On Saturday, I worked at the hotel, did a really long day there as we ran around like crazy people, scrubbing the granite lobby walls, checking rooms, peeling tape. Vanity Fair did a shoot of the hotel today and so they assembled all the missing pieces of the front of the hotel over the weekend, filling the lobby with furniture, dimming the lights, and blasting music. The hotel is still incomplete, the opening has again been delayed because of lack of permits, but Saturday I saw what it was going to be, saw the lobby as a hotel lobby, realized what an amazing place this was going to be and how fun it was going to be to work here, and in what a lucky position I am in to see this hotel starting from scratch.

I haven't been writing much about this experience for a couple of reasons, one being because I haven't been writing in my diary as much lately, but probably more so because of confidentiality reasons. We had to sign confidentiality agreements prior to working there, and they have made it clear that we will be fired for writing or talking to people about the hotel's business and about who stays there. And so this entry is locked for that reason. The management freaked out last week when a photo of the lobby appeared on HotelChatter. They are very in control of the marketing of this hotel in a very intelligent, methodical way. It is pretty amazing to witness their plans for this hotel put into action, how they create buzz about it, and how excited some people are about this hotel.

Saturday evening, all of us took a break from our various dirty tasks and gathered in awe to look at the lobby mostly assembled. It was a really great feeling of pride that all of us shared, all of really excited about people soon occupying the space and it buzzing with life. I am so tired of the tasks we have been doing for the last two months and I cannot wait for this hotel to open (hopefully next week!) and to start doing crazy work!