I wasn't there for obvious reasons, but my step-dad's brother was because he lived/s in New York, and it just so happened on one of his last few days being there. He said that everyone was really confused for a while, and he got off work early. He was supposed to be going to a friend's place after work for a few beers and a BBQ with his girlfriend, so he headed there, and they had lit up loads of candles and did the BBQ in the dark.

We've had a few blackouts here, but not had one in a long time where I live. I vaguely remember one a few years ago over South/East London because of the snow (I think), and that went on for a while. The last one that we had was when I was at primary school. I'd just got home with my brother, and we were watching cartoons until mum got home. She'd been home a few moments, and everything just shut down.

Dinner only got half cooked in the oven, and was still pretty raw. So we snacked out for the three or four hours we were in darkness with some candles and torches. Our fire place is a gas fire, and that still worked, but it was too hot to have that on. It was almost sad when the lights came back on. xD

Speaking of blackouts... tonight is when Earth Hour is happening here. It's optional, but everyone is being encouraged to turn their lights out between 8:30pm and 9:30pm.