Staff Picks: Snow Day Activities

Our staff has hand-selected five fool-proof activities to keep you happy while you're snowbound this Thursday.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr: Phil Roeder.

Let it snow? Oh no! A “bomb cyclone” is set to barrel through the East Coast Wednesday night and continue into Thursday, wreaking havoc for commuters. Some parts of the state could see up to seven inches of snow. Which means one thing: Snow Day! To help you stay safe (and sane) in the face of this storm, read our staff picks on perfect indoor activities.

Binge Old Movies

Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash

And I mean old—like nothing post-1950. The best place to find them is on my favorite television channel, TCM. Start your morning’s viewing at 8:45 with an antique silent comedy, Fatty’s Tintype Angel (1915), starring the infamous Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. At 10:45, three great stars—Norma Shearer, Fredric March and Leslie Howard—share top billing in the twisty drama Smilin’ Through (1932). At 2:30 pm, Susan Hayward hits bottom in Smash Up, the Story of a Woman (1947). Then at 4:30, Ginger Rogers will lift your spirits in the fluffy Fifth Avenue Girl (1939). In the evening, TCM kicks off a month-long spotlight on debonair French actor Charles Boyer (pronounced boy-YAY) with Love Affair (1939, with Irene Dunne) and All This, and Heaven Too (1940, with Bette Davis) at 8 and 9:45 pm, respectively. Staying up late? Boyer returns to your screen in two classics, Conquest (1937 with Greta Garbo) and Algiers (1938, in his signature role as Pepe Le Moko), at 2:45 and 4:45 am respectively. —KS

Get Enlightened With Some Podcasts

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.

I sometimes listen to podcasts during my commute when I get sick of the radio, and a snow day is the perfect opportunity to catch up on episodes I’ve missed. For pop culture news I like Fresh Air, hosted by Terry Gross, and Bullseye, hosted by Jesse Thorn. Gross, known for her intense curiosity and hard-hitting questions, recently interviewed Patton Oswalt, Jimmy Fallon and Mindy Kaling. NPR’s Fresh Air also dives into politics with episodes exploring the Panama Papers, Russian collusion and sustainable seafood. MaximumFun.org’s Bullseye brings in-depth interviews to listeners with pop culture leaders, such as comedian Judd Apatow, actor J.K. Simmons and BoJack Horseman producer Lisa Hanawalt. Listen to a few while you’re stuck inside tomorrow. You’ll head back to work with an arsenal of lunchtime-talking points.–JK

Netflix and Chill Out

Watching TV

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: flash.pro

When it rains, it bores. But when it snows, I get a strange mix of emotions that range from absolute dread to some nostalgic, childish joy. Memories of sledding down the biggest hills in town are long gone now that I’m older and have to worry about breaking a hip. My favorite snow day routine now plays out like a Tinder date: Netflix and chill. Last year during a snowstorm, I binged all of Making a Murderer. Snow days are the perfect excuse to be lazy. So order some take out or make some chili, drink some coffee, sink into that La-Z Boy and veg out.–CG

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

Whenever I’m forced indoors due to snow, I make sure to have a big cooking project to keep me busy. A mid-week snow day is the perfect excuse to spend several hours roasting a whole chicken. It’ll keep your home toasty and warm, and you’ll have a tender, juicy bird for dinner.

I always follow this foolproof recipe from Marisa McClellan of the popular blog, Food in Jars. Cook your whole chicken low and slow, and be sure you save the carcass for making homemade chicken stock—to use or to freeze—when you’re done. Just be sure to buy all the ingredients you need before the storm hits.—SV

Explore New Worlds with Video Games

Photo courtesy of Studio MDHR.

Here’s a hot take: snow is terrible and should be destroyed. I hate snow, I hate everything about snow, and I hate being stuck inside because of snow. Why do we continue to allow snow to control our lives?! When will our long national nightmare come to an end!!!

I often split my time on snow days rage-eating all the candy I can find and shouting at the sky to no avail. When I need to take a break from reality (and my all-encompassing fury), I turn to a virtual one.

Cuphead is a run-and-gun video game that’s hand-drawn in the style of classic 1930’s cartoons. After losing a game of craps to the devil, Cuphead and his brother Mugman embark on an adventure to collect the soul contracts of various monsters in order to repay their debt. It’s a beautiful game, with a jaunty, jazzy soundtrack and dynamic character designs. It’s also hard. So, so hard. But the game is so charming, you won’t mind dying over a 1,000 times. It makes victory that much more rewarding.–MM

How will you spend your day? Let us know in the comments?

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