10 retro things to do at home
If you’re insanely bored at home this list of retro things to do at home will get you feeling a little better a little more vintage.
Last week, the UK was officially told by Boris to stay at home.
The rebel in me wanted to run around in the local park shouting, “Nobody puts Mandy in a corner!”.
But I’ve stayed inside. Because it feels like a war is happening out there. And the only thing we need to do to avoid the COVID-19 bombs is to stay inside and ammuse ourselves.
Doesn’t sound bad, right? But after a few days of staying in, downloading TikTok starts to sound like a good idea.
I caved. But after scrolling through the app for a third time, I deleted it and came up with this boredom-curing list instead.
10 Retro Things To Do At Home:
1. Write A Diary
“Dear diary, today I forgot to brush my teeth and get changed out of my pyjamas. Later, over a glass of wine, I considered cutting all of my hair off so I don’t have to brush it. By the time this is all over it will be a bob, right?”
Maybe you don’t have much to talk about right now but someday in the future people will want to know what it was like living through the “Corona Virus” pandemic.
Write it all down. Someone is going to want to read it.
And even if you don’t want anyone reading your private thoughts, writing stuff down makes you feel like your anxieties are pouring out of your head like a tap. Just start writing and you’ll feel a lot lighter afterwards. And who knows, your diary could follow in some very famous footsteps like Samuel Pepys, Anne Frank or Bridget Jones.
2. Call A Friend
I’m currently in the midst of arranging a virtual wine tasting night where my friend and I will drink the same wine, eat paella and chat over the phone. It’ll be like being in a restaurant but we don’t have to wear pants.
Don’t cop out with a text. Grab a bottle of wine and call. Maybe much hasn’t happened in the last 24 hours, but you’ll be surprised what you end up talking about. Even if you don’t feel lonely, maybe your friend secretly does and you just made her day.
3. Listen To The Rolling Stones
Before this pandemic, I hadn’t listened to a Kinks album all the way through and I’ve no idea why. Some of my favourite songs are ‘Lola’, ‘Waterloo Sunset’ and ‘Rock N Roll Fantasy’.
Think about which artists have albums that you’ve not listened to all the way through. Think of the Rolling Stones? They have so many albums. Now is your opportunity to listen to the whole collection.
If you don’t have a vinyl player, I’ve made this really upbeat sixties playlist that should lighten the mood.
4. Throw A Luxury Bubble Bath
In the old movies they didn’t just throw a bath, they threw a luxury bubble bath. There would be wine, a book and apparently earrings with full make up were a thing. Especially for glamour puss Jayne Mansfield.
5. Get Dressed Up & Dance
Chances are that you’re doing less excercise than normal so take a leaf out of Natalie Wood’s book and have a little dance at home. By the way, it is possible to dance without putting it on Tik Tok.
6. Read Sylvia Plath
My friend and I have started an “apocolypse reading list” and one name kept popping up in particular; Sylvia Plath. Her confessional writing is the perfect inspiration for writing your thoughts down in a diary. For more reading inspiration, I have a list of 1960s books that are worth a read.
7. Cook Spaghetti Bolognese
I am absolutely devastated that restaurants won’t be open for a while. So I’ve taken this opportunity to try and recreate my favourite dishes. Home cooking became popular in the sixties thanks to Fanny Craddock (she chose that name) and her BBC cooking show. Some popular dishes were Spaghtetti Bolognese, Coq Au Van and Duck and orange. If you prefer baking, have a go at the pineapple upside down cake or a Black Forest Gateau. What food are you missing right now?
8. Play Moon River on Guitar
Guitars were huge in the 50s and 60s with the rise of rock so it’s no wonder a lot of starlets were seen strumming an old acoustic and cooing about an old lover. Gilda, Breakfast At Tiffanys.. the list is endless. I’d highly reccomend starting with something easy like Moon River or Nancy Sinatra’s Bang Bang (it’s easy!).
9. Watch French New Wave Movies
The Mods used to go wild for the French New Wave movies. They were poetic, stylish and occasionally a little bit naughty. And of course, who could resist the allure of Anna Karina, Catherine Denueve and Brigitte Bardot?
10. Make A Martini
Every so often, I get “cocktail moods”, also known as sudden urges to be fancy and talk bollocks. In the sixties, they’d usually opt for a an Old Fashioned or a Martini. But lately, the recipe for a ‘Quarentini’ has been doing the rounds. I have made a little recipe card for you below to take home and fix one yourself.
So which of these are you going to do while you’re at home? Or do you have some other ideas you can add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!
P.S. Feel free to share this with a friend who you know is insanely bored.
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