the world would care about it. I mean, if you were starving and you wanted a slice of pizza, you were starving, you wanted a pastrami sandwich, it was terrible. It was like, you know, it was okay. All of a sudden, this glitzy dairy restaurant opens up on Lincoln, past Eastern Parkway. Nobody went past Eastern Parkway. It was like the unwritten rule, you don't go past Eastern Parkway. You open up this glitzy, glass-walled, huge restaurant with a big private party room in the back. >> How much did it build out cost? Million? Yeah, more than that. More than a million? >> bit more than that. I think a little bit more than that. >> Crazy. First time I No, I just want to say the first time I went there the first time I got to get this in. Clara, the first time I went there, what blew my mind was while we were waiting for the food, I said, "Can I get french fries?" This huge bowl of french fries comes in with two sauces, a red sauce and a white sauce. I I want to tell you something. I don't know if I was 18, 19, 20, I devoured it. I devoured that entire bowl. I never tasted a french fry like that. I was like, "Can I get more of the sauce?" I was licking each one. With the 2-hour lines? >> It Yeah, you would go there on a Saturday night, there would be 2-hour lines with people screaming and yelling at you. >> no idea. Tell us about Okay, let's hear about this. >> what that was like. I don't think that I could have imagined cuz cuz I thought that after working at El Al, you don't know what I what I saw in El Al and what happened. Like, I would be in my office, I have a radio that attaches to the tower. You know, I can hear the tower give clearance to an aircraft. So, they would tell me, "Clara, there's a snowstorm. You tell your captain that he cannot land that aircraft. You know, I'm going to tell him, but I want him to hear it from you and from your security." So, I said, "El Al heavy," you have to know how to speak to them on the radio, "you're not clear to land, you have to divert." He goes, "Clara?" In English. Not in Hebrew cuz at least he could have answered in Hebrew. "Clara, tell the Americans that I'm an air force pilot. I'm used to being shot at. You think a little snow is going to hurt me? I'm landing the aircraft. We're going to New York. We're landing." $10,000 fine. You could cuz you're not allowed to land. They told you you can't land. I land. >> a comment? Do you have a comment about the um Air Canada last week in JFK? It was at LaGuardia. Last week uh Air Canada full flight landing in Newark. The fire truck what crashed right into a fire truck because of an air traffic controller's mistake. I know you're not an air traffic controller, but what do you think of that? I think it was a huge mistake on his part. How does it happen? The Hold on. Stress. It can happen. The the control tower. First of all, a control tower is one of the most delicate posi You you determine who lands, which runway you get, and who's going to land and who can depart. So, you make a mistake >> people dead on the spot. It's Clara, I'm I'm He took responsibility. >> No question about that. Clara, doesn't the truck look look both ways before he crosses the runway? >> get trained to go to to to to No, the fire truck won't get he got permission The fire truck he was he was told that he was clear to continue. Did there was not But doesn't he look anyway? >> he shut it up clearly that plane was coming not from the ground. He was looking on the ground and it was coming from the air. I think it I don't know exactly what >> the video a million times. Fire truck asks permission of course runway D and like 12 seconds before he told the airline pilot exactly which runway to go. Nobody was at fault except for the air traffic I don't I'm not blaming you if you're watching. I'm not blaming you. It's a mistake. But I'm I was just wondering what he's going to do now. I don't think he's going to be comfortable being an air traffic controller That has I can I feel bad for the guy. Like so well my to my answer is that I thought that dealing with 365 is on delays on on problem flights on all the things that I've done Was the hardest? I'm I'm fully trained. I can deal with anything cuz they they love me over there. They say Clara does the right thing. She sees it through. She follows through. I do everything they want me to do. I listen to them. They want to be heard. Every cuz every customer should be heard. Do you know what I mean? You don't want to come to the airport and pay whatever you're paying. Mhm. Okay. And then the restaurant came. So and then the restaurant came and There's a line out the door. Do you know who I am? Oh brother. I had that with the I would love to mention his name but I don't want to say that. >> The billionaire? Yeah. I In LA LA I had a a problem with a customer once. They called me and they said, "Listen Clara. Benjamin Baughman Oh, the famous attorney. He's he made a mistake. He's going to the wrong airport. He's headed to you. He's headed to Newark. We already know the limo driver and we're waiting for him in Kennedy. He's a first class flight. He's a big to do. You got I didn't know who he was. So, they said to me, "Listen, he's you got to get a car." I said, "I I got this. Don't worry." >> to get him from Newark to JFK. >> to JFK and they're going to wait for Oh my god, 300 people are going to wait 300 people are going to wait for him. So, I let the Sherut Leumi agent, that's what they call the SSU agents that take care of first-class I said, "Please let me know when Mr. Bronfman gets to the checking counter." So, I didn't have to hear she didn't have to call me because the security was telling him that there's a car I said, "There's a limo waiting for him outside. He's going to Kennedy." He's screaming, "You know who I am? Do you know who I am? You have no idea who I am." So, I went outside and I said, "Sir, I know what I everything about you. This This is the limo waiting for you. You're going to go to the first-class He said to me, "I'm not going anywhere. I'm getting on this plane. I'm flying I have to be" I said, "Sir, I know you came to the wrong airport. You made a mistake. The limo driver brought you to the Do you know who I am?" And I said, "No, I'm sorry. I do not." "Could you tell her who I am?" And and and I said, "This is Benjamin I said, "Very good." He goes, "I don't think you know who I am." I said, "I don't think you understand who I am. And I'm the one here that calls the shots and there's no seat for you. If I had a seat, I'd give you a seat. And if you're about if you keep telling me who you are and who I am, you're not going to get on the plane you're not going to Israel at all. So, I suggest you get the car and write me a note about who you are because right now it's Really, it it it don't really I'm not trying to be This went back and forth and you don't know what happens. He's walking out. Finally, I get him and Mr. Opsahl, my first-class passenger, comes walking through the door. "Clara, do you know who he is? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? You're not going to put him on the flight. Do you know who he is?" I said, "You know what? I don't. But he's that important to you, give him your seat and he can go with me. No problem. He said, "I'm giving him my seat." I said, "Good luck cuz there's no business class either, so you're going to sit in economy, big boy." He said, "Okay." He did it? He said the guy AND HE LET HIM GO IN FIRST CLASS. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY HE DID. SO, I GUESS HE WAS A BIG TO DO. YEAH, and he's one of the best lawyers in America. I know that now, but trust me, I know that now. Clarence did very well also. >> Okay, I okay. Okay, anyway, I I know that now, but but I didn't know that then. You know what I mean? And and and and and and you deal with people like that. You know, you you things that happen in in you know, you learn things. You you know, I I wondered why people didn't like you know, I got the feeling which is very sad to say that they didn't like um Hey Clarence, don't touch the the mic, okay? They didn't like the um I got the feeling anyway that they weren't like the Jewish people were not liked very much and I couldn't understand why because you're all so good, you're all so you're really very fair, very humble, very kind, you're very smart, you're very intelligent and and you you you really just want what you want, you know, and that you want to be heard basically. And you get you know, you you and I I couldn't understand but then I I understood, you know, because when we went to open the Newark station, the head police officer comes in and says to me, "Listen to me carefully." with his finger in my face. He said, "There's going to be no 19-year-old walking around here with a gun in his pocket. That's not going to happen. Maybe you think that in Israel they I don't I think he thought I was I don't think he knew the difference whether I was Jewish or not." And I said to him, "I don't deal with that. Trust me, they're going to be walking around with guns in their pockets and in the in the wherever they need to have it, they're going to have it." He said, "No, they're not." You know, and they felt Imagine how this man felt that he's the head guy and guess what? There's armed men all over that airport. You know what I mean? So, did he get his way like it did did he get it did did he get his way he didn't get his way. One time we had a delayed flight I'll never forget this they called me up 4:00 in the morning they said the two aircrafts are coming to you to Newark. You got to get up you got to meet them there's a snowstorm. You should have seen the snowstorm I get there and there's a head inspector he's like the top-notch guy and he comes to the aircraft and I know how he feels about them and he said to me nobody's getting off this plane nobody's disembarking these two aircrafts are staying here because the bellies are frozen I said no problem take it easy I said listen you know and then so I make an announcement in English and the security makes it in Hebrew. So the first class passenger comes and says Clara who's telling you that we can't disembark and I said he's the head guy here he's in charge of customs and I have two aircrafts here he doesn't want you to touch put your foot >> can't open to explain that. >> were frozen so So the luggage can't come out. >> an international flight the first port your luggage has to One second was that the official destination? Kennedy JFK and Newark. Oh the plane landed in the right place. They no JFK had to divert because of so I had two aircrafts on the ground. And what's supposed to happen with the passengers? >> And the passengers have to stay put until they figure out how to divorce the aircraft and wait. >> And then what take off again? >> No when they get off >> Get off get off. They were in New York coming to New York with a snowstorm okay. Do you want to hear this or not? I want to hear I want to hear what what was the end of the story? >> Okay so anyway the the inspector he was and he didn't particularly care for Jewish and and he said I'm nobody gets off this plane nobody disembarks >> Why can't the passengers get off and the luggage just stays there? >> So this gentleman >> Is that the rule? >> very humble very quiet I don't remember his name but he knew mine and he said Clara who is telling you that you can't disembark I said he's the head voice he said could I speak to him and I said sure. So I didn't know that he couldn't put his foot off the so I he got off the plane and the inspector said to him put your foot back on that aircraft. You're still on Israeli soil on the aircraft. You haven't cleared customs and immigration. Don't you dare like he said it to him and he went he goes, "Okay, sir." He said, "Listen, you don't know who I am?" No, he didn't say that. He goes, "Listen, could you call Does your boss know that you're keeping two aircrafts? Do you know there's American citizens on board the aircraft?" He said, "Yeah, I know." He said, "I think you better call your boss and find out if you can disembark I think you can disembark I'm not calling anybody. I'm the head sergeant here." He said, "Okay." So, he called me over. He said, "Listen, I'm going to tell him something that he's not going to like. Do you want to be a witness?" And so, of course I'm the station manager. I have to write a report. So, he said to the guy, "You have no idea who I am, but I'm going to give you 5 minutes to pick up your phone and call your superior and tell them that you are not disembarking these two aircrafts. If If you don't do that, I'm going to pick up the phone. I'm going to make a phone call. I am going to disembark both aircrafts and you, my friend, will not have a job tomorrow morning. This I promise you cuz you have no idea who I am." So, he said, "You do whatever you think you need to do." 5 minutes went by. He got a phone call. We disembarked both aircrafts and he lost his job. What So, what what's what's >> asked me who the gentleman was in first class. I have no idea. I can't remember, but I wrote a report and yeah. So, so what's the point of the story, Clara? >> you abuse your power, you have to be ready to be fired. Maybe. You're right. Is that Is that the point of the story, Clara? What were you trying to say with the story, Clara? >> I'm trying to tell you that that's why I think that you see you know what you're talking about. Do you know what I mean? Like Like he knew the customer knew. So, why couldn't the gentleman call up He wouldn't treat another airline like that. He treated him because he He wanted to tell me because you have a reputation of being obnoxious of being You're not I I don't think I don't think there's anything wrong with you knowing what what you need. He was very humble, very kind. He said, "Do me a favor. Call your superior and tell them, you You're saying that offers there's anti-Semitism played a role. That's what you're saying. >> big role and they don't and they don't and and and I think it's cuz they're jealous that you get what you want. At the end of the day, the pilot was supposed to divert. Did he divert or did he land his aircraft? He landed his aircraft. When we were departing, I said, "Sir, you can I we have to bring the plane back." "Clara, it's a little ice." Clara, my father used to I don't know maybe he's I don't know if you know if the guy's alive or He's so honest, how old is he? You're saying Jewish people scale things up and often get what they want and that makes them angry. Yeah, I think >> what you're saying? And and they have the right they know they're right. >> we're running out of time. I want to go back to the food. I want to cuz we we already have 20 minutes left. Arthur Schwartz, one of the was what I don't know if he's alive. He was one of the most famous radio personalities in the food industry and he used to make my father used to always listen to him. He used to make a joke. If you're going to return the soup to the restaurant, you're going to say you found a hair or you don't like the taste or it's burnt or it tastes right whatever, you can't wait till there's like a one drop left of soup. You have to return the soup right away if it's really not good. I think it's when you're in the in the food industry, there's a lot of crying baby customers all day. The pizza's not good, the soup's not good, the parmesan's not good. What cuz you've done this for decades, what is the rule of returning food to the restaurant or complaining? Like what tell us and what you put up with and what you don't put up with customers' complaints. >> Well, I was much harsher in Basil during Basil times. I was much First of all, I didn't I know anything about the restaurant business. I really didn't and I I I So, I didn't understand that you could just eat everything you want and tell me good luck getting paid, you know, that that that's not the way you do things and and that would happen. So, then >> What do you mean that would happen? Give me an example. I had I've had customers in there that eaten a $300 meal and told me good luck getting paid. I didn't What do you mean good luck getting paid? Where are the credit cards? They didn't want to pay. >> You could call the police. What's the standard procedure? Whatever I decided to do was the standard procedure. And I would listen, I I didn't take light to that behavior, but I think that we were much to talk I was, not we, because I was the one running the place, you know. I ran the restaurant from the morning to the night, so I think that, you know, you learn as you go about, but it's very, very difficult because you have, I don't know, the whole community wanting to sit in a restaurant that sits 65 people and they want to get in there because they know, you know, they know the other owner, you know, they know him, so they they tell me, "Do you know why I am?" Like, I know >> And he has 327 relatives. So, how do you get everybody in? It's very hard and they don't want to hear it. Did you want to hear it on that line? I wouldn't wait on online for, you know, for for >> Can I ask you one something about the Catholic church used to say something in their prayer service? Can you tell us that story? You see how powerful the Jewish people are and I think they're envied for that. I am a devout Catholic. I was, I'm no longer that crazy about it. I believe in God and all that, but I went on I was in Supermind. I left the station cuz it was Good Friday and we were being, you know, Good Friday you get the ashes first and on Good Friday at 3:00 Jesus was crucified at 3:00. And I know that from a little girl cuz I've been going to Catholic school all my life and I know this. So, I'm sitting there and you have full house in this church and this young priest, he couldn't have been I must have been 40 years old at that time and he was I don't know. I don't know how old he was and he said, "Okay, let's take a moment. Let's bow our heads. Take a moment for the redemption of the Jews." And everybody bowed down, so I, you know, they have a guy walking around with that takes your money and and he has a microphone, so I said, "I have a question." He said, "What's your question?" I said, "Why are we redeeming the Jews?" Jesus Christ was a Jew. I don't understand. So, he said to me, "They killed him at 3:00 in the afternoon, so we're asking for redemption. So, I said, "Listen, I work in an Israeli airline and one of the workers there that works for me said, "What do you care? Jesus Christ was a Jew. So, if a Jew killed a Jew, what do you care?" You know, what what is it one and but I said to him, "You were not there. You don't know what happened. No, really. You weren't there. We don't know and you're you're spreading a word here. You're letting this entire church bow their head and pray. So, obviously they did something wrong and you're a man of God at the end of the day. Am I right or wrong? So, this message is wrong on every level. So, then of course they escorted me out." For real? But I took the Bible with me and I met a rabbi >> you were going to say you took the pushke box with you. >> took The guy with the pushke box had the microphone. I took the Bible and I met a very influential uh person that is still around. So, I don't want to mention his name cuz he helped me a great deal. He called He called the government and helped me and he got like people on the phone, the governors and senators. He was very powerful. Anyway, he he I gave him the Bible and I said, "You need to take care of this." And he did. It's no longer in the missal prayer book. There's no longer the redemption of the Jews in any Catholic church on Good Friday, you no longer redeem >> Because of you. Well, I wouldn't say because Clara, who do you recommend travel agent? If someone wants to book ticket to Israel, who do they call? >> Oh, here we go. Who do they call? >> Travelers Choice, Joseph Lieffer. >> Joseph Lieffer. He should Maybe he should come on the show. >> And you know what? You want to know the truth? I couldn't stand I I don't like any travel agent because they You think as a manager that they want something. Why are they calling you? What what Why is a travel agent nonstop on the phone for you? You're You're busy. You have enough. You have 365 people that all want to sit on the window with legroom and they want this, they want You know what I mean? So, it's not the easiest thing to do. Hold on a second. The window is the popular seat? The aisle and the window on the inside. >> window when I was 9 years old. Now I only want the aisle. I want to go to go to the bathroom. I have to go to the bathroom so often. It's like I need the I don't want to wake up eight people to go to the toilet. You know the story with the Seinfeld episode? What's the story? He He He wanted the aisle seat because he might have to go to the bathroom and the guy never ever goes to the bathroom. I Isn't that Was it Seinfeld or it was one of those Curb Your Enthusiasm ones like the guy never ends up going to the bathroom. He's He's so He's the only travel agent that I can have to say I I said to me you you deal with the big boys. I don't understand why you're calling me to make sure that he has a first-class seat. Yes, you make sure of that. Why do you Well, I want to make sure. Please take care. Make sure that he go goes to the left. I just want You know, I want to double-check that that nothing happened to the seat cuz you know over there you they can change seats or they can change an aircraft. He wanted to make sure. He always took the time and and called us all. You know, what travel agent you know goes that far? Do you know what I mean? They They usually sell you a ticket and you What was the biggest horror story at as a as a as a station manager ever? When you When do you mean horror? >> Horror story. Something that went wrong. What's the craziest story like drama to the sky? >> 9/11, you were working on the airlines? Yes, and El Al went in the air that day. Imagine that. You took off after the towers crashed? On that day. You took I thought all the planes were grounded for a week. >> September 11th, El Al was the only How do you How do you think they feel when everybody's praying, crying, and I'm at the airport boarding an aircraft? I I bought El Al went in the air on September 11th. Absolutely. How did you get clearance? Uh I told my security that if George Bush doesn't call me, nobody's going in the air. And he called. He called me and told me you have permission. The sky is open for El Al aircraft. I promise you. Nobody knows about this. Of course they do because it was an article. I wrote the article. They asked me to write cuz I was there and I I wrote it in the El Al magazine, but that happened in 2000 Yeah, 2001. >> 2001, 25 years ago. >> And people weren't afraid for the El Al flight to take off that it was safe. Their security measures were high. There's nobody I don't work there for the longest time, but I feel that nobody does security like they do. I had a a boyfriend who was a security guy. I said to him, I said, "Hi your sister is a flight attendant. Are you going to tell me that if they take her hostage and she's your sister, she goes first. I kill her, kill him, done. We're done." And I said, "What?" He said, "You heard me, that's the way it is. We don't not going to let one person take this whole aircraft. You know, we're not going to let because he took a sister or the everybody knows what they have to do. You know, yeah. They they There's no games, no emotions, no family. Business is business. >> play. They don't play. They're very serious people when it comes. I don't care how many I had a governor who wanted to come. And he didn't wanted to come ramp side. So, he calls me and he said the governor of New Jersey, New York wants to come on the ramp. And I said to the security, I told him they goes, "Nobody goes on the ramp. He comes through the security like everybody else. If he's very important, he should be on the Air Force One." Period. End of story. So, I said to them, "I'm sorry, you got you can't come ramp side. You got to go through the check-in and be searched and asked questions and you got to go through security." They did not care who you were. It didn't matter to them because their job they had to critical job. >> Are you telling me other airlines will bend security protocol? >> Absolutely. I I think I don't know how it is now and I know that United and Delta I know that a lot of Jewish people because I went back to the work at the airlines and I saw a lot of Jewish customers they were flying from Miami to Israel on Delta and United and the And and I and I I wouldn't fly any other airline other than me. >> it's not worth saving 100 bucks to put your security at risk. >> Absolutely. And I don't think anybody anybody does security like they do. I don't care I don't care what they >> do you make as a station manager today in the airlines? I don't think they make a lot of money. I did I made >> Fire 100? I made over 100,000 a year, but I don't think they A Delta person? >> I I was making uh 80,000. Now as a supervisor. So, that's not that's not you know but I but I enjoyed it and I and I didn't enjoy the work. I called Joseph Lifrier because I had a couple of people that was stuck in the airport. They don't back in my time we used to give you a hotel, we give you you know, meals and today it's a what do they call it an act of God or the act of nature or whatever. So, I would call Joseph and he would get them tickets and send them wherever they needed to go. >> Everybody knows in the restaurant industry only a few make it. In the restaurant industry >> In the restaurant industry only a few make it. When you guys invested over a million dollars to open up Basil in Crown Heights I want to be clear. I didn't invest in but go ahead. You didn't invest in it but you were >> invest that. But you were brought in as a owner-operator manager? I know I was an operating partner. Operating partner? >> The other partner had another partner I don't want to mention is anybody's name but >> at the time that you were running the place for many years? You what was your involvement? You were I was an owner. I was a partner. Operating partner? Operating partner? >> operating partner. Right. You saw the vision right away that it's popular it's it's possible to make it >> think the other partner decorated it. He saw the vision and I made it happen. I was the executor. >> You made it happen. >> I mean? I made it happen cuz who was there around the clock? Me. >> impressed the New York Times and all these food magazines? What was it that they weren't seeing in other restaurants that they gave you guys such glamour and glitz? He He told me Mr. Frank Bruni that Who's Frank Bruni? >> Frank Bruni was the one who wrote the article. He found it very very interesting that a Catholic girl would be running and owning a kosher restaurant and he didn't understand how how that could happen. He said, "I don't understand how you could you you know, you could make that happen." And I over spoke. I think I think I thought at the time I was under the impression like that that that the Rebbe, you know, wanted everybody to congregate you know, I thought that that that and I and I still believe that like you know, I I I something This is quick. I have to tell you this story. While while I was still working before Basel, I was working and I had met already the Rebbe. I I I I had spoken to some people about him and they called me to the terminal to the check-in. I was in my office and they said, "There's a He doesn't want to pay $250 for his bag." So, I went over to him and I said, "You have to pay regardless." >> Who's the Who's the Rebbe? Who are you talking about? The Rebbe? Huh? I want to tell you what about the Rebbe a story about the Rebbe. I said to the boy, You never met the Lubavitcher Rebbe. No. No, but I knew about him. >> about him. Okay. >> So, I said to to the kid, "You have to pay." When he opened his wallet and I saw the picture of the Rebbe, I said, "This is your Rebbe?" He said, "Yes." I said, "You don't have to pay for the bag. You can let it go." He said, "Okay." They called me to my office. They said, "You have 200 kids here with the picture of the Rebbe. What are we going to do?" I said, "We're going to let them go." Nobody pays for the bag. Nobody pays for the bag. Allow. >> What year was this? Back in I remember the job, you know. Put this in the Rebbe. Back in what? I said and I said the Rebbe works in mysterious ways. Why? Because I only saw he showed me a picture of the of the I had asked a couple of people because because I I I met a couple of customers that I don't want to mention their names and they were Chabad and they believed in the Rebbe and they were telling me >> to have the the stand. Clara, you know the Jewish stand the Chabad had that the prayer stand by JFK at the LL. Yeah, but back when I was there, they didn't have >> They didn't have that stand? You know what I'm talking about? Yeah, later on they had it. What Rebbe what's the Rabbi Rebbe. Yeah, okay. And now his son runs it. Nice >> one that I can't remember his name but but he used to come in there. Anyway, I knew about the Rebbe that he did miracles. Somebody told me that he he was bringing he was coming to to Kennedy Airport and a police officer wanted his wife wanted a kid and he gave him a blessing and I heard about many blessings. So, I started to believe that perhaps So, if you have a picture of his free luggage. Well, so I said to him to one person, you don't have to pay $250. I said, you can go. So, the girl calls me because we have a little problem here. I said, what? Because I have a line of 200 people that are going on the airplane and they all have a picture of the rabbi. I said, you got to let them all go. What are you going to do? >> What are three misnomers about Orthodox Jewish people? What are the mis- what? >> Three misnomers people don't realize. Things that people don't understand about the Jewish people. What are the three things people don't understand about Jewish people? That you're raised that the Holocaust will never happen to you again because you're raised to know about your history. You are the most united I admire and respect I I can't I can't tell you what it looks like to see that you're so united. You're so You feel the pain. It kills me to see that I learned this from L from you that you feel the pain like what happened in Australia when they did the show you all feel that pain. you You think that I feel the pain of the Colombian who, you know, I don't know who was, you know, like a soccer player in Colombia. He hit the goalie to the other team. They killed him after the game. He was killed because he made a mistake and they lost the game. I didn't feel, you know, I and I'm I'm empathetic. I'm like, you know, we're very, you know, You didn't take it personal. You take everything personal. You're very united. You stick together and I think you're envied because you raise your children. You're very family oriented. You the Jewish mother is the best, you know, you have the Jewish son is the best. Really, they become good sons, good husbands. Don't get me wrong. Of course, in that community you're going to have your your but you have the prayer book to turn to. You know what I mean? You have the teachings. When I was in Basel and I saw these little kids walking over thanking God and praying, I said to Oprah Winfrey, I said to Sherri Shepherd, these people, we're a joke next to them. They pray morning, noon, and night. On Friday, they shut their phone, they discuss prayer, they discuss God. Who does Find me a Mormon. Find me a Catholic. Find me No, really. I You know, I think it's I have no word Really, it's it's very very, you know, it to me it would because I was devout Catholic and I thought you if I climb up to the mountain, you know, God's listening to me, you know what I mean? But you are the real thing and I and I think that people don't know that. I think you're so misunderstood, you know? And I don't and I have to believe it's pure envy, pure jealousy. >> saying we have bad marketing. You think I I don't really know what you're saying. >> feel like Israel has like bad marketing. They don't get the message across. Like the Hamas terrorists sometimes get the envy of the world. Like I don't know. I don't understand. >> I don't know. I really >> me about the story of that El Al employee who became a terrorist. It was in California, LA. You remember I think in LA, yeah. Tell us the story. He was a um I don't even know the story. Yeah. You you're your worst enemy because you go like this. Uh you know, the poor guy is I used to say to them My bosses would say, "Do you have any complaints?" And I said, "Yeah, I want to know why you insist on hiring an Arab in here. I just want to know why. Why? Why do we have to have You know that you don't get along. You know that you So why am I all Clara, we're not like that?" >> to be politically You got to be politically correct. >> to be very No, no, no, he's a very great guy. I said, "Yeah, you should hear the stuff he says to me about you." Good luck with that. He said, "Clara, this is not what we do. And we you had a guy like him. He was He used to drive the limo limo driver in Los Angeles station. He would drive all the first class passengers to the airport." He No. He worked for a limo company that El Al hired and we we El Al decided that he's great, that he should pick up all the first class >> driver. You knew him. Yeah, I knew because I Whenever a station manager took vacation, I went and and replaced the station manager. >> at you? >> I met him and I said, "Why do you have What would he tell you? >> drivers anyway Clara, what would he tell you? Those Jews he would curse out the Jews while he worked? He would say, "How do you work for these people?" Everybody, not just him, everybody. "How do you work for them? You don't know You don't know the background. You don't know the history. They took our land. They All everybody All of them. They took the land. Everybody You did something to them terribly. What Whatever it is." So, I would say, "Listen, this is what I Listen, I said to Mohammed and By the way, by the way, Masha, I have to get out of my system. You know what's going on in my life the last 36 hours. Talking about taking land, I need some land. He got to buy his first house. I need some land. When I was a station When I was a supervisor in Emirates Airlines, I had a young boy. He was 35 years old, very good-looking. He studied at Florida University. He was very bright. And I said to him, "What are you doing here?" He goes, "Don't ask me questions. I know you come from El Al. And I know you think about them." I said, "For sure I think Jewish people are the appear. They teach their kids to be educated, to remember the Holocaust, to never forget. And they're educated so that when this happened that they're going to be right on top of you. Hold on a second. So, what happened? So, this woman driver was No, no, no. So, I said to the guy in Emirates, and I said to him, "Let me ask you something. Do you really believe that there are 72 virgins waiting for you?" This guy isn't He wants to be a pilot. He's a grown man. He said, "Absolutely, I do." So, I have nothing more to say. What do you say to that? So, they're raised differently than you. Period. End of story. Nobody's ever going to understand that because they don't see They don't live it. I've been around you all your life. I've never had one None of you do I I don't see anything wrong. On the contrary, you The things that the Jewish people have done for me personally, oh my god. I have no words. I can't even tell you how they've helped me with my kids. Oh. So, I I can't understand that. You know what I mean? I I don't know how they don't You know what I mean? Like that that because really truly You mind your own business. You really good Really, you should see how I was helped. I'm telling you I I I was at the gate once, and my son he decided to join the army. I don't know what possessed him. I didn't want him to. My daughter was very sick, and I called his sergeant. I was a station manager of El Al, and I said, "My son cannot go back to the army. My daughter's very sick, and he needs to stay with her. Unless she's dead, he better report Monday morning." I said, "You're AWOL. You're not going anywhere." So, they caught him in Florida. He passed a stop sign, and he he called me from the station, and I was at the gate of El Al, and Rabbi whatever said to me, "Clara, what's the matter?" I said, "My son." He said, "I got this. Where is he?" My son said to me, "Ma, when I saw the religious men coming in getting me, got him, took him. He took care of everything. Whenever I've needed help, like like like hi my father was dying, and I couldn't get anybody to take him from Sloan Kettering to wherever he had to go, Haim Life, the Haim Life Line. >> Haim Life Line. "Clara, for what you did for our kids in our group" cuz I used to meet them, take them, you know, they get spe- you know, special treatment. He said, "I I couldn't get that for my own. I couldn't get it from anywhere. Nobody would move him from Sloan Kettering to where he had to go to to drive to transfer." She goes, "I got you, Clara." And I hadn't been in El Al for I was working at Basel when my father got sick. And and they took the this the people from I I've never had they anything you need, Clara. So, there was some people that have said to me and I don't want to lie, they said, "They did that because you were a station manager, and you could sit them in first class. You could do whatever you wanted" cuz I did. I I did that all the time, all the time. I took care of people that that didn't expect to be taken care of. You know what I mean? That that for whatever reason, you know, like you said, their wedding anniversary, their birthday, them whatever. And I see it's an empty flight. There's no you know, there's empty seats in business. Why not? You know, who you know, and but and and people do upgrade, by the way, at the airport when they have an overbooked flight. There are ways that people do get upgraded. It just depends on who's running that that flight to see who they're going to move and why would they move them. Do you know what I mean? And we didn't talk about how great Biarritz is and the food and why people don't come there. Clara >> doing okay. Tell us who the driver is. >> Because if he didn't push me to get UberEats, we wouldn't be making the money we're making today because of UberEats. Thank god. Thank you for that. Clara >> food is excellent, by the way. Okay. >> Number one. Clara, talk about you said middle of the driver. So the Muslim driver, limo driver. >> OH, WE FORGOT ABOUT THE PUNCH LINE. So the he came to the station. You know how you have your wars every 4 year, 5 years, you have a little war, you have a little fight and then they all come out of the woodwork and they get crazy, you know, the crazies? They start Okay, so he came to the check-in of El Al. And he shot up the station. In California? In LA. And I at that time I was dating one of the security guys. Which you're not allowed We don't let that. Your friend your your friend um I said to you you you know, your colleague from Los Angeles they were calling him hailing him a hero because he killed him, he shot him and killed him. But he but they fired him immediately. He was sent back The guy that killed the terrorist got fired. >> Do you know why? Because the the way they're trained the guy that got out of the car, he shouldn't have been able to even shoot at the station. You know what I mean? Where was the security guy? His back was not to the His back He was talking to one of the managers, not to me, but to the other girl that was He was talking to the check-in agent actually. >> In LA? In LA. >> You were there? >> Yeah. And >> You were there during the shoot? Yeah, he said he was there. Yeah, he was there as a temp or something. >> Oh. So >> Still working for somebody. >> is this these are the things that happened. Do you know what I mean? You're saying we're too nice, too loving and then these people are trained. >> like you always say, you know what? They're going to you know what? They you know, and and and who did October 7th to you? Was it you know Yeah. you know, the you know, the one that you I I I I can't get in the middle of that because I I I don't you know, I I don't you know, I I think it's a sad time, very sad time, you know, for you for you. But I don't know any other race. I really don't that sticks together the way you do. And and I don't know if that's to be envied. It could very well be. I'm not sure. You know, I really I'm not sure because you do stick together and you help each other and you feel the pain of anybody that you know what I mean? And Decades later, decades later, are you happy with your career choices in the airline industry and in the restaurant business? Yes. Would you recommend somebody with a five and a seven-year-old is looking to start a career at the work for an airline? Yeah, I think so. You would still say yeah? Yeah, because now it's different. It's not that hard anymore. It's much easier. >> Is it easier? It's much easier. I don't know why I came back to to to I should have stayed in Florida and should have stayed doing what I was doing because I had it made. It's much much easier because they they they have a kiosk and you don't even have to come out and be I used to love being one-on-one helping the people get getting them to where they need, you know, helping them get their limo out from But those but Again, I I don't fly that often, but the I don't know, the five times a year I fly, maybe even less sometimes, those those kiosks, they're the self-checking they're a joke. Half the time they print half the >> and they don't work and then you have to Half your boarding pass comes out, but not your ticket. Half your family is in the other half awaiting a line. Where's the rest of your party and you're waving and dancing. I feel like it doesn't work. And it it it you know, I come well we come I I don't remember if they allowed me to be strict, but we we we we wore certain we had to look certain way, you know, these girls have their nails out to here. They can't speak correctly. I don't know what language they're speaking. They cut their vowels. I I I I I don't understand how they're in the airline customer service industry. So, I want to know when luggage gets lost, right? Whose issue is it? Who who who on the assembly line is showing your luggage gets lost, usually? First of all, the airline is responsible. >> I'm saying which person like the guy the person who checked it in? Where does usually the issues happen when luggage gets lost? >> it when it goes down to the bag room, the bag room agents got to just, you know, they take whatever they want. Open your luggage. >> Oh, they steal it. Yeah, they steal it. >> Oh, they steal it and then They still do that. Yeah, they can. Well, you have cameras and you have this, but these guys know how to maneuver. They don't know how to >> think I'm going to address this question. A lot of times you land in LA and your bag is not there and they say it's coming in an hour on the next flight. Why isn't it on my flight? Exactly. And that's a big no-no, by the way. >> fault is it? >> time, you would be fined and you would be you can't you have to travel with your luggage. Nobody you know, especially after September 11th, you know. So, it's the fault of the airline. >> And who which person on the assembly line? Who made the mistake that it didn't get onto the plane? Well, of course it's the supervisor thing, but it's the baggage people. The baggage people they they send it out and they expect you to put it on go on the ramp and put it on the flight and the kid forgot cuz he was busy uh I don't know what. >> his phone. >> it behind and then they find it later on when the flight is off they say oh, they're stupid. >> watching us on Instagram. Okay, so we didn't talk about my restaurant, but >> Your restaurant, let's talk about Biarritz. It's Clara Clara watch it someone come to Biarritz. Because we have very good food there. >> Yeah. And >> very good hechsher. And a very good hechsher. It's debatable cuz they don't they don't feel comfortable, but they should. The truth of the matter is that what's important I still believe that they're going to come cuz I still see people they're going to come because of the food, because of the quality. You need somebody to be on top of it. You need somebody to be there, you know? And that's that's why I am. You have to be there to make sure that the food is good, that the quality is good, that they can and and everybody in there tells me your food is crazy good. And you know, you someone has to be watching it. You have to be you have to take it over like it it's yours. >> Clara, let's let's do something from after Passover, Passover you're closed it's not kosher up for Passover. From after Passover until Shavuot, we count seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot and it's really only like six weeks because by the time Passover is finished there's only six weeks left. Anybody that sits down for let's say a lunch or a dinner that mentions the Clappy and Frank show, what could we give them maybe? A free dessert? No. Whatever you say. >> What? What? A what? I think it's free at BR guest club. No, no, no, Clappy and Frank promotion to boost the place up. >> of water. To get it No, to get it packed. What are we going to give? Yeah, you give them whatever you tell me to give them. >> A free dessert? One free dessert if you spend 50 bucks? Okay. >> One free dessert. >> One free dessert? >> like them to come and give it a try. >> Clara, Clara, if they spend minimum $50 between Passover and Shavuot and they mention the Clappy and Frank show, they get one free dessert. Okay. I Are we paying for the dessert? Or she's going to do it? Or she is okay. You have to spend 50 dining only, mention the Clappy and Frank show before you order it, and they'll get a free dessert. You don't have to give them any dessert. It'll be a free dessert. >> Yes. All right. We'll put that in the show notes. Thanks so much for listening. Thanks Clara for coming. Thank you. Wasn't so bad after all. Happy Happy and kosher Passover. Kosher Pesach. And also I want to say that Basil at the time and now brought in so much different types of people into Crown Heights that never ever was thought of, dreamt of stepping foot into Crown Heights and they just came for Basil. So that brought a whole renaissance of restaurants. >> really don't want to take credit for building it or the envision or I didn't see any of that. I just worked there around the clock. >> 24 around the place 24 hours a day. Exactly. No, no, no, no, I'm just saying. I just want to make sure there's no credit being taken. And I learned a lot. I really I came back to give back to let them sit there, let's not rush them out. Like if they take a bite and they don't like it, I'm going to let you have a new one. I didn't do that. I was very >> Version 2.0 Clara became much nicer she's saying. Thank you so much for coming and have a wonderful rest of your day. We love you. I love you both really I do. I really do.