The Weekend Reset: Cold Brews and High Waters

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 we’ll pull 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.

 

REFINISH: Your Furniture

Got a piece of furniture you love but that’s starting to show its wear? Or maybe you’ve got something that’s the perfect shape and style but totally the wrong color? You can breathe new life into it by refinishing. There are plenty of great youtube videos that’ll teach you the process, which involves stripping off the existing finish (generally using a chemical stripper — I used Citristrip), sanding, and then either staining/sealing or painting. If this sounds involved — it is! — but I can tell you: up until last weekend, when I decided to refinish my coffee table, I had exactly ZERO experience refinishing furniture — and now that I’ve done it once, I have a feeling I’ll be doing it again soon, because seeing a piece come to life thanks to my own hard work is immensely, immensely satisfying. (Couple tips in terms of finish: if you have a piece made of gorgeous hardwood, try a “natural” stain, which brings out the color of the wood; it’s what I used on my coffee table. And if you’re thinking of painting, Chalk Paint looks fantastic on furniture.)

 

WATCH: Hell or High Water

THIS is how you make an action movie. Hell or High Water is the little movie that could — an action drama made on a tiny budget, Hell or High Water ended up being one of the most successful indie movies released in 2016. What starts out like a Texan take on Bonnie and Clyde opens up to something that’s so much more — a haunted, elegiac, and character-driven contemporary western that features knockout performances from Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Jeff Bridges. Written by Taylor Sheridan, who also wrote Sicario and Wind River, and is the creator and show runner of the TV series Yellowstone, Hell or High Water is one of my favorite movies of the last decade.

 

MAKE: Iced Coffee

We’re in the dog days, gents. And one way of staying cool — while also ensuring you get that morning caffeine fix — is to drink your coffee over ice. Like your coffee black? Try making Japanese-style Iced Coffee, in which you brew hot coffee directly onto ice. (The ratio of coffee grounds to ice to water is key here; Serious Eats’ recipe will help ensure you get good results.) Prefer your coffee with milk or cream? Try making your own Cold Brew, in which you let your water and grounds soak overnight at room temperature. (I make my cold brew in a French Press, doubling the New York Times recipe, but a big mason jar and strainer or cheesecloth also works well for this.) Photo by Blake Wisz on Unsplash

 

LISTEN: What’s Your Pleasure

I remember listening to Jessie Ware’s album Devotion back in 2012 and liking it, but then I lost track of her for a while. And somehow, between a lot of other great releases this summer, I missed this one when it came out in June. But I finally turned it on last weekend while deep in a full-day cooking project, and holy cow, it’s good. A synthy R&B adjacent mashup of funk and soul, these are the kind of tunes that get me weird looks from the dog when he finds me dancing by myself in the kitchen while I’m making spaghetti. (Stop looking at me like that, Biggie. No, I’m not giving you any pie.)

 

PLAY: Jackbox Party Pack 3

Looking for a way to goof around with friends on Zoom? Want a game (actually, several!) that the whole family can play at home? Jackbox Party Pack 3 is perfect for that. A collection of wildly irreverent and fun party games, Jackbox will have you doing everything from answering trivia questions to trying to fake-out your friends with lies. The highlight here is Tee KO, in which you and friends create absurd t-shirt designs — and then try to write clever, hilarious slogans for each others’ shirts. Works great over Zoom — all you need to do is Screen Share (and share sound, too) and you and your friends will be up and running. Available on PC, Xbox, PS4, Switch, and Apple TV.

About the author: Michael Robin is an LA-based television writer. When he’s not working away on his latest pilot script, you can find him scuba diving, hosting Shabbat dinners, or goofing off with his goldendoodle, Biggie Lebowski.