Now that there are a few hours of daylight left after the five o'clock whistle blows, the quickest cure for cubicle fever may be skating the loop in Central Park. If you don't already have your own pair of in-lines, you might consider testing the road with a rental. When out-of-town guests feel the need for speed, Maria Wittorp-De Jonge, the concierge at the St. Regis hotel, heartily recommends Blades Board and Skate (160 East 86th Street, 212-996-1644). "They have a large selection and the staff is very helpful," she says. During the week, in-line skates, pads, and helmet can be rented for $16 a day; weekend rates run from $16 for two hours to $27 for the day. (A $200 deposit is required.) To keep you on course, Blades provides a map of the park that shows where the hills and dangerous curves are -- since you wouldn't want to miss them.

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• Archive: “Smart City”
• Articles by Rachel Orvino
• Table of Contents: May 1, 2000 issue of New York | Subscribe!