Summer isn’t cancelled in NYC—it’s just different. One thing I love (and also hate) about NYC is that we really come together during extremely tough times. After 9/11 there was this huge sentiment of oneness—and I felt the same among the COVID-19 pandemic as it hit this city so hard. We salute all the essential workers and everyday heroes in our city when we’re in a crisis, but then when it’s all over we go back to our typical selfish New Yorker ways…lol.
But I mean for this post to be a bit upbeat so we won’t go there today.
But yes, summer in NYC—there’s NOTHING like it! I always joke about how I endure nine months of mediocre weather and lessened daylight just to be OUT for the three months of summer. The city comes ALIVE in the summer and I always look forward to heading out with my legs out to enjoy the beauty of NYC.
This summer of course is quite different. As of this Monday this week, NYC is now in Phase 4 of reopening.
NYC is now in Phase 4 Reopening
- This means child care programs including day camps can reopen under new guidelines
- Professional sports may resume without audiences
- Movie theatres are closed but drive-in theatres are open statewide (um, I need to find the closest drive-in theatre—I’ve always wanted to do that!)
- Restaurants are open for outdoor dining, delivery or take-out only (indoor dining is still being delayed), you can get to-go alcohol with a food purchase at bars and nightclubs (as well as restaurants)
- Salons and barbershops are open at 50% capacity (I got my hair trimmed and greys covered last week and the experience was very cautious but enjoyable)
- NYC beaches are open at 50% capacity & swimming is now permitted
- Retail stores are open at 50% capacity; malls are closed but stores can provide curbside pickup and anchor tenants can provide in-store shopping (basically department stores and other large stores with their own separate entrance)
- Gyms and fitness studios are still closed (crazy because this year I got my act together and hired a trainer only to get shut down three months later)
This sounds restrictive AF but I’ve actually found some joy in navagitating the city this summer. Depending on whether I’m in the five boroughs that make up NYC or out on Long Island (which is a different region with its own reopening guidelines), what I can do differs, but I have been outchea. Here’s what I’ve been LOVING…
Driving
As a Queens resident, I’ve had a car since I was 16. While I could navigate the city without a car, I don’t want to…lol. I’m too used to it. Back when I worked a corporate job, I had to visit clients often and didn’t want to have to rely on public transportation (especially not in the summer with a suit on). And even just doing things like getting my blogger mail or the 50 million home decor shopping trips I take, my liccle Jeep Renegade has been coming through.
It’s funny because I bought my car in 2015 and now five years later I haven’t hit 25,000 miles yet. But I may reach 30K by the time summer ends with all the driving I’ve been doing.
I’m still too nervous to get on the bus and train so anytime I need to go into Manhattan, I drive. It’s been really easy driving in since tourism is down and most people are still working from home. I’ve been spending more money on gas and parking garages though.
New Yorkers Wear Masks
This is a beautiful thing to see. It’s also mandated. Everywhere I go New Yorkers are wearing face coverings—and if they’re not it’s because they’re eating, talking on the phone, or smoking.
A New York State mandate requires everyone to wear a face covering when outside their home if unable to maintain at least 6 feet of distance from others. Examples include walking on a busy street, going to pharmacies and grocery stores, or going to the doctor. Read more about this here.
I haven’t noticed anyone losing their sh*t over having to wear a mask here–it could be happening though but the way New Yorkers are set up, I can see people getting yelled at for not wearing a face covering…lol. You do NOT want an angry mob of New Yorkers on your behind.
Less crowds
I hate to see what the impact of having less tourism will have on the NY economy, but being able to navigate the city easier has been nice. And when I go shopping, they only allow a certain amount of people inside at a time (with face coverings) so I don’t feel like people are on top of me all the time. This also has the downside of having to wait to go into your favorite stores (man, I saw a long line of people waiting to get into Zara at Roosevelt Field that instantly made me sleepy…lol).
More outdoor dining
Having outdoor dining options was always a thing in NYC during the summer, but now that there is currently no indoor dining at all, restaurants are being extremely creative with outdoor dining decor. The city has allowed restaurants to use parts of sidewalks and the street to accommodate for outdoor seating and it’s a beautiful thing to see. It’s been making me feel like I traveled to another country with all the amazing ways restaurants are decorating al fresco posts.
Forced efficiency
This pandemic has really caused businesses to rethink and reimagine efficiency. You’ll see so many examples of this as we navigate our new normal. Two specific ones I’ve seen are 1. restaurants utilizing QR codes to access their menus via your phone to avoid having too many people touching menus and 2. IKEA has a cool return procedure set up where you check in outside with an IKEA employee who gives you a QR code to scan so that you can reserve your slot. Only a few people are allowed in the returns area at a time so you wait outdoors until you get a text saying it’s your turn to come in. A multitasker like myself loves this because I could have been doing 50 million other things nearby while waiting for my turn.
I’m also loving all the hand washing stations and how much hand sanitizer is just out and available to use. I’ve always felt like I needed to sage my entire body after coming in from being outside ESPECIALLY when I would ride the subway. I hope the handwashing stations remain because it can help slow the spread of other germs even after we figure out COVID.
Local exploration
As a native New Yorker who has lived here my entire life, there are plenty of things I take for granted. If you really want to know where to go and what to see in NYC, your best bet is to not ask me and ask someone who just moved here within like the last year or two…lol. Newcomers to this city typically have more of a exploring mind and want to see what’s popping as soon as they get here. When you’ve lived here as long as I have, you tend to consider exploring outside of the city more than in your own backyard.
With travel being extremely limited, I’m more interested in seeing what’s right in Manhattan or just a short drive away. I’m typically not a big dining out person because um, expensive—but since my travel money is just sitting idle, I might as well eat my way around the city…lol. I mean, we have all the cute al fresco setups—might as well!
I’m also toying with the idea of driving to Jersey to see the Great Adventures Safari. You know, since my trip to Kenya this year was cancelled at least I can see a giraffe or something from my car. Also deciding on doing an overnight stay at a beach hotel on Long Island. If I do either of these, they’ll make it to a vlog on my Youtube channel so make sure you’re subscribed to my channel so you don’t miss it.
Home decor on a 1000
Listen, I know I am not the only New Yorker who has been trying to make her space more quaint. In the height of quarantine, I daydreamed about buying a house upstate that has farmland and a pool. Because if I ever have to be stuck in the house for months, I need some particular amenities.
But since home ownership is not something that is coming right this second, I’ve instead made one with Homegoods and IKEA. Honestly, those two places were my main sources of recreation in earlier phases of reopening.
I’ve chronicled some of my home decor shopping exploits on my Youtube channel for your viewing pleasure…lol.
I have to say, as much craziness we’ve been through in 2020, I have definitely learned to be grateful for the little things. Just going to dine out with friends has felt like going on a 5-star vacation. And I will definitely need to hold onto these memories because I am nervous about how things will play out come fall/winter with this c-word :/
Outfit details
Photos: Dadouchic
Top: Loft | Skirt: Loft | Shoes: ASOS | Earrings: Adorn New York (Black woman-owned biz) | Straw bag & fan: market in Ghana | Shoes from bike: Teva
Colorful maxi dress is H&M–check for it in your local store as it’s not currently online.
