Sunday in the City

I woke up at eight, this morning, with that irritatingly catchy Boo Radleys song (Wake Up, It's a Beautiful Morning) stuck in my head. I couldn't fall back to sleep but I wasn't too tired and I had a plethora of podcasts to get through on my iPod so I went for a run. In any case, it was a beautiful morning even though my wussy hands were still cold for the first 15 minutes, even if the rest of me was pretty warm. One of the items on my NY shopping list is "running kit for when it gets cold" (i.e. from about October, in my case) as for now, I only have short-sleeved tops and short shorts, which are great in the summer (such as this summer existed in England), but less fab when there is frost on the ground.

After 90 minutes, I decided I'd better stop before I pulled a muscle (I really don't want to be nursing an aching leg on a transatlantic flight). Conveniently, this was just as I arrived at the Honest Sausage, Regent's Park's version of a greasy spoon. Actually, it isn't in the least bit greasy spoon-like, other than the fact that its menu consists of bacon baps, sausage sarnies (named "the park porker") and ham and eggs. Being Regent's Park, though, everything is free range and/or organic and the atmosphere inside is distinctly more Californian than your average caff. Having run however many miles I ran, I decided I had earned a bacon roll and it was good, although the bacon could have been crispier and the other customers could have done a better job of keeping their dogs under control (it's not that I'm afraid of dogs but they do make me feel uncomfortable, especially as they always seem to like me more than I like them).

After a shower and a coffee, I tried to do some holiday-based admin--living in London currently feels like being on holiday and so I'm finding it hard to get my brain to adjust to the fact that I will be going on another holiday tomorrow morning, although I've made some effort to print out boarding passes, hostel reservations and shopping lists from my dear family. 

I also touched base with Monsieur E who may or may not be coming to NYC at the end of next week (déjà vu? Bien sûr!). He has, he told me, booked flights from Paris after he finishes his last exam but the tickets are refundable. And sad as he is not to have spent time with me in NYC for almost five years (yeah, whose fault is that?), last time I spoke to him, he wasn't sure whether he would go. I hope he does but equally, I've made sure to book accommodation and plan activities such that if he doesn't come (and I have a feeling he won't), I won't be at a loss (actually, lone wolf that I am, I'm never at a loss--especially in New York--and am perfectly happy to spend time in my own company but equally, New York is better when shared with friends, family and/or significant others).

As for the rest of the day,  E and I are going to head out to one of my favourite Soho coffee shops, Fernandez and Wells, before checking out the food festival at the Southbank. Gosh, how nice it is to be in such a cosmopolitan mecca where there is usually something to do--ironically, of course, this weekend is the Nowheresville Film Festival and I'm missing it all, damnit!