Hurricane Sandy

Hi there!

It's been a couple of long, grey, rainy days since Hurricane Sandy swept through NYC and I'm fighting off a heavy bout of cabin fever. Let me say first how thankful I am that all of my friends and family made it through the storm safe and sound! I think it's safe to say that no one here in NYC has ever experienced the level of flooding and devastation we've seen brought on by this storm. Mass transit, bridges, tunnels, and even airports shut down Monday night as the storm closed in, effectively cutting Manhattan off from the rest of the world. Looking out onto the desolate streets leaves you with a very eerie feeling when you're used to being in a city as bustling and fluid (no pun intended) as this one. As the wind and rain picked up, the city prepared for the worst. And boy, did we get it. My hometown on the New Jersey shore took an especially bad hit. The destruction there is unlike anything we've ever seen, and new images and stories keep surfacing days later.

The whole experience was an important reminder that being prepared for an emergency goes hand in hand with being organized. Designating a cabinet or other space in your home for emergency and first aid essentials is never a bad idea. Know where your emergency stash is kept and keep it up to date with supplies as they expire or are used up. Here are some things you should always have handy in case of an emergency:

+ Batteries
+ Flashlight
+ Candles
+ Waterproof matches
+ Battery operated radio
+ First aid kit
+ Blankets
+ Fire extinguisher
+ Duct tape
+ Can opener
+ Non perishable foods
+ WATER

If you're sufficiently stocked up on the safety items, throw in a couple of the items below for good measure:

+ Board games
+ Deck of cards
+ Good bottle(s) of wine
+ Some friends to weather out the storm


I was extremely lucky that my uptown neighborhood escaped any major flooding or electrical issues. Others further downtown and in the surrounding areas were not so lucky. To help those affected by the storm, consider donating to the Red Cross. Every little bit helps!

Till next time, where ever you are, stay safe & dry!