Not all distractions are detrimental, though. If you choose to scroll on your phone as a break from work, that could be a healthy distraction. However, if you are doing it when you should be working or when you don’t even feel like scrolling, then it’s not so good. And if your scrolling turns into doom scrolling, it’s no good either way!

For me, the news is the worst kind of distraction, and the effects can linger. Cable news feels like reality television, which, I’m embarrassed to admit, can be enticing! It’s easy for me to get sucked in, but it also leaves me feeling empty or, worse yet, depressed. So, I ask myself before I turn it on: Why? Is it going to make my day better? No. Is it going to help me change the world? No. Is it going to make me feel frustrated about things I can’t change or control? Yes!

I am currently reading a great book by Mel Robbins called "The Let Them Theory", which is turning out to be an excellent resource for managing distractions—or at least their effects. The core message of the book is to stop trying to control other people and things! We can’t control what’s happening in the world any more than we can control why we weren’t invited to a fabulous party a friend or colleague is flaunting all over social media. So let them! (There’s more to it than that, but that’s the gist.)

In residential real estate, distractions are plentiful. When I work with a seller and visit their residence for the first time, I inevitably bring up the topic of staging—even if their home doesn’t need it. Whether I raise it as a necessity or the seller brings it up as a question, it’s always discussed.

Great staging can dramatically enhance an empty or otherwise unremarkable space (especially if it’s dated). Good staging is a positive distraction because it shifts focus away from a home’s potential flaws. However, staging isn’t necessary for every sale, and there are varying degrees of staging. Beyond what you might traditionally think of as staging (completely furnishing and styling an apartment), there are lesser forms that I often focus on with clients. Let’s call it decluttering and sprucing.

Clutter in a home is a distraction—a bad distraction. It allows prospective buyers’ minds to wander, leading them to think about who lives in the home, what they like, what they do for a living, what they eat, read, or watch on TV, where they travel, and so on. These are bad distractions.

When there are distractions, it’s difficult to get buyers to focus on what truly matters—the home itself! People are naturally curious, and some are outright nosy. A house filled with personal photos can capture a buyer’s attention when they should be focusing on room sizes or the phenomenal chef’s kitchen! A wall of family photos will attract even the most indifferent lookers, who will undoubtedly start wondering who the owners are and where they’ve traveled.

Then there’s the issue of excessive “stuff” or clutter. If grand rooms are overflowing, their grandness fades into the mess. If a small room is cluttered, it feels even smaller. When buyers walk into a living room, most will instinctively head straight to the window (if they can). If there’s no clear path—or, worse yet, no path at all—to the window, that’s a distraction. I picture a buyer wanting, yearning, wishing to get over to the window to see the view (which is why they head there first), only to be held back as if by a rope—that rope being the clutter in their way. If you are selling it is time to clear the clutter! 

No matter the condition of your home, my vast staging and sprucing experience allows me to provide expert advice on how to perfectly position your home for the market. Whether you’re ready to sell now or just thinking ahead and want to get an early start, I’d love to visit and share my expertise.

On a February morning in the early aughts, an ambitious public art project called “The Gates” filled Central Park with flowing orange flags that visitors could walk beneath. It was open for just two weeks, bringing some much-needed levity to the city. More than 4 million people visited Central Park during the show's short run, and it generated an estimated $254 million in economic activity across the city.

Now, in celebration of these beloved artworks by the late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, a cutting-edge augmented reality experience on the Bloomberg Connects app will allow New Yorkers to discover The Gates once again. It's available to view in Central Park, along with a complementary exhibition at The Shed, from February 12-March 23.

To try the experience in Central Park, you'll need to download the free Bloomberg Connects app on your smartphone. On the app, you'll find a map that will guide you through the experience. Start your walk at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue, then follow along with the signs from there. The app divides the experience into different sections. You'll need to recalibrate the augmented reality at each station stop (don't worry, directions at each sign will show you how).

Although you may think Mardi Gras (which is French for “Fat Tuesday”) may only be a New Orleans past time, you’re wrong! The holiday itself represents the day before Ash Wednesday, a celebration focusing on a feast, carnival and overall party to enjoy the last day before the Lenten period of fasting and sacrifice.

When is Mardi Gras celebrated?

This year’s Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, March 4th, 2025.

Beyond the famed marquees lies a captivating world of intimate, innovative, and exciting performances that are equally amazing. Our list will guide you in finding the best of the best Off-Broadway shows — even if things look a little different now that Blue Man Group has come to a close. What shows are on your theater bucket list?

Don’t forget: 

Off-Broadway Week returns from February 17th to March 9th, giving theater-goers 2-for-1 ticket deals.

Best Off-Broadway Shows In NYC To See Right Now in the LINK below:

Upper West Side | Maintenance: $

The entry foyer, equipped with a large walk-in closet, leads you into a spacious living room with beamed ceilings, where expansive living and dining areas seamlessly merge, perfect for entertaining guests. Bask in the light streaming through two gracious west-facing windows. The living room is large enough to accommodate a separate dining area, perfect for hosting dinner parties or casual meals at home.

The beautifully remodeled chef’s kitchen features custom cabinetry, granite countertops and abundant storage, high-end appliances including a Wolf stove and range, a large refrigerator and a charming dining nook ideal for morning coffee and breakfast, enhanced by two windows providing abundant natural light.

A hallway leads you to the bedroom wing offering privacy from the living quarters. The two corner bedrooms enjoy double exposures with super charming historic UWS views, beamed ceilings and gracious living quarters that accommodate king-sized beds. The remodeled windowed bathroom unveils a spa-like overhead rain shower head, and a convenient washer and dryer are discreetly tucked away in the corner.

Additional features of this residence include hardwood floors throughout, three exposures, ample storage space, and protected pre-war views.

328 West 86th Street is a lovingly maintained classic pre-war co-op offering residents a virtual doorman, resident manager, a bike room, and a communal storage room. Guarantors, subletting, pied-a-terre, and pets are permitted subject to board approval. Situated on a tree-lined street next to Riverside Park you will enjoy proximity to all that the Upper West Side offers including the best shops, cafes, bakeries, restaurants, the Museum of Natural History and all modes of public transportation.

Current monthly capital assessment of $154 through July, 2026.