by Robyn Bardgett
Don’t let the weather – or a lack of motivation – in February keep you from spending time with friends. We’ve pulled together some great ideas to keep you busy all month long and beyond.
February can be a difficult month to stay motivated and socialize. After the fanfare of a brand-new year in January, the wheels can start coming off, especially as the weather can be iffy and events are still being impacted by COVID regulations.
But it’s more important now than ever after the past two years to make sure to build and nurture our relationships that may have been neglected. Taking time for ourselves outside of kids, work, or family might sometimes feel like extra work, but with the list of activities below, you can be the friend with great ideas for everyone in your social circle or find different ways to build your circle and meet new acquaintances.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
We are lucky to live in such a temperate climate that even the coldest days of the year can still be some of the most beautiful days to get out and explore.
If you need some motivation to start exercising more regularly and work on being more social, get familiar with The Walking Club of Bermuda (walkingclubofbermuda. com). The group meets every Sunday at 7 a.m. at a different location each week no matter the weather to complete a 3-to-5-mile walk. The walks are organised to include every fitness level and with start locations across the island, there’s bound to be a new location to explore. On February 27th, they start at Albouy’s Point, and going into March they start at Fort Scaur, St Paul’s Anglican Church, Warwick Long Bay playground, and Clearwater Beach, so there’s bound to be a location near you! If finding stillness is more your social group’s jam, meditate and stretch together in a variety of outdoor yoga classes (check out www.yogabermuda.com/ outdoor-classes.html for more information).
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Nothing brings people together like shared experience of learning a new skill or commiserating over your lack of artistic mastery (or applauding that one friend who is secretly an accomplished artist!). Whether a weekly workshop or a one-off painting night there are several options available to get in touch with your inner artiste.
For those who want to take their art practice to the next level, learn new techniques and explore their creative side can find classes at both the Bermuda National Gallery (bng.bm) and Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art (masterworksbermuda.org).
For one-off events or a fun night out with friends, check out the events organised by Mix Bermuda (www.mixbermuda.com), who has hosted sip and paint nights at gorgeous locations such as Vida at the Azura Bermuda or book a private event with We Need to Create (robynhooper.com).
One of the benefits that has come out of the pandemic, has been our familiarity with virtual platforms. While they might be the bane of existence for, say, the office morning meeting, it means you can be anywhere in the world to access workshops, classes and even concerts.
Masterclass (www.masterclass.com) gives you access to hundreds of classes in a variety of disciplines from some of the world’s most notable chefs, writers, musicians, politicians and more. Pick a class and host a day to learn a new skill from experts without leaving the island.
TAKE A TOUR
If you think you’ve taken in everything there is to see and know about Bermuda, you might be surprised at the hidden treasures the island has to offer and some of the great discussions that can come out of exploring the island with a group of friends and taking it in from other perspectives.
The National Trust (bnt.bm) offers several tours through their properties, many of which are part of the African Diaspora Heritage Trail. Rediscover Verdmont gives participants a deeper look at some of the more difficult parts of Bermuda’s history through this immaculately kept 18th century house. Peeling back the layers of each room that has been kept as they were designed, the tour gives further insight into the property and the enslaved people that maintained it.
Titan Tours (www.titantoursbermuda.com) also offers tours through parts of the City of Hamilton and the Long Walk to Freedom tour explores further African Diaspora Heritage Trail locations and 400 years of Bermuda’s history and its impact on black Bermudians.
And if you’d like to discover even more of what St George’s has to offer, get a group together and follow along as Kristin White of Long Story Short (www.longstoryshort.life) takes you through the centuries old streets and weaves together fascinating stories about the Olde Towne’s history. Along with walking and bike tours, Kristin also provides food tours and insider tips to some of St. George’s best shops and restaurants.
And if the weather is less than desirable for spending too much time outside, the National Museum of Bermuda (www.nmb.bm) weaves in the history of the island along with contemporary art exhibits. “Traces and Pastimes,” Gherdai Hassell’s solo exhibit featuring her large-scale collages is on until June 2022 and is a must-see.
Dockyard also makes a great spot for a group get-together – after exploring the museum, stop off at one of the several restaurants for drink and a bite to eat.
