We’re all finding ourselves at home more than ever these days, and I’m not sure about you, but sometimes it feels like there’s a million things to stream, read and listen to, but with endless options it can also feel impossible to know what to choose and where to start.
If flicking through options are exhausting, we’ve scoured through all the latest listings, offerings, book launches and podcasts to bring you a list of our top suggestions we know you’d love. So surf that sofa, put those noise-cancelling headphones to good use, curl up in that armchair and relax, read, watch and listen to our top recommendations for you. Just try not to binge them all at once (or at least try)!
WATCH
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
Available on Amazon Prime
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, UK starlet Lily James leads this period romantic-drama fuelled with heart and hope during the desperate times of WWII. Cosy and nostalgic, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society reminds us of why coming together to support one another and keep dreams alive is so important during the best and worst of times and how, together, we can help each other get through anything. Have the tissues at ready, but be prepared to find yourself smiling while the end credits role on this sweet and charming flick.
Fleabag
(Re-watch) Available on Amazon Prime
We all remember a time when our dating lives were alive and maligned, and we shared dating anecdotes and disasters with our best and finest. It already feels like the moments of sauntering home, wide-smiled after a great first date are far behind us, which is why Fleabag provides the greatest sense of vicarious living amidst Hinge conversations being our soul substitute. If anything, Fleabag reminds us of how exhausting dating can be and why self-isolation is actually a welcomed reprieve from wet-blanket Brad, and tries too hard Tom (sorry Tom)!
Thelma & Louise
Available on Netflix
This classic has everything our track-pant laden selves are desperate for these days: care-free, female bonding, a rebellious road-trip through the desert and a young, topless Brad Pitt. Eye-candy and some great #WFH outfit inspo aside (hello band tee muscle shirt and high rise jeans), Thelma & Louise is as escapist as it is entertaining and one we’re re-watching asap.
The Trip Series 4: The Trip to Greece
Available on Sky One and Now TV
Fuel your wanderlust with the newest series from our favourite would-be culinary critics, Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan, as they island hop around Greece in the last and latest instalment of The Trip. Expect lots of feta cheese and moussaka, along with a barrel of laughs set amidst beautiful Greek backdrops that might just be enough for you to forget that you haven’t left your flat for two days.
Elite
Available on Netflix
What do you get when you combine the prep-school drama of Gossip Girl and the deadly scandal of Pretty Little Liars? Spain’s most popular export via Netflix, Elite. Bringing you fashion, teenage romance, and all the back-stabbing intrigue you would only find in an imaginary high school, Elite, now on its third season, provides hours of endless bingeing that’s worthy of being your next guilty pleasure. No judgement here – we’re already hooked!
READ
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Reese Witherspoon’s next foray in to TV launches this month with the formidable Kerry Washington starring opposite, and ahead of we’re digging our claws in to this delectable and engrossing thriller that’s said to be as addictive to read as we’re sure it will be to watch. They say the book is always better than the film, or in this case the TV series. If you’re like us and haven’t read it yet, we’re betting on that!
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Inspiration can be hard to come by these days, which is why we’re turning to Elizabeth Gilbert’s highly acclaimed, utterly honest and incredibly vibrant read to remind us that with a little bit of curiosity, openness and playfulness, any time is a good time to find joy in our creativity.
The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton
Whilst the thought of travel and the chance for an azure-filled holiday might seem like a distant dream right now, there’s also no better time to appreciate what we’re already missing about one of our favourite pastimes. And while many of our favourite travel books tell us where to travel, few, like The Art of Travel, dig in to the why and how we should do it. Reminding us what it is about travel that fulfills us most, Alain de Botton simultaneously shows us how we can be happier in our travels in order to get the most out of them. Read now and incorporate everything you learn the minute you can make your next booking.
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Speaking of travel, if you’re missing out on your favourite poolside reads, you know the cheesy, almost written for Netflix, rom com-style paperbacks you wouldn’t be caught dead reading on the tube (no judgement here, you’ll be in good company if you pick this one up), then let me turn your attention to the latest release from the #1New York Times best-selling author of Ms. Everything. Expect the usual entertaining trysts of chic lit, but, dare I say spoiler alert, stick around for the second half for a shocking twist you will not see coming. Don’t say I didn’t tell you so!
Becoming by Michelle Obama
You might be familiar with a woman named Michelle Obama, but you have never encountered her like this before. On my ‘to read’ list since its release, there’s no better time, or excuse, to pick up this best-selling memoir by the former first lady, savvy attorney and vegetable enthusiast (so we’ve heard).
LISTEN
Ctrl Alt Delete with Emma Gannon
Centred around our modern lives and relationship with the internet, Emma Gannon, celebrated author, blogger and one of Forbes Top 30 Under 30 of 2018, hosts this delectable podcast that’s both clever and poignant whilst being utterly entertaining. Featuring one of the best line-ups of female guests I have ever seen, including Gillian Anderson, Eva Chen, Greta Gerwig and Sharon Horgan, to name a tiny modicum of the few, this is a must listen and immediately subscribe to if you haven’t done so already.
Dolly Parton’s America
Country icon and music legend, this journey in to Dollyverse is unlike anything you’d imagine. To be honest, I would have never considered myself a Dolly Parton fan before I listened to this podcast, but now I’m a bona fide convert. Digging in to Ms. Parton’s life, legacy and influence will have you coming away signing more than 9 to 5 and leave you with a newfound love and appreciation for one of the biggest female figures of our time.
Where Should We Begin with Esther Perel
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a fly on the wall in the office of a couples therapist? Famed psychotherapist, love expert, New York Times best-selling author, and Ted Talk extraordinaire, Esther Perel’s podcast allows you to do just that. Through intimate moments with couples brave enough to let us in, listeners get an inside look in to the lives of others. Even if you’re not in a relationship this podcast has a lot to offer when it comes to dealing with other humans. It’s also the cheapest form of counselling you’ll probably ever get!
Radio Cherry Bombe
The foodies in us delight at this podcast featuring the coolest, most creative women in the world of food. Host Kerry Diamond, founder of indie magazine Cherry Bombe, and her insane line up of culinary greats like Rachel Ray, pastry pro, Claudia Fleming, and those outside the industry (but equally enamoured by food) like Sofia Coppola, chat life, womanhood and topics like how to make the best grilled cheese sandwich. You might want to grab a snack before you tune in to this delicious one.
The Dropout
A podcast list wouldn’t be complete without true crime, and what can be more high profile than Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos? You may have watched the HBO documentary, but you have never heard the story about the woman once heralded as “the next Steve Jobs” like this before. With exclusive interviews with former employees, investors, and patients at the centre of the story, and, for the first time, the never-before-aired deposition testimony of Elizabeth Holmes, prepare to be gripped by this unique account of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong.
Any Questions or Tips to add?