Ottawa is NOT Boring

On February 1, 2025January 31, 2025 By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

When we first started looking into Canadian cities and where we might want to live, we were a little surprised to find that Ottawa has a reputation for being boring. In fact, one of its less-flattering nicknames is The City Fun Forgot, but over the two years we’ve lived here, I can honestly say I don’t get that at all! There is SO MUCH to do in and around Ottawa, and in order to do my part in shifting this perception, this month, I’ve made a list highlighting just some of the fun you can have in Canada’s capital city.

Food & Drink-related Activities

First up has to be food, right? In a city this diverse, of course there are tons of options. In our neighborhood alone we have not one, not two, but three amazing African grills, several French bistros, at least three fantastic Chinese noodle spots, a couple of taco windows, and more shawarma restaurants than pretty much anywhere else on the continent. But of course, there are plenty of drinks to be had as well! Here are just a few of my many, many food and drink-related suggestions for Ottawa:

Try several of the city’s amazing restaurants. Some of our favorites include Sammi & Soupe Dumpling, Prohibition Public House, Metropolitain Brasserie, The King Eddy, and Bistro Coqlicorne.

Grab a drink at a local brewery or pub. Our absolute favorites are Brigid’s (which is located in the basement a beautiful old church), Spark Pizza, Overflow Brewing Company, D’Arcy McGee’s, and Mill Street Brew Pub.

Meet new people while on a Thursty Pedaler or Palapa Tour.

See the sights and share a snack or drink on a canal cruise.

Feel fancy (and productive) at a cocktail-making class.

Outdoorsy Activities

Canada, in general, is known for its great outdoors. Even in the city, there are tons of outdoor adventures you can have, and if you’re willing to drive (or ride) just a little outside of the city, these options truly multiply. Here are some of the most famous (and fun) outdoor activities you can do in and around Ottawa:

Drive, bike, or walk around Gatineau Park.

Complete a ropes course or simply zip-line from Ontario to Quebec.

Go skiing or snowboarding at one of five resorts all within an hour of downtown Ottawa.

Get out on the water (i.e. go rafting, kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing, skating, swimming, something!)

Take a hike. In the city, we love the Rideau River Trail, the Rockcliffe Rockeries, and Hog’s Back Park. Outside the city, it’s tough to beat Eagle’s Nest in Calabogie, but there are plenty of other, even closer trails that rival it.

Cultural Activities

If adventure sports aren’t really your thing, maybe you’d prefer to do something a little more cultural. Ottawa has you covered there as well. Ottawa has the most museums of any Canadian city, and as the country’s capital, there are more festivals, exhibits, shows, and other amazing events rolling through here than anyone could ever hope to keep up with! Here’s a quick look at some of the more cultural things you can do:

Attend a festival, such as Winterlude, the Tulip Festival, Bluesfest, Capital Pride, or any of the other countless festivals that are now synonymous with Ottawa. There’s actually a whole Wikipedia page dedicated to Ottawa’s Festivals, check it out!

Visit a museum or gallery. Our favorites are the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History, and the Canadian Museum of Nature, and the best part is these and many of the other larger museums/galleries have free admission hours each week.

Watch a live Art Battle.

Do some crafts or else buy some at one of the many local markets.

Participate in a community event. If you find a place you like in Ottawa, follow them on social media, and I guarantee at some point they’ll share an event that interests you. This is how we found ourselves eating pierogi and making pisanki at Wedel in Westboro last Easter.

Game-like Activities

If you know me, you know I love games, and luckily, we’ve found a plethora of game-like activities in Ottawa as well. One of the many upsides to long winters is that people have to get more creative with their indoor time, and that is super obvious when it comes to indoor entertainment in Ottawa. Here are some of our favorite things to do when we want to play (or watch others play):

See how much you know at pub trivia.

Escape from one of the many escape rooms in the city. I personally love Escape Manor because they have a super cool speakeasy-type bar and other fun games and activities like bocce ball and interactive darts.

Play one of the thousands of games (both tabletop and video) that they have at Level One Game Pub.

Watch a sports game. Extra points if you support the Ottawa Senators, Redblacks, or Titans because we do too!

Enjoy a round of Bingo or two.

Just-plain-fun Activities

If you’ve already had your fill of all the food/drink, outdoorsy, cultural, and game-like activities on offer, might I suggest a few more things that might not fit neatly into one of those categories, but are still so much fun to do in and around Ottawa:

Head to a sugar shack for an incredibly unique Canadian experience.

Relax at a nature spa.

Drive through Park Omega.

Interact with a movie at Bytowne Cinema. Drunken Cinema Night is so much fun, but they also have High Tea Sundays, Sing-a-longs, Sleep-overs, and other fun events every month!

Take a free city walking tour or a DIY city murals tour.

I hope this is enough to prove to anyone that Ottawa is absolutely NOT boring. But if you still have doubts, I invite you here to see for yourself. I promise, you won’t regret it!

Merriment in the Maritimes

On August 12, 2024August 11, 2024 By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

One of the things I love most about living abroad is getting to see much more of a country than I ever could on a more traditional vacation, and even though Canada is huge, I’m still setting my sights on visiting each and every province and territory while we’re here. So, to that end, we recently spent a week exploring the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick.

Of course, the Maritimes were high on our to-visit list for many reasons, including but not limited to famous lighthouses, rocky beaches, and vastly changing tides, but there were still many surprises for us to discover during our trip! Here are some of our favorite things we ate, drank, and did while wandering around in Eastern Canada:

Nova Scotia

Probably the most famous of the three Maritime Provinces, we opted to fly in and out of Nova Scotia’s capital and largest city: Halifax. Prior to our visit, I think the only thing I really knew about Halifax was that there was a large explosion here in the early 1900s. However, I now have a plethora of opinions about this coastal city and a whole host of recommendations for anyone who visits in the future!

Good eats:

If you know me, you know seafood is not really my jam, so I was thinking I might be underwhelmed by Nova Scotia’s cuisine. Luckily, that wasn’t the case at all! One of the most famous dishes associated with Halifax is the curious Halifax Donair. Donair, doner, kebabs, or whatever you want to call them are popular in many places around the world, very often as a late-night, post-drinking meal, but the ones in Halifax definitely hit different. It might be the sweetened condensed milk in the sauce or maybe it’s the general vibes coming from the locals who hang around the most popular take-out joints, but if you’re going to Halifax, you absolutely must experience this delicacy for yourself!

Although I typically prefer savory dishes/meals as opposed to sweet snacks/desserts, I can’t not mention Nova Scotia’s Moon Mist ice cream. It was on my list of local foods to try as a unique swirl of grape, banana, and bubblegum ice cream specific to this region, but honestly, I thought, “oh, that’ll be nice to taste, but it probably won’t be my favorite”. But I was wrong! I loved it! I have no idea if the ice cream quality there was just superior or if that seemingly random combination is just something special, but I absolutely loved carrying my brightly colored ice cream cone with me down the waterfront feeling very much like a kid enjoying the last days of summer vacation!

Great drinks:

Trying out several local breweries has now become a habit of ours on longer trips, and Halifax did not disappoint. In fact, we were spoilt for choice and really only tried a small portion of all the brewery options in the city. One of our favorite spots was a newly opened Beer Garden from Good Robot Brewing. Their beers were really good and the atmosphere was perfect. Another place we really liked was Propeller Brewing Company. They had flight boards in the shape of propeller blades (so on theme!), and in addition to a beautiful patio, they also had board games and an arcade to enjoy while you sip.

Fun activities:

The most iconic thing we did while in Nova Scotia was probably our time spent at Peggy’s Cove. One of the most photographed places in Canada, Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse and its surroundings were absolutely beautiful. Don’t forget your jacket though because even on a hot August day, the wind and fog really cut deep (I truly felt bad for those wearing shorts and tank tops)! Another fun (and cheap) activity to do in Halifax is to take the ferry from the waterfront across the water to Dartmouth for a different view of the city. The ferry is part of the public transport system, so it was super easy and convenient.

Prince Edward Island

Perhaps the most idyllic Canadian province, Prince Edward Island is the setting for the classic Anne of Green Gables stories. Driving onto the island (across the second longest bridge in Canada), it really felt like we stepped back in time. Old wooden farmhouses are aplenty on PEI, and we even saw a horse-and-buggy crossing sign. If “charming” is something you’re looking for in a vacation destination, PEI might be the perfect place for you!

Good eats:

We only spent one day on the island, so our meals were somewhat limited. However, we did stumble upon a really cool place called the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company. Part store, part restaurant, part tourist attraction; it really checked off a lot of boxes! They serve several PEI specialties like seafood bubbly bake, potato pie, and raspberry cream cheese pie, and you can enjoy these treats in what looks like a dining room straight out of someone’s grandma’s house. There were quilts decorating the walls, hummingbird feeders at every picture window, and enough wooden furniture to make me think about fire safety. But my favorite part was definitely the walk around the gardens – so pretty!

Great drinks:

PEI is definitely what I’d call “rural”, but luckily, there are still several places you can go to try out some local brews, especially in Charlottetown (the capital). We opted for Craft Beer Corner, where we sampled some of Upstreet Craft Brewing’s beers. The beers were really good and the bathroom had a disco party option, so what more could you possibly ask for? We also considered checking out Deep Roots Distillery, which makes their own liquors from local ingredients, but unfortunately, we just didn’t have the time. There’s always something that gets moved to the next-time list!

Fun activities:

A lot of our day on Prince Edward Island was spent driving around to the different sights. After checking out the capital, we went to Cavendish beach/dunes/cliffs to get a little hiking in, but my favorite activity of the day (aside from the general windows-down, Canadian-music-blasting, road trip vibe) was watching the sunset on the western side of the island. With the help of Google maps and a sun-tracking app (which showed us exactly when and where the sun would set that day), we carefully selected and made our way to Seacow Head Cove and watched nature do its thing from the comfort of two very picturesque Muskoka chairs. Pure PEI Perfection!

New Brunswick

As a non-Canadian, the only thing that initially came to mind for New Brunswick was Brunswick stew, which as it turns out is from Brunswick County, Virginia…so prior to our trip, I had a bit of research to do on this one. And mostly because it was totally unknown to us, we actually chose to spend more than half our trip based in Moncton (the largest city of NB), and I’m so glad we did because it allowed us to see several different sides of this diverse and (in my opinion) underrepresented province!

Good eats:

We had a lot of delicious food in New Brunswick, including a lobster roll from the lobster capital of the world, scallops fresh from the Bay of Fundy, and another Maritime specialty: garlic fingers! However, our absolute favorite dish came from Tide & Boar Gastropub. It was a burrata and tomato appetizer, and we both strongly considered ordering another (which is unheard of for Tucker). In fact, the Gastropub was so good that we later went to Tide & Boar Brewing just to try more of their food and drinks. Speaking of…

Great drinks:

I swear, I’m not being paid to hype up Tide & Boar, but they also had the best beers of the trip! Their watermelon sour was quite possibly the best sour I’ve ever had, and through multiple flights and multiple visits (plus a couple of free samples from the super friendly staff), we were able to try everything they had on tap, and it was all amazing. Tucker even made sure to compliment their brew master lol. Another amazing brewery we visited in NB was Holy Whale Brewery out in Alma. Holy Whale got its name from the old church that now houses the brewery, and the stained-glass windows alone are enough of a reason to visit. Luckily, the beers were also great!

Fun activities:

The main reason we wanted to spend several days in New Brunswick was to make sure we’d be able to experience both the high and low tides of the Bay of Fundy. This bay boasts the world’s greatest tidal change at over 50ft (16m), and it was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At low tide, you get to walk around on what is essentially the ocean floor, and if you want, you can find a place to sit, and over the course of an hour or two, watch the water level rise by several feet right in front of your eyes. So cool!

And there we have it! Another amazing trip in the books and another part of the world explored! Until next time, Maritimes! Cheers!

Fun Florida Facts (and Opinions)

On August 19, 2020 By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

83474643_10223450004906599_8576584385193504372_n — Oh, 2020…

This year has thrown a lot of surprises at the world (and some not-so-surprising events as well really), but for me and Tucker one of the most unexpected occurrences has been our prolonged stay in Florida. We were only meant to be here for a few months as we gathered our lives from various corners of the world in order to head north for the next few years. Of course, with a brief snag in our immigration paperwork followed by a global pandemic, we’ve found ourselves in a holding pattern since March. And while, like everyone else, I’m still struggling to figure out what this all means for our jobs, our future, our society, etc. I’ve also been doing what I do best in a new place: exploring. Even though this exploring has taken place mostly online (and occasionally from a socially acceptable distance), life in Florida has still been quite interesting, and in some ways enlightening. Thus, for this month’s post, I have put together a list of my newly gleaned facts (and opinions) to share about our temporary home.

Cartoon Florida — Hi, guys! Wanna be my friend?

The first thing I have to mention is the fact that everyone seems to have an opinion about Florida. People who have never even been here feel one way or another about it, and plenty of people like to vocalize their opinions (many of which are quite negative) without much regard to facts or feelings. I say this as a non-Floridan, someone who doesn’t have a strong feeling one way or another about this particular state, but sheesh, even I feel bad listening to the many tirades and verbal attacks on the Sunshine State, especially those that can be found online. In our brief time here, I’ve come to view Florida as the state that’s often picked on, but that everyone secretly likes and takes advantage of (like an annoying kid in school that has a really nice pool).

When reflecting on why there are so many negative associations with Florida and Floridians floating around out there, I feel it boils down to two things: 1) the Florida Man and 2) vacationers. Most everyone knows about the Florida Man trope nowadays. A long-lasting meme that has permeated the internet and beyond, it originally referred to the crazy headlines often found in Florida that always begin with “Florida man…” and usually end with his doing something absolutely absurd. But interestingly, one of the first things I learned about the Florida Man origins is that they were sparked by a change in state law. In the 1990’s Florida passed the Sunshine Law, which ensures public access to all government records, including police arrest records. As you can imagine, in 30 years, the spring break capital of the US has racked up quite a few crazy stories, which brings me to my next point.

Not a Florida Man…

Not really vacationers either…

Vacationers. Probably the first thing we noticed after a few months in Florida was the ebb and flow of the people. Renters in, renters out; snow birds in, snow birds out; spring-breakers in, and (thankfully) spring-breakers out. The state of Florida has approximately 22 million permanent residents, but sees 110 million tourists annually. That’s a lot of YOLOing for any place to deal with. I think I actually first noticed this phenomenon in grocery stores. People in bathing suits, vacation gear (lots of Disney paraphernalia where we are), and a general lack of care for their immediate environment. Many people are here for a short time and their mindset is to live it up; therefore, chaos ensues, sometimes in the form of drunken parties and possible police involvement (which is then publicly documented for all the word to see and share).

86276369_10222086976791748_5512975688493170688_n — Three Sisters Springs

Of course, I completely understand why so many people choose to vacation to Florida. It’s an amazing place for affordable and varied entertainment. We’ve got theme parks all over the place: Disney World, Legoland, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, (and for a select clientele) Gatorland. There is also an abundance of parks, lakes, and other natural features like the Everglades, hot springs, swamps, and of course, the many, many beaches. Florida actually has the longest coastline of any of the contiguous states, and the climate (especially in south FL) means beach-going is possible year-round.

Magic Kingdom

ICON Park

Universal Studios

Speaking of South Florida, another thing that became immediately clear upon moving here was the presence of three distinct regions. You have North Florida, Central Florida, and Southern Florida, and the people who live (and vacation) in these three places often differ as much as the geography. We’ve heard this said a few times now: the further north you go in Florida, the further South you are. This refers to the fact that northern Florida is very much like Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas, etc. Demographically, linguistically, socially, north of Ocala is really part of the South. On the other side, you have South Florida which held onto its Spanish roots and still welcomes a large influx of immigrants from Central and South America. The influence can be seen, heard, felt, and tasted as soon as you drive south of Lake Okeechobee. And that leaves Central Florida, which is somewhat a mix of the two and also somewhat the result of many retirees from out of state. Orlando and many other cities in Central Florida are very much like any other major city in the US: professional, progressive, and a tad hipster.

Daytona Beach (North)

Lake Eola (Central)

Vizcaya (South)

Another part of life in Florida that caught my attention early on was the naming of the coasts. Most likely, at least in part due to tourism, each section of the coastline in Florida has a name and, for lack of a better word, a vibe. You have the Space Coast, which is the location of the Kennedy Space center and where all the rocket launches take place (which we can see from our driveway, btw). You also have the Gold Coast where the big cities (Fort Lauderdale and Miami) and the famous South Beach are located. There’s the Sun Coast with its beautiful sunsets, the Nature Coast with its natural springs and manatees, and even the First Coast, which is where you can find the first and longest continuously inhabited settlement in modern day USA.

FloridaCoastalRegions — I sense another checklist forming…

89857039_10222367888734371_2287005639135723520_n — Castillo de San Marcos

Since our trip to Saint Augustine and the First Cost, I’ve been really interested in Florida’s history and particularly how it differs from that of the colonies. Perhaps most people remember that Florida was first claimed by Spain, which is why we still see so many names like: Boca Raton, Punta Gorda, Buena Vista, etc., but what I (having taken Georgia History, not Florida History, in school) found super interesting was the native American history here. Of course, it now seems quite obvious with place names like: Tallahassee, Kissimmee, and Osceola, but I never gave much thought to the tribes that called Florida home and were actually some of the first to be attacked and displaced. Indeed, the Creek/Seminole tribes, in particular, not only found themselves stuck in the middle of a fight between Britain and Spain during the Seven Years’ War, but went on to challenge the US settlers with what is now known as the Seminole Wars, some of the longest and most expensive in early US history. Historically, Florida has seen a lot, and I don’t think it gets much credit for its important place in US history, let alone world history.

117245765_10223984984120745_7852073839228047751_n — Daily torrential rain

Finally, the last surprising fact I am very pleased to share is about the weather. As cold weather people, Tucker and I were very much dreading our time spent in the humid and, yes, extremely sunny Florida, especially as that time started to stretch into summer. However, I’m happy to report that it’s really not so bad! Florida is really breezy, which certainly helps with the heat, and now that we’re officially in summer, I can say that there’s a bit of a rainy season here meaning the afternoon thunderstorms that happen almost every day also help to cool it down. We’ve both commented that while the warmer temps might last longer, they don’t feel near as oppressive as summer in Atlanta. Plus, the produce here is absolutely amazing! In addition to citrus, Florida produces significant percentages of the country’s tomatoes, watermelons, cucumbers, and sugar cane.

Lime trees one street over

Local community garden pineapples

All in all, Florida has been a surprise in many ways for us (including the very exciting news that there is no state income tax in Florida!). Ultimately, our time here has really just been another lesson in finding out how much there is to discover/learn, even in a place you think you already know pretty well. So, what have you learned so far in 2020?

Quarantine Endeavors

On July 21, 2020July 21, 2020 By Dani Francuz RoseLeave a comment

97035948_10223156383046236_185404340779876352_o — Anything to cure the boredom!

Quarantine, for me, officially started on March 14th, and as a person who was already working remotely, this definitely led to a surplus of down time at home (something I certainly wasn’t used to). The good news is, I can always be counted on to come up with plenty of ideas, projects, games, and the like. See? Being an only-child has its benefits! And now that it seems like this phase might be lasting a bit longer than anyone would have liked, maybe some of you are also in the market for some cheap, interesting at-home entertainment! If so, take a look at my newly documented list of quarantine endeavors: twenty-something random activities, categorized, described, and, of course, photographed for your perusal. Enjoy!

Cooking-related:

If you know me, you know I absolutely despise cooking, so you might be wondering why I’ve been doing so many cooking-related activities. Well, necessity is the mother of invention, no? We had to cook at home more often, so I thought we might as well have some fun with it, starting with our monthly brunches. At the beginning of 2020, we made a plan to meet my parents for brunch on the first Sunday of every month for as long as we were in Florida. As it turned out, our leaving the country wasn’t the issue…having brunch out was. So, we took the idea to our home tables, creating a theme each month and enjoying the process of cooking together and trying something a little different. Some of our recent themes have included: Disney-inspired brunch, international dishes, and red, white, and blue (for July, of course).

We’ve also had our fair share of kitchen-y fun just trying out new (i.e. fancy) dishes like coq au vin and cauliflower rice burrito bowls. More time at home has meant more time to find recipes, meander our way through the cooking process, and really sit down and enjoy our meals. We’ve also made the most of our grocery store visits by conducting various taste tests: classic snack foods, Easter candy, and beef jerky, just to name a few. I mean, a bit of nostalgia mixed in with legitimate research, how could you go wrong? In addition to all the food we’ve been experimenting with, I’ve also taken it upon myself to finally figure out which wines I prefer, and potentially learning to like reds a bit more in the process. We live near a Trader Joe’s, and you just can’t beat Two Buck Chuck!

Swiss Rolls FTW

Reese’s Eggs are other-worldly

Game-related:

legos — Destroying it might have been more fun…

I love games even in non-pandemic times, so obviously I have ideas in this category, such as the classic: jigsaw puzzles. I love them, and recently I’ve been intrigued by all the variety there is! 3D puzzles, gradient puzzles, I-Spy puzzles, etc. Tucker and I also had a lot of fun reliving our childhood Lego dreams with a Titanic build, which we then made into a game of “who can make the best ______? Go!” Of course, I probably still gravitate most to board games, thus we’ve recently added Villainous and Sushi Go to our collection. Additionally, we’ve continued putting our own twists on some other classic games (for example, we’ve been known to play Guess Who by choosing two or three people, which makes the questioning much more complicated, especially when we stipulate “no English” – making it a great language practice as well). And speaking of innovation, it’s super fun to make up your own game! Tucker and I still play a version of “Cheyenne, Wyoming”, which is a card game we made up years ago on an overnight layover.

Artistic:

One of the things I loved seeing at the beginning of quarantine was all the artistic fun people were having. It started with the artwork challenges where people were imitating famous paintings using what they could find at home. Tucker and I did a few of these, and it was so much fun! Searching galleries for pieces that would work, collecting the props, arranging the set, staging the photo, etc. I’ve also used some of this down time to work on my cross stich and origami skills – getting ready for holiday gift-exchanges already! On a whim, I also ordered a paint-by-numbers kit, and let me tell you, if you’re looking for something that takes up a lot of time, this would be it. Eventually when I finish the thing, I also have big plans for any paint I don’t use: painted rocks for the neighborhood, a Bob Ross video, etc. Time at home really gets the creative juices flowing!

Cross stitch

Origami

Paint-by-numbers

Technology-related:

Can we all agree we’re really lucky this happened in 2020 and not 2002 because technology really gives us a lot of options. I don’t think I can have a list of things to do during quarantine without including the ever-popular, binge-watching. So, yeah, find something to watch, make some popcorn, and veg out. I didn’t get into the whole Tiger King thing, but I really loved The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Taskmaster, Russian Doll, and many others. Check out the free site Taste Dive to find shows/books/movies that are similar to your favorites. Also, don’t get hung up in doing the same things online and/or on your phone. I’ve found some really amazing websites and apps just from googling other “things to do when you’re bored/quarantined” lists. Some of my favorites include: Seterra (geography quizzes), Mental Floss (human interest articles), Bored Panda (stories of art and design), Sporcle (trivia), and Free Rice (vocabulary games). Some new apps I’ve had fun with are: 13 tile mahjong, psychedelic camera, photo editors/collage makers, and Hello Talk (social media/language exchange). Since I recently had to get a new phone, I also purposely spent a lot of time optimizing it to my exacting specifications. I tried out all sorts of settings I never would have even looked at before, and I also googled tips/tricks specifically for my phone/system. Tucker even learned a few things for his phone, which he’s had for two years now!

Quiz Up’s great too

Parasite is also worth a watch

Educational:

82579426_10221717914885431_3159004740344348672_n — My constant companions…

If you’re starting to feel like maybe you should do something with your at-home time other than just entertain yourself, it might be a great time to focus on learning something specific. I’ve been addicted to Duolingo for while now, but it’s totally guilt-free because my French is seriously improving. I also really enjoyed my 30-day challenges that included something educational (but also easy), like watch a TED Talk every day or read a random country’s entire Wiki page (which coincidentally also helped with my wanderlust). This time is also perfect for catching up on any reading lists you may have. I’ve focused on books I acquired long ago, but never had the time/access to read as well as books that have popped into my mind for one reason or another (such as Jurassic Park – aren’t you curious about how the movie differs from the book? I know I am). I’ve also been enjoying the time I’ve put into some pertinent research. Human rights’ laws, Black history, local election processes, charities, corona-viruses, and so many other things. We’re incredibly lucky to live in the information age where we can learn just about anything we want, including how to reliably fact-check and source information.

Health-related:

One concern I had (even prior to any lock-downs) was how am I going to be as active as I used to be, now that I don’t have to walk to work or traverse the vast, open spaces of China on a daily basis. One way I tried to address this problem was by setting a physical challenge for myself for each month of the year, such as walk 10,000 steps a day (March), 30 minutes of yoga a day (April), etc. Now that I find myself residing in a new neighborhood, I’ve also made a list of “walking tours” for us to complete when we take the dogs out. Just another way to get a bit more exercise and systematically see our neighborhood (and beyond) a little more thoroughly. Of course, I’ve also been dying to organize my things (which are all still in boxes/suitcases), so if you are able to, use some of this at-home time to go through your closets, drawers, even digital files and Marie Kondo your life. Also let me know when you do, so I can live vicariously through you! Finally, another health-related activity I’ve been working on is finishing up any/all beauty products I have. I came back from China with heaps of hydrating face masks, and I love throwing one on and simultaneously finishing up that tanning lotion I got way back in 2016 (at long last!).

walking — Luckily Orlando is a really nice place to walk!

Miscellaneous:

Finally, we all need to be reminded that while we might be limiting our face-to-face time, we should still be connecting with family and friends. This is the perfect time to develop new habits of regular phone calls, video chats, game nights, etc. We should definitely all keep celebrating special events too! Birthdays, anniversaries, successfully submitting your tax returns, whatever you want! Tucker and I just celebrated Christmas in July last weekend and had so much fun. I actually think eggnog tastes better in the summer. Also, even though it’s tough to do, try to keep planning. Trust me, I really know the frustration of trying to plan during a pandemic (I’m still technically mid-move), but it really feels good to talk about the possibilities, even if they end up changing. And one last one: write something! Write a postcard or a letter, start a bullet-journal, take up blogging or poetry. It can really be quite cathartic.

Happy 30th!

Merry Christmas (in July)!

So that’s my list. I hope it gave you an idea or two or maybe it sparked something completely different. This really is the perfect time to try something new and perhaps change some habits in the process. I also feel like having these small, solid “events” to look forward to have really helped keep me sane in this time of unknowns. It’s definitely been an interesting phase in our lives, but there’s certainly no reason it can’t be a fun one as well. I can’t wait to look back on quarantine and reminisce about all the crazy things we did and tried! See you on the other side!

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