Gov. Gavin Newsom isn't the only one who couldn't turn down an invitation to a birthday party at the French Laundry amid a global pandemic.
The San Francisco Chronicle broke the story Tuesday that Mayor London Breed attended a similar affair at the much-lauded restaurant in California's Napa Valley the night after the governor.
Eight people, including the mayor, dined together at a small birthday party for a friend on Nov. 7, Andy Lynch, press director for the Office of the Mayor, told SFGATE.
The friend was socialite Gorretti Lo Lui, who was celebrating her 60th birthday, The Chronicle reported.
Newsom drew criticism for flouting his own guidelines and attending the French Laundry soirée on Nov. 6, and Breed may face similar questions about why she's socializing while telling city residents to stay home and avoid gatherings.
In the age of COVID-19, a big question is whether the mayor dined outdoors or indoors where the coronavirus spreads more easily, and Lynch described the table the group shared as "open air." The Chronicle, on the other hand, said it was similar to the indoor-outdoor room where Newsom ate on Nov. 6.
Either way, Breed wouldn't have been technically breaking the health order around dining as Napa was in the orange tier at the time, with both indoor and outdoor dining allowed. San Francisco was in the least restrictive yellow tier.
What's more, at the time, while health officials strongly urged against gatherings, the state didn't release its official guidelines limiting gathering to no more than three households until Nov. 13. Lynch didn't comment on how many households were represented in Breed's party.
The state of California offers guidance to restaurants around seating groups, but its general advice and says, "Limit the number of patrons at a single table to a household unit or patrons who have asked to be seated together."
Finally, another question is, why did the mayor have to leave her county for a meal? Since the start of the pandemic the state has discouraged against traveling between counties.
Although the mayor may have dined out when the pandemic was less severe in early October, her office said she will stop doing so, as cases have spiraled in recent weeks.
"During the recent period when San Francisco's numbers were lower than they are today, the Mayor visited a number of restaurants in San Francisco to support them safely during this pandemic, but she has always been cautious when she is dining out," Lynch wrote. "Now, with cases rising, and Bay Area counties moving back into the purple tier, she is once again limiting her actions and is encouraging all San Franciscans to do the same.”
December 02, 2020 at 09:54AM
https://www.sfgate.com/news/editorspicks/article/French-Laundry-French-Laundry-London-Breed-Newsom-15767882.php
San Francisco Mayor London Breed also dined at French Laundry - SFGate
https://news.google.com/search?q=Laundry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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