From the Front Row at Home and Day Trips to Nowhere

I admit this has been a disturbingly challenging time to be writing about places to go and things to do. Each month for many years, I’ve shared suggestions and tips in my Day Trip column about fun and interesting outings within a few hours’ drive of Monmouth County, NJ. And I’ve provided info about all sorts of local entertainment news and ideas in my monthly From the Front Row page. When originally planning my April articles, I certainly thought that this month would have been the same. Then the coronavirus pandemic arrived and changed everything.

When this all first began, I fully expected that I’d simply be able to write about events and locations that had been disrupted or postponed and could be enjoyed in the near future, with a disclaimer to check their websites for the latest information about dates, hours, and other details. Then updates about the virus and its impact began pouring in at breakneck speed and it quickly became clear that none of us would be going places anytime soon – perhaps for many weeks, if not months. The economic fallout will undoubtedly be staggering for many businesses, organizations, and workers, not to mention changes in day-to-day life as we know it. Having written in the past about disasters such as September 11 and Superstorm Sandy, I know that this is completely different in many ways and it’s utterly heartbreaking.

But in a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit and the power of the internet, as soon as the initial shock began to wear off, inspiring updates on ways to help and opportunities to adapt to the situation began appearing at an equally rapid pace.  First-run movies that would ordinarily be in theaters have been made available online instead. Broadway shows and the Metropolitan Opera have been streaming live performances. Musicians everywhere – including many popular local favorites who usually play to packed bars and restaurants throughout New Jersey – have begun using Facebook Live to lift the spirits of their fans from their living rooms. Museums, zoos, aquariums, historical sites, and other tourist attractions, all shuttered for now, have been providing virtual tours. Business networking events have been replaced by virtual meetings. Libraries and schools are screening online courses and activities. Fitness and dance studios have taken their classes online, too.     

Charities whose fundraisers have been cancelled are ramping up online donation drives. Restaurants that would ordinarily be busy with crowds of diners quickly became adept at providing only take-out and delivery orders – all from a safe distance – and offering discounts, incentives, and even wine and beer for those who would like to enjoy something other than a home-cooked meal while they’re housebound. 

People everywhere are reminded to go online to buy gift cards for their favorite places – not only to help those entities stay afloat, but to give you something to look forward to when you can go out again. If an event that you were planning to attend has been postponed, be sure to look for updates and mark the calendar with the new date so you’ll remember.    

Oh, and all those dedicated servers and bartenders that you’d usually be tipping at the end of a fun night or a delicious meal? There’s a virtual way to help them now, too, with “online tip jars” being created to help support your favorite staffer and your establishment of choice.

I would love to write comprehensively about each and every one of them, but time and space simply wouldn’t allow it and the information is changing so fast, whatever I write – particularly in the monthly publications where my usually columns appear – would very likely be different by the time you read it. So I will try to keep this simple and, since we are now all living in a virtual world, enthusiastically recommend that you scan the internet as often as possible, try to overlook the depressing news, and visit the websites, Facebook groups, and other social media pages that are now bursting with heartfelt, helpful information that is being shared. If there’s a place you would usually want to visit or an activity you’d ordinarily enjoy doing, chances are, they’ve devised an online option that you can access.

Of course, this unexpectedly enforced time at home has also reset the clock of history, readjusted our priorities, and brought us back to days of board games, puzzles, music, cooking, and reading good books. It’s given us time for home projects, gardening, spring cleaning, leisurely naps, long phone calls, and other things that our nonstop lives never allowed time for. Hopefully, it is also bringing us good health and appreciation for the company of family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

Stay safe and healthy, everyone. This, too, shall pass. Right now, we are all alone, but all together. And I can’t wait till the day when we are all able to emerge again and take joy in entertainment and travel and show our support for those venues. Until then, make the good news go viral.

(Author’s note: Since writing this article, I’ve begun collecting and sharing numerous posts I’ve received on Facebook about virtual entertainment options for all ages. If you’re looking for ideas, check them out on the Colella Communications page on Facebook.)