WRITER’S BLOCK (But not the kind you think.)

Every December, the block where I live, West 43rd Street in Manhattan, explodes into a holiday wonderland… (Er, maybe “explodes” isn’t the best word to use these days, considering the craziness going on in the world) –TRANSFORMS into a holiday wonderland!

Taking center stage–which is tough to do since the twin high-rises that flank the block are packed with actors–are the glorious Christmas trees for sale, filling the air with their intoxicating scent. The smell of doggy urine is a faint memory as I skip down the block (well, in my mind I’m skipping anyway) breathing in all that piney goodness. That is, of course, until you pass the Little Pie Company. Have mercy! Pies Baking. Mouth watering. Their sour cream apple walnut pie is unquestionably the best pie on earth. On Thanksgiving they have to set up barriers because the lines to pick up preordered pies are around the block. No kidding. And they always have the best windows. Simple. Artful. See what I mean?  

Keep walking and you might pass a guy selling expensive olives in barrels. Yeah, you heard me right. On weekends in non-winter months, our block turns into a mini-farmers market with vendors from Upstate NY and New Jersey selling their fresh produce. This olive guy just won’t take “snow” for an answer.         

A few more steps down the block and I run into Chris (in the black coat), my neighbor from across the hall. “Hi, Chris!” She sells her homemade jewelry on the weekends. She’s also starring in the latest Marie Callendar’s commercial–the one with the fruit pies. (That might be a running theme here, huh?)

A grand jete away from Chris is Patricia, another neighbor who lives on my floor selling Christmas cards that feature her original artwork. She’s an incredibly talented artist and I think she may have been Marc Chagall in a former life. (And apparently brainy, too. She wants to read the German version of my novel, Madhattan Mystery called Gefahr im Central Park to test her language skills.)

 

So, if this writer ever suffers a bout of writer’s block, a stroll along West 43rd Street in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, can clear my head and stir up those creative juices. And if by the time I pass the Starbucks, two restaurants,  newsstand, our package pickup depot, florist, Food Emporium, vitamin store, diving equipment shop, and health club I’m still not inspired, well, there’s always PIE. (See how I tied that together? Actually the mother in the novel I’m working on now is baking a slew of pies for the county fair so that may be why I have pie on the brain. Hmmm.) Okay, stick a fork in it. Glance up at impressive lobby tree on way to elevator… Time for a long winter’s nap?

Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. God bless us, everyone.

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Tiny Spaces, Big Ideas: My New York Walk-in Closet Turned Office

Manhattan dwellers who live in small spaces, like me, can do the craziest things–like turning perfectly fine, albeit dreary, closets into charming, cheery, fully-functioning offices. Or as I like to call them, “cloffices.”  I’m lucky enough to have two other closets for my clothes, shoes, hula-hoops, Christmas ornaments, etc. (a rarity for New York City apartments) and so, as a writer, turning my walk-in into an office was a no brainer. And an absolute must. It wasn’t very expensive either, other than my all-in-one computer and the fancy-shmancy teal file cabinet posing as a chest of drawers. This piece is a real space-saver, though,not to mention one of my favorite colors, so I had to splurge.

                       

The hanging cabinets were around $80 a piece unfinished from Home Depot; the banker’s chair around $100. The white desk top and black file cabinet supports were free from a former employer; the shelf I happened to find on the street. (You can find great stuff on the streets of New York!) So, other than the aforementioned purchases, plus paint, a few new accessories, and the Martha Stewart storage cubbies that I got online for a steal on Black Friday (I think it was around $50 for the set), I simply utilized what I’d already owned. Then it was just a matter of arranging things just right–to avoid clutter and elbow-banging. I did have to enlist the help of my building’s Maintenance Department to install the cabinets, an electrical wall outlet, and a new ceiling light ($130 for a schoolhouse-style lighting fixture plus $200 for labor) and voila, my new cloffice was born!

A window would be nice but who am I kidding? So, a faux topiary and an Eliot Porter print of autumn trees help bring the idea of nature into the space. Gotta have nature!

BEFORE (Bleah.)

AFTER (Aaah!)