SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With the start of a new day comes what has become a morning ritual for Aziz Bellarbi-Salah.
As the owner of multiple restaurants, including Brasserie Capitale in downtown Sacramento, he's been monitoring COVID numbers closely.
"Oh yeah, I check everything," Bellarbi-Salah. "I wake up almost an hour earlier just to... I do the LA Times, Sacramento coronavirus page, the California Department of Public Health."
But it's not just COVID monitoring. He then moves onto weather, which proved exceptionally windy Monday -- a problem for restaurants like his with the stay-at-home order being recently lifted and customers returning to outside dining.
Finally, he checks protest news as just two blocks away from Brasserie Capitale stands the California Capitol, completely barricaded off and heavily guarded.
"I'm grateful to have the National Guard here," said Bellarbi-Salah. "I've got three guys, well actually six guys on 12 hours shifts, right in front of my wine bar at The Grand and 16 & L and I don't have to board that up."
Capitol Books is one of the other few businesses that remain open in downtown Sacramento.
"We feel like we're kind of the anchor of downtown these days because a lot of stores aren't open," said Capitol Books co-owner Heidi Rojek.
They've chosen not to board, and remain open, throughout both the pandemic and multiple protests that have gone through downtown. But a combo of California National Guard troops returning and potential protests is a reminder of the difficult times we've already faced this past year.
"It brings back a lot of memories like the other day just hearing the saws to put up the wood again, it's almost like PTSD from the first, the George Floyd riots," said Rojek.
But so far, only the heavy wind has blown through downtown -- no protesters -- but with Inauguration Day approaching, some are worried it's the calm before the storm.
"I'm not sure if it was a lot to do about nothing or the worst is yet to come," said Rojek.
Brasserie Capitale is planning on closing Wednesday on Inauguration Day, which to him is yet another day he must shut his doors to customers after a long year.
"What we've been saying in my industry, my colleagues, we call it restaurant whiplash," said Bellarbi-Salah. "Are we open? Are we closed?"
That's part of the reason why the California National Guard will remain in place until Wednesday to ensure peace and safety for both businesses, government buildings and the California Capitol in the event there is unrest.
The owner of Denis' Country Kitchen in Lodi has reopened indoor dining service despite orders.
