5 From Fitch: June 2024
You know those friends you have who always offer great recommendations for books to read, movies to see and places to go? That’s us! Every month, our intrepid writers will share five recommendations based on their current favorite things. Have you read a riveting book lately? Seen a movie or show that deeply affected you? Eaten a new take on an old classic? Check out any interesting art installations? Please drop us a line in the comments!
Jeremy K. Spencer
🎵 Listening: “Atavista,” by Childish Gambino
What is it?
Childish Gambino’s “finished” version of his 2020 album.
Why I love it.
Today’s most conspicuous Renaissance human, Donald Glover — aka Childish Gambino — just released “Atavista,” updating his “3.15.20,” dropped on that date, in a bit of a pandemic panic, before he thought it was quite baked. Beyond fine-tuning tracks, Glover has included two new songs. That first version was an immediate contender for album of the year and will doubtless be remembered as a Whitman-esque “barbaric yawp” heralding an insane-on-arrival decade. “Atavista” is basically a refined redux with bonus tracks. A true headphone album, it’s as funny, furious, weird and dark as it is sexy, hopeful, hypnotic and soulful — the sound a genre-agnostic musical alchemy reminiscent of post-Dylan Beatles experimentation.
Amy Kover
👣 Doing: Walking!
What is it?
My daily walk through our neighborhood park.
Why I love it.
The repetition allows me to observe tiny seasonal changes. Each one feels like a miracle. I often try to document them: “April 26: I stood under a parasol of dogwood blossoms and pretended I lived there.” Now that the baby ducks have arrived, it’s really getting good!
Kristin Kloberdanz
📺 Watching: “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” streaming on Amazon Prime
What is it?
An eight-part series (it was recently picked up for Season Two) that’s a witty reimagining of the fairly vapid early 2000s movie by the same name. It’s worth noting that the only redeeming quality (or not) of the original movie was that it birthed “Brangelina,” due to the on-set (but certainly not on-screen) chemistry between the stars. Unlike said movie, this show sizzles.
Why I love it.
It stars the versatile Donald Glover (“Community,” “Atlanta,” Childish Gambino) and Maya Erskine (you know her from the highly original “Pen15” where she and a friend play horny 13-year-old outcasts), as a couple of quasi-spies who are stuck together in a fake marriage as they carry out missions for a mysterious organization. Paul Dano, Parker Posey, Alexander Skarsgård and John Turturro show up along the way. It’s consistently original and weird with an odd blend of funny, thrilling and touching moments. Perfect way to ease into summer.
Becky Oliver DiGenova
👩🍳 Making: Traditional tiramisu
What is it?
This classic Italian dessert, with a name that translates to “pick me up,” is made from layers of lightly sweetened mascarpone cream and light, crisp ladyfinger biscuits dipped in espresso or strong brewed coffee. The recipe I use — which came from an in-person class at my favorite local Italian imports store — only has six ingredients: store-bought ladyfingers (sometimes called savoiardi), mascarpone cheese, eggs, sugar, espresso and cocoa powder (or shaved chocolate).
Why I love it.
It doesn’t require baking, or even a stovetop, to make, so it’s a perfect option for warm-weather dinner parties and potlucks. It’s best made a day or two ahead — another plus, in my book. And when it comes to tiramisu, simpler really is better. When a recipe, like the one linked above, calls for vanilla extract or some type of liqueur, even these are completely optional. Using whipped egg whites keeps the silky filling surprisingly light, so don’t get fooled by an Americanized version that uses lots of heavy cream instead. La vita è dolce!
Will Palmer
📺 Watching: “Black Mirror,” streaming on Netflix
What is it?
The anthology series created in 2011 by Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones, which will have a seventh season in 2025. Each episode paints a mind-bending scenario about all the ways our supposedly world-improving technologies can go dreadfully wrong, usually set in the near future or an alternate present day.
Why I love it.
Sci-fi that’s one step removed from our current reality is my favorite kind. I’m currently rewatching all the good episodes (there are some misses) and remembering that it’s been some of the best movie-caliber TV in recent years. For example, “USS Callister,” in which a frustrated, sociopathic game designer, played by Jesse Plemons, creates a not-at-all-veiled “Star Trek” universe and then inserts clones of his co-workers into the game so he can make them do whatever he chooses. A delightful Cristin Milioti plays one of his victims who’s determined to stage a mutiny. It’s twisted and brilliantly imaginative, and a sequel to the episode is coming next year.