As the return to the office is fast approaching, we may all be in need of an opportunity to return to the couch and switch off for the evening and we have put together some suggestions to help you unwind after those long days back at the desk.
So here are this week’s Iconic Weekly Recommendations from the world of books, Netflix and podcasts to help you sit back and relax after that inevitable shock to the system.
Books
If you miss dining out in your favourite restaurant during lockdown and can’t wait to visit again Bourdain’s recounting of his journey through restaurant kitchens around the world is sure to whet your appetite. We go back in the archive for this behind the scenes look at what really goes on behind those kitchen doors while the diners are seated as Bourdain offers some helpful tips on some cardinal sins of customers and chefs alike.
This book is sure to take your mind away from the office and back to the recent past of being able to visit our favourite eateries.
Haig offers an illuminating and no-holds-barred glimpse into what goes through someone’s mind during some of the most horrible times, giving insight into his personal mental health struggle. However, throughout the book, he shares some valuable advice on how he handled this struggle and emphasises his sense of hope that his journey was not going to end as a story told by someone else, but one he fought to recount himself.
This concise and easy to read narrative offers some great insights into the journey of a man on his mental health journey and is a must read for everyone who has experienced difficulties with mental health, to those who just want to learn more about the mind during those times.
Netflix
The Fab 5 are back with a bang for their fifth season of their hit show and we are sure it won’t disappoint. This time around the guys visit Philadelphia to help another 10 ‘heroes’, this time including a working mom struggling to find that work/life balance and a gay clergyman struggling with his sexual identity.
The boys are back on our screens on June 5th so if you are in need of a pick-me-up from Jonathan, some sage advice from Karamo, or some wardrobe tips from Tan, the Queer Eye guys are sure to bring some of their trademark brand of positivity to help perk you up.
If you are looking for some easy laughs and some sweet human interactions Space Force is the one for you. Steve Carrell, Lisa Kudrow, and John Malkovich team up for this satirical look inside the recently founded United States Space Force and the administration that formed it. As with most Carrell comedies the jokes come hard and fast and are sure to have you giggling along at the absurdity of what is going on.
Inside jokes and thinly veiled nods to what is happening in the real world are abound with many a reference to a certain Twitter wielding president and the people that surround him in the White House, making for some very clever and enjoyable scenes.
Podcasts
As the title suggests, Conan is in need of a friend and his intentions are clear from each episode. With no products to advertise and no projects to plug from his guests, the podcast offers a refreshing feeling of being a fly on the wall during a chat between friends.
His most recent conversations with Russell Brand and Rob Lowe are a must listen for anyone with an interest in comedy and will have you laughing out loud as they share stories from their journeys through Hollywood and the comedy world.
Theroux puts his lockdown to good use with his most recent project and interviews celebrities from Rose McGowan to Helena Bonham Carter to Jon Ronson as only Louis can do.
McGowan in particular offers illuminating insights into a life that many would deem unusual, to say the least. Specifically, she details her upbringing in a cult in Italy, her family’s return to the US, and how her story of assault and rape at the hands of Harvey Weinstein was one of the sparks that led to the fire that is the #MeToo movement.
Once again, Louis has created a compelling and immensely interesting series that you are sure to get lost in.
Staying focused on your tasks, goals and mission is vital to your success. However, it is often a lot easier said than done – especially in today’s world with all its distractions and interruptions.