Where we live in Vancouver, we are now entering our 3rd wave. Many provinces in Canada are heading back into lockdown and we know a lot of people are in the same position in different parts of the world. It’s important we do our part to keep the virus and its dangerous variants under control, and so we once again find ourselves looking for creative ways to entertain ourselves while staying safe.

Today we’re sharing our top 8 tips for getting through this home stretch:

Find Quiet Outdoor Spaces

There are still plenty of activities to do outside safely either by yourself or with your core bubble (distanced and/or masked). If you’re finding your usual outdoor spots are overcrowded, you might need to get creative and look for some lesser-known parks and green spaces nearby. Go for a nature walk, play a game of tennis, do an outdoor workout, go hiking, have a park picnic, or try rollerblading! Getting some fresh air and connecting with nature is a great way to lift your spirits during these tough months.

Catch Up on Award Season Films

If you’re staying home and you need something new to watch, there are so many great films out right now! Many of them are available on subscription streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Crave. Some of our must-see recommendations from this past year include Promising Young Woman, Judas and the Black Messiah, Nomadland, One Night in Miami, Minari, Pieces of a Woman, Sound of Metal, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Send Some Snail Mail

One perk of knowing friends and family aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, is you know they’ll be home to receive a card or letter in the mail. Bonus points if the letter is hand written or you make the card yourself! At this point it feels like we’re all getting a bit tired of FaceTime and Zoom, so why not send something special in the mail to brighten someone else’s day.

Cook or Bake Something New

After 12 months at home we’ve definitely tired of our go-to Uber Eats orders, so we’ve been working on getting more creative in the kitchen lately with exciting new recipes. Try looking up a recipe for something you wouldn’t normally make, and give it a try! YouTube is a really great resource if you need some ideas or a little extra guidance. Some of the new meals we’ve tried lately are vegan “beef” bourguignon, vegetable coconut curry, and plantain and black bean burrito bowls!

Listen to Music

When was the last time you just sat and listened to music? Like actually listened? The other day we cuddled on the couch and sang along to a 90s playlist on Spotify and it was so much fun. We loved listening to all the songs from our childhood that are burned into our memories, and it really helped get our minds off of everything for a little while. Highly recommend this activity as it’s something none of us do nearly enough!

Do Some Online Vintage Shopping

One of the things we really miss doing this year is going to thrift shops in person. It’s so much fun to sift through vintage clothing and find all the gems! Luckily there are some great online thrift stores like Poshmark and Thred Up where you can find all kinds of cool vintage items from the safety of your home. Online consignment is a great way to shop secondhand and we’ve had so many great finds! If you aren’t able to go out to the shops where you live, this is a great alternative.

Re-Decorate and Re-Organize Your Living Space

One of the the things that has really helped us over this past year is keeping our home a space that is cozy, productive, organized, and energizing. We’ve done everything from painting, to building furniture, putting up artwork, and ordering lots of plants. If we’re going to be stuck here at home, it’s really important that this is a space that we enjoy! There are so many things you can do to spruce up your home, even on a really small budget. Sometimes just moving things around and re-organizing your belongings can make your space feel fresh. Find some inspiration on Pinterest and map out a few projects to focus on each month!

Chat With New Friends on Clubhouse

Clubhouse is a new audio only social media app, where you can rest your typing fingers and just chat with like-minded individuals in different rooms. Topics range from photography, to travel, to LGBTQ+ safe spaces, and more! Clubhouse is currently available for iPhone users and is invite only as it’s still fairly new, but it’s a great way to connect with people during this time of isolation. (If anyone needs an invite you can shoot us an email and we can help you get set up!).

We hope you’re all hanging in there, and hopefully this list gives you some ideas on how to keep yourself entertained and feeling your best during these tough months. This is such a crucial time in the pandemic, and if we can all stay the course we can get through it!

If you missed our list at the beginning of the pandemic, you can check it out here.

What are some of your favourite activities to keep your spirits up right now? Let us know in the comments!

The post Our Tips for Getting Through the Home Stretch of this Pandemic appeared first on Lez See the World.

Stream Broadway Musicals and Plays

Broadway HD has an incredible line up of plays and musicals available to stream. They have a 7 day free trial you can take advantage of to get your broadway fix!

PBS is also streaming broadway productions for their Broadway’s Best event. They also have a plethora of other incredible content available for stream, including a collection called Great Performances with incredible orchestra and opera performances. Other specials that are worth checking out are the Black Culture Connection, a collection of stories and films highlighting Black history and culture, and Rise Up: Songs of the Women’s Movement. Subscriptions are available for $5 per month or $60 annually. Please note, PBS content is only available in the US, however a VPN will allow you to watch from anywhere.

Youtube also has a collection of streaming musicals to buy or rent such as  Billy Elliot the Musical, Into the Woods, Newsies, and free streams such as Rent.

The MET Opera is also doing nightly streams of the iconic Opera performances from their collection. The performances stay up for 20 hours from the time they’re released, so be sure to check out the schedule!

On the Boards offers more obscure theatre and dance ranging from experimental pop operas to contemporary dance films. They are offering free streaming until the end of April! According to their press release, here’s how you can access content for free:

• Choose a performance on www.ontheboards.tv
• Pick the 48-hour rental option, then add to your cart (you can do this with as many films as you like)
• Go to checkout
• Enter your name and email address
• Use the promo code ARTATHOME20

Join the Virtual Show Tune Sing Along Party at Marie’s Crisis

One of our favourite spots in NYC is a tiny gay piano bar called Marie’s Crisis. The basement bar is packed nightly with theatre enthusiasts who belt out show tunes with the accompaniment of a talented staff pianist. Since gatherings in the city have been banned, the staff at Marie’s Crisis have been live streaming nightly sing along parties! To get into the party, simply join their Facebook group and catch the live stream from 4pm – 9:30pm Eastern. Also, be sure to check out this article to find the pianist schedule and Venmo info so you can still tip!

Take Virtual Museum and Gallery Tours

Google Arts and Culture has teamed up with hundreds of iconic museums and galleries to bring the spaces to us while we can’t go to them. Now you can visit the MET, the British Museum, MOMA, the Van Gogh Museum, the Tate, the Smithsonian, Anne Frank House, the V&A, the AGO, Museo Reina Sofia, and many others from the comfort of your home!

“Hang Out” With Friends and Family on a Video Conference Call

Since we can’t gather in person, why not connect digitally? Zoom offers a free video conferencing plan for calls up to 40 minutes long. In February they lifted the 40 minute cap for people in China, so hopefully they will do the same for customers worldwide.

Order Take-Out from Your Favourite Restaurants

The number of restaurants available to order from via delivery services like Skip the Dishes, DoorDash, Foodora, and Uber Eats, has been growing immensely through all this as establishments are looking for ways to continue serving their customers. These delivery services are taking extra measures to ensure the health and safety of everyone, including no-contact deliveries becoming the default. If you’ve never used these services before, be sure to sign up by clicking on the links above and you’ll get a discount on your first order!

Borrow Free Digital Books from Your Public Library

Many public libraries have extensive digital collections in addition to their physical ones. The Vancouver Public Library has a wonderful catalog of e-books, audiobooks, digital magazines and other resources such as the Lynda tutorial series, which has amazing courses on photo and video software. The Toronto Public Library also has an incredible digital library as well as online book clubs and resources for small businesses. If you’re a resident of NY State, you can apply for a virtual library card and borrow e-books and audiobooks from the New York Public Library’s massive collection. Sadly, since their branches are currently closed, there is no way for non-residents to take advantage of their 3 month visitor card, but if you live in New York this is a great perk! Be sure to check out your local library websites to see if they have similar programs!

Take an Online Fitness or Dance Class

With gyms and studios closed, many trainers and instructors have taken their classes online! You can take dance classes with Debbie Allen, do a yoga class with Adriene or Boho Beautiful, follow a circuit training workout with Performance Institute on Facebook live, or a HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout with FITSQR on Instagram.

Virtually Ride the Rides at Disneyland and Disneyworld

Let’s be honest, this is a good resource for any time! Check out this collection of Disney ride videos!

Watch Aquarium Live Streams

What’s cuter than sea otters floating hand in hand while they nap? And what’s cooler than watching sharks swim around? If you’re at the point where all you can handle is watching animal videos, then check out the Sea Otter Cam at the Vancouver Aquarium and the Shark Cam at the Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto!

We hope that everyone is hanging in there, wherever you are in the world. Hoping you all stay safe and healthy while we wait this out. Sending our love! If you have any other suggestions, please leave them in the comments below.

The post 9 At-Home Activities to Get You Through Self Isolation  appeared first on Lez See the World.