Post Covid-19 Wishlist
While making the bed several days ago, a CNN segment came on the radio profiling an 11-year-old boy who collected over $2,000 from friends and family. His goal? To provide healthy snacks for doctors and nurses at his local hospital. The show host praised the enterprising 6th grader, then asked him what he missed most living under the Covid-19 lockdown. Without missing a beat, the boy responded with a tinge of melancholy in his small voice: “High-fiving my friends.”
UNCERTAINTY AND HOPE
While some locations are still on the ascent with Corona virus cases, many of us live in cities where our numbers have started to plateau. This has given us some reason for optimism. As various states move towards reopening (albeit some far too soon!), we allow ourselves to anticipate what our own new norm might look like. Amid this chaos of uncertainty tinged with mild hope, I was curious to find out what my friends and family missed most during these past few months of self-quarantine. And, what might their first action be once the restrictions on public life is lifted in their city?
A DESIRE FOR HUMAN INTERACTION
Ellen Negrin, a top wine sales manager and naturally gregarious individual lamented, “I do miss bellying up to the bar. For many years I’ve been calling on restaurants and bars selling wine and spirits. I work but also socialize at restaurants and bars at Happy Hours to meet a friend for dinner or a drink or merely to chat with the people next to me. I love talking with bartenders and watching them make cocktails. Also, finding out which wine they have by-the-glass. I don’t know when I’ll be able to do that in the near future. Hope it will be soon!” In the meantime, Ellen makes do by meeting her friends for drinks over FaceTime and Zoom.
“The other thing I really miss,” Ellen continued, “is my spin class. I know when I get out of lockdown, I will buy a new bike so I can ride outside again as well.”
Further, Ellen misses traveling. ”I can’t wait to get on a plane and explore someplace new. I was scheduled to come back today from Morocco and Paris.” In anticipation of breaking out her passport, she consoles her passion for travel by watching videos. “Last week I did a Food Tour of Marrakech and visited the Majorelle Garden. I really enjoyed them but it’s not the same as experiencing it live.”
MAKE MINE A DIRTY MARTINI
Like many of us affiliated in the wine and spirits industry, top publicist Chandni Patel is clamoring for “a good dirty vodka martini made by a real expert.” However, she added that she first needed to mitigate her fear of venturing beyond her Manhattan cocoon outdoors and feeling safe. ”I first need to feel comfortable being outside. Then I wanna have a drink or dinner with a friend. I'll take what I can get for social interaction outside of the apartment.”
Mohammed, one of my building’s doormen who has two young daughters, enthusiastically replied, “I can’t wait to take my kids outdoors safely and not have to wear a facial mask.”
GONE TO CAROLINA IN MY MIND
Seasoned corporate chef and cooking school teacher, Janeen Sarlin, told me “When I get the ‘green light’ from my children, I will plan a trip out of town.“ Ever the optimist, she added, “For now, I’m ‘gone to Carolina in my mind’ per James Taylor!!!” In addition to the freedom of travel, Janeen misses “food shopping in little stores and busy farmers markets: ie: Union Square, Chinatown, Little Italy!” She also regrets not being able to worship at church as well as rewarding herself with a hearty New York City brunch after Sunday services.
A HUG IS WORTH A MILLION WORDS
Author, wine marketing guru and honorary mayor of Brooklyn, Tony DiDio offered up what he and his spouse Roger wish they could do but can’t these days. “We both miss the freedom to move about and Roger dearly misses going to our health club. The other day, we ran into two of my cousins, and on our way home, we said how strange it was not to hug and kiss them,“ regretting the restraints of social distancing.
Tony is ready to spring into action when the time is right.” In a nutshell,” he replied rapidly firing off his game plan: “The first thing is to get back to the gym, organize a family and friends’ party, and plan a trip to our beloved Italy.”
PARTY-TIME!
Sue Huffman Robinson—retired magazine food editor and one of “Food Network’s” founders—lives on the West Coast. She echoed Tony’s wish list. “The one, two and a zillion things I miss most is other people. I miss hanging out with my two grandsons and my daughter and husband. Across the patio - no touching - just does not cut it. And I miss my friends. And we do miss going out to dinner. Not driving up to the restaurant and having a masked and gloved runner bring out the food but actually being waited on. Cocktails first.” Sue continued, “The first thing I will do - when permitted - is throw a party! And then eat out a lot. And hopefully eventually travel again - to make up for the three trips we had to cancel this spring.”
PICK UP THE PHONE AND MAKE A RESERVATION
From Washington, DC, food marketer Katherine Newell Smith added her two cents. “First, I want to hug my daughter and granddaughter for a good long while and then go to a restaurant with my husband and friends!!!
“I am cooking and cooking and cooking....and getting take-out once a week from various local restaurants as support. It is nice but I will be more than ready to go OUT. Pray that the restaurants we love will still be in business.”
GET THEE TO THE GOLF RANGE
From the Midwest, retired Chicago Bar Association senior executive, Toria Emas, shared how fortunate she is now not to have to worry about “staff, business or whether we will have jobs after this craziness passes.” She continued, “Grocery shopping used to be fun. Now it is life-threatening. We go shopping with great trepidation.” Like everyone else, Toria misses not being able to have dinner with close friends and family. But, Toria already has an action strategy in mind for when Chicago’s mayor gives the thumbs up for freedom. “First thing, I want to go to Bang Bang Pie Shop and eat their fabulous biscuits on their garden picnic tables which are ready for social distancing. Then, it's out to the golf driving range to get rid of all the pent-up frustrations.”
SEXY DANCING
Natasha Kavanagh, former advertising executive who lives in Manhattan, says she misses not being able to go to her gym on a regular basis or attend her weekly tango class. An avid fan for years now of the most social of all dance forms, Natasha has become an accomplished amateur dancer in her own right. Her closet filled with an array of colorful, sexy dresses attest to her passion for Tango.
Natasha’s first outing after Mayor de Blasio gives the green light will be to Bumble and Bumble to have her hair cut and colored. “I bought scissors to do my own hair in the interim, but it is not the same,” Natasha explained with disappointment emphasizing the word “not.” I assume after the haircut, she will high tail it over to the Tango studio, too!
THE FREEDOM TO BE OUTDOORS
My late husband’s eldest grandchild, Leah Lauber, lives in Florida and works as an art director and graphic designer for QVC. Recently married, she and her handsome husband, Japesh, miss most “social interaction - going out to dinner, seeing friends, going to the movies, just being allowed to leave the house! I think the second thing I miss is not feeling so paranoid every time we go for a walk or go grocery shopping.”
Contemplating what she and Japesh will do when the stay-at-home order is lifted, “We'll most likely go out to a nice dinner - maybe at a beach restaurant where we can sit outside and sip umbrella drinks.”
SURVIVING A NEW YORK PAUSE
In reflecting on what I miss most during our New York “Pause,” I would zero in on not being able to see people’s faces now because of requisite masks. Smiles and eyes have always been important to me. Seeing a child’s face light up with an innocent, exuberant smile, for example, always adds joy to my day. I relish reading people’s expressive eyes and facial signals as well which is no longer possible. I suspect, however, that wearing protective facial coverings will be part of our near future, a necessary compromise for being in public.
The second thing I miss is partaking in New York City’s vibrant cultural and culinary worlds. In fact, the first thing I fantasize about doing once we are “freed” is to book a table at the Metropolitan Art Museum’s Trustees Dining Room, ideally overlooking Central Park’s Cleopatra’s Needle. But before devouring a delicious meal prepared by super chef Bill Telepan—the Met’s new culinary director—I plan to spend several hours with several art-loving friends visiting our favorite galleries. A “trilogy” of pleasures to replenish my soul: food, art and friends.
In the meantime, I am keeping myself busy organizing a virtual Indian dinner party prepared by Chef Surhbi Sahini (and fellow Dame) to be delivered to friends around town next Friday. Then, several days later everyone will join up for a Zoom Apéro Hour to discuss the menu and our various selection of wines.
TECHNOLOGY AS A GAME CHANGER
Over the past three months, we’ve become accustomed to living virtual lives for both business and pleasure. Fortunately, we can take advantage of the Internet to move our world on-line and make it as pleasant as possible during these difficult times.
As we make it through the first stage of the pandemic, no one really knows when our “normal” will return, or what it will even resemble once we do. But there is a commonality in the things we miss most. As we saw in this post, everyone shared the same desires to high five or hug a loved one, get back into an exercise routine, and enjoy a night out with friends. While a trip far, far away from home might have to wait until Stage 2 of re-entering the world, we’ll take what we can get for now and make the most of it too!