Hi guys, what a time for all of us. I sincerely hope that wherever in the world you are, you and your loved ones are keeping safe and healthy.
I’ve been in Miami, Florida since mid-January. I was supposed to fly back home to Manila early March but the COVID-19 pandemic deemed it too risky for me to travel so I’ve had to stay put. I am so grateful to have a roof above my head; to be able to shelter in place; and to have the privilege to be able to self-quarantine, which unfortunately, isn’t the case for everyone.
Here in Miami, our quarantine period began on March 18. And while, like the rest of the world, only essential businesses remain open, ie. groceries, pharmacies, banks, takeouts at restaurants, etc. we are so lucky that we are still able to go outside for walks. I know in the Philippines and Malaysia, among others countries, walking outside or even around the neighborhood has been banned, so I am extremely grateful for this.
I’ve been working from home the last couple of years so the mandatory #StayAtHome hasn’t been that big a transition for me. But of course, being barred from seeing friends, family… any other human (!), for long periods of time is difficult. We are SO lucky though that this pandemic is taking place when we have THE INTERNET. This is the biggest gift to us, as it allows us to stay connected, informed, entertained and SANE during this period of uncertainty.
And because of the Internet, here’s how I’ve been spending my quarantine days in Miami:
Watching K-Dramas like “Crash Landing On You” and “Itaewon Class” on Netflix
Full disclosure: “Crash Landing On You” (CLOY) was my first Korean drama ever. I’ll admit I was never really interested before because I’m not into romance/ drama shows but being in quarantine (and hearing so many people rave endlessly about it, my brother Chris included!) made me curious. And guess what, I was HOOKED! In fact, the effect on me was so intense that I finished all 16 episodes in TWO days and didn’t get up/ barely ate/ didn’t talk to anyone until I finished it! And I was crying, laughing, nervous, scared, angry, KILIG all throughout! I hadn’t been moved by a series like that in years. Koreans are master storytellers– and the waves of emotions they draw from the viewers are just wow. And when I was finally able to move on from my CLOY fever (about a week!), I started watching “Itaewon Class.” It’s another extremely brilliant series (I have the “Itaewon Class” hangover ATM as I just finished it yesterday) and apart from being a wonderful story on leadership and integrity, I really loved how they touched on social taboos in South Korea, i.e. racism, transgender issues, social injustices, etc. I highly recommend watching them if you haven’t already!
Doing Instagram Live workouts with my Miami gym, Anatomy
The gym I go to here, Anatomy (Miami Beach), froze all of our (member) accounts when all gyms were forced into closure. Since, they have been offering online daily workouts via IG Live on their Instagram page, conducted by their talented body architects, similar to the physical classes they offer at the gym. And everyday, it’s different. It can range from Booty Blast with Alessandra to Glute Camp with Nikki to Inspired Practice Yoga with Juliane to Soul Sweat with Analys to Pilates with Meghan– all adapted to the current situation wherein we may not have weights and equipment at home. (I’ve been using sake bottles as dumbbells and laundry detergents as kettlebells!) The workouts remain up 24 hours after, and are later on uploaded to their YouTube channel.
Ordering wines for delivery from Vinya, and natural wine from NIU Kitchen
Thank goodness the US considers liquor stores as essential businesses! My gosh, they really are, especially at this time! I first heard of Florida-based wine subscription Vinya from my friend, wine writer Jacqueline Coleman, and they are a gem! I ordered my first box when quarantine started, and I loved how each box of four bottles were expertly curated by sommelier Allegra Angelo, and they all came with really pretty note cards, describing each wine, its winemaker, its properties and what it pairs best with. I’m a wine explorer (which means I “care less about a wine’s pedigree than about its character”), hence I love learning about different grape varieties, regions and wineries. Through Vinya, I learned that I enjoy Godello– Spain’s most serious white grape from Galicia– and got acquainted with the Arneis grape from the Roero region in Piedmont, and the Fumin grape from the Valle d’
I’m also big on natural wines and purchased a bunch from Miami’s natural wine queen, Karina Iglesias at her restaurant NIU Kitchen’s online bodega. Among the gems are Bichi 2018 rosé from Mexico’s Baja California region, and Sebastian Riffault’s 2016 Sancerre Akmenin, which are difficult to come by in Miami.
Taking occasional walks around the neighborhood (when I can)
As mentioned earlier, this is an absolute source of sanity for me. I’ve just discovered Spotify (I know right!!!) so I’ve been listening to podcasts while going for walks. This is very therapeutic for me and allows me to multi-task. Any podcast recommendations you guys might have, please do send my way!
Cooking– and ordering takeout from restaurants
It’s so unfortunate that this pandemic has affected *everyone* in that jobs, projects, contracts, etc. have all been halted or put to a standstill indefinitely. Hence, a lot of people have been cooking at home. I try– keyword TRY– to eat low-carb when I’m at home. So I’m constantly researching delicious, low-carb, keto recipes using ingredients that are accessible during this time. For example, fish and seafood have become very pricey at my local groceries so that’s a luxury; I prefer frozen vegetables over salad greens; chicken has also been a scarcity, as well as tofu. Beef/ steak is not my favorite protein but I’ve had to learn to adapt since there have been days when there are not much left in groceries. I also order takeouts once or twice a week from local restaurants/ chefs/ home businesses to #supportlocal.
Working on Cross Cultures
I am using my events platform and consultancy Cross Cultures‘ Instagram as a venue for chefs to share their recipes— super simple, easy-to-make at home— that we can all replicate in our kitchens to help us during this quarantine period. This was borne from a discussion with my friend Camila Basmagi, who also happens to be the co-founder of non-profit Recipes for Change and Bonito Whale. In this new series, #HomeCookingTogether, you can find everything from pumpkin purée (by Elena Arzak of Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain) to fluffy oatmeal pancakes (by pastry chef Karina Rivera of Women Chefs 305 and Novikov in Miami, Florida, USA) to pechugas empanadas con bechamel/ breaded chicken with bechamel (by Chele Gonzalez of Gallery by Chele in Manila, Philippines) to a Spanish vegetable stew (by Josean Alija of Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao in Bilbao, Spain)– complete with step-by-step video guides!
Practicing gratitude and limiting my time on social media
Overall, despite everything that’s happening in the world today, we still have so much to be grateful for. My friend Stephanie Singson shared with me the idea of a gratitude journal– basically, writing down everyday small things that we are grateful for because “the idea is that it changes your mindset to always think positive, and be happy. We tend to focus on what we should do and what needs to get done in our day rather than appreciating what we have. And [to remind us] that it’s OK to be happy while working towards your goals because happiness is a journey and not a destination.” AMEN. While on that note, I am limiting my time on social media, particularly trying to post only 1-2x a week, even on IG stories unless it’s Cross Cultures-related or to share pertinent information on the pandemic and how we can all help, because I want to be in the present as well and sometimes external pressures and negativity can be detrimental and make you feel even more somber than you already do. An article in the New York Times, entitled ‘Stop Trying to Be Productive,’ said it best, “The internet wants you to believe you aren’t doing enough with all that ‘extra time’ you have now. But staying inside and attending to basic needs is plenty.’ SO TRUE. And btw, you’re already contributing A LOT by staying at home.
Of course, there are lots of things I’d like to do: read more, enroll in online classes, learn Korean, hone skills like photography and interior design, etc. But there are also days when I wake up and I’m like, “Can I just do nothing please???”
To end, I’d like to share a quote from artist/poet Cleo Wade, “[T]his time is something we are living through, not living in. The current state of the world is not the permanent state of the world. And our worst day is not our whole life. I took another breath. Can I breathe through this? Yes. I can.”
Sending you all positive vibes and good energy. Hoping you and your loved ones are keeping safe and healthy during this time. All this shall pass [soon, I hope]. xx
