My Blog

11:00 a.m. wake-up to the phone ringing. It’s Todd. We scheduled a run, and for the love of G-d I will get some exercise on this vacation.

By 12:30 p.m. we were on our way to the Central Park Reservoir. 2 loops @ 1.5 miles a loop. Relaxing pace, very humid day.

Then off to downtown to walk around. It’s great to just have the time to chat. We ate at this amazing place, that only serves grilled cheese sandwiches (grilledcheesenyc.com). I haven’t had a grilled cheese sandwich in twenty years. They were amazing; we split one with provolone, cucumbers, hummus, tomatos and onions AND a second that was basil, spinach and feta. Delicious, just delicious. And sweet potato fries to boot.

Back at home base now, in need of a shower.

Then off to David’s bachelor party.

It’s 2:09 a.m. EST, technically early morning Thursday, July 28.

I am in NYC for phase 1 of my July travel. Call these late June dates the prologue, I suppose.

Arrived at 12:00 noon without a hitch, taking a cab into the city to my G-dparents’ home on the Upper East Side. They are my home-away-from-home, so to speak, and I greatly appreciate being able to call their apartment my homebase while I’m in NYC.

One of the best parts of this trip is that my good friend Todd is in from LA, and our friend Guidry lives in NYC. I miss these guys desperately, and spending time with them is always a joy. Todd, I’ve known since we were 2 years old; Guidry is a friend from high school.

With them it’s always small-world kind of coincidences, which I love. Here’s today’s example, then I need to go to bed.

Since they are both lazy jerks, I agreed to meet them for lunch on the West Side. A cafe called the Time Cafe on Broadway. I’ve been there before, and it’s an easy trip. Of course, I arrive early. Taking a booth, I peruse the menu and in walks John Lutz. John is a friend from Chicago, a terrific improviser and ex-Second City Touring Company member. He is now a staff writer for Saturday Night Live. He walked in with Jeff Richmond, a musical director for SNL (and former MD/Director for Second City) and his wife, Tina Fey. You may know Tina as current SNL cast member, as well as the show’s first female head writer.

He/They were seated in the booth right next to mine.

Small world, indeed.

Goodnight.

TRAINING

~ 6 miles @ 8:29 min/mile.

Slow.

LIFE

Had a great four day bachelor party in honor of Brian and Zach, who are being married (separately) this summer. Highlights included Six Flags, video games, amazing food and terrific debauchery that will go unmentioned. We also had the presence of Yosef Klein, who is always a terrific companion when he can get away from his wife and beautiful daughters.

I took on an assigment from my friend Todd, who shares with me many opinions on comedy, success, and entitlement.

The assigment is - for June 29 - to come up with 3 x three page treatments for original, feature-length comedies.

That’s it.

I wish I was a professional athlete. A professional cyclist. I’m too old. How about that?

Everything has been training focused this Monday and Tuesday.

MONDAY
Swim workout - 1/2/3/6/6/6/3/2/1 -> 3000 yards
Evening run - 10K -> 8:00 min/mile

TUESDAY
Spin class
Road ride - 60 miles

I am a food person. I love almost all food and (providing it’s in a kosher style - no shellfish, pork or meat & dairy mixed will try anything once. And sweets are my favorite.

My food love is hurting my training, which has definitely gotten bumped up a notch. Everything is going so well, I hope to be at 400 miles/wk. on the bike by next week.

Right now I need to cut out dairy from the diet (i.e. no ice cream/frozen yogurt/pizza) and chill out on the red meat. More omelettes, more chicken and lean protein less sugar. But it all tastes so good.

Tomorrow’s agenda includes a 3100 yd. swim (I hope) and a run in the evening (@ 6:30p). If you care to join in the run, give me a ring.

I care about this silly little blog, but I don’t think anyone reads it.

To up the ante, I’ll get a little personal. This entry is broken up into two categories: LIFE and TRAINING.

LIFE

I am not a pot-smoker. Have never been. Have never smoked pot, ever. Nor have I used any other illegal drug; no coke, no heroin, no X, nothing. I used to say that there wasn’t anyone interesting enough to do drugs with. My capacity for being high can’t be as great as the pleasure I get watching/hearing about other high people.

My good friend Jim doesn’t drink and has a blast - mostly because his sobriety allows him not to lose control.

That said, I am going to Europe this summer and I am thinking about trying pot. Why not sit down in a bar in Amsterdam where they have little trouble regulating marijuana - to the point where it’s legal.

But I haven’t decided yet. Does the "only in Amsterdam" clause still hold. I’m all about new life experiences.

TRAINING

6:00 a.m. - Spin class
7:30 a.m. - ride to downtown Highland Park
11:00 a.m. - bagel at Einstein’s on Wells. It was honey whole wheat w/ peanut butter. Probably not the healthiest.

I would guess approximately 55 miles (95 km) of riding. Average speed was 16.4 mph, mainly due to the start/stop of the path and the streets leading to Sheridan.

Big chainring all the way back. It felt great and I am really discovering those higher gear ratios.

I’m going to try and do it again tomorrow (sans Spin class).

That’s it.