Discover your newest binge and get to know our staff a little better with the Asia Society Texas Center's team favorite ways to stay entertained indoors! Each week, we'll share our picks for what to read, watch, listen to, and more.

Artist: Joe Kye

Recommended by Stephanie Todd Wong, Director of Performing Arts and Culture

"I first heard Joe Kye a couple of years ago in a club in New York and found myself in awe at his ability to create a full room of sound with just his voice, violin, and a looping device. Watching him build layer upon layer of sound was mesmerizing. Plus, he is so personable and joyful, and that radiates through his music."

Find it on: Joe Kye's website

Cookbook: Burma Superstar: Addictive Recipes from the Crossroads of Southeast Asia by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy

Recommended by Kaitlyn Ellison, Performing Arts and Culture Manager

"There is almost no food in the world I crave as much as Burmese food, but it can be very difficult to find in the U.S.! I fell in love with Burmese food while living in San Francisco, where there are several wonderful restaurants, the most famous of which is Burma Superstar. The food there is always worth the hour-plus wait. But if you don't have Burmese restaurants near where you live, the next best thing is trying to make some of the food yourself. My absolute favorite is one of the national dishes, Laphet Thoke (tea leaf salad), made from a special blend of fermented tea leaves — which tastes like nothing else."

Find it on: Burma Superstar's website (with links to purchase) | Select recipes

Game: Carrom

Recommended by Saleena Jafry, Director of Business and Policy

"Carrom is a tabletop game similar to pool, and most commonly played in South Asia, especially India and Pakistan. It is popular amongst all age groups and played by families and friends as an enjoyable pastime. It is a simple game with a square wooden board, a striker, and small wooden disks of 19 pieces in three distinct colors — also known as carrom men. Carrom men are designed to slide when struck and are made with a smooth surface that slides easily when laid flat on the board. A carrom board can be found in most South Asian homes. Fun fact: Some say that Carrom was invented by Indian Maharajas!"

Find it on: Carrom Shop

Game: Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Recommended by Rebecca Becerra, Education, Outreach, and Data Coordinator

"Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is one of the most delightful games I've had the pleasure of playing. The story revolves around Oliver, a young boy on a journey to save his mother by traveling to a magical land. The scenery design in the game is beautiful, and the plot pulls at your heartstrings. Along with endearing familiars and witty characters, the animated scenes by Studio Ghibli and musical score co-composed by Joe Hisaishi are the cherry on top of a wonderful experience. It is a sweet coming-of-age story that I would recommend for all ages, especially if you enjoy fantasy settings and journeys filled with adventure and magic."

Find it on: Bandai Namco

Show: Nirvana in Fire

Recommended by Mei Qi, Business and Policy Manager

"Fifty-four episodes of gorgeous scenery and costuming, with healthy amounts of political intrigue and palace scheming, it's an epic tale of vengeance and justice and unwavering loyalty. Call it China's Count of Monte Cristo, but with magical yetis. Don't ask about that part."

Find it on: Rakuten Viki (We recommend the subbed version that is linked here, but it is not currently available in the U.S. and we are patiently waiting for it to return!)

Novel: Tokyo Cancelled by Rana Dasgupta

Recommended by Jenni Rebecca Stephenson, Director of Development

"I first read Tokyo Cancelled upon its release in 2005. It was British Indian author Rana Dasgupta's debut novel — a collection of short stories about 13 world travelers stranded in an airport during a snow storm. Frustrated by their situations, but finding solace in their shared circumstances, members of the group take turns telling stories to one another to pass the time. Steeped in magical realism, the shared stories embody the diverse cultures, worldviews, traditions, faiths, and fairy tales of these global citizens. The book seems especially appropriate in this moment, as we collectively face uncertainty about the future, but most acknowledge, maybe more than ever, that our global future is a shared one."

Find it on: Grove Atlantic (with links to purchase)

Novel: The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal

Recommended by Jennifer Kapral, Director of Education and Outreach

"Sisters Rajni, Jezmeen, and Shirini have been tasked with completing a week-long pilgrimage to India on behalf of their mother following her death. As the British-born sisters navigate their first trip to India, they learn about the importance of family, traditions, and their cultural heritage. Balli Kaur Jaswal's writing is fun and energetic, full of depth, wit, and humor as she explores family drama, cross-cultural dynamics, gender roles, and how we see ourselves and the world."

Find it on: HarperCollins (with links to purchase)

Business and Policy programs are endowed by Huffington Foundation. We give special thanks to Bank of America, Muffet Blake, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Nancy Pollok Guinee, United Airlines, and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Business and Policy programs; Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, and Leslie and Brad Bucher, Presenting Sponsors of Exhibitions; Dr. Ellen R. Gritz and Milton D. Rosenau and Wells Fargo, Presenting Sponsors of Performing Arts and Culture; and Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Presenting Sponsor of the Japan Series. General support of programs and exhibitions is provided by The Brown Foundation, Inc., The Hearts Foundation, Inc., Houston Endowment, Inc., the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, McKinsey & Company, Inc., National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Vinson & Elkins LLP, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as Friends of Asia Society.

About Asia Society at Home

Though Asia Society is temporarily closed, we are dedicated to continuing our mission of building cross-cultural understanding and uplifting human connectivity. Using digital tools, we bring you content for all ages and conversations that matter, in order to spark curiosity about Asia and to foster empathy.

About Asia Society Texas Center

With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.