So, you’re down in the dumps and need some self care. In the winter you can feel confident that you’re not alone. It’s easy to get depressed in the post-holiday stretch from January to March. Feelings of hopelessness and ennui are par for the course, and a twenty-four-hour news cycle that’s slowly eroding your brain definitely doesn’t help.
Plan Your Self Care Day in Pittsburgh
“Self care” is something of a buzzword, reduced to a platitude with little meaning—sure, taking a bubble bath and doing a face mask will cure my existential dread! Why not? But there is something to holding yourself accountable for taking small steps to feel better.
Try a Sauna or Spa Afternoon
Pittsburgh has an array of saunas to warm up your body, boost your immunity, and generally make you feel a little better. Signal Sauna in Homewood, a pop-up sauna run by sports scientist Ryan Campbell, has sauna sessions all throughout the day, as well as book clubs and tea hours if you want to socialize. Part of what he sees as sauna’s benefit is its equalizer as a “third space” where people of all stripes can get together and share an experience.
If you’re looking for a little extra pampering, there’s nothing wrong with the classic spa experience. The Fairmont downtown has a spa and health club with pedicure and massage services. Places like Massage Envy, Thrive on Health, or Bear Paw Massage can pair you with a certified massage therapist to get some of those stress knots out.
Go See a Live Performance. Get Some Culture.
In the ancient Greek times, theater was considered a cathartic, healing art. Whether it’s a concert, opera, ballet, or classical music, a live performance grounds you in the moment and also can give you an excuse to dress up. It’s hard to feel too depressed at the opera. Check out what theater performances are going on and plan a day around one of them. Get out of those sweats, put on a dress or a blazer, and immerse yourself in some of what the city has to offer culturally.
Seeing visual art and committing an afternoon to going to the Carnegie can be a form of meditative self-care. Spend some time alone with your thoughts wandering the galleries and going at your own pace. It’s surprisingly relaxing. Any of Pittsburgh’s galleries also have daily open hours beyond their opening nights where you can pop in and stimulate your brain a little with visual art.
Treat Yourself to Some Retail Therapy
French playwright Françoise Sagan supposedly once said that “Money may not buy happiness, but I’d rather cry in a Lamborghini than on a bus.” As a bus-rider, while it hurts, I have to agree with that—crying on a bus isn’t ideal.
Native Pittsburgher Gertrude Stein said, “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didnt know where to go shopping.” Retail therapy is not the world’s most fiscally sustainable habit, but it gives you something to do and can refresh your sense of self. A small, curated boutique like Sergio Paisley or Madeleine George, where the shop-owners can give you style advice and personal attention, makes for a perfect act of self care.
Or, I find something oddly comforting about the Ross Park Mall, and there’s an element of fun to really devoting a day to shopping instead of mindlessly buying stuff on the internet. Spraying yourself with fragrances at Nordstrom or Sephora is a great way to take your mind off your woes.
And you don’t have to break the bank, either. Buy yourself a small piece of jewelry or a new mug from Contemporary Craft’s gift shop in Lawrenceville, with local, curated pieces.
Plan a Solo Date
Fet-Fisk has one of the best setups for solo diners, with their horseshoe-shaped bar that often has walk-in seating available. Because their menu is so extensive and diverse, I like to go there and try something new when I’m feeling down. Solo dining, for me, feels nourishing and rewarding, like I’m giving myself a present or a little boost.
Dish is also very welcoming to solo diners for bar seating. Get a plate of melanzane e mozzarella di bufala and an aperitivo and everything in life just seems okay. If you’re not drinking, a late-night tea at Dobrá Tea or Bantha Tea Bar can be soothing and enjoyable. Maybe a self-care day isn’t a permanent solution, but your sadness, too, is temporary. A small step towards a happier self is always worth it.
Story by Emma Riva
Photo courtesy of Fet-Fisk
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