AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMEN! Sad, but true, and most especially now in very trying times.
I’ve done takeout from Porta pre-reopening but have been surprised by how few people have been at the tables out front and in Porta Natl Park when I’ve driven or walked by. And just like any summer, it’s better to go mid-week vs. Thurs-Sun in terms of crowds.
This is why animals are better than people, well, to be fair, my cats won’t wear masks either.
We dined out for the first time in 3 1/2 months! Mrs. P was finally able to get her hair and nails done this week. What better place to return to dining out than Il Nido. We had another spectacular dinner with exemplary service. We really missed dining out. It was nice taking a break in between the 2 hour round trip I have been making for takeout. Below is a link to the details and pictures.
What's For Dinner #58 - the Uncertain Certain Summertime Edition -June 2020
It all looks and sounds great. How was the outdoor dining setup at Il Nido?
Thanks! It was very nice.They spared no expense with a few nice canopies in the parking lot and some other tables along the sidewalk of the restaurant with large planters for privacy. Also, when indoor dining resumes they installed Hepa filters and UV-C lights and removed a few tables to space them at least 6 feet apart.
Per 101.5 Governor Murphy has suspended the dining in portion of the re-opening here in NJ due to the spikes going on across the nation where they have opened up dining. One step forward, 2 steps back.
I will say I went to Red Bank on Friday to check out the “scene” and I was very disheartened by the experience. 90% of the people were not wearing masks, I was by far in the minority. That’s of people walking around etc. not just those sitting to dine, also of the people walking around there as -0- social distancing that I can tell. If you were to casually observe it just seemed like a “normal” weekend in Red Bank. It was very disappointing to know what’s going on elsewhere yet we have not learned from elsewhere. I’m convinced we will spike as well.
I logged on to post the same news… While I’m sorry for restaurant owners who want to get back to ‘normal,’ I definitely think this is the right call. Not sure if I mentioned it on this thread or another one, but here in Asbury Park we’re seeing what you saw in Red Bank. I suspect it’s a bigger issue in towns with out-of-towners, because they just think it’s summer and they’re going down the shore/dining outside in other towns, but I’m happy the governor changed his mind. Watching the numbers in FL and TX (I have family in both states) scares the hell out of me in terms of spikes.
I’ve noticed the same thing- both at restaurants and bars as well as, from pics I’ve seen, beach clubs and pools too. We’re doomed to a repeat. The fact that people argue wearing a mask can make you sick or that fresh air is more important than distancing boggles my mind. Trying to keep this apolitical for now- but I’m so disheartened over what I’m seeing out there. People flouting science and medicine as a badge of honor or that they know better than experts.
I wish people would stop blaming the governor on this and instead focus their ire on those who simply can’t/wont follow the rules and advice of doctors and scientists. I know innocent biz owners who were killing themselves to follow the rules suffer too, but that’s an unfortunate side effect of our new unfathomable reality.
I feel terrible for all the business owners who have suffered yet another setback here ,that while predictable from what I’ve witnessed lately, is still heartbreaking. I maintain the owners should be trying to figure out how to make to go/outside work as best they can b/c I can’t see indoor being a long standing thing for a while (and again not that 25% capacity is going to pay the bills anyway).
Please enjoy an excellent example of how some restaurants don’t know how to handle social media. Now that I’ve seen this I know who they care about. YMMV
Plenty of people already commenting that they won’t be customers because of that post.
just stupid- whichever way you go you turn off 50% of people. Better to just remain silent and AGAIN, how about we just blame the morons who can’t follow the rules instead. All the state that opened up are seeing explosions of Covid- Texas, AZ, and others are back closing bars and indoor dining after seeing spikes- what are we supposed to do in NJ, wait until a bunch of people flood the hospital again in a few weeks before acting? Is that the goal? Clearly a bunch people don’t give a shit; I feel terrible for business owners but maybe focus their anger elsewhere. Of course the comments turn to politics, it has to be someone against the other “team”; it can’t just be listen to the doctors/scientists…
Also, these guys should all have been looking to get take out/delivery up and running to keep the lights on a while ago- a second wave was predictable. Putting all their eggs in one basket thinking indoor dining at 25 to MAYBE 50% was going to be a return to the good old days was foolish. I posted last month worrying about this and I’m sad to see if happen, but it was too predicatable.
our good friend Marilyn Schlossbach actually had a reasonable take here as did most other owners. Pretty much what I thought, 25% is not worth it and almost completely unenforceable and def susceptible to exploitation. Sad to read the one owner who was happy b/c so often he has to turn people away for not wearing masks or distancing; we’re doomed man, doomed- the nation that sacrificed so much to literally save the planet in WWII is now pretty much the only one where people cant even put a damned piece of cloth over their mouth and nose to stop a global pandemic.
Completely agree on all counts. From a PR/communication/customer service standpoint it’s REALLY easy to do this the right way, but too many aren’t bothering to do so. Danny Meyer would be appalled!
This is something I have given so much thought to during this experience it just blows my mind. We are so removed from the “greatest generation” and I do not think we will ever get back to that level of “community” (for lack of a better word) ever again.
I think everything going on in the world is rotting my brain. I’ve gone from applauding Murphy to anger at him and back and forth a million times. Last night, upon hearing the indoor dining announcement, I was pissed. Today, my anger is directed at the idiots who ruined it for everyone and as @Metsfan86 said the fact that people cannot follow simple instructions such as keeping a mask on.
I saw footage the other day (not in NJ) of a man walking around “open carrying” a machine gun of some sort to “defend his constitutional right to not wear a mask”. I’m sorry. That whole mentality transcends politics and becomes mental illness. I’ve been working through the pandemic, not being cooped up. So maybe I see it differently. But are people that on-edge and stir-crazy to think that’s ok?
saw this from Drews
@gcaggiano Drew’s was going to be my other suggestion, but I don’t think you want to dial 800x to get through!
Seems like the best place to share this:
Murphy is doing the right thing. He wouldn’t have to pause opening restaurants if he didn’t see how opening the bars revealed just how many morons live in NJ. The owner of The Dublin House claims there is some “right to mingle” without addressing how after mingling, these people spread the virus to everyone around them.
Even hardcore “right-to-infecters” like DeSantis are reversing their re-openings.
This event has really brought the worst in some folks. I think “right to infect” gets it about right. From the comments Murphy is getting I’d say there a lot of people who would be right at home in TX, FL, or AZ. The “right to infect” seems to be a guiding principle in those (and other) states.
