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 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.
After a year in which the racing schedule got completely out of whack due to Covid, the Kentucky Derby has returned to its hallowed place as the first leg of the Triple Crown. With Essential Quality (what a name!) the odds-on favorite to win, it promises to be a thrilling day at the track. And hey, even if you’re watching from home — why not treat Derby Day as a reason to dress up and wear your nice stuff for a change? (Which nice stuff, you ask? We’ve got a style scenario for that.) Live on NBC (and Peacock) at 6:50pm EST on Saturday.
A well-made Mint Julep is a thing of beauty. Achieving that perfect balance of fresh mint, smoky bourbon, and pleasant sweetness can be a little tricky — unless you pay careful attention. The mint must be gently bruised, not crushed; the ice must be crushed, not chunked. Serious Eats has a great primer that will have you making flawless Juleps in no time. Watching the race? Great. The Mint Julep is the perfect, traditional accompaniment. Not watching the race? No matter. You don’t need any reason to enjoy a Mint Julep on a Spring afternoon. Photo by Juan Carlos Rivera on Unsplash.
Horizon Zero Dawn got a bit lost in the shuffle when it came out in 2017 — but WOW is this game fantastic. You play as Aloy, an outcast who hunts mechanized animals for scrap and who is trying to find out the identity of her true mother. It’s a game that takes the best elements of Assassin’s Creed and Shadow of Mordor, and brings them to a stunningly beautiful open world that draws on both Viking iconography and the imagery of HR Giger. And thanks to Sony’s “Play at Home” initiative, Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition (which includes the DLC expansion The Frozen Wilds) is available completely free on the PlayStation Store through May 14th. Clocking in at a minimum of 25 hours long, with up to 60 hours of content for the intrepid explorer, there’s a TON of game here for (horizon) zero dollars.
Car Seat Headrest is sort of like what you might get if you crossed The National with The Hold Steady — they make fantastic, guitar driven bar rock with wonderfully moody, awkward-kid, self-consciously emo-adjacent lyrics. Twin Fantasy, a full-studio re-recording of their 2011 self-produced album, is outrageously good, full of the kinds of songs that I love to blast in the car with the windows down while driving around town on a breezy spring afternoon.
Three words: Michael. B. Jordan. Two more words: Tom Clancy. Sign me up, please. In this spinoff of Clancy’s famous Jack Ryan franchise, Michael B. Jordan plays the Navy SEAL John Clark who goes on a rampage after the murder of his pregnant wife, and in so doing, uncovers an international conspiracy that threatens to pull the US and Russia into a shooting war. Having been a fan of his since his days on The Wire and Friday Night Lights, I will watch anything Michael B. Jordan does — and this looks to be perfect use of his star wattage and talent. Streaming starting today on Amazon Prime.
About the author: Michael Robin is an LA-based television writer and tutoring company co-Founder. 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.
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