Forget the great outdoors.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has sent notice to 17 New York restaurants, telling them that that they will have to close their sidewalk seating areas unless they are willing to comply with the city’s zoning regulations.
“Please be advised you have 100 business days from and including May 1 to complete one of the following options,” the agency notified owners on April 29, reported the New York Post. The restaurants were given the options to get a “certified land survey” to show they’re operating on private property, file for a zoning exemption or surrender their permits.
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Getting tough with sidewalk cafes just as summer is on the horizon -- it's like they're actually trying to find ways to make urban life less civilized.
I enjoy eating outside, but only in moderation. It's a strange thing, but eating outside in a rural setting (i.e., on a picnic), seems rustic, and eating outside in a city somehow feels a little decadent. That's why I don't want to do it all that often. If I got used to it, I don't think there'd be the sense of self-indulgence that now comes with the experience.
