From Solo Hobbies to Social Sparks
“Next week, I’m bringing my hot sauce,” he says. “Everything is better with my hot sauce.”
Back in Garland, TX, Carlos Rivera, 81, stares skeptically at the bamboo sushi mat in front of him. “I’ve grilled carne asada for 50 years,” he mutters. “Hmmm, raw fish?” Around him, eight seniors—and one 20-something instructor named Lila—layer nori sheets with rice and laughter. This is the residents' weekly cooking class, where novices and foodies alike trade kitchen disasters and triumphs. By the end of the hour, Carlos’s lopsided California roll earns applause.
Gamburd likens hobbies like Carlos’s to “social glue.”
" Instead of solely relying on formal meetups or planned events, find connection in shared daily responsibilities,” he says. “I recall a group of residents who created a small gardening club. At first, it was just about growing vegetables. But soon, they began exchanging recipes and
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