Comfort content

Because reality bites

Not a stock photo. I took this in Switzerland recently. A balm for the soul.

Escape the toxic hellscape of the real world and soothe your anxious mind with these comfort reads, watches and listens.

Read

I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith

This gorgeous novel, set in 1930s Suffolk, is a gentle, funny and delightfully escapist coming of age story told from the point of view of Cassandra Mortmain, a 17-year-old girl living in a crumbling English castle, relating the fortunes of her eccentric family and trying to find her place in the world. I was hooked from the opening sentence. “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” And was delighted to discover that Smith is a fellow Mancunian.

The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice

In the same vein, this 2005 cult classic has shades of I Capture The Castle. Set in 1950s post-war England, Penelope is our heroine, the daughter of a legendary beauty (I do love a legendary beauty), also feeling big feelings about love, friendship and growing up.

This very fun piece in Vulture about stalking Taylor Swift’s NY eating spots

Important journalism.

Watch

The Bold Type, iPlayer

The fifth and final series of the best television show in the world has finally made it to the UK after a long hiatus.

The Bold Type, which started in 2017, follows three twenty-something woman living in New York and working at a fashion magazine called Scarlet.

Having spent 10 years of my career working at ELLE magazine, I love this show because it both accurately succeeds in and laughably fails at capturing what it’s like to work on a fashion glossy. This piece by Jia Tolentino piece brilliantly details all the ways in which the show a is a woke fantasy of magazine journalism.

Clever New Yorker polemics aside, it’s just a lot of fun watching the machinations of an industry you’ve worked in being exaggerated and contorted to such entertaining effect. Jane Sloan is being groomed by Scarlet’s editor in chief to take over one day despite being the most mediocre journalist/boring person is history. I think at one point she actually writes: “Become editor-in-chief of Scarlet” on her to-do list. And I hooted when she tells the digital editor, “I don’t write for the dot-com.”

A Perfect Story, Netflix

A sweet Spanish rom com recommended by my friend Lisa. The subtitles ensure that you can’t even be tempted to doom scroll while you’re watching.

Starstruck, iPlayer

Series 1 is great, 2 is really good and by 3 the format is a little tired but Rose Matafeo is brilliant and it’s lovely which is what we’re looking for here.

7 Days out, Netflix

On my To Watch list (another one from Lisa who’s been spoon-feeding me comforting suggestions like Calpol this week). A 6 episode series following the excitement and drama in the seven days leading up to major live events in the worlds of sports, fashion, space and food. Chanel Haute Couture show - yes, please.

Listen

Uncharted with Hannah Fry

I wouldn’t usually find data and graphs very sexy but Uncharted presented by the brilliant Hannah Fry tells extraordinary data-related stories with satisfying brevity and a shed load of charisma. Episodes are only 10 minutes. Unheard of.

You’ve Got Podcast

I’ve recommended the brilliant film podcast, Blank Check before but let’s get specific about episodes. Listen to You’ve Got Podcast, the mini-series covering the films of Nora Ephron. (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail are highlights, of course).

Please share your own consoling content in the comments.

See you next time!

Hannah