Being a food enthusiast, COVID 19 safety precautions can easily feel like we are in time out. Health always comes first but I can honestly say I do miss the experience of dining out. Purchasing take out just isn’t the same. We are already in the house all day, the food isn’t the hottest when you get home andddd the portions aren’t always hitting like they should. I yearn to take five minutes to look at the menu, choose my regular dish and have zero room for dessert.
I will admit staying at home has increased our cooking, we get to play with fun meals like hibachi, baking, and random quesadilla combos. I deeply desire an experience where I don’t have to do the dishes and the meals are already thought out in advance. I am tired of thinking of what to cook and when to cook. We have been cooking and picking up curbside from local restaurants all over the city these past few months.
States have been rapidly opening up but COVID numbers are also rapidly increasing. Honestly, I thought it would be July before I sat in a restaurant. Two weeks ago, we went out for a kid-free date night at one of our favorite local spots, Tacozinni. It felt weird and a little ‘too’ normal. Tables were well spaced out to accommodate social distancing. My mind was twirling the equations of being in public spaces. Once I was “all the way in”, I allowed my mind to relax and we enjoyed our risky evening.
Here we are two weeks later, Greenville is considered a COVID hotspot. We are seeing an extreme spike in cases resulting from restaurants reopening, salons, and Memorial Day cookouts. With these numbers bold in my face, I may not be dining out again anytime soon. While I do miss the rooftop experience of buying cocktails and dessert, my family‘s health comes FIRST. We want to make sure we are making wise decisions. I felt like I was getting a little comfortable. Maybe I have my mask, maybe I don’t. I always have my sanitizer on deck but I need to be back on extreme defense like we were when COVID first hit the scene. Just because things opened doesn’t mean Rona has slowed down one bit.
A fancy steak dinner is not worth putting our health on the line. You guys know I ADORE trying new places. I especially enjoy sharing them with you. In the meantime, I will be reflecting on my ultimate favorite experiences that I haven’t shared yet and continuing to eat curbside. We will also be recreating and sharing some of our favorite dishes to cook at home.
Stay Safe and Dig In. Have you dabbled in dining out since restaurants have opened up patio seating and 50% capacity inside? Are you playing it safe and sticking to curbside/delivery?
