As we face a second weekend in level 4 lockdown you might be wondering what to do to pass the time. Don't panic, we've got you sorted. Here's a suggested of things to do, TV shows and movies to watch and yummy things to eat to keep you and your bubble happy this weekend.
Screening guide
With rain on the way for most of the country it's the perfect excuse to get cosy on the couch and binge-watch TV shows and movies.
Fortunately there's plenty on offer, especially with the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games taking place.
Here's some top suggestions to keep you going over the weekend.
Have a pamper session
If all that hand sanitiser is drying out your mitts, and maskne has got you feeling down, it might be time for a good old lockdown pamper session.
But with a trip to the spa, or even the mall nail salon off the cards, it can be easy to feel like you'll be looking more drab than fab for some time.
But like the lockdown hero it is, your local supermarket is bursting with gems that can help you look a million bucks and give you that feeling of a professional pamper.
From top to toe, we've got you covered with all the supo pamper products you need to buff away the day and keep dull skin at bay.
Let the theatre come to you
The Royal New Zealand Ballet's The Firebird wasn't just a location of interest in the Covid sense, the ballet itself was stunning and is now available to view online for a limited time. Choreographer in Residence Loughlan Prior was commissioned by the RNZB to stage the ballet, which Misty Copeland famously performed on a broken tibia in 2012. His version reimagines the story set in a time "where the natural world is threatened and humanity is staring into the abyss of extinction". Ahem, we think we know this era. The streaming video is more than simply a recording of the performance, The Firebird was filmed with a cinematic eye and includes digital animation components, to create a fully realised film of the ballet. If you love a little dress up, why not put on your formal evening wear and sit in your least comfortable chair to truly emulate the theatre-going experience.
Available to purchase until September 6 from RNZB. Priced from $15, suggested price $20, additional donations welcome.
Retail therapy
Auckland City was supposed to be hosting New Zealand Fashion Weekend. Instead, we've all abandoned glamour entirely for track pants, if we're getting dressed at all. Lockdown can hit retailers pretty hard, so Heart of the City is encouraging people to jump online and do some perusing of shops that have a physical store in the city centre. Any purchases made this weekend will go in the draw to win a $500 voucher. Whether you're on a Glassons budget or a Gucci one, any purchases made support these retailers who've missed out on what would've been one of their busiest weekends of sales. And, bonus, you get an excuse to buy yourself something pretty and give yourself a little isolation pick-me-up.
Visit Heart of the City for details on how to enter.
Greedy Cat
If you're craving a little Tim Bray family theatre magic right about now, you're not alone. The bad news is that lockdown means the company's upcoming production schedule is temporarily on hold, but the good news is that they've just made their live theatre show, Greedy Cat, available online, featuring nine stories by beloved New Zealand author and master observer of all things feline, Joy Cowley. As the company says, "Greedy Cat – Online is a fresh way to connect with these charming stories and inspire a love of reading and learning."
Access Greedy Cat – Online now, $39. Audio described, NZSL and Closed Captioned video options available.
Auckland Zoo
The animals at Auckland Zoo will be wondering where we all are but luckily we don't have to wonder about them, because the essential Animal Care and Conservation staff at the zoo have been busy setting up keeper cams so we can see what they're up to. The cams are being posted on their social media platforms, so keep an eye out for new ones being added. Plus, you can see recordings of previous live streams on the zoo website. A new video of the as-yet unnamed Galapagos tortoise hatchlings exploring their new "creche" was posted this week and it is cute! There's also plenty of content on the Zoo's website to keep you and your animal-curious whanau busy, including games, colouring, craft activities, education videos and teaching resources — if you want to take this homeschooling thing to the next level.
Go to the website or search Auckland Zoo on Facebook and Instagram
Doc Edge online
The Documentary Edge Festival has risen to the challenge of lockdown 5.0 and made a virtual bubble of documentary films available online. There are over 40 films available to rent and eight available to stream for free. Some of the highlights include: Mr Toilet, a film about a man obsessed with toilets, or more specifically sanitation, on a mission to secure six million toilets for the "Clean India" initiative; Tokyo Hula, an exploration of the massive popularity of Hawaiian hula dancing in Japan; and the Doc Edge Festival category-winning film Children, about five Palestinian children trapped within the the violence, humiliation, and daily confrontations with soldiers and settlers. We're confident you'll find something eye-opening and entertaining amongst these world class documentaries, including several excellent local films.
Check out all the documentaries on offer here.
Mentemia
There's no denying lockdown life is hard and for many each lockdown feels harder than the last. If you feel like your mental health is slipping and you could do with some support, then consider downloading the Mentemia app. Co-founded by John Kirwan, the app is often used in workplaces but there's a version you can download for yourself that has all sorts of helpful tools and strategies to help with your daily struggles. For example, if you're worrying excessively, you can use the app to create a worry map that helps you turn your worries into actions. Mentemia can help you choose random acts of kindness which are proven to improve mental health, teach you breath techniques, read enlightening articles, get you moving physically, among a host of other features. There's no harm in downloading it and having a little poke around; you might just feel a little less gloomy afterwards.
Free from your Google Play or Apple App Store.
Auckland Museum at home
Tamaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum has made loads of online content available to keep up your cultural engagement from home. You can explore collections online and do virtual tours of several of the exhibits. There's also plenty for the tamariki, including online jigsaw puzzles, experiments and videos as well as access to some elements of the Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Ocean Predators exhibit. You can go behind the scenes at the museum and see what working with the collections entails — there are some pretty fascinating jobs there. Or take some time looking through the New Zealand at War collection, reflecting on the hardship and heartbreak suffered by New Zealanders during war time. The museum created the at-home platform during the first lockdown but if you explored it then, rest assured a lot of new content has been added for this new round of life indoors.
Check out everything they have on offer here.
Westfield local heroes
If you're in need of some inspirational reading, might we suggest checking out the nominees for Westfield Local Heroes and placing your vote. Three of the nominated local heroes from each Westfield centre get a $10,000 grant to support them in their amazing community work. Voting closes Monday, so carve out some time to read the stories of each of the heroes from your local Westfield and cast your vote. Not only will you be supporting people doing wonderful things near you, it's a great way to get inspired and find out about ways you can get involved to make positive change in your local community or perhaps even make a donation, if you're in a position to.
A slice of happiness
There's never been a better time to embrace your inner baker. Fragrant wafts of happy-making aromas filling the house and delivering a sense of comfort and calm, are just what we all need right now.
Last year's lockdown saw everyone do a deep dive into sourdough, carrot cake, banana bread and chocolate brownies. Did anyone make brioche? The decadent buttery deliciousness of brioche is so versatile. You can bake it as a loaf, or as buns, roll it up with a sweet or savoury filling or use it as you would a pie crust. It can be prepared as either a sweet or savoury loaf and makes fabulous toast.
