Welcome to my monthly favourites blog where I share my top picks for films, TV shows, books, food, restaurants, and mindfulness. Each month, I’ll be sharing the things that I’ve been loving and couldn’t get enough of. From the latest releases in the world of entertainment to the tastiest restaurants in town, I’ve got it all covered.
Watching
It is never going to be possible to just pick one, so here are my top few favourite films and TV shows that I have watched this month.
Films 🎬
King’s Speech (2011) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Starring Colin Firth, this is a story of King George VI as he tries to overcome his stammering problem with his speech therapist. What feels like a narrative about overcoming a physical condition reveals itself to be a story about confidence, self-worth and overcoming self-doubt.
Moneyball (2011) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Based on a true story, this films follows the lives of a baseball manger and an economics graduate as they form baseball teams using economics rather bias. Starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, this film is a story about challenging the norms and building teams based on collective strength as suppose to star players.
Inglourious Basterds (2009) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Continuing on with my string of Brad Pitt films, I can’t believe that I have only just seen this dark comedy directed by Quentin Tarantino. I don’t think I have ever seen a comedy war film before, and whilst dark comedy underlines the entire narrative, this films is full of soul and heartbreak. The story of a few American jewish soldiers on an undercover mission to deconstruct the Nazi government paralleled with story of a Jewish woman avenging the death of her family from a German officer.
TV 📺
New series I started this month:
Inside Job (2021) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An adult animation that surprised me with how good it was. Created by Shion Takeuchi, it’s the story of a shadow government with plots that explore hilarious conspiracy theories, as the team tries to hide them from the world. Script of this show is full of funny pop-culture references, dysfunctional team dynamics and offbeat characters.
One Tree Hill (2003) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Teen drama at its finest. I couldn’t finish all 9 seasons to give your a holistic review, but I am on season 5 (watched 5 years worth of TV in 3 weeks) and I can hand-on-heart say this show is one of the best teen dramas out there. I think it may even replace the number one spot from The Vampire Diaries *gasp*.
Set in the early 2000’s, this drama-filled series starts with the story of the rival half-brothers Lucas and Nathan Scott. Watching this show, I realised that this was the OG high-school-musical-esque drama of the 2000s. I think also as this show came out during a time when there was no streaming, and the audience had to wait a whole week before the next episode, that each episode ends with a tantalising hook. If you take one recommendation from this February favourites, it should be this one.
Reading 📚
Non-fiction: The Art of Happiness - Dalia Lama and Howard Cutler ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This books follows the dialogue between an America psychologist and the Dalai Lama on a variety of topics like building compassion, dealing with jealousy, managing anger, working on patience and pursuing happiness. I truly loved this book, and one I know I will re-read many times. To me, it felt like a guide to reframe how we think to not only become happier, but to become better humans. Some of my favourite quotes from the book:
‘Hatred can be the greatest stumbling block to the development of compassion and happiness. If you can learn to develop patience and tolerance towards your enemies, then everything else becomes much easier - your compassion towards all others begins to flow naturally’
‘Our friends do not ordinarily test us and provide the opportunity to cultivate patience; only our enemies do this. So, from this standpoint we can consider our enemy as a great teacher, and revere them for giving us this precious opportunity to practice patience’
‘When you are aware of your pain and suffering, it helps you to develop your capacity for empathy. The capacity that allows you to relate to other peoples feelings and suffering the sentences your capacity for compassion towards others. So as an aid in helping us connect with others, it can be seen as having value’
Food and Drinks
Cooking: Homemade tomato soup ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recipes like these that are easy with an incredibly high return on investment. I have been loving cooking up meals from scratch, and soup-making is quite simply the easiest start on that journey. For the recipe, I usually roast my tomatoes with garlic, herbs and seasoning (25 mins at 200°C) then blend with vegetable stock.
Eating out: PieMinister ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I recently visited their Exeter branch (they have many across the country) to indulge in one of their sustainably-made, moreish pies. I went for the Free Ranger (classic chicken and ham pie) and my sister went for the Mooless Moo (jackfruit pie), and we engorged our meals! Something about a classic pie meal is so comforting and filling. And of course, we found this restaurant to be reasonably priced too.
Drinking: Movie Star Martinis at the Ivy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Post-dinner, we all deserve a little treat. Recently, I visited my sister in Exeter, and we went for exactly that, a wonderfully luxurious treat. Sipping on delicious mocktails at the Ivy paired with indulgent chocolate truffles, we soaked in the sumptuous ambience. We ordered the Movie Star Martini made with a citrus mixology of pineapple, lime and fresh passion fruit, served with white grape and apricot soda. Yum!
Mindfulness:
Creative outlet: Painting ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So fun, so satisfying. Unlocking my inner child with some watercolours on paper.
App: Pinterest for vision boarding ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I know January is infamously known for goal setting, but I brought that energy into February as I started to create some vision and inspiration boards for topics like fashion, travel, fitness and more. I find Pinterest to be a more ‘productive’ use of my screen time.
Fitness: Running ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Happy to report (for those who may have seen from the January favourites blog) that my weekly running streak is still very much alive, and I am so happy about it! What I am prioritising is showing up, I am not too bothered about my pace, or minutes or distance, but just running for as a long as or as fast as my body can.
Place to visit: anywhere near water ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For those who follow Ensemble on Instagram may know that I recently left my corporate job. I am currently in my rest period before I decide what to do next, and one thing I have absolutely loved is seeking refuge with nature, especially by water. On my first monday without a job, I went for a run to a nearby lake in the winter sun, and following this I went to visit the beautiful beaches on the south coast (even if it meant taking a 4 hour bus!). There is something about looking at and hearing water that I absolutely love. It’s incredibly calm.
I hope enjoyed this month's favourites. If you are looking for some inspiration on how to spend your time, I hope some of these recommendations have inspired you. I will be back next month with another list of favourites. If you haven't already, make sure you subscribe to Ensemble. It's free, and means you get these articles delivered straight into your inbox.
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