Ruth Visits Diane and Dan in New York City, 1964

   Mom (Ruth Kellogg) and I are pictured on the roof of Rockefeller Center, looking north over Central Park.  On the left is the Hudson River.

   The Kellogg's next-door neighbor, Angela Lupi, tried to persuade 3 women to drive from Chicago to NYC in August, 1964 in her new Pontiac.  Ruth was the only one who could go.  It was a last-minute trip that turned out pretty well.

   Dan Pellettiere and I wed in Feb., 1963, moved to Philadelphia and on to NYC (Riverdale) for about 15 months.  We loved living in NYC.

Dan was in the Time-Life Building at 50th & 6th, working for N.W. Ayer, a giant in advertising history.  I worked on Maiden Lane near Wall St. for U.S.Life as the one and only writer in EDP (Electronic Data Processing).  This was a forerunner of the I.T. departments and companies that are so widespread today.  We loved living in New York.

Monday, Aug. 10, 1964 - "Angela Lupi & I left Oak Park in her new Pontiac for New York at 7:30 A.M.  I drove 200 of the 500 miles today.  Stopped for nite at New Stanton, Pa. - new 'Quality Court' motel - $14.00 nite - 2 others filled up - 7:30 PM.!"

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1964 - "Started out 8 A.M.  Angela drove thru the winding Penn. turnpike and 7 tunnels!  I drove 100 miles.  At Holland Tunnel about 5:10 P.M. - very busy time of day in city traffic.  Found Belmont Plaza Hotel at 6 (7 N.Y. time)." 

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 1964 - "Breakfast at Waldorf-Astoria.  Bloomingdale's Dept. Store in A.M.  We walked to Time-Life Bldg. and I went to Dan's office to meet him and then to pick up Diane at U.S. Life bldg. in Lower Manhattan.  To their apartment."

Thursday, Aug. 13, 1964 - "Our day at World's Fair.  Some interesting - some not.  There about 9 hours!  Ate Indian curry dinner.  Our last exhibit was best - Illinois!  Had to phone Dan and cancel dinner plans for tonite.  Back by 10:45 P.M."

Friday, Aug. 14, 1964 - "Shopped in A.M. with Angela.  Met Diane at Rockefeller Plaza and treated to late lunch in their French restaurant.  More looking in shops and back to hotel for 45 minutes to rest until Dan came to take us to dinner."

Saturday, Aug. 15, 1964 - "Decided to start for home Sunday early after finding D & D had no
unbreakable plans for Sunday.  They took me to Rockefeller Center touring (TV studios & roof).  I treated to lunch at Schrafft's.  Am catching cold!"

Hmmm...Maybe Ruth meant that we had plans for Sunday rather than "no unbreakable plans"...Next time Ruth visited was in May, 1966 when Lynn Meredith was born.

Two Diaries Speak on Aug. 9, 1965

I had had surgery in July, 1965 at Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan, so was not yet back to work at U.S. Life on Maiden Lane in NYC when I wrote this diary entry. Our apartment was in Riverdale.  Calling long distance is still considered very pricey in 1965, as you can guess by my noting the time we talked.  The home office of the ad agency Dan worked for, N.W. Ayer, was in Philadelphia, though the office he went to most of the time was in the Time-Life Building at 50th and 6th.

Monday, August 9, 1965
"I got up at 9 and vacuumed the whole apartment. Then at 11 while I was writing to Dan's parents, the phone rang.  Surprise - my mother called to find out how I am.  We talked for 12 minutes....
The sky was overcast and it rained off and on, so I didn't go to the pool.   Wrote to my parents and continued reading an interesting book - The Heartland:  Ohio, Indiana, Illinois.  Dan called to say he would be in Philadelphia over night, then called from Philly at 7.  I read, baked cookies, watched TV.  Stayed up til 1:00."

 On the same day many miles west of us in Oak Park  IL, my mother, Ruth Kellogg, wrote in her diary.  

Monday, August 9, 1965
"Rain.  Phoned Beth & long-distanced to Diane.  As a result of talking to Diane (who is feeling fine), I started making a shift for Diane out of her former sorority curtains.  She is using shift a lot I made her."