By SAMUEL GOLDSMITH
June 10, 2008
You can beat the heat while getting around Manhattan - with lots of chilly indoor pathways known only to the natives.
It took some zigzagging, but I stayed cool all the way from Grand Central Terminal to Central Park.
Starting at 42nd Street and Park Avenue, I took an escalator in the terminal to the MetLife building - finally venturing onto the street at 47th.
A short, shady walk under some scaffolding brought me to the Tower 49 building at 48th and Madison. I cut through the lobby to 49th Street.
A back entrance to Saks Fifth Avenue was right across the street. I checked out some sunglasses and flip-flops on the way to the 50th Street exit.
I cut through St. Patrick's Cathedral to 51st Street, but then I had to brave the hot sidewalk along Fifth Avenue one block to 52nd.
At 52nd Street, I crossed the street and ducked inside the lobby of 666 Fifth.
Exiting at 53rd Street, I cooled off at St. Thomas Church and emerged outside the staid University Club, where I cut through a vestibule and wound up halfway to 55th Street.
Crossing Fifth and walking partway down 55th, I soon reached Sony Plaza, where I took a quick break on my way to 56th Street.
Another air-conditioned indoor public plaza was waiting on the other side, which I exited at 57th Street. I then crossed Fifth and wound up in Bergdorf Goodman.
Dodging $5,000 handbags, I emerged from the exit on 58th Street, right outside The Plaza hotel, where I stopped for a cold cocktail - the most refreshing part of the day.
And there I was. At Central Park, where I was free to sit in the shade. I hardly broke a sweat.
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