ft. ‘One Night In Miami’ & Green Chicken Enchiladas

February 5, 2021 by Sydney Grant

Happy first week of February everybody! Congrats — we made it through all of 2020 and the first month of 2021, meaning we can probably get through anything at this point. And by anything, I of course mean the relentless Valentine’s Day content that will continue to take over my social media until next weekend. Is the chocolate section at CVS on clearance yet? Asking for a friend…

This week also kicked off Black History Month, so you know we’re going to be celebrating all February. I’ll be suggesting must-see movies, TV shows, and books, as well as highlighting some amazing people and Black-owned businesses to support.

And of course, no celebration would be complete without music, so we’ve also created a special Black History Month playlist with some of our favorite Black artists to listen to all-month-long. (And beyond!)

However you’re planning on spending your weekend, enjoy these quarantivities!

In Honor of Black History Month

People to Know

Stacey Abrams

The first person we’re highlighting this month is Stacey Abrams, former minority leader of the Georgia state House and founder of the New Georgia Project and Fair Fight. She’s spent the past decade fighting against voter suppression and, after losing her race for governor of Georgia in 2018, made it her mission to rebuild the Democratic Party within the state. By registering democrats and increasing the turnout of Black, Latino, and Asian voters, she was able to not only flip the state but help to flip the senate. To learn more about Abrams and voter suppression in the US, check out All In: The Fight For Democracy and Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America, both of which combine personal accounts with historical facts to demonstrate the ongoing barriers against minority voters in America.

Stream All In: The Fight For Democracy via Amazon Prime.

Read Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America via Amazon Prime.

Black-Owned Places to Know

Little Amsterdam Coffee

Mid City (1412 South Redondo Blvd, Los Angeles, CA)

Visit their website or Instagram to view their menu and hours.

Coffee, music, and art? What more could you want? This coffee shop and art gallery will be your next favorite place to get your caffeine fix.

Actually Curious

Online

Kick your next game night up a notch with this beautiful card game that works to build bonds and spread empathy. Ditch that Jenga, ASAP!

Visit their website to order your own!

The Jerk Spot Jamaican Restaurant

9006 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Meet your next go-to lunch joint! The Jerk Spot serves up high-quality, delicious Jamaican cuisine right here in Culver City. Available for take-out and delivery.

Visit their website or Instagram to view their menu and hours.

Quarant-streams

‘One Night In Miami’

Watch this if you want to know how Cassius Clay celebrated his historic win over Sonny Liston:

Malcolm X, Cassius Clay AKA Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke walk into a bar… and the rest, they say, is history. No, but really, in February of 1964, this unlikely group of friends spent the night at the Hampton House Motel in Miami to celebrate Clay’s surprise win over Sonny Liston. There were no vodka shots or awkward pick-up lines at this party, but instead, the group shared vanilla ice cream and their thoughts on the responsibilities of Black celebrities during the Civil Rights Movement.

We know this much is true, but what we don’t know, is what exactly went down behind those closed doors that night. One Night In Miami fills in the gaps, dramatizing and reimagining the historic night and the conversations that were had among these iconic men. A movie comprised of nothing but four men talking to each other in a hotel room over ice cream may not sound exciting to you, but by weaving together fact and fiction, Regina King makes this film anything but vanilla.

Stream it via Amazon.

‘Malcolm & Marie’

Watch this if you love everything Zendaya:

Zendaya swaps out her rhinestone-adorned Euphoria makeup for black-and-white in Netflix’s highly anticipated Malcolm & Marie. In the movie, which was filmed during the pandemic, Zendaya plays Marie, girlfriend and muse of an up-and-coming filmmaker named Malcolm (John David Washington.) Hot off the premiere of Malcolm’s debut movie, the two return home, awaiting the initial critic response. Except there’s just one thing: Malcolm didn’t thank Marie at the premiere and she is pissed. What should be a blissful night quickly turns sour as the couple’s relationship problems begin to surface and each character’s true colors come to light. As it turns out, forgetting Marie’s name in his speech is the least of Malcolm’s problems. This one’s been generating buzz since Zendaya first teased the movie last year, so you know I already can’t wait to watch.

Stream it via Netflix .

Quarant-reads

‘Everybody (Else) Is Perfect: How I Survived Hypocrisy, Beauty, Clicks, and Likes’ by Gabrielle Korn

Read this if you’ve ever been guilty of caring about how many likes your photo got:

The Devil Wears Prada gets personal in this collection of essays from former Nylon editor-in-chief Gabrielle Korn. In a world where it’s all too easy to become consumed with comparing yourself to literally everyone else on your Instagram feeds, Korn wants to remind you that, contrary to the book’s title, nobody’s perfect. Everybody (Else) Is Perfect opens up about what it’s really like to work in the fashion industry, coming out, Korn’s battle with anorexia, and more. From glitzy afterparties to clingy exes, she tackles it all. Forget those shoes you’ve been eyeing, I’m calling it now — a copy of this book is the hottest accessory this season.

Purchase now via Amazon.

Quarant-eats

Green Chicken Enchiladas via Damn Delicious

Make this to spice up your game day:

Honey Cake with Citrus Frosting via Food & Wine:

Bake this for your honey:

Beermosas via Delish

Make this bc nothing says Super Bowl Sunday like beermosas, am I right??:

Not sure what beer to use? Try these two Black-owned LA breweries:

Crowns and Hops

Warcloud Brewing Company

Quarant-memes

& Some Other Fun Stuff …

Get these bc who needs a Valentine when you have a galentine (or guy-entine!):

14 Galentine’s Day Gifts for the BFF You Can’t Wait to Hug Again

And these to show you care:

9 Valentine’s Day Face Masks That Will Make Your Heart Smile

Watch these for your next movie night:

17 Movies About Black History That Should Be On Your Must-Watch List

Try these instead of spontaneously dying your hair if you need a ~change~:

How to Completely Make Over Your Life in Just 28 Days

Make these to bring the crowded sports bar vibes to the safety of your home (maybe your dog will knock over your drink to add to the authenticity):

17 Super Bowl Recipes for the Tiniest Tailgate

Or order from these if cooking is not an automatic touchdown for you:

Where To Order Takeout & Delivery For The Super Bowl

Check out these bc the hottest Valentine’s Day resy this year is your house:

29 Ideas For Making Valentine’s Day At Home Feel Like A Big Night Out

Tune into this if you’re a Nipsey Hussle fan (Is anyone not?):

Nipsey Hussle The Marathon Visual Album Experience

Streaming Friday, February 5 @ 6PM

Visit these to support Black-owned bookshops in LA:

Black-Owned Bookstores in Los Angeles

Buy tix to these to rave with your pod in your car!:

Insomniac’s Park N Rave series