Some indoor winter activities you can warm up to
By Margaret McCormick
Winter isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone likes to get out there and ski, snowboard, snowshoe, skate, snowmobile or sit over a hole in a frozen lake, waiting for fish to bite.
Do you prefer the indoors to the great outdoors but want to stay active (and warm) and keep your mind engaged?
Join the club.
Winter is a great time to learn a new skill or take up a new hobby. Here are some ideas.
Learn to Make Things Grow
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County is a year-round resource for information on soil, site improvement, plants, composting, pest management, food gardening, etc. Low-cost classes and tours are available year-round, and the website has information on composting, lawns and ornamentals, deer-resistant plants, raised bed gardening, houseplants and food gardening.
• More information: https://cceonondaga.org/gardening
Learn How to Quilt
Anyone can learn how to quilt. Has a seasoned quilter ever said that to you? There are plenty of online tutorials on YouTube, but Calico Gals, a fabric and notions store and crafting studio near Syracuse, offers in-person classes for all levels of quilting experience. Classes run the gamut from machine applique to machine-made purses, computer cases, rope bowls, etc. Visit the website and check out the schedule of classes and events.
• More information: https://calicogals.com/
Learn how to Make Jewelry
Do you have a thing for sparkly things? Do you want to learn about silversmithing, metals and gemstones and creating wearable art? Metal Morphosis Studio in Syracuse offers classes in making rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets and more. A variety of classes are available at any time, including date night offerings.
• More information: https://metalmorphstudio.com/
Learn to Bake Sourdough Bread
Sourdough had a surge in popularity during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when grocery stores ran out of yeast and people had more time to take up hobbies. If you missed out, Crazy Daisies, a greenhouse and garden cafe near Marcellus, offers sourdough baking workshops. Participants learn the terminology and techniques of sourdough baking and head home with dough for loaves to bake at home (as well as sourdough starter). Classes sell out quickly.
• More information: https://crazydaisiesflowers.com/
Learn How to Knit
Knit, purl. Knit, purl. Knit, purl. Knitty Gritty Yarns, Liverpool, offers knitting classes for all levels of experience. Maybe start with something relatively simple, like a scarf (seasonally appropriate).
• More information: https://knittygrittysyr.com/
Several libraries in the Onondaga County Public Library system, including city branches, offer knitting programs and social programs where people can learn and get help. Knitting with Anne, an in-person program, is held Friday afternoons at the Mundy Branch Library. Bring your own project or borrow some needles and yarn and learn the basics.
• More information: www.onlib.org/events (click on the calendar of events).
Learn New Things at a Local Trivia Night
Trivia nights at bars and taverns have taken off around Central New York. They’re a good way to meet up with friends, relax and put your general knowledge to the test. Syracuse Trivia offers trivia just about every night of the week at a roster of locations. There’s sure to be one convenient for you.
• More information: https://syracusetrivianight.com, facebook.com/syracusetriviacompany
• The Top 10 local trivia nights, according to Yelp: https://shorturl.at/4HiIv
Learn How to Make Pasta (and just about everything Italian)
Vince’s Gourmet Imports in North Syracuse is “a true taste of Italy.” You’ll find pasta, cheeses, cured meats, olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, produce, prepared foods (fresh and frozen), baked goods, a complete deli (with seating area) and so much more. It’s also a culinary classroom, offering cooking instruction and encouragement. The class schedule includes homemade pasta, baked goods and complete take-home meals.
• More information: https://www.vincesgourmet.com/
Silent Book Club
Have you heard about Silent Book Club Syracuse? It’s a book club minus assigned reading and deadlines. People gather to read whatever they want at Kelsey’s Coffee and Friends (formerly Peaks Coffee Co.), near Syracuse University. It’s just you (and other attendees), your book or books and the rustling of pages being turned.
• More information: https://shorturl.at/xAX5a
Several bookshops and libraries in Central New York also offer Silent Book Clubs. North Syracuse NOPL, for example, offers Silent Book Club the second Monday of every other month (6 to 7 p.m.). The Fairmount Community Library Silent Book Club meets 6:30 to 8 p.m. every second Friday of the month. Registration is required. Check with your local library for more information.
Golden Bee Bookshop in Liverpool offers Silent Book Club on the fourth Wednesday each month. Read without interruption and chat with fellow book lovers (if you like). Registration is recommended.
• More information: www.goldenbeebookshop.com/