cafe society

 Amsterdam Avenue in my neighborhood has become unrecognizable. It was always a street of bars and restaurants, most of which had seasonal outdoor tables. Now it has offseasonal outdoor tables that stretch into lanes on both sides of the avenue. Despite the fact that some indoor seating is opening up on Friday, guys were still hammering up semi permanent structures, some tented, some bubbled, some just outside and protected from the snow. When I walked along this ayem (on my way to the dentist) it was empty, as most restaurants don't open til much later, but it is common to see parka and mask clad New Yawkers sitting on the streets and waiting for their food to arrive. The bars are not allowed to have this outdoor seating unless they also serve food. So there are even new options and cafes these days.