While they are still operating at a limited capacity, in addition to new cleaning guidelines requiring them to sanitize seats before and after each viewing, they are managing to stay afloat. Employees have said there has been a lot of excitement from guests with the reopening and that the theater continues to thrive despite challenges posed by COVID and beyond. One of the biggest concerns is the competition against streaming services. People are choosing to watch movies from the comfort of their own homes. But now that restrictions are slowly being lifted, and vaccines are being distributed, some people will choose to leave their house for the traditional movie theater experience.

Village East by Angelica welcomes movie viewers after a long hiatus, April, 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

The concession stand is open, but with limitations like no self-service beverages at Village East by Angelika, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

Cleaning sprays, towels, and gloves line the counter behind the concession stand at Village East by Angelika, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

The manager (right) helps a customer purchase tickets at Village East by Angelika while wearing protective gloves, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A man and woman walk down the hall looking for their respective theater at Village East by Angelika, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

Theater one is prepared for the next movie showing at Village East by Angelika, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

Row availability is alternated to increase social distancing at Village East by Angelika, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A woman ascends the stairs to find her seat at Village East by Angelika, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

An employee carries spray bottles as he cleans the theater before and after each viewing at Village East by Angelika, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

Two men exit Village East by Angelika after purchasing movie tickets, April 2, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

The post Village East movie theater reopens to the public appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

Employees at Brookyn’s New Lab could choose to wear a “proximity sensor” that buzzes whenever other colleagues get closer than 6 feet. Wearing a sensor is optional. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

Brooklyn’s New Lab employees can wear a proximity sensor, which is locked into a chest harness. It gives out a vibration feedback if participants get too close to each other. This could be escalated to auditory alerts if two people are walking within six feet of each other. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

At the front desk of New Lab in Brooklyn, the proximity sensors are separated into “clean” and “used”. Movement data is collected and analyzed by the company for future prevention. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

At New Lab in Brooklyn, face covering is required in common areas. Signs are set up for keeping people bearing “social distancing” in mind. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

New Lab, the Brooklyn-based tech hub also changes its bathroom capacity by only allowing three people entering at one time. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

Foodcellar, a local grocery store at Long Island City, requires cloth face coverings or masks for entry. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

Hygiene stations are set up in the common area at an apartment building called “Watermark” in Long Island City. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

A person sanitizes their hands at the hygiene station at the Watermark building in Long Island City. July 7. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

Long Island City’s Watermark apartment building posts social distancing guidelines. Photo by Joanna Lin Su

The post Proximity sensors and hygiene stations are the “new normal” appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

By aggressively testing and tracing contacts, Beijing has managed to keep the rise in infections in single digits for a week. On July 4, the local government announced that it would no long require those who leave the city to be tested before departure. 

After three weeks of semi-shutdown, Beijing reopens. People gather in shopping centers, dance in parks, and cram into subways during rush hours. The only places left desolate are the nucleic test centers, where the city tested 11 million residents — more than half of its population – in less than three weeks.

A guard takes the temperature of customers coming into an Apple store in the
Sanlitun Shopping Center, Beijing. Photo by Hannah Zhang

A busy traffic intersection near the Ministry of Commerce, Beijing. Photo by Hannah Zhang

A subway transfer station at Line 6 Nanluoguxiang, Beijing. Photo by Hannah Zhang

People getting on and off subway Line 8 in Nanluoguxiang, Beijing. Photo by Hannah Zhang

People dance in a plaza in Dongdan, Beijing. Photo by Hannah Zhang

A closed test center at Tongren Hospital, Beijing. Photo by Hannah Zhang

The post Beijing reopens as the second wave of coronavirus dies down appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

When clients first arrive at the salon they get their temperature taken at the door, then they fill out a form that is sent via text message on their phone, answering questions about previous travels and whereabouts during the pandemic and before taking a seat in the stylist chair, guests sanitize their hands. 

Everyone is required to wear a mask while inside the salon.

Hair stylists take similar precautions, they must clean their styling chairs from top to bottom, submerge their hair tools in disinfectant before and after each client, and change gowns out between each guest. 

Stylists are working a staggered schedule and only allow up to 10 people total in the salon at a time to minimize the spread of COVID-19. 

Nicole Joi, 29, a hair stylist at The Door Salon, where she has worked for the last eight years, said she is happy to be back since her last day on March 14.

“It feels good to touch hair again,” Joi said. 

A sign on the door of The door Salon directing people to wait and call before heading inside on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Nicole Joi, a hair stylist at The Door Salon poses for a portrait inside the salon before clients arrive on opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Amy Fink (my mom), a client at The Door Salon gets her temperature taken before getting her hair done on opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Amy Fink (my mom), a client of The Open Door Salon, fills out a form on her phone, answering questions about previous travels and whereabouts during the pandemic before getting her hair done on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Amy Fink (my mom), a client of The Open Door Salon sanitizes her hands before getting her hair done on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Amy Fink (my mom), a client of The open Door Salon shows me her grey hair growth before getting it colored on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Amy Fink (my mom), a client of The Door Salon holds her mask on her face while getting her hair colored on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Amy Fink (my mom), a client of The Open Door Salon holds her mask on her face while getting her hair washed on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Nicole Joi, a hair stylist at The door Salon sanitizes and wipes down hair washing station to prepare for the next client on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

Amy Fink (my mom), a client of The Door Salon poses for a picture with me after getting her hair washed on the opening day, June 16th. Photo by Kyla Milberger

The post Michigan hair salons are back in business appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

With bars now serving drinks to go, part of the “new normal” people have been referencing since the start of Covid-19 now includes being able to drink on the streets, police not doing anything but asking partiers to move to the sidewalk when nine pm rolled around.

Now that phase one of reopening has commenced, the vice grip of fear Covid-19 had on the city seems almost a thing of the past, at least for the people on East Ninth street over the weekend. Hardly anyone wore a mask, and some even went as far as to harass reporters who were there covering the reopening for wearing one.

People gather outside of Miss Lily’s in the East Village. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A person on a bike make their way through the crowd on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

People gather and drink outside Bua in the East Village. Photo by Thomas Hengge

Police arrive to break up the gathering on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

A police officer talks with a person at the gathering on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

People make way for a bus to pass through the crowd on East Ninth Street. Photo by Thomas Hengge

The post The East Village is open! Well, sort of appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

“It’s so bad here. The entire market has incurred a monthly loss to the tune of $4 to $5 million,” said Raju Patel, the president of Travel World, a travel agency and president of the Jersey City Asian Merchant Association, an advocacy group for local Asian-owned businesses.

Located along a one-mile stretch on Newark Avenue, India Square has about 95 outlets that range from Indian restaurants and jewelry stores to bars and grocery shops. About 10% of Jersey City’s population is Indian American, a major contributing factor to the thriving businesses at India Square. 

 Once a bustling market thronged by hundreds of patrons every day, it’s now deserted.  High rents and few customers due to the coronavirus, has created huge losses. Store owners said it would take them a  over a year to recover losses incurred during the three-month shutdown. 

 Patel’s travel and tour business has done no business since mid-March. 

 “Who do you think will travel even after the government reopens?” asked Patel.

 The restaurants at India Square have also taken a hit. They didn’t do any business in April. Although many of them started takeout and delivery services in May, their sales were only about 20-25%. 

“We won’t see even a nominal increase in the revenue when we reopen,” said  Satinder Saggar, the owner of Rasoi, a restaurant.

“Why would people come out and eat when there is a threat of the coronavirus?” 

Before the pandemic, Rasoi saw about 70 to 80 patrons on weekdays and over 150 people visited the restaurant on weekends. But business in May dropped 75%. 

“How can a restaurant survive with only 25% of business after making no money for two months? We will survive because we are old in the business,” said Saggar who owns two other restaurants in Jersey City and New York City.    

In phase two of reopening, restaurants are allowed to have only outdoor sitting .   None of the restaurants at India Square have outdoor space so they will continue to have to depend on takeouts and deliveries. 

 Sagar said when Rasoi reopens he would be able to hire back only seven of the  12 employees he had before the outbreak. 

Many business owners said they are pinning their hopes on a  vaccine to salvage their businesses. 

 Some jewelry stores at India Square are facing closure. 

 “Why would someone buy jewelry during this time?  With wedding and other functions being postponed and canceled there is no chance we will get sales,” said Wahid Akbari, 48, who owns Sara Jewelry.  

 The only stores thriving are the square’s grocery stores. 

 “The only thing we worry about is the supply chain that might get affected due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in India,” said Sushma Patel, 41, owner of Apna Bazaar grocery store. 

 Jayesh Modi, who owns a home appliances store, said that the Paycheck Protection Program loan,  a forgivable loan program introduced by the coronavirus stimulus bill,  wouldn’t be of much help if stores don’t do business.

“I got a $15,000 loan. It can help me survive for a while but I need business,” Modi said. “Never have I seen such destruction. Let’s see how many stores reopen on June 15. Some might never(reopen). India Square won’t be the same again.

The post Popular India Square “won’t be the same again”  appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

 Patients who have taken remdesivr, have shown improvement in their condition over a quicker period of time.

 “Remdesivr has a clear cut significant positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery,” Fauci said at a corporate executive meeting at the White House.

 According to the New York Times, Remdesivr could be the first drug to be approved for the treatment of the coronavirus by the Food and Drug Administration, as there are no alternative drugs that have proven to be effective in treating the virus.

 The news of the treatment drug has sent positive signals to investors, with the S&P 500 gaining almost 3% in shares.

 Despite this, the World Health Organization has not yet made comments on the drug, saying that it is too early to see whether or not it will be effective in treating the virus.

Florida will reopen on Monday

 Governor Ron DeSantis plans to reopen Florida on Monday with hard-hit regions including Miami Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties remaining in lockdown.

 “The only thing we have to fear is letting fear overwhelm our sense of purpose and determination,” DeSantis said.

 The governor believes that the best way forward is to reopen the state in phases. The first phase, which will be executed on Monday, allowing small businesses such as restaurants and retail stores to operate at 25 percent indoor capacity. Schools will remain remote, visits to age care centers will still be prohibited. Bars, gyms, and other social venues will remain closed.

 Florida currently has almost 35,000 confirmed cases, and their testing still lags behind nationally.

 In contrast, New York, one of the worst-hit states by the coronavirus, does not plan to reopen until 30 percent of hospital beds and ICU beds are available after elective surgeries resume and that there is no significant increase in hospitalization and diagnostic testing around the state.

 Bill de Blasio causes outrage amongst the Jewish community in New York City

 New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio sparked outrage amongst the Jewish community in the city after condemning Hasidic funeral-goers on twitter for failing to follow social distancing guidelines.  About 2,500 ultra-Orthodox Jewish men were mourning the death of  Rabbi Chaim Mertz. They stood shoulder to shoulder and did not practice social distancing guidelines.

 “My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period,” the Mayor said on twitter.

 In response to the tweet, The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council called the mayor bigoted for generalizing and pointing fingers at an entire community over the mistakes of the mourners.

 “Even if no leader took a stance, it is bigoted to generalize a community; especially the same day that thousands of New Yorkers failed to social distance to watch a flyover.” The OJPAC said in a tweet.

Hey @NYCMayor, there are 1mil+ Jewish people in #NYC. The few who don’t social distance should be called out — but generalizing against the whole population is outrageous especially when so many are scapegoating Jews. This erodes the very unity our city needs now more than ever. https://t.co/jcYO9QQred

— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) April 29, 2020

 The Mayor  later apologized for his tweet during a press conference.

“People’s lives were in danger before my eyes and I was not going to tolerate it,” he said. “I regret if the way I said it in any way gave people a feeling of being treated the wrong way, that was not my intention. It was said with love, but it was tough love, it was anger and frustration.”

The post A glimmer of hope for treatment drug, Florida set to reopen and DeBlasio loses his cool in today’s news appeared first on Pavement Pieces.

MarkJoseph Steakhouse from Pavement Pieces on Vimeo.

The day after Superstorm Sandy ravaged across the Northeast, Raymond Gaissert pulled up to his Seaport restaurant in Lower Manhattan unsure what to expect.

“Our experience with Irene, we had very little water so we didn’t do a lot of prep for Sandy,” he said, “We didn’t think the water was gonna come up this far on Water Street.”

When Gaissert opened the door to MarkJoseph Steakhouse, he realized there was no way he could’ve prepared his restaurant for the damage it received.

“We had over 20 feet of water,” he said. “Our basement was totally flooded, we had over three feet of water in our dining room.”

The 27-year restaurant owner wasted no time rebuilding MarkJoseph. The city told residents and business owners not to pump out flooded water until Tuesday night. The next morning, Gaissert arrived to begin the long process of clean up. To his surprise, his employees were there as well.

Chefs put down their knives and picked up hard hats. Waiters and busboys went into the basement, wading in chest high sludge from the East River as they made sure the water pump stayed clear of food and bottles.

Gaissert said waiting for contractors or government funding wasn’t an option.

“The reason we got open so fast is because we didn’t wait for insurance,” he said. “I used my own money and I used my own employees.”

Working 20-hour days, Gaissert was able to keep most of his employees employed, even if it wasn’t the work they were used to. For those who went on unemployment, Gaissert paid the difference.

Thirty days and $200,000 worth of damage later, Gaissert and his employees had rebuilt MarkJoseph and were ready for re-opening day. But they were the only business on the block.

According to the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/10/nyregion/lower-manhattan-continues-to-grapple-
with-recovery.html?_r=1& thousands of small businesses are closed down, 10,000 jobs have been lost and 3,000 apartments are still unlivable in the Seaport area.

Many large corporations have relocated to midtown, a move Gaissert didn’t see coming.

“We thought that if we could open, the buildings would be open faster than we could,” he said. “We were wrong.”

Gaissert said most of his customers won’t be back until next spring, if then. But some still find their way to MarkJoseph.
Rich Williams, of Westchester County, said he was elated when he heard MarkJoseph was re-opening.

“I enjoy the camaraderie, I enjoy the friendship,” he said, “It’s my first night down here in six weeks, I couldn’t wait to come back.”

But most aren’t coming back. Gaissert said the restaurant is making about $5,000 a night. This time last year, the holiday season was bringing in around $25,000.

But he said he doesn’t regret rebuilding.

“My employees, tipped employees and people who work paycheck to paycheck is the reason we wanted to get our livelihood back very quickly,” said Gaissert.

For him, waiting until spring would’ve been the same as not re-opening at all. Looking forward, Gaissert says he knows a storm like Sandy will happen again and he’s not sure how to prepare.

“You can’t build a bubble around lower Manhattan,” he said.

But for now, MarkJoseph is open again. The Christmas lights shine bright on a dark street, a reminder that Seaport is rebuilding.

The post Seaport steakhouse reopens after Sandy’s destruction appeared first on Pavement Pieces.