PLAN: your summer vacation.
You don’t have to have a hotel booked and the car packed to get excited about summer vacation. But planning one might inspire a little bit of hope that things will reopen, sooner rather than later. Write down the things you’d like to do. If you’re still a little iffy about traveling, keep it close to home. There are plenty of vineyards, mini road trips and hikes you can do locally on the weekend without big, elaborate plans. Planning things out will also give you time to virtually get in line. Many destinations – like the Monterey Art Museum, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History and Monterey Bay Aquarium – have reservation systems. Reservations are also recommended for most local campgrounds, which tend to fill up; some local parks closed trails or reconfigured campgrounds. In other words, the key is to know before you go.
ENJOY: local theater.
While many local theater companies are already preparing their venues for a full schedule of plays and musicals, there are at least two virtual shows slated for the near future. First on the list is presented by Monterey Peninsula College Theatre Company. Perseverance is inspired by themes of endurance and forging ahead. The livestream theatrical show is made up of 13 solo student performances melded into one. Think a blend of monologues, songs, dance numbers, music and spoken word pieces stitched together – and viewed from the comfort of your home. This is a one-time show performed at 7:30pm on Friday, May 21. The performance is free, but donations are appreciated. Reserve your space at mpc.edu/theatre. The following day, Saturday, May 22 at 5:30pm, historical interpreter and actor Howard Burnham tackles the legacy of English Painter William Hogarth. Burnham writes and performs the biographical William Hogarth: Artist of His Age on Zoom and then holds a Q&A. Tickets are free but virtual “seating” is limited. Register at bit.ly/MCTAHogarth.
LISTEN: To smart women.
Amy Wu has thought long and hard about how our fruits and vegetables end up on our plates, as a former agricultural reporter for the Salinas Californian. So perhaps it’s not a surprise that she’s found another career as an author and entrepreneur and founder of Farms to Incubators, which spotlights stories about the intersection of technology and women in ag. Tune in on Thursday, May 20 at 5pm via webcast as Wu launches her corresponding book of the same name through the National Steinbeck Center. The launch event is free; register at bit.ly/NSCFarmtoIncubator.