The Rye (season 7, episode 11)

written by Carol Leifer, directed by Andy Ackerman
original airdate: January 4, 1996

George’s parents bring a marble rye to dinner with Susan’s parents, which they don’t serve with the meal. Frank takes it with him, leaving George and Jerry the task of sneaking a loaf back into the Ross’ apartment. Kramer uses his “hansom cab” to help return the bread.

FEATURED LOCATIONS

The Improv is not featured in this episode.

Jerry’s Apartment
Elaine confides to Jerry that her new musician boyfriend, John, does not want to get “hot and heavy,” which Jerry tells to John’s bandmate. Elaine chides Jerry for doing this, as John writes a song called “Hot And Heavy” upon hearing of Elaine’s feelings.

Monk’s Café
Jerry and George devise the plan to sneak the marble rye back into the Ross’ townhouse, after George reveals his parents took it back upon leaving the night before.

Bradley’s (NOW CLOSED)
70 University Pl., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Union Square – 14th Street (L)
Elaine goes to visit her boyfriend John Germaine play jazz saxophone, where he plays “Hot And Heavy” for Elaine. He later bombs onstage after “adding to his repertoire” with Elaine, causing her to end the relationship.

Price Club (now Costco)
3250 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, Queens, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Broadway (N,Q)
Kramer loads up on everything here…but eventually realizes he overbought, leading to creative solutions for getting rid of it. The closest Price Club to Kramer is this location in Long Island City.

Biosphere 3, Institute Of Biophysics
Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, RUSSIA (map)
Jerry mentions Kramer’s Price Club can of tuna “isn’t for a person, it’s for Biosphere 3!”

Costanza House
George helps Frank and Estelle prepare to meet the Rosses for the first time.

Seventh Ave., New York, NEW YORK
Estelle criticizes Frank’s thin tie, barking for him to “go to any office building on Seventh Avenue and tell me if there’s anyone there wearing a thin tie like that!”

Schnitzer’s (actually Royale Pastry, NOW CLOSED)
237 W. 72nd St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: 72nd Street (1,2,3)
Jerry tries buying a marble rye for George and his parents, but ends up in a fight with an old woman over the last rye. Frank, on Schnitzer’s ryes: “I’ll show these people something about taste!” This is the same bakery as “The Dinner Party,” except it was then called Royal Bakery.

Lords Deli (now Cafe Bravo)
94 Greenwich St., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: Rector Street (1)
Estelle suggests getting a rye from Lords, since its close by, and not out of the way like Schnitzer’s.

Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista, FLORIDA (map)
Dennis mentions he’s taking his family to Disney World when he asks Kramer to drive his hansom cab for a week.

Ross’ townhouse
24 Fifth Ave., New York, NEW YORK (map)
nearest subway: West 4th Street – Washington Square (A,B,C,D,E,F,M)
The Costanzas and Rosses sit down for dinner for the first time, where they argue about films and Cornish game hens, and where the dreaded rye incident takes place.

Central Park
New York, NEW YORK (map)
Kramer leads the hansom cab through the park for riders, describing his off-view of the park’s history: “This was designed in 1850 by Joe Pepitone…built during the Civil War, so the Northern armies could practice fighting on grass.”

Kramer’s Apartment
Kramer, stuffing his face with bulk-sized Beef-A-Reeno, agrees to take the Rosses on a hansom cab ride while Jerry and George sneak back in the marble rye.