The Weekend Reset: Latkes, Beatles, and Cookies

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.

 

BAKE: Cookies

With Christmas only a few weeks away, it’s cookie season, folks. And for the first time in a couple years, it’s possible to get together with friends to share said cookies. If simplicity is your jam, try Claire Saffitz’ Christmas Cookies, which don’t require a mixer and can be cut into all kinds of fun shapes to decorate with kids. Looking for something crumbly and nutty and delicious? Check out Stella Parks’ Mexican Wedding Cookies. And if you really wanna impress a crowd, delicate, crunchy Florentines are always a great way to go. Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash.

 

BINGE: The Beatles: Get Back

You know that feeling of your spine tingling and your hairs standing on end when you see something that completely blows your mind? Well — if you’re a Beatles fan — get ready for 8+ hours of moments like that. For Get Back, Peter Jackson took over 60 hours of raw footage shot in 1969 and turned it into a revelatory three part, eight hour documentary that chronicles both the writing of the Beatles’ last released album, Let it Be, and the intra-band struggles that eventually lead to their dissolution. And while this is the story of the band’s breakup, it’s also a story about their friendship and their deep well of creativity — there’s nothing quite like watching John, Paul, George, and Ringo hang out and jam. Utterly phenomenal from start to finish.

 

FRY: Latkes

Tonight’s the sixth night of Hanukkah, and no Hanukkah celebration would be complete without crispy, fried potato latkes. Plenty of grocery stores have frozen latkes for sale, and those are adequate — but they pale in comparison to making latkes from scratch. The trick to extra crispy homemade latkes is to soak your shredded potatoes in cold water, squeeze out all the water, and then using all of the starch that settles in the water in your latke batter. Serious Eats’ fantastic recipe runs you through the whole process. And make sure to get some applesauce and sour cream to serve them with!

 

LISTEN: Merry Christmas Lil Mamma

Chance and Jerimeh’s seminal Christmas mixtape has grown into an annual December tradition in these parts, and 2020’s updated rerelease, which introduced several new tracks and brought the album to Spotify for the first time, was a highlight of last year’s holiday season. This is Christmas music pitched in the key of hope, a perfect fusion of hip-hop, gospel, and holiday themes. Put it on when you’re baking cookies or frying latkes or just doing your weekend chores, and it will bring a smile to your face.

 

JOURNAL.

The end of the year is a time when we all take stock of our lives. Traditionally, that tends to take the form of New Year’s resolutions, but personally, I get way more bang for my buck out of journaling. A blank notebook provides hundreds of pages of space for thoughtful reflection. Take twenty minutes, a half-hour, an hour, and write your thoughts on the past year down on paper. Write them in the form of a letter to yourself, or transcribe your thoughts stream-of-consciousness style, or write them as a list — or whatever you want. What’s working for you? What’s not? What’s bringing you joy? And how can you bring more of that into your life?

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.