Now my friends, is the time to get creative. This is not an invitation, but a necessity to preserve ones sanity. So here is a list of things to do at home to liven up your lockdown life. It is necessary to throw yourself into the scenario, so self-conscious fun shirkers might struggle…
First up we have Theatre Night – thank you National Theatre! A nice easy one to start with as every Thursday evening they are streaming a live recording (oxymoron?!) via You Tube of a different theatre production. This Thursday it is Jane Eyre. So set the scene, get dressed up for the west end, crack open a nice bottle of wine for your pre-theatre drinks. We went for the Domaine Faiveley Meursault 2016 last week, I am an absolute sucker for Burgundy, and for a classy night out I wanted to drink something that made me feel special. If you are lucky like me, my home theatre allowed wine into the auditorium! Afterwards, find a cosy candle lit restaurant (or kitchen) and enjoy a post theatre dinner to discuss the show. Tip, put something in the oven on low before it starts!
Ibiza Beach Party. This one works whether you have a garden or not. Assuming we are all stuck inside, whack the heating up, don your shades, sun hat, boardies/sun dress and get ready to PAAARTY! Pump up the Ibiza tunes, crack open a bottle of champagne and get your groove on. If you are looking for a better value sparkling alternative, but love the style of champagne, try the Lidl Cremant de Jura. Zoom in your mates to power up the party. Optional extras: paddling pool/bath tub for dipping your toes while you sip. Glow sticks
Lip Sync Battle. I am trying to stir up competition amongst my family… my song is chosen, the gauntlet laid. Get a group of contestants together. Each pick a song, learn the routine and mime the c*ap out of that bad boy. Film your skills and share. Best act wins. Simples. For inspiration check Anne Hathaway doing Cannon Ball and Channing Tatum doing Beyonce! For this I might need move onto something slightly stronger than wine…. A few dark and stormies might just do the trick.
Dialling down the personal humiliation a touch, a James Bond themed night is definitely a must try. Think martini’s, a ‘casino’ (pack of cards), slick outfits, Bond tunes up loud…a sure fire winner. Culminate with a viewing of your favourite movie.
Bollywood night. This is just an excuse to cook up a massive amount of curry and have a feast. Look beyond the classic Cobra beer pairing, Indian food is so versatile with wine, particularly Keralan food with its coconut based curry’s and aromatic spices. If you have gone for a tandoori style dish look at pure, unoaked mineral driven whites (think Gavi, Picpoul, Chablis or my favourite, an Assyrtiko from Santorini in Greece). For tomato based curry’s or rich white meats like crab or lobster look more towards high acidity Riesling, dry or off dry works well. Lots of chilli spice in a fish or chicken curry then something with depth, spice and sweetness such as a Gewurztraminer is hard to beat. For spicy, red meat curry’s go for a rich fruity red with low tannins, think Grenache or Grenache based wines such as Cote de Rhone, or maybe an old vine Cinsault from South Africa or Chile. Magic! Half the fun is in the variety so you might need more than one bottle on the go – this is shaping up to be an all-day food and wine marathon! Top tip hit up BBC Good Food for a killer Naan recipe
Well that should be enough to keep you busy for the Easter weekend, Keep Safe, drink well 😊
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