Staying in is the new going out: How to party the weekend away during the coronavirus lockdown – Evening Standard

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Unfollow all those moaners tweeting that the weekend doesnt feel like a weekend in quarantine.

Just because London is (physically) isolating, that doesnt mean the partys over. In fact, the capital has never been so sociable. Ive spoken to my friends more in the last week than I did for about six months of last year, wrote one Twitter user on Tuesday. My lockdown calendar is busier than my ordinary one, joked another.

Partying in the age of isolation might look a little different, but in many ways it can be even more fun: spontaneous trivia evenings, three birthdays in one night, 30 friends to drink wine with at the click of a button.

The bonus? Everyones free! From virtual movie nights on Netflix Party to FaceTime pub sessions, this is a guide to winding down during the lockdown.

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Pressing play at the same time as bae is so BC (before coronavirus): Netflix Party is a new free Chrome extension that synchronises your virtual movie night for you and lets you chat about it in real-time like youre sitting on the sofa together (youll finally have to set up separate Netflix accounts). Current group viewing favourites include Contagion (the ultimate pandemic movie), Glee (group singalongs), and Sex Education (see who cringes first), and there are public viewing parties if you fancy a cinema feel. Film initiative Cinema Space is hosting a Netflix Party screening of Claire Foy and Andrew Garfields drama Breathe on Monday night (RSVP at cs-breathe.splashthat.com), while Twitter collective Drunk Feminist Films is putting on a Notting Hill Netflix Party at 9pm tonight.

If your series of choice isnt on Netflix, fear not. MetaStream lets you and your friends watch videos on YouTube or Hulu together; TwoSeven allows you to watch YouTube, Amazon Prime and HBO Now while video chatting with your pals; and the team behind cult podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno is hosting a Belinda Blinked-inspired listening party at 8pm tonight if you fancy some time away from the camera.

(netflixparty.com; drunkfeministfilms.com; getmetastream.com; twoseven.xyz; instagram.com/mydadwrotea)

(Unsplash/Elevate)

If you havent got drunk with your mates over Zoom yet, youre not Zooming hard enough. Video pub sessions are the new going out (Tesco has reported a 75 per cent increase in booze sales) and some say its better. Drinks are cheaper, toilets are cleaner, joked one Twitter user. Calls are only 40 mins max with the free version so you can still get an early night, says Tooting-based consultant Ed Gibbs. Hes got a Zoom party planned with his 30-man university WhatsApp group tomorrow night, and with everyones housemates and other halves. We might be getting close to 100, he predicts. He may have to borrow a friends dads premium account if numbers get any higher no one wants to be NFI to a Zoom party.

If you are, head to the pub. The Oval Tavern in Croydon is among the London bars streaming live music nights while doors are closed, and London-based digital marketing veterans Chris Simmance and Shane Jones have set up their own virtual dog-friendly establishment, thecoronapub.com, for anyone in the SEO industry. Weve had over 80 people come through the doors over the course of one night so far, says Simmance, recalling visitors from as far afield as New York, Amsterdam and Melbourne popping in for pints in the last week. Hes hosting the first pub quiz tonight and has a live band booked for tomorrow. Its funny seeing people nip to the bar, AKA the fridge, and as with most pubs we have regulars who have their virtual stool at the bar.

(zoom.us; theovaltavern.co.uk; thecoronapub.com)

Houseparty is the best thing to happen to this #QuarantineLife, one Twitter user wrote this week in reference to the viral social network thats suddenly all over your Instagram Stories. The spontaneous social video app has been around since 2016 but its become an overnight sensation amid the lockdown: global downloads rocketed by more than 500 per cent in the first two weeks of March alone. For the uninitiated, the app taps into your contact book and allows you to immediately start video calls with friends online. As many as eight people can enter a chat at one time and when you leave the door to the party unlocked, friends of friends can come in and join the conversation. Before you know it youll be face-to-face with your housemates boss. Mercifully, there are handy ice-breakers: parties can play rounds of trivia or Pictionary using the in-app games, and users can share their phone or desktop screens with the room so your best friends brother can help you with your Hinge profile.

The beauty of the app lies in its chaos. Suddenly you can attend five parties in one night, including those you werent invited to. But social etiquette still applies. Dont lock a friend out of a room, and dont enter the house if youre feeling antisocial. If you fancy seeing whos inside without being locked into a conversation, a hot tip from House Party HQ: Hold down on the app icon to Sneak into the House. Your friends wont get a notification that youre around.

Londoners are also coming up with virtual games: Zoom hide-and-seek (one person blanks their video; whos missing?); Zoom roulette (Type in any nine-digit meeting code. See how long you can last in that meeting before getting asked to leave); and PowerPoint karaoke for the office social (everyone sends in four made-up slides, we hand them out randomly, then everyone has to present four slides back to us and we have to guess who wrote it).

(houseparty.com)

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While gyms are shut for the foreseeable future, plenty are moving their classes online.Joe Wicks is also helping the nation stay fit from home while all this is going on, by hosting workouts on his Instagram page every morning at 9am for people to get involved with. Its not all about mere calorie burning, though. Sadlers Wells has announced plans to stream online dance classes perfect if youre up for trying something new during these strange times. The dance venue is launching its Digital Stage series from April 1, presenting performances alongside classes created with children and older people in mind.

The pub seems to be one of the things Londoners are missing the most, after the UKs boozers shut their doors last Friday. East London favourite The Pembury Tavern is here to help, hosting a virtual pub quiz via its Instagram page at 7pm every Monday evening and helping punters get the week off to a fun start.Brewdog is also getting in on the act, launching 102 virtual pubs. Each of them recreates one of the Brewdog pubs across the UK, hosting quizzes, virtual tastings and giveaways over the coming weeks.In fact, there are plenty of pub quizzes on. Chin chin!

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James Blake is among the pop stars to launch their own virtual concerts, with the singer-songwriter sitting down at his piano to serenade listeners on Instagram this week. He promises therell be more to come too, so keep an eye out. Elsewhere, everyone from Keith Urban (with help from Nicole Kidman), to Christine and the Queens have posted performances online. Even if you missed them the first time around, theyre all still available to catch up on.

Instagram/jamesblake

Daves Taskmaster has been doing its bit to alleviate boredom across the land this week. The show is setting people a series of challenges on Twitter using the #HomeTasking hashtag. The first task is to throw a piece of A4 paper into a bin. Most spectacular throw wins, with more to be announced throughout this week. Get involved, get creative and post videos using the hashtag to be in with a chance of getting on the leaderboard, making into the Taskmaster YouTube montage and maybe even getting on the show.

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With all this extra time available to people, theres never been a better opportunity to discover new films. Take the opportunity to try out an underrated gem on Netflix and Amazon Prime, or discover a brand new streaming service like Disney+. Escapist classics can help to transport you across the world from the comfort of your sofa check out our full list of recommendations here, from The Beach to The Darjeeling Limited.Even though theres been a rush of film postponements over recent weeks, there are plenty of alternatives to the likes of James Bond and Mulan to check out and keep us entertained too, with a wealth of options available to film fans at the touch of a button. If you're totally at a loss over what film to choose, try out this random film generator.

Even with coronavirus putting new album releases into doubt, theres a lot for music fans to get involved in from home. The Charlatans Tim Burgess is teaming up with some of his buddies for a series of nostalgic album listening parties, welcoming the likes of Liam Gallagher and members of Franz Ferdinand and Blur for listening parties from 10pm on weekdays, starting from March 23.

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People can support Londons restaurant scene by ordering deliveries from a huge range of venues across the city. Read our full guide here, and if you're more in the mood for a drink, have a look at our rundown of drinks delivery options. If youre looking for home cooking inspiration, some of the most celebrated chefs in London recently shared with us their self-isolation cooking recipes, made using long-lasting ingredients.

Jason Briscoe/Unsplash

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Instagram/jamesblake

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I honestly think more people turned up than wed have had in person, admits Fitzrovia-based innovation consultant Dom Turner, who celebrated turning 24 this week by transferring his pub quiz plan to Zoom in light of isolation guidelines. Thirty-two friends dialled in for the 45-minute shindig and all attendees were asked to set their Zoom background to their favourite of them with the birthday boy. Prize for the best photo, of course, says Turner.

Wimbledon-based brand manager Caroline Small, 27, also had a virtual birthday quiz (the prize was toilet paper), while founder of Cheapskate London newsletter Kate Samuelson had more wholesome Zoom plans for her 28th: a virtual tea party with her housemates, parents, sister, grandma and boyfriend. My mum and dad dropped the same tea off at everyones houses: homemade scones with cream and jam, mini sandwiches, caterpillar cake, she says.

Others on Twitter report Zoom birthday bar crawls (we all walk around our houses and take shots in different rooms); birthday karaoke (six of us logged on to a Google Hangout a drink in one hand, a household object to be used as a microphone in the other); and themed kids parties. Im available in character form, Sedona Rose, founder of Brixton party company Goldilocks Entertainment, explained on her Instagram last week. Her 30-minute childrens birthday parties will now be run over Zoom and themes range from Frozens Elsa to Peter Pan.

(hangouts.google.com)

One of Londons premier burger buffs, spread all across London (Various locations check if there is one near you)

Michelin-starred dim sum on wheels (Mayfair)

Classic fish and chips shop with a very modern vegan menu (Essex Road, Stoke Newington)

Thai chain offering all the popular classics (Various locations check if there is one near you)

Pizza hotspot offering vegan options and gluten-free bases (Islington, Hammersmith, Aldgate, Bermondsey)

Fully flavoured Indian rice bowls with a health-focused twist (Whitechapel)

Greek-style street food, from souvlaki to halloumi fries (White City, Wembley, Clapham, Canary Wharf, Victoria, Shoreditch)

Xian-style Chinese dishes including hand-pulled biang biang noodles (Euston, Mayfair)

Generously ingredient-laden salads taking inspiration from around the world (Old Street)

Dumplings aplenty, with a short but sweet selection of main dishes (Soho)

Fried chicken is given a jerk-seasoned shake up (Kennington only)

Vietnamese favourite serving hot bowls of pho and summer rolls (Finsbury Park, Dalston)

The cronut creator delivers his famous pastries, cookies alongside savoury options (Belgravia)

A welcome American import, offering burgers and delicious cajun fries (Various locations check if there is one near you)

Camden favourite offering all things cheese (Camden)

Fried chicken and waffle extraordinaire (Canary Wharf, Brixton, Stratford, Islington, Camden)

Paul Winch-Furness / Photographe

Hawaiian salads with a build your own option (Swiss Cottage Editions only)

A longstanding Caribbean classic (Notting Hill, Vauxhall, Shoreditch)

Greek street food favourites are given a European twist (Carnaby)

Naples-hailing pizza legend hailed as the best in the world (Marylebone only)

Missing Nandos? Hit up this highly praised Portuguese chicken joint instead (Shoreditch, London Bridge)

Seriously crunchy fried chicken served in strips, wraps or burgers (Whitechapel Editions only)

Vegan fast food from across the pond (Tower Bridge)

LA-hailing egg-centric restaurant (Notting Hill)

The west London outpost of a Fitzrovia gem (St Johns Wood only)

Paris-hailing Les Hamburgers made with lashings of melted French cheese (South Kensington)

Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd

A New York street food sensation opened its second UK spot in west London (Earls Court)

Excellent Israeli food on High Street Kensington (Kensington)

Adrian Lourie