Comments:
[From 50th Reunion Yearbook]
After getting my graduate degree from NYU in 1962, I began my work career at Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC. It was a time men were blatantly paid more than women for the same job. My male counterpart earned $5.00 more a week because of his gender. So began many of my employment “battles”. When Saks opened a new store in Washington, DC I was asked to go as part of the management team. I insisted upon and got equal pay.
It was an exciting, but tumultuous time in our nation’s capital. When vacations were taken, it was usually ten European cities in two weeks. I opted to quit my job, packed my bags and a copy of “Europe on $5 a Day” and spent the next year traveling throughout western Europe. I had a grand time often taking the roads less traveled, meeting outrageous characters, experiencing Easter at the Vatican, crossing into East Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie, New Year’s in Paris, sailing off Corfu. I returned to the States in time to be in my brother’s wedding, earn some money, see hippies being fed from paddy wagons on Boston Common and decide I wanted to return to Europe. Within a year, I was back in London. After cooking a big American Thanksgiving dinner for friends, I landed a job as chef in a private club in London where I remained for several years.
When I returned to the States , I eventually ending up in Boston where I have lived for over 25 years. When I first moved here, The Boston Globe ran separate employment ads for males and females; the campaign for equality continued with my various jobs - regional supervisor in retailing, station supervisor at Amtrak, property manager. However, my most daring and satisfying venture was as chef-owner of the Polonaise restaurant in the heart of Back Bay in Boston. One of our more memorable dinners was hosting the cast of The Bostonian which included Vanessa Redgrave and Christopher Reeve. During this period, while drawing on the numerous experiences I have had, I did a good deal of mentoring young people, especially women on careers and business.
Additionally, this was the height of the Solidarity movement in Poland and I was involved in aiding refugees, fund raising and charitable organizations.
Since retiring last year, I have been enjoying days of leisure and have steadily been working towards change to have our grand country run by a competent leader.
