ft. ‘Mortal Kombat’ & Burrata Snap Pea and Asparagus Pizza
It’s somehow basically May and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling personally attacked. On account of my not being mentally, nor physically ready for it, I am officially requesting an extension on summer. Does anyone know who I need to talk to about this?? At least it’s gloomy outside, so I don’t have to feel bad about spending yet another weekend attempting to reach the end of Netflix. S(hot) Girl Summer prep starts next week!
However you’re planning on spending your weekend, enjoy these quarantivities!
Quarant-streams
‘Mortal Kombat’
Watch this if you miss arcade games:
FATALITY! For all my fellow video game aficionados out there, you know that there’s no feeling like seeing those words flash across your screen. Either you inflicted the game-ending attack, resulting in a straight serotonin boost to your system (and bragging rights for the rest of the day), or, you’re on the unfortunate receiving end, resulting in the soul-crushing feeling of defeat (and perhaps a broken joystick). Today, nearly three decades after Mortal Kombat launched and made history as one of the most violent, bada$$ fighting games of all time, the film franchise is finally getting its reboot.
In the new film, which acts as a sequel to the 1997 film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, we’re introduced to a new character, a has-been fighter with a mysterious dragon-shaped birthmark on his head. The plot is really not the important part here — if you must know, the evil Sub-Zero is attempting to take over the universe and only Cole and his gang of fighters can stop him, blah blah — the real attraction is the fight scenes. They’re as horrifyingly gruesome as the video games (think spines being pulled out from heads gruesome) and involve epic choreography with classic characters from the series being pit against each other. Is this nostalgia enough to make this a “good” movie? Probably not. But it sure is fun. If you consider yourself a Mortal Kombat stan and love the shocking thrill of watching someone get sliced in half by a razor-sharp hat, then this one is for you. If, on the other hand, you’re fighting back the urge to throw up on your computer from just reading that sentence, then check out my other rec below.
Stream it via HBO Max.
‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’
Watch this if love Insecure:
After tortuous months of waiting, A Black Lady Sketch Show has finally gifted us with its second season. If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Black voices are severely underrepresented in the entertainment industry, specifically, female Black voices in comedy. A Black Lady Sketch Show wants to change that. With each episode clocking in at 30 minutes and comprised of about five sketches, the show works to explain the Black experience, touching on everything from society’s expectations of Black women, to who still hasn’t taken off all the R. Kelly songs from their playlists. It takes itself seriously, without taking itself seriously, and is absolutely hilarious as it does so. But the jokes aren’t just hilarious, they’re also clever, which is what makes this show truly standout.
This makes sense when you look at the women behind the show. Led by previous head writer for The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore, Thede; former Full Frontal With Samantha Bee writer Ashley Nicole Black; comedian Quinta Brunson; and Insecure’s own Gabrielle Dennis, A Black Lady Sketch Show is not only the first show with an all-Black women writer’s room but also the first sketch show to feature entirely Black women. The cameos also make each episode a treat, including guest appearances from Issa Rae and Laverne Cox. It’s smart, shocking, and a fabulous celebration of Black voices — something I hope to be seeing a lot more of in the near future.
Stream it via HBO.
Quarant-reads
‘Beautiful Things: A Memoir’ by Hunter Biden
Read this if you’re curious about the other Biden:
One more memoir and then I promise I’ll have a trashy beach novel for you next week! In Beautiful Things: A Memoir, Hunter Biden delves deep into his struggles with addiction, sobriety, and what it was like to tackle these while under the scrutiny of the public eye. He also offers the tea on his family life, specifically detailing his path from his relationship with his brother’s widow to meeting his current love and wife. For anyone interested in knowing the younger Biden on a personal level, Beautiful Things offers an intimate look at his life — from the good, to the bad, to the beautiful.
Purchase via Amazon.
Quarant-eats
Burrata Snap Pea and Asparagus Pizza via What’s Gaby Cooking:
Make this bc it’s technically eating your veggies:
Berry Buttermilk Cake via NYT Cooking:
And bake this bc it’s technically “fruit”:
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup/120 milliliters vegetable oil or other neutral oil, plus more for greasing the pan
- ½ cup/120 milliliters buttermilk or milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup/200 grams plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups/190 grams plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (10-ounce/285-gram) bag frozen berries (about 2 cups), any kind, any combination (large berries quartered)
PREPARATION
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-inch baking dish or pan (square or round is OK) with oil and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup oil, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and 1 cup sugar. In a separate medium bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Whisk wet ingredients into dry until just combined. (Some small lumps are fine.) Toss berries on a plate with remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Fold into batter and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 53 to 58 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Cake will keep, loosely wrapped at room temperature, for about 4 days.
Spanish Peach Margarita via Betches:
Make this bc it’s not just a regular margarita, it’s a cool margarita:
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Corralejo Tequila Silver
- 1/2 oz. peach schapps
- 3/4 oz. agave nectar
- 1 oz. lemon juice
- 5 mint leaves
How TF To Make It
So the good news is you don’t have to cut up any fruit. The bad news is you have to tear up some mint. But that’s not so bad. The rest of the prep is smooth sailing.
- Tear the mint leaves into fourths and throw them in a shaker.
- Throw in the tequila, peach schnapps, agave nectar, and lemon juice.
- Shake that sh*t like a Polaroid picture (sorry, had to).
- Strain over ice into a rocks glass.
- Garnish with a mint leave, and drink up!
Quarant-memes
& Some Other Fun Stuff …
Get tix to this to bring the Oscars red carpet to your car:
The Sunset Strip Presents’ The Oscars Watch Party
And this to use as an excuse to finally give your Eastside friend a visit:
Go to this to support local AAPI chefs and enjoy some great beer while you’re at it:
Eagle Rock Brewery ‘Welcome To Our World’ Pop-Up
Grow these so when your dinner guests ask “Is this dill?” you can reply “Why yes, it’s straight from the garden”:
10 Vegetables That Thrive in Pots, No Garden Required
Listen to these bc somehow bingeing a whole podcast in a day is less shameful than a whole Netflix series:
And then reward yourself by binge-watching these before it’s too late:
Watch These 11 Titles Before They Leave Netflix in April
Check out this to support BIPOC vendors and get COVID tested while you’re at it (it’s a win-win!):
Our Piece of the Pie Artisanal Market
And this to order in for a good cause:
LA Family Housing Home Together Event
Go to these to up your picnic game:
The 25 Best Parks in Los Angeles
Pick some flowers from your picnic ^^, then make these as a last-minute Mother’s Day gift:
How to Make Colorful Resin Coasters with Dried Flowers
Read this if you still don’t know what the heck an NFT is:
Get these bc every day should be Earth Day: