When I was in elementary school during the 1930s, my mother worked in New York City and I lived on 167th St. in Flushing, Long Island, with the Fenstermachers, a couple my mother had met at an Eastern Star* meeting. They agreed to care for me as long as needed and they were very kind to me. I called them Aunt Emma and Uncle Ted. I remember their beautiful green-tiled bathroom where we took our Saturday night baths to get ready for services on Sunday at the Dutch Reform Church.
My mother worked as a representative or buyer for out-of-town dress shops. Her office was behind the big Macy’s at 34th and 7th Ave. Eventually I went to live with her in New York City at London Terrace in the Chelsea neighborhood. At the time, the monthly rent was considered expensive: $71.
London Terrace consisted of 1670 units in 14 buildings and covered an entire city block between 23rd. St. and 24th St. and 9th and 10th Avenues. Construction on the huge complex had begun in 1929, the year I was born. We had a 500 square foot studio apartment with a kitchenette, a large living room with my mother’s baby grand piano, and an alcove or dressing room where my Murphy bed was. I remember hearing about Pearl Harbor in that alcove. My mother slept on a Murphy bed in the living room. Her bed was returned to the wall during the day. My bed was always out. There was no air conditioning of course, but I don’t remember feeling too hot or too cold. Though the apartment was small, I was always comfortable there. I think that’s why I am happy in my current studio apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
My mother was also a decorator. No matter how scarce money was, she made our places “homey” and attractive. She was a good cook. We ate dinner at a gate-leg table which my daughter now has in her own home.
In each building there was a doorman and they all wore English bobby style uniforms. I loved going up to one of the “play roofs” that had play equipment like swings and a jungle gym. There was a beautiful Olympic size pool in one of the buildings. All the buildings were connected by an underground tunnel.
I walked to school, which was only a few blocks away. I would order and charge my after-school snacks at Gristede’s, a good grocery store nearby that carried anything we wanted. It was fun living there, but of course I was alone a lot.
London Terrace is still in Chelsea. At one time, briefly, it was the largest apartment complex in the world. It’s now called London Terrace Towers (co-ops) and London Terrace Gardens (rentals), and is advertised as “iconic pre-war architecture.” A studio apartment like ours now rents for around $3,000 per month.
*Eastern Star, a charitable foundation, is a Masonic order open to both women and men.
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