Hello Genius, It's Your Super Bowl Sunday Recs!Our Dispatch from New Orleans. Plus: Lauren Graham, Kaitlyn Dever, Adrian Crowley, Helen Fielding, Tamara Rappa, and More...
Letter from St. Charles AvenueDear Wags, The Super Bowl is the last big-tent pop culture moment. Around 120 million Americans are expected to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles tomorrow, though many will be just as focused on the halftime show and a deluge of exorbitantly priced ads from Instacart, Stella Artois, OpenAI, Coffee Mate, and others. Super Bowl viewership is splintering along with the American polity—about 30 percent of viewers will tune in via streaming, and countless fans will be scrolling through social media mid-game. (The NFL has even deployed more than 150 influencers to capture their impressions of the festivities.) The mass audience for pro football may be in gradual decline, but the razzle-dazzle and hucksterism of the Big Game still make it a magnet. What other event can momentarily unite Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, and Kendrick Lamar? There has always been a bread-and-circuses feel to all this. Comparing America to imperial Rome may be a cliché, but the parallels are hard to ignore. We have our aspiring Caesar and all the familiar signs of corruption and decadence. The tawdriness of our politics—the gossip, arrogance, and vendettas—reads like something out of Suetonius. Meanwhile, our military struggles to meet recruiting targets and an embarrassing number of recruits fail to meet even basic physical fitness standards. Whatever hot air is directed toward Greenland, Canada, the Panama Canal, or Gaza, America’s readiness—and will—to project global power is at a low ebb. To prop themselves up, late-stage empires borrow treasure and rely on mercenaries. And the barbarians—in the form of tech bros with a tenuous relationship to traditional American institutions and values—have breached the gate. Pax Romana lasted two centuries, and the empire, in various forms, endured for nearly 1,500 years. But, like everything else in our convulsive age, the United States seems to be on a faster clock. This sort of analysis may be premature—perhaps by centuries. We are unreliable narrators of our own time, mistaking spectacle for substance and misjudging outcomes. Rome endured long after its fall was first foretold, and America will lurch forward in ways we can’t yet predict. History rarely unfolds as neatly as prophets and pessimists expect. The only thing we can reliably count on is the pageant grinding forward. Whoever wins on Sunday, the circus always finds a new tent. Yours Ever,
New Orleans is thick with hotels, but most are clustered near the French Quarter. The Columns beckons visitors uptown with serene charm. This beautifully restored 1883 Italianate mansion features a grand veranda overlooking the leafy neighborhood and houses one of NOLA’s coolest bars. A seamless blend of 19th-century elegance and 21st-century style, it’s an atmospheric spot for a cocktail—or a serene retreat for an extended stay.—Aurora Nott The Columns | 3811 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115
In the Crescent City, eating well isn’t just a given—it’s a way of life. Sylvain, a cozy French Quarter gastropub famed for its champagne and fries, offers a relaxed introduction to the local dining scene. The cocktail list is impressive (try the house Sazerac), and the menu is filled with delicious yet unfussy takes on New Orleans staples. The shrimp remoulade won’t disappoint, and the Sylvain burger is always a hit. Arrive early for drinks on the patio, or settle in for a full meal. And if you’re in town for the weekend, they do a mean brunch. Sylvain | 625 Chartres Street, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA 70130
The City That Care Forgot is often celebrated as an endless feast and a nonstop party, but its real pleasures are more understated. Its streets are layered with history, its architecture and culture are beguiling, and its literary heritage includes greats like Tennessee Williams, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Truman Capote, Walker Percy, Anne Rice, Kate Chopin, and James Lee Burke. Named after James Baldwin, Baldwin & Co. in the historic Marigny neighborhood offers a carefully curated selection of books focused on the African American experience—along with great coffee. More than just a bookstore, its literacy and public service initiatives make it a true community hub.—Albert Lambreaux Baldwin & Co. | 1030 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117
New Orleans' reputation as a drinking town goes far beyond open-container laws and bead-fueled revelry. This is the birthplace of the Sazerac—a whiskey, sugar, lemon, and Peychaud’s Bitters concoction that holds the title of the city’s official cocktail. But the Sazerac is just the beginning. The Grasshopper, Ramos Gin Fizz, Absinthe Frappé, and Brandy Milk Punch all have deep roots here, as does the Hurricane, the boozy, sugar-fueled favorite of Bourbon Street. But if we had to choose just one New Orleans libation to serve, it would be the Vieux Carré. Invented in 1937 by Walter Bergeron, the bartender at the Swan Room (now the Carousel Bar) at the Hotel Monteleone, the Vieux Carré is as complex as the city itself—a heady mix of Mediterranean influences and the down-home flavors of the American South. New Orleans has always been a city of immigrants, and this drink reflects its rich cultural blend. Set aside the hard-partying reputation of its hometown and take the time to savor it.—Megan Flynn Elements
Execution
 The Kids Are All WrongThe Z-Suite (Tubi). In case you missed it, Tubi is quietly taking over the streaming world. Its first original series suggests that reign may be a glorious one. Lauren Graham returns as Monica Marks, a hard-nosed New York ad executive ousted in favor of a Gen Z social media expert (Madison Shamoun). But the coup won’t be that easy—with her trusty lieutenant (Nico Santos), Monica plots a comeback. Graham’s charm steamrolls even the lamest generational warfare jokes. Gen Z? She’s Generation X’s Mary Tyler Moore.—Harriet Grant  ScamageddonApple Cider Vinegar (Netflix). Social media has a lot to answer for, and unleashing a new generation of con artists is high on the list of its sins. Over on Hulu, Scamanda—based on the popular podcast—follows a young woman who faked cancer and scammed ... Continue reading this post for free in the Substack app
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