PORTLAND, Ore. — We've now made it almost two weeks since the Stay Home, Stay Safe order began in Oregon, and Stay Home, Stay Healthy began in Washington (and great news, experts say it's working! So keep that social distancing going!). So you should be used to this by now. You're not going to the beach this weekend, or hanging out with all of your friends at the bar down the street.
But that doesn't mean you can't have fun. So here are 8 things you can do this weekend without leaving your house (except for maybe a walk down the street).
"Attend" the Global Bike festival
You may remember the Filmed by Bike festival. The annual festival has taken place in Portland for 17 years. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival has been postponed from May to September.
But this weekend, the Filmed by Bike Festival founders are putting on the Global Bike Festival. The event will be live streamed on YouTube, and will include screenings of a collection of independent bike movies, a live performance by bicycle-loving musician and poet Ben Weaver, and a film chat with bike and film lovers around the world.
- What: Global Bike Festival
- When: Saturday 5-6:30 p.m.
- Where: Online
Learn to cook with your favorite chef
Normally, you have to leave your house and spend some money to eat food cooked by a James Beard Award-winning chef.
But right now, two of Portland's most celebrated chefs are offering online cooking tutorials that you can follow along with from your own kitchen.
This weekend, Le Pigeon and Canard chef Gabriel Rucker is hosting two live cooking demos on Instagram.
- When:
- Friday at 6 p.m. - braised chicken, mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli
- Sunday at noon - Canard omelette and salad
Write and send a letter to someone you miss
April is National Card and Letter Writing Month. And since you probably don't get to hang out with many people in your life right now, it's the perfect time to send them something in the mail instead.
Portland business owner, Victoria Venturi, is the owner of Paper Epiphanies, a greeting card company. She is offering free shipping and stamps to help inspire more letter writing right now.
Give yourself (or your partner) a haircut
So you can't go visit your trusty hairstylist right now. But chances are, you have some scissors in your house. But watch this video before you start to chop your own hair - local salon owner Kirsten Appel has some tips.
Then watch KGW photographer Steve Redlin cut his own hair, to see what he learned in the process.
Make some noise!
There are so many people working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now there's a movement to say thank you. It's simple: set your alarm for 7 p.m. each night, and make as much noise as you can.
Leave a kind message for your neighbors
You can use whatever materials you have at home right now for this one. Chalk, paper, markers... Just use anything, write something nice, and put it outside your home, on the sidewalk, wherever works, to give a little kindness to any of your neighbors on a walk.
Watch a movie (with movie theater popcorn!)
Yes, you've probably already watched a bunch of movies and TV shows since you started social distancing. But now you can support local movie theaters with your next viewing session on your couch.
The Kiggins Theater in Vancouver just launched a virtual screening room, where you can rent several independent movies. At $12 to rent for 72 hours, it's cheaper than a movie theater ticket, and you don't even have to find parking!
The theater is also offering takeout popcorn on Friday nights, from 5-7 p.m. So you can even have movie theater popcorn while you watch from home.
Complete the 2020 U.S. Census
Every 10 years, the United States Census Bureau sends out a questionnaire. The answers determine where funding dollars go in your community, and how many congresspeople your state gets, so it's important. Also, it's required by law. And it will only take you 5 minutes.
Cassidy Quinn is the host of Tonight With Cassidy on KGW. But right now, like many of you, she is working from home, trying to focus on the happier things going on in the world. Tonight With Cassidy is currently on hiatus, but you can watch previous segments from the show here, and follow Cassidy on Twitter @CassidyQuinn.