Stan Wiest Pianist and Harry Helmsley at the Carlton House Hotel New York

NORTHPORT, N.Y. - Feb. 28, 2015 - PRLog -- STAN WIEST PIANIST AND HARRY HELMSLEY AT THE CARLTON HOUSE HOTEL MANHATTAN

STAN WIEST (631) 754-0594   email  stan@stanwiest.com

Piano CD "MUSIC TO DRIVE BY" www.music-you-will-love.com

I was the pianist in residence at the Carlton House hotel in Manhattan for many months. Harry Helmsley, one of the world’s richest men, owned the Carlton House Hotel, the Empire State Building and half the properties in Manhattan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRIL23uH0Y

Harry Helmsley would have dinner at the Carlton House Hotel five nights a week while I performed. Every night he would send a waiter to me with a list of 15 to 20 different songs he wanted to hear each night. Every night was a different list. This went on for nine months.

It was a week before Christmas and the Matre’D said that Harry Helmsley wanted me to join him at his table for my Christmas bonus. I thought this was it – my mortgage was being paid tonight. I sat at his table and Harry Helmsley thanked me for playing his specific 15 to 20 different songs five nights a week for nine months. He takes out his wallet and I am trying to think of the largest bill that is printed. He places a bill on the table – I look down and it is ONE DOLLAR.  I was sure he made a mistake and just sat there.

He said he was a little short of cash that night but he was sending his advertising executive to see me the nest night with my Christmas Bonus. I went back to the piano and cannot remember anything I played that night.

The next night the advertising executive arrived and told me he had a gift from Harry Helmsley for my Christmas Bonus. He handed an envelope to me and said “open it – I want to see the look on your face when you see what is inside”. I was now sure this was my mortgage being paid.

I opened the envelope and there were 2 tickets to the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building. The advertising executive said “there is only one problem –the tickets expire in two weeks so you have to use them within two weeks”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRIL23uH0Y



This was my Christmas Bonus from Harry Helmsley, one of the world’s richest men – a Dollar Bill and 2 tickets to the Empire State Building Observation Deck.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRIL23uH0Y