Gray Weather Survival Guide

The sky may be gray, but that’s no reason to feel blue. We’ve come up with plenty of ways to survive

By: Written By Francine Ruley and Lorna Yee with Amelia Apfel, Thea Chard, Brangien Davis, Rachel Hart, Manny Lewis and Kate Calamusa |   January 2010   |  FROM THE PRINT EDITION

Get in touch with your inner dolphin in The Hyatt at Olive 8’s saline pool.

19. Brighten up
Stroll through the tranquility of the Volunteer Park Conservatory, a Capitol Hill treasure featuring rooms full of palms, cacti, bromeliads—basically, what your house plants would look like if they were in a balmy, humid environment (and if you had a green thumb). The 6,300-square-foot conservatory is a light-filled oasis, with soaring ceilings and the original 1912 lunette window situated above the main entry. Take a free, self-guided tour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday.­