NEW YORk, Feb. 20, 2005 — Got up and went to 56th Street to a cheap breakfast place where we bought a small breakfast and coffee and a New York Times. (The Helmsley Park Lane gives out papers but not on Sunday.)

We went back to the hotel and freshened up. We left on hiking boots but put on blazers. Because, yesterday, we'd called the Algonquin and gotten a brunch with music reservation. To see Barbara Carroll.

Took off early to walk to 44th Street to the Algonquin. Checked out Times Square and the Toys 'R Us and walked around. Still arrived early for our reservation to see Barbara Carroll. Ate a pleasant lunch, talking to the women at the next table. Show great.

After the performance we walked back to the hotel. We rested up and then went out to get a cab. Because we also made a reseravation for dinner at a nifty brasserie where we've been before. (Yeah, we tend to gravitate to these. In Austin, we don't really have a single brasserie style place although there are some passable 'French' restaurants.) There didn't seem to be any cabs except those discharging people. The bellman mentioned the Olympics Bid hoopla. Sure enough as he mentioned it a cab dumped two guys who said they were park of the hoopla. We got the cab. At the corner, we saw a crowd and press trucks at The Plaza. We went down to Park and 28th and, after a short wait at the bar, got a table. We had great food. Me: lamb sausage and salad with pommes frites and he: a salad with nuts and bleu cheese and then cassoulet. We drank a bottle of Bordeaux bottled for the restaurant. We talked to our neighbors on the banquette. They were there to see The Gates.

When we pay and walk out it's snowing. I fish out my umbrella and just as I almost get it up, FFP has snagged a cab. We go back to the hotel, satisfied. A little TV and reading, sleep. And we still have another full day of New York City.