Times Square (Photo Edit: Terabass)

Broadway box offices took a major blow due to Hurricane Irene last week, with total grosses dropping 39 percent from the $20-million figure that shows earned the previous week, according to statistics provided by the Broadway League.

The sizeable drop is the result of Broadway shows being shuttered on their two most profitable days, Saturday and Sunday, when most productions stage three shows.

The shows that took the biggest hits were Wicked, Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark and The Lion King. Despite only having five performances, those shows still managed to be the highest earners in comparison to other Broadway shows. Spider-Man Turn of the Dark earned $933,424, while The Lion King and Wicked each earned more than $1 million.

Billy Elliot, another popular show, grossed only $358,485 last week, less than half the $731,895 figure it earned the previous week.

Off Broadway shows suffered as well. Cirque Du Soleil’s Zarkana, which closed for the weekend, lost out on the opportunity to sell 22,000 tickets. The group declined to release financial figures to The Observer.

Broadway has typically prided itself on staying open during even the worst weather conditions. This was its first emergency shutdown since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Wouldn't a 'We Met At The Evacuation Center' story be great to tell your kids? 'Just met at SoHo Evacuation Center' indeed:

I realize you'll never see this but I don't care because being a fucking romantic is my thing especially during hurricane evacuations. You're the most amazing girl I've ever seen. You told me I had beautiful eyes, strange place to flirt, but who gives a fucker. If we get out of this alive I will remember the tears we shared, clutching our chunks of Government cheese snacks they just gave us to nourish our bones. Don't be scared, I'm with you, always.

Chelsea's gay pickup scene never sleeps. This guy clearly missed the opportunity to get himself some Hurricane Lovin':

Guy in yellow tank top, you told me I was cute during the hurricane supermarket sweep at Gristedes on 8th avenue.

I really wish I'd returned the favour.

Flatbush feared the worse, and hoped for the best:

We were shopping at the grocery store (I can't remember it's name) by the parkside ave Q station. You gave my hurricane preparedness advice, I gave you beer advice. We should grab a drink if we all survive this thing.

The totally Frat-Tastic scene on the Upper East Side went for the double-score. Note the typos:

We where two girls having a pre apocalyptic meal at the Ritz Diner on 62nd and 1st last evening around 4. You guys where sitting behind us and to the left. We where deep in conversation and didn't get a chance to say hi. One of you had a Alpha Phi jersey type shirt on. We noticed you looking at us..

Weather-Related adultery? You betcha:

So, about this hurricane.

You missed...
1. the earthquake but came back just in time to sit on the train next to me ---err the hurricane (minor difference).
2. your stop on the way to Trader Joe's in Chelsea (who needs food? on second thought, we should share what you bought)
3. getting my name, number, place of birth, social security number, etc.

You didn't miss...
1. the opportunity to ask if I'd be spending the weekend with my boyfriend (my answer: you were out of town, but now that you're back, the jury's out)
2. something that drove me to write this post
3. the chance to tell me you liked my shoes. twice. (thank you)

If you haven't died waiting in line at TJ's, you should get online to craigslist missed connections (oh hi) and read this and then email me so we can go out on a REALLY fun date.

Not sure what 'REALLY' implies there but someone should definitely find out. And finally, there's just the Hurricane Missed Connection of the Patently Adorable And Sincere Stripe. Man Of Mystery, you already make this woman smile(y emoticons)! Go get her, and bond over other gross smells:

We met at C Town around 6pm last night before this hurricane hit us!! I was walking down the meat aisle and was disgusted with the smell - you agreed. We had some small talk and your smile was so cute. Well, you were really cute....... we exchanged many glances and I went back to look for you but my room mate pushed me out of the store!! I hope you had a great night -- our plans were pretty much the same so hope you had some fun :)

Anyway.... if you read this - send me a message of what I was wearing..... hope to hear from you :)

Here's hoping your memory is photographic. New York City: the only place where the overwrought fear of every Michael Bay-esque disaster imaginable is an unprecedented chance to get laid or find true love. Here's hoping someone did.

fkamer@observer.com | @weareyoufek

Via Dealbook's Kevin Roose: "More hurricane news: Goldman Sachs told employees they can dress casually on Monday as long as they 'exercise good judgment.'" Also, no, they will not let you into their hurricane perperation practices, which are perfectly within regulatory compliance: "A Goldman spokesman declined to detail the bank’s hurricane preparations, but said that the bank had 'plans in place to ensure the safety of our people and the ongoing operation of our business.'" Okay! [FK]

Do you have enough of that wonderful Duff?

"Pretty much anything they can get their hands on," said Matt Barclay at Park Slope's Bierkraft in answer to The Observer's question about what types of beer people were picking up in anticipation of Hurricane Irene.

The rush is, indeed, on at some of the city's tonier beer and wine stores, as news of the storm's approach rises toward an ursine belch. "People have definitely been, like, stockpiling," Mr. Barclay said over the phone, "picking up an extra growler here and there, and then asking about how much the cases are going to cost."

At New Beer Distributors on the Lower East Side's Chrystie Street, the foot traffic bounced yesterday, as the usual assemblage of customers trained it in from the Bronx, Queens, etc. Tomorrow, however, according to an employee, the store will not open as usual in anticipation of Irene shutting the subways. (Incidentally, The Observer's long-planned Urban Oyster beer tour of Williamsburg scheduled for Saturday was cancelled due to safety and convenience concerns. We'll get there.)

Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit in the Flatiron had not seen a jump in foot traffic—at least not as of 12:30 on Friday afternoon. "You've got to realize that in the summer, 40 percent of your customers are gone no matter what, and they're still gone," said the store's manager, Gary Itkin, in answer to our question about hurricane-spurred shopping. "For the moment, right now, the answer's no. But that could change in a few hours as people start to panic more."

So stay tuned (if you're in the sauce trade, drop us a line as conditions shift).

And, please, New York, drink responsibly until you're safely indoors.

Updated 1:53 p.m.: BR Guest, controller of restaurants like Atlantic Grill, Bill's Bar & Burger, Blue Fin and Blue Water Grill, emailed to say they have a new drink special going this weekend: $10 hurricane cocktails all day through Sunday. Plus! Any woman named Irene gets her first hurricane on the house.

tacitelli@observer.com :: Follow on Twitter @tacitelli

"Ban on all renters insurance in CT until Monday. Should've, would've could've. Oops," writes Hannah Budde.

"Just overheard someone trying to get Renters Insurance in NYC. He was told no new policies until after the storm. Wow," tweeted New York techie Nate Westheimer.

"OMG! I work for an insurance co. Our phones are ringing off the hook and we can't write anything!" tweeter HillaryJan said in reply.

At least the insurance companies are finding time to give disaster advice.