Growing up, I could sleep til noon every day. I was told that I would eventually grow out of this sleeping pattern … I’m still waiting! However, due to being on the road so much recently, my sleep pattern has definitely been affected. This past week in New York City, I couldn’t stay up past 9 p.m. and was waking up around 5:30 or 6 a.m.–truly a new phenomenon for me. I decided to take advantage of these extra hours and went into Central Park just after the sun came up.  I’d tried to go for walks or jogs in the park in the morning before, but my morning crankiness always got the best of me and I was never awake enough to appreciate it. Last week, however, it was like a whole different world.  My favorite part of the park in the morning is that dogs can go without a leash until 9 a.m. There are certain places in the park, such as near the Great Lawn, where all the big, sporting-type dogs and their owners gather to play. In other parts of the park you just see small dogs; and the list goes on. Hundreds of different breeds can be found.  Besides seeing the dogs, the early morning really belongs to those who take advantage of it. There’s a different energy in the air, not so stressed, more a feeling of “Hey, let’s stop and smell the roses!” Even the people working out don’t have that grim look of “gotta get this done to get onto the next task of the day.” It is truly uplifting.  Here are two photos to inspire you to check out this different side (or time) of Manhattan. –Alex Young, associate publisher and vice president