This Week In Recommendations - 16.07.23
My London trip, a five-star read, lots of podcast recommendations and thoughts on Threads a week on ...
👋 Howdy and welcome to this weeks edition of You Should Check Out. I spent last weekend in London and it was such a wonderful trip. We went to Brick Lane to browse the vintage markets, went bookstore shopping which resulted in me buying far more books than I anticipated and the main event - seeing Lana Del Rey at Hyde Park. Her performance was nothing short of amazing. The vibes at the festival where also immaculate. So many fans had dressed as the different Lana eras, the festival was the best organised I’ve ever been to and the crowd was so calm compared to anything I had ever been to before. I mean, nobody was going to be moshing to her music but still, there was just a great vibe. I had so much fun but when I got home, this photo felt like the most appropriate way to sum up a weekend in the city.
❤️ This week I’ve been loving the Connections game on The New York Times website - is this the new Wordle? My new insanely comfy but also overpriced Lana Del Rey hoodie and using my camera to take my Instagram snaps that has revived my love for posting on there. You can follow my book account here.
Reading
📚 This week, I hit my annual reading goal. I set a goal to read 70 books with an aim to read one a week. Even though I know I normally read more than that, I always like to set something realistic incase life gets too busy. So I’m pleased I have managed to reach it just over halfway through the year. This week, I read a five star book that I can’t get out my mind … and one that still has me scratching my head.
📖 The book I gave five stars and has potentially become a new all time favourite is Love In The Big City by Sang Young Park. I can’t stop thinking about how stunning this one was. This is a bestselling novel translated from Korean. Our main protagonist Young is navigating life in his 20s and 30s living as a gay man in the bustling city of Seoul. The book is split into four parts that documents his sexuality, the different relationships in his life from his mother, best friend and lovers. He likes to drink. He is promiscuous. But he’s juggling hiding who he really is. Seeking intimacy and love in the wrong places. Battling a medical diagnosis. Craving stability and love. It’s messy. It’s raw. It’s candid. But most of all, it has this beautiful vulnerability about it too. An easy five stars for me. I already can’t wait to revisit this one!
📖 Then on the train, I finished off the last quarter of In The Miso Soup by Ryū Murakami. This was such a dark book at just over 200 pages and has American Psycho style vibes. This was chilling. Kenji is a sex tourist guide in Tokyo. He is hired by Frank, an American tourist looking to visit the underground sex world the city has to offer. Kenji soon figures out that Frank isn’t who he says he is and realises he is caught up in something quite dark with one strange, twisted man. The ending had me thinking what even was that?! This is one crazy book that requires a strong stomach but I did enjoy it. I’d like to read more from this author in the future.
Watching
I am so excited for so many different shows and movies about to land in the next few weeks. I’ve recommended this before on my Substack but I am so sad that Platonic on Apple TV is over. It is one of my favourite comedy shows I have seen in a long time. I hope we get a second season.
🎥 This week I saw Asteroid City, the new Wes Anderson movie. I find his movies so bizarre and some I love, some I dislike. This one sits in the latter for me. It had the typical Wes Anderson movie aesthetics and dry humour but it lacked something for me. It was bland and nothing happened. Given the amazing cast, I expected more and I left feeling “meh”.
🎥 I watched the Wham! documentary on Netflix and I adored this. My mum is a huge George Michael fan so I grew up with his music. This was such a beautiful exploration of the friendship between Andrew and George, the journey they had been on together, their ambition but also, how Andrew supported George being a solo artist. This was a fun watch and a true celebration of the band.
📺 I have also been watching Hijack on Apple TV that has taken me a couple of episodes to actually get into. I still can’t understand why this wasn’t a movie but none the less, it has my attention! Starring Idris Elba, he plays a corporate negotiator onboard a passenger plane that has been hijacked. We still don’t know the hijackers intentions and the tension is mounting with each episode that airs. Intrigued to see where this one is going to go. New episodes drop every Wednesday.
LISTENING
I have listened to so many podcasts this week, due to ten hours all round spent on a train plus standard amount of listening. So buckle up, there are more than usual!
🎧 The Louis Theroux Podcast launched on Spotify in early June and I hadn’t been that interested in tuning in (he is someone I can find quite arrogant). The last two guests though have made me listen and I really enjoyed these episodes. The first was with singer songwriter Nick Cave who’s music I love. This episode was such a fascinating interview, the first I’ve ever heard by Nick Cave and they spoke about his career, religion, grief and writing. The next episode I listened to later this week was with Jeanette McCurdy, the child star of Nickelodeon and writer of the best-selling memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died. Another great, insightful interview on her career, her childhood, her books success and her relationships. Some trigger warnings to check out with this one but a very good listen. I’m interested to see who will be on the show next.
🎧 I started a new series called Nobody Should Believe Me. This is hosted by writer Andrea Dunlop on Munchausen By Proxy. This is a mental illness where a parent will make up fake symptoms of illness for their child with many undergoing medical procedures they don’t need and have diagnosis’s that aren’t true. There are lots of triggers on this one around children and abuse so please approach with caution. The reason Andrea Dunlop started this podcast is because her older sister was investigated for this crime. The podcast speaks with two other families who have been affected by the actions of those with the disorder - and includes an interview with one of the mothers with it. I think Andrea Dunlop approaches this subject delicately and I only have two episodes left. Highly recommend but again, check the trigger warnings.
🎧 On a much lighter note, the podcast Who Shat On The Floor At My Wedding? that first came out in 2020 has been the comedic relief I’ve needed from all the darkness in the podcasts I’ve listened to lately. This is a hilarious podcast that pokes fun at true crime podcasts on two brides trying to find out, you guessed it, who shat on the floor at their wedding. So funny. And I have actually been to a wedding where this did actually happen (wild I know) but I highly recommend this for some laughs!
🎧 This week, I also discovered the In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast. This features behind the scenes interviews with some amazing guests and I am making my way through some. Favourites so far are with the insanely talented Jodie Comer, Natasha Lyonne, Brandon Fraser and Austin Butler. A big recommendation if you love TV/Film.
🎧 Some other good listens are The Boston Globe’s Love Letters episode called I Need A Toaster, famous medium John Edwards on The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show and Stella Assange on Why My Husband Julian Must Be Freed on The Prospect Podcast.
INTERNET BROWSING
👩🏻💻 This week, when Jonah Hill’s texts to his ex girlfriend surfaced, this article I read a few weeks ago by Bustle instantly came to my mind. It was called Is Therapy-Speak Making Us Selfish? on the rise of therapy talk on things such as boundaries and self care. It tied in nicely with a piece I read on Elle this week on how these texts highlight how easily boundaries can be misunderstood. I think it is an interesting discussion especially on the blurred lines on boundaries and control.
👩🏻💻 I mentioned last week that I had joined Threads. What can I say, I am a total sheep and followed the crowd. It has been hailed as an alternative to Twitter with many disillusioned with the app after Elon Musk’s disastrous takeover. I have found I enjoy Twitter less but this week, I posted an innocent tweet about a popular news story and before I knew it, I had people with no profile pictures coming at me. It made me realise that Twitter really isn’t the place is used to be. But is Threads and yet another social media app really the answer? Or is it us? Are we the problem? I loved this piece by a Substack I subscribe to called Embedded. The piece is called Threads is a mecca of Millennial brain rot. I have to admit, I’m finding the app pretty boring and this really echoed some of my thoughts on it too. I did a poll on Threads on Instagram and the main response was most had signed up and didn’t think they’d stick it out. I think I’m the same.
🔗 Other links include Slate on life before cellphones, Elle with this FAB article called Why Won’t People Just Let Me Not Be a Mom? and The Atlantic on Cancel Amazon Prime.
ETC
📱 I took this Bustle quiz on Which Celebrity Book Club Should You Join? and I actually got an accurate result! I used to follow a few years back but stopped but only in the last two months started following the Belletrist book club run by Emma Roberts again. The last two picks have been some of my favourite reads of the year so I highly recommend that club or using this one to work out the best for you - or for some harmless fun.
📱 I’m v, v late to the party but I fell down a Meet Cutes NYC rabbit hole last week and it was the light content I needed. It is an IG/Tiktok where the interviewer approaches couples in NYC and asks how they met and it is just so adorable and wholesome.
🧖♀️💆♀️ And I’ve did a bit of a skin reset due to having a reaction to a product. I’ve been trying to get my skin hydrated again with less texture and this Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner is saving my skin. It is made up with lots of natural goodness and my skin not only feels more plump but it has that glass skin effect too. I am loving this brand!
📸 As I mentioned in my intro, I have been more active on not just Instagram but also Tiktok too. I’ve gotten into a bit of a groove over there. You can follow me here if Tiktok is your thing!
And that is it for this weeks You Should Check Out! The newsletter now has its own dedicated Instagram that I am getting more active on. So a follow would be greatly appreciated. There is now also an option to pledge any £ to You Should Check out as a nod to the work I do on this. I want to keep this free but there is now an optional option to show support there. I would also love to know your thoughts in the comments below. What are you watching/reading/listening to? Are you using Threads?
Wishing you a lovely Sunday ❤️ thanks for reading xx
