Temporarily Closed // How the places of our lives have come home to us.
What can places out in the world teach us about staying at home at the moment? A lot it turns out. We’ve pulled together a round-up of what some of the places that we have featured in our guide are doing to help keep you healthy, connected, and sane during this pandemic.
Putting together this list though was both inspiring — so many places have pivoted and stretched their core business to help others and sustain themselves —but also terribly sad, with many of our favorite places being forced to close or struggling to keep digital and physical doors open. We keep returning to the idea that “what you support now is what will be there when its over”. It is so incredibly important now to use your precious resources, whatever they may still be — of your time, your money, your attention — to support small, local and independent.
While researching this piece, Kathryn Grantham, Founder of Black Bird Bookstore sent this note about how people can best help: “But mostly just keeping small neighborhood businesses on the minds of residents across the city is invaluable to all of us. These are the makers, the do-ers, the curators, the creative people that make our city so special.”
Take a moment to write down the kind of businesses that mean something to you — cafes, coworking spaces, bakeries, independent stores, design collectives, inspiring festivals, museums, indie cinemas, and more and more — and then actively seek them out from home. Maybe even ‘adopt’ them for the course of the effects of the virus. Then they’ll be there waiting for you when you emerge too.
What excites us about this list are all the new ways to engage, to support, to return the acts of service on offer. We’ve written elsewhere about some specific ways to help small businesses, this is more about ways you can interact with locations out in the world while social distancing. Many of the following ideas and initiatives enable us to now visit places globally that we might never have got to, to participate in festivals, courses and events remotely that have never been offered before, and experience new ideas, communities and businesses in ways that might be more accessible, or gentle on the introverts in the room. We’ve read again and again from places while writing this piece the words, “for the first time”. And yes, we are living in a time of firsts across the board, but some of these new ideas that places are experimenting with are giving us hope that they might become foundational for a better future when we all emerge from this.
One caveat, if like us, you might be feeling list overwhelm, of all the different things to pack into your day, of the hundreds of things you can learn, and an abundance of ways to transform your life, then we hear you. We have that too although we do admit to being very list-inclined as a way of orientating ourselves. This is not supposed to be another run down to make you feel crap about doing lockdown badly. Be who you are, sit with this pandemic however makes sense for you, and pick up any of the following if they feel right. If they don’t, don’t. That’s totally fine too. If there’s a moment to hold on to a mantra of “whatever works for you”, this is it.
We’ve divided this list into our categories of approach so you can find more of what you need. You can also head to any of the links in the place names to read our take on what this place meant to us before this unusual time. Through all this, we hope that you find your place, wherever you are.
Mental Wellbeing
Arts Sisterhood: Are offering live DIY art therapy workshops for COVID isolation
Frazzled Cafes: Have made their in-person meet-ups virtual and added Ruby Wax. Join the Founder for larger format Zoom meet-ups. We’ve heard these book up fast.
Mental Health Mates: Their meet-ups have now gone online, with virtual chats offered locally.
Mindfood: As many of us turn to nature to manage our wellbeing, this London-based social enterprise has put online its flagship Growing Wellbeing course — which had been designed explicitly to help people manage their stress, anxiety and depression through focusing on their relationship with nature. On social media, Mindfood is also offering great tips for bringing more greenery into our lives and homes, like kokedama DIY (yes, you want to do this).
Shelf Help: Listen to their Keep Calm Series, mini-podcasts from featured authors sharing tips on staying calm, positive and present during the pandemic.
Street Wisdom: Yes, you can find wisdom and inspiration at home too. Check out their Street Wisdom Comes Home initiative for ideas for how you can wonder/wander within our own homes.
The School of Life: Take a virtual class, participate in an online therapy session, or take a deep dive into their YouTube videos. For those working in a team, try one of their virtual workshops for business.
Two Chairs Therapy: Now offering teletherapy. Also check out their guide for maintaining good mental health.
The Poetry Pharmacy: Support their fantastic book These are the Hands, Poems from the Heart of the NHS. Also follow their Instagram account for poems to get you through — so many gorgeous words here.
Vent over Tea: With many cafes now closed, they are offering free phone and video vent sessions.
Connection & Community
18 Reasons: For the first time, this SF storefront kitchen’s beloved cooking classes are online. Now might be the perfect time to learn how to cook tinned fish, beans in your instant pot and what to do with eggs if you’re lucky enough to have any in your kitchen.
The Assembly: Ok, we’re kind of excited that this coworking and wellbeing space in SF has now gone everywhere. You can now join their digital wellness club from anywhere with live-streamed content
Bite Unite: Help this community shared kitchen space feed healthcare workers and keep their space going, by paying what you can for a donated meal. If you’ve started cooking at home or are deepening your skills during the lockdown, you can also now join their live-streamed cooking classes.
Black Bird Bookstore: This SF indie community bookstore has pivoted to online bookselling — selling curated 'boxes' of books. Amongst our favorites the Not Netflix Box and This Is the Time for Poetry Box.
Canvas Cafe: If you can, buy a meal for someone in need
The Good Life Heatons: Low on groceries, Shelley they have now started a Click & Collect Service
Neve & Hawk: One of our favorite local brands, has put their entire store online for the first time while acknowledging the complexity of working in the current situation
Parnassus Books: Like many indie bookstores, you can place online orders for your new reading habit.
Second Home: Has temporarily transformed into Second Homeworking with a daily calendar of events that cover Wellness Mondays, Libreria Tuesdays, Community Wednesdays, Breakthrough Thursdays and Feel Good Fridays.
Culture & Creativity
826 Valencia: While their stores and classroom spaces are closed, you can experience some of that 826 magic through their weekly writing prompts that ordinarily their students would benefit from. This week “your prompt is to find a hidden treasure in your home and let it inspire you to write an ode, a reminiscence, an adventure story, whatever you choose.”
Creative Mornings: Need some inspiration, this global breakfast lecture series has gone virtual (including for field trips)
Fiber Circle Studio: Founder Alisha is offering Learning to Knit Virtually using Zoom! Classes are "by donation" and materials kits are also available for purchase.
Hauser & Wirth: Still doing the work of bringing the best of the contemporary art world to new audiences, this prestigious network of galleries is now offering stunning online exhibitions like Zoe Leonard’s show ‘The Ties that Bind’, virtual artist studio visits and artist created coloring pages to do at home in your own way.
Headlands Center for the Arts: Still putting their artists in front of the public, the Headlands is continuing the dialogue through affiliate artists taking over their social media, like artist Judit Navratil exploring her aptly timed concept of an online Social Housing Neighborhood. Also check out their extensive list of resources to support artists through COVID-19
Sketchbook Project: There’s still a little time to participate in their 28 days of creative prompts and always time to donate to their Mask Fund
Tate Exchange: Though Tate’s socially engaged wing is closed, you can still learn how to start a movement or stretch your curiosity and take a deep dive into this year’s theme of power, visibility and truth in art
Yerba Buena Center: Has shifted its focus to support artists in the Bay Area impacted by COVID-19 with their vitally needed Artists Now initiative with Zoo Labs.
Awe & Wonder
Caveat: Although this smart speakeasy is currently closed, you can join the livestream shows of this New York venue from anywhere. Pay what you can and keep the wittiest of your brain cells working.
Dartington: Though closed, its still doing its eclectic learning thing by making an abundance of resources available online
The Do Lectures: Though Do Wales 2020 is cancelled this year, you can still head to their website for their inspirational lectures from past conferences and for new content, like their first live lecture How to Pause from Robert Poynton and their first live course later this month The Keyboard CEO: Write Your Company Into Growth
The Eden Project: The website has a ton of resources for getting off screens, like learning how to build a den at home, make a biome in a box and create a marble run.
Jodrell Bank: What better way to bring a sense of perspective into our stay-at-home lives than with stargazing, moon photography and lectures on space exploration. #watchtheskies with Jodrell Bank.
Natural History Museum: For the first time since the Second World War the museum buildings are closed, but you can still take a virtual tour of the museum, listen to Sir David Attenborough narrate a visit to the specimens of Hintze Hall, or join a virtual expedition with scientists (including a Dino Dig). There’s also a ton of inspiring content for exploring the natural world at home, like starting a nature journal to capture springtime or the animals now emerging as humans stay home (note those goats in Wales and Coyotes in California)
Mind / Body Connection:
Re:mind Studio: Yes, you can participate in live-streamed Reiki Healing, Crystal Bowl workshops and Healing Breathwork from your home.
Spirituality & Meaning:
Sunday Assembly: Now you can join their monthly gatherings, virtually. Plus check out their online calendar of events that capture something of their offline spirit, with poetry, laughter yoga and board games.
Let us know which places out in the world are now bringing you comfort, inspiration and support at home. As we’re expanding our guide to include a Lost at Home section, we’d love to hear where you are turning to.
