Hurricane Sandy in Hell's Kitchen, NYC October 28th 2012

It's Sunday morning, 10:24am and this is what it's like in Hell's Kitchen, NYC, waiting for Hurricane Sandy to touch down.

The sound of the city is hushed, almost like a snow storm, that special quiet. The temperature is a bit chilly. A little chillier than a regular October day. It's 60F or so but it has a damp, cold edge, already steadily windy.

My downstairs neighbors are clearing out their patios. I suggested they sweep around the drains in the back alley to clear them of dead leaves, so it is less likely to flood their ground floor apartments.

Another neighbor was cleaning his fire escape of ceramic pots. He looked up at me through the fire escape and said, "Battening down?" and I said yes. There is a sense of friendly and supportive community in the preparedness.

There is a pewter gray, solidly overcast sky with a diffused brightness.

The view down the back alley on West 49th Street. Still some leaves on the Ailanthus altissima trees, Morning Glory vines and the planter with Periwinkle.

The view South East towards Times Square.

The view South West towards the Hudson River.

The Jasmine and Impatiens plants, which I'll probably end up bringing indoors for the duration of the storm, once it starts.