Welcome. Another weekend is upon us, and those of us lucky enough to have some down time are anticipating unscheduled hours, time for reading, napping, contemplation.
We’ve got a library of diversions awaiting you in At Home, of course, and readers of this newsletter have been sending in their own ideas for how to pass the days, their suggestions for lifting your mood and making your weekend a little more agreeable. Here are a few of their inspirations for this week.
“The happiest I’ve been in months was when I was watching ‘Covid Fan Tutte,’ a very layered but also very funny free opera. A Finnish initiative from the opera house.” —Monica De Coninck
“The monarch migration is in full swing here in Dallas. There’s nothing more joy-inducing than watching a monarch drink deeply from a flower and to consider how far and fearlessly they migrate for the winter.” —Nancy Footer
“I listen to YouTube documentaries on artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Paul Klee and Jan Van Eyck. I also go on tours of American and world museums online.” —Dorothy Walsh Fleming
“Our local library has started a book pickup program where your holds are packaged up and prepped in a pick up window. These have become my favorite days!” —Conria Wiebe
“What lifts my mood during the pandemic? Grilling! I own twenty Weber grills and I rotate them out since it’s just my wife and me and we can’t invite guests.” —Gary R. Hafer
“The life of our wonderful singer Teresa Cristina on Instagram.” —Cristina Barreto
“I’m watching ‘Long Way Up,’ perfect for motorcycle and adventure travel enthusiasts, and ‘Ted Lasso,’ a comedy about a B-rated American football coach who gets hired to coach a big-league UK soccer team. I’m reading ‘My Life in France’ by Julia Child and her nephew, Alex Prud’homme — perfect for foodies and those who need a vicarious trip to Paris.” —Lucy Garrick
“Bruce Springsteen becoming the most available music icon of his generation — whether it’s the Broadway show, documentaries, late night talk show appearances, election PSAs or New York Times interviews — brings me every kind of joy (as a very late convert).” —Brent Cox
“I love Tiler Peck’s (#turnitoutwithtiler) ballet classes on Instagram. She has been offering them free for months. It really keeps me going and keeps my body moving!” —Jessica H.
“We’ve created a ‘phone tree’ of single people we know, seniors like ourselves, to call every week for a catch-up and check-in. Each one has shared what provides some wind beneath the wings, adding to our ‘bank’ of pick-me-ups for those days that need some lift. —Cheryl Gallan
“I’ve had a bunch of unused postcards from my travels sitting around for years. I’m having fun sending them to friends. It’s satisfying licking the stamp, enjoying the beauty of its design as well as the picture on the postcard, lightening my possessions and remembering my friends all at the same time.” —Jean Grant
Tell us.
Keep sending ideas for how to pass the time enjoyably and we’ll keep sharing them. What’s bringing you moments of delight? What have you discovered recently that you wish you could recommend to the world? Write to us: athome@nytimes.com. We’re At Home. We’ll read every letter sent. More ideas for leading a full life at home appear below. See you next week.
How to pass the time.
Feeling election stress? Modern Love’s podcast tells the tale of a dog who helped his two-legged companion through hard times. If that didn’t hook you, consider that the dog’s name was Dusty-Danger and he had pointy ears and mismatched eyes.
Did you think escape rooms would be killed off by the pandemic? Nope. They’ve reinvented themselves online. That was no surprise to an industry expert, who said “These folks are deeply creative, and they’re scrappy.”
Our critics and writers rounded up seven things you should do this weekend, including a glitter-bomb in the form of a streaming concert from Kylie Minogue on Saturday night.
What to watch.
If you haven’t watched “The Queen’s Gambit” on Netflix, this weekend is a perfect time to start. We had a chess expert break down what the series got right.
Ready for a caper? We’ll help you get away with streaming the original heist films that inspired many the most popular films of the last 25 years.
Watching actresses become action stars has left Manohla Dargis with new thoughts on bodies and the value of representation. Read about why she loves women who wallop.
How to deal.
You’re stressed. We’re stressed. But we all need to keep an eye on our kids, because they’re stressed too. Experts say that identifying your child’s emotional and behavioral reactions to stress is crucial.
If an apocalypse is coming, you’ll want to surround yourself with books. Sure, you could read them, but you can also use them as a toxic rain shield, a zombie blocker or as bunker décor.
In uncertain times you may think that having solid ground under your feet is important. Not so, says a couple who lives on a boat. No, not a houseboat. A boat boat.
Like what you see?
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