How to spice up your virtual dates with your long-distance love, family, and friends

COVID-19 is making me get creative with just about everything including DATE NIGHT! If you are a social butterfly or a homebody, living in quarantine is an adjustment for all of us. We might be isolated in our homes, but we have the ability to connect and come together, nonetheless. Here are my top 7 Virtual Date ideas perfect for your lover, family, and friends.

1. Fancy Date Night

Dressing up to sit at a candle-lit table and the five-star restaurant in town might not be possible, but you can re-create this date at home.

Step 1: Set the mood with a slinky jazz playlist...this is a link to one I love

Step 2: Set the table with your nice dishes and some candles. This is where you will enjoy your date with your freshly cooked (or ordered in) fancy meal so make sure it FEELS fancy.

Step 3: DRESS UP! Put on your favorite fancy outfit, jewelry, makeup, hair…the whole nine yards.

Step 4: Dial your date and take turns showing off your outfits, place settings, and dinners…extra points if you make the same meal.

Step 5: Take virtual selfies together to add another memory to the scrap book.

Step 6: Enjoy your date night and carry on as if you were sitting together.

2. Game Night

I am a sucker for game night. Typically, I am very competitive and I love games like Scrabble, Heads Up, Pictionary, and Pretty Pretty Princess. Game night lives on virtually! Here are some game night ideas:

1. Bingo: This is a great Zoom Happy Hour game to play with anyone including co-workers. Create your own bingo board with ice-breaker type questions like your hidden talent or your favorite travel destination. The winner of this game will find 5 matches in a row on the bingo board.

2. Brackets, March Madness style: You can find a ton of these pre-populated online. My classmates and I recently played one to find our collective favorite tv character.

3. Truth or Dare: Get creative with this one…do you dare your dad to do the latest TikTok dance? Truth: what is under your bed?!

4. HouseParty: Invite your friends/family and start a live game on HouseParty. My family’s favorite game is HeadsUp!

5. You can find a lot of games going virtual here as well

3. Sweat it out

Nothing better than getting sweaty, boosting your endorphins, and doing it with someone you know to keep you motivated. Here are some fitness ideas:

1. 30 Day Fitness Challenge – get your family and friends together to keep eachother accountable and complete a 30 day challenge – I am working on April Abs right now, if you want to join in click here and tap April Abs.

2. Sign up for a virtual class together – most gyms have virtual options for classes right now.

3. Find a YouTube class, join my FREE workouts here, no equipment needed!

4. Find your favorite fitness trainer hosting live classes on their Instagram pages

4. TV Time

Pick a movie or TV show to binge watch together. Feel free to FaceTime (on mute) to see each other’s reactions or live text while watching. Is Tiger King on your list? Some of my recomendations are: Killing Eve, The Morning Show, The Sinner, and you can't go wrong with ALL of the Harry Potter Movies!

5. House Hunting

For many, Sunday was spent house hunting…this doesn’t have to end! Relators are showing homes virtually and sites like Zillow have tons of listings. After your virtual home tours, start decorating your dream home together. ..will your backyard have an Italian coastline vibe? Are you more of a modern minimalist?

6. Museum Tour

Nothing like art to spark some creativity, here are links to different museums hosting free virtual tours.

1. The Lourve –online tours of three famous exhibits from the world’s largest art museum in Paris here

2. The Smithsonian – bringing you a 360 degree view of every exhibit in the museum here

3. The Getty – two free virtual tours are available here

4. The Guggenheim – showcasing 625 artists here

5. The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City - sharing 23 exhibit rooms of pre-Hispanic Mayan artifacts here

6. Many more museums, zoos, and theme parks can be found here

7. Sunday Brunch

Sunday Funday is still alive and well. Kick off your Sunday with a virtual boozy (optional) brunch with friends. This is a great time to combine some of the above activities..share your bingo results, your favorite museum exhibit, and your selfies from fancy date night! Make mimosas, pancakes, and a quiche at home and dial in from your balcony to feel like you are out to brunch in Malibu with your besties!