Awakened at about 4:30 AM by a blasting alarm telling us to leave our rooms at Hotel Le Meridien via stairways (some of us were on the tenth floor), we descended and exited to the street and the preliminary wind and rain of Hurricane Sandy. After a short wait outside, we were allowed to return to the lobby, then finally to our rooms, told that the problem was a faulty boiler in the sub-basement. A lovely brunch, provided by Gisela and Barry, later in the morning, was most welcome. Most of us then departed, finding our way home to hunker down during and after Hurricane Sandy.