Plant sales to digital dance classes – how to stay occupied this weekend
Weekends are looking very different now. While we would normally use this story to tell you about what’s on across the Gold Coast, we are (for the first time in forever) urging you to stay at home. Though, it doesn’t have to be boring! Sure, these are some unsettling times, but the best thing you can do is stay positive, and keep your mind and body occupied – and we’re here to help! The Weekend Edition team is also at home right now – and we know what it’s like to feel cooped up – so we’ve come up with a bunch of ways to maximise your time this weekend. We want you to fill up your days with goodness, creativity and a little bit of magic. That way, you simply won’t have time for those boring jobs around the house – because, who wants to fix a toilet-roll holder when you can learn swing dancing in your lounge room?
LOCAL GOODNESS: things happening on the Gold Coast right now
For essential items like food, the supermarkets are pretty daunting right now. So, if you have to stock up this weekend, consider supporting local grocers and delis on the Gold Coast – this list of local grocers that are open for businesses will help you out. There are local food markets still running this weekend – there’s The Burleigh Market on Saturday, the Organic Gold Coast Farmers Market will be on in Miami on Sunday, as will the Lavelle Street Markets in Nerang.
A bunch of Gold Coast locals are hosting virtual events to keep you thoroughly entertained during self-isolation and quarantine. Dreamy duo Chrissy and Ray from swing-dance school Swing On In are hosting digital dance classes (on various days) so you can learn to do the jitterbug in the comfort of your home! Local songstress Ella Fence is hosting Saturday Nights at Home – a private weekly Facebook show where you can sooth your mind with her tunes, performed live. You can also tune into live acoustic sets with Rory Switzer, frontman of Gold Coast’s popular band Loose Leaf, for some fresh indie-pop live via Instagram on Friday night. Local lad Casey Barnes is also dishing up the tunes with his weekly Bathroom Sessions, which you can tune into via Facebook.
Be sure to support your local restaurants and cafes where you can – the ones that are open have completely overhauled their operations to offer takeaway meals, available to (safely) pick up for via contactless delivery. Check out our round-up here for some ideas of what to eat this weekend! The best part? Licensed venues can also serve you takeaway booze – so you can grab a bottle of wine from your local while you’re at it!
MAXIMISE YOUR ISOLATION: fun things to do (indoors) this weekend
Listen to local artists sing some sweet tunes for Isol-aid: Following a successful first weekend of live-streamed tunes from some of our favourite homegrown musos, Isol-aid is back this Saturday with the likes of Jen Cloher, EGOISM, Loose Toot and Emily Wurramara all making an appearance. Follow the Isol-aid Facebook page for up-to-date info on performing artists and set times.
Take a virtual trip to the zoo: To bring a little bit of joy to Australians (and the world), Zoos Victoria has begun live streaming its animals at Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Its #AnimalsAtHome initiative means that you can jump to the website at any time of day or night and catch the action live from a bunch of the zoo’s enclosures. Check out the live streams here but be warned – once you start, you can’t stop.
Shop up a storm at this plant pop-up sale: Keen to stock up on some greenery? Well you’re in luck, as The Jungle Collective is going virtual this weekend! The virtual pop-up shop can be accessed through the Jungle Collective website and will be running from Saturday 8:00 am until Sunday 8:00 pm only. Delivery will be the following weekend from April 4–5. Psst … for VIP access to the online store from 8:00–9:00 am this Saturday, book a ticket here.
Tune into Quaran-Tina Arena: Aussie songstress Tina Arena has transformed her Instagram into Quaran-Tina Arena, posting coronavirus updates and hosting Instagram lives. Stay tuned by following her on Instagram – she promises more quarantine content soon.
Tour world-class museums and art galleries from home: For those who are self distancing but are still craving a dose of creative goodness, there are 2500 world-class museums and galleries that are now offering virtual tours and online collections, so you can curate your next cultural outing from the comforts of your lounge room. From cultural hotspots such as New York to Berlin and Amsterdam, there’s a huge list of museum and art galleries that offer virtual tours. Check them out here.
Test your knowledge from home with Isolation Trivia: For those looking to exercise their brain whilst staying inside, The Man vs Bear team will be live streaming Isolation Trivia via Facebook this Friday night at 6:30 pm. All you have to do is virtually gather your quick-thinking team mates, tune in and get ready to dominate.
Have a crack at baking: When one thinks of comfort food, our minds tend to wander to baked goods. The generous crew at nodo know that with Easter coming up, you’ve probably got a hankering for a hot cross bun (or three), and have kindly shared their delicious hot cross bun recipe over at the nodo website. If baking just ain’t your cup of tea, then you can order a batch of these bad boys online or in-store. If you’re not indulging in baked good for personal reasons, you can watch some Bon Appétit videos on YouTube – trust us, you’ll be recreating Bobby Flay’s macaroni and cheese carbonara in no time.
Watch your fave singers and DJs perform straight from their living room: Everyone from Diplo to Christine and the Queens and John Legend are performing concerts for you to enjoy from the comforts of your couch. Need a new tune to wash your hands too? Check out this clip from Neil Diamond.
Follow Arnold Schwarzenegger on Instagram: If anyone is making this self-isolation thing look fun, its the former governor of California. Between smoking cigars and feeding his miniature ponies Whiskey and Lulu, Arnie is truly living the high life. Chuck him a follow here – you won’t regret it.
Shop local (from the comfort of your couch): The Village Markets is hosting its first-ever Insta Market this weekend! Grab your phone and jump to TVM’s Instagram stories across the weekend to see fashion brands, jewellery, accessories, lifestyle products, art and homewares showcased from a range of brands across the country. Expect special deals, one-off discounts and exclusive online access to roll out across this Friday, Saturday and Sunday (March 27–29). Settle in for a shopping spree!
For the most recent updates on the coronavirus crisis (as well as the feel-good stories surrounding it), head to our rolling coverage here.
To find out more about what’s on in the Gold Coast, head to our Event Guide.
