Tropical Storm Hanna

As a native Californian, I just don't get summer rain. Rain should come between the months of November and April, and it should be accompanied by cold weather so that one can dress appropriately for the conditions. It should not, for example, have been 90 degrees the day before heavy rain - creating a damp and disgusting air filth that makes for wardrobe malfunctions such as stinky flip-flops.

But no. Here we are, experiencing "the first tropical storm in years," thanks to Hanna. And it struck with sudden might late last night, as we found ourselves on the side of the bridge that wasn't home: Brooklyn.

We met up with our friend Toby, whom we haven't seen since our wedding 6 years ago! He and his wife live in DUMBO, a neighborhood I've now strangely been to three different times because a client (west elm) is located there.

Brooklyn is a nice change of pace from Manhattan. It still has plenty of restaurants, shopping and nightlife, but without the aggressiveness you find across the bridge. Illustrating the difference between the two boroughs, our bartender at the restaurant we dined at last night liberally topped off my drink - after I told him I wouldn't be having another. In Manhattan, that would have been the "refill" we're now all too familiar with. Likewise, at a second restaurant Toby promised would serve us delicious pie, the doorman gave us a whole one - for FREE - because they were closed for a wedding reception. (Big ups to Toby for being a baller at the pie place.)

However, some things remain the same between the two places. For example, as we went down to a lovely park that lies along the East River for a picture-perfect view of the Brooklyn Bridge with the City as its backdrop, Toby warned us the rats like to scurry along the beachy rocks at night. Oh, and across the paths. And in the grass. And...UGHHHHH, Ben's whole extended family lives over here!

We wrapped up the night at a bar/lounge where someone definitely not famous was hosting a definitely not exclusive "industry" event upstairs. Hooches did definitely abound.

Today, we spent the rainy day at the Museum of Natural History, which we unsuccessfully tried to explore last weekend. Everyone buys things at this museum, but I'm not really sure what they're buying because unlike an art museum, there are no prints for sale - no overpriced stemware - no tshirts to make you appear intellectual. As best I can tell, they can only be purchasing fake fossils, which is really weird.

As for tonight, we're riding out the storm - which in the last minute, was just upgraded to include a Tornado Watch. Terrific.