Prior to Irene’s arrival I took my bike & toured from 42nd St down to Battery Park, the ocean as I wanted to see what was going on. The city was a ghost town with almost every window taped up in preparation for Irene. I have no real camera so the shots are pretty bad – but I did find some interesting stuff. It was a magical ride & the energy was something I’d never felt before in this city.

I love this city! : )

Fancy Irene Tape job from last night so I could sleep in relative peace 45 stories up :

Press camped out @ Battery Park in anticipation of Irene

Press @ Battery Park in anticipation of Irene's arrival

EVACUATE TO SAFETY sign on West Side Highway

So – we’re on the ‘backside of the Hurricane’ now as CNN’s  Anderson Cooper do deftly reported while, of course, not one hair was displaced by the gail force winds whipping behind him 🙂

Public Transport is still completely out in the 5 boroughs and NJ is bracing for some major flooding as storm surges and rivers crest tonight and tomorrow. But NYC has taken it well and seems to do the hunkering down thing pretty well when it’s needed.

Finally, just two hours ago, right as she is pulling out Irene’s wind  locked me out of my apartment actually by slamming the door on me & I just got let back in to finish writing you all this update. Thank you Irene – you crazy Hurricane, you!

Hope all of you  are safe & sound & with power

Love & light & dryness & calm for a while 🙂

Heidi & The Subway Diaries

Hi all

It’s been beyond hectic here – Lot to tell re the Fabulous Busker Fest Experience in KS and all it shared w/ me  – but for now, after a week of earthquakes and after shocks I and most of NYC is a tad occupied w/ the impending visit of Hurricane Irene

The city of NYC is slated to shut down all rail, bus, train and toll roads into and out of the city – so I guess if I do not leave now – I’m here to ride it out w/ Irene.

My concern is, as many of you know, I live on the 45th floor which I looove – however the height combined w/ the wall of Wet facing windows is causing me great concern since that’s the direction Irene will be hitting us from. That plus I live a block from the Hudson and when Irene hits at high tide, flooding is inevitable.

I may have to evacuate- waiting for “Emperor Bloomber’s’ word on that as I type. But either way I’m busy taping up windows, putting plastic up as well in case they shatter and pulling all items down off shelves and filling the bathtub with a large amount of H20

I swear the apt’s gonna look like a Hurricane hit it before anything actually happens!

Favourite quote from Apt Building’s “Hurricane Warnings & Precautions” letter left under my door : ) 1) If at any time you are uncomfortable or feel unsafe, go sit in the stairwell. Favourite Quote #2  There is a possibility that there will be a loss of electricity, In this event you will want to do the following. Fill containers with water and put them in the refrigerator.”

Here’s my “Gift Basket” that I’ve prepared for Irene’s arrival : )

Irene's Gift Basket I've prepared for her arrival

Please pray for NYC and all of the East Coast

The ‘storm’ may go on for a few yrs here, the ride will be tough but so worth it on the other side  – so buckle yourself in & connect w/ all that you love

Big changes are occurring on the planet – the “Shift” is happening. Stay aware, stay awake, use your right brain more than your left, see the big picture and stay positive because marvelous things  exist on the other side of the storm as the old is washed away and the new is ushered in.

Namaste Lovely World

Heidi ~

I’ll be on NPR – KCUR http://www.kcur.org/ this Tues, August 16th from 11:45AM EST on the show Central Standard with host Jabulani Leffall.

http://www.kcur.org/centralstandard

gonna be a fun show so TUNE IN!

I’m happy to announce the start of our joint US tour; myself & The Subway Diaries in conjunction w/ the movie “Busking The System” http:/www.buskingthesystem.com

We’re excited to start our tour at The Lawrence Busker Festival in Lawrence KS from August 19th- 21st  http://www.lawrencebuskerfest.com followed by August 25th – 28th at the Indy Fringe Festival in Indianapolis, IN http://www.indyfringe.org/fringefest www.indyfringe.org

I’ll also be signing copies of “The Subway Diaries” & doing a reading & concert while in Lawrence at Signs Of Life Bookstore http://www.signsoflifebooks.com on August 21st @ 7:30 PM

View the entire schedule below:

KANSAS

• 8/18/11 7PM Lawrence Busker Festival’s Preview show benefiting the Big Bothers/Big Sisters of Douglass County @ Abe & Jakes http://www.abejakes.com
• 8/19/11 Performing Lawrence Busker Festival http://www.lawrencebuskerfest.com/ , Lawrence, Kansas Time, TBA
• 8/19/11 7:30 PM – Q&A and concert following Screening of “Busking The System” – Lawrence Arts Center, Lawrence KS
• 8/20/11 1:30 PM – Q&A and concert following Screening of “Busking The System” – The Granada, Lawrence KS
• 8/20/11 7:30 PM Book Signing/Reading and concert @ Signs Of Life Bookstore, Lawrence KS
• 8/20/11 4:45 PM Performing Lawrence Busker Festival http://www.lawrencebuskerfest.com/ , Lawrence, Kansas Lawrence, Kansas – 10th St People’s Bank Stage, between Massachusetts and New Hampshire

INDIANA

• 8/25/11 8:00PM Performing & Q&A following screening of “Busking The System” for the Indy Fringe Festival at Indiana Landmark Center, Indianapolis, IN
• 8/26/11 8:00PM Performing & Q&A following screening of “Busking The System” for the Indy Fringe Festival at Indiana Landmark Center, Indianapolis, IN
• 8/27/11 2:00PM Performing & Q&A following screening of “Busking The System” for the Indy Fringe Festival at Indiana Landmark Center, Indianapolis, IN
• 8/27/11 8:00PM Performing & Q&A following screening of “Busking The System” for the Indy Fringe Festival at Indiana Landmark Center, Indianapolis, IN
• 8/28/11 6:00PM Performing & Q&A following screening of “Busking The System” for the Indy Fringe Festival at Indiana Landmark Center, Indianapolis, IN

This past week’s been, well, just as hot & maybe even a bit busier than normal ( if that’s at all possible 🙂

Along w/ my normal busking schedule in this rediculous heat the week  began w/ a 6 hr photo shoot (w/ no a/c ) w/friend and fabulous musician/photographer, Mitchell Parsons http://www.mitchellparsons.com. We shot up in this spooky old house that was being renovated in ‘da Bronx 🙂  Some of the fun below….

Then….the next day I spent the day with Danny & German news anchor/reporter Pia Osterhaus filming underground for RTL Television (the German 20/20). The next day we went to “The Cotton Club” got the gift of seeing Danny perform live on stage – that man is a powerhouse! He lives to sing!!! And, we…the lucky ones live to hear him 🙂

The rest of the week’s been spent mailing books and T-shirts to all you fabulous souls who pledged to my ‘busktheworld’ tour – Thank you all! Updates to each of you who did, coming very soon 🙂

Now I’m re-grouping and preparing for some pretty fun news that I”ll be posting for you super soon!

Stay cool all of you. The heat’s been wicked so sit back, pick out your favourite tune, grab a glass of lemonade & let the music cool you down.

Love & music

Heidi & “The Subway Diaries”