Last weekend, it was minus 4 degrees when I woke up at six to walk the dogs. Even wearing insulated snow-pants, heavy boots, gloves, a scarf, a hat, and two layers of flannel under my winter coat, I felt the cold seeping into my bones before we made it one block.
Generally speaking, I try to adhere to the "be here now" mantra. But I think there are times when a little bit of escape is good for the spirit. Heading to Florida for a week is certainly one way to get away from the icy grip of winter, but not everybody has the time and money. So here are a few low-budget "vacations" you can take without leaving town.
1) Find your own local patch of summer. If you live in a more urban area, chances are there is a nearby greenhouse or botanical garden where you can immerse yourself in a world of green any time of the year. The Enid Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden features both "misty rain forest and dry desert" environments. Admission is $20 for adults and $8 for kids. It's not the cheapest date, but compared with airfare to Miami, it's a real bargain. Plus, you'll be supporting a worthy institution that is preserving open green space in an ever more industrialized world.
If there's no botanical garden near you, check with your closest college or university. Biology departments often maintain greenhouses, and if you ask nicely, you might be invited to visit. Once you take that first deep breath of lush garden air, you won't want to leave.
2) Take a bath. In the harried hustle of our daily lives, a quick shower before a toaster breakfast often seems like the best we can hope for. We tend to forget about the joy of a long soak in the tub. Light a few candles, mix in some bath salts and put some mellow summer music on the stereo. Bob Marley is always a good choice, or if you want something a bit more abstract, there are a lot of "nature sounds" albums out there that feature gentle surf, chirping crickets, bird song, etc. Whatever puts you in a July state of mind.
3) Have an indoor beach party. Turn up the thermostat* and invite your friends over for a midsummer night's eve where shorts and flip-flops are mandatory attire. Pull out your favorite summer recipes - I like a stacked veggie burger and some vegan potato salad - and mix up some margaritas! Cue the island music and keep those winter coats out of sight till the party's over. Just be forewarned that you may have a hard time getting people out the door at the end of the night.
Those are my suggestions; how do you cope with the winter blues?
*Note, turning up the thermostat may seem environmentally insensitive to some people; if you go this route, I recommend planting a couple extra trees on Earth Day. And of course, if you stick to vegan fare, your party will be more eco-friendly than just about any meat-laden Superbowl bash that's happening this weekend ;)
Recent Comments