What We’re Listening To…

New Albums:

• “More Life” by Drake
• “American Teen” by Khalid
• “Divide” by Ed Sheeran
• “24k Magic” by Bruno Mars
• “The Search for Everything” by John Mayer
• “Souvenir” by Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors

Podcasts

• “How I Built This”
  • Each episode of “How I Built This” features a different famous company or brand and details their rise to the top. Want to know how Patagonia, Zumba, or 5-Hour Energy began? This is the podcast for you.
• “Crimetown”
  • Every season tells the story of a different town overrun by crime. This season, that town is Providence, Rhode Island. Listen to the first ten seconds of the first episode, and you will be hooked.
• “Beautiful Stories From Anonymous People”
  • The premise behind this podcast is that comedian Chris Gethard receives a completely anonymous phone call from a random person and talks to them for an hour. Everybody has a story to share, resulting in the tragic, funny, and beautiful stories of this podcast.
• “Revisionist History”
  • Malcolm Gladwell is back, and this time, he is telling the stories of overlooked events, ideas, and people. Like all of his work, his podcast is thought-provoking, entertaining, and supported with interesting interviews.
• “Stuff You Should Know”
  • This podcast is exactly how it sounds. HowStuffWorks.com takes a topic, including everything from ouija boards to black holes, and explains everything you should know about it in 30 minutes to an hour.
• “S-Town”
  • This is a new podcast brought to you by the people who did “Serial” and “This American Life.” It’s another murder mystery, and you won’t be able to stop listening.

What We’re Watching…

Movies:

• “Hidden Figures”
  • Between the three of us, we’ve seen this movie five times in theaters. The movie follows three African-American women working at NASA to send the first astronauts to the moon. It’s insightful and inspiring, and it tells an amazing (and true!) story that everyone should hear about.
• “Moonlight”
  • “Moonlight,” aka the recent winner of the Best Picture at the Oscars, is definitely a movie you should be aware of. It tells the story of a gay, African-American man growing up in Miami. It’s heartbreaking but worth the watch.
• “La La Land”
  • Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of this movie. Ryan Gosling and Emma Watson sing and dance their way to numerous Academy Awards. If you’re a fan of old Hollywood movies, you’ll love it.
• “Beauty and the Beast”
  • If you are even remotely a Disney fan, you must watch this immediately. Emma Watson is a vision, and the music and animation are incredible. It is the same happy story you watched as a child, but bumped up a few notches. (Not to mention, Belle is a much stronger character in this version).
• “Get Out”
  • Even if you aren’t a huge fan of scary movies, you’ve got to see this film if you are interested in social consciousness. “Get Out” is a thriller from start to finish that is jam-packed with subliminal messages regarding race-relations in America among other hot button topics.

TV Shows:

• “Sun Records”
  • A period drama based on the infamous record company Sun Records in Memphis. In addition to having good music (often courtesy of Elvis Presley), “Sun Records” deals with the ongoing struggle with civil rights in the 50s and 60s. If you have any interest in Memphis music and/or former teen heartthrob Chad Michael Murray, check it out.
• “Veronica Mars”
  • “Veronica Mars” is a show about a teenage detective named Veronica with major issues when it comes to listening to authority figures. While helping her dad out at his private detective firm, she takes on clients of her own and always seems to get the job done. With Veronica’s sharp wit and sarcastic disposition, it’s hard not love this show.
• “Scandal”
  • While we’re sure you have already heard about this infamous show created by Shonda Rhimes, we’re just gonna put this here for the poor souls who haven’t yet had the pleasure of beholding this masterpiece. “Scandal” follows the fiercest White House Communications Director you will ever know. Watch as Olivia Pope faces the tough task of concealing the scandals of her high-profile clients as well as dealing with issues in her personal life, as well.
• “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
  • “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” may seem stereotypical seeing as that the show is centered around a young detective in New York, but it is nothing short of unique. The sitcom follows a diverse team of detectives and navigates through the police world in the most hilarious way possible. Stacked with fan-favorites Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, and Eva Longoria, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is must-see comedy.
• “Friday Night Lights”
  • Can you imagine thinking of Texas without thinking of football? Thankfully, you don’t have to. The gritty sports drama “Friday Night Lights” captured the attention and hearts of fans with its expertly choreographed and intense football scenes, love triangle, and ongoing drama amongst its characters. The show is phenomenal in so many ways, but the thing that it arguably does best is shed a light on the politics that come with high school football.
• “The Voice”
  • If any of you are still grieving the loss of American Idol and haven’t yet heard of “The Voice,” (though we aren’t sure how you haven’t) then look no further. The basic format of the show requires that contestants audition with their chosen song while the four celebrity judges are facing the audience. If the judge sees potential in a contestant, they press a button, and their chair turns toward the performer. If that even remotely intrigued you, go check it out next Monday or Tuesday and see what it has to offer!

Where We’re Eating…

• Porcellino’s
  • A trendy cafe and a craft butcher all rolled into one, Porcellino’s is a must-visit. Because of the butcher a few steps away from your table, meat dishes, especially with bacon, are definitely the thing to order.
• Staks Pancake Kitchen
  • Staks is a dream breakfast location with any kind of pancake stack you could ever want. Some options for your pancake: birthday cake, cinnamon roll, Oreo-praline…do we need to continue?
• Mempops
  • This is not like the other places on our list, but it offers all-natural, handcrafted popsicles that are wonderful even in cold weather. Find their food truck’s location on their social media, and check out which popsicle flavors are currently available.
• Hog & Hominy
  • A sister restaurant of Porcellino’s and Catherine & Mary’s, Hot & Hominy offers appetizers, sides, and pizza to share. Their pizzas are unique in every capacity, so it’s worth the drive.
• City East Bagel & Grille
  • There aren’t many places you can get a good bagel in Memphis, but this is one of them. It’s one of our go-to places for breakfast, and it never ceases to satisfy.

*Disclaimer: Not all recommendations in this newsletter are suitable for all ages. Viewer discretion is advised.