Restaurants reopening, but will you dine in?

Its 60+ degrees again today. Gotta grab these days while we can. Its good for the soul.

Take a walk, maybe even grab some carry out or an ice cream or coffee and eat outside somewhere.

Enjoy the day.

[Robin Garr]

Its 60+ degrees again today. Gotta grab these days while we can. Its good for the soul.

Take a walk, maybe even grab some carry out or an ice cream or coffee and eat outside somewhere.

Enjoy the day.

Thanks, James! We just got back from doing several of those things.

Its 60+ degrees again today. Gotta grab these days while we can. Its good for the soul.

Take a walk, maybe even grab some carry out or an ice cream or coffee and eat outside somewhere.

Enjoy the day.

Thanks, James! We just got back from doing several of those things.

That's the spirit, Robin. If we can cheat the grim corona reaper from time to time it will make it much easier when we are really stuck.

I was jonzin badly for my Indian fix yesterday. Sitting outside for a good 30-40 minute with a platter of thali made my day and satisfied my fix for a little while....... I'm heading back out to the Parklands in about 15 minutes with the wife for a late afternoon stroll. Its so refreshing for the mind and body.

[Robin Garr]

James, we're doing more takeout than patio dining, but yes to the parks - just about every day that isn't actively raining or snowing we're out there getting our 10,000 steps or close to it. I think it's good for physical health and attitude, too!

No doubt, Robin.

One of the bright spots of this past year (and there haven't been many) has been our discovery/rediscovery of how extensive our park systems are in this city. It is amazing. Just the Parklands alone have 5 different parks along a 19-mile main trail and almost endless secondary trails. Add to that the old guard parks of Cherokee, Iroquois, the trails along the Ohio River on both sides, etc., and it is a walkers wonderland.

Good food and good parks make for a pretty good lifestyle for those of us moving along into our senior years.

No doubt, Robin.

One of the bright spots of this past year (and there haven't been many) has been our discovery/rediscovery of how extensive our park systems are in this city. .

Concur! Been to Tom Sawyer before, but now found the Wetlands trails there. Anchorage trail good, easy walk, with nearby patios for dining. Creasy Mahan nature preserve just inside Oldhan County we've gotten lost in. Brown Park is small, but you share with hundreds of ducks and it's in St Matts! We never knew there was a statue and mini-park honoring Abe Lincoln along the riverfront by the Big Four Bridge.

Only problem is that it's getting just too cold for exploring.

No. However, if I can be seated in a well ventilated area. i.e., near an open garage or bay door, then yes, Also, some of these tents are as bad as dining indoors. So no on most of those too.

This exactly.

No. However, if I can be seated in a well ventilated area. i.e., near an open garage or bay door, then yes, Also, some of these tents are as bad as dining indoors. So no on most of those too.

This exactly.

We prefer this option but will sit inside if that is the only choice. We have changed our eating schedules to show up at off times or when a place first opens and usually have the places to ourselves. We had fantastic experiences this weekend at Bourbons Bistro, El Mundo, Ainsworth, and Mojito in Havana. They are all doing the tent thing right. Ramiro's, not so much.

Blackstone Grill in Prospect sent out notices that they invested in the new HVAC filtration system that catches & kills coronaviruses, so I may go there off-hours when there's not someone sitting next to me, but otherwise it's carry-out of sit outside.

Does anyone know if there are other restaurants with the HVAC upgrade?

No. However, if I can be seated in a well ventilated area. i.e., near an open garage or bay door, then yes, Also, some of these tents are as bad as dining indoors. So no on most of those too.

This exactly.

.... We have changed our eating schedules to show up at off times or when a place first opens and usually have the places to ourselves.....

Eating off hours is a good idea. It seems to be a benefit for the diner and the restaurant alike.

I am wondering how many customers will resume their restaurant dining habits after they have been vaccinated? If the Governor allowed restaurants to be at 100% percent capacity right now, I doubt the total dine-in crowd would exceed 50%. Customers are afraid, and rightly so. We are doing okay, but our customer reticence with dining indoors will take much longer to overcome. I do fear for this industry. Part of the joy of dining out was a busy, fun, bustling place.

[Robin Garr]

I am wondering how many customers will resume their restaurant dining habits after they have been vaccinated? If the Governor allowed restaurants to be at 100% percent capacity right now, I doubt the total dine-in crowd would exceed 50%. Customers are afraid, and rightly so. We are doing okay, but our customer reticence with dining indoors will take much longer to overcome. I do fear for this industry. Part of the joy of dining out was a busy, fun, bustling place.

Exactly! I can't wait to sit down and enjoy dinner at Coals. I really hope the vaccine builds confidence, Madeline. I'll sure be happy to get mine as soon as it's my turn.

Today's NYTimes op-ed pages quotes a study just conducted of the ten largest major metros in the country, and looked at transmission rates and capacity restrictions for restaurants, gyms, hotels, and groceries.

In (very) brief, they looked at a wide range of occupancy rates and resulting infection rates to try to find the "sweet spot." Restricting occupancy rates to 20% resulted in a transmission rate of 13% (while full houses had transmission rates over 97%) and customers at 58% of full occupancy levels. They were recommending this, as restaurants would have at least a level of customers so that most would survive, while the odds of people getting the disease would be nearing manageable levels.

NOTE: they found that at 20% listed occupancy the "real" rate of customers was 58% as people would visit at off-hours, unusual (for them) times, and spread the business throughout the work-day.

I'm not sure if there is a paywall for this or not, but the article is at https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... 9f9568ea6c

I did an early morning grocery pick up trying to beat the crowds before The Christmas rush. Thought I’d treat myself to breakfast. Thinking of patronizing an independent I decided on one that had been recommended on these pages (despite the fact that I vowed not to spend a dime in Oldham Co because of the horrifically lax attitude toward Covid.) The poster on these boards was assuring that the restaurant was doing all the right things required to help stem the spread. I pulled up and immediately saw a masked and gloved server running a to go bag out to a patron. Great! I pulled around to park my car (going to fish out my cell to find an on line menu) driving in front of the big picture windows just as 1/2 dozen finished diners came out, unmasked, all laughing and cutting up, no distancing. Inside was another 6 top, not eating but all unmasked. In fact the cafe looked more than half full with additional spacing between tables.
Nope nope nope. I left and did a drive thru at a chain instead.
Looks like, until everyone gets vaccinated, we’re going to be dealing with this crap a long time.

Looks like, until everyone gets vaccinated, we’re going to be dealing with this crap a long time.

Official Kentucky numbers regarding covid-19 as of December 19:


Group of age 0 -29 years old,,,,,,,,,78,793 cases....... 3 covid-related deaths



Its simply a different reality for an age group 40 years younger than many of us. Many are likely more concerned about getting a zit on their nose than dying of something that doesn't even get them or their friends sick beyond a cold. This is a different experience for them----am I gonna be able to get back to school so I can play my team sport? am I gonna be the only weirdo wearing a mask at a bar or any other social gathering? will we still be heading to Florida for springbreak?...etc........a different reality.

We can moan and grumble all we want. I'm not defending this position, just understanding it. And also understanding that I would have been belligerent and dismissive if this had happened to me when I was of this age group. So as was so elegantly stated above--- "Looks like, until everyone gets vaccinated, we’re going to be dealing with this crap a long time."