We’re beginning another hot summer month, which means another need for a good podcast, book, TV show or new music to get us through these sweltering days.
This summer more than any, we all need escapes. So if you’re looking for ideas on how to pass the time, a new show to get into, or some fresh tunes to put in your earbuds—we’ve got you.
Read on for what the 225 Dine team is into right now.
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For some colorful Chicano cuisines inspo
@chicanoeats on Instagram, and the Chicano Eats cookbook
“Esteban Castillo has been filling my Instagram feed with images of colorful, mouthwatering dishes for a while now. It’s not what you’d term Tex-Mex cuisine, but as he puts it, a fusion of his Mexican-American heritage. So you’ll get recipes like his Cherry Lime Chia Agua Fresca (see below), Tacos de Papa, Mac and Queso Fundido and even a Churro Cheesecake. The images are bright and cheerful and the recipes seem catered to introducing people to Mexican flavors they might not be familiar with just yet. And now that he’s got a cookbook out, I’m ready to try more.”
—Benjamin Leger, managing editor
For digging deeper into the news
‘Post Reports’
“I’ve written before about my love for The New York Times podcast The Daily, but The Washington Post’s daily dispatches have become my other weekly ritual. Each podcast episode features a conversation among journalists about a different big news story, and this week’s ‘How the pandemic left America behind‘ episode is haunting. The newspaper’s foreign correspondents share a slice of how daily life outside the U.S. looks now, more than half a year after the coronavirus outbreak began. The episode’s conclusion will leave you wondering if the way the rest of the world views Americans has been forever altered. Discussing how international borders have largely closed to American travelers, reporter Ishaan Tharoor says, ‘This is a kind of strange arc of [Americans’] ‘America First’ moment. We entered a political cycle half a decade ago with a leader who promised to close borders and raise walls. And now they really feel themselves behind that closed border and those raised walls.’”
—Jennifer Tormo, editor
For a Netflix binge
The Last Dance
“Whether you’re a basketball fan or not, The Last Dance is bound to make you respect the game. This 2020 docuseries takes the viewer on a journey through the legendary Michael Jordan’s career. With every episode, you learn more and more about why he’s considered the greatest basketball player of all time. The docuseries features other basketball icons like Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen. Add this to your watch list for when you want to be inspired.”
—Cynthea Corfah, staff writer
For a virtual escape
4K travel videos on YouTube
“Rather than scrolling our phones before bed, we’ve spent the last few nights falling asleep to videos of sweeping landscapes far away. We started with videos of U.S. national parks, where our jars dropped at some of the climbing footage, and we eventually moved on to Italy. But you can find almost any place you’re dreaming of with a quick YouTube search. Some of the videos are hours long, so you can put them on in the background while you work or as a sort-of TV wallpaper next time you have friends over for dinner. The stock music can be cheesy, so we usually put the videos on mute.”
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—Jennifer Tormo, editor