Hump Day Recommendations, March 20, 2024

Listen: Jon Batiste I was blessed to see and hear Batiste and his band at New York’s Beacon Theatre last night. If you have a chance to experience his music anywhere at any time, grab it. In the meantime, here’s a sample of his epic range. – Willis

Watch: “The Regime” Do you enjoy dark comedies and geopolitics? Then this new show on Max is probably perfect for you. It stars Kate Winslet as the paranoid, ruthless leader of an authoritarian regime in an unnamed country in Central Europe. Her character is an extraordinarily quirky hypochondriac who will stop at nothing to assume complete control of her country. Keep an eye out for fun references to real-life dictators and geopolitical issues. – John

Get dirty: During a recent visit to the Phillips Collection — a stunning art collection in Washington, DC — I saw some lovely ceramic flower wall hangings in the gift shop. As an amateur potter, I decided to try it rather than buy it — so I sat down last weekend with this YouTube video to create a basic wallflower. I fire my pieces in a kiln, but you don’t have to — air dry clay will work just as well. If you decide to have a go, send me a pic of how it turns out. – Tracy

Watch: “The Holdovers” I watched this movie with my mom to close out my week-long vacation, and it hit the happy/sad sweet spot on the head. Set at a New England prep school, a cantankerous teacher and troubled pupil are stuck on campus together over Christmas vacation. Both grow and learn lessons from each other, and all that good stuff, but the script brilliantly shows the toxic masculinity, racism, and classism of the Vietnam War era. This movie is arguably a Christmas movie, but who doesn’t need a good Christmas movie in March? It will hit even harder if you, like me, went to a lapsed military academy for high school. – Riley

Stop: And smell the flowers! It’s the best time of year in Washington, DC, with cherry blossoms and Magnolia trees in full bloom. If you’re in the area, come enjoy their pastel hues before it’s too late. Here’s a tip: Skip the crowds on the Mall and enjoy the blossoms at the National Arboretum. – Matt