Today, life in New York City is a little closer to what we might call normal. Welcome to Phase 3.
Generally speaking, that means that the city, once the epicenter of one of the worst pandemics in modern history, continues to loosen the restrictions in place to contain the coronavirus.
Expect to see the reopening of beauty salons, massage parlors, spa salons, tanning salons, and tattoo shops, and the return of some “low risk” youth sports. However, don’t expect to see the resumption of dinner inside.
Entering a new phase underscores the divergent narratives that emerge across the country. While New York City is taking steps to reopen, other parts of the nation are discovering that lifting the restrictions can have negative effects.
On Saturday, for example, Florida and South Carolina republished daily records of new coronavirus cases. And in Houston, hospitals reported a dangerous increase in patients.
[Confused?WanttoreviewNewYork’srecoverypath?Checkout[Confused?WanttobrushuponNewYork’spathtorecovery?Checkout[¿Confuso?¿QuieresrepasarelcaminoderecuperacióndeNuevaYork?Revisa[Confused?WanttobrushuponNewYork’spathtorecovery?Checkoutour guide on each phase medium.]
What’s left out
New York City Phase 3, however, is not a good success story. The continuous pause of indoor meals shows that the path to normality will not be as linear as the phase sequence might suggest.
New Yorkers were supposed to be able to enjoy indoor dining starting today, with some capacity restrictions in restaurants and bars. But Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo last week decided to indefinitely delay indoor dining.
They cited the danger of people gathering together indoors and said people who frequent bars and restaurants likely contributed to the huge increases in coronavirus cases seen in other states.
“This is not the time to go ahead with the meals inside,” Mr. de Blasio said Wednesday.
Whats Next
Still, it feels like the city is moving in the right direction.
The 9/11 Memorial reopened to the public on Sunday, with hand sanitizer, mask requirements and “regular deep cleanings.”
Amid the Independence Day celebrations, several shootings remained over the weekend at least four people dead and 36 others injured through New York City. [amNY]
Gunshots and fireworks alike are triggering ShotSpotter’s audio sensors, as the scrutiny of technology grows. [The City]
And finally: if you miss Broadway …
Carla Correa of the Times writes:
“Hamilton” again sets itself apart from other recent Broadway hits: The musical began airing on Friday at Disney +.
A visual suggestion, from comedian Sofie Hagen on Twitter: “If you really want the full Live On Broadway experience, when Lin-Manuel Miranda takes the stage as Hamilton, pause the video and stand up and clap for ten minutes. Then sit down and press play again. ”
With Broadway closed for the rest of the year, why can’t we stream more productions? Elisabeth Vincentelli recently wrote about options, and the status of the theater broadcast, in the Arts section of the Times. You can read the full article here.
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For musicals, he wrote, “Filmed on Stage and Thespie websites can help you point to many of them, such as the West End production of ‘Gypsy,’ starring Imelda Staunton and available to buy or rent on Amazon, iTunes, and YouTube. . “
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“The musicals are also a part of the PBS series of great performances, while Netflix lists popular properties as different as ‘Shrek the Musical’ and ‘Springsteen on Broadway.'”
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The closest thing to a theater Netflix is BroadwayHD, which has around 300 titles in its catalog, from hits like ‘Kinky Boots’ to vintage nuggets, including Lee J. Cobb repeating his Willy Loman on a 1966 CBS broadcast. from ‘Death of a vendor.’ “
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“British-American Marquee TV is another service that offers everything you can see for a weekly, monthly or yearly rate.”
It’s Monday, press play.
Metropolitan newspaper: unbuttoned
Dear Diary:
One day last spring, I was walking west from Alphabet City to Pier 34 to watch the sunset.
Somewhere in West Village, I noticed a young woman walking in the same direction a few steps in front of me. I watched a block or two as she reached an arm around her to try to button a loose button on the back of her blouse.
I wanted to help her, but I was nervous to ask and didn’t want to bother a stranger, especially for something as personal as a loose blouse button.
After a while, we both ended up in a corner waiting for the light to change. I took off the headphones.
“Sorry to bother me,” I said, “but could I help you with that?”
“Oh my gosh,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to ask you for blocks, but I was too nervous to ask.”
– Perry Khalil
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