Hey there hard worker, it’s about time you took a break! You’ve been going hard ever since the New Year, doing your best to make 2016 a banner year. You’ve rededicated yourself at work, you’re going to the gym three times a week, and you’ve even got an herb garden (…and possibly an “herb” garden).
Sounds to me like it’s time you gave yourself some R&R so you can recharge those batteries–a spring break, if you will. Take some time to yourself this month and do some of the things that truly feed your soul. You know, like watching Netflix. Here’s how to give yourself some much-deserved TLC.
Reconnect with Old Friends
Watch: Good Burger
We all love that Keenan Thompson made it onto SNL and is able to remind us that our childhood stars are alive and well today each week. But, Keenan without Kel sometimes just doesn’t feel right. Good Burger takes us back to a time when two very stupid boys could save a fast food chain simply with the power of their friendship. It’s a reminder that we should reconnect with the people in our lives with whom we have so many memories, and sure, maybe this is also a subtle plug for Keenan and Kel to finally reunite. So call up a buddy and kick it. Surely you both still love a quality Nickelodeon film. See, you do still have things in common!
Available: March 1st
Strain:
Munchies: It’s too bad that Good Burger isn’t a real chain, but some greasy fast food hamburgers will do.
Spend a Night (Or an Eternity!) at an Airbnb
Watch: Groundhog Day
Staycations are a fun way to step away from your life and responsibilities without the logistics of travel. And with the rise of Airbnb, it’s even easier to book a room in your own city on the cheap. Sure, in Groundhog Day Phil (Bill Murray) might be traveling for work, and he might hate the fact that he’s staying at a bed and breakfast instead of an upscale hotel, but he’s also a horrible person for most of the movie, a misanthrope who only cares about himself. Phil is a warning sign of who we could become if we get too burnt out. Will he learn to be kind to others and treat each day as a gift? Book that room, bring your laptop along and find out. And if you’re really itching to take a trip, get yourself to “Punxsutawney.”
Available: March 1st
Strain:
Munchies: Cook yourself up an elaborate breakfast, regardless of the time of day. I’m talking pancakes, bacon, OJ and eggs.
Help Out a Friend or a Stranger
Watch: Louie: Season 5
Louie spends a lot of his time trying to be a good person, though it usually backfires. In season five of his TV comedy Louie, Louis CK (the director and star) again places himself in some cringe-worthy scenarios in which Louie just isn’t sure how to be a good person. Whether he’s trying to be a father, friend or boyfriend, things seem to rarely work out for the main character, who is based on Louis CK’s real experience as a famous but listless New York comic with bad self esteem and two adorable daughters. And while watching Louie’s failed attempts to help those around him and improve his own self-worth might backfire, don’t take his word for it. Go read to a kid or serve meals at a soup kitchen. Odds are, you won’t feel worse if you do.
Available: March 4th
Strain:
Munchies: Something Louie would regret, like Ben and Jerry’s straight out of the container.
Head to the Night Clubs of Miami
Watch: Scarface
Okay, so some of Scarface definitely takes place in a club. But it absolutely involves cocaine and hitmen, which is perhaps a more adrenaline-fueled spring break than you would typically go for. This 1983 classic is chock-full of the stuff you’re not getting in your boring regular life: crime, drama, guns, Michelle Pfeiffer. It’s been called the best mob film ever made and stars Al Pacino as Tony Montana, an escaped Cuban refugee who is looking for a green card and a way out at the start of the film. Even if you can’t get away this month because you’re not a carefree college student, this movie will help transport you to balmier weather and maybe remind you that the ol’ grind ain’t so bad compared to being in a drug cartel. Bonus: you’ll finally understand the psyche of every 19-year-old boy who has the poster for this movie plastered on his dorm room wall.
Available: March 1st
Strain:
Munchies: A Cuban sandwich, of course.
Play Pretend for a While
Watch: Netflix Presents: The Characters: Season 1
Netflix asked eight rising comedians to write and star in a 30-minute sketch show for its first season of The Characters. With comedians like Lauren Lapkus (Orange Is The New Black) and Paul Downs (Broad City) and the blank slate that Netflix gave them, this is sure to be weird and hilarious. Netflix has even called it “Outlaw Comedy,” meaning anything goes. It’s rare and exciting to see a major streaming network take a big step in the direction of the strange and away from typical network fare, and this is not one to miss. See some new faces who will soon be old favorites take on silly personas, and maybe get inspired to turn on the imagination for yourself.
Available: March 11th
Strain:
Munchies: Something to get those day-dreaming muscles going, like a bowl of Lucky Charms.
Image Sources: IMDb, Netflix
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