WARSAW WEEKEND GUIDE – stay at home edition!
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Due to the coronavirus threat, staying away from crowds is the best way to spend this weekend. That, however, doesn’t stop us from giving you your weekly dose of weekend tips (and wishing you a great weekend!). Enjoy!
1) Discover the finest Polish productions on Netflix and HBO GO
Why won’t you give Polish movies and series a shot? If you are up for binge-watching, HBO GO should be your choice. The platform offers the best two series of the last two years – Ślepnąc od świateł (an abysmally dark smash hit following a quick fall of celebrities’ drug dealer) and Wataha (a politically complex story of border guard officers in South-Eastern Poland). Netflix, on the other hand, sports an interesting collection of award-winning movies from the last couple of years. Films such as Kler (discussing pedophilia in Polish catholic church), 7 uczuć (showcasing the trauma of growing up) and Ostatnia rodzina (a bio-pic of the Beksińscy family) will not only enthrall you artistically but also help to understand contemporary Poland and Poles better.
2) Read a book by Olga Tokarczuk
Polish writers have already been awarded 5 Nobel Prizes in literature. The most recent winner is Olga Tokarczuk. Her books were not only translated to English, but the translations themselves were either shortlisted or won international awards. Even though the demand for Tokarczuk’s books is on historical height right now, Amazon offers ebooks from as little as 2 pounds. If you haven’t read any Polish books yet, this weekend and Tokarczuk’s prose will make for a magical pairing.
3) Gorge on immunity-boosting Polish delicacies
While you will be stocking up for the weekend don’t forget about pickles. Both ogórki kiszone and kapusta kiszona are not only the pillars of Polish cuisine but also boost your immune system and work miracles for intestinal microflora. What’s super cool about them is that you don’t really need to process them later to produce delicious dishes. Eat them as a snack, use them to make a side dish or even a main dish – everything will be ready in a matter of minutes. This will be a valuable prep for your Polish cooking class.
4) Challenge yourself to make your own pierogi
In a similar vein, you can have a try at another staple of Polish diet – pierogi. You will find many YouTube clips and recipes explaining how to make them at home. You don’t need any special products, basically, flour, water, a pinch of salt and just anything you have in your fridge will do. They are also perfect for freezing and defrosting later on. So if you are about to spend this weekend at home, why not prepare them for later and not worry about lunches for upcoming spring weekends?
If you feel that you can’t manage on your own or you try and fail, check out our pierogi workshop.
5) Go for a walk in Warsaw parks and botanical gardens
The weekend is supposed to be rather sunny and quite warm. Get your share of physical activities and vitamin D while discovering Warsaw’s magnificent parks and botanical gardens. Choose the ones that are close to where you live, so that you can walk there and avoid public transport. Once you are done with this kind of wanderlust, find out more about off-the-beaten-track sides of Warsaw on our alternative tours.
6) Spark the love for the computer games from your childhood days
Super Mario Bros., The Sims, Diablo, SimCity, Heroes of Might and Magic, and Deluxe Ski Jumping – this weekend is perfect for some nostalgic reunions with the sweethearts of the 90s children. You don’t need the newest gamer equipment to enjoy them, a regular laptop should do. Check out if it is still so much fun to build a pool for your Sim and… well, you know what we all did to them later.
7) Try your inner mixologist
Eggs, spirit, condensed milk, and sugar. A shopping list of a survivalist? Maybe, but more importantly, these are the ingredients you need to prepare your own eiercognac. This and other drinks might well make your weekend a jolly ride. Don’t be afraid to experiment, after all, that’s how most mixologists started their careers. Having that as a warm-up, consult Warsaw’s best mixologists on cocktail workshops and Polish liqueur workshops.
8) Check if this year’s Veturilos are better than in 2019
If you are not so much into walking, try a Veturilo tour. Totems for bikers premiered last week on Wola and it’s a joy to check out how they work. They indicate how fast you should ride in order to have a smooth passage through traffic lights. The system is one-of-a-kind in Europe and will grow this year. Once you’ll have started a biking season, the next step is signing up for your Warsaw bike tour that will show you the ins and outs of the city.
9) Do yoga with Down Dog app for free
Down Dog is a great alternative for those who need to get their workouts done in order to feel relaxed and well-rested. Until April 1 you can enjoy the free access to all workout routines and instructions featured in the app. This covers yoga, barre, and high-intensity interval training – all adjusted to exercising at home. Let’s all keep in mind that staying at home doesn’t necessarily mean staying in bed all day.
I love it! A little bit of humor but based in reality! People please stay in home and protect yourself and others from getting sick