John Manion is a man who enjoys lighting things on fire. He’s demonstrated his Promethean prowess at Más, his adored Wicker Park restaurant that closed in 2007. Then there’s La Sirena Cladestina, which closed at the end of 2019. The Fulton Market spot leaned more into Manion’s formative years he spent as a child in Brazil. A few blocks south, El Che Steakhouse has evolved in the West Loop, showing off Brazilian and Argentinian preparations of meat in the style of the great Argentine chef Francis Mallmann.
Though a native Michigander, Manion — like Malmman — takes a MacGyver-like approach to cooking over fire, trying out various methods to bring seared and smoky goodness to the table — just check out the Meat Project. For Manion’s new West Town restaurant the grill is again the center of attention.
This is the former Funkenhausen.
While Manion describes Brasero, 1709 W. Chicago Avenue, as the spiritual successor to La Sirena, he’s quick to point out that the menu shows a variety of Latin American influences. But the menu also pushes tradition, utilizing a few American techniques and ingredients to position Brasero uniquely. Manion mentions how through the years he assumed the mantle of “bean guy.” His expertise in cooking beans (feijoada is a Brazilian black bean stew) left little question about who would prepare them. But then at a pop-up dinner last year that previewed Brasero’s menu held at Sportsman’s Club in Ukrainian Village, one of his cooks made the beans using a slightly different technique. A beleaguered Manion was stunned by the great results: “I guess we have a new ‘bean guy,’” he says.
For Brasero, its feijoada is a group affair, a $200 dish reminiscent of risotto and stuffed with collard green kimchi, slow-roasted beef shank, puffed beef tendon, pickled orange, and farofa. Beyond the beef dishes, there are a few Peruvian dishes with Chinese influences like a pork fried rice.
Wagyu picanha with farofa and chimi-vinaigrette.
Green curry prawns.
Look for a mix of small and large plates, with plenty of seafood and pork chops. At one point, Manion considered opening a restaurant dedicated to charcoal-roasted chicken. That moment has since passed, but the chicken has found a place at Brasero, cooked in the corner grill that burns wood into charcoal. The chicken is brined and finished with a fermented garlic sauce glaze that’s supplemented by chili oil and a special seasoning of herbs, salt, and dehydrated chicken skin. Manion’s calling it chicken salt.
Caipirinhas are the featured cocktail and come in a trio of flavors. Alex Cuper, Brasero’s wine director, is also promising a selection of 100 Latin American wines priced around $100.
Take a look at the dinner and dessert menus, the food, and the 120-seat dining room with an 18-seat bar below.
Brasero, 1709 W. Chicago Avenue, opening Tuesday, February 5, reservations via OpenTable.
The fire happens in the upper right corner.
Coal-roasted sweet potato with Catapiry cheese, hot honey, fried pumpkin seed, and peanut crunchies.
Broccolini with cashew-basil butter, herbs, and Brazil nut.
Pao de quelio with papaya jam, herbed Catapiry cheese, and mortadella.
Marcos Ascensio says Pilsen and nearby Little Village need more mariscos. The chef grew up in Little Village, and while La Vilita has plenty of Mexican cuisine, Ascensio says he became accustomed to driving to the North Side if he was in the mood for seafood.
Now, Ascensio and his team from Logan Square’s Taqueria Chingon — including Obelix and Le Bouchon’s Oliver Poilevey — have an opportunity to rectify that problem. They’re taking over the ground-floor space inside Thalia Hall, partnering with owners 16” on Center and opening a new restaurant inside the former Dusek’s. The interiors have been gutted to make room for Mariscos San Pedro, which should open by early summer, 1227 W. 18th Street.
With the churches in the area, and with St. Peter hailed as patron saint of fishermen, the name made sense for the team. Cynically, Poilevey, Asencsio, and new partner Antonio Incandela (a pastry chef at Obelix) say while some customers may complain when tacos aren’t cheap (something hear a lot in Logan Square at Taqueria Chingon), they don’t complain about the prices of mariscos.
“We want to make it fun,” Ascensio says. Much like Obelix, folks can come in a few times a week, crush a few appetizers from the raw bar and a beer and head out. That’s also important for Thalia Hall visitors attending concerts. The venue, which was home to Dusek’s (a former Michelin-starred restaurant), also includes two bars, Punch House and Tack Room. The San Pedro team will begin its infiltration of Thalia Hall by unleashing a small bites menu at Punch House. That will also allow them to measure reaction and adjust San Pedro’s opening menu accordingly.
After a decade, Dusek’s closed in December. 16” on Center, which is also behind Revival Food Hall and the Salt Shed, tried to breathe new life into the restaurant with new chefs and a fancier menu. Poilevey says they’ve been in contact with the company and that San Pedro was originally supposed to open in Logan Square, but a real estate deal fell through.
Folks with a little bit more time on their hands can indulge with a bottle of wine and a whole fish (think snapper or a “baller” turbot) cooked in the hearth left over from Dusek’s. Unlike many mariscos restaurants, which may hone in on a region in Mexico, San Pedro will combine flavors and techniques. For example, they may use Japanese panko on snapper to ensure the fish gets extra crunchy.
Beyond the fusion of techniques, Poilevey says the quality of fish will set them apart from other restaurants. They’re working with a variety of vendors and will steer away from frozen seafood.
“We get a great product and treat it with great technique and, you know, serve with with great masa and a great salsa,” Poilevey says. “We’ll just kind of let it….”
“Speak for itself,” Ascensio says, completing his colleague’s sentence.
Some of the menu items from Taqueria Chingon, like duck carnitas and perhaps the octopus off the trompo, could make it to Pilsen. Much of the menu remains under development, but one dish they’re workshopping is duck tamales. Incandela, who worked at Spiaggia, jokingly calls himself “the random Italian” on the project. Like Poilevey, whose parents owned Le Bouchon and La Sardine, he grew up in the restaurant world. Incandela’s father owned Sicily Restaurant in Elmwood Park. He’s focused on seeing “how far I can take masa in a pastry” while maintaining respect for classic Mexican desserts.
“I don’t want to stray too far away from what makes it classically beautiful,” he says. “But I also want to put our own spin that would match the daringness, I guess, of the rest of the menu.”
They’re imagining the kind of towers or seafood platters that groups seated in the booths will quickly grab as soon as the plate hits the table. Fun cocktails with some element of interaction are also planned. They also want to accommodate Pilsen’s drinkers and make sure San Pedro has plenty of beer options. Logan Square’s Pilot Project Brewing could work on a collaboration.
Before working in restaurants, Ascencio studied to be an engineer. He sees himself as MacGyver and Poilevey calls him their handyman. The team is excited to expand. In January, they were shortlisted by the James Beard Foundation for Outstanding Restaurateur.
Mariscos San Pedro, inside Thalia Hall, 1227 W. 18th Street, planned for an early summer opening
Peter Smith, owner of Starlight Cinema Taupō for 43 years (centre) with new owners Tammy and Charlie Prince.
Taupō’s only movie theatre is shutting at the end of the month and the operators have yet to secure a viable alternative venue.
Starlight Cinema’s closure has as much to do with a series of unfortunate events and bad timing as financial viability.
The building which houses the theatre and five retail shops, comes up well short of modern earthquake standards and is set to be demolished, as early as next month.
Previous cinema owner Peter Smith had plans for a brand new purpose-built theatre building in Taupō, but then Covid-19 struck and put a halt to proceedings.
In the meantime, with plans for a new theatre in place, landlord Glynn Pointon purchased the building to knock it down and replace it with three shops at ground level and six subterranean shops accessible from a fully enclosed Starlight Arcade.
In May 2022, with plans for a new theatre building shelved, Smith – who had run the cinema for 43 years – sold it to local couple Tammy and Charlie Prince. Charlie said they were fully aware at the time that the lease on the building would be short-lived.
“So it was coming down either way. We were only guaranteed 12 months in here so we got lucky and got an extra nine months. I didn’t pay a lot for the business. I basically bought the equipment and the stock.”
The building that houses Starlight Cinema in Taupō is old, not up to…
Pork chop suey, duck fat-infused corn dogs and more are served at Ramova Grill.|
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Chicago — we’re in a leap year, so the city gets an extra day of February antics. For cynics, that might feel like we’re an extra day away from spring, but don’t be one of those fools. A beautiful way to avoid wintertime blues is to enjoy a great meal at a great, new restaurant. With that in mind, welcome to the Eater Chicago Heatmap for February.
The Heatmap features new restaurants and old favorites creating a new buzz. Whereas the Eater 38 is a collection of can’t-miss stalwarts and bucket-list entries, the Heatmap is about the now — focused on recent openings that have the city’s diners talking.
The February update includes four updates: a reskinned hot dog stand, a renovated South Side icon, a tasting menu with a late-night fine dining taco menu, and a hip Lincoln Park steakhouse.
A glider is essential for getting around Enshrouded’s Embervale, a sprawling realm that usually demands a lot of walking. While there are a few fast travel points — called Ancient Spires — due to their spire-iness, they make perfect places to jump off of with a glider and explore new corners of the world.
Our Enshrouded guide will explain how to craft the glider, and run down what you need to craft the two improved versions: the advanced glider and the extraordinary glider.
How to craft the glider in Enshrouded
Image: Keen Games via Polygon
Your first glider can be made pretty early in your game. You’ll need:
8 Shroud wood. Shroud wood is, get this, wood you find in the Shroud. Not just any wood is Shroud wood, though. You’ll need to find a tree that is fully in the Shroud and chop it down with an axe. The Shroud wood that drops will look different from normal wood — it’s grayer and more twisted.
2 animal fur. The goats and the wolves you encounter on the surface drop these.
2 string. String can be manually crafted (no workbench necessary) from 2 plant fiber that you pick up just about anywhere.
2 Shroud spores. The human-like Fell that populate the Shroud (and spawn outside of your Flame Altar’s influence at night) will drop Shroud spores when you kill them.
Once you’ve gathered the materials, head to your workbench to craft the glider.
That basic glider doesn’t have the best glide ratio — you lose a lot of elevation for the distance you fly forward — but it will revolutionize how you get around.
That first glider is also going to last you a while — at least until you start making linen.
How to craft the advanced glider in Enshrouded
A lot of things need to happen before you can craft the next glider — the improved glider. You’ll need to find the Hunter and the Carpenter, and you’ll need to find the Hunter’s Hand Spindle.
The Hunter and the Carpenter can be found in their respective Ancient Vaults. You’ll find them as part of “Hunter Becomes The Hunted” and “Carpentry Assistance” quests. You’ll be tasked with finding the Hunter’s hand spindle in the Revelwood for the aptly named “The Hunter’s Hand Spindle” quest.
Image: Keen Games via Polygon
Once the Carpenter, Hunter, and hand spindle are all in place, you’ll be able to craft the improved glider at the Carpenter with:
6 Shroud wood.
4 linen. Linen is made at the Hunter’s hand spindle and requires 2 flax for each 1 linen. Flax is a purple flower that you’ll find around the Revelwood biome in the north.
4 string.
8 Shroud sack. Around the Revelwood biome, you’ll also find spitting plants. You’ll get poison sacks from the regular, purple and orange ones. Inside the Shroud, you’ll find similar plants that glow blue and drop Shroud sacks when killed.
How to craft the extraordinary glider in Enshrouded
Just like crafting the advanced glider, there’s a lot of work you’ll need to do before you can craft the extraordinary glider.
The Hunter will ask you to retrieve a tanning station from the Nomad Highlands to the east as part of her “In Need Of A Tanning Station” quest.
You’ll have to have gotten the Blacksmith’s crucible as part of “Crucible Needed For A Smelter” and be able to make copper bars.
The Carpenter will need a table saw from the “Table Saw For The Carpenter” quest that takes you to Thornhold to the northeast.
You’ll need to get the both the Alchemist’s mortar for “The Alchemist’s Mortar” (if you haven’t yet) and the black cauldron he requests for “A Black Cauldron For The Alchemist.” You’ll find his mortar in Lone Thistle north-northeast of the Ancient Spire — Springlands fast travel tower. The black cauldron takes a lot more work (and more fighting) to find in Rattlebleak far to the northeast.
Image: Keen Games via Polygon
When you return to the Alchemist with the black cauldron, you can craft an alchemy station (20 fired brick, 6 wood planks, 10 nails, 3 wood logs, 5 copper bars,and 1 black cauldron).
4 Shroud wood.
2 leather. Leather can be made at the Hunter’s tanning station from 10 dried fur, 20 salt, and 2 ammonia glands. For ammonia glands, you’ll have to head into the Shroud in the Nomad Highlands to the northeast of your starting point. You’re looking for the red walking mushrooms. Those creatures(?) drop ammonia glands when you kill them.
2 linen.
4 alchemical base. Alchemical base can be made at the alchemy station from 1 Shroud liquid, 1 mycelium, 1 water, and 1 Shroud Spore.
Once you (finally — it’s going to take you a long time) have everything in place, head to the Carpenter to craft the advanced glider.
How to equip the glider
Image: Keen Games via Polygon
Once you craft any of the gliders, you have to equip it before you can use the wing suit. Head to the Character menu. The fourth slot down on the left is for your glider. Open it and select the best glider you’ve crafted.
This initial report on The Greatest Night in Pop comes from our team following the premieres at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. We’ll update this piece when there’s more information about the movie’s release.
Logline
On Jan. 28, 1985, more than 40 of the United States’ most famous musicians, from Michael Jackson and Diana Ross to Paul Simon and Billy Joel, gathered in secret to record a charity song. “We Are the World” was intended as a fundraiser for famine relief in Africa. The Greatest Night in Pop, a documentary coming to Netflix soon, is about how that song got recorded in just one night.
Longerline
“We Are the World” is one of the bestselling, most popular singles of all time, featuring perhaps the most star-studded lineup to ever record together. Bao Nguyen’s film runs through the making of the song, from the initial idea to the writing to getting talent on board to the recording itself.
Nguyen presents all of this through archival footage from when the recording session was initially filmed, as well as talking-head interviews with some of the musicians involved, including Lionel Richie, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, and Kenny Loggins.
What’s The Greatest Night in Pop trying to do?
Besides just documenting one of the most important moments in 20th-century pop culture, The Greatest Night in Pop also tries to communicate the sheer star power that came together in A&M Studios on that night in 1985. It was a who’s who of the most famous musicians on the planet, which meant that there was both a clashing of egos and an easiness that came from shared levels of fame: These superstars were in the only room in the world where most of the people around them truly understood what life was like at that level of celebrity.
Does The Greatest Night in Pop live up to its premise?
The Greatest Night in Pop is after a more relaxed and celebratory version of the harried energy that director D.A. Pennebaker captured in Original Cast Album: Company, his filming of that album’s all-night recording session. Mostly, Nguyen gets it there. His doc is airy and fun, and while it narrativizes the night well, thanks in large part to Richie’s fantastic narration, it mostly has the good sense to get out of the way of the personalities that were actually in the room. This approach holds it back from being a truly great documentary: It rarely adds much context to the footage we’re seeing, beyond the backstory, and it pointedly avoids any controversy, or any criticism of even the most difficult celebrity participants. But the footage-forward approach does make the whole thing tremendously fun to watch.
Seeing Bob Dylan look uncomfortable in a sea of famous faces, Stevie Wonder joking around with Ray Charles, or Huey Lewis nervously working out a harmony is as close to unguarded as most of these stars have ever been on film. It’s a fascinating document. And the way every second of that footage is still captivating nearly 40 years later is a testament to the raw, all-encompassing, absolutely magnetic star power that everyone in that room has.
Image: Netflix
The quote that says it all
As the movie itself points out, the most important aspect of the whole night was when producer Quincy Jones posted a sign inside the recording studio that said “Check your ego at the door.” That’s what makes The Greatest Night in Pop feel special: It lets us inside the room where all-time great musicians simply felt like they were among friends and equals.
Most memeable moment
There are a number of incredible moments, like Waylon Jennings walking out of the recording studio while muttering “Ain’t no good ol’ boy ever sung in Swahili,” or Cyndi Lauper realizing that her massive necklaces were making so much noise that the microphones were picking them up alongside her voice. But if anything from this movie is going to be a meme, it’s Bob Dylan’s awkward grimace, right smack in the middle of the most famous faces in music, as he desperately tries to figure out how to sing in chorus with them. It’s incredible, and as Bob Dylan as anything could be.
Is The Greatest Night in Pop good?
Absolutely. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of documentary classics, falling short of the insight into the tortured circumstances and frustrated production of Original Cast Album: Company, or the pure musical excellence of Monterey Pop. But there’s something special about seeing these stars mingle that makes this movie a fascinating document on fame and the people behind it.
When can we see it?
The Greatest Night in Pop will be released on Netflix on Jan. 29.
Barboach, the whiskers Pokémon from Hoenn, can be found in the wild in Pokémon Go. Yes, Barboach can be shiny in Pokémon Go!
Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Niantic
Whiscash sees some use in Great League PvP, but outside of that, Barboach and its evolution don’t have much meta use.
What is the shiny rate for Barboach in Pokémon Go?
As per old research by the now-defunct website The Silph Road (via Wayback Machine), the shiny rate for Pokémon on a regular day is approximately one in 500. Barboach is not a confirmed Pokémon that gets a “permaboost” (meaning that it’s a rare spawn and thus gets a boosted shiny rate).
What can I do to attract more shiny Pokémon?
Not much, unfortunately. It appears to be random chance. Shiny Pokémon catch rates are set by developer Niantic, and they are typically only boosted during special events like Community Days or Safari Zones, or in Legendary Raids. There are no consumable items that boost shiny Pokémon rates.
Where can I find a list of available shiny Pokémon?
The central mystery in True Detective: Night Country seems easy when the credits roll on episode 1. It’s not that viewers already have the answer, but it at least feels like we can see all the puzzle pieces in front of us. That is, until episode 2. The second, even better episode of Night Country deepens the season’s central mystery with clever world-building and the most disgusting and disturbing ice sculpture on television.
If True Detective: Night Country is about anything so far, it’s about Ennis. More than a little town in Alaska with the nighttime that lasts days, Ennis is a place that’s simultaneously peaceful and terrifying. Rose’s (Fiona Shaw) description of the town to Navarro (Kali Reis) seems close to perfect: a place where the universe comes apart at the seams. It’s a description that takes the strangeness of this world head-on but hints at the softer side of the town, too: The dead find their way back in Ennis (sometimes because they want you to join them). But Ennis is also the kind of town that feels careful and handmade; the seams are wearing like a well-loved toy, not tearing like cheap stitching from a factory.
It’s a beautiful and layered description, but it’s also one that clues us in to what the show is doing. Things here are supernatural, sure; something’s clearly afoot. But that doesn’t mean that zombies roam Ennis or that a quick seance will clear this whole mess up. The dead in Ennis are like the ice: It’s always there, but sometimes it shifts a little, so you’ll notice it. And neither one is giving up its secrets easily.
Episode 2 opens by unveiling the season’s central mystery: a frozen pile of the corpses of the Tsalal scientists, an introduction that comes with some pitch-black comedy involving a grisly hand-breaking that you have to laugh at just to break the tension. True Detective has a grand history of gruesome crime scenes that are gorgeous in their own dark-hearted way, but this is easily the series’ masterpiece so far. The frozen corpsicle is as grotesque as it is beautiful. It’s disfigured and horrible, each body with its own bizarre self-inflicted wounds, equally inexplicable and begging for some detailed reveal that might show us how any of this could have happened. The whole thing, sitting in the middle of an ice rink, a triumph of set dressing and design, looks like it could contain an infinite number of secrets and details, if only you had the misfortune to look at it for too long.
Photo: Michele K. Short/HBO
One of the show’s most brilliant and subtle strokes, though, is one that comes outside of the newly forever-cursed ice rink when Danvers (Jodie Foster) interrupts a classroom to ask her former booty call what exactly it is that Tsalal does. For the deaths of these scientists to merit something as extreme and seemingly otherworldly as their frozen remains would indicate, it seems perfect that their investigation was into something as utopian as the description Danvers gets. A cure-all, hidden away under millions of years of ice. A perfectly solvable puzzle, if only the ice would reveal its mysteries. The explanation makes perfect sense to Danvers; it’s her new burden too, after all.
And fittingly, she too turns to science to sort out her frozen puzzle. She and Pete (Finn Bennett) trot out all the classics that scientists have used for the Dyatlov Pass incident: paradoxical undressing, wild animals, some kind of invisible but natural force like gas or radiation. Not a single one sticks.
But the show’s too smart to let not having an answer defeat Danvers. She’s stubborn enough to stick to the case, and fight for it, but she’s not too stubborn to admit she needs Navarro’s help to figure it out. And with mysterious tattoos of spirals older than the ice, and a trailer full of creepy dolls, the show finally lets its two main detectives team up.
Technically, True Detective: Night Country’s second episode is mostly just table setting, getting our detectives together, laying out the facts and their complications, the oddities and their halfhearted explanations. But the show plays all this setup like Ennis finally boiling over. It’s a town at the edge of both the spiritual and physical worlds, and now it’s breaking open, little by little, under the weight of poison water and mine protests. And True Detective: Night Country is clearly eager to show us the secrets under the fragile ice of Ennis.
From sizzling steakhouses to cozy Irish pubs, the restaurants in Kokomo, Indiana offer a wide array of dining options that are sure to excite your taste buds. Whether you’re in the mood for authentic Mexican cuisine or classic American comfort food, Kokomo always has something new to try. So, if you’re a local looking to explore new dining experiences or a visitor eager to savor the local flavors, here’s a list of some of the best restaurants in town that you won’t want to miss.
1. Cook McDoogal’s Irish Pub
Cuisine Type: Pub, American Restaurant Location: 100 N Main St, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Cook McDoogal’s Irish Pub
Cook McDoogal’s Irish Pub is known for its traditional Irish dishes such as Shepherd’s Pie and Fish and Chips. The pub also offers a variety of American classics on its menu.
2. The Foxes Trail
Cuisine Type: American Restaurant Location: 305 S Main St, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: The Foxes Trail
The Foxes Trail is a cozy American restaurant that offers a diverse menu featuring comfort food and classic American dishes. The restaurant is known for its warm and welcoming atmosphere.
3. 3 Amigos Mexican Grill
Cuisine Type: Mexican Restaurant Location: 219 W Jefferson St, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: 3 Amigos Mexican Grill
3 Amigos Mexican Grill is a popular Mexican restaurant known for its authentic and flavorful Mexican cuisine. The restaurant’s menu features a wide range of traditional Mexican dishes and refreshing margaritas.
4. Choo Choo McGoo’s
Cuisine Type: American Restaurant Location: 816 E Markland Ave, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Choo Choo McGoo’s
Choo Choo McGoo’s is a casual American restaurant that offers a diverse menu with something for everyone. The restaurant is known for its train-themed decor and delicious comfort food.
5. Marble The Steakhouse
Cuisine Type: Steakhouse Location: 500 N Buckeye St, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Marble The Steakhouse
Marble The Steakhouse is an upscale dining establishment known for its premium quality steaks and extensive wine selection. The restaurant offers an elegant and sophisticated ambiance for a memorable dining experience.
6. Oscar’s Pizza
Cuisine Type: Pizzeria Location: 515 N Buckeye St, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Oscar’s Pizza
Oscar’s Pizza is a local pizzeria that serves a variety of specialty pizzas and classic Italian dishes. The restaurant is known for its casual and friendly atmosphere, making it a popular spot for families and friends.
7. Wolfes Smokehouse And BBQ
Cuisine Type: Barbecue restaurant Location: 502 N Main St, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Wolfes Smokehouse And BBQ
Wolfes Smokehouse And BBQ is a beloved barbecue restaurant known for its mouthwatering smoked meats and flavorful BBQ sauces. The restaurant’s casual and laid-back atmosphere makes it a great spot for enjoying delicious comfort food.
8. Tokyo Cuisine
Cuisine Type: Japenese Restaurant Location: 108 N Dixon Rd, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Tokyo Cuisine
Tokyo Cuisine offers an authentic Japanese dining experience with a menu featuring sushi, sashimi, and other traditional Japanese dishes. The restaurant is known for its fresh and high-quality ingredients, providing a taste of Japan in Kokomo.
9. Martino’s Italian Villa
Cuisine Type: Italian Restaurant Location: 1929 N Washington St, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Martino’s Italian Villa
Martino’s Italian Villa is a charming Italian restaurant that offers a wide range of classic Italian dishes and homemade pasta. The restaurant’s warm and inviting ambiance creates the perfect setting for a delightful Italian dining experience.
10. Don Pancho Villa
Cuisine Type: Mexican Restaurant Location: 1052 S Dixon Rd, Kokomo, IN 46902 Website: Don Pancho Villa
Don Pancho Villa is a vibrant Mexican restaurant known for its bold and authentic flavors. The restaurant’s menu features a variety of Mexican specialties and refreshing beverages, offering a true taste of Mexico in Kokomo.
11. Omeletty’s
Cuisine Type: Diner, American Restaurant Location: 602 Saint Joseph Dr, Kokomo, IN 46901 Website: Omeletty’s
Omeletty’s is a popular diner that serves classic American comfort food and delicious breakfast dishes. The restaurant is loved for its generous portions and friendly service, making it a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike.
If you’re in the mood for a hearty Italian meal at La Scala Italian Restaurant or craving the bold and spicy flavors of Mexican cuisine at El Chicano, the restaurants in Lafayette, IN have it all. Whether you’re a local looking for a new favorite spot or a visitor eager to explore the city’s culinary offerings, Lafayette’s restaurants are sure to leave a lasting impression.
1. East End Grill
Cuisine Type: Bar, American Restaurant Location: 1016 Main St, Lafayette, IN 47901 Website: East End Grill
East End Grill is known for its upscale American cuisine and craft cocktails. The restaurant offers a diverse menu with options ranging from seafood to steak, and it is a popular spot for both locals and visitors.
2. Great Harvest Bread Co.
Cuisine Type: Bakery Location: 1500 Kossuth St, Lafayette, IN 47905 Website: Great Harvest Bread Co.
Great Harvest Bread Co. is a beloved bakery that specializes in freshly baked bread, pastries, and sandwiches. The cozy atmosphere and delicious aroma of freshly baked goods make it a must-visit for bread enthusiasts.
3. Yatagarasu
Cuisine Type: Ramen Restaurant Location: 533 Main St, Lafayette, IN 47901 Website: Yatagarasu
Yatagarasu is a popular ramen restaurant known for its authentic Japanese flavors and hearty noodle bowls. The cozy and inviting ambiance adds to the overall dining experience.
4. El Chicano
Cuisine Type: Mexican Restaurant Location: 6 N Earl Ave, Lafayette, IN 47904 Website: El Chicano
El Chicano is a vibrant Mexican restaurant offering a wide range of traditional dishes such as tacos, enchiladas, and sizzling fajitas. The colorful decor and lively atmosphere make it a favorite among locals.
5. La Scala Italian Restaurant
Cuisine Type: Italian Restaurant Location: 312 Main St, Lafayette, IN 47901 Website: La Scala Italian Restaurant
La Scala Italian Restaurant is a charming eatery known for its classic Italian cuisine and extensive wine selection. The restaurant’s warm and welcoming ambiance makes it an ideal spot for a romantic dinner or special celebration.
6. Akropolis
Cuisine Type: Greek Restaurant Location: 3311 South St, Lafayette, IN 47904 Website: Akropolis
Akropolis is a delightful Greek restaurant offering a variety of authentic Mediterranean dishes, including gyros, souvlaki, and spanakopita. The restaurant’s friendly staff and cozy setting create a memorable dining experience.
7. Downtowner Restaurant
Cuisine Type: American Restaurant Location: 2200 Elmwood Ave Ste, Lafayette, IN 47904 Website: Downtowner Restaurant
Downtowner Restaurant is a beloved local spot known for its classic American comfort food and welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant’s menu features a variety of hearty dishes, from burgers to homestyle favorites.
8. Bistro 501
Cuisine Type: French Restaurant Location: 501 Main St, Lafayette, IN 47901 Website: Bistro 501
Bistro 501 is an elegant French restaurant offering a sophisticated dining experience with a menu featuring classic French dishes and an extensive wine list. The restaurant’s charming ambiance and impeccable service make it a top choice for fine dining.
9. Parkway Pizza & Subs
Cuisine Type: Pizzeria Location: 405 Sagamore Pkwy S Ste B1, Lafayette, IN 47905 Website: Parkway Pizza & Subs
Parkway Pizza & Subs is a popular pizzeria known for its delicious hand-tossed pizzas, flavorful subs, and fresh salads. The casual and laid-back atmosphere makes it a great spot for a relaxed meal with family and friends.
10. Little Mexico Ii Restaurant
Cuisine Type: Mexican Restaurant Location: 405 Sagamore Pkwy S Ste A1, Lafayette, IN 47905 Website: Little Mexico Ii Restaurant
Little Mexico Ii Restaurant is a vibrant Mexican eatery known for its authentic flavors and generous portions. The restaurant’s festive decor and lively music create a fun and lively dining atmosphere.
11. Dog N Suds
Cuisine Type: Burger Joint, American Restaurant Location: 601 Sagamore Pkwy S, Lafayette, IN 47905 Website: Dog N Suds
Dog N Suds is a classic burger joint offering a nostalgic dining experience with a menu featuring juicy burgers, hot dogs, and creamy root beer floats. The restaurant’s retro vibe and friendly service make it a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
City-building survival game Frostpunk 2 will put settlers in the same perilous conditions as the first game — in a time of ice age, where the environment becomes bleaker and bleaker. But, according to a new gameplay trailer, it looks like it will up the ante from the original game’s unforgiving, dystopian conditions. The sequel is slated to come out sometime in the first half of 2024 on PC, and will debut on Game Pass.
In Frostpunk, you manage a city of settlers in a town near London during the industrial revolution, weathering a cataclysmic environmental event. Ice storms have ravaged most of humanity; you must find a way to keep the generators for heat, while assigning workers and making constant tradeoffs in order to keep people fed, housed, and, most of all, alive. The game’s motto was “The city must survive” — your citizens believe they are some of the last living humans, and letting the generator die means freezing to death.
Frostpunk 2, which is set 30 years after the original, takes these ideas and runs with them — the city has lasted this long, the motto is now “The city must not fall.” It looks as if each of the core conceits of the original game got a glow-up. The top-down design of the city is just as vivid and picturesque. But the gameplay trailer reveals more sophisticated UI features in the building layout, including what appear to be design elements related to new heating technologies. When Frostpunk 2 was first announced in 2021, the announcement trailer noted generator technology evolved to run on oil — but that these upgrades would come at a price.
In Frostpunk 2, players must navigate political conflict and worker rebellion. It appears workers now have agency to fight back against the Steward’s — that’s you, the player — choices, in the form of voting things down. The gameplay trailer shows the inside of a civic building, in which workers vote on equal pay. The trailer also shows off a few narrative flashpoint moments, where citizens ask for specific things, or voice specific complaints: At one point, a miner named Ian Mactavish shouts “where are the homes you’ve promised.”
That might be the most frightening bit this sequel promises, honestly — being able to put faces and names to the working population. The original game gave you basically no good choices: You’re forcing people to work 18 hours, feeding them sawdust, and attempting to puzzle out whether militarism or religion is the best way to enforce adherence. It looks like in the sequel, you’ll have to face the brutal consequences of your choices.
A guest of mine who I made a good impression on, apparently, decided to gift me this gold plated dollar bill. It’s legal tender in several places, honest to god, but I’m going to get it graded and then professionally framed and put in my office. With this and the Lions winning tonight, I’m doing pretty damn good lately.
Indiana, a state known for its vibrant cities and charming small towns, offers a unique blend of urban and rural living. But how pedestrian-friendly are these cities?
In this Redfin article, we delve into the walkability of various cities in Indiana, providing insights into their walk scores and housing market trends. Join us as we explore the 10 most walkable cities in Indiana, from East Side Chicago to Huntington, and discover what makes each city unique.
1. East Side Chicago, IN
Walk Score: 56 Median Sale Price: $235,000 Median Rent Price: $921
East Side Chicago, a suburb of the larger city of Chicago, is the most walkable city in Indiana with a walk score of 56. The region boasts several pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods like Prarie Park and Calumet Heights. These areas contain a variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions easily accessible on foot.
Walk Score: 52 Median Sale Price: $87,900 Median Rent Price: $1,230
Hammond, the second most walkable city in Indiana, has a walk score of 52. There are numerous walkable neighborhoods throughout Hammond, like Hessville and Woodmar, helping make the city explorable without a car.
Walk Score: 51 Median Sale Price: $357,000 Median Rent Price: $2,025
West Lafayette is the third most walkable city in Indiana. Particularly walkable areas in West Lafayette include Chauncey Village, New Chauncey, and Downtown. These places are home to amenities like Purdue University, Harry’s Chocolate Shop, and the Wabash Heritage Trail.
Walk Score: 51 Median Sale Price: $110,000 Median Rent Price: $825
Logansport, Indiana, has plenty of amenities a resident might need well within walking distance. From Riverside Park to the Eel River, there’s something for every lifestyle. The downtown area is particularly walkable, with numerous restaurants, shops, and attractions.
Walk Score: 48 Median Sale Price: $219,500 Median Rent Price: $1,952
As the fifth most walkable city in Indiana, Highland is known for its Main Square Park and the Highland Downtown Historic District. Consider exploring Wicker Memorial Park or getting a bite to eat at Lincoln’s Carry Outs with friends. Or if you’re in the mood for an adventure, visit the Little Calumet River.
Walk Score: 45 Median Sale Price: $133,000 Median Rent Price: $795
With a walk score of 45, Vincennes is the sixth most walkable city in Indiana. The region boasts several pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods like Gregg Park and the Vincennes University area. These areas contain a variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions easily accessible on foot.
Walk Score: 44 Median Sale Price: $150,000 Median Rent Price: $849
Evansville, the seventh most walkable city in Indiana, has a walk score of 44. There are numerous walkable areas and neighborhoods throughout Evansville, like Haynie’s Corner and Riverside Historic District, helping make the city explorable without a car.
Walk Score: 44 Median Sale Price: $200,000 Median Rent Price: $1,192
Mishawaka is the eighth most walkable city in Indiana. Particularly walkable areas in Mishawaka include Downtown, Beutter Park, and the Riverwalk. These places are home to amenities like the Mishawaka Riverwalk, the Battell Park, and the Town & Country Shopping Center.
Walk Score: 43 Median Sale Price: $310,000 Median Rent Price: $1,650
Bloomington, Indiana, has plenty of amenities a resident might need well within walking distance. From Indiana University to the B-Line Trail, there’s something for every lifestyle. The downtown area is particularly walkable, with numerous restaurants, shops, and attractions.
Walk Score: 43 Median Sale Price: $151,000 Median Rent Price: $603
As the tenth most walkable city in Indiana, Huntington is known for its Sunken Gardens and the Historic Forks of the Wabash. Consider exploring Hier’s Park or getting a bite to eat at Nick’s Kitchen with friends. Or if you’re in the mood for an adventure, visit the Little River Trail.
Methodology: Walk Score, a Redfin company, helps people find a walkable place to live, rating areas from least to most walkable on a scale from 0-100. To calculate a Walk Score for a city, Walk Score analyzes thousands of walking routes to nearby amenities, population density, and metrics such as block length and intersection density. Points are awarded based on the distance to amenities in each category.
But ever since HBO rebranded to Max, guess what? You can call it TV again, and nobody can stop you.
We’re here to round up some of the best TV shows available to watch on Max. More than enough people have likely already extolled to you the virtues of The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, and Game of Thrones. (If not, where have you been?) Consider this a supplementary list. A Max 2.0, if you will.
For more great TV, check out our lists of the bests shows of 2022 and 2023, which include many selections on Max.
Editor’s pick: Rome
Image: HBO
Before the fantasy renaissance Game of Thrones kicked off, Rome was the setting for HBO’s best sword-swinging prestige play. And while this amped up historical drama didn’t quite hit the heights of HBO’s A Song of Ice and Fire adaptation, it’s still plenty entertaining, and one of the most interesting shows on Max.
Rome’s first season chronicles the rise and fall of Julius Caesar. The story is told through the lives and intrigue of the most powerful players, including Game of Thrones vets Ciarán Hinds as Caesar and Tobias Menzies as Brutus, but also through two lowly soldiers (Ray Stevenson and Kevin McKidd), who just happen to be around to witness some of the biggest moments in this period of Rome’s history.
As fun as Rome is as a series in its own right, it’s equally as fascinating as a historical document for HBO. While it feels slightly out of step with the slower dramas the network was known for at the time, like The Wire, Deadwood, or The Sopranos, Rome’s quick-paced brutality and prestige sheen make it feel right at home in the current line up for Max. — Austen Goslin
Fringe
Image: Fox
Back in 2008, J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci launched a series that was intended to be spiritual successor to The X-Files by way of Lost. Over the course of five seasons, Fringe became that and so much more: a cerebral procedural drama about urban legends, parallel universes, anomalous oddities, and a beleaguered mad scientist’s long quest for redemption.
The series centers on Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), an FBI agent assigned to investigate unexplained phenomena related to a mysterious series of occurrences known simply as “The Pattern.” With the help of a Department of Homeland Security consultant (Joshua Jackson) and his eccentric father (John Noble), a brilliant yet troubled researcher known for his speciality in the field of “fringe science,” Dunham is tasked with unmasking the culprits responsible for these strange phenomena and bringing them to justice.
The series overcame multiple threats of cancellation and precipitously declining ratings to amass a passionate cult following, all while delivering one of the most complex and emotionally moving storylines seen in a mainstream sci-fi TV drama. Featuring guest appearances from such lauded sci-fi icons as Leonard Nimoy and Peter Weller and an absolute standout supporting performance by the late Lance Reddick as Fringe Division director Phillip Broyles, Abrams and company’s show is an enduring series worthy of reappraisal and admiration. —Toussaint Egan
Unicorn: Warriors Eternal
Image: Cartoon Network Studios/Williams Street
What do you get when you combine Arthurian legend, the “rubber hose” art style of Osamu Tezuka and Max Fleischer, and the determination of one of the most successful American animators of the past 20 years? You get Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, of course — the passion project of director Genndy Tartakovsky and writer Darrick Bachman set in a Victorian steampunk world.
The series follows a trio of immortal warriors: Melinda, a powerful sorceress; Seng, a cosmic monk; and Edred, a warrior elf, who are reincarnated across several generations by the wizard Merlin to fight an unending battle against an ancient evil. Upon realizing her destiny as the latest reincarnation of Melinda, a young bride-to-be named Emma Fairfax sets off in search of how to get her old life back while fending off the droves of malicious henchmen her reawakening has brought about.
Brilliantly animated and exquisitely original, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is without a doubt one of the best animated series Max has to offer. Both Tartakovsky and Bachman have expressed interest in exploring the world of Unicorn more in future installments. Only time will tell if that comes to fruition, but one of the best ways to help ensure that it does is by watching the entire series in full. You won’t regret it. —TE
Banshee
Image: Cinemax
Like Antony Starr in The Boysand Warrior on Max? Have I got some good news for you!
Warrior creator Jonathan Tropper’s first show, Banshee,follows an expert thief recently freed from prison who accidentally becomes the sheriff of a small fictional Pennsylvanian town.
It’s a perfect fish-out-of-water setup for a great lead performance, and Starr is fantastic, carrying this show much like he does The Boys. It’s also one of those shows that falls in between the era of serial television and the era of “10-hour movies,” and the mix often gives Banshee the best of both worlds, as Starr’s Lucas Hood uses his unconventional background and skills to be a very different kind of sheriff. Not everything works in the show — some of the plotlines are more thought through than others — but it’s a consistently good time anchored by a great premise and a fantastic leading performance. —Pete Volk
Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski’s seminal 1992 reinvention of the Dark Knight changed American animated television forever. Set in an anachronistic 1950s vision of Gotham City, the show follows billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne/Batman, of course, but also a rogues’ gallery almost as large as his arsenal of gadgets and vehicles.
The dark color palette and art deco aesthetic is as much a revelation to behold now as they were over 30 years ago. The series’ writing delivered some of the more memorable and defining stories related to Batman’s various nemeses, while also inventing its own enduring original character in the form of Harley Quinn, the paramour and sidekick to Batman’s adversary the Joker. There’s too much to say about Batman: The Animated Series to fit into only one article, let alone one blurb. To say that it is one of the best series to watch on Max is an understatement; it’s practically a prerequisite. —TE
Veep
Image: HBO
For every profession, there’s a TV show that makes people who work that job go, Yeah, that’s the one that got it really right. When watching Veep, the insult-filled comedy about a dysfunctional vice president and her dysfunctional staff, it won’t bring you comfort to know that it’s the show most D.C. insiders nod along to as the best reflection of their life. But the genius of Veep is you can put that out of your mind for a spell; you’re laughing too hard to care.
In Veep, you can see the roots of big shows to come: Succession and its insult comedy, the comedy of errors of Barry. But Veep is singular because it is just always fucking on. Where most shows are finding themselves in the first season, Veep confidently charges out with guns blazing and F-bombs flying. And it only gets stronger from there. As you watch, and you inevitably remember that this is how our elected officials (at the very least) feel they should be reflected, it might seem terrifying. Then again, in a way it makes sense; Occam’s razor tells us the simplest explanation is often the right one. And that’s the same ethos that makes Veep’s comedy so cutting — these are the simplest people, doing the simplest mismanagement you can imagine. At least here, it’s funny. —Zosha Millman
Watchmen
Photo: Mark Hill/HBO
People have a lot of opinions about Watchmen. One of the more popular ones is that no one should bother adapting or expanding on it, and they are, generally speaking, right. Damon Lindelof’s sequel/reinvention of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ acclaimed comic appeared about as ill-conceived as every prior attempt to revisit Watchmen, and Lindelof even seemed apologetic about attempting the same. How lucky we all are that he did: HBO’s Watchmen was dazzling, a nine-episode limited series that took the superhero metaphor to uncharted territory, turning a deconstruction of superheroes into a stylish contemplation of American power and racism. Violent, funny, and surprisingly moving, HBO’s Watchmen lures you in the same way the comic did: A man is found dead, and that death exposes a conspiracy that threatens to unravel the entire world. —Joshua Rivera
I May Destroy You
Photo: Natalie Seery/BBC/Val Productions
Michaela Coel’s searing black comedy follows Arabella, an author with a viral success under her belt and a terrible case of writer’s block keeping her from her next one. When Arabella blacks out following a night with friends at the pub, she learns that she was raped, and attempts to reconstruct the night as best she can. What begins with abject horror grows — thanks to Coel’s incredible performance and razor-sharp writing alongside co-writer Sam Miller — to become a morbidly hilarious, compassionate portrait of modern womanhood, where violence is an occupational hazard of being alive and surviving trauma becomes a marketable asset. I May Destroy You is remarkable for the tonal tightrope it walks but also its unsparing eye, which lets no one — not the audience, nor its characters — off the hook when it comes to its most biting satire or devastating blows. —JR
Starstruck
Photo: Mark Johnson/Max
A rom-com about Jessie (Rose Matafeo) — an unassuming Kiwi woman living in London, where she works at a movie theater — and Tom Kapoor (Nikesh Patel), the actor and movie star that she keeps running into and falling in love with, Starstruck makes charm look easy. Like most romantic comedies, a lot of this is due to Matafeo and Patel’s easy chemistry, as both play characters with a naturalism that makes the unlikeliness of their relationship less of a big deal and more of a big complication. It is just hard to get involved with someone whose whereabouts are news, which forces the 20-something Jessie to be way more decisive than any 20-something is about anything. Starstruck is, at least in part, a rom-com about how many good romances are ones that nearly don’t work out, and its old-school screwball approach to modern love makes it feel both specific and timeless. —JR
Station Eleven
Photo: Ian Watson/HBO Max
Look: If you’re going to watch one pandemic show, you should make it Station Eleven. The story itself is simple: In a world where a flu-like pandemic wiped out the bulk of civilization, Kirsten (Mackenzie Davis) leads a traveling theater troupe in the Great Lakes area. A run-in with a dangerous wanderer makes her revisit her past, and stare down a dangerous future.
Like a lot of HBO shows, Station Eleven tells its story by braiding individuals and their stories together. Through the various perspectives and players of the story, Station Eleven builds something new: a treatise on the value of art, the things that stick with us, and the people we choose to keep in our hearts, whether for reasons happy or sad. Without being too preachy, the show breaks free of mere COVID-19 relevance. What makes Station Eleven a relevant watch isn’t what makes it a powerful one. What we carry through the pandemic isn’t all we’ll take away. —ZM
The Leftovers
Photo: Van Redin/HBO
The show kicks off a few years after 2% of the population has vanished. Not a fiery rapture, nor a giant robot plucking a few people off the face of the planet before life goes on. No — this is more like a quiet missing, the sort of act that’s confounding just for how sudden it is, and all the more so when the world keeps spinning. Such trauma is total disorientation for everyone in The Leftovers, whether they like it or not. The world has been rocked, and as some try to hold on to their old way of life, others want to get as far away from it as they can.
And so The Leftovers (and everyone in it) spins out from there. Like so much of modern media, The Leftovers is “about” “grief.” But as it kaleidoscopes out and picks out one character or another to focus an episode around, it tells a story much more heady and richer than so many other tales of grief and coping. And as it goes on, The Leftovers grows more bold, more mysterious, until reaching its final chapter, an all-timer of a finale. Each of these chapters and characters is its own fault line, but in The Leftovers, you never know when things will come tumbling down. —ZM
Adventure Time
Image: Cartoon Network
I’ve recently rewatched Adventure Timefor the second time, and I’m happy to report it still holds up even as you continue to age out of its target demographic.
The tales of Jake the Dog, Finn the Human, and the rest of their colorful friends and foes deftly move between silly humor and intense drama in ways few other shows have. While ostensibly a children’s show, Adventure Time isn’t precious with its audience: It isn’t afraid to delve into serious topics (the finale remains a remarkable feat, using the end of a long-running show as an allegory for grief), tell complex stories and jokes, or throw in a few real scares.
That’s all packed into a story with a massive scope, told in bite-size episodes as hilarious as they are moving. And the show looks good while it’s doing it, consistently pushing itself and the medium to find new ways to express itself. That’s how Adventure Time can be an excellent show for children that also gained a dedicated fandom of adults: It’s just That Good.
When you’re done with Adventure Time, the post-finale specials Distant Lands and the new spinoff Fionna and Cake are also on Max and worth your time. —PV
Erika and Steven catch up with each other about their holidays, including everything they watched, and talk about what TV, movies, music, etc. they’re excited for in 2024. Then they do some personal ins/outs for the new year.
If you want to share any culture you’re excited to experience in 2024 or your ins/outs for this year, email us at whataboutyourfriendspod@gmail.com.
Hosts: Erika Ramirez and Steven Othello Producer: Sasha Ashall
Eevee, the evolution Pokémon from Kanto, can be found in the wild in Pokémon Go. Yes, Eeveecan be shiny in Pokémon Go!
Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Image sources: Niantic/The Pokémon Company
Ah, yes, Eevee, the most annoying Pokémon to evolve in Pokémon Go (though Dusk Form Lycanroc might be up there, too). Depending on which “Eeveelution” you want, the Eevee evolution method can be pretty bad. If you’ve already used the name tricks — which allows you to evolve your Eevee into a specific evolution if you name it something specific — Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon are all RNG. The others, however, require more specific methods, like using a Glacial Lure for Glaceon. If you have shiny Eevee and specifically want a shiny Vaporeon… good luck!
What is the shiny rate for Eevee in Pokémon Go?
As per old research by the now-defunct website The Silph Road (via Wayback Machine), the shiny rate for Pokémon on a regular day is approximately one in 500. Eevee is not a confirmed Pokémon that gets a “permaboost” (meaning that it’s a rare spawn and thus gets a boosted shiny rate).
What can I do to attract more shiny Pokémon?
Not much, unfortunately. It appears to be random chance. Shiny Pokémon catch rates are set by developer Niantic, and they are typically only boosted during special events like Community Days or Safari Zones, or in Legendary Raids. There are no consumable items that boost shiny Pokémon rates.
Where can I find a list of available shiny Pokémon?
I spent the better part of my holiday break leaping from one real-time strategy game to another: a They Are Billions failed run here, a Command & Conquer: Red Alert skirmish there. I even dug up my physical copies of The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth and its sequel from my parents’ basement. The liminal space between 2023’s late releases and 2024’s January rush provided the perfect opportunity to zoom out (literally and figuratively) and enjoy the act of telling tiny little people where to go and what to do.
At a certain point, my nostalgia morphed into curiosity. Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition’s Steam news feed has been more active than those of many newer releases, and I finally decided to take a closer look. It turns out, developer Forgotten Empires and Xbox Game Studios have been releasing new DLC, updates, patches, challenges, and seasonal aesthetics on an almost weekly basis since the remaster’s 2019 release. This cadence, coupled with the fact that 26,000 people were playing the nearly 25-year-old RTS on Steam, convinced me to take a detour. (I played on Steam, but it’s also available via Game Pass.) And not only is Age of Empires 2 still pretty damn good — like many, I consider it one of the best RTS games of all time — it feels more vital than ever in 2024.
To start, there are now 37 total campaigns. This count ignores the dozen discrete historical battles, the tutorial missions revolving around William Wallace, and the eight remastered campaigns from the previous game. (Did I mention Forgotten Empires also remastered much of the first Age of Empires and released it as an expansion for the sequel?) If, like me, you prefer narrative campaigns and skirmishes against the AI in RTS games, then Age of Empires 2 is tantamount to a single-player gold mine.
Image: Forgotten Empires/Xbox Game Studios
While I always hesitate to consider a breadth of content a quality in and of itself, it’s both surreal and encouraging to see this manynew missions, cutscenes, and unique units in Age of Empires 2 this long after its initial release. Forgotten Empires’ remaster plays like a dream, with a bevy of quality-of-life improvements (I’m looking at you, farm queues) and enemy AI that actually knows how to exploit your weaknesses and bait you into vulnerable situations. Sure, pathfinding is still an albatross around Age of Empires 2’s neck — chasing one scout halfway across the map with an entire battalion of cavalry will never be fun — but it’s a much smalleralbatross these days. I can actually maneuver an entire army across a river ford without half of it doubling back to find another crossing.
When it comes to a game that feels this good to play, I’ll take all of the missions I can get. I kicked off this particular stint with one Vlad Dracula (aka Vlad the Impaler) and his campaign to lead the Turks, Magyars, and Slavs against the Ottoman Empire. Each of the five missions in his storyline involve vastly different scenarios. The third, titled “The Breath of the Dragon,” is as challenging as it is thrilling, tasking me with capturing the central Wallachian city of Giurgiu before defending it from attack in every direction. Its placement on the banks of the Danube necessitates building up a naval presence and sailing to numerous small settlements working to supply the main Ottoman citadel of Darstor. When my Slavic forces finally entered Darstor, destroyed its fortifications, and demolished its castle, I almost had to step away to catch my breath.
Image: Forgotten Empires/Xbox Game Studios
My return to the 1999 classic begs the question: What about Age of Empires 4, the most recent entry in the series? I’ve been a fan of Relic Entertainment’s sequel since its 2021 release. That appreciation has only grown as the team refines and builds upon an already impressive foundation; I especially appreciate 4’s asymmetrical faction design, which makes playing the nomadic Mongols, for instance, feel vastly different than managing the complex dynasty system of China. Age of Empires 2’s civilizations, by comparison, feel much more uniform outside of their unique units.
But in its slick mechanics, its stunning art style, its wealth of creative missions, and its strong content cadence, Age of Empires 2 remains atop the pedestal it climbed almost 25 years ago. I haven’t even touched “The Mountain Royals” or “Return of Rome,” its newest expansions, as of this writing — but I absolutely plan to soon. The game’s ongoing health is proof that, given proper time and funding, a team can revitalize a classic in a medium known for its ephemeral works. I booted up Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition on the doorstep of 2024 in order to replay an enduring classic; I also found a vibrant modern game.
I know it’s not really a big feat but I’ve not gone a full week without drinking in about 2 months. I’m shooting to stay sober all of January, and maybe February too. So far, so good. Will see how it goes but I kinda wanted to tell someone because I’m proud of myself
That’s what we’re here for today: To help you figure out what shows with new seasons in 2024 you should catch up on, and which ones might not be worth the effort. First things first, we’re counting out the easy ones: Big returning shows like The Boys, You, and Bridgertonare cultural phenomena that have been massive for years, so you probably know whether or not they’re for you. If one of them seems like your bag, start watching, but trust your gut instinct either way. As for everything else, here’s what you should know:
Image: Peacock
Watch it if you like: 30 Rock, or any sitcom with a constant barrage of hilarious and offbeat jokes Previous seasons: Two Where to watch: Peacock (Netflix after March 14)
This is an easy one. This sitcom about four women who used to be pop stars in a girl group is heading into its third season, and its first after moving from Peacock to Netflix. There are only 16 episodes in the first two seasons, and at just 30 hilarious minutes each, it’s easy to breeze through. —Austen Goslin
Image: CBS
Watch it if you like: Elementary, or any other offbeat procedural, or exorcism movies Previous seasons: Three Where to watch: Paramount Plus
From the minds behind all-time great legal procedural The Good Wife, Evil takes the elements of procedural shows we know and love and expertly applies them to the demonic and supernatural. Gleefully playful, surprisingly scary, and mischievously funny, Evil is unlike anything else on television. —Pete Volk
Image: Syfy
Watch it if you like: The Chucky movies, horror comedy, Jennifer Tilly Previous seasons: Two-and-a-half Where to watch: Peacock
Chucky is one of the boldest shows on television, never afraid to reinvent itself or dive into the deepest recesses of its canon. After seasons set in a quiet small town and a Catholic boarding school, the current season (in a mid-season break) is set in the freakin’ White House!! It’s one of the funniest shows on TV, and almost inarguably the goriest. Four more years! —PV
Image: Apple TV Plus
Watch it if you like: Dry British humor, spies, fun television Previous seasons: Three Where to watch: Apple TV Plus
Slow Horses really started to catch on with the 2023 debut of its third season, but if you’re not on board yet, 2024 is the perfect time to catch up. The series centers around Slough House, essentially the island of misfit toys for disgraced British spies who are disdainfully called Slow Horses. The horses are led by Jackson Lamb, a fantastic spy with awful hygiene and a penchant for rudeness — played terrifically by Gary Oldman. Slow Horses’ third season was its best so far, which is saying something for one of the most fun and watchable shows on TV. —AG
Photo: Ser Baffo/ABC
Watch it if you like: Sitcoms like Parks & Recreation, or generally sweet and funny shows Previous seasons: Two Where to watch: Hulu
Genuinely funny broadcast sitcoms feel like a rarity nowadays, but Abbott Elementary is doing a great job holding down the fort. Set in a Philadelphia elementary school, the growing roster of phenomenal guest stars helps keep each episode fresh, while the show lets its core cast of teachers grow as characters, friends, and more. Abbott isn’t the funniest sitcom ever, but it’s got a few great jokes every episode and as much heart and personality as any show on TV right now. —AG
Image: PBS Masterpiece
Watch it if you like: Animals, British shows, procedurals Previous seasons: Two Where to watch: PBS All-Access
The latest adaptation of James Herriot’s books about being a veterinarian in the British countryside as World War II looms is equally tender, charming, and beautiful. Another example of applying the procedural format in an unlikely direction, All Creatures is about how we care for our community — human and animal alike — and it’s one of the best shows hidden away on PBS. —PV
Today on this special episode of Morally Corrupt, our Bravo avengers assemble to discuss what might have been one of the greatest finales in Housewives history—The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4, Episode 16. Rachel Lindsay, Jodi Walker, and Chelsea Stark-Jones give their initial reactions to this epic episode, debate the morality of having a secret finsta dedicated to taking down Jen Shah, break down the social media drama that followed, and more!
Host: Rachel Lindsay Guests: Jodi Walker and Chelsea Stark-Jones Producer: Devon Baroldi Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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