{Culture Club}: Indulge Your Stay at Home with Travel, Broadway, Art and More!

Photo Credit: Departures

If phrases like, "climbing the walls" "going stir crazy" and "bored in the house" resonate with you these days, you're not alone.  While the impacts of quarantine life are affecting everyone differently, there are some effects that are likely universal.

Beyond the desire to gather, socialize, embrace and simply 'be' in uninhibited ways of days gone by, there's also the desire--dare I say need--to keep in touch with the creative sides of life.  And with that, I aim to help.

Travel and the arts have always been significant in my life and sense of personal fulfillment, so finding ways to fill the voids as best as possible from the inner sanctum of my home proffers a new infusion of life from the outside world, making the continued time indoors less escape-worthy and more stay-worthy.

If Broadway, the Opera, Museums, walks through Disney's Magic Kingdom, U.S. National Parks and the Australian Outback, Zoo Exhibits, Salsa Lessons, Hotel Scenes, and the like, suit your fancy, you'll want to take in some, or all, of the current offerings available to the public. Excited yet?

Opera~
I attended my first opera many, many years ago while vacationing in Nice, France--and it's safe to say I was smitten (and hooked) from that time until now.  Taking in the opera would continue to dot my travels during future stays in Florence, Italy and Paris, France--and I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to take in The Metropolitan Opera right from my living room in the days ahead.  Enjoy nightly opera streams from the Met, featuring classics ranging from Mozart to French masterpieces and more.

Broadway~
A child of the performing arts, who eventually dipped my toe in the community theater pond for an unforgettable (to me) stint, theater--Broadway, particularly, speaks to everything that I love about the arts: song, dance, acting, production, grandeur, storytelling and so on.  So now that my Broadway and local theater outings are on hold, watching from home has become the next best thing.  Cue offerings from iconic British composer Andrew Lloyd Weber that stream every Friday. Each full-length feature begins at 2 p.m. ET and remains accessible for the next 48 hours--just in time for weekend indulgence.  And there's more.  From BroadwayHD, to Netflix, to Amazon Prime, more productions are simply a click away.

Culture, culture and more culture~
I'm a card carrying member of the culture club (aka the art, travel, historical and beyond experiences that immerse the mind, body and soul in stimulating, exciting experiences.) And I happen to have landed upon a collection of 30 experiences ranging from purveyors such as Disney, U.S. National Parks, Tourism Boards, Museums, Zoos and more! Who knows? You may never want to leave your couch again. 

Museums~
There's no way to adequately describe Google Arts and Culture Museum at Home curation of art from museums spanning the globe; you'll really just have to see it for yourself.  And let me just say that as an avid museum lover and patron, you will see renowned exhibitions and art works that might otherwise require a near lifetime to digest in person.

Virtual Vacations~
If you're a travel lover, then it's safe to surmise that you'd welcome the opportunity to travel freely again--absorbing destinations, sights, scenes, and creating memories, that will linger long after you're gone.  If I'm right, then you're going to like what comes next.  From Italy, to Mexico, Malibu, Ireland, St. Barths, and Israel, take a (virtual) vacation to soothe your senses and reinvigorate your appetite for travel once the outdoors are fully reopen again.

Allow these experiences to make the continued days of quarantine more enjoyable (and durable), as we continue our commitment to stay home and stay safe.

Happy (and Safe) Living! 

  

{Be Inspired}: Work + Play

I recently spent a few consecutive weeks traveling to one of my favorite "homes away from home", New York City.  But rather than my usual leisure-only excursions, these trips were (mostly) business in nature.  I say mostly because when I'm in NYC, I can never do without some measure of play--and inspiration!  And NYC is always faithful to serve it up in quintessential Big Apple Style.  In this new installment of my BeInspired! series, I dish up the everyday inspirations that  captured my attention and affection.

From a lunch stroll around Central Park to an evening of theater on Broadway to a few good eats around the city to the all-around insatiable energy that is the signature of the concrete jungle, I love finding inspiration in the everyday--the life-as-usual routine that still manages to deliver new beauty, wonder, discoveries, reflection and excitement, as if it's anything but.  

So here's to work and play...via my most recent NYC inspirations.

Midtown Cityscape

Horse and Carriage sightings in front of Central Park

Serene Central Park View

From Day to Night: Ready for Broadway

An awesome production & my favorite keepsake

Wonderful array of spices at Chelsea Market

  Happy Eating & Inspired Living!

Summer in the City (NYC, That Is)

I recently returned from my latest jaunt to NYC and, as always, the Big Apple drew me in with its insatiable energy, food, people, art, fashion and more of the things I truly enjoy.  From lunch at Rockefeller Center (street food fare done right) to a phenomenal Broadway show to an exhibit at The New York Public Library to late night jazz at Lincoln Center to brunch in Soho to Fifth Avenue shopping to Futbol (Soccer) at Chelsea Piers to a stroll along The High Line to a Gospel Brunch and Museum visit Uptown in Harlem (along with a few moments of sleep interspersed here and there) there was never a dull moment.  I happily rejoined the ranks of The City That Never Sleeps once more.

It was a superb time in every way imaginable--with big doses of reconnecting with special people, noshing on delectable eats from vegan falafels to homemade linguine to fried chicken and Swedish meatballs, enjoying the finest displays of art and entertainment and scoring a few good finds on the shopping front.  Even the weather was kind.  I adore the city's ability to become as massive or as intimate as you desire, along with the rich diversity of people, cultures, cuisines and outlets for creative expression. 

NYC never disappoints--and whenever I have to depart, I'm always anticipating my next visit.  There's so much to devour in this great city that it's impossible to fit it all in no matter how often you visit.  New horizons always await and favorite 'repeats' always beckon; I can't wait to get back!

So here's to Happy Living--filled with Happy Eating, Travels and much more!