Whoa! What a crazy week in America. I needed a valium to get some sleep on Tuesday night.

I’m not an American citizen so I can’t vote, but neither Trump nor Biden seemed like ideal candidates to me. Nevertheless, based on the polls, I thought Biden was going to win this in a landslide and we’d know the results by Tuesday night or Wednesday latest.

I still believe Biden will eke out a victory but what a bust for Democrats that the much-touted blue wave turned out to be such a dud. So much for pollsters.

But this is not a political blog, so I’ll just stay in my lane and offer the 10 observations and experiences that got my mind off the mess we’re currently in. Here’s hoping it will do the same for you.

Scroll down to get started.

1. HALLOWEEN WAS AMAZING and bodes WELL FOR Thanksgiving and Christmas

I had zero expectations for Halloween but it turned out to be THE best event of the year. And I’m not the only one who felt that way. I spoke to several friends around the country and they all said the same thing. “Pandemic Halloween” turned out to be a fabulous local affair with whole neighborhoods getting in on the act with super creative, over-the-top decorations, and costumes.

Expect more of the same, if not more, for Christmas.

I’m looking for a huge uptick in seasonal decorations and it’s going to start way early – well before Thanksgiving!

• Bigger Christmas trees
• More elaborate decorations
• Shopping for decorations starting now!
• More – but smaller – get-togethers
• Only “Pod” parties this year. NO company Christmas parties.

“This will be the biggest Christmas year ever on record.”

Larry Gurino, House of Holidays, Ozone Park, Queens

And it’s happening around the world (Source: Yahoo UK)

• Britons are already cheering themselves up with creative advent calendars
• Sales of Christmas trees and Christmas cards are expected to soar this year as 5 million Brits who generally travel over the holidays stay put this winter.
• The British Christmas Tree Growers Association predicts that 2020 will be its busiest ever year.
• Retailers are also reporting Christmas card sales are above last year already.

2. Two Fashion brands on fire!

adidas lotta volkova jumpsuit – launched in August. Sold out!

Charlotte Dutoit of Just Kids was rocking this on Instagram. I had never heard of Lotta Volkova but quickly found out that she is an influential Balenciaga stylist. This Adidas collab is her version of a “Zoom uniform.” It’s $220 which is a bit spendy but looks so cool.

Moncler on Madison Avenue, NYC

I noticed people waiting in line outside of Moncler on the eve of the elections. Stores in the neighborhood were being feverishly boarded up (including Moncler), but nevertheless, a huge line of people waited to get in to shop. Crazy! And it was the only store in the neighborhood busy with shoppers.

3. The post-pandemic consumer (Source: Pymnts) – SOLID READ!!

1. Contactless. 66% of Americans want to shop contactlessly with delivery the leading capability, followed by curbside pickup (58%). Surprisingly, fewer than 25% are into mobile wallets.
2. 17% have no savings whatsoever. 30% have less than $2,500 stashed away for emergencies.
3. Voice-activated devices have doubled over the past three years (over 30% own voice assistants today, compared to 14% in 2017).
4. Digital First. 84 million U.S. consumers representing $1 trillion of sales will shift their retail shopping to digital-first channels. 35 million will move their grocery shopping to digital-first.
5. They’re worried About Infecting Others (But Not Themselves). 71% are worried about making their family or friends sick vs. 42% who are concerned they themselves might die.
6. Shopping Trips Are Becoming A Thing Of The Past. Consumers are increasingly shopping using voice assistants while doing other activities, e.g., 14% make voice-assisted purchases while doing the dishes, 12% while cleaning the house, 12% while watching TV, and 11% while cooking meals.
7. The pandemic is here for the long haul. Americans originally thought COVID-19 was going to last about five months. As of September, they estimate they’ll still be dealing with it by 2H 2021.
8. Digital, touchless offerings. It’s what 70 million Americans look for when selecting a merchant.
9. Vaccine. 38% report the primary thing they’ll need to get back to normal will be a vaccine’s wide availability vs. 6% who said that an easing of government restrictions would be their primary cue to resume old habits.

4. Amazon taps Merchants Fleet for Last-Mile Delivery

Two weeks ago I noticed a shiny, new Merchants Fleet truck parked on my street with a group of people in Amazon-branded jackets loading a dozen or so hand trucks with items then delivered to households around the neighborhood. I didn’t think too much about it. Then it happened again this weekend. And I just saw the same thing on the Upper West Side.

I googled Merchants Fleet and discovered it is a New Hampshire, family-run business and Amazon is one of their top clients.

Companies like Amazon have created a culture of immediacy. In the U.S. alone, there are over 112 million Amazon Prime members, all of whom expect free two-day shipping on their orders (or in some areas, even one day or same-day shipping).

Merchants Fleet Website

A further search of the MerchantsFleet website provided the following trends on last mile delivery:

• 53% of shipping and transportation costs come from last-mile delivery.
• Drones, Robots, and Self-Driving Vehicles are industry game-changers. In California, a pilot program involving Nuro, a self-driving delivery vehicle, and Kroger, the largest supermarket chain in the U.S., is underway. This technology would help solve the delivery driver shortage, while also making 24/7/365 deliveries possible.
• Last Mile Technology Solutions: Vehicles equipped with telematics and GPS tracking technology provide valuable insights into fleet operations including route optimizations for quicker deliveries, and ensure that vehicles are kept up to date on maintenance to maximize uptime.

How’s amazon doing otherwise? (Source: the motley fool)

1. Net sales: $96.1 billion. Top-line sales rose 37% year over year, the largest revenue number in Amazon’s history.
2. Earnings: up 192%. Amazon’s bottom line tripled compared to the year-ago period.
3. Capital expenses: up 190%. In the 3Q, Amazon spent $9.8 billion on shipping and warehouse infrastructure, up from $3.4 billion in the year-ago period and $6.6 billion in the second quarter. (See MerchantFleets above)
4. 350,000 new jobs in four months. These are full-time titles with health insurance, access to a 401(k) plan, and a minimum wage of $15 per hour.
5. 1.13 million full-time employees. Only Walmart still outweighs Amazon with more than 2.2 million workers worldwide, but the list of bigger employers is growing short.

5. Cow Cuddling: the new wellness trend for stressful times

It started in the Netherlands but now you can get some cow hugging if you’re in Phoenix. Not all cows are into hugging, mind you, so don’t just go running off to hug any old cow you happen to see in a field. Psychologists are even starting to refer their patients for cuddle cow therapy. Supposedly, it lowers cholesterol and lessens anxiety. It’s $50 for an hour-long hug session and some cow hugging sanctuaries are booked 2 months out.

6. DRIVE-INTO EXPERIENCES (Source: Hollywood Gothique, welikela.com)

The entertainment world is embracing the drive-in/thru experience for everything from Netflix shows to movies, concerts, benefits, and art exhibitions.

Netflix’s The Stranger Things: The Drive-Into Experience runs from 6 pm to 9:45 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays; 6 pm to 10:45 pm on Fridays & Saturdays. There’s also a “VIP experience” which takes place in a car wash converted to a photo booth. The whole thing goes down in the multi-level garage at ROW DTLA. It’s been so successful, the schedule has been extended until February 28 with many dates already sold out.

Netflix is also using this drive-into experience to promote Season 4 of the show.

Tickets are on sale for the Stranger Things Drive-Into Experience from Netflix, Fever, and Secret Cinema now, though it’s mostly sold out through February 2021. Tickets start at $59 for Standard Access, which gets you the immersive experience and access to the Hawkins portal. VIP tickets start at $120 and also include fast track entry and a mystery box of swag, snacks, and non-alcoholic drinks. 

7. City Winery – NYC’s largest wine bar now open at Pier 57 in Chelsea

City Winery is not 100% operational yet but a great spot to hang with friends, sample some wines, and get a bite to eat. And the views are to die for (see below). Note: It has more of a beer hall vibe than a typical wine bar.

If you do stop by here, make sure you sit by the windows facing the Hudson River (or out on the deck, weather permitting). That’s where you’ll get absolutely amazing views of the still under construction Little Island project (designed by Thomas Heatherwick and funded by Barry Diller).

8. French Cheese Board Brings Back In-Person Events

FINALLY!! After 8 months, The French Cheese Board hosted its first “in-person” event at its lovely store in Soho.  The theme was “Celebrate the Fall Harvest.” Chef Robert Ramsey did a cooking demo and we sampled a sublime Croziflette made with reblochon cheese and “crozets” (a pasta made from buckwheat that had to be specially flown in from France).

Covid Protocols included:

• A very limited guest list restricted to 8 people versus the typical 30 or more
• Social distance spacing
• No helping yourself or buffet-style anything – everything was plated for us individually
• Mask wearing at all times unless eating or drinking

Kudos to Laura Baddish, The French Cheese Board, Chef Robert Ramsey, and to all my fellow attendees for an exceptional evening.

9. Foodie Magician (Josh Beckerman): Follow him on Instagram!!

I know Josh (by sight) through Ludlow House. Our schedules were similar and I could tell from all the people stopping by to chat with him that he was well-connected and fun! Then covid hit and Ludlow House shut down (temporarily) and Josh was out of sight and out of mind.

But then:

Totally randomly, while dining at Peasant and posting to Instagram, a really entertaining post popped up from the #foodiemagician tagging Marc Forgione (the owner/chef of Peasant). I started following Josh immediately and that’s when I also realized I knew him from Ludlow House.

He’s out and about several times a day checking out new restaurants and new menu items (surprisingly, a lot of new restaurants are opening). He’s extremely knowledgeable about food but it’s his delivery of the info on Instagram stories that is so outstanding. He’s a riot. One of my favorite Instagrammers.

He’s associated with the Celebrity Chef Network and for $10-$20K, you can get him for one of your corporate gigs. He’s got 80K followers on Instagram and totally deserves all the accolades coming his way. One of the best social media influencers on my radar.

10. What has the pandemic made die-hard New Yorkers 100% appreciate about the city?

Many people (especially young families) escaped to the suburbs back in March. Some of us, however, stuck it out because we couldn’t/wouldn’t flee NYC at any time but certainly not in its moment of need.

And it looks like we have been rewarded for our steadfastness as the city blossoms in a way few of us could have imagined.

What I’m most grateful for, 8 months in, is the amazing outdoor dining scene that has cropped up (terrific even on the coldest of days!). It’s also such a treat to experience the city with only the locals present! It makes for a much friendlier city. While a lot of my friends have taken to exploring the city on foot as a form of exercise, I’ve renewed my passion for citibike. And I’m especially thrilled to be able to get together again with my friends in-person. FaceTime and Zoom were invaluable in keeping us connected but now I only want to stay in touch virtually when I absolutely have to, i.e., with friends who live in other parts of the country.

In preparing this post, I asked a few of my friends (who were just as unwavering about staying put in NYC as I was), what they’ve loved most about the city during these pandemic times. Thank you to all those who responded (see below for a sampling of their comments).

I appreciate my Brooklyn neighborhood more than ever. My community of Carroll Gardens is strong and family-oriented so I took great comfort in being here. I love long walks around the neighborhood and feel like people made an extra effort to decorate for Halloween which is so great!!

Sheri Radel Rosenberg, Brooklyn

Since outdoor dining is the new normal, I’ve really enjoyed watching restaurants get creative. I am much more inclined to go sit out at a place that’s put in real effort to design a concept. I love how Jason at the Immigrant built his summer “oasis” with plants and jungle theme accessories, and now that it’s fall, he’s built a wooden, enclosed “log cabin”- with heat lamps and rustic lights and stained wooden accessories.

Really makes the dining experience more FUN!

Amanda Dolan, Greenwich Village, NYC

Less crowded city streets. I feel like I can finally see the city without all the tourists.

People are much more friendly- they are almost forced to because it’s hard to see people’s expressions. 

Jenn OK, Long Island City, NY

My COVID buddies! Those people that have been here through all of this and have made living through it manageable. From our friends a few blocks away who have dropped off baked goods to meeting you and Lily for our Sunday walks. We have formed a weird COVID family!

Richard Degnan, Harlem, NYC

Meeting people in group zoom chats satisfied my need for social engagement during the first month of lockdown. Some of my new acquaintances sprouted into relationships as we broke from quarantine to explore fun things in the city.  

Joseph Stadelmaier, UES, NYC

Green-Wood Cemetery: Always one of my favorite places in New York, I walk through with a renewed appreciation for what it offers the present moment. Friendly guards. Sparse crowds. Wild parrots! Honey bees! Fascinating historical monuments. Sweeping views of the city. And a gorgeous, conservation-minded landscape. Maybe it’s because I always visit cemeteries when I’m abroad, it weirdly reminds me of Europe–a nice feeling. 

Michael Quinn, Brooklyn

And that’s a wrap

What a crazy, crazy week! Fingers crossed we will have a positive outcome on the presidential election soon!

Today I am checking out About Time: Fashion and Duration at the MET – will write about it next week. And this Saturday I am excited to be invited to a birthday picnic on Randall’s Island. The weather is expected to be sublime!

Hang in there, my friends. This too will pass.