The Weekend Reset: A Little Stephen King and a whole lot of the Basque Country.

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.

 

DRINK: 2016 Bodegas Aizpurua Txakoli

This is a wine I recently discovered at a Basque eatery. On a triple digit evening, noshing on tapas, this was the perfect companion. Txakoli (pronounced CHOC-O-LEE), made from the Hondarrabi grape, is grown in the Basque country and it comes in a few varieties. We enjoyed the white (called zuri), which has a low alcohol content, is mildly effervescent and is crisp and dry.  Bodega Aizpurua is the second oldest Txakoli winery in the world, dating back to 1834. I recommend checking out their website for a history of the winery.

 

STREAM: It’s Stephen King’s world. We just live in it.

Yes. This is another Stephen King sourced TV series. Only, this is different. It is based on characters he has created and shared in stories going all the way back to the beginning of his career. They take place in a fictional town called Castle Rock which has been the locale for many of his past works. So far, this is fantastic stuff. Bill Skarsg¥rd who was brilliant as Pennywise in the recent IT movie, plays an altogether different sort of creepy guy here. And the supporting line up is equally fantastic – Sissy Spacek, Scott Glenn and J.J. Abrams (who produce the series and can do no wrong in my book) favorite Terry O’Quinn are among the best. It is available on Hulu.

 

READ: Life and stories from a Basque village

I discovered this book when it was published. Living in a region of the country with a large Basque population, I have always been curious about the culture. This book was originally written in the Basque language (this happens less than you might think) and translated for those of us who don’t read or write Euskara. It have since re-read it several times and have given it as countless gifts. It’s all about the story, or in this case, the stories. They resemble Russian nesting dolls in terms of how they reveal themselves and it is a wonderful piece of writing.

 

EAT: Pintxos are your friends. Your delicious, delicious friends.

Chances are you have heard about tapas. They are how Spain does appetizers. And they come in a wonderful array of varieties. Also called pintxos, they make a great addition to your party planning skills. This recipe book does a great job of describing the different kinds of tapas, shares the history, and provides a great selection to try for yourselves. To learn more about the book, head on over here.

 

DRINK2: Get to know the Kalimotxo.

Better yet, have one on a hot summer night hanging out with friends. It is simply cola and red wine. That’s it. Sometimes called Poor Man’s Sangria, this is a Basque favorite and even I, who positively scoffed at the notion of trying one, fell victim to its charms. But be warned – they are sneaky, go down easy, and can wreak havoc with you the next day. It’s a great way to make use of that bottle you didn’t finish. What do you mean that never happens?

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.