While dealing with the fallout from the Benghazi attack, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spent a jam-packed week at what might have been her final U.N. General Assembly. Many of her own meetings took place at the Waldorf-Astoria, where the State Department sets up a temporary HQ. Between sessions: bouts of high-stakes redecorating overseen by U.S. Chief of Protocol Capricia Penavic Marshall, who via email shared the punchlist her team uses to (quickly!) ready a room for the next dignitary.

Photos: Newscom (Marshall); John Minchillo/AP Photos (Clinton, Avrampoulos, Reynders)

Have good intel? Send tips to intel@nymag.com.

Related:

• Archive: “Topic”
• Table of Contents: Oct 8, 2012 issue of New York | Subscribe!