I don't have the best of luck with hotel alarm clocks. Yesterday's guest had left his alarm activated so off it went at 6.40 a.m. Since today is a vacation day for me, it was particularly unwelcome to be woken up at what was only 3.40 on West Coast time. Happily, however, I fell back to sleep and stayed there until close to 10.00!

Looking out, it seemed like a fine, clear day. It's a real concrete canyon out there.

Concrete canyon

I faffed around a good part of the morning, answering email, dealing with some business, making some phone calls, and staring out at the street life below, with the yellow little cabs swarming down Broadway.

The site of workmen on the roof of the building opposite bundled up in heavy clothes gave me pause, because I wanted to go running, having not done so in almost two weeks on account of not feeling too good. As it turned out, once I was outside, it wasn't so cold after all - 55 degrees, and warm enough in the sun. It was ten blocks up a busy Seventh Avenue to Central Park, and not the best ten blocks for aging knees. But I always love New York street life so it was a fun little jog to the park. The park itself was beautiful - different, of course, from when I was here in the Summer - a lot of leaves lost, and a few delightfully yellow or red splashes amidst the otherwise faded greens and browns.

Heading off down 7th Avenue for my run

After showering, it was time to find somewhere to eat that I could afford - not so easy in this most touristic of neighborhoods. I ended up at TGI Fridays, not a place I'd normally frequent, but my hunger couldn't wait. They had a reasonable chicken-caesar, so it wasn't so bad. After lunch, I toured the new Times Square. I haven't really been to this part of the city in a few years and it's changed immensely. Much cleaner and less sordid, albeit a little unreal. It's still chaotic, full of noise, bustle, cars, honking, people crossing the streets in all directions.

The chaotic Times Square

Chaos rising to fever pitch outside the MTV Studios with teenagers trying to get noticed live on TV

I walked uptown, towards Central Park again, buying tickets for a Thursday concert at Carnegie Hall on the way. I spent a relaxed hour sitting in the park, catching up with New York friends on my cell phone (what a great invention!) There was a comfortable freshness to the air, while the long, lemon-yellow sky gave off the nostalgia of Fall. I was reminded of so many other occasions when I'd visited New York at this time of year.

Hanging out in Central Park

I'd made plans with Mitch to have dinner and go to a movie, but I just had time to work out. The fitness room in my hotel, "The Renaissance", was the most pathetic I've ever seen in a major hotel, but fortunately guests here are also allowed to use the fitness center at the Marriot Marquis, which was easily the best I've seen so far.

Shortly thereafter, Mitch picked me up in his new (suburban) mini-van. Mitch was as droll and easy-going as ever. We headed uptown while he showed off the on-board navigation computer which can even speak its directions to you - pretty cool.

We had dinner at a restaurant called Time Cafe - Mitch had a chicken-caesar - apparently they're catching on :)

Our movie turned out to be a lot better than I'd predicted. "The Limey" stars a supercool Terrance Stamp on a mission of revenge against the guy he suspects of killing his daughter. Great cockney-rhyming slang are amongst its charms. Violent in parts, dreamlike and tender in others.

And now for bed. Got a hard day in class tomorrow. Back to the real world.