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The Plaza, home of Eloise is located in
New York City at Fifth Avenue at Central Park South. Designed by famed architect Henry
Janeway Hardenbergh, "the greatest hotel in the world" opened October 1, 1907.
Built on the site of a 15-year-old predecessor of the same name, no expense was spared on
the 19-story, French Renaissance "château." Marble lobbies, solid mahogany
doors, 1,650 crystal chandeliers, Swiss organdy curtains, privately manufactured Irish
linens, and gold-encrusted china were just a few of its features. And now, as a member of
America's Family of Grand Hotels, The Fairmont Hotels, this National and City Historic
Landmark structure is once again as it was always meant to be ...the premier hotel of New
York. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1998, The Plaza was also designated as a literary landmark (a program that
encourages communities to place identifying plaques on properties that are connected with
famous authors either as residences or described in their work.) by the Friends of the
library, USA.
FOLUSA Literary Landmark Website.
Two years after the first Eloise book's
publication, a painting by Knight was hung in the lobby of the hotel. "We've had
generations of mothers bringing daughters or grandmothers bringing granddaughters to the
hotel to see the portrait or go to the Palm Court to have tea," Curt Gathje, the
Plaza's manager of the office of the president and unofficial house historian said.
The portrait disappeared after a fraternity party. As the story goes, when Princess
Grace toured the hotel with her children, she was dismayed to find the portrait gone.
After that, Knight painted a new oil painting that now hangs opposite the hotel's Palm
Court, where Eloise lunches on rainy days. A postcard version of the portrait was sold in
the hotel.

For a few years, the hotel had an Eloise Room that was used as a sitting room for
visitors on weekdays and an ice cream parlor named after the character. "I think
there is a little bit of Eloise in everybody," Gathje said. "I think it goes
beyond a 6-year old girl. It's about being rowdy in a public place, or acting up in a
public place and being allowed to do it -- but in a very genteel way."

The
Eloise Menu
The Plaza Hotel - 1957
At the Plaza
Published by St. Martin's Press, by Curt Gathje - 2000
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