The Weekend Reset – A Jurassic, Fantastic, Yakitori Weekend awaits.

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.

 

WATCH: Surprise! There’s a new Jurassic World Movie. Sort of.

This is better than the last Jurassic World movie. Not even kidding. But it’s only 8 minutes. It’s essentially a Jurassic World big budget short that provides a hint of what we can expect from the franchise going forward. Maybe there is hope for the next film? Don’t you dare skip the credits. Because yes, even in a short film, we now get mid and end credit scenes.

 

BINGE: A fantastic series – every #1 single in America in the modern era.

Simply put, for fans of American popular music, this is one of the best series you will find on the interwebs. I don’t always agree with the assessments here (I am emotionally attached to some of this shit), but I am absolutely into the stories behind the hits. The context surrounding the music. The cultural impact of each hit. THE SHIT I DIDN’T KNOW (That’s Jagger singing backing vocals on Carly Simon’s legendary dis track “You’re So Vain!:). The songs that were kept out of the number one position. The memories and flashbacks that have assailed me on so many occasions. But more than anything, it does a pretty great job reminding us that once upon a time, most of us listened to the same music in some way or other as Top 40 radio brought together the best of all (somewhat limited available) genres together in one place. The entry on Bowie’s classic song about celebrity life is a terrific example of how interesting these stories are. The fact that the comments section yields a remarkably satisfying parallel run down of the top r&b/soul and disco tracks of the time is a really significant bonus. This is a journey that should take you a while to complete.

 

EAT: Because, yum!

Chicken Yakitori With Smashed Cucumber Salad – Ok. I might have jumped the gun whereas Fall is concerned. Turns out we have some time to enjoy the grill before it gets cold and rainy (not that I ever stop grilling due to wee inconveniences). I’m going to admit that what initially grabbed my attention was the smashed cucumber salad. I have a thing for Asian inspired cucumber salads. Also, there are a lot of great cucumbers available this time of year. I’m telling you right now that I doubled this recipe without even second guessing it. It doesn’t take that much more prep time and, more importantly, these make great leftovers. As usual, don’t be afraid to do your own thing with this. I could see this working with other proteins like tuna, beef and pork. The same goes for the salad: you could add slivers of radish or other late summer veggies you might find at the market. A lovely Spanish Alberino would go well with this. Actually, you should enjoy that Alberino while cooking. What the hell was I thinking?

 

LEARN: So that’s how you make a pencil!

I know. I am a nerd. But this kind of stuff fascinates me. There is something satisfying about seeing this whole process happen. Plus, I kind of hoped it would resemble this old cartoon that apparently made a lasting impression on said young nerd.

 

PLAN: Get an upcoming weekend getaway on the books. Now.

I get a lot of information sent to me 24/7 about things people want me to talk about on the radio. So. Much. Public Relations peeps are cheerfully relentless and I admire that. In other people. You tend to develop a quick idea of what is real and what is just advertising. I look at some of this stuff a lot depending on the source. One theme I have seen become a genuine thing is the need for people to spend time outdoors. Note the lack of the adjective “more.” Some folks don’t go out much at all. I am sad for them. I make the effort to get away from the city and spend time in a couple different national and state forests. I realize this might be harder for some people to pull off but my suggestion is this: plan a weekend getaway NOW so that you can recharge your inner-workings, appreciate what you have and unplug. Because, my dudes, that is important. Flying solo? Get some guys to go in on a cabin in the woods. Or, plan a surprise adventure for your number one human. A little work this weekend and then you have something to look forward to! It goes without saying that this would be a prime opportunity to put together one of Joe’s style scenarios. Oh, Harry and the Hendersons? IT COULD HAPPEN! 

Tim Johnstone is Dappered’s music correspondent as well as our resident gatherer of all things interwebs related. He’s pretty sure about some of the things most of the time, but totally clueless about everything else all the time. Also, never forget.