A Better Day: Coping with COVID Anxiety webinar, sable cookies recipe, ASICS Studio app

Each weekday, our editors are sharing their quick tips, workouts, recipes and observations to help us make the most of our time at home. We hope it makes your day a little bit brighter. #stayhome

Let’s start with some good news…

This Ramadan, you can donate to charity, and make a style statement at the same time, by getting your hands on this limited-edition t-shirt by Namshi. Produced in partnership with Dubai Cares, the unisex t-shirt, Dhs59, features a bold Arabic calligraphy pattern in gold lettering, which translates to ‘life is beautiful’ – 100% of the profits will be donated to the charity.

Do this for a healthy body

Fitness apps have never been so popular, but if you’re still searching for the right one you should take advantage of the free three-month trial of the ASICS Studio app. Sign up and get stuck in to its quick and easy home workouts, including yoga and meditation sessions, as well as programmes designed especially for runners. Available on iOS and Android platforms.

Do this for a healthy mind

Bringing its health and wellbeing services to your sofa, the Lighthouse Centre for Wellbeing in Dubai is offering a variety of online sessions, from webinars to one-on-one therapy and access to support groups. The 1 hour 45-minute seminar on Coping with COVID Anxiety is ideal for helping you to manage any social and financial stress you may be experiencing.

Delicious deliveries to your door

Stay healthy during the Holy Month with the specially curated Ramadan box from NRTC Fresh. It’s packed with nutrient- and vitamin-rich fresh fruits that are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, calcium, magnesium, and a whole lot of nutrients that will help you create recipes that are the perfect fit for iftar and suhoor.

What to watch

Romantic at heart? Modern Love on Amazon Prime tells unique tales of the joys and tribulations of love, each inspired by a real-life personal essay from the cult New York Times column of the same name. Stars including Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey and Dev Patel bring the stories to life, and Season 1 has eight heart-melting episodes to binge watch.

What to listen to

It’s an oldie but a goodie: Women’s Hour on BBC Radio 4 will help keep the cogs turning while you stay at home. Subscribe to the podcast for engaging episodes on a variety of topics, from the economic impact of COVID-19 on women, to lockdown cooking tips with Mary Berry and the significance of Rihanna’s durag Vogue cover.

Home help

If you’re in the mood to give your old furniture a new lease of life, we encourage you to pick up a paintbrush and learn the art of chalk painting. When Shabby Meets Chic can deliver everything you need to your door, including chalk and mineral paint by Frenchic Furniture Paint, brushes, stencils, sponges, sanding blocks and more. Plus, it’s offering handy tutorials via its Instagram page.

Isolators we love

Need help with your nutrition while you #StayHome? Alyson Stoner is using her YouTube channel to provide guidance during home quarantine and debunk a few media myths along the way. Speaking with nutrition expert Eric Edmeades, Alyson talks about revolutionising nutrition for optimal health so that we come out of our quarantine cocoon feeling good from the inside out.

Join the party

If you’re a classical music buff, you can tune into the solo performance by critically-acclaimed violinist Mohamad Hamami, which is being live streamed for free this evening via Dubai Opera’s Facebook and YouTube channels. The 45-minute session will give you a front row seat to his renditions of popular Arabic and international melodies.

Cook like a pro

The little sweet treat of a sable cookies recipe today (it’s the weekend after all) which comes all the way from sunny Mauritius, courtesy of our friends at Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas. Go get some.

Ingredients: 
a. 150 icing sugar
b. 325g butter
c. 10g vanilla essence
d. 325g flour
e. 1g salt
f. Granulated sugar to taste

Method:
1. With a wooden spoon, mix the butter, salt, icing and vanilla essence.
2. Add the flour and mix for 20-30 seconds (do not over knead).
3. Turn dough onto work surface and roll into a log-shape (the fatter your log, the bigger your cookies), before wrapping it in parchment paper and transferring it to fridge until chilled – about 30 mins.
4. Take it from the fridge, remove the parchment paper, and roll the log in some sugar to coat to your taste
5. Cut the log into cookie-thin slices, then cook at 180°C for 10-15 mins.

And lastly…things we’d never thought we’d miss #12

Placing your mat next to an apparent contortionist in a yoga class, when you still can’t get your feet flat on the floor during downward dog.

Please feel free to share your own frivolous yearnings via editor@hotmedia.me

For your home interiors, advice and inspiration in the UAE visit https://blivinguae.com/