How many of you are going out to dinner with CV19 around?

Hydro, we all have to do what we feel is right for us. I've been social distancing for years, because of my wife's health issues.

I'm on medication for my own health problems. But, I only stay healthy through exercise and staying active. When they locked us down, my blood pressure went so high, that I had blood vessels bursting in my eyes. I could barely see, and I couldn't see my doctor (unless I wanted an abortion or Covid19 test). My Doctor and Nurse (his wife), were even more pissed off than I was, because they weren't allowed to see anyone for two months. Fortunately, I new to that I had to get out and exercise. As I've gotten older, it's become much harder to do weight training, at home without injuring myself.

I'm kind of touchy, because I almost died from the way the lock down was handled. And, I know of a 13 year old and 46 year old suicides, related to lock down, metal health.

 

We have been out twice since March. Outdoor seating both times. My wife and I both love to cook so honestly we didn't go out too often even before all this.

 

Curbside pickup and delivery fairly frequently. Nothing indoors.

There’s a macdonalds near me that old people used to like to Go to for coffee in the morning. It doesn’t have a drive thru, it’s in a shopping center. The other day I saw two old guys set up with lawn chairs in the parking lot drinking their coffee. That made me feel good. The social aspect of this is tough.

 

We have gone out a few times. The restaurants have the social distancing thing figured out, and we quickly don a mask when the need arises.

 

We go to the food carts in Sandy, about once a week. Order from the local take-home-and-you-bake-it pizza place once a week, pretty much as we have done before this whole ugly affair.

We tend to have a lot of family barbecues here at our house; that really hadn't changed. We all (my family, my wife's sister's family, our neighbors, and etc.) had a horrible flu bug back in November and December. My Dr. now suspects we probably might've had Covid, or something close, not known it, and survived. I know I had a recent surgery on my foot, and the pre-op test for Covid turned up negatory........

@Deafsoundguy , it sounds like Taco Bells may not be as safe as a Covid virus. We had a stabbing at our normally pretty boring Taco Bell in Sandy a year or so ago......

 

Restaurants are off limits for us. Too many risks at our age, maybe once a month drive through pickup but won't step foot inside. ENJOY!!!

 

C-19 incidence is low in Western NY. We're eating at our favorite French breakfast place on Saturday mornings and our favorite Northern Italian (with a Serbian spin on the food) place on Thursday or Friday nights. Both places do an ok job of social distancing and sanitation. While isolated, we missed dining at both places, but supported them with ordering takout food as often as we would normally dine there.

Our desire to eat at these places did not influence our logic when deciding to stay home. It was especially difficult at the Italian place, as we are honorary "la famiglia," there.

Eating out, or doing anything out, is very situational for all of us. If it's fairly safe, do it and practice all appropriate precautions. If things are virally out of control, stay home and practice all appropriate precautions.

 

We’ve gotten take out a few times, no more than once a week if that. We do a fast food or Starbucks drive through occasionally. No inside dining but I will sometimes mask up and go inside for a takeout.

Our area allows restaurants at 50% capacity, no sitting at the bar. Last time I went into our local pizza place there was just two guys sitting at a table drinking beer. They used to do a lively bar business. Most of the bar hounds were probably people considered high risk so not going there is probably a good thing. No telling how drinking at home is going for them.

I miss our weekly jazz jam sessions. Those would be too close for comfort even if allowed now. Using the time to practice so maybe I will play a little better when I go up there.

 

I moved out of the city just weeks before things went sideways (was in the UWS) and what I was missing most about the city was the restaurants...both for eat in and take out. I don't miss the prices but damn, there was such a good selection of every type of food. Where I'm at in NJ is a relative culinary desert.

A colleague of mine recently announced his retirement so a few of us are planning a visit into the city for a celebratory lunch...outdoors of course. That's likely to be my first foray into dining at a restaurant again but likely not for a couple of weeks. I've been in the city since then and have seen what you mention with sidewalk/street table setups. The NYC restaurant scene is likely to be markedly different when this is over...as will the restaurant business across the country.

 

I am NOT looking forward to returning to 30 Rock. I've gotten too used to not commuting. I don't think i can do it again. Last time i was there was to pick up my Work from home system and NYC was a ghost town... it was weird.

 

Yeah, it was similar when I was last there as well. I'm with you on the commute. I'm over at Columbus Circle and when we moved back to NJ I was dreading going from a 10 minute commute (with lots of sleep) to leaving early and commuting 90 minutes or more. Turns out I only did it for 2 weeks before we locked down. The good news is that it's unlikely I'll ever return to a 5 day in-office work week again. As it was I worked from home on Fridays. Now I foresee maybe 2 days in the office at best...less if nothing pressing in the office.

 

Ive been driving from Bergen county into midtown a few days a week. Not so bad. Normally I’d take the train, and I did take it from secaucus a few weeks ago and it was fine but i feel more comfortable driving. Parking is expensive but so was parking at secaucus. I work in a big office building. Most restaurants in the lobby are closed, but the other day I popped into the lobby newsstand and the owner was so happy to seen me. He was asking how many of us are back in the office and I said a handful a few days a week but the building itself feels about ten percent empty. He said yeah, he was getting killed. I felt terrible.

 

I've driven in a few times myself with similar experience. No traffic at all getting into the Lincoln tunnel. I drove into the city for many years and only wish it was like that all the time.

Currently our buildings are still closed. There's talk about a soft opening in September but that will depend on city guidelines at that time. I doubt there will be any great push for folks to return until new year and even then it will be limited. Until there's a vaccine, most companies won't force anyone into the office for fear of lawsuits if someone gets sick.

 

i hope the best for you sir and i fully respect the right for you to live your own life the way you see fit

 

yeah..it's probably gonna be a lot different than it used to be when things really reopen again for sure, but definitely better than it is right now!....maybe when this is all over, we can meet up for a beer one day

 

i've been working from home, but from my apt in hell's kitchen..the reality is that i just have nowhere else to go , so my wife and i just stayed...it was definitely scary during apr/may...i had a minor headache and a tickle in my throat in early May and worried about it for 3 days...turned out to be nothing, but scary at the time. Things are coming back slowly, def not like that picture you posted (i remember when i was like that..took a few pics of my own), but not even close to what it used to be...I'm convinced things will continue to improve as time goes on...we will be back!..same offer on the beer with you...but not until you can get one without being required to buy an entire plate of food with it...i think that's a good measure as to when things at least are starting to get back to normal

 

Actually I'm not missing going out for dinner - 30% of the time it's too expensive, 30% of the time the food is not that great, 30% of the time the service sucks and the rest it's all 3 - LOL

We found at our house we just prefer to eat at home, we know what were eating (healthier) what goes into it and cook it like we want. Also have saved money not only the food/tip cost but the driving/parking costs.

The thing that I do miss though is the social aspect with friends, but lately we have been able to get together at a coffee shop (outside seating), go out to a park or bike riding together.

I believe when things get better this will be our normal routine and will not go back to eating out regularly.

 

Hi, @Chont -Buddy

I think its cool that you work on TV Shows production.

 

About as much as before, which is maybe twice a month. Just went out last night because our three teenagers went out to hang before the one goes to college next week, leaving me and my wife not wanting to eat leftovers. Turns out Monday night is a chimichanga special at the Mexican place down the street. Yummy

IMO the virus has been nothing like it was 'supposed to be' as predicted back in Feb/March, and those that are comfortable should keep living life in a slightly more hygienic, please don't breath-all-over-me and wash your damn hands, kind of way.