It’s been a difficult couple of days in NYC following Hurricane Sandy. I’m sure you’ve all been watching the news and have seen the incredible images of the flooding and damages that occurred in lower Manhattan and in the surrounding boroughs. While my roommate and I are without power, water, and heat I am extremely thankful that I am safe, along with my family and friends in NJ. Some lost their homes, their businesses, and their loved ones due to Sandy and I hope that we can all lend love and support to anyone who needs it in the coming weeks and months.
While the damages from the storm were greatly humbling, they also brought a softer side of NYC to light – those fortunate enough to have power opened their homes to others, restauranteurs cooked up meals to feed those in need for free, and New Yorkers actually smiled at each other on the street from time to time. I have to give a special shout-out to New York Sports Club for opening their doors to the public so that I (a non-member) could have a hot shower before work this morning.
As the cleanup and rebuilding commences, there’s a feeling of solidarity spreading through the streets of New York and it feels pretty…nice. So while Hurricane Sandy brought about many tragic results, it also highlighted why it is great to be a part of this amazing, resilient city.
Here are a few shots I took on Tuesday afternoon around Times Square and the East River post-Sandy:
Pigeons flocked together to keep warm post-storm.The Bryant Park Christmas Shoppes braved the storm. Thankfully it looks like none of them suffered any major damage.Lots of stores closed early to prep for Sandy’s arrival, and many still remain closed.Sandy may have taken away the Naked Cowboy’s power, but never his dignity.Tree down in Murray Hill post-Sandy. We thankfully suffered minimal damages in the area.My roommate Kristen and I (yes, we have the exact same name) decided to investigate Sandy’s effects on the area around the East River & 34th St. on Tuesday.Grey skies over the East River with a helicopter surveying the scene.A babushka lady expressed concerned.Lots of debris was scattered everywhere along the East River running path. Runners gotta run though.So much debris.More wooden planks on the running path.This debris is NOTHING compared to lower Manhattan and the Jersey Shore. We are very lucky.My beloved running path wheat grasses did not survive the storm. They were all practically gone.Some found comfort in getting back to the normal routine.Dogs being dogs.Flooding occurred in the first floor of this apartment building near the East River. Roto Rooter was on the scene pumping water out of the lobby and cleaning the carpets.Good Samaritans already volunteering their time to get things back to normal.Every store, bank, and coffee shop above 40th street had people charging their phones, iPads, and computers from any available outlet or power strip.While most Starbucks were closed on Tuesday, they all still offered free WiFi for clever New Yorkers.NYC’s version of the dove carrying the olive leaf – a pair of two perfectly white pigeons to signify the end of the storm.
Thank you pickyrunner! I’m glad you liked the photos – they are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the level of destruction that occurred to the region due to Sandy. Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you get power and water back soon, Sandy made such a mess. NYC is still the best city in the world, we adapt and recover quickly. Just to prove it, we’re still running the marathon on Sunday!
Correction. The marathon was canceled, but a small group of us are still running our own marathon Sunday! The hurricane can’t take our will to triumph away.
Thanks for reading. I’m proud to say that the New York community quickly came together to help those affected most by the storm. It’s been a pretty inspiring past couple of days.
Glad you’re doing OK, Kristen. I’ve been without power since Monday night, too, so it’s been tough, but like you wrote, at least I’m safe. You’re also right about the storm un-jading New Yorkers a bit. Yesterday and today, I’ve had really great conversations with strangers in Starbucks, and we all agreed if Sandy hadn’t hit, we probably wouldn’t be talking to each other. Stay safe, and I hope you get power back soon!
Wow, great photos showing the aftermath…I couldn’t believe some of the things I was seeing on TV from NYC =( Glad you are okay though! I am also without power, but thankfully we have a generator. Hopefully we all get power (and normalcy) back soon!
I’m glad you are safe and had a generator – very handy. Thankfully my roommate and I got our power back late Saturday night just in time for the cold weather! Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Great pictures! And thats awesome of the gym, I had to call up my gym on Tuesday to see if they had hot water so I could get a shower in before work too!
Thanks Kristen to visit my blog, and for the great photos you posted, hope they restore power and water soon. Heard right now NYC Marathon was Canceled, probably the right decision after this mess. Feel sorry for all the people that are suffering for the Hurricane. Simply unbelievable!
Thanks for visiting my blog as well! I’m glad you liked the photos, however they definitely don’t capture the true devastation that so many people experienced. Yes, I agree that it’s a good thing that the NYC Marathon was cancelled – time and resources were put to much better use in helping those affected by the hurricane.
I’d like to add that you really have a natural talent for capturing stories in your images. Or, maybe you’re a highly trained professional photographer and I didn’t catch that in your About.
Thank you so much for your kind words Mike! I am not a trained photographer in the slightest but would love to take a class to hone my technique in the near future.
– Kristen
Glad you made it out in one piece and had it in you to go run!
Great photos of a great city. Thank you for sharing, and glad you are safe.
Thank you Angela!
Stay safe, thanks for the pictures, hope you get power back soon!!
Thank you for the well wishes tri-grandma-try! I thankfully got power back late Saturday night. I hope your training is going well!
– Kristen
I’m so glad you are safe from the storm! Thanks for sharing these pictures- they really help us see exactly how devastating it was to some areas.
Thank you pickyrunner! I’m glad you liked the photos – they are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the level of destruction that occurred to the region due to Sandy. Thanks for stopping by.
– Kristen
I hope you get power and water back soon, Sandy made such a mess. NYC is still the best city in the world, we adapt and recover quickly. Just to prove it, we’re still running the marathon on Sunday!
Correction. The marathon was canceled, but a small group of us are still running our own marathon Sunday! The hurricane can’t take our will to triumph away.
Hello sephiroth796,
I hope your run on Sunday went well and that you are safe and sound. Thanks for stopping by!
– Kristen
All those effected are in my thoughts and prayers. Take care.
Thank you losing50laps.
– Kristen
Well said! May the surrounding communities come together to care for and support their neighbors in need!
Jay Mankus
Hey Jay,
Thanks for reading. I’m proud to say that the New York community quickly came together to help those affected most by the storm. It’s been a pretty inspiring past couple of days.
– Kristen
Glad you’re doing OK, Kristen. I’ve been without power since Monday night, too, so it’s been tough, but like you wrote, at least I’m safe. You’re also right about the storm un-jading New Yorkers a bit. Yesterday and today, I’ve had really great conversations with strangers in Starbucks, and we all agreed if Sandy hadn’t hit, we probably wouldn’t be talking to each other. Stay safe, and I hope you get power back soon!
Hey Carrie,
Thanks for reading and for the well wishes. Loved your post on volunteering in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy – great job!
– Kristen
Wow, great photos showing the aftermath…I couldn’t believe some of the things I was seeing on TV from NYC =( Glad you are okay though! I am also without power, but thankfully we have a generator. Hopefully we all get power (and normalcy) back soon!
Hey reach-yourpeak,
I’m glad you are safe and had a generator – very handy. Thankfully my roommate and I got our power back late Saturday night just in time for the cold weather! Thanks for stopping by my blog.
– Kristen
Great pictures! And thats awesome of the gym, I had to call up my gym on Tuesday to see if they had hot water so I could get a shower in before work too!
Thanks Megan! Yes, NYSC was my shower savior since I don’t have a regular gym membership.
– Kristen
Thanks Kristen to visit my blog, and for the great photos you posted, hope they restore power and water soon. Heard right now NYC Marathon was Canceled, probably the right decision after this mess. Feel sorry for all the people that are suffering for the Hurricane. Simply unbelievable!
Hey gbenanzin,
Thanks for visiting my blog as well! I’m glad you liked the photos, however they definitely don’t capture the true devastation that so many people experienced. Yes, I agree that it’s a good thing that the NYC Marathon was cancelled – time and resources were put to much better use in helping those affected by the hurricane.
– Kristen
Thank you for sharing these photos. It’s really good to see that people are out and about (though the clean-up will still take time).
Yes, NYCers are quite the resilient bunch. Thanks for reading!
– Kristen
Great photo journal of what surrounds you and some poignant posting. The following caption you wrote I am voting for the classic humor award:
“Sandy may have taken away the Naked Cowboy’s power, but never his dignity.”
I’d like to add that you really have a natural talent for capturing stories in your images. Or, maybe you’re a highly trained professional photographer and I didn’t catch that in your About.
Thank you so much for your kind words Mike! I am not a trained photographer in the slightest but would love to take a class to hone my technique in the near future.
– Kristen
Glad you made it out in one piece and had it in you to go run!
Great photos and glad you’re safe. I’m coming over to NYC at the end of the month, so it’ll be interesting to see how the city’s coping.