Creative Reset Day
A Table for One at Balthazar and a Legend of Studio 54
Lately, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the world outside, as I know so many of us do, and unable to focus on much else, a feeling amplified by working freelance from home.
One of the quieter downsides of working for yourself is how easy it is to stay within the walls of your apartment and not get out. When I start laughing at my own jokes or spiraling over the wording of the last email I sent, I know it’s time to change the scenery.
I try to take a creative day every few months, one where I’m not working and the goal is simply to shake out the cobwebs. I’m starting several larger projects and knew a day not spent behind a screen would do the body good.
So I decided to give myself a day to do that last week.
I got dressed up, left my apartment early, and started by taking myself to breakfast.
The Breakfast Meeting
I took myself to breakfast at Balthazar. To me, it will always be iconic.
The people-watching is fantastic. The woman in the corner wearing a fur hat while eating steak and eggs. The power booth that had to be tech moguls based on their backpacks, fleece vests, and prime booth location.
I loved all of it.
It reminded me how much I miss the ritual of being up and out early, ordering an unnecessary number of drinks before 9 a.m. (my personal trifecta is a latte, an orange juice, and sparkling water), and letting the day gather momentum.
I ate a beautiful omelet and noticed every detail of the restaurant. The mosaic floors. The Art Deco lights. The clock above the door. All the things that make it feel special.
I was facing the entrance, so I saw every arrival. People scanning the room to catch a friend’s eye, others clearly less excited to be up and most likely nursing a hangover.
The most important part of this day was deleting all apps of distraction, including this one. I was forced to be present, to think rather than distract.
I also watched a hostess who had arrived for her first day. I felt immediate empathy for her, the discomfort of being new and wishing three months could pass in an instant so every system and table number would start to make sense.
It reminded me of my first job after moving to New York, when I was a hostess at a restaurant called Jane on Houston. I had a nervous pit in my stomach most days, with every aspect of life feeling new in such a different place.
As I’m starting bigger projects for myself now, that same feeling creeps back in.
Sitting there, I realized my younger self would be so proud of how far I’ve come, especially having the flexibility to work for myself and take myself to a nice breakfast on a weekday.
Without access to my phone, I felt like I was high on some kind of hallucinogenic drug. Everything was sharper, more in focus.
It also could have been the second cappuccino I ordered in a frenzy of the restaurant’s energy.
During this time, I wrote down focused goals for the next three months and, more importantly, put dates to them.
After I paid the bill, it coincided with stores opening, and my wandering began.
The Playlist
I make a playlist every month or two and try to have a new one ready for a day of wandering.
My Spotify Wrapped said my estimated age is 73, so this may not be a playlist for everyone.
It sets the tone for the day as I walk with no agenda.
Where to Wander
I try to pick a neighborhood for these days, and this one was in Soho.
I wandered down the streets, stopping into some of my favorite shops, not really shopping but browsing and noticing.
Here are my go-to places for inspiration when I’m in this area where several neighborhoods meet (Soho, Greenwich Village, Nolita, and Chinatown).
YouTube University: Disco Sally
After feeling restored and reset by the world around me, the single-digit temperature and strong winds had me saying uncle.
I decided to take the train home to audit some courses from my favorite university, YouTube. I’ve learned more about pockets of the world and history from this education than I ever did in formal school.
After warming up and putting on sweatpants, the first video that appeared was a television clip featuring a woman named Disco Sally.
Sally Lippman was a born-and-bred New Yorker and a lawyer whose husband died when she was in her seventies. She decided to make this chapter of her life different from the rest. Her husband didn’t like to dance, but she had always loved it, and after he passed, she started going to Studio 54 nightly.
She became known for her unique dance moves, her friendships with Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray, and her marriage to a 26-year-old she called the “Greek God.”
She is a hero to anyone who has ever said, “I can’t do that. I’m too…” fill in the blank.
She reminds me that when we act, we change. We are the ones in charge of our story, and we can rewrite it or change direction at any moment.
This day was exactly what I needed.
A little time to see beautiful things, learn something new, and listen to restorative music without constant distractions does something to my nervous system. I feel more ready for the next creative challenge.
Most of the time, these days aren’t fancy. Most are wandering around my neighborhood or sitting at the coffee shop down the block.
I hope this inspires your next reset day a little, or inspires you to take one. It’s such a simple but important part of the creative process.
I can’t thank you enough for reading. I hope you’re taking care of yourself and spending time giving a hug or sending a note to the people close to you. We need each other more than ever ❤️
Thank you 73yo Molly, I love your playlist!
Just a tip—if you are a solo diner at Balthazar, and you sit at the bar or a bar table, you receive a complimentary glass of champagne… I know-so special, which is why Balthazar is one of my top five favorite restaurants! Thanks for sharing your breakfast experience..