It’s Friday. Looking for something to switch up your weekend, or to give you an excuse to relax a little? That’s what the Weekend Reset is for. Each week contributor Tim Johnstone pulls together five things to get your weekend started. Could be something to read or watch, something to eat or listen to, or even something to do. Enjoy the weekend fellas.
Hey guys! With France having won the World Cup last Sunday and the Tour de France happening right now, I might have gone a little overboard this week with all things French. Oh, there are some German herr’s too.
LISTEN: A timely classic from the originators of Electronica.
As a whole bunch of spindly dudes in lycra race their way through France, there is no better time to share this track from the band that arguably created synth pop. The German band had to make their own instruments to get the sounds they wanted. The early models were the size of a room. Not even kidding. This song was a huge international hit and was remixed about a million times (only a slight exaggeration). The band followed up the single with an entire album inspired by the race in 2003. Groundbreaking then and still pretty cool now.
DRINK: A light drink named after heavy artillery.
The French 75. This is an incredibly simple drink to make and it is quite refreshing on these hot summer days. Originally named after French 75-mm field gun during WWI, the drink has only 4 ingredients and they are always available. It is simply gin, champagne (or sparkling wine), sugar and lemon juice. Many choose to make the drink with cognac in lieu of gin. Whatever floats your lemon peel garnish.
WATCH: Trey bien! A wonderfully kooky French gem.
If you are a Terry Gilliam fan, this will be right up your alley. From the same people who made Delicatessen, The City Of Lost Children did dystopian before dystopian was cool. You will recognize several of the actors in this movie. Especially if you saw Alien Resurrection. Directors Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet have created a deeply stylized and often creepy tale of the danger posed by an obsessed man who needs orphaned children for nefarious purposes. I’d go deeper into what’s happening but it would sound weird (it kind of is). It’s visually rewarding, the music is perfect and the performances are a hoot. Did I mention it’s kind of weird? Alright then. Oh, and yes, it is French.
EAT: French comfort food: le Croque Monsieur
The first time I had one of these sandwiches I dreamt about it for a week. It was from Cafe Claude in San Francisco and it would be two years before I got back there for another. It didn’t disappoint. These might be France’s favorite sandwich and they are certainly the best known. They are wonderfully creamy and delicious and, admittedly, a little bit rich. But, any sandwich you dream about is worth a few extra minutes in the kitchen. This is another favorite.
PLAY: Did you know there was a French Racing card game?
When I was a kid, my best pals next door had this card game called Mille Bornes. It was set in the French countryside and it involved an auto race. So, right there I was hooked: exotic locale + race cars + card game = a lot of time spent playing. I had not thought of this game in years until this weekend. I immediately went looking for what I remembered. Naturally, that version is no longer made. But the game is still available and the newer versions are slick and less enchanting. BUT! The game is the same and it’s simple to pick up and loads of fun. Recommended.
Tim Johnstone is Dappered’s music correspondent as well as our resident gatherer of all things interwebs related. He’s currently undergoing a Tim Improvement Project™ (Version 4.0) and he understands that this is a life-long endeavor. Also, he’s a bit of an a-hole.
