Zeit-bites: Top pop culture ideas to try in the sun

What is a pop culture obsessed lad or lass to do when the weather is simply too nice to spend indoors glued to your screens? Here are five ways to get a pop culture fix when it’s 29 degrees and the sky is cloudless blue:

Audio books: One of my favourite things to do in the summer is take a good book for a walk. A subscription to Audible – Amazon’s audio arm – is US$14.95 a month, but you can buy individual books, too. Try a breezy, romantic Georgette Heyer novel read by actor Richard Armitage, or a Neil Gaiman non-fiction book read by the author himself. Podcasts, too, are a cheaper option.

Actual comics and books: I know you know what they are. If you don’t want to shell out for them, the public library is your friend. Is there anything as nice as lying at the beach, on a river bank or under a tree in a park reading a book?

Pop-culture pilgrimage: Planning a summer holiday? There are 1001 film and TV locations dotted around New Zealand. If you haven’t already been yet, Hobbiton is one of the best film pilgrimages in the world. Add a trip to Weta Cave in Wellington for the ultimate film nerd treat. Make your own movie: You have an iPhone. You have mates. There are how-tos all over the internet. What’s stopping you?

Outdoor movies: In Los Angeles, there’s a film group called Cinespia that hosts outdoor movie events in unusual spots around the city. Unfortunately we don’t have anything quite like that, but you can usually rely on your council or a local group to host at least one or two outdoor movies during the summer.

In my neck of the woods, there’s the Wellington Free Outdoor Cinema, and a local bar that regularly shows outdoor films.

I know there are one-off events in the main centres and smaller spots around the country during the summer. Put feelers out and see what’s coming up near you.