Mr. Bloomberg’s sales pitch was not confined to the new governor; he also took a hard-sell approach on a soggy multiborough tour to promote the plan.

[They] viewed the vessel, which proved to be a very fine fast-sailing craft, well found, with six brass carronades on each side.

‘She's with her nanny.’ ‘Oh yeah, I forgot. You're a proper trophy wife now. Staff and everything. Well…’ She produced a bottle of cava from a plastic bag. ‘With no child to keep up appearances for, let's get ourselves in the mood.’

There are two routes to get there. We're in a rush so we'll take the shorter one.