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Mask-Safe Activities for July

Haley Kurisky
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  • Buffalo Bayou Park

    Haley Kurisky enjoys a picnic after walking at Buffalo Bayou Park. 

  • Houston experienced a Sarahan dust cloud recently, visible here in this view of the downtown skyline. 

  • Rice University features great biking and walking trails. 

  • Menil Park

     

    A scene from a walk at the Menil and surrounding Menil Park. 

    Menil Park features 30 acres of open lawns, trails and sculptures.  

  • Buffalo Bayou Park
  • Menil Park

Concerts still aren’t happening and virtual concerts have seemed to slow down. But there’s no reason for you to be bored while staying safe and socially distancedhere, we've rounded up some activities to consider this month. Remember to wear a mask and continue to distance from others if you leave the house. Have fun, but be safe! 

Go on a bike ride
This one may seem obvious, but with lessened traffic due to fewer people going out, this is the perfect time to be more exploratory with your biking. Take a route that you haven’t been on beforemaybe one that was a little too busy for you to feel comfortable biking back when traffic was normal (#Houstonproblems). More on family bike rides in a recent Buzz Baby column here

Walk around the MFAH grounds
The museum is open, but be prepared to socially distance and of course wear a mask. If you don’t want to risk going inside the museum, walk around the grounds, including the plaza in front of the Glassell School of Art or the Sculpture Garden. 

Go on a picnic
Celebrate being outdoors while also social distancing. Grab a beach towel or blanket and some cheese and crackers and meet your friends at a nearby park. You can space the towels away from each other to distance. Make sure to wear sunscreen and bring a mask!

Visit the reopened Rothko Chapel
The Rothko Chapel has been under construction recently and roped off to the public, but the outdoor spaces and benches are now open for quiet reflection. I took a walk around that area the other day, and it immediately put me at peace. It’s really easy to distance from others tooeveryone I saw was sitting on their own bench, spaced away from others visiting. 

Go see an outdoor movie
No need to go to a stuffy theater to see a moviesocially distance from others while also getting outside. Sawyer Yards is featuring drive-in movies, and Market Square Park also hosts movies on their lawn. 

Participate in an online class
No mask needed for this one. Learn something new while staying indoors! Ideas: Wellness, meditation, mixology, coding, flower arranging, cooking, baking, yoga, painting, you name it! YouTube creators and various universities have uploaded videos of all kinds, allowing all of us to learn and develop new skills and interests from the comfort of our homes!  Some ideas: Harvard Negotiation (both free and paid courses), WorkoutsVirtual Happiness Guides. More ideas here

Do a walk-by or drive-by some of Houston’s outdoor art
Not all of Houston’s wonderful art is inside. Houston has fabulous murals (check out Pooja’s recent article showcasing them here), sculptures, and more. Some of my favorites: The Cloud Column (our “Bean” by MFAH), the murals by Carnegie Vanguard High School, the windows at Rice’s Moody Center, and the sculptures and monuments along Allen Parkway. Rice, UH, and St. Thomas all have beautiful art and architecture on campus that’s worth checking out too. 

Take up gardening
Gardening is “in,” and while it’s usually considered a peaceful (and solitary) activity, throw on your mask and visit a communal garden, or even a local farmer’s market. The bigger markets have shut down, but some of the smaller, more local markets are still up and running (one of my favorites is open across from the Rothko Chapel every Saturday morning!). You can still distance from others (and wear your mask, as always) while enjoying the sunshine and either growing your own flora/fauna or supporting local farmers. 

Buffalo Bayou Park

Haley Kurisky enjoys a picnic after walking at Buffalo Bayou Park. 

Houston experienced a Sarahan dust cloud recently, visible here in this view of the downtown skyline. 

Rice University features great biking and walking trails. 

Menil Park

 

A scene from a walk at the Menil and surrounding Menil Park. 

Menil Park features 30 acres of open lawns, trails and sculptures.  

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