More than 13 Best Bets to keep you entertained while you’re isolated at home

As official Stay at Home orders continue in North Carolina, our community continues to shine its bright light by coming together to not only offer ways to entertain each other safely (and from a distance) but also by raising funds, food, supplies — and hope.

In good news Monday, researchers cut the number of forecasted NC deaths by COVID-19. As we stay apart to come together to #flattenthecurve, check out our updated list of local offerings and beyond. While we all wait to rush the streets and flood our local businesses, it’s best to stay at home. If you do venture out, keep an eye out for parks that might be too crowded and find some wide open spaces — Dix Park, perhaps? — to get your dose of fresh air.

Stay healthy, Triangle. Here are your best bets for safely entertaining yourself.

Carolina Tiger Rescue

Tigers are trending (hey, “Tiger King”!). Get your local fix with a virtual visit to the Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsboro. Peep up-to-date livestream options on the rescue’s Facebook page. On Wednesday, April 8, meet Roman & Reina Lion. April 9, learn how vet procedures are performed. On April 10, fun with feeding! Give a follow to stay in the know. facebook.com/pg/CarolinaTigerRescue/events/

‘Criminal’

Let’s get criminal. “Criminal,” the uber-popular true crime Durham-based podcast, has recently launched a spinoff with host Phoebe Judge reading from an Agatha Christie mystery novel with her distinctive voice. With as many as 13 episodes uploaded to date, each covering an individual chapter, “Phoebe Reads a Mystery” is already a hit — reaching No. 22 on most popular shows on Apple podcasts after its first five episodes. thisiscriminal.com; thisiscriminal.com/mystery

United Arts Resources

Ever wanted to juggle with scarves? Learn to Bollywood dance? Make mosaics? Your very wildest dreams come true as United Arts has amassed unique Creative Social Distancing resources from its teaching artists and grantee organizations. Keep checking the site as the possibilities grow. unitedarts.org/resources/creative-social-distancing

Yoga

While you “namaste” at home, pun intended, yoga online opportunities aplenty continue to unfold from local Zen masters, from the likes of Blue Lotus, Open Door Yoga, Growga, Colors of Yoga and 110 Yoga—these in addition to those we have already noted: YMCA Virtual, CorePower Yoga and Midtown Yoga.

Carolina Ballet ‘La Mer’ and ‘Gross Fugue’

For those in need of uplifting arts or even distraction. The Carolina Ballet is continuing its stream of on “pointe” free entertainment, literally, with its recent April 3 upload of “La Mer,” and the April 7 upload of “Grosse Fugue.” While the remainder of live performances for the 2019-20 season have been postponed until next season, the Ballet is featuring its past works for your at-home enjoyment. Check its site regularly for new uploads: carolinaballet.com/performances/

North Carolina Museum of Art Friday Favorites

The days of the week may feel hard to decipher, but Friday will stand out as the NCMA staff uses inspiration from visitor-selected faves and parlays them into recommendations for art-making, film, music and education opportunities. Check out its current and past library of #MuseumFromHome content for artist interviews, mindfulness exercises and more for all ages. ncartmuseum.org

Go Global, Art

Feel like perusing Paris’ Musée d’Orsay? Manhattan’s MoMA? DC’s National Museum of Women in the Arts? NASA? The Hong Kong Museum of Art? Google Arts & Culture has you covered with its compilation of museums, collections, monuments (the Eiffel Tower, anyone?) and more — the world over. Get a look inside via online exhibits or collection views and educational information. Consider it an art history world tour curated and compiled for you. artsandculture.google.com/partner

Longleaf Live

So the annual Longleaf Film Festival didn’t go off as planned, but you should tap April 9 into iCal for the Longleaf 2020 Official Selections announcement — as scheduled, but now via a live-stream program at 4 p.m. Then stay tuned for April 24 when Longleaf will be presenting awards and prizes in another live-stream program (time TBD). And, drumroll, the fest is planning a free fall program for screening a selection of films from Longleaf 2020. The show always goes on, thankfully. longleaffilmfestival.com

Spread Love: Adopt

What’s not canceled? Love. And pet adoptions. With “100% love. 0% crowds” the SPCA and a range of local rescues are offering virtual tours and other ways to help you find your next family member—and perhaps help a pup find its forever home. In light of its mandated closure, the SPCA, for example, is bringing the animals to you every day at 2 p.m. via a virtual Facebook Live pet visit. Fall in love? You can then schedule a time slot to visit and adopt. spcawake.org/homeadopt/

Not sure where to start? Petfinder is like match.com for dogs (there is a website and an app for that, but the app is our recommendation for user-friendliness and ease). Search however you like — by specific rescues or breeds, or even just dogs by radius. Filter sex, age, size, coat, color, behavior and more — and even view resources on finding the best dog for you and your family. Spread the love! petfinder.com

Parks Update

North Carolina has closed all park facilities and amenities (think bathrooms and dog parks) and mandated official park and trail closures of William B. Umstead State Park, Eno River State Park and Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Park Area, among others. (Check park website before you go.) But many trails and park grounds remain open for people practicing solo excursions or safe social distancing, including the NCMA outdoor park and trails, Dix Park (excluding dog park per state order) and Greenway trails. But remember to use common sense when going to some of these places, if they seem crowded. ncartmuseum.org/visit/the_park; dorotheadixpark.org

Virtual Food Drive Update

At press time, more than $45,000 has been raised in the Durham Performing Arts Center’s virtual food drive in partnership with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle of the Triangle. For every dollar donated, 2.5 meals are able to be provided to those in need in our community. tinyurl.com/ujyz4mw

Happy Hour at Home

Help #SupportServiceIndustry by bringing happy hour home. In addition to the local businesses we reported on last week (The Haymaker with Killjoy, House of Hops, Oakwood Pizza with SideBar) offering some variation of take-home delivery and/or pickup beverages (think cocktail and mocktail mixes, beers, wines, sangrias, bubbles and more), here’s a few more to add to your must-try list: Lonerider, Locals Oyster Bar, Bar Virgile, Linus & Pepper’s, Virgil’s Original Taqueria, Virgil’s Food Truck, Short Walk Wines, The Glass Jug, The Raleigh Wine Shop, The Wine Feed, Lola’s, Dos Taquitos and STIR. We will keep you up to date on the growing list to help #supportlocal and save our beloved local restaurants and bars.

Save Lives: Reminder

ICYMI: Blood is on high demand. In the face of COVID-19 concerns, donor turnout — and thus blood supplies— are low, and the need for blood is real. If you are healthy, here’s your chance to help save lives and be a hero — while ditching the house (if permitted) — by giving blood (the CDC not only says it is safe, they are encouraging it, and supply is short). There are many locations set up throughout the Triangle. Check the site for dates and locations. thebloodconnection.org/enc-blood-drives/

This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 3:53 PM with the headline "More than 13 Best Bets to keep you entertained while you’re isolated at home."