The last time I was here it was December and I thought I might freeze. This time heat exhaustion is the threat to avoid. Except that is, in the hotel room - when I arrived last night I was so tired I crashed asleep but later woke up rather cold. I was in a groggy state so just piled on the bed clothes to keep me warm rather than get up and hunt for the air-conditioning control.
The New York office, Eleven Maddison Avenue, is much grander than the London office. It is the grand old building you expect of New York, all marble severity with high ceilings. London by contrast was built early on in the Canary Wharf development and has a cheap, functional feel to it.
People are pleased to see me. They don't see many quants in the risk division and as word has spread of my arrival my calendar has quickly filled up.
To stop myself going to bed too early I went for a wander tonight. I was looking for somewhere to eat and perhaps a drink but I was too hot to be bothered eating. I did have a pint in a sports bar called gym because my city guide described it as a normal, friendly place but it was too noisy so I left after one. I took the easy option and headed back to the hotel bar.
I have seen plenty of dogs, including a West Highland White. This is a dog city and soon I hope Pip and Billy will be walking those streets with me.
There is plenty of bonkers stuff going on too. Weird dance classes on the sidewalk and groups meditating in the park. Lots of people walking down the street shouting into their cell phones their current location.
Maybe I've lived in London too long to notice stuff. It's a comparable place in many ways but I look at New York only as an outsider. The dullest little street catches my eye because it looks just like something out of a movie.
Yet some of it I certainly notice is dull. The subway with its boring letters and numbers is no match for the beauty of taking the Bakerloo line to Elephant and Castle. The fact that the Bakerloo line is terrible and E&C an eyesore is neither here nor there. There are just some things the Brits do better than the earnest yanks.
Enough for now. Bed calls and tomorrow I'm up before internal audit. Some things are just the same wherever you might be.
