New York, New York!

NYC baby: I’m back here again, a place I lived in my twenties, now rediscovering as a 40 year old. Where do the cool people go now? (i.e. the ones who have specific coffee orders and want to be in bed at a decent hour)…

Why am I here? Because a month ago, I was supposed to go on a work trip to the US – but mere hours before getting on the scheduled flight, my entire body broke out in hives. (Was I allergic to my job?!). I was deemed unfit to fly and couldn’t get a reimbursement… so I found myself with a plane ticket I had to use.

In reality, I desperately needed to clear my head. I don’t think I’ve had a single uninterrupted thought since having children (uh, it’s been 9 years). The last eight months have also been extraordinarily difficult with work changing direction every week, Palestine under siege and just… life. It felt heavy.

… So I booked the trip… children in the lovely care of hubby. It was a chance to meet with my agent, publisher and friends, a chance to catch my breath… And I prayed that when I woke up in a new place – where the air hits different and I crave coffee at the wrong times – that maybe, just maybe, the world would be in a better place, too. (We’re all looking at you, Rafah).

Read: For the Love of NY

New York holds a special place in my heart. My novel, What Will People Think?, is set in the Upper West Side and Greenwich Village. It was really hard to choose only two books set in NYC when so many feel like an ode to this majestic city, but I tried to narrow it down. Share your faves with me!

Non-Fiction: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Raw and honest, this book is a perfect example of how great writing often comes down to pure talent. Bourdain’s descriptions of life as a chef in a fine dining restaurant kitchen crackle. I read this book every few years.

Fiction: Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

When artsy Sasha marries into an old money New York family and moves into their limestone on Pineapple Street, she feels like an outsider among her husband’s relatives. This is a nice character-driven story and while I would have enjoyed a stronger plot with twists, this was a perfect read during my trip to the city.

Bonus Fiction: Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

This is similar to Anthony Bourdain’s book, but more lyrical and feminine. The main character arrives to New York wide-eyed and misdirected, only to find herself learning the ropes of restaurant life in Manhattan. A waitress, she falls in love with the bartender and the tension simmers throughout their ill-fated romance. I inhaled this novel in a single day.

******* Note: I could easily list about 100 other novels, including classics like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Great Gatsby and The Age of Innocence… then there are contemporary works like Lipstick Jungle, Park Avenue Summer and City of Girls… there’s also – okay I’ll stop now 🙂 *****

****** Second Note: My naughty travel behavior is packing 4 books for a very short trip… and buying more wherever I go. Anybody else want to start a support group/ travel book club? ********

Write: Setting the Scene

Manhattan is the setting of a bajillion movies and songs… how do you write about a universe in a single city? How do you write originally about a very well known place (well, does anyone really fully know every mood and street of NYC?)?

The key is to find a special angle. Ideally, a personal one that only you could write about. Pair that with strong emotion and a character with an interesting arc and you will be on to something solid – something that sounds different and unique.

My novel has touches of typical New York City moments - kisses in the rain beneath awnings, competitive hustle at work, pursuit of creative dreams - but it’s told through the lens of a Palestinian American woman. Because I can write her.

What’s a quintessential New York moment for you?

Travel: NoMo SoHo Hotel, NYC

New York is a place you can visit 100 times and find different each time. This trip, I stayed in Soho, an area I’m less familiar with, sprinkled with quirky cafes spilling out onto cobblestone streets, women with perfect wavy hair and men on bicycles giving Teslas the middle finger. There’s a Banksy museum and a bookstore/ cafe/ wine bar called Biblioteque.

If you’re looking for a centrally located hotel in a very walkable, safe, artsy neighborhood, NoMo SoHo ticked the boxes for me. The rooms were big by NY standards and the restaurant has a cool 'secret garden’ vibe.

Links: Browse These

These random things from the internet kept me company while waiting for my flight and dealing with jet lag:

• 42 Midtown is a recently opened restaurant in Zaabeel The Greens with beautiful NYC fare, including steak and cheesecake. Best part is the husband-and-wife live music act.

• Meaning behind ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ viral Instagram post

• More than 50 US and UK artists are releasing music for a Palestine benefit effort

• The Hadid sisters donate $1 million to Gaza

• Mexico elects first female president

• Little bugs live in our eyelashes (ew)

• Why in-person friends are better than virtual friends

Countdown to Publication Day:

Thanks for reading! See you next week!

With kindness,

Sara