Door Project

95 Madison Avenue - LW Stern Associates

I've been thinking about all the doors I've gone in and out of in New York throughout the years. My plan is to take photos of them and make a scrapbook detailing where the door is and why it is important to me. For many years I have been planning to do this but I never seemed to have the time or a camera on me. I am also a procrastinator.

Well, the Elmhurst branch of the Queens Public Library has been completely torn down and I never got to take a photo of it's entrance. This has been nagging at me and a constant reminder to stop procrastinating. If only I had started my project last summer! Well, I spent so much time there reading and borrowing books since this was one of the few places we were allowed to go to after school. It was a library which was built by a Carnegie grant. A piece of American history, and my personal history, is now gone.

This summer is going to be the summer I get it done -- YES, I swear it!

Yesterday, when I dropped off my son at a theater camp in Midtown, I hadn't totally planned out how I would kill the next seven and a half hours. Here was the time I never had. In my purse was an iPhone which takes fabulous photos. Duh, perfect timing, right?

As I sat in Starbucks eating breakfast and waiting for the Muhlenberg Library to open, I called my friend to see if she was free for lunch. Not in, left a message. I flipped through some knitting and crocheting books in the library for an hour until City Quilter opened. After buying some fabrics for a baby quilt, I called Lorna and found out that she couldn't meet me on such short notice due to a busy work day. I headed over to Bryant Park to read my book and eat my three organic carrots which I had packed from home. Still no thought given to the "Door Project".

Bear in mind, my day was unplanned so I had on a dress and a nice pair of shoes with some heels (in case I met up with my friend). It was going to be a hot and humid summer day -- high in the 90's.

After I started getting overheated from sitting in the shade at Bryant Park, I walked over to the Shake Shake to see if I could grab a quick snack. Well, the line was super long causing me to change my mind. At this point, I still didn't think about my "Door Project" despite having the time and camera. I had already missed the opportunity to take a photo of City Quilter and FIT, important places in my quilting life.

It wasn't until I started walking uptown on Madison that it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was so close to 95 Madison -- where I spent many years working at L.W. Stern Associates, a headhunting firm. I started working there when I was at Stuyvesant High School. I still remember my interview with Susan Fein and Hannan Watson. This is how I put myself through college. I even worked there for a short stint before law school. The job was office work and menial at times but I really liked the people. Happy memories at work and after work with my co-workers and boss.

350 Fifth Avenue - Abacus Group of America

And so it began, I stood across the street and took out my phone to take a shot of the door. It took a while to get the best photo since taxis and cars and people kept getting in my shot. At this point, I knew what I would do for the rest of the day. I walked up to the Empire State Building where I worked one summer, my first office job.

101 Park Avenue - Keely Drye & Warren

Next was 101 Park Avenue, for my corporate lawyer career at Kelley Drye & Warren. I was paid a lot but not many happy memories there. Unfortunately, Peking Park was no longer at 100 Park Avenue. That's where we had our wedding reception. A few more blocks north to 530 Fifth Avenue for my job between college and law school at Price Waterhouse.

530 Fifth Avenue - Price Waterhouse

By now, I am hot and need some air conditioning. So, I headed to the main branch of the NY Public Library. I happened upon the "Lunch Hour" exhibit tour and joined it. When my feet started hurting, I left and went outside to sit down for some more reading. Moving around Bryant Park for a breeze in the shade every chapter or so until it was time to pick up my son.

I didn't get as much accomplished on my "Door Project" as I had hoped but at least I started. I guess the theme for yesterday was "Work", which seemed to have been mainly in the Midtown area.

Next week, I will wear comfortable shoes, use the unlimited MetroCard, and get more places before they are gone. I'll pick different neighborhoods in order to be more efficient.

NOTE: The large planters in front of 530 and 101 were not there before.  I think those are post-9/11 additions. Also, I gave up waiting for people and vehicles to clear our of my shots, it was too hot!