Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via Instagram and/or Twitter.
One of the only things more challenging than taking on home renovation is attempting to also live in the house that you’re working on, but Tara Mangini and Percy Bright have built their careers on doing just that. The co-founders of the Jersey Ice Cream Co. spent years temporarily moving into the houses that they’re renovating, but they recently decided to put their skills to ultimate test by working on a home of their own in Upstate New York.
The pair have been chronicling their live-in renovation experience in the Magnolia Network series, “The Story of Home,” and shared some of the secrets to pulling it off in a recent interview with Apartment Therapy.
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At this point, it feels weird to be in a house that is not under construction, Mangini shared. “I feel like I’m tiptoeing around and not supposed to get anything dirty,” she said. “Versus the feeling of when it’s under construction, which is this very loose, who cares, spill it, draw on the wall, nothing matters… It’s this really free situation.”
“There’s also the practical benefit of getting to know the house better and getting to change your mind all the time, for better or worse,” Bright said. “[You can alter] your plans as you go, instead of having this detailed design plan that just gets executed by someone else and then you walk back in. Being able to change things up as things progress is huge.”
One of the keys to success is coming up with designated living quarters. “Create these makeshift areas,” Mangini said, recommending a temporary kitchen and living area. “For me, once I can get that up and running, it’s actually pretty easy to get used to that.”
She noted that it’s also important to recognize the exact nature of your renovation: whether it’s a simple paint job or something involving gutting and insulation. “I think there’s some degrees where you should probably get a hotel or Airbnb for a month or something,” she added.
Maintaining mental wellness is another important part of the process. It can be easier to pull off a live-in renovation in the summer, because you have the option to spend time outside of the house, Mangini said. Getting exercise and talking to friends are also simple ways to get out of the headspace of the project. Mangini shared that there’s no straight line and that she and Bright usually have a check-in every six-to-ten weeks where they come up with a new plan and that “it’s just always kind of a new approach.”
“The Story of Home” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Magnolia Network, discovery+, and the Magnolia app.
Remember back in the olden times (like, 2007) when one of the big sells for streaming services was convenience? Now, it can be a headache just to figure out which streaming service has what and which subscriptions are right for you. The streaming landscape is a wild one, people! And yes, cost certainly plays a big role in deciding which, or how many, streamers to have, but so does content and your personal streaming needs (it’s a thing!).
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With that in mind, below find a few categories that might narrow down the options — from critically-acclaimed shows to family-friendly fare to yes, even all the murder mystery your heart desires — and a pick for which streamer seems to best fit what you’re looking for (with a special emphasis on TV).
At the moment, HBO Max is in major upheaval with the big Warner Bros. Discovery merger leading to widespread layoffs, delayed releases (and some shelved permanently!), and the removal of content from HBO’s streaming arm, plus there are plans to merge HBO Max with Discovery+ sometime in 2023. Maybe in a year from now, HBO Max won’t be the best bang for your streaming bucks, but right now, even with an uncertain future, it’s hard to pass up a streamer that has been churning out quality originals (“Hacks!” “The Flight Attendant!” “Starstruck!”), houses all of HBO’s original content (“Succession!” “House of the Dragon!”), and has an excellent stable of Warner Bros. produced films and TV series to boot. It’s one of the more expensive services, but right now, you’d be pressed to find better overall value.
Apple TV+ is increasingly becoming the streaming service I can’t live without. Here’s just a short list of TV series it’s put out in the last year and a half: “Severance,” “Ted Lasso,” “For All Mankind,” “Dickinson,” “Black Bird,” the criminally underwatched “Pachinko.” Those are some heavy-hitters. It may not churn out as much content as some of the competition, but there’s something to be said for quality over quantity, isn’t there?
This is no surprise, but yes, if you’re a household with children of various ages — or, you know, an adult who loves to weep over a delightful cartoon dog named Bluey and her family — Disney+ is still the way to go. Bonus points if you’ve got any Star Wars and/or Marvel fans hanging around.
If you’re simply looking for shows that make you laugh, Peacock is a great place to start. The NBC streamer is stocked with old favorites including “The Carol Burnett Show,” “Cheers,” “The Office,” and “Parks and Recreation,” plus it has some underrated original comedies like “Girls5Eva,” “We Are Lady Parts,” and the rebooted “Saved By the Bell,” that shouldn’t be missed.
This one is a little niche, but the heart wants what the heart wants and sometimes what the heart wants is just a whole slew of engrossing murder mysteries from the U.K. BritBox is full of British classics — think “Poirot,” “Miss Marple,” and “Midsomer Murders” — as well as some great new originals, like “The Beast Must Die,” “Year of the Rabbit,” and “Magpie Murders,” among so, so much more. Seriously, there’s a lot of crime shows on here.
If you’re thinking about cutting the cable cord for good, it might be wise to double-check your Hulu subscription. There’s obviously the Hulu Live TV option (bundle that with ESPN+ for all your live sports needs), but even with regular Hulu, you’ll have access to a whole host of shows the day after they’ve aired. And if that isn’t enough for you (or you’re not concerned with staying on top of what’s airing in real time), Hulu has a nice library of acquired shows, all that FX on Hulu stuff (“Under the Banner of Heaven” and “The Bear,” to name a few), as well as original content like “Only Murders in the Building” and “The Great.” Will you even miss cable at this point?
I think a lot of people underestimate Paramount+. There’s a little something for everyone on this service, including some of the best dramas out there today (hello, “Evil” and “The Good Fight“), lots of options for the biggest Trekkies (“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is an absolute delight), and it’s home to a lot of unscripted programming like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and MTV’s “The Challenge.” Paramount+ has the entire Nickelodeon catalog available as well, so it’s kid-friendly too.
Netflix has had a tough couple of months in the news — subscriptions and profits are down, layoffs are up — and it’ll certainly be interesting to see what happens to Netflix as more companies and networks take back their properties for their own streaming services. Yet still, Netflix knows how to make zeitgeist-y, splashy series that you feel compelled to spend your entire weekend watching and doing nothing else. Please see: “Stranger Things,” “Squid Game,” and “Bridgerton.” That’s not nothing!
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HBO’s “The Flight Attendant” is one of those shows that you’ll instantly be hooked on. It follows Kaley Cuoco as Cassie Bowden, an alcoholic flight attendant who can’t seem to stay out of trouble.
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During the first season, Cassie finds herself waking up next to a dead passenger in a hotel room and must retrace her steps to figure out if she has committed the murder. In season 2, it appears Cassie has finally gotten her act together. Unfortunately, things aren’t always what they appear to be. Despite being mostly sober and working with the CIA on the side, Cassie still finds herself in another murder mystery.
If you’re all caught up, you can fill the hole in your heart by binge-watching one of these five shows.
While viewers will suspect that Cassie may be capable of murder, there will be no questioning the murderous ways of “You’s” Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley. Both “You” and “The Flight Attendant” are thrillers with just the right about of humor, twists and turns, and suspense. You asks the question: What would you do for love? When Joe meets an aspiring female writer, he’s immediately intrigued and this later leads to a sinister obsession. Joe will stop at nothing to have the object of his desire — even if that means killing the people closest to her.
Streaming on Netflix
“Mare of Easttown” is another murder mystery series you won’t be able to stop once you’ve started. The HBO series follows small town detective Mare Sheehan, played by Kate Winslet, as she tries to balance her professional and personal lives while maintaining her sanity — something viewers quickly learn is almost impossible. While the storyline focuses on a local murder, there is quite a bit going on around town. There are missing girls, a pedophile priest, and way too much family drama.
Streaming on HBO Max
If you enjoyed “The Flight Attendant,” then this one will be right up your alley. “Only Murders in the Building” follows an unlikely trio, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel, played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, respectively, as they try to solve a murder mystery in their apartment building. The trio eventually decides to start a true-crime podcast to share their findings — even though the death was ruled a suicide. Like “The Flight Attendant,” “Only Murders in the Building” combines murder mystery with a host of twists and turns and just the right amount of humor.
Streaming on Hulu
“Big Little Lies” tells the story of a group of rich moms who get involved with, you guessed it, a murder investigation. The series takes place in an upper-class community in Monterey, California, and follows Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz. As the plot unfolds, viewers learn there is quite a bit of personal drama happening for all the women involved. However, despite their own struggles, they must stick together to keep a shared secret and stay out of prison.
Streaming on HBO Max
Netflix’s “Behind Her Eyes” is a supernatural thriller than you won’t see coming. It starts out with a woman having an affair with her married boss while trying to maintain a friendship with his wife, but soon turns into something wildly dramatic.
Streaming on Netflix
TV shows love a good Christmas episode. There’s even a bounty of Thanksgiving ones, and plenty of New Year’s Eve plotlines. But when it comes to America’s birthday, television sometimes lags behind. In honor of the Fourth of July, here are some TV shows that celebrated in style.
[Editor’s Note: spoilers ahead]
Mad Men, “Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency”: It’s all fun and games until someone brings out a lawn mower in the office. In one of the most notorious episodes of “Mad Men”, “Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency,” Joan is preparing to leave her role at Sterling Cooper. Naturally, her departure is celebrated with a party in the office. Unfortunately, the tipsy staff get a little rowdy on a John Deere riding mower, and end up barreling over Guy MacKendrick’s foot. If you didn’t scream at the image of blood splattering up on the faces of Sterling Cooper employees, we’re not sure what will shock you.
Saved by the Bell “Fourth of July”: In the alternate universe that is the Malibu Sands Beach Club, life can get a little chaotic. Zack Morris, is, for some reason, chosen as a replacement judge of the beach club’s Miss Liberty pageant. As each of the Bayside gals push him to vote for them as the pageant winner, the club’s owner, Mr. Carosi tells Zack that his daughter Stacey should be picked as the winner. Kelly wins and Stacey is heartbroken, until Kelly makes it clear that Zack has the hots for her. The episode concludes with Stacey and Zack kissing as the fireworks go off behind them.
Stranger Things, “The Bite”: What’s the 4th of July without a carnival and fireworks? In this season 3 episode, things start out peaceful enough with the squad riding the ferris wheel to catch the fireworks at the local fair. Naturally, things go a bit haywire. The episode concludes with Eleven’s mysterious leg wound pulsing and moving, as the piece of Mind Flayer is now inside of her.
Boy Meets World, “State of the Unions”: Corey and Topanga forever. When Topanga tells Corey that a wedding hall has opened up for the 4th of July, she wants him to jump at the opportunity. However, Topanga’s parents show up in town and tell her they’re getting divorced, hurting her faith in the possibility that her and Corey could be in love forever. We all know the couple triumphs, and even Mr. Feeny gets some love when he marries Dean Bolander in the Matthews family’s living room. Love conquered all!
Little House on the Prairie, “Centennial”: If you know a thing or two about reruns, you know “Little House on the Prairie” still reigns supreme. So it’s no surprise that the beloved series chronicling the early life of Laura Ingalls and her family on the frontier features a 4th of July episode. In “Centennial,” the town is pumped to celebrate America’s 100th birthday, until everyone realizes their taxes are going up. Luckily, the Walnut Grove residents get their act in gear in time to celebrate.
The West Wing, “Jefferson Lives”: Well, not all 4th of July episodes are joyful ones. As Zoey Bartlet recovers from the kidnapping on the night of her college graduation, things are hectic at the White House as they search for a new Vice President. But there are touches of the holiday’s meaning during the episode, as President Bartlet goes to meet a group of new American citizens whose original citizenship venue was compromised by a bomb threat.