It is truly an eerie feeling for anyone accustomed to attending arts and entertainment events around the community.
Actions designed to prevent community outbreaks and reduce the potential for spreading of COVID-19 have literally ground the out-of-home entertainment scene to a halt on Vancouver Island – from musical performances and theatre to opera, dance, visual arts and more.
Many people are starting to find things to keep themselves entertained, if not avoid getting cabin fever. Some involve activities at home, others take us out to the great outdoors.
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If you’re still looking for fresh ideas, we asked around and came up with a top-10 list to choose from (feel free to add your own ideas at the bottom of this story!)
- Go for more walks – The region has numerous trails and hiking areas, as well as flatter areas like the Galloping Goose Trail if you’re not as athletic. Want an extra challenge? Take a stick and garbage bag with you and pick up trash along your walk. And for bonus points, count the number of pieces like your FitBit counts your steps!
- Put together a gourmet picnic –With restaurants now offering only take-out service, order a meal from one of your favourite eateries and go have a picnic in a spot where you’ve got lots of space.
- Have a mini listening party – Dig out your old CDs and re-listen to them – records anyone? Do you still own a record player?
- Come blow your horn – Why not pick up that instrument you used to play in high school, or set down a while ago. You can find numerous tutorials on YouTube and other platforms, and digital sheet music. Getting reacquainted with your instrument may inspire or motivate you!
- Try out some new recipes – Expand your horizons when it comes to meal options. Get creative and if you have kids, get them involved in the mealmaking process. Why not give everyone a day of the week to pick a recipe or meal to prepare or suggest.
- Tour a museum – Take a virtual tour of some of the world’s great museums, from the British Museum in London and the Guggenheim in New York, to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum. Our own Royal BC Museum also has an online Learning Portal you can check out. Google your favourite museum to see if they offer similar virtual tours.
- Visit Broadway from home – Watch a filmed version of some of the most popular shows on Broadway, from Newsies (the Canadian College of Performing Arts’ version, its spring musical at the McPherson, was one of the casualties of COVID-19) to Rent, Cats and more.
- Travel from your easy chair – Still dreaming of that overseas getaway? You can binge watch YouTube travel videos from the likes of Rick Steeves, Michael Palin and others (go to youtube.com and search for Travelogues), to get a taste of where you might want to go next.
- Unread books on the shelf – We’ve all got books we’ve been meaning to read. Got through your bookshelf to find the most interesting titles and dig in! Or check out the treasure trove of online resources for e-books, music, movies, podcasts and more offered by Greater Victoria Public Library and the Vancouver Island Regional Library.
- Scan social media for bands – Check out your favourite musical artists’ web and social media pages to see whether they’re performing live streamed shows in place of scheduled concerts.
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editor@mondaymag.com
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