Soho after Hurricane Sandy — © Brian Rose

The hurricane seemed rather benign at first, the winds not too ferocious, but eventually the water began to rise in New York Harbor. As a result, all of lower Manhattan is without power, the streets are largely empty, and with few cars on the streets, an eerie quiet has descended. My studio on Stanton Street just off the Bowery is completely dark inside, and you need a flashlight to get up the stairs. The water has receded in most places, but the entire subway system is shut down, stores and restaurants are closed, as are most office buildings, and ATMs do not operate. At the moment, things are manageable, but if the power remains off for another day, things are likely to get pretty dicey. We spent a few hours walking around this afternoon, crossing the Williamsburg Bridge to Manhattan on foot. I am posting this from Williamsburg, which thankfully, did not lose power during the storm.