Winter Magic In The City | Cozy Launderette Sleep Series

Relax and fall asleep in this calm sleep story.

You are listening to winter magic in the city.

In this bedtime story,

Travel through time to Manhattan on the cusp of a new year.

On a winter night,

A dusting of sparkling snow coats the city,

And a feeling of magic travels in the frosty air.

Twinkling lights and trails of wood smoke mark the skyline as you explore the city with your neighbor and fellow member of the laundry club.

The club convenes in the cozy launderette of a charming brownstone,

Sharing stories,

Poems and refreshments each month.

Over time,

These familiar faces have become your chosen family in a city of artists and dreamers.

Charming surprises unfold,

And an impromptu meeting takes place in the warm basement as snow falls outside.

You return to your cozy apartment with your spirit uplifted and fall asleep.

It's time to dream away.

I would like to welcome you to Michelle Sanctuary.

I am Michelle,

And as you tune in,

Think of me as a trusted friend and ally.

I am here to make sure you never forget the creative and self-soothing powers that exist within you.

You deserve to set aside time for relaxation and sleep every day.

Think of this time as your daily vacation before crossing the bridge to your sleeping life.

This respite may help you heal and relax and connect you to the insights within your dreams to come.

Get as comfortable as you can in the sanctuary of your room and mind.

Select from the outside world.

Let go of any thoughts that do not offer deep peace and happiness.

Undesired thoughts may pop up.

They are often known to do when you settle down and quiet your mind.

Imagine these thoughts are like snowflakes that land in the palm of your hand.

You blow them away with each exhalation,

And they dance off into the darkness of the night,

Leaving you in solace.

Now is a time for joy,

Serenity,

And comfort.

The winter season is the perfect time to hunker down in the softest of blankets,

The heaviest of sweaters,

The thickest of socks,

And the coziest of moments.

The season of longer nights is a time for hibernation,

And you may enjoy slowing down and going within.

Cast aside any guilt or hesitation,

And welcome this gift of quietude and rest.

You are free to customize this experience however you want.

You may skip the breathing exercises,

Or tune out my voice and fall asleep at any point you like.

Do what feels right for you.

You know what is best for you more than anyone.

Trust yourself implicitly.

Wiggle away any tension,

And shake off anything that you are holding from this day.

With your eyes closed,

You venture into your interior world.

Carefully travel through your body and send a message that it's time to relax.

Take in the fullest,

Most cleansing breath you have taken all day.

Your entire belly expands like a hot air balloon.

And then open your mouth and yawn,

And feel your exhalation flow out of you in a gentle release.

Inhale again,

Seeing if you can sip in more air than your last breath.

And when your body is filled to its utmost capacity,

Open your mouth and do a yawn,

And sigh.

Let it all go.

Take in one more deep breath.

Yawn if you like,

And sigh as you exhale.

Each yawn has signaled to your body that you are ready for sleep.

Each sigh has signaled that you are ready to stand down,

Safe,

Relaxed,

And ready to take an adventure through time as this story begins.

It is at the end of the year that we begin to reflect on all that was and stir a pot of hope for all that may be in the new year.

But some years are harder than others.

No matter what we may try,

We may filter out the good with the hope of a gold miner sifting through the silt of a river.

We may cherish the tiniest of golden nuggets.

Sometimes they may be so small that they go unnoticed,

But even the smallest glint of gold may catch our attention if we seek the light.

The sparkling holiday lights in the city shimmer with hope and promise in the darkest of nights surrounding the winter solstice.

The longing for what was and the hope for what could be become powerful determining factors in whether we stand still or move forward.

No matter how dark and cold the winter becomes,

This special time of year offers a spark of hope with the potential to become an enduring flame.

You find yourself wandering Broadway as flurries fall on Manhattan on the cusp of 1970.

As you travel through time,

You soon recognize that yearning for something more in a new year is a timeless sensation spawned by promise.

Every anonymous soul to pass by carries wonder within them about what a new year may deliver.

It's part of the human experience.

The sidewalk is dusted with a thin layer of snow modeled with the footprints of pedestrians out on a post-Christmas day stroll.

You turn on West 69th Street to discover an untouched path of pristine snow that shines like opal glitter beneath golden street lamps.

The lampposts are decorated with plush wreaths wrapped in scarlet ribbons.

The air smells of snow,

Wood smoke,

And candied nuts from a local street vendor.

The gentle hum of city buses heading downtown is accentuated by the occasional tapping of the horn by an impatient yet dutiful cabbie barreling up the avenue in haste.

You are warmly dressed in a wool peacoat and gloves that capture the fashion trend toward rich earth tones.

These hues of burgundy,

Taupe,

And browns pay an unintentional yet sophisticated homage to the mother earth loving hippies roaming the park and clubs in the village.

You approach a cornered diner on Columbus that has opened 24 hours and known to host an eccentric array of Westside residents.

Fashion models sip coffee at the counter in mini dresses and go-go boots.

Well known writers scribble away at corner booths,

Their tables covered in muffin crumbs as they burn the midnight oil in their makeshift offices each winter night.

Locals entertain family members from near and far who travel to the city to experience the holiday spectacle.

You arrive at the diner to meet with Ed,

The newest member of the laundry club and resident of your building.

An unexpected friendship has formed with this charming yet peculiar man who grew up in Greenwich Village,

Raised by Chinese immigrants.

Having left the family laundry business to his children,

Ed now enjoys his retirement uptown and on this night he insisted you join him for a Boxing Day celebration.

You walk into the warmly lit diner and find Ed sitting beneath a neon open sign,

Looking out on the falling snow.

The windows are decked in evergreen garland and large colorful holiday bulbs.

You approach the deep orange and gold vinyl booth and slide across it.

It turns to you,

Peering out of his black framed glasses with lenses as thick as his thumbs.

His eyes light up and his eyebrows raise as he asks if you're ready to try his take on the Manhattan special.

You smile and agree.

A waitress and aspiring Broadway actress approaches the table.

She's dressed in a baby blue A-line dress and apron and a white envelope hat.

Her shiny brass name tag reads Marguerite.

Ed begins to order two Manhattan Special egg creams and gives the exact measurements for his beloved concoction.

He tells you both how the Manhattan Special has been around since 1895 and is a soda made of espresso beans,

Seltzer,

And sugar.

He explains that since egg creams are made from seltzer flavored syrup and milk,

The Manhattan Special is a perfect substitute and mixer.

He goes on to tell Marguerite that egg creams had also been around since the 19th century and someone misunderstood the Yiddish words ekdkrims,

Which means good cream.

Ed always takes pleasure in educating people on the fact that there are no eggs in an egg cream.

Ed's animation and excitement are so engaging that you and the waitress are a captive audience as he spews out these facts like a walking encyclopedia and New York's culinary staples.

He gives her a mischievous smile when he says she can go ahead and use some half and half instead of milk to make it richer.

It's the holidays after all.

As Ed moved into your building,

You've learned you can count on him for a constant array of facts about the city and inappropriate jokes.

As a proud native New Yorker,

Ed has a burning desire to share his knowledge and love of his hometown with anyone who will listen.

And most often his infectious delivery makes even the most jaded of New Yorkers want to listen.

A popular holiday song plays on the jukebox.

The analog sound lends an air of intimacy and authenticity.

The soft soothing crackle of the vinyl conjures warm feelings one feels alongside the fire on a winter night.

Marguerite returns with Ed's special in two tall fountain glasses and she has topped them off with whipped cream and a cherry.

You joke with Ed that all the sugar and caffeine may keep you up all night.

But he smiles and explains that the night is young and the city never sleeps.

You have no idea what Ed has in store,

But that is part of what makes nights out on the town with him all the more exciting.

You sip the towering drink and it has the perfect balance of sweetness,

Carbonation,

Bitter coffee and cream,

The bubbles cleanse your mouth of the whipped cream and the beverage is as filling as a meal.

Even if you didn't love the drink on its own,

The atmosphere and Ed's sheer enthusiasm would have convinced you that you did.

Ed is so focused on your reaction that he forgets the drink in front of him until you remind him.

He laughs and catches up to drinking just as fast as you.

The murmurs of other diner patrons create a soothing ambient sound.

You feel part of something bigger than yourself in this corner diner,

Enjoying a simple experience with total strangers to what everyone keeps to themselves.

The energy of the diner validates the idea that in a city like New York,

You are never truly alone unless you want to be.

The energy of human connections in this town is palpable.

Ed places a generous amount of cash on the table for Marguerite and stands to put on his coat and hat.

She wishes you both a happy new year and jokes that maybe this will be the year that Ed's special makes it to the menu.

You follow Ed to the exit and jingle bells ring out when the door closes behind you.

The cool,

Damp air hits your face and lungs as soon as you step out onto the sidewalk.

The temperature is refreshing and the droplets in the air feel cleansing.

Ed walks briskly and you follow behind,

Completely unaware of what he has in mind.

You walk for two blocks and come upon the spot where Christmas trees had been sold since the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The stand is no longer there,

But a single Frasier fir tree leans against a snow-covered red pickup truck.

A tall,

Rugged man from an upstate tree farm is loading wooden signs onto the cargo bed.

Dressed in a red and green plaid jacket,

He remains festive even after the holiday has passed and towers over you both in stature.

The man recognizes Ed immediately and comes over to shake his hand.

He lets Ed know that you arrived just in time and is thankful that you've come to take the tree off his hands.

He wishes you both a happy new year and climbs into his truck and takes off.

You look at Ed,

Slightly confused,

And your neighbor happily replies,

Waste not,

Want not,

It's our after-Christmas tree.

For over a month,

Members of the laundry club talked about setting up a holiday tree in the launderette,

But the busyness of the season swept up the weeks and days until Christmas arrived and passed.

Ed instructs you to grab the trunk and he hugs his arms around the middle of the tree,

Joking that even at his old age,

He remains as strong as a bull.

You don't question him and curiously follow his lead as he comes up to a local live-in-dime and tells you to park the tree for a minute.

Ed hustles into the store and comes out with a large brown shopping bag with miscellaneous items overflowing.

With the bag resting in the crook of his arm,

He hugs the tree again and together you carry it towards your brownstone apartment building.

Stone banister of the building ebbs towards the sidewalk like a brown wave,

And the looming stairs seem like a challenge.

Ed looks at you confidently and challenges you to match his bull-like stamina.

Maneuvering the tree is easier than you thought and you are grateful for each deep breath of the night air perfumed by the evergreen branches.

Your breath condenses in a dreamy silver-white cloud that matches the winter haze that hovers above the roofs of low-rise buildings and obscures the high-rise buildings of midtown.

Once in the lobby,

You carry the tree towards the narrow stairwell that leads to the launderette.

Pine needles land on the rug,

Leaving evidence of your mission.

You slowly make it down to the launderette and Ed finds a spot near the back of the room to set up the tree.

You hold the tree while Ed turns on the colorful lamps that warmly light the room.

He removes a tree stand from his five-in-dime bag.

There you position the tree until it stands so tall the tip nearly touches the ceiling.

Ed joyfully takes tinsel candy canes and lights out of the bag and boasts how he purchased them all on post-holiday clearance.

Enthusiasm overcomes the silliness you may have felt in putting up a tree while the rest of the city will soon take theirs down.

Who made a rule that the world should only sparkle and glow on certain winter days?

The child in you longs for the colorful glow of holiday lights and an extension of beauty until spring's first buds begin to sprout.

The launderette is warm and cozy and the lingering perfume of clean laundry marries the smell of the fresh Frasier fir that carries notes of mild citrus,

Sweet rich earth,

And a hint of balsam woodiness.

The intoxicating aroma reminds you of home and makes you long to cuddle up in a plush chair.

You're amazed at how quickly Ed decorates the tree.

He jokes that for over 50 years he was in charge of the tree committee at his family's laundry.

Of course,

That tree was always properly positioned in the storefront window the day after Thanksgiving.

This tree is special because it has an extension on life to be cherished beyond the bustling holiday.

It's a tree for the new year.

Ed plugs in the tree lights and the ruby,

Sapphire,

Emerald,

And gold bulbs illuminate the long strands of tinsel that cascade down the tree like shooting stars.

You hear heavy footsteps on the stairs that precede the arrival of Charlie,

The building super.

He walks into the launderette with pine needles cupped in his hands,

Shaking his head in consternation until he sees Ed in the tree.

It's hard to tell what beams brighter,

Ed's face,

Or the surprise tree.

Charlie bursts out into a hearty laugh and tosses the needles into a wastebasket.

The three of you decide it's time to call a spontaneous meeting of the laundry club.

You and Charlie head up to the third floor to knock on Tom's door first.

He answers with an unlit pipe in his mouth that he often chews while reading or in deep thought,

And a large volume of poetry rests in his palm.

Before he invites you into his middle-aged bachelor pad,

You tell Tom an unofficial meeting of the club has been called in session.

Tom is humored by this and grabs a sweater from the back of the door before leaving the apartment in his well-worn brown slippers.

He accompanies you both to the second floor,

Where your apartment is next to Madeline's,

The young artist and baker.

You hear the faint sounds of a Beatles song playing from outside her door.

Charlie softly raps on the door,

And Madeline opens it,

Pleasantly surprised to see you standing there like mischievous siblings.

A meeting of the laundry club has been called,

You happily declare.

Madeline smiles and explains she had a feeling something like this would happen.

All day her inner voice nagged her to make a cheesecake,

So she did.

You admire her intuition.

It's not easy to pull a surprise over on an empath like Madeline.

She gathers the cheesecake from her kitchenette and meets you in the hall with a decadent dessert covered in glazed strawberries.

Within moments the four of you convene in front of Ed's illuminated after-Christmas tree.

Tom expresses how moments of beauty are made all the more beautiful when they come by surprise.

You hear the soft murmurs of Ed and Dorothy as they come down the stairwell.

The former high school sweethearts were reunited during this unexpected year.

Ed leads Dorothy by hand into the lingerette,

And her sparkling eyes land on the tree.

She flashes a beguiling smile.

The same smile that once charmed audiences when she danced on Broadway in her youth.

Ed moves in for a kiss beneath the mistletoe in the entry of the room that he must have hung when you left the laundry.

Their love story inspires everyone who comes across their way,

As it carries the message that it is never too late to find love again.

Madeline starts the tea kettle and Charlie gathers the plates and teacups.

And for the first time,

The laundry club meets with no laundry to be done.

But there is no guilt.

This week that leads into a new year is meant to be a cushion for all those who are weary from toiling through another year.

After all,

The art of doing nothing is a skill that must be honed in a world so busy and a city so bustling.

The night wears on in the lingerette,

With Bing Crosby softly crooning from the record player.

You make toasts with teacups filled with silky herbal teas,

And feast on generous slices of creamy cheesecake on delicate china plates.

Everyone places bets on how long the tree will last,

And Ed insists it will still thrive in February,

To be redressed in red and pink lights for Valentine's Day.

You joke that it may be March,

Since he will probably hold out for the clearance specials after the holiday.

Everyone laughs and enjoys the fodder and teasing that comes when people truly know one another's quirks and embrace them lovingly.

That is what makes the laundry club so special.

A simple gathering brought by fate transpired through time to form a chosen family of people who could not be more diverse or unalike.

The laundry club is a small representation of the melting pot of New York.

The connections that form in this enduring urban landscape are what inspire dreamers to dream and writers to write.

And in typical Tom fashion,

He finds the perfect reading for this impromptu gathering.

He turns the pages of a burgundy leather bound collection of poems,

Clears his throat as he begins to read.

Ring Out Wild Bells by Alfred Lord Tennyson.

Ring out wild bells to the wild sky,

The flying cloud,

The frosty light.

The year is dying in the night.

Ring out wild bells and let him die.

Ring out the old,

Ring in the new.

Ring happy bells across the snow.

The year is going,

Let him go.

Ring out the false,

Ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind.

For those that hear,

We see no more.

Ring out the feud of rich and poor.

Ring in,

Redress,

To all mankind.

The room becomes quiet in reverence to these words,

As each club member is lost in their own thoughts.

Madeleine inquires what everyone's intentions and hopes are for the new year.

Ed goes first and says he intends to keep spreading the word that the best things in life are free,

And for Ed's Manhattan special,

To make it on the drink menu of the corner diner.

Dorothy intends to share kindness and inspire hope in others.

She then says she would love to dance on a stage again.

Tom declares this will be the year he writes a best-selling novel about his beloved neighbors and the laundry club.

Madeleine intends to take more risks and travel and treasure each win,

No matter how small.

Charlie hopes to adopt a dog and find a partner who looks to him as lovingly as Ed and Dorothy look to one another.

Your neighbors turn to you,

For a moment you are speechless,

Perhaps because this moment is so loving and kind,

That you wish it would carry over into the new year.

Even though parts of the year have been bleak,

You remember the meaning of life in these tender gatherings.

After some time,

The answer comes to you,

And you share a piece of yourself with everyone in this room.

You are thankful to have found a tribe where you are free to be candid and vulnerable and express your deepest of longings.

The clock strikes midnight and the impromptu meeting comes to an end.

Charlie and Tom take care of the dishes this time,

As everyone slowly returns to their apartments for a night of sleep.

The snow continues to coat the city in a magical blanket of renewal.

Come morning the kids in the neighborhood will gather in Central Park with their sleds and glide down the rolling hills to relish the first real taste of winter.

The darkest of days have passed with the winter solstice,

And the promise of spring will become louder with each passing day.

But tonight,

On the cusp of a new year,

Slap happy from sugary delights and soothed by silky tea,

You and your neighbors return to your abodes to hibernate and dream.

You climb the stairs slowly,

Feeling the residual effects of lugging the after Christmas tree through the side streets and up and down the stairs.

The soft burn is satisfying,

It makes you all the more grateful for your cozy apartment and bed.

You enter your apartment and your furry pet comes running up to you in rubs against your legs.

You prepare for bed in a ritual that comes automatically and without thought.

With your mouth minty fresh,

Your body dressed in the softest and warmest pajamas,

And your mind prepared to drift,

You hoist yourself into bed and bury yourself beneath the covers.

The steam radiator in your apartment clanks and hisses as you close your eyes and cuddle with your pet.

The promise of a new day and new year flowed across your mind in the form of hopeful visions before you drift into the silent embrace of sleep.

Everything about this moment feels right and good.

Your mood remains elevated from the vibrations of love and connection enjoyed in the lingerette,

Ready for sleep,

Ready to embrace the unexpected however it may show up in your life.

This year has taught you that life can be full of both good and challenging surprises,

And you have survived them all.

And I am going to count you down to a night of blissful healing sleep.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Finding peace.

Finding release.

Finding hope.

Finding serenity.

Finding sleep.

It's time to dream away.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.