Robert Indiana kept a series of illustrated journals during the late 1950s and 1960s, in which he discusses the development of his work as well as his daily life on Coenties Slip.

In Indiana's journal entry for May 6, 1962, he mentions cleaning his loft for a visit by both the building inspector and collector Joseph Heil. He notes that he was not able to get much done before the latter's arrival that afternoon, although he was able to get some work done on the painting The Eateria. He includes a sketch of a detail of the work, above which he records that "there were bits and pieces of it done." 

Indiana writes that Heil's whole visit was dedicated to photographing him in his studio, and that little else was done besides having dinner and taking a walk on the pier. He notes that Heil wanted to see Lenore Tawney's work, and that "he fell in love with it, and, apparently, its creator too." Indiana lamented that they stayed at hers much too late, so he couldn't get more arranged for the inspector.