3:10pm – made it up to 47th st where i found an indoor atrium with a sign outside – “public space.” It’s right by a (closed) Starbucks, so there are a ton of people in here tapping into the wifi. Some observations from the day:-In the morning, it was really all about coffee. Winds had died down and it was grey and drizzly out, so I joined the masses drifting uptown on search of caffeination. Not an easy search. An old man walked by me, disappointed and shaking his head. “No coffee, no food,” he told me, and shrugged. I plodded on north with everyone and it felt like we were a hoard of zombies. People holding cofffee who were walking our direction — this gave us hope. Eventually we found a spot at 23rd and broadway. No lights on in inside, and a strange hush even though it was so packed with people that the windows were fogged up. The staff there was very friendly, they were boiling pots of water on gas camp stoves and using that for the coffee. It was about a half an hour wait. I learned that everyone had been having trouble with cell reception. And we all agreed that a cheap battery operated radio suddenly proves its worth in times like this.-Walking back south along broadway, I passed hundreds of people walking north. I gave directions to the coffeeshop several times. I was aware of the fact that I was holding something that people were keenly interested in. “Look – that guy has coffee.” I spotted some expressions of envy bordering on something primal, so I quickened my pace.-ugg-clad nyu student by union square jumping up and down with her phone and yipping “I have service I have service!” Overhearing lots of people saying they don’t have cell service.-people with suitcases walking uptown. Heard a guy say he is going to stay with a friend on 47th.-from where I live on 7th up through 40th, traffic lights are non-functional. In the busy intersections — 14th, 23rd — cops in neon green jackets are directing traffic.When you hit 40th, all the traffic lights are suddenly on, and the city feels normal again.-40th through 43rd: drugstores are packed with people who have trekked from downtown-Now up where I’m at, I’m seeing a lot of disappointed-looking tourists.-the clouds were clearing up earlier today — I actually saw the sun. Now it’s grey out again but the weather isn’t too crazy.

2.10pm, here it is, the promised land. At 40th St, the traffic lights are actually functional. Cell service seems better up here too. Throngs of people walking up here from downtown.. As they approach people look at the traffic lights and say “electricity!!”

Tried posting earlier today and not sure if it went through. Have been out exploring today. Power is still out and cell service is very spotty. Walking now with everyone else uptown towards 30th, where they say there is power.. People in the streets speculating about when power will come back on. People happier now than earlier today because most seem to have now had their coffee.

6:10am – fell asleep around midnight to the sound of sirens and gusts of wind (which were gradually growing quieter). Awoke this morning to quiet: no sirens, no wind gusts. The power is still out but I’m able to get online with my phone at this time without difficulty.

Got a text from a friend: “Just read something online about a geographically targeted emergency text system. Probably what you received. It knows where your phone is.”

I’m in the back side of an apartment building on the ground floor, and just out my windows there is a small patio area with other tall buildings just beyond. So, it’s unusually dark and quiet where I live. I’ve found this to be a nice feature in a Manhattan living space…up until last night, that is, when I really wanted to be able to look outside to see what was going on. All I could see out my window was the flicking of candles and flashlight beams in the building across the patio. I definitely wasn’t about to head outside, however, particularly after receiving the emergency text.

I’m curious what I heard directly after the power went out last night. I called it a foghorn but it was more like a vuvuzela – those stadium horns that became famous in the last World Cup.

After the power went off here, I heard what sounded like a type of foghorn blowing down the street. Lots of sirens. All the buildings around me without power as well. Lights are out with candles flickering in a few windows… and a search for wifi networks yields zero results (when usually there is what seems to be an unending list).

Received a text alert as I was here in the darkness.. Let’s see if I can upload this image. Rather unsettling.

2m are now without power along the east coast and I’m included now… My power just went out a minute ago. This post from my phone. 8.39pm

8:07pm — the wind gusts are very loud out there now. I heard glass breaking outside but it wasn’t my windows.

#sandy lights out in lower manhattan twitter.com/LauraTrevelyan…

— Laura Trevelyan (@LauraTrevelyan) October 29, 2012

This is crazy … 

It’s 7pm and the advice here is to definitely stay inside for the evening. From the Mayor’s most recent address:

Time for relocation or evacuation is over. Conditions outside are dangerous, and they’re only going to get worse in the hours ahead.

So I’m in my place for now. It’s a cozy spot, and it’s surprisingly quiet here; I’m at the back of the building, away from the street. This photo is from last week:

Even in my sheltered location, I can still hear the wind gusts getting louder and louder right now.

Con Ed may be shutting off power as a preventive measure in southern Manhattan this evening — it looks like this will be south of me. If my power does go out, however, I’ll post additional updates from my phone.