Tuesdays are known as ‘Choose-Day’ here at So Just Be. Follow us on Instagram where each week we share a recommendation with you to help you switch off the day.
Check out our shared links below – we’re confident you’ll find something you like.
‘You’re in My Heart’ by Rod Stewart: We stumbled across this when we were having a mooch around on Apple Music. You might not be a fan of Rod, but give this a go. It’s packed with some of his greatest song, but they are new arrangements backed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the result is fabulous.
‘Come Fly Wid Mi’ by Shaggy: A wonderful mix of classic Sinatra tracks, but set to a reggae/gentle ska rhythm that will have you floating away to Jamaica with none of the queues, delays or melting runways. Pour a long, cold drink and have a listen. We think it’s positively bombastic 😎
‘Last Night’ by Mhairi McFarlane: A romantic, funny and heart-breaking story looking at how friendships can unravel when you discover the secrets being kept from each other. This is not predictable ‘chic-lit’ and will share the pain of grief and loss with you as well as some proper laugh out loud moments. If you are looking for a proper page turner to enjoy at home or by the pool, we promise you won’t be disappointed with this equally funny and heart-breaking tale of love and friendship.
‘Nosey Parker’ book series by Fiona Leitch: If you love a cosy mystery then this series will have you hooked from the first page. Set in Cornwall, we follow the adventures of former police office Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker as she returns to her hometown to set up a catering business. The only problem is, she can’t resit sticking her nose into the odd murder mystery, much to annoyance of the handsome, local Detective Chief Inspector.
‘Young Elizabeth: The Making of Our Queen’ by Kate Williams: If you are looking for something to read about the late Queen Elizabeth II, then this beautifully written and easy to read book, crammed with historical facts and anecdotes from her early life, then this is just for you. From her childhood to motherhood, you will learn so much about an extraordinary woman who performed a role in life that was not her destiny. The book looks at her life as weave through as we weave through war, social and economic challenges, an abdication and an era we are slowly leaving behind. It’s a bit of a page turner.
The Old Man: An excellent watch featuring Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow facing the consequences of a spy game that went wrong 30 years ago. It’s full of twists and turns, espionage and fight sequences – we can’t get enough of these old spies. Give it a go and see what you think.
King Richard: This was one of those films we had meaning to watch and never got round to it. This film is so much more than a story about Venus and Serena Williams and their domination in the world of tennis. It’s not a documentary and their father might seem an unusual subject choice, but it’s a great watch. You’ll need to take some of the storyline with a pinch of salt as the Hollywood sparkle dust has been used liberally in places, but where it does not fail is sharing an amazing story of determination and resilience. And it might inspire you to dust off your tennis racquet!
Fisherman’s Friends: This feelgood film tells the story of how a fine group of folk and sea shanty singing Cornishmen from Port Issac got a £1million recording contract and released their first album. A funny, moving delight with a touch of humour, romance and being based on a true story, our only complaint was that it did not show us enough of the beautiful, rugged Cornish coastline. A bit of movie fairy dust has been sprinkled on the story to make it film-worthy, but we enjoyed it regardless.
Hocus Pocus 2: The Sanderson Sisters are back, better than ever with a new spooky story and some fabulous new songs. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker are clearly having a ball as they reprise their much loved characters and we enjoyed every minute.
The Joy of Painting: During the first lockdown in 2020, we discovered a little gem tucked away on BBC TV that, quite frankly, got us through the next 2 years. Each evening, after a stressful day at work, we would allow our minds to drift off with the lovely Bob Ross. In 30 minutes we would listen to his words of wisdom as he told us ‘it was our world’ and that there were ‘no mistakes, just happy accidents’, while he created a masterpiece on his canvas. Yes. We watched a man paint. And you will too, as you find each episode mesmerising and strangely soothing. Let Bob ease your mind. We particularly enjoy how he gets the excess water from his paint brush.
Ms Marvel: It’s a cracking Disney+ series following the adventures of a young Muslim girl in America who is the ultimate Captain Marvel super fan. But what happens when she gets powers of her own? Can she live up to her hero and become the hero she’s dreamed of being? The show is smart, cool and sassy with a plethora of likeable characters. We highly recommend this show and think that you’ll enjoy it too!
First Kill: This story of a young, female vampire falling in love with her exact opposite gave us major Buffy vibes! Also, it was very nice to see some LGBQT+ characters as the main stars of a paranormal drama for a change, rather than being side-lined to the plucky sidekick role. If you like romance, comedy, action and lashings of teenage sass and angst, with a few monsters thrown in for good measure, then we highly recommend this Netflix series to you!
She Hulk: Attourney at Law: Being women of a certain age, our hormones mean we can ‘lose our shit’ now and then. So imagine our delight when we found She Hulk on Disney+! OK, so it’s a bit daft and die-hard Marvel fans have taken things a little bit too seriously. But take it as it is – a lighthearted comedy about a woman and her green alter ego. We think it’s Marvel-ous fun.
Something Rhymes With Purple: Presented by Gyles Brandwreth and Susie Dent, this award winning podcast is incredibly interesting, very funny and sometimes a little bit naughty. This entertaining duo look at words we use, words we don’t and explain the origins of beauties such as ‘crambazzled’, ‘jirble’, and ‘oxtercog’. Our favourite was an episode that looked at collective nouns and we now know we work with a ‘fartcatcher’! Give it a listen and just imagine what it will do to your Scrabble scores!
Bitch Bitch Bitch: Have you ever wished you had a different job? Just imagine travelling the world as cabin crew, living your best life as an influencer, being paid to talk about your favourite sport as a commentator or treading the boards in the West End as a star on the stage. Well, imagine no more – the lovely Matt Lucas has recorded a podcast series where us Brits do what we do best and have a good old moan, sharing the not so glamorous details of our jobs. With some proper laugh out loud moments, you’ll soon discover that some jobs aren’t as good as they seem after all.
SOLAR: We don’t want to spoil it by sharing too much, but it’s like listening to a fantastic action movie in podcast form. With characters played by some names you will recognise, such as Helen Hunt, and sound effects that were made for the perfect listening experience, you will be drawn into the story immediately. Set in 2045, a group of scientists have travelled further into space than ever before on a solar research probe. But disaster strikes and the story reveals an exciting struggle for survival against the clock. It’s an exciting listen and you’ll be hooked from the very start.
Our Greatest Queen: Inspired by the celebrations for the Platinum Jubilee, we have been inspired by stories of strong and inspirational women so would like to recommend a radio programme you might have missed that looked at 5 amazing women from history. From the last Queen of Hawaii, to Marie Antoinette and more, historians made their case in ‘Our Greatest Queen’, sharing what each unique woman brought to her reign. This radio programme is available online via BBC iPlayer or the BBC Sounds app – it’s well worth a listen and is guaranteed to grab your attention as you listen to some amazing stories about 5 queens from history. You won’t be disappointed.
We’ll keep this list updated as we share more recommendations on Instagram, so next time you need to switch off the day and are looking for some inspo to help you relax, you know where to look.
SJB
So Just Be 