In a time that is anything but normal, sometimes allowing your mind to escape is the best way to remain sane. We are grateful for all of the writers, bloggers, artists, and creatives who are breaking down the wall and letting us enter into their inspirational studios via IG Live and vlogs. That’s why we added them to our list of recreational content- and threw convention out the window.
Our team at NG volunteered some of the things they’re reading/watching to escape the doldrums and bring some light to our current situation. Think of this collection as your TV Guide to internet happenings; whenever you’re bored, pick it up from the metaphorical coffee table and flip through it, maybe something will catch your eye.
Good Shows:
Veep - “One of the funniest shows of the decade. Hands down.”
Tiger King - “It's a wiiiiiid ride”, “Exotic animals. True crime. Big personalities. Just when you think it's crazy, just wait…”
Summer House - “You don't have to think.”
The Office - “because, duh”
Pen15 - “Hilarious! I recommend the AIM episode”
Avenue 5 - “It's made by the same creators as Veep, I believe. And that's enough justification.”
Chef’s Table - “It’s so fun to watch what goes into some of the world's greatest chef’s dishes beyond the plate! It’s also shot beautifully!”
Good Movies:
Lady Bird
A Lot Like Love - “Low this key does not get enough credit, a true shining performance by Asthon Kutcher”
Moonlight - “visually pleasing and a powerful message about community, strength, and freedom.”
Clueless, Life Aquatic, Beginners
Anything Wes Anderson - “Bright pops of color and some easy quips. A good escape.”
Call Me by Your Name - “Wanderlust is a continuing theme for me. The film is incredibly powerful and the same amount of power went into shooting it.”
Parasite - “because it lives up to the hype”
Good Books:
Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino - “It’s nine essays… [and] It was a bit of a wake-up call for me reading them. They challenged my perspective without sounding too lecture-y”
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Too Much and Not The Mood by Durga Chew-Bose
The Silent Patient - “It's Wild.”
To be Human by J.Krishnamurti
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The One & Only by Emily Giffin - “This is cheesy but I like [it] because it’s about Texas Football.”
Good Editorials:
Into the Gloss - “Glossier's beauty editorial. It's such an easy, fun read. And, I'm addicted to skincare.”
Manrepeller
The Cut - “They share everything I'm wanting to know.”
The Atlantic - “Some of the best coverage of the current crisis.”
Wall Street Journal and New York Times - “I like how they balance each other out when read side by side.”
My 14-Hour Search for the End of TGI Friday's Endless Appetizers by Caity Weaver - “It is one of the funniest things I have ever read and it reminds me of a time where sitting in a TGI Fridays for 14 hours was possible, albeit frowned upon.”
ProPublica - “The best investigative reporting out there and they support smaller papers who can’t afford drawn out investigations”
Good Blogs:
Bethany Toews - “I always love re-reading Bethany Toews writing.”
Kottke.org - “Great analysis and aggregation of COVID-19-related stories, amongst other things.”
Hypebeast or Highsnobiety - “I love how I can get a global view on fashion and culture at the palm of my hand.”
Good IG Lives:
Any musicians putting on live shows - Check out: Kevin Garrett, Jame Blake, Coldplay, Dave Matthews
Stay Away Shows every night at 7pm in Paris
John Mayer's show Current Mood
Good Videos:
RavenElyse TV - “a little bit of something for everyone. Makeup tutorials, DIY projects, activities for your kids, etc.”
Nerdwriter
“I’ve been obsessed with celebrities posting Tik Toks with their families and kids while quarantining. Melissa Gorga from Real Housewives of New Jersey, J Lo, Mark Cuban just to name a few”
Gourmet Makes with Clair and It's Alive with Brad from Bon Appetit
“I Am Easy to Find” - “A beautiful short film set to The National album of the same title.”
There's More to Life Than Being Happy
