For all those armchair wanderlusters, we are here to provide you with sufficient global culture and items to add to your travel wish list. And there is no time like the present to create those bucket lists, make the most of your time at home, and stock up on need to knows before you start travelling again.
All industries across travel to food to culture have had a knock, but we are here to ensure they bounce back once it is safe. So take a step back and take a look at where you really want to go, and this week’s hotlist is here to keep the travel dream alive! We’re in this together…
WATCH THIS The Metropolitan Opera in New York
Last week, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, a pioneer for online streaming, announced it will stream encore performances of some of its most famed shows to the public starting on Monday, March 16 — and it will all be completely free.
So you can still get your dose of culture straight to your home. While watching its back catalog online is no substitute for seeing a live performance, the Met is especially competent at capturing and presenting a stage show on screen. The “Nightly Met Opera Streams” will begin at 7:30 pm each night on the Met’s homepage and will remain available via the homepage of metopera.org for 20 hours. The performance will also be available on the Met Opera’s On-Demand apps.
Here’s the announced lineup for the first week:
Monday, March 16: Bizet’s Carmen (from January 16, 2010)
Tuesday, March 17: Puccini’s La Bohème (from April 5, 2008)
Wednesday, March 18:Verdi’s Il Trovatore (from October 3, 2015)
Thursday, March 19: Verdi’s La Traviata (from December 15, 2018)
Friday, March 20: Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment (from April 26, 2008)
Saturday, March 21: Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor (from February 7, 2009)
Sunday, March 22: Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin (from February 24, 2007)
DO THIS Beeja Meditation
Beeja Meditation launches an initiative designed to support people with mental health problems associated with self-isolation as COVID-19 continues to spread, to give users the tools needed to bolster their sense of self-connection and ease the anxiety which the sudden loss of human contact and indefinite quarantine are likely to produce.
“Practising Meditation will also enable us to generate greater ‘adaptation energy’, allowing us to better adapt to situations that are out of our control,” says Will Williams, Founder of Beeja Meditation.
Meditation brings balance to the production of neurotransmitters such as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and also reduces levels of cortisol and other stress hormones, making us more resilient to stress. This sounds like something we all need to take into this new decade.
WEAR THESE Luxe loungewear
Now we’re likely spending much more time at home, we’ve got a good excuse to revamp our loungewear. Keep it classy with Hanro’s Pure Comfort cardigan. Made from soft navy jersey, it’s ideal for off-duty days (very useful!), going into those long-haul flights. Tie in a bow, and pair with coordinating pants.
Or go bold, and truly luxe with Olivia von Halle’s collections of silk pyjama sets. Our favourite? The incredibly luxurious butter-soft silk velvet pyjama, the Lila Torment. An otherworldly garden of florals printed onto rich jewel-toned blue velvet, with coiled snakes and blossoming botanicals.
Do like the Italians and sing your favourites out the window in these cute must-wear at home pieces.
TRY THIS Learn a new language
It’s one of those things that sits on an annual to-do list. If there’s one thing that’s great about being under house arrest, you can attempt to get a to-do list out the way! Let’s start with language learning. Babbel was among the first to pioneer online language learning, helping you with real life conversations so you start speaking in your chosen language straight away. Based on your personal interests, build each course suited exactly to you. From £4.75 per month, you’ve got unlimited access to experts, access to courses daily, and a full library of conversational lessons.
And if you’re reevaluating your upcoming travel to incorporate more sustainability, what better way than to get a language or two under your belt to communicate with local cultures.
ADD THIS Gorilla Trekking with Bisate Lodge
As we stay inspired about our travels, and create bucket lists of memorable travels up ahead, this is one you need to add. Get up close and personal with mountain gorillas at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda—one of the world’s last two sanctuaries for these gentle giants—with a stay at one of Bisate Lodge’s six eco-friendly yet luxurious thatched suites. Bisate is located in the natural amphitheatre of an eroded volcanic cone, with dramatic views of the peaks of the Bisoke and Karisimbi volcanoes rearing up through Afro-alpine forests.
Accompanied by a specialist, you’ll be trekking through bamboo and Hagenia forests in search of the mountain gorillas—once seen, encounters are limited to one hour each to protect their wellbeing. Guests can also take part in sustainability projects and visit the Dian Fossey exhibition (dedicated to the American primatologist and conservationist) during their stay, and enjoy walks on Bisate’s property offer birding and participation in the reforestation programme.
Any Questions or Tips to add?