Hoping the cinema-philes can help me out here.

 My girlfriend and I were just in NYC for a wedding.  We were talking about how we wished we'd see some celebrities, and later that day we were checking out the menu for a small french/italian place on the upper west side when an older woman and an younger couple asked us if we were waiting in line.  We said 'no', and the trio went inside the restaurant.  We looked at each other- "That was an actress!"

 Cut to 3 days later, and we still haven't been able to figure out what her name is or actually remember a show or film she's been in.  It is driving us NUTS!  Please help us figure out who this was. 

She was:

Older actress (probably in her 60's)

Short gray hair

Medium height

Round glasses

Small features (not super-big eyes, nose etc).

American (we're pretty sure)

We can picture her playing an older mother or grandmother role, someone who would give sage advice to the younger generations.

 Hints and suggestions welcome- I can google image search or IMDB to see if it is the person we saw.  Many thanks!!

Ellen Burstyn.

Ellen Burstyn.

 Thanks, but not her.  hair was shorter, and she was somehow less glamorous looking (more like a retired teacher)...

Dame Judi Dench

Dame Judi Dench

 Ha ha I wish!  No, the actress we saw was thinner, but the hair was closer to Dame Judi.

Dianne Wiest?

Dianne Wiest?

Mrs. Doubtfire.

Mrs. Doubtfire.

Nathan Lane.

Juliet Anderson.

Don't google her if you're at work.

None of the above (luckily wikipidea had a worksafe page)...

Madonna!?  Hey, she IS single now!!!

The only actress that's left with short gray hair (that I can think of) is Jamie Lee Curtis, but she's not even 50 yet, so she doesn't fit with the grandma role.

The only actress that's left with short gray hair (that I can think of) is Jamie Lee Curtis, but she's not even 50 yet, so she doesn't fit with the grandma role.

The only actress that's left with short gray hair (that I can think of) is Jamie Lee Curtis, but she's not even 50 yet, so she doesn't fit with the grandma role.

The only actress that's left with short gray hair (that I can think of) is Jamie Lee Curtis, but she's not even 50 yet, so she doesn't fit with the grandma role.

Closer! maybe a little younger and less frail looking, and not as likely to be in an Adam Sandler movie.

Woody Allen.

Ellen Albertini Dow.

Ellen Albertini Dow.

 nice try, but not her either.  Younger and more sophisticated looking. Imagine if Judi Dench had a thinner american cousin.  We can't remember which shows we'd seen her in, but we'd imagine more towards Hallmark Hall of Fame or PBS (or possibly Woody Allen-ish)

Mia Farrow?