New York City power outage **Coming back on now**

I have this book about NYC luxury apartment buildings from the early 1900's to about 1960. The Ansonia is on the cover.

View attachment 417079


Here's a typical floor plan from the era. Sorry, the only image I could online find is sideways. In the book I have, it's turned 90 degrees to the left. I particularly like the layout of the apartment in the interior of the Broadway Court with its oval parlor and dining room. However, it's location didn't allow for much natural light. Many other apartments have circular and other interestingly shaped rooms. And yes, the public hallways are 10 feet wide.

Almost all of these layouts have been changed and updated to incorporate modern needs and tastes; i.e. open floor plans, larger kitchens, laundry rooms in each apartment, media rooms, etc.


A bit of perhaps sordid history. From the late 1960s thru the 70s, the basement of the Ansonia housed the Continental Baths, a gay sex club where a not-yet-famous Bette Midler got her start in show business. When the Continental closed, it because Plato's Retreat, a straight swingers club.


The Ansonia was featured in the movie Single White Female, with Brigit Fonda, who ended up getting a psycho roommate. :scared:

http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2016/08/29/the-ansonia-from-single-white-female/
 
Weirdly, it's the anniversary of the 1977 blackout...
I'm not as impressed with that as some of the news media seems to be. I was there for the 1977 blackout, and experienced another blackout yesterday...

... outside of Atlanta.

And if I remember correctly, I experienced a blackout on the 25th anniversary of the 1977 NYC blackout... when I was living outside of Boston.

It wasn't me. It's simply the time of year for blackouts.
 
My neighborhood was hit. But, the power's back up! :cheer2:

I was actually downtown when the power outage happened, I didn't know about it. I was on a subway platform, trying to get home. There is a digital sign that alerts us when the next train is coming. And I noticed, one by one, the trains all stopped & were eventually marked as delayed. I walked over to a different subway line. Luckily that one was running. If I had walked in the other direction, that subway line was down too. :headache:

I happened to be peering over another passenger's shoulder and saw her flick her cellphone to the news that there was a power outage on the west side. I asked her if she knew what street the outage started at. She didn't know.

Our train finally made it to 42nd St but was delayed there for quite a while. I did NOT want to be stuck underground on the train tracks if the power outage hit us down there. That's when I decided to get out and walk the rest of the way. I live in the Times Square/Theatre District/Midtown area.

It was kind of a zoo on the street when I got to 42nd St. It was like ants coming out after a rain storm. But, there was still power on. I started walking up the avenue, and that's when I saw the traffic lights were out, up the avenue as far as I could see. :eek: And there were several cops in each intersection directing traffic & doing crowd control. (So no looting that I saw.) It was weird. I look back and 42nd Street is bustling with all the neon lights flashing. Turn north and the apocalypse had started. :eek: (No zombies though! :thumbsup2)

I finally make it to my building. There were people from the building milling about outside. I turn on my flashlight app on my phone and make the L.O.N.G. slow climb upstairs. I live in a high-rise. So I pace myself. I was surprised the stairwell actually had emergency lights that were on. Although, they weren't working on all the floors. :headache: So. I was glad of my flashlight app. Although, I wanted to preserve my phone, as I didn't know how long the outage would last.

When I got home, the first thing I did was pull out all the flashlights I have and see how much power I had in my other cellphone and my tablet. I figured, I could charge them off my laptop, if neccessary, till the laptop battery died. The wifi router was dead. So, I need my phone more than my laptop. I can still check the Internet off my phone.

It's ironic. I actually threw out 4 really old crank flashlights a few weeks ago. They were powered by watch batteries in them, but charged a bit by cranking. Only, they were so old, the batteries no longer worked at all. :badpc: I had been looking around on Amazon for newer technology, ones that crank, also charge by solar power, and will charge up a cellphone or tablet too. Only, I hadn't had a chance to pick one out yet. :rolleyes:

I did still have some other flashlights, battery powered, portable LED lights and a boatload of batteries. The fridge was stocked yesterday, by chance. And I have canned goods. So I was fine. :thumbsup2 This power outage wasn't like the one that happened in 2003. That one hit the whole northeast. The cell towers went down too. This one, I was able to text family & let them know I was fine. Tomorrow, if the power was still out, I could walk to a neighborhood that had power and charge up my phone & some rechargeable batteries. :thumbsup2


I do want to get a crank/solar flashlight/radio/cellphone charger. Anyone have one? Is it worth getting one with all the features? What one do you have?

I had been looking at this one a couple weeks ago. It had over 2000 reviews. :confused3

https://www.amazon.com/Version-iRonsnow-Emergency-Weather-Flashlight/dp/B00WIF2T7C/ref=pd_ybh_a_3?_encoding=UTF8
Pretty sure I have a Red Cross model but it has no cell phone charger thus making it outdated. It did get use for almost a decade mostly as a radio. It's packed up with the camping gear as that's when it was used predominately. In comparison to newer models the crank was easier to use but of course more cumbersome to store.

I've heard well of the iRonsnow on camping forums as useful as a short term flashlight although the light output created shadows around the beam (sorry. Having a "brain fart" on actual terminology/words but hope you get what I mean). Reviews of the newer model say the flashlight beam is more powerful AND it's a few dollars less. I'd go for it:).

Glad you got into your abode and all that city walking streets and subway staircases put you in gear to get up stairs OK:cool2:.

Had a change of plans on this end. Nabe started to worry that if we found any cold deals at the markets that perhaps her electricity would go out so we walked into the park instead having made an impromptu picnic and raided her stash of rose and Prosecco to wash it down. Left a message with the doorman as to our whereabouts so eventually were joined by more block residents who came bearing gifts. Camp chairs (yeah, count on Manhattanites to have foldup chairs but never use 'em anywhere but for Concerts in the Park, LOL), someone dragged down a candelabra for atmosphere, a flute, bongos, and 2 guitars (tons of musicians in house here too) and we gabbed into the night. I was surprised at how many were still in the city but guess August is more their month to get out of Dodge; my family tended to disappear for July when we lived there.

The man and DGD somehow survived life without me by ordering pizza and watching a Harry Potter marathon. The evidence of their "debauchery" can be seen in all the dirty dishes in the sink and the garbage they neglected to throw out. Guess they weren't expecting me back so soon.
 


I don’t see any reports of looting from any sources. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but a quick search of the blackout on the internet and I haven’t found anything.
 


The blackout of November 1965 occurred right during the full moon. Yesterday's missed it by a few days. I remember my parents saving this issue of Life magazine. (I no longer have it, but we did well into the 1970's.)

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The Lion King on Broadway posted on Instagram today that the blackout caused their costumes to be ruined. Something about water damage.... Has anybody heard anything about this? I'd like to know how a blackout could cause water damage backstage at a theater. I'm confused. :confused3
 
The Lion King on Broadway posted on Instagram today that the blackout caused their costumes to be ruined. Something about water damage.... Has anybody heard anything about this? I'd like to know how a blackout could cause water damage backstage at a theater. I'm confused. :confused3
Some plumbing systems require electricity to work properly but haven't heard anything about the Lion King specifically.
 
I've heard well of the iRonsnow on camping forums as useful as a short term flashlight although the light output created shadows around the beam (sorry. Having a "brain fart" on actual terminology/words but hope you get what I mean). Reviews of the newer model say the flashlight beam is more powerful AND it's a few dollars less. I'd go for it:).

Oh, camping forums! :thumbsup2 I'll have to check them out. I know some people live in parts of the country where if they didn't get a black out every year, due to blizzards or hurricanes, it would be an unusual year. But, we get one every decade or so. The last blackout that hit the whole northeast was 16 years ago. I know there are emergency preparedness sites. But, some of those are preparing for a zombie apocalypse. I don't need a back up generator the size of a mini smartcar. :car: Camping size equipment sounds about right. :thumbsup2

And yes, I know what you mean about those shadows around the beams. I call them halos, but I don't know the technical term. And your right, they are annoying. One of the reasons I checked on how much power I had in my other cellphone & tablet was because those flashlight apps use the camera LED light bulbs. And they light up a broad area with none of those halos. But, the flashlight app sucks up the cellphone battery. :headache: I have a couple LED lanterns. But they run on rechargeable batteries. I was lucky that the batteries in them were still charged and I did have a bunch of spare batteries.

Glad you got into your abode and all that city walking streets and subway staircases put you in gear to get up stairs OK:cool2:.

I was shocked. I was younger and technically supposed to have been in better shape 16 years ago when I walked up for the last one. I had to stop quite a few times then. This time, I did have to stop a couple times, but I made it up & wasn't nearly as winded. I probably paced myself better. And I have been walking more, carrying several grocery bags home from Trader Joe's & Fairway. I hadn't realized they've been getting me into shape.

Had a change of plans on this end. Nabe started to worry that if we found any cold deals at the markets that perhaps her electricity would go out so we walked into the park instead having made an impromptu picnic and raided her stash of rose and Prosecco to wash it down. Left a message with the doorman as to our whereabouts so eventually were joined by more block residents who came bearing gifts. Camp chairs (yeah, count on Manhattanites to have foldup chairs but never use 'em anywhere but for Concerts in the Park, LOL), someone dragged down a candelabra for atmosphere, a flute, bongos, and 2 guitars (tons of musicians in house here too) and we gabbed into the night. I was surprised at how many were still in the city but guess August is more their month to get out of Dodge; my family tended to disappear for July when we lived there.

:lmao:How like fellow NYers. As much as we feel sympathy for other NYers in other parts, if/when the zombie apocalypse hits, we will party hardy until they hit us and it's our turn! :rotfl2:
 
I don’t see any reports of looting from any sources. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but a quick search of the blackout on the internet and I haven’t found anything.
Likewise, no reports.

Yes, I've listened to 3 different local news channels. Not a single mention of any type of looting. I also thought last nite that 1000 looting incidences sounded like quite a lot, even if there was some. That area has a large residential area. That would mean nearly every building that was a business got hit within the 40+ block radius. Unlikely.

During the northeast blackout 16 years ago, which lasted 2-3 nites, NYC had, I as I recall, less than two dozen looting in the whole 5 boroughs. It was more like 16 lootings total. And the lootings tended to happen at around 2am, when no one was around. They relied on no one being around to see them, and that they could freely run down the street with the stuff they got without being stopped. As I mentioned earlier, the streets last night were filled with people and cars. (It's also been reported that Uber drivers raised their prices incredibly. Partly because they could. Partly because traffic was not moving with all the traffic lights out. It was a zoo to drive in.) Some ordinary pedestrians stepped up at intersections to voluntarily be street traffic control people, so traffic could safely move. 👮‍♀️

The power outage last night was a total of 40+ blocks. It also happened at 6:48pm. Sunset here was at 8:24. It was still quite light out till about 9pm. Some restaurants still stayed open. CBS news here reported how a Empanada Mama got the bright idea to set up their food on tables in front of their restaurant, and sell them street festival style. There is actual video at the 0:45 sec mark, of how light it still was out while they were selling.

You can also see at the 1:55 mark in the the video where a NYC Council speaker tweeted out to businesses that if anyone's business was affected with equipment damage, loss of inventory, (but no mention of losing it through looting,) to contact Small Business Services. It also mentions how many tourists who didn't want to hike up the stairs to their hotel rooms hung out in the lobbies & on the streets (safely.)

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/0...edison-nyc-olympic-flame-diner-empanada-mama/

I heard one Broadway show cast came outside, to do some show tunes for it's audience as everyone waited outside. They couldn't perform inside for them so they came out to perform. :thumbsup2

Warning: the F-bomb is dropped during the song:


Do you see how many people filled 45th St? Unlikely that looters would make it running through all those people with an arm full of stolen stuff.

Also the performers at Carnegie Hall came outside to perform in the street. Again you can see how light it is in the video below. And how NYers and tourist pull TOGETHER, not apart in a crisis. :grouphug:

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/0...arnegie-hall-millennial-choir-and-orchestras/

As I was walking up the avenue, around 8:15ish, there were already NYPD blanketing the intersections. This is a city ALWAYS on high terrorism alert. We have street closures or block closures all the time. Sometimes due to a gas leak or something like that. Businesses have to close at the drop of a hat often. The NYPD are trained to take over the city & crowds & keep the peace. We have the biggest crowd events on New Years Eve, "the crossroads of the world," right in the exact same neighborhood. Also the Macy's Thanksgiving parade goes all along that corridor, and there are marches for controversial stuff like Black Lives Matter and 2 weeks ago, the World Pride LGBTQ parade & festival around the whole city. They know how to lock down and area and keep us safe.

A little 40+ block blackout over 4 hours, 2-1/2 hours of them still in light, does not turn our city into a bunch of savages. :sad2: The area of the power outage is one of the safer and under higher police presence areas of the city, as it's is such a high tourist destination.

I'm not saying that poster didn't see those reports. The NYC mayor is running for president & was out of the state, campaigning during the power outage. There may be some who started untrue rumors, (which that poster saw,) alluding that if the mayor couldn't even keep his city safe during a simple blackout. . . :rolleyes1
 
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The Lion King on Broadway posted on Instagram today that the blackout caused their costumes to be ruined. Something about water damage.... Has anybody heard anything about this? I'd like to know how a blackout could cause water damage backstage at a theater. I'm confused. :confused3
Some plumbing systems require electricity to work properly but haven't heard anything about the Lion King specifically.

I wonder if, due to some of the material, like untreated rawhide, or other delicate parts, some of them have to be kept in a cooler? Instead, 4 hours of no refrigeration caused them to be dripping with condensation instead and ruined them?
 
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Oh how funny! I just found this receipt I've been looking for. When I got out of the subway at 42nd St. The south side of the street still had power. I walked by a McDonalds which still was serving people. I remembered Low Key's thread of 3 favorite ice creams & I had posted about a caramel sundae. So I wanted one before the walk home. Look at the TIME. It was an hour into the power outage. :rotfl: While there was chaos in the streets, I was getting a sundae. Go BIG, then go home!:lmao:


C360_2019-07-15-09-04-16-889.jpg
 
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Oh how funny! I just found this receipt I've been looking for. When I got out of the subway at 42nd St. The south side of the street still had power. I walked by a McDonalds which still was serving people. I remembered Low Key's thread of 3 favorite ice creams & I had posted about a caramel sundae. So I wanted one before the walk home. Look at the TIME. It was an hour into the power outage. :rotfl: While there was chaos in the streets, I was getting a sundae. Go BIG, then go home!:lmao:


C360_2019-07-15-09-04-16-889.jpg
I'm loving that the address is 42nd and 7th instead of "Fashion Avenue"(shudder!) which in my mind is even worse than calling 6th, "Avenue of the Americas". I will NOT discuss the other name for the 59th Street Bridge since I can't even remember what it is ...RFK? Ed Koch? Yep, I'm turning into a grumpy little old lady, LOL.
 
I have this book about NYC luxury apartment buildings from the early 1900's to about 1960. The Ansonia is on the cover.

View attachment 417079


Here's a typical floor plan from the era. Sorry, the only image I could online find is sideways. In the book I have, it's turned 90 degrees to the left. I particularly like the layout of the apartment in the interior of the Broadway Court with its oval parlor and dining room. However, it's location didn't allow for much natural light. Many other apartments have circular and other interestingly shaped rooms. And yes, the public hallways are 10 feet wide.

Almost all of these layouts have been changed and updated to incorporate modern needs and tastes; i.e. open floor plans, larger kitchens, laundry rooms in each apartment, media rooms, etc.

View attachment 417080


A bit of perhaps sordid history. From the late 1960s thru the 70s, the basement of the Ansonia housed the Continental Baths, a gay sex club where a not-yet-famous Bette Midler got her start in show business. When the Continental closed, it because Plato's Retreat, a straight swingers club.
Yeah, my husband told me about that club, lol. Those apartments look far grander than the one we rented, which was a tiny kitchen, a decent living room (but with a big piano in it), and a bedroom and bathroom. It was cool living there--we felt like we were living in a piece of history, but the grandfathered fire code stuff made us nervous. There is a gorgeous spiral stairway that would act as a chimney, too.

Thanks for showing me the book. I'm going to look for one to give to my husband (who was the real tenant--it's where he, then we lived when we first met, and he was on the lease; I was just on the list of people who could go up).

The Ansonia was featured in the movie Single White Female, with Brigit Fonda, who ended up getting a psycho roommate. :scared:

http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2016/08/29/the-ansonia-from-single-white-female/
Lol. I'll have to watch that. We watched Three Days of the Condor last night, and an ally behind it was featured. But honestly, if they hadn't identified it, we wouldn't have known.

I'm glad you made it out of the subway and up to your apartment! Really something to think how much electricity affects an area with such dense population! Glad the power is back on. :-) (Edit--I think I have merged posts by you and NYCgrrl in my mind but don't have time to check. So if I do, sorry, and glad both of you were able to get through without puffing too much on the stairs or getting looted.)
 
I wonder if, due to some of the material, like untreated rawhide, or other delicate parts, some of them have to be kept in a cooler? Instead, 4 hours of no refrigeration caused them to be dripping with condensation instead and ruined them?

If nobody opened the cooler, wouldn't the cool air stay in?

Either way I wish they would explain it better. I was hoping that there was a news article or something that I had missed. Or maybe somebody here was at the show. The show still went on. They still had their props and head dresses. Mufasa was wearing his head piece, a black polo shirt and black slacks.

Too bad the blackout wasn't on a Friday. They could've told the audience it was "casual Friday". :laughing:
 
There are many factors that may have contributed to the arson and looting during the 1977 blackout. For starters, NYC was facing a severe protracted financial crisis. About 18 months earlier then-president Ford declined to provide a bailout, prompting the tabloid headline "Ford to City: Drop Dead." Subway fares rose a few times, trash collection and other services were being curtailed, maintenance of streets and other infrastructure was postponed, etc. The city was in a foul mood in general.

The Son of Sam murders in NYC that summer already had many residents on edge, inducing panic and paranoia.

There was a series of brutal heat waves that summer, including the night of the blackout. Temperatures were much higher than that of this past Saturday. Many continuous days of high 90s and the temperature even topped 100F a few times.

Power didn't go out until after nightfall, long after many businesses had closed for the day. No one was present to deter looters.
 
I have this book about NYC luxury apartment buildings from the early 1900's to about 1960. The Ansonia is on the cover.
When we vacationed in NYC is 2014, our hotel was across from The Ansonia, we could see it from our window. The building was so amazing, I had to look it up, and spent part of an evening reading about it.
 

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