From gardening to murder mysteries, some ways to stay entertained at home (when you're sick of quizzes)
Had your fill of Instagram live gigs and online quizzes yet? This week's Curated With Cassie is about trying something new.
It's been a month since the Government first advised us to stay at home, but it's felt a lot longer than just four weeks. While we've all embraced #stayathome entertainment over Zoom calls and Google hangouts, there really are only so many quizzes you can do before you lose all interest.
That's why the latest episode of Curated With Cassie sees me trying some new forms of at-home entertainment: a spot of gardening followed by a murder Mystery game, something I've never tried before. You can watch the full episode below or here.
I'm no expert gardener but I know enough to know that overgrown grass and dead leaves are not easy on the eye. My grandparents used to own the house I live in and they would always have the garden perfect, so they would be turning in their graves at the state of it now.
So, I enlisted the help of Leonie Cornelius, an award-winning garden designer whose show gardens at Bloom in the Park and Chelsea in Bloom have won her numerous gold, silver gilt, silver and best in category as well as best planting medals.
According to Leonie, there are plenty of things that even a novice like me can do to get the "healthy and rejuvenating" benefits of having a garden. She shared some top tips on how I can change the look of it without spending a fortune, and suggested ways that I could welcome more wildlife into my garden. I started by cutting the grass – quite the workout as it turns out!
After a day in the garden, it was time to try something else new: a murder mystery game.
Irish writer Fiona Sherlock is the woman behind Bespoke Murder Mystery, a selection of crime fiction games that you can play with your friends. Usually played at dinner parties, Fiona has now adapted many of her games so that they can be played via Zoom and other video calling apps.
There are a variety of scenarios, from Roaring '20s to Wild West, available and the games can be played by up to 20 players and are tailored for different age groups.
I've always shied away from murder mystery nights, as I thought they would be too intense for me. Lockdown curiosity got the better of me, however, and I organised to play one of Fiona's games with some of my friends. As someone who isn't hugely into performance acting, I was surprised to find that I loved it.
All you need is a game, which you can purchase here and a few friends who are up for a laugh. Fancy dress is optional but recommended!
There's a new episode of Curated With Cassie landing on Her's YouTube channel every Monday. Make sure that you never miss an episode by liking and subscribing to the show.
